God-Focus

Look beyond the board that is in front of your face...
focus on God and His glory!

Today's Scripture:

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Matthew 6:33

Do you see the glass half empty or half full? Do you find yourself worrying what you will do if you don't make your budget at the end of the month? Are you often needing more to feel secure? If you are a leader as I am, you have the responsibilities and realities that carry financial burdens. You realize that if you do not make sales happen, then payroll could be affected. You carry the burden of not only feeding your family but all your staff members' families, are counting on you too. That reality can be worrisome. I see myself as a shepherd of two flock both my Pickle flock and my Selah flock and both need to be tended and fed.

So for me and I'm sure for you too, maintaining a God-focus is very important to peace of mind in the realities of the life of a christian and in leadership.

God-reality is faith. When you look at the glass, see that it is half full, but see the potential for even more. Know that God has provided for you, and believe that he is the source of all your needs. Look at what he has given to you in material resources and human resources with innovation. Think of the lemon. It is just a flavorful fruit. But with a little creativity, it is a resource for lemonade, lemon pie, lemon cake, lemon air freshener, lemon furniture polish and even lemon cleansers.

True contentment comes when you focus your mind not only on furthering your own business success, but also on furthering God's initiatives. When you focus on God's methods and trust him to provide what you need for success, you do not have to concentrate on lack. You can be content with the resources that God provides to meet your needs.

Selah people' and friends God-provisions often come in common packages, but have significant possibilities. Think beyond what is in your hand, and expand your thinking to the the reality of God-provision.

"Peace be yours as we begin this week with a new glass just full of opportunity as we put our focus on God."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

Leadership Paralysis

Do you feel stuck and unable to make a
decision?

Today's Scripture:

Being afraid of people can get you into trouble, but if you trust in the Lord, you will be safe.

Proverbs 29:25

Have you ever felt stuck? You know, stuck, when you find yourself wedged between a rock and a hard place, where you are doomed if you do and doomed if you don't? If you have not yet been stuck, be assured - every leader will arrive at this place of decision paralysis. Immobility sets in because of your need of approval from other people. Your desire to be liked by your peers looms in the back of your mind, stalling your decision or action. This motionless place is where you are unable to carry out your decisions or even make them for fear of what others will think.

No matter how tough a leader you are, you do not want to lose friends or make enemies. You don't want your integrity or ability questioned. However, God has given you an expansive vision for your group or organization. You have a global perspective beyond what your constituents may understand. When you are stuck, you must remain the strong leader and make the tough decisions in spite of what the human opinion poll may reveal.

Thankfully, God specifically promises that if you put your trust in him he will protect you even when you are stuck.

The wisdom found in this particular proverb is especially important for the leader to remember, for if you seek to please God instead of your members, employees, customers, or peers in every decision, you can trust that God will protect your reputation and relationships, thereby enabling your effectiveness as a leader.

Selah people' and friends leading by fear of others disables your efficacy in decision making, but focusing on faith in God enables your success in leading your organization to effectiveness.

"Peace can be yours and mine if we can allow God to squash our fears."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

It Isn't Brain Surgery

Are you internally driven? Though it may be challenging
remember it is not brain surgery...

Today's Scripture:

Do not change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.

Romans 12:2

Your parents may have counseled you to let your conscience be your guide. That may have been great advice when the world did not have so many shades of gray. But you no longer live in a black-and-white world. The lines of morality and ethics have been blurred. However, God's principles are unchanging. They are an ever-timely guide to living.

Because your role is vital to your group or organization's values and ethics, your staff members take their cues from you. Your compromises become their compromises. Your boundaries impose their boundaries. So, from whom do you get your boundaries and cues? Ask God to guide you. Through prayer and Scripture, you can learn how to do what pleases him rather than what pleases people.

You must be driven by your internal, spiritual convictions and personal values. You cannot let external drivers force your internal choices.

Sometimes being internally driven will mean standing alone in your conviction.

Yours may be single voice speaking out for justice. You might even be the only associate who refuses to pad your expense account. But if you are a leader with integrity, it is worth the stand. If you cave in to comfort of commonness, you will cultivate a culture of compromise. If you emphasize the expectation of ethics, you will encourage an environment of excellence. Learning to be internally driven can be challenging; but it is not brain surgery, just a new way of thinking.

Selah people' and friends to be internally driven, you must know your own personal values. After prayerful consideration, list your top three to five personal values that you will be absolutely unwilling to compromise. Review your values daily and as my friend Scott Peele says "Be strong." Especially at those things that matter...remember its just not that complicated.

"Peace be yours as you allow your inner being to be led by God."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

Counterfeit Leaders

Are you a confident leader?
Who does God say you are and are you a friend of God?

Today's Scripture:

A wicked man hardens his face, but as for the upright, he establishes his way.

Proverbs 21:29

A fine line exists between confidence and arrogance. Confident leaders are self-assured enough to believe that they are competent in their abilities. Arrogant leaders are self-deceived enough to believe in their abilities alone. Of course, there are also counterfeit leaders who are just trying to fake it until they make it. Others will decide if they want to follow you based on their confidence in your ability to lead them, so your self-assurance is vital to your leadership. If you cannot genuinely convince yourself, you will never convince them!

In his "looking glass theory," Charles Cooley explained that a person forms his or her self-perception from three sources: who others think you are, who you think your are, and who you think others think you are. If any of those perceptions are out of balance, you may develop an unrealistic ego, self-doubt, or paranoia. You also must consider another perspective...who God says that you are. In the Scripture, you and I are called God's beloved, an oak of righteousness and a friend of God.

When you balance God's image of you with others' images of you, together with what you know of your abilities and strengths, you are better able to form healthy confidence that compels others to follow you. You do not have to fake it until you make it. You can be sure of yourself, even when you aren't sure of the situation.

Selah people' and friends if you want to have committed followers, you must be a confident leader. To be the real deal, begin to see yourself with the potential that God see in you. In 1983 I was inspired on the field to assume the role as a field general and leader of men. Today some 26 years late God still uses that confidence to lead others in ministry ultimately to encourage them to grow in Christ. Are you for real? If you have your doubts build confidence know Christ will give you all you need to accomplish His great works.

"Grab someone today and give them a hug or handshake and let them know how much God loves them. Remember we need honest leaders to help lead God's people."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

Seasoned to Taste

Don't leave others with a bad taste about God...
help improve the flavor of their lives

Today's Scripture:

Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone.

Colossians 4:6

You can be ready to answer others with communication that is full of flavor if you are mindful to season your words. Much like food, your words alone may provide the substance needed. But sometimes you can make your words more palatable by the extra flavors you add to them. A leader can preserve hope, purify motives, and promote integrity through seasoned communication.

A favorite seasoning for almost any meal is salt. Of course it adds flavor to a dish, but it also has many other uses. Salt is used in canning as we do in my other work at the pickle company to preserve freshness and life. It also purifies one of the world's most precious resources, water. In addition to its cooking properties, salt can melt ice and snow. In ancient times, mothers even rubbed salt onto babies' skin to toughen it against bruising.

When you need to console someone who has experienced great loss or when you must confront an issue with a colleague, you may find yourself speechless, wanting to say just the right thing in the right way. When you aren't sure of the answer, think of salting your speech. Choose words that give life and hope. Choose words that are truthful and honest.

Your words can melt hardened minds and hearts if you choose them carefully.

You can promote healing for others by what you say to them. The right answer is to communicate hope and truth that bring resolution.

Selah people' and friends make it your goal for people to leave your presence feeling better about themselves or their situations than they did before you spoke with them.

"Don't put salt in the wounds of others that are hurting, instead choose to savor the opportunity to encourage and add a flavor of Love through the words that you speak."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston

Church Leaders Intelligence Report 4-1-2009

Hope this report finds you and your family doing well. Thank you for taking the time to stop the Selah Christian Church Blog.

In Christ service,

Rev Patrick Muston
Pastor

Stellar Effort

Angels
If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the

gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend,

that would be giving as the angels give. - George MacDonald

Today's Scripture:

In every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered.

2 Chronicles 31:21

You can be committed to many things. You may be committed to being successful, achieving goals, building a reputation, serving customers, producing quality products - the list is exhaustive. There is one area in particular that you must be committed to as well. You must be mindful of serving God. Working hard, generating profit, and demonstrating net growth are not enough.

Seeking to please God is what it takes to be prosperous.

The truth found in 2 Chronicles 31:21 is important because it establishes the precedent for prosperity-an advantage every leader desires to achieve. To become truly prosperous, you must seek God and serve others.

Your efforts must be excellent in serving God's purposes. You can achieve this even if your organization is not a ministry. Carefully honor God personally and professionally by serving others. You are his representative of grace and compassion to those around you.

If you seek to please God with all your heart, then you will prosper. You please God when you serve others on his behalf. Your people...family & friends profit personally when your group or organization prospers not only monetarily, but spiritually, socially, and educationally. Making a stellar effort can be as simple as writing a not of encouragement, sharing a meaningful Scripture, or lending a helping hand. The bottom line really is prosperity for others.

Selah people' and friends identify someone today in your circle, group or organization who has had a difficult week. Decide how you can make a difference and help them prosper spiritually or socially today. Then serve God by answering the call and doing what you can to encourage them.

"Joy will come after the sorrow and it will be led by your Stellar effort for Christ."

Your pastor,

Rev Patrick Muston