5 indicators leadership lacks Integrity

Integrity is something we all look for in others and long to have in our own leadership areas.   So if it's so important let us ask ourselves the following questions: 

How do you know if you have integrity?

What exactly is it anyway? 

 

Let's think out of the box for a moment.  

 

When something is well built, we say it has structural integrity.  So in an earthquake, the building with excellent structural integrity survives.  When something physically collapses, we say it didn’t have the integrity to withstand the impact.

Integrity in the original Latin has a root meaning ‘intact’.  Can you withstand the crisis intact?

 

As you look at today's world not many people are withstanding crises well these days. The storm comes and they collapse along with their family and their ministry.

When things are going good or normal in our lives, we are not truly tested.   Life being, ‘Normal’ doesn’t really test your integrity.   No one sees the problem until the storm hits. When a crisis comes, it’s often too late to fix what’s wrong. 

The damage is happening in real time.

While there are many things that compromise our integrity, here are five warning signs that show your integrity is in question:

 

1. It’s all about you.

You can say it’s about God.  You can say it’s about others.  But only you and God know your heart.  Selfish people harm their, family, friends and yes, ministries and themselves. If it’s all about you, you won’t go the distance.  Or you will, but you’ll hurt a lot of people in the process and you’ll never know what could have happened if you made it about God and others.  It might seem as if you are being blessed at the moment, but a selfish heart and prideful spirit God will cast down!

 

Isaiah 2:11

11 Human pride will be brought down,

    and human arrogance will be humbled.

Only the Lord will be exalted

    on that day of judgment.

 

2. Poor self image.

Your self esteem rises and falls with the opinion of others. A secure leader can see the right way and lead people there through tough conditions.  An insecure leader will bend with every change in public opinion. This means you’re not actually leading anyone, not even yourself.  A leader with poor self image is a leader that is always defensive and title hungry.   The more titles the better they feel about who they are. This is a sharp contrast to those who find identity in Christ and not title or position.

 

Galatians 1:10

10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.

 

3. I have a secret.

Hidden things will eventually demand payment! You shouldn’t be telling everyone everything (that’s not healthy) – but someone needs to know everything.  If you’re keeping secrets, you’re heading for a fall.  Between my wife, elders, close friends and mentors, I have an inner circle that knows everything about me.  (By the way, if you’re afraid to give your password on your computer or phone to anyone in that circle, you’re hiding things.)  We cannot function with true integrity unless we operate with true accountability.

 

Proverbs 28:13

13 People who conceal their sins will not prosper,

    But if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

 

James 5:16

16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

 

4. No follow through!

If you fail to do what you said you were going to do your integrity is in question. This isn’t just about keeping promises; it’s about keeping your word in everything.  Better to say nothing and surprise someone by delivering than blurt out an intention you can’t follow through with.   The end result is, people lose confidence in you when you fail to deliver on your promises.  It causes trust issues.   A fairly easy way to address this is to say less and deliver more.  A great follow up system also helps (sometimes a lack of integrity isn’t even a moral issue – just an awareness and organization issue).  Have a plan and carry it out.   UN-kept promises numb people’s receptiveness to you.  Without a platform of trust and respect your efforts to minister are DOA (dead on arrival).

 

James 5:12

12 But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.

 

Proverbs 10:9

9 People with integrity walk safely,

    but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.

 

Luke 16:10

10 “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. 
 

5. You don’t bend you always break.

Leadership is not about getting everyone to like you or about finding the easiest path.  Remember not everybody like Jesus. As a matter fact, they plotted to destroy him from the beginning. Jesus also said,  John 15: 18“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.”

It’s about discerning the best way forward.  It’s about getting people to go where they wouldn’t go if it wasn’t for leadership.  If you make too many compromises or even a handful of personal compromises, your effectiveness will be–you guessed it– compromised.  To remain a crowd pleaser is a very dangerous path.  When we begin to seek the praises of men more than God trouble is eminent in our ministries.

Galatians 1:10

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Colossians 1:10

“so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

 

Don’t just think of these things as character flaws, think of what’s at stake: when the crises hit (and they will), you won’t be left standing.  Simple as that.  When you attend to these things, you integrity grows, and so does your ability to live and lead through difficult times.   Ministering in our world today is not an easy task. It takes all that we have, working in our favor, but most of all the Holy Spirit working in our lives. A person of integrity will not compromise themselves in order to gain a position or the favor of others, but they will turn to the Lord with a humble heart. 

Don't be Foolin

Don't Be Foolin

There are many times when we are not real with those around us! All of us have pretended to be something we are not at one time or another. Maybe you acted like you knew about something that you really had no inkling about! Have you ever been sitting in class and the teacher call on you and you have no Idea what they are talking about! All of the sudden you have a feeling of panic that comes over you and the emptiness in your stomach. So you gather yourself as quickly as possible and pretend that you know what they are talking about! Sometime you can pull it off! You say just enough to fool them into thinking you know what's going on. 

I can remember fooling my parents at times. I would be asked to do something and I would do just enough to convince them I had done what I was asked to do.  People can be fooled at times. It's not right to do this, but it does happen from time to time. God on the other hand is not fooled! He sees right through us. He knows if we are living the way we should or not. People thought they could fool Jesus all through the New Testament. However, He saw right through this act. He still does by the way! People bounce from church to church and place to place.  I believe they do this thinking if they keep hopping then no one will see the real them!  Blame everyone else for their troubles and they will not have to accept responsibility for their own sin and failures.  You can fool your friends, family, boyfriend, girlfriend, mom, dad and teachers and yes, even your pastor. But you will never fool God! He looks right through the "smoke screen" we put up and sees the condition of our hearts! Remember the story of the rich young man in Matthew 19:16-22. This guy thought he had things figured out. He asks Jesus what he needs to do to make it to heaven! Jesus gives him the commandments and this guy says, "I keep all of the commandments." He goes further by saying to Jesus he has done these things from his childhood. However, Jesus sees through all that is said to the heart of the young man, "Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions." 

(Matthew 19:21-22)

Wow! Can you believe it? The young man thought he had fooled Jesus. The point is, he did not and you and I cannot fool Jesus. Be real! God will deal with self honesty! So why not be open to Him about where you are in your spiritual life. After all Jesus has never been anyone's FOOL! 

Praying For You!

Pastor P.

Stop Hiding its Independence Day!

Today we celebrate the independence of America! My concern for our nations on high alert!  We live in some of the most troubled times our country has ever seen. Our constitutional rights are being stripped away and ignore.  In its place tolerance and political correctness is preaching from every platform. It is even being preached from the platforms and pulpits of our churches.  God is looking for people to stand up for the truth in this hour. Even if the truth causes us pain or even our lives.  People are chasing after the message they want to hear instead of the truth that might transform and change their lives.  God is looking for some people that will be empowered by his Spirit in the hour.

God wants you and me to be “Mighty heroes", He wants you and me to be “Mighty heroes” of the faith! In my devotion this morning it was reminding me of the conditions that Gideon was discovered in when the Angel of the Lord came to him. He was hiding grain so that the Midianites would not take it! Hiding is not exactly the attributes of a Hero! Hero’s are Tuff and fearless or at least that is what the movies I watch have taught me! God was saying to Gideon it’s time to stop hiding from the enemy! 

How many times do we envision ourselves as mighty men and women of God? I just know this morning your first thoughts as you looked in the mirror were, “Let’s see how I can be called a COWARD today!” Maybe it was, “now if I work really hard I just know I can be the biggest WIMP in the world!” Get real! There is not one of us as believers that do not want to live out the life of a Hero! We want to be known as being, “Strong in the faith, or people that know how to be used of God!”

The sad truth is that the Church does hide a lot of times! Frightened and hurting! We get the mentality of the people in Gideon’s day… if I keep a low enough profile, then the enemy will not take what little I have left. We have taken on an attitude of tolerance, i.e. we are content not to change and keep things just the way they are. We think this is the easiest path, to not make waves or upset things. In the meantime the enemy comes in and out of our, personal lives, family, churches, etc. at free will! We may not like it, but have grown accustomed to hiding! 

Come on Church stop hiding and get in the fight! With God with us there is a Mighty Hero ready to rise up! He declares in Romans 8:30-31, “And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (NLT) Gideon had a Hero within him waiting to come out! God see’s within you the Mighty man or woman that will rise up when He is with you! The question is do you see it? Gideon would go down as one of the greatest Heroes in History! However, the first thing he had to do is come out of HIDING! “The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” “Judges 6:12 (NLT)   Just remember this, "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV)

So let us rise up and fight for our independence! The independence that Jesus gave us. Independence from sin, death and hell!  Have a happy 4th of July.

God Bless,

Pastor P.

Delayed but Not Denied!

A few years ago I watched a message and the following statement was made, "We live in a microwave generation and serve a crock-pot God!" -Jentezen Franklin.  Oh Wow! 

In Habakkuk 2:2-3 we read the following:

"And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."  

This has been one of my key verses in my life over the last 25 years!  I heard a message as a young minister in college.  The minister shared on allowing God time to fulfill the vision in your life.  It is a very difficult thing to wait upon the Lord!  

I started preaching many years ago as 19 year old kid!  I received a vision for my life, and like most people I struggled to see it come to pass.  The truth is we forget that, “For still the vision awaits its appointed time…”  God’s timeline will never be our timeline!  In other words, we will always have a tendency to be inpatient with God’s vision for our lives.  We want it to happen now (microwave generation) we believe God will provide it based upon our desires and our timeline.  However, God is a (crock-pot God).  He uses the events in our lives to shape us to fit the vision.  I know many gifted talented people that spend a life time trying to make who they are fit the vision of God!  If we do not get this we will grow bitter in our walk with God!  We will give up and feel like God has misled or even lied to me.  “He promised me ________________, and I have yet to see it happen and I have waited at least 24 hr!”  We see the moment, God plans out lifetimes!  God is shaping you to fit the vision not the vision to fit you!

I want to encourage you that you are not alone.  All the following people had to wait on the Lord to fulfill His plan in their lives.

·         Noah had to endure mockery and scorn for 120 years before the rain and floods came!

·         Joseph had to wait 20 years before the fulfillment of the dreams! 

·         Moses had to wait 40 years on the backside of the desert before God would speak through the burning bush.

·         From Adam & Eve to the cross estimated 4000 years!

The list could go on and on of those who had to learn to, “wait upon the Lord.”  Remember the rest of the passage from Habakkuk, “… it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."  It will come to pass!  GOD IS NOT A LIER!  Hold on for the best he has saved for last.  If you don't believe me just ask the guest that attended the marriage supper in Cana… Jesus first miracle shows this point. (John 2:1-12)

Praying for you to have an awesome Day!

Pastor P.

The Forgotten Weapon...There must be intercessory prayer by this generation!

1 Timothy 2:1-6, 8 

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; "

For the past 29 years I have been an Evangelist, missionary, teacher and pastor.   During that entire time I have been praying for and preaching about revival in America.   I am constantly challenging my church to reach the, "unwanted harvest"!  I have watched the cycle of growth and demise take place over and over again. I have ministered in the same community for 18 years!  I have remained here for one reason and for one reason alone... THE PROMISE OF REVIVAL!  

It has only been in the last few days that I'd begun to see why we plateau and then we make a nose dive.   The generation of ministers that I am a part of, are some of the most well-trained and well equipped and knowledgeable of the Word to ever stand and proclaim the gospel of Jesus!  However, it is my conviction that we have failed in one important area of ministry that our forefathers in the faith possessed.   That is willingness to pray and intercede for our generation. We have failed to teach people what it means when we say intercessory prayer!  

True revival has always come when people begin to call on God. When people cry out to God with all of their heart, it is then and only then heaven will respond!   The endless cycles in our churches of growth and demise, up and down must stop!  Most churches have a weak pulse and if something doesn't change they will fade and die!

2 Chronicles 7:13-15 

"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place."

I believe that churches are too concerned with the symptoms in our Nation and world, but not willing to treating the disease! The disease in our nation is sin!  SIN OF EVERY KIND!   

The real problem is the church will not address the sin or sins within its on walls! The key to revival is not the world getting saved!  It's the church loosing it's pride and confessing before God our Sins!  "if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,". 

This is a call to the church, not the world.   The amazing thing is that when the church repents and begins to cry out in intercession to God, a true unstoppable REVIVAL comes! Not just a few "good", services, but an AWAKENING of the HOLY SPIRIT within our nation and our world.   Ask God to give you the heart of an intercessor. This ministry is not just for little gray-haired lady it is for every child of God! 

Just a few thoughts for this day.

Pastor P.

HWC

Don't waste your life.

In the United States the average age of a man's life is 76 and the average age a woman lives is 81. 

So with that in mind how old are you? 

What have you done with your life?

More importantly, what are you doing with your life? 

James 14:4 says it this way, "“yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

We are going to die! No way around it no way to avoid it. We can prolong our lives, but in the end death will call us. It's time for us to quit living our lives for ourselves. Time is so short, I'm 47 years old and if I manage to live to 81; I'm more than halfway there. There's nothing I can do about the things in my past. 

In he past I've shared last with our church, "the purpose of the rearview mirror is not to show you what's ahead but what you're leaving behind."

Let us not live our lives for ourselves and our own purpose. Don't let us live our lives bound to our past failures, or our past successes!  Instead, take up the cause of Jesus Christ!  Let us live our lives to be a blessing to our God.  One day soon we will stand before him, and give account for the short little puff of smoke that is called our life. May our lives count for something. Stop wasting your talent! So many people are so gifted, and I watch them as they waste their life trying to obtain happiness here in this life that will only last for a moment. Spend your life... spend it till there's nothing left to further the kingdom of God; and in the end you will gain real life.  For when we close our eyes for the last time and breathe our final breath here on this earth, we will open our eyes in real life and breathe in God's breath in a brand-new existence. Hope you have a great week! 

Much love and prayers.

Pastor P.

Are you listening?

Let me just say a few things! I know that my God is greater than whatever the devil brings my way! I know that my God is greater than anything the devil brings my familie's way! I know that Jesus died on the cross and gave me victory!   According to the Word of God I have been made more than a conqueror through our Savior Jesus Christ! I refuse to Cave-in . I refuse to give up. I am determined to dig deeper and hold my ground!  However, when I see an opening, a break in the lines, I will advance and take the ground!  I know according to the Word of God the Bible says that He is working everything for my good!   God is at work on my behalf! 

There is a victory and a key to revival in Chattooga County I will not stop until I find it.  I will not stop until it's used to unlock the chains that hold people's hearts captive. I will not stop until I see the 81% of our population who do not attend church not only attending church but redeemed, revived, restored, renewed and doing something great in this world for Jesus Christ! I will not give up, I will not!  So in your face devil!  In your face with a cross and in your face with the blood of Jesus!  You may stand against me but you cannot withstand the one that is in me in Jesus name!  

This has been a rant from one ticked off Follower of Christ!

(Explanation of a Follower's rant!)

Please do not get me wrong!   I just think it is time for those who really serve Jesus to take a stand.    I believe their is a Great work to do and we have not been doing it.    John 4:35 "You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe[a] for harvest."  

Less than 2 out of every 10 in our county attend church and out of that 2 how many are true followers of Jesus or are they just a member of a religious social club?  The scripture says it best...."14 Therefore He says,

“Awake, you who sleep,

Arise from the dead,

And Christ will give you light.”

Walk in Wisdom

15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

Ephesians 5

I love this county, state, and our country but long to see a true MOVE of the Holy Spirit here.  We must cast down the spirit of religion and pray...Luke 10:2 (NKJV)

"2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

It's time to WAKE UP AND REDEEM THE TIME AND HARVEST!