1 Chron 26:31
Of the Hebronites, Jerijah was chief of the Hebronites of whatever genealogy or fathers’ houses. (In the fortieth year of David’s reign search was made and men of great ability among them were at Jazer in Gilead.)
- When they searched for men of Great ability, this is who they found. If the search was to be in the USA for great men, would you be what they were looking for or what they were sifting through? How come? Why would they stop at you or go passed you? What makes a man that they would stop at?
- To be a man, we need to be able to take responsibility for our actions
- We need to do whatever we do as unto the Lord. Col 3:23
- Do you do what you do with all your heart, or just enough to get buy?
- Great men work hard when no one is looking, not as to please men but for God. Col 3:22
- When Paul describes leaders in Timothy and Titus, it has more to do with their character then their skills. 1 Tim 3:1-7
- Proverbs talks about those that will serve before kings and not before obscure men. Prov 22:29 those who excel or are skilled in their work.
- If you want to be serve before the great if you need to make the most of the gifts you have.
- What are you doing to grow and improve the gifts that you have?
- Jesus tells the parable of the stewards and they were expected to grow what they had been given. Matt 25:20-30
1 Sam 16:7
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart .” NKJV
- Ps 139:2; Prov 17:8; 21:2; Haggai 2:11-14; Matt 5:27-28; 23:5; 1 Cor 13:3; 1 john 1:6; Rev 2:4; 3:1;
- First off it is important to know that God is more concerned with the heart then he is with outer appearance. That is not an excuse to ignore our outer appearance. This verse tells us that man looks at the outward appearance. How are you presenting yourself? We are ambassadors of God 2 Cor 5:20. People look at us, how we present ourselves, and how we live our lives as Christians and see God that way. The Word tells us we are meant to be above reproach Col 1:22; 1 Tim 3:2;
1 Cor 15:33
33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” NIV
- Ex 23:33; judges 16:16; 2 Sam 13:3; Ps 78:6-7; 101:6; Prov 1:10; 14:7; Haggai 2:11-13; Acts 4:19-20; 1 Cor 5:11
1 Cor 15:34
34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. ESV
- They had been so caught by the culture and its way of thinking, that he calls it a stupor. They were in a daze, unaware of the affect that the people around them were having on them. What is pouring into our hearts? Are we aware of what is influencing us? God help us to meditate on Your Word. Prov 4:23;
Matt 18:6
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. NKJV
- Today this verse makes sense. I have recently heard several people’s stories and it honestly hurts to hear it. It hurts because I don’t have a time machine because no matter what I do, I can’t undo the past. I can tell them things to live a different future but I can’t make choices for people, it is up to them to make and walk out some hard choices. These stories all seem to have something in common. All the stories have a villain. At some point in the story you see a character (or characters) that show up and then things start heading south. Someone beats them, someone lies to them, someone takes advantage of them, someone sets a horrible example, and someone hurts them in one form or another. I hear the story and want to travel back in time to before the moment to stop people. I actually would like to inflict large amounts of bodily injury upon the villains. I hear the stories and so many of them sound alike. It is the same lies, the same people, the same anger. I read this verse and it feels good to know they will pay. But then I think some of the villains know they are the villain in the story, some are just so focused on themselves they don’t have a clue that their choices are destroying lives all around them. God, I ask that you would open up their eyes and draw their hearts to you. Let them find a new life in you. May they see the impact they have had on others. May they repent, leave it all behind, and find your forgiveness. Lord, help me and everyone who reads this to see not only what impact our choices have on ourselves, but what affect we have on those around us. We want to live lives that draw people to you. Have your way in us.
- We are held responsible for the influence we have on others. James 3:1 tells us leaders have a stricter judgment. Matt 18:6 seems to imply that we will each give an account for our leadership, and what we did with it. Prov 26:8 talks about the fool who wastes the opportunities God gives, yet even worse many use them for harm which is what Matt 18:6 speaks of. Ezek 33:2-6 speaks of the responsibility of the watchmen.
- God help me to use my influence wisely. Help to lead people closer to you. I don’t ever want to mislead people. Help me point my life toward you.
- Causing others to stumble Rom 14:20; 1 Cor 8:9;
1 Tim 3:1-7
This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5(for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. NKJV
- James 3:1; Titus 1:7-9
Qualifications of a Bishop
1. Blameless
2. One Wife
3. Temperate
4. Sober-minded
5. Good Behavoir
6. Hospitable
7. Able to Teach
8. Not given to Wine
9. Not Violent
10. Not greedy
11. Gentle
12. Not Quarrelsome
13. Not Covetous
14. Who rules his own house Well
- Children in submission
- If it isn’t working at home don’t export vs 5
15. Not a Novice or new believer
16. Good Testimony or Good reputation.
- Blameless or above reproach Gen 39:11;
- As we look, this is a good sized list. Out of the sixteen qualifications that were listed only one of them is a skill. They need to be able to teach, all the rest of the qualifications are issues of character. Our Character is more important than our gifts. I think it is easy to get focused on our gifts, and to work to develop our gifts which is a good thing to develop but it shows that our character is much more important.
- Lord help us to grow our character. Lord we pray that our character would always be greater then our gifts. We ask that you wouldn’t let our gifts take us where are character can’t keep us.
