Tag: God

God’s Design

Why is it important to study, promote, consider, and develop areas of leadership?

After attending a Bible class focused on marriage, I began to think about the emphasis on God’s design for marriage. I was intrigued with how often we want someone to tell us how to “fix” the problem.

Rarely do we go back to God’s design. As a result, we continue to struggle with the same problems and issues that have plagued the home for millennia. Successful marriages recognize and follow God’s design. It is that simple!

What about leadership? Could it really be that simple? Yes! The answer begins with God’s design.

Prepared by the Past

I once saw a billboard with the following statement, “The past does not define, it prepares.”

Perspective proves to be reality for all of us. When we consider the perspective we hold on our past, it is amazing how often we define our lives by it.

Regardless of what has happened, good or bad, success or failure, how different would the future be if we lived with the perspective that our past only prepared us from something greater?

We cannot live in the past. We certainly cannot change it. Why not use the opportunity to view the past as a foundation for the future God has in store?

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!

What If…Part 2

Yesterday, I posed this question: What would we do if we knew we could not fail?

The challenge is to see a much bigger picture. Consider the following: If we could not fail…

Would we talk to the neighbor across the street?

Set greater goals for reaching the lost in our city, state, or country?

Approach world missions with loftier efforts?

I ask this because we can’t fail! The Bible reminds us that not one of God’s good promises ever failed.

He is with us and for us, and “if God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). Why are we waiting?

Uncertainty

Life can change in heartbeat. Tragedy often strikes in a moment. The loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, and a hundred other areas often create uncertainty.

What will happen? When will these events occur? Why do they happen?

These are questions we ask in moments of uncertainty. However, when our faith is challenged, we can find the blossoming leadership of godly examples that surround us.

We pray earnestly before, during, and after tragic events. We must trust those prayers will be answered and know God will work through our lives and the lives of others to lead in ways that point to the Father of all.

If Only

Too often we sit and think about the hypothetical possibilities of what could happen…if only.

Walt Disney amassed an empire on the foundation of a mouse. His thought? “If you can think it, you can do it.”

Do we limit what can be accomplished, or perhaps limit what we believe God will accomplish, because we’ve convinced ourselves we cannot do it?

In the Old Testament the thought is expressed, “Is the power of the Lord limited?” Jesus said, “With God all things are possible.”

Instead of thinking, If only, maybe we can think, “With God on our side, there is nothing we cannot do.” Dream Big!

True Leadership

Difficulties often cause leaders to: a) step out of the leadership role, or b) never enter into a leadership role.

God never promised a carefree, problem free life. If anything, God ensures us that life is going to be filled with problems, difficulties, and suffering.

True leadership learns how to deal with those challenges in the most godly, Christian manner possible.

Rely upon God for guidance in approaching these challenges.

Develop a strong determination to lead no matter how difficult the road.

Seek help from seasoned leaders who have faced difficulties.

Above all, understand that they are only temporary.

Win or Learn

We live in a competitive world and winning dominates every sport. Individuals and teams desire to be winners at all cost. Losing is not an option.

Nelson Mandela said, “I never lose. I either win or learn.” Imagine this mindset. The concept of losing doesn’t exist, but rather learning.

When we think in terms of losing, we miss the opportunity to improve. We can easily fall into the trap of compromise in order to win. We cut corners, minimize relationships, and view people as objects to our own end.

We must learn, improving who we are and what we do for the benefit of God’s church and His glory.

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.