Further into the chapter these 120 people explode into more than 3,000 members.  The bible describes to us how when the Holy Spirit falls in Acts 2:1-4, those visiting Jerusalem begin to wonder how these disciples of Jesus could speak so many languages as they were hearing their own language coming from them (Acts 2:5-13).

The bible says some were amazed and perplexed saying “what does this mean?”  While others began to mock them and declared them to be drunk (Acts 2:12-13).  But we read where Peter took his stand with the 11 and begins to speak concerning the situation and within only a few short minutes has captivated the crowds with his words.  The question is…How?  Remind you this same Peter only a few weeks earlier ran and denied even knowing Him but on this day (outpouring) he takes his stand with his God given ability (charisma) and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, Peter captures and motivates 3,000 people to follow Jesus Christ.

Most tend to think that charisma as something mystical, undefinable.  They think that it comes as birth or even not at all but that’s not true.  Charisma is the ability to draw people to you or your cause.  Some naturally posses more of it…like other character traits, however it can be learned and developed.  Here are a few things that made Peter so charismatic and were able to capture the attention of so many:

1. Confidence:  This same guy that ran and denied now stands with confidence as he begins to speak to a crowd that’s mocking what they see.
2. Conviction: He spoke from his heart.  He knew what he was saying and where he wanted to lead the people in his communication.
3. Connection:  His message was not about himself but on others.  He was connecting to the audience to the point the audience was asking “what must we do?”
4. Compassion:  He was drawn to the people he was connecting with.  They felt motivated and ready to act.

To attract others we need to build the following things in our life:

1. Love life:  Celebrate; enjoy the journey and put aside complaining.  Everyday is valuable and everyday is filled with purpose.
2. Put a “10” on everyone’s forehead:  Expect the best of people, value them and treat them well.
3. Find a way to give people hope:  Hope is the indispensable quality of life that we can’t live without.  Everybody needs it!
4. Give yourself away:  Stay vulnerable and authentic, share your heart, love, wisdom and resources.
5. Stay Passionate: When Peter stood up to preach no doubt they saw his passion.  His passion made up for his lack of natural gifts and education.  Passion draws passion!

Chuck Pelham

Sources;

John Maxwell, Thoughts on Leadership

Jack Hayford, Spirit Filled life bible

The Greek word for Charisma means “gift.” Everyone posses a degree of charisma. The role of leadership is to give it away to others; good charismatic people are others-centered. They always have the interest of others at heart. In these chapters we find King Ahab and Queen Jezebel who failed to demonstrate charisma for the good of the people. Here are a few things to ponder.

1. They set out to selfishly build their own kingdoms (1 Kings 22:8)
2. They used people in order to get ahead; anyone was expendable. (1 kings 19:2)
3. The worried about image and lived under false pretenses. (1 Kings 21:8-13)
4. They got angry when they didn’t get their way. (1 Kings 21:4)
5. They pretended to be someone they were not. (1 Kings 21:25-27)
6. They abused the authority they had been given, (1 Kings 21:18-19)

Instead of using and developing charisma to lead people effectively they allowed their position to control people and to use them. To build charisma, you have to have the good of others in mind. Leaders who think about others and their concerns before thinking of themselves develop charisma quickly.

How would you rate your own charisma? Are other people naturally attracted to you? Are you well liked? Listed are hindrances to charisma…see if you posses any of these?

1. Pride: Nobody wants to follow a leader who thinks they are better than anyone else…arrogant leaders lose the respect of others.
2. Insecurity: If you are uncomfortable with yourself, others will be, too. Only secure leaders can provide a secure atmosphere.
3. Moodiness: If people never know what to expect from you, they stop expecting anything. Eventually, they won’t even approach you.
4. Selfishness: People can tell if you are using them merely to reach your own goal. No healthy person stays for long in such an unhealthy environment.
5. Perfectionism: People respect the desire for excellence, but loathe unrealistic expectations. No one wants to feel the program is more important then they are.
6. Cynicism: People don’t want to be rained on by someone who sees a cloud around every silver lining. Negative leaders repulse healthy followers.

When our heart is for the good of others we lead, demonstrate and model healthy leadership which is attractive. I want to encourage you today to lead with charisma not control and provide for others the “gift” of leadership that rallies people to a cause that’s greater than any one person. Blessings

Chuck Pelham
Sources;
John Maxwell, Thoughts on Leadership
Jack Hayford, Spirit Filled life bible

The more a leader matures, the more value and commitment they have on people. At the end of the day when all is said and done, leadership in not about strategy, marketing, organization, efficiency, or high quality products, it’s about people. Micah shows us his love for people by demonstrating when they hurt he hurt…even though they were wrong. The value he placed on people teaches us the following…

a. People are the churches most appreciable asset.
b. People skills are a leader’s most important asset.
c. If you are good with people, you can lead in a variety of contexts.
d. You can have people skills and not be a good leader, but you cannot be a good leader without people skills.

Great leaders not only have a connection with people but they genuinely care about and value people.

Chuck Pelham

Sources;
John Maxwell, Thoughts on Leadership
Jack Hayford, Spirit Filled life bible

We find here in this portion of scripture that Jerusalem remembers all her pleasant things that she once possessed.  God had given His people so many possessions and for centuries they had enjoyed the conquest of the promise land.  But now here they are in our text and have lost everything because they had sinned gravely and had become vile.

Great Conquests must be supported by Great Character.  Whatever gains we make we can lose in a flash, unless we simultaneously develop character to support those gains.  We all have watched over the years many leaders fall morally…in the church and in secular society.  Mainly, because their charisma (gifts) exceeded their character (moral infrastructure)…their gift grew bigger than them.

It has been said, “nothing is so hard to gain, and so easy to lose, as a good reputation.”  In fact the bible teaches us in Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches…” fame and popularity is fleeting.  What is a lifetime and what we should give ourselves to is the constructing of our character.  Only then we keep the gains of conquest that God provides.

• Most people see the talents and gifts but equally important is the solid character and integrity.
• Most recognize the product but equally important is the process that develops along the way.
• Most recognize excellence in performance but equally important is the excellence in discipline.
• Most recognize external appearances but equally important is the internal stability and obedience.

Character is what happens daily not in a day.  It’s never enough to just enter the land and have conquest but its God will for us to occupy what we conquer. 

Chuck Pelham

Sources:

Maxwell J, Thoughts on Leadership

Hayford J. W., “Spirit Filled Life Bible”

All of Job’s friends had their theory about Job’s troubles, but he simply asked them to check his life out and to point out any place where he lacked integrity.  Job felt so certain of the blamelessness of his own heart that he invited his peers to scrutinized him.  This takes a strong leader with strong character and a strong sense of security to do this.

I like the way C. S. Lewis said about this kind of quality, he said it was “Leaders with Chests.”  Lewis likened the properly ordered soul to the human body; the head (reason) must rule the belly (sensual appetites) through the chest (character and spirit).

The CHEST is the indispensable liaison between REASON and the APPETITES.  I call it the INTEGRITY CHECK.  Without a strong “chest” people would succumb to excuses, relativism, and compromise, Lewis went on to say that people with no character or integrity are (people) “men without chests”.

Job was able to invite his peers to check him out because he possessed the following;

-          Strong Security: He was emotionally secure enough to take criticism.

-          Clear Conscience: He kept a clear and sensitive conscience regarding sin.

-          Pure Motives: He refused to entertain self-indulgent motives.

-          Solid Character: He was committed to doing the right thing at any cost.

I encourage us today to be men and women who can lead with Integrity!

Chuck Pelham

Sources:

John Maxwell, Thoughts on Leadership

C.S. Lewis, quote

“While they were going out a man, who was demon-possessed and could not talk, was brought to Jesus.” Matthew 9:32

How many of us can remember that years ago, actually before my time, that it was not uncommon to have your milk delivered to your home. Doctors made house calls. And when you made a call to a company to discuss a problem, you actually spoke to a human being. Those days of personal service are gone, and if we are not careful, we will follow the same trend in how we share the gospel.

So often we are encouraged to bring people to church and of course we should.  Yet, we see no examples of where Jesus brought people into the synagogue to get them saved or healed. The miracles happened more often in the workplace because that was where Jesus could be found. Jesus had less response and found more resistance in the synagogue than in the workplace. He took the gospel to and modeled the gospel in the workplace. That is where the power of God was manifested. This is not to say we should not bring people to church, only that our priority should be to bring the Church into the workplace, not bring the workplace into the church.

Paul understood this when he said, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power” (1 Corinthians 2:4).

Paul understood that it wasn’t words that impacted people; it was the power of God manifested through him.  When is the last time someone saw something happen through your life that could not be explained other than God working in your life? When you begin to see this happen, you will be modeling ministry as Jesus modeled it. You will be bringing the Church to the people, not the people to the church. I want to encourage you today to pray and ask God to make you a vessel of His power, not simply a vessel of words.  Allow God to use you were you are.  Your job is your pulpit…it’s the place where His power will be released to touch others.

Chuck Pelham

Sources

Hillman, Os, Faith & Works: Do They Mix?, Alpharetta, Georgia, Aslan Group Publishing 2000

Proverbs 6:6, 9-11

King Solomon had plenty to say about a slacker (sluggard) or the habitually lazy person.  He makes a strong contrast between what I call the slacker with the ant, who works diligently during the summer to gather enough food for the winter (Proverbs 20:4).  He goes on to say and to describe the slacker as one who refuses to work hard during the growing season and so has nothing at harvest time.

Living here in sunny South Florida, we are an agrarian society with farming as our main industry and this is our harvest season.  I was reminded that there would be no harvest to reap if the farmers weren’t faithful at working hard when everything was out of season.  It’s because of their diligence in the out of season time…that makes the harvest what it is.  So in essence they are constantly at work in season and out of season.

I believe as the people of God we should be motivated the same way…the slacker in a physical sense does nothing for the world around them; they leave it unchanged.  The slacker in a spiritual sense is not any different; they leave the world no better than they found it, and perhaps a little worse.

When leaders become lazy and lose their diligence in doing good for God, they become spiritual slackers and worthless to the kingdom.  As I was thinking and writing this I thought that those thoughts were a little harsh until I read how Jesus put it in Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, its quality), how can its saltiness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men.” (AMP)

The point being made is that there’s just NO ROOM FOR SLACKERS!  Wise leaders know their time is limited.  They know they have no way to retrieve misused or wasted time.  Jesus said in John 9:4 “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”

Leaders must remain diligent in doing good and in encouraging others to do likewise.  So I encourage you today…keep doing the good work while it is day and while we have a chance to make a difference…let’s get after it!  Blessings

Relationships

Proverbs 27:1-21

-          When people are Esteemed, Relationships are Redeemed.

o       Leaders understand that people represent to us our most appreciable assets.

o       No resource is more valuable than PEOPLE.  Therefore, people skills represent a leader’s most important attribute.

-          This text presents some fundamentals on relationships.

o       It teaches that if people are esteemed, relationships are redeemed.

o       Notice these key principles from this chapter.

1. Don’t brag (v.1-2) Leaders know and understand how little they get from self-promotion.
2. Don’t envy (v.4) Leaders sabotage themselves if their motive is to keep up with others.
3. Be forthright (v.5-6) Leaders don’t fear confrontation, but speak the truth in love.
4. Don’t forsake your roots (v.8) Leaders understand the power of relational heritage.
5. Stay focus (v.9-10) Leaders work at maintaining relationships and meeting needs.
6. Add value (v.17) Leaders sharpen those with whom they come in conflict.
7. Don’t be moved by flattery (v.21) Leaders stay humble or you will stumble.

The following is a list of questions that we must all be asking ourselves.

1. Have you ever broken a bad habit?  To lead others, you must master your appetites.
2. Do you keep self-control when things go wrong?  The leader who loses control under adversity forfeits respect and influence.  A leader must be calm in crisis and resilient in disappointment.
3. Do you think and act independently?  A leader must use the best ideas of others to make decisions.  Then make up his or her mind and not be indecisive.
4. Can you handle criticism?  Can you profit from it?  The humble person can learn from petty criticism, even malicious criticism.
5. Can you turn disappointment into creative new opportunity?
6. Do you readily gain the cooperation of others and win their respect and confidence?
7. Can you exert discipline without making a power play?  True leadership is an internal quality of the spirit and needs no show of external force.
8. Are you a peacemaker?  A leader must be able to reconcile with opponents and make peace where arguments have created hostility.
9. Do people trust you with difficult and delicate situations?
10. Can you induce people to do happily some legitimate thing that they would not normally wish to do?
11. Can you accept opposition to your viewpoint or decision without taking offense?  Leaders always face opposition.
12. Can you make and keep friends?  Your circle of loyal friends is an index of your leadership potential.
13. Do you depend on the praise of others to keep you going?  Can you hold steady in the face of disapproval and even temporary loss of confidence?
14. Are you at ease in the presence of strangers?  Do you get nervous in the presence of your superior?
15. Are the people who repost to you generally at ease?  A leader should be sympathetic and friendly.
16. Are you interested in people?  All types?  All races? No prejudice?
17. Are you tactful?  Can you anticipate how your words will affect a person?
18. Is your will strong and steady?  Leaders cannot vacillate or cannot drift with the wind.
19. Can you forgive?  Or do you nurse resentments and harbor ill-feelings toward those who have injured you?
20. Are you reasonably optimistic?  Pessimism and leadership do not mix.
21. Do you feel the master passion like Paul, who said, “This one thing I do!”  This kind of singleness of motive will focus your energies and powers on the desired objective.  Leaders need a strong focus.
22. Do you welcome responsibility?

-          How we handle relationships tells a lot about our potential for leadership.

o   Do other people’s failures annoy or challenge you?

o   Do you use people, or cultivate people?

o   Do you direct people, or develop people?

o   Do you criticize or champion (encourage) people?

o   Do you shun or seek out others with a special need or problem?

These tests mean little unless we act to correct our deficits and fill in the gaps with training and discipline.  Perhaps the final test of Leadership Potential is whether you “sit” on the results of such an analysis or do something about it.  I want to encourage you to look at the points of weakness and failure you are aware of and, in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of discipline, concentrate on strengthening those areas of weakness and correcting faults.  Become the LEADER that you are!!

As leaders we need to be held accountable.  Therefore we need to invite others in our life to ask us tough questions.  Let the questions be an “alarm” to us to keep us on track.

1. Is my personal walk with God up to date?
2. Am I keeping my priorities straight?
3. Am I asking myself the hard questions?
4. Am I accountable to someone in authority?
5. Am I sensitive to what God is saying to the whole body of Christ?
6. Am I over-concerned with building my image?
7. Do I put more stock in “events” rather than “process”?
8. Am I a loner in my leadership and personal life?
9. Am I aware and honest about my weaknesses?
10. Is my calling constantly before me?