The Traits Of True Leadership

“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26 NIV).

If you are like me, you have seen several books on leadership. The books are typically authored by successful CEOs of large companies or military leaders. These books are often best-sellers and contain very useful information on the principles of secular leadership. The themes are typically along the lines of this: A leader is a visionary. A leader knows how to delegate. A leader surrounds himself/herself with good people. A leader leads by example. A leader is trustworthy. A leader is tough under pressure and, finally, a leader doesn’t tolerate nonsense.

The best leader that ever walked the earth was not a CEO or a decorated military leader. Jesus modeled true leadership to us by his service to others. Jesus was a servant leader who never once used his authority to serve himself but rather to serve and help others. This point is amplified in Matthew 20:28: “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” The Psalmist wrote in 119:125, I am Your servant; give me understanding, That I may know Your testimonies. He is acknowledging himself as a servant to God.. In turn, God wants us to serve him by serving others. Matthew 25 tells the story of the sheep and the goats and contains this great message in verse 40. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

God is love and wants good for all of us. His light will always conquer the darkness in our hearts and minds, if we let Him in. Faith and trust are essential to opening our hearts. If He loved us so much to send His son to die for our sins, He certainly loves us enough for us to leave our burdens with Him and then walk away with confidence that we are in His hand and there is no better place to be. Consider the words Jesus left with his disciples immediately following the Last Supper. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27). We are His disciples. Let our hearts not be troubled and let us not be afraid.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for sending Your son to model true leadership, servant leadership, for us. Amen.

Meet the Author

Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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The Walk to Emmaus: The Best Spiritual Weekend Retreat

“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:30-32 NIV).

The Walk to Emmaus “Walk” is a three-day spiritual retreat that came out of the Roman Catholic Cursillo movement. The Walk to Emmaus is held numerous times during the year at various locations throughout the U.S. and the world. Separate walks are held for men and women.

Luke 24 tells of two of Jesus’s followers walking to the village of Emmaus. Jesus joins them, although they do not recognize Him, and eventually begins to explain all of the Scriptures regarding Himself. At nightfall, the men urged Jesus to stay with them and He agreed. He took the bread and blessed it. Then He broke it and gave it to them. Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him and at that moment He disappeared! The men returned to Jerusalem to tell their story to the eleven disciples.

The Walk to Emmaus is a unique experience of Christian spiritual renewal that begins with a three-day short course in Christianity. It is an opportunity to meet Jesus Christ in a new way as God’s grace and love is revealed to you through other believers.

The Walk to Emmaus experience begins with the prayerful discernment and invitation from a sponsor. After one accepts this invitation, they complete an application. The Emmaus leaders prayerfully consider each applicant and in God’s time, the person is invited to attend a three-day experience of New Testament Christianity as a lifestyle. After the walk is over, participants are encouraged to join in weekly small groups to support each other in their ongoing walk with Christ.

Through the formational process of accountable discipleship in small groups and participation in the Emmaus community, each participant’s individual gifts and servant-leadership skills are developed for use in the local church and mission. Participants are encouraged to find ways to live out their individual call to discipleship in their home, church and community.

The objective of Emmaus is to inspire, challenge and equip the local church member for Christian action in their homes, churches, communities, and places of work. Emmaus lifts up a way for our grace-filled lives to be lived and shared with others.

There is much symbolism in the Luke 24 story regarding our own walk with Christ. How often do we fail to recognize Christ in our presence? Once we do recognize Him, do we act as His witnesses? I ask that you prayerfully consider being a pilgrim on the next Walk to Emmaus in your area.

Prayer: Dear God, May our eyes be opened anew to Your love each time we receive Holy Communion. Amen.

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How To Turn Bad into Good

How To Turn Bad into Good

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 NIV).

I think we all have been the recipient of bad behavior by others. Perhaps your spouse cheated on you or a dear friend was unable to keep a secret. My heart breaks for those that have been incarcerated for decades for a crime and then are finally released when DNA evidence, which was not available at the time of the trial, proves they are innocent.

The Biblical story of Joseph is a powerful example of God turning bad into good. As you may recall, Joseph was the youngest of Jacob’s children. The oldest son typically was held in highest regard but Jacob favored Joseph and gave him “a coat of many colors.” Joseph told his brothers of his dreams and in one dream they were all bowing down to him. The brothers began to hate Joseph and one day threw him into a pit to die. However, they realized that they could receive a small amount of money for selling him and when a trader passed, they sold their brother into slavery. This is not just bad — it is evil!

Joseph spent many years in prison but maintained his faith in God. His ability to interpret dreams (a gift from God) eventually allowed him to interpret Pharoh’s dreams and manage the surplus of grain for the seven years of plenty to be ready for the following seven years of nothing. The boy ascended from a death pit to second in command of Egypt! When his brothers come to Egypt for grain, I am struck by Joseph’s response to them: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20). Joseph knew that God would use the bad that had been done to him and eventually turn it into good. Isn’t that the message of Romans 8:28? “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Amen!

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Getting To The Heart Of The Issue

Over the years, I have spoken with many Christians and enjoyed having the opportunity to hear their testimony. Some are “intellectual Christians,” so to speak, and believe that science has proved the existence of Christ and therefore they also believe. Many have provided me with compelling arguments for their Christian faith. I also believe in Jesus and in science.

However, at the heart of the issue is our heart. Do you believe in Him in your heart and seek him with your whole heart? Jesus taught us in Matthew 22:37, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (italics added).”

God gave us a brain and He certainly wants us to use it to better understand Him. He also seeks a relationship with us and a true relationship must come from the heart. Below are five Biblical themes that emphasize the importance of your heart in your Christian walk.

1. Trust: Trust is probably the most fundamental component in any relationship. We may not always understand His ways, but we are called to trust and obey. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, (Proverbs 3:5).

2. Love: Any meaningful relationship must be built on love, says Baton Rouge’s Todd Shupe. This is especially true with God because God is love, (1 John 4:8). Jesus replied, “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” (Matthew 22:37). Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength,” (Mark 12:30).

3. Seek: Jesus asks us to seek Him. He is asking for us to daily die to our sinful ourselves and live in Him. To do so, we must daily seek His face. “But if from there you seek the Lord, your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul,” (Deuteronomy 4:29) ^“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart,” (Jeremiah 29:13).

4. What Comes Out of the Heart: Jesus was making a new covenant with the people who were unable to maintain the Mosaic law. Food preparation was very important under the old law and was considered necessary to earn your salvation. [Jesus] said, “It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart,” Mark 7:14-15.

5. Guard your Heart: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it,” (Proverbs 4:23). Our words and opinions first originate in our heart. If we guard our heart and only allow love to enter our heart, then love will flow out of our mouths and will be the basis of our action and ministry. Be blessed as you bless others.

Prayer: Dear God, Create in us a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within us.

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Dealing With Anxiety: Have Faith, For ‘God Is Our Partner’

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31 NIV).

Waiting is a daily occurrence: We wait in line at the grocery store, post office or on the phone. Sometimes, we are waiting long-term for news regarding a loved one who has suddenly become ill or was in an accident. Waiting is also a part of joyous occasions such as the birth of a child or marriage. In any case, worrying almost always leads to anxiety. I have five favorite scriptures that I refer to in times of waiting.

1) In Isaiah 40:31, it says: “…but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

We follow God and he doesn’t follow us. The Lord is promising us His stamina if we have faith in Him. Our faith is demonstrated by maintaining our faith while waiting and knowing that he will act.

2) In Psalm 46:10, He says: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

This is calming scripture in times of worry and has been my “’go-to’ verse in times of uncertainty. We should meditate on each word of “Be still, and know that I am God” and peacefully wait for the peace that surpasses all understanding.

3) Matthew 6:26-27 reads: “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” Our God loves us more than we can begin to comprehend. God will provide His daily bread to us all.

4) In Philippians 4:6-7, it states: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Once we have prayed and given our worries to God, we are freeing ourselves from the chains of anxiety. God will take our worry and replace it with a peace that cannot be described with mere human words.

5) In Matthew 11:28-30, it reads: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

God is our partner and once we accept His yoke and let Him work in tandem with us, we can accomplish so much more.

When a friend helps you through a difficult period, he or she is acting as the Body of Christ and providing His yoke to you. In turn, you will hopefully pass the yoke on to somebody else when they are in need.

In summary, remember that you are loved by God and He wants you to come to him in prayer and unburden yourself of worry and fear. You are far more valuable than the birds in the air and the lilies in the field. In fact, you are a child of the risen Christ.

Prayer: Dear God we live in a fallen world and we have so many worries about ourselves and our loved ones. Help us to give these worries over to you and to not take them back. We know that You have plans to prosper us and not to harm us. We know that You have plans to give us hope and a future. We thank you for your tremendous love which we cannot even begin to fully comprehend. Please help us cast out the fear in our lives and replace it with the confidence that can only come from your love. Amen.

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Partner With God While Waiting

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1 KJV).

1) In Isaiah 40:31, it says: “…but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” we follow God and he doesn’t follow us. The Lord is promising us His stamina. Our faith is demonstrated by maintaining our faith while waiting and knowing that He will act. “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1).

2) In Psalm 46:10, He says: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” This is calming scripture in times of worry and my “go-to” verse in times of uncertainty. Moreover, I like to meditate on each word of “Be still, and know that I am God” and wait for the peace that surpasses all understanding.

3) Matthew 6:26-27 reads: “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” Our God loves us more than we can begin to comprehend. God will provide His daily bread to us all.

4) In Philippians 4:6-7, it states: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Once we have prayed and given our worries to God, we are freeing ourselves from the chains of anxiety. God will take our worry and replace it with a peace that cannot be described with mere human words.

5) In Matthew 11:28-30, it reads: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” God is our partner and once we accept His yoke and let Him work in tandem with us, we can accomplish so much more. When a friend helps you through a difficult period, he or she is acting as the body of Christ and providing His yoke to you. In turn you will hopefully pass the yoke on to somebody else when they are in need.

Prayer: Dear God, As we wait for You to move, help us to find peace in knowing that You will take the perfect action at the perfect time. Amen.

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Living Your Faith

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2 14-17)

I think I can speak for most of us when I say that we typically have an easy time “living our faith” on Sunday mornings. As the week goes on however, it’s clear that we tend to look less and less like Jesus. So, how can we live our faith? How can we seek His face and His will each day of the week?

Below are five tips that are useful in my life and I pray that you find them useful also.

1. Be Caring:
Caring is all about being physically present to a brother or sister in Christ who needs help. We

acknowledge that we are not someone who takes the pain away, but rather someone who is willing to share it.

Matthew 11:29: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

2. Be Confident:
Confidence is not arrogance, but rather it is a confidence that the best is yet to come. It is the realization that I am a child of God and I have a covenant relationship with Him. He will work good out of all situations

Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

3. Be Courageous:
Courage is the ability to fight giants with the knowledge that you are wearing the armor of God. “Your giant may be drugs or alcohol or depression. Regardless if God is with you, who can be against you?” Read Joshua 1 for a good lesson on courage.”

Joshua 1:9: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

4. Be of Action:
There is an old song called “They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love.” Your love for others will speak volumes. A natural manifestation of this love is to be of service to others. Jesus wants us to feed his sheep and this takes action.

James 2:17: In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

5. Be Blessed:
God loves to bless those who are obedient and faithful. We see a perfect example of this in Luke 8. Jesus is in a crowd that nearly crushed him. A woman who has been bleeding for 12 years touches his cloak and is immediately healed. The woman believed in Jesus Christ by faith, and He rewarded her for it. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” (Luke 8:48)

Prayer: Dear God, Help us to live our our faith as Your hands and feet each day of the week. Amen.

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2017-10-272020-08-01

Water Under The Bridge

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV).

“This is just water under the bridge.” If you can say this one day during trying times and mean it, know that you’ve achieved something that so many of us strive for. Forgiveness is a skill that takes time to learn and patience to practice when offering it upon others. That’s because the world isn’t always fair and gut-wrenching situations can’t immediately be solved with forgiveness. However, time heals all wounds and those who practice this trait will feel a lot better than walking around all day with a grudge hung around your neck like an albatross. There are Biblical teachings on forgiveness that are beneficial for us all.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 tells us, “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” I realize that that this passage may be of little consolation to those of us who are hurting

due to trespasses against us. In time however, we’ll understand that we’re not perfect and we could one day be in the position where we’re the one desperately seeking forgiveness. In Luke 6:37, we see that this exact predicament is addressed and resolved: “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.” To the point of damage done to us, Matthew 6:15 has this to say: “But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Forgiveness is a journey and a process and often takes time. If you are showing signs of increased criticism, negativity, and impatience, you are still on the journey. It has been said that when we forgive someone the prisoner that we set free is ourself. Unforgiveness also hurts our relations with others due to our sour disposition, depressed attitude, and tendency to easily be annoyed. The hurt becomes water under the bridge when we achieve forgiveness. We then release the other person from the debt and no longer desire payback for the offense. We acknowledge that the hurt is real and the relationship may be unable to be reconciled, but we also acknowledge that we are called to forgive others as Christ has forgiven us.

Prayer: Dear God: Help us to forgive others as You have forgiven us. Whenever possible may we be reconciled with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen.

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My Dream That Carried A Message From God

“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams” (Acts 2:17 NIV).

I have lived 47 years and never felt that I had received a message from God. I envied the people in the Bible that spoke to God either in person, through dreams or angels. I had decided that I was only going to hear God’s word through Godly friends, church, small groups, and reading the Bible.

I longed to hear God talk directly to me. Several friends would tell me of dreams or hearing direction from God — but not me. Two nights ago I heard from God for the first time. He sent me a dream with people and symbolism that He knew I would understand and would alleviate any anxiety.

In the dream, I was on a bus sitting next to the late Dr. Elvin Choong, who has been deceased for over 10 years. Elvin was my PhD adviser at Louisiana State University (LSU) and a dear friend and research collaborator for many years. He was my father figure for many years. There were many people on the bus, but I did not recognize them and the only person who spoke was me. As we traveled down the road, we would periodically encounter some sort of road block (fallen trees or a car wreck) and the road would seem to be impassable.

The first time this happened, I told Elvin to stop and that there is no way to get through. He continued at the same speed and we made it through fine. I have no idea how he did it — but he did.

We kept encountering roadblocks and he kept driving through. The only thing that changed was my fear was lessened each time until finally I anticipated the road blocks with excitement – I wonder how we are going to get through this road block this time!

Now for my amateur dream interpretation: Elvin was my father figure for many years and he symbolized my heavenly Father. He was in control; I wanted to do things my way at first but gradually came to trust in Him. I was sitting in the front in a leadership position, but I yielded all authority and leadership to Him. The people in the back represented people that count on me — not necessarily financially or emotionally, but in some aspect of life they count on me to smile when we meet, to be available when they need home repairs, to cut their grass when they go on vacation and to serve the church universal.

I am a leader of many but a follower of Jesus. This dream gave me peace. It showed me that God is in control. Life will always bring adversity but with God by your side, you can do all things. I pray if you are struggling with fear, doubt, worry you will realize that God is with you and will never leave you or forsake you.

These are tools of the enemy to rob you of the joy that God has promised for you. Rebuke them in the name of Jesus. Be blessed, be happy, be the child of God that He has called you to be.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for sending dreams that bring a message of hope and peace. Be with us as we carry that message to others. Amen.

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The Traits Of True Leadership

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The Walk to Emmaus: The Best Spiritual Weekend Retreat

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How To Turn Bad into Good

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Getting To The Heart Of The Issue

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Dealing With Anxiety: Have Faith, For ‘God Is Our Partner’

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Partner With God While Waiting

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Living Your Faith

Water Under The Bridge

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My Dream That Carried A Message From God

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