DEVOTION WK3-6

Instructions

WK. 3 (100 WORDS)Conflict and Creativity in TeamsConflict is present in every team.  The maturity and strength of the team is revealed in how individuals within the team handle conflict and then come together to work toward solutions. The scriptures used in our devotional this week by Pastor Jeff Schreve reveal that Jesus calls us to be wise in how we handle our personal conflict issues for the greater good of ourselves, our family, and others.  Todays devotional is found at the following site: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/fromhisheart/when-conflict-comes-from-his-heart-week-of-february-19-11626442.htmlWK. 4 (100 WORDS)Team Building in Different Kinds of TeamsScripture is full of example of teams.  From the family teams in Genesis to the angels in Revelation, teamwork is demonstrated throughout the Bible.  Sometimes they are effective, and other times the teams struggle to pull it together.  Consider Pauls relationship with two men:  Barnabas and Timothy.  One parted ways with Paul, and the other was considered like a son to Paul.  What made the difference in the two teams?  Was it just a matter of personalities?  Was it the way each person responded to stress?  Was it a failure to resolve issues?  Were they simply done working together and needed to move on?  There arent enough details in scripture to know the answers.  But we do know that Paul, the great apologist, struggled in at least one relationship team.  I think a lifetime of dealing with hard things helped shape Pauls writing under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  His words in Colossians 3 are intimate and personal calls to holiness, but, in reality, embracing the lifestyle of one alive in Christ gives us wisdom to work with any kind of team.Take a look at Colossians 3:1-17 where Paul talks about what it means to be alive in Christ. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+3&version=NIVJust a snapshot:Set your hearts on Christ:  Guides leaders to view colleagues from a godly perspective.Set your minds on Christ:  Removes selfish motives in leaders.Destroy sin in your life:  Gives leaders pure hearts with which to love others.Put on love:  Creates gentle-spirited leaders that people enjoy being around.Keep God in the middle of everything:  Sets the leaders priorities in line with heavenly purposes.What would it take for your leadership style to reflect the holiness Paul challenges the Colossians to in this portion of scripture?  Is there an area that jumped out as you read this weeks passage?  Make a note of it.  God might be speaking to yoWK. 5 (100 WORDS)External DynamicsBeauty.  Nobility.  Prayer and fasting.  Perishing.  Thinking of this weeks scripture portion yet?  You guessed it.  Were looking at the story of Esther.  When we think of external dynamics that affect a particular group, we cant help but think of the Israelites during the Persian rule.  Sometimes things are out of our control.  The Israelites were stuck following the leadership of the Persians.  Mordecai was under oppression by Haman.  Esther was forced into a harem.  The Israelites were threatened with destruction because of the jealous and cruel mind of one man.  These external forces impacted how the Israelites functioned as a team.So how do we deal with things that are out of our control but are impacting our teams?  The book of Esther gives us some guidance.Great leaders consider the team above themselves and will take a risk to protect it from external influences. Great leaders stir up unity among the team members and draw them together to deal with the opposition.Great leaders hold true to their values in the face of manipulation and persecution from outside sources.Great leaders call their teams to action with common goals that create unity in teams, like the prayer and fasting of the Israelites.Great leaders recognize the value of individual team members in dealing with external dynamics.Take a few minutes to review the story of Esther and see if you can find additional guidance on how to deal with external forces impacting your team.  Remember, external forces do not have to always be devastating.  Sometimes the outside dynamics have a positive impact on your team.  In the book of Esther, those who took Esther to the Kings palace inadvertently had a positive impact on all of Israel.WK. 6 (100 WORDS)The Challenge of Team Building in the FutureBe Thou my Vision was a hymn written by an Irishman named Dallan Forgaill of the 8th Century. The first verse states: Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best thought, by day or by night, waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light (Be Thou My Vision, 2012). The essence of the song tells us the importance of seeing what God sees rather than what our human eyes behold.As we reflect on team building, we must realize that a vision is one of the things that we need most. To build a team, it starts with a vision of what we can do through a team effort. It is seeing what is yet ahead through the eyes of the Almighty God. Seeking Him will give you godly vision. Seeking Him will set you on the right path as you gather your team.One of the most challenging verses in the Bible states, Without a vision, the people will perish (Proverbs 29:18a NIV). What do you see through the eyes of God for your church/organization? What has God revealed to you about His plan for your ministry? What I have personally experienced about vision is that it wakes me in the night. It is on my mind when I wake in the morning and when I lay my head down in the evening. When God gives a vision, it burns deep within your soul. It is His plan being carried out by His people.Jesus was thinking toward the future as He prepared for His human departure from this earth. He knew that team building was imperative for the long-term plan of God. He prayed for His team. He wept for His team. Jesus knew that if the human race were to hear the GOOD NEWS it would happen through these simple men with a simple plan. He began building his team and then gave them the commission: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20 NIV)If God is your vision, you will not see through a glass darkly (1 Corinthians 13:12 KJV) but through eyes of faith, trust and hope for a team that can make a difference in Gods ultimate plan for the human race. Begin praying for a team. Ask God to give you direction and guidance. Accept the challenge of building a team for the future!ReferenceBe Thou My Vision. (2012). Retrieved January 5, 2012, from http://songsandhymns.org/hymns/detail/be-thou-my-vision

Answer