Author: admin

Society regularly offers opportunities to jump on popular bandwagons. A new leader, trend, fad, style, viewpoint, investment, or luxury is heralded and immediately people begin to fervently embrace it.

Such was too often the case in Israel. When Adonijah conducted massive sacrifices, everyone knew there would be plentiful food and parties for those who participated. Appealing to people’s basest appetites, the would-be king was certain he could draw a crowd. The “worship” was manipulative, not sincere. It sought to please people, not God. It was designed to satisfy people’s tastes, not to meet lofty principles. Yet this did not bother those who attended. No one questioned whether the worship was God-honoring. No one asked about God’s will. This “worship” service was intended to accomplish the goals of people, not the purposes of God.

Do you ever thoughtlessly attend a church service, merely following the crowd? How much of your satisfaction with worship stems from having your own needs met and how much comes from your desire to honor God? Be careful about simply following the crowd. If you are not careful, you can find yourself far from God.

It is not difficult to be a leader in times of tranquility and prosperity. But it is in periods of turmoil that true leaders rise to the occasion. King David had grown old and weary. His strength had dissipated. Yet in a moment of crisis, he sprung back into action, decisively dealing with what could have led to a civil war resulting in much bloodshed.

In crucial moments, leaders are decisive. There can be no delay, no hand-wringing, no second guessing. Everything hinges on a quick, purposeful response. To hesitate could mean losing everything. David was a leader. So he took action.

There are times when leaders must plan carefully and shrewdly consider every option. Then there are other times when they must act boldly. To hesitate could mean certain defeat.

Are you presently facing a crisis? A challenge that must be addressed? Is it time to act? Have you delayed too long? Take courage and address the challenge immediately, before it is too late.

In times of turmoil we can become so concerned with who is against us that we overlook those who have chosen to remain at our side.

While it is inevitable that some of your friends and colleagues will eventually disappoint you, one of the great rewards of leadership is the relationship of trust you can build with people over time. Even as David’s own son and long-time colleagues were plotting behind his back, there were others who were unshakably loyal to him, just as they had always been.

Zadok the priest was always steadfast in his zeal for God and for King David. Benaiah was a fearless warrior who had won renown among the mighty men of his day not only for his military prowess, but also for his loyalty. Nathan, the wise, old prophet had dared to challenge the king when he sinned, but he always remained firmly supportive of God’s anointed. Likewise the Mighty Men who had helped David to achieve the throne, were steadfast in their commitment to him throughout their days. One could only wish to have a fraction as many supportive friends as David enjoyed!

While it might have seemed that his entire kingdom was deserting him, the fact was that David still had strong allies. We would do well to also take into account those who continue to be our steadfast friends and supporters.

makes ambitious power-seekers so troublesome is that there is always a group of followers eager to jump on their bandwagon. These underlings lack character as well as the leadership ability to hold the foremost position. But they will eagerly grasp at secondary positions of power if only someone will lead them.

Whenever someone in an organization rises up as a critic or a rebel or an opponent, there will usually be those who lend their support. Such people believe that to have influence themselves, they must attach themselves to someone with power or a voice. These are people who look for shortcuts. They do not want to earn their positions. They cannot bear to trust God for their future. So they cast about for a rising star and quickly hold on for the ride.

Leaders must beware of those who are in their midst but whose loyalty can easily be bought. Such fickle followers can turn on you if they sense it is to their advantage. Even as they proclaim their steadfast loyalty, they are gazing about for opportunities to achieve their goals, even if it is at your expense.

Wise leaders are not fooled by empty promises and hollow pronouncements of commitment. They identify those in the organization who are uncommitted to the greater cause. Astute leaders never presume that everyone on their team or in their organization is wholly loyal to them, regardless of what they claim.

King David is the favorite of many people because of his passionate character and his only too human qualities. He had numerous strengths that led him to become his nation’s greatest king. But he also possessed some spectacular weaknesses. One of his most acute shortcomings lay in his parenting. He could command a band of the mightiest warriors in the land, he could organize the top worship leaders of his day, but he could not guide his own children.

David’s great weakness came in his unwillingness to rebuke inappropriate behavior. He was far too long-suffering. Perhaps he wished for the best in people. Maybe he was only too aware of his own shortcomings to be pointing them out in others. Maybe he was so overwhelmed by God’s grace in his own life that he erred in granting it indiscriminately to others. Or, perhaps he was so engaged in his work that he chose to be a passive observer in his home. Whatever his motivation, David erred greatly by not rebuking ungodly behavior in his children.

Adonijah was the younger brother of Absalom. Absalom had been a good-looking, ambitious, neglected child of the king who had ultimately thrown the entire kingdom into civil war. Certainly King David ought to have been discerning when Absalom’s younger brother came of age. But David did nothing. And rarely is doing nothing the best strategy in volatile times.

It takes courage to address inappropriate behavior. It can appear to be much easier to look the other way and hope it goes away. But, too often, neglect simply magnifies the problems when they inevitably come.

Power vacuums will inevitably occur in organizations as long as there are people who are driven by ambition. Such individuals covet the foremost position. Servanthood is anathema to them. They crave prominence. They are dissatisfied with remaining in their current position. What’s worse, such people are unwilling to trust in the Lord for their opportunities nor are they content to wait on God’s timing. These ladder-climbers take matters into their own hands.

Some people assume they must seize whatever they can in life. They have an inherent distrust in God or in people. They are determined to be the master of their own destiny. Sadly, if these people had been satisfied with what God gave them, they could have experienced contentment. If they could have found happiness in every stage of life (even if it wasn’t as the boss), they could have experienced much joy throughout their life.

Instead, these discontented people continually push themselves to the front of the line. They use people to advance their selfish causes. They create turmoil in organizations because everything is done to benefit them. History demonstrates that such individuals divide organizations and stir up conflict wherever they go. And, sadly, history also chronicles that such people find their way into every place where there are positions and power.

Are you presently dealing with one of these people? Are you one of those people?

One of the sobering truths of the human experience is that, even the greatest leaders will age, grow weak, and decline in their powers. It is the destiny of every leader, however great. So it was with David. There was a time when as a youth he had zealously charged toward the giant Goliath with no weapon but a slingshot. But those days were long past. There was a day when David was a fearless warrior who could cut down Philistine soldiers in a swath and be the peerless leader of a band of mighty men, but now he lay in bed struggling to fend off the chills from his fragile bones.

It is easy to be nostalgic and wish that the great leaders of an earlier day could still ride into battle and defeat our enemies. We could wish that the giants of the faith still walked in our midst, trusting God for miracles on our behalf. But their day has come and gone. No leader, regardless of how great, is intended to lead forever. The following generation always has its day.

When we see great leaders of earlier days aging and struggling with infirmities, we must remember: we, too, will one day be in their place. Our strength and energy will dissipate, and our greatest opportunities to do advance God’s kingdom and to help others may be past. That day is coming soon enough for all of us. Are you prepared for it?

There are two aspects to spiritual leadership. The first is our character. Do we have integrity of heart? Are we living consistently with our values and with God’s word? Are we honest? Do we work hard? David had integrity of heart. What David believed, he practiced. He knew God was all-powerful and he put that belief to practice when he took on Goliath. His actions were perfectly in line with his beliefs.

But David also had skillful hands. At times we assume that integrity is enough. It often is not. Leaders also require skills. There has been many a godly person who was a disaster as a leader! They loved the Lord, but they could not delegate or develop other leaders. They had a pure heart but were totally befuddled at dealing with those who did not. David not only possessed integrity, he also allowed God to develop his leadership skills. A skillful leader with integrity is a powerful instrument in the hands of the living God!

How are you presently positioned as a leader? Is your integrity firmly in place? Are your actions consistent with your beliefs? What new leadership skills have you developed recently? Are you continuing to grow as a leader?

Spiritual leadership is a divine calling. You cannot volunteer for it. It is accomplished solely at God’s sovereign discretion. At times it can be puzzling why God chooses the people that He does. David had seven older brothers, many of whom would have appeared far more able than their baby brother to be a leader. Older brothers are accustomed to being followed. The youngest of eight is not. The seven older brothers had all donned armor and joined the army. David had been left behind to watch the flock. No leadership specialist would ever have determined that David was best suited to become the king, let alone the greatest leader in his nation’s history.

Don’t be surprised if almighty God calls you into his service. He could well ask you to do something you never considered undertaking before. You might not feel qualified (You may in fact, NOT be qualified!). Others may question your selection. Yet it is just like God to select those who appear the least likely, or the weakest, or most inexperienced, and use them for His divine purposes.

The key to service is not our expertise but our faithfulness. If God finds us faithful, there is nothing He cannot do through us. David had not been a soldier before, but he had been a faithful shepherd. How diligently have you been following what God assigned you, so far?

Throughout your life there will be times of divine silence, when it seems as if God is nowhere near. God does this for a multitude of reasons. He might do it to discipline you. He could remain silent to teach you to wait upon Him and to trust in His timing. God might remain silent so you learn how desperately you depend upon Him in every area of your life. There are innumerable reasons why God occasionally steps back and refuses to actively work in your life.

In these times, there is nothing we can do to force God to intervene on our behalf or to overcome our problems. All we can do is cry out to Him and prepare our hearts so we are pleasing and acceptable to Him. And then wait. For God can do in a matter of moments what we could not achieve in years of toil and labor.

But then, like a mighty man who arises from slumber, God can choose to decisively intervene in our lives in a manner that makes all the difference. When God is pleased with our life, He can overcome any obstacle and defeat even the most antagonistic enemy. Do you need God to intervene in your life today? He can, and He will, when He chooses.