Ready, Fire, Aim!

1 Peter 4:7-11

Peter was a “ready, fire, aim” kinda’ guy. He acted before he thought. He spoke before he considered the consequences. After all, he was a man’s man who lived by his actions, not by thoughtful introspection.

 During the three years of Jesus’ ministry, Peter would often say what the other disciples were only thinking. He seemed to have no resistors to prevent whatever thought was going through his mind, from coming out of his mouth. The result was that Peter would find himself sticking his foot in his mouth.

But Peter was also a leader, and he genuinely loved Christ. He had many gifts and Jesus saw this. So as Jesus was preparing for his death and resurrection, he asked Peter, “Do you love me”? Jesus was putting Peter in charge, not that Peter seemed to need this; he took charge regardless. But something changed after this.

Instead of speaking or acting without thinking, he gave thoughtful consideration. Peter wrote this letter to believers who were under great pressure of persecution. They needed every insight, every teaching, every encouragement that they could get.

One thing Peter had learned was, you can’t make it on your own. You need others to support and encourage you. He had lived his life as a self-made man who ran a competitive business that depended on his skills, experience and immediate action. He had relied on himself to survive.

But he had changed. And when he changed, he knew the importance of teamwork; of family; of friendship; of being a body of believers. He knew the importance of trust and faith in others. He knew the importance of relying on others.

 ¹⁰ God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. ¹¹ Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. NLT

“Ready, fire, aim” was the old Peter. The new Peter was all about using his gifts in the service of the Lord, and encouraging others to do the same.

(You might also read Romans 12:4-8 & 1 Corinthians 12:7-11.)

  

Legacy of Love

Note Jesus' methods of leadership. He empowered his disciples (9:1), gave them specific instructions so they knew what to do (9:3, 4), told them how to deal with tough times (9:5), and held them accountable (9:10). As you lead others, study the Master Leader's pattern. Which of these elements do you need to incorporate into your leadership?      ---Life Application Study Bible.

When I saw this in my Life Application Study Bible, I had to share it here. As we learn about leadership and begin to develop strategies for leading, we can be certain that Scripture has lots to say about it. We can learn from studying many leaders and stories in the Bible.

Jesus prepared His followers to continue on with the plan. That plan being to share the Good News and to bring others into faith. That is still our job today; to share the new of Jesus and salvation to a suffering and hurting world. The Lenten season we just experienced, prepared us for this next step.

Jesus made a deep and lasting impression on these men. He not only taught them how to do what He did, but he loved them deeply. He was a mentor and a dear friend. When someone has such a profound effect on our lives, we want to remember them. We want to tell everyone about them. We want to experience this relationship again and again.

Carry on the legacy of love which Jesus left behind.

Luke 9:1-6

Broken to be Made Strong

The trials in life are sent to make us, not break us. -- Streams in the Desert

These words shimmered on the pages of my devotional book as I read.  Each day I seek a word or phrase, a line of scripture or wisdom from past sages, to jump start my morning quiet time with God. I just read from Genesis 47, as continuing saga unfolded. Nearing the end of his life, Jacob called his son, Joseph to his side.

Genesis 47:30 (MSG)
When I lie down with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me alongside them." "I will," he said. "I'll do what you've asked."


Jacob and Joseph experienced trials in their lives, and God who is faithful brought them through each difficult season. He does the same for us. Think about a time of personal difficulty and try to see all the good that has come about because of it. Sometimes we have to step away to see these blessings, but in time they will be obvious.

My early childhood was filled with uncertainty and confusion. But God provided grandparents who would make up for the nurturing that was missing. Grandma and Grandpa modeled for me the way of a loving family. They were a refuge from the storms of life.

All the people Joseph served, provided for him. The opportunities he received to prove himself honest and trustworthy ended up building his character. The trials in Joseph's early life made him into a man of God. His faith kept him centered and focused and it grew with each struggle.  The situations he was thrown into developed his leadership and his faith.

Take a look at your situation - past and present - can you see a pattern of development through the trails of your life? Can you recognize the change in your heart since going through that awful season of loss and pain? Are you able to come along side someone else now and paint a picture of God's faithfulness to them?


Genesis 47:27-

What leadership follows

Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 
1 Timothy 3:1

When he was a boy, my son, Matthew, and I went to see the Cleveland Indians play the Baltimore Orioles, whose shortstop, Cal Ripken, Jr., had already become one of the great baseball legends of all time.

What kid doesn’t want to grow up to be great at something?  An Olympic athlete ... the rock star ... an actress ... a pro football player ... a ballerina.  Face it, we’ve all had those Walter Mitty fantasies about the big stage, the heroic feats, and personal greatness.  (All done in great humility, of course!)

But few among us actually realize such grandiose dreams.  So what is it about these people that propels them to greatness?  Certainly, talent is a factor.  But more so, I think it comes down to an uncommon commitment to – and respect for – the fundamentals of an endeavor.  Focus every day on execution excellence, and greatness, if it is to be, will follow.

As we watched the teams warm up that day, what struck me was Cal Ripken’s discipline and his attention to the details of his position.  Knees bent in an “L” shape ... head down ... eye on the ball ... free hand follows the ball into the glove ... smooth throw to first.  If anyone could afford to shrug off practice and not take it seriously, it would be Ripken.  But he remained singularly focused on executing the basics.  Ball ... after ball ... after ball ... after ball ...

Likewise, I believe there are fundamentals that equip one for Christian leadership.  During his teenage years, I would occasionally counsel Matthew, “If you simply do the right thing, others will take courage from you and follow.”

So what “right thing” demands our focus?  Paul gave Timothy a laundry list, including blamelessness, faithfulness, self-control, family leadership, sincerity, honesty and others.  Focus every day on obedience excellence, and leadership, if it is to be, will follow.

[To see the qualifications for Christian leadership in today's text, 1 Timothy 3, click here.  To see additional Christian leadership qualifications in Paul's letter to Titus, click here.]

A must-read for those who must lead

“The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.  Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire.  Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.’  I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me.  They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’  So they began this good work.”  Nehemiah 2:16-18

Tucked away on a shelf in the Library of the Bible is a short story titled, “Nehemiah.”  An autobiographical account of the Jerusalem city wall restoration, “Nehemiah” can be found in the “history” aisle.  Pull it down, blow off the dust from its cover, and crack its binding.  For in the pages of this overlooked gem lie one of the best leadership stories you will ever read ... and some of the greatest leadership lessons you will ever glean.

In today’s lesson [Nehemiah 2:11-20 (NIV)], for instance, you will discover patience and discipline in performing a crucial situation analysis ... wisdom in communications timing ... inspiration of graspable, compelling vision ... and strength in declaring truth in the face of opposition.  All of this in just 10 verses!

Here are some other leadership topics you will discover in the story of Nehemiah, each one filled with an engaging blend of conceptual insight and practical application ...

Leadership prerequisite: a heart for God and a heart for people ... Nehemiah 1
Humility, integrity and wisdom before the authorities of this world ... Nehemiah 2
Establishing, tasking and empowering affinity teams ... Nehemiah 3
Responsiveness, readiness, and resolve in resisting opposition ... Nehemiah 4
Deliberation, confrontation and fairness in the face of internal injustice ... Nehemiah 5
Discernment, wisdom and steadfastness in the face of external treachery ... Nehemiah 6
Celebrating success (“... the joy of the Lord is your strength”) ... Nehemiah 7-8
Integrity: confession and repentance at the hearing of God's Word ... Nehemiah 9-10
Restoring God-centered community in the place of ruin ... Nehemiah 11-12
Purity: confronting the evil that inevitably seeks its way back into a revived people ... Nehemiah 13

On display throughout this book is a leader who was first submissive to his God and always proactive before God's people in wisdom, humility, clarity and strength.  There, too, is the proof of true leadership: a people flourishing.  For Nehemiah cared for God’s people in every way: spiritually, mentally and physically; against external opposition and from internal disobedience; in correction and in encouragement; in despair and in celebration.

Prior to Peter Drucker ... millennia before Jim Collins ... when no one had heard of a Clayton Christensen or a Ram Charan or any other leadership guru of our esteem, there was Nehemiah. 

He's a must-read for those who must lead.

Brick by Brick

The Babylonian exiles were returned to their home land after the prophesied time had passed. They returned in three groups. The first group was led by Zerubbabel, the second by Ezra and Nehemiah brought the final group back home. When Nehemiah returned he found his city defenseless; no walls to protect it from their enemies.

Nehemiah 1:5-6 (MSG)
 I said, "GOD, God-of-Heaven, the great and awesome God, loyal to his covenant and faithful to those who love him and obey his commands: Look at me, listen to me. Pay attention to this prayer of your servant that I'm praying day and night in intercession for your servants, the People of Israel, confessing the sins of the People of Israel. And I'm including myself, I and my ancestors, among those who have sinned against you. 

Nehemiah is a model of committed, God-honoring leadership. The Book of Nehemiah contains many useful lessons for today's leaders to learn. He saw the condition of the city and decided to do something about it. He was determined to help rebuild the city's fallen walls. To do this, he needed the blessing of the King. So, first he prayed.

Next he approached King Artaxerxes and asked for permission to go to Jerusalem and the king approved. Nehemiah organized this massive construction project, delegated various duties and assigned specific sections of the wall to his crews.

This story is one of challenge.  It is one of prayerful, faith driven passion. Nehemiah miraculously completed this project in 52 days. His enemies became even more fearful of him because they knew God was on their side for them to have accomplished this feat in such a short time.

Is there a 'project' God has placed on your heart?  Are you wrestling with a burden to right a wrong?  Follow Nehemiah's lead and pray first; seeking God's direction and His peace. Pour your heart out to God and ask specifically for your request to be answered. Then stand back and give God room to work. It will be amazing.

Nehemiah 1:1-11