May 14, 2012

"King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon."  Daniel 3:1

Nebuchandnezzar was a very powerful king!

Apparently he had a powerful ego as well. A 90 foot tall ego, are you kidding me? And solid gold?

Who was he tyring to impress? Other than everyone.

What possesses a person to erect a 90 foot tall gold idol to himself and expect everyone to bow down before it?

I guess it is incredible arrogance that does something like that. Obviously it is a massive amount of pride.

Where does such arrogance and pride come from?

Oh, yea, I know - sin!

The root of sin is idolatry, afterall. It is the violation of the First Commandment to love God with all your heart and to have no other gods before Him.

Sin is loving self more than God. Sin is placing selfish desires or selfish interests ahead of desires for God.

As impressive as a 90 foot tall golden image would be, it was not that idol which was the problem. The problem was the idol on the inside. It always is!

If you are bowing down to anything other god than the God of the Bible, you are guilty of idolatry. The problem is the idol within - not the idol outside.

May 13, 2012

Several years ago I did a series during May entitled "Games People Play". This is the message I preached on Mother's Day.

The game I chose for this day was “Aggravation”. Why did I pick this particular game to speak about on Mother’s Day? Because this game requires the players to move four marbles around a game board from their home base to a home on the other side of the board.

 

That reminds me of motherhood! Mothers have a lot of marbles that there are trying to move from one home to the next – while trying not to lose their marbles in the process! What marbles am I talking about?

 

THE ME MARBLE - THE MARRIAGE MARBLE - THE MOTHERHOOD MARBLE AND - THE MAKING A LIVING MARBLE

How do you move those marbles, get them all home and not lose your marbles?

They will all fit if you put them in the proper order. To do that you must add one more marble – THE MASTER MARBLE

THE MASTER MARBLE – “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…
COMMIT TO HIS WILL – For You, For Marriage, For Motherhood, For Career

COMMIT TO HIS WORD – Let it be a lamp and a light

COMMIT TO HIS WAY – Live Out His Will And His Word
COMMIT TO HIS WISDOM – For Marriage, For Motherhood

THE ME MARBLE – PLAY THE MASTER MARBLE FIRST….

ELIZABETH CORCORAN shares this experience:Four – year old Sara, had asked to pray before our breakfast this morning. That is quite typical of her. I think it's more her penchant to take charge than her avid spiritual growth as of yet. But I happily obliged as it still does something to my heart to hear that little girl of mine talk to our Heavenly Father. She started off per usual. Thank You for mommy, thank You for daddy, thank You for Jack. Then she added, and thank You for me.She has yet to come across that place in life where you feel silly or full of yourself in bringing any sort of attention to who you are as a person. As adults, we'd probably be a bit taken aback to hear a fellow pray-er at our Bible study thank God for herself. But if you think about…I think the situation is less that she hasn't quite learned prayer etiquette, and more that she may know more than we as grown-ups do. Why not thank God for ourselves? He made us as much as He made the other people we thank Him for. We have as much value as those other people do. And I bet, if we began to sprinkle our prayers every now and then with a small "thank you for me," I just bet we'd start to see our value though His eyes. And that wouldn't be such a bad thing.She then moved on to the rest of her list of thanks. Sara has not yet progressed much past the thanksgiving kind of prayers. She doesn't ask God for anything. She doesn't confess much either. (That will need to come…) She just thanks Him. And today, I noticed exactly what she was thanking Him for. She went through her routine of thanking Him for breakfast and her pretty clothes, saying, "Thank You that I'm beautiful again today" (no self-esteem issues with this little girl). Now, I'm sure she wasn't hoping to teach me some huge theological lesson in that moment…but wow, did she ever. What if I stopped, just for a day even, asking God for stuff? Asking Him to fix things in my life? Asking Him to change this or that circumstance? What if--what if I just thanked Him for all of my situations as is? How might my life be different? How might I see God and my current status differently…if instead of complaining to Him or asking Him for a quick-fix, I just rested where I was at that moment…searching for His hand and for any lesson I could glean…and thanked Him for it? Maybe I'll just have to find out. – TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF

 

THE MARRIAGE MARBLE – Next Play The Marriage Marble

I heard of a couple who, as they were paying for groceries in the check-out line, were discussing their soon to be 50th wedding anniversary, when the young cashier interjected by saying, "I can’t imagine being married to same man for 50 years!" The wife wisely replied, teaching the young girl a lesson at the same time, "Well, Honey, don’t get married until you can."

"Rules of Male-Female Relationships" 1. The Female always makes the Rules. 2. The Rules are subject to change at any time without prior notification. 3. No Male can possibly know all the Rules. 4. If the Female suspects the Male knows all the Rules, she must immediately change some or all of the Rules. 5. The Female is never wrong. 6. If the Female is wrong, it is because of a flagrant Misunderstanding, which was a direct result of something the Male did or said wrong. 7. If Rule 6 applies, the Male must apologize IMMEDIATELY for causing the Misunderstanding. 8. The Female can change her mind at any given point in time. 9. The Male must never change his mind without express written consent from the Female. 10. The Female has every right to be angry or upset at any time. 11. The Male must remain calm at all times, unless the Female wants him to be angry or upset. 12. The Female must under no circumstances let the Male know whether or not she wants him to be angry or upset. 13. Any attempt to document these Rules could result in bodily harm to the Male.

Recently, a survey was made of 200 married adults in regards to forgiveness The researchers were wondering how one’s ability to forgive others would affect their marital satisfaction and personal well-being. The results were astounding! This research suggests that there is a huge relationship between marriage satisfaction and forgiveness. In fact, it appears that as much as one third of marriage satisfaction is related to forgiveness. Not only does the ability to forgive impact the marriage relationship, it was significantly related to personal emotional distress. As forgiveness ability went up, individuals reported fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fatigue! These results are powerful and suggest that all counselors, both secular and faith-based, should be helping people develop the skill of forgiveness.

 

Gary Thomas commented, "I don’t believe couples fall out of love—they fall out of repentance."
The secret of successful marriage is to strive for the perfect 16 – 4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer…..

 

MOTHERHOOD MARBLE – Best Thing To Do For You Kids Is Love Their Dad

 

My mother taught me RELIGION: When I spilled grape juice on the carpet, she instructed, "You better pray the stain will come out of the carpet." My mother taught me LOGIC: From her decisive words, "Because I said so, that’s why." My mother taught me FORESIGHT: "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident." My mother taught me IRONY: "Keep laughing, and I’ll give you something to cry about." My mother taught me about STAMINA: "You’ll sit there ’til all that spinach is finished." My mother taught me about WEATHER: "It looks as if a tornado swept through your room." My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE: "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out." My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION: "Stop acting like your father!"

 

One of my favorite columns by Erma Bombeck tells of God in the act of creating mothers. She says that on the day God created mothers He had already worked long overtime. And an angel said to Him, "Lord, you sure are spending a lot of time on this one." The Lord turned & said, "Have you read the specs on this model? She is supposed to be completely washable, but not plastic. She is to have 180 moving parts, all of them replaceable. She is to have a kiss that will heal everything from a broken leg to a broken heart. She is to have a lap that will disappear whenever she stands up. She is to be able to function on coffee & leftovers. And she is supposed to have six pairs of hands."Six pairs of hands," said the angel, "that’s impossible." "It’s not the six pairs of hands that bother me." said the Lord, "It’s the three pairs of eyes. She is supposed to have one pair that sees through closed doors so that whenever she says, `What are you kids doing in there?’ she already knows what they’re doing in there." "She has another pair in the back of her head to see all the things she is not supposed to see but must see. And then she has one pair right in front that can look at a child that just goofed & communicate love & understanding without saying a word.""That’s too much." said the angel, "You can’t put that much in one model. Why don’t you rest for a while & resume your creating tomorrow?""No, I can’t," said the Lord. "I’m close to creating someone very much like myself. I’ve already come up with a model who can heal herself when she is sick - who can feed a family of six with one pound of hamburger - & who can persuade a nine year old to take a shower.""Can she think?" asked the angel. "Not only can she think," said the Lord, "but she can reason & compromise & persuade."Then the angel looked at the model of motherhood a little more closely & said, "She’s too soft." "Oh, but she is tough," said the Lord. "You’d be surprised at how much this mother can do."Then the angel reached over & touched her cheek. "This one has a leak," he said. "I told you that you couldn’t put that much in one model." "That’s not a leak," said the Lord. "That’s a tear.""What’s a tear for?" asked the angel. "Well it’s for joy, for sadness, for sorrow, for disappointment, for pride." "You’re a genius," said the angel. And the Lord said, "Oh, but I didn’t put it there."MAKING A LIVING MARBLE Organize and Plan: Make the most of your timeDelegate: Share the load Develop a Support System: Family, Friends, Church Set Realistic Expectations: Big Rocks First!Take Care of Yourself: Sharpen The Axe!

You CAN move all your marbles and get them home - without losing your marbles! But you must know which marbles to move and the order in which to move them!

May 12, 2012

"Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them,  coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided,   and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left."  Exodus 14:19-21

 

It would be nice if leadership was always full speed ahead! If a leader could start at point A and get his people to point B on a straight line, everyone would sign up for duty.

 

But, as Moses demonstrated, there are times in leadership when you have to wait on God or wait on your people. Then there are times when you watch for signs or trends to see where God is moving, And then there are those wonderful times when you get to walk and lead your people forward.

 

A good leader, a godly leader, knows when to wait, how to watch, and when to walk. And, he understands that each situation is a part of the leadership experience and is at peace with it.

 

Moses refused to move until he had a clear direction from God. Waiting times are some of the best times to develop faith because during those times you are asked to believe God is working in your behalf despite obvious proof to substantiate it. In the case of Moses and the Israelites, the period of waiting was the time God used to set up the Egyptians for their ulitmate defeat. And so, you could also say that He was setting them up for victory.

 

While he was waiting, Moses was watching for evidence of God's movement. When he saw the pillar of cloud and fire move from before the Israelites to behind them, that was his sign God was moving for them. Good leaders are always watching for the hand of God to know when it is time to stop waiting and start walking.

 

Finally, a good leader is ready and has his people ready when it is time to start walking! After some anxious waiting and astute watching the moment came to walk to their deliverance. Moses led them through the sea to the safety of the other shore some 10 miles across.

 

Walking too soon can disqualify a leader. Waiting too long can cost a leader his opportunity. And watching when he should be walking will cost a leader the confidence of his followers.

 

Leadership is a science and it is an art. Good leaders know each.

 

If you are a leader, study this lesson closely and consider it carefully. Which time is it in your leadership? Is it waiting time? Is it watching time? Is it time to walk?

 

 

May 11, 2012

^"As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?  Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”  Exodus 14:10-12

I want to share yet another trait of a good leader demonstrated by one of the all time best, Moses.

A good leader follows God, a good leader doesn't panic, a good leader inspires hope, a good leader points to the pillar, and a good leader knows who the enemy is and who it isn't.

We have established that the people of God found themselves in a very precarious spot. Moses, still earning the respect of his followers had led them into a strategically indefensible position. But he had the assurance of knowing God had led him there. Not all of them had figured that out.

Anyone who ever serves in a leadership position will be well served to learn to distinguish between critics and enemies. Leaders who don't know how to discern enemies from critics will have plenty of both. Not every critic is an enemy but misunderstanding that or mishandling them can convert critics into enemies.

Moses knew the difference between his enemy and his critics. His enemy was out to destroy him while his critics just disagreed with him. A leader knows enemies must be defeated while critics usually just needed to be convinced or confronted. Many times when a leader deals with and defeats the real enemy, many of his critics become convinced of his leadership are won over.

Critics direct their objections and concerns at the leader while an enemy is one who actively opposes the aim and agenda of God. A godly person can be a critic of a leader who also seeks to follow God. But I can't think of a godly person who opposes God.

As a long time leader I have had plenty of critics but very few enemies. Many of my critics have become close friends over time. In my experience, my harshest critic and worst enemy dwells within me. Selfishness, pride, self-promotion, fear, envy, and all manner of negative emotions have sought to defeat me as a leader. Self-doubt, perfectionism, and feelings of inadequacy have caused me to be critical of my own leadership.

Leaders face daunting challenges dealing with criticism within in order to properly handle criticism directed at them. And godly leaders must overcome the enemies of their soul and spirit to give them clarity in recognizing real enemies from without.

Moses overcome most of his inner battles in front of the burning bush and the Pharaoh so he was ready to have clarity to discern between critics and the true enemy.

If you are a leader and you struggle discerning between critics and enemies, start within yourself. Have you confronted the enemy within? Have you defeated it?

Listen to criticism and learn from it. An honest critic can be of infinitely more value to you than an uncritical supporter.

If you are not a leader, pray for your leader at this point. Encourge your leader often. Defend your leader against his critics. Stand with him against the enemies of faith. When you find yourself in disagreement with your leader, lovingly and respectfully share your concerns.

 

 

May 10, 2012

^"After leaving Succoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people."  Exodus 13:20-22

A really good leader is led as he leads!

He follows God, but he also points his people to the pillar.

Moses was guided by the pillar as he led God's people out of slavery into the Land of Promise. No one knows how the pillar appeared but everyone knows that it was the manifestation of God's presence guiding and guarding His people. Not only did Moses and the Israelites see the cloud and the pillar, so did all of their enemies!

What an amazing image of godly leadership! A leader standing between God and the people of God following Him and leading them while pointing them to Him at all times!

That is what good leaders do. In addition to following God, not panicking, inspiring hope, a good leader points to the pillar.

"But, Brad," you ask, "What is the pillar for leaders today?"

I'm glad you asked!

The pillar for leaders to point their people to is still God's presence. But God doesn't show up in a cloud these days or in a fire that is visible. So, what do you point them to?

My answer as a long time leader is, "Point them to the presence of God's Spirit." The Spirit shows up when there is surrender to His will. The Spirit shows up when the Scriptures are read, taught, or preached. And the Spirit shows up when His people serve Him.

I also believe another pillar is the principles of God's Word. Principles are timeless truths from God's Word that guide leader's decisions and priorities and activities. Jesus declared He is "the Way, the Truth and the Life"! So where you have truth you have Jesus!

A third pillar is sincere praise. God dwells in the midst of praise from His people. Where praise is happening, Jesus is habitating! He is there to bless and to strengthen His people.

Are you wanting to be a good leader?

Are you looking for a good leader?

Point people to the pillars of God's presence, His principles and His praise!

When looking for a leader, look one for who looks to the pillars.

May 9, 2012

"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14

"The Lord will fight for you"........!

I like the sound of that! That sounds hopeful!

You would expect nothing less from a great leader like Moses, because one of the traits of a good leader is - THEY INSPIRE HOPE!

This is the third installment in a study of leadership from the life of Moses. So far I have shared that a good leader FOLLOWS GOD and a good leader DOESN'T PANIC. Today I want to add that the purpose of a leader is to inspire hope in his people.

Hope is vitally important to your soul, spirit and psyche. It has been ascertained that:

Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope.

I believe that! It has been scientifically documented.

God's people found themselves in a hopeless looking situation. They were trapped against the Red Sea with a desert to their south, Egypt to their north and 600 enemy chariots bearing down on them. Put yourself in their place and see how much hope you could find! So where did they turn for hope? They looked to Moses, their leader.

Where would you look? Do you have a leader you can look to for hope? If not, you may want to consider a different leader.

Moses made a hopeful statement, "The Lord will fight for you!"

Good leaders give hope they have themselves. Moses had placed all of his hope in God and God had not disappointed him. So, when his people needed hope he share these hopeful words out of a hopeful heart.

For a contemporary illustration of the power of hope and the desire for hope, just go back four years to the last Presidential election. Our current President was swept into office on his promises of "Hope & Change". People want hope!

But a good leader, a godly leader, doesn't offer hope in slogans and sound bites. A good leader offers hope based on substance - something that is powerful and reliable. Moses did.
All good leaders do.

Are you finding yourself feeling trapped and in need of some hope? Look for a good leader to help you find hope of seeing your way out of your "trap".

Never support a leader who doesn't have hope and who doesn't present himself as hopeful and who can inspire you with the hope he offeres.

In this election year, look beyond the slogans and sound bites and try to find some spiritual and moral substance you can hope in. Don't waste your vote on someone who doesn't give you a real reason to hope!

May 8, 2012

^"Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:13-14

A second mark of a good leader is he DOESN'T PANIC.

Moses found himself in a very difficult situation. He had led 2.2 million people, many of whom were not yet sold on his leadership, into a trap. Now his ability and authority were REALLY under attack! His critics were verbally attacking him and inciting the people against him.

As ominous as that was, it wasn't his biggest problem. The real threat was the elite Egyptian army that was riding down hard on them to force them back into captivity.

Facing simultaneous threats from within and without, it would have been easy for Moses to have panicked. But he didn't! He did what good leaders do, he led!

It is good to know that leaders don't panic but it is better to understand why he didn't.

Moses didn't panic because he knew Who he was following. This is another advantage of having a leader who follows God. He will know that if God led him into this trouble God will also lead him out.

Moses did not panic because he knew where he was going. God had called him to lead His people from Egypt to Canaan and they weren't there yet! So, Moses knew that God had a plan to get them out. God had led them out in order to lead them in so he knew God would lead them on!

Moses didn't panic because he was tuned into the voice of God not the voices of the critics or the sound of chariots. He was well aware of the situation but was more aware of the Supernatural.

Moses didn't panic because he saw the big picture. He didn't focus on the problem but looked at the problem in the perspective of the big picture. Good leaders see all the pieces and how they fit together.

A good leader follows God and a good leader doesn't panic.

My friend, John Maxwell, says "everything rises and falls on leadership". I have found that to be true in my life experience and it certainly seems to be true with a great leader like Moses. His faith as a follower of God kept him fearless in the face of attacks from critics and from chariots.

If you are a leader, how do you measure up to these two traits? Are you following God? Are you free of panic? If not, why not?

If you are looking for a leader, these are two traits to look for.

And, if you are evaluating your leader, how does he measure up?