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And we are in 1st Corinthians chapter number 9 and we'll begin reading in verse number 1 where the Bible reads here Am I not an apostle am I not free have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord are not ye my work in the Lord If I be not in a possible an apostle unto others yet doubtless I am to you for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord might answer to them that do examine me Are ye in the Lord might answer to them that do examine me is this have we not power to eat and to drink have we not power to lead about a sister a wife as well as other apostles and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas and the title my Sherman this evening is leadership versus Not being a leader. Okay, so there's leadership and then there's just not being a leader All right now the part of that that Entire passage that we read there that I really want to focus on is verse number five where it says have we not power to Lead about a sister a wife as well as other Apostles and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas now if you were studying first Corinthians on on Thursdays And we'll get to this passage eventually, but throughout first Corinthians We see that the Apostle Paul is obviously trying to convey to those at the Church of Corinth that hey You ought to listen to me because I'm your leader Right and the reason he's saying that it's not necessary to puff himself up or to make him look make himself look important or to Just Lord over the flock of God It was for the sake of the instruction He was going to impart to them in Regards to some of the sins that were taking place at the Church of Corinth some of the things they needed to get corrected Some of the things that they need to be reproved of and you say look don't discredit me because I'm telling you I'm telling you this I want you to the Lord I've taught you the Word of God there's credibility right here am I not an apostle have we not power to lead about a sister a wife as well as other apostles as the brethren of The Lord and Cephas and what he's saying there in verse number five is this look we have the power to lead now Obviously in context this is referring to the Apostle Paul leading But you know what any Christian any person can apply this specific scripture in verse number five to themselves You have the power to lead you have the power you have the potential you have the ability to lead about a sister to lead About a wife to lead about leaders. Okay, it's possible Why because God has endowed within us as as Christians the potential to be able to lead about other people for the things of God Okay, so this evening. I really want to talk about leadership Alright, and you know if you're a woman in here you can apply this to your children But specifically I'm gonna I'm gonna make reference to the men this evening now Let me start off by saying what leadership is not go to 1st Peter chapter number five Because automatically when people think of leadership, what do they think of? Well the guy who's in charge? Right or they think the guy who has the title the guy who has the plaque in front of his desk You know, but you know what? That's not leadership. Leadership is not a title I've worked with people who had a plaque on their desk saying that they're a pastor assistant pastor, but there are nothing there They weren't leaders They were very weak in their leadership very weak in their influence and they didn't make a difference in anybody's life And in fact, they demanded people to respect them when people didn't respect them. That's not leadership That's not what leadership is it's not titles and it's not lording over the flock No, unfortunately, there are pastors who are like that, right? They will exercise their leadership their title over people You need to listen to me and do as I tell you to do ask me For permission for everything when you eat when you use the restroom whoever you hang out with, you know I'm exaggerating but to a certain extent I'm not Because there are people like that and shame on people like that They're not leaders and that's not the kind of leadership that God wants Okay for his people look at 1st Peter chapter 5 and verse number 1 the elders This is referring to the pastors, but this is something we could all apply to ourselves which are among you I exhort who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be Revealed feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint But willingly not for filthy lucre But of a ready mind neither as being Lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock You know what today what we see is pastors completely negating what it says here in 1st Peter chapter number 5 every single part feed the flock of God which is among you. They're not feeding God's flock They're they're preaching watered-down sermons with very minimal doctrine just encouraging just motivational speeches They're not feeding the flock of God and it says they're Taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre You know what that means not for money's sake You're not a pastor. You're not in this business to make money You know, we must be about our father's business This is this is true business, but we're not in this to make money But you know what? We have today we have a lot of pastors who are in the pulpit and the only reason they're there It's to make money They want to make money. They want to make merchandise off of the flock of God Okay, and they don't want to do some other job They it would it would hurt them To get a secular job and pastor at the same time why because they just want to sit their fat lazy bottoms All week long not do anything and just get paid to give them in a motivational speeches each and every week You know, we all have to be greedy a filthy lucre We ought to be content with the things that we have be happy in whatsoever state We're in and not be not be motivated in the ministry by money Okay, it's just but of a ready mind ready always to give an answer, right? Verse three neither as being Lord's over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock. What is Lord's over God's heritage? That means almost really like a dictator Okay, where you have to ask for permission for every single thing that's done now look, this is not a democracy This is obviously a church that's run by leadership and only one leader We don't take a consensus of what we ought to do one man chooses what gets done and that's what's gonna get done But you know what? There's an extreme aspect to that or where men try to get up and they try to dictate the lives of even the people when They're at home You know, you can't listen to Pastor Anderson when you're at home You can't listen to the new IFB when you're at home, you know You need to ask for permission. If you if you go to Ulysses and Vanessa's wedding, you know You ask for permission for those things. No, we don't this isn't this isn't the Catholic Church. You're not the Pope You're not the father Okay You're loading over God's heritage instead of being example to the flock and the reason the Bible says we need to be examples to the Flock is because things are rather caught than top. Okay, things are rather caught than top No, we teach from the Word of God But you know a lot of people assimilate to a way of life based upon what they see Okay based upon your example and God says look if you're a leader you need to be an example to the flock of God of what a man of God ought to be or how to lead about a people how to be a husband how to be a mother Right how to do how to fulfill your role in life You need to be an example to that because that's what people gravitate to right there is this when you Lord over them Okay, they resist that but they respond when you become an example and this is not just refer obviously this is referring to the pastor But this is just in general this you could apply this to your job. Okay, but you can apply this in any area of your life. So Leadership is not titles. It's not how man. I just want a plaque, you know, I want people to call me pastor You know, I knew a guy There's a Spanish pastor who literally told me, you know, I would call look and you call me brother all you want You think I have there's people here call me pastor and I don't mind it doesn't bother me at all You know and if and when I become the pastor later on in the future I still don't care if you don't call me pastor if you call me brother It's fine because that's what I am. I'm your brother in Christ, but I've met guys Pastors who are ordained men who said this don't call me brother. You call me pastor and he wasn't even my pastor at that He's all you call me pastor. I said no problem, brother Whatever Whatever you say brother You know who cares about titles Now obviously there's titles in the Bible and it's necessary to be able to distinguish who's in leadership, etc Who's responsible right for running the operation, but we shouldn't desire a title and look don't think well I'm not a leader because I don't have a title then you don't know what leadership is Okay, just because you don't have a title doesn't mean does not mean you're not a leader Okay, but the fact that you want a title goes to show that's why you're not a leader All right, go to mark chapter number 10 So keep that in mind You know especially if you're in here you want to be a pastor one day and you want to start a church you want to? Be a leader man forget the titles Focus on the toil all right focus on working focus focus on yourself Focus on on improving yourself being what God wants you to be don't worry about the titles worry about God's work and improving yourself in that area all right look at mark chapter 10 verse number 35 It says in James and John the sums of Zebedee come unto him saying master We would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire, and he said unto him What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him grant unto us that we may sit one on thy right hand and the other on thy left hand in Thy glory, but Jesus said unto them You don't know how what you ask Can you drink of the cup that I drink of and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with and they said unto Him we can and Jesus said unto them you shall indeed Drink of the cup that I drink of and with the baptism that I am baptized with all shall ye be baptized But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give But it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared and when the ten heard it ten heard What this whole discussion that they were having about this position? They began to be much displeased with James and John Why because it's like man we want that Why are you guys telling I want to be on the right hand? What are they concerned with their concern with the position right verse 42? But Jesus called them to him and saith unto them ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles Exercise lordship over them and their great ones exercise authority upon them, but so shall it not be among you But whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister. What is a minister? It's a servant and whosoever of you will be the cheapest shall be servant of all for even the Son of Man came not to be Ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many says look when you look at the world the world does That you know listen to me because I'm the boss You know I have the title I'm the CEO and whatnot but he says but with God's people It's not the same way if you want to be great you want to you want to be esteemed in the eyes of God's people And in the eyes of God you be a servant Okay, minister be the best serving you can be and look learn how to follow someone That's the way you become a leader Why because then you actually have the capacity to know what is necessary to lead someone else because you followed someone Right you follow someone who is leading you therefore when you get into that position You know exactly what's needed to lead someone who is following you all right, but so it's not titles all right It's not lording over God's heritage and pastors need to get off their high horse and thinking They're just like CEOs of companies and start being ministers again Start being servants of the Lord okay, so it's not that it's not a license to cover sin and disobey God either Go to 1st Corinthians chapter number 5 You See somehow along the way within the last decade or two decades You know what leadership has become basically the guy who covers up sin whenever it takes place in the church It's like oh well what leadership is is the ability to organize sin out of the view of the people Okay, that's a bunch of crap Okay, you know what leadership is is the ability to humble yourself and say oh, man I hired the guy and he's a stinking faggot And we need to fire him and turn him into the authorities Okay, but you know what we have today. We have leaders who are now willing to fess up to that ie North Valley Baptist Church Who hired a straight pedophile and then when they find out that he's a pedophile what do they do they try to cover it up You know that's garbage leadership, and it's interesting I was and I was preaching at Verity Baptist Church just about a month ago And I called out North Valley Baptist Church just for that reason I talked about the weak leadership what happens this week Finding out the Giovanelli you know the song leader music director or whatever of the vice president of Golden State Baptist College being found that he's a pedophile You know People will respect pastor tree, but if you were just been like this is disgusting. I can't believe I didn't know about this He's fired. We're turning him into the authorities, but what do we see of this pastor? Just trying to cover everything up Just like with Mike Zachary and all those other faggots right okay? No, why don't you be a man of God and just own up to it? That's what leadership is We have weak leadership in America today, okay? And look people want to get mad when we when we start criticizing the old IFP But this is the reason why we're criticizing the old IFP because it's because of the weak leadership the old IFP had and look Obviously there's people in the old IFP that are not weak leaders. They're great men of God They've done great things. We love them We may not agree with everything But you know what there's people also on that side of the fence that are not good leaders Right and I think good leadership is just covering it up all the time anytime something happens Ambassador gets killed to what happens Joab just comes puts a cloth over him and drags him out of the way so no one sees them That's not the way to go about things first Corinthians 5 one says it is reported commonly that there's Fornication among you in such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles that one should have his father's wife And he are puffed up I have not rather mourned that he that had done this deed might be taken away from you Paul saying you're proud You're arrogant. You're proud. You're puffed up. Why because you're not dealing with it Okay, you said what do you think? Why do you think pastor trooper is not dealing with it? You know why because he doesn't want to lose money. That's why Okay, he's afraid to mar his reputation What about God's reputation you're gonna cause the enemies of God to blaspheme because of your weak leadership Go to Exodus chapter 18 She had to get that off my chest Okay, because look you can criticize us all you want you guys are just a bunch of young bucks You don't know what you're talking about, but you know what we're the next generation. That's coming up So you know what if you think I should be preaching like this when I'm 50 well guess what? I need to start now If you want me to be that kind of leader when I'm 55 years old guess what I need to start conditioning now So look I'm gonna believe this now, and I'm a believer when I'm 50 60 and 70 God willing if he were to give me that long of a life But the fact remains is that doesn't matter how old I am the fact remains. There's still a loss of integrity there So just because I'm a young buck and just because I'm not I'm not as old as you We're not supposed to say anything just cover our eyes cover our ears and cover our mouths and not say anything bunch of crap Okay, no we need leaders today that recognize. What leadership is what is it? It's not titles It's not lording over God's flock. It's this when there's sin in the camp we get rid of it And look if we make a mistake Fess up to it and say man. I messed up. I blew it Instead of trying to keep making yourself look good right So what is biblical leadership now that we showed you what biblical leadership is not What is real biblical leadership? Well leadership is able men? stepping up to the plate To fulfill that which is efficient, okay, so what is biblical leadership? It's simply once a man gets up, and he fills a role that may be deficit okay within that spectrum of Followers okay, that's what it is. It's not a title. It's not when someone just promotes you No, it's someone just stepping up to the plate I'm gonna read to you from Titus 1 5 is this for this cause left ID and Crete that thou should have said in order The things that are wanting wanting means what lacking right and ordained elders in every city as I appointed thee You know why Titus was a leader because he was able to go there and and provide that which was lacking in that In Crete he was able to raise and by the way in context. What was lacking the pastors Right he says and ordained elders in every city so his responsibility was to go there see able men That's why he gives them the qualifications of a pastor later on and say look these are the qualifications Find the guys who fit the bill and ordain them and these in these places right here, okay? so that means Titus had the maturity to be able to See the men who are potential leaders in ordain them so they can be the leaders in those churches that that's necessary That's what leadership is Now look at Exodus 18 verse 21 Let's verse 21 says moreover thou shalt provide out of the people Able men such as fear God men of truth hating covetousness and place such over them to be rulers of thousands and rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and Rulers of tens and let them judge the people at all seasons, and it shall be that every great manner They shall bring unto thee, but every small matter They shall judge so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee I want you to notice verse 21 it says able men such as fear God men of truth hating covetousness That's a good rule to go by right there You say well, I know I kind of want the name tag You know what about the plaque forget the plaque forget the name tag are you an able man? Do you fear God are you a man of truth, and do you hate covetousness? That's a good way to start Able man means you have some ability Okay and So an ability to do what an ability to just step up to the plate and handle business when it needs to be taken care of okay look I'm getting ahead of myself, but we don't need boys for leaders Okay, you know what the old IFB is it's a bunch of boys who grew up physically, but they never grew up spiritually Is what it is because they're still behaving like a bunch of fifth graders Okay, we don't need boys as leaders. We need men To get up I didn't say perfect men. I'm not perfect. I never claimed to be perfect Okay, but you know what it is. We need men who are willing to step up to the plate and say hey here am I? Okay, I'll take care of that first Timothy chapter 3 in verse number 1 Go to first Timothy chapter 3 in verse number 1 Look the reason I want to preach this is because you know if this church is gonna last we need some leaders to rise up If we're gonna start more churches if we're gonna do something great for God if we're gonna fight the enemies of God within the next Couple of years we need multiple men Who are leaders? Able men hating covetousness fearing God men of God is what we need we don't need boys Boys need to go home go take a nap Men need to rise up grow up love the Lord love the Bible love prayer and and really add these attributes to yourself So you can be capable of leading Especially if you're gonna be a pastor one day You know, that's that's this is like double for those who wants to want to be pastors In fact, look at first Timothy 3 verse 1 This is a true saying if a man desire the office of a bishop. He desireth a good work bishop is pastor a Bishop then must be blameless the husband of one wife That's it. That's a good way to start by the way. Okay, you want to be a pastor get yourself one wife Alright By the way, this means one wife for life And one wife that wasn't there didn't belong to someone else at one point. Okay one wife Vigilant sober of good behavior given to hospitality apt to teach not given to wine No striker not greedy a filthy lucre But patient not a brawler not covetous one that ruleth well his own house having his children's objection with all Gravity for if a man know not to rule his own house How shall he take care of the Church of God the Bible says so it says there in verse number four that we need to Rule well our own house What is that talking about our wives and our children? You say I'm not married yet But yeah But you will get married one day and you need to make sure that you're a good ruler of your family rule your wife Rule your children rule your not perfectly My kids are not perfect. I'm not perfect. My wife's not perfect But guess what? I could say with a hundred percent a shirt with surety that I'm the boss of my house I Rule my children as best as I can by the grace of God. I lead my wife I rule my wife as best as I can that ought to be the goal for every man here Okay to be able to lead about a wife learn now Learn to rule And look not rule with an iron fist Okay, you need to do like I tell you to do that's not the way you do it, okay, that's my cheese most stuff right there I'm talking about Someone who wants to follow you because you're worthy of follow shit Okay, and don't get on the girl because she's not following you. That's your fault That's just bottom line. That's your fault. Okay, you know, I don't like that but but it's fact look if my wife didn't follow me That's not my wife's fault She's gonna answer to that obviously to God but at the end of the day it's my fault Okay, so you need to make yourself follow a bull. I don't even know if that's in the dictionary But you know exactly what I mean be follow a bull. Okay, you want a woman to be able to follow you Why cuz you need to rule her and look you say yeah, but I know the Bible know the Bible you want But guess what part of the qualifications of a pastor Your resume as a pastor is that you rule well your own house Get a girl to follow you. That's how it starts Okay. Yeah, you haven't been married very long. But guess what? I'm married So got one on you right and guess what she follows me Guess what? What look there used to be a saying and my brother-in-law taught me it was funny He there used to be a saying what have you ever heard this if mama ain't happy ain't no one happy You guys ever heard something like that a bunch of garbage I Remember my brother-in-law Tim. He's to say I used to go over to his house before I was dating Sarah and He's Selena and he's very soft-spoken He doesn't really speak a whole lot and he's Selena he goes, you know when they say in church if mama ain't happy No one happy. I'm like, yeah, he goes not in my house. He's all here if dad ain't happy ain't no one happy And I said, amen I want to learn from that You know why because look my father-in-law was not the kind of come down and say hey I'm in charge in this house you do as I say it just was known When he came home Sit up straight dad's home. The boss is here and that's how it ought to be Okay, you say oh why so you can like puff out your chest and say you're in charge. No because that's what's necessary To be a leader Because look we don't mention especially if you're going into the ministry You don't you can't be fighting your wife for everything You got big things to do for God You get the yeah, you got to win the world to the Lord if you're fighting Satan homos and old I have be dispensationalist and rocktards We got we got to defeat all these enemies of God We ain't got time for just dealing with this stuff. This stuff needs to be in order so that we can fight The real battles, you know The Bible tells us that we ought not to be caught up in the things of this world Okay, you know be not entangled with the affairs of this world the Bible says, you know If you don't have your house in order, then then you're not you're you're hindered and your fight for God. Okay now Go to first Timothy chapter number five Read a couple verses here says verse 17 says let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor Especially they who labor in the word and doctrine and I don't understand, you know ruling well it says what in in in the word and in doctrine and what do you have to you have pastors who are getting paid like a lot of money And they're not laboring in the word of doctor laboring and commentaries You know, they're laboring and they're purchasing sermons online Sermon calm is that what's called? Right, I'm not joking that's it that's a legitimate website that exists where you can buy sermons You buy sermons from Paul Chapel you download it and then you preach it and these and it's Especially they who labor and that's not labor putting your credit card information You know, that's not labor You're you're lazy is what you are. Okay, you don't want to read your Bible You don't want to study you want to memorize you don't want to look these things up No, you don't you don't want to do you just want to sit back and enjoy the cash flow coming in Get a sermon from sermon calm and preach that on Sunday and you wonder where your congregation is not growing. Okay, go to Hebrews chapter 13 But it says there that the elders need to rule well not perfectly but just rule well Hebrews 13 verse 7 says remember them to have the rule over you So take this in mind if you want to be a pastor This is something that you need of you need to know Remember them to have which which have the rule over you which have spoken to you the Word of God Whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation? So every leader as I mentioned before started off as a follower You know, if you can't follow someone then you're probably not gonna be a leader in the future Because you reap what you sow you know and You need to learn how to be a good follower before you can be a good leader All right You need to learn how to take instructions how to take reproof how to take any type of correction Okay, you need to learn how to take those things because guess what you're gonna be dishing those out too when you become a leader Hebrews 13 verse 24 says salute all them to have the rule over you and all the Saints they have Italy salute you You'd have to turn to Romans 12 8 says he that ruleth with diligence So another thing is this is that when you rule when you're overseeing when you're governing something you need to be diligent about the way You do things now. What's the first thing you need to learn how to rule? You say I'm not married Okay. Well first and foremost rule yourself Go to Proverbs 25 I'm not married. I don't have kids. All right. Well first things first then you need to learn how to lead yourself Because if you don't know how to lead yourself, you're not gonna be able to lead anybody else I'm talking about in the just essentials of life whether it's Bible reading church attendance living a whole holy life But just in all manner of life look many to learn how to rule their emotions Okay, and you need to be able to contain your emotions Look at Proverbs 25 verse 28 says he that hath no rule Over his own spirit is like a city that's broken down and without walls What's the same you need to we don't have the convenience? Okay as men to just lose it emotionally I'm not saying you don't cry when there's when you're going through a painful experience a painful event I'm not saying you don't get pissed off when when when sin gets when sin is present and you get mad at those things I'm talking about when you just don't have ever have control over these things Okay, we all have emotions. They're all appropriate God gave us emotions But you know what God made a man with the ability to rule his emotions And if you don't have any rule over your own emotions and your own spirit Then you're like a city that is broken down and without walls Look if someone corrects you and you just buck at it, then then then you have no rule over your own spirit You're just who by the way, don't be a guy rolling your eyes Look if I ever correct you for whatever reason you roll your eyes at me You know, I'm not gonna roll my eyes at you, but I'm never gonna give you like advice ever again I'm like this guy's acting like a girl Girls act like girls Did you guys know that? Girls have look I'm not trying to be inappropriate here But girls have a special time of the month where guess what they get a little bit emotional That's just the way it is. That's not inappropriate. That's just life That's fact if you didn't know that then go take a biology class and you'll find out But you don't want guys don't have that and If you're going through something like that, you need to get off the soy And stop acting like a girl If someone ever corrects you you don't use What is that Are we in first grade? Yes. Are we fifth graders here? Look a man will say, oh man, I know that well, thanks for letting me know. I appreciate that. I don't hate you You know you you're you're reacting as if like I hate you or something. I'm not your enemy Am I your enemy because I tell you the truth? No I'm telling you this to benefit you now. Look girls be emotional. I mean, whatever, you know, that's that's what that's how girls are That's not bad. You know, my wife cries Okay, sometimes it's just like why you crying? She's like, I don't know. I'm just kidding Ladies know what I'm talking about But guys don't have that luxury We're men Rule your own spirit and look along with that you need to be able to keep your temper Okay, you ought to be someone who just doesn't lose it blows your top off When someone offends you look I'm blowing my top off right now, but I planned this My note says blow your top off But that's how it needs to be I'm not just like When I'm at home just like boiling I'm like, okay Well, I got to talk about something tonight and I got to blow my top off. Okay, but it's controlled. I Remember one time my brother-in-law he preached the message and something had happened and he was ripping face and he had already planned it but he grabbed the What do you call it a coffee cup and he just launched that thing. He's broken everyone's like Mmm, you know, but they thought he just did it like spontaneous, but he had planned that You know, but hey, it worked. Hey, man But here's the thing when you do stuff like that and it wasn't planned. That means you're just an emotionally led man Look if that's you Okay, just fix it You know for next time just say, you know, I'm gonna try to keep my temper next time Okay, and every man has a temper obviously Okay, any any man has a temper and every man has to work on it I have a temper. All right, you asked my wife. I got a temper, but you know what? We need to be able to control ourselves And rule yourself because if not, you'll be a city that is broken down and without walls and what's the significance of that verse? Well in the Old Testament the way a city protects itself against an enemy is are the walls But when there's when there when the walls are broken down, you know what that's called That's called a breach and when there's a breach that means the enemy can come in and mess with you And cause you to do sinful things is what it is tempt you All right, that's not what you want because when you're emotional you just fly off the handle and you sin with your mouth You sin with with your actions and you can cause irreparable damage is what you can do So just rule your own spirit go to Proverbs 16 Don't have a short fuse You know don't have a short fuse where it's just like anything can just take you off right away then I'm not to be you Especially he's a well, I'm not trying to be a pastor but just as a man in general As a spirit-filled Man of God just because you're a man of God just because you're not gonna be a pastor doesn't mean you can't be a man of God You know as a spear-filled man of God you ought to be able to be able to learn how to keep your temper All right, you're you know and and that's at home with your wife, too Don't be going off on your wife all the time and just losing it in front of your kids You know you able to beat your children and your wife be able to look at you and see that you're a controlled meek man That you my pet my father used to say this meekness is not weakness. It's strength under control It's the ability to see someone's like he can blow right now, but he's keeping his cool right now. You can tell he's mad though That's that's a good attribute to have But you know that the one who doesn't rule his spirit is the one who just just lets it lets it fly off the handle And then what happens you regret it afterwards? Proverbs 16 32 says he that is slow to anger is Better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city So the Bible says be angry, but sin not So anger is not a sin and in fact. It's telling us here in Proverbs 16 that we need to be slow to anger What does that mean it needs to take a while for you to get angry? It's not like you just get angry at the drop of a hat Okay, it takes time and what does the Bible say that if you're slow to anger you're better than the mighty You're better than the most strongest man It says he that rules the spirit than he to take at the city well one person doesn't take a city takes an army to Take a city well. God says you're even stronger than that because you're able to rule yourself Okay, so before you get into you know I want to be a pastor one day, and I just want okay Are you ruling yourself? You know do you do you get mad at the drop of a hat when I'm preaching at you already grinding your teeth You know just take it and look if you don't agree with me then just tune out Don't you know if if what I say gets you mad then just tune me out if that's what you need to do But you know what the mature person will just say it's true, you know, and I need to fix that I need to rule myself Okay, now go to John chapter 6 You know I know of pastors that They they have not been able to rule themselves even in that area pastors who literally abuse physically their congregants They will punch their congregants. They will shake them. They will they will do all kinds of wicked things You know and they rule by fear instilling fear in the congregants. That's wicked you know Hillside Baptist Church perfect example of that this guy who was a former boxer he threatens people You know to beat them up and all that his wife slapped my friend around slapped him in the face That's wicked That's wicked Okay, you know leader at that in that in that retrospect you're really people are fearing you That's why they do what they what you tell them to do. Yeah, that's not the kind of leadership that God wants. Okay? But other than that, so you rule yourself, but you also got to rule others You got to learn how to rule others now. What do I mean by that? You know, even if you're not the pastor you don't have a position You know the way you kind of prove yourself that you're ready for something like that is the fact that you're able to lead a group Whether maybe it's a one person it's a couple It's someone that you're able to influence for the things of God. You need to learn how to do that You know Don't be so just caught up in yourself and what you want to do when you come to church and the people you want to Fellowship with you need to get to a point where it's just like I'm here to be a blessing to someone else I'm here to get to know the people I'm here to help someone in their spiritual walk I want to be able to and I'm not saying rule as in you're ruling them I'm talking about you're able to govern someone you ever didn't bring someone along in the Lord. You need to learn how to do that John 666, of course the most perfect example of this is Jesus Christ From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him Wimps verse 67 then said Jesus unto the twelve. Will ye also go away then Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life We believe in our shirt that thou art the Christ The Son of the Living God Jesus answered them have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a devil, you know He basically ignored Peter just like I chose you choose you told one of you guys is the devil But you don't want these guys stuck around Because they wanted to follow Jesus like you have the words of eternal life, you know, so Jesus at one point would be able to lead a multitude But even when that multitude was gone, he was able to lead a small group of people. There's always someone following Jesus Okay, and you need to learn how to believe people in our church This is so many people on Sunday morning that you can get to know. Okay. I don't get along with someone So then go and find someone else you can get along with Go find someone you can have a good conversation with go find someone that you can leave that you can ask to go out to Go eat and get a coffee and invest in someone's life. Go see how you can disciple someone. Okay, stop stop It should not be about yourself Okay, you need to be a blessing to someone else now and I already mentioned this but obviously you got to rule your home and your wife, you know, and a poor example of this is Adam When when what happened when when Eve ate of the Apple she gave to her husband Eve blamed her husband What did what did her husband do? Oh, it was Adam the water. Excuse me. It was Eve the woman now gave us me He couldn't even fess up to the fact that he was wrong He blamed his wife You know and what do we need today? We need leaders in the homes who are willing to take responsibility for the actions that they took responsibility for the mistakes that they've made Okay, and lead about their homes their wife their children, etc. And what a second Kings chapter number 10 Second Kings chapter number 10, so being the leaders being able to rule well rule yourself rule others And Look it's be it's being able to get along with other people, too Okay, look, you don't always have to be right if you get in an argument with someone in our church Another safe person the end goal is not to be able to say I'm right and you're wrong You know what the end goal should be when there's an argument in our church defuse the entire thing forget this thing. This is stupid We're talking about this. Let me buy you a coke Let's get along again But you know what fifth graders do you know what kindergartners do? Ah, he hit me first No, why don't you just drop the whole situation and Go talk about something else If there's something you disagree with on someone then start bashing the dispensation list and start getting on something you both agree on Right why because why what is it worth you coming out of the conversation as though you're the one who's right What does that prove nothing? You lose your brother. You look like an idiot in front of everyone else. You make the situation awkward for everyone You know better to just say this is so dumb What are we talking about? You know, let's go do something else You know look Satan destroys the church from within not from without You know the attacks from without bring us closer together. It's the attacks from within Let's screw up the whole operation You know and how does he do it? well through many means but one of them is just causing division in the church and I've said this before and I know people don't listen to me and that's okay Look, you don't have to get along with everyone in our church But you got to be able to be mature enough to be able to get along with everyone in our church in a sense You don't have to be best friends with everyone in our church But you should have the decency and maturity to be able to get along with everyone in our church Look, let me let me give you some good advice be a likable person Okay Be a likable person not to the world I'm talking about here People should be able to like you Okay, and I'm not saying compromise so that people can like you but you know what if people don't like you It's because you have a a personality deficit of something of some sort. Okay, you know you All you know, I just like to be that kind of person where I'm a jerk and people know that I'm a jerk But I know the Bible You're an idiot Okay You need to be able to get along with everyone And look the way you get along with everyone is if you disagree with someone you be the better person And just say man. I was wrong about the whole thing. Just forget about the whole thing Let's just move on from this because your relationship with your brother is far more important Than you being right Okay, especially if it's okay if it's over like repent of your sins That's a different story. You're right and they're wrong Okay, but it's over stupid things that just really are not clear in the Bible It's there's you don't come out the better or the worse for it. Just drop it What's the point and look this goes for every area of life Don't waste your energy with meaning meaningless vain talking You know, you got better things to do with your life. And if you don't find something better to do with your life So but not only that leadership is imparting your zeal to the for the Lord and to others You know leadership is being able to be an example to someone of what zeal is and people just get on board with that Look at first the second Kings chapter 10 verse 15 I love this the story here and when he was the part of thence verse 15 He lied it on Jehonadab the son of Rekab coming to meet him and he saluted him and said to him is thine heart Right as my heart is right as my heart is with thy heart and Jehonadab answered It is if it be give me thine hand and he gave him his hand and he took him up to him into The chariot and he said come with me and see my zeal for the Lord So they made him ride in his chariot. You see this guy's a leader right here He's like are you zealous like I'm zealous come in the same chariot that I'm in in other words He's not any better than he is It's just that he's like come let's go work together is what it is. Okay, and we need zealous I think we got zealous men in here. I think we have zealous families people who love the Lord They love the Bible they love souls, but we need to start imparting that into other people And I'm not saying on Sunday morning say hey is your heart right as my heart is with the Lord Come and see my zeal for the Lord, you know No, I'm saying you need to be able to impart your passion into others You've been you should be able to inspire others is what I'm saying. Okay Go to 2nd Kings chapter number 7 So leadership is not titles it's not you know the plaque It's being able to rule yourself being able to impart your zeal, but it's also taking initiative Okay, look at 2nd Kings chapter 7 in Verse number we'll start in verse number. We'll start in verse number 1 Then Elisha said hear ye the word of the Lord thus saith the Lord tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be Sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria Then the Lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said behold if the Lord would make windows in heaven Might this thing be and he said behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes But shall not eat thereof and there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate and they said one to another Why sit we here until we die? Excuse the the banda music in the background verse 4 if we say we will enter into the city Then the famine is in the city and we shall die there and if we sit still here we die Also now therefore come and let us fall into the host of the Syrians if they save us alive We shall live and if they if they kill us We shall but die and they rose up in the twilight to go into the camp of the Syrians when they were come Until the uttermost part of the camp of Syria behold there was no man there and we will read the whole story But basically they find a whole bunch of spoil and because they find the whole bunch of sport They're able to bring that back to the city and that's basically the fulfillment of the prophecy that Elisha gave that you would restore everything But look it took this one leper Getting up and say look. Why are we gonna sit stand here until we die? Or sit here till we die. Let's go. Just try something out. Let's take the end. He took the initiative and This is what is lacking today in leadership We need guys in our church Who just stand up and say not even say just stand up and do Is what we need? Okay, and look obviously there's things in our church that you just can't do you need permission for obviously But there's certain things that you don't need permission for just do it Okay, if you see something lacking or wanting in our church You know and it's something small if you see that the bookshelves are not being filled or something I don't know. I'm just throwing something out there, and you see that don't go to me and say hey brother Bruce You need to fill up the bookshelf You know where the storage room is you know where the DVDs are at go do it yourself Take the initiative Because look one day you're gonna be a pastor And you're gonna be the one who has to see these things and take care of these things as well Be someone who takes the initiative to do something okay? don't be some some bystander who just won't do nothing unless someone else does it and That's what we have a lot today You don't do something unless someone else does it and then you'll hop in and you'll do it, too No, why don't you be the one of the lepers minus the leprosy to get to get up? Right and just say why say we're here till we die let's go do XY and Z and I'm talking to the men here men you guys need to take initiative Okay, take the initiative to do that which is necessary and don't think you need to ask me for every single specific thing I'm not a micromanager Okay, you know if you see if you see that the trash hasn't been taken out or something needs to be clean go clean it If you see that the front is dirty or that needs to get swept There's a broom right there inside go get it. There's a pan there go sweep But what if no one sees me doing it? You know, how am I gonna get my thank you unless I let you know that I'm doing it Okay, look, you don't need to let me know that you did it You know, I mean if you can if you want if you're doing so I can say hey great job And that's you know, you probably not doing it for the right reasons But if you're telling me hey just to let you know, I took care of this. I know that was necessary I know you would want to know your brother Chad did that today. I'm thankful. He told me about that about the maps It was like all right. Hey, man, brother. Thanks for taking care of that. That's initiative We need men who will be able to rise up and take initiative You may never even preach a sermon here in our church. You may be like, I'm not I don't like preaching I'm not gonna go preach. I like enjoy preaching but does that mean you can't be a leader who takes initiative? You know, I'm just too shy, you know, you need to get over that shyness Because Christians don't have the luxury of being shy either okay, why because we The work that God has called us to do is very social. I mean we talked to people every single week who we don't know We're telling them they're going to hell Right So requires for us to be very social Now obviously there's people who are more social than others But what I'm saying is this if you have a tint of shyness if you're a man You need to put that aside to take initiative to do certain things Okay, don't wait for someone to tell you to do something and that's my next one go to numbers chapter 25 Leadership is finding a solution without someone finding it for you Okay, figure it out Now what I mean by that If there's a problem and The main leader is not there fix it Don't just watch the fight fix it Wait till brother Bruce hears this Fix the fight in fact Stop it before it escalates even more Why because leadership doesn't doesn't just stand there and do nothing Leadership says okay. This is getting out of hand. Let's go ahead and fix this real quick Let me give you an example. Look at numbers 25 Now one of my favorite stories in the Bible Verse 6 and behold one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a media night Ish woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel Who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and when Phineas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron? The priest saw it He rose up from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand and he went after the man of Israel into the tent And thrust both of them through the man of Israel and the woman through her belly So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel and those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand and the Lord Spaken to Moses saying Phineas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest hath turned my wrath Away from the children of Israel while he was zealous from my sake among them that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy So let me ask you something was Phineas was like I'm not gonna do anything cuz God didn't tell me you do anything yet No, he's like, give me a second. Let me go get my javelin real quick Keep doing what you guys are doing worship the Lord. I'll take care of this grabs the javelin Just handles business Right, it's not looking for a thank you It's not he's like before this escalates even worse and more people die and the plague spreads even more I'm just gonna go ahead and take care of this whole situation right away So, let me give you a present example if someone is fighting in our church Okay, if there's an argument taking place not maybe within our church whether in our church or outside of our church and There's like 50 people there Those 48 people that are watching two people get an argument do something Don't just stand there and watch the whole thing escalate you're not a leader if you're doing that You know what you are you're spectators what you are Right, you're just like I'm not gonna be and just let those guys go. No get up and say, okay That's enough Enough is enough. Okay Shake hands and that's it. We're talking about something else Don't just sit there and do nothing That's not good leadership Let me give you an example of why this is important because at the old IFB in the old IFB churches That's exactly what happens They let problems escalate so much So the point it just it just man, it's just a cesspool of sin in their church because they don't take they don't nip it at the bud So next time something happens like that You know, I'm too shy next time something happens like that Say oh, this is what brother me he was talking about Hey guys Remember what brother, but he has said Let's stop that. Okay, no more. That's enough. This is stupid. This is foolishness and folly We're brothers and sisters in Christ Let's not get involved in this. Oh, man. You're right. Thanks for breaking this up. Yeah, no problem. Do you want a milkshake? Yeah, sure. Are you buying and just move on? But we have too many Christians they end up being these churches where we're just spectators like They're about to get down and No one's willing to step in and do something about it Look don't come at me and try to correct me on my doctrine if you're not able to just handle a situation like that Okay, if that was run with the footman and they have weirdly how can't that contend with the horses? You know if you can't even handle a situation as small as that How do you expect to even pastor a church and handle a big group of people when there's really big problems? They're gonna be taking place there. Okay So what I'm saying is this be someone who just finds a solution Okay, and look I'm not don't it's not like you got to find a perfect solution, but you have a brain You know, you got a brain we're all Christians here Okay, find the solution fix it the fuse the situation be a peacemaker And then improve upon it say look milkshake's on me. All right Crack make make fun of yourself. So it alleviates the brings a little levity to the tension and then move on All right. Now look Everyone's all quiet I'm just what I'm telling. I'm just giving you some instructions here what to do and this is for any area of life. Look I Never got into a full-blown argument with my wife But we've gone into some disagreements for sure because my wife has a mind of her own obviously She's gonna disagree with me on certain things. She's wrong. Most of the time. I'm just kidding. But you know When I feel like it's escalating to a point where it's it there's gonna be like some tension between my wife and I I Nip it at the but I'll say look. I'm sorry For saying that okay. I want to make sure that we end off this on a good note. I apologize I misunderstood you and you might have may still understood me, but for sure I misunderstood you I was wrong about that You know and she'll say the same thing to me because you know what what is it worth? You know if you prove your wife wrong and then you then she's like not talking to you for the rest of the day Better to diffuse it and what happens when you diffuse it. She'll actually respect you more And just say wow, did he handle that pretty well? Okay, you need to learn how to diffuse a situation not allow it to escalate and get it worse Go to first Corinthians chapter number 13 We're Almost done leadership also is the result of maturity You say what is maturity? It's growing up Got to grow up now. The guys were back there watching cartoons or whatever and I told her you're not gonna like the part Not against cartoons whatever what kind of cartoon was it by the way as long as it wasn't anime all right, okay And he's wicked man Leadership is the result of maturity. It's growing up. You know we need some guys who are just become men And I'm not saying we don't have men in our church, but we need to grow up Okay Grow up to be to get married to have children to be functioning members of the church And to lead about a wife a sister a brother other leaders look at the Bible says first Corinthians 13 11 when I was a child I speak as a child understood as a child. I thought as a child when I became a man I put away childish things you know and you know what children do they basically they push the responsibility off to someone else You need to own up to your own responsibilities My son he speaks as a child. It's the cutest thing ever We're loving this stage of life with my son right now, okay? He can finally before when we used to tell him say Kyla. He would say cocky so cute Just within Friday right I think Friday you say say Kyle, and he's like Kyla. Whoa son He's like he actually is able to pronounce the entire name See thanks, son. Thanks for that example Now you can count to ten You know he'll go one two free You know see that's cute though, right? But you know what we would think that's something weird if like an adult Like what's your daughter's name, Kyla? Okay? Hi cocky like I said Kyla, bro You know can you turn to first Corinthians chapter free We would say there's something wrong with that right So it's okay when they're little children But it's not okay when you're an adult Okay What am I saying? You need to grow up, and I'm not saying anyone has a speech impediment here, okay? And if you do I'm not talking about you. I'm sorry right What I'm saying is is you just you know we have to have a mentality in our church that Because we have a lot of young guys in our church and praise God for that hey, man. I'm still young you man I'm 32 We got to grow up Okay, we're no longer children and look We're in the hottest part of the battle and this kind of movement Okay This war ain't for boys You know let the old the old I have bees in the war of the boys Okay, this war is for men We need guys to grow up take care of their responsibilities be consistent Okay, and grow up spiritually as well all right go to judges chapter 8. Let me give you two two contrasts here of this Or a contrast here go to judges 8 verse verse 20 and then We're gonna go also to first Samuel chapter 17 Judges chapter 8 I read from verse 19 It says here And he said they were my brethren even the sons of my mother as the Lord liveth if he had saved them alive I would not slay you and he sent him to Jethro his firstborn up slay them But the youth drew not his sword for he feared because he was yet a youth So when dad told him hey get up slay this he's like. I'm too scared. I'm just a youth You know he's being a little wimp about it What a first Samuel 17 look at the contrast between Jethro and David? verse 32 and David said to Saul let no man's heart fail because of him thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine and Saul said to David they are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him for that about a youth and he a Man for a war from his youth and David said unto Saul thy servant kept his father's sheep There came a lion and a bear and took a lamb out of the flock And I went after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth and when he arose against me I caught him by his beard and smote him and slew him thy servant slew both the lion and the bear and this Uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them seeing he had defied the armies of the Living God David said moreover the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear he will Deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine and Saul sent him to David go and the Lord be with thee man That's a great contrast right there Jethro is a little wimp. I'm too. I'm just but a youth. I can't kill anybody David's off. I'll handle this guy This is this Goliath Philistine. I took care of a lion. I mean you're a tough youth when you're killing lions The heck who does that Russians, right? They do the Bears, right This guy was handling business as a youth so don't use your excuse well You know no no no grow up like David Yeah, he was young in age, but you know he was mature He's very mature and we need to be some men of God who are willing to grow up and be mature the last thing We want to show you real quick. Go to Genesis chapter 50 Genesis chapter 50 I Think mark preached might have preached from this a couple weeks ago mark Genesis chapter 50 the last thing I want to say is this is leadership Always looks at the bigger picture Okay, you know from Sunday to Sunday or Sunday to Thursday to Sunday There's all kinds of things that take place in our church We see different you know different amount of people say we see different people come to our church visitors different sermons and There's always gonna be ups and downs and there's an ebb and flow to everything high attendance low attendance Good days bad days Etc, but leaders you know what they do They don't allow just like the minimal Complications and conflicts of week in week out things that happen in their personal lives or even in the church to affect them You know why because they're looking at the bigger picture The bigger picture is this look at that map Look at people are getting safe You know I was talking my wife today, and I was we're looking at the numbers of Salvations we averaged 32 souls a week now that's great, but I was like we need to any that up to like 50 Okay, we need it. We need it. We need to start working some more to get more soul safe But we're doing a lot of work. I mean you can see it on the map But you know what we need to start look Let's rip on the on the false cults and the false prophets and the old I have be dispensation list But we need to also be focused on the bigger picture wire church exists You know what are we here for we're here to do something big for God before this world ends To see a lot of souls saved Okay, to be a lighthouse in this city Look at the Bible says in Genesis 50 verse 16, and they send a messenger to Joseph. This is after Jacob dies Saying thy father did command before he died saying so shall ye say unto Joseph forgive I pray thee now the trespass of thy brethren and their sin for they did unto the evil and now we pray thee forgive The trespass of the servants of the of the God of thy father and Joseph wept when they spake unto him So what's going on here? Obviously, you know Joseph's brother and they did him wrong and they didn't dirty You know, they sold him into slavery. They hated him. They did all these wicked things to him. So now dad's out of the picture Right there. They're they're basically their safety is out of the picture and they're like, oh man Joseph's just he's just gonna kill us Or something, you know, so they sent a messenger to him saying hey, you know dad said that you should forgive Your sons and you know They did wrong and all this stuff Verse 18 and his brethren also went and fell down before his face and they said behold we be thy servants. They're humbling themselves Now look at Joseph's response and Joseph said unto them fear not for am I in the place of God? But as for you ye thought of evil against me, but God meant it unto good To bring to pass as it is this day to save much people alive He said man so many bad things I mean bad things happened to Joseph Over a span of many years He says you know what you meant it unto evil But God meant it unto good wife because we were able to save a lot of people alive You know a lot of people survived because of all these bad events, you know Joseph is a great picture of someone who basically saw the bigger picture He could have just been like no just kill them all That's out of the picture. You'll you know, if you miss that don't worry You're about to see him in a couple minutes, you know And just chop off all their heads and no no one would even bat in an eye if he did that It would have been like, you know, all hail Joseph, you know, whatever I'm like, yeah, but you know what he did. He's like no you guys are good doing the best of the land This happened for a good reason. We saved a lot of people life, you know, he was looking at the bigger picture And so what am I saying is leadership? That's what that's what leadership does they look at the end in mind Okay, what's the purpose here purpose is to see a lot of people say well number one is to please God Okay to honor and glorify God with our church with our personal lives with our families but number two is to see a lot of people saved a Lot of people saved but you know what we can't do that if we're not leaders Okay, because leaders need these qualities and in order for a church to go forward It's not based upon just one leader The one leader is leading the entire thing. It's based upon many Who are mature who are grown up who are adding these virtues to their lives to make sure that we fulfill that big picture Amen inspire heads and have a word of prayer Father we thank you so much for this day. Thank you for our salvation. Thank you for great men. And these are my favorite men Really in the world. I love my church. I love the men in our church. I love the people the families and I pray God that you would use us. We don't deserve it. We're nobody and We are despised to many But in my eyes These are the greatest men that I could know and I pray that you would use us to do something great for them To see a lot of people saved and I pray that you to help us to grow and to mature To be the leaders that we need to be to accomplish this great work that you've called us to do Thank you so much for it in Jesus name we pray. Amen You