3. The third danger or pitfall for leaders illustrated by King Saul is pride. Pride is the root cause of presumption and every other sin. Pride thinks more highly of self than it should. Pride refuses instruction. Pride feels threatened. Pride feels the freedom to act without God’s direction. Pride resents criticism. Saul’s pride came to the surface like so much dross in a kettle. Since it controlled his life, there was no way he could subdue the evidences of it.

Obviously every leader and every Christian battles the sin of pride. We all are prone to think too highly of ourselves and to react when people or circumstances threaten us. But it is one thing to battle pride and quite another to be controlled by it. Saul’s pride controlled him causing him to make unwise, even irrational decisions and destroyed his relationships with man and with God. His pride caused him to fail to see how his failures had disqualified him for leadership and that it was time to defer to another. His pride kept him from rejoicing in God-given victories because they were secured at the hand of his rival David. Pride caused him to attribute to David evil motives not seeing that his own failures had moved God against him and to choose David as his replacement. Arrogance moved Saul to believe he knew better what should be done with Agag and the Amalekites than God. Arrogance moved Saul to believe he could destroy the man God himself had chosen to replace him. Arrogance made him think he could consult a medium in secret and not suffer the consequences in public. Arrogance led Saul to believe that his will was more important than the good of the nation under his leadership and that he could subvert God’s will with his own. In the process, Saul destroyed his fellow man and, ultimately, his relationship with God. Saul’s early promise gave way to the destruction of a leader consumed with himself and his own agenda (see 1 Sam. 15 and the following chapters).

The wise leader will learn from Saul that leadership in not about preserving one’s position but serving those you lead. The wise leader will learn that it is not about what is best for me but what is best for those I lead. The wise leader may make commitments which bring results he does not like, but he will follow through anyway (Ps. 15:4a). The wise spiritual leader tethers himself to the anchor of God’s Word so that when people and circumstances change, and he is weakened by uncertainty and fear, he remains steadfast. The wise spiritual leader knows that while attempting to please everyone, if he does not please God, he has failed. The wise leader is not dependent on good looks, personality, or merely surface human qualities but upon the grace of God demonstrated by the reality and depth of his knowledge of God and his walk with Him. May God deliver us from the Sauls in leadership, and may he raise up those whose depth of Christian character make them worthy to face the challenges of our day.

Charles Cavanaugh

President – Vision4Living Ministries

2. The second danger or pitfall Saul illustrates is presumption. Wise spiritual leaders know their jurisdiction and do not tread beyond the area of their giftedness and responsibility. The wise leader knows his responsibilities and his limitations and refrains from stepping into areas that are not his.

Saul’s presumption is first seen when he offered an unlawful sacrifice in 1 Sam. 13. He had hardly gotten started as King before his true character shows, and he begins to unravel. His obvious physical qualities and apparently spiritual ones yielded to unwise decisions and wrong actions. He stepped into an area forbidden to him and reserved only for the Priest. He allowed the pressure of the moment to dictate his decision instead of doing what is right, no matter what (1 Sam. 13:7-10). Any good leader can make a bad decision, but no principled leader will deliberately forsake what is right because of the pressure of the moment. “The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness” (Prov. 11:3&5). This instance was no exception for Saul, who later, in his fear, consults a medium in direct disobedience to the Law of God (1 Sam. 27:3ff). Saul’s apparent discernment had melted into compromise and foolish decisions. As the pressures of leadership mounted, the reality of weak character was exposed. The unwise and unfit leader will often presume that, because he is in the position of authority, he can do things forbidden to others. He may presume that he can get away with decisions, the consequences of which are promised and certain. The favor of God may seem irrevocable, and the favor of people may be bought for a season or held temporarily with the power of position, but one presumes upon them to his peril.

Saul’s presumption is further illustrated by an unwise oath. (1 Sam. 14:24ff). Leaders can sometimes believe that if they say it, then it is automatically true and right. Saul’s oath was the foolish attempt of an unspiritual man to act spiritually (or at least to appear to act spiritually) and to secure success and safety by any means. When a spiritual leader is motivated by fear instead of faith, he may work to secure God’s favor; however, God’s favor comes by grace, and cannot be earned. But Saul did not understand faith or grace and thus foolishly made an oath that put those under his authority in harm’s way. It also put him in a position of having to defend his oath against his own son, whose loyalty, commitment, and courage were unquestionable.

The wise leader will heed the words of Christ to “let your yes be yes and your no be no” and will avoid words, commitments, and promises that may come back to haunt him later. Presumptuous actions and presumptuous words can destroy his credibility and effectiveness and ultimately lead to his demise.

Charles Cavanaugh

President – Vision4Living Ministries

‘The Pitfalls of Spiritual Leadership’: Part 1

It is very easy to see the glory and benefits of leadership without seeing the struggles and problems that accompany it: especially if you are only a spectator. The pressures of expectations, the vulnerability to misunderstanding, and the struggle to stay focused and sharp are all realities leaders must address.

But there are dangers and pitfalls in leadership that, while a reality for any Christian, are enhanced for the leader. Perhaps few men, if any, in biblical history, illustrate these pitfalls more clearly and more tragically than Israel’s first King. Saul was ostensibly a man of promise and potential for God’s glory, but it all crumbled because he failed to avoid the pitfalls of spiritual leadership. What were these pitfalls, and how can we avoid them?

1. The first danger illustrated by Saul is attractiveness. It should not be difficult for the modern Christian and leaders to identify with this danger. Our media-soaked culture seems to promote people based almost solely on their physical beauty or charisma. What chance would an Abraham Lincoln have in such a setting, and how often have you heard names brought up in conversation as possible candidates for public office only to have someone say, “He’ll never make it. He’s not good looking enough. He’s not charismatic enough.” Saul illustrates the danger these qualities can present. But attractiveness does not have to come by way of physical appearance or charisma. It can come in what seem to be inward qualities.

Saul possessed some obvious physical qualities. He stood out in a crowd because of his height and handsomeness (1 Sam. 9:2). In modern terms, he was “tall, dark, and handsome.” To many in that day, and in ours, he would have seemed a natural choice for leadership. Even the Prophet Samuel seemed taken with Saul’s stature saying; “there is no one like him… (1 Sam. 10:23, 24).

Along with Saul’s obvious physical qualities, he also possessed some apparent spiritual qualities. Saul’s initial response to being chosen as King of Israel is interesting and will be recalled later by Samuel (1 Sam. 15:16-18). If it is true, as some say, that leadership should seek the person and not the other way around, then Saul exemplified that philosophy. He was reluctant, if not resistant to accept the call to leadership (1 Sam. 10:21, 22) and seemingly incredulous that someone of his background would be considered for such an honor (10:20, 21). At least at this stage of his life, Saul appeared to be a humble man.

Saul also seemed wise in his response to both success and adverse circumstances. After the announcement that he would rule, some rebels showed disrespect and an unwillingness to follow his leadership. Later, Saul led Israel to its first military victory under his new leadership and “proved his mettle” so to speak. The people wanted to execute those who had earlier rejected Saul. But Saul graciously and wisely downplayed such ideas and encouraged the people to rejoice together in the goodness of God’s blessing in battle.

The obvious question is; what is wrong with such qualities? Is it wrong to be outwardly attractive? And certainly no one could argue against Saul’s apparent character displayed in the above instances. The truth is that outward attractiveness is not in itself a disqualification for leadership, and good character is certainly not to be discouraged. The problem for the leader, and for any of us, comes when these become a mask covering serious character deficiencies. Often leaders are chosen on the basis of these alone. Outward impressiveness and surface character qualities are no substitute for genuine integrity; a truth which Saul will illustrate for us later.

Charles Cavanaugh

III. The Vindication of Leadership

According to Leon Wood, “One of the hardest lessons for Christians to learn in any day is to wait on God for the time God sees right to bring aspects of His work to reality.” It is said, “Good things come to those who wait.” But sometimes we wait, and wait, and do the right thing, and nothing seems to happen. In Genesis 39, we find a faithful Joseph learning much as a servant. He was a faithful man, but his faithfulness is met with false accusation and demotion. Not many things can blunt the edge of Godly influence more than false accusation; especially the sexual kind. That is exactly what Joseph faced, and he had no opportunity for appeal or explanation: just prison and the opportunity for more valuable lessons in leadership. Here is the place the wise leader in training learns to rest in the providence of God. The role of Providence is indispensable to the training of a spiritual leader. According to Romans 8:28, God is orchestrating all things for our good. Joseph had to learn this, and so do we. But the only way to learn this is by experience. We have to go through it. There are no short cuts in God’s providential dealings with us. Joseph’s time in prison was not wasted. His diligence and faithfulness along with God’s blessing on his work positioned him for the next step in God’s unfolding plan. His experience in prison gave him opportunity to minister to others (Genesis 40); even if their forgetfulness and ungratefulness left him ostensibly unrewarded again.

But Joseph was about to see the hand of Providence bring his vision to fruition and the vindication of his obedience. We do not get to see all the ways God uses us in our own lifetimes. But we do often get to see it in some measure. David did not build the temple in Jerusalem, but he was able to lay the groundwork for its construction. He did so by seeing the materials gathered for it and by instilling the vision in his son Solomon. Paul saw the beginnings of Gentile conversion, but it was only the beginning. Jesus “endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). He is still waiting to see “God…bring aspects of his work to reality”. And He will see it.

In Joseph’s case, the Lord allowed him to see his “dream” come true. He had learned the lessons of precocious youth and premature communication of a God-given vision. He had learned to lead faithfully by the power of influence and God’s favor, without regard to position. Now, in God’s timing, Joseph saw God bring the full “aspects of His work to reality” (See earlier quote from Leon Wood). From Genesis 40-48 we see the vindication of Joseph’s God-given vision and the reward of his faithfulness.

While we must not presume that God will do for us exactly what He did for Joseph, we can be convinced that He will unfold His will for us in His timing and vindicate our obedience in ways that please and glorify Him. What more could we want or ask? And we must learn as Joseph did that leadership is not primarily a matter of position but influence. And our influence grows, not by our presumptuous pursuit of personal glory but by our own growth in Godly virtue and pursuit of selfless service. God can and will bless these no matter what your station in life. You can lead no matter who you are if you commit yourself to such a life. You must be willing to humbly pursue your vision while waiting on God’s timing and serving those He brings into your life. You must have a firm confidence in the Providence of God and how He will use people and circumstances to mold you and prepare the way in ways you cannot know. You must refuse to be frustrated in the day of small things realizing that “with God, timing is more important than time”(Ron Dunn). You must trust God to vindicate your faith and vision in the way that pleases and honors Him. Not all of us will be asked to lead. But all of us can lead by the power of our influence wherever God may place us.

Charles Cavanaugh

Vision4Living Ministries

So how does one lead where he is regardless of position or situation. We find some interesting leadership concepts from the life of Joseph in the Old Testament book of Genesis. Joseph illustrates the vision of leadership while exemplifying the willingness to serve and wait on God’s timing to bring His purposes to pass. Learn with me from the leadership of Joseph to lead where you are.

I. The Vision of Leadership

The truth is that none of us goes anywhere without vision. Vision is the guiding star for achievement. Vision is the purpose for living. Vision is the reason for getting up in the morning. A father or mother may have a vision for Godly descendants. The Apostle Paul had a vision for Godly Christian leaders and saw Timothy as part of that vision. He also had a vision for the salvation of the Gentile nations. David envisioned a temple of worship for the true and living God. Vision begets energy, determination, and focus.

Joseph had a vision. It began as two dreams (Gen.37). And to those closest to him, Joseph seemed precocious and his dreams presumptuous. That may be because youthful immaturity led Joseph to speak too soon and go off half cocked. After all, how many siblings want to hear that they will one day bow before their brother?

Nevertheless, Joseph’s God-given dreams told him that life held more than just carrying food to his big brothers. The future God had for him held something significant in the plan of God.

I encourage you who know Christ to look beyond yourself, beyond the present, to a vision of your place in the Kingdom of God. Ask yourself; “How can I be effective in the work of God’s Kingdom? How can I count for eternity?”

II. The Frustration of Leadership

Seldom does the pursuit of a vision come without a struggle and even frustration. It may come because of the misunderstanding and rejection of others. It may come because of one’s own character flaws and failure. In Joseph’s case, it was both. As a youth, perhaps spoiled by his father’s favoritism, Joseph lacked discretion, a sense of timing, and even the respect he should have had for the older members of his family. Yes, his brothers were marked by some rather obvious flaws themselves. But their position in the family permitted them rank above that of Joseph. Deference would have been wise on his part and discretion the better part of valor. Even these qualities are important to spiritual leadership. The rivalry, pettiness, and resentment among Jacob’s sons led not just to division but ultimately to hatred and murderous attitudes. Joseph’s brothers not only rejected his vision, they rejected him, selling him into slavery and hoping to be done with him forever. Pretty frustrating since Joseph’s vision included his brothers.

And what was Joseph to think? His dream of his family recognizing his potential in the will of God seemed hopelessly lost and his vision for the future dashed. Perhaps he was just a youthful dreamer after all.

There are few better times for spiritual growth and character development than during the time when our dreams and visions crash on the rocks of circumstances. All that seemed possible is lost. And we discover what all who would lead and have influence for Christ must discover. Without Him we can do nothing. Spiritual leadership is not built on youthful zeal by self-made and untested men. It is built on the foundation of Christ like character that is formed in the furnace of affliction and a vital walk with God. As one wise man put it: “Remember, you cannot lead anyone higher than you yourself have gone; you cannot enrich anyone beyond your own actual experience of God.” D. Martin Lloyd Jones said; “The worst thing that can happen to a man is for him to succeed before he is ready.” Everything in life is preparation. God is up to things we often cannot imagine, and our cooperation with Him in these things is of utmost importance.

How long do we have to “wait around” for God to “get on the program”? What are we to make of God’s delays and the vision that is burning in our hearts? If you are thinking and asking such questions, remember you are not the first to have to wait and wade through uncertain and even frustrating circumstances. Moses spent forty years on the backside of the desert. Jacob served his conniving uncle Laben for more than fourteen years. David tended sheep for his father while his brothers were off doing more important and exciting things. Even the Apostle Paul spent three years in quiet preparation in Arabia while his vision for Christ’s church burned in his heart. Waiting is an integral part of God’s preparatory school and is part of  the process by which God molds the leader into a holy vessel. Remember, the process is as important as the product, and with God, “timing is more important than time” (Ron Dunn).

Ponder these things, and the next time we will see how God vindicates those who have a vision for Him.

Charles Cavanaugh

Vision4Living Ministries

Today your received a blog update from us that was totally bogus and unnecessary. There was a glitch in our system which caused the mistake of sending a blog to our readers that had nothing that pertained to you. Please do forgive us and know that we only want to send out content that is interesting and encouraging to you as our readers. It is in no way our desire to fill you inbox with unwanted emails. Thanks you for your patient and understanding in this matter. Lord bless you and we thank you for your interest in our blog.

Daniel Cavanaugh

Vision4Living Ministries

Third: he was a man of fervent communion. Fellowship with God can never be taken for granted. Abraham obviously walked with God, for God spoke with him, and he spoke with God regularly. In fact, in Isaiah 41:8 God refers to Abraham as “My friend”. Nowhere is Abraham’s communion with God more vividly illustrated than in his intercession for his nephew Lot in Genesis 18. There he passionately pleads for the deliverance of his backslidden nephew, interceding based on his knowledge of God’s nature. This is perhaps the most crucial aspect of Abraham’s leadership, and no person can lead well without this vital component. Fervent communion with God may or may not be noticeable to others, but it is indispensable to spiritual leadership. Abraham’s close communion with his Lord would develop in him a strong faith that would ultimately be tested in the most personal way. God’s command for Abraham to sacrifice his only son, in whom was deposited all of God’s promises to him, would require the trust God had built in Abraham through their close communion.

Fourth; He was a man of fearless conduct. We often hear people speak of the importance of putting “feet” to our prayers. It may be a cliché but Abraham lived it. Perhaps we cannot appreciate the danger into which Abraham (then Abram) rode when he took his small band of servants and went to deliver Lot from the warriors of the four kings in Genesis. Abram was no trained warrior, but his faith in God armed him with a confidence to go and deliver Lot and his family from unspeakable danger and proved the God he so faithfully trusted. Abram’s actions are reminiscent of Paul’s words in 1Cor.16:13: “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be men, be strong.” Life brings challenges that are opportunities to trust and prove our great God, and such a life is not for the weak and timid. Spiritual leadership requires the courage to go against the flow, to be different, to stand for the truth of God for the glory of God. Like Abram’s, these opportunities may be unexpected and require resources we are not aware we have. The close of chapter 14 has Abram worshiping God and laying everything at His altar. Such is the disposition of the true spiritual leader.

We began by looking at Abraham as an example of our leading into the unknown. The writer of Hebrews tells us; “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed: and he went out, not knowing where he went” (Hebrews 11:8). But the truth is, none of us knows what the future holds. Following Christ and leading others by our Godly influence into the future requires the same qualities. We all have feet of clay. “A just man falls seven times and rises up again;” (Proverbs 24:16). So each of us must ask God to build in us firm commitment, fervent communion, and fearless conduct. May the Lord help us to be such leaders.

Charles Cavanaugh

Vision4Living Ministries

First: He was a man of firm commitment. You can almost since the resolve of Abram in Genesis 12:4. “So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him…” This was no light thing. Abram’s background, family, and environment were entirely pagan. But it was all he knew. To be snatched out of such familiar and comfortable surroundings by Jehovah was, to say the least, a life – changing experience. It took a lot of grace which resulted in firm commitment to the revealed will of God.

So it must be with every spiritual leader. We must have an unshakable reliance on the grace of God that results in a firm commitment to His revealed will. We have what Peter calls “a more sure word of prophecy” in the completed cannon of scripture (see 2 Peter 1:19). Everything we need to be wise spiritual leaders is contained there, and we would do well to saturate ourselves with it.

Second: He was a man with feet of clay. The Bible is quite frank about the weaknesses and failures of Old Testament saints. They were men and women “subject to like passions as we are” (James 5:17). In other words, they were human. They sometimes blew it. And Abram was no exception. There is some disagreement among serious students of scripture whether Abram was right in leaving Canaan during the famine and going to Egypt (see Genesis 12, 10ff). I tend to see it as a lapse in faith. But there is no doubt that he should never have put his wife in harm’s way by passing her off as only his sister and allowing her to be taken into Pharaoh’s house with all that could have entailed. God, in His mercy, worked providentially to deliver Abram and Sarah from a potentially destructive situation. There is both an encouragement and a warning found in this episode. It is encouraging to know that our heavenly Father can and does supersede our weakness and folly. If it were not so, we would fall into all kinds of harm and destruction. We can depend on His covenant mercies. “For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Ps. 103:14). The warning, however, is this. We must not presume upon our Father’s grace. That is a dangerous path to tread. While it is true that God can restore the years the locusts have eaten, we should try to avoid feeding the locusts of life. “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” But we are not to sin in order that grace may abound (See Rom. 5:20-6:2).

Abraham’s firm commitment was an excellent starting point for a man who was called to lead into an unknown future. The fact that he had feet of clay should remind us that we too are weak and sinful and in need of the resources that are ours in Christ in order to lead to His glory. And our weakness makes the next quality of leadership Abraham exhibited all the more indispensable. We will take that quality and one other up the next time.

In Christ,

Charles Cavanaugh

In the word’s of John Maxwell, “Leadership is Influence: nothing more, nothing less”. But that influence is about direction. Spiritual leadership is about the direction we are going and the direction we want to take othrrs. For the next weeks, we will consider the direction significant men and women in the Bible took others. As always your thoughts and comments are appreciated.

He was inundated by a sin-saturated and satiated culture.  It was enough to throw anyone off track. The minds and hearts and eyes and hands of the world were given over to all manner of evil all day, every day (Gen. 6:5). The world was one vile cesspool.

But there was an exception; a notable and noble exception. “…Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Gen. 6:8). He did not go with the flow. He did not follow the crowd. He did not compromise with the culture. In a day when the world was on a roller coaster to hell, Noah resolutely went in the other direction and led his family to do so. And that is the crux of spiritual leadership: not knowledge or ability but direction. And direction can be very obvious in a day of rampant wickedness like Noah’s day; and like ours. When culture is bent on wickedness the person bent on following Christ will stand out. Noah’s integrity, his upright conduct, and his walk with God were notable exceptions to the fair of his day. His wife and his children saw a different kind of man when they looked at him; a man who knew the grace of God personally and enjoyed fellowship with God regularly. This is a distinguishing mark of any spiritual leader. He or she sets himself apart from the norm. He is not afraid to be different. Such a person is ready to hear from God and cooperate in what God will accomplish in a day of great wickedness.

What is the significance of Noah’s spiritual leadership? What was the fruit of his life being a light “in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation”? (See Phil. 2:15).  The author of Hebrews in the New Testament tells us (Hebrews 11:7). This man of genuine faith guided by the word of God and bound to the will of God heeded the warning of God and acted on things that He had never seen to bring his family to salvation. His godly life stood as a condemnation to a wicked generation and a means of salvation to his family.

But his actions had consequences far beyond his immediate family and generation. Not only did he follow God and become a means of salvation to his immediate family, but God also used him to affect the course of human history. His sons repopulated the earth. One of his sons was the father of the Jewish people through whom we received the Scriptures and ultimately the Savior – our Lord Jesus Christ. Spiritual leadership is not just about today. Spiritual leaders live with a view to the coming generations. In a day in which evil is exalted and righteousness is ridiculed, we who follow Christ would do well to keep this in mind. The faith and spiritual leadership of Noah are a challenge to us to avoid a life of ease that goes with the flow and to embrace a life lived to the glory of Christ.

Charles Cavanaugh

President, Vision4living Ministries, Inc.

But as a man and a father, I am much more concerned with what to me is a more pressing challenge, not for spouses and children, but for men. The challenge of Father’s Day for men is to be a worthy father, a kind of man who has a lasting influence on his descendants. “The just man walks in his integrity: his children are blessed after him” (Prov. 20:7). May God give us such men. Oh, to be such a man!

Paul often referred to himself and to Christians as “a man in Christ”. He was speaking generically of course and included both men and women. But for my purposes, I want to think a little bit about what it means to be “a man in Christ”. Speaking of himself and his Christian experience of being caught up into heaven he said; “I knew a man in Christ…” (2 Cor. 12:2). He also said; “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things are passed away, behold, all things have become knew” (2 Cor. 5:17). I want us to look at the qualities of “a man in Christ” as we see them in Paul and ask our Lord to make us such men.

First; “a man in Christ” is a man of humility. This humility is a holy, biblical understanding of my depravity, inability, and vulnerability. Paul always kept a healthy view of his sinfulness. That is why he could say with all honesty; “I am less than the least of all saints” (Eph. 3:8). Just a quick read of Romans 7 shows us he was acutely aware of his own struggle with the ever present enemy of sin. Such an awareness will help us maintain a proper sense of humility.

Second; “a man in Christ” is a man integrity. Integrity is not perfection, but it is honesty with myself, others, and God. There can be no pretense that I am more than I am or that I am somehow more holy than those around me, especially my family. They know better. Paul said; “And herein I do exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16). “Pray for us: for we trust that we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly” (Heb. 13:18). This is a man of integrity: the one who is honest with God and others and quickly deals with any offenses.

Third; a man in Christ is a man of charity. Charity is the old English word used to translate the Greek agape in the KJV. The old English translators knew that a man who loves is a man generous with money, things, and himself. “A man in Christ” is a giver, especially of himself. This is the evidence of his love for Christ and people. Therefore Paul could say; “…The things which happened unto me have turn out rather for the furtherance of the gospel” (Phil. 1:12). His life was given to Christ and others for the gospel’s sake. His love for Christ and his love for others were illustrated by his life of charity.

And so it should be for every man in Christ. Our lives our given to Christ, our families, and others because of our love for Christ. We willing lay aside our petty, selfish, grievances, and preferences for love’s sake.

Fourth; “a man in Christ” is a man of clarity. ” A double minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8). Lack of clarity and focus and lack of vision lead to confusion and instability. The heart and soul of a man in Christ is clear in its focus. Paul said, “For to me to live is Christ…I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord…This one thing I do…” (Phil. 1:21; 3:8, 13).

Fifth; a man in Christ is a man of intensity. Dr. Art Glasser commented; “Passivity is an enemy.” C.H. Spurgeon said; “We cannot afford to live useless lives.” John MacArthur warned; “This is certainly no time for weak men, weak messages, and weak ministries.” With clarity of focus should come intensity of commitment. Again Paul speaks to this in Philippians; “I follow after…” (Phil. 3:12). Paul spoke of himself as being in dogged pursuit of Christ, His Kingdom, and His glory. “Whereunto I also labor, striving according to His working, which works in me mightily” (Col. 1:29). It was obvious to those around Paul that something owned Paul, and that something created in him a passion and intensity that was life-controlling. Men; the seriousness of our commitment will be expressed, at least in part, by the intensity of our passion. Our wives and children will notice.

Sixth; “a man in Christ” is a man of destiny. ” A man in Christ” is going somewhere. He is moving in a particular direction. Spiritual leadership is not seen so much by where you are as by the direction you are going. ” A man in Christ” is moving toward Christ and His will. He realizes that everything is preparation, and he lives his life with this in mind. We live moving ever closer to Christ, and anticipating eternity with Him. Therefore, life is lived and decisions are made with the next generation and eternity in view. Paul said; ” I press toward the mark for the prize…” (Phil. 3:14). “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17, 18). The man in Christ lives with an awareness of his place in Christ’s kingdom now and an excitement and commitment to eternal glory with Christ.

May the Lord help us to be such men; men of humility, men of integrity, men of charity, men of clarity, men of intensity, and men of destiny.

Through the Grace of Our Lord,

Charles Cavanaugh

President, Vision4Living Ministries