LOVECARES LEADERSHIP SERIES
LEADERS LIKE CHRIST
JANUARY 15TH, 2021 EDITION
John 4:34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”
As we begin this year of LOVECARES LEADERSHIP SERIES 2021, like we said last year when we were closing; our growth and effectiveness as leaders like Christ is solely anchored on our dependency on Christ. He is the only dependable ground to stand, all other ground is sinking sand. Let us do a check up again on our dependency level. As leaders like Christ, who do we desire to depend on or lean on or put our confidence on. In all our decisions, all our actions, even in the depth of our hearts and in our silent moments and in all our inactions, who do we put at the source of it all. Can we say with all confidence and singleness of purpose that Christ is and will be the source of it all and also the only reason and motivation? Can we say with all certainty that self-interest will not come into play as we lead? If your declaration is about Christ and Christ alone, then we are ready together to learn about leadership like Christ for the year 2021. Welcome and happy learning together.
Everyone knows that leaders in this age face absolute confusion on many levels, no one knows what to expect next. But God has placed us in the world diving down morally and heading for destruction, and should not be the reason for us to slow down or quit. In this perplexing period in history, we need all the more competent leaders and ambassadors. A forthright leader and an insightful messenger of the eternal gospel. Times like this demands leaders that devotedly demonstrate the message of Christ in his own life first and through any other God-centred means. The food of the leaders like Christ is to do the will of God and to finish His work. Not to give up or quit or abandon or compromise, but to finish strong like Christ did.May that be our heart desire as we lead God’s people in the year ahead of us.
Keep a date with us on 15th February, 2021.
LOVECARES LEADERSHIP SERIES 2021
LEADERS LIKE CHRIST
FEBRUARY 15TH, 2021 EDITION
Mark 14:55-56 “The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.”
Looking for evidence against Christ and they could find none and people that came up to testify have a diverging untrue statements. What a marvellous disclosure about our master.
Accomplishing public change as leaders like Christ begins with the leader’s heart and character. True change and leadership is not mere lips and behaviour modification; but heart transformation. This boils down to the fact that we must only begin our leadership journey with self-leadership. I must lead myself before I will make attempt to lead others. Once you have a good heart as a leader, you cannot keep it a secret, it will effortlessly flow outward in relationship with others and the organisation you are leading. Christ had a harmony between what He preached, how He relates with others, what He did and refuse to do.
Even when the religious leaders deliberately watched Him with the aim to trap Him, it was not only difficulty but practically impossible. Christ has modelled that and should be the aspiration of all leaders like Christ. It is when your own life change, that you are well positioned to change and lead others to the point of the desired change.
You example will naturally accelerate the desired reform; since all the people you are leading could see your transformed life. The change begins in the leader’s heart and become visible outside. Christ has displayed that example and it should be viewed as not the main thing in leadership- but the only enduring and effective thing. If you don’t support your words with your life and action, what you tell people or ask them to do will amount to nothing. You may issue all the instructions, but until the led see you believing in your instructions with your life, it is then they will obey. When you do the opposite, you have perforated your integrity pocket and will not hold anything.
We know it is easier to teach what is right than to do what is right, but leaders like Christ will do the both- teach what is right and do what is right. Like our master Christ, they will look for what to hold against us, they will find it difficult.
1 Peter 2:12 says: “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
May that be our desire and prayers even as we serve as leaders like Christ.
Keep a date with us on 15th March, 2021.
LOVECARES LEADERSHIP SERIES 2021
LEADERS LIKE CHRIST
MARCH 15TH, 2021 EDITION
“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Ephesians 4:14-16:
They are two indispensable characteristics of a leader like Christ- growth and sacrifice. For this month, we will consider one of the characteristics; which is growth. As leaders, we must grow into Christ in all things; all things- spiritually and physically. God is not interested in dormancy or stagnation. When we remain too long in one phase of growth, we are either retarding or decaying. The expectation of God is that we growth on a daily basis into Him in all things pertaining to godliness and even in our love with fellow humans.
When we stop to grow which is a character of a living thing, and allow ourselves in the previous level we were. We are doing a disservice to God and His work committed to our hands. Christ expectation is that we grow as we have relationship with Him. The length of time spent with Him should be shown in the level of our growth. Christ is demanding from us a corresponding growth that reflects the time spent with Him. He admonished His disciples while on earth- ‘How long will you be with me before you are able to meet this level of expectation’.
In Mark 9:19; “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me”
We are to grow spiritually. Spiritually, when we are void of inner grace and out of tone with the Spirit of God; and resort to handling spiritual things mechanically and not from God’s point of view, we not only do harm to ourselves, but also to the people we are leading and the organisation we are asked to oversee.
We are to be like Christ even in our physical relationship with the work we do.On the physical level, when we don’t grow, it affects the discharge of our duties, the smart and strategic ways of handling tasks and issues, the personal and interpersonal relational skills, and everything rise and fall on the lack of growth. When we stop growing, we are supposed to stop leading, because nothing will seem to improve when we are not growing by ourselves. We cannot say to be growing the organisation, when we are not growing ourselves.
The spiritual growth is foundational to every success we will record in the physical. We should go to the word of God, as it is the only way to go when we want to lead and grow like Christ. 1 Peter 2:2 gave us the essential tool to use in ensuring acceptable growth. “Like new-born babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”
May that be our only means for effective growth, even as we serve as leaders like Christ.
Keep a date with us on 15th April, 2021.
LOVECARES LEADERSHIP SERIES 2021
LEADERS LIKE CHRIST
APRIL 15TH, 2021 EDITION
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:13-14.
They are two indispensable characteristics of a leader like Christ- growth and sacrifice. Last month we discussed Growth, this month we will finish the series with a discussion on SACRIFICE as the characteristic of a leader like Christ. As leader like Christ, we should learn to live a life of sacrifice like Christ did- laying down our lives, not being killed like Him, but in living service for the glory of His name.
Jesus stayed so committed to His mission; He allowed mortal men that He created to seize Him and put Him to unfair and unjust trial and sentence Him to death. Jesus laid down His life for the ultimate sacrifice of redeeming mankind from bondage of sin. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends’.
We should never think of ourselves only, but should always maintain the principle of holding others in the very scheme of our actions. To follow the Lord means, selling off possibly everything or holding all worldly things in common regard. This demand should be taken with all seriousness it deserved. We have our reputation, identity and accomplishments to put up for sale and then free ourselves of the unnecessary luggage as we lead His people. We should sacrifice our comfort so long as it does not go against the word of God for the benefit of others or the people we are leading. We should learn not to be rooted in this world, but hold all things loosely and be delivered from the unnecessary attachments to the things of this passing world. It is not a small matter as far as leadership like Christ is involved.
The story in the passage below reminds us that we should first of all be willing to sacrifice to follow and if your never followed Christ, then you are not qualified to lead His people. It is about sacrifice or selling off. Luke 18:22-23 “When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.”
What is it that, we hold so dear, that we cannot sacrifice at the feet of Christ as we lead His people. Is it our reputation, identity and accomplishment? Is it our family and friends? Is our business or career? Name them! Many saints that led the people gave up willingly all and it was counted to them as worthy sacrifice for the sake of the cause of Christ. We should put others ahead of our agenda and look for a need and take initiative. Learn to perform small and big task anonymously and always stop to access the love you have for others and develop a strong Christ motivated reason for all actions. It is when all you have diminishes for the sake of Christ that you have the validation of a sacrificial leader. There is no middle ground between a selfish leader and a sacrificial leader- you are either selfish or sacrificial. Let us make the habit of periodic stop over; to assess ourselves if we are leading sacrificially like Christ.
May that be our desire and prayers even as we serve as leaders like Christ- to grow and be sacrificial.
Keep a date with us on 15th May, 2021.
LOVECARES LEADERSHIP SERIES 2021
LEADERS LIKE CHRIST
MAY 15TH, 2021 EDITION
John 13:3-5 “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”
Accurate knowledge usually brings about service. Leaders like Christ must know where they are coming from, who gave them the mandate and to whom they are primarily accountable to. When they are secured and have no identity crises, they will be able to serve like Christ. Jesus had that knowledge about His identity and His worth according to our passage; “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God…” Then He got up and serve people that are supposed to be at His service.
We either underrate ourselves or overrate ourselves or we grossly have a mistaken view of ourselves. This identity mistake is a picture of every human being’s failure. We can miss the fact that we were created in God’s image to reflect His rule, and end up misusing our authority. When that is missed, we will end up spreading destruction in the world instead of good news. To undo this and do it correctly and according to God’s perspective, we need to return to God; to let Him define us by His love, to let Him fill us with the Spirit and to let Jesus send us out to do His work as leaders of His flocks. Leaders that will take them to the green pastures of obedience to the word of God and the life of holiness. A life worthy of our calling and commission.
What assignment has God given you that you don’t think you have the power to do? Why is it vital to have your identity based in what God says is true? May God give us eyes to see ourselves as we are seen by Him. Let our prayers be that, God will grant us the grace to faithfully carry out the calling we have been entrusted with like Christ and finish it strong like Christ also.
Keep a date with us on 15th June, 2021.
LOVECARES LEADERSHIP SERIES 2021
LEADERS LIKE CHRIST
JUNE 15TH, 2021 EDITION
Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:14-15.
From His life and ministry and then finally on the cross, Christ prayed for His executioners, He conquered bitterness. He then offered a word of advice to bitter people; He said, “pray for those who mistreat you”, this is a strong medicine and can only be taken along with a large dose of divine grace. The truth is that; I may not want to pray for people I don’t like-not to mention those who deliberately do me wrong. But Jesus knows that the antidote to our bitterness is a Christ-like concern for the person who has wronged us. Is there anyone who has wronged us and whom we should pray for today? When you chose that line of action- you are a leader like Christ.
When you listen to people who have been severely hurt by others, you will notice that some of them have inside them a memory card that plays the story of their hurt with every precision. The reality is that, every time they play the card of their pain, they feel assaulted again and their pain increases. The question is- why don’t we then discard the memory card if it feels painful every time? May be, our bitterness satisfies the vengeful tendencies in our heart, oddly we get a certain kind of energy from our hatred, bitterness feeds our own sense of self-righteousness. We feel a certain kind of satisfaction as if when we let our bitterness go, we will have nothing left.
But what does bitterness deliver according to our text? Bitterness is the root that bears all kinds of troubling and defiling fruits. It hurts us and damage the soil where the grace of God thrives in us. If you have anything to do with Christ and mostly to lead His people, you must learn to deal roundly with bitterness. You cannot claim to be a leader like Christ and be soaked in the rivers of bitterness. You cannot be fruitful in the service of God, if you have not learnt the path of letting go and love regardless of wrong. You cannot be an effective tool in the hands of God if hatred and vengefulness characterised your life. May God help us take the pattern of Love instead of bitterness as leaders like Christ.
Keep a date with us on 15th July, 2021.
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