Top Ten Mistakes Women Leaders Make - #3 Not taking Courageous Risks

#3 Courageous Risk-taking

            If we long to make a difference in the life we have on this earth, then we must be willing to be courageous and take risks. There is a great lesson that God gave to Joshua in Joshua 1:3-9. The Israelites were preparing to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land. God told them in verse 3-5 that He would give them every place where they set their feet. He would extend their territory and no one would be able to stand up against them all the days of their lives. He promised to be with them and never to leave or forsake them. God told Joshua three times to be strong and courageous. God also told Joshua how to do this. In verses 3-6, God showed that He was faithful. In verses 7-8, the command was given to meditate on His Word, and in verse 9, the reminder is there that God would always be with them. The only way to be strong and courageous is to depend on God's faithfulness, stay in the Word and to remember that He will walk with us every step or leap of the way. Courage is something we have to pursue. We can't just sit and wait for courage to come to us, we must go after it. 

            The other part of being courageous is that of taking risks. We must be willing to take risks but must also know when to take them. When we look at the concept of risk, timing is very important. I cannot help but think of the times that I rushed into one of my boss’s offices with a passion to talk (or at some times raise my voice) about a particular issue. I thank God that the times when I was in passionate pursuit and about to risk my job, that the one I was there to see was not there or had someone in his office. When God was in something and I was totally prayed up and calm, I could walk in and all the doors would be open and the timing was perfect.  Those of us willing to risk, must watch the timing so we do not ruin a good thing.

            In developing a national ministry to women in the area of evangelism, timing is very important.  Lots of prayer must go into when things take place.  Most of us want everything now.  We must learn to be strategic and get with God about His plan and His timing.  When we are in the Word on a daily basis, we will be sensitive to Him and He will help us to know when the timing is right.

Today's blog taken from Women Leading Women, The Biblical Model for the Church, chapter 5 written by Jaye Martin.

Top Ten Mistakes Women Leaders Make - #2 Not being passionate about what they are doing

#2 Not being passionate about what they are doing

            Passion and purpose is something that only God can give. Effective women leaders are passionate and have a biblical direction to their passion. Think about the women leaders that you know. Chances are that God has given them a passion for something and they are enthusiastic about that purpose that God has called them to. Women follow women with passion and who know where they are going.

            We may think we are passionate about what God has called us to, but when we get out there with a little bump in the road, we can change our priorities in a hurry. Let someone question us or get upset with us and we are off and running, just sure that it was all a mistake and that we must not be on the right pathway.

            Passionate aim is something that God stirs deep within us. It is what drives us and motivates us. It makes us get up in the morning and keeps us from going to bed at night.  It occupies our time, our energy and all our very being.  Passionate aim is who we are in Christ. It is the driving force behind what we do and why you do it. It is who we are when no one else is around. It is what makes us tick. Passionate aim is what people need and want in their lives. 

            Jesus was passionate. He was passionate about His mission. He was passionate about spending time with the Father on a daily basis.  He was passionate about people and making sure they heard the message of truth and love and salvation.  He never tired of telling stories.  He never tired of healing souls.  It drove him in every area and walked Him to the cross.  Don't get the idea that He was never tired physically, because we know that He was.  But He never stopped His mission because a greater force, His heavenly Father, compelled him.

            I believe that God gives everyone a passion to fulfill the purpose or calling He has for his or her life.  Maybe that calling is in full-time ministry or maybe it is not.  Each one is called to know Christ, share Him, and lead others to do the same.  However, each one will do in with different gifts and in different ways.  Everyone won't be the big name speaker.  Everyone won't be Mother Theresa.  Women should be passionate about the ministry that God has called them to. Discover the reason you are in this world and make the most of it.  If you want to make a difference, you have to find out what your passion is.  You have to learn who you are and what gifts and talents you have and what God's plan is for your life.

            How do we do that?  As we sit down with the Father, He begins to unfold His plan for our lives.  What an incredible picture we see in Jeremiah 29:11-13, “’For I know the plans I have for you’ -[this is] the Lord’s declaration-‘plans for [your] welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” . God wants us to come to Him and seek Him. The best part is, He lets us find Him. He desires to give us His passion and purpose for our lives.

            Many make the mistake of thinking that their passion comes from within themselves.  Passion can come from anywhere but the passion that changes lives is the passion that comes from God. He does not count on us mustering up something ourselves, in fact, I am quite sure that He plans on being the sole supplier of our passion. When it comes from Him and we spend time with Him, then He can grow and develop the passion that He has placed within us.

Today's post taken from Women Leading Women: The Biblical Model for the Church, chapter 5, written by Jaye Martin.

Top Ten Mistakes Women Leaders Make - #1 Not being faithful with small

#1 Not being faithful with small

His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' (Matthew 25:21, ESV).

Has God given you something to do, but you have not gotten around to doing it yet? Hmm...then you just broke the first law of my list of things that net in you being an ineffective leader...not good! Stop reading this and go do it!

One of the mistakes I have made (and seriously, still make) is that I'm so busy planning ahead with God that i forget to do the basic things first! Maybe I'd been asked to teach somewhere and instead of preparing, I can catch myself planning my next book. And can you even imagine writing a blog rather than working on the first and important step of writing my dissertation? Maybe you are in the same boat. God has asked you to do something that seems small and insignificant: making a phone call to a lost friend, getting to know the new neighbor (who moved in months ago and I have still not met), or something as simple as picking up my room. Whatever the task, when God asks us to do something - no matter how small - we are to do it...immediately.

When we do the small things, He honors the obedience and gives us bigger things to handle and be in charge of. Let's be faithful with small today. What is He telling YOU to do? Go! You are gifted2go do it!

Praying with you to be faithful in the small things!

Top Ten Mistakes Women Leaders Make

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21, ESV).

If you have been in leadership for very long, you've made a few mistakes. I've done alot of research in the area (both in Christian and secular material) and over the next few weekends, I want to share these with you. If you happen to be near Oklahoma City, come join me at First Baptist Church, Moore, OK where I will speak in the morning session on, "GIFTED: Created to Make a Difference." During the side shows, I will have two breakouts, one on Gifted2go and one on these same top ten mistakes. Details on the Baptist Convention of Oklahoma's website: http://www.bgco.org/ministries/women%e2%80%99s/sweet-experience.

I have to admit that I am pumped about all my topics but I can't wait to see some great ladies who are also on the program! Kelly King will be an awesome ringleader, and I must find time to be with Becky Badry, Andrea Mullins, Teresa Brady, Alicia Wong, and more at Moore! Come one come all! We will all be there on Saturday, August 27! If you can't be there in person, we'd love your prayers for God to move!

I will start posting some of the top ten mistakes tomorrow!

Conversation Seasoned with Grace

"The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.  It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell."  (James 3:5-6)

I was looking through some interesting papers at my Mom's house this summer and I found an old index card with some practical questions to ask ourselves about our speech and our conduct.  Our speech is one of the main things that reflects our walk with Christ as well as our actions.  The questions are centered around the acrostic "think."  

                                                             T - Is it thoughtful?

                                                             H - Is it honest?

                                                              I - Is it intelligent?

                                                             N - Is it necessary?

                                                             K - Is it kind?

If so, then it probably okay for me to say or do it!  "Lord, let us all THINK about what we say and do!!"

(The next few Fridays I will be sharing some helps for newsletters, some illustrations for talks on evangelism, or illustrations to use in evangelism.)

Overwhelmed?

A new semester begins today at Southern Seminary. I am already feeling overwhelmed...and I am a teacher! I cannot even imagine what the students are feeling. (With my dissertation still looming over my head, maybe I can imagine...)

Read these selected verses from Psalm 41 (ESV). They brought peace to my soul this morning:

41:1 Listen to me in silence, O coastlands; let the peoples renew their strength; let them approach, then let them speak; let us together draw near for judgment...

9 you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”;
10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

11 Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish.
12 You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all.
13 For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

14 Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord;
your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
15 Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge, new, sharp, and having teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and crush them, and you shall make the hills like chaff;
16 you shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the tempest shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the Lord; in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory.

17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.18 I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.19 I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together,
20 that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.

As a leader under God, we are never to be overwhelmed...except with His presence! Know that He is available to help you and walk with you today...and every day. Spread the Good News!

II John 12,13

"I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink.  Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.  The children of your chosen sister send their greetings."  (II John 12,13)

Isn't it neat to see how John ends this short letter?  He starts out sharing his heart and affection for the recipients and he closes it with affection and love.  This is a good model for us when we need to correct or rebuke someone.  Start off with affection, share the truth and the warnings, and end with affection with affirmation in the person. I have heard it said before that in order to be effective anytime a rebuke is made, the proportion should be 90% affirmation and 10% rebuke.

The New Application Commentary of II John says that II John "was meant to warn....and was motivated by love."  Akin says in his commentary that "When we make a skillful pleasing defense of what we believe in and then back it up with good works, we create a wonderful message.  We need to argue forcefully and candidly while demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ to the world."

Some conclusions we can draw from this short "postcard" epistle is that:

• Loving God means obeying His commandments, not just saying the right words or looking for "feelings".
• There are many deceivers in the world and we need to "watch out" for anything that distorts the message of the gospel.
• Be aware that one of the main deceptions in the world today is that there is no absolute truth and every person is free to decide what is right for himself/herself.
• The opposition in this letter is not about modes of baptism, structure of the Sunday morning service, beliefs about charismatic gifts, etc. but is an attack on the theological basis of our Jesus Christ and our salvation.
• We must walk in love and truth.