Author: admin

Even the greatest warrior, the strongest athlete, the most robust individual is powerless before death. Our strength flees from us. Our energy evaporates. Our zeal dissipates. When death comes for us, it is futile to resist.

For some people, this truth produces great terror. They spend most of their life dreading the inevitable. Others live in denial, behaving as if the day of their demise will never come. But it will.

On the other hand, acceptance of our inevitable end can be freeing. We know what is coming. Despite advances in science and medicine, humanity has failed to achieve immortality. But knowing what awaits us in the future ought to stimulate us to live today well. Knowing we can’t live forever ought to stimulate us to complete our tasks expeditiously. Do you have a healthy view of death?

Timing is everything! To exert the maximum effect, we must take the appropriate action at the best time. Occasionally we are in too great of a hurry. We rush our work. We make a decision too quickly. We advance before we have reconnoitered the terrain. We try to lead our people forward before they have “bought in” to the mission. Even the best of intentions can end in failure if we attempt to do the right thing, too soon.

For others, the problem is delay. They know what they should do, but they attempt it too late. The time comes to act, but they are indecisive. The moment to advance arrives, but they are caught unprepared. By the time such people have everything in order, the opportunity is past. Good intentions, attempted too late, have little value.

The key is to always be aware of the time in which you lead. Are you prepared for what is coming? Have you thought through the ramifications of your actions so you are prepared to advance? Great leadership often hinges on astute timing. How has your timing been, lately?

Leadership involves power. It is about having the ability to influence people to accomplish your purposes. There are people with great ideas that never see the light of day. That’s because the dreamers cannot influence people with power to bring their vision to fruition.

The king has power. His word is law. The challenge for people is to know how to influence the king without losing their head! Some employees are continually experiencing conflict with their boss. They are constantly finding themselves in hot water. Rather than gaining their boss’s favor, they say things that offend.

Wise people do not resort to manipulation or deception, but they do recognize where the “power” in their organization is and they learn how to influence it for good. Astute employees gain the king’s favor by serving with integrity and efficiency. They handle themselves well and thus, become people of influence who get things done.

God created people to be righteous. But our heads are continually being filled with schemes and plots. Even as the wily serpent pervaded the minds of Adam and Eve with the possibility of becoming like God, so our thoughts regularly focus on doing, becoming, and experiencing that which God has forbidden.

We glorify God when we live as God designed us to. We honor Him when we are content with what God has given us. Yet inevitably we grow dissatisfied. We come to believe we ought to have more than God granted us. Rather than meditating on God’s word, we scheme to “get ahead” and enjoy “the good life.”

Some people become consumed with plotting how they can achieve what they desire. Rather than spending time with God and His word, they obsess with their own plans. What is occupying your thoughts?

A multitude knows “what.” A handful understands “why.” There are many people who are satisfied with this. They don’t search for answers or understanding. They are subjected to the vacillating winds of fate without ever comprehending why certain events in their life take place.

In contrast, there are people who are determined to understand their life. They refuse to merely be victims, but to learn to recognize the ebb and flow of life. Such people reflect on their experiences. They seek God’s counsel. They study Scripture. They ask questions. For them, simplistic answers are unacceptable. As a result, they gain wisdom.

There is much that happens in life that is evil, painful, and bewildering. It can make life daunting. Yet God is willing to grant us a certain level of understanding of some of life’s most horrific events, if we are willing to seek His answers.

Everyone would be wise, if it was easy! But there is a huge discrepancy between our desire to be wise and wisdom itself. Only those who are willing to pay the required price will bridge that gap.

Some people want an education but they don’t want to go to school. Others want money, but they are unwilling to work. Some want knowledge, but they hate to read. In life, there is always a price involved to acquire objects of value.

For some people, the journey to wisdom is daunting. They look at how much effort lies before them and they grow discouraged. It seems like becoming the man or woman God intends them to be will take too long and too much work. Yet, as in every great journey, we must focus on the next step, not the distant destination. If we keep faithfully doing the next thing, we will one day achieve all God intends for us. Some of God’s greatest treasures laid aside for us may seem far away today. But they won’t always be, if we will do all we know to do, today.

Leadership is not for the thin skinned! While it holds numerous privileges, it also subjects people to increased pressures and criticisms.

There will always be armchair critics. These are people who do not pay the price of leadership themselves, but they are quick to evaluate and criticize what leaders around them are doing

If you are overly concerned with peoples’ opinions, you will inevitably be hurt and distracted by them. You may have worked hard and made great sacrifices for your organization. Then you overhear someone criticizing your effort or second-guessing your motives. That can be devastating.

To guard yourself, you must be sure you do not place too much weight on peoples’ opinions. For people will inevitably disappoint and criticize you. Learn to expect it. Don’t let peoples’ praise be the reward you seek. For it is elusive. Be certain you are faithfully doing God’s will then take everything you hear from people with a grain of salt.

When God allows us to have an amazing day, we assume it is because He loves us. But when we experience adversity, we become confused. How could a loving God allow us to suffer like that? Why isn’t He protecting us from harm?

The truth is that God has a purpose both for our pleasure as well as our pain. There are certain works He will accomplish in our life using each one. The key is for us to recognize which season we are in, and then to embrace whatever work God wants to accomplish at that time.

In days of prosperity, we need to celebrate and enjoy God’s goodness to us. Too often we are so busy that we miss those special moments God provides us to experience joy. Likewise, when adversity comes, we need to take time to reflect. Without carefully considering our circumstances, we might miss the good work God is doing, even in our discomfort. We should assume that even in our challenges, God has a good purpose. If you are currently experiencing a trial, carefully consider what God is seeking to accomplish through them.

God is sovereign! He will accomplish His purposes! It is foolish to strive against what God is doing.

Some people in churches habitually resist God’s activity. God is clearly moving to bring teenagers into the church, or to minister to immigrants or the poor, yet these misguided saints are opposed. It will cost too much, it will make a mess, it is not in the ten-year plan, they have never done it that way before! So they resist.

Other people do not like God’s will for their life, so they dig in their heels. Perhaps God allowed them to lose their job. Or maybe their struggling teenage child requires more of their time. Yet these people resent the life God has granted them. They refuse to make the necessary adjustments. They angrily wait for God to return their life to the way it used to be.

The truth is that no one can change what God is doing, regardless of how fervently they try. A battle of wills with God is supremely futile. The wise person humbly accepts God’s will and adjusts their life accordingly. They astutely refuse to waste time on what cannot be altered and instead, they make the necessary adjustments in their life so they can embrace God’s activity around them. Some people spend most of their life resisting what God has done. What a waste!

There is no better protection for your life than wisdom. You might install a security system, a protection program, even a vicious guard dog, but the best protection for your life is to accumulate wisdom.

Wisdom comes first and foremost from fearing God. By fearing God we heed His voice. By following divine directives, we avoid numerous pitfalls.

There are many dangers you may face as a leader. You will encounter decisions that can bring you and your organization tumbling down to disaster if you make the wrong one. You must have wisdom. There will be people who could bring your organization tumbling down, who will seek to become your close aids. In gathering advisers around you, you must have wisdom. There will be crises that inevitably come, but the way you respond to them can mean success or failure, you must have wisdom.

At times we can invest great amount of time and money to protect ourselves and yet neglect to gather wisdom. Without it, no amount of security can adequately protect you.