Come Apart Before You "Come Apart"

We are inclined to recognize the value of work; usually because we experience its tangible rewards – like a paycheck at the end of the week.  However, all too often, we don’t know the value of rest, because its reward is subtle and not always so tangible.

Of all that Jesus taught his disciples, His lesson on rest is seldom reiterated.  He imparted this lesson, after his disciples had been working so hard that they didn’t even take the time to eat.  You’ve been there, huh? 

Even though what they were doing was, simply put, supernatural – creating awe and wonder, Jesus brought them back to earth by telling them to take a break and get away.  Actually what He said was “Come apart.”  And that’s exactly what you need to always make time to do, “Come apart” before you come apart.  (Mark 6:30-32)

The Bible says they took a little cruise to a private resort.  Jesus taught these ambitious, hard workers the value of rest.  Actually, it was a lesson He learned from His Father.  You have heard of the Sabbath, haven’t you?  At least one day a week, take the time to rest.

Don’t feel guilty when you slow down to rest.  Rest is not just a good idea.  Rest is a God-idea.

Let My Leaders God - Part 4

I’m sure you’ve heard the debated over whether leaders born or made.  While both sides are persuasive, I’m coming down in the middle; not because I’m unsure, but because I think both sides are right.  I think leaders are born, then made.  Sort of like how Adam was created (Gen 1:27), then formed (Gen 2:7). 

Because of my conviction on “giftings,” I think that we’re born with our unique something in us, but it has to be “made” or “formed” for us to our unique somebody.

I believe that Moses destined to be a deliverer, and was born with Leadership in him, but because he had not been made, he went before he was sent and somebody got killed.  He turned into a fugitive instead of a leader.  God had to take the born leader and set him free of some things before He could be used to free a people from bondage. 

Just as I believe we have something in us, I also believe we have something in our hand – some ability, enablement, gifting, skill, talent, resource, whatever – that will be instrumental to our God-designed success.  But just as we have to be made, that which is in our hand has to be laid down, in order to come alive.

Moses doubted that he had enough to perform the mountainous task God was assigning him, and was arguing that point when God broached, “What’s that in your hand?”  “A rod,” Moses retorted.

In herding and watching over the sheep, in his skilled hands, that rod represented Moses’ strength, his power and his authority in guiding the sheep and in dealing with serious situations.  As this desert herder had become seasoned, this rod had become an extension of his arm, in guiding and protecting his flock.  This rod had come to represent his identity, his skill and his resources.

“Throw it away,” God ordered.  For the first time in his exchange with God, Moses didn’t argue.  He just did it.  He threw the rod on the ground. 

When he threw it down, God made it come alive.

Moses had to release his identity, his talent, his protection, his strength and his experiences – all symbolic of his ability and good works – in order for God to make them alive.  In other words, now his good-works would be transformed into God-works.

I’m convinced that you already have what you need to accomplish you purpose, to fulfill the plan and reach your destination.  But first you must submit to the process of being “made.”  Sharpen every skill and ability God has given you.  But, then throw them away.  You must be willing to release all that has come to be identified as an extension of your “right arm” and let it become an extension of God’s “right arm.”  Throw it down and let Him return them to you “Alive!”

I find this fascinating: after God brought Moses’ rod to life, from then on Moses calls it “the Rod of God” (Ex 4:20, 17:9), but God called it Moses’ rod (Ex 14:16; 17:15).  God told Moses, “Lift up your rod.”  When Moses did, destiny-type things happened!

You’ve got “it” in you and what you need to accomplish “it” is in your hands.  But, if your rod has not first been thrown down, nothing will happen when you lift it up.

Let My Leaders Go - Part 3

As we have seen in the first two observations on the preparation of a great leader, God had to deliver Moses from some personal bondages before Moses could deliver God’s people from the bondage of Egypt.  In other words, for there to be any real change in the position of the followers, there needs to be a change in the position of the leader. 

Destiny’s tug on Moses was more of a confrontation than a confirmation.  Thinly veiled in his resistance to what was not just an outer calling but an inner longing of his heart to see a people delivered, was disappointment.  Moses had spent the last 40 years living in disappointment.

If you look closely at Moses’ excuses for his refusal to accept the responsibilities of leadership, juxtapose to how he had been prepared for such a moment, you will understand God’s anger with the man’s constant rebuttal.  Moses had been raised in the palace of Pharaoh, afforded an exclusive education (evidenced by his ability to read and write, his understanding of blueprints, etc.), exposed to the affairs of state, and was familiar with Egyptian protocol.  He had been taught Hebrew customs by his birth mother, and now had spent the last 40 years inside the culture of a third set of people that would serve as the transitional dwelling for God’s nation.  No one was better qualified than Moses for this task.  No one! 

But, first, Moses had to be delivered from disappointment.  His life hadn’t turned out as planned.  The disappointment that loomed large in his heart was so connected to his attempt to fulfill his destiny, that it now hindered his destiny.  You see, in Moses’ first shot at deliverance he killed an Egyptian.  Instead of his Hebrew brothers honoring his effort, they rebuffed him.  When Pharaoh found out what Moses had done, he became a fugitive.  So, instead of leading one group, he was now rejected by two groups.

This rejection fostered his disappointment, and his disappointment lead to him doubting himself.  So when destiny offered him a second chance, he declined.We can easily hear the insecurities in his confrontation with God, but listen closer… that’s disappointment:  “I had been trained for greatness, but now I’m herding sheep.  I would have sacrificed the palace to deliver my people, but now I’m a nomad in the desert.”

“Okay, here’s what I’m really thinking: I already tried to deliver them, but they didn’t want me.”

We’ve all faced disappointment.  When we do not get the desired outcome, we let go of our passion and hope.  As a leader, it’s disheartening to want more for a people than they seemingly want for themselves.  Disappointment causes us to discard expectations and can fester into insecurity.

Instead, disappointment must foster our character (Romans 5:3-5), and give clarity to our expectations.  We can’t let go of expectations when disappointed, we must simply adjust them. 

Moses’ initial desire was right, but his actions were emotion driven and lead to the murder of an Egyptian.  When he adjusted his expectations, realizing that Success is Spiritual, his actions became purpose driven and led to a military victory in the drowning of the Egyptian Army in the Red Sea.

Disappointment does not equal failure and must not quell passion.  Let it define character and give clarity to our expectations.  And remember God’s cure for Moses’ disappointment; “I Am with you” (Exodus 3:12-14).

Let My Leaders Go - Part 2

In Moses’ first attempt at leadership, ‘he went before he was sent.’  It resulted in someone getting killed.  We discovered that, as a leader, your gifting is critical, but it is not enough. Your anointing is necessary, but it is not enough. Zeal, gifting and anointing must be accompanied by leadership preparation.

God gave Moses 40 years of practicing leadership on sheep to prepare him for 40 years of leading His people.  Notice that the venue for his leadership for both the sheep and God’s people was an uncultivated place – the desert.  In that wide open territory, Moses the shepherd learned how to spot both pastures of nourishment and enclaves of danger, then set boundaries for the sheep.  But he had yet to learn how to set boundaries for himself, for he wandered onto sacred territory – which was both good and bad.

“Hey, don’t take another step.  This is My territory.  It’s Holy.  If you cross this boundary, leave your shoes on the other side.”  God was very clear, and He still is.  He has boundaries. 

Shoes carry with them the residue of every place we’ve been and everything we’ve stepped in.  Just as one took their shoes off at the entrance of a Middle Eastern home and had their feet cleaned, God says to leaders, “Don’t bring your stuff into My presence!”

We can’t truly be spiritual leaders unless we spend time in His presence, but we must know the boundaries for His presence.  God, through Jeremiah, defines them: “If you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman” (15:19).  Before we can become His spokesperson, we must learn to take off what is not necessarily bad, but what has no worth, from our good intentions to our compromise.  Take it off!

Secondly, we must learn to set appropriate boundaries for ourselves.  Boundaries that will help us stay balanced physically, emotionally and spiritually.  To make these boundaries effective, they must be communicated.

We must communicate with our family and our followers the requirements of spiritual preparation and the demands of spiritual leadership, and teach them to honor those boundaries.

Then we must teach our followers to respect the boundaries of our family and our personal time.  Communicate appropriate times for calling.  Let your family know that you value time with them and you won’t bring work ‘stuff’ into their time.

Especially of great importance, we must set boundaries for ourselves, taking our days off, vacationing every year, and refusing to be a slave to the demands of technology.  Most importantly, we must recognize when we draw near the presence of God and, respecting His boundary, take our shoes off.

Let My Leaders Go - Pt 1

In the statement “Let My people go,” there is the implication that “my people” are being controlled by someone else.  As it were, His people were enslaved to a system of making bricks to build someone else’s kingdom.  That system had so consumed them that the people had put off real worship of God.  And every time they made an attempt to approach God, the system increased their workload.  (Sound familiar?)  God was tired of His people making bricks for Pharaoh and Him being relegated to an ignoble place in their lives. 

But before God could free His people, He had to free His leader, Moses. 

The first time Moses grasped at the leadership ring, someone died.  Actually, he was responsible for murdering them.  There is no doubt that Moses had a leadership gift, and he eventually became an archetype of leadership, but that gift had to be developed and tempered. 

In Moses’ first attempt at leadership, he went before he was sent.  It resulted in someone getting killed.  When I reflect on the beginning period of my leadership, I must confess (with sincere regret), I left a few dead bodies in my wake.  Moses and I shared the same problem some of you leaders contend with: “plenty of zeal for God, but not enough knowledge.” (Rom 10:2) 

I’m not saying you don’t know anything.  I am saying you don’t know some ‘God things’ because He hasn’t revealed them to you; and He won’t reveal them to you until He has prepared you for your leadership assignment.

Your gifting is critical, but it is not enough.  Your anointing is necessary, but it is not enough.  Case in point: David was anointed to be king of Israel while he was still a shepherd.  Even though God ordained his anointing, young David wasn’t ready for the throne.  He had some things to learn and some growing to do.  And because David took things in the right order, when he killed someone, it was someone who was supposed to die, not a death due to his leadership recklessness.  There was no regret after his kill (Goliath), only rejoicing.

Our leadership is supposed to produce life, not death.  It is wonderful when ideas and vision set us on fire and ignite zeal, but we must remember that we are stewards of vision and ideas, and we are leaders of people.  Not just any people; “His people.”