Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. –- Romans 12:11-12
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
-- 1 Timothy 4:12
Sometimes, the hardship or frustrations of life cause us to forget important lessons that God teaches us. This happened to me recently. My job has been very difficult for several months. It has required much more effort than usual with much fewer results. Add to that other stresses of life and, without realizing it, my attitude had changed. This change was brought to my attention by the CEO of the company I work for when he approached me one day.
“Mike, you’ve been having a tough time lately haven’t you?”
“I have,” I answered. “How did you know?”
“Your attitude changed,” he said. “You’ve been noticeably frustrated lately. I understand why, but the problem is that your attitude is also having a negative effect on several of your counterparts. They watch you, you know. They follow your lead. It is having a marked affect on the company.”
I was shocked. I had no idea this was the case. I did not realize my attitude changed but, apparently, others around me did. Others who I didn’t even know were watching. Others I didn’t even know paid any attention to me. I had forgotten a basic rule: Leadership by example includes consistently maintaining a positive mental attitude. In the military, this type of thing is referred to as a “force multiplier” -- a capability that, when added to and employed by a combat force, significantly increases the combat potential of that force and thus enhances the probablity of successful mission accomplishment. In fact, a positive mental attitude is so important that the United States Air Force puts it atop the list of “The Seven Priorities of Survival” they teach at SERE (Survive, Escape, Resist and Evade) school. It is above everything else, including fire, shelter, water and food.
Young men, the point is that Christ-centered leadership is never about you. It is always about those around you. It is not about how much you can take, but rather about how much you can give. The Apostle Paul understood this well. Read Philippians 1:1 – 2:18. He is writing this letter to the believers in Philippi … from prison. If anybody had a reason to be frustrated and discouraged, it was Paul. But he wasn’t. He rejoiced (1:18). Why? Because he understood that God was using his chains to advance the gospel (1:12) and cause Christ to be preached (1:18). Not only did he lead by example, but he also encouraged others to as well (2:1-4), reminded them of why they should do it (2:5-11) and urged them to share in his gladness and rejoicing (2:12-18). If you ask me, Paul was the ultimate encourager and a master of positive mental attitude.
I was thankful for the gentle, but candid reproach of my boss that day. He was right and it snapped me out of it. It also reminded me that Christ uses men who are wholly committed to Him to lead the way, that people are following that lead even when we don’t realize they are doing so and that a positive mental attitude is a core part of leadership.
I pray that I will not forget that lesson. I also pray that neither will you.
Mike McFarland
2010 Challenge Guest Director
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
And God Will Make You Fit
"I am crucified with Christ." Galatians 2:20
You’ve heard me describe the meaning of the verse about, “No greater love has any man than he lay done his life for another”. Most of us associate the action of “laying down” with being willing to die. You’ve heard me say that this means not only being willing to lay down your physical life but also and more importantly laying down your desires, your plans, your thoughts, and your attitudes. No one is ever united with Jesus Christ until he is willing to relinquish not only sin, but his whole way of looking at things. Advancing from the theme of Challenge 2009, resolved, ransomed, we need to relinquish. To be born from above of the Spirit of God means that we must first let go before we can seize. The initial phase of this objective is letting go of all deception. What is it that you have that God wants? What is it that we can produce that he wants to take from us? What Our Lord wants us to present to Him is not goodness, nor honesty, nor endeavor, but real solid sin; that is all He can take from us. Remember the verse about God not being able to be in the presence of sin. What does God give in exchange for our sin? Real solid righteousness. Psalm 23:3 He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. And why does he do this…for His Name’s sake. This transaction is that important. God wants glory. He will get glory. He wants the glory to come through you and me. We have an awesome opportunity to be made right. And God will make that possible for His Name’s sake. In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Psalm 35:24
In the next phase, the Spirit of God will show us what further there is to relinquish. In the spirit of Challenge 2009 “Ransomed”, we have been bought with a price we cannot repay. The fact that we cannot afford to repay does not mean we should not try. We must give-up all fakeness of being any thing. We need to give-up all claims of being worthy of God's consideration. Here will have to be the relinquishing of any claim to the right to self. Am I willing to relinquish my hold on all I possess, my hold on my affections, my hold on my family, my holdon my career, and on everything, and to be identified with the death of Jesus Christ?
There is always a sharp painful dashing of hopes to go through before we do relinquish. What I mean is when a man really sees himself as the Lord sees him the awful nature of pride is appalling. We realize how our own heart is against Jesus Christ. When we see ourselves in the light of the Lord, the shame and the horror and the desperate conviction come home. We question how we got to this point and the answer is disappointing to say the least. Review the February blog entry “Where the rubber meets the Road” for a reminder about being against Jesus.
Challenge 2009 brought us to the realization that we are not our own. We must live for God. If you are up against the question of relinquishing, go through the crisis, relinquish all, and God will make you fit for all that He requires of you.
Challenge 2010 will introduce you to that requirement. This year’s theme is Righteous Revolution. At Challenge you will be equipped and trained to make a stand with Jesus to thwart the enemy. The victory begins with you. On the inside and comes out. It continues in your family then to your community then to your state, your region, and your nation. Join the Challenge staff and me as we prepare to impact our nation for Jesus Christ.
Challenge Program Director
Bruce Stansbury
You’ve heard me describe the meaning of the verse about, “No greater love has any man than he lay done his life for another”. Most of us associate the action of “laying down” with being willing to die. You’ve heard me say that this means not only being willing to lay down your physical life but also and more importantly laying down your desires, your plans, your thoughts, and your attitudes. No one is ever united with Jesus Christ until he is willing to relinquish not only sin, but his whole way of looking at things. Advancing from the theme of Challenge 2009, resolved, ransomed, we need to relinquish. To be born from above of the Spirit of God means that we must first let go before we can seize. The initial phase of this objective is letting go of all deception. What is it that you have that God wants? What is it that we can produce that he wants to take from us? What Our Lord wants us to present to Him is not goodness, nor honesty, nor endeavor, but real solid sin; that is all He can take from us. Remember the verse about God not being able to be in the presence of sin. What does God give in exchange for our sin? Real solid righteousness. Psalm 23:3 He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. And why does he do this…for His Name’s sake. This transaction is that important. God wants glory. He will get glory. He wants the glory to come through you and me. We have an awesome opportunity to be made right. And God will make that possible for His Name’s sake. In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Psalm 35:24
In the next phase, the Spirit of God will show us what further there is to relinquish. In the spirit of Challenge 2009 “Ransomed”, we have been bought with a price we cannot repay. The fact that we cannot afford to repay does not mean we should not try. We must give-up all fakeness of being any thing. We need to give-up all claims of being worthy of God's consideration. Here will have to be the relinquishing of any claim to the right to self. Am I willing to relinquish my hold on all I possess, my hold on my affections, my hold on my family, my holdon my career, and on everything, and to be identified with the death of Jesus Christ?
There is always a sharp painful dashing of hopes to go through before we do relinquish. What I mean is when a man really sees himself as the Lord sees him the awful nature of pride is appalling. We realize how our own heart is against Jesus Christ. When we see ourselves in the light of the Lord, the shame and the horror and the desperate conviction come home. We question how we got to this point and the answer is disappointing to say the least. Review the February blog entry “Where the rubber meets the Road” for a reminder about being against Jesus.
Challenge 2009 brought us to the realization that we are not our own. We must live for God. If you are up against the question of relinquishing, go through the crisis, relinquish all, and God will make you fit for all that He requires of you.
Challenge 2010 will introduce you to that requirement. This year’s theme is Righteous Revolution. At Challenge you will be equipped and trained to make a stand with Jesus to thwart the enemy. The victory begins with you. On the inside and comes out. It continues in your family then to your community then to your state, your region, and your nation. Join the Challenge staff and me as we prepare to impact our nation for Jesus Christ.
Challenge Program Director
Bruce Stansbury
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