Tag: Faith

Opportunities

Life is filled with opportunities. We may choose to pass or act on an opportunity. The possibility also exists that we will neither pass or act on an opportunity because we fail to see it.

Whether we see an opportunity or fail to see it, what a blessing to know God works in our lives daily. He provides us with opportunities to grow closer to Him, recognize the beauty of His handiwork, develop a stronger faith, help and encourage others, love family and friends, work and earn a living, remember those who changed our lives, and the list is unending.

Opportunities abound if we look.

What If…Part 3

What would life be like if we took out the “if factor”?

Think about the following questions.

Do we limit the power of God by the boundaries we create in our own mind?

Do we believe God has the power to do far beyond all we ask or think according to the power that works within us?

What do we hinder God from doing when we place limitations on Him?

What could God do through you and me as leaders if our faith was greater?

When we believe that God can and will accomplish His purpose, in spite of us, maybe we would stop thinking small and start thinking big!

Spiritual Growth

We want our children to learn how to read and write, understand history, and gain a perspective of math and science. Of course, there are other subjects.

However, do we grasp the urgency of a spiritual education?

We must take a more serious look at the situation and how to better equip God’s people.

We are responsible not just to teach, but to teach others how to learn from God’s word in order that they might teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2).

If we value what we learned from someone who took the time to teach us, then we must imitate their faith (Hebrews 13:7).

Godly Counsel

In the Psalms, David expresses the need to wait for the counsel of the Lord, because His counsel will endure forever.

Solomon claims a wise man is one who listens to wise counsel. One of the best Proverbs about counsel is found in Proverbs 27:9 where we read, “A man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.”

When leaders provide godly counsel, several beautiful things occur: 1) God is glorified, 2) His people are built up in the faith, 3) Leadership is strengthened, and 4) The future is secured.

Let leaders learn to pursue and provide godly counsel.

Test of Leadership

Abraham is a great example specifically identified with the testing of his faith. “God tested Abraham” is how the text begins with the command from God to offer his only son, Isaac, as a burnt offering.

James speaks to the purpose of testing as a way to produce endurance which ultimately results in completeness.

How should we respond to tests within our leadership?

Prayer is the best place to begin.
Hold fast to the word of God.
Seek the counsel of spiritual and godly leaders.
Remember to trust God is working to prepare us.

A Question

I first saw this question on a church building sign.

The question challenges the depth of our faith and the strength of our vision.

The question requires a deep reflection into our soul to determine where we are and where we want to go.

The question brings a responsibility to act, requiring us to get up and do something.

The question applies to every individual and congregation. It stretches across every generation, culture, and era.

Before you read the question, remember to give serious consideration to the question before answering.

The question is simply this: “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?”

Example

The only time when Jesus said, “I gave you an example,” is in John 13 where He emphasized the need to be a servant, and the mark of our discipleship comes from the way we treat one another.

Paul encouraged Christians to follow his example (1 Co. 11:1). He told Timothy to be an example of the believers in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity (1 Tim. 4:12). The world needs Christians to be an example in marriage and parenting, in ethical business conduct, and being a good neighbor.

We can provide no greater gift in leading others to Christ than setting a good example.

Virtuous Leaders

N.T. Wright’s book, subtitled Why Christian Character Matters, focuses on the need for virtue becoming “second nature.” Virtue must be a natural or automatic response for leaders.

The book develops three major thoughts. The first examines the virtuous purpose of Christian character.

The second discusses the need for character transformation. Character transformation must occur within, creating a change of actions demonstrated in our conduct.

The third considers the virtues of faith, hope, and love. These virtues are developed within the context of community.

We must implement these virtues, but we need each other to do so. We cannot develop as spiritual leaders in isolation.

Reaching the Unlikely

Studying God’s word can produce challenging thoughts that should be reflected in how we live out what we believe and see taught in it.

If we know that God has chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith and the receptivity is higher, then why are we not making greater efforts to lead those who are the most unlikely to the Lord?

Do we exert our efforts to teach those who seemingly feel as if they do not need God because of their affluence?

Should we not spend more effort leading those who have little or nothing in this life to a greater understanding of what God has prepared in the next?

Survival

Few ideas are more significant than the need for survival. For some, finding a meal for the day is a matter of survival. For others, getting through the day with their life is a matter of survival.

Leadership survival is an area of great need.

Leaders struggle to survive challenges to their faith and practice.

Leaders must survive the false accusations to their character by dissenters.

Leaders need survival skills against the forces of division.

Survival is a priority when it comes to leadership. Sadly, the survival of leadership often involves “being shot at from both sides.”