Bold Leadership

And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? (1 Corinthians 5:2 NIV)

Sometimes leadership requires bold moves. It's not always easy. Sometimes the decisions will not be popular and many will challenge those choices. It may be that your decisions will reflect the minority, not the majority. So, what do you do? 

As a Christian we are called to make decisions that are right, but not popular. After prayer and petition or the guidance of the Holy Spirit, be bold in making the right choice. God will honor your faith and guide your paths. Praise God for that love and wisdom. 

Being vs Doing

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. (Acts 20:24 NIV)

I have read that we need to focus on BEING a Christian than DOING Chrisitan things. We get so busy doing things for Christ that we don't be the Christian God has called us to be. This is not to say we are not supposed to serve. Christian are called to serve! But, we really need to focus on our own development as a Christian. Being the best we can be, will help us be a brewer servant as well. 

My year is a roller coaster between doing and being. Now that the ride season is winding down, I am looking more inward than outward. What can I do to improve my own faith? Prayer has been my starting point this past couple of weeks. I have gone back to a prayer journal. I will spend more time in study and bible reading. But the thing I am looking for the most is some quiet time, listening to God, hearing his voice and letting the spirit move inside me.

Thank you Lord for the seasons in my life that drive me closer to you. I pray you will use this time to teach me your ways. Speak to me through your word and embed its message deep into my heart.

Pick a good team!

Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them (Acts 6:3 NIV)

I serve with a couple of great teams. My school leadership team is phenomenal. The school board, district administration, to the building leaders really care for kids. My CMA leadership team is another great group of leaders pledged to serve the Lord. Both of these teams are great examples that you can't lead alone. 

Teamwork is the key to successful home, school, or business. God helps develop those teams if we ask. I have been in constant prayer lately for the upcoming school board elections and the elections of officers for my CMA chapter. I truly believe God's hand will be on these key events in my life. We should always turn to the Lord for his guidance in voting. He was involved heavily in Old Testament leadership changes and that has changed now.

I love you Lord. I ask you to be with school leadership, church leadership, my elected officials, and my CMA leadership locally, state, and nationally. Please guide these men and women in all they do. Use them for your purposes. Help us vote people that serve those purposes and will lead us in your ways. I praise you for your grace and your hand in all areas of my life. 

Why am I shocked?

When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? (Acts 3:12 NIV)

I have seen the power of God time and time again. It seems I always have the same response, AMAZEMENT! Why am I so surprised! Is my faith really that weak?

A couple weekends ago, we traveled with my CMA family to southern Indiana. We road the best of the best motorcycle roads in Indiana. The trip was full of twisties, sharp turns, acceleration, and leaning heavy on the two tire sidewalls. One of our group recognized low air pressure in one of his tires. We stopped near the end of our day and added some air. About 20 miles later, at our dinner location, we pulled in and he said he could hardly drive his Goldwing. We looked at the rear tire. It was nearly shredded to nothing. Threads and cords were fully exposed. The tire was about to blow!

Our CMA brother was protected. We were all amazed. God showed his power and strength! To think of all that could have been, to think of the potential tragedy, placed all of us in awe!  Many people would say we were lucky. I say we were protected by the God of the Universe. I was amazed.

Why am I so shocked at the power of my God? We ask, we pray, we plead. Why are we surprised when he reveals himself in miraculous fashion?

My God is amazing! I praise you Lord for your hand in my life. I ask your forgiveness when I doubt you. I am humbled that you would choose me for a miracle. I am so excited that you can love me so much and use your power to protect me. Praise God for his miraculous ways!

I learn from the best and the worst!

“Now here’s a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right —using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior.” (Luke 16:8-9 MSG)

You can learn from anyone! I have had some great mentors in my life. There have been people I have modeled my life after because of their great wisdom. I have learned life is about relationships from my father. I have leaned about service and true Christianity from some great leaders in my past, Ted and Lynn Blosser, Jim Rousseau, and famous people like Chuck Swondol and Billy Graham. My mother and my grandparents are other great role models. But, I have also learned how to live from some terrible people. I know you can think of some people you know that are terrible leaders. You know those christians that just don't live the life they promote. We can sure learn a lot how NOT to do things and how NOT to treat people. This is the case for this story. The crooked manager was a true example how not to live your life. Using people, manipulating situations to make yourself look good is a lifestyle we should all avoid.

We need to be life long learners of Christ. We need to constantly search for a better way. We can find that through studying the bible, worshipping with our Christian brothers and sisters, or living life observing others, both good and bad. Regardless, we always need to have our hearts and minds ready to learn. Praise God he provides me with lessons to move me closer to the life he wants me to lead. Lord, continue to mold me, shape me, use me for your wonderful purpose, not my own.