Psalm 78:70-72 (NKJV)
70 He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;
71 From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance.
72 So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
70 He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;
71 From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance.
72 So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.
God chose David to lead Israel, not because he had political experience, but because he had the heart of the shepherd. True and trusted shepherds have concern for the sheep given into their care. Their concern is not for self-aggrandizement. Their concern is not for their legacy. Their concern is not to satisfy the demands of those who have lined their pockets with the shekels of their choice.
The integrity of David lay in his shepherd’s heart. In that integrity, he shepherded those God had given into his care.
Yes, I know the weaknesses of David. I am aware of the mistakes he made. Yet, God said that David was a man after His own heart. Acts 13:22 (NKJV) “And when He had removed him (Saul), He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.”
A person who is after God’s own heart, is one who, in spite of earlier foibles and mistakes, comes to terms with thetruth that is better to do what is right rather than what is politically expedient. Doing what is right is always the will of God.
Because of his desire to do the will of God, David was able to lead the people with skillfulness of hand. He did not rely on unconstitutional mandates, stealthy manipulation, lies and threats that permeate our political atmosphere. This is not a partisan issue. It is a generational curse that affects the nation as a whole. It is as much the fault of the people as it is the fault of the politicians. If we want leaders who govern with integrity and skillfulness of hand, we must first become a people of integrity.
We must take to heart the words of James 4:1-10 (NKJV): “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"?
But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"?
But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
In the above passage, the phrase “adulterers and adulteresses” refers to all who chase after things that are not of God.
If we want leaders with the integrity and skill of David, we must first become a people of integrity. In submitting to God, we submit to His wisdom, His provision, His love. We will no longer naively accept the empty political rhetoric that promises to fulfill all our desires and then causes us to be devoured by our own naivety and greed.
Church, we must rise and shine forth the light of God that is within us. When the Church in our nation becomes great again, our nation will become great again.
Rise Up, O Men of God
William P. Merrill
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
To serve the King of kings.
Rise up, O men of God!
The kingdom tarries long.
Bring in the day of brotherhood
And end the night of wrong.
Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait,
Her strength unequal to her task;
Rise up and make her great!
Lift high the cross of Christ!
Tread where His feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man,
Rise up, O men of God!
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