We don’t like buying stuff not made in America, why desire things not made by God?
Beatitudes “humility” –Matthew 5:3 – “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
- We are to be poor in the spirit which means to be humble.
- But as we see with the beatitudes, Jesus sets the bar high for leaders
Having the wrong attitude for leadership
- Matthew 20:28 – Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
- The glitz and the glamour, you think you can do better. Or while I had an idea, I had no idea.
- Thinking more highly of yourself than you ought to – Romans 12:3 – things I would do differently
- With a proud attitude, you are not in touch with God
- The beatitudes are directed at religious leaders of the day. The beatitudes are a direct attack on the Pharisees who got Jesus killed
Start to blame everyone and everything else
- People have itchy ears – they want to appease the flesh. – 2 Timothy 4:3
- why isn’t the church growing?
- Start blaming others – looking at everyone else’s log, not a splinter, not your log – Matthew 7:3
- Looking at the wrong target
But God needed to change me first
- Knew the Holy Spirit was grooming me for leadership
- I was being groomed to be a leader in this community – but God was doing the grooming – grooming via pruning
- Needed to be pruned of pride – and that can be painful
- God was pruning me because, He wanted to protect me, wanted me to be effective – John 15:1-8
- Focuses on attitudinal changes rather than just changing the outward appearance like the Pharisees (religious people) of that time – We are called to have the same attitude that Jesus had – Philippians 2:1-5.
- Attitudinal change only comes via transformation, not conformation – Romans 12:2
- Real transformation can only happen by the Holy Spirit – 2 Corinthians 3:17-18. It can only happen by an encounter with the Holy Spirit.
Leaders lead even when no one is following
- Isaiah 57:15– The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.
- Jeremiah 3:15 – And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge & understanding. It’s only then you can withstand the onslaught of the enemy hurled at you, usually thru people.
- James 4:6 – And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (Proverbs 3:34)
God is actively looking for great leaders during this crucial time in world history.
