Exo. 18:13-14 - It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. Now when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?"
 
Exo. 18:17-18 - Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good. "You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone"  
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• A Leader Can  Accept The Advice Of Others   

Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, was truly a wise man. He watched Moses for one day judge the people and he knew immediately Moses' system was geared for failure. Jethro says, "The thing that you are doing is not good."  Moses had a decision to be made. He could listen to his father-in-law or keep draining himself by doing it his way.
 
Moses will accept the advice of his father-in-law.
 
What about you today? Is your system geared for failure?  If you have not surrounded yourself with people you can trust you have already failed as a leader. You cannot build a successful team without trust.
 
A leader doesn't try to do it all. A leader is one who enlists the help of others and they accomplish their goals as a team. Bottom line is they trust each other. Moses still had a job that he was required to achieve. 

• A Leader Will Have a Good Plan

Retired Denver Broncos quarterback, Peyton Manning, was being interviewed after one of their games. When asked about their offensive plan, he said, "We knew we had to have our running game going as well as our passing game and we wanted the plays to be pretty even."

They passed the ball 40 times and ran the ball 36 times. I'd say they accomplished their game plan.
 
Are you a leader?  Are you showing your teammates or co-workers that you trust them?

•  Jethro Has a Good Plan For Moses.  

Jethro's plan is choose capable men to help you with the judging.
 
Moses had a plan but it was horrible one. Moses plan was simple to get up early and work all day while everyone else watches you. Make people stand in long lines in the heat of the day.
 
I don't even like to stand in line at an air-conditioned grocery store. I am one of those guys that would rather go and ring up the items myself then wait in a line.

Here was Moses' plan. You bring me your problems and wait your turn in this long line in the heat of the day.
 
Jethro had a better plan for Moses and it was enlist men who can judge over a 1,000 people, 100 people, 50 people, and 10 people. If a person brings a case and they can't answer it they will bring this case to you, Moses.

They will bring the hard cases to you.

Jethro has a great plan for Moses and Moses is wise enough to implement it. As soon as he found some qualified men.

•  The Men Need The Following Qualifications: 

1. Men That Fear God
2. Men That Are Truthful
3. Men That Hate Covetousness

Are you looking to build a successful team? Then use these same qualifications for your future teammates or employees.
 
A Leader will have someone that will speak the truth to him, like Jethro.
 
A Leader will listen to the one who speaks the truth to him.
 
Moses had Jethro, a leader in his own right. He was able to read the situation and determine correctly the outcome. A man like that is extremely valuable to the team or company.

Think About These:

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things. - Peter F. Drucker
 
The fellow who does things that count usually doesn't stop to count them.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago 

Minister of God's Word

1 Sam. 24:7-10 - David persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave… David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground …. David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, 'Behold, David seeks to harm you'?  "Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD had given you today into my hand in the cave, and some said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, 'I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD'S anointed.'    NASU 

• They Have A Way With Words 

All great leaders have a way with their words. They are able to lead by what they say. David is the leader and you can see his leadership ability as he PERSUADED his men with his words.
 
When you think of a leader you know personally I am sure they said something that resonates within your mind from time to time. 

• David Was The Influencer 

Leaders are able to influence those around them. David influenced his men by not allowing them to persuade him to kill King Saul. They were trying to convince David this was God's plan and he should kill the king. They would not succeed in convincing David to take King Saul's life.
 
Real leaders have a plan they believe in and will stick with it regardless of the opposition. They are not willing to be persuaded to change their plan even by those closest to them when they are fully convinced their plan is the correct one.
 
David proves to King Saul other people are lying about him and he is not the King's enemy.
 
In the cave, David cuts off a piece of the king's robe. Then once Saul leaves the cave David goes out and calls to the king. Bowing down before him to show respect he shows him the piece of his robe and says, If I were trying to kill you, you would be dead, but those who say I am your enemy are lying and this proves it.
 
David not only influenced his men he has an influence on King Saul. Look what Saul says, in 1 Sam. 24:16-17 - Then Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt wickedly with you." 

• Leaders Influence In Non-Traditional Ways 

David influenced his men again I am sure when he said, I am going out there and show the king I mean him no harm.
 
Now there isn't any scripture to support my thoughts here and I am not teaching it as truth or doctrine. I am merely speculating when I say I believe David influenced his guys once again when he said, I am going out there and talk with the king. You don't have to agree with me on this point, but at least consider it.
 
Can you hear those men?
 
David, you must be crazy. Have you lost your mind? You should have killed him when you had the chance but no you didn't want to do what every other leader would have done. (What about you- Would you have killed King Saul in the cave, if you had been in David's sandals?)
 
Saul wants to kill you. He has brought a 3,000 man army out to find us. We are stuck in a cave with no possible way to escape and you want to go out and speak with the king. Saul is a certified madman and you know it. We are all going to die.
 
David, please rethink what you are about to do.
 
Psalm 57 is a prayer of David's while he was in a cave. Was it this cave on this day?
 
I don't know but what I do know is David completely believed God would answer his prayers and rescue him from the caves where he and his men have been hiding.
 
David, as I mentioned earlier, goes out and addresses the king and the king rides home in shame. This my friends is Non-Traditional leadership at its best. You have a plan and you work that plan regardless of the opposition to that plan.

• Are You A Leader? 

If you answered, yes, that you are a leader then answer this question: Are you influencing others? A leader will influence others. Let's be leaders for Christ and influence others for our Leader.
 
Think About These:
 
An example isn't the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.
 
A good leader inspires men to have confidence in him; a great leader inspires them to have confidence in themselves.

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
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Prov. 24:16 - For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.   NASU
 
Prov. 24:16
No matter how many times you trip them up,
God-loyal people don't stay down long;
Soon they're up on their feet,
while the wicked end up flat on their faces. 
 
(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.) 
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• They Don't Quit 

Solomon informs us about a righteous person and what they are made of. They have an "I don't quit" mentally.
 
I have included this verse from The Message translation also. I really love how he translated this verse.
 
No matter how many times you trip them up,
God-loyal people don't stay down long;
Soon they're up on their feet,…
 
I am sure we all have been knocked down by life, but the difference between us and others is we get back up and continue grinding it out until the victory is ours. 

• What Was It That Knocked You Down? 

Some of my readers maybe knocked down right now. Let me help you get up and back on your feet. Reread this verse in both translations. Eugene says, "God-loyal people don't stay down long; Soon they're up on their feet,…"
 
This is you. You are a God-loyal person and sure you are down now but you are not down for long because he goes on to say soon you're up on your feet.
 
Identify what it is that has knocked you down in life. Is it a health issue, or a financial issue or a work issue? Know this, whatever it is that has knocked you down the fight isn't over.
 
You will get back up on your feet and win this battle.
 
How do I know? This scripture tells us this is what God-loyal or the righteous people do. 

• Why Have You Been Knocked Down? 

Did you fail to listen to sound advice? Did you listen to faulty advice?
 
Whatever the reason there is only one thing for you to do, get back up, dust yourself off and continue in the fight until you secure the victory.
 
You can do this because God's Word says you can.
 
Think About This:
 
“Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don't have the strength.”  ― Theodore Roosevelt
 
Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

Nehemiah 6:1-4 - Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, 2 then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono." But they were planning to harm me. 3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?" 4 They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way.   NASU
 

• They Stay Focused On Their Goal 

Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem were trying desperately to distract Nehemiah from accomplishing his goal. Great leaders will not be distracted from accomplishing their goals. They know how to stay focused on the task at hand.
 
One thing we must remember not everyone wants us to accomplish our goals. As you read the book of Nehemiah he was always fighting off some type of attack. The purpose of the attacks was to stop Nehemiah from accomplishing his goals. 

• Life Lesson 

When I was younger in my faith and I would try to accomplish a goal for the Lord I always met some type of resistance. At first, I was always puzzled by the obstacles. I thought because I was doing something for the Lord it should have been smooth sailing.
 
After a few years of reading God's Word and seeing all the men of God who were trying to accomplish something for the Lord or His Kingdom, I noticed they were always under some type of attack from someone. I wondered why God didn't help them and clear a path for them, after all their goals benefited His kingdom.
 
The life lesson I learned is when you establish a goal for the Lord's Kingdom and the devil places all types of obstacles in your way this is how you learn to grow in your faith and really rely on God to see you through this trial.
 
We must never forget God is teaching us to depend on Him.
 
If you do it all by yourself then you receive all of the glory, but if you accomplish the job with God you both receive the glory for a job accomplished. 

• What Is Your Goal Today? 

Leaders are always setting goals.
 
When you set your goal you should know you will face opposition. There will always be some who believe God has sent them to stop you. The best advice I can give you is what I have learned from Nehemiah.
 
Stay Focused!
Don't Come Down!
Remember You Are Doing A Great Work!
 
Think On These:
 
Remember the steam kettle! Though up to its neck in hot water, it continues to sing.
 
Our Goal should be Service, not Success.
 
A man with a burning ambition is seldom fired.
 
Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
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