What Kind of News Do You Share? Peace, Joy or Bad News.

Don't you think it's remarkable how bad news can sometimes overwhelm us? We fear bad news. Even minor bad news can ruin our entire day. We obsess over news that we deem negative and mull it over in our minds. We inadvertently give bad news the power to rob us of our peace and joy.

The Gospel, on the other hand, is the ultimate good news! It's the most incredible news ever! We need to treat it as such and let the power of good news transform our thoughts, words, and lives! The good news of Jesus ought to overrule any and all bad news in your life.

Are you operating in the good news of the peace of Christmas? How do we find peace at Christmas and not just sing about it? Peace is not attained by good feelings or faith alone. It’s acquired through obeying Christ. Love and pray for your enemies. Don’t divide yourselves this holiday season. Come together. Do you have a family member who didn’t vote in the election like you? Talk with them instead of gloating or being a sore loser. Listen to each other. Forgive. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”-Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭43‬-‭44‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This season relish in the good news of the joy and peace offered in Christmas.

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. For this day in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (the Messiah). [Mic 5:2]”‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭AMP‬‬

When you share news, are you a herald of bad or good news?

Leaders Value Others: Three Ways to Value Others

Recently, I was at my part-time job and my co-worker was feeling run down. They asked me for some encouragement, and I offered a powerful affirmation: 'You are valued.' They looked at me with a weird look and said, “No it can’t be that simple.” Though they sought deeper meaning, this simple truth is the foundation of faith. God's desire for companionship drove creation, while Jesus' sacrifice and love declare our immeasurable worth.

All because God looked down from Heaven and looked right at you and declared the most important words ever known to mankind, “I love you”. The simple fact that Jesus loves you will not only change and transform your life now but for all eternity. Why? Because my friend, you are valuable.

Leaders VALUE Others: If you don’t value others you will never wield influence. People follow people who value them.

1. Value Others by Connecting. Connecting happens through engaging with others and listening. Listen to understand not have a snappy comeback. Ask questions to know more and show interest. Make eye contact to show you are present.

2. Value Others by Investing: Speaking words of encouragement and hope show you care. Hope is the foundation for seeing dreams come true. Invest time in others. Sharing your time is better than sharing money. It's the difference between giving a fish to a starving man or teaching him to fish. To teach him to fish you must invest time.

3. Value Others by Meeting Needs. Jesus was always meeting the needs of others. He healed the blind, the dead, the dumb, the broken, the dead, the poor, the belittled, and the downtrodden. Jesus the son of God valued others. Should not we also value others?

Are You Honoring God?

18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.-1 Peter 1:18-19

Mankind thinks of silver and gold as valuable and precious. Peter gives this expository on how men and women were not bought and could not be bought by all the precious stones in the world but by the most valuable commodity in the universe, the blood of Jesus. As leaders in the body of Christ, we need to make sure that we don’t let the honor of God slip. The more corners we cut the less value we put on the Word, worship, and prayer; then the more there is no difference between how the world operates and the way the Church operates. The key to that is honoring God and maintaining that attitude of the heart that the blood of Jesus is still precious. Keys to honoring God.

1. Judge Yourself. Judge yourself and you won’t be judged. When you judge yourself, you are proactive about sifting and casting off sin. Realize when something of the enemy sets in and be quick to identify it, reject it, repent from it, and replace it with God’s Word. Saul was selected by the Lord to be King of Israel but he didn’t judge himself. He let pride and sin seep in, and he didn’t repent. In turn, God chose David. David sinned too but he was quick to judge himself and repent before the Lord. David was a man who wanted what God wanted. David understood that your offering/service has to cost you something. He was willing to offer to God his heart. He was known as a man after God’s own heart.

2. Have a Heart of Humility. God gives grace to the humble but He resists the proud. Don’t let bitterness and unforgiveness spring up and contaminate your heart. Be quick to forgive. Be quick to let resentment go. Cast that upon the Lord. A meek quiet spirit is precious unto the Lord. Jesus and Moses were both described as meek men. Have a heart of humility

Don’t be unwilling to do what others have done to be blessed-Pastor Keith Moore.

There are no corners to cut. You can’t fast-track a blessing with God. If you honor God then God will honor and increase you. The honor of God will not only be a blessing unto Him but it will in turn become a blessing to you.

3 Ways To Be A Better Giver: Leaders Are Givers

True leaders are givers. When you think of a great leader in history or even in your personal life I guarantee that they were givers. Think of Jesus. Jesus was constantly giving to others. His miracles always centered around giving to others. He gave through healing, through multiplying food, and much more. He gave through affirmation and encouragement. He gave through empowering His believers. He eventually would give His life away on the cross. Giving doesn’t have to be associated with money. Here is my list of how to be a better giver.

1. Your Time. Leaders should not overlook the value of quality time investment. Spending time with others is a vital investment in their growth and development. Giving your time demonstrates that you value others. However, leaders must balance generosity with prudence, as others may take advantage of their goodwill. Investing time is a powerful leadership approach and a testament to one's commitment.

2. Your Wisdom. Transferring wisdom, guidance, and experience is a powerful way to serve others. Sharing the valuable lessons learned through hard work, setbacks, and experience showcases generosity. Pinpoint those ready to invest in personal growth. It’s important to find individuals ready to listen and learn.

3. Believing in Others. When you demonstrate faith in others, it enhances their self-confidence. Recognizing and nurturing untapped potential in individuals can have a profound impact. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have had several influential leaders who embodied this quality. One such mentor played a pivotal role in launching my leadership journey by inviting me to serve as a guest lecturer at a university, teaching leadership to foreign language postgraduate students. Although I lacked formal certification as a John Maxwell speaker at the time, his confidence in me provided invaluable opportunities to develop my public speaking skills on leadership topics. I hope to continue to build upon the foundation he established, continually refining my leadership and speaking abilities.