Called to be Conquerors!
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:8
Last Sunday I had a wonderful time at church. It is so pleasing to experience true leaders share their message. It started with the passage
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship“. Exodus 31
Note, the Lord is speaking not of a goldsmith, nor a silversmith, nor of someone who works with wood. But of someone who can work in all of them! To make artistic designs! Now this man was a slave who was making straw and bricks with the rest of the crowd in egypt and yet here he is with a calling to build one beatiful masterpiece – the tabernacle!
When the Lord anoints you with his Wisdom it makes people wonder where you have learnt what you know and demonstarte! Afterall the Pharisee did ask about Peter -“Where have these man this knowledge, seeing that they were uneducated”. Similar questions were asked about Jesus. In modern days, you don’t have to be a business graduate or an engineer for God to bless you with skill in any such field. Such Learning is beyond any form of teaching. You are not just the best among the crowd but exceptional beyond comparision! Like Joseph, Like Daniel, Slaves and Captives who became the most powerful men of their times. Daniel learnt all knowledge and skills of the egyptians just like the other scholars, yet he was beyond comparision and the King’s counselor. Something made him special and that’s the anointing of the Spirit!
I know I can have the best mentor and coaches for the fields I like to learn! But its the anointing that is going to make the difference. I feel so shameful that I have tried to justify my learnings with books I have read, teachings I have heard, methods and principles when all the while it was the Spirit guiding me. For clearly David says – “I have more knowledge than all my teachers, because I give thought to your unchanging word” Psalm 119:99
You reap a hundredfold when there is famine and thats your minimum standard! You are called to split the red sea, still time, break through barriers. A person who has experienced such blessing cannot be satisfied with mediocrity success. As the pastor spoke, I began to realize that I have been moving away from the trust in God to my own attained knowledge and learning in recent years. And though by human standards I am doing well, from the standards the Lord has clearly shown me before, I know its mediocrity that I am living with. And that I can do so much more with His strength. For it is our right to move with force and break all barriers, afterall it is written again – “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” – Romans 8:37
Clearly such Calling is from the Lord and it is for everyone who desires.
“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh” Acts 2:14
Skill and Success
It so surprises me how people appreciate and specially respect successful individuals. I myself have been appreciated on my successes and I always wonder – Is success earned or granted? Why is success attributed with the many virtues of patience, hard work and diligence.Is it not written that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
A successful man means nothing to me as much as I credit my own success to just chance and grace. I know and I am honest when I say I have not done anything that makes me deserve what I have seemingly earned.
My delight is rather in knowing and discerning a skillful man! For it is written, “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men“. I know of a certain man whom every HR failed but every CEO longed to own.
It marvels me over and over again, that we are re-learning in leadership lessons to recognize capability and not merely accomplishments when scriptures prophetically have quoted them centuries ago!
Fishers of Men
I accidentally came across the Maxwell Leadership Bible. I quickly got swept in my mind over the many leadership lessons I have had in life. The things that I have naturally been doing and have been accredited as qualities of a leader in leadership courses, books and public seminars! It brought a certain sense of revelation, most of what has been preached about leadership today have already been demonstrated in the Word of God. Maybe that is why I have felt so natural about every leadership seminar I have ever attended. The words of peter still ring in my ears when I think about how profound and real the learning’s from the scripture are , “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of Eternal life“. The life of David is one of my favorite, how as an outcast he learns to survive! Its phenomenal if you pay attention to the details. The dynamics of rapport building, motivation, loyalty that are so subtly explained are just fantastic. Indeed, Jesus really did mean what he said, “Follow me and I will make you Fishers of Men“. I present a challenge to anyone reading this! Present a leadership topic to me that you think has not been address in the Word of God and I will come back to you with an answer 
As of this bible that I recently picked up, I ain’t sure yet if its annotations are going to add any value to me, but I liked the idea that someone actually has thought of the Bible as the bible of leadership. And I conclude saying a big Amen to that idea!
- Maxwell Leadership Bible
Awakening the Entrepreneur Within
I have been reading this book by Michael E. Gerber. And I must say it is fantastic! The first thing I liked about the book was how he believes that all business are similar and one can actually help any business do better by understanding the global process. I can relate it to the very same thing I believe in people about learning technology! Think of any scientist that you have read from history – Galileo, Einstein, Newton or just about anyone, can you say that they were specialists in one field? No! Rather they knew everything about everything! All of them have contributed to the thought process by philosophy, science and Life. Even in science they didn’t make divisions of physics, maths and chemistry! That is why a man who understands, understands them all. Reminds me of the phrase from Matthew 13:12 “For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.”
The second belief that the book helped me reinstate was about impersonal dreams. Dreams of a house, lifestyle and such are never satisfied. The more you have them, the more you want. The dreams that are fulfilling are dreams that are impersonal! How can we change the world? How can we revolutionize the lifestyle of those living in poverty? How can we help people live a more peaceful life? These are things that give the soul everlasting satisfaction. Once again I am reminded of a quote from Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Many people don’t read the verse completely, especially ‘his righteousness’ but thats where the impersonal dreams come from!
Keep Watch for no one knows when the day is coming
A familiar phrase? I was just wondering today of this statement in a business context. There are so many opportunities that float around and so many solutions that you can provide! But are you ready with the solution even before the opportunity manifests itself? And What difference does that make? In the business of being a consultant one skill that is a core necessity is to discern the future and be prepared with solutions for challenges that a client may face. How does this help? There will never be enough time to develop a solution when it is absolutely needed. Not with competitions around. Having an implementation of a solution even before the client discerns their necessities will always have a killer impact on how you grow. I am talking of consultation in a broad sense. In a sense where every coder should be a consultant, every content writer be a consultant, and so for every profession. A consultant is one who thinks beyond the limitations of the work, who thinks like the client and thinks of the value add from the clients perspective. A consultant solves situations and the most important skill to stand apart as a consultant is being ahead of time and being prepared. For behold, no one know when the opportunity beckons and when it does be ready!