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Today is Thursday February 18, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Numbers, chapters 12-13. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-february-18

Title: Bible Study: Respecting God's Leaders
As Christian's, we really have no idea how blessed we are to be children of God. Once we call on Jesus Christ to save us we are adopted into His family, regardless of what race or class we are. We may not all look alike or enjoy the same kind of food, but we are children of our living God. Yet sadly, there is much strife between brothers and sisters in Christ, especially by men of God who have authority over us. A true man of God's authority comes from the Bible and if they are following the Bible his teachings will line up with God's Word. As long as he lines up with God's Word than the example he follows will also line up with God's Word, which enables him to teach us and grow us as strong faithful Christian's. Since men of God are just as you and I, that means they have personal lives too, so regardless of how strange their personal lives may seem we are to respect them and not question their ability to lead the church, that is, of course, as long as they are teaching the right doctrine. Moses married and Ethiopian woman, this caused much strife between his family, particularly with his sister Miriam. “And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it. (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation.” - Numbers 12:1-4. What Miriam was really upset about was the fact that Moses has authority over her. She thought that since she and Aaron were prophets too that they also had a say in the leadership of the Israelite's. What she failed to realize was that God Himself gave Moses the orders on what to do, so, when she questioned Moses' authority, God took it personally as if she was questioning His orders. Although Miriam and Aaron were just talking among themselves, God heard what they were saying and immediately called them out of the Tabernacle to confront them about it. If you read the rest of the chapter, God cursed Miriam with leprosy for seven days because of this.
Sometimes the worse people to be around are other Christian's because they are quick to look for faults of others, most of the time it is out of envy or strife over someone who has a higher position than them. No one is perfect and yes, we may have questions as to why a person of authority could be doing something that seems strange to us, but we need to question why we are acting the way we are as well. Are you hiding something? Are you jealous or envying their position? Do you just have personal issues with that person? Any of these reasons are motives as to why we dislike or question a man of God's authority. There is a woman at my church, who teaches a Sunday school class and for the life of me I can not understand why she is a teacher, she does not seem to want to take on any of the responsibility of being a teacher, but puts on a good show to keep teaching and that aggravates me. Now, I could be complaining about it and questioning why the preacher gave her such a big responsibility, but I just keep my mouth shut and do not even think about it because if I did I would be talking about it. I must not let my feelings interfere with my responsibility as a teacher myself nor must I question the preacher's decision to make her a teacher to begin with. He knows what he is doing and his orders come from God, any questions I have about his leadership are ones that God takes personally and I have no right to tell others what I think. God knows this persons true motives and if what I think is wrong He will let me know that I am wrong, if I am right He will let the preacher know that he needs to take her position away from her. As long as our leader is teaching truth than we need to respect his decisions. “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.” - Hebrews 13:7-9. As long as the leader of your church is teaching the truth, everything else will follow. Even men of God make mistakes at times, but God will take care of it. By God's grace we are all children of God and He will direct our paths, no matter how many times we fall off, in the right direction. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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