As a Leaders who follows Christ, we must lead just as the Master did. Jesus led by faith in HIS Father because HE knew HIS Father. Similarly, we too must know our Heavenly Father through an intimate fellowship with HIM. Many years ago, on one of my trips to the South of Tamilnadu, in a village of Valliyoor Vadakankullam, I was awakened early in the morning. The Lord impressed upon my heart to spend the early morning hours with HIM to hear and give heed to HIM. To summarize it in Tamil "அதி காலை ஜெபம் ஒரு ஐக்கிய ஜெபம் இருக்கட்டும்." "Let your early morning prayer be a time of fellowship with God" when you come to listen rather than speak to your Heavenly Father.
The early morning time is not to bring requests to the Lord, it is a time of hearing from the Lord. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. Eccl.5:2. Most of the time, we are so busy voicing our prayers to God, that we do not listen or give heed to what HE says. Jesus said in Mathew 6:7-9 "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." God has given us two ears but only one mouth. So let us hear twice as much as we speak to HIM.
Hence, if your time of praise and worship to the Lord is for one hour, let your hearing from God be for two hours. Read and meditate on the Word of God for twice as much time as you spend speaking to HIM. Accept instruction from HIS mouth and lay up HIS Words in your heart until it begins to overflow from your heart. Then from the overflow of your heart, your mouth will speak. In 1 Peter 4:11 it is written "If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God." And the Word of God that is spoken will not fall to the ground void, but will accomplish what God has sent it to accomplish." There will be a transformation in the hearts of the hearers. And God, who worked so powerfully in Peter and Paul, and all the mighty saints of God, will also work in you and your hearers to make them into what God wants them to be.
May the Lord Bless you and make you into what HE wants you to be.
I remain a servant to all of you, until Christ is formed in you.
Noel