Righteousness is a Trait of Legacy Leaders

John Maxwell on Noah:
A Man of Righteousness
There's something about righteousness - the kind of morally virtuous
lifestyle powered from above - that qualifies a person to lead God's
people. Noah, the man God chose to rescue the human race from
extinction; demonstrated just this kind of righteousness.
Humankind had grown so evil that God pledged to destroy it and all
living things on earth (Gen. 6:7). But the Lord's pronouncement of
judgement didn't come without hope; God had charged righteous Noah to help save a remnant.
God didn't choose Noah randomly. He knows whom He can count on
to get things done - and it's not necessarily the one with the most skill, talent, or social standing. Rather, it's the one who daily walks with Him, the one who hears His voice and follows His lead. Noah was just such a man.
No doubt Noah had his own weaknesses and frailties. But he walked
with God, and it was that close walk that made him righteous before
the Lord (Gen. 6:9). Noah's righteousness qualified him to be used by God to help save the human race from annihilation, and in the bargain kept him and his loved ones from certain death.
Noah still stands as an example of the kind of person God wants to use. God hasn't changed, and even now He looks for righteous
leaders who can help Him change the world.

Mike's Thoughts:
The Meriam-Webster on-line dictionary defines righteous as:
1: Acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin
2a: Morally right or justifiable
It is apparent to me that God seeks righteous people to be leaders. He wants leaders who walk with Him and rely on Him every day. To be a true leader, one doesn't have to be the most skilled, talented, or socially endowed; rather God seeks those who seek Him on a daily basis. God knows that we all have our weaknesses and frailties, but in spite of those shortcomings, we can still be righteous leaders by seeking Him in every decision we make. Will such leaders sometimes fall short of expectations? Of course! Even so, God seeks leaders who realize their limitations and seek Him to overcome them. God seeks leaders who desire to be used by
Him to lead others.
I can see where when one reads the first definition of righteous by Meriam-Webster where it says, "free from guilt or sin" that one could say that no man can measure up to this and therefore no man should be considered righteous. However, I believe we must take the entire first definition in context. The context is that there is an "act" taking place. While no man is perfect without guilt or sin, a righteous leader can take individual "actions" which are "in accord with divine or moral law" and the impetus behind that
individual action can be "free from guilt or sin".

Mike's Action Points:
1- I need to walk with God every day.
2- I need to seek God on the decisions I make.
3- I need to take action in accordance with divine or moral law (i.e.: the Ten Commandments).

Please see my leadership blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

The Purpose of Elevation

TGIF Today God Is First by Os Hillman
Friday, December 04 2009

And the Lord said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you." (Josh 3:7-8).

Joshua had been a faithful number two man under Moses for 80 years. Can you imagine serving one man for 80 years? Now that is faithfulness! Even so, when the time came to pass the mantel to Joshua, God knew he needed to be elevated in the eyes of the people in order for Joshua to accomplish his purpose. That is the purpose of elevation - so that you and I can fulfill our purpose and our mission.

We are not called to elevate ourselves. If we elevate ourselves before our time we will short circuit God's plans for our lives. We will not have the same level of grace as we would have if it were in God's perfect timing. Moving into a job or responsibility before we are ready is a formula for failure. We may not be mature enough. We may not have the proper skill set.

Let God elevate you in His timing and you will be successful in the thing He created you to be and do.


Mike's Thoughts:

Patience is so hard to exercise in today's world. I struggle with it all the time. I'm sure that as Joshua served Moses all those years, he thought he would have done some things differently than Moses did. Yet, he served him faithfully. This is a great example to me as I have often struggled with serving leaders faithfully that I disagreed with. Joshua was rewarded for his faithful service when God elevated him to replace Moses when the time was right. Far too often, I have pushed and pushed to elevate myself only to end up frustrated in one way or another. I need to learn to serve diligently and with patience while submitting to the authority of my leader(s).


Mike's Action Points:

1- I need to pray for strength and wisdom to remain diligent in my service and loyal to my leader(s).
2- I need to provide an example of servant leadership to those around me or serving me who will be leaders in the future.
3- I need to pray for wisdom and discernment when elevating others to positions of leadership and authority.

Please see my Leadership blog: http://blogspot.legacycoach.com

Leadership Skills Today For Tomorrows Legacies

Genesis 8:6-13:
6 So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. 7 Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. 8 He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. 10 And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. 11 Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. 12 So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore. 13 And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry.


Mike's Thoughts:
There's a valuable leadership lesson for me in these verses and one that should be part of Noah's legacy to leaders forever. The lesson is that it is a leader's responsibility to practice patience when making important decisions. The leader is to make sure they have enough accurate information before taking action. I'm sure that Noah was under pressure from his family to open the ark after being cooped up with all those smelly animals for so long. It's not explained, but to open the ark early might have proven disastrous. Noah waited until he got the correct information and then waited some more to be sure before he acted. Although it is not mentioned, I'm sure Noah prayed daily over the proper timing for his action. His patience and strength were rewarded as his family was richly blessed.

Mike's Action Points:
1- I need to be patient and not make hasty decisions when the situation does not warrant it.
2- I need to pray for guidance.
3- I need to seek the correct information needed on which to act.
4- I need to resist the urgings of others to take hasty action.

Please see my leadership blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

Become the Legacy Leader God Created You To Be

Genesis 6:6:
"And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart."

Mike's Thoughts:
So, did God "mess up" when he made man? Is it possible that our God, who is "perfect" in every way, actually made a mistake in creating man? Absolutely not! The real problem is that God made us TOO well. He gave man free will and God was "grieved in His heart" over how man was exercising this free will. From a leadership perspective, often I beat myself up because I didn't do enough for my people or give them enough direction and I feel that I have failed them because they get off track. However, I need to remember that they have the ability to come to me and ask for help
or guidance and it is not necessarily my fault if they fail to do so. A final note that really got my attention in this verse is that God has a heart! I never think of God in such human terms that He would even have need of a heart. As the omnipotent being in the universe, I just assume that God is love and exists in another dimension that we can't comprehend and has no need for a human heart. Perhaps God is talking to us through the Bible in language we can comprehend and does not literally have a human heart.

Mike's Action Points:
1- Do my best for my people.
2- Keep my door open to them.
3- Listen to my heart, but seek God's will and guidance in my life and decisions that I make.

Please see my Leadership blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

Training God's Leaders Today

John Maxwell's "25 Ways to Win with People":
16. Find the Keys to Their Heart - Nehemiah and builders
(Nehemiah 2:17-18)

Mike's Thoughts:
When Nehemiah needed to motivate a work force that was divided between support for Nehemiah's "cause" and the local leaders, he made an appeal to the hearts (emotions) of the work force to attain their support. Nehemiah was a true Legacy Leader in that first he prayed, then he took action and when he needed help he appealed to the emotions of the people he wanted to motivate. As a leader, Nehemiah left an excellent legacy for me to learn from. Karl Stephen Brunig wrote a song called "Nehemiah Man" (www.karlbrunig.com) which I really like and talks about working with my tools in one hand and guarding my work with my sword in the other hand. This is very good advice for me today. I do need to work hard with the tools I have to work with and, at the same time, I need to be a good steward of the work I'm doing whether I'm doing it for my company, my family, my community or myself.

Mike's Action Points:
1- First, I should seek God's guidance before taking action.
2- Next, I should take the appropriate action.
3- If I need to motivate others, I should appeal to their hearts/emotions.
4- I should do the best work I can with the tools provided.
5- I need to be a good steward of the work I am performing.
6- I need to always strive to be a "Nehemiah Man".

Please see my Leadership blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

Building Leaders Today, Creating Legacies for Tomorrow

Jeremiah 29:1-14:
This is from a Bible study led by Linda Aubert of Grace Community Church in Houston. I won't show all the text here, but please take a few minutes to read it. It is the story of the Israelites who are in exile in Babylon and through Jeremiah, the Lord sends them a message to move forward with their lives while in captivity and that He will return them to their land in seventy years. They are instructed to make peace with their captors, create a comfortable
and peaceful life where they are at and prepare the next generation for their return to their home land.

Mike's Thoughts:
Often, as a leader, Christians tell me they are just going to pray about a situation and wait for God to deliver them or our nation. This is not Biblical! God always demanded appropriate action from His people in addition to their prayers. In these verses in Jeremiah, God gave his people specific actions to take to improve their current situation and prepare the way for the next generation. Prayer alone was not enough. This is the essence of Legacy Leadership; being in prayer, taking appropriate action for today and preparing the way for the next generation.

Mike's Action Points:
1- I will pray for God to reveal the appropriate actions He wants me to take.
2- I will take the actions revealed to me.
3- I will work to prepare the way for the next generation.

Please see my Leadership blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

Why You Need to Learn Legacy Leadership Skills

Genesis 4:1-7:
1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the LORD.” 2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Mike's Thoughts:
Both Cain and Abel brought offerings of their work to the Lord, but the Lord only accepted Abel's, why? Because Abel offered the BEST of his work for the Lord and, evidently, Cain did not. As a leader, I should work EVERY day as if I'm working for the Lord (because I am) and therefore I should do my BEST for the Lord every day. I found verse 7 to be very compelling. God is telling me that if I do my best, I will be accepted! How simple is that? God
goes on to say that if I do less than my best I'm opening myself up to sin and that sin will seek me out, but I can rule over sin by doing my best.

Mike's Action Points:
1- I need to pray for the strength and discipline to do my best every day.
2- While I can't be perfect, I should always strive to improve and give my best effort in everything I do so that I may be accepted and have authority over sin in my life.

Please see my Leadership blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

Leadership Skills Today for Tomorrow's Leaders

John Maxwell's 25 Ways to Win With People:
14. Do for Others What They Can't Do for Themselves - Joseph
(Genesis 41)

Mike's Thoughts:
As a servant leader, I need to be cognizant of opportunities to help others in ways they can't help themselves. The key is to help in ways they CAN'T help themselves and perhaps I can. What is implied in this message is NOT to do for others what they CAN do for themselves. It is important for me to show tough love for those who seek to take advantage of my servant heart, even if they do not realize they are doing so. Perhaps they are capable of
helping themselves and just don't realize it. In this situation, it is my role to provide guidance and counseling so that they will understand how to help themselves.

Mike's Action Points:
1- When presented with an opportunity to help another, I should pray for discernment concerning my role in the situation. Should I "do" for them or provide guidance so they can "do" for themselves.
2- If I am led to "do" for them, I need to do so with a pure heart.
3- If I am led to provide guidance, then I should be prepared that this guidance may not be received by pure hearts.

Please see my Leadership blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

Not Leading Today Will Cause Regrets Tomorrow

John Maxwell's Commentary on Genesis 3:6-19:
First Leader to Drop the Ball
At the moment he received God's mandate to rule over the earth, Adam became the first spiritual leader in human history. Initially, this meant overseeing the garden and providing direction to his family. Adam was to be a good steward over his resources and relationships. Unfortunately, he failed on both counts.
When Eve brought the forbidden fruit to Adam, he mismanaged God's
creation by eating it. Adam also mismanaged his wife by remaining
passive when he should have taken a stand, thus allowing both Eve
and himself to fall morally. When God confronted him with his sin, he blamed others: "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave
me of the tree, and I ate" (Gen. 3:12).
Spiritual leadership isn't complex; it simply requires a willingness to take responsibility. Sadly, many spiritual leaders continue to duplicate Adam's mistake by shirking their responsibilities at home, in the neighborhood, on the job, and in the church. They forget that while Adam's failure started at home, in just a short time it damaged all his relationships, spoiled the beautiful place he lived, and ultimately devastated the entire world. And the whole mess can be traced back to one spineless refusal to lead.

Mike's Thoughts:
Leadership begins in the home. If I can't be a good leader in my home then I surely can't be a good leader elsewhere. Adam's mandate from God was to oversee the garden and give direction to his family. As a leader of my family, my mandate today is really no different than Adam's. I am to be a good steward of the resources and relationships God has blessed me with. Being a good steward is not always easy; in fact, more often than not it takes work, dedication and, of course, prayer. As John Maxwell states, "it simply requires a willingness to take responsibility."

Mike's Action Points:
1- I will pray for the strength, wisdom and character to be the leader God wants me to be.
2- I will look to other Godly leaders as role models and mentors.

Please see my Leadership blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

Training God's Leaders Today

John Maxwell's 25 Ways to Win With People:
13. Keep Your Eyes Off the Mirror - Joseph and his brothers
(Genesis 50:18-20)

Mike's Thoughts:
As a leader, I need to keep my eyes off myself and focus on being and developing servant leaders for future generations.

Mike's Action Points:
1- I will pray for an humble servant's spirit.
2- I will focus on helping others to become servant leaders.

Please see my leadership blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

Become the Legacy Leader God Created You To Be

John Maxwell's Commentary about Genesis 1:26-31:
You and I were born to lead. Take a look at five observations based on Genesis 1:26-31 that suggest our God-given leadership potential:
1- Being made in God's image means we were created to lead
(v. 26). After God says, "Let us make man in Our image," He says, "Let them have dominion...." One way we reflect God's
image is by leading.
2- God commanded both male and female to have dominion (v. 27).
Both men and women have been given the ability and authority to lead. Leadership is not gender specific.
3- We are to rule over the earth, but not necessarily over each other (v. 28). We were not directed to rule each other, but over the earth's creatures. History is largely the story of how men and women have perverted their God-given roles by trying to rule each other.
4- All of us are to serve one another in the areas of our gifting and purpose (vv. 29,30). God created everything for a purpose. Our general purpose is to lead, but each of us should ask God, "Lord, what's my specific purpose?"
5- Each person's leadership is best exercised in his or her areas of giftedness (v.32). When we discover our gifts, we will naturally lead in those areas where we are most productive, intuitive, comfortable, influential, and satisfied.

Mike's Thoughts:
I (and you, too) am ordained by God to be a leader and I can honor Him by being a servant leader and by using my talents to be an effective leader. Men and women were not made to RULE over each other, but to serve each other as leaders in each of our areas of strength and purpose. All of us have natural ability to lead in different areas or circumstances. It is important that I understand what my strengths are and seek to use them to positively lead others when appropriate and create enduring legacies for future generations.

Mike's Action Points:
1- I will honor God by being a positive leader.
2- I will honor and respect the leadership of others, male and female.
3- I will pray for revelation as to my strengths and His purpose for my life.
4- I will step forward as a leader when it is appropriate.

Please see my Leadership blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

Shhh ... It's a Secret!

John Maxwell's 25 Ways to Win With People:
11. Share a Secret with Someone - Mary & Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-45)

Mike's Thoughts:
Share a Secret with Someone! Share a Secret with Someone? My first
thoughts were to ask how this helps to "Win With People"? After thinking about it though and reading the scripture referenced, it makes perfect sense as I've often done so myself. There is an important distinction though between sharing a secret and spreading gossip. If I tell someone a secret that I know, it is because I know the facts behind it. Gossip, on the other hand, is just repeating unsubstantiated information that may be damaging to another person. As a leader, I can earn the trust of a family member, a friend or someone I work with by sharing a secret with that person - however, my intentions must be pure and the revelation of the secret must not be damaging to someone else. How the person I share the secret with handles it also will reveal much about that person and their loyalty to me.

Mike's Action Points:
1- I pray for wisdom and discernment concerning secrets and gossip.
2- I pray for pure motives when sharing secrets.
3- I pray for wisdom and discernment in selecting whom I share secrets with.

Please see my leadership blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

God Created You to Lead

John Maxwell's Commentary in His Introduction to Genesis:
Lessons in Leadership:
*God created humankind to lead and rule, but only within the context
of His leadership.
*Leaders must learn to adjust their plans while holding tenaciously to the vision.
*Everyone leads and follows someone.
*No one can lead well without following well.
*Individuals must see the benefits of the vision before they will
commit to it.
*To win trust, leaders must exhibit both character and competence.

Mike's Thoughts:
Mike's Action Points:
1- I will pray for wisdom, strength and courage to do the following:
A- Be a leader according to God's will and within the context of His leadership.
B- Be flexible enough to adjust my plans and yet hold firmly onto
the vision God has given me.
C- Help me to be an excellent example of what a good follower looks like.
D- Help me to be a good communicator of the benefits of the vision God has trusted me with.
E- Help me to exhibit character and competence in everything I do.

God Modeled Leadership

John Maxwell's Commentary in His Introduction to Genesis:
God's Role in Genesis:
God wanted His creation to begin well. He communicated His vision
for the world to Adam, to Noah, to Abraham, then to Isaac and Jacob.
Like all good leaders, God took initiative. Yet He never forced His
leadership on anyone. Each time His people failed, He laid out His plan, then selected those He would invite to take appropriate action. He relentlessly pursued His plan of redeeming men and women from their failures, even as He maintained a relationship with them.

Mike's Thoughts:
There are many leadership lessons in this paragraph and I will use them as Mike's Action Points for today:
1- If I'm to be an excellent leader, I will communicate, communicate & communicate!
2- I will take initiative.
3- I won't force my leadership on anyone.
4- I will communicate my plan over and over.
5- I will select those I wish to invite to take action.
6- I will relentlessly pursue my plan.
7- I will maintain a relationship with my people.

Please see my leadership blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

Barriers to Generational Blessings

Today is the six year wedding anniversary of my daughter, Nina and her husband, Stephen, and so I will dedicate today's study to them.

From a Message by Paster Garrett Booth of Grace Community Church in Houston, Texas on 8/16/09:

Four Barriers to Generational Blessings:
1- Performace/Behavior: we are a performance oriented society and much too often our self-worth is wrapped up in our performance, whether judged by ourselves or others or both. God's acceptance and love of us is not based on our performance or behavior. He loves us regardless and encourages us to do the same. Romans 5:8 says: 8"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
2- Motivation: when guilt, fear and intimidation are used to motivate others, it creates distrust, disillusionment and dissatisfaction. Those who use such motivating techniques are insecure with themselves and have self-serving agendas. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says: 31"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
3- Playing Favorites: when someone is singled out as a favorite at the expense of others the result is jealousy and envy. Luke 20:21 says: 21"Then they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth:"
4- Family Melt Down: divorce or disaster can cause family melt downs that affect generations to come. John 16:33 says: 33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Mike's Action Points:
1- God loves us regardless of whether or not our performance or behavior is pleasing to Him. As a family leader, I need to distinguish between love for the person and dislike for their lack of performance or behavior. I should communicate this when confronting a family member whose performance or behavior is not pleasing to God.
2- As a family leader my personal motivation greatly affects the motivation of family members. If I show a servant attitude with love for the person and for God, then family members should be likewise motivated.
3- I cannot show favoritism towards one family member over another. Does this mean that I cannot draw closer to one family member than
another? Of course not! But it should be clear to all family members that there is love for everyone. Does it mean that every family member is treated exactly the same. No, it does not! Every family member needs to be treated according to their personal needs and personality.
4- The good news is that regardless of where I am or what has happened to me, by trusting in God I can, with His help, break the bonds of family melt down and create an awesome future for myself and future generations.

See my Leadership blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

Pass the Credit On

John Maxwell's 25 Ways to Win With People:
9. Pass the Credit on to Others - David and his men(1 Samuel 30:21-31)
Mike's Thoughts:
As a leader, it is my duty to develop leaders for future generations ..... Legacy Leaders! Playing off Ken Blanchard's "One Minute Manager", I can help develop Legacy Leaders by offering "One Minute Legacies" such as passing the credit for work well done on to others. This is also teaching leaders to have Biblical humility, a character trait certainly valued by God!

Mike's Action Points:
1- I need to pray for humility.
2- I need to look for opportunities to pass the credit on to others in a genuine, not self-serving or patronizing way.

Do You Know How to Hire Leaders?

John Maxwell's Commentary in His Introduction to Genesis:>"Because God designed people to lead - to "have dominion over" the earth(1:26,28) - we know that we possess a ruling capacity."

From Lead Like Jesus by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges:
Servant leadership enables humility to overcome incompetence. Suppose someone who is not qualified accepts a leadership position. What will it take for this person to become effective and get the job done? This question was asked of Henry Blackaby, author of Experiencing God ..... Prior to this question, participants were asking Henry and Ken about whether you needed to always check if you had the proper strengths to take a particular leadership position. Henry's response was classic. In essence, he said,"That's an interesting concept, but it's not Biblically sound. Name for me one leader in the Bible whom the Lord called who was qualified? Every one of them, including Moses and Mary, claimed in one way or the other that they were the wrong person for the job. The reality is that the Lord never calls the qualified, He qualifies the called."

Mike's Thoughts:
These passages present quite a paradox for me, as a leader, trying to fit the right person to the right position. The authors above are telling me that we all have leadership capacity and it doesn't matter if we are qualified for the position, as long as we are humble we can overcome our incompetencies! I struggle with this. I can visualize situations where, in the right environment, an incompetent leader may be allowed to grow into his/her position. This assumes a definition of incompetence as "not being aware of one's capabilities". Therefore, a leader who appears incompetent, may grow into the position because inside they had the capacity to do the job, they just lacked the experience and confidence in themselves initially. The fact that God had divine knowledge of each person's capacity for leadership, whether or not that individual realized it at the time, allowed Him to "qualify the called". In effect, He did what all good leaders should do, is bring out the best in His leaders. For me, as a leader, I don't have the luxury of divine knowledge of each person's capacity for leadership. I can certainly pray for such revelation. Can I be certain that the Lord will answer each of my prayers for such revelation? Now that is a very good question and poses yet another paradox for me! If I answer that by saying "no, God picks and
chooses the prayers He answers", am I being unfaithful? If I say "yes, God answers each of my prayers", am I being untruthful and prideful because I know that God has not answered every prayer I've ever prayed? I want to defer to Ronald Reagan! I believe it was he who said, "trust, but verify". In other words, God wants us to have faith in Him, but we need to do our part, too.

Mike's Action Points when filling a position:
1- Pray for discernment and peace in regards to this candidate. If I receive a clear answer from the Lord that this is the right person
for the position then move forward with placing him/her. If I don't
receive a very clear answer then proceed with the steps below.
2- Verify the quality of the candidate by checking references and
verifying what the candidate has been doing the past few years.
3- Run a background check. However, issues that may arise as a
result of a background check should raise a red flag, but not
disqualify a candidate by itself. EVERYONE messes up sometimes, but in different ways and to different "degrees". Remember, to God, a sin is a sin, whether it is taking a pencil from the office or committing a third degree felony. Jesus died on the cross so that we can all be forgiven of our sins daily. So,it is more important what are doing about and since we messed up than the fact that we messed up, because we all mess up. How many great pastors and servants of the Lord have come from people who were incarcerated for years for crimes they committed? The answer is more than you realize.
4- Once I've done the due diligence as to the quality of the candidate, I should pray for peace as whether or not to move forward with the person.
5- Next I need to verify that the candidate has the talent/capacity to fill the position. We all have leadership talent, but a person may have the talent to lead in one area, but not another. This is
different from the skills and knowledge that a person has acquired thru study and experience. Anyone can acquire skills and knowledge, but talent is unique from person to person. There are excellent assessments that can be used such as "Strengthsfinder" by Tom Rath, and others.
6- If more than one candidate has made it this far in the process, and they are deemed equally capable for the most part, then go about assessing their knowledge and skills.
7- Pray for peace and a clear understanding as to which candidate is
the appropriate hire at this time, if any! If you don't receive true peace about the candidate, then the Lord is most likely telling you to start over with new candidates or to evaluate the position itself.

Please see my blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

Please Encourage Others!

John Maxwell's 25 Ways to Win With People:
8. Encourage the Dream of Others - Naomi and Ruth (Ruth 3:1-6)

Mike's Thoughts:
To me, my most important job as a leader is to be an encourager. People need encouragement, whether it is at work, at school or in the home. This is so important in marriage ... I just can't emphasize enough the positive energy in a marriage between partners who lift each other up. It also makes a tremendous difference in the work environment if the leader is an encourager to his/her people.

Mike's Action Points:
1- I pray that God helps me to be an encourager to everyone in my life.
2- I will practice by encouraging myself and those I talk to each day.
3- I will read encouraging books, go to encouraging movies and associate with encouraging people.

My Blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

We Are Our Own Worst Enemy

John Maxwell's Commentary in His Introduction to Genesis:
"Isn't most of history the story of conflict among people trying to lead and
rule one another, independent of God's direction?"

Mike's Thoughts:
This goes well and contrasts with my study of Esther on 8/5/09. When
leaders work together to accomplish God's will, good things happen!
Unfortunately, however this is more often not the case. In my opinion, one
of the two biggest problems we have in society are leaders who are only
interested in how short-term results make them look good and imposing
their self-serving agenda on others. Whether it is between leaders of nations, leaders of states or cities, leaders of business, leaders of homes
and, sadly, leaders of churches; it all boils down to short-term results and
self-serving agendas. While I may not be able to change all of mankind, I
have committed myself to help create Legacy Leaders who look beyond the
short-term to see how their decisions will effect future generations and help
them to create Servant Leadership agendas that will encourage and develop
Servant Leaders for future generations. Please join me in this quest!
Mike's Action Points:
1- I will pray for our leaders and for my leadership agenda.
2- I will look at the long-term effects of my decisions.
3- I will develop a Servant Leadership agenda and strive to influence
Servant Leaders for future generations.

See my new blog: http://legacycoach.blogspot.com

Say Right Words @ Right Time

John Maxwell's 25 Ways to Win With People:
7. Say the Right Words at Right Time - Mordecai to Esther
(Esther 4:13-14)

Mike's Thoughts:
This event documented in the book of Esther was an incredibly stressful,
life or death situation for the ancient Jews. Mordecai, a leader, came to
Queen Esther, a leader, with words of wisdom concerning the events about
to unfold. Esther was motivated by Mordecai's words to take immediate
action, yet in a calm and well-thought out manner that would bring about the
most favorable response from her King Ahasuerus. This is an amazing story of leaders working together to achieve a positive outcome, even though
great risk was involved. Modern leaders could learn much from studying
this story. Let's look at what had to happen for these events to transpire and
progress to a happy ending:
a- Mordecai, as a leader in his own right, had to have a good
relationship with Esther in order to feel comfortable going to her
with his words of wisdom.
b- Esther, a leader and queen, had to have respect for another leader,
Mordecai and the proper character to listen to and receive the
message from him.
c- Esther, upon realization of the magnitude of the tragedy about to
occur, did not panic. Instead, she devised a well-thought out
strategy to appeal to King Ahasuerus and solicit a favorable
response.
d- Then Esther implemented her plan and did not deviate when
tempted to do so.
e- King Ahasuerus must have had great respect for Esther when she
broke protocol to seek an audience with him.
f- King Ahasuerus also had the character to listen to Esther and
take swift, appropriate action to derail the impending tradedy.
To me, the bottom line of this story is all about relationships. It is evident
that Mordecai worked hard at having a good relationship with Queen Esther
and she respected his leadership. Queen Esther also had worked diligently
at accomplishing an excellent relationship with King Ahasuerus and he
obviously had much respect for her as he was willing to give her half his
kingdom if she just asked for it.

Mike's Action Points:
1- I need to read the book of Esther and pay particular attention to the
relationships between the leaders.
2- I need to pray about my relationships with other leaders and ask for
discernment and wisdom in those relationships.
3- I need to work to form good relationships with other leaders.
4- I need to respect and listen to other leaders who are sharing with
me because I never know when they are "saying the right words
at the right time".

Give Others a Reputation

John Maxwell's 25 Ways to Win With People:
6. Give Others a Reputation to Uphold - Jesus and Nathaniel
(John 1:45-48)

Mike's Thoughts:
I recommend reading verses 43-51. Jesus, immediately upon seeing
Nathaniel lifted him up with praise about his character. As a leader I need to
praise the character of people, whether it is in private or in public. By doing
so, I not only lift the ego of the receiving person, but establish an
expectation of character performance for that person to strive for every day.
Mike's Action Points:
1- I need to pray for wisdom and discernment concerning the character of others.
2- I need to ask God for courage and the right words to praise
others with.
3- I need to set an example for others.

Are You an Optimal Worker?

Ecclesiastes 11:6:
6 In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good

Mike's Thoughts:
I believe Solomon is telling me to be diligent in my work and not to slack off
at the end of the day for the work I do at the end of the day may prosper
more than the work I did in the beginning or both may prosper as a result of
my obedience. Sometimes it is hard to maintain focus all day long and especially at the end of the day.

Mike's Action Points:
1- I need to keep my spiritual life in good shape to work at an optimal
production level.
2- I need to keep my mind in good shape to work at an optimal
production level.
3- I need to keep my body in good shape to work at an optimal
production level.
4- I need to pray for discipline and wisdom in those 3 areas.

Do You Compliment in Public?

John Maxwell's 25 Ways to Win With People:
5. Compliment People in Front of People - John the Baptist
(John 1:29-31)

Mike's Thoughts:
When I read this immediately the thought of my brother in Christ, Mike
Marburger came to mind as an example of a leader who practices this
principle. He has often complimented me in front of others and I must
admit that it makes me feel good. I also remember as a child when I would
go into town with my dad (we lived on the farm) that I was amazed and proud that often people would come up and shake his hand and then turn
to me, just a small child, and compliment him to me. What examples they
are! Me? I have always struggled to express my feelings verbally about
others, especially in public settings. Mike's Action Points:
1- I will pray for God to help me to pay genuine compliments to people
and lift them up in public settings.
2- I will practice giving myself compliments so that I may be better able
to compliment others.
3- I will FORCE myself to do so even if it is out of my comfort zone and
awkward for me at first because it is Biblical and a beautiful way
to show Godly respect and love for others.

Good People & Intentions = Not Always Good

Ecclesiastes 7:20-21a:
20 For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin. 21 Also do not take to heart everything people say,

Mike's Thoughts:
It is hard to imagine Mother Theresa or Billy Graham as sinners. Yet, most
assuredly they were, as I am. As a Christian leader who strives to commune
with other Christians, I need to be cognizant that, while I'm fellowshipping
with brothers and sisters in Christ, they are all sinners, too. None of them
are better or holier than I am. Yes, some of them may spend two hours a
day in prayer and meditation, and I don't. Some of them may speak in
tongues, and I don't. Some of them may be doing great mission work, and I
don't. But, those are all "works" and don't make them closer to God than me. What makes me close or not close to God is my personal relationship with Him and I am not qualified to judge that in another person, are you?
Whether I am at work, in the home or the community, as a leader, I need to
be aware that while someone is doing great work, they are still a sinner and
I should not take to heart everything they say. Instead, as Joel Osteen
teaches, I need to listen to the "small voice of God inside me" and I need to
test what is being said to me against God's Word and seek God's wisdom,
not theirs or mine, on the subject. Mike's Action Points:
1- I need to take time to pray about the subject or situation.
2- I need to be aware of other's good intentions and seek God's
wisdom on the subject and listen for His small voice inside me.
3- I need to encourage others to share with me, but I still need to
perform steps 1 & 2.

Will You be a Legacy Leader?

John Maxwell's 25 Ways to Win With People:
4. Create a Memory and Visit it Often - Joshua (Joshua 4:1-7)
6 that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.”

Mike's Thoughts:
THIS is why I'm launching my new company, Legacy Coach International
on 9/1/09, with God's guidance. To help people learn to become legacy leaders at work, at home
and in the community. A "legacy leader" is a servant leader who teaches
others to be servant leaders for future generations. A legacy leader lives on
in practice, application and story from generation to generation. Here Joshua is creating a legacy of what the Lord did for the people of Israel at
this time. I'm sure for many generations, when people came upon that
place by the Jordan river and saw the stones there, that many stories were
told about God and Joshua and Moses and the Israeli culture was passed from one generation to another. We seem to have lost the enthusiasm to pass cultures and traditions and knowledge and wisdom and spirituality from one generation to the next and this is causing all kinds of societal problems with the biggest problem being the deterioration of the family unit. The second biggest problem being business, community and political leaders who are only interested in short term results and self-serving agendas. Joel Osteen often talks about "generational blessings" and his family embraces legacy leadership. Are they perfect - no! Do they ever have family conflict -
I'm sure they do! But, the legacy of leadership has been passed from John
Osteen's father (and probably before him) to John Osteen and now to John
Osteen's children and I can see where Joel and Victoria are passing the
family legacy to their children. As a leader, I need to do everything I can to
create enduring legacies and pass them on thru my family, my work and my
community. Mike's Action Points:
1- Study Biblical leaders and how they created legacies for future
generations.
2- Ask God for help in being a legacy leader and creating legacy
opportunities for the current generation that can be passed to
future generations.

Do You Need an Encourager?

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10:
9 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.

Mike's Thoughts:
These verses build on yesterday's discussion that God made me to need
other people in my life. My life here on earth is a roller coaster and I
need others to complement me and pick me up and encourage me when
I'm down. God made me to help/serve others. As a leader, I need to
understand that I need other people and that other people need me to be
an encourager and a helper. Mike's Action Points:
1- Ask God how I can better serve my friends, family & co-workers.
2- I need to look for opportunities to serve my friends, family &
co-workers.
3- I need to be an encourager to my family, friends & co-workers.

Do You Need Others?

John Maxwell's 25 Ways to Win With People:
3. Let People Know You Need Them - Paul (Galations 4:13-15,
2 Timothy 4:11)

Mike's Thoughts:
God made us to need other people in our lives. That is why He made Eve
as a companion for Adam. In fact, isn't that why God made Adam in the
first place? So companionship and the need for others is Biblical and
natural. I believe that a relationship can't be very genuine if it is a one-way
street. Both participants should need the companionship, encouragement,
confidentiality, support, spirituality and help of the other. Often I have seen
and had and been on the receiving side of a one-way relationship where
one of the participants (sometimes myself) is putting on the facade of
not needing the other person. Often it was in defense of not opening up to
being hurt. This is not Biblical! The Bible teaches that I need to be open
to others, even if it means being hurt from time to time, because the only way to have a genuine relationship is thru openness. God demands it of me
and I should expect and give it in my relationships with my friends, my
family, my spouse (if I had one) and my co-workers. As a leader, I need to
be open to my people and expect the same from them. I should let them
know that they are needed and that I cannot be an effective leader without
them. Mike's Action Points:
1- I need to look at my relationships and see if I have closed myself
to someone I shouldn't. If I have, I need to look for ways to
restore that relationship to openness.
2- I need to look at my relationships and see if someone has closed
themselves to me. If they have, I should approach them in a
loving manner and see if the relationship can be more open.
3- I need to pray for help in all my relationships.
4- If someone continues to be closed to me, then I should remain
friendly and open to them, but draw back from the relationship
and allow God to work on it in His time and according to His
will.

The 30-Second Rule

John Maxwell's 25 Ways to Win With People:
2. Practice the 30-second rule (encourage them during the first
30 seconds) - Jesus and Simon Peter (John 1:42).
42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah.[i] You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).

Mike's Thoughts:
I'm always amused by motivational speakers and self-help gurus who
give the impression of having some new revelation that we can all grasp
on to and become better at whatever we are seeking. In reality, if you look
at any worthwhile motivational or self-help theory or thought it has its roots
in the Bible, whether that is acknowledged or not. One that we hear often is
to compliment people on something when you meet them. Well, here is the
foundation for that right here in the Bible! Of course, most of the time when
we meet people we don't have divine revelation or knowledge of them as
Jesus did with Simon. So, we are to look for something about them to
compliment them on; their clothes, their hair, their teeth, their demeanor, etc.
Personally, I struggle with this because I'm generally nervous about meeting
new people in the first place and remembering their name; and to make my feeble mind search for something to compliment them on, too, throws me in
to overload! However, if done with sincerity, I know that it is powerful in
winning people over. Mike's action points:
* I need to pray and ask God to remove the barrier in my mind that is
keeping me from remembering people's names when I meet
them and allowing me to pay them sincere compliments.
* Practice, practice, practice. Work with some friends or work mates
and practice paying each other compliments. When you see
people, even if you aren't going to meet them, look at them and
see what you can sincerely compliment them on and then
rehearse doing so in silence to yourself or in front of a mirror at
home.
*** Important Note: Telling someone you are not already intimate with they are sexy or something related is not a sincere compliment, but a pickup line and can get you into trouble.

All that You Know May Not be Wise!

Ecclesiastes 1:17-18:
17 And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.18 For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Mike's Thoughts:
I get "burned out" sometimes and I'm sure you do, too. It is a natural
human emotion and I believe that Soloman was experiencing such emotions
in the book of Ecclesiastes. Rick Warren teaches that my life is not to be
about me, but it is ALL about God. It is obvious in the verses above that
Soloman has lost the focus on God in his life. God blessed Soloman as
the wisest man to ever live and unfortunately, Soloman in all his wisdom,
lost his focus on God and, in his pursuit for more personal wisdom, found
knowledge that depressed him. Many times in the Bible God talks about
seeking wisdom, NEVER does He ask us to seek "madness and folly".
These are pursuits of the flesh and not Godly pursuits. As a leader I need
to keep my focus on heavenly pursuits that are in line with the vision and
mission of my company, community and family. Of course, I must also
create visions and missions that foster heavenly pursuits. Please note that there is an important distinction between wisdom and knowledge. All wisdom is knowledge, not all knowledge is wisdom, just ask Adam and Eve!
Mike's action points:
* When feeling down or depressed or burned out, I need to ask
myself if my focus is on me or on God?
* Study 2 Corinthians 7:1 and 2 Peter 1:2-11.
* A friend of mine is writing a book to be released late in 2009 and in
this book he makes a profound statement: "Ask him (God) to
show you barriers and then help you remove them." I need to spend quiet time with God asking Him to do just that especially as it relates to maintaining my focus on Him.
* Check the vision/mission(s) I am pursuing to make sure I can
pursue them in a Godly manner. If not, change them.

Start With Yourself

John Maxwell's 25 Ways to Win With People:
1. Start with yourself - King Soloman.
1 Kings 3:9-14:
9 Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” 10 The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. 13 And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. 14 So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

Mike's Thoughts:
God wants me to ask of Him not out of selfishness, but from a servant
heart, as did Soloman. God rewarded Soloman for his servant heart with
great understanding, riches and a long life. Sounds like a pretty good deal
to me! Mike's Action Points:
* I cannot be self-serving in my prayers. I need to seek His will for me
as Jesus did in the Garden. For example, if I'm suffering
financially, I should go to God in prayer and be thankful for His
blessings in my life and ask that His will be done with my finances and that He guides my actions in this area.
* I need to seek God's will in my life with a servant heart. Again, if I'm
struggling financially, I should go to Him in prayer and ask how
I can learn from this experience and use it to bless others.

Is Your Work Vanity?

Ecclesiastes 1:14:
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Mike's Thoughts:
This certainly presents a paradox for me. As a leader I'm supposed to push
my people to stretch their comfort zones, embrace the vision and mission of
the organization and continually strive to fulfill them, to constantly be looking
for better ways to do things, to work hard on relationships and devote
themselves to on-going personal improvement. And yet, Soloman is telling
me that it is all "vanity and grasping for the wind"? Well, if I just look at these causes by themselves, then yes it is vanity. However, if I look at a
larger picture with God in it, it makes much more sense. Rick Warren, in his
book, A Purpose Driven Life, tells me that EVERYTHING I do should be
about God and EVERYTHING that happens is a spiritual event. God is very
interested in HOW I go about my life and not so much what I accomplish in
my life. Do I put God first in everything I do? Do I live my life to please Him
with everything I do? As a leader I need to work with my people to achieve
the above causes, but only within the parameters of pleasing God with their
work and mine.

Information Needs Application

John Maxwell's Commentary on Jude 17-23:
Jude doesn't close his message with mere points of information, but offers
points of application. Effective leaders give both information and application.

Mike's Thoughts:
Jude appears to be a book of "communication". Throughout the book Jude
is encouraging leaders to be effective communicators. I find the above
commentary simple, yet profound. Often I have been in situations
where my leadership gave me information and then dissappeared and I
was left with this half-full feeling of; "Okay, just what do they expect me to
do with this?" The problem is that they gave me the information for a reason
and I felt like they expected me to do something with it, but they didn't give
me the application and I was left to figure it out on my own, which often led
to ineffecient use of my time and a project or task that had to be re-worked
at least once. I have found that sometimes a self-serving leader would do
this purposefully, especially if they felt threatened by me. They obviously did
not understand or embrace the concept of servant/legacy leadership. Other
times they may not have thought the situation through fully and how
dissemination of the information would effect the receivers. Other times they
may have known the information was important but, didn't know how to apply it themselves and were just hoping that I would figure it out for them.
As a leader who wants an effective and efficient team and to set an example of servant/legacy leadership it is to my advantage and is my duty that when I
dissimenate information to also give application for it. I have a few
suggestions on this topic:
1- If I am the recipient of information from leadership without
application and I suspect this is with malicious intent, I need to recognize that this is the evil one doing his deeds in the work place. I need to stay calm, pray about it and then don't act on it until I receive clarification about the application either from God or from my leadership. I should go to my leadership and explain that I am seeking clarification on what they expect me to do with the information and wait for their response. It may not be wise to
offer suggestions until I have heard their response otherwise
they may attempt to use it against me.
2- If I am the recipient of information from leadership without
application and suspect it is because they did not think it
through or did not know how to apply it themselves, I must be careful about my own motives when asking for clarification. Again, I should be calm and pray about it. Then I should look for possible applications without acting on them and then go to my leadership with a servant heart and explain that I am seeking application for the information they shared and ask for their feedback and guidance on the possible applications I came up with.
3- As a leader, I should strive to never disseminate information
without offering application for it. I should always share
information with pure motives and the attitude of a servant/legacy leader. If I feel the need to share information and
I don't have an application for it, then I should ask the recipient
for their prayer and/or thoughts on the information and how we
should apply it.

Will You Change Eternity?

John Maxwell's Commentary in His Introduction to Ecclesiastes:

Why we do something ultimately determines what we do.
.... all earthly goals and blessings, when pursued as an end in themselves,
lead to dissatisfaction and emptiness.
All good leaders operate from a personal and corporate mission statement.
Vision drives them.
.... leaders ought to wrestle with how they might change eternity through
their leadership.

Mike's Thoughts:

As a servant/legacy leader, my motives behind my actions are important to
God and may have a profound effect on those I lead. It is my job to lead
people with a mission and vision that honor God and not earthly goals. As
I become involved in projects and activities and assume leadership positions, I should always seek to serve others in such a way that they will
be so inspired to "pay it forward" for future generations. This is Legacy
Leadership!

Bigger Leadership

John Maxwell's Commentary in His Introduction to Ecclesiastes:
Our leadership must be about something much bigger than us. If our
leadership advances merely our own "kingdom," only increases the profits
of our company, or only benefits ourselves - we have failed the higher call
of leadership. All leadership must bring honor to God, serve and benefit
others, and utilize the gifts of each team member to their fullest potential.

Mike's Thoughts:
This paragraph really speaks to me as a leader and a coach. In my opinion,
one of the two biggest problems we have in society today are business,
community and political leaders who only strive to advance their self-serving
agendas and short-term profits to make themselves look good. Our
leadership service must be about creating leaders for future generations and
leaving strong Godly legacies that will not wilt under the pressures of the
world. Leaders are to serve to benefit others, not themselves! Finally, this
paragraph ends with one of the biggest challenges leaders face and that is
to utilize the gifts of their people to their fullest potential. How do we do that? Well, the following steps may make a good start:
1- Identify their individual gifts/talents/strengths.
2- Encourage and help them to develop and use those talents.
3- Help them to understand how to work around their weaknesses.
4- Give them the foundation to grow in the areas of their leadership
strengths.
5- Help them to grow in their Spiritual walks.

Are You a Confronter?

John Maxwell's Commentary on Jude 3-4:
Confrontation: Jude Admonishes People to do Right
Confrontation is a necessary evil. No one enjoys it, but it must be
done in order to rectify, purify, and unify the organization. When
leaders refuse to confront wrongs, the atmosphere can become
lethargic and unfocused. When leaders don't stand for something,
their people will fall for anything.

Mike's Thoughts:
As a leader, I must have courage to confront wrongs and set the ship on
the right path. Sometimes wrong happens innocently, sometimes
purposefully. Regardless, it must be confronted and dealt with. As a leader
I must reflect the values and vision of my organization/family and
communicate such frequently to the people so that they may stay focused
and not stray from the course.

Are You Good at Pictures?

John Maxwell's Commentary in his Introduction to Jude:
Lessons in Leadership:
* Leaders must use pictures to capture the hearts of their people.
* Leaders must express certainty when possible, but clarity at all
times.
* Effective leaders don't demand, but exhort, appeal, and urge others
to act.
* People need both negative and positive reinforcement.

Mike's Thoughts:
I have always struggled with the first point on using pictures to influence
people. I have just bought a book called, "the Power to Write" by Caroline
Joy Adams and I hope it will help me in this area. It is advertised as "a
writing workshop in a book" and has "Seven Keys to Discover Your Writer
Within". Isn't it interesting how virtually every modern leadership philosophy
that is worth its salt can find its basis in the Bible? I believe the above
mentioned traits are just as important in the family, if not more so, as they
are in the work place.

Can You Deal with Contention?

John Maxwell's Commentary in his Introduction to Jude:
Jude also teaches leaders how to communicate values. Every organization
has values, whether they talk about them or not. Jude urges his readers to
"contend earnestly for the faith" (v.3). He communicates simply and with
great humility, making an example of Michael, the archangel, who
contended with satan, but who spoke only in the authority and power of
Jesus' name.

Mike's Thoughts:
Of course this caught my attention because of my namesake. There are a several leadership lessons in this paragraph for me.
1- As a leader, I need to communicate the values of my organization
and/or family.
2- He speaks of "contending earnestly for the faith." In light of the
current economic, political, social and foreign relations challenges we are experiencing today, I have been calling for
Christians to stand up to the forces of evil and push them back.
Seems that Jude was calling for much the same in his day.
Perhaps it will be the major struggle of man until Jesus returns?
3- When confronted with a contentious situation, I am instructed how to respond .... to communicate simply, with great humility and ONLY with the authority and power of Jesus' name. Obviously,
in the secular work and family environment I usually cannot say out loud "in Jesus name", but I can certainly think and believe it. I
should seek His guidance before responding and then do so
simply, with humility and in Jesus' name, even if it is said so
silently. God will hear!

What to do about a Wanderer ...

John Maxwell's Commentary in his Introduction to Jude:
Jude teaches leaders how to confront those who meander from the vision.
He is direct, yet rational. He is convictional, yet compassionate.

Mike's Thoughts:
As a leader, when people in my organization begin to wander from the
vision of the company (or family or community), it is my job to "reel them in" and get them back on track. According to Jude, there are four characteristics I am to show when confronting a wanderer.
1- I need to be direct with the wanderer and not beat around the bush.
2- I need to communicate in a rational manner to the wanderer why
he/she is off base and why they need to stay focused on the
vision.
3- I need to communicate conviction in my attitude about staying
focused on the vision.
4- At the same time, I need to communicate compassion and
understanding to the wanderer.
Also, as a leader, I need to understand that on rare ocassion it may be
appropriate to adjust our vision to meet shifts in the marketplace or our own
capabilities and resources.

Do You Act When You Should?

John Maxwell's Commentary on 3 John 3-12:
Initiative: Leaders Are to Host the People in Their Lives
I his last letter, John uses the picture of a host. Hosts take initiative
with their guests. They do what is right by others, make them feel
comfortable, give direction to conversation, and provide for others.
Leaders, like hosts, don't react; they act. They go first and risk
whether the other person will respond positively. It is part of being a
leader. Consider what this letter teaches us about the leader as
"host." Leaders take initiative ...
* In their lifestyle (vv. 3,4)
* With others, especially strangers (vv. 5,6)
* In owning responsibility (vv. 7,8)
* In doing good, by acting and not reacting (v. 11)
* In modeling for others (v.12)

Mike's Thoughts:
Sometimes I find myself hesitating when I should be "going first" in a
leadership situation. I often justify my non-action as showing respect for
another or other leaders that are present at the time. I pray for wisdom to
know when I should act and for the courage to do so. (fmd)

How Do You Equip Your People, part 2?

3 John 1:6b:
If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well,
Mike's Thoughts:
Yes, same verse as yesterday... I feel like I needed to add to my ideas of
how to equip the people that I lead; especially in a secular environment:
4- Love the people.
5- Show them respect.
6- Listen to them.
7- Be a Christ-like example without beating them over the head with
Christianity.
8- Exercise tough love when necessary. (fmd)

Are You Equipping Your People?

3 John 1:6b:
If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well,

Mike's Thoughts:
What an excellent leadership mandate from John. If, as a leader, I can
equip my people to go about their lives at work, in the community, and
with their families in a manner worthy of God, I will do well. Sounds easy
enough, but just how do I go about equipping them in a manner worthy of
God? I've got a few ideas:
1- Help them to study God's Word.
2- Help them to learn to pray.
3- Help them to learn to have positive, uplifting, Christ-like
relationships.

Do Your Values Align?

John Maxwell on 2 John 1-4:
Values: Leaders Must Cherish Truth More Than Anything
Leaders need to examine their professional relationships in light of
their organization's vision. Energy follows when the leader's
personal beliefs align with the organization's values. When leaders
eliminate hypocrisy and deception from their organizations, libery
and power prevail. John uses the word "truth" five times in this
short letter to underscore the necessity of integrity.
Leaders must value truth more than anything else. When truth
presides in an organization, several benefits result:
1. Trust is evident among staff.
2. The leader has less mental clutter.
3. People feel the freedom to be transparent.
4. The leader has credibility when he or she speaks.
Mike's Thoughts:
I have worked in organizations where my beliefs did not align with the
company's values and it was always a contentious relationship. I would
encourage every leader to examine whether his/her beliefs were in line
with their organization's values. If not, I would offer the following advise:
1. Pray about it and a way to reconcile the differences.
2. Seek Godly counsel about it.
3. Make appropriate changes or adjustments.
Another point that stuck out to me is that the leader has less mental
clutter when their beliefs align with the organization's and the
relationship is based on truth. As a leader, it is so important for me to have
a clear mind and I am just not as effective if I'm having to juggle the clutter
of misalignment of values and the absence of truth. (fmd)

Does God Hear Your Prayers?

1 John 5:14:
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything
according to His will, He hears us.

Mike’s Thoughts:
I believe this verse is a lesson in prayer. When we pray we need to ask
our petitions according to His will. It does not say He will grant all of our
petitions, but that He will listen to us. The implication is that if we don’t
pray and ask for His will to be done, then He won’t hear our prayers. This
is very significant to me as leader because often in business and family
situations, I will rely on my experience and knowledge to make a decision
and not ask for God’s will. Often too, when I find myself in a hurry or under
stress, I may say a quick prayer and not ask in accordance with His will.
The Lord’s prayer, which is the model for all prayer given to us by Jesus
Himself, asks for His will to be done. So, my advice to myself will be to slow down, focus on my prayer, and ask for His will to be done.

How to Have Daring Courage!

John Maxwell on Isaiah 63:11-14:
Daring Courage Comes from Deep Conviction
Isaiah recalls that Moses received his courage from his God-given
convictions. Moses relationship with God came first; next came a
foundation of convictions; and finally the courage to lead others
without compromise. Popularity with God controlled Moses’ life, not
popularity with people.

Mike’s Thoughts:
These verses in Isaiah give me a foundation for becoming an effective
leader with daring courage:
1. Put God first.
2. Have a foundation of Godly convictions/values/morals.
3. Lead without compromise.
4. By living the 3 steps above I don’t have to worry about being
popular with people. I only have to please God. I still need to
love the people I lead and treat them well and with respect.
But, if I live steps 1-3, then the people should know that I love
and respect them and they will love and respect me in return.

Are You a Perfect Lover?

John Maxwell on 1 John 4:17-21:
The Law of Empowerment: Love Casts Out Fear
Consider what John teaches us about living secure in Christ:
1. Embracing God’s love gives confidence (v. 17).
2. Leaders can incarnate God’s security and peace even in this
life (v. 17).
3. Enjoying God’s love eliminates fear and insecurity (v. 18).
4. We can love others only because God has given us His love
(v. 19).
5. Leaders must allow God to empower them with His love before
leading others (v. 19).
6. Our love for others is a sign that we love God (v. 20).
7. If I can’t get along with people, I can’t get along with God
(vv. 20-21)

Mike’s Thoughts:
These 7 points just reinforce the significance of the first 2 Commandments;
to love God and to love our neighbors. If I could just perfect those 2
Commandments, I would be a much better leader. Why can’t I achieve
perfection in these areas? Perhaps perfect love was only achieved on
earth by Jesus and the best I can do is continually strive towards His
standards. (fmk)

Will You Love Without Fear?

1 John 4:10-12, 18, 21:
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

Mike’s Thoughts:
It is obvious to me that there is a very close and strong relationship between
loving God and loving our brother (and sister, obviously). Is it possible to love one without loving the other? Definitely not, especially in God’s eyes and who else is so important? I believe God’s message to me as a leader is clear; I am to love my brother as I love Him. If I don’t love Him, I can’t love my brother in a healthy way and if I don’t love my brother, there is no way I can love Him. Therefore, as a leader, I must love those whom I lead or my
efforts will be for naught as God won’t honor them. Another beautiful lesson
is in verse 18. If we have true love for God and for our brother/sister, then we are to love them without fear. How often do we hold back our love or our
feelings for a brother or sister out of fear of rejection or fear of not meeting
their expectations? I know that I have done so. It is obvious to me that God
expects us to love Him and each other without fear and I shall strive to love
in a Godly way. (fmd)

The Calling of a Leader

Isaiah 62:10
10 Go through, Go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; Build up, Build up the highway! Take out the stones, Lift up a banner for the peoples!

Mike’s Thoughts:
What a great calling for me as a leader. I am to be bold and courageous to
go “through the gates”. What are the “gates?” I believe they are the
challenges I face as a leader. What does it say on Star Trek; “To Boldly
Go Where No Man Has Gone Before?” That’s what I think about when I
read this passage. For me, the “gate” may be starting a new Bible study or
starting a new networking group or entering into a new business arrangement. A “gate” may also include changing careers or moving the
family to a new place or coaching kids sports or starting a family Bible study
or starting a health fair or any number of new adventures that require stepping out of my comfort zone to create a new path whether large or small. Once I go through the gate I’m to “prepare the way for the people!”
This is an extraordinary responsibility. As a leader I’m called to prepare the
way for the people so that they can easily transition out of their comfort zone
and follow me through the gate. How well I’ve prepared the way will determine how smoothly the transition is made by those I lead. This is an
easy test of my leadership skills. If the people I lead make a smooth
transition, then I’ve done a good job, if not, then I should’ve done a better
job. A large part of making the transition smooth for the people is how well
I prepare the path by “building up the highway” and “removing the stones”.
To me, this means preparing a clear path of transition with as few obstacles
as possible for the people. Finally, I’m to “Lift up a banner for the peoples!”
Obviously, I’m to be supportive of the people and lift their spirits up through
my actions and my words. (fmd)

Do You Speak with Pleasant Words?

3/15/09

Proverbs 16:20-24
20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he. 21 The wise in heart will be called prudent, And sweetness of the lips increases learning. 22 Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it. But the correction of fools is folly. 23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips. 24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

Mike’s Thoughts:
1. If I’m to be an effective leader, I can’t just find wisdom in the Word, but I have to heed it or implement it into my life.
2. Thru the years I’ve noticed that effective leaders seem to be happier
than others. Here, Soloman tells me that I can be happy by trusting in
the Lord. Personally, I’ve been going thru some tough times lately and
I’ve actually been pleasantly surprised at the peace I have because of
my faith that God is in control of my life.
3. How do I have a wise heart so I can be called prudent? It has to come
from God’s Word. I have noticed that effective leaders are not only
wise thinkers but exhibit wisdom from their hearts, too.
4. If I’m to be an effective leader and I want people to learn from me,
then how I speak to people makes the difference between learning and
indifference. I need to speak in a positive, uplifting manner.
5. To be an effective leader, I need to gain understanding from God’s
Word. Do I want to have a “wellspring of life”? Absolutely!
6. Soloman gives me a very eloquent description of how important
pleasant words are. It is difficult for me to always speak with pleasant
words. I try, but I sometimes fall short of doing so. I pray for the wisdom and discipline to speak with pleasant, uplifting words.

Mike's Movie Revue

Watchmen: Whatever you do, don't take your kids to this one! I believe this is a pathetic attempt by Hollywood to make fun of God and throw anti-Christian attitudes in our faces. God did not create life and all humans to be miserable, with no positive characteristics and void of morals as this pathetic movie portrays. Instead, He created a beautiful world full of hope for whatever challenges our lives bring. This movie was just another sorry attempt by Hollywood to make political statements in a movie format that they can make millions of $$ off of. I give it a whopping zero out of 5 stars.

Do You Measure Up?

3/13/09

1 Peter 4:8-11:
8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”[c] 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Mike’s Thoughts:
As a Christian, there is no better guide to effective leadership than the Bible.
Here Peter gives me 7 principles of leadership:
1. Love one another …. isn’t this the 2nd great commandment?
But notice, Peter doesn’t just say “love one another”; he says,
“have fervent love for one another”! I believe this means that I
am to be excited about loving others and love others with
enthusiasm. Personally, I need to work on my enthusiasm.
2. Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. I know many
times I have had the attitude of accommodating someone but,
at least to myself, grumbling about it. Why can’t I just be
hospitable to everyone with a pure heart? It is obvious that I
have to fight my human nature to be more Christ-like. This
takes discipline and concerted effort. I pray that God gives me
these characteristics.
3. Minister my gift(s) to others. Well, I believe this means that I
should not be a closet Christian. Often I find myself being
reserved or shy about my Christianity, even to other Christians.
I pray that God will help me to be more outspoken and outgoing
about my Christianity without being pushy or offensive to others.
4. I am to be a good steward of God’s grace! This is a huge order
for me! I feel so unworthy of being a steward of God’s grace!
I feel this is an order for the mighty archangels Gabriel and
Michael ….. not Michael the imperfect human. I know that to be
an effective leader in business or my family, I must learn to be
a better steward of God’s grace and I pray for strength and
wisdom in this area.
5. Effective leaders speak as the oracles of God. How often do I
allow my mouth to be less than an oracle of God? Lord, give me
strength and discipline to control my words so that I can
represent You in an effective manner.
6. I am to minister with the ability that God supplies. Notice this
does not say with Mike’s ability. Every day I need to pray that
God gives me the ability to be an effective leader.
7. God is to be glorified in everything that I do. Another tall order that I often fall short of. I need to always strive to think, say and
do things in a manner that honors God.
In conclusion, when I measure myself against these 7 principles, I could say
that I would never be able to measure up to God’s standards, and I would be
correct. However, God does not expect us to be perfect like Jesus, only
continually striving to be Christ-like, righteous people doing His good work during our temporary stay on this planet.

How to Evaluate What You are Involved In

3/11/09

John Maxwell on Proverbs 16:1-3:
The Law of Navigation
Effective leaders practice the Law of Navigation. Proverbs 16 opens with
these words: “The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer
of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own
eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits. Commit your works to the Lord, and
your thoughts will be established” (vv. 1-3).

These verses teach us to:
· check the source of our wisdom
· check our motives
· check the outcome we are pursuing

Consider five key words to understanding how God helps leaders to
navigate their way through life:

1. Process: God’s plan usually unfolds over time. What is He revealing
progressively?
2. Purpose: God wants to accomplish His purposes. Why were you
created?
3. Potential: God will use your gifts and passion. Does this goal fit who
you are?
4. Prioritize: God will ask you to adjust your time and energy. What steps
must you take?
5. Proceed: God will eventually require you to act. When should you start?

Mike’s Thoughts:
God gives us His perfect guide to evaluating whether or not we are on the
right track with what we are involved in. It is SO important for us to
evaluate the spirit/motive behind what we are involved in.

How to Live the Good Life!

3/5/09

1 Peter 3:10-13:
“He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. 11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”

Mike’s Thoughts:
Here Peter is telling me how to live the “good life”! If I love life, see good
days (positive mental attitude), refrain my tongue from evil, turn away from
evil and do good and seek peace I will have favor with the Lord and He
will hear my prayers. Perhaps being a Christian isn’t as difficult as I
sometimes make it…….

Leading In the Home

3/4/09

John Maxwell on 1 Peter 3:1-7:
Leadership In the Home
No home can thrive without functioning according to sound leadership
principles.
Peter first challenges wives to submit to their husbands, even those who do
not submit to Christ. This is the principle of authority and submission. It shows up most pointedly when you disagree with the leader. When the wife
submits even though she opposes her husband’s decision, she gives a
powerful witness to Christ and brings a special honor to Him.
Husbands are called to live with their wives in an understanding way. They
are to honor their wives and model submission and service. They are to
initiate blessing, rather than retaliate when things go wrong.
Spiritual leaders assume responsibility for the health of their relationships.
This means they set the tone. They must initiate what they want others to
do.

Mike’s Thoughts:
I think the message from Peter and John Maxwell is clear; leadership in the
home should be a joint effort of both the husband and wife working
together and supporting each other and submitting to each other with the
ultimate authority being the husband. In no way does this mean that husbands are to be tyrants and wives are to be pushovers. I believe that
lack of appropriate leadership in the home is the root cause for most of our
societal problems today. Lack of sound Biblically based homes result in
dysfunctional and single parent homes leading to children being raised
without learning proper leadership and discipline. These children grow up
not respecting their parents, their elders and authority figures and seeking family outside the home and we all know that is not a healthy environment.

Inherit a Blessing

3/3/09

1 Peter 3:8-9:
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

Mike’s Thoughts:
How much better our world would be if we could follow the above advise
in our workplaces, in our families, amongst our friends and in the body of
Christ. Most importantly, in my opinion, is to start with the family. If we can
achieve oneness in mind within our families and living to be blessings to each other, then our families will be stronger and will serve as examples for
the workplace and all other relationships we have.

Are the rich wise and friendly?

3/2/09

Selections from Proverbs 14:
1 The wise woman builds her house,…
2 He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, …
3 …the lips of the wise will preserve them.
5 A faithful witness does not lie, …
6 …knowledge is easy to him who understands.
7 Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, …
9 …among the upright there is favor.
11 …the tent of the upright will flourish.
14 …a good man will be satisfied from above.
15 …the prudent considers well his steps.
16 A wise man fears and departs from evil, …
18 …the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
20 …the rich has many friends.
21 …he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.
22 …mercy and truth belong to those who devise good.
23 In all labor there is profit, …
24 The crown of the wise is their riches, …
25 A true witness delivers souls,
26 In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge.
27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
To turn one away from the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people is a king’s honor, …
29 He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, …
30 A sound heart is life to the body, …
31 …he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding, …
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, …
35 The king’s favor is toward a wise servant, …

Mike’s Thoughts:
There is much wisdom (duh!) in the verses above. I’m afraid that some will
misinterpret the verses about the rich being wise and having many friends.
It my belief that the riches talked about above may not all be material in
nature. However, sometimes it may not take wisdom to acquire riches
(as in acquiring them dishonestly) but it does take wisdom to keep riches.
I believe the rich have many friends because they are not a burden on society and they help many who are in need.