Tag: leadership

Lead

Re:Verse reading–Judges 4:1-22 (day six)

I do not think the primary lessons in Judges relate only to leadership. They are there for sure, but they are not the POINT. At the risk of sounding like a hypocrite,…let me whisper to you today, “lead.” Who in your life are you calling to move forward, to take a step? With whom are you joining the fight? Are you speaking gracious truth to another? Are you willing to do the hard thing, not just the convenient one? Are you counter-cultural? Life-giving instead of draining? Inspiring instead of deflating? Loving even when it hurts? Forgiving even when it is unreasonable? Tough even when you feel as if you will break?

Who in your life are you leading? Your single friends? Your husband or wife? Sons and daughters? That neighbor, that friend, that colleague who you know needs SOMEONE? That stranger? Will you lead at home? In the hallways and offices of your workplace? At the Spurs watching party? Will you live out the Gospel in all of life, in all the places that you go? Will you lead?

Are you called, you may be wondering? Yes, let me tell you, you are called. That’s what the Gospel does; it raises you from death to life, and calls you to lead.

So let me whisper to you today…”lead.”

Fitness

Re:Verse reading–Romans 8:1-17 (day three)

“If by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” Left to its own power supply, the human body will eventually become completely drained of all energy and die. This is the damning detail of the fall of man: We ceased to draw our source of energy–of life–from the spiritual realm, in particular from God himself. There is no reason these bodies God created should not last forever, provided they remain joined to the source of their power. Did you know your body was that well-made? Any program of physical conditioning must include a submission of your body to the leadership of Jesus Christ, or the care of your body is ultimately in vain. Are you willing to let Jesus teach you how to live in your body?

All called

Re:Verse reading–Romans 1:1-17 (day seven)

“Paul . . .called to be an apostle. . .to all who are in Rome. . .and called to be saints. v 1, 6.

It is finally here!  September 6.  “Forward in RE Verse”.  The beginning of a new year for our church.  New classes.  New schedule.  A new study in Romans.  Exciting!

In preparation for this day, the leadership team sponsored an “all call” initiative.  The goal was for every member to receive a phone call (or text or email or tweet) inviting them to be a part of the new, next chapter.

It makes sense.  By the CALL of Christ that we become Christians.  We are “those who love Him, who are CALLED according to His purpose”–Romans 8:28.  By the CALL of Christ we know our assignment.  Apostle.  Saints.

Did you get a call? This week? From one a leader in our fellowship?  Hopefully.  Have you, over time, received a call from the Lord?  Yes!  Yes, you have!

The Death of Hubris

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Hebrews 13:17-18 (day six)

This is all very humbling, and sobering To think that God has called me to join other faithful men to serve and lead the FBC family. You would think that these texts would have an opposite affect, arrogance, hubris, but this is far from the truth. These words that Paul writes, do a marvelous job of whittling me down to size. They do so by reminding me of the great significance of what I am called to do; that it is no small thing. It is a collosal thing to be listened to, obeyed, or imitated; it puts leadership in proper perspective. Perhaps, this is what Paul intended all along, to thrust men called to lead His church into total dependency. This calling to lead is not one to take for granted, or to take lightly.

Lord help me not to do either, but only ever follow your Son Jesus, as I show others how to do the same.

Integrity and Submission

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Hebrews 13:17-18 (day four) 

We’ve been talking about relationships this quarter…relationships with children, parents, neighbors, employers, government, and church.  Our passages this week teach us that we are to grow in our relationships.  We are to strive to improve in how we interact with others.  It seems that most all of our relationships require some level of submission to another.  God has created man to be interdependent and to operate within His plan of leadership.  To submit to another does not mean that one is superior over another…submission is a voluntary yielding of our will to another, based on their position or calling.  God holds those in authority accountable for the way they wield their authority.  At the end of the prophet Samuel’s life, he asked the nation if he had wronged any man.  No man brought an accusation against him.  (1 Samuel 12:3-4) As a leader, demonstrate integrity.  As a follower, demonstrate submission.  God’s plan brings peace and brings glory to His name.

Inventory

Re: Verse reading–1 Samuel 16:1-7; Psalm 139 (day three)

“Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord?” The hardest type of leadership is self-leadership, experts conclude.  You don’t say.  “If only you, God, would slay the wicked!”  That comes easy enough.  Then, a sobering turn: If God is everywhere, he is surely privy to one’s innermost thoughts.  What if those innermost thoughts harbor malice, greed, dishonesty?  Has the psalmist just condemned himself?  He realizes the high probability that his own heart shares the same traits as the hearts of the people he has asked the Lord to annihilate.  Self-leadership demands a fierce moral inventory: God, search me, test me, see me, lead me.  We will never preach God’s forgiveness without the poison of arrogance until we have humbled ourselves enough to become the forgiven.

He Leads, We Will Follow

Re: Verse reading–Exodus 39:32, 42-43; 40:1-2, 16-17, 32-38 (day six)

The presence of God is synonymous with His leadership. The Tabernacle not only served as a visible reminder that God was with the Hebrews, but that He also intended to lead them every step of the way; expecting them to follow. This serves as a great reminder to us that God is always in the business of leading us as individuals and as a people, His church. It is intended that we not only feel his presence, but also follow his leadership. When he moves we move.

Sometimes we don’t always appreciate this. We enjoy sensing the presence of God, but we aren’t always keen to follow Him when He moves. Maybe because He leads us away from what we are used to, or perhaps His leadership exposes our sin; areas of our life that need redeeming. Regardless we can’t have one without the other. We cannot hope for His presence, and ignore His leadership in our lives. It simply cannot be so, for to delight in the presence of God is to follow wherever He leads.