Promotion

1 Peter 5:5-6
But all of you, leaders and followers alike, are to be down to earth with each other, for—
God has had it with the proud,
But takes delight in just plain people. So be content with who you are, and don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; he'll promote you at the right time.

Jesus, thank you for teaching me that we will never be promoted before the right time. When the promotion comes, I will rest in the knowledge that you have prepared me and equipped me for the task at hand.

God is on the Job

1 Peter 4:12-13 & 19
Friends, when life gets really difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner. So if you find life difficult because you're doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he's doing, and he'll keep on doing it.

Thank you Jesus for always being on the job.

Tools of the Trade

1 Peter 1:6-7
I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.

Karen Kingsbury told me a few weeks ago that, "money is simply a tool that God gives us to do His work."

Andrew wants to spend his money on a locking knife and a Red Rider Bee Bee gun. While I don't object to the tools, I am not sure that he is responsible enough to handle them yet. I will need to work with him and train him prior to that purchase.

Money is obviously an important tool, but God still needs to work with me and train me prior to releasing his blessings. I desperately want to move on to the next step, but I don't want God to turn me loose until I am ready. Thank you Jesus for the training.

The Last Detail

James 5:10-11
Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You've heard, of course, of Job's staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That's because God cares, cares right down to the last detail.

Thank you Jesus for caring about every last detail.

Leaderhip Training

Hebrews 12:7
God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.

Thank you Jesus for the training!

Mighty Men of God

Isaiah 13:3

I've taken charge of my special forces,
called up my crack troops.
They're bursting with pride and passion
to carry out my angry judgment.

God is raising up men in our church to become His special forces. These men will be used to accomplish His mighty work during these difficult times.

How do I know that I am one of these men?

* I have submitted my life and my will to His purposes
* I read my Bible and walk with Him each day
* I happily perform the work that He has given me each day
* He speaks to me and encourages me each day

Leaderhip Training

At the beginning of the year, God challenged our small group of men to seek Him through daily Bible reading.

• Challenged us to blog for accountability
• Challenged us to attend Saturday morning breakfast @ 6:00am to filter the men from the boys
• We made a conscious choice not to become a ladies tea party
• Something must have resonated with your soul to become part of our group

Satan knows that a group of men daily seeking God is a huge threat to his world. Satan has been attacking on every front:

• Health
• Marriage
• Resentment
• Selfishness
• Unforgiveness

We seek the keys to the kingdom:

• Spiritual gifts (discernment / wisdom / healing / casting out deamons)
• Wealth and provision

God has freely given out the keys before, but his chosen men have failed every time.

• Saul -Failed to follow God wholeheartedly by killing all of the Amalekites.
  
• David - Committed adultery with Bathsheeba and had her husband murdered.
  
• Solomon - Was seduced by the pagan gods of his wives, and he failed to worship God wholeheartedly.

God has decided that we must be trained prior being given the keys to the kingdom:

• We must learn to hear His voice. (John 10:27 "My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me")
• Commit to daily seek / walk with Him
• Must demonstrate obedience

The Word is Living:

• Simply attending church or a small group is being force fed.
• You can read the entire Bible without discernment and obtain nothing
  
• The Holy Spirit makes the Word come alive
• God has a Rhema word (specific word) for us each day
• It is my job to find that word and research it
• By seeking Him first thing in the morning, I trust God to make the rest of my day more efficient (Tithing of my time)

Surrounded by Counsel:

• Advocate - A peer with the ability to speak into your life. Someone that loves you enough to tell you when you are messing up. We need these advocates for accountability.
  
• Discipleship - We need a mentor to disciple us, and we must disciple others. (Matthew 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.")

Closing Questions:

• What is stopping you from daily seeking God by reading His word?
• Are you man enough to admit that your reason is an excuse?
• Who is your advocate? Who loves you enough to tell you the trust?
• Who is discipling you?
• Who are you discipling?