Daily Huddle - Mon Apr 15, 2019 Response And Influence

Love you all, praying for you! 
 
Praise God.  He has GRACE for you!  Divine power to do everything He has called you to do today.   Praying that PiVAT will be your first look every morning, Inquiring of the LORD – like David.  That He will confirm today’s tasks.  That you would take joy in the journey – walking in the center of His will – all day – bearing much fruit.  

Here’s another contrast.  God reminding me yesterday…   Proverbs 14:17 - A quick tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated.   Long before you have a temper problem, you have a response problem.   How do you respond?  Do you follow the abc’s?
 
.a) Do you listen fully and completely when someone says something?   .b) The very next thing – Do you reflect what you heard them say, and ask them to clarify – because you seek to understand… more than you seek to be understood?   .c) Do you inquire of the LORD by the Holy Spirit?  First to know whether to say anything at all – right now…  or exactly what He wants you to say, or what He wants you to leave unsaid, or wait for a more opportune time to say it?
 
Or do you fire back quickly, having taken offense, putting up defenses, making no attempt to clarify or understand their thoughts and feelings?  Listening takes time.  I just don’t have the time.  I gotta… You gotta do what?  Who said?  What makes me believe that?
 
Here’s the other half of that verse.  A crafty man is hated.   What is a crafty man?  One who devises schemes to get what they want.  Not interested in listening and understanding, interested in getting.  And if they do listen, it’s only to discover ‘how to get.’   What’s the contrast?  The righteous.   A man of humility – the most significant mark of Christ – which He evidenced by his obedience – even to death on a cross.   A humble man doesn’t craft schemes to get what they want… a humble man desires what God wants, and submits themselves to full obedience.   They want good for others, more than they want good for themselves.   Not just a ‘win-win’ to achieve monetary temporal benefit – but a “God-Win” drawing them to repentance, humility and obedience and the overwhelming love of God. The focus of humility isn’t craftiness- that’s the opposite of obedience – that’s man’s way… The focus of humility is God’s Way – and obedience is the outworking of humility.  

Someone recently interviewed 100 CEO’s to find the Top 10 most influential books that shaped their life.  (Not surprisingly on a website called “waystowealth’)   The top book?  “Influence – by Robert Cialdini.”  From the back cover: … the most important book on influence ever written.  Psychological secrets of skilled persuaders, how to defend against them, and how to put those secrets to work on your own behalf…
 
So just as Proverbs said… yes, people do hate crafty men, yet want to learn their secrets to benefit us.   If Jesus wrote a book.  (Yes, it would probably be called ‘The Bible’).  But in comparison, if Jesus wrote a one-word Book Title… It would probably be called – “Humility” – (Subtitle – And it’s evidence through obedience)
 
Philippians 2:8  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.  But what about influence?   God says.  No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.  – John 6:44     So should we influence people? 
 
Influence – to affect the passions, mind or will in persuading or dissuading.   Persuade – to draw or incline the will to a determination or action by presenting motives to the mind.   God says ‘he who wins souls is wise.’   It also says “He would that not any should perish, but all come to repentance…” 2 Peter 3:9   In the Great Commission – we are commanded to share the good news in every nation – discipling them to humility and obedience – everything that He commanded us.   – Matthew 28:19-20
 
So if the Holy Spirit draws them, what can we do to let the Holy Spirit use us as He influences others to life and life more abundantly?   It’s God’s kindness that leads us to repentance.  – Romans 2:4   So while we share the good news, they are perhaps watching how we treat them, how we treat those we love, and how we treat others – as well as what we share with them.   And since kindness begins with our response…
 
Praying for you,  that God’s kindness in your every response would be observed by others.   That you would be even-tempered, not quick-tempered, that you would fully listen, clarify and understand, inquire of the LORD and speak only what the Holy Spirit tells you to speak.  So His kindness can lead them to repentance. 
 
Love you all, and if you could… please pray for me for this too…
 
Love you,
dad