Dr. Vincent Valentyn talks about life, the church, the kingdom of God, and leadership.

What is a kingdom man?

A kingdom man places himself under God's rulership and submits his life to the lordship of Jesus Christ. He also understands the important role his wife plays in his success.

God told the Israelites, that three times a year all of their males were to appear together before Him to receive instructions from Him.

Yet when God told them to appear, He specifically called them out before the “Lord God, the God of Israel.”

He called them to submit themselves to His complete authority.

If the men submitted, they were told that they, and those connected to them, would receive God’s covering, protection and provision. But they would receive this only if they positioned themselves under His absolute rule. So essential was this element of rulership that God used three of His names as a reminder.

The Israelites were told to appear before: In using three different names for himself, God emphasized His supreme authority over the men of the nation and their accountability to Him.

The same principle of God’s rulership that applied to the Israelites is no different from God’s rulership today.

He is God — Lord God, God of Israel, master, supreme God, ruler and judge. 

A kingdom man, therefore, is one who places himself under God’s rulership and submits his life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 

A kingdom man is a man who rules according to God’s rule.

Keep in mind, that to rule something does not refer to domination or illegitimate control.

Mankind’s misuse of the term rule through dictatorships and abusive relationships has distorted the legitimate call on man to rule under God’s sovereign rule and according to His principles.

Anyone who takes God’s command to seek the Kingdom seriously should most decidedly be interested in this topic.

Why should we be interested?

Because men were never intended to pursue dominion apart from having the assistance of a wife.

1.     So, for the married man, it is profitable for you to understand what your wife can and should be doing.

2.    For the unmarried men listening, you should be keenly interested in the Scriptural demands for being a wife and mother to pursue a qualified candidate and make a righteous selection.

3.    For unmarried women, becoming well versed in applying God’s Word will make you better able to step into a godly and fulfilling marriage to a man you can honestly submit to.

So, I want to assure you that this message is for all of us, not just for the mothers.

Elder William Olivier

The Seats of Judgement

The New Testament reveals 3 main, successive scenes upon which eternal judgment will be carried out.

Each of these is marked by the type of seat that the Judge sits upon to execute judgment:

1. the judgment seat of Christ

2. the throne of Christ's glory

3. the great white throne.

Different groups of people are judged at each seat of judgment.

Elder William Olivier

There are two aspects of Eternal Judgment:

1. General revelation of God as judge of all, and

2. The main principles which administrate God's judgment.

Hebrews 12:22-24 But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (23) To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (24) And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Three main parts to these scriptures:

A) Description of God's dwelling place

1. Mount Zion

2. city of the living God

3. the heavenly Jerusalem

B) Listing of those who dwell there with God

1. innumerable company of Angels

a) Angels who kept their first estate

2. general assembly and Church of the first-born

a) new testament saints

3. spirits of just men made perfect

a) saints of previous ages

C) Presentation of God Himself

1. God, the Judge of all

2. Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant

3. the Blood of sprinkling

These scriptures reveal GOD THE JUDGE

which leads us to JESUS THE MEDIATOR

which leads us to THE BLOOD--the means and price of reconciliation.

The resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment are bound together by the logic of the scriptures. Eternal judgment always follows the resurrection of the dead. Resurrection always precedes eternal judgment.

Hebrews 9:27 (ASV) And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment;

To properly address these we need to look first at two areas:

Time and Eternity

· Eternity is not endless time, although that is the way that we tend to think of it.

· Eternity is the nature and mode of God's own being

· It’s the uncreated realm in which God Himself exists.

WHEN DID GOD CREATE TIME?

· Time was created by God as part of the creation of the world.

· Before the fall of Lucifer, everything in creation functioned by the principle of eternity.

· Today we refer to this dimension as the space-time continuum.

· Times and seasons are a direct result of the motion of time.

· While we live our lives by the clock, there comes a point in our life that time shall be no more.

· At our physical death, we step out of time and into eternity.

· When our life ends on earth, time stops for us.

In some churches, this whole concept is ignored while in others it suffers abuse and excess.

We need to  understand and apply this “elementary principle” in a biblical manner. We need to know who, when and how to lay hands and understand the grace given us so that we do not refrain from exercising our faith, nor act presumptuously.

You would have noticed by now that we do not lay hands in a slothful manner in our spiritual family. I hope you will gain an understanding of why we function in this manner.

· In Scripture, hands are generally symbolic of action and ability Exo.15:17

· The right hand is particularly significant of power and authority Exo.15:6

The laying on of hands signifies one of three things:

1. transmitting blessing or authority,

2. public acknowledgement of blessing or authority already received by the one receiving the laying on  of hands, or,

3. publicly commit the one on whom hands are laid to God for some special task or ministry.

Apostle Bo Salisbury

Apostle Israel Onoriobe

Teaching by Apostle Israel Onoriobe 

In the previous session I taught on the evangelical perspectives on water baptism, in this session we deal with the apostolic perspectives of water baptism.

a) Man's basic problem

(1) Man's basic problem is not primarily his acts of sin, but the fact that by nature he is a sinner

(2) He is not a sinner because he sins, but rather he sins because he is a sinner. That is his nature(Psa.51:1-6)

(3) His nature is sinful, that is what he inherited from his parents (Rom.5:12)

Romans 5:12 (KJV) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

(4) Iniquity is his nature and the natural product or fruit of it (Psa.51:2,5; 32:2; Rom.5:)

Psalm 51:2 & 5 (KJV) Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

In the last session we examined the second aspect of the foundation of Christ mentioned in Hebrews 6:1-3 which is “faith toward God”. In this session will continue our study with the third foundational stone “the doctrine of baptisms.

In our foundation text, the Greek word for “baptisms” is plural, implying that there is more than one baptism. I will take the time in the future to explain the meaning of Eph. 4:4-6 where the scripture states that there is but one baptism.

SEVEN TYPES OF BAPTISM

In our foundational text, the Greek word for “baptisms” is plural, implying that there is more than one baptism.

There are seven types of baptism mentioned in the New Testament. Each of those mentioned has different meanings.

1. The Baptism of John

2. Water Baptism (baptism into the Name)

3. Baptism in the Holy Spirit

4 Baptism with Fire

5. Baptism into the Body of Christ

6 Baptism into his death

7. The Baptism of Suffering

There are more disastrous things happening around the world simultaneously right now than I can ever remember in my lifetime.

There is refining and shaking that is taking place both in the world and in the church, the dross is being brought to the surface, that which has been hidden is being exposed.

Amid all this chaos, we have an UNSHAKABLE HOPE AND A ROCK upon which to stand, Jesus Christ the Lord.

1 Corinthians 10:4 “…for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.”

This just may be our finest hour, just maybe this new age could be the age during which His Glory fills the whole earth.

Listen to the words of Jesus recorded in John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus is inviting us to come to the place of rest that He prepared for us.

That place of rest is in His finished work at Calvary that poised us for life and victory in this world.

Hebrews 6:1-3 (NKJV) Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.

DOCTRINE OF CHRIST

1. Repentance from dead works,

2. Faith towards God,

3. The doctrine of baptisms,

4. The laying on of hands,

5. The resurrection of the dead,

6. And eternal judgment.

Contextually the Hebrew writer desired to proceed to the exposition of the doctrine of Christ's priesthood, but he takes a "short detour" explaining to them that Christian maturity is not to be attained by going back to subjects that belong to the ABC's of the Faith.

He was doing his utmost to shift the focus and faith of his audience from the rudimentary principles of Judaism.

However, what does it look like for us in the 21st century, we didn't practice the Jewish faith before we put our faith in Christ.

Many of us came into the house of God as a result of incorrect or incomplete gospels, such as the gospel of salvation.

Most of us came into the Christian faith without anyone laying foundations within us concerning Christ, making us vulnerable and susceptible to deception and half-truths.

For many of us, foundations have to be laid for the first time, we are living in a house built on shifting sand.

Many people claim to be Christian, but there is a significant difference between being a fan of Jesus and a follower of Jesus.

· Just like in sports, many have their preferred team that they support along with all the regalia, however, they are not involved in the physical aspect of the game, they are just fans.

· Christianity is not a spectator sport, it requires participation in all that Christ represents and demands to be successful.

· To be a follower of Jesus, you must deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow him.

Listen to the words of Jesus, the head of the Christ recorded in Mark 8:34 (ASV) And he called unto him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto them, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

Jesus was primarily addressing the multitude, explaining to them how to become His disciple.

Spiritual maturity is achieved through becoming more like Jesus Christ.

According to the apostle Paul, it’s an ongoing process that will never end in this life.

Philippians 3:12-14 (ASV) Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. 13  Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, 14  I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

· I believe Paul is speaking amongst other things of the full representation of Christ that we are called to in the world.

· Like Paul, we have to press continually toward a deeper knowledge of God in Christ.

· Christian maturity requires a radical reordering of one’s priorities, shifting from pleasing self to pleasing God, and learning to obey God.

· The key to spiritual maturity is consistency, perseverance in doing those things we know will bring us into a deeper walk with God.

· These practices are referred to as the spiritual disciplines and include things such as Bible reading/study/meditation, prayer, fellowship with God and the brethren, service in various spheres of life, and stewardship of time, energy and money.

In our study thus far we have seen the concern of the author of "The Book Of Hebrews" on two specific aspects. 

a. That the Jewish Christians remain steadfast in their faith. 

b. That they do not make the same mistake of departing from the living God, as did many of their ancestors 

His "MODUS OPERANDI" has been two-fold. 

a. Illustrate the superiority of Jesus (e.g., to prophets, to angels, and Moses) 

b. Exhort them to faithfulness. 

In the previous two exhortations we have seen thus far, to remain faithful we must... 

a. He 2:1-4 "...give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard" 

b. He 3:12-14 "...exhort one another daily..." 

To put it another way, to remain faithful we must be diligent... 

a. In our study of the Word of God

b. In exhorting one another daily 

Today we come to another necessary aspect of our walk with God recorded in the passage read earlier in Heb 4:14-16. 

The main thought in this passage is that we should "come boldly to the throne of grace" 

WE WILL SET OUT TO ANSWER TWO VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS: 

1. But what does that mean to come boldly to the throne of grace? 

2. And why should we be diligent to do this?

In chapter three of Hebrews we saw...

a. A comparison of Christ to Moses

b. How the comparison led to a warning based upon the example of Israel in the wilderness

The Appeal to the example of Israel's fall in the wilderness is a critical one...

a. For despite Moses' leadership, most died in the wilderness and did not enter the promised land for lack of faith

b. Now under Christ's leadership, we face a similar danger of falling short of our "promise" through a lack of faith - He 3:14-15; 4:1

Chapter four continues the warning with a focus on the promised "rest" which awaits the faithful Christian...

a. This promised "rest" is one of several "rests" found in the Scriptures

b. It is a "rest" that Moses and Joshua did not provide, which is just another reason why the Hebrew Christian should not forsake Jesus and return to Judaism

c. It is "The Rest That Remains" for the people of God today!

Today, we shall address two questions...

a. What is "The Rest That Remains"?

b. What essential elements are necessary to enter "The Rest That Remains"?

Heb. 1:1-3 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.  When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high

Introduction:

1. In our introduction last week, we saw how "The Epistle To The Hebrews" is unique in its construct, authorship and intend.

a. Firstly, there is no mention of the author's name, nor the recipients

b. Rather, it starts like an "essay" (first 3 verses in chapter 1)

2. We also noted that the purpose of the epistle is:

a. To encourage Jewish Christians to remain steadfast in their faith

b. To demonstrate the superiority and supremacy of Christ and the New Covenant over that of the old.

3. That superiority is demonstrated through several contrasts...

a. The very first contrast begins in these first 3 verses in which Jesus is contrasted with the prophets of the Old Testament

Followers of Christ have suffered persecution throughout history. Stolen property, beatings, imprisonment and martyrdom have been the fate of countless Christians. And by some reports, Christ's followers are being persecuted more than ever in our day.

For those of us who aren't suffering in these ways, it's hard to imagine the temptations that persecution brings. Christians who live in peace and safety often compromise their faith even without threats.

But can you imagine how tempting it would be to compromise what you believe to protect yourself, your spouse, your children and your closest friends from serious harm?

· How could we possibly encourage fellow believers in these conditions?

· This was the challenge that faced the author of the book of Hebrews. He wrote to a group of Christians who had suffered in the past and were now threatened with even more suffering.

· They'd done well years ago, but the author of Hebrews feared that they might now turn away from Christ to avoid further persecution.

1. Prophecy is an important gift for the Body of Christ and must not be despised, disregarded or neglected, but heeded.

2. Prophecy needs to be weighed, judged, prayed through and tested because many false prophets, and deceiving, lying spirits are in the world, trying to deceive the righteous.

3. A prophecy can be from God, of the flesh or from the evil one, or a combination, as some people can start in the Spirit, but wander into the flesh as they prophesy beyond their faith.

4. By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be confirmed / established.

5. Prophecy is often conditional and we have to fulfil our obligations to our covenant keeping God.

1. Prophecy is an important gift for the Body of Christ and must not be despised, disregarded or neglected, but heeded.

2. Prophecy needs to be weighed, judged, prayed through and tested because many false prophets, and deceiving, lying spirits are in the world, trying to deceive the righteous.

3. A prophecy can be from God, of the flesh or from the evil one, or a combination, as some people can start in the Spirit, but wander into the flesh as they prophesy beyond their faith.

4. By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be confirmed / established.

5. Prophecy is often conditional and we have to fulfil our obligations to our covenant keeping God.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE DOUBLE-MINDED (James 1:8; 4:8)

Answer: The term double-minded comes from the Greek word DIPSUCHOS, meaning “a person with two minds or two souls.”

It’s interesting that this word appears only in the book of James (James 1:8; 4:8).

Bible scholars conclude that James might have coined this word.

To grasp the full meaning of this word, it is best to understand how it is used within its context.

James writes of the doubting person that he is: “like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does” (James 1:6–8).

A double-minded person is a doubter.

Jesus had in mind such a person when He spoke of the one who tries to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).

As such, he is “unstable,”which comes from a Greek word meaning “unsteady, wavering, in both his character and feelings.”

Adversity visits us all from time to time - and in many different ways.

It can come disguised as sickness, disease, financial calamity, marriage or family trouble, hardship from personal attacks, the pain of rejection, or even difficulty in the workplace, or the loss of a job.

Adversity is no respecter of persons, all of us will face it at one time or another.

1. The important question is; when it happens, how will you respond to it?

2. Your response will reveal your maturity on many different levels.

The book of James is the New Testament book of Wisdom and is traditionally classified with Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. 

· The message of Christianity, like that of every other religion, is that men are saved by good works.

· But the unique message of the Christian faith alone is that salvation comes by the works of the Lord Jesus Christ, not by sinners’ works.

· That is our faith: it is focused on the good works of the Lord Jesus alone.

Then what is James saying in this section of his letter?

1] Firstly, he is stating what the whole New Testament affirms, that every Christian saved through faith in the Son of God has this calling, to do good works.

2] Secondly, it must be said that James is putting A DIFFERENT BUT PROPER EMPHASIS on words that Paul and Peter also use.

I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THREE OF THESE WORDS, 1)‘faith,’ 2‘justification’ and 3) ‘works’.

In the doctrines of Christ, divine healing falls under the branch of theology called soteriology. (the study of salvation)

The term comes from the Greek soterion, “salvation,” and is also related to soter, “savior.” ...

In Christianity, soteriology is inextricably linked with Christology, for both fields centralize the significance of Christ as Lord and Savior.

Biblical entrepreneurs must know who they are (identity) and why (purpose) they are creating their organization. The creation of your enterprise should be the byproduct of the purpose and destiny God the Father placed inside of you. Purpose is the reason and why something or someone is created. Fulfillment of your God-given purpose must be the main focus of your life. Discovering the reason for your birth will unlock the door to manifesting your potential.

Once you understand the reason for your birth you will find a direction for your life that will please God. The question that is frequently asked is, "How do I discover my purpose?". What most individuals fail to understand is that purpose is not a single objective or outcome, it is a multifaceted calling upon a multifaceted creation. Don’t look for a simplistic one-dimensional answer, look within the weaving of the fabric of your life, God has been speaking with you throughout your lifespan, you may not have been aware of it, or paid any specific attention.

Biblical entrepreneurs must know who they are (identity) and why (purpose) they are creating their organization. The creation of your enterprise should be the byproduct of the purpose and destiny God the Father placed inside of you. Purpose is the reason and why something or someone is created. Fulfillment of your God-given purpose must be the main focus of your life. Discovering the reason for your birth will unlock the door to manifesting your potential.

Once you understand the reason for your birth you will find a direction for your life that will please God. The question that is frequently asked is, "How do I discover my purpose?". What most individuals fail to understand is that purpose is not a single objective or outcome, it is a multifaceted calling upon a multifaceted creation. Don’t look for a simplistic one-dimensional answer, look within the weaving of the fabric of your life, God has been speaking with you throughout your lifespan, you may not have been aware of it, or paid any specific attention.

“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” (Proverbs 6:6-8) 5

You probably have heard it said, “Those that fail to plan, plan to fail.”

Standout leaders think things through and plan things well.

“Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference has never tried to fall asleep with a mosquito in the room.” - Christine Todd Whitman, 50th Governor of New Jersey

What would it be like to make a difference with your life?

Is it possible?

How would you get started?

Stand out leaders know how.

Albert Einstein made a valid point. He said, “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”

Standout leaders do not get trapped in the definition of success but focus on making a difference with their life by adding value to others.

Adding value to others is the way to wealth building, personal success, and fulfillment. This means that actual stand out leadership begins when you know-that-you-know that you can make a difference in this world.

Let’s face it, before you can lead others, you must be able to lead yourself. Leading yourself requires a different spirit.

In the Bible when David heard the challenging words of the giant Goliath he asked, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that would challenge the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26). David had already fought the lion and bear and in his mind this fight would have the same outcome – God would prevail in his life with a victory. David’s young age did not matter because stand out leadership can be demonstrated at any age because leadership is revealed through action.

It can be small or large, making a decision, taking action, helping in some way, problem-solving, presenting an idea, or just simply taking that first step. David was not like everyone else. He knew he had to take action. He knew he could make a difference with his life and his willingness to battle Goliath added value to those around him. It is David’s courage that we admire, but let’s not lose focus on the value his courage added to the others gathered on the battlefield.

Standout leaders may not know where every step will take them but they are not afraid of taking that first step. They know that a simple action, even in the face of scary giants, can change everything. Standout leadership is about what you do, not about charisma, position, birthright, bank account, education, power, or authority.

Since the best leaders know they can make a difference with their lives they take personal responsibility for taking action. These positive actions and the value they add are what others see and admire in the leaders they follow.

“This is the key to time management - to see the value of every moment.” – Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson

Standout leaders are masters in time management.  Perhaps you have heard this, “If you want something done give it to someone that is busy.”  Usually, busy people are good at time management. When I say busy, I am not talking about a busybody. I am talking about the ability to get things done promptly.

I am old school when it comes to time management. Getting up early in the morning around 6 am works great for me. During this time, I make sure to get something important done.  By noon, I’ve accomplished more than most who work all day. This is because a person’s most productive time is before lunch. After that productivity falls off fast.

I spend my afternoons making sure I have everything needed for tomorrow’s work.

This takes little time because I focus on producing results and things that produce value rather than busyness.

Standout leaders are time-sensitive. They know there is a time to every purpose under the heaven. Average people are not concerned with time but standout leaders are. They master the ability to use time wisely by never putting off for later what needs to be done right now. Time management and fruitful productivity are covenant partners. Where you find one, you find the other.

Today, technology empowers people to be more effective with their time.

We have lightning-fast computers, smartphones, tablets, and email. These are all tools that masters of time use to get things done.

Scripture declares, “How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.” (Proverbs 6:9-11)

“It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action and discipline that enabled us to follow through.” - Zig Ziglar, Author and Motivational Speaker

Developing great stand out leadership habits requires following a commitment to goal completion.

Goal achievement sounds simple yet many drop the ball in this area because they do not follow through.

Ignoring follow-through will cost you that promotion every time. Count on it!

Remember, those in your organization that have the ability to advance you up

the ranks are watching for certain habits that you bring to the company.

One of them is the habit of following through on assignments given to you.

Advancing in your field necessitates following up, following through, and reporting back.

Let’s look at some follow-up, follow-through, and reporting back definitions to help understand how important this is.

• Following up is staying on top of your assignment by checking on its progress.

• Following through means evaluating and making changes as necessary to bring the assignment to completion.

• Reporting back means keeping superiors (or customers) advised of your progress.

Standout leaders give attention to their assignments, customers, and managers.

When following up, one may discover that further action is required to complete a task or the need to problem solve delays.

Leaders know that timely progress reports make for skillful communication.

They know that reporting back to customers and managers is necessary to keep them posted on progress.

This gives a measure of assurance that you are a competent leader, are on top of your game, and will help you stand out because the mediocre seldom follow up and follow through.

For business owners, there is little worse than giving an assignment to someone that doesn’t make sure the job is getting done.

Standout leaders stay on top of their assignments until finished and keep the right people informed all along the way.

“Leaders are problem solvers by talent and temperament by choice.” — Harlan Cleveland, US Ambassador to NATO

One of the fastest ways to get noticed as a stand out leader is having the ability to solve problems.

Those that solve problems are the most valuable within any organization.

Solving problems adds value.

Those that have the capacity to solve problems make the big bucks.

If you are not solving problems, you are not in leadership.

Leaders in every field are looking for problem solvers.

In every domain, there is only a handful that is solution-minded, and they stand out the most from their peers.

Stand out leaders know this, things do not improve by themselves and faith alone won’t get the job done.

This is where problem-solving comes in.

Faith for me means faith in God.

For others, faith might mean something else.

Regardless of the definition, faith must be coupled with action and the right action requires good problem-solving skills.

Problem-solving is a keystone stand out leadership habit.

“To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; credible we must be truthful.” — Edward R. Murrow, CBS Television Journalist

Stand out leaders have credibility indicators that attract positive attention to themselves.

The first thing you need to do to get noticed at your workplace is by working on your credibility.

 Credibility is the proof of your worthiness to lead others.

 Credible leaders are faithful, trustworthy, persevering, and believable.

To build credibility, a leader must have an active track record of success.

This takes time and sometimes even years of service in a particular enterprise.

You can build credibility more quickly by establishing certain key credibility indicators such as faithfulness.

 The faithful leader can lead others to success.

 This is what sets you apart from others and gets you noticed.

 Faithfulness means to be steadfast, rock-solid, and committed to achieving results.

One of the most profound credibility indicators is a determined persistence.

British pastor and author Charles Spurgeon pointed out, “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.”

This means that a track record of achievement through perseverance measures your credibility.

America is caught between two rival faiths – Christianity and Humanism.

· Christianity teaches that God is sovereign over all of His creation.

· Humanism teaches that man is sovereign over all that has evolved up to this moment in time.

The winning faith will determine the future of America and whether or not your grandchildren will live in a society that is free or oppressed.

President Ronald Reagan said: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same

When it comes to the matter of leadership within the local church, there are those who would have us believe that there is no New Testament pattern for the organization and administration of the church.

A while back, I spoke with a Pastor who stated categorically: “No particular structure of church life is divinely ordained.” He unambiguously stated “Any form … which the Holy Spirit can inhabit and to which He may impart the life of Christ, must be accepted as valid for the church. He followed through with this statement: As all forms of life adapt themselves to their environment, so does the life of Christ by His Spirit in the church.”

There is a major error in his thinking, and I suspect in many of ours as well, in that he does not understand that the New Testament form of organization for the local church is based upon New Testament principles. It is that fundamental principle that provides for us the standard by which all organization and leadership in the local church must be measured which I would like to investigate in this message.

When it comes to the matter of leadership within the local church, there are those who would have us believe that there is no New Testament pattern for the organization and administration of the church.

A while back, I spoke with a Pastor who stated categorically: “No particular structure of church life is divinely ordained.” He unambiguously stated “Any form … which the Holy Spirit can inhabit and to which He may impart the life of Christ, must be accepted as valid for the church. He followed through with this statement: As all forms of life adapt themselves to their environment, so does the life of Christ by His Spirit in the church.”

There is a major error in his thinking, and I suspect in many of ours as well, in that he does not understand that the New Testament form of organization for the local church is based upon New Testament principles. It is that fundamental principle that provides for us the standard by which all organization and leadership in the local church must be measured which I would like to investigate in this message.

When it comes to the matter of leadership within the local church, there are those who would have us believe that there is no New Testament pattern for the organization and administration of the church.

A while back, I spoke with a Pastor who stated categorically: “No particular structure of church life is divinely ordained.” He unambiguously stated “Any form … which the Holy Spirit can inhabit and to which He may impart the life of Christ, must be accepted as valid for the church. He followed through with this statement: As all forms of life adapt themselves to their environment, so does the life of Christ by His Spirit in the church.”

There is a major error in his thinking, and I suspect in many of ours as well, in that he does not understand that the New Testament form of organization for the local church is based upon New Testament principles. It is that fundamental principle that provides for us the standard by which all organization and leadership in the local church must be measured which I would like to investigate in this message.

When it comes to the matter of leadership within the local church, there are those who would have us believe that there is no New Testament pattern for the organization and administration of the church.

A while back, I spoke with a Pastor who stated categorically: “No particular structure of church life is divinely ordained.” He unambiguously stated “Any form … which the Holy Spirit can inhabit and to which He may impart the life of Christ, must be accepted as valid for the church. He followed through with this statement: As all forms of life adapt themselves to their environment, so does the life of Christ by His Spirit in the church.”

There is a major error in his thinking, and I suspect in many of ours as well, in that he does not understand that the New Testament form of organization for the local church is based upon New Testament principles. It is that fundamental principle that provides for us the standard by which all organization and leadership in the local church must be measured which I would like to investigate in this message.

Currently, the overarching fear being injected into the news media, public policy, and social media, play into our fear of the unknown.

This reminds me of the opening words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's inaugural address; “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is...fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance..” Ironically these words were at the height of the Great Depression.

How do we ‘convert retreat into advance’?

I want to borrow wisdom from one of the greatest leaders who ever lived, who was able to transform millions of people into the most respected and admired civilization on earth. A leader who introduced wisdom that stood the test of time, and does not require any change or calibration 3500 years later. The leader I am referring to, is none other than Moses, Israel’s great deliverer.

Hidden deep within the Torah, is a blueprint for overcoming negative fear-based reactions. It's based on the well-known story of Moses and the splitting of the sea. This blueprint for defeating fear is found in the text of the Torah and in the additional stories and teachings about events mentioned in the Torah, known as Midrash.

The Midrashim were handed down orally from gener­ation to generation, and only written down many centuries later. Typ­ically, a midrash is a sophisticated commentary that sheds light on one of the deeper issues raised by a passage from the Torah. In this case, the Midrash takes the form of a story about the argument among the newly emancipated Is­raelites as they stood before the Sea of Reeds (Red Sea). They were caught between the ensuing Egyptian soldiers and the deep waters ahead of them.  As you can imagine, they were very afraid (Exodus 14).

Fear, in fact, drove them towards recommending four modes of action that would have been disastrous, 1) self-sabotage, 2) fight, 3) retreat, and 4) learned helplessness.

The problems of racism are not an exclusively American problem, it’s a global phenomenon that flares up in different places at different times; it stretches from Los Angeles to Tokyo and beyond.

Racism is a human problem, born out of skewed perceptions.

THE QUESTION HOWEVER IS, how did we get to this place in history, a place where citizens grossly mistrust their political leaders and civil servants, especially the police?

WHAT CAUSED THIS SEISMIC SHIFT in how we determine truth and create culture?

What is protocol? Webster's dictionary defines it in part as "a code of ceremonial forms and courtesies of precedence accepted as proper and correct in official dealings, as between heads of state and diplomatic officials."

This is the definition upon which we will concentrate. Why is this area important? We need to know the limits God has set. Those who do not learn the protocol concerning spiritual matters will always be moving beyond their measure, stepping beyond the boundaries that God has ordained and moving beyond the areas that the Holy Spirit has given them to move in.

As we learn the protocol of the spiritual realm, we will begin to know how to operate without transgressing or moving beyond the area or the measure of the rule that God has given us. If we are to function properly in the Spirit, we must be aware of the ways in which God desires that we move.

What is protocol? Webster's dictionary defines it in part as "a code of ceremonial forms and courtesies of precedence accepted as proper and correct in official dealings, as between heads of state and diplomatic officials."

This is the definition upon which we will concentrate. Why is this area important? We need to know the limits God has set. Those who do not learn the protocol concerning spiritual matters will always be moving beyond their measure, stepping beyond the boundaries that God has ordained and moving beyond the areas that the Holy Spirit has given them to move in.

As we learn the protocol of the spiritual realm, we will begin to know how to operate without transgressing or moving beyond the area or the measure of the rule that God has given us. If we are to function properly in the Spirit, we must be aware of the ways in which God desires that we move.

What is protocol? Webster's dictionary defines it in part as "a code of ceremonial forms and courtesies of precedence accepted as proper and correct in official dealings, as between heads of state and diplomatic officials." 

This is the definition upon which we will concentrate. Why is this area important? We need to know the limits God has set. Those who do not learn the protocol concerning spiritual matters will always be moving beyond their measure, stepping beyond the boundaries that God has ordained and moving beyond the areas that the Holy Spirit has given them to move in. 

As we learn the protocol of the spiritual realm, we will begin to know how to operate without transgressing or moving beyond the area or the measure of the rule that God has given us. If we are to function properly in the Spirit, we must be aware of the ways in which God desires that we move.