….but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” (1 Peter 1:15-16)
Jesus condemned men’s standard of leadership. He said it’s an arrogant spirit of an outward appearance and self-righteousness but inwardly they were crooks and thieves. Jesus was warning us of the Pharisees and the Scribes who carried such a strong leaven that was very contagious and such a spirit He said is so dangerous that can subtly creep into you if you are not careful (Matt.16:6).
GOD IS SERIOUS ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF LEADERS WHOM HE APPOINTS
Even the Roman Empire, an empire that was so powerful, vibrant and outstanding that ruled the then entire world in the 1st. century A.D. disintegrated and fell to the ground because of a lack of transparency, honesty and integrity in their leaders. Too many of them abused their position and power. They held a position for life but assassination was an occupational hazard. Political corruption, decline in ethics, values and morals was one of the major factors for its downfall.
God is looking for a supreme quality of a leader with unquestionable integrity! We got to have a transparent life for people to trust us and follow after us. You bet God will never compromise, neither will He lower the bar in this area no matter how justified your excuses may be to conduct yourself apart from God’s standards!
WHEN YOU COMPROMISE GOD’S STANDARDS YOU ARE HEADING FOR A CRASH
Prov.16:25. “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death”
You know what? Your own understanding, your concretised mentality! Your fixed pattern of thinking! is the greatest enemy! In fact it is a stronghold that will destroy you in the end.
Christian leadership is more than a mere position or appointment. It is a leadership that is God-fearing. It is a leadership that carries the character of God. It’s a leadership that reflects the heart of God. It’s an accountable leadership of a stewardship entrusted to you.
YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME IF..
You know what? Some people try to develop character
(1) on human values and principles.
(2) Some people try to develop character on good behaviour.
(3) Some people try to build their character on human philosophy.
You know what? Man has become so blinded and so deceived that we literally lost our mind. You are trying to polish your car to look good when your engine needs to be fixed in the first place. You are so deceived to believe that by polishing you car your engine will be fixed automatically. You are just scratching the surface. It’s not going to take you anywhere! It’s an alignment problem with the spirit of God that needs to be corrected in the first place for all other things to fall in place for you.
1 Cor. 3 :11-13
For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.
TESTING TIME OF CHARACTER
At the end of the day when everything has been said and done, the testing and the trials, the storms and the floods will beat against your house, only then, the foundation on which you have build your character will prove whether you could withstand the pressures of time. And the Bible gives us a dramatic analogy in Matthew 7:24-27:
THE WISE AND FOOLISH BUILDERS
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
It says in another translation:
“Great was the fall of it! It fell with a mighty crash.”
You know what? You and I need to be aware of the seasons we are living in today. “Not all people who sound religious are really godly people.”
THE VERY THING THAT WAS GIVEN TO SERVE US HAVE UNFORTUNATELY BECOME OUR MASTERS
Many people are building their lives on business, political power, money, beauty physical strength etc. You know something? All these things are not permanent, it’s not lasting. All these things are subject to change. It will fade away in time to come. We are unable to take it with us when time is no more for us in this world.
When you and I rely on all these things totally and when these things start to disappoint, disintegrate, and change, we will come tumbling down.
When the American stock exchange fell in 1929 we are told that many businessmen who lost their entire fortune committed suicide.
WHAT ARE YOU BUILDING ON?
You know why? Because their total foundation was built on something that was changeable! Something that was moveable! That was volatile and fragile! Something that was not lasting or permanent! It was built on sand I am afraid!!
Likewise there are many famous actors and actresses in Hollywood who had build their lives on beauty, fame and name which are just passing clouds in their lives.
These people refuse to face reality and when one fine morning they wake up to discover that all that they had relied upon! All they had built upon! All they had hoped upon has given way, what happens next?
They sink into psychotic depression, they get hooked up into alcohol and hard drugs and even end up with suicidal tendencies.
I am talking about some filthy rich guys mind you! But unfortunately their richness was never able to rescue them.
Richness, power and position are not a solution to your peace. It is not a solution to your joy and your security. So often we mistake that money and power is the solution to all our problems! It’s a lie of the devil!
Today the reason why the world is in such a mess is because of a lack of integrity and character in leaders. The intellectual world tries to be cleverer than God. They have rejected God as their very foundation and source; instead they use their own intellectual philosophy to build their principles and values to run nations.
You know what? We can only build our foundation on Jesus Christ! He is our foundation. He is a Pillar of Truth and Peace. Make no mistake about this. He is our anchor! He is our Rock!
Character of righteousness is the ultimate and supreme goal that God seeks in us. There is absolutely no compromise in this area before God. Character of God produces life!
Note: Rev Dr Jai Kumar is an ordained & licensed minister of Covenant Ministries International N.J. USA. He is a mission minded pastor who carries an apostolic anointing who preaches and teaches an uncompromising gospel with boldness. A member of ECCM (Malaysia) Spiritual Adviser & overseer to various ministries and churches. An itinerant speaker. He is also the author of a book entitled, ‘God’s Time Clock.’ Currently he worships at C3 Subang.
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Rev Dr Jai Kumar
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