What Leaders Do
Leaders rally people to go places in their lives they would never go on their own. Perhaps they would have never thought about going there or been willing to go by themselves.
Isaiah 42 is a prophetic chapter about Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Even though ultimately about Jesus, it does share some powerful truths for any leader. God can teach us more about leadership than anyone else and He knows all about the future! Isaiah 42:16 says,
“I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on paths they have not known. I will turn darkness to light in front of them and rough places into level ground. This is what I will do for them, and I will not forsake them.”
Think with me about this passage.
Think about what God does for Us
Personally, this is what God does for us through Jesus Christ. Jesus takes us to places that we would never go on our own. They are uncharted waters in our lives. In those moments of uncertainty, Jesus shows up and works in our lives miraculously. He does it not only in salvation, but again and again. Once He is there, He is there forever. Leaving His children is something God never thinks about.
Think about what Leaders do for Others
When you lead toward the future, you are doing for people what God does for you. You take people into experiences, dreams, and visions that they would have never seen on their own. And, at times, places where few have gone. In these historic risks of faith, God shows up and moves miraculously. He does it not only once, but again and again. As you lead, you realize one of the most powerful things about leadership: God is with you.
A Personal Testimony
I have been a local church pastor for over three decades. In fact, I have been leading the same church for over twenty-five years. I could name so many experiences and dreams I have been privileged to lead our people through in “Reaching Northwest Arkansas, America, and the World.” Yes, some of them have been challenging. But every time, God has been there with us, showing Himself strong again and again. My heart is full of praise even as I reflect on these experiences, because of the way He has worked among us.
A Final Charge
When you lead others, do not let your fear stop you. Do not permit the unknown to become your master. God is with you, so act like it. Lead like it. Live like it. Pray like it. Lead them where they have never been and know that He is with you.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
The Focus of Our Faith
Have you ever heard someone say, “Just believe”? Some people seem to believe that faith in itself is all that is needed, as if somehow the object of our faith is not important. Believe in the sky? The ground? Some spirit? Our ancestors?
To me, that’s like believing any car is sufficient for a trip across the country. It doesn’t matter whether it runs, has tires, a working transmission, or seats. Isn’t one car as effective as another? Almost no one would buy into such logic. But when it comes to faith, many do.
The Object of Our Faith
A strong object for our faith is essential to get us through difficulties in life. The Apostle Peter wrote to some early believers, “You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith – more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”1
In the summer 2014 edition of Bible Studies for Life, author MaryJo Sharp says, “Since we can have confidence in Christ’s victory over death, we can certainly have assurance of His power over every kind of pain or sorrow. This, then, is our firm anchor in times of trouble–a mighty foundation for hope.”2 This awareness is crucial to the people of God. We don’t have faith in faith; we have faith in God. The object of our faith matters.
To return to our car illustration for a moment, if I intend a cross country trip, does my faith matter more than the car (the object of my faith)? If I jump into a clunker, am I likely to arrive without incident, if at all? No. If, however, I climb into a dependable car, with faith it will carry me without fail, I have a much better chance to reach the goal. The object of our faith is important. Misplaced faith is no better than a lack of faith.
There is Salvation in No One Else
Saving faith is also dependent on its object. Those who would be reconciled to God must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, not simply believe. Jesus Christ is the savior of the world, thus He is the One in whom we believe. The Apostles Peter and John proclaimed this clearly to the religious leaders of their day, saying of Jesus, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by it.”3 And in John 3:36, the prophet John the Baptist warned, “The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
No faith, no matter how earnest, placed in anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ, will avail salvation. Not our works, our parents, our church, nor our pastor will bring salvation on our behalf. Make Christ and Him alone the object of your faith because He will never fail.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
General Editor, Bible Studies for Life
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.