The Inspired Leader: 101 Biblical Reflections for Becoming a Person of Influence (25 page)

Jeffrey H. Coors

Chairman, Fiskeby Holdings US, LLC

THE CHILDREN OF GOD experienced victory and revival upon completion of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. In only 52 days and against fierce opposition the city wall was rebuilt. Stone by stone the remnant of Israel worked tirelessly with one hand on a hammer and the other hand on their sword. The wall was high enough to provide security from enemies and sturdy enough for entire choirs to march around on top singing praises to God.

The wall was completed in early October and the inhabitants spent the remainder of the month celebrating God’s goodness. For hours on end they stood listening to the reading of God’s word and hearing its explanation by the priests. They wept over it, but were told to rejoice. They celebrated with feasts. It was a national revival as the people turned their hearts back to God.

One of the most eloquent prayers in Scripture is that made by the Levite leaders extolling God’s faithfulness through the generations (Nehemiah 9:5-37). They confessed their sins and pledged themselves to obey the Law of God. Their vows were recorded and they signed their names to the pledge (Nehemiah 10). They specifically promised to “
bring the first part of every harvest to the Lord’s Temple year after year
” and to bring the Levites “
a tenth of everything our land produces
…
We promise together not to neglect the Temple of our God
.”(vs 35-39 NLT) Their passion for the Lord was intense. This was true revival.

Nehemiah could lead the revival because of his obedient heart. He remained in Jerusalem 12 years, but eventually returned to Persia to serve King Artaxerxes. Sometime later Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to find the people had abandoned their commitments to the Lord. The support of the Levites and the temple of God had been neglected. Work was being done on the Sabbath. These were all things they had covenanted not to do in their revival just a few years before (Nehemiah 13).

It is easier to agree to righteous living at a time of victory and revival than to persist in obedience in our daily lives. In
Experiencing God Day-by-Day,
the Blackabys point out that “Good intention without corresponding activity is disobedience” (See November 2 devotional). And “God’s call is not to ‘make a decision’ but to obey. Deciding to obey is not equal to obeying!”

As Christian leaders in business we have had to cry out to God in desperate situations. We have seen miracles and victories at work that can only be attributed to the hand of our loving Father. We give Him glory and use these times to bring revival to our employees. We redouble our commitments to follow the Lord.

Then we slip into routine. We become distracted by everyday events and before long we can drift away from the excitement and joy we felt at the time of victory. That is when we must persist in obedience. If we do, we can join Nehemiah in proclaiming, “
O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and
obey
his commands…
” (Nehemiah 1:5, NLT).

REFLECT FOR A MOMENT

1. Have you experienced personal revival in your life? If so, how long did it last?
   

2. How faithfully have you followed through with your “good intentions”?
   

3. What are some ways you can rekindle your passion for God?
   

Steve Hughes

Management Consultant

SOLOMON NOTES IN
Ecclesiastes 1:9 that,
“there is nothing new under the sun.”
An old boss seemed to borrow from this when meetings dragged noting that “everything has already been said, but not everyone has had a chance to say it.” The message for today is not new but bears repeating. God repeats things to me, so I am comfortable covering old ground here.

The message is that “nothing can replace the life-changing experience of reading Scripture.” A likely question from a businessperson might be “what is the schedule for this life-changing experience?”

I accepted Christ as my savior at age 11. I then wandered through junior high, high school, and college without much spiritual growth or direction. I suffered a difficult personal loss my senior year of college. Fortunately, I met a group of believers who befriended me during that time. In response to their kindness I recommitted my life to Christ. Yet, He seemed distant and silent and I didn’t feel like I knew Him. I went through the motions, but was dead inside. After graduation I married a wonderful, patient woman. We were blessed with four children. Everything looked fine from the outside. I continued to go through the motions. I asked the Lord to change me but to be gentle with me. Nothing happened. A respected friend told me that any young person who could spend five minutes in the Scriptures daily could make a difference in the world. I had been afflicted with juvenile diabetes at age 14 and was acquainted with discipline. It was easy for me to check the box and read the Scriptures daily for five minutes. To be honest, I found the morning newspaper to be more interesting, so I gave it more time than the Scriptures. There was no life-changing experience in Scripture for me. In retrospect, I was impatient and unwilling to invest the time and effort required to hear from God. Instead I poured myself into work and thought mostly of business and success. When problems arose, I prayed about them, looked at Scripture and then just worked harder to resolve them myself. Then things began to change.

In my late forties our family faced issues that I could not resolve in spite of my best efforts. I sought counsel from believing friends, ministers, and others. The crowd I ran with had little experience dealing with the gnarly afflictions I was facing. I asked God to lead me and direct me through the Scriptures. I began to spend more time reading the Bible to try to learn how to address the issues. One day I came across the Psalm 119:133-134 (NASB):

Establish my footsteps in Your word,

And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.

Redeem me from the oppression of man

That I may keep your precepts.

I was moved by this and wrote the verses down on a 3 x 5 card, re-reading it and turning it over and over in my mind. My thought life began to improve and I felt that I was on to something. I felt I could get rid of some of the sin in my life. So I kept working on these verses. Then, I felt the Holy Spirit telling me to study all of the lengthy Psalm 119, so I did. I was looking to Scripture to find a way to resolve tough issues, but what happened was that I came into contact with the living God. God used David’s words at verses 67, 75-76 to explain my life to me—
“Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep your word”
and
“I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. O may Your lovingkindness comfort me, According to Your word to Your servant”
(NASB).

Did I hear a voice? No. But it is undeniable that God was communicating with me through His Holy Spirit. It was as if I had asked God to explain the pains of my life. Without uttering an audible word He did. Isaiah tells us that He has
“worked wonders, plans formed long ago with perfect faithfulness”
(Isaiah 25:1, NASB). His plan to draw me to Him was intricate and complex and rooted in family afflictions that began to develop generations ago.

Why am I telling you this? Isn’t it more of a personal testimony? Perhaps. It’s my attempt to illustrate one way that God communicates with me and to add more flesh to Dr. Henry Blackaby’s point that “Nothing can replace the life-changing experience of reading Scripture .” God speaks through Scripture . This is a universal message. It’s for you and for me. Reading Scripture in an intentional manner is hard work, takes time, and can involve waiting, struggling, and periods of dryness. And that is OK. Waiting is a part of the process. Most executives I meet seem to be too busy to make this investment. I certainly thought I was too busy until I had no other choice. If you want to hear from God, meaningful time in the Scripture s is paramount. It bears repeating again. “Nothing can replace the life-changing experience of reading Scripture .”

REFLECT FOR A MOMENT

1. Take time to read over a Scripture passage, slowly, and carefully, and then meditate on it.
   

2. Read through Psalm 119 (The longest chapter in the Bible!). Highlight what God says about His word.
   

3. Reflect on Bible verses that have struck you recently. Consider whether you have experienced all God intended for you through those passages.
   

DURING AN AGE when the enemies of God flourished and the leadership of God’s people was exceedingly corrupt, God declared, “
Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever”
(1 Samuel 2:35). Whenever times have been difficult, God’s method has been to raise up people to serve Him as leaders among the people. God could have dispatched the archangels Michael or Gabriel to mobilize His people, but He has generally chosen instead to work through human instruments.

Spiritual leaders move people on to God’s agenda. They take people from where they are, to where God wants them to be. Leaders may impact entire nations or they may simply lead their own children. They may influence their colleagues, or a committee at church, or a Bible study group, or a civic organization. What motivates spiritual leaders is not their own plans or desires, but God’s heart and mind. When they pursue God’s agenda, they have access to divine resources. When they accomplish God’s will, God alone receives the glory.

What is motivating your current leadership? Is it your plans or God’s? Is it His priorities or yours? Who is responsible for your success, you or God? Who is presently receiving the glory for your accomplishments, you or God? Spiritual leadership is a noble calling. Many people will benefit if you do it well.