Where is your heart?

       

In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.” And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.” Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel. 

(2 Samuel 15:1-6 NIV)

I would describe myself as a jealous person. I'm jealous over my family, my husband and my church. But what really drives me is the passion that I have for the vision of the spiritual house that I am in. When ever I've been hired to work at a church I've engulfed myself in the vision if that house and submitted myself to that. I can't remember the vision & mission of every church I've been a part of. 

In his book "God's Armor Bearer" Terry Nance discusses how it is that by dying to himself and his desires and serving his pastor God made all of his dreams come true.

Meditating on this today I was led to the story of Absolom...

As leaders in the church we need to constantly put our motivations, dreams and desires under the submission and authority of our pastors and there vision. Anything other than that causes division.

As the sheep we need to make sure that we hear the voice of "our" pastor & shepherd. Never forgetting that the vision flows from the head, not the arms or legs of the body. See, pastors place others to help lead the flock under one vision. But the moment we start looking at those people as our pastor, we are in danger of being led astray. 

If you are a leader and you aspire to have a greater ministry than what you are currently fulfilling, place it in the hands of The Lord, don't try to build your own kingdom in someone else's! 

And if you are a sheep and the leaders you are confiding in aren't speaking the same vocabulary as the senior pastor of your church, be careful what they may be imparting into your life. They could be planting the seed of division in your heart. 

Point is ... We need to check our hearts today! ❤🙏