ARE YOU A LEADER?

I’ve been reading an excellent book by Henry & Richard Blackaby called Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda. They make the point that Christian leadership is more than influence or persuasion to reach a particular goal. It is more than getting people involved in worthy tasks. It is more than providing direction for a group while having the heart of a servant, or demonstrating skill or giftedness that others are to emulate.

What is it???

The Blackabys define spiritual leadership as “Moving people on in God’s agenda.”

To do this, a spiritual leader works with people (including those who don’t yet know Christ) where they are presently, depends on the Holy Spirit, works from God’s agenda rather than their own, and is accountable to God.

Although the Blackabys write primarily for spiritual leaders in the church or business world, this view of leadership is a challenge & encouragement to every true disciple of Christ. As we individually follow God’s will for our lives, we are potentially leading others toward His plan for them.

Is this happening in & thru your life? It will if:

• You are growing in the character of Christ;
• You witness for Christ by word & deed in the power of the Spirit;
• You make His will the deciding factor for everything you do.

If this is true of you, the answer is “Yes, I am a leader!”

WHY I LIKE DANIEL

The book of Daniel is getting to be one my favorites. Not because I understand everything it says, but because it tells us something simple & wonderful about God. When you read this book, you will notice that many different people testify about God’s power & authority.

Daniel is full of statements that begin with “God did this…”

Listen to a few from just the first 2 chapters:

The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his (Nebuchadnezzar’s) hand (1:2).

God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials (1:9).

God gave them (Daniel & his friends) knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom (1:17).

Daniel’s testimony: “It is He who changes the times and epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding” (2:21).

Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony: “Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery” (2:47).

Daniel was written in the context of rulers who thought they had the final word, and committed believers who faced the certainty of being ground up in the gears of ungodly savagery.

In the end, the Living God brings His sovereign will to pass. He uses those very rulers & their despotism to fulfill His plan & to vindicate His people. He does not allow man to have the last word.

Instead, during those & other rulers’ times, He is building a kingdom that will never end.

MY TRUTH

What happens when people believe that there is no objective source of truth other than their own opinions?

Maybe you’ve heard stories about children left alone for a few minutes, & who do something foolish without thinking of the consequences, & start a fire.

They had no intention of harming anyone. They just didn’t know better.

How can they be saved? Not by their cleverness and ability to rationalize. Not by ignoring or joking about the life-threatening situation.

They are only are saved by someone who knows how to put it out or get them out of the burning building.

What motivates the idea that we are the source of truth?

Are we afraid of some authority outside of ourselves?

Are we unwilling to admit that we might be wrong?

Do we have a narcissistic pride in our imaginary self-sufficiency?

An unfortunate characteristic of secularized Westerners is the tendency, like the children in the burning house, to think we can come up with our own truth. To persist is to invite destruction; to seek the Living God who created us for Himself is to escape & find abundant life.