JCISONLINE

There are times in my life where God is just speaking through me regardless of the brevity of the situation. I really believe that God has given me Psalm 77 in my heart to tell people over the last few weeks. It’s today’s reading for YouVersion, which is a sick reader program for the Word that you need to check out in case you’ve been under a rock.

But so many times in our lives we think the next obstacle is too big. We are wondering how God is going to get us through it. God was faithful, is faithful, and will be faithful. But I think everyone would agree that sometimes our heart is like this:

v.2 “In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;
In the night my hand was stretched out without weariness;
My soul refused to be comforted.”

And yet our God is faithful…

and we think to ourselves:

7 Will the Lord reject forever?
And will He never be favorable again?

8 Has His lovingkindness ceased forever?
Has His promise come to an end forever?

9 Has God forgotten to be gracious,
Or has He in anger withdrawn His compassion? Selah

And yet He is faithful…

My word for you guys out there is this. God is faithful. Remember where God has taken you before. I know that in my life and the people’s lives around me this is really hitting us hard. But our God is faithful:

11 I shall remember the deeds of the Lord ;
Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.

12 I will meditate on all Your work
And muse on Your deeds.

13 Your way, O God, is holy;
What god is great like our God?

14 You are the God who works wonders;
You have made known Your strength among the peoples.

15 You have by Your power redeemed Your people,
The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

16 The waters saw You, O God;
The waters saw You, they were in anguish;
The deeps also trembled.

17 The clouds poured out water;
The skies gave forth a sound;
Your arrows flashed here and there.

18 The sound of Your thunder was in the whirlwind;
The lightnings lit up the world;
The earth trembled and shook.

19 Your way was in the sea
And Your paths in the mighty waters,
And Your footprints may not be known.

20 You led Your people like a flock
By the hand of Moses and Aaron.

I have been reading a book called Practicing Greatness by Reggie McNeal and it is an incredible book. I am urging, pleading, begging, and any other word that might convince you, to go to your bookstore immediately and pick up this book.

It is a book that talks about the 7 disciplines of Extraordinary Spiritual Leaders. The one that is really hitting home with me right now is the discipline of Self-Management. It’s defined as this:

The discipline of self-management—handling difficult emotions, expectations, temptations, mental vibrancy, and physical well-being.

As a spiritual leader you must be able to manage yourself. Far and above managing others you have to be able to effectively manage yourself. And it comes through in all parts of your life. It’s why I spent time today cleaning my desk, it’s why people run to stay in shape, it’s why you don’t overeat. It is the practice of denying yourself. See Christ taught that we must keep ourselves in check. We must do the things that keep us secondary to our maker. All of these things that you can manage your emotions, expectations, temptations, mental vibrancy (gettin enough sleep???), and physical well-being involve an act of denial of yourself.

Most importantly by managing these things it allows you to exponentially increase your effectiveness in ministry. Think about being a healthy, well-rested, Spirit filled, humble, even keeled spiritual leader. That is what the principle of Self-Management will help you to achieve. Incredible stuff.

Organization is something I have to work on. Not my gift or personality. What is something that you have to manage about yourself?