Tag: Jesus

Knowing The Way

February 23, 2022 bobturner Daily Leadership, saltJournal 0 Comments

Several years back, I was introduced to the weather rock. It worked quite simply.

If the rock is wet, it is raining.
If the rock is white, it is snowing.
If the rock casts a shadow, it is sunny.
You get the point.

It could not forecast the future, but was great for the obvious.

Jesus told the Pharisees and Sadducees they were able to state the obvious regarding the signs of the weather, but were blind to the signs from heaven.

Leaders need an eye for the obvious, but they also need a vision for the future. They must know the way and point people to it!

Sacrificial Leadership

February 10, 2022 bobturner Daily Leadership, saltJournal 0 Comments

To lead is to sacrifice. Sacrifice is found at every level of leadership. How great of sacrifice is required? Are we willing to make the sacrifice?

The apostle Paul was one who made great sacrifices in serving the Lord and His church.

First, Paul claimed nothing held more value than knowing Christ Jesus.
Second, Paul’s suffering was not just past tense. It was future tense also.

If we go below the surface and examine Paul’s leadership, we find a leader of great sacrifice. His level of sacrifice is exemplified throughout his writings (2 Cor. 11:23-29).

Let us arise to the same example.

A Symbol of Leadership

January 25, 2022 bobturner Daily Leadership, saltJournal 0 Comments

The gavel represents a legalistic leader, decisive and dogmatic.
The eagle represents a presidential leader, representative and political.
The swastika represents a dictatorial leader, aggressive and autocratic.
The crown represents a kingly leader, superior and majestic.
The lamb represents a gentle leader, patient even when suffering.
The cross represents a sacrificial leader, purposeful and loving.

A symbol is generally a material object representing something abstract. What symbol would represent your leadership?
Would the symbol of the cross, representing the purposeful and loving sacrifice of Jesus accurately describe it?

Our leadership is worth the effort to make certain it is represented accurately and biblically.

A Spiritual Leader

January 21, 2022 bobturner Daily Leadership, saltJournal 0 Comments

Paul’s words to the church at Corinth identify a spiritual leader, “Who is led into sin without my intense concern.”

Spiritual leaders are focused on others, it is an outward position of seeking the best for others, above self. No one knew or demonstrated this better than Jesus. From giving up the glory He had with the Father to giving up His life on the cross, Jesus was concerned about sin: yours and mine.

Consider the impact on people around us when we demonstrate concern for the sinful activity that permeates our world.

The task is not easy, but one that makes a lasting and eternal difference.

A Contrast in Leadership

December 1, 2021 bobturner Daily Leadership, saltJournal 0 Comments

Throughout the Bible we find numerous contrasts made by various people.

Jesus talked about the contrast of light and darkness, building on sand or the rock, dividing the saved from the lost.

James talked about the rich and poor, wisdom from above with earthly, natural, and demonic wisdom.

Paul also contrasted the flesh and spirit, the strong from the weak, along with life and death.

These are only a few of the contrasts seen throughout the New Testament.

Our leadership needs to be strikingly different from everything else. When the Word is our foundation, Jesus our Lord, God our Father, and heaven our focus, then our leadership will be strikingly different.

Spiritual Formation

November 11, 2021 bobturner Daily Leadership, saltJournal 0 Comments

Social justice, human dignity, community awareness, liberation, and other issues often come to the forefront of a discussion about spiritual formation.

However, our participation in these alone does not result in spiritual formation.

Spiritual formation must involve the following:

1) God: There is no spiritual formation without Him.

2) Holy Spirit: We don’t know the full depths of His activity, but He is essential to spiritual formation.

3) Jesus: The cornerstone to our spiritual house, and without Him there is no formation.

4) The Word: This book guides us in the spiritual formation needed to complete and perfect us for every task.

Spiritual formation requires all four.

The Light of Leadership

November 3, 2021 bobturner Daily Leadership, saltJournal 0 Comments

Jesus claimed to be the “Light of the world.” He further told His disciples, “You are the light of the world…,” concluding the thought by saying, “Let your light shine…”

There can be no doubt that Jesus planned for His followers to reflect His character, virtue, and example in a world that does not welcome the light and often attempts to extinguish it.

Katelyn Irons challenged us with this thought, “Shine with all you have. When someone tries to blow you out, just take their oxygen and burn brighter.”

For leaders, it’s about leading out of being. The light is who we are, not just what we do.

Committed Leaders

October 21, 2021 bobturner Daily Leadership, saltJournal 0 Comments

Never commit to things you cannot do.

Oddly enough, material does exist that emphasizes the fake-it-until-you-make-it approach.

We should always be willing to grow and improve by moving outside our comfort zone, but the idea here involves areas we know we cannot do. For example, when someone invites us to dinner and we know we cannot make it, instead of saying no, we delay the inevitable by saying “maybe.”

Jesus taught the need for our yes to mean yes, and our no, no. Jesus added that anything beyond these is of evil.

It is critical to our leadership to be a person of our word.

Rise Above

October 18, 2021 bobturner Daily Leadership, saltJournal 0 Comments

We are all familiar with phrases like, “Don’t sweat the small stuff” or “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” John Burroughs said it this way, “Rise above the little things.”

Jesus also emphasized this thought with a bit of a twist when He taught us not to worry about food, drink, or clothing, but to seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness (Mt. 6:25-33).

The challenge before leaders is determining the difference between the big and little things. When we understand the matters that are trivial, we can implement ways to rise above them and focus on matters of greater significance.

Learning From The Past

September 27, 2021 bobturner Daily Leadership, saltJournal 0 Comments

The past introduces a number of challenges to life. Regardless of the good or the bad, our past often influences who we are and the direction of our future.

The only way to win with the past is to learn from it – good or bad – and use the lesson to help shape a better direction for the future.

For Paul, nothing was more valuable than knowing Jesus. The value of knowing Jesus gave Paul purpose and direction. He did not allow his past to dictate the direction of his future. Instead, he was able to reach forward with hope in the resurrection.

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