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
Creativity and the Kingdom
I love it when people use their gifts in creative ways to reveal the glory of the Lord. Artists, musicians, poets, photographers… architects, teachers, managers, counselors and programmers alike daily use their abilities to bring glory to Jesus.
The Holy Spirit is the most creative force in the universe. Let him ignite your abilities today in such as way as to change the world. People are waiting. The Lord is leading. The saints of old are cheering.
The God of Encouragement
Fear, disgrace, hate, deception and hopelessness bow the knee to Jesus, the God of encouragement, grace, love, truth, hope, and joy.
Share him with everyone near and make a way for those to hear who are far away.
“And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.” Ephesians 2:17
Listening instead of talking
There’s an old adage related to communication in marriage that goes something like this. “There’s what I said, what I thought I said, and what she thought I said.” Communication is a complicated process, and it can get messy if we do it wrong.
Sometimes the person speaking thinks he was crystal clear only to have the other person entirely miss the point. When this happens, it’s easy to blame the listener. And, while they may share some of the responsibility, it’s a wise person who acknowledges that at least some of the burden rests on the part of the speaker. So, how do we become better at personal communication? The answer is simple, but it isn’t easy. Seek feedback.
I do a lot of public speaking, and over the years, I have had to give counsel to others who are just starting to develop that skill. Over the years, I have learned to read an audience. After all, just because I’m the one doing the talking, doesn’t mean they aren’t communicating. I’m watching for non-verbal communication. Are they leaning in, or are they distracted? Are they texting, or are they nodding? Are they watching the clock, or are they tracking with me? All of these things are important. Sometimes I even ask questions. No, I can’t process every individual answer, but simple questions are a great way to keep people engaged. And, asking people what they think, what they’re learning, or what they’re hearing is the number one way to seek feedback. Of course, we have to ask with the right motive.
Humility goes a long way as we communicate with friends and foes. We need to be humble enough to acknowledge that we don’t always say what we mean. After all, we have what Chip and Dan Heath call “the curse of knowledge.” I know what I mean, I understand the context, and I have often practiced the conversation in my head before it comes out of my mouth. However, those listening to me don’t have this knowledge. If I act as though they do, it’s likely we’ll miss each other on the communication superhighway. Or, worse yet, I will unintentionally offend the person with whom I’m trying to engage.
So, how do we prevent making this mistake? There are several things we can do, but nothing is better than asking questions and then listening to the answers. Our questions have to be genuine. We can’t just ask questions to set the table for what we want to say. To do this breaks trust with the other party, and quite frankly, it makes us appear self-absorbed. I’m sure you’ve never done this, but, regrettably, I have. I think I have learned from my mistakes, but I still have to discipline myself.
The Book of James in the Bible tells us that we should be quick to listen but slow to speak (1:19). Or, as the wise old grandmother said, “There’s a reason we have two ears but only one mouth.” So, do the math. I have. I want to listen twice as much as I speak. Not only does this help me show people that I value them, but it also does something useful in my own heart as I put others ahead of myself.
Today, I put this disciple into practice, and I learned a lot about almond and raisin farming in the San Joaquin Valley of California. It was fascinating. But, more importantly, I made a friend. And, I have a sneaky suspicion that my new friend will be leaning in tonight as I speak at his church.
Photo by Alexis Brown on Unsplash
The Greatest Gap
The greatest gap in the world is between what we do and what we are capable of doing. That isn’t simply some “positive slogan” to post on your wall, desktop or social media outlet of choice. It’s a simple fact for every Christ follower. What do I base that on? This.
“Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.” 1 John 4:4
The implications of this are staggering. This verse has a lot to say to us, but here are the three big takeaways–what it says about God, what it says about us (those who have been adopted into God’s family through grace) and what it says about the world.
1. What it says about God–God is greater. I have spent the past 26 years working in the Arab Muslim World. The expression “Allahu Akbar” is used constantly–often as Muslims see themselves acting in the name of God. I believe every Jesus follower wholeheartedly believes at an intellectual level that God is greater than everything else. After all, if He isn’t, why would I choose to give him my life?
However, there is a difference between mental assent and true belief. I might believe a bridge over a ravine is strong enough to carry people from one side to the other, but true belief is demonstrated when I make the choice to put my own life on the line by walking across that bridge myself.
My belief that God is greater, not simply great, is proven when I choose to trust him with every area of my life. I’m facing several circumstances right now in which I need God to prove that He is greater. I don’t just need him to be great. I need him to be greater. I know he is at one level, and his greatness is not diminished by our lack of belief, but the implications of his greatness in my life is highly impacted by whether or not I simply choose to trust him with everything.
2. What it says about me–I’m different. Amy and I were privileged to visit the beautiful country of Yemen a few years ago. The friends we were visiting there owned and operated a coffee shop in order to provide a way of bringing spiritual and economic transformation to the people and the city in which they lived. Our friends were gracious enough to not only host us in their home, but they also gave us a wonderful tour of the city they had chosen to make their home. While driving through the city one day, they pointed out another coffee shop. It was a coffee shop called Star Bunnies. Yes, you guessed it. Not only had they ripped off the Starbuck’s branding, but they had also stolen Bugs Bunny from Warner Brothers. Not only were they illegally using the Starbuck’s logo, but inside of it, where there would normally have been the Starbuck’s mermaid, a green and white version of Bugs Bunny was present. However, the strangest thing about their logo was the slogan that encircled the pirated images. It read, “We aren’t the best, but we’re different.” All I could do was scratch my head as I read it. I guess something got lost in translation!
Some people take great pride in their differences. They even make them their identity. However, what makes a Jesus-follower unique isn’t who they are but who dwells inside of them. This verse very powerfully and succinctly lays out two very important truths. First, while I may live in this world, I’m expected to live and think differently. When highly-talented, goal oriented, non-Christ-followers attack a problem, they often make a lot of progress. However, they’re out there on there own. We have “the Greater” living inside us. The Holy Spirit could have chosen to focus John’s thoughts on God’s comforting presence, His love, etc. when he penned this thought, but instead, He chose to point us to God’s power. We aren’t just different. We are power stations.
However, here’s the uncomfortable question. If we are receptacles of “the Greatest,” then why do so many Jesus-followers live defeated lives, seemingly unable to make a difference in themselves, much less the world? The answer isn’t that complicated. While we are power stations, power has to be released in order to be of any value. It doesn’t matter if my home is hooked up to the local electricity system if I choose to live in darkness. I have to actually turn on the stitch in order to expel the darkness. So it is in my life. I have to be willing to stop relying simply on myself and start relying on God if I’m going to release God’s promised power in my life. That doesn’t mean I just sit around waiting for God to show off His power. I actually have to do something. I have to demonstrate my trust in His power by attempting to do something I couldn’t do on my own. That’s the greatest Gap–the difference between what we could do and what we actually do.
3. What it says about the world–it isn’t as strong as we think. I don’t know about you, but it’s easy for me to be intimidated by the world’s power, authority, and influence. It’s also easy to be overwhelmed by the lostness and brokenness we encounter every day. Half the world’s population has never heard an understandable presentation of the gospel. And then there are the giants of poverty, child abuse, family dysfunction, domestic violence, abuse of power, human trafficking, etc. These seem overwhelming. After all, I’m just one person, and these problems seem so great. However, their greatness is insignificant when compared to His greatness. They are great. He is greater. We may be weak in ourselves, but “the greatest” lives inside of us. It’s time we turned on the lights.
What great challenges are you facing today? What would you do today if you were assured that God would act on your behalf? What do you need to stop doing and start believing? It’s time we narrow the gap.