Leadership Principles

May 20, 2013 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

II Samuel 16:3 And the king said, And where is thy master’s son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.

Much of what is happening to David right now could have likely been avoided had he handled a family problem right and at the right moment. Since he didn’t things have only proceeded to get worse. A much smaller issue left unattended has caused the rebellion and now Ziba rebels against his master also. Every leader must consider dealing with the little foxes before they get big enough to do so much harm. Jesus said that if you were being taken to court you should fix it on the way to court if at all possible. Matthew 5:25

II Samuel 17:10 And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men.

An amazing commentary is given here about David and his men. They know that David is a mighty man and they know that those that are with him are also mighty men. Everyone should question what is known about us. What reputation or testimony do you have? Are you a mighty man? Do you surround yourself with mighty men? There is a leadership principle that says; “If he is not strong enough to hurt you if he would neither is he strong to help you if he will.” Too often we surround ourselves with weak “yes men” who are unable to help us. Let everyone know that God is doing a work in your life and ministry and that many mighty men are with you.

II Samuel 18:15 And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.

Joab had ten young men as armor bearers. Joab was a great man of war and general. Imagine the training that these young men received. Imagine the men that they had the opportunity to see and hear just from being so close to Joab. They start as young armor bearers that will later be valiant men. Discipleship is all through the Bible. As they carried the armor and prepared things they would see how Joab fought from dressing himself, preparations he made for the battle, how he ordered his men, how set the battle, how he cared for his weapons and many other things that would prepare them for leadership.

II Samuel 20:6 And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

Leadership principle. David did not fight to save his kingdom when Abaslom raised himself up but now he is quick to send his men to seek the head of Sheba. It is not clear why David would react differently on two different occasions. Obviously we will need to be careful not to draw a hard and fast conclusion when David does not defend his kingdom with Absalom. There must be times to stand and fight and other times when we should not defend ourselves. Both are tragedies and I do not presume to say what should be the way we handle an attack but we do need balance in what we do under these severe attacks.

II Samuel 21:16 And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.

Amazing what a new sword can do for a man! In this story it can get a man killed. Having a new sword or a strong arm is no guarantee that you will win the battle obviously. But maybe we could motivate our people to do great battles as we train our disciples in how to use a sword and then provide them with new and good tools to do the battle with. It is amazing what will happen when you motivate a man to do something with his life.

II Samuel 21:17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.

Giant killers didn’t hardly exist before David killed Goliath but now even his nephew and one of his right hand men is killing giants. Men will do what they see you do. This giant had a new sword and carried spear that weighed about 9.5 pounds. He came from a family of giants. He had no idea that a little man like Abishai could defeat him. Satan can not comprehend what God can do with men who have been trained, motivated, and Spirit empowered. Let’s train men.

II Samuel 21:22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

Four giant killers in a row. From no giant killers to a giant killer roll what a transformation. Could it be that the world could be transformed and His name lifted high if we would but become giant killer trainers? We must train leaders of leaders. We must make it the object of our life to find and train men for His honor and glory. For too long we have done our ministry and tried to develop ourselves into a world class leader but have not concerned ourselves with the preparation of others. Joab had 10 armor bearers learning every move from him. How many do you have? How many are you preparing to go further than you ever have? How much have you invested into the lives of others, no so much in money but in TIME?

II Samuel 23:10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.

Hold on to your sword. You might get tired in the work but never of the work. Hold on to your sword and he will win a great victory. Use all your strength. Work until you are tired.

II Samuel 23:37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

Naharai the armor bearer gets into the list of the mighty men. He has been Joab’s armor bearer. Although Joab is not in the list of mighty men one of his men does make the list. Joab has hurt himself with some of his foolishness but is able to lift a man above himself. Joab had ten armor bearers. There are only thirty something men in the list yet one of Joab’s men could become so great a man of war that he could make this hall of fame. That is the result of true discipleship. Teach a man. Train him to become more than you are. Get him to the right trainers. Let him make the list even if you can’t. Who are you investing time and life into right now?

Leadership principles

May 19, 2013 in Devotionals with 0 Comments

II Samuel 15:1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

How not to raise or create an Absalom!
1. Take a stand against and discipline sin when you see it 2 Samuel 13:22 Ecclesiastes 8:11
2. Don’t allow a wall or division even if there has been a failure 2 Samuel 13:37
3. Express what you feel, your love 2 Samuel 13:39
4. Don’t make the discipline too hard 2 Samuel 14:24
5. Praise character not physical characteristics 2 Samuel 14:25
6. Keep open lines of communication 2 Samuel 14:32
7. Don’t wait too late to kiss 2 Samuel 14:33
8. Forgive and teach to forgive so that the root of bitterness doesn’t spring up and defile many
9. Don’t wait too late to deal gently 2 Samuel 18:5

Worship

May 18, 2013 in Devotionals with 0 Comments

II Samuel 12:20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.

Worship is not something that we do when all is going well. We are to worship in the good times as well as the bad times. David has just lost his child. He has asked God to save his son but God has refused. Can it be real worship if you only magnify the Lord when He does what you want? We must prostrate ourselves before Him in the good as well as the bad. That is true worship. After having begged God for a week with fasting and prayer David first went to the house of the Lord and worshipped which almost assuredly means that he gave an offering, praised the Lord, and thanked Him. As a missionary you are going to find that many things just do not work out the way you wanted them to or had figured them to work out. There will be no church meetings to encourage you. You must know how to worship God before you start out or you will never make it. Learn to give thanks in all things now. Learn to love and serve Him no matter how things turn out. He is God you are but the servant.

Where can I find disciples

May 17, 2013 in Devotionals with 0 Comments

I Samuel 22:2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

The question is often asked “where can I find disciples?” The people who ask this question are most often looking for men or women who are in good shape and have tons of potential. Maybe we are looking in the wrong place. David is going to build a great kingdom and accomplish great things for God but the men that he is going to use will come from this group. Look at the description. The Bible says that “everyone” was in distress, debt and / or discontent.

The men that will soon rule the world and win battle after battle were men who had no where else to go. They were defeated men. They ran to David in the wilderness. They gave up what little they had to be used of God and serve with David. Later we will read about a group of mighty men that serve with David. Where did they come? Could it be that there is a mighty man underneath all that mess? Could it be that inside the discontented, in distress, and in debt there is the potential to be a leader of leaders. Have double vision. See deeper than others see. Meet their needs and give them something to do and the rest will be history.

I Samuel 22:22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father’s house.

Doeg the Edomite
1. He was a man of responsibility 1Samuel 21:7
a. Saul’s chief herdsman
b. He is at least some what religious because he has stopped to worship.
2. He is loyal to the wrong king to a fault 1Samuel 22:9
a. It is one thing to obey the king and even inform the king
b. He will end up being so loyal to the king that he will lift his hand against the Lord’s anointed
3. Doeg kills the men of God. 1Samuel 22:18
a. When no one else will raise their hand against the Lord’s anointed Doeg does so. Everyone else knows that you are not to raise your hand against the Lord’s anointed no matter what. 1Chronicles 16:22 Psalm 105:15
b. He kills 85 of God’s men
c. David would not harm the man of God even to protect or better his life. 1Samuel 24:6, 1Samuel 26:9; 2Samuel 1:14
4. David saw something in Doeg that let him know about his character
a. Maybe it was that he was associated with Saul.
b. Maybe it was his reputation

The thought of going down in the history books as a wicked man that would want prominence enough to kill 85 innocent men of God would destroy me. Each day we are all writing history. What will you have accomplished in your lifetime? How will you be known when they write your life story? Doeg had a position. He had power and influence. He preferred to be approved by an earthly king than by the heavenly king. He wasn’t wise in making choices because I feel sure that he helped Saul because he wanted a secure future. I think that he thought he was moving on up in relationship with the king and the kingdom but what he didn’t realize was that he was destroying his life, his family, his future, and his reputation.

Willing to give up your position

May 16, 2013 in Devotionals with 0 Comments

I Samuel 23:17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.

What kind of character did Jonathan have to have to be willing to step down from the position of leader, future king of Israel, to allow David to lead? His father is afraid of losing his position but Jonathan willing gives up his position. Jonathan was much more likely to have a position by surrendering his position and trusting God than Saul was. Saul fights to keep what God is taking from him while Jonathan gains by giving up his position.

Here is a tremendous message for families and the relationship between a man and his wife. The wife like Jonathan is of no lesser value, importance, intelligence etc. Jonathan was born to be a king. He was trained to be a king but realized that God had someone else in mind to lead and was willing to submit to him. Interestingly David never asks him to submit. Jonathan submits because he sees that it is the will of God for his life. A good family message can be developed from this verse and Biblical principle.

Jonathan’s willingness to step down is also a major leadership lesson. He realized that to accomplish God’s will for the kingdom he would have to give up what was his. He was willing to put aside his name, his goals, and his own good for the good of the kingdom.

Another principle to consider is that Jonathan could submit because he had seen the power of God exhibited in the life of David. I doubt that he could have or would have been willing to submit to a regular person but then David was a giant killer. David was a man that obviously had the power of God on his life.

Please remember that Jonathan is a real man’s man. He is no weakling. He has won a great victory for the cause of Christ in Israel. His willingness to step down is not an indication of weakness but strength and maturity.

Interview With David Velasquez Part 1

May 16, 2013 in Leadership with Vision Podcast with 0 Comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:57 — 9.8MB) | Embed

Missionary to Spain David Velasquez

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