Tag: manipulation
Beware of self-appointed leaders
Scripture reading for March 11: Judges 9-12
Gideon was a man placed by God in a position of leadership. Gideon interacted with God to be certain of what to do and how to do it. He certainly was not perfect and made some glaring mistakes, but brought peace to the land for a period of time. He had 71 sons and a large family. When Gideon passed away, a leadership crisis arose. The Israelites went back to idol worship and one of Gideon’s sons, Abimelech, sought to take over.
Abimelech was the son of a slave girl. He had 70 brothers who were produced through his father by other mothers. He went to his mother’s town of Shechem and schemed to take over leadership through violence and murder. They paid him some money from an idol temple and he hired mercenary soldiers. He then killed 69 of his seventy brothers. Only Jotham, the youngest, escaped. Jotham spoke prophetically at Abimelech’s coronation ceremony pronouncing God’s judgment on Abimelech’s leadership and those who followed. He then ran away. (Judges 9:7-21)
After three years, Scriptures state that God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem. God did this to avenge the shedding of innocent blood of the seventy brothers. Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem had conspired to commit murder and now they would bring murder on themselves! (Judges 9:22-24) This evil spirit was God’s judgment on a self-appointed leader and those who joined with him in rebellion! It took three years for the Word of God to come true, but it did!
When someone tries to place themselves in leadership by his own power, craftiness, or manipulation, then the leader and those who scheme with him come under God’s judgment! We must be vigilant today in our country. Would be leaders in politics and media are often trying to manipulate people. In the workplace and even the church, people seek to appoint themselves. Beware–God’s judgment will come on those who appoint themselves! Do you desire to be used in leadership? From these examples, what are some things you should do? What bad examples warn you?
Jesus alone saves!
Scripture reading for March 25: Luke 16, Psalm 60, Proverbs 29
Key Scriptures: Luke 16:16-17 “”The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached and everyone forces his way into it. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.””
Jesus always taught God’s Word in truth and confronted those who were not obeying the true meaning of that Word. The Pharisees had a habit of judging Jesus and making fun of His teaching. They used the Word of God to manipulate people for money, thinking that they were superior to ordinary sinners. They judged some ‘sinners’ as unworthy of salvation. In these verses, Jesus stated that God’s Law and the Prophets writing would never become obsolete. It cannot be altered or used to force our way into God’s kingdom or to keep ‘sinners’ out. The ‘good news’ was that all sinners could receive mercy by faith in Jesus.
Faith Confession: Lord, thank You for the good news of the Gospel of Your kingdom! Help me to live a life of faith and deliver me from compromise or manipulation of Your Word!
Psalm 60:11-12 “Oh, grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! With God we shall do valiantly, it is He who will tread down our foes.”