January 2021 week 2

Friday January 15
1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing
1 THESSALONIANS 5:16- Rejoice always
Change requires making habits
The dictionary defines habit as a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up. In order to make long term changes in our life we must form habits that allows the change to become a part of our everyday life. Replacing the undesirable habits with those that are more consistent with the intended changes. It is suggested that if one can do a particular action for 21 days that it will become a habit. Learning to rejoice always will cause the most hardened person to begin to appreciate their many blessings. Forming a habit of praying will result in a closer walk with God.
Thought for the day: You cannot take an elevator to change you must take the stairs one day at a time but you have to take the first step.

Thursday January 14, 2021

James 2:  18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

Do as I do not as I say

We have often heard people say” Do as I say and not as I do”. While this may sound wise it is not wise at all.  Following the example of Christ when asked by disciples of John The Baptist if he was the one, his answer was simply see what I have done. We need not have to talk about our values but folks should see our values in what we do. However just as important or more important is that we must help others to be successful by showing them how to do their task well. Good leaders make those around them better. Our task daily is to be a good example to others in what we do but also helping the other person to perform well through constant encouragement and performance evaluation. Catch others doing something good and reward them accordingly. You never know. It may become contagious.

Thought for the day:  Let someone catch you doing something good and when you catch someone doing something good. Reward them.

          

Wednesday January 13, 2021

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2

What Are You Thinking?

Our mindset is so important to how we lead and function daily. Ken Blanchard talks about the vision that a leader may have for the organization and the individual. The challenge for us is  to clearly identify our vision and perceived purpose and then work to make it happen.  This is where we use the values of the pure heart to develop a vision that promotes good decision making and  the proper attitude to face the varied challenges. There are some people who spend an enormous amount of time trying to make the right decision and end up making no decision,  We must remember that making no decision is making a decision. One choice is to work to develop a pure heart and align the heart and the head and make the best decision and then make it happen and always remember  “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28.

Thought for the day:  The mind is an awful thing to waste.

Tuesday January 12, 2021

Matthew 15: 17-18

17“Do you not yet realize that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then is eliminated? 18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man.

It is said that the brain is where we think and that the brain controls the body; however I would suggest tha the heart is the one organ that truly controls the body and our thoughts and our words and our actions.  We may say something and apologize and ask forgiveness and state that it was in our mind and should never have been said. However if it were never in our heart then it would never have traveled to our mind and out our mouth. The beatitude “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God” exemplifies the importance of the heart and our relationship with God.

Thought for the day:  Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.…

Monday  January 11

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

Are you here to serve or to be served?

This is the central question that is asked by Ken Blanchard in the book “Lead Like Jesus”. While many if not most will say they are here to serve, our actions may show differently. In his book, Ken Blanchard identifies one of the major problems in being a good leader.  He describes it as EGO “edging God out”. He suggests that we often times allow our EGOs relative to fear and pride to cause us to make wrong decisions thus not leading like Jesus. For the next several days we will discuss what he calls the four fundamental elements necessary to be a leader.  They are the Heart, Head, Hand and Habit.

Thought for the day:  Are leaders born are trained?