Live Free with Josh Howerton - Good Leaders Love People | Ep. 61 | Monday May 1, 2023

Episode Date: May 1, 2023

What does it take to be a good leader? Being the best strategic thinker? Having lots of followers on social media? In today’s episode, Pastor Mike continues through the letter of Philippians and shares on the importance of having the same humble mindset of Jesus. You won’t want to miss this episode! For more information, text DRIVE to 20411.

Thanks for tuning in to today's daily drive with Lake Point Church, a daily dose of God's word for your morning drive. When the word, not the world, becomes the majority of your week, your life will start to change. For that reason, our prayer is that God will speak to you through today's devotional. For more digital content to feed your faith, text Drive to 20411. And now let's dive in to today's devotional. Hey, thanks for tuning in to The Daily Drive. My name is Mike, and we're walking through a letter called Philippians in the back of the Bible. And it was written by this guy named Paul who was chosen and radically transformed by the love of Jesus Christ.

It was a letter written to a bunch of Jesus followers living with the constant, very real threat of poverty, persecution, disease, and death. So Paul writes this letter of hope and joy and tells them, you've got to embrace the same gracious, humble attitude. that Jesus had. If you do that, man, you will shine like stars in the universe. Man, there is so much good stuff in this letter, and if you're just jumping in, you can go back and catch up. But today we're in chapter four. It's a chapter all about anxiety, prayer, peace, contentment, gratitude, and you guessed it, joy. And before Paul gets to all of that, he just takes a minute to address a personal problem in the church. I think it's sections like this that remind us that this was actually a letter that was written to real people.

and that Paul was kind of like a dad to this young church. There's an old song lyric that I've always liked came from the old song from Dan Fogelberg, leader of the band. It was all about his dad. He describes his discipline as being a velvet thundering hand. In other words, you knew he was serious about what needed correcting, but he did it with tenderness. And that's the way Paul is, and here's how he starts.

Verse four, he says, therefore, and just a little rule for Bible study, whenever you see the word, therefore, go back. I can see what it's therefore. So in chapter 3, he's been talking about knowing Jesus and knowing our hope in heaven and pressing on the gift of eternal life. That's the on ramp to this therefore. So he says, therefore, my dear brothers and sisters,

stay true to the Lord. I love you, and I long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work. And I love this attitude that Paul has. He doesn't think of himself as a big deal. He's not claiming his authority as a legal. He's not interested in the celebrity pastor thing. He's not lost a strategic planning because that's what leaders do.

No, actually good leaders? They genuinely love people. I can remember a time we were planting a church in Las Vegas, and it was exploding with growth and didn't know the next moves. What are strategic steps we need to take? Where are we going to buy land? We're going to build a building. What do we do with staff?

And I went up to a place called Red Rock Canyon for a day of prayer and fasting. They just sat up there and talked to God. When I came back, one of the staff members asked me, hey, bro, what did you hear on the mountain? I said, you know what I heard? It's about people. It's about people. And man, I hope I never forget that.

So out of his sincere love for these people, Paul led. And maybe that's a good word for some of us church leaders. Then again, like a spiritual dad, he weighs in on a personal issue that was going on in this church that he loved with all of his heart. Verse two, now I appeal to you to Oeot. to you and since she by the way if you're expected the child looking for names those are two you might not want to use he says please because you belong to the lord settle your disagreement he said ladies listen work this out why because you belong to the lord he's already said that unity is a

big deal to god relational health reconciliation harmony forgiveness those are core values of the kingdom of god now unity is not the same as uniformity we may may not agree on everything we got different preferences, different taste, different backgrounds that shape our perspective. But the one thing we have to agree on goes all the way back to chapter two, which was the constant theme of this letter. Let me read it again. Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love, any fellowship together with the Spirit, are your heart's tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

Don't be selfish. Don't try to impress others. Be humble. Thinking of others better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interest, but take an interest in others too. You must have the same mindset of Christ Jesus. And then he goes on to describe this radical brand of humility

that Jesus model. We spent a long time there in Chapter 2. So here at the start of chapter 4, he reminds up, listen, you all need to work this out. You've got to embrace Jesus' mindset. that lay your ego on the altar and settle this. Then verse three, I ask you, my true partner,

not sure who he's referring to here, but there's a trusted friend who is on the ground there in Philippi. He says, I appeal to you to help these two women. For they worked hard with me and telling others the good news. These are really good ladies, and I know they love God. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are written in the book of life. And I like that, whose names are written in the book of life.

It's almost like he's saying, listen, we're going to be spending the eternity together. So let's live it out now. Please work this out on this side of eternity. So let me ask you today, anybody you need to work something out with? Any disagreement that has driven a wedge in your relationship. Are there any words that have been said or posted that tainted your view of that person? Any grudge in your life that just needs to be released? I recently heard an interview with Mandy Pantiken

on playing the role of Enigo Montoya in a classic movie The Princess Bride, one of my favorite movies. He's the guy that spends his life looking for the six-finger man who killed his father. Hello, my name is Nigel Montoya. You kill my father, prepare to die.

I meant that guy. Well, he said he was watching the movie not long ago, like 30 years after he played the role. And he heard a line that he gave in a fresh way. He said toward the end, he's given the mantle to become the new Dreadpire at Roberts. and he says this, I have been in the revenge business for so long.

Now that it's over, I don't know what to do with my life. And the actor said, I thought about that line that I said back in my 30s and how stupid it is to spend your life choosing to get even. The sooner we let stuff go, the better. And you know what he's right?

Don't let it fester. Don't let it build. Don't let the awkwardness keep you from pursuing harmony. Remember, we learned a few weeks ago from Romans chapter 12 that as far as it depends upon you, live at peace with everyone. In other words, don't you be the reason that the relational junk continues. So think about it today, especially if you belong to the Lord, as Paul said, who you need to work it out with. Hey, we're getting ready to dive into one of the best passages in all the Bible.

But today, go work it out. See you next time. Thanks for tuning in today. For more biblical teaching and worship, join us for our church online live weekend services on Saturdays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 9.30 and 11 a.m. Central Standard Time. Also, if this podcast was helpful to you,

would you be sure to rate, review, and share this podcast to help get the word out? For more information about all digital ministries of Lake Point, text drive to 20411.