Category Archives: Leadership

Encouragement, Leadership, Singles, Small Groups

True Success

Some years ago I wrote the words “True success” in my Bible beside Jeremiah 9: 23 & 24 which reads, “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight, declares the Lord.”  Does God give us wisdom, strength and riches?  Yes He does, but He does not delight in them and neither does He desires us to boast in them.  What then does our heavenly Father “delight” in?

He delights in the one who knows and understands Him.  He delights in the one who knows that their Father is the One who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on the earth today.  Success is not found in a higher degree of education, in business or profession, in money, in the number of Facebook friends we have amassed or in how we perceive others perceive us.  Success is knowing and obeying God.  Mother Teresa once commented to the American press that she was never trying to be successful by this worlds standards, only obedient to her Savior’s call.  Powerful words from someone who impacted thousands; someone who was truly “successful.”

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Leadership, Marriage

Humility

Did you ever sing that chorus, It’s All About Me?  It goes something like this:  It’s all about me, Jesus, it’s not about You…  Joking of course, but there are times I feel as though I am singing it from my flesh – my need.  It is anything but a humble cry.  But it is a cry of the soul in our me centered world and it’s easy to get caught up in it myself.  Rick Warren said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”  I like the balance of that statement.  Charles Spurgeon once said, “Humility is to make a right estimate of one’s self.”  So how do you balance those quotes with this one, “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth?”  (Numbers 12:3)  Do you know who God used to write those words?  Moses himself.

Someone once said that humility is like underwear, essential, but indecent if it shows.  Benjamin Franklin  spoke about humility when he said, “A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.”  Jesus said, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”  (Matthew 23:12)  Humility does not come by taking a class on the subject or by listening to a sufficient number of sermons on the topic.  It does come, however, by difficult life experiences.  It comes when we are tempted to walk in selfish ambition or speak of ourselves in prideful ways.  It comes when someone reminds us of a fault and we have to take ownership for that fault, swallow our pride and ask for forgiveness.  Humility comes from wisdom Proverbs tells us (Proverbs 11:2), and wisdom comes from “the fear of the Lord.”  (Proverbs 15:33a)

Perhaps Benjamin Franklin was right when he said, “Humility makes great men twice honorable.”   (Proverbs 15:33b states, “…humility comes before honor.”)

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Leadership, Marriage, Singles

Jesus, a Man’s Man?

Twenty five men from Washington DC gathered together this past weekend at a retreat center in the mountains of Maryland.  Annually they separate from their jobs, their families, their local church and their everyday normal life to learn, to play, to stay up late watching college football, and to not shave.  One of the topics discussed was about Jesus, the Son of God, a man’s man.  This is what we discovered:

He is powerful – Mark 5:30; 11:12-14, 20-25

He commands respect – Mark 1:16-20. 27; 15:5

He’s in control – Mark 6:50

He stands up to and does not run from confrontation – Mark 2:23-28; 3:22-30; 11:27-33

He knows how to take a beating – Mark 15:19-20

He understands His mission and purpose and will not be sidetracked – Mark 8:31-34; 9:30-32; 10:33-34

He is compassionate – Mark 6:34; 10:15-16

Masculinity is under attack in our culture today.  John Piper calls masculinity a sense of “benevolent responsibility” to lead, protect and provide for women.  Author Stu Webber wrote, “The measure of a man is the spiritual and emotional health of his family…a vision for strong sons and confident daughters.  Without that vision and leadership, a family struggles, gropes and may lose its way.”

As a man, Jesus knew who He was and clearly stated, “This is who I am; this is where I came from; this is what I do; and this is where I am going.” (John 8: 12-18, 23-30) Jesus was an initiator because initiation is the bottom line of masculinity.  It means leading to provide, to mentor, to father, to befriend, to apologize, to develop, to invent, to love and to take responsibility with tender, but masculine authority.

We could hear Jesus asking, “Are you willing to follow the One who created the masculine soul?”

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Leadership, Mission Report

Hungry

As a child, when I showed up at the dinner table early my mother could be heard saying, “The hungry ones are at the table.”  She was right, I was hungry and ready to consume a wonderful home cooked meal.

I am blessed with the opportunity to speak and share God’s truth around the world.  I do find a difference in the one’s seated before me from place to place.  For some it’s just another meeting; for others it’s a “I’ll see if this speaker can impress me or teach me anything new.”  But for a few, the hungry ones, they are seated at the table early… anticipating.  Mary and I had the privilege of speaking at numerous events this past weekend on the west coast of the US.  People gathered early.  Excitement was in the air.  Anticipation lingered in the Spirit and prayerful hearts were seated with a passionate hunger for what God was about to speak to them.  God did not disappoint them; He delivered to the hungry ones.

For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:9

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Leadership, NASCAR, Small Groups, Training

Satisfaction

Relax. Take it easy.  Consider all you have accomplished.  Take pride as you survey your surroundings of comfort.

I have been reading through the book of Deuteronomy of late and am seriously finding it full of life.  Yes, that same book of Deuteronomy found in the Old Testament, the fifth book of the law.  In chapter 8 there is this solemn warning  of having eaten and feeling satisfied.  It feels like Sunday afternoon after chowing down on a wonderful lunch and then lying on the couch preparing for the big game, or better yet, a NASCAR race.  It’s almost heavenly.  Somewhere in the back of your mind you’re thankful for it all, that is to say, your house, your food, your family, your job, your car, your…  Moses warns us as we consider all this (actually he says things like our flocks increasing along with our gold and silver) to be careful that we do not become proud and forget where we came from and Who it is that blesses us with these things.

I like the feeling of “satisfaction” as much as anyone.  It feels like we have accomplished something.  But, when pride becomes part of the equation it’s dangerous.  When we become proud we forget God.  Our focus creeps back to us.  I heard someone say this past week that, in a sense, that’s why we’re made to worship God.  If we do not worship Him, we will worship ourselves and our accomplishments and take satisfaction in what we have built.    There is no greater depth of satisfaction than to follow and obey God.  He keeps life exciting.

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Leadership, Prayer, Small Groups

Detachment

Imagine this picture with me if you will: “That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.”  What was he doing there?  Well, we know He wasn’t checking His email or Facebook page; He wasn’t texting anyone or surfing the web, but I do believe He was conversing with Someone.   I see Him sitting by the lake, admiring His own handiwork as it must have brought back many enjoyable memories of when He was involved in creation with His Father.  He was there when that lake was made and He is now back enjoying the refreshing sights and sounds.  Personally, I don’t think He was “doing” anything; He was simply “being.”  He was detaching from all the business around Him.  The Son of God found renewal sitting by a body of water without a running “to do” list.

Do you take the necessary time to detach?  How often do you detach?  How do you like to detach? Can you stop “doing” long enough to enjoy “being?”  Can you stop comparing yourself long enough to enjoy a restful moment or two?  Do you realize that you cannot do it all?  Are you secure enough to say “no” sometimes?  Recorded in our Lord’s prayer Jesus said to His Father, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.”  (John 17:4)  Really?  Was everyone saved, healed, delivered?  I don’t think so, but He had completed that which the Father had asked of Him and now He would detach Himself from his earthly robe.

Detachment will help release you of the stressors of life, it’s why He gave us a Sabbath day.

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Leadership, Singles, Small Groups

Fragile Relationships

Recently I was made to realize how fragile life is.  I attended two family gatherings back to back.  One was my natural family and one was my spiritual family.  In both cases, I was able to witness severe hurts; hurts that penetrated deep into the soul.  These were hurts that could destroy permanently or make for a springboard to a life call of healing the wounded.  These were hurts that can cause extreme bitterness and subsequent physical, emotional and spiritual breakdown or a humility that leads to certain depth of character, wisdom and growth.

Which will be chosen?  It’s up to us, really.  We can tell ourselves lies based on one incident the rest of our lives or we can speak the truth of God’s word and His life-giving Spirit over ourselves.  Many choose the former and visit their doctor regularly with migraines, stomach issues, sleeplessness, nervous conditions, blood pressure issues, etc.  While the latter can walk through healing step-by-step as the Holy Spirit leads.  There is no better Counselor (Is. 9:6; John 14:16, 26), no better Healer than this One.  For you see, “In all their distress he too was distressed…”  (Is. 63:9)

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Leadership, Small Groups, Training

Have I Been in the Habit of Doing this to You?

Balaam was an interesting Old Testament character and even more interesting was his donkey.  Balaam heard from God, but he didn’t always see God when He showed up.  Balaam was on his way to see the princes of Moab recorded in Numbers 22.  He would saddle his long-time transportation for the trip, his donkey.  While on the road the donkey sees an angel blocking their way, not once but three times.  Three times Balaam becomes angry at his donkey for trying to avoid something he could not see and three times he beats his faithful beast.  Balaam becomes so angry he tells the donkey that if he had a sword he would have killed her immediately.

Then the donkey does something donkeys are not accustomed to doing, she speaks to her master, “Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”  Paraphrased she was saying, “Look you moron human, as long as you have owned me, have I ever acted this way before?”  In other words, there is something else going on here and you’re not seeing it.  She was acting out of character and Balaam was not getting the message.  When I read this the other day I had to think about the fact that so often we (I) react to what we think we see, when we are not really “seeing” at all.  God is trying to get our attention and we want to thrust a sword into the roadblock when the roadblock actually has a divine purpose.  If something is out of the norm for you today or this week, could it be a divine roadblock?  Stop and ask the Father if there is a message in this abnormality for you.

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Leadership, Small Groups

Floods

I was planning on following up on what I wrote about last week, “distance.”  I am going to suspend that for a week and share something that I feel God gave me as we have been experiencing major flooding in our region of Pennsylvania. 

A tropical storm called, Lee, brought us generous portions of water in a very short period time, 15.5 inches in my hometown area.   I have never seen anything like it.  Since the ground was previously saturated through earlier storms, the water just collected in every low-lying area until it began to flow and flow it did.  We lost hundreds of bridges and roads.  Basements were overwhelmed with water flowing in them while sump pumps simply could not keep up.  But, God is faithful and He gave me something from His word Thursday morning the 8th of September.  John 7:38 states, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within Him.” 

He gave me this amazing picture of being saturated in Him, so full that my spirit (my container) would overflow onto everyone else that I would touch.  Streams of living water, not destructive water, would flow to bring life, healing, a word of encouragement and love.  As His stream flows into me, I cannot contain it all for myself.  

You and I are to be saturated with Him so that His Spirit spills over and blesses others.  Let it flow Lord Jesus!

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Leadership, Prayer, Small Groups, Training

Distance

But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.  (Luke 23:49)

If we know Him, could we be standing at a distance?  If we’ve accepted Jesus as our personal Savior, God’s amazing love will allow us to totally walk away from Him, stand at a distance and look from afar or be right up front waiting on His next command.

How would you know if you’re at a distance?  The following are ten areas to consider with appropriate scriptures following.  We will look at ten more areas next week.  Prayerfully look over the areas and scriptures listed, perhaps in your devotional time.

You are standing at a distance if:

  1. You’re not reading the Bible daily or at least committed to do so.  (Proverbs 4: 20-22; Romans 10:17; II Timothy 2:15; 3:16,17; Hebrews 2:1; 4:12)
  2. Your prayer life consists of praying on the run or when someone else is praying around you.  (Mark 1:35; Luke 18:1; Romans 8:26,27; Colossians 4:2)
  3. You are not committed to the vision of and to relationships within a local church.  (I Corinthians 14:26; Hebrews 10:25; I John 1:7)
  4. You rarely tell anyone your testimony or share about Jesus and His love, hope and salvation.  ( Romans 10: 14,15; Colossians 3:17; II Timothy 1:7,8; 4:5;  James 5:19,20)
  5. Your friends and family are more important than Jesus is.  (Mark 3:31-35; 10:29,30; 12;30,31)
  6. You’re more concerned about what those around you think of you than you are about what Jesus thinks or says about you.  (Proverbs 29:25; Matthew 23:5-7,12; Luke 9:26; I Corinthians 1:26-31; II Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 1:10; 2:20; 4:19; Colossians 1:28; I Thessalonians 2:4-6; I Peter 2:9,10)
  7. Obeying Him has become less and less of a priority and His words have become “hard” to hear as you live your daily life.  (Proverbs 14:12; John 6: 60,66-71; 14:15,21; I Peter 2:11,12; I John 2:3-6)
  8. Your view of God has evolved to His living at a distance, and that being the case, unable to be reached consistently.  (II Timothy 1:14; Hebrews 3:6; 11:6)
  9. You’re not reading or listening to something that challenges your spiritual growth on any kind of consistent basis.  (Proverbs 3:1,2; Isaiah 26:3; I Corinthians 2:16; Colossians 3:2)
  10. “Rational thinking” from the wisdom of this world has taken precedence over the truths of God’s word.  (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 21:30; Mark 7:8; Romans 8:5-9; I Corinthians 1:18-21; Colossians 2:8; I Timothy 6:20,21; II Timothy 3:1-5; II Peter 1:3,4)
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