Episodes

  • Do or Do Not... There is No Try

    Do or Do Not... There is No Try
    Jun 9 2021
    I feel like the only issue we have with reaching a goal sits within our effort... I know that can feel a little unfair - but with all the times I have seen persistence win, or perseverance, or patience win the day... Could it be that we are giving ourselves too much "room" for failure? Today we talk about... Do or Do Not... There is no try.   Listen on Spotify Or iTunes or Youtube Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/leading-from-the-edge   Want to know more? Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/leadingfromtheedge/ Join the conversation on my website: http://www.leadinfromtheedge.net     SHOW NOTES         Before I begin I want to share a testimony and an apology  I have been absent for the past month getting ready for our first camp… and it was amazing!!! I will be putting a video together, but let me say that the families that were here had such an encounter with the Lord that we believe it will forever be a part of their lives!   Todays leadership podcast is titled…   Do or do not - there is no try   I am not a big Star Wars guy LOVE Star Trek - shout out to my dad on that one   But there is a figure in the Star Wars saga of a teacher, a creature that teaches the young Luke Skywalker how to use the fullness of his abilities… and in this particular scene, Luke says that he can’t do something (that Yoda the teacher KNOWS he can)… Actually Luke says Alright - I will give it a try Yoda says no… try NOT   Do or do not, there is no try…. That is the theme of todays session on leadership   I have been blessed to group coach an amazing set of young men at the church over the last few months.  When I say amazing, I mean young men who WANT to honor God, become better men and prepare for Gods future for them.  These guys sacrifice half a day a month to learn about how to be a purposeful, godly man and they seem to enjoy it Ha ha  In these meeting we are talking about a LOT of things from knowing themeselvws and how God designed them    To knowing WHO God has placed in ther lives and their responsibilities to them   Even into discipleship and discipline  But we hit the wall on something as a group concerning discipline    It’s a wall that is super common among men -  prob common amount  everyone   The wall is the space between what we want to do  and what we actually do!   Paul writes it this way Romans 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I..   IN other words The things I want to do - I don’t The things I don’t want to do - I find myself doing   When Paul writes this - we can feel his pain! We know that feeling of doing what we don’t want to do, abd not doing what we know to do!   But I feel like we make the words of Paul a get out of jail free card.    Paul wasn’t declaring surrender or defeat, it was voicing what is likely the biggest battle that we will face.     Doing what we know to do   When we look at the life of Paul, there were many things that he obviously overcame -  denying the flesh,  living a life of servantude to the Lord Sacrificing his life for the call     But as Christians - well we play around with sin.   Instead of “warring” against our flesh or our desires... we accept them.     Or worse - we just “try” to change them    Why do I use the word Try   Well that is where I realized the wall that these young men were hitting.     And it’s not unique to them We all use this word... try   So in one of my charges I shared  that spending time with the Lord on a daily basis  is the FIRST and MOST IMPORTANT step of a  foundational walk with the Lord.     That at the minimum they should be having a daily walk with the Lord - r eading the word,  praying and listening to the Holy Sporit.     When we went around the room to declare our actions steps    I heard several say “I’m going to try to wad my Bible everyday”...   And it hit me I “try” a lot of things I try to lose weight  I try to eat healthy  I try to be a good example to my kids I try to love my wife the way Christ would   And in all those areas I have accepted a “failure” rate  or at Best the  “good enough level”     I mean why is that?  Why is it that we give ourselves safeties -   I will only have Taco Bell once a week   My wife just made a decision that blows me away -  Not going to tell you what it is - but it reminds me of the promise I made Years ago that I wasn’t going to have Taco Bell for a whole year. Believe it or not - I did it and it was HARD But New Years eve I picked up Taco Bell and ate it after midnight Seriously     It’s like we don’t want to look at ourselves in the mirror and consider ourselves failures  Of anything that we attempt to do that we don’t get it done completely.    So instead of seeing a failure, we avoid it by throwing the word try in there.   But let me give you some of the dangers of the ...
    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
  • What happened 30 years ago???

    What happened 30 years ago???
    Apr 21 2021
      I've been questions about what happened 30 years ago that made me want to change my life? It's probably not the story that you would have expected - it's actually a time that I completely ignored God and it may have cost my friend his life...   Want to know more… Check it out!   OR want the show notes...  Just scroll down!     Listen on Spotify Or iTunes or Youtube Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/leading-from-the-edge   Want to know more? Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/leadingfromtheedge/ Join the conversation on my website: http://www.leadinfromtheedge.net     SHOW NOTES  Its been 30 years And for my friends the Stevens family Its been 1 582 weeks   30 years of saying yes to the passion that God has placed on the inside of me to lead   See - its a journey of leading others to find their God-given purpose   And because of that - you have this feeling on the inside -  that it is our leadership responsibility to do eve tying in our power to help  Others achieve their God-given purpose   You know - this week I want to do some explain why I say it been 30- years I get asked this several times, about why I look at a specific date…   I can’t say that I started logging the time at that date, but I will say that when I look back in my life at an event that shook me An event that made me look at myself in the way of being responsible for the gift that God has given me and the people that He has put around me.   I have to go back to my sophomore year of High School In a little town in Louisiana - Leesville Good of LHS and the amazing wampums cats!~   I moved to Louisiana when I was in 8th grace and decided that summer before (when we spent two weeks in Wst Virginia while dad was getting everything ready) that is as going to be a trumpet player I LOVED jazz and blues type music and wanted to learn something My aunt Kathy had been a trumpet player and she had given my parents an old ambassador trumpet that they had redone for me right before we left Germany.     I remember sitting on the driveway at my grandmamma's house and playing - I am sure it was difficult for the neighbors as well as my mom - but hey, I was a budding star!!!    When we got to Louisiana I didn’t fit it - I’m a military kid at a public school that must be moved from Europe where culture is different AND I’m a Christian by faith that wants to be a Christian…     So, my only place that I found that I fit in was the band!!! And let me tell you - I loved the band - it was my place to connect and grow and belong There was this one particular guy (who was better than me - at the time) who was in that band who also played trumpet that we started getting along pretty good - his name was Eddie Garcia     Over the next 1.5 years rest of 8th grade and all of 9th grade He and I worked our way up thr0ugh the ranks of trumpet players  We would challenge each other for first chair positions We would challenge each other  and our abilities to the point that we were both in the symphonic band at LHS almost immediately - as a freshman. So here we are in 2nd row 1st and 2nd  position behind all the better juniors and seniors - but we were on the team!   Fast forward into the summer right before our sophomore year - we are loading up to go to band camp (2 weeks of marching practice and song development ) and Eddie and I determine that we are going to room together! We both loved music   Leading up to band camp I had a summer where I started working on. My walk with God I was blessed, I saw my parents every day spend time with God - they had Bible studies all the time at the house, opened our home for people to come and grow in their walk with God - it was very special to        use and it was something that I wanted to do - I wanted to be close to God So I started reading my bible  everyday I started praying more and asking God about what I should be doing in the future…  In short - I had started having my relationship with God Not only that - I remember hearing from our church that I needed to be spending more time telling people about my walk  with God What if there is something this important to me, I should make it part of my    friend lives. We took my sister to a youth conference and I r3emeber seeing her being more about God too - so, it was like - I need to do this     So back to our story...   We are on the bus to go  to camp and for what I remember as being the first time in my life I felt like God was talking to me. I felt this voice behind my ear saying - Ben, tell Eddie about me…    I was excited, scared, afraid of rejection, but super stoked at the same time to share God with Eddie  I decided that - that night I was going to get my bible out and read it, and then Eddie may ask me what I am doing and I can share with him about God.    Well, we got to camp  and immediately we were practicing - out on the concrete parking lot going over our ...
    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • Don't quit your job... yet

    Don't quit your job... yet
    Mar 31 2021
      Why do you do what you do? Are you feeling like you are still in the same place you were 10 years ago? Today we are diving into the NUMBER 1 reason why we make bad decisions and get frustrated... we lose sight of our PURPOSE! Want to know more… Check it out!   OR want the show notes...  Just scroll down!     Listen on Spotify Or iTunes or Youtube Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/leading-from-the-edge   Want to know more? Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/leadingfromtheedge/ Join the conversation on my website: http://www.leadinfromtheedge.net     Good morning, afternoon, or evening - if you listen to podcasts as I do…    I wanted to take a quick tangent on my podcasts to share a little about why we do what we do…    Now, this podcast is all about how we develop the best versions of ourselves so that we can live out our faith and our leadership to its highest place!   So that we can truly be responsible for those that God has given us charge over, or the opportunity to serve    That goes for pastors, that goes for fathers, that goes for business leaders or new entrepreneurs as well!   But today - I want to talk about your why…   Too often we set goals, we set up dreams but we don’t take the time to connect our “why” to our actions, our goals, our jobs, our leading opportunities.   Have you stopped to pray about what motivates you?  Why do you work 40-70 hours a week  Is it so that you did a good job  Is it so that you provided jobs for your employees Is it so that you can have 2 days off on the weekend?    Why is it that you do what you do?  What truly motivates you?    Now - because my faith is what drives me Let's read Matthew 20: 20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. 21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. 22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye, know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. 23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. 24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. 25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye, know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.     think about what is going on - all these guys are following Jesus, still unrenewed and all of a sudden there is the possibility that two of them are going to be elevated - - what??>    And they got their mom to ask… that’s a low blow right?    Well - this story is when we find the reason why Jesus came - we found out his WHY!!! This WHY is what drives him to do what he came here to do!   To minister and to give his life as a ransom for many…   What did you come for? Why are you here and have you taken the time to find out?    When I think about why I am on this planet - I get excited, confused, and overwhelmed at the same time…    I am on this planet to encourage people to become a better, more dogly version of God's plan for their life.    It has been that since I started operating in relationships with Others It is why I raise my kids the way that I raise them It is why every business idea I have, has to be centered around that purpose…    I guess that is another word we could use instead of WHY Purpose…    So - do you know your purpose?  I will tell you - it doesn’t come easy And it isn’t a 20 question survey to find your purpose…    No this one comes through prayer and seeking the Lord So I am not going to have 3 points on how to find your purpose…  BUT I am going to tell you three things KNOWING your purpose will do for your life and others! 1 - It is your litmus test - when you know why you exist, then when opportunities, jobs, ministry, locations, moves, purchases come top… you can take your purpose and ask… does this line up with that? My purpose is to passionately pursue God by silently serving-man …. Did you know that I am not a pastor of a mega church>? Could I be>? Yes, I believe I Could be - I believe that if I were to start a church that it would grow quickly and it would become as large as we wanted it to be - BUT that is not my call and that is not my role. ...
    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
  • When God sends an angel to stop your donkey...

    When God sends an angel to stop your donkey...
    Mar 17 2021
    King James makes this weeks message kind of funny off the tongue - But you can figure that one out.  What I know is that all to often we blame the horse we are riding, the job we have, the unsaved boss, the poor performing employee, our spouse, our kids, even ourselves for things that are simply GOD trying to work on US!  This week, is kind of a part two from last week - talking about when Balaam beat his ass because she wouldn't go where he wanted to go....   Want to know more… Check it out!   OR want the show notes...  Just scroll down!     Listen on Spotify Or iTunes or Youtube Stitcher:  https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/leading-from-the-edge   Want to know more? Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/leadingfromtheedge/ Join the conversation on my website: http://www.leadinfromtheedge.net     SHOW NOTES  Its been 30 years 30 years of saying yes to the passion that God has placed on the inside of me to lead   See - its a journey of leading others to find their God-given purpose   And because of that - you have this feeling on the inside -  that it is our leadership responsibility to do eve tying in our power to help  Others achieve their God-given purpose     Good morning, afternoon, or evening - this week was going to be a completely different direction, but after last week - I think we are going to go into part 2 of the Journey How we approach life and issues will determine our outcome…   I was confronted with what we did “right”: last week almost immediately…  I’ve got another story for you - - -   And this time I am going to brag on my kids again…   I have been reading in Numbers and was reminded yesterday about a situation with Balak and Balaam…  Let's read it together Go to Numbers 22   In this passage, we have a kingdom that is scared of the Nation of Israel and we have a couple of characters in this - the son of the King of the Moabites, Balak and we have Balaam the prophet (some even call him a wicked prophet) - but a prophet none the less    The back story to what we are going to read is that in their fear the Moabites are wanting Balaam to come and speak a blessing from God over them as a people… Balaam doesn’t want to do this because God told him not to   But they go back and forth and at one point - eventually, Balaam agrees to go with Balak BUT - - -    22 Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 Now the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.    24 Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. 25 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again.    26 Then the Angel of the Lord went further and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. 27 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.     28 Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” 29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have [e]abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now, I would kill you!”     30 So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever [f]disposed to do this to you?” And he said, “No.”     31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. 32 And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out [g]to stand against you because your way is perverse[h] before Me. 33 The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.”     34 And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now, therefore, if it [i]displeases You, I will turn back.”     Now there are some fun things we can say about this story - but I want to bring out a few points about this. Last week I shared about how sometimes we go through things because they are part of our journey - not because it is something bad. Sometimes we call things bad that are God working in our lives… it may feel bad for the moment, but in fact, it is part ...
    Show More Show Less
    22 mins
  • Who to blame when things go wrong...

    Who to blame when things go wrong...
    Mar 3 2021
    Ok - kind of a baiting title - but I don't think that I am the only one who questions when things go bad... What could I have done differently, what was God trying to teach me, is the enemy attacking?   But, one thing that I have been learning more and more is... the story is just unfinished... B   Want to know more… Check it out!   OR want the show notes...  Just scroll down!     Listen on Spotify Or iTunes or Youtube Stitcher:  https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/leading-from-the-edge   Want to know more? Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/leadingfromtheedge/ Join the conversation on my website: http://www.leadinfromtheedge.net   SHOW NOTES This week I want to talk about something we did right. I actually try to avoid that for some reason - always teaching from something that I have done wrong, As if that is a better qualifier When its really just my battle with not wanting to be prideful Ha - so backward we can be! So in this podcast today I want to teach a quick point about how w approach situations Growing up charismatic in my faith, seeing all the name it and claim, prosperity messages, tongue talking the way of listening to the Holy Spirit - I’ve had to do some unlearning these past 2 years Not that any of those things are wrong - and I know some that hear me say that may disagree with me… But the unlearning that I am talking about is the fact that I had determined so much of my WALK by what I see… While I believe that God wants us to be with instead of without (like I would my own kids) And that God wants us to walk in the spirit and putting the right emphasis on the power of the Holy Spirit - the gift given to us by God himself on the departure of Jesus.. something to be celebrat3ed whether you believe in praying in tongues, prophecy or not… just simple the gift of the Holy Spirit But too often in my charismatic background, I made these things the evidence of God in our lives Not the tools that God gives us to live our lives In other words, when I wasn’t walking in prosperity - that meant that I messed up, or that it was an attack of the enemy… and instead of battling my discontentment, I was battling  the wrong battle Instead of walking the situation OUT and trusting the Lord I would trust in my faith and my ability   Dangerous territory What am I saying I think that as believers we have this NEED to know the value of what we are going through RIGHT NOW We have to have an explanation RIGHT NOW and what happens is that we go to our reserves when we are depleted or challenged   We start pulling from what WE KNOW, instead of leaning in and trusting God We NEED to know right now I need to explain this RIGHT NOW I need answers RIGHT NOW   Maybe this is a process/ Maybe this is so multifaceted in what it is doing in me that there is NO WAY for me to know what this is doing RIGHT NOW Why am I suffering? Why did I make that decision? Was it a bad decision or a good one? Why when I listened to God is this HARD? Did miss God when I took that job? Cause this is hard, the house has flooded, the business isn’t growing I'm stressed out I'm losing my peace! Is this YOU GOD? WHERE AM I?     And I feel like we take those moments and we turn to ourselves to explain.. At least I do! I look at Ephesians 1:7 a little differently since I have been thinking through this 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;   We focus on forgiveness and grace… but what about redemption through the blood? Jesus went through SOOOO much pain, torture, and being ridiculed and even questioned God…     Matthew 20:18 - Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,       Jesus is letting them know - hey so, here is how it's going to go with me I am about to be delivered to the people and they are going to beat me till my last breath, mock me in front of everyone, stripped naked, then - they are going to give me a chunk of wood to walk and carry it to the place where I am going to be nailed to it and killed in front of the whole world   All because I am doing what I am supposed to do All because this is part of God's plan for me and for you…   Can we think about that? We just pass over that HE went through JUNK on this earth     But I find hope in this that in Luke we hear Jesus talking to God about this situation   Luke 22:42 - saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.”   So, is Jesus saying Hey God, is this you? Is he saying, Hey God, can we make this easier?     I think what we are learning in this Eason of our life is this And please hear me - you have heard all of this before - but when do we LIVE IT???   1 - Not everything I think is bad, is bad…   Here is my story of what we got right We have ...
    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
  • The unwanted advice complex!

    The unwanted advice complex!
    Feb 24 2021
    You know that person who really has no business giving you advice... but its good advice? I remember when a pastor/mentor would say that you find out what’s inside of you when you are thrown against the wall.  This week’s podcast has a bit of transparency about how I handled the chaos of -7 degree weather, 20 inches of snow and being without power on the mountain…. Come on in! B   Want to know more… Check it out!   OR want the show notes...  Just scroll down!     Listen on Spotify Or iTunes or Youtube Stitcher:  https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/leading-from-the-edge   Want to know more? Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/leadingfromtheedge/ Join the conversation on my website: http://www.leadinfromtheedge.net   SHOW NOTES Snow, Pipes, and what I learned about myself… I remember when a pastor/mentor would say that you find out what’s inside of you when you are thrown against the wall. This week’s podcast has a bit of transparency about how I handled the chaos of -7 degree weather, 20 inches of snow, and being without power on the mountain…. Come on in! B    So this is one of those podcasts where you get to see how unpolished and still growing I am. Transparency alert…   I was reading in Exodus with our family reading through the bible in a year…  So, as a leader who loves to teach leadership, I have forever been drawn to the passage in Exodus 18   5 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God: 6 And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro have come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her. 7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law   They meet, Moses tells his father in law all that had happened, pharaoh, Israel fleeing, the wilderness, the fire - everything…     9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness     Then Jethro sacrifices to the Lord   Now we go to verse  13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.   I love this passage next because it stood out to me in a BIG way!   Set the stage here Moses has been gone for years… Jethro is an idolatry worshipper… But there is a conversion that takes place... and then…  The NEXT DAY    Moses Father in law - who hasn’t led the nati0on of Israel out of Egypt, hasn’t suffered through plagues and persecution, hasn’t been chased by the armies of Pharaoh, hasn’t had to leave in the night,….    He comes and watches Moses and says…     14 And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?     Moses explains… but no one else can do it I have to hear from God for leading them...   15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: 16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.     Jethro says, umm - nope   17 And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.   And he goes into a long discussion on HOW to do it Like this is a true business consultation happening right in front of our eyes     Skip down to 22 and we hear one of the biggest reasons why…   22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. 23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all these people shall also go to their place in peace.   And then the kicker…  24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.   I've always taught this as in Moses delegating to people. , not holding onto everything and being the only one who can do it, because no one else can do it as I can…   And that is a great thing to learn... But this time when I read it I had to ask myself…  Can I get counsel from those around me that maybe aren’t my trusted source?  Am I humble enough to be willing to learn from those around me, my family, my friends?    And before you go into the defense posture that we should have wise counsel, and to not be unequally yoked, and that those who are not Christians are not able to speak into your life….    - I completely agree (and I started that argument myself)…   But what I read when I see those passages  There are a few important things   Proverbs 11: 14 Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in...
    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • When Leadership Costs The People You Love

    When Leadership Costs The People You Love
    Feb 9 2021
    I wish that someone would have talked to me early on in leadership about the cost it has on others... AKA myself. We need to realize that we will affect others with the decisions we make...  Even the perfect decisions that couldn't have gone any better... Want to know more… Check it out!   OR want the show notes...  Just scroll down!     Listen on Spotify Or iTunes or Youtube Stitcher:  https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/leading-from-the-edge   Want to know more? Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/leadingfromtheedge/ Join the conversation on my website: http://www.leadinfromtheedge.net   So today we are going to talk about how your decisions as a leader affect those around you…   We’ve been reading in Exodus as a family and chapter five… wow for leadership this is huge for us Not the typical story of leading the nation Israel out of captivity  Nope this is the part where it gets worse before better   5 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’” 2 Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”     4 But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!”    6 That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people: 7 “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their straw. 8 But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”       15 Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way? 16 Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your people.” 17 Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”     19 The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.” 20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, 21 and they said, “May the Lord look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”   So - why is this a HUGE leadership lesson? Most leaders I know lead from their insecurity - in other words, they make decisions on what makes the least amount of trouble instead of leading from a God first mentality.   A couple of quick points of what we can learn from this story 1 - Understand the gravity   Moses and Aaron left Gods presence to go tell Pharaoh to let Gods people go And Pharough then brings down the wrath on the people   Why - cause Moses and Aaron were obedient!   We have to accept that our decisions are important They will affect more than ourselves - as much as you want it to just be you It's not - it will affect those you lead on the job, those who look up to you Your own family   And while the result is something to look forward to - we don’t get to decide the path…     As much as you want to separate the worlds of your decisions and your family. It isn’t separated  You get to realize that every decision you make is feeding the future of your family Even it if includes more hardship.     2 - Do what’s God says - no extras  You only know this through Christ Whether it is letting someone go Or that your decisions carry unintentional consequences   To sugar-coat situations means that we are trying to get people to either come along or get along Think about that - as leaders in business, in churches, in our own homes - we sometimes make a decision and then try to paint the picture of how little it will affect them,    It is like we are trying to tell people how to feel and respond… Isn’t that -= - - - manipulation?    Stay away from being the person who goes around trying to keep everyone happy It doesn't work!!!   Now, I am not saying that you are to be harsh or rude in what you do NO - I am simply saying don’t make an excuse One of my rules in firing someone is to not apologize unless it is our fault. In the 100_ people that I have been privileged to let go, only one has stayed mad at me :)  And not a single was let go because we had to It was because it was the best thing to do!!!!     Let us look back to Exodus 5 20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron ...
    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • Self-Care... Do You Need It?

    Self-Care... Do You Need It?
    Feb 3 2021
    Self-Care… Do you need it? I love this topic - and I LOVED doing this podcast because I feel like I was finally able to communicate what “I” need to hear concerning this.  Why do we sacrifice the wrong things, and invest in the wrong things.  I believe it is because we have missed the true meaning of self-care Want to know more… Check it out!   OR want the show notes...  Just scroll down!     Listen on Spotify Or iTunes or Youtube Stitcher:  https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/leading-from-the-edge   Want to know more? Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/leadingfromtheedge/ Join the conversation on my website: http://www.leadinfromtheedge.net     Self Care  So this weekend we are going to be taking time as a family to dive into our goals, core values, core focus, and spiritual desires for 2021. It is something that we do every year and it has become the basis of our year - keeping us fully in front of what God has for us  It is full of worship time, quiet time, fun time, fellowship, learning, praying, seeking God for HIS plans for our lives - each one and for our family. Such a beautiful weekend of going from hearing about God to looking at him, seeking to hear from him, to gaze upon him! I was reading in Job with our family bible plan and I saw something that I have missed over the years It's in Job 42 5I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6Wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. Of course, I am going to dive into it - what Did Job mean that his Eyes see God Did God come down and talk to Job face to face?  We know that occasion happened with Moses, but Moses couldn’t look upon God SO… what is this When you look at th4e Hebrew word for seeth It means to perceive, gaze, inspect, consider… Oh man - there was a transition in Jobs life from being righteous by Gods definition to being in a relationship with God…. It was the transition from God telling Job to gird up his loins like a man To Job being honest with himself and with God  WHICH HAPPENED when Job shares this statement Job 42 5I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. But what happened when Job looked at God??? Verse 6 says… 6Wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. Job saw in himself the flesh of man, the pride of life…  He saw that his best position was to repent in dust and ashes  But he also says I abhor myself We think of Ahbor as the greek word which means to HATE  But in this context, it is the Hebrew word that comes from reject, despise, refuses  To refuse me  to reject me IN a world where I hear so many people saying you have to love yourself first I think we have made too much of us being the center of the Universe I do not see that anywhere in the example of Christ… We think of Jesus as being the most influential person on the planet And he was BUT - he was also the most hated and his 3 years of ministry ended in people being so disgusted with him and his message and his followers that they decided to KILL him Yet - we strive so hard to build ourselves us We get told by so many people that we have to take care of ourselves WHICH IS TRUE - but not the way that we do it… I look at our lives as a tool in the hands of God There are several types of knives… Zion loves knives - infract while we were in Israel he and I spent over 2 hours looking for just the right knife And we finally found one that he loved… it is like an Israeli version of a bowie and Dao blade  Has this wonderful ivory handle -  Super ornate sheath Just simply a beautiful knife… but guess what The blade is so dull it has a hard time cutting butter Then there are our kitchen knives Some good friends came over to spend the night - family sleepover! And the father Jan di was in the kitchen getting our taco night ready to go and he gets my kitchen knife And goes to cut the tomatoes. And is like… this has been used so much it isn’t even sharp anymore Do you have a knife sharpener?/ Nope - sure don’t Ok… And then… I have another friend who carries a knife on his belt -  And he takes pride in how sharp knife is Any time we have been working on a project he would be there first one to get his knife out to cut a rope, or strip a wire or - name it…  Having that knife ready to use and using it a lot When I look at how we are supposed to have self-care I feel Like God had a different plan than what we hear in chat rooms, Clubhouse, or read on Facebook. Even the gurus who get out there and tell us to pamper ourselves…  I think God’s view - I think we are seeing it in these chapters in Job Gird up your loins like a man - taking the role that we are supposed But then also the revelation that Job has in WHO God is in relationship to JOB himself There is the first knife that is the part of us that just wants to look good We spend so much time making sure that we are clean, pretty, the right materials, ...
    Show More Show Less
    27 mins