Steven Curtis Chapman sings, "Something Beautiful." Beginning from God's perspective, he sings, "'I'm gonna turn it into something different. I'm gonna turn it into something good. I'm gonna take all the broken pieces and make something beautiful like only I could.' So put it all in the hands of the Father! Give it up, give it all over to the only One Who can turn it into something beautiful!"
By following God and His direction and leadership, we allow Him to mold us and create us, including our mistakes, mess-ups, and downfalls, into something beautiful in His hands!
Today's key Scripture is Romans 13:1-2, which says, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." (NIV)
Note that Paul mentions twice that God has established the authorities! In the Old Testament (specifically Genesis 41:1-40), God presented a dream to Pharaoh in two forms. Verse 32 says, "'The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God...'" (NIV) Two times God presented the dream to Pharaoh, and two times His word says that authority has been established by Him. Do you see the connection?
By instructing us to obey authorities, God is not trying to remove our freedom. Rather, He is ensuring that we are able to trust that He knows what He is doing in guiding us. And to that point, how can we learn to submit to God, Who is not physically seen, if we cannot submit to those people whom He has physically given us? If we are able to pass this test, we show God that He can entrust others to our care as leaders.
Maxwell says, "God simply provides us with an authority test. Before we will ever become leaders of integrity, we must learn to follow other leaders, regardless of differences." We must learn to properly follow before we can effectively lead.
It all comes down to matters of the heart. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." (NIV, emphasis added) Put your trust in Him (with all your heart) and let Him turn your life into something beautiful! Maxwell mentions, "When we refuse to demand our own way and instead submit to others, our hearts are right. This is when God can trust us to lead others."
We must remember that authority is established by God. Does that only include those who pass laws? Does it only refer to the head leader of a nation, such as the President? No. That even includes us, as leaders whom God has called to such a task. We have to remember that, if we are to remain in a proper relationship with our followers, we have to let God, the Ultimate Leader, guide us so that we can lead others.
Maxwell asks, "What authorities do you need to submit to?"
My bosses came to mind. If you work, you have to follow the direction of your boss, right? If you don't, you probably won't have that job for much longer. Furthermore, we must follow God, for He is the ultimate authority!
Reflect on that question for yourself, keeping in mind Romans 13:1-2.
Father God, thank You for Your many gifts and blessings to me, both spiritual and physical. If we, as humans, know how to bestow good gifts unto our children, how much more so You to us! Please help me to properly submit to authorities. Guide me always, and help me to follow Your guidance. The, please be with me as I lead others. I hold onto Your promise that You will never leave me nor forsake me. Thank You for that! I know that You are turning me and my story into something beautiful! I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and I praise You and thank You for that! I love You! In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
God bless you!
Monday, October 26, 2015
Monday, September 14, 2015
Servant Leadership
Unspoken sings the song, "Good Fight." Singing from the perspective of God, they remind us to, "Keep fighting the good fight! Keep letting your light shine! 'Cause I'm never gonna leave you; always gonna see you through to the other side. Keep fighting the good...fight!"
Mark 10:45 says, "'For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.'" (NIV)
Leadership is more about being there to serve and help others than it is about being served. Maxwell says, "Once you have modeled a willingness to pay your own price for the potential of the team, you have the credibility to ask others to do the same." Jesus is the greatest example of that. He gave up many things, even His own life, for His followers. He modeled for us the principle of sacrifice. Leaders should look for the good of the team and do what they can to help make sure the team is successful.
Maxwell asks, "How do you show your willingness to sacrifice to your team?"
I have used this example before. As President of Phi Theta Kappa, I personally put in time to help my team earn points to win Club of the Year, when we were in third place, and quickly losing that, and over 200 points in the hole. We got a game plan together and carried it out. It was a lot of work, and we had to sacrifice our own time, but it was for the good of the team and it helped others in the process. (By the way, we won Club of the Year.)
Father, thank You for everything You have done for me. Thank You for Your sacrifice so that I may have eternal life, and many blessings while alive here on earth. Please help me in my times of need. Strengthen me and help me to show others how to find strength in You rather than looking to material things. I love You! In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
God bless you!
Good Fight
Mark 10:45 says, "'For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.'" (NIV)
Leadership is more about being there to serve and help others than it is about being served. Maxwell says, "Once you have modeled a willingness to pay your own price for the potential of the team, you have the credibility to ask others to do the same." Jesus is the greatest example of that. He gave up many things, even His own life, for His followers. He modeled for us the principle of sacrifice. Leaders should look for the good of the team and do what they can to help make sure the team is successful.
Maxwell asks, "How do you show your willingness to sacrifice to your team?"
I have used this example before. As President of Phi Theta Kappa, I personally put in time to help my team earn points to win Club of the Year, when we were in third place, and quickly losing that, and over 200 points in the hole. We got a game plan together and carried it out. It was a lot of work, and we had to sacrifice our own time, but it was for the good of the team and it helped others in the process. (By the way, we won Club of the Year.)
Father, thank You for everything You have done for me. Thank You for Your sacrifice so that I may have eternal life, and many blessings while alive here on earth. Please help me in my times of need. Strengthen me and help me to show others how to find strength in You rather than looking to material things. I love You! In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
God bless you!
Good Fight
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Guidance from the Spirit
TobyMac sings, "Steal My Show." In it, he tells God, "If You wanna steal my show, I'll sit back and watch You go. If You got something to say, go on and take it away. Need You to steal my show. Can't wait to watch You go. So take it away!"
This is one of my favorite songs. I used to sing it before I began meetings when I was President of Phi Theta Kappa. Regardless of whether you hold a leadership position or not, you can pray this to God. However, it especially applies to leadership because it allows leaders to realize that God is above them. He is the Ultimate Leader, and sometimes we just need to step back and give Him control. He may be telling us something to do or something to say to our followers. You should always pray, "Lord, steal my show," and let Him take control. There's no better position to be in than in the Lord's hands as He uses you for His glory!
Isaiah 19:11-13 says, "The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; the wise counselors of Pharaoh give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, 'I am one of the wise men, a disciple of the ancient kings'? Where are your wise men now? Let them show you and make know what the Lord Almighty has planned against Egypt. The officials of Zoan have become fools, the leaders of Memphis are deceived; the cornerstones of her peoples have led Egypt astray." (NIV)
That is an example of what happens when leaders do not let God have control. No matter what, the Lord is in control.
Maxwell gives four elements that we should pay careful attention to if we wish to have lasting leadership: Character, perspective, courage, and favor. Character is on the inside and is a major contributor to our leadership choices. Perspective allows us to see problems and opportunities form multiple angles so that we can make informed decisions before we act. Courage helps us to push forward in spite of fears or potential problems. And favor enables us to have backup, from God and from men, the former much greater and more important than the latter.
Today's reflection question asks: "Which element or elements do you need to focus on more?"
My answer to that is courage. I let my insecurities and fears interfere with my leadership when I should lift it all up to the Lord and let Him guide me.
Pray this prayer: Father, thank You for Your many blessings to me. May I never take them for granted. Please guide me in my leadership. Help me to positively build my character, bestow Your favor upon me, help me to see from the right perspectives, and give me courage to face whatever may come my way, knowing that You are always with me. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
God bless you!
Steal My Show
This is one of my favorite songs. I used to sing it before I began meetings when I was President of Phi Theta Kappa. Regardless of whether you hold a leadership position or not, you can pray this to God. However, it especially applies to leadership because it allows leaders to realize that God is above them. He is the Ultimate Leader, and sometimes we just need to step back and give Him control. He may be telling us something to do or something to say to our followers. You should always pray, "Lord, steal my show," and let Him take control. There's no better position to be in than in the Lord's hands as He uses you for His glory!
Isaiah 19:11-13 says, "The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; the wise counselors of Pharaoh give senseless advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, 'I am one of the wise men, a disciple of the ancient kings'? Where are your wise men now? Let them show you and make know what the Lord Almighty has planned against Egypt. The officials of Zoan have become fools, the leaders of Memphis are deceived; the cornerstones of her peoples have led Egypt astray." (NIV)
That is an example of what happens when leaders do not let God have control. No matter what, the Lord is in control.
Maxwell gives four elements that we should pay careful attention to if we wish to have lasting leadership: Character, perspective, courage, and favor. Character is on the inside and is a major contributor to our leadership choices. Perspective allows us to see problems and opportunities form multiple angles so that we can make informed decisions before we act. Courage helps us to push forward in spite of fears or potential problems. And favor enables us to have backup, from God and from men, the former much greater and more important than the latter.
Today's reflection question asks: "Which element or elements do you need to focus on more?"
My answer to that is courage. I let my insecurities and fears interfere with my leadership when I should lift it all up to the Lord and let Him guide me.
Pray this prayer: Father, thank You for Your many blessings to me. May I never take them for granted. Please guide me in my leadership. Help me to positively build my character, bestow Your favor upon me, help me to see from the right perspectives, and give me courage to face whatever may come my way, knowing that You are always with me. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
God bless you!
Steal My Show
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Developing Leadership Abilities
Steven Curtis Chapman sings, "And God says, 'I'm gonna turn it into something different. I'm gonna turn it into something good. I'm gonna take all the broken pieces and make something beautiful like only I could.' So put it all in the hands of the Father. Give it up; give it all over to the only One Who can turn it into something beautiful...'When I get through, you're gonna be amazed!'" ("Something Beautiful")
Exodus 13:11 tells us, "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent." (NIV) Joshua needed training.
Some people are able to take charge right out of the gate, seemingly born with the right skills to do the job. Others must take more time to develop themselves. But no matter what, some level of training and experience is needed to turn someone into a great leader.
Maxwell lists three keys for developing a new leader: encouragement, training, and opportunities. If someone discovers leadership potential in another, the former should encourage the latter to develop his or her abilities. A developing leader needs to go through training to fine-tune his or her skills. Afterward, those skills must be put to the test as opportunities to lead are presented. Leaders who have proper training and experience can make a great impact.
Today's reflection question is: "What kind of an impact player are you?"
Sometimes I make a great impact, but other times I may not. It depends on the situation and how well suited I am to make a difference in that particular area. You must know yourself and your abilities and know when you can make the best difference based on your skills and experience.
No matter what situations you are presented with, remember that with the Lord's help, he can turn it all into something beautiful if you rely on Him and put it in His hands!
Father, Thank You for Your many gifts to me. Help me to develop and refine the leadership abilities You give me. Help me to make a positive impact for Your kingdom. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
God bless you!
Something Beautiful
Exodus 13:11 tells us, "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent." (NIV) Joshua needed training.
Some people are able to take charge right out of the gate, seemingly born with the right skills to do the job. Others must take more time to develop themselves. But no matter what, some level of training and experience is needed to turn someone into a great leader.
Maxwell lists three keys for developing a new leader: encouragement, training, and opportunities. If someone discovers leadership potential in another, the former should encourage the latter to develop his or her abilities. A developing leader needs to go through training to fine-tune his or her skills. Afterward, those skills must be put to the test as opportunities to lead are presented. Leaders who have proper training and experience can make a great impact.
Today's reflection question is: "What kind of an impact player are you?"
Sometimes I make a great impact, but other times I may not. It depends on the situation and how well suited I am to make a difference in that particular area. You must know yourself and your abilities and know when you can make the best difference based on your skills and experience.
No matter what situations you are presented with, remember that with the Lord's help, he can turn it all into something beautiful if you rely on Him and put it in His hands!
Father, Thank You for Your many gifts to me. Help me to develop and refine the leadership abilities You give me. Help me to make a positive impact for Your kingdom. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
God bless you!
Something Beautiful
Friday, September 11, 2015
Fostering the Spirit of Teamwork
Jeremy Camp sings the song, "Not Ashamed." He declares, as we all should, "I'm not ashamed of the Gospel! I'm not ashamed of Jesus Christ! I will stand and boldly say that this is my life!" We should be sharing Christ with others, not hiding Him in shame. Romans 1:16 says, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." (NIV)
Today's central Scripture is Acts 18:24, 26-27: "Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus...He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him...On arriving, eh was a great help to those who by grace had believed." Apollos was not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but proclaimed it boldly. We should do the same. Sometimes we do not, but with God's help, and with the Spirit's guidance, we can! And it helps to have friends who will encourage and help you along the way.
Individuals who come together as a team have the capability to create synergy, bringing together more than the sum of the parts. However, before synergy can be realized, there are a few other dynamics that have to fall into place.
Trust is the biggest key. According to Maxwell, "Trust makes it possible for people to rely on one another." If the team wants to accomplish anything positive, the members have to trust each other, rather than looking over one another's shoulders the whole time. After trust is established, relationships can be built. Maxwell says, "As people who care about each other grow together and work toward a common goal, they get to know each other better." This step is crucial to team development, and it can help to further solidify trust. Creating relationships can lead to fostering interdependence, where team members rely on one another instead of each individual trying to work on his or her own. All of that taken together can lead to the creation of synergy.
Maxwell asks, "How can you cultivate an attitude of partnership?"
I just shared my thoughts on that. What comes to mind when you ask yourself that question?
Pray this prayer; Father, thank You for the people You have brought into my life and for the lasting relationships that have been established. Please help me to foster a spirit of teamwork in my teams. With Your guidance, we can build relationships founded on trust. Help us to work together cohesively as a team so that we can accomplish great things, to Your glory! And through it all, help me to never be ashamed of You. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
God bless you!
Not Ashamed
Today's central Scripture is Acts 18:24, 26-27: "Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus...He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him...On arriving, eh was a great help to those who by grace had believed." Apollos was not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but proclaimed it boldly. We should do the same. Sometimes we do not, but with God's help, and with the Spirit's guidance, we can! And it helps to have friends who will encourage and help you along the way.
Individuals who come together as a team have the capability to create synergy, bringing together more than the sum of the parts. However, before synergy can be realized, there are a few other dynamics that have to fall into place.
Trust is the biggest key. According to Maxwell, "Trust makes it possible for people to rely on one another." If the team wants to accomplish anything positive, the members have to trust each other, rather than looking over one another's shoulders the whole time. After trust is established, relationships can be built. Maxwell says, "As people who care about each other grow together and work toward a common goal, they get to know each other better." This step is crucial to team development, and it can help to further solidify trust. Creating relationships can lead to fostering interdependence, where team members rely on one another instead of each individual trying to work on his or her own. All of that taken together can lead to the creation of synergy.
Maxwell asks, "How can you cultivate an attitude of partnership?"
I just shared my thoughts on that. What comes to mind when you ask yourself that question?
Pray this prayer; Father, thank You for the people You have brought into my life and for the lasting relationships that have been established. Please help me to foster a spirit of teamwork in my teams. With Your guidance, we can build relationships founded on trust. Help us to work together cohesively as a team so that we can accomplish great things, to Your glory! And through it all, help me to never be ashamed of You. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
God bless you!
Not Ashamed
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Thinking in the Right Perspective
Kutless sings, "What Faith Can Do." Its lyrics are quite powerful and can help us when we are down. "It doesn't matter what you've heard; impossible is not a word. It's just a reason for someone not to try...I've seen dreams that move the mountains, hope that doesn't ever end, even when the sky is falling. I've seen miracles just happen, silent prayers get answered, broken hearts become brand new. That's what faith can do...When the world says you can't, it'll tell you that you can!" Remember, regardless of what you may face, you can handle it if you act in faith and keep your faith in the Lord! He will never leave you nor forsake you! (See Hebrews 13:5.)
Today's key Scripture comes from Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." (NIV)
Maxwell presents a paradox that comes with spiritual leadership: "We are to get wisdom and understanding, yet we are not to lean on it apart from the Lord." I found that Ecclesiastes can shed some more light on this perspective. That book's essential message can be found in Chapter 12, verse 13b: "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." It all comes down to having the right perspective. We must keep God first, no matter what we do. No matter what we set out to do, we must always remember to keep God at the forefront.
Maxwell presents several characteristics that should be present in the thinking of godly leaders. We are to think:
Today's key Scripture comes from Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." (NIV)
Maxwell presents a paradox that comes with spiritual leadership: "We are to get wisdom and understanding, yet we are not to lean on it apart from the Lord." I found that Ecclesiastes can shed some more light on this perspective. That book's essential message can be found in Chapter 12, verse 13b: "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." It all comes down to having the right perspective. We must keep God first, no matter what we do. No matter what we set out to do, we must always remember to keep God at the forefront.
Maxwell presents several characteristics that should be present in the thinking of godly leaders. We are to think:
- Big
- About other people
- Continually
- About the bottom line
- About continual growth
- Without lines
- With victory in mind
- Intuitively
- About servanthood
- Quickly
These characteristics can help guide our thoughts and actions. We should remember that God's purpose and plan is bigger than ours. Godly leaders ought to put other people and their concerns ahead of our own. Continual thinking can show that we are, "not satisfied with today's answers." (Maxwell) The bottom line, or the results of our work, should help guide us. We should always seek to grow closer to God, the Ultimate Leader, and to grow in our abilities to lead. We should remember that God is above all; we should not try to limit Him with boundaries. We need to keep in mind that, "With God we will gain the victory." (Psalm 60:12a, NIV, emphasis added) We should develop our intuition to sense what we need to do. We ought to be servant leaders, serving others and leading by example. Finally, we should be able to find a working solution quickly and act on it when time is of the essence. All of that starts with our thinking. We must think before we act.
Maxwell asks, "How do you think?"
Sometimes I possess some of those characteristics in my thinking, but sometimes I do not.
What about you? Is your thinking guided by those characteristics? Do you think in the right perspective?
Pray this prayer: Father, thank You for Your many gifts to me. Please lead and guide me, and help me to think as I should when I should, with the focus on Your and Your guidance. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
God bless you!
What Faith Can Do
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Renewing Your Team
The band Unspoken sings, "Every sorrow...every sickness...all my failures, I leave 'em in Your hands. Amen. I leave it in Your hands...Every promise...every healing...and my future, I leave it in Your hands. Amen. I can leave it in Your hands." ("In Your Hands") Remember, no matter what you are facing, you can leave it in God's hands, and there's no better place for it! God knows how to take care of anything better than you could ever imagine on your own. Trust in Him! Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." (NIV)
Numbers 21:7, 9 says, "The people came to Moses and said, 'We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.' So Moses prayed for the people...So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived." (NIV)
That situation that Moses and the other Israelites found them in may have seemed bleak. However, with God's direction, Moses provided a solution, a way to mobilize the people again.
As a leader, you may find yourself in situations where your team is stuck, unable to make further progress. They may be tired, disappointed, or uninspired. They probably cannot move themselves in such situations. Therefore, it is your job to start moving forward again.
Maxwell recommends four actions to help a team that lacks energy to move (each is a direction quote):
In Your Hands
Numbers 21:7, 9 says, "The people came to Moses and said, 'We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.' So Moses prayed for the people...So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived." (NIV)
That situation that Moses and the other Israelites found them in may have seemed bleak. However, with God's direction, Moses provided a solution, a way to mobilize the people again.
As a leader, you may find yourself in situations where your team is stuck, unable to make further progress. They may be tired, disappointed, or uninspired. They probably cannot move themselves in such situations. Therefore, it is your job to start moving forward again.
Maxwell recommends four actions to help a team that lacks energy to move (each is a direction quote):
- Investigate the situation.
- Initiate belief.
- Create energy.
- Communicate hope.
It is your job to figure out what is causing the negative situation. Maxwell says, "When morale is low, the only way to get the ball rolling is to start pushing it yourself." To do so, you can fight against that negativity by showing your followers that you believe in them and in the cause. You must then give them energy by having it yourself and causing it to rub off on them. (Maxwell) Finally, make sure they know that there is hope for them and for the cause. By following those steps, you can renew your team and get them moving forward again.
Maxwell asks, "How can you utilize the four keys above to improve morale in your team?"
Every situation is unique. As the leader of your team, you probably know information that is specific to your case. With that information in mind, ask yourself that question. What can you do in your specific information to get your team moving again?
Pray this prayer: Father, thank You for all You have given me. Please help me to positively lead my team, no matter what the situation may be. I put my situation, trust, and faith in Your hands, along with anything negative that has come or may come. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
God bless you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)