1 Samuel 12:24. Man of God

Today’s Verse: 1 Samuel 12:24

As for me and my house

As Joshua began stepped into the shoes of Moses to lead the nation of Israel, he recognized that the nation had a problem. That problem was wanting to be like everyone else. Their problem was clinging to Egypt. Their problem was having other gods before the God. And in Joshua 24:15, Joshua stands before the people and says “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” He not only led his household to serve the Lord, but as man of God, he called his nation to serve the Lord.

A man of God

Joshua was a man of God, hand-picked by God to lead Israel into the promised land. Why was Joshua chosen? Because he chose to lead himself and his household to serve the Lord. He was a spiritual leader to him family. He recognized the God-given responsibility to lead his home to worship God. Joshua understand that the idols from the other nations were nothing more than stone or wood carvings made by the hands of man. They did not have life or breath. But our God is a living God who desires to have relationship with the people whom He created. He is the God who created the universe with just a few spoken words. He is the God who holds the universe in order.

A Man of God is different than the world

Being a man (or woman) of God means we are different than the world. We don’t want the same things the world does. Paul wrote to the church in Rome, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2) As a man or woman of God we have been set apart. Psalm 4:3 says, “But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself.”

A Man of God is leaves the former things behind him

Being a man or woman of God means that we leave the former things behind us. All the ways of the world that were a part of us before becoming a child of God should not continue to be part of our life as a child of God. When Israel left Egypt, they had been in Egypt about 430 years. They had become enmeshed with the culture and society of Egypt, including the gods worship by the Egyptians. Many of us have problems with change, and clearly Israel did too. Despite all the wonders and miracles God did to bring them out of bondage and slavery, they still tried to cling to the life they knew in Egypt. Let’s face it; setting out to a new life and new land where you don’t exactly know where it is can be unsettling. Even though they were slaves, they knew that life. What we know can become comfortable, even if it isn’t what we desire.

A Man of God exchanges his idols for the living God

The same was true about their beliefs in God. The God of Abraham had somehow become forgotten and traded for the gods of Egypt and Israel had a hard time letting go of worshiping idols and give their hearts totally to the God. We can become guilty of having idols too. We make idols out of relationships, careers, hobbies, money, possessions, and much more. Whatever becomes more important to us than our relationship with God becomes an idol. So we need to allow the Holy Spirit to convict us of any area in our lives that we have given a higher priority to than God and confess it and then place God back as our highest priority.

A Man of God fears God

Fearing God is a reverential fear. It is a sense of honor and respect. Fearing God includes trusting Him, even in difficult times or when we can’t see God at work in our lives. Obedience and complete submission to God is also required in the person that fear God. The person who fears God is more likely to keep their word, which makes him or her trustworthy to others. And the person who fears God loves God with all of his/her heart, mind, soul, and strength. He/She also, then, loves his neighbor as himself. The Spiritual leader leads his home to know and fear God through family worship and prayer. He models what “fearing God” means and lives it out as an example for his wife and children.

A Man of God serves God faithfully

If you consider yourself a man of God, then how do you serve Him? Are you actively involved in your local church body, faithfully attending and serving God? Are you ensuring that your family is in church and participating in the ministries of the church?

If you are a child of God, then God has a specific plan for you to serve Him. You have been uniquely created with gifts and talents to do exactly what God wants you to do. Do you know how He wants you to serve Him? If not, you need to discover that and get busy faithfully serving God before you expect your family to faithfully serve God.

A Man of God serves God with all of his heart

How do you feel when Sunday rolls around? Is going to church an obligation or do you look forward with eager anticipation to worship God with other believers and go with a heart prepared to heard a word from God? When the church is seeking someone to fill a ministry position, are you eager to volunteer if you feel God leading you to?

If we all did so, then there would be no ministry holes within our churches. God places each one of us within the body for a specific cause. When we do not step into the task God has for us, it creates a hole within the church’s ministry. When we step into roles that are not ours to fill, we rob another person of fulfilling their God-given task. Yet, whenever we serve, we need to remember that God knows the motivation of our heart. Do we serve out of duty? For the recognition? Or for a heart that serves God out of love and worship?

A Man of God serves God considers the great things God has done for him

Whenever we don’t take the time to consider all the wonderful things God does for us, we can begin to forget them. Then when difficult times comes we become focused on the problem rather than all the times God has been faithful to us before. As a spiritual leader in your home, you should openly acknowledge the great things God does in your life and in your family. As you do, you teach your children to recognize God at work. Then be sure to lead your family to thank and praise God for all that He does for you.

Following Joshua’s example

A man of God is a spiritual leader in his home, just as Joshua was. Joshua didn’t just decide for himself to serve the Lord, he determined that he and his household would serve the Lord. As a spiritual leader and man of God in your home, you should lead by example as you model, fearing God, serving Him faithfully, and considering the great things God has done for you and your family. Then lead them to worship and thank God for all that He does in each of your lives and in your family.

As a spiritual leader, the man of God fears God, serves God faithfully, and considers the great things God has done. He models this lifestyle for his family and leads them to worship and thank God for what He does for them. — Julia Bruce

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