Tag: God

An Extraordinary God…

Is it extraordinary or extra – ordinary?

Either way, God worked through ordinary men and women in the Bible and made them extraordinary.

Intrigued by a burning bush, Moses approached to examine what he had never seen before. On God’s mountain, he learned how an ordinary bush can be extraordinary when it is on fire with divine activity.

We are just ordinary human beings, but when we are on fire with the divine activity of God in our lives, everything changes.

Nothing miraculous, just a simple understanding of who God is, what He has done, and what He will do.

Now that is extraordinary.

Fearless vs Less Fear…

The word “fearless” conjures up several thoughts, primarily to be without fear. However, reverse the word – “less fear.”

Various events in our leadership will always create times of fear. Fear is not eliminated, but we can demonstrate less fear, but how? Read Hebrews 11:1 – 12:3.

Faith!

Enduring life’s challenges is strengthened by victorious faith. Others have also overcome; see the great cloud of witnesses.

Trust in God’s promise; run with endurance the race set before you.

Even the greatest of obstacles, at their best are still temporary; keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.

Words of Kindness…

The value of speaking with kindness benefits every level of a leader’s influence. When a word is spoken with kindness several results occur.

The desire to benefit the person is demonstrated.

The value or worth of the individual is elevated.

The fruit of the Spirit testifies to being more Christlike.

The goal of unity is exemplified by serving one another.

The outreach to the world is built on a foundation of love.

Kindness requires us to get our personal agendas, preconceived ideas, desires, and motivations out of the way so our light can be displayed and God glorified.

Messengers of Hope…

Life is filled with highs and lows. At times, we are on top of the mountain, and other times we walk through the valley.

David understood this when he wrote the twenty-third Psalm.

He understood what was ahead of him, not behind. Even though he walked through the “valley of the shadow of death,” God was with him and he would dwell with God forever.

As leaders, we are messengers of hope.

Better days are ahead, maybe not in this life, but God holds eternity.

God’s Glory and Presence…

The “glory of the Lord” is found throughout the Old Testament. The expression is generally connected to the tabernacle or temple.

The appearing of God’s glory indicates the desire of God to dwell among and with His people. The greatest representation of this is found in the incarnation of Jesus.

John records, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” Jn. 1:14.

It is beautiful to consider how God will work through us to be present in leading others.

Reason or Excuse?

Is there really a difference between a “reason” and an “excuse?” We have all heard or said, “I’m not making an excuse, there is a good reason why…”

When considering the use of our time, do we have a reason for not using it wisely?

When we examine how we live, what reason do we have for the choices we make?

When it comes to allegiance, is there a reason God isn’t the priority He should be?

Our time, life, and allegiances all need greater consideration, because one day we will give an account for each.

Light…

Light represents far more than “a source of illumination,” especially for spiritual leaders.

We could say that light is simply the absence of darkness: “God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.”

Our light needs to shine forth the example of Jesus as it revealed throughout the Gospels.

A good study of light can be found in the Gospel of John. The next time you read through it, highlight the word “light.” Consider how the word is used in context and how it applies to casting a vision built on faith for leaders.

Positive Leadership…

Is it possible in our culture to avoid negativity? No! We cannot completely avoid negativity. Sadly, we are surrounded by it. We often face so much negativity it becomes difficult to see anything positive.

What can we do to limit negativity’s influence?

Why not begin at God’s throne and seek guidance in overcoming the issue.
A good dose of optimism from friends is another place to help.
Limiting social media is a positive direction.
Commit to saying at least five positive things every day.

These few steps will move us in a positive direction.

Multicultural Leaders…

Denying that we live in a multicultural society does a great disservice to our leadership. It is not about when it happens, it already has.

If we are not knowledgeable about and preparing more fervently to address it, we are way behind.

How should we lead in a multicultural context?

1) Stop procrastinating and gain a better understanding of multiculturalism.
2) Get immersed in developing relationships across those cultural boundaries.
3) Remember, we get to participate in what God continues to do in our world.

The future of our leadership depends on what we do now.

Compassionate Leaders…

One of the qualities Jesus demonstrated, instrumental in drawing others to Him, was compassion.

Mentioned several times, Jesus was compassionate to both those physically and spiritually in need.

His compassion was more than sympathy about someone else’s distress, it moved Him to act in ways that met the need.

An awareness of pressing needs is an important component, but compassionate leaders seek ways to get involved to help meet those needs.

I pray God will give us all the compassion to be aware of our environment and help meet the needs.