The Price Of Leadership Series

How did God prepare Moses to be His man to lead the Hebrews out of Egyptian bondage? He prepared him not in a day, but over time, not through en event, but with a process. Of course, others before Moses waited years for god to fulfill His leadership development process:

Noah – waited 120 years before the predicted rains arrived.

Abraham – waited 25 years for a promised son.

Joseph – waited 14 years in prison for a crime he did not commit.

Job – waited perhaps a lifetime, 60 – 70 years, for God’s justice.

God prepares leaders in a Crock-pot, not in a microwave oven. More important than the awaited goal is the work God does in us while we wait. Waiting deepens and matures us, levels our perspective, and broadens our understanding. Tests of time determine whether we can endure seasons of seemingly unfruitful preparation, and indicate whether we can recognize and seize the opportunities that come our way.

Three Questions for Leaders (Psalm 137:1-6)

1. What do I dream about? What are the dreams of my heart? What would I do if I had no fear of failure?

2. What do I cry about? What stirs my soul? What burdens drive me to become passionate?

3. What do I think about? What causes me to rejoice or express joy?

I. Leadership is a Daily Process

a) Learned and improved

b) Complicated and difficult

c) You did not become successful the day that you received your diploma; you were successful everyday that you went to school.

II. Leadership Involves:

a. Development and maturity

b. Culture

c. Attitude

d. Training

e. Timing

f. Experience

g. Relationship

h. Skills

i. Personal Discipline

j. Passion, and

k. Vision

III. Leaders are Champions

a. “It’s not about the critics who point when you stumble, or the naysayer who always finds fault. No, it’s about the man who fights the good fight of faith; whose face is marred by dust, sweat and blood. Who knows high achievement and at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”

b. President Roosevelt, at age 12, had asthma, poor eye sight, was thin and sickly. His parents feared he would die. Roosevelt’s dad told him he had the mind, but not the body. So Roosevelt started working out. It was said that Roosevelt was tough and rough. His enthusiasm and stamina seemed boundless. In 1900 he gave 673 speeches and traveled 20, 000 miles. Years later while getting ready to speak; Roosevelt was shot in the chest by a would be assassin. With a broken rib and a bullet in his chest, he insisted on delivering his one hour speech before going to the hospital. Roosevelt died in 1919, in his sleep. They said he had to die in his sleep or he would have fought. As they removed him from his bed they found a book under his pillow. He was still striving to learn and improve himself.

Take time to look over everything in your life. Evaluate what is important and what is not. Weed out those things that are just stealing your precious time and determine to be all that you can be by doing things that will improve you in one way or another. You can be a leader; you can be anything that you put your mind to.