Prayer Request:
Today, I am meeting with 5 pastors to record the lessons behind each of our Bible pictures. Please pray for these recordings. For now, we are recording in Liberian English and Kpelle. I hope to record in all Liberia's dialects in the future. Those who receive our training material will also receive audio recordings for each lesson. This will help prevent false teaching from entering the church. Here is a link you can download for a sample Liberian English recording. We don't have the privilege of having a recording studio, so you will occasionally hear the sound of a chicken in the background. Fun!
Devotion:
We just completed the pictures for Romans 1:1-14. Though I have already shared this devotion with you, I am excited to share the pictures with you as well. Enjoy!
There are 10 character traits of a Christian leader that are listed in Romans 1:1-14.
Character Trait #1: A Christian leader lives like a servant and not like a king.
“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1).
The word servant is the same greek word for the word “slave.” Can you imagine introducing yourself using the word "slave"? The world around us is intoxicated with titles. Everyone wants to have an important title associated with their name. The same was true in Paul’s day. Think of all the important titles Paul could have chosen to use. Paul was the author of Scripture, he had started numerous churches, and he had sacrificed and suffered greatly for the sake of the Gospel. Despite all the high titles he could have chosen, he chose the title “Servant of Christ Jesus.”
As you reflect on your walk with Christ, can you describe yourself as Christ's slave? The highest position in God's Kingdom is the position of a slave. A slave wakes in the morning, receives his instructions from his master and then goes about his day doing the his master's work. This description of a slave should reflect every Christian's life regardless of occupation, age, or gender.
Isn't it interesting how the Bible describes God's church. God describes His church as a body and each of us as a body part (1 Corinthians 12). Some are hands, some are feet... but none are the head. The position of head is reserved for God alone (1 Col 1:18). Let me ask you a question, what part of the body does the thinking? Does the hand do the thinking? No! The head does all the thinking. Can you imagine what your physical body would be like if each part thought on its own and did its own thing? I am convinced that we, as Christians need to do less thinking and more listening to our wonderful Head. As we develop the habit of listening and faithful obedience, we become slaves of Christ.
If you were to spend extended time with our family, you would likely hear my wife and me asking our children, “Are you acting like a servant or a king?” This is a saying that we use often while training our children. Let’s face it, there is a king inside of each of us that we must crucify if we are going to truly be servants of God. A Christian leader must learn to live like a servant and not like a king.
Character Trait #2: A Christian leader has been sent by God on mission.
"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God" (Romans 1:1).
The word apostle means, “sent one.” Paul lived his life on mission. Each day was filled with divine purpose. He used both his times of joy and his times of suffering as opportunities to broadcast God's love to the watching world.
The word apostle means, “sent one.” Paul lived his life on mission. Each day was filled with divine purpose. He used both his times of joy and his times of suffering as opportunities to broadcast God's love to the watching world.
The greatest honor for a Christian is to be chosen and sent by God. The one who is sent has been given both a sacred trust and a fearful responsibility. Those who are sent actually get to be ambasitors of God. Wow, can you imagine being God's ambassador and speaking on His behalf?
Perhaps you think this honor is reserved for a few select Christians. That is not true. This amazing, thrilling honor is for every Christian. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." Your assignment from God for this day is simply a "listening" prayer away. Please don't waste your life. Please don't waste today. Your life can impact eternity today. You are called and are being sent (Matthew 28:19-20). Fulfill you sacred trust and your fearful responsibility!
Perhaps you think this honor is reserved for a few select Christians. That is not true. This amazing, thrilling honor is for every Christian. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." Your assignment from God for this day is simply a "listening" prayer away. Please don't waste your life. Please don't waste today. Your life can impact eternity today. You are called and are being sent (Matthew 28:19-20). Fulfill you sacred trust and your fearful responsibility!
Character Trait #3: A Christian leader's life is set apart.
“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1).
The words “set apart” means to put a fence around something. If I want to set apart my yard, I put a fence around it. Did you know that our God is a fence building God? Have you ever allowed God to build you a fence? God's fences are great! They have a wonderful way of narrowing our activities, making us more fruitful. It is not until you allow God to build your fence that you discover God's specific calling for your life.
The words “set apart” means to put a fence around something. If I want to set apart my yard, I put a fence around it. Did you know that our God is a fence building God? Have you ever allowed God to build you a fence? God's fences are great! They have a wonderful way of narrowing our activities, making us more fruitful. It is not until you allow God to build your fence that you discover God's specific calling for your life.
Most Christians have never allowed God to define their lives. They live with no Divine purpose nor specific calling. Life simply happens to them as they bounce from activity to activity.
To allow God to construct a fence around your life requires you to have complete trust and surrender to God. He alone determines how far your fence goes and what is contained inside it.
Most people are too fearful to allow God to build their fence. They want to remain in control. "If I allow God to define my life, He may send me as a missionary to Africa," they fear. Brothers and Sisters, run toward God. Trust Him. Surrender everything to him. Hold nothing back. Embrace whatever life God is calling you to. Truly enjoy the wonderful journey of a Divinely directed life.
Paul's life was, "set apart" by God for the Gospel. God wants to set your life apart and give you a specific calling. This calling is what He created you for. You will be most satisfied as you live the life you were created for.
Character Trait #4: A Christian leader is humble not proud.
“through whom (Jesus) we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations” (Romans 1:5).
Notice Paul did not say, “We have received apostleship and grace.” He said, “We have received grace and apostleship.” The order of words is important because it reveals Paul’s heart. In essence Paul is saying, “It is only by God’s grace that I am who I am today.” A Christian leader is truly humble, not proud.
“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world” (Romans 1:8).
Is Paul praising himself or others in this verse? How about you? Do your conversations tend to lift others up or do they lift yourself up? Christian leaders praise others, not themselves.
“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son…” (Romans 1:9a)
When Paul says that he serves God with his spirit, he is saying, “I serve God from the deepest part of me. I don’t just serve Him by my actions but I serve Him from the very core of my being.” The driving force of a Christian leader is to serve God not self.
Character Trait #7: A Christian leader prays for those he or she is leading.
“… that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you” (Romans 1:9b-10).
I have heard it said that if you look at a person’s checkbook, you are looking at their heart. Scripture says, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21). I believe there is another gage of a person's heart that is equally revealing. It is the gage of prayer. The true condition of a person's heart comes out during prayer. Those who are selfish, pray self centered prayers. Those who have faith, have prayers that are full of faith. Those who are hurting, cry out to God during their prayers... The true condition of our hearts is revealed in our prayers. As a Christian, the love of God has a growing impact on our lives and compels our prayers to become more focused on others than on ourselves.
Character Trait #8: A Christian leader is a life long learner.
“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you - that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine” (Romans 1:11-12).
What do you think your pastor would do if the Apostle Paul wrote him and asked to preach at your church? That is exactly what Paul did in verses 11-12. Look at Paul’s heart as he offers to go to Rome and preach. He didn't just say that he wanted to "impart some spiritual gift" (referring to teaching the Gospel) but he also said, “that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.”
Here is what the Apostle Paul was essentially saying. “I want to come and preach at your church. When I am done, I want to sit down and have you preach to me. I need to learn from you.” Can you imagine the author of Scripture wanting to sit under your pastor’s teaching and learn from him, better yet, to sit with you and learn from you? A Christian leader has a God given hunger for truth. He never becomes proud, believing he knows everything. He often sits under those he leads and learns from them.
Character Trait #9: A Christian leader follows God’s plan and not his own.
“I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles” (Romans 1:13).
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, this truth if very important for us to learn. Everyday, we are surrounded by good things that we could choose to do. Surely, God would want us to do all the good things that are around us, right? No! As a Christian, our lives are not to be consumed by doing good things. Our lives are to be consumed by doing the good things we are called to do. Please do not misinterpret me. This is not a license for apathy but it is a call for sweet fellowship with God in everything we do. There is an enormous difference between doing good things and being led by God in the good things we do. Paul desired to go to Rome to strengthen the church. This was a good thing to do, right? Yes, but it was not what he was called to do at the time. The needs around us are huge. We are not God, we are simply God’s servant. We cannot and should not try to do everything. Lasting fruit in your life will be found as you focus on doing the things you are called to. You will know the things you are called to do as you spend sweet, sweet time listening to Jesus in prayer.
Can you believe that God desires to give leadership to your day? Stop and think about how amazing that is. The Creator of the universe wants to give you step by step wisdom and direction as you go through your day. What an incredible blessing! Will you allow the Holy Spirit to direct your steps? Will you sit and listen to Him through prayer? If you do, your day will be a wonderful adventure no matter what happens. Your day will be filled with good works that are divinely inspired as you are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Character Trait #10: A Christian leader serves everyone, not just a few.
“I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome” (Romans 1:14).
Paul was referring to the Romans when he said he was obligated to the "Greeks". He was speaking of Rome’s enemy when he mentioned the "barbarians." He was talking about the smartest, most prestigious people in town when he referred to the "wise." He was speaking of the lowest of the low when he mentioned the "foolish." Get this, when Paul entered a town, his eyes and heart were focused on each of these people groups. While talking to the prestigious, he still noticed the poor and would have often excused himself from the company of the wise so he could be with the lowly. At times, he would have turned down meetings with big donors so he could experience Christian fellowship with the needy. Paul loved everyone and he sought to serve them all, under the Holy Spirit's leading, regardless of race, gender, or status.
The word “obligation” is the same Greek word that is translated elsewhere in Scripture as “debt.” Scripture teaches that every Christian is in debt in two ways: First, we have a debt of love to pay to everyone (Romans 13:8). Second, we are indebted to share the gospel with everyone we know. This second debt is what Paul is referring to here in verse 14. We are indebted to every man, woman, and child. We owe them love and we owe them the wonderful Gospel.
Application:
We are all leaders in one way or another. Some lead ministries while others lead businesses. Some lead their families while we all have friends we lead. Please allow today’s Scripture to challenge you in the way you lead.
Prayer to Pray:
Father, humble me. Help me live like a servant and not as a king. Teach me to truly love others. I acknowledge that there is a king in me that needs to die so that I may truly live as Your servant. Please help me to put the needs of others above myself. Fill me with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
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