Battles
As I think of our service to the Lord, I see us in a gigantic battle that is going on all over the world. This is the war against GOOD and Evil, saints of God against the forces of evil which has a leader, Satan, who is winning too many battles, but as Christians we know he cannot win the war. We are going to be on the winning side if we remain born again Christians. What I am seeing today is, we do not have enough warriors, and we need lots more. Also I am seeing a lot of the warriors we have are weak, and a lot of the warriors are discouraged, a lot of the warriors are, for what ever reason, burnt out.
A lot of those who used to be real warriors are hurt, some angry, some are confused, some are on a teeter totter, up one day down the next, and some are depressed. In these last days before the coming of the Lord when we so desperately need UNITY, and are fighting one of the greatest wars in the history of man, I see our warriors FIGHTING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER. But some of the warriors are really tares, enemies of the cross, religious fanatics, religious bigots, Pharisees, publicans, warriors that went the way of Balaam and have been real successful at dividing the warriors and hurting the warriors and have weakened our ranks.
Our leaders, ministers and pastors are in one of the greatest challenges of our Christians lives, to be able to lead our warriors and to bring them into one faith, one God, and one purpose and that is to fight the fight with pure faith and love of God and to destroy the enemy in our camps or churches. There are individuals warriors rising up all over the world that are great warriors and they are being trained to really know their enemy and to stand and fight as long as they live. In the se last days in which we are living, we are going to see many warriors rising up and coming to the front lines of the battle. We have a lot of old warriors that are in the war and them helping train the young warriors to fight and to be officers and warriors for the front lines.
I’m not one bit discouraged about the tares or the enemy inside our ranks because our great leader, Jesus, says to leave them alone he will take care of them. We need real warriors today, ones who are not afraid to stand and fight the enemy inside the ranks and the devil and all his warriors on the outside. We are going to win the war and we just have a little more time to gather up all the soldiers we can find, red and yellow, black and white, drug addicts, homosexuals prostitutes, men and women who do not have the ability to fight, they don’t even meet the qualifications of a good warrior, but Jesus wants us to find them and let Him save and heal them and us to train them and make them great warriors.
The battles are going on everywhere. Whenever you are today there is a great need for real warriors and real fighters. We need doctors, lawyers, rich and poor, great and small, boys and girls, men and women, whoever can fight. I challenge all you out there who have been hurt, wounded or discourage, to forgive the tares or enemies on the inside and let our great leader, Jesus, bind up your wounds, and get back in the battle, for the war is going to be over before you know it and you will be on the winning side.
Pastor Gene Cannon author of inspiration, hope, and spiritual leadership articles for all people. Visit his website at http://www.awordfortoday.com
Tags: leadership, motivate, self improvement, teachingGoal-Setting and the Obstacle of Life
What can you do to stay on track, when life throws so many obstacles in the way? How are you supposed to keep your chin up when the economy is down? How can you practice positive thinking “under fire?”
Truthfully, we are tested in “the heat of battle.” Anyone can be a clear and rational thinker when everything is going in the right direction. Your ability to maintain goals in “rough waters” is what separates the leaders from those who just want to lead.
When you elect to be a leader, you are judged by your ability to handle a crisis. The role is similar to the captain of a ship who must plug a hole or go down with the ship. It’s that simple, and that is the difference between a successful leader and one who would like to lead.
In the current business climate, with the pace of technology, and the skill of your competitors, you don’t have time to be depressed or draw a blank. You must take action and respond immediately to “damage repair.” There is simply no time for mourning over past mistakes.
The time of crisis, is the time for solutions. You must allow for thinking, prayer, meditation, “brain storming sessions,” or consultation with a coach. This allows you to “think outside the box.” This is where you will find creative solutions to your present obstacles of life.
Do you remember the saying, “Life is like a bowl of cherries?” Sometimes, we could say just the opposite, but life is what we truly envision. If you fear that everyone is talking badly about you, you will envision and perceive it. Paranoia becomes reality, and so it is with real life.
Take the time to recognize fear, paranoia, frustration, and negative feelings within you. Know your fears through self-analysis. You should know yourself better than anyone else. When you hear the little voice of negativity, in the back of your mind, give it some consideration. Don’t make fear of failure become your number one priority.
One more suggestion: Visit your local book store or shop online for a self-improvement book. You can choose audio, e-Book, or the traditional version. Each has its own usefulness in the course of your day. Make the most of your time, and listen to audio books while you are traveling. This gives you an inexpensive coach whenever you are alone or in transit.
Allow for quiet time in the early morning or later at night. This is time for reading, meditation, prayer, or creative thinking, to put what you learn into the planning stage and go after success with all of your resources.
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Tags: achievement, goal, goal setting, inspiration, leadership, motivation, successEvaluate Your Meetings - Quick Quiz
Most leaders want to improve their business. After all, these improvements lead to increased profits through greater productivity and efficiency.
Sometimes clues to important improvements lay hidden in events that everyone takes for granted.
For example, how well do you score on the following quiz about your meetings?
* How much time do you spend in meetings?
0% - - | - - 25% - - | - - 50% - - | - - 75% - - | - - 100%
* How productive are your meetings?
0% (terrible) - - | - - 25% - - | - - 50% - - | - - 75% - - | - - 100% (effective)
* What do meetings cost your business?
* How much do meetings earn for your business?
* What would you work on if you spent less time in meetings?
My surveys show that (on average) people spend 40% of their time in meetings that they rate 50% effective. That translates to wasting 20% of their time in meetings.
This is equivalent to spending a full day each week doing nothing. It also represents a monstrous lost opportunity because that day could be spent working on things that make money for the business.
But most executives dismiss meetings as just another business activity. They say, “It’s okay, I’ve learned to live with it.”
In fact however, fixing their meetings represents the most significant improvement that they could make on their business. Call if you want to improve your meetings.
- - -
Steve Kaye helps leaders hold effective meetings. He is an IAF Certified
Professional Facilitator, author, and speaker. His meeting facilitation and
leadership workshops create success for everyone. Call 714-528-1300 for
details. Visit http://www.stevekaye.com for a free report.