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Nehemiah - 2:5 - I said to the king, "If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it." The type of vision I am speaking about cannot be checked by visiting an Ophthalmologist’s office. This is the vision that relates to one’s goals being accomplished. A person’s vision is generally very clear at the start of their journey. However, while on your quest there will be many obstacles arise to cloud your vision. Nehemiah’s vision was very clear. It was to rebuild the walls in Jerusalem and re-hang the gates. How does a person develop a vision?
1st - His plan is to get to Jerusalem (Neh. 2:5-9). 2nd - He surveys the city and contrives a plan to rebuild the walls (Neh. 2:11-16). 3rd - He recruits other people in his plan (Neh. 2:17-18). LIFE LESSON: When you are working to achieve your goal or see your vision come to fruition, you need to know obstacles will appear. Neh. 2:19 - But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard it, they mocked us and despised us and said, “What is this thing you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” Nehemiah was trying to achieve the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem to once again bring honor and glory to the city chosen by God. Yet, there were people who didn’t like what he was trying to fulfill. When you cast a vision beware. There will be people who will become obstacles on your path. Why do obstacles come when you are trying to succeed in a worthwhile cause? I tell myself they come to test my resolve. They want to see how much it will take to get me to quit. There must not be an ounce of quit in us. This is where we can grow closer to God by asking for Him to help strengthen our mental fortitude.
1. How much money could someone offer you to get you to abandon your goal? 2. How much criticism from family, friends or enemies before you would give up on your vision? Obstacles will come once you take that first step to accomplishing your vision. Let the obstacles be fuel for your fire; don't let them extinguish your desire to complete the task. Nehemiah overcame the obstacles and rebuilt the wall and hung the gates in 52 days. The walls had been in ruins for years and years, because no one had the vision. Once Nehemiah got the vision nothing stopped him. He accomplished what no one else had tried. I challenge you to be a Nehemiah today. Get a vision and overcome all obstacles on your way to achieving it. Think About This: A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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Luke 15:3-7 - So He told them this parable, saying, "What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?..." NASU
The team was preparing to leave for the 1982 Big 10 Wrestling Championships in Michigan when it was discovered that Barry wasn't going to make the trip because of a weight issue. Dan sent the other coaches and wrestlers on to Michigan. Dan went to search for one missing wrestler. Dan found Barry in a convenience store at 7 am. Dan was able to convince Barry to come with him. Barry went with Coach Gable and lost 8 more pounds in two days, made weight, and won his 2nd of 4 Big Ten Championships. Two weeks later Barry would wrestle and win his 1st of three NCAA Championships. Barry won the Olympic Silver medal in 1984 and was the head coach at the University of Wisconsin for 20+ years. One can only imagine how different Barry's life would be had Coach Gable not left the Nine wrestlers for the One. (Next week's Pump Up will be about what Barry says he did wrong in this situation)
Look at all the lives Jesus has changed while He was on earth. Look at all the lives He is changing now that He is alive in Heaven. I can tell you He has changed my life. I would venture to say I would not be alive now if Jesus hadn't changed my life in 1975. Some of you who are reading my Pump Ups may not be alive today if Jesus hadn't changed your lives also. So, who is that One lost sheep that you want to bring back to the fold?
It says in verse 7 "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. In the parable of the lost coin we get a clearer picture of who is rejoicing. Luke 15:10 -"In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." NASU The "joy" is in the presence of the angels. I believe God is the One with the "joy" who is in the presence of the angels. If you ever wanted to bring joy into the life of God here is an opportunity, bring one back who has lost his or her way. Has one of your friends, co-workers, teammates, or Christian brothers or sisters gone AWOL? Here is a chance for you to be a Great Leader like Jesus: go find them and help them return to active duty. Think About These: A fault which humbles a man is of more value than a virtue which puffs him up. Virtue has more admirers than followers. 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,.... 2 then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together ...." 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
What is a leader to do when confronted with this type of situation? Follow in the footsteps of Nehemiah by refusing to associate with them. If you are going to be a leader you need to realize there are certain people with whom you will not associate. "Bad company corrupts good morals," the apostle Paul said. Nehemiah had three powerful enemies who were trying to get him to stop building the wall and meet with them. They wanted to kill him. Your enemies may not want to kill you but they would like to kill your influence. Stop for a moment and think back over the last five to ten years of all the business, sports or political people who have lost their influence. The cause of their loss of influence may have been they succumb to drugs, fraud, greed or sexual promiscuity. The street smart leader will avoid people who would introduce them to these types of temptations and so should you. Governor DeSantis was invited to be on the TV show The View. He declined. There was nothing good going to come from this meeting so he did what all good leaders do, he refused to attend. He kept working for the people of Florida. I want to say, "Thank you Governor DeSantis for being a great leader".
Nehemiah said, "NO. I can't come down. I am doing a great work." He didn't say this just once he had to say it over and over again. When your enemy attacks you better be prepared to fight more than one battle. You better be focused on your goal. There are going to be times in your life where you are either going to take a stand and say, "NO" or give in and live with the regret. The choice is yours.
There is no doubt in my mind that the reason Nehemiah said, "NO" was he never lost focus of rebuilding the wall. That meant more to him than anything in his life at that time. By rebuilding the wall he was going to once again bring honor and glory to the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the city that God chose for the Israelites. What is it that you need to reevaluate at this time? What has been tempting you? What is it that you need to say, "No" too? Are there some people with whom you should not be associating? Think About This: It is easier to judge people by what they fall for than by what they stand for. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word 1 Sam. 17:32-33 - David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." 33 Then Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth." NASU
That is exactly what David is going to do in this text. He is going to go out and fight Goliath. There wasn't one other Israelite soldier willing to do what David was going to not only try, but accomplish. If you want to get to the top of your company or organization it is quite simple "do what no one else wants to do or is willing to do." The soldiers were afraid and fears of all types handicaps people. Don't be afraid. Accept the challenge as David did and move forward. If you want to become the leader of your team then go and do what no one else on your team is willing to try. David becomes a hero because he was willing to step up and step out and accept a challenge. He will later become the king because he was known as a person who got things done.
Identify what it is that everyone is avoiding and go tackle this task. People will ask you, "Why are you doing this?" Some may even tell you to "Quit because you are making them look bad." All I can say is the way to the top is do what others are avoiding.
David was promised riches, the king's daughter's hand in marriage and his family would be free from taxes. All he had to do is accomplish what everyone else was avoiding (fighting and killing Goliath) and that is exactly what he did.
Goliath's great strength was negated because David never got close enough to him so that his strength could be used. Instead David rocked Goliath's world and then he moved in closer. When David gets close Goliath is already defeated. David then takes Goliath's sword and cuts off his head. David did what no other Israelite soldier was willing to try. It won't be too many years from now and David will be in charge of the entire Army and Kingdom of Israel. What unconventional method will you use to accomplish your task? Look outside the box when encountering a new adventure. We all know the definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.
You may be doing the little things already that no one else is willing to do. Many times this will not be a one and done. You may have to do them over and over again. In life you want to do what is right not because you think you will get some reward but because this is the right thing to do. Think About These: A man without principles never draws much interest. It's easier to follow the leader than lead the followers. 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
When you think of a leader that you know personally I am sure they said something that resonates within your mind from time to time. President Reagan in my mind was a leader and who can forget the influence he had with these words: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Two years later Mr. Gorbachev had the wall torn down. That my friends is leadership, and that is influence.
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 correct. David proves to King Saul that other people are lying about him and that 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.
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. He is a certified mad man 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.
Think About These: 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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