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There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. Psalm 46:4 NIV

Consumed and Mastered, Series: Bring Back the King, 1985

MEN WHO KNEW THEIR GOD

Ezekiel was a man who beheld God's glory and became consumed by the august majesty and power of God. It came to him in fullness, in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit.

Ezekiel was a young man living in a dark, hopeless time. Israel had been in captivity for ten years when God gave Ezekiel four distinct visions. His response was marked by overwhelming awe, deep humility, and total obedience. When confronted with God's divine glory, he immediately fell face down on the ground in worship.

Although the visions Ezekiel experienced as a prophet of God were intended both to instill the fear of God in sinners and to offer comfort to those who knew God, they also filled his mind with lofty thoughts of the One he served. He had seen a display of his God's divine attributes and perfections. He had beheld the radiance of His presence and was humbled and awed by what he had seen.

Isaiah was another man of God, awe-struck and brought low by a revelation of God's glory.

During the year King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw the Lord high and exalted, seated on a throne, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Above Him, seraphim with six wings fluttered: two covering their faces, two shielding their feet and two flying. They called to one another, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.” Their voices shook the doorposts and thresholds, and the temple filled with smoke.

Isaiah cried out, “Woe is me! I am ruined! I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips, and I have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5)

Significantly, it was in the year that King Uzziah died that Isaiah beheld a greater King, the Lord of hosts. All the earthly kings who rule us must die to make room for the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Isaiah also saw himself. He saw the filthiness of his flesh, his unworthiness to stand before the Supreme Ruler, and his littleness before his Creator. To whom then will we liken God? Or what likeness will we compare Him to?

In that moment, Isaiah died 1000 deaths and saw his utter helplessness as the fire of conviction burned within his heart. But then God revealed Himself as wise and wondrous in power, yet full of mercy.

The psalmist David was yet another in God's chronicles of the faithful overcomers who experienced God's glory and mercy. (Isa. 6:1-5)

David declared, “When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works— he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.” (Isaiah 6:1-5)

There is a river flowing from the throne of God. Prepare your heart to enter it. Don't settle for anything less than God Himself.

He longs to visit His people more than we long to be visited. Acknowledge your need and call on Him. He will not turn a deaf ear. When He comes, He will drive out every enemy, cleanse every idol, and bring repentance born of His goodness.
You cannot manufacture spirituality, but when you cease striving and run to Him for mercy and grace, He will establish His Kingdom within you.

To be continued…

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬. 𝐈𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

𝑆𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠: 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑠

YOUR VALUES ARE SHOWING

Most people can tell you what they believe. Fewer can tell you what they value.

While beliefs shape the way we think, values shape the way we live. They are our personal beliefs about what is important, worthwhile, right, and good. They represent our highest priorities and the deeply held convictions that drive our behavior.

Values form the basis for authentic leadership because they influence every area of life. Before we can define our values, we must decide what matters most.

Values are like the executive center of our lives. They help determine what we pursue, what we avoid, what we embrace, and what we reject. They influence how we spend our time, invest our resources, build relationships, and respond to opportunities.

In many ways, values are the invisible forces behind visible behavior.

They get us out of bed each morning. They influence the work we choose, the people we spend time with, and the relationships we cultivate. They shape our goals, direct our energies, and even determine what we are willing to sacrifice.

This is why values are so important. If you want to understand your own behavior—or the behavior of others—look beneath the surface. Values often provide the explanation.

A person who highly values security may approach life differently than someone who values adventure. A person who values achievement may make different choices than someone who places a higher value on relationships. Neither is necessarily right or wrong; they simply reflect different priorities.

Because values operate deep within us, they are not always immediately visible. Yet they eventually reveal themselves.

They show up in our habits.

They show up in our priorities.

They show up in the way we treat people.

They show up in what we celebrate, what we tolerate, and what we refuse to compromise.

Most of all, they show up when life becomes difficult.

When pressure comes, people often discover what truly matters to them. Challenges have a way of exposing priorities that remain hidden during easier seasons. Pressure does not create our values. It reveals them.

This principle is especially important for leaders.

Leadership is not simply about skills, strategies, or positions. Leadership flows from the inside out. The values of a leader influence decisions, shape culture, establish priorities, and build trust.

People pay far more attention to what leaders consistently do than to what they occasionally say. Over time, a leader's values become visible through actions, attitudes, and responses.

The same is true for every one of us.

If we want to identify our values, we should take an honest look at our lives. What receives our time, attention, energy, and resources? What motivates us? What consistently drives our choices and behavior?

The answers to those questions often reveal what we value most.

Our values are always on display.

They are reflected in the lives we build, the relationships we nurture, the work we pursue, and the legacy we leave behind.

Whether we acknowledge them or not, our values are showing every day.

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬. 𝐈𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

𝑆𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠: 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒𝑠

Most people can tell you what they believe. Fewer can tell you what they value.

While beliefs shape the way we think, values shape the way we live. They are our personal beliefs about what is important, worthwhile, right, and good. They represent our highest priorities and the deeply held convictions that drive our behavior.

Values form the basis for authentic leadership because they influence every area of life. Before we can define our values, we must decide what matters most.

Values are like the executive center of our lives. They help determine what we pursue, what we avoid, what we embrace, and what we reject. They influence how we spend our time, invest our resources, build relationships, and respond to opportunities.

In many ways, values are the invisible forces behind visible behavior.

They get us out of bed each morning. They influence the work we choose, the people we spend time with, and the relationships we cultivate. They shape our goals, direct our energies, and even determine what we are willing to sacrifice.

This is why values are so important. If you want to understand your own behavior—or the behavior of others—look beneath the surface. Values often provide the explanation.

A person who highly values security may approach life differently than someone who values adventure. A person who values achievement may make different choices than someone who places a higher value on relationships. Neither is necessarily right or wrong; they simply reflect different priorities.

Because values operate deep within us, they are not always immediately visible. Yet they eventually reveal themselves.

They show up in our habits.

They show up in our priorities.

They show up in the way we treat people.

They show up in what we celebrate, what we tolerate, and what we refuse to compromise.

Most of all, they show up when life becomes difficult.

When pressure comes, people often discover what truly matters to them. Challenges have a way of exposing priorities that remain hidden during easier seasons. Pressure does not create our values. It reveals them.

This principle is especially important for leaders.

Leadership is not simply about skills, strategies, or positions. Leadership flows from the inside out. The values of a leader influence decisions, shape culture, establish priorities, and build trust.

People pay far more attention to what leaders consistently do than to what they occasionally say. Over time, a leader's values become visible through actions, attitudes, and responses.

The same is true for every one of us.

If we want to identify our values, we should take an honest look at our lives. What receives our time, attention, energy, and resources? What motivates us? What consistently drives our choices and behavior?

The answers to those questions often reveal what we value most.

Our values are always on display.

They are reflected in the lives we build, the relationships we nurture, the work we pursue, and the legacy we leave behind.

Whether we acknowledge them or not, our values are showing every day.