 When a Kingdom Leader lays down his head there are many thoughts that dance in his mind. Intertwined among those thoughts are wishes, desires, wants, inclinations, and dreams.
What thoughts surface in your mind at bedtime? Is your mind cluttered with goals that were not accomplished today? If you had one wish what would it be? Have you clearly defined your wish? Is it a realistic wish? Have you formulated a strategy and tactics to plan your dream from blue sky to reality? John 12:20–21 (NIV84) Jesus Predicts His Death 20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Jewish leaders wanted to see a sign from Jesus. These Greeks wanted (or wished) to see Jesus. They were probably unable to do so because of his location in the temple. That is why they sought help from the disciples. Their request was the same we hear in many worship services all around the world. People want to see Jesus! He can bring clarity to the foggy situations in our lives. We look forward to the day that we will see Him face to face. What a glorious moment that will be! When you close your eyes tonight, look for the face of Jesus. He is right there with you. Cathy and Danny Sartin www.deeperstillmissions.com __________________________ The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Jn 12:20–21). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved. Photos taken by Cathy and Danny Sartin in Africa. Kingdom Leadership is written for missionaries and ministers serving our Lord in various parts of the world. Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.
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 A Kingdom Leader is keenly aware that tiredness can have spiritual, as well as physical, causes. Schedules can clash and needs can mount up. You can find yourself worn out and snapping at those who you deeply love.
Do you wear yourself out to accomplish goals? What concerns you the most each day? Do you pace yourself in a healthy way? Do you feel tired and stressed? Covid-19 has reshaped our daily lives. How has it changed your priorities? Jesus was tired from a long day of travel. (See Jn. 4:6) He sat down and rested by Jacob's well. Then he asked for water from the Samaritan woman. He needed to hydrate his body. Do you find yourself worn out as we approach the holiday season? Take the time to find a quiet place and get some rest. Jesus said this to his disciples after their first ministry assignment. Mark 6:31 (NIV84) Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Have the wisdom to pace your time with people. They are the most valuable commodities in your life. Love your family and friends. Give them eye contact and focused attention. It will refresh your heart! This month is a special time of focus. We celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Enjoy this blessed holiday with your family! Cathy and Danny Sartin www.deeperstillmissions.com ________________________ The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1984). (Mk 6:31). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved. Photos taken by Cathy and Danny Sartin in Africa. Kingdom Leadership is written for missionaries and ministers serving our Lord in various parts of the world. Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.  A Kingdom Leader is surrounded by mentors who can share experiences and give perspective to events in their life. Consider what God did for us in our marriage of forty-six years. God gave us one another!
We have witnessed the glory, power and mysteries of our heavenly father. We have seen His promises, heart aches, love and sometimes his delays. Our combined faith has sustained us during some very difficult times. If we didn't have problems, we would not have learned that God can solve them. But what about delay and postponement. Hebrews 10:37 (ESV) For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; Through it all. . . we have learned to trust in Jesus! We have learned to trust in God. I can see and hear the song sung by Andrae Crouch at the Billy Graham Crusade in 1975. I was his driver for the week to every assembly, church and crusade event. He mentored us with his music in our first week together. Consider listening to his song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvIxwc90BEI Follow Christ with others. Invite mentors into your life. But don't miss the cornerstone of faith God has given you. Your spouse! Cathy and Danny Sartin www.deeperstillmissions.com ________________________ Cited from Hab. 2:3, 4 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Heb 10:37). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. Copyright @Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved. Photos taken by Cathy and Danny Sartin in Africa. Kingdom Leadership is written for missionaries and ministers serving our Lord in various parts of the world. Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.  A Kingdom Leader is aware of their strategic position spiritually. As a disciple of Jesus there will be people who desire to talk with you about the Lord. Having an open door for access is vital for those who are interested in the story of our Lord. So what difference does the Lord make for you? Does your daily walk challenge your thinking, feelings and heart? Others know that you are a person of faith and will often seek an opportunity to talk and sort out the issues of life. Are you available to those people who look to you? John 12:20–23 (ESV) 20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Perhaps He was then in that part of the temple court to which Gentile proselytes had no access. “These men from the west represent, at the end of Christ’s life, what the wise men from the east represented at its beginning; but those come to the cross of the King, even as these to His manger” [STIER]. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 152). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc. Do you have a desire to listen to other's? Do you invite their questions? Are you willing to give some of your time for discussion? Or is your door closed behind a beehive of activity? Cathy and Danny Sartin www.deeperstillmissions.com ________________________ The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Jn 12:20–23). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved. Photos taken by Cathy and Danny Sartin in Africa. Kingdom Leadership is written for missionaries and ministers serving our Lord in various parts of the world. Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.  A Kingdom Leader can easily be confused by the world and its attack on Judaeo-Christian values and beliefs. It can cause our minds to become unclear and dismayed. Orderly thought and behavior can be rocked by the waves of shame.
Shame appears 140 times in the Old Testament and 46 times in the New Testament. How should we respond? Job said he had no peace, no quietness, no rest, and the churning inside him never stopped. Isaiah was sawed in half and Stephen was stoned to death! Such stories make us uneasy. But Daniel was calm when he sat with the lions. He anchored his faith through experience, consistent prayer, and loyal friends. Their collective faith allowed them to pass through the storm. Remember who faces this change with us. He is the one who said that the end times would be like the times of Lot and Noah! Why are we so surprised? He told us so. Psalm 65:7 (ESV) 7 who qstills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, rthe tumult of the peoples, Do not allow your faith in Christ to be rocked by those who detest Him. Allow God’s Word and faithful friends keep you stable during the storm. Let us pray for one another, encourage one another, love one another in the same manner as Jesus. Remember the feeling of Christ putting his arms around you? Go and do likewise. Cathy and Danny Sartin www.deeperstillmissions.com ________________________ q Ps. 89:9; 93:3, 4; 107:29; Matt. 8:26; [Jer. 5:22] r Ps. 74:23; Isa. 17:12, 13 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ps 65:7). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved. Photos taken by Cathy and Danny Sartin in Africa. Kingdom Leadership is written for missionaries and ministers serving our Lord in various parts of the world. Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.  A Kingdom Leader is often captured by the swirling wind of activity and the waves of endless needs in life. We begin to feel unsteady and overwelmed. Then we go beyond our level of comfort, knowledge and understanding and fear takes over.
Are you overwelmed by the issues in your life? How has the covid pandemic affected your balance? Does the cultural revolution of today cause you to feel uneasy? Where is God in your heart and mind? Does He give you comfort or does He seem to be asleep? Consider Abraham in the book of Genesis. His responce to the difficulty of his time could be a great lesson for us. Genesis 18:22 (NKJV) Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. The New King James Version. (1982). (Ge 18:22). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side; Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake To guide the future as He has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below. Short, D., & Searle, D. (2004). Pastoral visitation: a pocket manual (pp. 24–25). Fearn, UK: Christian Focus Publications. Be still and know that He is God! He can calm the storms with only a word. Cathy and Danny Sartin www.deeperstillmissions.com _________________________ Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved. Photos taken by Cathy and Danny Sartin in Africa. Kingdom Leadership is written for missionaries and ministers serving our Lord in various parts of the world. Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.  A Kingdom Leader has a balanced view of the issues of our world and the unseen spiritual world. Humility is the foundation of that balance.
Do you mock and laugh at situations that present themselves each day? Abraham and Sarah laughed at God when he announced the future birth of their son. Jesus was laughed at when he announced that the dead girl was only sleeping. There is a time for laughter! The balanced leader can laugh at himself because he recognizes his dependence on God the Father. He can see the gap between his knowledge and his understanding! Ecclesiastes 3:4 (NKJV) A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance Humility is the disposition of valuing or assessing oneself appropriately. It is very clear that without Christ we can do nothing! We need Him every hour. Encourage others as you walk through your day. Cathy and Danny Sartin www.deeperstillmissions.com ________________________ The New King James Version. (1982). (Ec 3:4). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved. Photos taken by Cathy and Danny Sartin in Africa. Kingdom Leadership is written for missionaries and ministers serving our Lord in various parts of the world. Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.  A kingdom leader knows where to turn for mentoring. The best source is sitting right in front of us. It is the Word of God!
Psalm 19:7–11 (ESV) 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, Reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ps 19:7–11). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. Has the Word of God passed in front of your eyes today? Are you sitting at the feet of our Lord wanting to learn? Don't miss the great experience of reading, searching and studying His book. You are never alone no matter where the Lord takes you on this earth. Don't miss the thrill of sitting with the King of Kings! Cathy and Danny Sartin www.deeperstillmissions.com _________________________ Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved. Photos taken by Cathy and Danny Sartin in Africa. Kingdom Leadership is written for missionaries and ministers serving our Lord in various parts of the world. Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.  Seeing is Believing!
A kingdom leader can become overwhelmed with so many issues. Understanding what God is doing can be a long stretch. In fact, circumstances can freeze our hearts, thoughts, and minds. We think our eyes are wide open but sometimes they might as well just be closed. We cannot see! Do you lock yourself away from issues that cause you fear? Do you think that a lock can protect you from being exposed to the thorny issues of society? In the haze and fog of life we can become disoriented with the apparent success of combative ideologies. What can we not see? The disciples of Jesus found themselves in such a place after the death of their leader. They are in the upper room with the door locked. They were afraid of the Jews and that they might be the next victim of their satanic scheme. John 20:19 (ESV) Jesus Appears to the Disciples cOn the evening dof that day, the first day of the week, ethe doors being locked where the disciples were ffor fear of the Jews, 3 Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, g“Peace be with you.” I find it interesting that many of the miracles of Jesus had to do with the healing of blind people. I think some of those incidents were for the disciples. What do you see? Look intently at Jesus and your sight will be restored. Cathy and Danny Sartin www.deeperstillmissions.com _________________________ c 1 Cor. 15:5; [ver. 26] d Luke 24:33, 36 e ver. 26 f See ch. 7:13 3 Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time; also verse 50 g See ch. 14:27 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Jn 20:19). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved. Photos taken by Cathy and Danny Sartin in Africa. Kingdom Leadership is written for missionaries and ministers serving our Lord in various parts of the world. Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.  A Kingdom Leader has a strong desire to do his work efficiently and accurately. Cutting corners to accomplish a task can be a recipe for problems. But yet, God gives the farmers of Israel an order to not cut the corners of a field. Instead of gleaning the fields to the edges he says to leave it for others.
Are you considering the needs of others when you make plans? Do you consider the needs of the unfortunate in your community? In a time of emergency, tragedy or pandemic have you withheld some resources to help those in need? Are you so focused on your activity or program that you don't consider the people right around you? What about your family, co-workers and like minded organizations near you? Leviticus 23:22 (ESV) “And kwhen you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.” Trusting the Lord for resources is a daily task. Unfortunately, we tend to worry if we don't have enough to accomplish our goals. Today God may introduce you to someone with significant needs. Can you help? Jesus mentions the birds. She what God does for them? Will he not do the same for you? Cathy and Danny Sartin www.deeperstillmisisons.com _________________________ k ch. 19:9, 10; Deut. 24:19; [Ruth 2:2, 3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Le 23:22). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles. Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved. Photos taken by Cathy and Danny Sartin in Africa. Kingdom Leadership is written for missionaries and ministers serving our Lord in various parts of the world. Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions. |
Danny SartinFour decade veteran of youth ministry in churches, Youth For Christ and now is the Founder and Executive Director of Deeper Still Missions. Danny and his wife Cathy spend most of their time mentoring missionaries in Africa, Europe, Central America and North America. Future opportunities include South America and the Asia Pacific area. Archives
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