R805 Standing Firm In Difficult Times

God has an encouraging word for you and me today through the Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton and a message called The Heart of a Leader.

Whether we realize it or not, all of us fit both of those roles. All of us are leaders at times and followers, and today we head to Romans Chapter 1 with Dr. Don Wilton, well-known author, evangelist, and pastor to study this passage and understand what God says about what it is to be a good leader. As we study the word, know that we're here for you connecting on our website right now at www.tewonline.org. That's www.tewonline.org.

So much excitement about this 31 Days of Prayer for My Husband or 31 Days of Prayer for My Wife resource. It's all online at www.tewonline.org. Drop by today, and while you're there, be sure and sign up for the daily email from Dr. Don. That's online at www.tewonline.org.

And now, Dr. Don Wilton. Romans Chapter 1 and verse 8. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times. And I pray that now at last, by God's will, the way may be open for me to come to you. I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong. That is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.

I do not want you to be unaware that I planned many times to come to you, but have been prevented from doing so until now. In order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among other Gentiles, I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and to the foolish. That is why I'm so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.

I want you to consider something for a moment. Paul was about to lay upon the church at Rome, as he indeed does for us, the most deep and incredible theology. The word theology is about God.

I believe that the letter to the Romans is the Magna Carta of the Christian faith. In fact, my father picked me up at the airport last night and I turned to him and I said to him, Dad, I said, I've been studying further on in Romans, for example, beginning at verse 18, where the Bible says that the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness. And I said to him, Dad, just through the end of chapter one, there is so much richness. There is so much to know about God that I don't believe that I can ever get through chapter one.

It's just too much. Paul here writing this letter under the inspiration of the Lord is about to, if you'll beg the phrase, lay deep theology on us. We're going to be learning about God. What an incredible subject. But before he does that, Paul says, before I teach you about God, let me tell you about myself.

I want you to think about that for a moment. I'm one of those people I've studied a lot of theology I should imagine relatively. And I've appreciated all I've learned from textbooks and from great professors and seminaries. But the greatest theology that I have ever learned has come from people just like yourself. You are the greatest textbook about God that I have ever studied. We are very familiar with the concept of being interviewed.

Just think about it. I remember when Neil Phillips, the chairman of the pastor search committee of this church, and that team appointed by this church came to interview me many years ago about the potential of being considered to become your senior pastor. We had a dialogue. It wasn't a monologue. It was a dialogue. They turned to me and said to me, Don Wilton, tell us about yourself. Then I said, will you tell me about yourself?

And we began to learn about one another. I was not here. You were not with me. I was not with you. But what we put up front was ourselves. Now, consider this.

Paul had never visited Rome. But he wrote this extraordinary letter. And he tells them not only that he loves them and longs for them, but he tells them unbelievable things. And he's going to get pretty upbeat about it, folks. You watch, he's going to, if we could use a modern phrase, he's going to lay the smack down. When it comes to God, Paul's not going to beat around the bush. In fact, we're going to feel very uncomfortable at times.

We're going to feel very ecstatic at other times. God's going to speak to us. But before he does it, he says, let me just tell you who I am.

And he gives a resume of himself. I want to speak to you this morning about the heart of a leader. When I studied this passage, I began to ask myself with each one of these 10 characteristics that I found in these verses, I began to ask myself, if I am going to be the kind of leader that God wants me to be, to what extent are these things true of me?

Whether I'm a Sunday school teacher, a mother, father, a business owner, whether I'm a pastor, doesn't matter what my position is, I'm a Christian man, Christian woman. Paul here puts on us the heart of a leader. He says to the church at Rome, this is who I am.

And when you know who I am, you're going to understand how I operate and why I do what I do. Because Paul was not going to be engaged in a popularity contest. As we read in God's word, Paul made the statement. He said, I'm not here to be a man pleaser. He said, I'm on assignment from God.

I want to be a God pleaser. So he's laying it down. And again, to bring that phrase, he's laying the smack down. What does he say to us? Number one, that the heart of the leader always thanks the Lord.

That's number one. Always thanks the Lord. Folks, write these things down. Put it in your Bible. I'm telling you, this is going to bless you today. Number one, the heart of a leader always thanks the Lord. Verse eight, first I thank my God, he says.

Now I love that. It's a real challenge to me because basically what Paul was saying, before he says anything about what he believes related to who God is, Paul lets everybody know that everything that he's about, everything that he has, everything that he hopes to be, he gives thanks to the Lord. Paul's setting a standard. He's saying, listen, even if I'm shipwrecked, I'm going to thank the Lord. Even if I'm arrested and put in jail, I'm going to thank the Lord. If I'm given a million dollars, I'm going to thank the Lord. If I'm surrounded by friends, I'm going to thank the Lord. If I've got a beautiful motor car to drive, I'm going to thank the Lord. If I get to go on a trip to London, I'm going to thank the Lord. If I have plenty to eat, I'm going to thank the Lord. And if I don't have anything to eat, I'm going to thank the Lord. Principle number one, the heart of a leader always thanks the Lord. Number two, the heart of the leader always commends others.

Now I love this point in verse eight because he says, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you. Yesterday I had a few moments again with Steve Skinner who directs Mirror Image Choir Tour and is obviously not here. And Brian, we appreciate so much you stepping up into the front leadership here.

As always, we love you so much. Paul was making a statement about leadership. Leadership always commends the other person. Leadership always buys somebody else a Coke. Leadership always gives up her seat, his seat for somebody else. Leadership is a young man who stands up on the train and says, no, you sit down.

Leadership always gives way in commendation of others. Number three, the heart of a leader always serves with a whole heart. Look at verse nine, God whom I serve with my whole heart. Now that's a very interesting statement that he makes.

Because that word there means that he is given completely. Now some of you are gonna shoot me for saying this and that's fine. But some of you in the distant past might have watched that movie called Grease.

I'm gonna ask for a show of hands here. Who was that fella? Looks just like me. John Travolta, that's right. John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Was that her name?

Australian girl? Olivia Newton-John. And of course, Grease became such a classic of the 50s. And the young people of those days, in the early 60s. And it fascinated me when I watched all the antics and the motor cars and the brew cream and everything.

That's why I look like I do, folks. But there was one song that John Travolta sang. Do you remember what it is? He said the song was entitled Totally Devoted to You. Great romantic song. That's what we want to say to each other when we fall in love and when we get married. I'm totally devoted to you. Paul actually was making the same statement but in a deep spiritual sense.

Here's what he was saying. He's saying, listen, God has called me. He saved me, number one. And then he called me to serve him and what I'm going to do is I'm going to be totally devoted to him.

I'm going to serve him with all of my heart. That is an incredible leadership principle, folks. You know, you go and talk to the average mother.

I guarantee you moms will tell you if reality were a reality, they'd say, you know, I don't always necessarily feel like doing what I'm doing with my child. But I do it because I'm totally devoted. Wholeheartedness is not swayed by time, energy, circumstances, whether you're up or whether you're down. Paul here puts an incredible leadership principle. It applies to me as a daddy, as a pastor, as a friend, as a husband. Always serves with the whole heart. Number four, number four, the heart of a leader always prays at all times.

I love that in verse 10, how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times. I don't know what else to say, folks. You know, I got up this morning at five o'clock, started to get ready, come over to church. I disciplined myself. I had a lot of things on my mind. I tried to say, Lord, please help me to pray for our young people today.

They're starting to get up right now. I pray for the chaperones, pray for the orchestra and the band members who are there playing instruments. Here's what he says. He says, the heart of a leader always prays at all times. You know, there's one thing all of us can do.

We can all pray. Number five, the heart of a leader always yearns for the will of God. Look at verse 10 again, the latter part. He said, and I pray that now lost by God's will, the way may be open for me to come to you. Paul wanted to go and visit the folks in Rome. God had not opened that way, but it certainly did not prevent Paul from constantly and continually saying, I want you to know, my dear friends, that what matters to me is the will of God.

I want to be at the center of your will. Someone said to me one time, Dr. Russell Bush, retired pastor of Main Street Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He said to me many years ago, dear man, he was a dentist all his life, and at the age of 66, Dr. Russell Bush laid down his instruments, and God called him to be pastor of Main Street Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Great man of God, wonderful preacher, and he was there for about 15 years. He looked at me one time and he said to me, Don Wilton, if you want to know that you're in the will of God, just decide that from this moment you're in the will of God.

Because you're a believer, you love him. Write that in your heart as a principle. God will honor that. Number six, the heart of a leader always loves with a purpose. Look at verse 11, I long to see you. Can you feel the love in that? I long to see you, but with a purpose.

Watch this. So that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong. Now all of a sudden, the purpose with which he loves is tied into the impartation, the cultivation, the carrying, and the exercise of spiritual gifts. Because Paul is going to teach us, and he does in Corinthians and in other places, that no Christian is giftless. All of us have been given gifts.

Now watch what he says. He says the purpose with which I love you is twofold. Because if you are using your gifts, number one, you are going to be made strong. Number two, we're all going to be blessed.

That's the purpose of gifts. And in this juncture, he said I'm going to love you with a purpose because I know that when my love is directed and it has a purpose in it, God is going to receive the glory and you're going to be blessed. Now watch what happens, folks.

This is interesting. I can show you in any congregation, the strongest people in any congregation are those people who are using their gifts for the glory of God. The weakest people in any congregation are those who are not using their gifts for the Lord. Now that's a biblical theological statement.

Forgive the interruption. We'll be back with the rest of today's message in its entirety from Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment. If you haven't been to our website, you can find this message and so many more resources available for you right away at www.tewonline.org. I mentioned earlier in the broadcast the 31 Days of Prayer for My Husband or 31 Days of Prayer for My Wife. Wonderful resources right now on our website at www.tewonline.org.

That's www.tewonline.org. Now back to today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. The Bible says when you use your gifts, you are made strong.

It benefits you. You stand number one in line to be blessed of the Lord. If you don't use your gifts, you'll become a weak Christian. Incredible statement. So what is he saying? The heart of a leader always loves with a purpose.

Number seven, the heart of a leader always includes himself. Well, look at verse 12. It leads on.

He says, I long to see you. Here's my purpose, to impart to you some spiritual gifts so that you would be made strong. Verse 12, that is, so that you and I may be mutually encouraged by one another's faith. Do you know what you do for me, folks?

You encourage me. But Paul is saying more than that. Paul is saying simply this, that the heart of a leader always includes himself in every expression of who God is. For example, Paul didn't get up there and call everybody our sinners.

He said, I'm the chief sinner. Paul didn't say, listen, it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way. Paul never said, listen, with the exception of me, you've all messed up.

Now we say those things sometimes with a little humor in it and we understand what we're trying to say. But Paul sincerely from his heart as a man of God included himself in everything that he was about to teach concerning who God is. Paul was no exception. Number eight, number eight, the heart of a leader always cries out for the harvest. Now watch with me at verse 13, the latter part of verse 13.

He puts this writer on. He says, these things I pray would happen in order that I may have a harvest among you. By the way, that word there harvest there literally means that we might bear fruit together. We all identify with fruit and Paul right throughout Romans and needless to say in many of these other letters, he talks about fruit. And fruit has three biblical usages. Number one, it refers to attitudes.

For example, in Galatians, Paul says that the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering. That refers to attitude. That's the harvest. That's the fruit. Number two, it refers to actions.

Actions. For example, when we get there in Romans 6 22, he says the fruit or the benefit which you reap leads to holiness. He's talking about the essential ingredient of a believer's work. In other words, the fruit of my labor leads to actions. Fruit refers to my action. Number three, fruit refers to additions.

Additions. You'll remember in the book of Acts, the Lord added to the church daily such as would be saved. Paul says in Romans 16 five, he talks about the increase or the harvest or the fruit of a believer's work. And so no wonder as a principle of leadership, Paul here says, he says the heart of a leader always cries out for the harvest.

Always looks for fruit. Great thought there, isn't it? Number nine, the heart of a leader always ministers under obligation.

Look at verse 14. I am obligated. That word there says I am compelled.

I do it because I'm obliged to do so. Yesterday morning, we got up at the crack of dawn, eight o'clock, we were in a prison. That's early, folks, especially after the day before. And out the corner of my eye, I noticed one of our students didn't look too happy. I can't explain but I looked over there and this student just looked like he or she was recovering from hookworm treatment. I mean, you could see it, just not happy. So I kind of very delicately, I kind of sidled over to this person and I said, hey man, how's it going? I said, okay, well that's fair enough. I said, are you sick? This person said, oh no, Dr. Don, I'm not sick.

I said, are you sure? Because we can give you an antibiotic or something. No, no, no, I'm not sick. I said, well good.

Because if you're not sick, what seems to be troubling you? Well, I tell you, when I, this person, this, I stopped right there. I said, I don't care if you've been keel hauled. I don't care if somebody took the last donut at breakfast. I don't care if you got woken up, dragged upside down, if you got doused with water. I don't care if you had to borrow somebody else's toothbrush.

It doesn't matter. If you're sick, we can deal with sick. But I want to tell you something, by the way, this was with a lot of love. I said, I want to tell you something, that you have an obligation to God, to a group of people that are in the dregs of society. These people are run down. They've got nothing.

They're desperate. And we are here because we are under obligation. We are compelled. It doesn't matter how you feel, what you've done, whose toothbrush you had to use, who did what, whether this happened.

It doesn't matter. Let me see that smile on your face. A little one came.

I said, it's not good enough. I'm talking about a real smile. I want to tell you something, folks. I watched that young person in that presentation. They were radiant. They were transformed. They ministered like you cannot begin to imagine. And I went up to this person after everything was over and all these people gave their hearts to Jesus. And I walked up to this person, gave them a big bear hug.

And I said, I'm so proud of you. I said, you know what? I know what it's like to step out of the wrong side of the bed and that's okay. And I tell you, I know what it's like, man, to have to use somebody else's toothbrush.

And I know what it's like, you know, when just life goes down. But I tell you one thing. When you do what you do because God has called you to do it, you've got the heart of a leader. And number 10, the heart of the leader is always eager to serve. Is always eager to serve. Always.

Listen, folks. He carries out his assignments with eagerness. Look with me right there in that last verse, verse 15. That is why I am so eager to do what God has called me to do. Boy, I'm telling you.

Isn't that incredible? Eagerness. Eagerness is not dictated to by human feelings or circumstances.

You know, we don't do what we do just because we've got nothing else to do. We're eager because God has put that in our hearts. A great day of teaching from Dr. Don Wilton. That's what you've been listening to here on The Encouraging Word. And you've heard him as he's teaching from the pulpit.

But now as he steps in the studio, open your heart to what he wants to share next. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ? Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now? Dear God, I know that I'm a sinner and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross. Today I repent of my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus' name. My friend, I welcome you today into the family of God.

This is exciting news. If you just gave your life to Jesus Christ, praying with Dr. Wilton moments ago or perhaps throughout the program, Dr. Don has triggered some things through God's Word. And more importantly, the Holy Spirit has moved your heart to a need for change. Oh, how we'd love to celebrate with you. As a matter of fact, if you gave your life to Christ or rededicated your life to Jesus today, Dr. Don would love to put some free resources in your hands.

Again, absolutely free. Your callers will ship these out to you in these next days or so at 866-899-WORD. Jot the number down, 866-899-9673, and share how God's moving in your life. One of the joys of Dr. Wilton is hearing how God is working through the ministry of the encouraging Word and God's Word in your life. Feel free to write to him, Don, D-O-N, at T-E-W online dot O-R-G. He would love to hear your story and he would love to pray for you.

That's Don, D-O-N, at T-E-W online dot O-R-G. And before we get away, I've mentioned it. Here are all the details about the pray for your spouse opportunity here at the encouraging Word. It's easy to celebrate Valentine's Day by buying candy and flowers, but when was the last time you actually prayed for your spouse? Join Dr. Wilton as he unpacks a powerful message on the forgiving family. Plus, you will receive 31 days of prayer books for my husband and wife. This offer set will help you learn how to support each other through prayer and how important forgiveness plays in the family. Not only are marriages under attack, the family is also under attack. Support your spouse through prayer and see what God does in both of your lives. Commit to praying 31 days for your spouse. Commit to praying 31 days for your spouse. Let God change your spouse.

Let God change your family. Call us today at 866-899-WORD and request the February offer for your gift of $25 or more per set. Thank you for your support of the encouraging Word.

What a great day of teaching and the next edition of the encouraging Word will take us to Exodus chapters 13 and 14 for this message, When Reality Sets In. I hope you'll join us and bring a friend. All the details about where to listen, whether it's on the radio, online, or all on our website at www.tewonline.org. Many have been watching us over the weekend on Daystar and other television networks. All the points of connection are right there on our website www.tewonline.org. We would love to connect with you.