Good afternoon everyone, my name is Gboyega Adedeji; I welcome you to this week edition of Leaderview. I hope your day has been great, we bless God for that, and we thank God it is Wednesday, another opportunity we have from God to learn about leadership and to grow as leaders for our effectiveness in our organizations and in our generation. I believe the weeks have been great for us, you know we have had a few break and I believe that has brought a king of refreshment for us, for our spirit and for our soul. It is important we understand that iron sharpens iron, the Bible says, so does a man sharpens the countenance of his friends.
Listen To MP3: THE ALTAR OF A LEADER: THE NECESSITY FOR SUSTAINED ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH
I believe I am a friend to you and you are a friend to me, and so, we sharpen ourselves. This opportunity we have is such that we all must maximize. I am grateful to God for this opportunity given to me by God to be here today. We are continuing today the series that we began some months ago: The Leadership Trip to Genesis. And I am sure that you have been blessed over the few months that we have began it. Today we are looking at the book of Genesis 35, and we will be learning some very good lessons from it. We want to consider The Leader's Altar. We want to see how necessarily the altar of a leader is to the growth, especially to the sustainable growth of the organization. So, if you want to title this message, you can call it The Leader's Altar: The Necessity For Sustainable Organizational Growth.
Are you a leader? Then this word is for you. The Leader's Altar: The Necessity For Sustainable Organizational Growth. We are not talking about quick success, we are not talking about money coming left and right for the organization; we are talking about the sustainability of the growth of an organization, say family for instance or whatever organization or group, if the growth of that group or organization or the growth of the people, if it would be sustained over time, then it is important for the leaders of that group or organization to have correct altar or an altar that is built unto the Lord. You see, what happens is that people build altars unknowingly or unintentionally, they build altars to different things or different people. However, if an organization will be a growing organization over a long period of time, then the set-men of such organizations must understand the need for them to build altar unto God.
Very soon we will understand what the Lord has for us even as we go deep into that Scripture. Genesis 35, we will begin the reading from verse 1. The Bible says: And I want you to understand something before we go on reading that, certain words are used in the Bible to imply certain things. You know, haven gone through Genesis 34, the incident with Dinah, the daughter of Jacob that was abused by one of the princes of the land. I am sure you still remember what we looked at the last time, when we considered Positional Pleasure. So today, we are moving on from that story and we are seeing what happened to Jacob immediately after that incident. You remember shortly after the daughter was harassed and abused, the sons of Jacob eventually destroyed the men of that city, and then the Bible says "Then" which begins that chapter 35 that we are about considering now.
"Then God said to Jacob; "Arise…haven gone through what you experienced, haven had children that did or executed judgment in such manner; it is important for you to arise. And I am sure this word is for somebody. You have gone through quite a number of things, and you are a bit overwhelmed, perhaps you are even tired; or perhaps discouraged or even confused, then the word of the Lord for you is the same word that came to Jacob. God said to him. "Arise" and that is the word for you. I want you to take that word very seriously, God is speaking to you right now in your organization, in your family, in your group, it is important for you to realize that it is not enough for you to sit down and continue to complain and to murmur or to just pity yourself. It is important that you arise. The Bible says "Arise."
So, God said to Jacob "Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there;.." You have dwelt a while in this place, and you have had an experience, however, I want to change your experience. But your experience would only change if you do certain things. That is why we are looking at the altar of a leader today. The concluding part of that verse 1 says: "and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother." This is a definite instruction, there is no ambiguity. It says to "Arise" for what? It says go up; go up to where? To Bethel! To do what? To dwell there. Then while you are dwelling there, make an altar to God.
Don't go there and be mixed up in the midst of the multitude, don't go there and be mixed up in the midst of the crowd. Don't go there and be doing what the people of the land do. Don't go there and worship strange gods and idols. What should you then do? Make an altar to God. This is not a matter to be wondering which God, the instruction says to God "who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother." There was a moment in your life when it looks as if the world was coming down on you, and then you looked up to God, that moment, then the Lord responded to you.
Haven brought you from such a miry clay and low ebb, to a place in life, in destiny, leadership in your organizational growth and you now want to forget Him, God is not comfortable with that, and your destiny does not even require that. If you must have a bright future, a glorious future, a sustained growth over time; then it is important that you understand that your current situation notwithstanding; there was a God who appeared to you at the beginning, at the beginning of your ministry, your career, your academic pursuit; at the beginning of your organizational establishment. He appeared to you and He gave you a word.
It is important that you go up, arise from wherever you are now, go up to Bethel. I don't know what it is that Bethel is for you, go to Bethel. Dwell there, and then make an altar to God who appeared to you that moment. So, let us see what Jacobs did as soon as he got such word from God. Genesis 35:2, the Bible says: "And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you,.." this statement shows us an implication of making an altar to God. You see, God said you cannot serve God and mammon, you can't serve me God and mammon. You can't serve the Lord God Almighty and serve strange gods as well.
So, when He said arise from your situations and current achievements , arise from your current disappointment or limitation, then go to Bethel, dwell there and make an altar, the importance of that statement is that strange gods must be done away with, unknown gods must be done away with, gods of men must be done away with. Let us continue reading the latter part of that verse…"purify yourselves, and change your garments." See the next thing, "Then, let us arise.." The first decision towards you building an altar as a leader for the growth especially the sustainable growth of the organization, the first decision you must make is that your family, your group, your organization must do away with foreign gods. All idols must be done away with.
Anything that shifts the attention of your people away from the living God to things, and to people, must be done away with. As soon as that is done, the next thing you must do with your people is that you must arise from your current state and you must go up to your own Bethel. And see what it says:
"Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone. So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem.5 And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. 6 So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. 7 And he built an altar there.."
So, when God said arise go to Bethel and dwell there and make an altar, Jacob didn't just listen. He executed the word of God, the will of God. I don't know if you are doing that as a leader, "and he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there God appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother." Now let's jump to verse 9:
"Then God appeared to Jacob.." I want us to notice the word "then", because we are seeing the word then over and over again, because, then happens to take place immediately after something is done. Something is commanded and executed, then there is an outcome.
9 Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel.
I am sure you remember that Jacob already had an encounter with an angel of the Lord, who asked him, because Jacob said I will not let you go you bless me, and the angel said "what is your name?" And he said "my name is Jacob" And he said "your name is no longer Jacob but Israel for you wrestled with God and with man and you have prevailed." Now, even though his name was changed at that moment, nothing really happened about his life until this moment, if you notice the Scripture keeps calling him Jacob up till this moment. When God encountered him directly immediately after he has built an altar to God, his name was changed.
11 Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. 12 The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.” 13 Then God went up from him in the place where He talked with him. 14 So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it. 15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel."
I am sure you understand the flow, an instruction came to him, an instruction he didn't just receive, an instruction that he executed. And then as soon as he was done building an altar to God, the bible says God appeared to him again and then God blessed him, and then God said your name is Jacob, but your name shall no longer be Jacob but Israel. Then God blessed him. God said to him: "I Am God Almighty, the one whom you have built an altar to. You have not built an altar to the Federal Government of your nation, you have not built an altar to man, you have not built an altar to things or to yourself, but you have built an altar to me, you have acknowledged me as the source of all things in your life, the one that is doing things in your life, you have acknowledged me as your leader."
Don't forget you are a leader and you have acknowledged me as your leader, I am the one leading you, then I will bless you. Then God said "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation (note that) and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body." Now if you notice, before this moment, Israel was a large people, Jacob was a large people but not yet a nation. He has not yet become a nation. So there is a phase as an organization, that you get to, that you are not yet established, even though you are registered. Your ministry could be registered, your business could be registered but you are not yet established.
There is a phase in your growth where there is a registration; people know about you, but you are not yet on your feet, the word of the Lord today to you, and also to me is that; if that organization, if that group, if that family is going to become an established family, the one that the nations of the earth will be aware of, the one that could be locally established but international in reach, if that must happen; then you as the leader must learn to build an altar to God. So that when your people are trying to figure out who is doing these things they will not say is you, they will recognize that there was a God that appeared to you and there is a God. Because Jacob said God didn't just appear to me, He has been with me since that moment.
In that verse 3 it says; "and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.” And so it's important for leaders to note that building an altar to God which is not a ceremonial activity or a religious activity, the kind of altar that ensures, that re-enforces the authority of God over your family, the authority of God over your organization, the authority of God over your ministry. It is to ensure that nobody thinks that whatever is being done in that organization is being done by some foreign gods, some foreign beings, some authorities elsewhere other than God.
God must be glorified. If your growth must come, then God must become the supreme ruler, supreme head of your ministry, of your business, of your organization of your family. I am sure you understand that. You know in the book of Ecclesiastics, the Bible says a threefold cord is not easily broken. It tells us that two are better than one. Then it says a threefold cord is not easily broken. And for many people, their understanding is that a threefold cord in marriage is the husband, wife and God. Now God leads the man who leads the wife. Now when there is no God in that marriage if growth is permitted on that family, then the one who takes the glory is either the man or some foreign gods, since the glory of God must not be shared with any man, everyone must be clear that the Lord God is the head over that family, the Lord God is the head of your organization, the Lord God is the head over your ministry.
I pray that this word that the Lord has share with you, is going to be established in your heart, is going to settle down in your heart and bear fruit that all can see. I am sure you still remember that your growth is tied to God being the true God of your organization. Enthrone God in your organization, enthrone God in your family, enthrone God in your marriage, enthrone God in your ministry and there will be growth. God does not have problem establishing us. I am sure we still remember the story of Saul.
Saul was made king, but his kingdom was not yet established. And so, God told him, he was given as instruction from God through prophet Samuel that he should wait for seven days and on the seventh day there would be a sacrifice unto God. But because Samuel was not there in time, on the seventh day, he decided to offer sacrifice. As soon as he was done, Samuel came. And Samuel told him, what have you done? You should have waited, now that God would have established your kingdom, you have done something that is wrong.
Now, because of this that you have done, God is no longer planning to establish your kingdom, He will take it from you and give it to somebody else. So, it is important for leaders to understand that the fact that you are able to register an NGO, register a ministry, start a business, it's not enough. The fact that you have done wedding is not enough. Your kingdom, your marriage, your leadership in that marriage, your growth in that marriage must be established. Your growth in that ministry must be established, your growth in that business must be established. And if that must happen, then God must be glorified.
Thank you for the gift of your time and my name is Gboyega Adedeji. You have been watching Leaderview and I hope you have subscribed to our channel so that you can get notified next time when we release a new video. If you haven't done that, please do. As soon as you have done that, don't forget to click the notification bell so that you can be the first to be alerted every time we have videos. Thank you for the gift of your time, I hope to connect with you again next week Wednesday.
Until then, stay blessed, stay leading and don't forget, it is not enough for you to dwell in your Bethel, you must build an altar there, build an altar to God. Don't build an altar to yourself, but unto God that appeared to you in the days of your distress. Thank you and God bless you.
Source: Centre for New Dimension Leadership
