Follow the Word of the LORD Fully

Guys, I know that we are prone to looking at the pictures found in instructions as opposed to reading the instructions themselves (Haha, just kidding, but not really). Where this is adequate for getting things started, there may be things that are missed or that we do not fully complete in the process of working through those things. Well, Saul was one of us in that he did not fully follow the instructions given to him.

The bible passage I was led to this morning is titled, “Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice” in my ESV Bible. You see, Saul’s son, Jonathan had defeated a garrison of the Philistines and they regrouped and were preparing a fight. Saul was looking for direction and protection from the LORD. He was instructed to wait seven days for Samuel to come and lead the interaction with the LORD. And this is where Saul skips to the end and missed a piece of the instructions. He waited seven days, and then took things into his own hands, only as he was wrapping up, Samuel arrived. You cannot unburn a sacrifice and therefore Samuel would not be able to fully lead the interaction with the LORD.

“¹³And Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.’” – 1 Samuel 13:13-14 (ESV)

This was the beginning of the end of Saul’s reign as king. He did not follow the LORD fully and missed out. Saul was impatient and thought that he knew the way. He was going to get what was his and did not want to miss out because Samuel did not make it on time (at least what he thought was on time). He moved to the end of the instructions, skipping the important part of following the Word of the LORD as given to him by Samuel.

I have learned in my over 50 years that you better follow the instructions to the letter. I have learned that having the right tool for the job is important. I have learned not to cut corners as there is a reason for the way things are done. I have learned to follow the LORD fully, even when it may not make sense or seems to be taking too long.

God knows the full story and we just know what is right now. Yes, we are to concern ourselves with the now as the past cannot be fixed and the future is not known, but, we also have to understand that there are things we do not and will not know until the LORD reveals them. God’s instructions to us may seem incomplete, but are they. Maybe, just maybe, we should read His Word and follow Him fully to make sure that we do not miss anything and get to the result that He has for this instance and for us.

What is you view of instructions? Are you a rush to the end kind of person that feels as they know what the outcome is supposed to be? What if you followed the LORD fully and allowed Him to reveal the truth and outcome as it is and not as we want it to be?

Look to Work from God’s Agenda

I do understand, when looking to lead, there is an agenda or a goal or a destination that is being worked. It only makes sense, otherwise what is the point, getting people to follow aimlessly. In virtually every leadership book, periodical, class, or seminar I have been exposed, leadership is almost pointless without purpose.

Jesus had an agenda, a goal, a destination as He was leading the disciples. He was aware of the mission. He understood the purpose. The thing is, it was not His agenda, but the Father’s. Jesus came, rather was sent to this world to carry out the Father’s agenda. He was set to do work of the Father and not His own. Jesus was the workman carrying out the mission.

As Jesus went through this world before He did anything, He consulted the Father to get the lay of the land and understand the mission at that moment. Before His actions, Jesus prayed to the Father. Jesus followed the agenda of the Father at every turn. He was in tune with God and knew that it was not His own will, but the Father’s for all things to happen.

“³⁶And he said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’” – Mark 14:36 (ESV)

Jesus was always looking keenly for the next part of the agenda to play out. He was looking for and always willing to accomplish the Father’s plan. Jesus was not just bringing a group of people on a journey to nowhere, He was leading based on an agenda. It was the agenda of the Father.

This is to be our approach as well. As disciples we are to follow an agenda. The agenda will lead to the goal, destination, or result we are to accomplish. The thing is, that agenda is not our own but the agenda of the Father. I have to remember every day to have restless eyes as I seek to work the agenda of the Father. I am to be in communication with the Father as Jesus was to get the direction I am to take. At each turn I am to reach out to the Father to understand as much as He can and/or will give me. I am to follow the LORD’s direction and work to accomplish His agenda.

What is leading you? Are you out there working on accomplishing your own work to get somewhere you want to be? What if you were to work the agenda of the Father and followed his direction to accomplish His agenda?

Who and/or What to Follow

I have been studying leadership for a while, especially in the corporate world I work. I have wondered about the “leaders” that have been over me and the leader that I am. Yes, the quotation marks surrounding the word “leaders” is intentional as I do not believe that everyone in a position of overseeing a group or task is a leader. As I also believe that you do not have to be an overseer of people or tasks to be a leader.

This morning I have begun a new process or structure to my daily bible study. I am working through a series titled “MasterWork”. This series is from 2011, and where that may seem a bit ago, I went through the first lesson this morning and realized the value even today. There was reference to the speed of technology and the Information Age that we are currently right in the middle. The first section of this quarter’s (as the guide is structured into quarters) is on Spiritual Leadership.

The first question asked in the lesson is who are the leaders who have had an impact and why in my life. I gave this some thought and found a couple to men that helped to shape who I am. I gave some real thought to the who and you know, I am a bit embarrassed that I did not first think of the leader that we should all be shaped by, God/Jesus/Holy Spirit. I first thought about man. Why did I not reference our LORD as the one leader who is the perfect example to emulate.

Now, I know that I am doing a bible study and writing in reference to following the Word of God. Shouldn’t I be also looking first to Him for the answers to questions. It was not until later in the reading that I found the better questions that led me to turn to God as the one true and complete one to serve as my example to follow, “But where does one begin? Which book does a leader read next? Which seminar is a must?” My answer, God’s Word.

Isn’t it true that we are always looking for the next gimmick or quick fix to things. We want things to be done with the wave of a few questions or actions to generate results. But, the truth is not in the quick fix, but in the slow and steady application of the proven approach. And where is that proven approach? Who derived the approach that stands the test of time? Why that is God/Jesus/Holy Spirit. The LORD has done it all and not just once but with many. There are so many from time that have followed the will of the LORD and been great leaders in their own right. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, David, Paul, and Peter to name just some were men who followed the LORD.

Now, were all those listed above perfect leaders. NO! But they were leaders that followed the direction or example of the LORD. Each of them had their faults and failures, yet ultimately are considered great men who led under the direction of the LORD. They followed the LORD and His direction, teachings, and/or example in leading during their time.

The same can be said of a more modern age of leaders. Whether Billy Graham or John Maxwell, these men and countless others follow(ed) the example, teaching, and/or direction of the LORD as their guiding principle to leading. So, who and/or what to follow, that would the LORD and His Word.

Where are you looking for your leadership example? Are you looking for the next quick guide? What if you looked to true, tested, work and example of our LORD and His Word?

Follow the Direction of Elders

This morning I find myself in 1 Samuel looking through the passage of the anointment and proclamation of Saul as king. We have a situation where Saul is chosen and then anointed and then proclaimed to be king at the direction of Samuel from the LORD.

Saul was told how things would go down and he, Saul, only needed to heed the directions and it would all come about.

“⁶Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. ⁷Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you.” – 1 Samuel 10:6-7 (ESV)

Here we see that Samuel gave instruction and Saul would follow through with it. But these instructions did not just come from anyone. Samuel was the priest and revered in his work with the LORD. And therefore the instruction was coming from a trusted source and should be followed.

I find myself in a position of needing instruction. As a part of a discipleship group. I seek the advice and instruction from those in the group. The presumed leader of the group is one of our pastors with the church and therefore considered to be more in concert with the LORD as he is well studied and a teacher of God’s Word. I see him as an elder and look for instruction from him.

We should all find someone that we can listen to as a teacher and elder to follow. But, we have to be careful and identify the person of the LORD and not a person of great personality. It is easy to be swept up by the dynamics of the individual. It is not about the person, but about their understanding of the Word of God and how that applies to our lives individually. The instruction that comes from them should be for the glory of God and not for the glory of the person.

Once we have found the person to provide the instruction, it is up to us to follow that instruction and know that the LORD will provide, but in His due time and not our own.

Who are you listening to for instruction? Are you listening to your peers or those in similar situations as you? What if you found an elder and followed their instruction as led by the LORD?

The LORD is with Me Just as He was with Those Before Me

This morning I am reminded that the LORD is with me. Not just with me, but with me as He was with those that came before me. I am take back to the night that 3 men of the church came to the home of Lori and I. We sat in the living room talking and they conducted an interview of Lori and me for the role of deacon of the church. These men were deacons themselves and, of age, they were of a generation before me. Lori and I were taken aback at the thought of us being deacons for the church. We were not of a “right old age”. We did not see ourselves as spectacularly known members of the community. We were ordinary children of God doing the work He had for us when it was presented to us. But God had a plan for us.

“⁵No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.” – Joshua 1:5 (ESV)

You see, God would be with us as He was with those who came to our home. God knew the status of our heart and that we were ready to begin His work in the church. And He knew that we were mature in Him even when we did not know it ourselves. He had prepared us for this time and was with us the whole time. The deacons before us were wise and tested. They were, in some cases the same men from when I was a bed baby in the church. I had learned from them and had demonstrated to them through my actions, that I and we were servants of the LORD. We were not doing so for our own gain, but for the good of the church.

The LORD was using Lori and I in ways that we were not even aware at the time. So the LORD made it so that we would be leaders in role and not just action for Him. He brought us to the role He had for us and at the time when was good for He, the church, and us. The LORD would be with us from before that time, during that time, and into today.

As for today, the LORD is still with us. Lori is the reliable servant in the children’s department at our church. I am now the generation before those in my discipleship group. We are those of before, demonstrating the LORD being with that the LORD will be with those who come after us.

It is quite something to see and experience that Lori and I are now those who are preparing those who come after us. Where I do not see us as being the mature brother and sister in Christ, I do see where those that come after us will look to us for guidance as they grow in Christ themselves. It is now our role to let them know that the LORD will be with them just as He is with us.

What are your thoughts on your station in the LORD? Are you wondering if the LORD is or will be with you? What if you took it upon you that the LORD will be with you just as He is/was with those that came before you?

No Stopping God’s Will

The Israelite people were headed to the promised land. They were following the path that the LORD had for them. Nothing was getting in their way or would stop them.

“²¹Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, ²²’Let me pass through your land. We will not turn aside into field or vineyard. We will not drink the water of a well. We will go by the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.’ ²³But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. He gathered all his people together and went out against Israel to the wilderness and came to Jahaz and fought against Israel.” – Numbers 21:21-23 (ESV)

Sihon would not let Israel pass through his land. Think about this, they would be on the “highway” which had been established as a trade route. Israel did the decent thing of asking for permission to pass through on that highway and Sihon said no. Now, yes the Israeli group was a rather large one, but, they indicated to stay on the road and even asked. Sihon not only said no, but went out to destroy Israel as well.

This is where we find that the LORD will not be stopped.

“²⁴And Israel defeated him with the edge of the sword and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as to the Ammonites, for the border of the Ammonites was strong. ²⁵And Israel took all these cities, and Israel settled in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages.” – Numbers 21:24-25 (ESV)

Sihon came to destroy God’s people and instead was destroyed.

I have to remember that when I am in God’s Will and doing that which He has for me to accomplish, He will not be stopped or defeated. I may not see the end result in the moment as Israel was turned away to take another route. But, stopping God’s Will is not going to happen. God will provide the way to complete the task He has for us whether to go around the obstacle that is presented or, as with the case of the Israelites, He will take us through the obstacle. The ultimate thing to remember is that there is no stopping God’s Will.

What happens when you encounter obstacles? Do you work hard to find a way through them on your own? What if you focused on God’s Will and realized that there is no stopping His Will?

Follow the LORD, He Knows

“¹⁷When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. ¹⁸And Joseph said to his father, ‘Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.’ ¹⁹But his father refused and said, ‘I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.’” – Genesis 48:17-19 (ESV)

Jacob was an old man and was barely able to see anything at all. Here we find him just meeting his grandsons and blessing them. Now, Jacob was in close concert with God and His plans. He was always following the LORD. In the above passage, Jacob was blessing the sons of Joseph, and appeared to make a mistake in blessing younger of them as would traditionally be done of the first born, and rightfully so, Joseph moves to correct him. Jacob then lets it known that he is indeed correct in his blessing.

Here we find Jacob following the will of God in the lives of those in his lineage. He was blessing the one who would be greater to acknowledge that he would be greater. Where it would not manifest until later, it is important to note that the will of God was being followed here.

Jacob, for all of his shortcomings, followed the LORD and did not apologize for it. He was bold and deliberate. In this passage, we find that Joseph moved his sons to the hands of Jacob for the blessing and Jacob crossed his hands when laying hands on them for the blessing. Jacob knew, thanks to God which was which and took action to follow.

I have to remember that for all of my knowledge, intelligence, understanding, and learning, I still have to follow the LORD, because He knows.

What do you know? Are you of the opinion that you know it all? What if you were to surrender to the LORD and follow Him as He is the one who truly knows?

Follow the Righteous

This seems like an easy thing, right. Well it is in the concept of it all. I do believe that a majority of those in the world understand that following the righteous is the approach that should be taken. To get it “right” we should be following the righteous.

Here’s the challenge. Who is the righteous that should be followed? Is it the grandiose leader giving everything under the sun? Is it the towering conqueror bringing others to justice? Is it the vocal religious figure speaking to the masses? The thing is, I don’t know of their righteousness. I only know what I see in their actions. I have to remember that God is the only one to declare someone righteous.

But, there is one who I can count on for being righteous and in counting on Him, I know following Him is the right path. Jesus.

“⁴Who will not fear, O Lord,

and glorify your name?

For you alone are holy.

All nations will come

and worship you,

for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

— Revelation 15:4 (ESV)

I do not have to look for the righteous to follow. He has been here since the beginning. I only have to follow Jesus. All of He and His actions and Himself were and are righteous and have been revealed as so. How many other’s have selflessly come to the world with the grand purpose of accepting all that I am and dying so that I would not have to.

I know what you may be thinking, there are others that have died for their cause, and you would be correct. But look at it, they have died for their cause and their single idea. This is not to be discredited and less than noble at all. These have given of themselves and should be recognized as doing so. Yet, it is just that these have died for a single cause and are no longer here to continue to advance that cause. Once gone from this world, their dedication to the cause is no more.

With Jesus, He came to this world for the purpose of dying for me. He gave all of Himself for me and then died, and here it is, He rose again and continued His work for me. Jesus was righteous in all of His actions and then died and rose again to continue with those righteous actions.

Now, I am not going to say that there are/weren’t other righteous to follow. As those who are passionate for those causes may very well be. What I am saying is that the only one we know, without a doubt to be righteous is Jesus. Following Him we are guaranteed to be following the righteous.

Who are you following that you believe to be righteous? Is their noble cause that makes them righteous? What if you were to follow the only one guaranteed to be righteous, Jesus?