FOR JESUS’ LOVE 15
Leadership Traits
By
Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (October 1, 2017)
“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” (St. John 21:15-17, King James Version [Christ’s charge to Peter]}
Greetings in the Holy Name of Jesus,
My sisters and brothers, God loves you so much so that Jesus, HIS only begotten son, saved you from sin. Of course, simply stated saving you from sin saved you from yourselves---the self-destructive nature of man since man is responsible for the self-destruction that he wills, disobedience of the Word of God, especially the gospel teachings of Christ Jesus---biting the hand that fed you and saved you, in grace: grace for grace.
This self-destructive nature that leads us to disobedience of the Word of God makes a mockery of the peace of Christ Jesus. I found myself woven in the anger and rage of man as I watched man’s word expressed in films and writings---minority movies seemingly buried hope in struggle and the violence that came out of the struggle in which disobedience to God’s Word played the leading role---the supposedly memorable part that pulled all the smaller parts together---that which delivered meaning and purpose to the idea. I thought the idea of love and peace, coming out of God’s Word was and still is the single-most important idea known to man yet man constantly rebukes the idea of love and peace, from one day to the next, so much so until the earth and the heavens respond in-kind to the raging disobedience of mankind.
How so in God’s perfect world is man so full of the rage of disobedience? The heavens---those who read the stars and the alignments of the stars herald this time as yet a returned time to shake the earth and shake the leadership of man across the disciplines and so we watch our organizations topple over the thoughts of disobedience? We find ourselves going back to Adam and Eve to find the mystery of our
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disobedience---our destructive nature. Why did Eve separate from Adam---listening to Satan? In the perfect world of the Garden of Eden, why did not Eve leave well-enough alone, as the old folks used to say? Why did Adam cast all the blame of Eve’s disobedience on Eve, failing to not take responsibility for her---more or less telling her that she was on her own, as I hear many men say?
Interestingly enough, the truth---our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus is standing right at the place where Eve was persuaded to separate from Adam---wandering off, somehow knowing she was going right where she was forbidden to go to speak to Satan who she was forbidden to speak to. How many times must man endure the shaking---wandering off in disobedience going around in circles---generation after generation? Truth is constant---God’s plan is for a holy body of priests with Christ Jesus as the high priest under the order of Melchiseldec---for we are of the seed of Abraham and the branch that adopted us in. Most people on earth do not see their image in the image of God, for God is holy, so they do not see themselves in a holy lifestyle of instruction from God obeying the Word of God and the teachings of Christ Jesus that confirm the Word of God. The only application of such holiness in practice on earth as both a man and a God was Jesus, for God gave us Jesus as the only application---the way, the truth and the light.
Most importantly, the stories that come to your hearts and minds to strengthen your resolve to live a life of holiness must command truth. Eve ate the fruit of good and evil and in so doing, she decided to give the same fruit of good and evil to Adam. The truth of the weakness of the flesh did not reveal itself firstly, to Eve as she ate in the company of Satan but it was when she gave the fruit to Adam that their eyes opened to nakedness of flesh and the nakedness of flesh plagues man and torments man, daily---in families and social media’s representation of the families of the world, neighborhoods and communities, day and night. Man can not see as God planned---anymore. We are contaminated with evil---it is so sad that evil came in for man hardly sees good or slights good---takes good as a thief in the night that is why Christ Jesus must return to us as a thief in the night, for good was taken. Some folks call it the 50 percent or half. Imagine that---living a life half in the light of Christ Jesus and the other half in the darkness of sin.
What a lie? Any way to get evil in---persuade you, convince you to let evil in but Jesus resurrected and took the keys from hell so as you live each day it is a conscious decision to live holy or to live a sinful life. Do not let the half or 50 percent lie bind you in sin to condemn you, for the gift of eternal life in addition to saving your soul is the heaven that you seek at-hand. You must stop eating the fruit of evil---listening intently to the wickedness of evil, for the fruit for the saving of your soul is the fruit of good---listen to the words of Christ Jesus in the gospel readings. God said he would teach you.
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In closing, during this time of shaking---cleansing of the earth and man, pray for the strength to endure as Christ Jesus did the temptations of the flesh, for the flesh is weak. We look to Titus for practical applications and discussion of everyday problems confronted by young ministers, for Apostle Paul sent Titus a personal letter about his life on Crete. Accordingly, Apostle Paul in The Epistle Of Paul To Titus wrote dated between I Timothy and II Timothy, this letter:
“Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; To Titus, mine own son after the common faith; Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour,
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. “ [chapter 1, KJV, Directions to Titus]
In closing, for a reprobate mind with no redeeming virtues seek not the common faith in the kingdom of Christ Jesus in heaven or on earth.
In The Name of Jesus. Amen.
