The Spirit and the Skills

Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts. And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. 

Exodus 35:30-34 NIV

We often think that the Spirit only fills people with gifts like evangelism and healing. What we see in this passage is that the Spirit of God enables, or gifts us to serve in many different ways. Bezalel and Oholiab were skilled not only at working with metals and stones and all kinds of artistic crafts but they could teach others to do them. 

Before becoming an educator I worked in construction quite a bit. In both fields I have worked with some gifted and talented people. I believe that the ability to create and make things and to teach others is given by God. We all have abilities and talents that God has given us. The cool part is that God can be glorified in them if we give him the glory. 

So here's the question? What has God gifted you? What abilities has he given you? 

Now here's the challenge (or exhortation): Use your gifts and abilities than God has given you to glorify God. Acknowledge that God has given you those gifts and abilities and thank God or them.  

Good Leaders Listen and Empower

   "But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied." 

   Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 

Exodus 18:21-24 NIV

Moses did a couple of things here that anyone in leadership should pay attention to. First, he listened and second he empowered. Two characteristics you will find in good leaders and notice they are lacking in poor leaders.

First of all, Moses listened to his father-in-law. He could of ignored him or resisted the advice on grounds that Jethro wasn't a "prophet" or didn't say something like "thus saith the Lord". Moses listened to his father-in-law's advice and discerned that it was from God, so he listened and did everything Jethro said. 

Secondly, by taking Jethro's advice he empowered others. Notice that he didn't just delegate responsibility, he delegated authority. This is really where great leaders set themselves apart from simple dumping delegators. Many leaders delegate, then try to micro-manage those they delegate. Then they get frustrated because things don't work out or that they have to manage what they "delegated" so much. I call that dumping, not delegating. Think about Jesus, he didn't just delegated jobs to the disciples, he empowered them with authority to drive out demons, heal in His Name, and proclaim the Kingdom of God (Matthew10:1, Luke 9:1-2). Moses learned to not just delegate but to empower capable men to make decisions. That's empowering leadership.

Final thoughts: Listen and empower. Who do you need to listen to? Who can you empower? Also, how is Christ empowering you?

To Serve is to Know

Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 3:13 NIV

Notice Paul says,"Those who have served well", not, "led well." Knowing Christ is serving Christ. Quite often I get caught up in the notion that serving Christ is separate from knowing Christ. It's not that I consciously think that way, but naturally I tend to want to serve to prove myself worthy. 

I think truly serving teaches you that it's all of grace. Being a part of God's work in people's lives is humbling because you realize that you can't really change anyone, you can only love people. You also see that God does things in his own time. Serving also forces you to look outside yourself and see things from God's perspective. Seeing the Spirit work in yourself and others gives you that assurance that God loves you as is always working Sovereignly in your life. 

Being known as a someone who serves others is to have "an excellent standing" in your faith. This is opposite of the world where leaders are served by their employees. But, in the kingdom of God, the leader, like Christ, serves.

If I'm know for anything, I hope it's that I serve others and know Jesus. 

First Things First

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 

1 Timothy 2:1-4 NIV

After making sure, in chapter one, that Timothy's head and heart were in the right place Paul instructs him to pray (petition, pray, intercede and thank God) for all people, especially those in authority. Paul says to do this so that we may live peaceful lives in all godliness and holiness. 

The end of it all is that through the witness of our lives people, people we come in contact with, will be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. As of now, the world around us is not saved and definitely does not know the truth. Honestly, we can't argue the world into the kingdom of heaven. But, we can love everyone around us. So, our prayer should be to be godly and holy in this dark and wicked world. 

Father, we thank you for all those in authority and pray that you would lead and guide their decisions. Have your Sovereign hand upon them. Help us to stand in you, living godly and holy lives by faith and grace. Give us the love we need for each person you put in our lives. Shine your light upon our world through us today. Praise be to you in us today!

All Purpose Advice

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32 NIV

I've read some great books and heard a lot of sermons on marriage, parenting, boundaries and love languages but, the best advice I've ever heard on any type of relationship  is right here in Ephesians. 

You can talk all you want, and sometimes you shouldn't, but if you don't forgive, you'll just be assigning blame. You can give each other space and sometimes there is not a enough in the universe, but, if you don't remember that YOU need to be forgiven, you'll just be trying to get the other person to change so you don't have to.  

Whether you talking about marriage, parenting, friendships, work relationships, or daily dealings with people in general, if you don't remember that you need God to forgive you, you will never get to enjoy people as God intended you to enjoy them. Forgiveness opens the door to grace. Grace from God to you and from you to others. You want to see God work, forgive. 

RESPECTABILITY: I Timothy 3:8

Respect is often misunderstood in our culture, I think. For some it means fear. For some it means to be blindly given or received. I think respect has many facets. Respect is both given and earned. I respect someone who does what they say and considers the needs of others, not just their own. I think respectability is a trait every Christian should desire.

"Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain." I Timothy 3:8

In this verse Paul is describing men who act honorably and their character proves them to be respectable. I will show respect to some people because it is the right thing to do even though some do not act in a way that warrants respect. This verse is dealing with men whose actions show them to be worthy of respect. 

As for us the question is do I act honorably? Do people respect me? I know that sounds like a bit of an egocentric question, but, I think it is a good question to ask ourselves. Do my wife and children respect me? Do they respect me or do they simply show me respect? Do I do what I say? Am I a man of action? 

I don't mean to condemn in any way, because all of us fall short of the glory of God, but, I do want us to take an honest look at ourselves. If I am not acting respectably I need to change. 

How can you act today that will be worthy of respect?

Father, by your power and grace, make us people worthy of respect. Praise be to you in us today!

BE REASONABLE, DO IT MY WAY!: I Timothy 3:3

I am sure that you work with, or have worked with a person who is (in there world) the center of the universe. They are always right (according to them) and if they don't get their way they can be unbearable. Truthfully, they're unbearable even when they get their way. Generally speaking, they are self-centered. Not good qualities for a leader of the church, or a husband and a father. 

"not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money." I Timothy 3:3

The phrase I want to focus on today is that we should not be quarrelsome. 

I would have to say that being quarrelsome is probably an area that God has done a lot of work in my life and will continue to deal with me for the foreseeable future. The idea is to be strong in your convictions without arguing over them. Being a bit more conservative them most of my fellow teachers often puts me at odds with the popular opinion. A friend once told me that people aren't ready to hear something until they are ready to hear something. When we are unwilling to listen we are unable to hear. One side of being quarrelsome is being unwilling to listen and the other is having to be heard. 

TWhen I was maybe nineteen my friends gave me a plaque for my birthday that read, "Be reasonable, do it my way!" I have learned that other peoples ways are just as good, if not better, than my own. I once went into my pastor's office and read him a two page list of things he said wrong. I am not sure I would do that now. I might pray a bit more and maybe think about humility. 

Now that I have had my little moment at the confessional, I encourage you to look at yourself. Are you a bit contentious? Do you always have to be right? Are you strong enough to be right and not have to prove it, to everyone, all the time?

Father, help us to be humble and strong, living according to the truth. May your Spirit work in and through us. Praise be to you in us today!

LEAD YOUR MARRIAGE & FAMILY: I Timothy 3:2

I want to take a look at these verses as encouragement to men in regards to being the servant-leader of your marriage and family.

"Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach". I Timothy 3:2

I just think these are very good ideals that all men should seek to have in their lives. I believe they are all the fruit of Christ like living.

"be above reproach" - Basically, no one should have anything on me. Now, we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So, I am not talking about perfection. What we are talking about is keeping your life in order. Recently I had situation with my sons' little league baseball league. I am a volunteer manager. During our draft night, I had asked someone if they would help coach the team. There was a misunderstanding that was my fault. Unintentional, but still it was because of my actions. So, when the President of the league told me what was wrong, I just told him I was sorry, I wasn't trying to do anything but try to ask a parent to help coach. But, it was still my bad. And I asked him what he would like me to do to make things right. He didn't know. So, I called who I thought I might of negatively affected. As far as I know I made things right. 

"the husband of but one wife" - Because I am more concerned with any man as the servant-leader of his marriage and family I am going to discuss divorce accept to say, God's forgiveness includes divorce. As a husband and a father we are to be one woman men. I especially want to emphasize your heart. There is only one woman who gets to hear what's in my heart. If she isn't in the mood. No one else gets to hear it. I work in education and I used to work in restaurants. I always have boundaries, even conversationally, because I have seen men incited to leave their marriage because the other women simply gave them a little attention and a little praise. 

I think that will do for today. Men, keep things clean, and be a one women man. 

Father, help us to keep our lives above reproach and to be one with our wives. Praise be to you in us today!