Spiritual Gifts: the Gift that SHOULD keep giving

In the last blog, I wrote about the final chapters of 1 Peter.  Part of the discussion was around the importance of being an active learner when you are younger, and a good mentor as you gain more experience.

I also touched on Spiritual Gifts.  These are the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to those who accept Christ as their savior.  Every follower of Christ has been given a gift.

So what are the gifts, and why do we have them?  I found a good list of Spiritual Gifts, and their definitions at this site: www.mintools.com/gifts-list.htm

So now that you have a list of the gifts, what do you do next?  There are multiple tests that you can take online to help determine what spiritual gifts you have been blessed to receive.  There is also a good online class given by Cedar Creek Church that can better help you understand Spiritual Gifts : www.cedarcreek.tv/get-connected/online-classes/

So now that you are aware of Spiritual Gifts, and have the ability to find out more about them and which ones you possess, what is next?

Let me submit that you need to be careful using your gifts.  They were given for a specific reason:

1. "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good" 1 Corinthians 12:7
• That means that you are supposed to make sure that you are using your gifts for the GOOD OF OTHERS, not yourself.  Some of the gifts that you may have been given can very easily be used to manipulate others and bring power to yourself.  The devil likes nothing more than to twist a gift given by God to be wasted on yourself.
2. "..to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ might be built up" Ephesians 4:12
• Again we see another example of how the gifts are meant to prepare you for works of service to build up God's name
3. "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others..." 1 Peter 4:10

The important thing to remember is that one gifting is not better, or more important than the others.  They are all meant to serve a purpose in God's plan.  It is not what gift you have, but how you use it to serve those around you.

I didn't write much this week, because there was no need for it.  The sites that I reference are far better at explaining and helping you uncover the Gifts of the Spirit.  My goal is to get you to take action!  Christianity is an action word.  Christ was the best leader that ever lived.  He was knowledgeable, powerful, personable, active, and above all humble.  There are not many stories about Jesus lounging around, waiting for something to happen.  Jesus used the all of his many gifts to DO things that helped others.

My challenge to you is this:

1. Do some research into Spiritual Gifts
2. Determine what gifts you have been blessed with
3. Use your gifts to DO something!

Start small, or go for it right out of the gate, just don't waste your blessing by sitting on the sidelines.  Now that you are aware that you have been given a gift, FROM JESUS, with the expectation that you should use it to help others.....what are you waiting for?

Peter 4-5: Practical Leadership

Before I continue my thoughts on 1 Peter, it is important to remember what type of person Peter was.  He was the "Do-er" of the group.  When Christ was walking on the water to the boat, what disciple left the boat to meet him?......Peter.  When the Romans came to take Jesus away to be tried, who cut off the servant of the priests ear?......Peter.  When Christ was ascending into heaven, who did he leave in charge of starting the church?.....Peter.

When something needed to get done, Peter was a good person to call upon.  At times it got him in trouble, but Christ always appreciated his passion, loyalty, and attitude.  So as I read the books that Peter wrote, I think of it through the mind of a "do-er"  It is easy to see this through his writing, because everything is made very clear on how to "do" Christianity.

In Chapter 4:1-6 Peter makes a great point that all Christian leaders need to understand and embrace.  If you are a follower of Christ, you have committed to not live the rest of your life for earthly desires.  You should not be motivated in the same manner that pagans are.  Be prepared to be ridiculed for not taking part in some of the activities that they do.  Remember, when all is said and done, EVERYONE will have to give an account for their actions to God.

In verses 7-10 we get a good dose of practical leadership advice:

• "Be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray." - This breaks down into 3 sub-points.  First, make sure that you are thinking clearly.  If you are unsure, reach out to a trusted mentor or friend to get their take on how you are reacting to a situation.  Second, DON'T REACT!  Self-control is one of the hardest things to master.  However, the consequences of losing your control can be catastrophic.  Third, Pray.  Yep, that means right in the middle of your day.....all the time....big decisions or small.  The crazy thing that you might find, is that the more you pray, the less likely you are to lose your mind or your self-control....
• "Love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."  I think that Peter is speaking from experience with this piece of advice.  As leaders, if we love people, we will be able to see to good in what they are trying to accomplish, and not necessarily judge them by the means in which they are trying to accomplish it.  Thinking back to the beginning of the chapter, when I am faced with God's judgment, I would be thrilled if I could respond to him that no matter what, I loved people.
• "Offer Hospitality to one another without grumbling"- As your leadership expands, that does not exclude you from being hospitable.  By keeping this piece of advice in mind, you will be amazed at how hard it is to let your ego take over.  When was the last time you went out of your way to make someone feel comfortable around you?  What do you do in your leadership to foster a genuine feeling of hospitality?
• "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's Grace in it's various forms." -  He DID NOT SAY "use the gifts God gave you to make as much money as you can and become as powerful as the pagans around you will allow you to become."  Any leader has found a way to harness the gifts that God provided in a manner to get to the position that they are in.  Now that you find yourself in that position, how are you going to continue to use those gifts for the benefit of others?

The final point that Peter makes in Chapter 3 is an important one.  Often times people, in the workplace, are ashamed or afraid to admit that they lead a life that is committed to Christ.  He makes the point that murderers and thieves and meddlers should be ashamed, but believers should never be ashamed for being associated with the name of God.  I ask myself daily, "Who are you trying to impress?"  and more often than not, I am disappointed in my own answer....

There is one major point that Peter makes in Chapter 5 that I think has amazing power and impact.  He speaks to both Elders and young men and gives them distinct and important roles:

• Elders - "Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers - not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples..."  He is challenging the more experienced to be Mentors, counselors, examples.....Who are you currently mentoring? How are you helping those people that you see around you that have a "spark"?  How are you helping create leaders that you would be proud to see rise to the top?
• Young Men - "....be submissive to those who are older.  All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand that he may lift you up in due time."  There is nothing in this passage that says you shouldn't drive hard, or have goals you want to reach in a short time.  It also doesn't say that you have to be older before you can be a leader, but it does say that being humble, and showing respect to those with more experience is an expectation that God has of you.

So which group do you place yourself in?  I hate to break it to you, but unless you are the oldest person you know.....you are in both.  Keep that in mind as you interact with those around you on a daily basis.  I find myself totally happy when I can act like an "Elder", but it doesn't give me a hall pass to discount the experience and insight of those older than me....

Finally, Peter implores everyone to stay alert, because the devil is always trying to find ways to trip us up. And the business environment is probably the battle ground that he finds the easiest to manipulate to his will.  It contains all of the most effective levers: power, money, greed, pride.  So remember to surround yourself with a support group of believers...yes, even at work, who can offer correction when they see you stray from the path.

So many parts of scripture can be confusing, or vague, when it comes to understanding how to apply them to everyday life in the 21st century.  The book of 1 Peter does not happen to be one of them.  I have often thought that Peter would be the Disciple that I would most like to hang out with.  He tells it like it is, and gives us simple instructions to insure success.....The hard part, as always, is in the execution....

Servant Leadership: 1 Peter Chapter 2-3

In this leadership lesson I want to discuss 1 Peter, Chapters 2 and 3.  In this section of the Bible, Peter is giving advice on how we should all act when dealing with others.  Often times when I discuss my thoughts on how to take advice from the Bible to be a better leader, I look at it from the point of view on how to actively lead people.  However, in these chapters, Peter reminds us of how to act as a person, in a leadership position.

Peter begins Chapter 2 by giving us guidance on how we should "reset our baseline" as we understand being a Christian.  I also think this advice is a great way to begin your day as a leader...."...rid yourselves of malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind...."  Consider how much for effective many of your daily leadership decisions would be if you entered into them with this state of mind.

In Chapter 2, verse 13 Peter also gives us guidance on how to act, as a subordinate.  Part of being a great leader, is being a great follower.  Regardless of your title, there is probably still someone you report to.  Peter reminds us that we need to check our egos at the door.  "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human authority:....For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people"  Think back over your leadership, how often have you spoken ill of the people at a higher level than you?  Have you ever done that in front of people that report to you?  What type of message do you think that sends them?  At the very least, it shows them that it must be optional to show you respect to their leadership, which includes you....  You also have the power to start "swirl" within your organization based on your lack of submission to authority.  Don't misunderstand me, there is definitely a time and place to bring your opinions and thoughts to your leadership, however, when final decisions are made, proper respect must be given.  God puts everyone in a position for a reason...Next time you struggle with those ahead of you, ask yourself what lesson God wants you to learn from the experience, and how can you grow from it.

For those of you who have bosses that are challenging, Peter has some encouragement in verses 19-21.  "But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?  But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.  To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example,  you should following his steps."  Peter calls us to endure every time that your boss does not live up to your expectations, every time your boss does not recognize you for your effort, every time that your boss takes all the credit, because God finds it commendable in his eyes.  Christ was never wrong during his time on earth, yet look at the punishment and rebuke he took from those holding a higher earthly position.  I think that sometimes, even good Christians forget that God is watching them at work, as much as he is everywhere else.  God does not have different operating instructions for us when we are working vs. when we are not, however, many people act as if he does.

As we move into 1 Peter Chapter 3, we get another great piece of advice in verses 8-10. "......be like minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.  On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.  For whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech."  In our daily work lives, think how easy it is to act contradictory to the above passage, however, Christ promises that if you repay evil with blessing, you will also receive a blessing.

Finally from verse 13 through the end of the Chapter Peter reminds us that the most important thing we can do is be eager to do good.  A Godly leader should act differently than other leaders.  Peter also warns that we should be prepared for people to want to slander us and speak maliciously against our good behavior.  Be prepared for people to judge your faith or question your motivation and ability to make "tough decisions" because your faith may make you soft.  We are to "....be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience...."

1 Peter Chapter 2-3 provides a lot of great insight on how we should behave, as people and as leaders.  It sets out some pretty high expectations of what appropriate behavior is, as a leader and a follower.  It challenges us to stand behind our righteous decisions without fear of what others might say. (As long as the decision is sound from a Biblical perspective)  It promises blessing and happiness for enduring insult and punishment for doing good.  Finally, it reminds us that we are held accountable for how we act at work, just as much as how we act at home.  There is no double standard in God's eyes.  Just when you think that you can't be expected to act like this and still be competitive in the work environment, ask yourself this question from Mark 8:36: "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"

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David Part 3 - The Problem with Success - 1 Samuel Chapter 18 to 1 Samuel Chapter 24


David was chosen by God as the next king of Israel.  He had been anointed by Samuel.  He had just saved the Hebrew people from the Philistines by killing Goliath. (After that victory, I’m sure he would have been going to Disney World if it had been around back then).  It was pretty safe to say that David was on the fast track to success.  However, like so many people, David was about to experience one of the major problems with early success.....Jealousy from people around him.  The major problem in David’s case, is that the sitting king of Israel, Saul, was the person who was after him.  From the time that David killed Goliath until the death of Saul, David would learn how to be a leader through the school of hard knocks.

Lessons learned:

1. Don’t assume that everyone goes about things the same way you do.  David was a hard worker who was doing his best to follow the will of God.  Unfortunately he was working for a jealous, insecure, King, who was constantly trying to have him killed.

Saul made David the commander of a large number of men, not because he valued him, but because he wanted him to get killed in battle

Saul challenged David to bring him the foreskins (yikes) of 100 Philistines in order to win the right to marry the king’s daughter, Mikal.  Not because he loved his daughter, but because he thought that David would get killed while trying. (By the way, David brought twice as many than he was asked for)
 
The only reason that Saul was willing to give his daughter to David in the first place was because he hoped that she would distract his attention and it would be easier for him to get killed in battle.

However, with all of these cards stacked against him, David continued to work hard and accomplish his goals, the right way.  In the process, David learned how to command large numbers of men, and become an effective leader.  The people saw him as a hero and he became very popular. This all made Saul even more insane with jealousy and rage.

2. Build close friendships with people you can trust.  There were two relationships that David would truly have been lost without.  Jonathan and Mikal....The interesting thing is that both of them were the children of Saul.

Jonathan was instrumental in helping David understand what Saul was about to do.  He advocated for David as long as he could with his father, and then when the time came, and David had to leave, Jonathan kept him informed of what was going on.

Mikal was Saul’s daughter..She warned David when Saul had plans of sneaking into his house and having David killed.  This allowed David to escape into exile, until the time was right.
David was forced to leave Jerusalem, but if it wasn’t for his two trusted friends, he would have been killed before he ever became king.  During his time of exile David continued to learn lessons that would serve him later.

3. Don’t let your current situation dictate who you are.  David was on a roller coaster ride through this part of his life...He had been a quite shepherd, musician to a king, Savior of the Hebrew people, Mighty warrior for the king’s army....and then....lonely exile who was trying to survive while being hunted by a mad man.  Through all of this, David kept his wits and did not let this shake his faith or his confidence.  In fact, as people learned where David was hiding, they came to him and joined in his cause...

4. Take responsibility for your actions, even if no harm was intended.  David had stopped in Nob shortly after fleeing Jerusalem.  Ahimelek, the priest gave David and his men consecrated bread to eat, and the sword of Goliath as a weapon.  One of Saul’s servants witnessed this event, and David knew this.  When the servant told Saul about the priest, Saul went to Nob, a city of priests, and had everyone killed, including women and children...One man escaped, Abiathar, and found David.  When David heard the news, he took full responsibility for the deaths of the people, and took Abiathar into his group.  When David stopped in Nob, he had not wanted to bring trouble to the place, he even told the priest that he was on a secret mission for the king, but when bad things came of it, he was the one who took the blame.

5. Understand that God has a plan, and DON’T RUSH HIS PLAN.  The last point today revolves around one of the main differences between David and Saul, and why God chose the one he did.  The reason that Saul had lost God’s favor, was that he didn’t follow the plan, in fact, he disobeyed a direct order.  By taking things in his own hands, Saul lost everything.  David also had an opportunity to take matters into his own hands....Saul had been tormenting and harassing David all across the countryside.  One day, Saul went into a cave, to relieve himself.  David and his men were hidden in the same cave in the back....It would have been very easy for David to have killed Saul, right there.  In fact, he was able to sneak up and cut a piece of Saul’s robe off.  Even though David knew he was destined to be king, he was not going to take the life of the current king to get there.  He was willing to let God decide when the time was right, and for that, he would later be rewarded.

While there are some events that I think I will still cover in David’s journey to be king, I think that is enough for now.  The big take-away that I have through this part of David’s story is the amazing confidence that David had in the Lord’s promises.  Think about it.  How easy would it be to think that the Lord had forgotten him, or had changed his mind.  From hero of Jerusalem, to public enemy #1 of the king....Yet through the entire process, David continued to do things the way he thought was right, He created close relationships with people and trusted them to help, He didn’t let his current situation dictate how he felt about himself or his ability, he took responsibility for his actions, and he was willing to follow God’s plan on God’s time.  I am amazed at David’s ability to stay the course and continue on the right path....I know at times, that doubt about my own ability and future creep up on me when even the slightest things go wrong.  I pray that when I begin to feel that way next time, I will remember this part of David’s story draw strength from his experience.

David Part 2

God sent an evil spirit to torment Saul. People in Saul's court knew of David's musical ability and suggested that he play for Saul to calm his demons. This gave David access to Saul's court early on.

The next part of the time line talks about the famous "David and Goliath" story. While most people know the basic story, I think there are leadership lessons that can be learned from David.

1. "Understand your identity" - the Israelite army forgot who they were. These were God's people, and they were cowering because they were afraid of one man. While Goliath was huge, he was still only one man.

2. "Age does not necessarily mean wisdom". It took David, a 15yr old boy, to point out the problem with the situation. The king of God's people did not even have the wisdom to know that God would be with them.

3. "Pull from your past experience to build confidence". David had killed a bear and a lion while guarding his flock. David reasoned that if God was with him in that situation, he would be with him here. David went into the battle, knowing he had been successful in the past in beating larger foes.

4. "Be yourself". Saul tried to give David his sword and his armor to take into battle. David knew right away that he would be unable to fight in this bulky attire. He reasoned that he didn't need all of that to kill the bear and the lion, so why would he need it now. So often as leaders progress, they begin to act how others think they should. How often, have you seen someone get a position of power, and begin to act differently than they did before the power was theirs? Is it any wonder that they struggle?

5. " Don't be intimidated". David was facing a proven warrior who towered over the tallest men. The entire weight of the Israelite army was on David's shoulders. Additionally, he had Goliath talking trash to him before they got started. David realized that none of that impacted his performance, unless he let it. Delivering our best performance is totally up to us, yet how often do we let things around us impact the outcome.

6. "Trust in God". In this case, David trusted God with a big decision, but the size of the decision should not impact the level that we rely on God. We all need to practice leaning on God in small decisions. As we build trust in the small decisions, the large ones will just seem natural.

7. "Don't let your success go to you head". After David killed Goliath, he carried his head around with him throughout the day. As I read the scripture, it almost seemed like it was his trophy. Yet even with his recent victory, and the fact that he had been playing music for Saul, the king still did not know him by name. No matter how big our victory, we still need to remain humble.

In all of our lives we face a Goliath that is keeping us from reaching our goals. Do we attack the situation with the confidence that God is with us and has prepared us to face what he has put in our path? Or do we marvel at the size of our enemy as we cower and wait for someone else to step up and save the day?

Study of David Part 1

The last couple of weeks at my Men's Bible Study we covered the life of David. David was known as a man after God's own heart. The good news is that we can learn a lot from David without being intimidated.

The first thing that stands out is that God was the one who chose David to be king. The people had chosen Saul. The stark contrast was that the people chose Saul for all of the outward reasons. He was tall, strong, handsome, superficially the best choice. When God sent Samuel to choose his next king, David wasn't even in the building! He was out tending sheep. He was the youngest and least significant of his brothers. God has a habit of choosing the least among us to deliver his will.

I have often wondered what David did when he was by himself, in the wildness, watching the flock. We know that he learned how to defend himself and his flock, because he references killing a bear and a lion before his battle with Goliath. We also know he was quite a musician, since he was later asked to calm king Saul down by playing to him, not to mention all of the psalms he later wrote, which were originally sung, not read. But is this also where he grew close to God? From what I understand, tending a flock is very lonely work, Perhaps David spent a lot of his time praying and growing close to God.

I think the lesson I choose to take away from this is that the best way to get to know someone is to spend quality "alone time" with them. Maybe one of the reasons that God favored David is because David took the time to let God know his heart. David was by no means perfect, far from it, but because God knew who David was, he knew that the mistakes did not necessarily define the man. The key is what happens after the mistakes are made. The question I constantly ask myself is: "Do I spend enough quality alone time with God?"

It is comforting to know that trying to be perfect is not what God is looking for. Being Thankful, Humble, Loving, Caring, Believing, and Repenting are the qualities that God rewards.

Genesis Chapter 32: Rejoining someone you have wronged

When people grow up and mature, they almost always can remember a time when they have treated someone wrong, or done something to someone that they wished they hadn't.  In the case of today's reading, Jacob had stolen his brother Esau's birthright and his blessing.  This was a very big deal in that time.  When Jacob left his family to go look for his wife, Esau was very angry and wanted to kill his brother Jacob.

20 years later, after Jacob had found his wives and established his own family, he was set to return to his father's house.  That meant re-acquainting himself with his brother.  Jacob had no idea what to expect, so he put a plan in place to smooth the road.

1. When you have done something wrong to someone, prepare to pay the price.  Jacob knew that he had gotten the birthright and the blessing through trickery.  He was prepared to face the wrath of his brother Esau, and expected the worse.

2. Mentally and physically prepare for the worse and then work backward from there.  Dale Carnegie famously made this suggestion when dealing with stress.  When you are worried about an outcome, if you prepare yourself to accept the worst thing that can happen, then anything less than that will seem much better.  Jacob planned for the worst from Esau.  He split his party into two groups, just in case Esau took one out.  He also prepared gifts for his brother that he sent ahead of the groups.

3.  Rehearse what you are planning to say.  The Bible verse did not illustrate what the speech  rehearsal that Jacob went through, but you could only imagine what was going through his mind as he approached his brother.  Make sure you practice with someone who you trust and who will throw scenarios at you in order for you to be prepared for different responses.

4.  Be humble and show respect.  When Jacob finally met with his brother again, he was very humble and showed his brother great respect.  He was willing to give Esau half of his belongings for his forgiveness.  He showed by his actions and humility that he was sorry for what had happened in the past.

5. Finally, make sure you learn from your actions and try not to repeat them in the future.  Jacob was a crafty young man who had the protection of his mother when he acted against Esau.  Over the following 20 years, Jacob got to experience first hand, what it felt like to have someone manipulate him. (Remember, Jacob was tricked into marrying the wrong woman which led him into an additional 7 years of service to Laban.)  Once Jacob felt what it was liked to be "duped" he was able to evaluate how his brother must feel toward him.  Everyone makes mistakes as they grow, only fools choose not to learn from them.

Another way to look at this reunion is from Esau's perspective.  We see an example of what a mature, compassionate leader looks like.  Esau knows that his brother is terrified of what will happen when they reunite.  He also has the ability to take advantage of all of the gifts that Jacob offers him.  Esau could exact the revenge that he had initially felt 20 year ago.

Instead, Esau accepts his brother back with open arms.  He makes peace between the two of them possible by forgiving his brother for what he had done.  True leaders don't hold grudges.  They act and react to the most current information, not from old feelings.  I am sure that Esau's reaction would have been much different if he hadn't seen the signs of contrition from Jacob, but it takes a big man to put aside his revenge and harsh memories and forgive someone who has grown.