Day 69: 2 Thessalonians 3:2

“and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.”



Not all have faith. We should know this, but the way we act betrays us. Why are we shocked when people do evil, wicked things? Why are we surprised when people hurt us, or mock us, or do anything bad?


Why are we even surprised when believers do dumb things?


Paul says it very clearly: “For not all have faith.”


If you’re going to be a Christian leader, one thing you will have to do is get used to the fact that unbelievers act like unbelievers. They don’t hold the same values as you and me, and they don’t think the same way as you and me. They don’t have the Holy Spirit to guide them, and they haven’t given their lives to Christ. In effect, they are still playing for the other team.


Getting mad or being shocked by the behaviors of an unbeliever isn’t something you want to do. You’ll be mad and shocked all the time. Instead, understand why people act the way they do, and remember that sin is real, and the hold of sin over people’s lives is real. Pray for people. Work with them. Love on them.


Look at the first part of this prayer. Paul is praying that we be delivered from wicked and evil people. This is the other thing about people who don’t have faith. Many times they will try to bring the faithful down. Throughout history, Christians have been the target of persecution all over the world. Sometimes the persecution is light, and sometimes it leads to death.


A Christian leader has to deal with those that don’t believe in Christ. It’s our job. We are to love and share the gospel with them. We are to heal the sick, care for the poor, and help those that are helpless. We don’t always get thanked for our efforts. Sometimes we get spit on. Sometimes we get killed.


Christian Leadership Principle: A Christian leader understands that unbelievers don’t act like believers. They understand that people who under bondage to sin will act like it. We love them anyway. We also pray to be delivered from those who seek to hurt us, all the while loving those very people and sharing the gospel with them.


Here’s a set of verses to meditate on today: Romans 12:9-21


Prayer: Father, give me understanding. Help me to see people as You see them. Help me to understand when people do bad and harmful things, and save us from evil and wicked people. In Christ’s name, amen.

Day 67: Hebrews 4:12

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”



Have you ever heard words on a page described in such a way? How can words that are up to 6,000 years old be so powerful?


The Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible, working through each author in every word. That’s what makes it so powerful. You may read another old book and be moved by the words and emotions, but only in the Bible do you have the author living inside you to teach you, convict you, and show you the ways of God.


That makes the Word of God a very powerful weapon indeed.


And why is it so powerful? Because it has power. Real power. The kind of power that can change your life and the lives of others.


So here comes the big question: Are you using this very powerful weapon?


A Christian leader should be steeped in the word. The Word of God should just ooze out of them no matter what they’re doing. Our whole life should be a testimony to the Word of God and be an example of living it’s message.


So here’s the thing: you can’t be a testimony to the word or an example of its message if you’re not reading it. You can’t just sit at church, hear a sermon, and soak this stuff up. You have to be in the word all the time.


Having a daily Bible time is a smart idea, and I’m going to bet that you find yourself bored throughout the course of the day, so use that extra time to pick up your Bible and read. Carry one with you. I prefer a pocket New Testament when I’m on the go, and they serve as a handy evangelism tool when you’re talking to somebody about Jesus.


These are the words of life that we’re talking about here, and the way that the writer of Hebrews talks about it, we shouldn’t be taking it so lightly.


Christian Leadership Principle: The Word of God is very powerful, and has real power. A Christian leader should be in the word as much as possible, learning and living it.


Here’s a set of verses to meditate on today: 2 Timothy 3:10-17


Prayer: Father, help me to fall in love with Your word. Help me to love it and live it, soaking it up. Teach me from it. Help me to teach others. Thank You for Your Word and the power it has in my life. In Christ’s name, amen.

Day 53: 1 Timothy 1:15

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”



Will the real Jesus stand up please?


As a Christian leader, you’re going to come across a lot of…confusion about Jesus. Maybe you’re confused about Jesus. I hope not, but so many people are.


there’s so many different opinions and options it seems when it comes to Jesus. Some people see Him as a wise teacher. Others see him as a revolutionary. Others see him as some sort of a mystic. Others see Him as the savior of the world.


Where do you stand?


I ask you this because you are going to have to choose.


Remember when Jesus asked His disciples about who other people thought that He was? YYou got answers all over the board, most of them whack. What was His next question? “Who do You say that I am?”


This is the most important question that we can ever ask, and the most important that we’ll ever answer. To be a Christian leader means that you not only know the answer to this question, but that you are secure enough in the answer that you can show others the right answer.


You are going to run into a lot of different opinions about Jesus. Just the other day I read the back of a book that stated that Jesus travelled to India and was an intrigal part of Hindu teaching. So is He? Did He?


You had better be prepared to give the right answer, and Paul supplies it right here. Jesus came into the world to save sinners.


This is who and what Jesus is. That was His main purpose. Many people have a lot of other theories, but if they don’t line up with what Paul is saying here, than in truth and love, we need to set them right.


CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE: A Christian leader needs to know who Jesus is and why He came. We need to be able to discern the good from the bad when it comes to different opinions about Jesus.


Here’s a set of Verses to meditate on Today: Matthew 16:13-20


Prayer: Father, help me to know Your Son, Jesus. Help me to know Your word so well that I can answer questions about Jesus. Thank You, Father. In Christ’s name, amen.