The Heart of the Matter

Focus Scripture:

1 Samuel 16: 1 – 7 (NIV)

1The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”

2But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”

4Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”

5Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

6When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Sometimes people will look at another person and by appearance only say, “Wow!  This person is a strong leader or would make a strong leader.”  The debate has gone on for a long time about whether leaders are born or made.  Are there certain characteristics such as looks, height, athletic build or other physical qualities that make for a good leader?  Some would say, “Yes.”  Some studies have shown that people think tall men make good leaders.  But have such leaders often been the best leaders?  For some yes and for others, the jury is still out.

To accomplish God’s plans, God often ignores those attributes that we humans think make for a great leader.  Often the leader that God needs are the very people that other people would say would never qualify for a leadership role.  These are the very people that others would disregard as having no leadership capacity.

In these first seven verses of chapter sixteen, even Samuel thought that God was going to choose Eliab to be the next leader.  Eliab is described as looking like a leader.  He was tall, strong, sturdy, and looked noble.  Eliab looked the part.  As people we get fixated on the external.  We want the image of the leader that we have in our minds.  But this is not always the case with God.  God looks at the strengths of the character.  God looks at the heart of the leader.

For God, the heart is what qualifies the leader.  Leaders must have a servant heart.  The leader needs to know that as leader they are to serve and not to be served.  But not only know this… the leader must live it out at all times.  The right skills, talents, physical looks, personality, intelligence, and hard work are all excellent, but the heart of the leader is what God looks at first.

Such a Great Promise

Jeremiah 33: 2- 3 (NIV)

2“This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name: 3‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

God-- the God who formed the universe and everything in it-- wants to hear our prayers.  God desires to answer our prayers.  God will answer these prayers with things that we may not otherwise know.  As leaders it is critical that we pray continuously for God's guidance, direction, wisdom, peace, and understanding.  Always protect your prayer life.  We have a large God ready to listen to and answer even our smallest prayer.

Press On

Focus Scriptures

2 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV)

17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Romans 5: 3-4 (NIV)
3Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope.

The ability to press on is about perspective and how we view our current circumstances.  We get more of what we focus on.  If we feel that everything is hard and heavy we will be weighed down and not able to fulfill the purpose that God has for us.  We will never see the dream come to reality.  But remember and rest in the knowledge that what each trouble brings is glory that far exceeds the momentary pain and suffering.

Our character and hope develops in our trials and suffering.  In this process God is able to remove those things that bind us and in doing so, He leaves us refreshed, renewed, re-created to do the work that He has called us to do.  And know this… this is never a once and done event.  This is a process that moves us forward toward God and His will.

God will use our trials to continue to shape us toward His purpose, His vision, His mission, and His goals.  Even our mistakes can be used by God.  God can use those times when others intentionally seek to hurt us. God will bring to pass what must be done to work out for His glory.

Remember, we get more of what we focus on.  Therefore focus on God.  To help us see the big picture we need to trust in God’s timing.  When we adopt God’s timing we are able to take on an eternal perspective that lifts the burden from our strengths and places it in God’s strength.  We need to rest in God’s timing and develop perseverance.

God uses each situation to teach us something if we let Him do so.  He has a lesson for us to learn in each trial and situation.  What we need to know right from the start is perhaps the lesson God is teaching you is meant to help someone else.  When we share the lesson we have learned through offering testimony of a trial God has gotten us through, we may help someone who is in the middle of a similar trial get through it knowing that God is faithful.  Or we may help someone avoid a similar trial entirely.

God will use a variety of teaching methods including repetition to teach us the lessons He needs us to know or to move us to His agenda.  This process may be uncomfortable.  At these times we may pray for God to change our circumstances.  But what I have come to learn is that God would rather change us personally.  Although He can certainly change the circumstances we are in, that often leaves us unchanged.  God is more interested in using the suffering to build perseverance and perseverance to build character and character inspires hope.

We cannot give up.  God wants us to press on.

No Doubt

Focus Scripture:

James 1: 5-8 (NIV)

5If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

As leaders we need to allow God to develop every aspect of our person.  We need to be in 100% for God.  We cannot hold any part back.  We need to place our full faith and confidence in Him.  We must believe that He will provide. 

But when we hold back, even a little, and have doubt, we do not have complete faith and trust in God.  We doubt.  We question if God can really get us through this situation we are facing.  In doubt we try to go into the situation and solve it in our own strength instead of relying on God.

Proverbs 28:26 (NIV)

Better the poor whose walk is blameless

than the rich whose ways are perverse.

In other words when we trust in our own strength, when we trust in our human skills, in ourselves, we are fools.  But those who walk in the wisdom that is from God are kept safe.  Doubting can delay or prevent God’s blessing.

In our leadership journey we often come to regular decisions; a fork in the road.  Do we go right or left?  Decisions must be made.  Action must be taken.  We cannot get stuck by second-guessing ourselves.  Second-guessing leads to mediocracy and playing it safe.  Make decisions to move toward your destiny.  There is no forward motion by staying stuck.

How to avoid doubt and live the life and be the leader God has called you to be.

-       Commit your life to Christ.  His call.  His direction.  His vision.  His purpose.  Understand your identity in Christ.

-       Let God develop every aspect of your person.  Commit to the habits that help you grow spiritually.  All God every aspect of your life.  Hold nothing back.  Serve God with all of your gifts.  Bring glory to God.

-       We learn God’s will when we pray.  Leaders need to pray continuously for God’s wisdom, guidance, direction, and will.  Make prayer time a priority in your day.

-       Be led by the Holy Spirit.  At times this will not be or feel easy.  The right path often is not in agreement with human popular opinion polls.

Be confident in your knowledge of who you are in Christ.  Know without doubt that God’s plans for you are right, good, and will lead you to the things that God has in store for you.

The Image

Focus Scripture

1 Samuel 15: 1- 24 (NIV)

For today’s text see: https://bible.com/111/1sa.15.1-24.niv

The Lord called Saul to obey His instruction.  The Lord gave Saul a very clear mission.  The mission was to completely destroy the Amalekites for what they had done to Israel. (Verses 2 -3).  But Saul and the army of men only did a part of the mission.

God calls us to obey Him.  However, with free will, we can choose to obey God and be a servant, or we can choose not to obey and be self-serving.

The mission in verse three is clear – Attack and totally destroy.  Put all people to death, spare nothing including the livestock.  But Saul only carried out part of the mission.  We learn in the text that he took king Agag as a prisoner and Saul and the men spared the best sheep and cattle.  They knowingly disobeyed in order to take the spoils of the battle so that others could see their success.  To top this all off, Saul even went to Carmel to erect a monument in his own honor.

Then when Samuel confronts Saul about this, Saul tries to rationalize keeping the king, cattle and sheep, and the monument.  He tries to justify his disobedience; his sin to Samuel.  But Samuel speaking the word of God will have no part of it.

Saul allowed his position (the image) of leadership to dictate what he attends to and how he attends to it.  And when confronted about his choices, how he justified it.  Saul rationalized his disobedience.  He even used religious practice as part of his rationalization.  In Saul’s eyes he successfully completed the will of God.

Samuel explains to Saul that obedience to God is better than any sacrifice.  Samuel finished by stating that rebellion or disobedience to God is like divination and arrogance no better than idolatry.  Samuel closes by saying that since Saul rejected God’s command that God has rejected Saul as leader.  Upon hearing this Saul repents. But even his repentance is still an excuse (verse 24). 

Saul does not recognize how the image of leadership drove decisions he made.  Saul become too concerned with the image of leadership instead of the essence of leadership.  Saul was concerned about being seen by others and recognized for successfully winning the battle against the Amalekites.  He was seeking honor and glory for himself.

When we seek the image of leadership instead of the essence of leadership we move from being servant leaders with the goal of serving God and others to be self-serving leaders who seek personal glory.  The motives for leadership shift from God centered to self-centered.

People look for the image of leadership.  The Lord looks at the heart of leadership.

Stand Firm- Be Courageous- Serve

Stand Firm- Be Courageous- Serve

Focus Scriptures:

Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Proverbs 28:1 (NIV)

The wicked flee though no one pursues,

but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

Matthew 10: 16 -20 (NIV)

16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Trials will come.  That is just a fact of life.  We need to be vigilant, watchful, and on guard to be prepared when they come.  People will challenge you.  People will test your authority.  But when you need to respond, when you need to speak, God, through His Holy Spirit, will be with you.  The Holy Spirit empowers us to respond in the way that we need to.

Great leaders are confident in their courage.  They are able to stand firm because they know that God is with them.  They have full faith that God is with them.  When we have God with us He helps us when we need it.  When we speak we have true confidence and we have courage.  When we know our identity in Christ we can be the servant leaders that God calls us to be.  We then place the needs of others ahead of our own needs.

But many leaders have a false courage built upon the emptiness of the position of leadership.  This type of courage is a façade; an empty shell.  Such an image of courage is apart from Christ; or wicked.  Eventually the empty shell is discovered and no one will follow a leader with a façade of courage built around an emptiness.  These leaders become overwhelmed by the image of leadership.  They try to please everyone to maintain the image.  These leaders are self-serving and seek to lead only to maintain the image.  To maintain the image they will never admit to mistakes.  Self-serving leaders know what to do.  They may even know how to do it.  But they lack the why to lead.  The image must be protected at all costs.  They know the game.  They play the game of politics to achieve their goals.  This style of leadership is empty.  Eventually the followers fall away.  They do not pursue this leader.

Servant leaders develop a deep rooted courage because they are confident in their identity in Christ.  They know not only the what and how of leadership, but they have a deep sense of the why of leadership.  They have a deep sense of purpose, call, and desire.  The servant leader is concerned with authentic influence that creates value for others.  The servant leader has courage that is not concerned with the image, but the core essence of helping others in positive ways.  The servant leader wants to leave a positive impact in the lives of others.  The servant leader wants to bring glory to God.

To do this, servant leaders must know who they and whose they are.  They work at things and lead others to bring forth the purpose for which they were created.  They employ their gifts and talents to raise others up.

Most leadership development teachers will start by having new leaders explore who they are.  What are the things that you value?  What are you passionate about?  Spend time with God and soak your leadership character in prayer. Ask God to reveal who you are as a leader.  Submit to Him and be led by His Holy Spirit.  Ask God to reveal the vision He has for you.  Then lead to serve others with authentic influence that creates value.

Throw Gasoline on Fired Up Leader Life

Throw Gasoline on Fired Up Leader Life

Seven years ago while conducting my doctoral research study on college student faith development the Lord laid a burden on my heart; a desire to teach leadership in a biblical context.  I have always had a tendency to raise up and mentor the next generation of leaders.  I believe that this is the primary task of a leader is to raise up and mentor new leaders.  This is how I have found I fulfill the command to “Go and Make Disciples.” We need more leaders who have a foundation in biblical leadership principles and stand firm and are not tossed around by every passing fad and fancy.  Leaders develop leaders.

At the time the time the seed was planted it was not the right time to launch a teaching ministry.  There was still much I needed to learn. There was still more I needed to do.  The Lord began to put me in situations that would stretch my own leadership capacity.  He placed me in situations that would help me define who I was as a leader and my identity in Christ.  He placed me in situations that would prompt me to lean on His strength.  The Lord put me in places where I would need to take risks and be entrepreneurial. 

Two years ago my family relocated to Farmville, Virginia.  We joined a church that was like pouring Holy Spirit gasoline on the spark.  I met some great spiritual mentors and teachers.  In the last six months the Lord has given significant direction and guidance to launching this teaching ministry called: Fired Up Leader Life.  The mission of FULL is to develop Christ centered leaders who (1) know their identity in Christ; (2) allow God to develop every aspect of their person; (3) pray continuously; and (4) are led by the Holy Spirit.

God’s work done God’s way will never lack God’s resources – Hudson Taylor.  My prayers have been big prayers that God will align the resources necessary to carry out the mission of Fired Up Leader Life.  The vision is that events and programs will remain free so that they are open to the largest number of participants.  But in order to do this I need partners who are willing to offer financial gifts to support the work of the ministry.  Currently Fired Up Leader Life is a small flame but I have faith and trust that God will direct the right people to throw Spiritual gasoline and help Fired Up Leader Life spark the fire for Christ in the lives of many people.

To support the launch of Fired Up Leader Life please see the Go Fund Me link at:

https://www.gofundme.com/firedupleaderlife

Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

For more information about Fired Up Leader Life please see the website at: www.firedupleaderlife.com.