Leadership Lesson #3

Everyone has leaders - so obey them.  Make leadership a joy for them.

I know what you are thinking...........whoever wrote that wasn't around for the last couple of weeks when our governmental leaders couldn't get their act together.  They weren't thinking of these guys when people were not allowed to work.  I say I know what you are thinking - actually I'm just admitting that that's what I'm thinking these days.

But these words/thoughts came from the Bible - Hebrews 13:17.

"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.  Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you."

2 learnings for me this week..........

1. I have leaders.  I need to submit to them.  I need to submit willingly.  I need to make it easy for them to lead me.
2. As a leader - I will have to give an account to how I led people.  Did I imitate Christ so others could imitate me and grow more like Jesus?

These learnings are very convicting to me.  I need to lead well.  I need to imitate Christ better.  I need to pray for my leaders and follow them well.

Christ died for the times I don't do these things well............I'm thankful I'm forgiven............I want to grow more like Him.

Leadership Learnings - #2

This morning my research on leadership in the Bible led me to............Leviticus.  Took a couple of cups of coffee but I plowed through - and I learned something!

Leviticus 4:22-26

In the middle of the laws for sin offerings, there is a whole section on what to do when a leader sins.  It didn't say if - it said when.  God so knows us.  He knows that leaders will sin.  All of us sin and are sinners.  When we become a leader over someone or something, we are still the same sinners - just in a different position.  We will sin.

Today we don't have to follow the burnt offering procedures that are written in Leviticus.  We have a savior that offered Himself once and for all for our sins.  We are forgiven.  But..........we still need to ask forgiveness of God and of the people we lead.  We need to restore relationships that our sin breaks.  We are responsible to confess our sin to God and to the people we lead.

Good leadership isn't sin-free...........there is no such thing as that.  Good leadership is being humble, sincere, and responsible when we sin.

You are a Leader whether you wanna be or not!

We are all leaders.............. of something.  Some of us embrace the title.  Some of us wear it as a badge of honor.  Some of us run from the title and never want to have anything to do with it.  But we all lead something or someone.  If you have a pet - you are a leader.  If you have a team - you are a leader.  If you are a parent - you are a leader of your children.  If you are a Christ follower - you are called to lead others to know Christ - to be a missionary.

We are all leaders.........  The key is to be a good leader.  To follow Christ so that others can follow you.

I've been pondering leadership for the past couple of days a lot.  I decided to study leaders in the Bible.  There are a lot - I think maybe that was a bite a little too big!!  But I'm determined to at least skim through the leaders in the Bible and see what God can teach me about leading.  I invite you to join me.

Lesson #1:  How does God lead?
I read Exodus 15.  It says God led in love.  It says He guided the people with strength.  I need to follow God so others can follow me.  I need to lead like Him.  I need to lead with love and strength.  Truth is - for me - I need to concentrate on leading in love.  I need to love the people God gave me to lead.  If I love them, they will trust me to lead them.

Prayer for today - 
please dear God, help me to love my team/my family/the people you give me to lead.  Help me to care for them.  Help me to be a leader that they can depend on and trust.  Help me to lead with your strength, because it is infinitely better than mine.

Schools Back!!!

Happy first day of school all you Clear Creek Kids!

Here are a few of my friends on the first day!

Please send me stories and pictures of your first day.

Good Works

I was reading Titus 3 this week.  Such good words..............

There is always a struggle about good works.  They don't save you, but aren't they still good, you know good things to do???

Then I read Titus 3:1-8.  Why yes they are good!  And yes they do have a place!
Titus 3:8   The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.  These things are excellent and profitable for people.

Did you see that............good works are excellent and they help people.  But did you also see the first part?  Who should devote themselves to good works?  That's right, people who have already become a part of God's family - who have already believed - who have accepted God's free gift of grace.  If we are Christians/Followers of Christ we should be devoted to good works.

I need to be devoted to good works that help others.  I need to do this because of what Christ did for me on the cross.

As you teach your children, you need to teach them to be kind and to love others and to do nice things for others.  But you need to be very careful to get the order right.  We aren't just to be good people............we are called to be people following God and loving others along the way.  We need to do our good works out of obedience to God and thankfulness for the cross.

God is Unchanging

Sunday we will learn about God's Unchanging Plan.  God created us and knows us.  He created a perfect world but He knew that we would sin.  He had a rescue plan for us from the beginning.  And aren't we grateful!

This week - finish up your word wall.  Bring your homework on Sunday.  Here are some possibilities:

Rescuer
Redeemer
Righteous

Savior
Salvation
Strong
Supreme

Trustworthy
Teacher
Truth

Please join us Sunday.............we only have 2 more weeks in this unit.  Finish your word walls and send me pictures, stories, what you have learned during this unit.  You can email me:
lcarden@clearcreek.org
or comment on this blog.

Thanks for being on this journey with us!

We have made it to P!!

We have almost finished our unit on the Attributes of God.  Just a few more weeks.  I hope your word wall is very full.  Please send me pictures.

Don't forget to do your homework this week.  The letter P - what words did you find?
Perfect
Powerful
Provider
Plan Maker
Pure

Please bring it with you to church on Sunday!  We will be studying Q..........
God is QUICK TO FORGIVE.
I am so thankful He is quick to forgive me.  Do not miss this lesson, and follow up at home.  Always remember to ask your child what he learned at church or why did you do that activity.  Use the lessons we provide on Sunday to jumpstart wonderful conversations around the dinner table all week long.

Keep worshiping God with your word walls ............ send me pictures of yours!