Monday Minute with God

Welcome to Monday Minute With God. A place to start the week right and tools to keep you in the word all week long.

Strength in Leadership

How do leaders demonstrate their inner strength?

David drew people to God when he gave God all the glory for the home of the Ark of the Covenant. The people were blessed to be near the place where Jehovah dwells.

1 Chronicles16: 1-3 And they brought in the ark of God and placed it inside the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD. He distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread and a portion of meat and a raisin cake.

1 Chronicles 16 begins with the Ark of the Covenant being given a home. It was not the temple God had promised would be built. David had too much violence and blood in his life to build the Temple. Instead God ordained his son Solomon would build the temple. Yet, David was called “a man after God’s own heart”. David brought the Ark back to the people, close to where he was living, so he could make sure it was cared for and revered.

Verses 1-6 talk of putting the Ark into the tent so that it has a home. David showed great strength as a follower first and a leader second. In verse 1 he told the people that God shall have the glory. David gave God glory through first the offerings then through the song he composed (verses 7-36). He was strong enough to stand in front of the people and give all the glory to God and not himself.

In this time of selfies and an “I-love-me-some-of-this…” generation, it is hard to imagine a person who chose to stand in front of a huge crowd and give all glory to God. David showed extreme strength to not allow his pride to creep into his service. His strength as a follower is manifest to all the people. When I am called to lead, it is hard for me to stand in front of people and focus everything on God. Many times I think afterwards that God was glorified, but I also worry if people liked me and what I said. That’s when my pride takes over and I think that it is about me. In reality the most powerful times in my life happened when I gave everything to God and He spoke through me.

Leadership week

David showed his inner strength by being a leader. He wanted his people to have joy through the location of the Ark. In a time before Jesus walked on the earth and people felt his touch, the followers of God relied on the presence of God in the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark was near the people. It had a home where they could worship the Lord. It meant that Jehovah was dwelling with them. David showed his strength as a leader by making the joy of his people a priority. He wanted them to have joy in knowing that God is with them. He spoke a blessing from God over them and then fed them more than they expected.

Core Concept:

Leaders show strength through following as well as leading.

Think about It:

Who in the Bible showed strength through following? How?
Who in the Bible showed strength through leading? How?
Looking ahead to 1 Chronicles 16:7-36 which phrases stand out to you?

Strength in Leadership this week:

Day 1: What is strength.

Memorize: 1 Chronicles 16:2 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.

In Webster’s Dictionary, strength is defined as the quality or state of being strong. Likewise, it is good quality or beneficial attribute of a person or thing. Strength is something we all need at some point in our lives. God gives us the strength we need when we need it.

I often think I am not strong enough but when I turn to God He gives me more than I can imagine. Think back to a time when you felt you could not handle a situation yet you did through God’s strength. Journal about that story or make a memento to help you remember that story.

Day 2: What is Leadership.

Leadership by definition is the position of a person or the actions of a person who guides or directs a group. When I first thought of leadership I thought of take action people. A leader is supposed to lead the group like a drum major. But then being a military spouse I thought of generals who are behind the lines directing the troops. Leadership can take many forms. You can be an up front person or a behind the scenes person. Which type of leader are you? Ask people around you for their opinions. Do they see you as you do?

Day 3: Strength through following.

David was a leader who was willing to follow God. He was standing in front of the people blessing them from God. Yet he followed God by not building the temple. God told him no. David showed true strength by following God through this act of obedience. David showed his strength through blessing the people with a place for the Ark even though he must have been disappointed for it not to be the Temple. When have you been disappointed yet continued to follow God rather than your own path? Journal about this story or make a memento about it.

Day 4. Strength through leading.

King David brought the Ark to the tent in Jerusalem. After setting up the tent he led the people in worship, through offering a burnt offering and peace offerings. He wanted to make sure the people started off right. This was to be a sacred place so David made sure that offerings were done correctly. He did not worry about what people thought. He knew that he had to give the glory to God and God alone. Do you give God the glory in all that you do or blame Him when things go wrong? Prayerfully ask God to change you into a person who gives Him glory in your leadership.

Day 5 Strength in Leadership.

Leadership is a hard thing. Many people want to lead but can end up leading people astray. In 1 Chronicles 16 we see King David following God first then leading the people second. His focus on God first shows that he truly was a “man after God’s own heart”. He had a godly focus and served through serving and worship. Look around you. Where can you lead? Remember you don’t have to lead from the front, you can lead behind the scenes as well. As you prayerfully consider this week’s study look at ways to lead that will glorify God.

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