What’s been messing with me is this visual of the priests leading with muddy feet. You see, the people walked on dry ground, but as they kicked up the dirt, you can almost imagine the feet of the priest, once wet – now caked in mud. As priests and leaders unto our king, there are times we too must lead with muddy feet. We know we must step out in faith so others can find their destiny. It’s messy, it’s uncomfortable, it’s muddy – but it’s also the greatest place to be.

In your eyes your steps caked in mud may seem heavy or burdensome, perhaps not as clean and as swift as you would prefer them to be; but take a step anyway and keep your trust in God. If you find yourself here today, embrace your muddy feet – these are the feet that reflect the beauty of an obedient servant taking a step of faith.

Exodus 15:13 captures God’s approach well. It shows us how “Love” leads. You see, in spite of their attitudes – love drenched God’s every response towards them.

Exodus 15:13 HCSB

You will lead the people You have redeemed with Your faithful love; You will guide them to Your holy dwelling with Your strength.

When love leads:

• Complaints are heard and valued, even when expressed in a personally offensive manner. (Ex 16:2)

• The leader may be charged with enmity, yet never treats his followers as an enemy but keeps their best interests at heart. (Ex 16:3)

• In the midst of loud complaining and outright disobedience, love still offers stability and redemption to those who will receive it. (Ex 15:13)

• Though people deserve less, love remains faithful to offer more. (Ex  16:11)

Love will always bring strength to our leadership if it has an opportunity to lead. Will those we lead consider 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 as a picture of our leadership? I think it’s a good mark to shoot for. My prayer is that God will help me to be a leader that grows in allowing love to lead!

How is Jesus influencing you today? Good question to ask, don’t you think?

Sometimes friendship is seen as something people, especially employees, might abuse and I know we have all had negative experiences with those who seek to take advantage of us. However, fear and suspicion shouldn’t shape the way we view others and especially future relationships we build.  As a leader, don’t be afraid to share your belief in people and let them know that you’re for them. I figured, if it’s good enough for Jesus  – one who has made it clear it is how He chooses to relate to His followers – it ought to be good enough for me as I lead in His name.

John 15:15 niv ^“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

A real friend is one who desires the best in you; would risk comfort to tell you the truth and believes in your highest potential. They are never embarrassed to be seen with you, and desire to share their happiest moments with you. For those whom I have the privilege of leading, I hope I can always be a friend indeed!

David

So how did Jesus handle attention? This is one of the aspects of his ministry that I find very intriguing. He never appeared to draw on any kind of personal benefit from the attention his ministry attracted. How often did he heal people and ask them to not say anything about it? More directly, Jesus wasn’t hesitant in addressing those who seemed to relish in the attention of others. In Matthew 23:5-7 (niv), Jesus corrects the Pharisees by pointing out…

“Everything they do is done for men to see…”

“they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats…”

“they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.”

Let’s face it – it’s clear their motive was the approval of men and not the approval of God. On the contrary, Jesus said to his Father in John 17:4 “I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” nlt

I find it ironic that the one person who had the right to our attention never pointed people to himself. The Bible tells us that before Jesus came on the scene – John the Baptist pointed others to him (Matthew 3:11), and after he ascended to the Father – the Holy Spirit did and does today (John 16:14).  He never sought attention himself. Jesus set an example for us to follow, that we too should work and live simply for the glory of God. I love that this is the theme for our 21 days of prayer and fasting – that God will be glorified in increasing ways in and through our lives. It is my prayer – may it be yours also.

David

P.S. For more information on fasting visit www.awake21.org

In the past three weeks I’ve heard statements like:

• “If you don’t give to my cause, I will leave the church.”
• “If you don’t endorse me and my ministry (while I’m being arrested for threatening others) I will have my lawyer call you.” and the most bizarre,
• “If you don’t meet with me and agree with my position, I will sue you.”

I also heard recently of a ministry that burn Bibles that are not King James Version, along with books from noted Christian leaders such as Billy Graham and Rick Warren. Why? They believe they are right and everyone else has missed God. They have chosen to make it public by destroying the very thing that they are supposed to share with the unreached world. I’m not that good of a storyteller to make this stuff up.

When did we ever need to resort to lawsuits, threats, destruction of property, and verbal bashing in order to defend our “righteous positions?” It is just not in the Bible! As a matter of fact, it is the same way the religious elite of Jesus’ day treated Him when He did not agree with them.

Here’s the bottom line: terrorism routinely uses fear as a motivator, and does not care if innocent people get hurt in the process. It is just not what Christianity is about. So, I have made a decision to choose to stay focused on what God has called me to do, spend my energy with what will build others and build up the local church, and not give in to religious terrorism. If you think my terminology is too harsh, please forgive me. I do think it’s a notch above “white-washed tombs.” (Matthew 23:27)

CNN recently reported on a girl, who for 18 years was whisked away into a secret backyard compound and was forced to grow up in isolation. By the time authorities discovered Jaycee Lee Dugard, she was a 29-year-old mother of two who had spent more than half of her life in sheds. One of the alleged abductors, Phillip Garrido, is the father of her two daughters, according to police. Jaycee now faces a difficult road to recovery.

Aside from the physical abuse and the mental manipulation, the ongoing physiological threats to compliance produces in the victims what some experts call the “Stockholm syndrome.” This is where victims identify with their captors and in many ways, become attached to them. Their captors have, in a very disturbing way become the center of their world. I find that this describes the life of many people in our world today. You may ask, “Who do I know that is a victim to this kind of violation?” The truthful answer is anyone who has not yet entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

You see, for years, even you and I who now know Jesus, were once victims of a captor who manipulated us, enslaved us in sin, left us empty, guilt ridden and alone. In a parallel and very sick way, even when told of the freedom Jesus Christ brings, many still choose to run from freedom and remain in the clutches of their spiritual abuser. Satan continues to violate people we know and love. They desperately need freedom that can only be found in Jesus. We hold the key to their prison in our hands. It’s called the Gospel. Their rescue is our great mission.

For some believers, we struggle with things from the past; perhaps because deep down, destructive desires still seem to have a grip on our hearts. It’s time that we, through the power of the Holy Spirit, fully break free from the Stockholm of our past and walk in the freedom found in Jesus Christ.

What about people you know who haven’t yet accepted Jesus Christ? Keep reaching out, showing love, and continuing to share the good news of the life Jesus brings. Finally, keep praying. Pray that our friends will step out of a life of imprisonment as they discover God’s pure love, clothed in grace and truth.

Isaiah 30:1-5 nlt

“Destruction is certain for my rebellious children,” says the Lord. “You make plans that are contrary to my will. You weave a web of plans that are not from my Spirit, thus piling up your sins. ² For without consulting me, you have gone down to Egypt to find help. You have put your trust in Pharaoh for his protection. ³ But in trusting Pharaoh, you will be humiliated and disgraced. ⁴ For though his power extends to Zoan and Hanes, ⁵ it will all turn out to your shame. He will not help you even one little bit.”

Isaiah reminds us that there are plans from the Spirit of God and those from the heart of man. There are things that seem good to us – they may have great relational and social potential, financial gain, be dynamic, even exciting or creative, and in of themselves, be very good. Yet, the question remains – does it fit God’s revealed will for my life or my organization? No doubt, we may hear of plans that fit well with someone else’s call (be it a friend or another leader), but it may not necessarily mean that you and I have been called to the same. Isaiah reminds us that we must consult God first and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

• Does it align with God’s best for me?
• Does it fit what He has already revealed to me?
• Am I ignoring God’s perfect will and settling for a good counterfeit?

This is not about second-guessing every decision we make. We don’t have to lead with fear, but we must always be willing to set aside our best ideas and ask the Holy Spirit to direct and guide. Even after seeking God, there still may be times we miss it. Yet, we should continue to trust God for His personal leading and directing or redirecting of our plans. The fruit that comes out of that is one that remains, is always pure, and brings honor to God.  Without consulting God, we can fall for the delusion of temporary progress, waste our energy with empty self-justification, and end up humiliated.

Let’s diligently seek Him first and rely on His guidance. Have you consulted God today and submitted your plans to the inspection of the Holy Spirit? He may have great insight for you.

Am I leading through avoidance?

• What topics am I avoiding talking about today?
• What questions would I rather not be asked?
• Who do I really need to challenge today?
• In what areas am I totally dissatisfied (areas that I can do something about)?
• What does my leader need to know today, that can save them from further anguish tomorrow?
• Am I willing to give feedback to a friend, a peer, a boss and risk being in their inner circle?
• If God has already given me the answers to some of the problems I (or my organization) may be facing, why am I waiting to act? Or what am I avoiding?

If I choose to lead through engagement, I may discover:

• Someone is struggling and stuck in despair and I am holding the key to their progress.
• Life can have less anxiety if I address today’s challenges before they become tomorrow’s worries.
• God is just as near and trustworthy in the “perceived calm” of avoidance as He is in the storm of engagement.
• I don’t have to have the answers, just the faith to believe in God who always brings the victory.

Sometimes, we only learn what we’re truly made of when we engage in the difficult matters in life. Someone once said, “leaders are like teabags – don’t know how strong they can be until you put them into some hot water.”

So, time to take a dip, know that God is with you, and trust Him for the victory.

Romans 13:1 niv  “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

No doubt, God is ultimately in control. And yes, we have an incredible privilege and freedom to vote and exercise our duty, but at the end of the day, God sets one up and brings one down.

I’ve been grieved by some of the comments being slung against the current President. It seems that all restraint is gone now that his term is almost over. Personally, I have struggled with some of the decisions he has made.  The issue isn’t whether he was a good or a bad president. I believe there’s a more important issue here – the office he holds. The Office of the President deserves our respect and should be honored. We respect the office not just because of the individual, but rather, because of the “One” who ultimately establishes men in office. In the same manner, we would all want President Obama to receive the honor from all Americans – not because of his color, but because of his office.

One of the things that distinguished Dr. Martin Luther King was his unyielding commitment to love his enemies and honor His God. He said: “Our means must be as pure as the end we desire.” He not only prayed for those responsible for imposing injustice upon a people because of their color, but also for those who were against the means he chose, even though they shared his color.

I am convinced that the issue is not who is elected, it is who we become regardless of who is the President. Our responsibility is to shape the future of this culture for the next generation. We do that by teaching our kids to honor those in authority, even when we disagree with their positions; to pray for them, and to remain grateful to God for the freedom we have as a nation. To always conduct ourselves in a way that mirrors the end we pursue.

I am stoked about the future of our country. I thank God that our kids can indeed believe that no position is out of their reach. Regardless of the color of their skin, they can dream big and reach for their highest potential. Along the way, I also want them to learn things like honor, respect, and develop an unyielding commitment to live in a way that pleases God. To borrow from Dr. King – having means as pure as their desired end, and that includes honoring the current President today, and our new President on January 20^th 2009.