After God's Own Heart

Leadership Lessons from the Life of David

Michael Walker

• Publisher: Double Diamond Services, LLC
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781736564417
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

Effective leadership is always a critical need in the church. Current and aspiring church leaders need models to emulate, and no source of leadership models can surpass the Bible. The Word of God presents us with numerous examples of great leaders, especially in the Old Testament, and one of the greatest of these is David, the second and greatest king of Israel.

In this short, plainspoken book, Dr. Michael C. Walker examines nine episodes from David's life and draws from them powerful leadership lessons that are just as relevant in our times today as they were 3000 years ago. In these nine brief chapters, Dr. Michael shows us David at his very best and his very worst, from his triumph as a youth over a literal "giant" of a challenge, to his most colossal and egregious failure as a middle-aged king -- and everything in between. What emerges is an inspiring picture of a man of great strengths -- and great weaknesses -- but who also possessed a passionate heart for God. Learn from the life of David how to be a better leader and a person After God's Own Heart.

Leadership Lessons
from the Life of David

Leadership Lessons from the Life of David

A People After God’s Heart

Dr. Michael C. Walker

Copyright © 2021 by Dr. Michael C. Walker

This book is protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1967 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the author. To request permission, contact the author at [email protected]. Mention of specific companies, organizations or authorities in this book does not imply endorsement by the author or publisher, nor does mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities imply that they endorse this book, its author, or the publisher. All trademarks are the property of their respective companies. Internet addresses given in this book were accurate at the time it went to press.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the author has used his best efforts in preparing this book, he makes no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. Printed in the United States of America. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Illustration by Chanelle Laurýn Lewis

Email: [email protected]

Facebook Page: Artistic Creations by Chanelle Laurýn

Instagram Page: @ArtworkbyChanelle

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021901916

Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Leadership Lessons from the Life of David: A People After God’s Heart.; by Dr. ­Michael C. Walker

116 pages cm.

ISBNs: 978-1-7365644-0-0 Paperback

978-1-7365644-1-7 ePub

Dedication

I’ve had so many positive examples of good leadership in my life that I’m not sure how to begin this dedication. It probably begins with my parents. Ted and Bernice Walker were leaders. They led me and my brothers every day. They helped me to understand what it meant to be a child of God. For this and many other things I will be always grateful to them.

In the life of the church there have been a number of others who have exhibited strong leadership for me. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention pastor Preston Lucas, who helped me understand my call to ministry when I was a teenager. Pastor Lucas and his son, Dr. Tom Lucas, have been of great influence to me in my life and continue to do so presently.

After I became a pastor, there was one individual who especially exhibited strong leadership for me. Dr. William I. Powell became not only a leader in my life but also a great friend. I miss him and his godly influence every day.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: God Looks at the Heart

Chapter Two: The Bigger They Are…

Chapter Three: Beware of the Green-Eyed Monster

Chapter Four: Choose Your Friends Well

Chapter Five: The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend

Chapter Six: Speak the Truth in Love

Chapter Seven: Everybody Dance Now

Chapter Eight: God’s Promise to David

Chapter Nine: A Lady in the Night

Conclusion

Introduction

A number of years ago, I was contemplating how to be a better leader in the life of my local church. It seemed to me that the answer should have been immediately obvious, but it was not. So I decided to do what I know best: to look to the Scriptures themselves. In the Bible we find a number of great leaders. One of these is David, who became the second king over all of Israel. I decided to examine his life to identify some leadership lessons. Thus began the writing of this book, and the genesis of my greater understanding of leadership in my life and in the church. While I make no claim that this book is an exhaustive study of David’s life and leadership, it does contain specific leadership lessons from his life, both positive and negative, that I have chosen to help me understand how to better lead in the life of the local church.

We know that David is for us a man after God’s own heart. Acts 13:22 says, “After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’”

We also find much trouble in David’s life. The first incident occurs through his willingness while still a young lad, perhaps not yet at the age for his Bar Mitzvah, to face down and defeat in single combat a literal giant of a man named Goliath. Because the Spirit of the Lord is upon him, David realizes that this giant of a man should not be a giant in his life; the battle belongs to the Lord. This is David’s hope and consolation. Saul, who is currently the king of Israel, does not want David to go and fight his battle. Finally, Saul has no choice. No one else is willing to step forward and challenge this man to the fight he has been demanding. David accepts Goliath’s challenge, and, of course, wins the battle. He hurls one rock with his sling and it finds its mark in Goliath’s forehead, who immediately falls dead. David is victorious, and thus, Israel is victorious. And what everyone there should have realized was that God was victorious. There is no way that this young lad could defeat that giant of a man without the able assistance of God.

And so it is with us as we lead in the life of the church; we can do nothing without Christ as our strength. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (NKJV). Throughout this book we will look at several life lessons of David and seek to make application of those lessons into our own lives.

David received a great promise from God that one of his descendants would ascend the throne and reign over Israel forever. 2 Samuel 7:16 says, “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.” We have the advantage of history. We know that Jesus is the one who will sit on David’s throne in perpetuity. So, while this book is a great example for us looking at an Old Testament hero, another book will follow that will examine Jesus’ earthly ministry to draw out the perfect examples of leadership that he exhibits for us as well.

Chapter One

God Looks at the Heart

Israel longed for a king. All the nations surrounding them had a king, so why shouldn’t they? The children of Israel didn’t want to be different; they wanted to be just like everybody else. Doesn’t that sound just like children—of all ages? We want to be just like everybody else. When I was a kid, I wanted to have a pair of sneakers just like everybody else. What did you want growing up that everybody else had? A certain pair of blue jeans? A particular style of dress? The latest “rage” in video games? What about today, as a grownup? A fancy new car, or if you’re like me, a truck? It’s human nature to want to be like everybody else.

The Israelites were tired of being different. They wanted a king because they thought a king would make them like every other nation. God, however, wanted them to be different. He didn’t want them to have a king because He was their king. Israel was a theocracy, a nation ruled by God, who was in charge of the land and administered His word through the prophets, the judges, and the elders of the towns and villages. But the people weren’t satisfied with God as their king. They kept asking Him for a king, a human king who would govern their affairs, fight their battles, and guard their prosperity. They kept asking…and asking…and asking. Finally, God relented, and instructed Samuel to anoint Saul as king. When Samuel presented Saul to the people as their new king, they acclaimed him loudly and joyfully. Why were they attracted to Saul? For all the wrong reasons. He was big, and he was handsome, and he was tall—head and shoulders above everyone else. He also was a gallant warrior, a huge plus in the eyes of the people. In short, Saul seemed to possess all the things that you and I would look for in a leader.

Saul certainly had leadership potential, and, in fact, he started out quite well. But before long, as sometimes happens, leadership went to Saul’s head. He decided that he didn’t have to strictly follow God’s instructions. Saul thought he knew better than God. While preparing for war with the Philistines and waiting for Samuel to arrive to offer sacrifices to the Lord, Saul became impatient when Samuel was late, and so offered the sacrifice himself. This was a serious sin because Saul was the king, not a priest, and only priests were authorized to offer sacrifices. When Samuel finally arrived and realized what Saul had done, he pronounced God’...

Table of contents

• Mike Walker - After God’s Own Heart