It has been with a lot of years of experience I have learned to not take myself too seriously. It's not that I don't take with great seriousness my calling or the ministry G-d has called me to do but I never forget, He could raise up anyone to do what I do. It's a "no brainer." G-d's work was in motion long before I was born. He doesn't need PJ as much as PJ needs Him. I have said a few times that He's the Talent and I'm the tool.

Teaching young adults online, I have consistently run into the same issue which is people trying to grab for leadership and walking out of G-d's precious timing. I have seen people unprepared start their own ministries and people joining up with ministries who are so desperate for their moment to lead that they join people who are walking in sin. I've seen people I have known G-d had a destiny for that was so huge that dropped the ball by assuming the arrogant "I can do it myself and don't need you." attitude. Few want to wait on G-d's promotion. They just give it to themselves.

So many people want the approval of men. They are so unhappy to see others honored and not themselves, even though they have not paid the dues. Haman was like that. He was furious and so full of envy when Mordecai received honor instead of him. The sad part is that these kinds of self-honors never fulfill us.

I have never known a true leader in the body of Moshiach who got there without the wilderness experience of following Yeshua as a nobody. It's the nobodies G-d takes and promotes and raises up. When He has to deal with an arrogant somebody, it's a longer process of bringing that somebody to a nobody status to raise them up in order to properly use them as He desires.

There's a story in the Bible I want us to look at a moment. It's about a man named Tziva/Ziba and it's in Shmuel Bet/2 Samuel 16 and 19.

Ziba had risen in position under King Sha'ul/Saul by using evil schemes and managed to continue living under King David's occupation of Jerusalem. Suddenly Ziba is cast into the position of servant of King Saul's grandson, M'fivoshet/Mephibosheth and he worked 17 years beside King David as he schemed to steal Mephibosheth's estate. Finally his chance came during the rebellion of David's son, Avshalom/Absolam.

When King David learned of the insurrection of Absolam, it had been 4 years in the making. David, not knowing who he could trust, began to seek the L-rd and gather those who were loyal to him. Mephibosheth tried to go with King David but Ziba convinced him that his crippled status would slow King David down and good old Ziba offered to go tell King David that Mephibosheth would not be joining him. Taking King David many supplies, Ziba assured King David of his support and loyalty and he lied about Mephibosheth. David in a weak moment took away Mephibosheth's entire inheritance and gave it to Ziba.

This is the kind of behavior that has the ability to place wedges between friends instilling doubt and playing both ends against the middle and being less than honest. This is why the Word of G-d tells us in Yochanan/John 7:24 (Complete Jewish Bible) "Stop judging by surface appearances, and judge the right way!" It would take many months for King David to hear the truth but as with all things, G-d reveals the truth eventually.

Ziba took himself too seriously. He thought himself too important and worthy of things that were not his to usurp. Ever met someone who was really big in their own eyes? It's quite a humbling experience because you recognize they don't have a clue where they are heading.

If we look at the lives of Moshe/Moses, Shu'al of Tarsus/Paul, King David and even Yeshua/Jesus, we can learn that G-d never varies in the way He does things. Each great leader had to serve in the wilderness. For Moshe it was 40 years tending sheep in the desert. For Shu'al of Tarsus it was years in seclusion before becoming the Apostle Paul. For King David it was years tending sheep and years of serving King Shu'al before becoming King of Yisra'el/Israel. For Yeshua it was the wilderness before His great ministry. Even myself....I served G-d in various aspects of ministry for 30 plus years before Signs and Wonders and a lot of it was work that forced me to learn how to serve.

Many young adults today are like Ziba. The Zibas will always be too self important to listen to wisdom and learn and take correction. They'll always walk out of G-d's timing. But the Davids G-d will use and make great in His Kingdom.

The torches of G-d are not ours to steal. They are to be passed from generation to generation. Just like the magicians of Egypt against Moses, you can fool people for a while with your self-proclamations of power...but eventually G-d quits playing magician games and moves into His realm of the miraculous and then you'll find out you've wasted all your time because it's not about you at all, but about Him.