The Traits of a Leader, Part I of II

The Traits of a Leader, Part I of II
March 14, 2011
Numbers 13:30 "'. . . We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.'"

There are quite a few great examples of some amazing leaders in the Bible. If we study these leaders, we can learn a few things that could transfer over into our own lives, empowering us in the place the Lord has set for us. One such leader in the Bible that we should learn to emulate is Joshua. Joshua was the great leader of the Israelites, who came into his position when Moses passed away. He is most famous for leading the Battle of Jericho, when the Israelites marched around the city walls shouting and sounding their trumpets. But before Joshua was a leader, he was something else. Joshua was an entrepreneur. An entrepreneur can be defined as one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risk for an activity or enterprise.

When you think of the word entrepreneur, you might instantly think of a risk-taker. You would be right in doing so. Entrepreneurs, by nature, have the ability to think ahead not matter what the cost, envision something for the future, dream about the possibilities. Entrepreneurs are usually visionaries, imagining a future that does not exist but requires a trail to be blazed. Joshua had these qualities. If you read about Joshua, starting in Numbers 13, you find him among a party of explorers sent out to spy on the land of the Canaanites. Upon their return, all of them had a negative report about the future possibilities in Canaan, except for Caleb and Joshua. In fact, listen to what Joshua had to say about the future possibilities (and when you do, listen for the word entrepreneur or visionary and risk-taker):
"'The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them.'"

Joshua was ready to move forward into an unknown future, taking on the great risk of defeating the current inhabitants of the land. To move forward required a new trail to be blazed through uncertain and endless possibilities. Nonetheless, Joshua spoke the words in confidence. He didn't say these words because he was told by God in a dream to say them. He spoke boldly of an unknown future because he was an entrepreneur. When you couple entrepreneurship with faith in God, you can understand why Joshua might speak up to the whole of the Israelites (when hundreds of thousands of Israelites wanted to stone him for it--read it for yourself in Numbers 14).

You may think an entrepreneur is limited to the business world, but I would submit to you that every judge, prophet, apostle, or Christian in the Bible was an entrepreneur. Throughout the entirety of the Bible, every one of them blazed a trail that had never been imagined before, assuming the risk of even their lives. Most of them blazed their trail in the face of adversity or among people who were afraid or even wanted to kill them for their ideas. But the entrepreneurs had faith that it would work out. In fact, the very nature of an entrepreneur requires faith, hope in a future that does not yet exist. This is also the very thing that pleases the Lord the most, faith. You cannot please God without faith; therefore, if you possess faith, you do have an entrepreneurial spirit inside you. Don't be afraid to step out in faith, especially if it requires a new trail to be blazed. Your entrepreneurship, if coupled with your Christianity, will please the Lord as great faith.

Most leaders, whether they are leading a Fortune 100 company or a church of 100 people, must envision a risky future and march toward it boldly. If they don't, eventually the leader will have nothing to lead and consequently nowhere to go. Leaders don't simply walk in circles or on paths already taken; followers can do that on their own. Followers need a leader who can take them places they have never even imagined. Joshua was just that person, a visionary who was excited about an unknown future and spoke boldly about it because of his faith in the Lord. Incidentally, the other men sent to spy out the land with Caleb and Joshua, who didn't have that same entrepreneurial spirit, were struck down by the Lord (Num 14:37).

1. What trail have you been thinking about blazing?
2. Are you afraid or is your faith in the Lord strong?
3. How can you allow your Christian faith to give you boldness for an unknown future?

Don't take my word for it; look it up: Numbers 13-15, Heb 11:6

Rain, Rainbows & Promises

Rain, Rainbows & Promises
March 7, 2011
Genesis 9:13 "'I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.'"


Prior to the great flood, that Noah was able to avoid by traveling in the giant Ark, it had never rained. You know the story. As strange as it sounds, rain had never fallen from the sky to water the earth. Then God changed the order of things when He allowed the great flood that brought judgment on all the inhabitants of the earth (except for Noah and his family). God changed the natural process for His creation, rain would now fall from the sky. And rain, it did. Clouds covered the earth and it rained for 40 days. It must have been a very ominous sight for the earth's inhabitants, even those in the Ark, seeing rain for the very first time. Imagine the fear it must have created.

But God didn't let it rain forever; He stopped the flood waters that were falling from the sky. When the rain subsided and Noah came out of the Ark, Noah saw something else the earth had never seen before - a rainbow. The scientific explanation of a rainbow is rather simple; it is created when falling droplets of water pass through the sun's rays, reflecting the light, leaving an arc of colors (like a prism). The new rain naturally caused the new phenomenon of a rainbow. But listen to what God said about the rainbow:
"'I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.'"

God used the rainbow as a symbol of His covenant with us, promising that the earth would never be destroyed by rain ever again. But Noah didn't need the rainbow as such a covenant, to know he would not be destroyed. Noah was saved from the judgment; he wasn't afraid of God destroying him. God's covenant was necessary for future generations. Noah had the Ark; in theory, he could climb inside and avoid another flood. But God knew the temptation of a man to trust in physical things. God did not want Noah to live in the sort of fear where he needed to stay close to the Ark every time it rained. God wanted Noah to be blessed and live a fruitful life. God wanted Noah to live with the peace in his heart that it was safe to live a life free from past fears. Noah needed to know it was safe to leave the Ark forever, to leave the past in order to have a future, to know every time it rained he didn't need to jump in the boat.

God wants that same peace for you and me, too. He wants us to have peace in our hearts knowing it is safe to live a life free from the fear of past events. God wanted Noah to understand that the fear of the flood should be in the past. Just as God delivered Noah, God has delivered you and me from so many things; I know you can recall certain events you never wish to have repeated in your future. Remember those times, but only as a testament to what God did for you when He delivered you from them. Don't let your past create fear for your future. Don't live each new day with the fear of what might happen. If you do, you will never leave the "Ark." Noah didn't live a life of fruitfulness and blessing by staying in the Ark. He left the past (the Ark) and did not live in fear of his future.

The rainbow was a promise of hope for Noah. Ask God to give you such a promise today. Open His Scriptures; I know there is a promise in there for you. Leave the "Ark" behind and trust God for an amazing future.

1. What are your fears from your past?
2. How are those fears affecting your future?
3. How can you trust the Lord to help you avoid the fear of the past?

Don't take my word for it; look it up: Gen 7 - 9, Ps 32:8, Ps 121:7-8, Pr 8:17, Is 30:18, Is 42:16, Is 54:10, Matt 11:28, Lk 18:27, John 10:27-28, John 16:33, 2 Cor 9:8, Phil 4:19, 2 Peter 1:3-10, 1 John 2:25, 1 John 5:14

Job's Losses

Job's Losses
Feb 28, 2011
Job 1:10 "'Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.'"

Most everyone is familiar with the story of Job. He was a wealthy, God-fearing man, who had never suffered until the Lord allowed Satan to attack him. In a few quick blows, Satan destroyed the man's family, wealth, and health, leaving him completely destitute. Job didn't deserve such harsh treatment; even the Lord God said Job was blameless and upright, that he had lived a life of righteousness. Nonetheless, Job was attacked by Satan and most everything dear to Job was taken away from him. Job suffered great losses, far more than you and I have probably experienced. What is interesting about the story of Job is the initial conversation held between God and Satan, just prior to Satan's attack on Job. I don't quote Satan very often, but Satan said to God, "'Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.'"

Satan declared that the reason and cause of Job's comfortable life was the protective hedge God had placed around Job. Satan was obviously aware of this protective hedge; it is probable he tried to penetrate it on numerous occasions to no avail. Satan knew he was unable to permeate the protective hedge placed around Job's life, unless God removed that protection. Satan was powerless over Job's life because of God's covering. This protection, the Lord's hands around Job, allowed Job a safe and successful life. Job was taken care of by God, and Satan could do nothing to thwart that in Job's life. Then in an act of sovereignty, God removed the protective hedge around Job and allowed Satan to physically and spiritually test him. Without God's hand of protection, Satan was able to inflict great losses on Job.

Job understood this, the fact that the hand of God had protected him for so long, for so many years, making his life comfortable. Listen to Job's own words, after Satan had penetrated God's hedge around him:
"'How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, when his lamp shone on my head and by his light I walked through darkness! Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house, when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me, when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.'"

Job was remembering, and knew what it was like to live with God's protective hedge around him. You, too, may have experienced this at one time, the wonderful covering of God's protective hedge around your life. But Satan has been hard at work attacking you, doing his best to steal from all that God has made blessed in your life. Satan has inflicted you with losses, leaving you destitute in some area. It is painful to lose all that was comfortable in your life, the things God had blessed you with. Satan has stolen from you and your losses seem great.

This is your opportunity to pray against Satan's attack in your life, to petition the Great Shepherd to keep His hands of protection over you. Every day is a new opportunity for Satan to surmount his attack on you and your loved ones. He longs to inflict you with losses and steal all that God has made blessed. Do not give up without a prayerful fight each and every day. Pray for God's covering, for the protective hedge that Job lived under. Live a life of righteousness and do your best to stay under the covering of the Lord Most High. It is the only way to reduce the losses that Satan wants to inflict on you today.

1. What losses have you suffered lately?
2. What is the probability that Satan was the cause of those losses?
3. How can you live and pray in such a way to keep God's protective hedge around you?

Don't take my word for it; look it up: Job 1, Job 29