Ways to Guard Your Heart

Every leader needs and wants loyalty. You can’t get loyalty and longevity mixed up with productivity. Business does not equal productivity. You can’t get trust mixed up with truth. You want to trust them or you really don’t need them. You can’t allow the truth about...

God is large and in charge. (Isaiah 46:9-11, NIV; Psalm 115:3, NIV; Daniel 4:35, NIV) He is large enough and in charge enough to take care of whatever we are facing. (Colossians 1:17, NKJV, CEV) God’s permissive will still gives us freedom of choice. (Romans 12:2,...

You have to have an impossible situation or problem. (Mark 4:36-41, NKJV, CEV) If we can solve it on our own it would not be a miracle and we wouldn’t have peace. We need God’s peace when the problem is beyond our control. Impossible situations are nothing more than...

Satan tried to command Jesus what to do. (Matthew 4:1-11, NKJV) The truth is Satan can only try to control you and deceive you. Satan can confuse you but he can’t command or control you unless you allow him. If we focused as much on spiritual food as we do physical...

____ Are you reading the Word of God intentionally on a regular basis that reflect in your schedule? It’s all about the heart and what God wants for us. (Proverbs 4:23, NKJV; Joshua 1:8, NKJV) God’s Word leads us to salvation. (1 Peter 1:23, NKJV) God’s Word guides...

The first way to make Godly decisions is wisdom. (Proverbs 4:7, NKJV; Proverbs 14:12, NKJV) Wisdom is knowing God’s mind in the matter. Wisdom comes from God’s Word, God’s people, and God’s circumstances. Wisdom does not come from how you feel. The flesh is always...

There’s nothing stressless about long term relationships; you only learn how to better deal with it which will greatly reduce stress. (Ephesians 4:25-32, NCV; John 8:32, NKJV; Proverbs 15:1, NKJV; Proverbs 18:21, NKJV; James 3:10, NKJV) Learn to forgive quickly and...

Why did Jesus speak so much about money? (Matthew 6:24, NIV; Matthew 6:21, NKJV; Proverbs 4:23, NKJV, TLB) Money problems really start with heart problems. Guard the conversations: What you allow in your heart. What you allow in your mind. What you allow done with...

4 Main Causes of Stressors: Lack of contentment. Love of money. Not managing money by God’s design. You’re in the middle of something beyond your control. Lack of contentment. (Colossians 3:17, ESV, Colossians 3:18-25, ESV) If you’re not content with what you have...

Is your schedule dictated by what’s urgent or is it designed to accomplish what’s most important? (Matthew 6:33-34, NKJV; Luke 10:40-42, NKJV) Mary chose what was important over what was urgent. If you want to reduce the number of stressors in life and want more of...

Time with Jesus has to be intentional and continuous. (Luke 10:38-42, NKJV) Listen with the intention of hearing what Jesus has to say to you, not what you have to say to Him. Some questions to ask yourself: How are you living your day to day level of life, peace or...

Fellowship relationship. (Philippians 4:11-13, NKJV) To talk with Him (Jesus) and hear His voice. Means being aware of His presence every moment of your life. When you are not aware of His presence you are not in living fellowship. Peace has to become a lifestyle you...

How is your peace in God? (Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV) Everything, everything, rises and falls on your fellowship with Christ. The better and stronger the fellowship, the better and stronger you can handle the stressors that come into your life. Do you have God’s peace...

God does not want you stressed. (Matthew 6:25, NKJV; Philippians 4:6, NKJV) You need to learn to remove worry. When you continue to worry, we are stepping outside the boundaries of God. When you continue to live in stress, worry, and anxiety it not only displeases God...

Learn the difference between stressors and stress. Stress is what you feel. Stress is fearful concern experienced when life’s demands seem greater than your ability to meet them. Stressors are what you face while stress is what you feel. Avoid stressors: Do the right...

Learn the difference between stressors and stress. Stress is what you feel. Stress is fearful concern experienced when life’s demands seem greater than your ability to meet them. Stressors are what you face while stress is what you feel. Avoid stressors: Do the right...

What marching orders has God given us? Do everything we can to see as many people as possible to come to know Jesus. Help as many people as possible learn to live the free and abundant life. What promise does God give us in this matter? (Matthew 28:18-20, NKJV) Jesus...

What keeps you up at night? (Joshua 6:12-13, NKJV) If it’s to further God’s Kingdom, the answer, provision, and power is available, we just have to hear from God and obey. The purpose of the test is to teach us to trust. (James 1:2-5, NCV) The purpose of trust is to...

Important insights: It’s one thing to get a word from God, it’s another to carry it out in action. The Israelites walked around Jericho, they didn’t run, strain or struggle. Many times, we struggle, strain, and run when we should be walking with Jesus first. Fruit...

The message God has for us when we are facing an obstacle or problem: (Joshua 5:13-15, TLB; 2 Kings 19:35, NKJV; Joshua 6:1-2, TLB) Seek to understand the problem. Seek God’s presence and power. Seek God’s solution to the problem. Seek to understand the battle and...

God wants you to teach your children 2 main things: (Joshua 4:20-24, NKJV) God’s Word. (Proverbs 22:6, NKJV; Deuteronomy 11:19-20, NKJV) Discipline. (Proverbs 23:13-14, GW; Proverbs 22:15, NIV) Your monument will be the lives that have been changed. (3 John 1:4, NKJV)...

God is faithful even when we are not faithful. (Psalm 18:16, NIV; Proverbs 24:16, NIV) God wants to focus on our faithfulness, not our failures. (Luke 15:11-14, 17-32, NKJV) God is faithful when we are caught doing things we should not be doing. (John 8:3-11, NKJV) He...

We will pass through the waters. (Isaiah 43:1-2, NKJV) You don’t have to fear, but you do need to fight. Passing through the water is seasonal. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, NKJV) When we pass through the waters, we all remember that most of the time it’s seasonal. What we don’t...

There’s a prayer to pray. (Joshua 13:1, NKJV; 1 Chronicles 4:10, NKJV) Jabez asked God to bless him and to bless him indeed. Jabez wanted God to enlarge his territory. Jabez wanted God’s hand upon him because that would keep him from evil and pain. Why God granted...

Don’t despise your insecurity. The greatest trap is to be insecure about your insecurities—relax and own it. Owning is the first step to conquering it. Take a risk and talk about it. Talking about it with a wise and trusted friend helps keep our insecurities at...

Imposter Behavior. You pose as someone or something that you perceive as better than the real you. While the real you is imperfect, it is the best you. Work in progress but you can’t make progress if you don’t give yourself permission to be the real you. Defensive...

Learn to walk by faith. (Joshua 3:15-17, NKJV; 1 Corinthians 10:11, NKJV;2 Corinthians 5:7, NKJV) Keep your mind on the Lord and His power, not the problem. (Isaiah 26:3-4, NKJV) Ask God to increase your faith. (Luke 17:5, NKJV) Look to Jesus not people, places or...

The power and purpose. The purpose of the power is to witness. (Colossians 1:29, NKJV, CEV, AMP) Christ was the only way to live. God’s Word was the only way to wisdom. God’s plan and purpose was to bring honor and glory to God. The right rest can be a weapon, but...

There are 2 Sanctifications: Positional sanctification – happens at salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. Progressive sanctification – happens as we become more and more like Jesus as the Holy Spirit prompts us. Being saved and serving by the prompting of the...

Be teachable; Your goals are reachable if you are teachable. (Psalm 37:23-25, NKJV; Psalm 32:8-9, NKJV; Proverbs 21:29-31, NCV; Proverbs 28:14, NCV; Proverbs 29:1, NCV) North (nearness or staying close). (Psalm 73:23-24, NIV) Everything rises and falls on your...

Going places you have not gone. (Joshua 3:3-4a, NIV) Without Jesus and Him crucified we cannot go to new places and learn new insights. (1 Corinthians 2:1-14, NKJV) You don’t get your faith in man but in God. As you mature you learn, gain wisdom, and receive more...

The scarlet cord is a visual example of the blood of Jesus. (Joshua 2:17-21, NKJV) Just as we have never sinned, we have been acquitted. (Romans 5:9, NKJV; Ephesians 1:7, NKJV) When we are saved, the blood cleanses our conscience. But we have to learn to continue to...

True kindness is both words and actions. Jesus’ words were kind, encouraging, and challenging. Just because we challenge someone’s faith and action does not mean we are not kind. Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is challenge someone’s faith that causes them to...

Kindness. (Ephesians 4:32, NKJV) Kindness means being more concerned with WHO a person is becoming than WHAT they’re doing. Kindness is expressed by listening. How do you know who to listen to and who not to listen to? You have to consider the source. You have to ask...

The art of waiting is based on your lifestyle. (James 5:16, NKJV, Proverbs 15:29, NKJV) The art of waiting is based on action. (Joshua 1:8, NKJV) Read the Word. Meditate on the Word. Spread the Word. Accept the Word to bring success. The art of waiting is based on...

The art of waiting prayerfully. (Joshua 1:11, NKJV; Isaiah 40:29-31, NKJV; Psalm 46:10-11, NKJV, CEV, 1 John 5:14-15, NKJV) If we know it’s His will we can pray expectantly, consistently, and accordingly to His word. The art of waiting is based on the relationship...

Questions: Are you being disciplined, pruned or scourged? Do you have fruit? If you have no fruit, you are being disciplined. If you have some fruit God wants you to have more fruit. Fruit leads to pruning which should lead to more fruit if you respond to pruning...

Causes of discouragement: Looking at yourself. Looking at your own goals. Looking at your hopes and dreams. Looking at your drive and desires. Discipline is about sin while pruning is about self. When Christians don’t understand the difference, they can get...

This promise is for you today. (Joshua 1:5-9, NKJV; Hebrews 13:5-6, NKJV) Enjoy all that God is doing. Whatever God calls you to do and wherever God calls you to go, you are going to prosper. (Joshua 1:7-8, NKJV) What you do on a day to day basis and in your private...

Dry up whatever is stopping you from going forward. (Joshua 13:1, NKJV) You are only old when God tells you that you’re old. The Lord can remove your problem. (Joshua 4:23, NKJV) The water of the Jordan is a type of impossible problem you might be facing. (Joshua...

The greatest need for everyone is relationships. (Mark 12:30-31, NKJV) Relationship with God. Relationship with your mate. Relationship with your kids. Relationship with friends/staff. When we get these out of order, we have disorder. The #1 most important need in...

There is great reward in serving the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58, NKJV) Service is an act of Love. Jesus came to serve. (Matthew 20:28, NKJV) When Jesus healed the sick, made the blind to see, fed 5,000 people, He served and showed His love. His death on the cross was...

Every Invitation, every opportunity, every relationship, and every major purpose. It costs you giving your time and energy. Leadership is influence and the greater the influences you have for Jesus the greater influence you will have for the church. God does not want...

Song of Songs 2:15, NKJV The longer you avoid the problem, the bigger the problem gets. Pain is part of the progress. Often, the difference between where you are and where God wants you to be is the pain you’re willing to endure. Remember the reason to confront the...

There is a big difference between feeling inadequate and feeling inferior. To feel inadequate means to feel the lack of necessary qualities. Inferiority - lower state of dignity, value or worth. Reasons why many people feel inferior. Consistent disapproval: some...

Feedback is ongoing, correction should not be. Feedback is to help each other grow. Correction is to change wrong behavior. Questions to ask when giving and receiving feedback: Am I doing this out of love? Do I have peace about it? (Colossians 3:14-15, NKJV) Do I want...

Transparency: (Philippians 1:10, WNT, TLB) The state or property of a body by which it suffers rays of light to pass through it, so that objects can be distinctly seen through it. When the clay is broken or cracked, what’s on the inside comes out. (Isaiah 64:8, NKJV)...

U – Understands people. To understand the mind of a person, look at what he has already achieved. To understand the heart of a person, look at what he or she has dreamed of becoming. 2 basic reasons why relationships fail: Fear – causes us to erect barriers....

An influencer has: I – Integrity with people. Once trust is betrayed, moving to the top of the ladder is out of the question. It is always easy to do right when you know ahead of time what you stand for. A crisis reveals the character. N – Nurtures people. Nurturing...

Learn to push through fears. (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV) Depend on the Spirit, Power, and Love of God by controlling your mind. Make the choice to obey in spite of how you feel. (Jeremiah 17:9-10, NKJV) As Christians, we have learned that we can’t make decisions based on...

Everybody has influence. What you do with the influence you currently have will determine whether or not your influence grows more. And you have far more influence than you realize. You influence people everyday through your smile, conversation, email, voting, etc. In...

Trust. (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV) The right trust brings confidence and security that brings about a boldness and refuge. Trust is earned over time. When we learn to trust over time, that trust results in loyalty. Time + Trust + Loyalty = Intimacy. God wired us to have...

Learn to know Jesus better and better. (2 Peter 1:2-8, TLB) This is the true way to have everything we need and live a truly good life. This is a result of what God does through His power and promises. Work hard to be good. (Genesis 2:9, NKJV; Genesis 2:17, NKJV)...

Trust. (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV) The right trust brings confidence and security which brings about boldness and refuge. Trust is earned over time. When you learn over time to trust, that trust results in loyalty. Time + trust + loyalty = intimacy. God wired us to have...

Choices we make. We make choices every day. Choices start before we open our eyes. It’s a choice to open our eyes. Life is made of choices. The kind of life we live is due to the choices we make. The clothes we wear are due to a choice. The food we eat is due to a...

Beware of the “fatal mistake.” If you fail, stumble or fall, get back up and try again. In our leadership practice, we all make mistakes, but the “fatal mistake” is when you give up quit trying. It’s tough to lead now, more than ever. It’s appropriate to acknowledge...

Learn to trust your leadership intuition and instincts at a deeper level. God has placed leadership intuition within you through the Holy Spirit. Learn to fully sense it, trust it, and act on it. Intuition and instinct have an important distinction. Intuition –...

Our purpose here on earth has alignment in heaven. Our purpose is very clear, to make disciples, which of course includes evangelism first. If we don’t first introduce someone to Christ and see that relationship begin, how can we disciple them? Our purpose as a...

In order to lead well, you must first be willing to follow. There is no leadership apart from followership. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) As Christians, our leadership starts with our ability...