OUT OF THE BOX

LEADERSHIP: UNHEALTHY CONTROL OF COMMUNICATION This chapter deals with a couple problems seen in leadership. The issues are principles I learned while serving “as referee” in a couple difficult situations and were originally written with the intention of helping pastors understand these issues that get them into trouble. Initially I was reluctant to share these with a broader audience, but then realized the principles are apropos to any discussion of healthy leadership. Many readers will identify with the problems discussed. For every issue there is a flip side. There is always the “other side of the coin.” This “flip side” issue is especially true for some of the areas covered in this article. For example, pastors usually teach on gossip, and they legitimately try to prevent unhealthy and destructive communication within their community of believers. But my emphasis here is the other side of the issue, which is leadership’s unhealthy control of communication among members. CONTROL O...

A fellow once said to me, “My preacher is so anointed he pure foams at the mouth.” That is a strange one, and I am thankful that the Lord does not expect us to do that. So what style do we use in our presentation? The Spirit-filled Harvard professor very calmly walks up to someone and in a very dignified and stolid voice and says, “This is what the Lord is saying to you, Your canines will develop acariasis and become acaudal.” A backwoods farmer then walks up to the same person and in a very emotional and energetic manner says, “Thus saith the Lord. Thy dogs-uh will become infested with ticks and lose their tails-uh.” The fact is, these men said the exact same thing, but each one spoke out of his own personality and style. The Lord’s word was in the content while the style represented the individual vessel. I want to share three examples below that show us that we can be ourselves and not have to act a certain, expected way when we are being used by the Holy Spirit. A Casual word that ...

”As in water face reflects face, so a man’s heart reveals the man.” Proverbs 27: 19 In commenting on the two previous posts a friend said, “Billy, I hope your next post will include some REHAB.” His statement highlights the fact that it is easier to list problems than it is to provide solutions. “How To” books are generally disappointing to me. They give insights, inspire, and point in the right direction but are limited in their ability to bring us to full satisfaction in the results we anticipated. This is because the solutions lie primarily in the heart rather than mechanically following a list of steps. The heart, not the mind, determines our spiritual state. It is the heart that determines how a person perceives God, and how he deals with life, other people, and his environment. The mind is the battlefield, the mind can be blinded and confused, but it is a product of the heart. The disposition of the heart determines the revelation a person can receive, the clarity and accuracy of...

  HERE ARE A FEW TRUTH NUGGETS FROM MY TEACHING ON "TOUGHEN UP." Prov 24:10;   Jer 12:5; Gen 41:52; Christians tend to naively believe they will have victory without battle, but when faced with adversity they tend to skeptically think they will have battle without victory. We must remember that we will have battle, but we will also have victory. Luke 22:39-46 When the load cannot be lightened, we must be strengthened. In the agony of Jesus’ prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane He knew He would have to carry that load. It was not lifted, but the angels came and strengthened Him. Sometimes He lightens the load or lifts it, but at other times we must carry it. He will strengthen us if we stand in faith and call out to Him in prayer. Luke 21:19; 2 Thess 3:5; Rev 2: 10-11, 13, 19, 25-26; 3: 8-10; Rev.1:9; 13:10; Rev 14:12. The mark of spiritual strength is perseverance and endurance, not glory clouds and glitter. We can be tempted to grow soft on the mountain top. Comfort...

"...The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire."    Nehemiah 1: 3                                                                                                                         "...Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?"      Nehemiah 4: 2                                                                                                   ...

1 Peter 3: 15; 1 Peter 2: 19 Sanctifying the Lord means that, in all life's circumstances, in all situations, and at all times, you set the Lord apart from and above all else, so that He is always before your eyes and exalted, so that He affects your attitudes, actions, and disposition. No matter what other people do or do to you, no matter what you're tempted to do, no matter how much others are blessed when you think they shouldn't be, no matter what happens, you are aware of His presence, of His being there, of His eyes upon you, and of His ears listening. You conduct yourself with this awareness of Him. You do what He says rather than what the situation tempts you to do. You act with a conscience toward God. Your actions are directed by what pleases Him, rather than by the rationalizations of the flesh. CONSCIENCE TOWARD GOD Live your life "as unto the Lord," as if your actions were being done unto Him. You will be judged by that measure. You will be judged as...