SUBMIT TO LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH

HOLINESS REVIVAL MOVEMENT WORLDWIDE

DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY: PASTOR PAUL RIKA
INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR of Holiness Revival Movement Worldwide

TOPIC:
SUBMIT TO LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH

Date:
Tuesday December 29

Text:
Exodus 18:25–26

"25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves."

Key verse:
Exodus 18:13 
"And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening."

God called Moses into the business of leading the people of Israel. God also called Joshua to lead the people. He has been setting up leaders. Even among the prophets, there was also a leader over them, just as Elisha had a team of prophets called, the sons of the prophets. Therefore, prepare yourself either to lead, if the Lord calls you to lead or to be led by a master Jesus has appointed over you. Jesus Christ said, “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord.”

Obey them that have rule over you and submit yourselves to their authority. Don’t be wild, uncontrollable and unruly. The Church of God is under leadership; therefore, be submissive to leadership. God has given leaders the responsibility of watching over your soul; therefore, submit yourself unto them that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you.  Leadership in its hierarchy is set over the people of God and there is one that has the higher authority among them, and there is the higher than the highest.

From today’s devotional text, there are categories of leaders set over the people but there was the higher leader, or rather, the highest among them. This talks about apostolic authority. The one that is highest has been given that position by God for the benefit of his fellows. Other leaders are subject unto him, along with the general congregation being led. We have rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties and rulers of tens and each had his own congregation, but all of them were subject to Moses, the final authority over them. Final in the human sense, for there is the higher than the highest, who is Jesus our Lord.

Apostolic authority should be recognized and cherished. Moses was raised a leader in the Old Testament, and in the New Testament language, we call him an apostle over the children of Israel. The gifts and calling of God upon him were great, equivalent according to his office. Moses could sit down, judging people from morning till evening, because the grace that the Lord gave him was sufficient to do that. The anointing upon him could do that. God knowing that he had much responsibility, gave him more grace, since of whom much is expected, much is given.

Thought for the day:
God’s grace is sufficient for every leader to lead well.

Song for the day:
I will call upon the Lord, Who is worthy to be praised....

Bible reading for the day:
Zechariah 10-12; Revelation 20