Opening Doors

Engaging people in substantive conversation is essential to the Dominion Mandate. Engaging people in discussion, without being too overbearing, is the key to educating.

Look for the Open Door. You never know how many other doors will be opened as a result of opening the first.

The first thing you must do is familiarize yourself with some of the “hot topics” of the day. If you don’t know what is happening around you then you cannot discuss key issues with any authority. These can be local or national issues but remember your goal is to distill every issue by bringing it down to the local level. That is where change begins – at the local level. It is never top down. 

Visibility

Next you must make yourself available to others in order to engage them in discussion. Remember you are not there to debate. Rather you are going to advise and recommend Biblical solutions to real problems. If the Christian is not able to offer concrete Biblical solutions to problems affecting the local community then discussion is futile. It will simply be counterproductive and will ultimately show Christianity’s inability to solve society’s issues. This of course is not true. The only answer for the problems of the world is God’s Word adopted and applied. You must be able to address topical issues with concrete solutions. You must know what you are talking about before you open your mouth. This requires study. Only then should you become verbal. Until then make yourselves accessible to the community at large in order to disseminate what you know when you are ready.

Involvement

Here is a list on how you can make yourself visible

1.       Join a community committee.

2.       Visit local vendors and engage them in day to day conversation

3.       Visit your local coffee shop and make yourself a consistent customer. Talk to the customers and the owner. Become conversant with the employees. Build relationships.

4.       Volunteer for certain community events.

5.       Run for a local office.

6.       Assist others in running for a local office

7.       Visit the pastors in your community.

8.       Visit the local sheriff’s department. Take him to lunch.

9.       Join a gym. Talk with the people there. Engage them. Get to know them. Become an individual of conversation so that you can become the “go to guy” (or gal) for answers.

10.   Go to the county meetings. Engage your local officials. Get to know them. Get them to know you.

The Carrot 

Thirdly, whenever the opportunity presents itself within day to day interaction with people you come into contact with, bring up one of these “hot topics” and wait for a response. Put out the carrot and see who bites. Gauge the response so as to gauge your answer. Just mention one of the issues plaguing the local community. Then sit back and observe. Focus only on one issue at a time. Do not cloud the conversation with a barrage of issues or you will lose your effectiveness.

Follow-up

In order to resonate with your neighbors you first must genuinely care about them. If you do, they will know it right off. If you are a hypocrite or an opportunist, they will know that too. After an issue is raised carefully listen to their reaction and then offer some comments.  You may even pose your recommendation in the form of a question. You may say, “What do you think about this…?” or “Do you think the issue could be solved in this way…?” Be sure your follow up takes their personal and family situation into consideration. 

The Importance of the Individual and The family

Everything boils down to the well being of the individual and the family. The is key if you want to resonate with people. If political and economic policies infringe upon the family, by stifling them and bringing them into economic and or political bondage, those policies must be exposed for what they are – an attack upon the individual and the family. If your motive is Liberty under God for the well-being of the family God will bless your efforts. If that is not your motive then perhaps you should get a job at MacDonald’s and forget about the whole thing.

Lie Pinocchio Lie

The more lies Pinoccio told the more he became an “ass” (i.e. Donkey). It was true for Disney’s Pinoccio and it remains true today. The more you lie the more you are likened to an asinine dumb animal.
I was told recently by a retired civil magistrate that the only way to get elected is to lie. That statement was astonishing for a number of reasons beyond the obvious. 

Obviously, lying is forbidden by the Law of God and it is ultimately rewarded with eternal condemnation.

Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

However, what was even more astounding, beside the obvious, was that this statement was told to me by a church-goer  who knows full well that I stand in God’s Pulpit every Lord’s Day declaring the Law-Word of God! Moreover, by proclaiming His Word, I am declaring the Incarnate Word Who is Himself the TRUTH.

From statements like this a number of things may be deduced.

1. The individual is an idiot. While this is not true of this example, one has to consider why in the world someone of seeming integrity would confess to such an outrageous strategy, especially since elected officials are to be “ministers of God for good”?

2. The individual doesn’t care about people. This is more likely the case. To willfully lie, bold-faced and shamelessly to people just to get elected into public office shows a disdain for the very people the elected official is to serve.

3. The individual lacks a moral conscience. Calculated lying shows that there is a gross lack of ethical substance. The moral compass is broken, and unrestrained pragmatism rules the mind and the spirit.

4. The individual has been in political office too long. All too often a candidate may begin in earnest, but lacking a principled ideology of righteousness falls prey to the habit of telling half truths and lies once he or she is in the office for too long of a time. This is especially true for those politicians that wield power. According to communications and deception expert,  Janine Driver, the greater the power the easier it is to lie without hesitation or infringement on the conscience.

5. The individual thinks that they can orchestrate events by lying.  Lying men want to be like God. They want to control the outcome of events and think that they can do so if they craft stories to fit their agenda. These liars seek to bring about their desired end through deceit.

Jeremiah warns that all liars will eventually be shown for what they are; fools. Even the very best of liars, Jeremiah says will be broken. In fact the Hebrew word signifies that they will be 'violently broken' for the many lies they have told.

Jeremiah 50:36 A sword is upon the liars; and they shall dote (lit. become foolish): a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed (Lit. violently broken).

The Remedy

The only solution for lying is Faith from the wellspring of God’s Grace via the New Birth. One needs only to trust God in order to tell the truth. Truth telling is a fundamental characteristic of the sincere Christian. Truth always triumphs over lies and the 'Truth Tellers' will have dominion. 

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think (Lit. Reckon with) on these things.

Leadership and Frustration

Biblical leadership mandates unwavering faith in God’s perfect orchestration of all events. When this concept is embraced and factored into all aspects of life, the emotion of frustration is mitigated exponentially. All emotion is based on how we think and process information and events.  Thinking properly results in responding properly.

According to Dr. Frankly E. Payne emotions result from the “disturbance of the mind”. It is the result of the minds agitation to events or circumstances.

Dr. Payne states,
 

“My definition of an emotion then is the momentary (acute) and ongoing (chronic) disturbances within the mind (soul and spirit) caused by the discrepancy between perceived reality and one’s desires.” (1)

What this means is that whenever an individual interprets, or perceives, any given situation wrongly, a wrong emotional response results. This is why it is so vital for Christians to view and analyze all aspects of life through the lens of Faith. Leaders must be focuses on the task at hand. They cannot be of a “double mind” which exists somewhere between worry and trust. Leaders must be resolute, steadfast and targeted without the emotion of worry or (and especially) frustration. Frustration produces the inability to act with precision and therefore is an enemy of Godly productivity. 

Yet, frustration is a real problem especially to those who desire to see righteousness in the land by the honoring of God and His law. Frustration becomes especially debilitating when nothing seems to be getting accomplished to this end. To deal with this, the Biblical leader, understanding and embracing the times and the seasons he finds himself in, which are providentially orchestrated by God, does more than simply seek opportunity.

The Biblical Leader creates opportunity by a proactive response to the world’s issues surrounding him. The Biblical leader takes charge and injects himself into the societal fray. He doesn’t wait for change, he rather initiates change. This proactive posture frustrates frustration and establishes a concrete direction for the Glory of God.   

Leadership requires the eradication of all frustration. This is accomplished by the exercise of faith and an unmovable confidence that the Lord is orchestrating all things for the good of His people and the Glorification of His advancing Kingdom. 

(1) Dr. Frankly E. Payne, "God Confronts Culture...An Almost Complete Biblical and Christian Worldview" Available from New Geneva http://www.sagepayments.net/eftcart/products.asp