Category: Shepherd Daily Devotional

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

True leaders are individuals who pay a price in order to attain a prize.

Although leadership comes with a lot of challenges, it has its own benefits. The truth about leadership is that while it has a price, it also comes with a prize. No doubt, every true leader has to pay a price in order to obtain a prize. If you are that leader who has been surrounded by a lot of challenges, be assured that your situation isn’t abnormal. Whatever problems you are facing in your capacity as leader is the price you have to pay in order to get hold of your prize. This is a universal law of leadership.

In my assessment of leadership, I have seen many leaders who start well but when they begin to encounter challenges, they lose their focus and even forget why they were leaders. So in their attempt to get the prize by all means, they end up breaking the rules. You see, leadership is a like a race. You can’t cheat the process. To get the prize, you must abide by the rules. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul advised him to see himself as an athlete. Paul said, “If anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules” (2 Timothy 2:5). Hold on and resist the urge to cheat!

Prayer: By the grace of our Lord Jesus, I will abide by the rules. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: 2 Timothy 2:1-7

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

In God’s kingdom, leaders take orders from Jesus.

There are many reasons why leaders fail. One of them is the inability of leaders to adhere to the rules governing their profession. Every field has its unique culture. An Army General, for instance, is expected to act and lead differently from an Accountant General. Although they are both leaders, they operate under different rules. So leaders must act according to the guiding principles of their profession. Which means, to become an effective leader, you have to be familiar with the culture of your profession, and then make sure you act according to it, or else, you will fail.

Paul said to Timothy, “No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs- he wants to please his commanding officer” (2 Timothy 2:4). The statement was intended to make Timothy realize he could no longer act as an unbeliever because he had become a Christian leader – a “soldier” of Christ Jesus. When he was a “civilian” he got himself involved in civilian affairs. That is, he acted like an unbeliever, doing whatever he wanted. Now that he had become a soldier of Christ, he could no longer live that way. In God’s kingdom, leaders take orders from Jesus.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I submit to you. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: 2 Timothy 2:1-7

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Written by Benjamin Dankaka

As a leader, you must realize that challenges and all sorts of hardship will come your way.

Every leadership position comes with its own challenges. In most organizations, including Christian groups, individuals get to the top, with the assumption that their positions would shield them from hardships, hoping their leadership journey will be a smooth and steady ride. So when problems hit them, they give up easily because they were not ready to deal with hardships. When leaders aren’t prepared to confront and endure hardships, they would certainly be unable to lead effectively. As a leader, you must realize that challenges and all sorts of hardship will come your way, whether you are a Christian or not.

Paul, in his second letter to Timothy said to him, “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Recall that the major theme of that letter was leadership. As a young pastor, Timothy needed leadership lessons. As part of his counsel, Paul wanted Timothy to recognize that “enduring hardship” was expected of him. Notice that Paul said, “endure hardship with us.” Like Paul and other leaders of the Church, Timothy was expected to face his own troubles as a leader. As you take on that leadership position, be prepared to endure the challenges that come with it!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me the strength to endure hardships. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: 2 Timothy 2:1-7

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

Don’t just lead, teach others how to lead.

One of the major challenges of leadership is the inability of leaders to transform their followers into leaders. In general, it is rare to find an organization whose employees exert the same leadership qualities with the CEO. What usually happens is that leaders take the front row and then act as if they are superhuman while they perform the most important work in their organizations. So we’ve created an atmosphere that makes people think leadership is the exclusive right of a select few. The trouble with this kind of leadership is that when the leader passes on, the organization crumbles.

To build a legacy, Paul depended on his ability to develop others. So he dedicated his time teaching his followers. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul said, “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” Notice that Paul advised Timothy to depend not only on the grace that is found in Christ but to also hinge on his teachings. Don’t just lead, teach others how to lead.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to be a leader’s leader. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: 2 Timothy 2:1-7

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

You need the grace of Jesus.

The apostle Paul was a leader’s leader because he was not only able to lead effectively in his own capacity as leader; he was also a leader who succeeded in transforming his followers into effective leaders like himself. You will agree that a portion of the book of Acts captures Paul’s leadership journey as he planted Churches and left them with his mentees. And while the “Acts of Apostles” captures Paul’s church planting expedition, the epistles contain his leadership tips to his mentees. Each of Paul’s letters contains scriptural expositions as well as ideas for effective leadership.

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul said, “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” What was Paul trying to say? You see, Timothy was a young Pastor. And Paul was aware that Timothy was expected to be an exemplary leader, and do a whole lot of other things that would ensure the growth of his Church. Paul knew that there was no way Timothy could succeed without the “grace” of God. So he advised Timothy to depend on the strength that can only be found in Christ. Today, I challenge you to depend on Jesus!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I need your grace. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: 2 Timothy 2:1-7

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

Know that whichever way you pursue your purpose; you will be criticized.

Once, Jesus compared the attitude of the people to a situation in the marketplace where a group of children grumbled because the people didn’t dance after they played a flute. And when they sang a funeral song, the people didn’t mourn. This analogy captures the way the Jews had responded to the ministry of John the Baptist and that of Jesus. When John came and preached in an unusual way, the Jews called him a “demon”. And when Jesus Himself came and preached the same gospel but in a familiar manner, the people also hurled insults at Him.

Know that whichever way you pursue your purpose; you will be criticized. Naturally, leaders are criticized because they are driven by a distinctive purpose. Their uniqueness is what makes them break traditions. When John the Baptist came, He had a unique message, accompanied by an extraordinary style. Unlike the Pharisees, he drank no wine, lived in the wilds and only ate locusts. Jesus on the other hand, interacted with people, even though He also preached. And in contrast to the Pharisees, he mingled with “sinners”. So He was also criticized. But despite the criticisms, John and Jesus succeeded. You too will succeed!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me the strength to face criticisms. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Matthew 11:1-19

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

No pain, no gain.

When Jesus prophesied about His suffering and death, the disciples became so troubled that they missed the better part of that prophecy. Although Jesus had said He would rise after three days, Peter, in particular ignored that part and instead, focused on the rejection, and death. Possibly, what Peter had expected to hear was that Jesus would become an earthly king. He probably thought his Master would establish His kingdom and then appoint them as ministers. Peter couldn’t bear the thought of seeing his master in a tomb. What he wanted was for Jesus to gain the glory without pain.

Most of us are like Peter. We like to think of life as easy and blissful, all the time. We want ourselves and our loved ones to succeed without pain. For that reason, we prefer to hear positive prophesies on how God would give us a great job, a beautiful car and a big house, at no expense. Truly, God wants us to have a good life. But He never promised we would get all that we desire without hurdles. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me the strength to carry my cross. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Mark 8:31-38

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

Do you have in mind the things of God?

One day, Jesus told His disciples that He would be rejected, killed and after three days rise again. This shocked the disciples. They probably wondered why Jesus who had done great things would suddenly go through humiliation and die. Jesus had not only healed the sick but had raised the dead. Now that they were convinced He was sent from God, Jesus was now telling them He would be rejected and murdered. Peter who was the boldest among them began to rebuke his Master. But Jesus quickly reprimanded him.

This story isn’t just talking about the suffering that Jesus had to go through. Most importantly, it also gives us an insight into the nature of God’s kingdom. As Jesus rebuked Peter, he said to him, “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” It is important for us to realize that God often bring us glory through pain. God would not bring pain and suffering, but He often lets us go through it in order to transform us. His suffering and death was for a glorious purpose. You see, without the death, there wouldn’t have been the resurrection. Your suffering will produce success!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, turn my suffering to success. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Mark 8:31-38

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

Darkness begets Light

Generally, light is one of the most widely accepted symbols and the leading force in every area of life. In religion, it is the principal force, often associated with God. In the secular world, light is seen as illumination. We like to think of light as the ultimate symbol of progress. Therefore, light represents leadership because the symbolism of light is used to show direction. We’ve been taught to believe that you cannot advance if you don’t have light. While light is a symbol of growth and power, darkness is seen as a representation of death and destruction.

By reason of that, we often embrace light and try to avoid anything associated with darkness. But in reality, darkness plays an important role in the making of light. Indeed, light is a positive force but we cannot have light until we’ve experienced some form of darkness. Before God created light, darkness was over the surface of the deep. Light, was therefore created out of the dark. Isn’t it amazing that we cannot see the break of dawn until we’ve passed through the darkness of the night? If life is hitting you with dark experiences; stay strong. You light will show up!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me the courage to pass through the dark. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Psalm 23

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.

Written By Benjamin Dankaka

Change your mind on that matter.

Although God has an unchangeable nature, He changes his mind. While He doesn’t change His image, word and promises, God changes His mind anytime He forgives. The Psalmist says, “The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.” Because our God is compassionate and merciful, He forgives. And forgiveness doesn’t take place until there’s a shift in the mind of the forgiver. You see, when we offend God; He gets angry. But God’s anger doesn’t last forever. He replaces His anger with mercy, the moment we ask for forgiveness.

I have heard people say, “I won’t change my mind.” You hear that often whenever a person refuses to forgive. For such people, being tough means they have to be unchangeable and rigid. So they never change their minds and attitude towards their offenders. That kind of attitude is ungodly. In case, you still think God doesn’t change His mind; recall what transpired between Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman. The woman begged Jesus to drive a demon out of her daughter. Initially, Jesus didn’t want to do it. But when He saw the woman’s faith, He changed His mind. Change your mind on that matter!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me for my stubborn heart. Amen.

REFERENCES/FURTHER STUDY: Psalm 145:8; Mark 7:24-30

Unless otherwise stated all scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version.