Costly Leadership

In 2 Chronicles 35, King Josiah has expended great effort in restoring God's temple, reading the Law and re-instituting sacrifices to God. In verse 7 of that chapter it says, "Josiah provided for all the lay people who were there a total of thirty thousand lambs and goats for the Passover offerings, and also three thousand cattle—all from the king's own possessions." 

As I read that passage this morning, the thought was reinforced to me that true godly leaders must be ready to make personal sacrifices. The obvious (and yet not practiced enough) sacrifice of finances speaks volumes about the condition of the heart of a leader. There are other areas of cost as well: personal ambition, sleep, apathy, personal time, popularity, energy, focus and prayer.

The question for all Christ-followers is the same: are we willing to count the cost of following (and leading) and then obediently pay it? When leaders are eager to do that we will start to see a movement in God's church that cannot be stopped, but will certainly continue to be replicated.

HFFA

There is a phrase that used to describe something that looks better from a distance. It may not be the kindest of statements or phrases, but it is certainly applicable in certain situations. It is abbreviated by the letters HFFA and stands for "Hot From Far Away." It is not something that I would like to have said about me and honestly would be a little crushing to the ego if it was used to describe me.

What if this phrase was used to describe Christians-not in our physical appearance, but in our dedication to Christ? How would it make us feel to have someone say that we appeared to be committed to the cause of Christ from a distance, but once they got up close it just wasn't the same?

That type of inauthentic belief is what keeps us from pursuing Him fully and causes the rest of the world to accuse the church of being full of hypocrites. When we pursue authenticity and are honest about the journey of following Christ we start to be real enough that people might want to experience Him for themselves.

Fear & Fame

In 1 Chronicles 14, David has been made king of Israel and his enemies the Philistines are bringing their armies against him. David's first action is to ask God what he should do and when God responds, David does what God tells him and of course is victorious. When the enemy comes against Israel again David does the same thing-he inquires of God, does what God tells him to do and defeats the enemy. Verse 17 then says, "So David's fame spread throughout every land, and the Lord made all the nations fear him."

Why is this not true of God's church today? The pattern is laid out for us all throughout Scripture: seek God, wait for an answer, do what He says and see victory. It is a breakdown in one of those steps of action on our part that leads to an ineffective church. If we are willing to humble ourselves as leaders (if you are a Christ-follower then you are a leader-have no doubts about that) and truly seek God for our families and our community, He has promised us that He will answer. The responsibility then falls on us to get up off of our praying knees and do what He has asked. Only then will the fame of God's Church spread and satan begin to fear the power of a Holy Spirit filled and active body relentlessly pursuing God's glory.

What Matters

I was listening to the radio while driving in my car a couple of weeks ago and a local commercial came on. I honestly don't remember exactly what business it was advertising (car wash or car care of some kind), but I do remember two lines in particular that stuck with me.

The voice on the radio said, "Your vehicle is a reflection of who you are," and "Take care of your image."

I actually found myself laughing out loud (albeit sarcastically) and thinking to myself, "Who knew it was that easy?" Now I just need to go into debt enough to afford a fully-loaded, expensive-looking car and then spend hours each week keeping it sharp looking. No need to focus on maintaining my character, being a man of integrity, caring for those around me or spending quality time with my wife and children. I can take care of a positive image by simply having the right car.

Building and maintaining an image that is a true reflection of who we are takes hard work. It is an intentional choice to live a certain way each day and then follow through on that decision. The goal of being that person of integrity can't be obtained through a shortcut or defined by a piece of property.

Fellowship of the Unashamed

This is not my original work, but I shared it last night as we wrapped up How to Share Your Faith. It is titled "An African Martyr's Last Words."

"I am part of the 'Fellowship of the Unashamed.' The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure.

I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear.

I won't give up, back up, let up or shut up until I've preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ. I must go until He returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes.

And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear. 'For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.' (Romans 1:16)"

Theologically Practical

It's easy to spout off statements about God and what He can do. We often fall back on these when times get tough or when we are unsure of the next step in our path. I have no doubt that we believe theologically in these statements, but I wonder if we believe in them practically?

If you have grown up in a church or just spent some time in one you can come to a common understanding of some basic principles, but actually believing in them enough to take action based on them is a different story. Saying that God is good and yet working as agents of that goodness to help those around us are two different things. Believing in the Biblical principle of the Holy Spirit changing the hearts of people and then praying and leading to guide people in the process are two different levels. Professing that because you came forward at an invitation and were baptized and seeking the guidance of the gift of the Holy Spirit in your day-to-day life are not necessarily the same thing.

Theological belief and practical belief are as different as knowledge and obedience. The impact of the Gospel isn't felt or shared unless you move beyond what you know to be true and begin to put it into daily practice. It is then that it starts to transform your own life and the lives of those that we come into contact with. It's the kind of faith that will capture a city, heal addictions, restore marriages, reinvigorate faith and attract people that are desperate for something real.

Expect the Unexpected

Like other parts of life, ministry brings unexpected twists and turns. Life circumstances, decisions of others, disease and tragedy can occur without a lot of warning. It causes uncertainty and confusion and honestly makes you more than a little bit weary when they hit you in clusters. 

When you choose to follow a God whose ways and thoughts are higher than ours however, things don't always go according to our plan. He provides opportunities for our faith in Him to increase and for our attention to be brought directly to Him. When our circumstances are unexpected to us we need to remember that they were expected by Him. Now God has a chance to show what He can really do.

Expecting the unexpected is an adventure worth experiencing when you know that God is in control.