Our LORD is the greatest example of leadership. There used to be a sort of simple measurement for what to look for in an exceptional leader. The phrase went like this, " a good leader leads by example."
So to does our LORD; HIS example of leadership qualities are exemplary and by studying HIS WORD you can see how HE did it.
There are many verses in Scripture that talk about the wrong kind of leaders, such as Isaiah 3:12b says, " O MY people ! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths."
and in Isaiah 13:16 it says, " For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and those who are led by them are destroyed."
As you can see a bad leader does not have the best interest of the people in his heart or he would lead them according to the right path that the LORD had laid out for them.
Even the LORD, in HIS earthly ministry talked to HIS disciples and those that came to hear HIM and in Matthew 15:10-14 HE taught them about, not what goes into a person defiles the person, but what comes out of that persons mouth is what defiles him.
10. " Then HE called the multitude and said to them,
' Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.' Then HIS disciples came and said to HIM, ' Do YOU know that the Pharisees
were offended when they heard this saying ?' But HE answered and said, ' Every plant which MY heavenly FATHER has not planted will be uprooted.
Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blinds leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." Matthew 15:10-14
If anyone should have known the right way to lead the people of Israel, their religious rulers should have, but didn't. They were the blind leaders of a people not looking for their MESSIAH. HE stood among them day after day for nearly 3 years and only those who were looking for HIM saw and heard what HE had to say. We have looked, somewhat, at what bad leadership does; now let's spend the rest of our time on the perfect leadership of our LORD.
" The LORD is my SHEPHERD, I shall not want.
HE makes me to lie down in green pastures; HE leads me beside the still waters. HE restores my soul; HE leads me in the paths of righteousness for HIS name's sake. " Psalm 23:1-3
The 23rd.Psalm is probably the most well known of all the Psalms in Scripture. Even those of unbelieving households seem to know this Psalm even if they don't realize it is pulled from Scripture.
If you read just the first 5 words of this Psalm it gives us such a personal glimpse of how the LORD leads. Look at the 4th.word "my", not our or they're or a but the word "my". This shows a personal connection to the SHEPHERD. You're not just one of the flock. Since the SHEPHERD has made a personal connection with you, HE also has a vested interest in your well being.
As your personal SHEPHERD, HE cares about your needs, and the places that you visit. Are these places adding to your well being or taking away from them. HIS pastures are green and lush and full of good things that one of HIS sheep would thrive on and it is also well watered. The water being still and HIS sheep have easy access to the water that HE supplies.
HE leads HIS sheep in paths that are righteous because they are reflective of and on HIM. It would be a poor leader who would take someone somewhere that would lead them to do harm or be harmed, spiritually. HIS paths are always good for HIS sheep because they are paths that lead to bringing glory to the SHEPHERD's name.
" Teach me YOUR way, O LORD, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies." Psalm 27:11 also shows our LORD leading us away from those who would do us harm. Many are the enemies of those who love and follow the SHEPHERD.
" Thus says the LORD, your REDEEMER, THE HOLY ONE of Israel: I AM the LORD your GOD, WHO teaches you to profit, WHO leads you by the way you should go. OH, that you had heeded MY commandments ! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. "
The SHEPHERD is a leader that only wants the best for HIS sheep and HE goes to great lengths to prove HIS love for the sheep even unto death. A true leader wants only the best for those around HIM. HE leads with the FATHER's requirements in mind and heart and these requirements are not negotiable nor are they harmful to the sheep. A true leader works all things for the good of all and there is nothing that is out of HIS control.
" Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But HE WHO enters by the door is the SHEPHERD of the sheep. To HIM the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear HIS voice; and HE calls HIS own sheep by name and leads them out. And when HE brings out HIS own sheep, HE goes before them; and the sheep follow HIM, for they know HIS voice. John 10:1-4
A great leader always goes before the followers. HE knows what's ahead of the sheep and can prepare them. HE can either smooth the path or help the sheep across the rugged terrain, but HE never let's them struggle alone, after all HE is responsible for their well being. The GREAT LEADER, our SHEPHERD came to give HIS sheep life and that the sheep would have a more abundant life. HE, the GOOD SHEPHERD gives HIS life for the sheep, but a bad leader cares nothing about the sheep and runs away when trouble or hardship comes.
" MY sheep hear MY voice, and I know them, and they follow ME. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of MY hand. MY FATHER, who has given them to me is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of MY FATHER's hand. I and MY FATHER are ONE." John 10:27-30
When you put your hand in the hand of the SHEPHERD, you are guaranteed, eternal life, a home in Heaven. The SHEPHERD also said, " that HE would never leave us nor forsake us " There is no safer place on earth or anywhere for that matter, then to be firmly planted in the hand of your SHEPHERD !
" for the LAMB WHO is in the midst of the throne will SHEPHERD them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And GOD will wipe away every tear from their eyes. " Revelation 7:17
As a child of GOD, you can clearly see how much we need good leaders; and as a child of GOD, we have the very best leader of all, the GOOD SHEPHERD WHO laid down HIS life for the sheep, for us.
But if you are not yet one of HIS sheep, then you need to come, by faith and receive the SHEPHERD as your own personal SAVIOR.
We are all born sinners, and GOD the FATHER requires a payment for your sin and mine. So HE sent HIS one and ONLY SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST to earth, to die on a Roman cross to make payment for the sin of all mankind. They buried HIM and after 3 days HE rose again, alive for all HIS disciples and followers to see. HIS resurrection from the dead showed that HIS sacrifice of HIMSELF on the cross was enough to pay the price of man's sin debt in full. So if you would like to be one of the SHEPHERD's very well lead sheep, say this simple prayer or one like it:
LORD, I know that I am a sinner and that
JESUS came and died, was buried &
rose again to pay for my sin. I ask
you to forgive me, and come into
my heart and life and save me and
make me new.
In JESUS name, AMEN
I pray that those who read this post, if not born again, by the SPIRIT of GOD, will come to know HIM before it is too late. Because Scripture says, " that today is the day of Salvation," this infers that tomorrow may be too late. None of us know how long we have on this earth, but we can know where we are going when we leave it................
" And this is the testimony: that GOD has given us eternal life, and this life is in HIS SON. HE who has the SON has life; he who does not have the SON of GOD does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the SON of GOD, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe in the name of the SON of GOD." 1st.John 5:11-13
" In HIM, you also trusted, after you heard the WORD of TRUTH, the Gospel of your salvation; in WHOM also, having believed, you were sealed with the HOLY SPIRIT of promise, WHO is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession(me & you), to the praise of HIS glory." Ephesians 1:13-14
Friend, Don't go one more day without settling your sin debt with GOD. HE already paid the debt, all you have to do is believe and receive, by faith, the free gift of Salvation.
Your servant in CHRIST,
Julie
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