CBLG Talk: Character

 Leadership is the capacity and will to rally men and women to a

common purpose and the character which inspires confidence.

Bernard Montgomery, British Field Marshal

Daniel 2: 48  He had what it took (diet, motives, honesty, disciplines, integrity, convictions

• Character is more than talk
• Talent is a gift, but character is a choice   
• Character brings lasting success with people 
• Leaders cannot rise above the limitations of their character

 Conversely, Acts 12: 1-23 displays Herod's total lack of character and he lost everything. Maxwell gives the following tips to avoid falling into a similar trap -

1. Search for the cracks in your character.
2. Look for patterns.
3. Face the music.
4. Stay teachable.

 
Titus 1: 5-9 gives the serious reader the character qualifications Paul gave Titus. These aren't necessarily techniques.

• be blameless
• even tempered
• faithful
• humble
• live wisely
• love what is good in God's eyes
• Godly steward
• hospitable
• sober minded
• disciplined
  

Character is the combination of one's integrity and intent. Questions to ask when considering your own character -

• am I congruent? (integrity)
• are my motives displayed in my actions? (intent)

 To that end........



All items in italics from John C. Maxwell's Leadership Commentary Bible 

In the Spirit, Being Spirit led, Stuck.

Stuck. That's where my journaling has been recently. Stuck. And I've noticed that when my journaling isn't going well, my behavior (walk) isn't as good either.

I went to CRU Austin's monthly luncheon this week. Gary Runn spoke on "Walking In The Spirit." I went after receiving a phone invite from Teresa Snow. I went because, I think, of the message title. I also went because CRU-Austin puts on some great events, and they're always timely. A couple of people went with me (Austen and Bruk).

In after thought though, I was hoping for some insight to 

a Spirit filled journaling. 

Walking (journaling) - in - the - spirit. That sounds so intriguing. But really? How does that happen? Is it something I can learn, or is it a gift?

These are serious questions for someone who has trouble with a spirit filled crawl.....

Gary shared out of John 13 - 17. Specifically 14: 16, 17, 26, 15: 26, 27, 16: 7-11, 13-15, Galatians 5: 19-23, and Acts 1:8. 

I've got 4 pages of notes. Gary gave us some good information. Information that will cause, if you're looking, you to get way past your habitual thoughts. 

Big things that jump out at me (from the notes) this morning are..

-  my answer to Gary's question "what 3 words describe you right now?" were persistence, thankful, struggle (strange combination?!..)

- the reminder that the Holy Spirit is the Helper (that just opened up a few minutes of journaling). Helper...a good helper anticipates when help is needed. Not new, but we also come to the same thing a different person each time...right. It's meaning...HELPER...means something different, more real this time.

- Gospel is narrow, evangelism is wide

- Holy Spirit's primary purpose is to bring the light on Jesus, to glorify Jesus and that Jesus might be disclosed to the world. Yet, I tend to hide Him. 

- tell authentic stories

- Jesus is the cause of persecution

- inward vs outward role of Holy Spirit (need to definitely listen to that part again)

- praying TO the Holy Spirit

- we were redeemed for possession (gulp....)

- the fruit becomes evident when I'm walking with the Holy Spirit

- "choose" to yield sin over to God

- something about exhaling to release sin and inhaling to be rejuvenated in Christ

Small bites. There's a lot to take in here and a good time to 'choose to take small bites.'

I'm reminded of the time someone said to me 'one day at a time is just too long' and not too long afterward hearing Doug Sherman talk about putting one foot in front of another. That's me, just trying to pay attention.

I think I'll focus on 'a spirit filled next step, next breath.' Exhale, inhale.

As to being stuck? Not-so-much right now (I'll be pondering this scripture/the notes and will post comments below).

Thanks CRU. Thanks for the call Teresa (I probably went because she took the time to call and invite me!).

To that end...


Danny L. Smith, (512) 773-6528 
www.ImpactInnerCircleMastermind.com

God's concern

Two great thoughts shared with me the past few days -

"I contend George Washington's greatest leadership moment was the time he spent on his knees praying." - shared by John P Griffin in his speech at CBLG last week. 

"The key to Jesus' leadership was the relationship he had with his Father." - Blackaby, in his book "Spiritual Leadership"

Two fantastic thoughts, and then I come to this....

"God's concern is not to advance leaders' dreams and goals or to build their kingdoms." page 30, Spiritual Leadership

Spiritual or Secular?

Can a Christian separate their spiritual and secular lives?

Yes (he can at least try).

Should they?

No.

The Israelites weren't content with Samuel as their spiritual guide and God as their king and petitioned Samuel to have God appoint a human king. God, through Samuel, warned them that the king would

• take their sons and put them into battle
• take a portion of their land
• take part of their earnings

They forgot that God himself had won their military victories, brought them prosperity, and created their nation. He was active on the battlefield as he was in the worship service. - Henry and Richard Blackaby in "Spiritual Leadership."

Yes, we can try to separate our lives from the spiritual, but we were made spiritual human beings. Even the non-believer is spiritual. Every one of us have spiritual needs.

To not apply the spiritual in all our lives is a divine problem. Christ is the believer's Lord; in all areas, at all times. God does not intend there to be a distinction between work and worship....it's the even the same Hebrew word.

For the eyes of Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen

those whose hearts are fully committed to him. - 2 Chronicles 16:9a

Embrace thinking and divine illumination

Keep this book of the law on my lips, meditating on it day and night, so that I may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be successful and prosperous. - Joshua 1: 8

And I am writing this book to plead that we follow Paul in this - that we not swerve to the right or to the left, but embrace both human thinking and divine illumination. - John Piper in "Think: The Life of the Mind and The Love of God"

Lot's of thoughts lately about the power of "thinking" and how much, as a culture, we don't really think. Dr. Fred Luskin at Stanford University, among others, claims we have 60,000 thoughts per day BUT 90% are repetitive.

That's not much thinking.


To that end.....I like the idea of that divine illumination!

Joy in the success

Philosophers since Aristotle have been debating "for what is man searching?"

Their findings have always been the same.

Joy.

These thoughts about success, that's searching out joy. Searching for success, its meaning, isn't it joy? Is it?

Do I enjoy God? That's a success every Christ believer should have, experiencing the joy of God.

Pondering that....

iBookPoints, LIfe@Work - 3: Four Tools

Note: direct quotes from book in italics.

David’s life was a success because he found

and fulfilled the mission God had for him.

David delivered Skill@Work: Skill is understanding something completely and transforming that knowledge into creations of wonder and excellence.

David evidenced Calling@Work: Calling is God’s personal invitation for me to work on His agenda, using the talents I have been given in ways that are eternally significant.

David modeled Serving@Work: Serving is the art and act of focusing on someone else’s interest instead of your own.

David displayed Character@Work: Character is the sum of my behaviors, public and private  consistently arranged across the entire spectrum of my life.

It's interesting that the authors have labeled skill, calling, serving and character as "tools." When I first read this book over 6 years ago, I don't know that I noticed and didn't this time until I was preparing to present these points to a group of business people.

Tools. Skill, Calling, Serving and Character are tools. Yes they are.

Read more on Life@Work - click here

iBookPoints, Life@Work - 2: Misunderstood Territory

What sermons have we heard lately about the

inherent value and beauty of work? What books

 have you read lately that celebrate the "God-ness"

of a good day's work for a good day's pay?

 Life@Work - page 14

Note: direct quotes from book in italics.

History is filled with strong beliefs overturned because of misconception. What secular vs the sacred misconceptions do you have about "work?" Maxwell, Addington and Graves, lay-out in Life@Work  five myths some tend to live by (I'm reminded of Chris Thurman's book "The Lies We Believe).

Myth 1 - Work is a Four-Letter Word: we think work is a necessary evil, putting our time in to receive the prize (money and what it will purchase). Spiritually, we figure it's part of the Fall's curse.

Not so. Work was part of creation. Adam and Eve were working in the garden long before the Fall. They were given authority and dominion.

People who take this myth to heart think of work as something they must "endure" because Adam and Eve bought into Satan's great lie.

Myth 2 - Work is Enemy Territory: Here, the belief is that work is "worldly." It's part of the secular world and opposite of what Christians are about (sacred).

The authors point out "This approach is totally counter to Scripture. This dichotomy - this split between the sacred and the secular - does not occur in God's Word. In fact, Scripture spends a good deal of ink and paper making the point that these two should be tied together - that work is part of God's everyday involvement with people."

Myth 3 - Work is Salvation: This is where work becomes God. It's about Work, Success and Ambition. All with upper-case letters. Identity becomes wrapped up totally in the job, the career.

"The truth is that work is a great environment in which to discover God and glorify God, but it is not God." - page 17

Myth 4 - Work is the Last Priority: Work isn't the last in a list of priorities after God, family and self. God is the priority and there is no number 2, 3 and 4. Putting it in a list, it's not surprising so many of us struggle with the why-we-work syndrome, looking for passion in our work. God should be  the priority, in everything we do.

"The truth is that work is part of a balanced approach to life and God - His Spirit, His truth, His love. When we go to work, God should not be left behind in the family Bible on the nightstand next to the comfy chair where we have our daily quiet time."

Myth 5 - Work that is Anointed Always Spells Success: "a God-filled work life does not always equate with career success. Unfortunately, many kingdom messengers offer that as a bait.....What Charlie is seeking is not a Christian key to unlocking worldly success, but God's key to unlocking His intended design for our work, whatever its circumstances or outcomes might be."


To that end....


You can purchase Life@Work by clicking here

iBookPoints, Life@Work - 3: Charlie's Five Feelings

Charlie lives in all of us. We are all struggling

to live with the same tension as Charlie.

Life@Work - page 5

Note: direct quotes from book in italics.

Five common feelings:

Feeling #1 - I am tired of juggling two worlds. It takes imagination and determination to connect Sunday mornings' sermon to Tuesday's day at work. They talk different languages...Different parts of me live in each one.

No wonder so many leave the church, the relevance doesn't "seem" to be there. Even for those that connect well, much of that goes away once kids leave home and start there own families.

Feeling #2 - I need my work to have more meaning. Does "my work really matter to God?

I want my life to count. Who doesn't? I don't want it to be a waste....Sometimes it feels as if I am fighting a lost cause....I am investing forty, sixty, sometimes even as much as eighty hours a week of my prime time and energy, but for what?...I know one thing for sure: doing something you feel doesn't matter definitely isn't fun.

Feeling #3 - I need a clear picture of what being a Christian on the job looks like. How do I practice being a Christian at work? It has to be more than prayer, a lunch Bible study and "turning another cheek."

If I don't know what being a Christian looks like at work, how can I expect those around me to know what being a Christian is from my work?...how will others see Him through my work?

Feeling #4 - I need a faith that makes a difference in my life and my job. Frankly, my work life needs all the help it can get. If my faith can't help, then what hope do I have?

Feeling #5 - I feel I am not receiving any help to bring my two worlds together. Common sense tells me I'm not alone, but it sure seems that way most of the time. Are there other Christians struggling with these two worlds? Am I making too much of this? Am I wrong? When I do hear about work from church, it is usually couched around working in the church. But that is not where I work every day....Like Charlie, I feel as if I have dual personality disorder.

I remember almost walking out of the church for good when the pastor said each and every one of us needed to be doing something for the "church" even if it was coming in early on Sunday mornings to water the plants.

How do I bridge the gulf between these two significant parts of my life?


To that end....


You can purchase Life@Work by clicking here 

iBookPoints, Life@Work -1: Charlie Love vs Charlie Money

In "Life@Work," Maxwell, Addington and Graves tell the story about Charlie. Charlie's a successful businessman and Christian. He's recently found out that his employees refer to him as either Charlie Love or Charlie Money. This depends upon "who" shows up at work.

Addington and Graves are consultants who help business people integrate biblical wisdom and business excellence. They tell the story, apparently true, about Charlie asking one of them, in a group setting, how he should handle his dilemma. Before they could answer, Mike, another Christian business man said...

"Charlie, I know exactly what you need to do. Charlie Love

needs to drag Charlie Money down to the basement and kill

him. If not that, then chain him up  and never let him out.

That's the only way you're going to survive!"

The authors tell how deathly quiet the room became until all eyes turned to Addington/Graves who said..

"Charlie, I could not disagree more with Mike."

John C. Maxwell, Stephen R. Graves and Thomas G. Addington have written one of the most important books to ever breach this subject. It's well written, thoughtfully laid-out and touches real-life matters such as skill, calling, serving, character and church.

I'll give some BookPoints here over the next few weeks as I explore the Life@Work subject in my weekly Christian business networking group.

Pray for me!