How to Be a Successful Leader - I

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Prayer brings heaven's power to her today on a new beginning from the book of Nehemiah, Pastor Greg Laurie has insights on the transformative power of prayer, God seems Nehemiah and Nehemiah change things if you want God to answer your prayer.

You have to be willing to be a part of the answer and modern is one thing that moves a piston with the piston is connected to a crankshaft and the crankshaft would transmission and the knee bone is connected to the leg bone and your cars moving today on the new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie points out the rear today will see we may be there prayer for we may be the thing that gets move wherever we fit today how we can put our efforts here is that we have a problem those of the words from Apollo 13. By the way the phrase Houston we have a problem, or the most famous words uttered in the history of space travel five words could have been Nassau's worst disaster ever. And of course it was Apollo 13 56 of the way of their journey to the moon and gases were released from the spacecraft and all other instruments went dead and they called back and said Houston we have a problem meant that the will. Fortunately, there's a happy ending to that particular story. There were able to get back again. But maybe you said that recently we have a problem there's an unexpected problem that is come your way of life. Your spouse just came to you and said they want out of the marriage or your child came up to you and said I don't want to be a Christian. Or maybe you found value of a serious health crisis or maybe your cat walked out the door this time. For the last time I was going to throw that into some random in the midst of all this puppy for that. Thank you. But seriously it's something beyond your ability to fit Houston we have a problem well.

This argues that it heavenly father, I have a problem we call out to God when we have crisis we call out to the Lord will were in trouble and that's what Israel was doing when their city lie in ruins. The temple would be rebuilt under Ezra, but the great walls of Jerusalem that once stood proud around the city protecting it were now lying in charge burned out rubble and certain Nehemiah the cupbearer who was going to bring the solution to the problem.

By the way, Nehemiah was not a builder.

Nehemiah was not an architect. Nehemiah, like I said was the cupbearer which meant that he tasted the food, the king ate before the king tasted it and he drank the wine before the king drank it was actually a great job because you lived in the very lap of luxury and in the palace with close proximity to the king, he may have been the second most powerful man in all of the kingdom the one day some of his fellow Jewish brothers came to visit him and he said hey how are things going back in Jerusalem it is that you really want to know things are bad and I think sometimes we don't want to know what's going on somewhere else. Especially if it's bad news right I don't hear about the problem out of the mission field. I don't want to hear about that crisis over here.

I don't want to hear about the problem over there and they were afraid information may bring obligation, but it's true.

It will but listen were all in this together and so some Christians are suffering we care about that because the Bible says when one suffers, we all suffer and will one of us is exalted were all exalted so Nehemiah care when he heard this news about the way it was a day like any other day for Nehemiah in the corridor of the king and that was a day that would change his life.

Just like it was an ordinary day with David when out watching this block and that was the day the prophet showed up and anointed him. The king of Israel.

It was a day like any other day, when Moses was shepherding because she when the Bush wouldn't stop burning and he heard the voice of God. It was a day like any other day when Peter James and John were mending their nets after a night of failed fishing when Jesus called them to go fishing for men. And so is a day like any other day when Nehemiah was there in the court but when he heard the news of the plight of his fellow Jews. He decided to take action lesson. Some people talk about things other people do things. Some people are part of the problem.

Other people are part of the solution. It's very easy to be a critic. It's very easy to say what a large grocery Lord will think this is good the way they do this to church, or the way that it will then be part of the solution but just then run a critique it safe. Have an idea what we can do this more effectively, or be more efficient. He told action again. The walls of the city were in ruin.

This all goes back to how Israel, God thrown in the captivity the Worshiping false gods cuts out all right for like false gods all send you to idols Central Babylon, though they were There for 70 years. Well, Nebuchadnezzar ultimately replaced by his grandson Belshazzar were overthrown. Enter Cyrus in the Medo Persians and Cyrus let the first wave of them go back in Ezra the priest rebuilt the temple, but the walls of Jerusalem are still in rubble. So a lot of time is passed now and then the news reaches Nehemiah in the king's court in the Arctic Xerxes.

The ruling king is going to allow Nehemiah to go and do something about it to the walls of the city were important. Obviously they serve the function of protection, but they were more than that. They were a symbol and even more at the gates of the wall. That's where the leadership would meet and make decisions with the elders would meet walls better and walls better in our lives as well. The walls of faithfulness protect our marriages.

The walls of marriage protect the family and the walls of the family protect the nation. Either you could take almost every social ill in America today and trace it directly back to the breakdown of the family and sometimes a redefinition of the family as well, which is also part of the breakdown of the family is God created and attended it. I mean you look at the rise in crime you look at out of wedlock pregnancies. You look at the drug epidemic, and so many of the other problems in our culture today. The gang issue so often.

It goes back to a broken home, a divorce told more specifically the lack of a father. It's been said that repeated this quite a few times that a family can survive without a nation but a nation cannot survive without the family, so America needs the family out of the people of Israel rebuild the walls answer one brick at a time. How do we rebuild our country answer one brick at a time, one home at a time when family at a time.

It starts in your home and it starts in my two Nehemiah or the do about the broken down walls in the Bible since he wept. He went after his weeping team working. Listen, you cannot lighten the load in someone else's life into you first felt the pressure in your own so Nehemiah takes action and really he shows us how to take action as I pointed out earlier, Nehemiah in many ways is a book about leadership were all called to be leaders in some way shape or form. So let's learn from the leadership example of Nehemiah. Let's start with point number one of this to be a little bit of recap of what we looked at them will dig into our text today. Number one.

A good leader is first a good follower and acknowledges their need for God. Let me restate that a good leader is first a good follower and will acknowledge your need for godly diversified Nehemiah when he hears this news praise and says oh God of heaven, Lord, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands.

So first he just acknowledges the greatness of God. Here the all powerful, all-knowing sovereign God in heaven. You Lord are awesome. That's how Jesus taught us to pray the Lord's prayer. He said pray this way our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven before you hit God up with your laundry list stop and contemplate his glory. And if you do, your list will change will is your problem seem so big when you come to church today with a big problem but I think as you get a better idea of how big your God is you realize God is bigger than your problem so you start by acknowledging the greatness of God Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message just a moment.

So many listeners have commented on the encouragement they receive these daily messages from Pastor Greg Ward ministers to them and often gets them through some of the darkest hours I would run your dinner and now I had three children three going avoid healthy and I did 99 I gather, I never realized that related have an early Greg Laurie region nine day after my older nine Michael Carter 30 years old anyway. Now I'm membrane Martin that more might not be. And I know that my finally they line down line down the line in and feeling sorry for my noun. Greg Laurie talking about the line you Naomi. That moment I knew I was here during early.

I know the pain that Joanne line and I might get you and let you know in some way that you're making a different thing is listeners like mirrors Pastor Greg's teachings do you have the story that you like to share with us, why not call us and let us know. Our phone number is 866-8711 1-866-871-1144 what were learning about leadership today from the example of Nehemiah. Pastor Greg is pointed out first. A good leader is a follower and acknowledges his need for God. Let's continue number two. Nehemiah reminded God of his promises.

He says in verse five you keep your covenant.

The other was Lord you made a promise to Israel and they messed up and now were turning back to you and we want to make it right.

So Lord keep your promise and he will let me did the will for you to member. I pointed out, there's like 3000 promises in the Bible for the believer. Sort of like unclaimed gift cards such as leave them sitting in the drawer.

Let's appropriate those promises in our life.

Number three. Good leaders know they don't have all the answers and they confess their sins. Good leaders know they don't have all the answers and they confess their sins in verse seven of chapter 1 of Nehemiah.

I confess we've sinned against you. Yes, even me in my own family and I have sinned. Notice he says we in my own family and I have sent you know it's interesting as you look at the life of Nehemiah don't really read of any sin in his life not suggesting he was sinless. What I am saying is he was a compromise, worshiping false gods, like others were yet he admits his sin which we all should do and he wants to be a part of the solution. Listen, it's true that prayer changes things. It's also true that prayer changes you sometimes prayer changes you and you change thing. Think about it this way, God seems Nehemiah and Nehemiah change things if you want God to answer your prayer. You have to be willing to be a part of the answer to. You don't just pray about it. You say what role can I play in this. My friend James Merritt spoken here quite a few times said this and I quote, there's a difference between streamers and leaders dreamers dream about things being different leaders determined to make a difference."

So a dreamer will talk about it. A dreamer will dream about it but a leader will come up with a plan and do something. And if we learn nothing else from the book of Nehemiah. We learn this, whenever you face walls in your life that are falling down.

Whether it's in your own life or the life of your family or at your job forever. The first place to go is to God in prayer and ask him for help. Number four.

Nehemiah was specific in his request to God.

Verse 10 to 11 Lord, hear my prayer, listen to the prayers of those who delight in honoring you grant me success today.

Listen, making the king favorable to me.

Put it in is hard to be kind to me. Get a plan he's going to go to the king and ask him to pay for it. Nehemiah was going to go to the king and say I'm building a wall in your paying for it. He wanted Artaxerxes to pay for it. That was the plan so he brings the plan to the king, reminding us that there is a place for this spiritual as well as the practical in your life. Every one of us is going to have a Nehemiah moment, a moment what we come to a fork in the road and one road leads to comfort than the other road leads to sacrifice one road leads to treasures on earth, the other road leads to treasures in heaven, it's a moment when you take whatever position your read in you say I'm going to leverage this for God. This is not about me. This is about God and his glory.

This is really what it is to be a disciple. Remember we were looking at what the Bible teaches about discipleship and Jesus showed us that if we want to be his disciple. We must love God more than anyone or anything else level more than our husband or wife or our son or daughter or career, or even her own life.

Love God more than anyone or anything else. Number two, we learned that if we want to be as disciple we take up the cross and deny ourselves and then we find the life were looking for. And thirdly it we want to be his disciples. We surrender our claim to everything that we have.

We realize, it belongs to God. So we give the title be our life over to God, we give the pink slip of our life over to God. That's discipleship. That's what Nehemiah was about to do. So let's read his plan. Here's how it came down Nehemiah 2 starting in verse one early the following spring in the month of Nissan that's different than the month of Toyota during the 20th year of King Artaxerxes ring I was serving the king is one I've never appeared sad in his presence of the king, asking why you looking so sad you know look sick to me.

You must be deeply troubled that I was terrified, but I replied, long live the king how can I not be said for the city where my ancestors are buried in is in ruins and the gates of been destroyed by fire.

Then the king asked well how can I help you with a prayer to the God of heaven. I replied if it please the king and of your pleas of mere servant. Send me to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried with the king of the Queen city beside a mask. How long will you be gone one will you return and I told him how long I would be gone that the king agreed to my request. That brings us to our next point.

Nehemiah spent more time praying the needed building, let me say that again. Nehemiah spent more time praying. Then he did building four months had passed before Nehemiah popped the question to the king. Sometimes the Lord will give you an idea to give you a vision to give you a concept but timing is everything. So you decide to wait for the right moment to go to the next place there and I think we don't like to wait you know we like everything everything fast. I mean we just have to wait for stuff a member when we first started being able to access movies and we go to Blockbuster member Blockbuster and you would buy something called a videotape which is where you would rent and I and then member the little sign.

Be kind rewind member that you rewind it and all you will go to other they don't have the tape you want. Then we moved to DVD technology Okinawa read the DVD, then Netflix comes along and they mail you the DVD okay so you do order the one you want online and it comes what it takes a day or two for it together but I would just stream it went out of the way printing we just click it and we stream it so everything comes fast to us, so when we hear about waiting. That's an alien concept in a culture that is used to a median gratification but Nehemiah waited know this waiting time is never wasting time they that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength.

They will mount up with wings as eagles, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40 tells us. Point number two or really point number six and whatever number you want, but next point Elsa, there's a time to pray and there's a time to move. There's a time to pray and there's a time to move the king asks why Nehemiah looks so sad. By the way that the job description of a cupbearer was pretty specific you need is always be there at the king's beckon call to taste his food and you are to be encouraging to show you'd be a counselor to the king of confidant of the king, and so you know this was not a good job.

If you are one of those people that had dour disposition right, we'll know people like that.

They're just donor people and you know I sum them up as a couple. It's Debbie downer and her husband Bobby buzz kill. Okay, so you're having fun with Debbie downer and Bobby buzz kill show up the fund. Because they always have something depressing to say or negative to say are critical to say. I just hope you're not those people the very opposite of them was Nehemiah was insurable by an upbeat guy. So much so that the king actually noticed he looks at Nehemiah care gleanings and great insights on leadership from the cupbearer to the king. Pastor Greg Laurie is presenting a practical study based on the book of Nehemiah and there's more to come from his message called how to be a successful leader and pastor Greg will have a closing comment in just a moment to get a permanent copy of the full study get in touch by calling 1-800-821-3300. Again, 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and again, today's message title is how to be a successful leader were so glad to have Pastor Greg's wife Kathy joining us here in the program, along with authors Jay and Catherine Wolf. I guess he let me ask you what is it that caught your attention in the wolf's new book that were making available right now called suffer strong. I love that the fact that it says selling at descent title is how to survive anything by redefining everything and I think of this book really is a survival guide and it's a training manual not only for those who are currently suffering but for those who will certainly as we all well in this life suffer at some point and it would be good for us to learn ahead of time and maybe we wont experience it like you did. But we can certainly read and learn in.

I think it's so important for us as believers making others be great, but to give to someone who is suffering. Actually, it would be great. But for you to read right now before you suffer. It's not. Yes, it's when.

And when that happens you want to have in place in your life support systems and that the correct thinking, which I think is really important in this book is how you take control of your thought life and on and get these things in your head, at least conceptually so that when it happened you going okay. I think this is what's going on in this and you don't have the tools ready.

So thank you for writing this book and thank you for speaking for all those out there who have suffered and have come to the other side and have a story to tell.

And we can sit and learning community that we have within our small groups and within our churches hopefully is a diverse enough community that will include Dez who has gone to suffering or who are suffering we don't want to just let this happy perfect Instagram life is that's not real life, we really need those face-to-face connections and you guys have written so beautifully and transparently by name. Thank you for thank you, Kathy. So you've just been listening to Kathy Lori sure her thoughts about this great new book by our guests called suffer strong.

Their names are Catherine Nga Wolf and they've come through a time of great difficulty with some would say Catherine is wheelchair-bound, but Catherine says she's wheelchair free. How can she say such a thing. Well, she talks about it in this book that is subtitled how to survive anything by redefining everything really is an inspiring book and its lifesaving insight.

When the crises of life bring you to begin to be a rope you may be going through a season like that right now. Boris sees Mike that may be right around the corner, now is the time to prepare within sight, its biblical and tested in the crucible of real life will be glad to send you suffer strong to thank you for your donation to help keep this listener supported study coming your way, we frankly need your help right now and it's appreciated more than you know. Writer set a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org everybody Greg Laurie here. I wanted tell you about a great way to hear God's word and worship with fellow believers, not only around the nation and around the world. It's called Harvest at Home. Millions are turning in from all over the planet and tens of thousands of make decisions for Jesus Christ. When I joined just go to our website harvest.org we have our weekend services there. Of course, but we also have great industry. There every single day.

Sometimes it's visiting the message from a harvest Crusade another time.

It's a Q&A session were doing. Maybe it's something my wife is doing for the ladies, and we even teacher. Christian films researchers lost boy Pastor Greg's life story, Steve McQueen, American icon, and hope are hurting hearts with Jeremy Nick voyage all that and a lot more harvest.org human resource for family enrichment and spiritual growth. So join us for Harvest at Home. Each week, harvest.org will Pastor Greg is been talking about Nehemiah the cupbearer today and how the cupbearer's job was to be a counselor and an encourager to the king more insight next time he closes by mentioning someone he knows that's an encourager by nature. One of the happiest guys I know you know him, to his pastor Ricky Ryan right, this guy is always happy people about sleep.

What is he like in private, Jesus say he's that way all the time.

He's excited about ordering food then he's excited about ordering dessert, then he's excited about going surfing in the morning, then he's excited about taking a nap later in the day, then he's excited about Bible study that night and he's excited about praying and he's excited about everything these always smiling. These just that God affect you smile so much that one time when I saw him not smiling.

He was like Nehemiah like what happened while I knew it up like I was responsible for him and I were going surfing and he had a brand-new surfboard and you know if your server and get a new board. You hate getting that first thing right so you were tying the board down on the top of the car. The rocks and he let me tie it down Christmas Day. I have no board tiedown skills at all so I untied the board down and I'm driving behind them were driving down to the beach. He's ahead of me. I see the board stuck and all of a sudden the board just came off the top of the car just in the year just floating around, then hit the two men who had room and spot so we both pullover on the cold know now and Ricky gets out he was not smiling when I guess it insight done very well.

Sorry all buy you a new one. Then he sort of smiled again, so that's Nehemiah, why you so that you're always smiling. Well I am sad because of the plight of my people in the Harding Xerxes. The ruling king is going to allow Nehemiah to go and do something about possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email devotions and harvest.org