Appointments

Leaders...Have a you had your appointment yet today? For those who were working with the kids or were absent yesterday, I spoke about those of whom Jesus said, "These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me." These were seemingly spiritual people, involved in ministry, and admired by others. But their condition was very different from their public persona. They did not have God as the central focus of their time, interest, or passion even though they were spiritual leaders. Their position as leaders pressured them to rely on themselves and to put on a spiritual performance among the people to mask their distance from God. But God always knows, especially when it comes to our hearts.

In I Samuel 13:6-13, we read about Saul another leader whose self-reliance and distance from God torpedoed his leadership. Here is the text from The Message:

6-7 When the Israelites saw that they were way outnumbered and in deep trouble, they ran for cover, hiding in caves and pits, ravines and brambles and cisterns—wherever. They retreated across the Jordan River, refugees fleeing to the country of Gad and Gilead. But Saul held his ground in Gilgal, his soldiers still with him but scared to death.

8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel. Samuel failed to show up at Gilgal, and the soldiers were slipping away, right and left.

9-10 So Saul took charge: "Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!" He went ahead and sacrificed the burnt offering. No sooner had he done it than Samuel showed up! Saul greeted him.

11-12 Samuel said, "What on earth are you doing?"

Saul answered, "When I saw I was losing my army from under me, and that you hadn't come when you said you would, and that the Philistines were poised at Micmash, I said, 'The Philistines are about to come down on me in Gilgal, and I haven't yet come before God asking for his help.' So I took things into my own hands, and sacrificed the burnt offering."

13-14 "That was a fool thing to do," Samuel said to Saul. "If you had kept the appointment that your God commanded, by now God would have set a firm and lasting foundation under your kingly rule over Israel. As it is, your kingly rule is already falling to pieces. God is out looking for your replacement right now. This time he'll do the choosing. When he finds him, he'll appoint him leader of his people. And all because you didn't keep your appointment with God!"

Notice in vs. 11-12, Saul is under a great deal of pressure that causes him to "take things into his own hands." But Samuel's response is that Saul should have waited on God in spite of the pressure he was feeling. He should have, kept his appointment with God. I am convinced this is the key phrase that we as leaders need to see...we have to make and keep a daily appointment with God. The pressures of life are no excuse for leaders to take things in their own hands, rely on themselves, and put on a spiritual show to mask their failure to be with God. Read the Bible, pray about specific things in your life, your ministry, your church, and your family. Make God the central focus of your heart, by keeping you appointment with everyday.

In fact, let's conduct an experiment. Let's see what happens at The Crossing when the leaders keep their appointments with God for a whole week. Let's see what happens in your home, family, spiritual life. Meet at the front during prayer at 10:20 this Sunday and let's share what God has done in our lives this week!