The Leadership Mind by Teddy A. Jones

HEADING Respect the Youth By Napoleon BlackTEXT (1 Tim. 4:12) Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. NIV And don't let anyone put you down because you're young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity Message Let no one despise or think less of you because of your youth, but be an example (pattern) for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. Amp. COMMENTARY Christian maturity cannot be measured chronologically. Some chronologically mature persons who are Christians may be spiritual babies and someone who is a believer and is chronologically young may well be a spiritual giant. Timothy was a young man, given a great task – to teach, to appoint leaders, to preach, to lead the church in Ephesus. He may well have been overwhelmed by people around him – his elders, the apostle John...

LAMPLIGHT DEVOTIONAL GUIDE“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” Psalm 119:105 (NIV). “Living From the Eternal Perspective”A Devotional FromPATHH MinistriesDATE:Thursday March 3, 2011 HEADINGThe Young Hears His Voice By Napoleon BlackTEXT (1 Sam. 3:10) The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel! Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” NIV Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, "Samuel! Samuel! Samuel answered, "Speak. I'm your servant, ready to listen." Message And the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, Samuel! Samuel! Then Samuel answered, Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.. Amp. COMMENTARY Samuel was a child when God turned up in his life. Hither to this life-changing encounter he did not know the Lord. But God comes and instructs him to do something that one would have thought would only be asked of an adult. He was given a sha...

HEADING Help my son By Napoleon BlackTEXT (Mark 9:21, 22) And [Jesus] asked his father, How long has he had this? And he answered, From the time he was a little boy. 22And it has often thrown him both into fire and into water, intending to kill him. But if You can do anything, do have pity on us and help us. Amp. He asked the boy's father, "How long has this been going on?" "Ever since he was a little boy. Many times it pitches him into fire or the river to do away with him. If you can do anything, do it. Have a heart and help us!" Message Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us. NIV COMMENTARYThis young man has been in pain from his birth. Forces, not totally under his control, were out to destroy him from he was born. The forces tried various means as there was a vested interest in ...

LAMPLIGHT DEVOTIONAL GUIDE “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” Psalm 119:105 (NIV). “Living From the Eternal Perspective” A Devotional From PATHH Ministries DATE: Thursday, February 24, 2011 HEADING Doesn’t God Care about my Family? By Napoleon Black TEXT (2 Kings 4:1) The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the LORD. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.” NIV One day the wife of a man from the guild of prophets called out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead. You well know what a good man he was, devoted to God. And now the man to whom he was in debt is on his way to collect by taking my two children as slaves." Message NOW THE wife of a son of the prophets cried to Elisha, Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. But the creditor has come to take my tw...

LAMPLIGHT DEVOTIONAL GUIDE “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” Psalm 119:105 (NIV). “Living From the Eternal Perspective” A Devotional From PATHH Ministries DATE: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 HEADING Would God Lie to Me? By Napoleon Black TEXT (Jer. 20:7) You deceived me, LORD, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. NIV You pushed me into this, God, and I let you do it. You were too much for me. And now I'm a public joke. They all poke fun at me. Message [But Jeremiah said] O Lord, You have persuaded and deceived me, and I was persuaded and deceived; You are stronger than I am and You have prevailed. I am a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me. Amp. Bible COMMENTARY Have you ever felt like God has set you up? Have you ever felt that God has simply used the fact that He is sovereign to do with you just what He wanted without any regard for how you...

LAMPLIGHT DEVOTIONAL GUIDE “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” Psalm 119:105 (NIV). “Living From the Eternal Perspective” A Devotional From PATHH Ministries DATE: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 HEADING What is God Doing to Me? By Napoleon Black TEXT (Deut 1:27) You grumbled in your tents and said, “The LORD hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. NIV You complained in your tents: "God hates us. He hauled us out of Egypt in order to dump us among the Amorites—a death sentence for sure! Message You were peevish and discontented in your tents, and said, Because the Lord hated us, He brought us forth out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us. Amp. Bible COMMENTARY Have you ever felt so disconsolate that you wonder, ‘What is God doing to me?’ The children of Israel felt this way. They were taken from what was safe, what was kn...

LAMPLIGHT DEVOTIONAL GUIDE “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” Psalm 119:105 (NIV). “Living From the Eternal Perspective” A Devotional From PATHH Ministries DATE: Thursday, February 21, 2011 HEADING Telling off God By Napoleon Black TEXT (Num. 11:1) Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. NIV The people fell to grumbling over their hard life. God heard. When he heard his anger flared. Message AND THE people grumbled and deplored their hardships, which was evil in the ears of the Lord, and when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled Amp. Bible COMMENTARY Being a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ assumes accepting everything He sets forth as the way to live. It assumes that we will accept the decisions that He makes over our lives as individuals as well as over the wider community in which we function. Being a believer too includes trus...