….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)<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n Jesus condemned men’s standard of leadership. He said it\u2019s 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<\/strong>).<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n GOD IS SERIOUS ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF LEADERS WHOM HE APPOINTS\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n God is looking for a supreme quality of a leader with unquestionable integrity!\u00a0 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\u2019s standards!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n WHEN YOU COMPROMISE GOD\u2019S STANDARDS YOU ARE HEADING FOR A CRASH<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Prov.16:25. \u201cThere is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n You know what? Your own understanding, your concretised mentality! Your fixed pattern of thinking!\u00a0 is the greatest enemy! In fact it is a stronghold that will destroy you in the end.<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u2019s a leadership that reflects the heart of God. It’s an accountable leadership of a stewardship entrusted to you.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME IF..<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n You know what? Some people try to develop character<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n (1) on human values and principles.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n (2) Some people try to develop character on good behaviour.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n (3) Some people try to build their character on human philosophy.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n You know what?\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1 Cor. 3 :11-13<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0For 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\u2019s 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\u2019s work. <\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n TESTING TIME OF CHARACTER <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 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\u00a0<\/span>Matthew 7:24-27:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n THE WISE AND FOOLISH BUILDERS <\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a024 \u201cTherefore 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.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n It says in another translation:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cGreat was the fall of it! It fell with a mighty crash.”\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"saturnalia\"](\"http:\/\/www.butserancientfarm.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/saturnalia.jpg\")
<\/a><\/a>