1 Consecration: They set themselves apart and remain committed to their call.

2 Discipline: They do what is right even when it is difficult.

3 Servanthood: They model a selfless life, lived for the benefit of others.

4 Vision: They see what God sees and live off the power of potential.

5 Compassion: Love for their cause and their people moves them to action.

6 Trustworthiness: They keep their word regardless of what others do.

7 Decisiveness: They make good decisions in a timely manner.

8 Wisdom: They think like God thinks and avoid impetuous moves.

9 Courage: They take risks for what is right.

10 Passion: They demonstrate enthusiasm for their divine calling.

Ezekiel contrasts a poor leader vs. the one who stands in the gap. There’s always someone watching and ready to follow and though you may not feel like you’re currently in a position of leadership, you have been called to make disciples(Matt. 28:16-20). You were rescued for a reason and that reason includes, loving, serving, leading (discipline)others, and standing in the gap for them.

Reflection

Which one of these leadership qualities are you the strongest at?

Which one is your weakest?

Be intentional about developing your skills in each of these areas. Dive deep into His word and look at leaders in the Bible to examine how they lead. Which areas were they strong/weak in. What was the result?

What’s one action you can take today to strengthen your leadership skills?

Prayer

Father, You know Our strengths and weaknesses. You have called us to be disciple-makers and leaders. Teach and grow us into the leaders You desire us to be, through Your Word. Refine us according to Your perfect plans. Guide us, that we may stand in the gap and lead Your people well. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Sign up for The Maxwell Leadership Reading Plan at http://bible.com/r/GE

For your freedom was not for self, but that, through love, you would serve others.  Before you were a new creation, you could not even serve as you were designed.  Stay focused on Christ and your mission.  Make no provision for your flesh.  Radically amputate all paths back to those old sins.  Put on the full armor and ready yourself for battle.  Know that He goes before you as a consuming fire!  He has secured the victory.   Refocus your mind to serve through love. 

Reflection

What area are you most prone to give your flesh opportunity to have its way?

How can you make no provision for the flesh in that area? 

In what ways are you leaving a door open to those old sins?

What must you do to radically amputate the sin in your life?

Prayer

Father give us the mind of Christ; focused and ovedient.  Let us serve others through love and leave the opportunities for our flesh behind.  Let us embrace your victories and walk in the good works you have prepared in advance for us to walk in.  Amen!

The top 2 questions I get asked are, “How do I share my faith?” And “How do I change the world?” This would often be called our testimony.  While each person has there own unique story that needs to be told, the substance of the story is really God’s rescue mission of us.  You can attend classes, seminars, and workshops that help you formulate a plan and craft your story, and that’s great;   However, people really want to see the impact your relationship with God has had on you.  We can have the greatest story in the world and without action it is just another story. 

There were hundreds of cars passing by this woman on the street with drivers looking away assuming someone else will help or citing how “these people” are making thousands of dollars per year.   Did she need words or judgement in that moment?   My daughter saw that she was hungry physically and spiritually.  Our testimony is not only words but also actions.  There are 3 actions that come to mind that communicate our faith and change the world. 

STEP 1 – LOVE

What really has the power to grab our attention, cast out fear and cover a multitude of sins? Only love. Love has the power to do something that the 4 spiritual laws can’t. It pierces the depths of a person’s soul and shatters the need and notions of performance, leaving us to make a decision to fully trust our beautiful Savior or still cling to our own efforts. You want to share your faith? Then bathe in the Father’s love and love others with that same love. 

STEP 2 – SERVE

Serving others is something all of us can do.  You don’t have to have the right words.  One of the most powerful ways we tell our story is by loving others through acts of service.  It can be as simple as holding the door for someone or sharing a smile with them. The are literally hundreds of ways to serve.  Connect with your Pastor and ask where service is needed.  Don’t be surprised if he says taking out the trash. No job is too small.    Jesus found it pleasing to wash His disciples feet.  Serving is contagious and is a catalyst for more acts of service, but more importantly, it is part of sharing our faith with others and changing our world. 

STEP 3 – DISCIPLE

I don’t want to make light of your personal testimony.  You know who and what you were before you had an encounter with Christ.  You also know what God has done since.  Praise Him for all of His work!    You can share that story without a ton of prepwork. This story needs to be told, but we don’t have to run from person to person with a drive thru version making sure we get a confession from them. 

Be willing to invest the time to bring others along with you on your journey. Share with them the areas  where God has taught you.  We are commanded to teach others to observe all that he commanded us.  This implies that we are applying and learning these commands ourselves.  Discipleship takes time. It means walking with others, helping pick them up when they fall down.  You may experience disappointment, sadness and grief.  

So there you have it. You want to share your faith and change the world?  Be ready to invest and start loving, serving, and discipline today.  You may have the opportunity to only do one of these steps with someone you meet, but in all things be about Your Father in heaven and His work.  For He has done a mighty work in you; share it in word and deed!

#truthtalk4life #knowlivespeaktruthinlove

@brianfriedl

Yes this may look different from everyone else in how you carry that out because you have been given specific gifts, skills, roles, activities, attributes, and experiences.  These are all to be used when making disciples and bringing God glory.

I love how this section of scriptures wraps up.  “And lo, I will be with you even to the end of the age”. God has not asked you to run a rogue mission.  He is right by your side as you learn what the mission is and carry it out.  As a matter of fact not only is He beside you, but the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in you.

You have everything you need to carry out this mission successfully.   So let’s go love, serve and disciple today!

Very quickly, I sized up the group and knew there was one guy in particular that was going to be more than a handful.  I was young, filled with Mountain Dew and ready for the challenge.  This included sleeping less than 2hrs per night and hiding in the woods near the girls cabin to make sure nothing happened.

After two days I was praying that God would just get me through until the end of the week. As usual God’s plans were bigger.  Night one I shared how God had created everything in the universe intentionally and on the second night how man had brought sin into the picture. This night I shared what Jesus did in the cross and that He did it for them also.

The students were instructed to leave the fire circle without saying a word and to go back to their cabins with their leaders and just wait.  My wife and I, as well as the other couple co-leading went from cabin to cabin washing the feet of the students inside.  At this point may I just add I was not thrilled about this part at all. I don’t even like touching my wife’s feet; sorry honey!  As I washed this kids feet I felt the Holy Spirit move/push my head down to this guy’s feet and I kissed them.  My mind raced with thoughts of lawsuits and too many thoughts to list.

I finished and headed back up to the fire. Shortly there after, he came up to me while I was playing guitar by the fire and whispered in my ear, “no one has ever loved me like that before”.  I replied, “That’s how Jesus loves us, like no other”. God taught me so many lessons that night.  Nothing is impossible with Him!  He reminded me that all of life is about relationship, more specifically with Him.  It’s not about us and our comfort but about those Him and hose who need to hear the truth.  I looked at this student and was trying not to endure, God looked at him with love and saw one of His children…

Personal Reflection

We all know someone we have to “endure”. I believe God is asking you not to endure, but to love them today. What can you do to serve them today. Maybe that thought is as repugnant as washing feet to you. Maybe, just maybe, God is about to move in an amazing way changing someone’s eternity and yours!

Prayer Focus

Precious LORD thank you for teaching me so powerfully and patiently.  Redirect our minds to the things that matter.  Give us your heart for the hurt, lost and abandoned.  Give us the perseverance to love them in spite of their walls they have built. Tear down the strongholds that have blocked them from living in your joy.  Give us the desire to Know, Live, and Speak the truth, be equipped to Love and Serve, and Skilled to make a difference. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen!

Satisfying the flesh never leads to freedom but instead draws us back to a place of bondage, keeping us from fulfilling the mission (Matt 28:16-20) He has given us.

When our eyes and minds are set on Christ and His mission, there is little time to be focused on our flesh and its lusts. God gives us the desires of our hearts, which in essence are His desires when we are rightly walking by the Spirit. Embrace His design for your freedom today!

Personal Reflection

Warning: these questions are tough and direct.

In what ways are you using your freedom to satisfy your flesh instead of for God’s mission?

What sins are holding you back from seeing God’s restorative work in and through you?

Confess these to your Father in heaven and ask Him to fully use the freedom He has given you for His purposes.

Prayer Focus

LORD, give us a right understanding of your grace. Help us to see your freedom with purpose and may our hearts be zealous for those you put in our path.  Help us to Know, Live, and Speak the Truth, be equipped to Love and Serve, and Skilled to make a difference for you…in Jesus’ Name, Amen!

@brianfriedl

#freetoloveandserve

#missionoflove

#truthtalk4life