There is no authentic leadership in the church that is not pastorally prophetic. We may bring other beneficial skills to the table, but the ability to hear from God and lovingly lead and apply that word to the lives of God’s people is what defines one as a godly leader.
Soul Cleaning
What we do today and tomorrow will determine whether or not we will have smiles on our faces and joy in our hearts a year from now. We determine our habits, but our habits form who we become.
Keeping one’s living space clean and tidy is not the result of intense cleaning every few weeks. It comes from spending a few minutes everyday straightening up after oneself. The same applies to soul-maintenance. Intense periods of fasting and prayer are advantageous, but not if they aren’t accompanied by daily tending to the dust that accumulates on our hearts.
The “dust” that dirties my heart today is made up of different elements than that which dirtied my soul twenty years ago, but the need for daily cleaning is no less needed. In some ways, it’s more needed as I am more aware of my frailty today than I was then.
I love hanging out with leaders. Leaders, by their very nature, are always thinking about the future. That’s a good thing. However, it’s important to keep in mind the power of today in determining where we will be tomorrow.
So, today I ask the Lord to help me guard my heart. Help me forgive wrongs, love the unlovely, serve all, do my best, seek forgiveness from God and man, invite people into my circle, learn from everyone, and let joy fill my heart as I reflect on what God has done for me.
30 Days for Prayer for the Muslim World during Ramadan
Please join us as we pray for the Muslim World during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Click here to download a free prayer guide to aid you in your prayer efforts. Thank you!
Are Denominations Good or Bad?
The answer is neither. God only has one flock–one bride. Denominations are neither good nor bad, but they can be useful as long as they facilitate the purposes of God. For instance, denominations can bring significant human and financial resources to bear on important kingdom needs (i.e., the fulfillment of the Great Commission). However, denominationalism, which I am defining as elevating one part of the body of Christ above another or to overemphasize doctrinal distinctions to the point where other members of the body of Christ are excluded, is evil and has no place in God’s kingdom. Numbers can be useful in measuring our effectiveness, but they should never be used as a measuring stick as we compare ourselves to others. After all, anything we accomplish is by and for his glory. Soli Deo Gloria!
Let’s Pretend This Never Happened
Aren’t there things you would like to be able just to pretend never happened? Unfortunately, pretending doesn’t make it so. Our past always impacts our future. The question is how.
Do you want to be a “virtuous leader” (here defined as a leader who is more focused on the greater good than on self-interest)? If so, you must learn to practice restorative forgiveness. I read the following definition of forgiveness yesterday, and it resonated deeply with me. Here it is. “Forgiveness is the capacity to foster collective abandonment of justified resentment, bitterness, and blame, and, instead, it is the adoption of positive, forward-looking approaches in response to harm or danger.”
It’s all about what we abandon and what we adopt. You can look forward to a positive future if you’re holding onto wrongs committed against you in the past. Likewise, it isn’t enough to just abandon the wrongs if you aren’t going to be intentional about moving on.
Non-Christians can choose to forgive, but no Christ-follower should ever decide to live with unforgiveness. After all, we have not only seen this beautiful commodity demonstrated amazingly in Jesus; we benefit from it every day! The Father forgives us freely because of Jesus. So, we can (must) forgive others because of Jesus. To do this, we must focus on the right things and abandon the wrong ones.
In the past…People sinned against me (And, of course, I sinned against others. We just choose to forget this, because the wrongs of others always seem bigger than the wrongs we commit).
or
In the past…the Father forgave me in Jesus.
Today…I choose to remember those hurtful things done to me.
or
Today…I am experiencing forgiveness, so I choose to abandon those hurtful things done to me.
In the future…I will never forget because they do not deserve forgiveness.
or
In the future…I will live free with a bounce in my step, a smile on my face and a twinkle in my eye because I no longer carry the burden of unforgiveness that used to weigh me down.
Oh, the joy of forgiveness!
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:12-14
Forgiveness – what a joyful gift!
You love me, Father God, as if
I never turned away.
You give what I can never earn,
A favor, Lord, I can’t return,
A debt I cannot pay.
Forgiveness – what a joyful sound!
I’ll share Your gift with all around,
For none of us can pay.
Forget what others owe to me!
I set us both completely free!
I wipe their wrong away!
Forgiveness – Father God, in You
The dreams of love are coming true.
Your peace will be restored,
For Mercy sees what we can be
And grows it to reality
In Jesus Christ our Lord.
Lead and live today in a way that demonstrates the fact that Jesus forgave you, and you are going to forgive others. It will set both you and them free!
Needed Sleep
I felt particularly led this evening to share that we can sleep in safety and security (physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually) because the One who watches over us never sleeps.
“If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”
Proverbs 3:24
“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalms 121:2-4