The Biblical Foundations of Leadership
Biblically and theologically, what can be said about the black church can also be said about the vision of its religious leadership. The black community’s most effective leaders have been nurtured in the "cultural and spiritual womb" of the black church’s biblical faith (The Black Church in the African American Experience, Lincoln and Mamiya, p. 8). Historically, biblical models of leadership informs the leadership vision and efforts of the black church to bring about spiritual transformation, social change and justice in the community. Abraham, Moses, Saul, David, Nehemiah, the Hebrew prophets, and Jesus are biblical models of leadership from which the black church has drawn its inspiration and commitment to the dream of God.
Biblical paradigms of leadership suggest that religious leadership is a response to a divine call to be in the service of God’s love and justice. This biblical paradigm reveals a theology of leadership which focuses on a pattern of God calling leaders to one mission enterprise - to be in the service and restoration of God’s image in everyone and in everything. Verna Dozier calls this mission of restoration "the Dream of God" (The Dream of God, Dozier, 1991).
The ancient Hebrew community and first century Christians have vital lessons to teach us about the nature of religious leadership. Let’s briefly explore models of leadership from the Bible.
Abraham:
The story of Abraham represents the earliest record of leadership in the Bible. Abraham’s leadership begins with an act of faith. Abraham is grasp by divine destiny to begin a journey of faith to an alternative future, a future which will bless all families of the earth. We learn from the experience of Abraham that leadership on the high plane of faith involves risk. Leadership response to faith is not an intellectual assent to a proposition, it is risking that the purpose to which God calls us is worthy of trust and service. Without deposits of faith, leadership in response to God’s call proves impossible.
Fear and faith will challenge religious leaders. Fear prompted Abraham to deceive the Egyptians regarding his wife. Leadership is a faith venture. Leaders must be aware that the aims, goals, challenges of leadership may cheat and deceive them but if leaders run away from them they shall find themselves bumping into over and over again.
Abraham was a good steward of God’s dream. Throughout the centuries of Christian theological development, Abraham stands, as a pivotal symbol of leadership that is both faithful and fruitful Much of New Testament theology is an interpretation of the meaning of Abraham’s faith and leadership. "And Abraham believed God, it was credited to him as righteousness" (Romans 4:3b NIV) rewards Abraham’s faith, and initiates -an alternative community around Abraham’s model of leadership.
Moses:
The Bible assigns a high status to visionary leaders who with courage offer themselves as agents of God’s mission. In the case of Moses, God’s mission was liberation. Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s household as an Egyptian prince with a Hebrew memory. Moses had a significant religious experience on Mt. Horeb that sanctified him as -a leader of God’s people from slavery to freedom. In the burning-bush story a situation of exploitation and injustice already exists, and God tells Moses that God is taking sides with oppressed Hebrews against the Egyptian establishment.
The burning bush contract introduces a revolutionary quality into the leadership model Moses represents. At its theological core, biblical leadership is revolutionary. Through Moses’ leadership, a new social community emerged to match the vision of God’s freedom. God called Moses to leadership as a liberator with prophetic and redemptive hope for the children of Israel.
Leadership proves difficult for Moses in the new alternative community. Moses was often frustrated. Idolatry and corrupt vision of God’s purpose presented formidable barriers to the leadership Moses sought to offer. The Egyptian culture and consciousness remained with the people while they made slow progress to the Promised Land. History has found few leaders suited for the demands of liberation, who are equipped to lead people in transformation of identity, culture and consciousness. Moses paid a great price for the leadership he sought to give the Hebrew community. Hebrew leadership is difficult; it cost Moses denial of life in the Promised Land.
Through the revelation of God, Moses received the Ten Commandments and made them the ethical and theological mandate of the Hebrew community. One of the burden of religious leadership is consistent ethical and theological guidance. Religious leaders must consider themselves resident theologians to ensure that the ministry, mission and life of the faith community they serve is biblically based and theologically sound.
The leadership of Moses is symbolic; it extends over the past, present, and future into the religious experience of the Black church. The Negro Spiritual -
Go down, Moses,
Way down in Egypt land,
Tell old Pharaoh
To let my people go.
captures the theological understanding of the kind of leadership the Black church has cultivated in its socio-political struggles for human dignity, freedom and salvation.
Saul
Saul, the first king of Israel was a tragic figure whose leadership collapsed in failure because of jealously and insecurity. Saul’s leadership emerged in a transitional period between the end of an old order of tribal leadership through the Judges and the birth of a new order of leadership, Israel under the monarchy of kings. Transitional leadership is difficult, particularly when insecurities block vision and there is little facility for achieving right perspective of self-contradictions and ambiguities. Leaders need an other-than-self-reference if they are to led in times of transition and social crisis. Saul was a weak leader because he sought to led out of his small carnal package of vision. Saul’s leadership ended in a tragic suicide of failure within without. The lesson we learn from Saul’s life is that leadership is at its best when it serves as a conduit for corporate blessings. Leadership is never an end of itself but a means to the end-goal of God.
David
David represents the best of monarchical leadership in the history of Israel. David’s leadership is fixed -in Hebrew memory as engine for Israel’s imagination and public history (David's Truth, Brueggeman, p. 14). Under David’s leadership, Israel achieves rest from her military enemies. David was a figure of heroic attributes. He was a military genius, administrator, musician, poet, a shaper of the life of the people. The story of David’s leadership is told and retold as a paradigm for all those who yearn for public responsibility and social transformation.
The irony of David’s leadership is that while Israel is fascinated by him, deeply attracted to him, Israel isembarrassed and bewildered by David’s incredible moral miscalculations adultery and conspiratorial actions that lead to murder. David’s leadership is a mixture of public responsibility and power, personal temptation and deception. The God with whom David has to do is a God who will not permit leaders to choose the shape of their reality. David’s public facade as a great leader is broken by the depth of moral pain. David is close enough to the wilderness faith-tradition of Moses to accept the judgment of God upon life. From David we learn a vital leadership lesson: public power will not solve personal issues. With leadership comes public and private accountability, and justice is a community concern rather than merely an individual concern.
Nehemiah:
Nehemiah is a model of leadership for reconstruction. Nehemiah had a compelling social vision for rebuilding the people of God. Babylonian exile demoralized Judah. Jerusalem was made a wasteland. Survivors of the destruction of Jerusalem deeply lament over the loss of the temple and the Judah’s national identity. Nehemiah grieves over the conditions of Jerusalem. The values and experience honed by years in exile presented Nehemiah with a rebuilding task. Rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and rebuilding the people’s confidence and faith in the -purpose of God -were formidable projects. Nehemiah performed both projects well. Nehemiah’s vision of reconstruction was practical, resourceful, and transformational.
Nehemiah met opposition with -courage and imagination as nothing was permitted to stop God’s work. Self-determined leaders are able to remain focus despite many distractions. Nehemiah’s model of leadership reveals that the longing for reconstruction comes from grief that arise from looking out over the city with a vision of newness. Nehemiah’s rebuilding came from his tears, from mourning over "the trouble we are in." The energy for rebuilding comes from the deep desire and commitment to deconstruct oppressive social systems and reconstruct broken families and the wasteland of neighborhoods into moral communities of hope and new possibilities. We learn from the leadership of Nehemiah how leaders can turn mourning and grief into rebuilding a usable future.
Ezekiel:
Prophetic leadership is seen at its best in the life of Ezekiel. Ezekiel was a prophet/priest who witnessed the spiritual and moral decline of Judah. Inevitable destruction placed the people in exile seventy years. Ezekiel describes the condition of the exiles as being like "a valley of dry bones." Ezekiel’s assignment was to makes sense out of this destruction in terms of the ultimate purpose of God. This was not easy leadership. From the perspective of the exiles, a future of recovery was hopeless. Hope unbelieved is always considered nonsense. Ezekiel’s leadership bears witness to the fact that God is not defeated by the wretchedness of human beings and can even use that wretchedness to work out glorious purposes. Ezekiel’s courageous leadership and preaching, teaches us that hope is the very dynamic of history. Hope is the energy of transformation. Hope is the engine of change and the door from one reality to another. Ezekiel was an agent of hope empowering people to imagine change, new possibilities, and opportunities to return to the dream of God.
Ezekiel teaches us that leaders who serve God’s purpose must be prepared to provide leadership which seems nonsensical, illogical and unreasonable but nonetheless is possible, reasonable and understandable as the God’s will.
Jesus:
The leadership of Jesus is seen by Christian theologians as the incarnation of the reign of God. For thirty-three years, Jesus lived a remarkable life of absolute trust and allegiance to life in the kingdom of God. Jesus had a significant religious experience while being baptized in the Jordan River in which he understood who he was and what he was called to be. That baptism was followed by a period of desert struggle to determine how best to live out the dream of God. In Jesus’ inaugural sermon, he reminds his community of the kind of leadership God called him to embrace.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those that are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord (Luke 4:18-19 KJV).
Jesus functioned as a preacher, theologian and teacher. With his teaching came unusual authority about the true meaning of community, love, and the righteousness of God. The model of Jesus’ leadership was that of a pastoral theologian committed to the realization of divine justice for God’s entire creation. For Jesus justice is love in action. His commitment was to the weak and marginal. Jesus proclaimed the Sermon on the Mount as the ethical and spiritual foundation for life committed to God’s kingdom. Jesus imbued the disciples with the vision of God’s reign, a vision which brought him into conflict with the kingdoms of the world. Jesus’ leadership was liberating, redemptive, prophetic, transforming and salvific. The leadership of Jesus cost him crucifixion but won for the world the salvation of God.
Jesus teaches us many things about authentic spiritual leadership. kingdom priorities must come first in the life of a leader. Servant leadership brings hope transformation to life. Suffering has merit when done to fulfilled God’s purpose. Leaders must teach and theologize with integrity by being true to the context of the community they serve. Religious leadership must affirm the humanity of all people under the grace of God.
Leaders must be unbias in serving God’s love and justice toward the transformation of all injustice and oppression of life.
Leadership in the black church experience has been an attempt to preach, teach, and live out the biblical vision of God’s reign in such ways that it reaches and transforms the cultural, social, political, and economic realities of people the church serves. Freedom in the service of God’s love and justice is the goal of religious leadership.
Study Questions
1. What models of biblical leadership most appeal to you? Why? How does the model apply to your church’s need and vision ofIf this is all original content, you might consider making this a hub instead of a forum posting. Just a suggestion.
Q.
Bless you for your information I like that. That was just a test to see if people can read ask me some questions.
Strength and Courage
Psalms 27:1
1 Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalms 119:28
28 My soul is weary with sorrow: strengthen me according to your word.
Isaiah 40:29
29 He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.
Isaiah 40:31
31 But those who wait for Yahweh will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 41:10
10 Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
Ephesians 6:10
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might.
Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.Helping each person in the name of Jesus for free message.
Very import for to read now and all the time Bible Verses
Genesis 1:1 -- In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:27 -- God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 2:24 -- Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh.
Genesis 3:19 -- ... For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Exodus 3:14 -- God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” ...
Deuteronomy 6:4 -- Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:
Job 1:21 -- ... Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away. Blessed be the name of Yahweh.”
Proverbs 3:5 -- Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 22:6 -- Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Isaiah 7:14 -- Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6 -- For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 53:4 -- Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted.
Isaiah 53:5 -- But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 55:8 -- “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” says Yahweh.
Micah 5:2 -- But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.
Matthew 1:23 -- “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son. They shall call his name Immanuel;” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”
Matthew 4:4 -- But he answered, "“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”"
Matthew 5:13 -- “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? ...
Matthew 5:14 -- You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden.
Matthew 5:17 -- “Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.
Matthew 5:44 -- But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
Matthew 5:48 -- Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."
Matthew 6:3 -- But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does,
Matthew 6:19-21 -- 19 “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:24 -- ... You can’t serve both God and Mammon.
Matthew 6:34 -- Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient."
Matthew 7:1 -- "“Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.
Matthew 7:7 -- “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.
Matthew 7:13-14 -- 13 “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. 14 How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.
Matthew 7:15 -- “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
Matthew 7:21 -- Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 10:8 -- ... Freely you received, so freely give.
Matthew 10:16 -- “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Matthew 10:30 -- but the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Matthew 10:34 -- “Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword.
Matthew 11:28 -- “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 16:18 -- I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
Matthew 16:26 -- For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?
Matthew 18:3 -- and said, "“Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 18:20 -- For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst.”"
Matthew 19:24 -- Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.”"
Matthew 22:37-40 -- 37 Jesus said to him, "“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”"
Matthew 25:40 -- “The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Matthew 26:41 -- Watch and pray, that you don’t enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”"
Matthew 28:19-20 -- 19 Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”" Amen.
Mark 9:23 -- Jesus said to him, "“If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”"
Mark 10:27 -- Jesus, looking at them, said, "“With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.”"
Mark 10:45 -- For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”"
Mark 16:16 -- He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.
Luke 6:38 -- “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you.”"
Luke 9:23 -- He said to all, "“If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
Luke 22:19-20 -- 19 He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, "“This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.”" 20 Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, "“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Luke 23:34 -- Jesus said, "“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”" Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.
Luke 23:43 -- Jesus said to him, "“Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”"
John 1:1 -- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:11 -- He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him.
John 2:19 -- Jesus answered them, "“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”"
John 3:3 -- Jesus answered him, "“Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see the Kingdom of God.”"
John 3:5-6 -- 5 Jesus answered, "“Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into the Kingdom of God! 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:16 -- For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:36 -- One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
John 5:24 -- “Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
John 6:35 -- Jesus said to them, "“I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
John 6:44 -- No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day.
John 7:37 -- Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, "“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!
John 8:12 -- Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, "“I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”"
John 8:32 -- You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”"
John 8:58 -- Jesus said to them, "“Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM.”"
John 10:11 -- I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:30 -- I and the Father are one.”"
John 11:25 -- Jesus said to her, "“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.
John 14:6 -- Jesus said to him, "“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
John 14:9 -- Jesus said to him, "“Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’
John 14:15 -- If you love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:23 -- Jesus answered him, "“If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him.
John 14:27 -- Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
John 15:4-7 -- 4 Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.
John 15:12-13 -- 12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:16 -- You didn’t choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
John 16:33 -- I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.”"
John 18:36 -- Jesus answered, "“My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.”"
Acts 1:11 -- who also said, “You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky.”
Acts 4:12 -- There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”
Acts 4:32 -- The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
Acts 5:29 -- But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
Acts 16:31 -- They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Acts 20:35 -- ... and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, "‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’"”
Romans 5:8 -- But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 6:23 -- For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:18 -- For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.
Romans 8:28 -- We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:31 -- ... If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 10:9 -- that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
1 Corinthians 1:18 -- For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9 -- Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,
1 Corinthians 10:13 -- No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
2 Corinthians 5:17 -- Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
Galatians 4:4 -- But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,
Galatians 6:7 -- Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
Ephesians 1:7 -- in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
Ephesians 2:8 -- for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Philippians 1:21 -- For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 2:5-8 -- 5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:12 -- ... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Philippians 4:6 -- In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:13 -- I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
Colossians 2:9 -- For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily,
2 Timothy 1:7 -- For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
2 Timothy 3:16 -- Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,
Hebrews 11:1 -- Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:6 -- Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
Hebrews 13:5 -- Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:8 -- Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
James 4:4 -- You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
James 4:7 -- Be subject therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 5:13-16 -- 13 Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises. 14 Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.
1 Peter 5:7 -- casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.
2 Peter 3:9 -- The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
1 John 1:9 -- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:2 -- And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.
1 John 4:8 -- He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love.
Revelation 3:20 -- Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.
Revelation 22:13 -- I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.Yikes!!!
So slavery was a good thing, how else could you have found out this wonderful truth?Here ya go! Some more lovely quotes from the "good" book.
As you approach a town to attack it, first offer its people terms for peace. If they accept your terms and open the gates to you, then all the people inside will serve you in forced labor. But if they refuse to make peace and prepare to fight, you must attack the town. When the LORD your God hands it over to you, kill every man in the town. But you may keep for yourselves all the women, children, livestock, and other plunder. You may enjoy the spoils of your enemies that the LORD your God has given you.
Psych god!
And a nice little biblical quote about how to treat rape victims.
Make them marry the rapist!
(Deuteronomy 22:23-24 NAB)
If within the city a man comes upon a maiden who is betrothed, and has relations with her, you shall bring them both out of the gate of the city and there stone them to death: the girl because she did not cry out for help though she was in the city, and the man because he violated his neighbors wife.
Woman hating little god!
Eglise Corps de Christ en Afrique
By Amani Placide
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LEADERSHIP MESSAGE
Psalms 5:8
8 Lead me, Yahweh, in your righteousness because of my enemies. Make your way straight before my face.
Psalms 32:8
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you.
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 11:14
14 Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls, but in the multitude of counselors there is victory.
Proverbs 29:14
14 The king who fairly judges the poor, his throne shall be established forever.
Matthew 20:25-28
25 But Jesus summoned them, and said, "“You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
26 It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.
27 Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant,
28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”"
Romans 12:8
8 or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
1 Peter 4:10
10 As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.
HEALING IN THE BIBLE
Exodus 15:26
26 and he said, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you.”
Psalms 107:20
20 He sends his word, and heals them, and delivers them from their graves.
Isaiah 53:4-5
4 Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.
Matthew 4:23
23 Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.
Matthew 9:2
2 Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "“Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you.”"
Matthew 9:6
6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...”" (then he said to the paralytic), "“Get up, and take up your mat, and go up to your house.”"
Acts 5:16
16 Multitudes also came together from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick people, and those who were tormented by unclean spirits: and they were all healed.
James 5:14-15
14 Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,
15 and the prayer of faith will heal him who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Amani Placide says:
3 weeks ago
Wisdom and Knowledge in the Bible
Psalms 51:6
6 Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Ecclesiastes 2:26
26 For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Proverbs 2:6
6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
James 1:5
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.
Wisdom and Knowledge in the Bible
Psalms 51:6
6 Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Ecclesiastes 2:26
26 For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Proverbs 2:6
6 For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.
James 1:5
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
1- Do not worship other gods;
2-Do not worship idols;
3-Do not misuse God's name;
4-Keep the Sabbath holy;
5-Honor your father and mother;
6-Do not murder;
7-Do not commit adultery;
8-Do not steal;
9-Do not lie;
10-Do not covet.
Bless you all in the name of Jesus.
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