Lacking in Confidence or Courage? Start by Confessing It.

It's easy to miss some of the most profound lessons when we read the Bible. 

When Deborah reminds Barak that God has called him to lead Israel, it's easy to miss the real lesson in his response.

Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” (Judges 4:8)

Yes, God's words and assurances should have been enough. But if you focus on that, you miss the point

The point is that he's not too proud to ask for help. 

And he's in good company. Barak's reluctance is much like Moses'. 

But [Moses] said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.” (Exodus 4:13-17)

If you’re timid or afraid, bring your fear to God. Tell him. Ask for help. Barak asks Deborah to come with him. And when she agrees, that’s all he needs for the courage to fight a powerful foe.

Promised Land - Week 9 from Five Oaks Church on Vimeo.

Powerful Insights to Help You Lead...Even When You Have Every Excuse to Sit This One Out

No one gets a pass on leadership. 

Malala Yousafzai (Photo by Statsministerens kontor, http://bit.ly/2pDrJdW)

Think of the most rigidly stratified societies in the world today. Maybe it’s a society stratified by class, gender, race, ethnicity, or economics--societies where these factors limit a person's opportunities and influence and keeps them “in their place.” 

Even in the most rigid ones today or in the past, I'm always a bit surprised by people who rise to lead beyond and in spite of their stratification. Sometimes they lead at a national level, sometimes in certain sectors, and often as rebels or dissidents. 

And in every case what I'm reminded of is that no one gets a pass on leadership.

It’s not to say that just anyone can rise to positions of broad influence despite the powerful forces that might be holding them down. But it is to say that the most powerful forces holding people down can’t be an excuse not to lead wherever and whenever God calls us to lead. 

That’s what we have in Judges 4 – 5, where a woman rises up to lead Israel.

Her name is Deborah, and she’s the only female judge in the book of Judges. She rises to leadership in a rigidly patriarchal society. She’s not only the exception that proves the rule in regard to gender among the judges, she’s also one of the few exemplary judges.

Whenever a nation gets an exemplary leader—someone better than what they deserve—it’s a tender mercy of God, a gift. Deborah is a tender mercy. She’s was a gift to Israel. But she's also a gift to us. We can learn from her experience.

So this weekend we’re going to look to judge Deborah and note three powerful insights that help us be better leaders wherever we have influence. 

The first insight will be that no one gets a pass on leadership.

Don't miss this weekend's sermon and pray about who you can invite.