God's Humble Leaders

Written by: John Sernaque

Call to Worship

1 Corinthians 1: 25-29

1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]:

1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

God Measures Not by Man’s Standard—

Because of the pride and ambition of the children of men, God has chosen to perform His mighty works by the most simple and humble means. It is not the men whom the world honors as great, talented, or brilliant, that God selects. He chooses those who will work in meekness and simplicity, acknowledging Him as their leader and their source of strength. He would have us make Him our protector and our guide in all the duties and affairs of life.... {6BC 1083.8}

The Majesty of heaven works by whom He will. His providence sometimes selects the humblest instruments to do the greatest work, for His power is revealed through the weakness of men. We have our standard of reckoning, and by it we pronounce one thing great, and another small; but God estimates not according to the standard of men; He does not graduate His scale by theirs. We are not to suppose that what is great to us must be great to God, and what is small to us must be small to Him (The Signs of the Times, July 14, 1881). {6BC 1083.9}

The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. He that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? Nevertheless, we have the mind of Christ. The prophets before us have planted and watered the seed, but God gives the increase. Accordingly, he that glories, let him glory in the Lord. We are not to witness with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in the power of God. Speak the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world, the things God has prepared for them that love Him. God has revealed these things unto us by His Spirit. Receive not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God to know the things freely given to us of God. Teach these things to others, not in man’s wisdom but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. We are laborers together with God. God provides all the spiritual weapons needed to bring down Satan. Do all this in the love of God and present the truth as it is in Christ Jesus.

Our Father, which art in heaven,

We come to the foot of Your throne of grace in thanksgiving, praise, and prayer. We are eternally grateful to You Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. We thank You for leading and guiding us and keeping us on a safe path. We pray for all to give up their pride and worldly ambition and hear what the Spirit says unto the churches. Speak to us all that we may hear, receive, and understand Your message to us. We pray to honor and glorify Your name and let not our will, but let Thy will be done. We pray to do Your work in a simple and humble manner. We pray You choose us to work in simple meekness. We pray for Your strength as You lead and protect us in fulfilling our duties. We pray You reveal Your Power through our weakness. We pray for wisdom to know the difference between what is great to men and what is great to You, and what is small to men and small to You. Let none of the brethren be satisfied with worldly knowledge. Let this mind be in us, which was also in Christ Jesus. We pray for Your Spirit to work in us, and as we submit ourselves to You, to hear Your words of instruction. We pray to take in all Your wonderful promises to us with a clear understanding of how truly wonderful they are. Thank You for all the things You have prepared for all that love You. We pray that all would dwell on the divine and give up the world, to be in the world but not of the world. For all to learn of Your truth and not of worldly wisdom. We pray for the Spirit to be our continual instructor in eternal truth. Help us as we labor together with You and provide us with the spiritual weapons to take down Satan. Help us to present the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayers, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.