Press the arrow to listen to “Every Season” by Nichole Nordeman.

Scripture
But Josiah refused to listen to Neco, to whom God had indeed spoken, and he would not turn back. Instead, he disguised himself and led his army into battle on the plain of Megiddo. But the enemy archers hit King Josiah with their arrows and wounded him. He cried out to his men, “Take me from the battle, for I am badly wounded!”

So they lifted Josiah out of his chariot and placed him in another chariot. Then they brought him back to Jerusalem, where he died. 2 Chronicles 35:22-24

Observation
What made me successful in the last life season may work against me in the next. King Josiah rose to power because of his black and white, uncompromising stand against impurity. That worked to rid the land of idols and to restore the worship of God.

But the king’s proven recipe for success failed when ground conditions changed. God used a pagan king to do his will and spoke through a foreign ruler. That had never happened before. Until that time pagans and their kings were the problem. But now they had become the solution. King Josiah continued leading as he had always lead. Because he did not change his leadership style his life was lost.

Application
If I am to rise as a leader I must change my leadership style to react to ground conditions. It is like changing from 4WD to 2WD to save the transmission. What has made me successful in one life season may work against me in the next. Currently, the biggest change for me is this: God will do more through the leaders I develop than through my leadership.

Prayer
Father, I’m not clever enough to discover this on my own. I need you to open my eyes to ground conditions so I can grow as a leader. Amen.

Press the arrow to listen to Glenn Packiam Everlasting God as you read today’s devotion on leadership.

Scripture
Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. 2 Timothy 2:7

Observation
Ministry 101 class is in session. Professor Paul takes chalk and writes four points on the blackboard. Today my call is to write these sentences not just in a notebook, but on my life.

1. Ministry is hard, so suck it in and in the process you will find a band of battle brothers. (Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:3)

2. Don’t get caught up in money-making schemes; trust the Commander and his commands. (No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:4)

3. There are leadership rules that are not obvious until broken; so learn them fast, follow them diligently and succeed. (Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. 2 Timothy 2:5)

4. When God rewards hard service with good things you have permission to enjoy. (The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. 2 Timothy 2:6)

Prayer
Father, as I look through the list, it’s the third one that I need the most help with. There are so many leadership lessons to learn, then to remember and most of all to apply. Yet I know that godly leadership is not about memorizing principles from gurus, but in being led by the Holy Spirit. So Spirit of God, please be my mentor today. Give me wisdom, knowledge and understanding. It is your job to remind me and mine to obey. Today I listen and walking slowly to hear from you. Amen.

Press the arrow to listen to Michael Card perform “God’s Own Fool” while reading today’s devotion.

Scripture

He who neglects discipline despises himself,
But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding. Proverbs 15:32

A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding
Than a hundred blows into a fool. Proverbs 17:10

Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding,
But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. Proverbs 17:24

He who restrains his words has knowledge,
And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Proverbs 17:27

A fool does not delight in understanding,
But only in revealing his own mind. Proverbs 18:2

Observation
What is in the mind of a wise sage? People of understanding are a mystery to explore. Because they say so little and explain even less, it is difficult to know what is in their minds.

What is in the mind of the understanding man?  From these words in Proverbs about understanding the secret is exposed:

I am not the expert.
I have blind spots.
Rebuke and correction sensitize me to the limits of myself and the beginning of God.

There is deeper wisdom in the Lord.
I don’t have to chase wild schemes.
His wisdom surrounds me.

I do not need to defend myself.
God can answer for me.

Wisdom is not in the rabble of debate.
Deep beneath and far behind human scurry and flurry are the eternal words of God.
I will wait for those sentences to surface.
One sentence of truth will silence many words.
May I be the carrier of that single sentence.

Application
These are the words of the person of understanding. I want them to be my own.

Prayer
Father, help me to say more by saying less. Give me patience not to speak when much is being spoken. Help me not to be quick to self-defence, when you are setting me free by rebuke. Make me a man of understanding. Amen.

Press the arrow to listen to “Open the Eyes of My Heart” by Mercy Me while reading today’s devotion.

Scripture

And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. 1 Kings 4:29

Observation
A truly great leader is a master of many subjects, not so that he can do everything, but so that he can lead those who do. His understanding should be expanding and increasing with every wave of technology and new best seller. Most of all he should have an ever deepening perception of the word of God and how it applies to life.

Leaders are learners. To lead is to learn. Solomon was an extraordinary example. He was a king, architect, engineer, builder, botanist, zoologist, scientist, scholar, philosopher, poet, and more. He was not just smart, he was wise because he knew how to apply what he knew to everyday life. What was the secret of Solomon’s great wisdom (other than the fear of the Lord)? Was he a naturally good student with a brilliant mind?

The reason the Bible gives for Solomon’s knowledge and wisdom was not the cleverness of his brain but the largeness of his heart. His heart seemed large enough to store the stand of all the sea shores. That’s big. For the Jews, the heart was not the place of love but of choice. The heart was to Hebrews the seat of the will. The heart meant more than feeling to them, but action. The feelings in the heart were more than emotion in Jewish thought, but more like passion that brings result.

Solomon had a passionate heart about leading his nation well, therefore he wanted to learn about everything that affected his nation. He wanted to know about every animal in the borders. How did plants grow, what stones made the best foundations, and how could ice be supplied to the palace in the summer time? He studied these thoughts and a million more like them. Solomon learned because he had a heart to learn.

As I’ve taught students through the years, I’ve often thought that every student is bright in some way, but it is the heart and not the mind that hinders their learning. It is the passion to learn that opens the way to learn. When a student loves life then he will want to learn whatever subjects are necessary to live life to the fullest.

Application
Solomon loved his people and so he had a heart to learn everything of benefit for them. If I am to lead well the people I oversee, then I must have more than just an inquisitive mind, I must have a heart that loves them.

Prayer
Father, grant to me an ever enlarging heart that learns widely because it loves deeply. Grant me a wide and wise heart. Amen.