“And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them” (Deuteronomy 17:19).
TEXT — Deuteronomy 17:14-20
Message
God was willing to grant the demand for a king by Israel – a king to rule over them as the case of other nations – but He gave clear instructions concerning the required qualifications of such a king. The king must be God’s choice for the people, he must be an Israelite, not a stranger. He should not multiply wives, horses, silver and gold to himself and must not cause the people to return to Egypt. He is also to own a copy of the laws and read it all his days so that he may learn to fear the Lord, His God, to keep and obey His statutes so that he may prosper and have a long life and reign. God does not always choose people without a search. He makes sure the vessels He uses are qualified for the Job in all ramifications. When He replaced King Saul with David, He had seen attributes in the son of Jesse that convinced Him he would be a better replacement.
In any community, even in the church, a lot depends on the sort of men upon whom we entrust leadership responsibilities. Great men are known not only by their office but also by their actions and deeds of faith. Faithful and devout men and women make good leaders. They can see prospects others cannot see because they trust God, are obedient to His word and love the people. These are qualities God required of kings in Israel.
The Church today is in search of such leaders – men and women who are genuinely born again, pure in heart, filled with the Spirit, selfless and can sacrifice much to help the people and to rescue the perishing. God can make such a leader out of you. Give attention to grow these virtues. Get more consecrated in your walk with God and be more sensitive to the voice of His Spirit.
Thought for the day
Faithful and godly leaders are products of uncommon consecration.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
