Men Of Torah Day--How to “Fall Up”!!!

Proverbs 24:16


We are walking in today:  Men Of Torah Day--How to “Fall Up”!!!
 Witness fall throughout the Bible:  H5307 naphal--to fall, be cast down, fail

Numbers 14:3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall H5307

by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

The Torah testifies...............
 Numbers  14:29 Your carcases shall fall H5307 in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,

The prophets proclaim..................    
 Isaiah 10:4 Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall H5307 under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

The writings bear witness...........................
 1

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Chronicles 21:13 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall H5307 now

into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall H5307 into the hand of man.

Jeremiah  8:4 Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, H5307 and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?

Proverbs 24:16 For though he falls seven times, he will get up again; it’s the wicked who fail under stress.

How to “Fall Up”: Restoration After Character Failure:

The streets of history are littered with the remains of wasted lives— the lives of powerful, talented, skillful, and educated leaders who collapsed under the weight of their achievements, success, notoriety, influence, and power because they lacked an ethical foundation that could have carried them to their destiny.

Many of these onetime great leaders undervalued the priority and power of character in their lives. They traded faith for fame, principles for power, and moral respect for reputation.

It is tragic to observe the dishonorable descent of such leaders who, by their own indiscretion, irresponsibility, lack of discipline, and abuse of privilege sell their integrity for temporary pleasures and destroy their character.

Leaders are normally trained in how to succeed, but they are rarely taught how to fail effectively— by learning from their mistakes and making changes to avoid repeating them in the future. They fall down, but they don’t know how to “fall up” after failing.

Remember that a leader’s ability to function successfully in his role of influencing others for a great cause in the interest of humanity is what I call the “trust factor.” Trust is the currency of true leadership and is the power that is deposited into the leader’s influence account. The only way to protect this deposit of trust is to establish strong character.

It can take years for a leader to build this account— but only minutes of irresponsibility to deplete it and even cancel it.

The following are the steps to restoration, reconciliation, and reclamation after you have experienced a moral failure or otherwise “fallen” in your leadership role:

1. Admit your need for help.
2. Confess your violation of trust.
3. Identify a true and reliable authority in your life to be accountable to.
4. Practice complete submission to that authority without condition.
5. Obey the advice, counsel, and instruction of that authority without condition.
6. Accept full responsibility for your fall.
7. Agree never to attempt to defend yourself or your act of indiscretion.
8. Agree to allow the authority to represent and speak on your behalf to your constituency and the greater community.
9. Practice total submission to the discretion of the authority with regard to your readiness to return to public service.
10. Establish a permanent relationship with the authority for the purpose of ongoing accountability.

If a leader follows these steps, he can find healing and restoration. The safest course to take when you fall is to submit yourself to a qualified human authority. Again, failure is not the termination of a leader’s call, assignment, gifts, or talents.

Make sure you take time out from your other responsibilities to evaluate what went wrong. Some leaders who fail keep on going as if nothing had happened. You will need to seek forgiveness from those you have let down, but then you must develop self-control, steadiness, maturity, and all the other values of principled leadership.

Trust the Creator to restore you to leadership when you are ready for it. There is life after “the fall,” but you must follow the process of restoration in order to receive its benefits.

70 Character Traits Of Principled Leaders:

1. Character protects power and vision.
2. Leadership is only as safe as your character.
3. Your gift can never protect your character but your character will protect your gift.
4. You were born to lead but you must become a leader.
5. True leaders never seek followers.
6. You cannot teach leadership; you give information that causes the leaders to develop.
7. Your skill is what you do, your gift is who you are.
8. Leadership is the capacity to influence others through inspiration geared by a passion.
9. Never trust an untested person.
10. True leadership is finding something to die for.
11. All great leaders are angry; the problem today is we don’t have enough angry leaders.
12. True leaders do not seek followers; true leaders attract followers.
13. You are a tree, and you must know people come for the fruit not the tree.
14. True leadership is not measured by how many people that serve you but how many people you serve.
15. Don’t depend on people to get your value.
16. That’s why many famous singers and entertainers do drugs and overdose- because they depend on people for their value.
17. True leadership is determined by character.
18. Character is not a gift you are not born with.
19. Character is developed; you can’t pray for it or fast for it. Character is the ability to go through test and still remain.
20. The foundation of leadership is character.
21. Without character you will crumble like sand.
22. Character is a word that means statue; it means to be set like dried cement.
23. Character is image; you are stable, predictable, and dependable.
24. Character- no matter what happens around you, you never change.
25. Character is when people around you can predict what you are doing when no one is watching.
26. Character is when I can trust you even when I cant see you.
27. Character means you don’t have another life; you are the same in the day and the same in the night.
28. What do you do when the pressure comes? Do you collapse like Samson or do you stand like Joseph? Both of them lost their clothing yet one of them stood past the test of the trials.
29. “Hypocrite” simply means a person with many masks.
30. The greatest compliment someone can tell you is that “I met you so many years ago and you are still the same today.”
31. Numbers and letters are characters because they don’t change.
32. In business your character will protect your business.
33. Trust is a product of passing tests over time.
34. Character is a self-imposed discipline.
35. Character is a commitment to set of values without compromise.
36. Character is a dedication to a set of standards without wavering.
37. Character is a constant effort to integrate one’s words, deeds, and actions.
38. Pertaining to character- what I say, do and am should be the same.
39. The same word for character is the same as Holy, that’s why God is Holy.
40. Our goal in life should be to grow, but never change just like an apple tree that doesn’t turn into an orange tree.
41. You shouldn’t marry someone you didn’t test.
42. Character is sacrificing to protect your convictions.
43. It’s better to be respected than liked.
44. Philosophy- means love to think, so be careful what you hear and think.
45. Your character becomes your lifestyle.
46. You shouldn’t want people around you who haven’t made any mistakes; you should want to be around people who survived mistakes.
47. You never trust people who didn’t survive anything.
48. Character is created out of tests.
49. You are as safe as your character.
50. You are not qualified to help someone if you have not been tested.
51. Every true business must go through a period of bankruptcy.
52. Every success story has a story; never trust anyone who doesn’t have a story.
53. Character controls your lifestyle.
54. If you are not afraid to be discovered; you have character.
55. Values are more important than vision.
56. A lack of values will destroy your vision.
57. A person of character has an alarm built in and it sounds off when it’s about to be violated.
58. Your conscience is a divine alarm system.
59. A person of character follows their conscience.
60. Vision without values is destiny without discipline.
61. Vision is protected by values.
62. The first thing God gave us is image; image is more important than power.
63. Reputation is what others think about you; character is what you know about yourself.
64. Character means you are the same all the time.
65. What you are in private should be who you are in public.
66. You are no better than your private life.
67. Would you marry you with all that you know about you?
68. Instant success is dangerous, God will not take you through a shortcut; he’s not fixing things, he is fixing you.
69. You can’t enjoy the struggle if you don’t know what it’s doing for you. Any test you don’t pass you will have to do again. Let God chisel character in your life.
70. Integrity is when your public life and private life become one. 

Shema Selah let us hear, listen and obey the instructions that build our character and walk out the recover for when we fall! https://www.facebook.com/fiveam.prayer/videos/1598249943586449/?l=7545144460501259430

Leaders Stand for Something--Vision, Leaders Stand on Something-- Values!!!

Matthew 13

We are walking in today: Leaders Stand for Something--Vision, Leaders Stand on Something-- Values!!!

 Witness stand throughout the Bible:  H5324 natsab--to stand, take one's stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish

Exodus 17:9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand H5324 on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

The Torah testifies...............
Exodus 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand H5324 upon a rock:

The prophets proclaim..................
Isaiah 3:13 The LORD standeth up H5324 to plead, and standeth to judge the people.

The writings bear witness...........................
Psalm 45:9 Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand H5324 the queen in gold of Ophir.

Isaiah 3:13 The LORD standeth up H5324 to plead, and standeth to judge the people.

Your vision interprets your values in the sense that it reflects and communicates them. We need to make the reintroduction and development of character our number one priority. The purpose of this book has been to introduce you to yourself—to your intrinsic significance and your character alike.
A man without a vision is a man without a future. A man without a future will always return to his past.” (P.K. Bernard)

The level of sacrifice that an environment requires will determine the size of people that will follow” (Kris Vallotton).  A progressive revelation of an ageless revival for our generation is growing in our hearts. It is for those who went before us and for those who are yet to be born. Yet, the question of how the vision is to be implemented remains.


One famous Proverb says:
Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps the law (The Teaching and Instruction)- Proverbs 29:18


Vision is the bridge between the present and the future. Without it we perish or go “unrestrained,” as the New American Standard Bible puts it. Vision gives pain a purpose. Those without vision spend their lives taking the path of least resistance as they try to avoid discomfort.


The level of sacrifice that a vision requires will determine the size of people who follow. Sacrifice separates the small from the great. So many of us go through life not understanding the purposes of our trials. We spend our days walking a crooked path, believing that every obstacle in the road is a problem and something to be avoided.


The second part of this Proverb says, “But happy is he who keeps the Law.” The law (God’s Teaching and Instruction) isn’t just something God gave to Moses. It is also the restraint, boundaries and disciplines we develop around our life to direct us through obstacles instead of around them.


These obstacles become baptisms of fire that forge our character so we can attain and maintain a life of greatness.

WHAT IS VISION?

Vision is what we see, but it is also the way in which we see. Vision is the lens that interprets the events of our life, the way we view people and our concept of God. If we have a scratch on our glasses, it may seem like everybody around us has scratches too, but the problem actually lies with us because our vision is impaired. Jesus said that our eyes are the windows of our heart. Paul prayed that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened. In other words, we perceive with our eyes but we see with our hearts.


Our minds receive images from our eyes but our heart interprets these images. If our heart becomes bitter, jealous, hurt or in someway infected, the lens of our heart is distorted. What we perceive is happening and what is really going on could be two completely different things.

Yeshua said, “You will know the truth and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32). The word truth used here is not referring to the Bible itself, (although all truth is rooted in the Bible) but here the word truth means reality. Yeshua is saying, you will understand what is real and that will free you.

So many of us live in a virtual reality. The way we view life can feel and look real, or make perfect sense, but still not be real at all. Have you ever watched a good movie and gotten totally into it? You experience all the emotions of real life. You may even leave the theater still “feeling” the movie, but it was just a movie? it was never real.

The truth is: we see what we believe to be true. Another way to put it is, if you have the wrong pretext you will misunderstand the context. Having a revelation of what is real will deliver us from a life of torment that virtual reality often causes.
Matthew 13:45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for fine pearls. 46 On finding one very valuable pearl he went away, sold everything he owned and bought it.

Integrating Vision and Values:

“Leaders stand for something— vision. Leaders stand on something— values.” —Dr. Myles Munroe

A woman was in the process of cleaning out several boxes in her attic that had been stored there for years— ever since she and her husband had moved into their home to accommodate their growing family of four children, who were now adults.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a box half-hidden behind the chimney. It was covered with dust and was still taped shut. I wonder what’s in there? She thought.

Suddenly, a memory flashed into her mind, taking her back three decades, and she instantly remembered what the items in the box were: several jade objects from China that a friend had given her, which she had inherited from her father.

The next week, she had the items appraised, and she was stunned to find out they were comparable in age and quality to an eighteenth-century jade collection that had been featured on the television program Antiques Roadshow several years earlier. The items in that collection had been valued at as much as one million dollars.

A Long-Forgotten Treasure:

In many ways, character in our contemporary culture has become like the long-forgotten treasure the woman in the above scenario found inside the dusty box.

Likewise, our society has increasingly relegated values and moral standards to the “attics” and “basements” of our culture. Many people don’t realize what a treasure our society has lost, because it is out of their moral range of vision.

Similar to the merchant who sold everything he owned to obtain the pearl “of great value,” we need to make the reintroduction and development of character our number one priority.

The Intersection of Vision and Values:

We could sum up the entire message of this book in the following way: Leaders stand for something—vision. Leaders stand on something— values. And, of these two elements, values are of higher importance. As we have noted throughout the preceding chapters, if a leader does not have an active commitment to his values, moral standards, principles, discipline, and ethical code, all of his endeavors will be weakened— and may even be nullified.

Since character must be our number one priority in leadership, let’s review how vision and values are permanently interrelated in the life of a principled leader.

1. Vision Is an Interpretation of Values Your vision interprets your values in the sense that it reflects and communicates them. For example, suppose your vision is to help young people who are members of gangs that are undermining your community to become engaged in positive activities that will build up the community, instead.

2. Vision Is Protected by Values Your vision is only as safe as the values that undergird it. If you cherish a great vision but don’t value the principles that would enable you to realize it, you may as well not pursue that vision. There needs to be a marriage of purpose and principles. You have to know your purpose, but you must live by your principles.

Vision Without Values— a False Attempt at Reaching Destiny When a leader pursues his vision without having established values, he is attempting to reach his destiny without the necessary component of discipline.

For example, regardless of how great a leader’s vision might be— whether it is to build a family, a church, a business, or a country— the entire process must be balanced by clear, strong values that guide his conduct.

The Power of Character to Create Leaders of Principle:

In the introduction to this book, we examined principles that showed how crucial leaders are to the development and well-being of a culture.

Let’s now review what we’ve learned about the importance of character to the development of leaders equipped to help bring about a cultural course correction and to advance our societies through ethical principles.

1. Character Gives Leaders Credibility The only avenue for gaining credibility with people so that they will respect our leadership is to develop genuine character. When we demonstrate character, people will not only make deposits in our “trust account,” but they will also advance us “credit” as an investment in our future.

2. Character Gives Leaders Moral Force Character— not power— is the force of true leadership. If a person has moral force, he doesn’t need to put physical or emotional pressure on people to make them do what he wants.

“It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.” —Mark Twain

3. Character Ensures That Leaders Maintain Trustworthiness:

Trust is a privilege given to the leader by his followers; therefore, a leader must maintain that trust over time and keep it up-to-date.

4. Character Legitimizes Leaders:

It is character that gives people a legitimate right to lead others. Leaders without character are “illegal,” because they are asking people to place their faith in an untrustworthy source.

5. Character Establishes Integrity in Leaders:

We have learned that character is built through tests over time and that having integrity involves the integration of one’s thoughts, words, and actions. Thus, a leader’s integrity can be established only over the course of time, which allows for this integration to occur.

For this reason, leadership should not be given to people who have not yet been tested and tried. Therefore, it’s important for us not only to build our own character, and not only to look for demonstrated character in other leaders, but also to help our followers develop their character so they may become trusted leaders, as well.

Vision Gives Meaning to People…

Many leaders think that their goal should be to get people to believe in them. On the contrary, the goal of leaders should be to get people to believe in themselves— to provide an avenue through which they can discover meaning for their lives and manifest their purpose through their personal vision.

Helping people to do this requires balance on the part of the leader, because, when people are inspired by a leader’s passion, they often confuse the vision with the leader in their minds. In this way, they think they are being drawn to the person.

As we have seen, a leader of principle takes the focus off of himself and puts it on the vision. It is the vision— not the leader— that gives people meaning.

Think about it: If we don’t maintain our passion for our vision, the people may also lose their energy for their vision. When we feel like giving up and start talking about quitting, the people may also begin to lose their sense of purpose.

…and Values Preserve That Vision:

It is imperative that people stay focused on the vision rather than on the leader, because of the danger that a cult of personality will develop. You must never allow people to become so attached to you that they begin to idolize you.

How many organizations today have become defunct because they were run by leaders who were “worshipped” by their followers, so that everything fell apart when the leaders had a major moral failure? Leaders need to watch their pride in this respect, because pride can destroy them and their vision.

Pride is what makes leaders think they should be idolized. They being to think the vision is all about them, that it’s built around them, that its success is all up to them.

A New Beginning for Character:

The purpose of this book has been to introduce you to yourself— to your intrinsic significance and your character alike. I want history to write a good account of your life on earth. Please don’t become one of those leaders who begins well and starts a good work, only to have a moral failure or become sidetracked before reaching his destiny.

Instead, be a great leader who stays true to his convictions and fulfills his purpose and vision according to strong values; one who never betrays the followers who have placed their trust in him.

How to “Fall Up”: Restoration after Character Failure

Leaders are normally trained in how to succeed, but they are rarely taught how to fail effectively— by learning from their mistakes and making changes to avoid repeating them in the future. They fall down, but they don’t know how to “fall up” after failing.

The following are the steps to restoration, reconciliation, and reclamation after you have experienced a moral failure or otherwise “fallen” in your leadership role:

Admit your need for help.

Confess your violation of trust.

Identify a true and reliable authority in your life to be accountable to.

Practice complete submission to that authority without condition.

Obey the advice, counsel, and instruction of that authority without condition.

Accept full responsibility for your fall.

Agree never to attempt to defend yourself or your act of indiscretion.

Agree to allow the authority to represent and speak on your behalf to your constituency and the greater community.

Practice total submission to the discretion of the authority with regard to your readiness to return to public service.

Establish a permanent relationship with the authority for the purpose of ongoing accountability.

Shema Selah let us consider fully how we are to stand on both vision and values!!! https://www.facebook.com/fiveam.prayer/videos/1597159770362133/?l=3204752824802554056

Effort Is Needed To Develop Good Character

Ecclesiastes 12

We are walking in today: Effort Is Needed To Develop Good Character

Witness establish throughout the Bible:  H6965--quwm-- to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up, to cause to arise, raise

Genesis 9:9 And I, behold, I establish H6965 my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;

The Torah testifies...............
Genesis 17:7 And I will establish H6965 my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.



The prophets proclaim..................
Isaiah 49:8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish H6965 the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;


The writings bear witness...........................
1 Chronicles 17:11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up H6965 thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.

Psalm 78:5 For he established H6965 a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:

Ecclesiastes 12 in its entirety key verses13-14

11 The sayings of the wise are as sharp as goads, and those given by leaders of assemblies are like well-fixed nails; [in this case,] they are presented by a single shepherd. 12 In addition, my son, take heed: one can write many books — there’s no end to it; and one can study so much that it wearies the flesh.

Core Qualities of Principled Leaders

“Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character.” —Heraclitus, Greek philosopher

To be effective leaders, we must cultivate many important attitudes and characteristics, such as courage, passion, initiative, patience, teamwork, wisdom, and persistence. But there are several core qualities that we must focus on as we make character our priority in leadership.

Strong Convictions

As I wrote earlier, we can learn all the skills, methods, and styles of leadership, but they won’t mean much if we have no real convictions that guide our lives, or if we sell out those convictions.
As we have seen, convictions refer to two aspects of leadership:

(1) A leader’s certainty that he has a unique purpose in life, and

(2) His wholehearted personal commitment to a vision worth sacrificing for.

Accountability

This core quality helps us to remain fixed, set, predictable, and stable in character. We have a responsibility to be accountable on three levels— to ourselves, to other people, and to our Creator.

A Commitment to Self-evaluation

First, we are responsible for regularly examining our own conduct to assess if we are living according to the moral principles that we value highly and have established as standards for ourselves.

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are living the life of trust. Test yourselves. Don’t you realize that Yeshua the Messiah is in you? — unless you fail to pass the test.

A Commitment to Evaluation by Others

Second, to be accountable means to submit the evaluation of our attitudes and actions to another individual or group of individuals qualified to examine them in light of the principles to which we have committed.

We all sometimes need a different perspective on our lives to show us our weaknesses and our strengths alike. We should make ourselves accountable only to someone of proven character who has demonstrated that he has our best interests at heart.

He should be someone who is able to clearly assess our progress in character development and show us how to get back on track when we have strayed. When we are able to take an honest look at our character, and commit to work on our areas of weakness, we will strengthen our integrity. We will integrate our thoughts, words, and actions even further, so they can become “one.”

A principled leader truly welcomes this process of accountability. In contrast, unprincipled leaders are afraid of being held accountable, so they avoid evaluation whenever possible. As a result, many of them become “lone wolves.” They think, I’m accountable only to myself.

A Commitment to Evaluation by the Creator

Third, a principled leader recognizes that his ultimate accountability is to God. That is why he has made a commitment to follow the Creator’s first laws. He knows that even when he is alone, everything he says and does is observed by his Higher Authority.

We each have gifts and talents, but we did not create ourselves, and this fact should cause us to put our accomplishments into perspective and to express gratitude to our Creator for them.

A leader’s willingness to be accountable reflects his commitment to always be consistent in what he says, what he does, and who he is. Accountability— in all three realms we’ve just discussed— protects a leader from being hypocritical, or two-faced, enabling him to align his life with his standards and principles and to establish his character.

Monitoring Your Associations

Let me mention one other subject related to accountability. When we do not exercise discernment about those whom we choose to be our close friends and associates, we can inadvertently become answerable to people who don’t have our best interests in mind, and whose immature character may have a negative effect on us. Consequently, we may end up following unwise advice and false principles.

2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not yoke yourselves together in a team with unbelievers. For how can righteousness and lawlessness be partners? What fellowship does light have with darkness?

Humility

The next core quality is humility. The word humble is derived from the Latin word humus, meaning “earth.” To be humble, then, means to be “down-to-earth.” In the context of character, this means to express and manifest your true self in accordance with your unique, inherent purpose.

If an individual “tries” to be humble, he has missed the true meaning of humility. If we’re not manifesting our true selves, we cannot be humble. We have inadvertently put on a mask that hides what we are meant to express and reveal to the world.

The quality of humility in a leader is manifested through “servant leadership.” The Romans leaders liked to lord it over people, ordering them around. But Jesus said that whoever wants to become great must serve other people. Ordering people around is not the spirit of a true leader. When a leader is humble, he also has a healthy attitude toward the areas of his life in which he still needs to grow in character.

Leaders who don’t understand their inherent purpose and worth have difficulty being humble because they often need reassurance through the praise of others. But leaders of principle have found something greater than other people’s accolades— they have found a personal “assignment,” or vision, and they are busy pursuing it.

Integrity

One definition of integrity is “incorruptibility.” If you are incorruptible, you will not be enticed by your own desires or the pressure of other people to violate your moral standards or to operate on the basis of self-interest.

1 Corinthians 15:58
58 So, my dear brothers, stand firm and immovable, always doing the Lord’s work as vigorously as you can, knowing that united with the Lord your efforts are not in vain.

Responsibleness

Leaders of principle also act responsibly, and they eagerly accept responsibility. One of the Creator’s first laws is that if we are faithful over the smaller jobs and tasks we have been given, we will be granted even greater ones. 4 This is the process by which leaders grow into increasingly responsible positions.

Luke 16:10 Someone who is trustworthy in a small matter is also trustworthy in large ones, and someone who is dishonest in a small matter is also dishonest in large ones.

Discipline and Sacrifice

Leaders of principle have learned to govern themselves. They exercise self-control without needing to be disciplined externally. As we, too, progress in character development, we will learn to govern and discipline each area of our lives in order to protect it from ethical lapses and prepare it for maximum productivity.

We will train ourselves to do this regardless of whether other people are present, and regardless of whether other people ever find out about it. Many people have a certain awe about those who sacrifice and suffer in order to do extraordinary acts that will aid humanity, or to accomplish a demanding goal.

And that awe is translated into inspiration. In this way, as we have seen, sacrifice based on conviction leads to inspiration. And inspiration is what leads other people to join in fulfilling our vision.

Shema Selah  part 1 part 2 what is it that the Most High is showing you in your character development to be a principled leader?!?! https://www.facebook.com/fiveam.prayer/videos/1596120523799391/?=3038937828627773848

https://www.facebook.com/fiveam.prayer/videos/1596174970460613/?l=2296075489367215557

Without First Laws--Life is an Experiment!!!

1 John 2


We are walking in today: Without First Laws--Life is an Experiment!!!

Witness measure throughout the Bible:  H4058 madad--to extend, continue, to be measured 

Zechariah 2:2 Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure H4058 Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.

The Torah ...............
 Deuteronomy 21:2 Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure H4058 unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:

The prophets  ..................
 Isaiah 40:12 Who hath measured H4058 the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

The writings ...........................
 Ruth 3:15 Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured H4058 six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.

Hosea 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured H4058 nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

1 John 2:3-4

3 What we have seen and heard we declare to you so that you, too, can have fellowship with us. Now this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus, the Messiah. 4 We are writing these things so that our joy may be full.



The Power of Principles

“Change your opinions, keep to your principles; change your leaves, keep intact your roots.” —Victor Hugo, writer


When a consumer product is developed and produced, its manufacturer often publishes important information about it in a user’s manual that is packaged with the item. The manual is actually a book of “principles” indicating how the item functions, how to properly operate it, and how to make it last longer. Some of these principles might be: “Keep away from heat.” “Always clean appliance after using.” “Do not use near or place in water.”


Similarly, after creating the first human beings, the “Manufacturer” gave them valuable information about how they “functioned,” how to properly “operate” their lives, and how to ensure that their leadership would have longevity.


The Creator has “published” His principles and values in various ways in the Bible, which is, in effect, a “Corporate User’s Manual” for human beings. Some of these principles and values are included in compilations of moral standards, two of which are commonly known as the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. But many more may be discovered in its pages—


The Key to Leading Effectively

The key to living effectively on this earth is to know, accept, and apply the Manufacturer’s principles. Comprehending these principles will give us wisdom, and following them will make us leaders of character.

The Manufacturer—Not the Product— Sets the Principles

The first key property to understand about principles is that a manufactured product does not establish the principles by which it functions—the creator/manufacturer does.


The Purpose of Principles


These principles are not arbitrary but are specific to our purpose: We were meant to operate according to principles that can uphold our moral nature in God’s image and likeness. Therefore, it is in our best interest to understand and follow them.


“First Laws”

We have previously defined a principle as “a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption,” “a rule or code of conduct,” and “a primary source.” The word principle is derived from two Latin words meaning “beginning” and “initiator.” Accordingly, principles refer to “first laws.”


The Creator’s “first laws” for life on earth pertain to both the physical and the moral (spiritual) realms. God instituted physical laws, such as the force of gravity, to govern our earthly environment, giving us the parameters for how we may function in the natural world.

Principles Are Permanent

Another key property of God’s principles is that they are unchanging, or permanent. We can resist them, but that does not alter them or the consequences of rejecting them.


Benefits of Knowing and Following the Creator’s Principles--Principles Safeguard Us from Substitutes

Principles enable us to build and maintain personal character as they govern and safeguard our lives. While the “first laws” are those the Manufacturer instituted and stated in His User’s Manual, there are other moral laws we must view with caution because they are substitutes for the originals.

When we try to add “new” principles that don’t fit in with the Creator’s original design—they become burdensome and damaging to us. Some people claim that shifting morals indicate social progress—leading the way for human development and reengineering. Such new laws may garner popular support, but they won’t cancel first laws, which, again, are as fixed, morally speaking, as physical laws are.

Psalms 119:93 I will never forget your precepts, for you have revived me with them.


Principles Simplify Our Lives and Decision-Making

Another reason the Creator’s principles are eminently valuable is that they simplify life. When you understand His principles, you know how to respond in a variety of situations—especially those that involve ethical questions. You must take time to learn God’s laws, but when you do, they will make many of your decisions clearer and easier.

Psalms 119:45 I will walk in liberty, for I seek your precepts.

The writer was saying that because he had “sought out” the Creator’s principles, he knew he would “walk about in freedom.” When we follow God’s first laws, we are liberated. We are, as we discussed, set free to make decisions about various issues and dilemmas without having to wonder what to do. If you study the Creator’s principles, you’ll become much wiser than many leaders today.

Principles Enable Us to Fulfill Our Potential

Violating the Creator’s principles will also prevent us from reaching our full potential. If we follow His laws, we can fulfill our destiny. If we don’t, we will never reach it.

Yet, if you were to violate a key principle related to the vehicle—for example, if you were to continue operating the car after allowing the oil pan to run dry, so that you ruined the engine—you would have nullified the manufacturer’s promises about its functioning. Similarly, the success of your future depends on your obedience to key principles established by your Manufacturer—the Creator.

Obedience is not a negative word. In this sense, to obey merely means to follow proven principles. Suppose you were to place grain seeds on a clean tile floor. When you came back after a few days, you would see that they had not sprouted or taken root. They need to be planted in soil to do that.

So, every time you plant seeds in the ground, you are submitting to the principle of growth established by the Creator. Likewise, when you adhere to His moral principles, you are submitting to a vital standard for fulfilling your personal potential as a leader.

As we saw earlier, the process of applying a principle requires that you must first know what the principle is (for example, you have to know that your car requires fuel to function). Second, you must value, or accept, the principle (you become convinced of the need to put fuel into your car). Third, you must act on the principle (by actually putting fuel into your car’s gas tank).

Without First Laws, Life Is an Experiment

When people don’t know or obey first laws, they begin to experiment with foundational elements of human life, including values and morals. These substitute laws are “experiments” because the people promoting them have little understanding of what is going to happen to individuals and society if the new laws are promoted and practiced.

Experimentation is beneficial and necessary in relation to scientific inquiry, creative endeavors, and so forth. But experimentation in moral matters is a dangerous practice.

Experimentation Leads to Distrust and Disillusionment

One outcome of society’s experimentation with ethics has been people’s growing distrust of authority, leading to their disillusionment. When leaders of all walks of life lack character and experiment with principles, their constituents don’t have anyone they can really trust.

By and large, in our society today, the younger generations don’t trust the older generations, and the older generations don’t trust the younger generations—or even themselves. Citizens don’t have confidence in their politicians, and politicians don’t have regard for the citizens. This widespread distrust has resulted in varying degrees of apathy, compromise, permissiveness, sexual confusion, a devaluation of human life, and a culture of violence and death.

Experimentation in moral matters is a dangerous practice.

Experimentation Leads to Lawlessness

“What’s right for you isn’t necessarily what’s right for me. Therefore, you can’t impose your standards on me.” This viewpoint can apply only so far, because our world was designed with fixed principles and moral absolutes, without which a society can’t function in a healthy way. And individuals must exercise personal responsibility in relation to these fixed principles and moral absolutes.

Experimentation in ethical issues results from not having—or acknowledging—moral references or parameters, so that nothing is “settled.” Instead, relativism and license take over. License contrasts with the freedom that is gained from following sound principles; it leads to lawlessness, which is a rejection of natural laws and standards.

Leaders who have not comprehended moral principles, or who have rejected them, have led us into lawlessness. It will take leaders who understand moral principles, who live by them, and who establish ethical policies to lead us back to lawfulness. Laws can help to create character as people adhere to them.

Experimentation Leads to Loss and Destruction

When leaders try to implement principles that they have fabricated, and that are in opposition to the Manufacturer’s first laws, “malfunctions” will occur. To act in a way contrary to the User’s Manual is to risk damage to the “product.”

Recommit to the Principles in the Corporate User’s Manual

It doesn’t make a difference what the current issues, trends, and fads may be—if you know and follow first laws, you will outlast temporal matters. Leaders of character do not live by transient movements or emotions but by solid principles. Again, emotions are part of the human makeup. However, leaders of character are not guided by how they feel on a particular day; they are guided by the principles that form their lifelong convictions and values.

If you violate the Manufacturer’s principles, you will contribute to the weakening of your nation, your company, or your organization. Recommitting to first laws is like rebooting a stalled computer by pushing the reset button—it allows us to return to the “original mode” where we can function as we were intended to. By studying and implementing the principles in the User’s Manual, you will avoid moral compromise and ethical missteps.

You will protect yourself from the negative effects that such mistakes inevitably have on other aspects of your life, including the exercise of your gifts and the realization of your potential. You will also gain much practical wisdom for leadership. You will be able to say, with the biblical writer, “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.”

Shema Selah we are to walk in the fullness of the first laws to live in order and His liberty!!