Be The Change You Want To See - 7

Subject:  Leading The Change In Your Family, Church, or Business

by Rick Welborne

Joshua 1:1-9 (NIV)
¹  After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide:
²  "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them--to the Israelites.
³  I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.
⁴  Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates--all the Hittite country--to the Great Sea on the west.
⁵  No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
⁶  "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.
⁷  Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
⁸  Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
⁹  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." 

John D. Rockefeller – Good leadership consists of showing average people how to do the work of superior people.

--Leadership is a process, not a job.  It requires the passing of the torch from one leader to another.  We see this with Moses and Joshua.

--That means that those who would want to be leaders will need to stay close to those who are currently leading so that when the torch is passed they will be ready.  Again, attitude and humility are imperative.

--Though we sometimes hear of born leaders, the truth is, most leaders have learned how to lead.  We all have a responsibility in ministry to pass the leadership torch to those future leaders who will take the responsibility.

--Think about it, if we are not prepared to pass the torch to the next person God has His hand on, the ministry itself is in jeopardy.  We see it happen in so many churches where there is not a plan.

--If the leader (pastor) is a person of prayer and has a sensitivity to Holy Spirit, he will know who God has His hand on to lead.  Many avoid even going down this road because of insecurity…very sad. 

1. Moses passed the torch to Joshua.

--You remember how Moses had led the children of Israel right up to the edge of the promised land but they could not go in because of their rebellion.  The next generation would have opportunity to go in.

--They could not go in without a leader.  Moses had led them for 40 years and no one under age of 40 had ever known any other leader. The time finally came for a new leader but who was qualified to take Moses’ place?

--Joshua had been Moses apprentice.  He had never had full authority and someone above him always had the final word in making decisions.  Oh, the joys of being number 2 but the fears of being number 1.

--I was the youth/associate/ministries director/ here at Life Church and life was good…do my thing and let the lead pastor have to deal with all the tough decisions…he leaves and I become the pastor.

--All of a sudden, I was called every day for counseling, my wisdom was needed, people lined up to get my advice…what had changed?  My office was now one door over…Senior Pastor…scary!

--Have you ever asked the question…Why Joshua?  Moses picked Joshua because God had picked Joshua.  And I believe God picked Joshua because he was a real leader.  Remember the twelve spies sent into the land?

--You see, Moses was acting in obedience to God’s instructions.  Moses remembered Joshua and Caleb insisted that the other ten spies were wrong.  Joshua was showing great leadership way back when.

--Joshua did not just appear on the scene and then was chosen to become the next great leader of Israel…He had stayed close to the leader and had been loyal and faithful to him.

Seneca the Younger who lived from 4BC to AD 65 supposedly said this:  Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

--Even though there is question of whether he said it or not, what he said was true but let’s adjust it for our benefit:  Leadership happens when preparation meets opportunity. 

--Now we know that being a leader is more than just staying close to those who have leadership roles.  If you just hang around, you’ll be more of an annoyance than a help. So what can you do to be ready to lead.

A.  Pay attention to what is going on around you.

--To become a great leader you cannot just focus on one thing but you must be able to see the big picture. See what is needed to make the organization better and wisely share with the leader the facts.

--Become a good listener…there is a reason God gave us two ears and one mouth…listen twice as much as you talk.  Look people in the eye when they are talking to you and actually hear what they are saying.

--Fulfill your responsibilities…do your job and do it with excellence…do it ahead of schedule…let the leader know you are ‘all in’ at making the organization shine and making him successful!  People in Bartow.

B. Be a problem solver.

--Problem solving will more than likely come from someone who is forward thinking, not always looking back of how we used to do it.  Past experience can be beneficial but be willing to learn.

--Many churches and businesses have brought much detriment to themselves but always looking back. I read a few years ago that many of our churches are trapped in the 50s and 60s and that is why they do not grow.

--True leadership is about solving problems and helping to take the load off of the head of the organization. You get better at solving problems as you encounter problems…start practicing before you lead.

--Read, study, and put into practice problem solving skills and be prepared to step into what God has for you.

2. To be a good leader hold yourself accountable.

Ketterling:  You probably think about becoming a leader more than existing leaders think about you becoming a leader.  They have other things on their minds.  If there isn’t someone to hold you accountable, hold yourself accountable.  Don’t let the day to day routine leave you in the shadow.  

I believe the Apostle Paul said it this way:

Philippians 2:12-16 (NKJV)
¹²  Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
¹³  for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
¹⁴  Do all things without complaining and disputing,
¹⁵  that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
¹⁶  holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

--I think one of the most frustrating things about ministry is trying to convince people who should know what is right and who should be mature in their faith to keep living for God.

--Oh, pastor, I just need you to keep me accountable.  Really?  You have been saved for 25 years and you still need someone to keep you in line?  Shouldn’t you be helping someone else by now?

--Paul was saying that he was glad that they obeyed in his presence and that was good, but he said the real test of your faith is that you obey when he is not there to keep you accountable.

--Paul said…You keep yourself accountable…YOU work out your OWN salvation with fear and trembling. God wants to do His will in you and He wants to use you in such a way that brings Him pleasure or glory.

--Put down the pacifier and pick up your Bible and become the leader God wants you to be…stop complaining about what is not going your way and stop arguing with those you should be helping!

--As you grow up…as you keep yourself accountable…as you quit whining…you can be a light in this dark world leading other people to Christ.  Hold on to the Word of God…it will secure your testimony! Poem: What’s Up?

--Tom Ziglar, son of Zig Ziglar “Inch by inch everything is a cinch!” could have, by default, waited in his dad’s shadow until the time to take control of his dad’s company…Ziglar Corporation. No one would have argued.

--He decided to do something novel…work and learn…he worked in the warehouse, in sales, in promotion, and in sales management…later he worked his way into the leadership ranks.

--He didn’t just hang out waiting to inherit what he thought he deserved…while he waited to become the leader he cultivated skills that uniquely qualified him to succeed his father. 

--No one else could replace his dad but no one was better prepared to step into that place of leadership!  What are you doing to prepare to lead in God’s Kingdom…learning…serving…working?

Matthew 23:11-12 (NLT)
¹¹  The greatest among you must be a servant.
¹²  But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

3. True leaders are careful about what comes out of their mouths. 

--True leaders will try their very best to have their conversation to be constructive and not destructive. The negative campaigning we are seeing and hearing is only dividing our country more.

--That is what negativity does…it erodes unity and peace.  Be careful what you say.

--Leaders want to know they can trust those who are invited into the leadership team.  The leader must have confidence that those who work with him will be loyal to him and the organization.

--It takes a long time to recover from one bad conversation.  Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers (a billionaire) could not buy his way out of one bad taped rant. We can’t fix ours either.

--Sometimes we have the tendency or the arrogance to think…they should have just been careful where they said it and to whom…Jesus had a little different take on our words.

Matthew 12:34-38 (NKJV)
³⁴  Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
³⁵  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
³⁶  But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
³⁷  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
³⁸  Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." 

--The Word has so much to say about the power of our words…obviously this was a problem before social media but now everyone has a megaphone to spew their hateful words.

James 3:5-10 (NKJV)
⁵  Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
⁶  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
⁷  For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.
⁸  But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
⁹  With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
¹⁰  Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

--Hear me, your words have the ability to make you a great leader or the ability to disqualify you from leadership.  Think about it, no good leader would ever put a person in a position who gossips and tears people down.

--As you are in your home, your church, your business…make sure your words are for edifying or building up those around you.  Aren’t you attracted to people who are like this…we run from the others.  

--If you are leading (we all are) or plan to be a future leader, realize everything you do, everything you say is preparing you to lead or disqualifying you.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)
³  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
⁴  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 

Boundaries - We All Need Them - 6

Subject – What to Do Once the Gates are in Place

by Rick Welborne

Proverbs 22:28 (NKJV) 

28 Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set. 

Nehemiah 7:1-3 (NLT)
¹  After the wall was finished and I had set up the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.
²  I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, for he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.
³  I said to them, “Do not leave the gates open during the hottest part of the day. And even while the gatekeepers are on duty, have them shut and bar the doors. Appoint the residents of Jerusalem to act as guards, everyone on a regular watch. Some will serve at sentry posts and some in front of their own homes.” 

--A couple of weeks ago we looked at the importance of completing the wall but also making sure that the gates were in place to guard what came in or went out.

--As we stated we cannot afford to leave any opening for the enemy to come in because he will take advantage of every opportunity.

Ephesians 4:27 (NIV)
²⁷  and do not give the devil a foothold.

--The most important thing to remember about the gate or the door is that Jesus is not only the Keeper of the door or the gate, He is the Door or the Gate.

John 10:7-10 (NKJV)
⁷  Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
⁸  All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
⁹  I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
¹⁰  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

--Nehemiah built the walls and he set up the doors in the gate…what’s next?  Maybe you say I have asked Jesus to forgive and to save me…I have boundaries thru His Word and Jesus is my Door…what’s next?

1. We must keep a close eye on the Gate (on Jesus) if we will live within the boundaries in safety.

--Building a wall and installing doors is not a once and your done proposition…I believe somewhere in the Word it says for us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.  It takes maintenance.

--People were appointed by Nehemiah to watch the gates around the clock…to stand on the walls and to even stand in front of their homes…now that will preach!

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)
¹  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 

²  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
³  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 

--Here is another one of those sermons in a sermon…Realize many are watching…Realize what hinders you and get rid of it…Realize you have to run with perseverance…Realize your eyes must be on Jesus…Realize what Jesus went through so that you do not give up.

--What Nehemiah was saying was that the only way you will remain safe within the boundaries of the city is to keep your eyes focused on the gates and to make sure they are maintained and guarded. 

--What the writer of Hebrews was saying was for you to maintain a consistent walk with Jesus is to keep your eyes on Him…lay aside the other junk and live in safety. 

--Many Christians today want to know how much junk can we pick up and try to carry and still be a Christian?

Just how worldly can I be and still be a Christian? What else can I fix my eyes on?

--Keeping your eyes on Jesus or on the gate signifies to us that we should try to be as close to Him as we can be and to forsake the other junk.  Listen, I know sin is fun…I used to be a professional at it.

--I have used hundreds of times, I’m sure, the verse that talks about Moses choosing to suffer with the children of Israel than to enjoy sin for a season.  The question arises, Am I a friend of God or a friend of this world?

--What you do not realize, or you do realize and refuse to acknowledge, is that whatever seems to be so cool, so joyful, so fulfilling, so wonderful now can turn in a moment or turn gradually…almost un-noticed.  

--Do you think the person who takes there first drink ever believes they will be an alcoholic some day?  The person who smokes…addicted with lung cancer…marrying an unbeliever…going to church alone or not at all.

--Here’s a test for all of us today…if you could choose one thing in this life, what would it be?  David says:

Psalm 27:4-14 (NKJV)
⁴  One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.
⁵  For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.
⁶  And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
⁷  Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
⁸  When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek."
⁹  Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.
¹⁰  When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.
¹¹  Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
¹²  Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence.
¹³  I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.
¹⁴  Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! 

2. Once the Gate is in place, we must look to the Word of God.

Nehemiah 8:1-6 (NLT)
¹  all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had given for Israel to obey.
²  So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand.
³  He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.
⁴  Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. To his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
⁵  Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet.
⁶  Then Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 

--Isn’t it amazing that the first thing that the people asked for (what they desired) after the walls were built, the gates were in place and secured, they wanted to hear the Word of God. God, what are you saying to us?

--Do we love the Word of God?  A few years ago a man approached me and asked me did I realize that in that one sermon I had read 50+ Scriptures…obviously thinking that it was a little overkill. 

--Because I am a man of few words, I quickly thanked him that he felt he should keep a count of how many verses I read.  Because I am a man of few words I quickly told him nothing I said was more important than the Word of God I was reading!

--Because I am a man of few words, I told him that I thought this was a Christian church and that the Word of God is our book that should be read and obeyed. I also thanked him for being a future sermon illustration!

--The people of Jerusalem stood for the Word, they listened for hours to the Word, the said Amen to the Word, and they bowed down and worshiped as the Word was read…God help us love the Word.

--If you do not like biblical preaching or biblical teaching or biblical counseling do not come to us because the Word of God is our standard.

--A lady sat in my office several years ago, living in blatant sin, and I showed her the verses in the Word that told her of her sin…She said…I see what is in the Bible but I also know what God told me to do.

--Let me get this right…God told you to do something that is contrary to His Word…Yes!  One of you in this situation is very wrong and I do not believe it is God…His voice never contradicts His Word.

--If you are living contrary to God’s Word, it is all on you, Honey!  Don’t blame God!  Sermon illustration.

--His Word is transforming and it brings peace, direction, and comfort like nothing else.

Psalm 19:7-14 (NIV)
⁷  The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
⁸  The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
⁹  The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. 

¹⁰  They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
¹¹  By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
¹²  Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
¹³  Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
¹⁴  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. 

--May we find with the psalmist the value and great worth of the Word of God. See where the Word of God led:

Nehemiah 9:2-3 (NLT)
²  Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors.
³  They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the LORD their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the LORD their God. 

Nehemiah 10:35 (NLT)
³⁵  “We promise to bring the first part of every harvest to the LORD’s Temple year after year—whether it be a crop from the soil or from our fruit trees.

Nehemiah 10:39 (NLT)
³⁹  …“We promise together not to neglect the Temple of our God.”

3. The next priority was to invite and bring into the safe city of Jerusalem more people.

--Nehemiah came and built the wall, he restored the gates, he led the people in repentance, and he began the mission of getting people inside the gates of protection.  Kind of like what Jesus told us.

Matthew 22:8-10 (NKJV)
⁸  Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
⁹  Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.'
¹⁰  So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

--The Lord again this week has strongly laid on my heart to see us grow to one thousand plus and I truly believe the thousand is to be the core team of the church.

--We must go and compel them to come in…we catch the fish but we let God clean them.

--If every family can win a family we can easily be past one thousand in less than a year.

--Yippee, you are saved, you are in God’s Kingdom, your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, but what of those who are unsaved?  We must get them in the boundaries of God’s protection.

--Here is an exciting thought…imagine 151 missionaries all around the globe and here in the US and think of all who they are leading to Christ…see how the Church is growing thru your efforts!

--Jesus said that all of those who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved…let’s give them that chance.

Be The Change You Want To See - 6

Subject:  Leading The Change In Your Family, Church, or Business

by Rick Welborne

2 Corinthians 4:6-10 (NIV)
⁶  For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
⁷  But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
⁸  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
⁹  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
¹⁰  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 

Eleanor Doan – You cannot kindle a fire in any other heart until it is burning within your own.

--Major League Baseball umpire Doug Harvey had a job description that guided his actions on the baseball field. 

Harvey:  In refereeing, as it is with umpiring, stature is everything.  You have to have presence on the court.  You have to make the coaches and players respect you.  You do it by getting the calls right and knowing the rules.  You also get it by allowing the coaches to have a say without letting them be disrespectful.  Your job is to control the game. 

--He understood the strike zone and ground rules of each park.  He knew where he was supposed to be on the field for every type of play.  

--He understood one of the most interesting aspects of the game---earning respect by creative problem solving.

--So how important are job descriptions?  Some people cannot function without one while others feel that it is a waste of time.  For those of us who really want to lead, they are vital.  

--If people do not know what they are supposed to be doing, how will they know what to do?

--Jack Welch, CEO of General Electric for more than twenty years, has been recognized as one of the premier leaders and examples of great leadership…he did not just wing it as he went…he had a plan.

--In his book Jack Welch and the 4E’s of Leadership Jeffrey Krames identifies four characteristics that should be part of the great leader’s job description…of course I will add Rickanese to it!

1. Great leaders must have energy.

--There is no room for laziness in leadership.  Leaders set the tone of their organizations.  Few people will outwork their leader, that’s why it’s important that the leader exude energy.

--It is amazing to me what is being talked about in the presidential campaign between Hillary and Trump.  So much is being said about the health and energy (stamina) of both candidates.  Lord, help us this year!

Mark Twain:  And what is a man without energy?  Nothing—nothing at all!

--Lazy leaders create lazy organizations…show me a church that is content to do only what is expected and has done it for the last several years and I will show you a leader who is content with the status quo.

--Show me an organization that can’t accomplish its goals, or has none, and I will show you a leader with low energy.

--A great antidote for lazy, low energy leadership is what is called the “Rebekah Principle”. In Gen. 24 Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac. Imagine that pressure!

--As you can imagine, the servant prayed very hard and when he arrived at his destination with his camels, baggage, and gifts he wanted God to show him the right woman.

Genesis 24:12-21 (NIV)
¹²  Then he prayed, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
¹³  See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.
¹⁴  May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too'--let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."
¹⁵  Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor.
¹⁶  The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
¹⁷  The servant hurried to meet her and said, "Please give me a little water from your jar."
¹⁸  "Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
¹⁹  After she had given him a drink, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking."
²⁰  So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels.
²¹  Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful. 

--In other words, the servant was saying, he was looking for someone who would do what was required and then some!  He wanted a person who wouldn’t try to slide by on the bare minimum but would go above and beyond. Kind of like what Jesus was saying:

Matthew 5:40-41 (NLT)
⁴⁰  If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too.
⁴¹  If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.

--Here is a few practical tips for developing energy:

A. Get plenty of sleep…not a Starbucks Double Shot.

B. Think good thoughts…wake up with a thankful heart.

C. Get some exercise…walk or ride a bike…good time to pray.

D. Watch what you eat…that does not mean lusting over your food as it goes in your mouth.

E. Spend time with energetic people…concept of a biker drafting the person in front.

Ephesians 5:18 (NIV)
¹⁸  Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

2. Great leaders must be energizing.

--You can’t energize others if you don’t have energy.  You may need to go over point one again.

--Energizing leaders must transfer energy to those they lead.  Leaders are encouraging, optimistic, and visionary. They rally people for a cause, and people will follow. 

--Harvard Business Review says that energizers do five things:

A. They focus on possibilities, not problems.  This does not mean they ignore problems; they don’t.  They deal with them as they arise but never allow them to squelch their optimism. 

B. They help others feel engaged. Some people need help getting past being Eor! 

C. They learn from those around them.  Energizers do not have all the answers…they gain wisdom from those they lead. Some people are energized just by having the opportunity to share input.

D. They are goal oriented but flexible. Goals are important but not more important than people.  Sometimes we lay aside our ministry to help someone who is hurting…actually that is our ministry.

E. They have integrity.  Energizing leaders realize that their words and actions must match up. 

Ketterling:  There’s only one word you can use to describe anyone without integrity—liar.  There are no shades of gray between truth and untruth.  Leaders don’t have to tell everything they know, but what they say must be the truth.  A lack of integrity will push you to the back row permanently or even out the door.

3. Great leaders must have an edge.

--Jack Welch (CEO of GE) says those with an edge are competitive individuals who never let a tough task get in their way.

--Leadership will constantly mean that you will have to do things or confront things that are not easy or popular. Real leaders know that this comes with the territory.  This is why so many people avoid leadership.

--It is tough making decisions that are not easy…here are a few questions to ask yourself when faced with tough decisions.

A. Will I soon regret not making this decision?  If your low fuel light comes on, will you regret not stopping and getting fuel.  Eventually you will.  That’s how hard decisions operate…stop putting it off and act.

B. Why am I reluctant to make this decision?  Do you lack information or fear the consequences? Is someone’s future in the balance, or will you shine a light on something people do not want to discuss?  There are lots of reasons we put off doing what we know we should do.  Putting it off will not make things better.

C. What is the worst thing that can happen?  If you can deal with the worst possible scenario, you can make the decision with confidence. Run through all the possibilities in your mind and decide how you will deal with each one. If you can cope with whatever happens, you’re free to make a decision. 

--Having an edge doesn’t mean running over people or being an antagonist. It means being decisive and action oriented. It means knowing what you will do and then doing it.  By the way, always…always ask God for wisdom!

James 1:5-8 (NIV)
⁵  If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
⁶  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
⁷  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;
⁸  he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

4. Great leaders must execute their plan.

--People can be extremely active but not productive.  Many people use their busyness as an excuse and as a cover for their lack of getting anything done.

--The truth is in the measureable results.  Are you achieving your goals?  Is the business or organization that you are leading in better shape that it was a month or a year ago?

--What effect has your involvement or leadership had on the organization?  Have you made a difference?

--Leaders who fail in carrying out a plan and those fail at making the organization better are really not leading at all. Leadership implies action and forward movement. 

--Caution here:  Organizations…homes, businesses, and churches all have seasons and all have times of challenge but after a measure of time there should be some measureable growth. 

--The Apostle Paul was in Athens became perturbed by what he saw.  He noticed there were many gods who were worshiped there.

--Many of us would have complained to the team traveling with us but in no way would have confronted the situation. Paul did…that is what leadership does.  I am sure what he did was not politically correct.

Acts 17:22-27 (NIV)
²²  Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.
²³  For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
²⁴  "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.
²⁵  And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
²⁶  From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
²⁷  God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 

--His plan was to preach the gospel and let the chips fall where they would…God, give us courage to lead and stand up for what is right.  What was the result?

Acts 17:34 (NIV)
³⁴  A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.