Thank God for The Levites

TEAM, thank you for leading us every week! Serving in a Levitical role is SACRIFICIAL & SACRED.

In the Old Testament, the Levites (descendants of Levi - the 3rd son of Jacob & Leah) were set apart to serve in the temple to assist the priests in their duties.

- Maintaining the temple
- Teaching God's laws & commands
- Administering justice
- Serving as musicians

Today, we see this role filled in

WORSHIP LEADERS
They are responsible for leading the congregation in worship through music & song.

CHURCH MUSICIANS
They use their musical talents to create an atmosphere of worship & to help bring people closer to God.

PASTORS & TEACHERS
Although they are not necessarily called Levites today, they still have an important role to play in teaching God's Word. They help people understand & apply the teachings of the Bible.

CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
They are responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the church, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and that the church is able to fulfill its mission.

LEVITES WHO WERE CONSECRATED WERE PROMOTED.

1. Their FAITHFULNESS to God
When everyone else was worshipping the golden calf...it was the Levites who remained faithful to God & did not participate in idolatry.

2. Their LINEAGE
As descendants of Levi, they were part of the priestly line of Israel.

3. Their willingness to SERVE
When Moses asked for volunteers to carry out God's commands, the Levites were the first to step forward. They were the first to carry the responsibility of serving in the tabernacle & carrying out the various religious duties that were required of them.

Your service is that of the modern day Levite. Whether through worship leaders, church musicians, pastors & teachers or church administrators, the importance of serving God & contributing to the worship experience remains a vital part of the congregation.

When you use your talents & gifts to serve God & others, you are honoring the legacy of the Levites & contributing to the growth of the church.

Every Blessing,
Ps. Russell & Beverly 

www.russellhylton.com 

Easy & Light

I received Jesus as my savior 45 years ago. (age 8 ) I grew up in the faith & my parents ensured that I was exposed to the teaching of God's Word.

In those days, if you wanted more than rules, that were tight with not much of an explanation other than, "because I said so", you had to dig for more understanding to receive it.

Today, there's not a lack of teaching or even a demonstration of the Spirit as much as we now have a "Frankensteined" Christianity to FIT our various tastes.

"GOD" has now become a "brand" or many "franchises". If you don't like calling Him "Father"...they are trying to tell us we can now call Him "Mother" or the God who has NO STANDARDS or BOUNDARIES.

The apostate (those who have abandoned the church that Jesus birthed), have turned the truth into an ugly lie...reducing the BIBLE (The Word of God) to a book of quotes, man made rules for Christian living & have given new names to old sins.

Grace has been weaponized to commit any sin you want without consequences. It has become a CROSS-LESS faith where grace is nothing more than a buzzword & living any lifestyle you desire is not only accepted...it's celebrated.

The people who criticize the church are looking for every loop hole & non sacrificial path to make it to heaven. It's like they're saying, "Make it perfect & we'll come".

Jesus said His burden was "EASY & LIGHT". He didn't say there wouldn't be struggle, sacrifice & commitment.

Shaking my head at this confused world we live in. We must hold to The Scriptures as our only truth.

There isn't "Your truth" or "my truth"...there's only ONE TRUTH. Jesus said it was Him. If our lifestyle doesn't line up with His teachings...we err from any truth imagined.

There will never be peace in our lives until we reconcile with the Prince of Peace...Jesus.

The simple salvation plan still works.

Russell Hylton

God Wants To Heal Fatherless Sons

This is indeed the season of sons & daughters returning to fathers. If you have been a son or daughter & have a broken relationship with your spiritual father, reconciling that relationship will bring healing.

Perhaps in the past, you may have had a spiritual father in words but not in heart/actions. Don't be dismayed. There are REAL fathers out there...maybe not in surplus...but ones with huge hearts who can heal your brokenness. But fathers can only invest into those whose pride is removed & allow that investment to come to them.

The spiritual fathering relationship is more than getting some counsel from time to time, or being another number in a network, or just another stop in a preaching circuit. THAT IS NOT FATHERING. A spiritual father invests into the life & purposes of their sons & daughters. They do this unreservedly & not based on the return from the son or daughter. They see their hidden potential & see it fully healthy & functioning. There are many claiming sons & daughters with no real relationship & the motive is not for the betterment of the person but to add numbers to their own tribe. The motive is wrong so the actions are also. This leaves a bad taste in my mouth as many are getting only a portion of fathering without full investment.

All spiritual fathering relationships are required to have the expectations in them understood by all involved. They have safeguards in place as well to make sure things do not get off base.

If Jesus could only father the 12, Paul had less, and Timothy was instructed to look to find them...then fathering is limited in the number you can truly be effective with.

In the past decade, spiritual fathering has become another buzz word. I have seen many claiming sons who never spent any time investing in them but “absorbed” them already matured to claim they have sons. Or they absorbed them into their network without really helping to perfect them in the faith. To me, this is having the rewards & affirmation of peers, over the reward of seeing a son or daughter blossom.

Relationships change as seasons of fathering are completed. You can have 50-60-100 sons but you probably are only truly fathering a handful into the very depths of fathering at any one time, because if done right, like natural fathering, there comes a day when they stand on their own and have grown up. You will always be their father but it will change in function.

I've personally witnessed sons & daughters who have been sent (not went) & are doing great things for God. They recognize the investment that has been made in their life & they reconnect through reciprocity because of the motion of God in their ministry. I am also seeing many prodigals or those who got disconnected in the process return home.

God leaves space for this to happen. As a father, who loves deeply, I can attest that when you keep your heart connected to your spiritual children, no matter how you were treated, God will bring a holy conviction for things to be done right.

Maybe you're waiting on some specific ones today. Perhaps you're waiting with faith and expectation for their heart to turn. My prayer is that it won’t take calamity like I've witnessed.

See, once the spiritual fathering relationship is started, the father’s heart is always there for their sons & daughters. Once I start a relationship, I have already decided that I will give the investment needed, the time required & the privileges I will give.

From my experience, most of the time, sons & daughters are coming from an orphaned spirit. Perhaps their relationship with their natural dad is skewed. Perhaps they have been spiritually rejected, deemed of no value or pushed aside. These things are the second things I begin to press into to see them get healed & whole.

Without these things complete in them, then all other perspectives & perceptions are really out of focus. THERE MUST BE HEALING.

These areas are probably the reason for the relationship. IDENTITY is also a large part of this second step. Without a proper identity, you may never function correctly as function comes from identity not identity coming from function.

This reversal is a hard one for most sons & daughters as they have always performed to have a place in the ‘pecking order’. For them to see the value of who they are to God takes time.

This is the real heart of fathering. Patience. Long suffering. Right perceptions. This step is about helping the person to become whole in the midst of their confusion, perceptions, & self determined value.

The third step is the step of RELEASING POTENTIAL.

Giving opportunities for that potential to come forth & walking out life together. It is about helping with mistakes together & learning together. This is where ministry truly begins to happen & the person’s ability to rise above their past & into the future becomes present in their life.

What I'm sharing is really a broad stroke of the paint brush. There are many moving parts in the Father/Son relationship. Some of these steps occur at the same time. Some will need to be done in a set order. Each relationship is different & requires truly knowing the heart of God for the person & having vision for who they are to God.

Spiritual fathering is an art form more than a taught way of ministry. You cannot necessarily read about it in a book & do it but it comes from a heart that has been formed over TIME.

God wants to HEAL fatherless sons.

Every Blessing,

Russell Hylton

Leaguership

Check out my newest book, "Five-Fold Fathering" at www.russellhylton.com

Dealing With Slander

#DearLeader

When a slanderer sets his/her sights on discrediting you, trust God to expose his/her deception & reveal his/her motives.

• Do not jump into the mud with them.

• Resist the urge to chase down every lie.

• Guard your heart from resentment.

• Allow your circle to prove itself.

• Stay in love with JESUS.

Leaguership

www.russellhylton.com

Treat People The Way You Want To Be Treated

#DearLeader

Treat people the way you’d want to be treated if you were to ever find yourself in the same situation.

The way you treat people should never be affected by the way they treat you. But once you see who they are & what they're about, ADJUST.

Leaguership

www.russellhylton.com

Loyalty - There Is No In Between

1. At this point in my life, loyalty is an all or nothing proposition. There is no in between. You either are or you aren’t.
2. This week, examine the level of loyalty you give to your covenant relationships. Faithfulness is to an ideal, assignment or promise. Loyalty is to a person. Are you loyal?
3. Loyalty is a huge deal. It's not something you choose when it's convenient. It's how you let people know you can be trusted!
Leaguership
www.russellhylton.com

Do What They Ask You To Do

Years ago, when I began receiving opportunities/invitations to minister in my home church & in other churches, my pastor taught me...“If they ask you to sing, don’t preach. If they ask you to preach, don’t sing.”

He was teaching me to do exactly what I was asked to do & to not try & freestyle. In my young understanding, I submitted to this.

I now know that my pastor was imparting much wisdom in my life. He was teaching to honor protocol & to be a submitted & seated son. He was teaching me ministerial etiquette. He was teaching me about order, function & authority. He was helping me hone my gift & walk worthy of my vocation.

We need Spiritual Fathers who will CHEER for us, CORRECT us, & CHALLENGE us. This is a great need in ministry training today.

Sadly, it seems, more & more, we are seeing the rise & fall of superstar speakers who think they're the next, ________ & want to rent a warehouse, preach into a camera & have someone follow them around with a camera as they display their newest wardrobe & walk from the Green room to the pulpit. 🤦🏻‍♂️

QUESTION: How is Christ being exalted & sinners being saved...by us watching you be filmed walking to the make-up chair, dressing room, green room, the platform & then behind the scenes to be toweled down by 10 armorbearers?

A revival of HUMILITY would do us well. 🔥

If they ask you to preach...PREACH.
If they ask you to sing...SING.

Do WHAT you're asked, WHEN you're asked, WHERE you're asked, HOW you're asked & don't forget WHY you were asked in the first place.

Good teaching will keep you.
Russell Hylton

@Leaguership

www.russellhylton.com 

In MY Opinion

In my experience, as a minister/pastor/father, I've encountered 2 categories of "ministers".

1. Those who want to "preach" so bad they can taste it.

2. Those who know they're "called" but are bashful/reluctant & maybe even running from their call.

In MY experience...

• Those who fall into the 2nd category - those who are not reaching for a mic...ultimately have fruitful longevity in ministry that builds over time & have increased favor.

• Those who want the mic so bad, they can taste it...jump from this to that, here to there, and pillar to post because they are only satisfied when they are self-satisfied.

Ministry is not about holding a mic.
Ministry is about being held by a responsibility to serve.

Start in the field. If you can serve when no one is looking, where there's no promise of position or "pay" - you won't have to look for a platform...a platform will find you.

Leaguership
www.russellhylton.com

Happy Monday

Mondays can be tough, for sure But a Christian knows the cure No matter what the day may bring We experience peace in Jesus, our King

My spirit is fresh but my body is sore

Getting moving is a bit of a chore

So as I stretch, I also pray

I need His presence to face the day

In Jesus, I have hope and peace

Worries and fears have to cease

So, I'm gonna lift my voice and sing

As I embrace this Monday with everything!

Russell Hylton

Blessings!

Believing and Belonging

Do you believe in what your local church is doing enough to belong to it?

Belonging to a local church through practical membership happens first when you believe in the work that the local church is doing to the degree that you want to belong to it.

When this happens, you’ve moved from convenience to commitment and from bystander to bootstrapper!

To merely attend a church is to be a spectator from the stands. On the other hand, when you belong to a church, you are actively involved in the work of the church. Anyone can attend and consume what the church is giving out...but people who belong are the ones who are investing their time, talent, and treasure in the cause. Honestly, there will always be those who just want the benefits of the church but refuse to share the responsibility.

As a leader, one of my greatest challenges is moving people from the sidelines to the field. Helping people understand the need for commitment to the local church body is an ongoing challenge. I believe one of the reasons is due to the climate in our culture to remain autonomous...to fly below the radar and not attach yourself to anything in particular for fear of being asked to do something that will require a commitment.

Due to this mindset, we are seeing an increase in spiritual orphans who jump from one church to the next without any identity, accountability, or commitment. Often, these are good people who have convinced themselves that they can be "good Christians" without actually belonging to a local church.

And yet, the Bible speaks to the need for believers to belong to an active local church.

1. Belonging to a local church establishes your identity as a believer.

John 13:35 "By this, all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Identifying yourself as a disciple of Jesus means you’ve identified with a local group of disciples.

We cannot do life alone. When we choose to connect with a local body of disciples, regardless of background, race, or social status, we are testifying to the world that we belong to Him and to those He has connected us to for His Kingdom purpose. When we are connected to a body," we can truly be the "part of the body" He created us to be. The body is connected, not separated.

2. Belonging to a local church moves you from exclusive to inclusive.

As I mentioned, we cannot do life alone. This is why God "places" us in the body as He sees fit. He joins us in a local body, which requires us to learn how to get along. Like any family, we have to learn how to serve one another, love one another, and do so with unselfish motives.

The longer I am connected to a local church through practical membership, the more I find myself caring about others. The Apostle Paul said that we would experience empathy with our brothers and sisters in Christ: 1 Corinthians 12:26 "If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part of our body is honored, all the other parts share its honor."

If we are merely casual acquaintances, we do not experience the benefit of forging relational fellowship. It’s in this relational fellowship that we discover we are not independent of one another but rather dependent on each other.

 When I belong to a local church, I’m expressing to my brothers and sisters in Christ that I am just as committed to them as I am to Jesus Christ. In my commitment to the local church, I am modeling my commitment to Christ. Most of us are familiar with John 3:16. It’s a powerful verse that illustrates God’s great love for us. But, have you considered 1 John 3:16? "Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers".  This expectation is placed on the shoulders of believers toward one another.

3. Belonging to a local church stretches my potential.

The greatest "stretching" I have experienced came through my participation in the purposes of the church. Obviously, attending church services is vital to my spiritual growth and health, but my greatest growth comes from participating, not just attending. The Bible says, "As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy, growing, and full of love" (Ephesians 4:16).

Since believers are called to belong to a local church body in order to function with purpose, we must also embrace the fact that this cohesion also identifies us as "family." The Bible mentions one another or each other over 50 times in the New Testament. We are commanded to...

• Love each other

• Pray for each other.

• Encourage each other.

• Admonish each other.

• Greet each other.

• Serve each other.

• Teach each other.

• Accept each other.

• Honor each other.

• Bear each other’s burdens.

• Forgive each other.

• Submit to each other.

• Be devoted to each other.

• and many other mutual tasks.

This is BIBLICAL MEMBERSHIP.

So, the question to each of us, especially to those who attend church services, is:  with whom are you doing these with?”

4. Belonging to a local church meets needs.

When God "saved" me from my sin, He didn’t just save me to sit. He saved me to fulfill a purpose in His body. This is referred to as your "MINISTRY."  Your ministry (assignment) in His body is meant to benefit everyone, not just you.

1 Corinthians 12:7 "A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church".

It is through the local church that believers discover, develop, and use their gifts. Even if your ministry or purpose has expanded to a national audience, you never lose your responsibility to your local church and the area you cover. Jesus has not promised to build anyone’s ministry; he has promised to build His church.

5. Belonging to a local church expands God’s reach.

Today, God is using His spiritual body to reach the world. We are His hands and feet among the nations. Yes, we are to love the local church and have tremendous relational fellowship within it. However, we are also called to carry this same relationship to the rest of the world. We start in our Jerusalem and then expand to our Judea, Samaria, and the rest of the world.

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

6. Belonging to a local church covers me.

Every believer needs the protection of their local church and leadership. I’ve said for many years, "Left to myself, I’m a trainwreck." Friends, none of us is immune to temptation. Left to ourselves, without accountability, we are all capable of sin. God knows this. This is why we are instructed to help hold each other accountable.

Hebrews 3:13: "But exhort one another daily, while it is called "today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."

"Mind your own business" is not a Christian phrase. We are called and commanded to be involved in each other’s lives. If you know someone who is wavering spiritually right now, it is your responsibility to go after them and bring them back into the fellowship.

James 5:19-20 "19 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins."

When you belong to a local church, you are also afforded the spiritual protection of godly leaders. God gives shepherd leaders the responsibility to guard, protect, defend, and care for the spiritual welfare of their flock.

Hebrews 13:17 "Their work is to watch over your souls, and they know they are accountable to God."

The devil loves to disconnect believers from the local church. He picks us off one by one through offense, isolation, disconnection, etc., because he knows that if he can separate us from a local church and the covering of our leaders, we become an easy target.

Friend, being a "Christian" is more than just a commitment to Jesus; it is also a commitment to other "Christians".  Let us be reminded that each of us must move from being "believers" to being "belongers."

You become a Christian by committing yourself to Christ, but you become a church member by committing yourself to a specific group of believers.

The first decision brings salvation; the second brings fellowship.

Jezebel

JEZEBEL (male or female)(controlling spirit) ...

- Will befriend you until they become offended at you.
- If they can't control you, they'll condemn you.
- Will criticize you, it's part of their job description.
- Will talk nice/nasty (nice to you, nasty about you).
- Will talk about you; not with you.
- Will make threats & plot in open & in secret to destroy you.
- Will find weak minded people to do their bidding.
- Will speak the same language as the pastor, but their motive will be to gain position & control. Acts16:16

HOW DO YOU COUNTER THIS?

- The Lord's directive to Elijah holds true for you: Rest. Rise. Eat. Repeat.
- Jezebel is a spirit that seeks to co-opt legitimate authority to accommodate its idolatrous ends. It cannot be coddled or allowed to operate unchecked. It must be confronted.
- The preaching of the CROSS will drive the spirit of Jezebel back to the hellish pit it crawled out of.

Leaguership Lesson - 1 Timothy 1:12

1 Timothy 1:12 says, "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;"

Leaguership Principle...

1. GRATITUDE

• Leaders should express gratitude for the opportunities & strengths given to them by Christ.

2. TRUSTWORTHINESS

• Jesus appoints us because He considers us trustworthy.

• Leaders should strive to be trustworthy in all aspects of their life, including their leadership role.

3. SERVICE

• Jesus appoints leaders to His service.

• Leaders should prioritize service to Christ and others in their leadership role, rather than seeking personal gain or recognition.

In this verse, the Apostle Paul highlights the importance of humility, gratitude, trustworthiness & service in leadership. A leader should prioritize these qualities in their approach to leadership & strive to reflect the example set by Jesus.

#ThankfulThursday 

Russell Hylton

Visit www.russellhylton.com