Living Faithfully: Community, Leadership, and Daily Connection

Devotional

Day 1: Leading with Love and Peace

In leadership, faith calls us to prioritize people and relationships, ensuring that love and peace guide our actions. This approach requires constant communication with God to maintain a heart aligned with His will. By leading from a place of love, we reflect the character of Jesus, who always put others first and led with compassion and understanding. This means actively listening to those around us, valuing their input, and making decisions that honor their dignity and worth. [01:05:03]

1 Peter 5:2-3 (ESV): "Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock."

Reflection: Think of a leadership role you hold, whether at work, home, or in your community. How can you intentionally lead with love and peace today?

Day 2: Finding Jesus in the Ordinary

Jesus is present in every situation, and we can find Him when we actively look for His presence. This awareness transforms ordinary moments into opportunities for divine encounters. By seeking Jesus in our daily lives, we open ourselves to experiencing His guidance and love in unexpected ways. This practice requires us to be mindful and intentional, looking beyond the surface of our daily routines to see where Jesus might be at work. [01:11:55]

Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV): "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

Reflection: As you go about your day, pause and ask yourself, "Where do I see Jesus at work in this moment?"

Day 3: Consistent Faith in All Areas of Life

Our faith should be consistent across all areas of life, not just on Sundays. This integrity allows us to be authentic witnesses of Christ's love and grace in every interaction. Living with integrity means that our actions align with our beliefs, and we are the same person in private as we are in public. This consistency is a powerful testimony to those around us, showing that our faith is genuine and transformative. [01:29:25]

James 1:22-24 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like."

Reflection: Identify one area of your life where your actions may not fully align with your faith. What steps can you take to bring more consistency to this area?

Day 4: Trusting God in Challenges

Challenges such as financial stress and personal anxieties can be overcome by trusting in God's faithfulness and seeking His guidance in every situation. When we face difficulties, it is easy to become overwhelmed and lose sight of God's presence. However, by turning to Him in prayer and seeking His wisdom, we can find peace and direction. Trusting God means believing that He is in control and that He will provide for our needs, even when circumstances seem dire. [01:22:32]

Psalm 55:22 (ESV): "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved."

Reflection: What is one challenge you are currently facing? How can you actively trust God with this situation today?

Day 5: Staying Connected to Jesus

Practical strategies like daily devotions, breath prayers, and moments of reflection help maintain a strong connection with Jesus, providing peace and direction in our daily lives. By intentionally setting aside time to focus on our relationship with Jesus, we invite His presence into our routines and allow Him to guide us. These practices help us remain grounded in our faith, even amidst the busyness and challenges of life. [01:37:55]

John 15:4-5 (ESV): "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Reflection: Choose one new practice to incorporate into your daily routine this week to help you stay connected to Jesus. What will it be, and how will you implement it?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound practice of community as a vital aspect of living out our faith. We are called not only to be a church community but to extend this sense of belonging and purpose into our everyday lives, bringing the kingdom of God into our workplaces and other spaces we inhabit during the week. To delve deeper into this, we had a panel discussion with individuals who are actively integrating their faith into their daily work and leadership roles.

The panelists shared how their faith shapes their leadership and service, emphasizing the importance of putting people first and leading from a place of love and peace. They highlighted the significance of seeing and hearing others, which is a true expression of love. This approach is rooted in the belief that every person is valuable and deserves to be seen and heard.

We also discussed the challenges faced in various contexts, such as rising costs, reducing income, and personal battles with anxiety. Despite these challenges, the panelists shared stories of how they see Jesus working in their workplaces, often in unexpected ways. They emphasized the importance of looking for Jesus in every situation and being open to His presence and guidance.

The conversation also touched on the importance of practicing community beyond Sundays. We are reminded that Jesus came to redeem our whole lives, not just our Sundays. This calls us to live with integrity and consistency in all areas of our lives, ensuring that our faith is evident in every interaction and decision.

Finally, the panelists shared practical strategies for staying connected to Jesus throughout the week. These included using apps for daily devotions, practicing breath prayers, and finding moments of quiet reflection to invite God into their daily routines. By doing so, they are able to maintain a sense of peace and purpose, even amidst the busyness and challenges of life.

Key Takeaways

1. Faith in Leadership: Leading with faith means prioritizing people and relationships, ensuring that love and peace guide our actions. This approach requires constant communication with God to maintain a heart aligned with His will. [65:03]
2. Seeing Jesus in Everyday Life: Jesus is present in every situation, and we can find Him when we actively look for His presence. This awareness transforms ordinary moments into opportunities for divine encounters. [71:55]
3. Living with Integrity: Our faith should be consistent across all areas of life, not just on Sundays. This integrity allows us to be authentic witnesses of Christ's love and grace in every interaction. [89:25]
4. Overcoming Challenges with Faith: Challenges such as financial stress and personal anxieties can be overcome by trusting in God's faithfulness and seeking His guidance in every situation. [82:32]
5. Staying Connected to Jesus: Practical strategies like daily devotions, breath prayers, and moments of reflection help maintain a strong connection with Jesus, providing peace and direction in our daily lives. [01:37:55]
** [97:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[59:28] - Introduction to the Practice of Community
[60:24] - Panel Introduction
[61:15] - Panelist Introductions
[64:43] - Faith and Leadership
[71:36] - Seeing Jesus in the Workplace
[78:46] - Challenges in Context
[86:24] - Importance of Community Beyond Sundays
[94:30] - Staying Connected to Jesus
[105:24] - Closing Remarks and Prayer

Sermon Clips

"Yeah that's an amazing question um it it impacts everything that I do uh it's in every part of uh the way I approach everything and um primarily it it means people first means relationship first it means that I actually lead out of what's going on in here, and if anything shifts that out of a place of love out of a place of peace uh well then I'm in conversation with uh God often wrestling with Jesus uh in terms of what's actually shifted." [01:04:51]

"I think one of the greatest gifts that we give anyone uh in the world is is actually seeing them and and the ability to hear them and And and in a real sense that's what love is and so when that love shifts we actually stop listening to them and we're caring more about what it is that uh I guess is going on inside of our head inside of us more than we care about the person in front of us." [01:05:32]

"The short answer to that is I see Jesus wherever I look for him you know so often we go through and and through life through our situations and we usually to look for God and and what I love about Jesus is he is the God who is in the midst of wherever we're at wherever we are whatever it is that we're doing he's in the midst of it and he's there with us." [01:11:51]

"I think in terms of stories a classic example uh would be the fact that um what happens quite often in our space is people will walk in and they'll often just go I don't know what it is about this place but every time I walk in I just want to cry and and we know it's not uh I mean in partnership it is what we do but is the fact that the Holy Spirit is there and he is helping us make that a safe space for people." [01:12:42]

"Yeah uh I I think currently it's probably the same challenge that we're all facing uh for us it is rising costs and reducing uh income uh is making our budget match that sort of thing that is one area but at the same time in that you know we are just constantly seeing the faithfulness of God in in the midst of that um we yeah you um I think in terms of uh if there's anybody out there clean driver's license and they have a couple of hours to spare each week uh where we've got a number of uh volunteer opportunities available." [01:18:59]

"I think it's um it's something we all spend our lives actually trying to work out um you know the fact is you know Jesus didn't actually come to save us for Sundays he he he came to redeem our whole lives and he didn't just come to redeem Christians or save Christians or save just us here in the church he he redeemed the whole cosmos redeemed the whole universe um and so often we spend our lives uh trying to categorize who's in who's out who's with us who's against us who's in my tribe who's in your tribe." [01:26:46]

"I think integrity is probably a big part of why ambassadors for Christ like one of the things that challenge myself about I want to be the same in every room I go into and so because sometimes I get to invite some of my colleagues because we don't just employ Christians you know we work with heaps of different people I get to invite them to church and I want you know I want their experience from me in that space to be the same experience and I don't always get that right." [01:29:19]

"Yeah it probably comes back to the fact that it is where Jesus is at the midst of it and and whenever I can't find my way through or for it is it is coming back to that there's probably not too many times when in all of this you know it's you know I have no halo that I'm publishing um it it is it is reflective of my journey and my struggles and the way I approach." [01:34:30]

"I have I use the Leo um 365 app which um they have a midday l doing at the moment a midday bell goes off and it's just a little short um devotion and you pray the Lord's Prayer and That just brings me back because like honestly I just get so caught up in the people in front of me and what I'm doing I could go a whole day without thinking about Jesus specifically so um so I'm a little bit different from Scott I haven't trained myself to Yeah so I just use what I can." [01:37:56]

"Also I to do you know to cope with some of those things I was talking about before about um some of the fears and anxieties I do this practice called breath prayer um so when I find myself getting panicky um basically it's um choosing a piece of scripture that speaks to your situation and um doing some deep breathing in in line with it so um one I use a lot because one of my triggers is around um financial stress and that's just been like that my whole life um but I fight it by going um as I breathe in I go you are my shepherd and as I breathe out I go I lack for nothing." [01:39:22]

"Yeah mine's quite similar probably to yours an um you know we've had a massive shift for our organization um with the changes to the lunches and schools um program and the way that that's been rolled out um it it was not done in a great way and it's had big effects on our community and our organization and our employees to lay lay people off which was really distressing and amazing people um and I guess the it's personal thing is going you know I really want to just be bitter about it I really just want to be um bitter but I'm choosing to be hopeful and see opportunities which there are um and also um wanting to be um instead of feeling overwhelmed like oh well you know who are we now if we aren't doing that what do we do and I have to do it quick and what am I you know all that sort of thing but just to feel um choose to be steady in the Lord you know have the an anchor for my soul." [01:22:32]

"Yeah I'm very thankful for my amazing wife who is my CRO um I'm the CHO chief hopeless officer remember uh I think there's a God gives you times in your day um I used to be madly at work half an hour before everybody I'd leave an hour after everybody I would come bring work home I would work all weekend or you know there's and of course there's still things like that that do happen but in the busyiness you've got to take the times where God actually shows you um a few things and I always remember someone talking about thanking God for everything first and I always feel like that is a bit like how I enjoy things if someone says you know this is great you know but how do how do we deal with this when we go to God and say like 'Look Lord um thank you for this beautiful day thank you for being here.'" [01:45:24]

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