November 9, 2023

A few weeks ago, I asked you the question, “Are you a CLIMBER?” In Matt. 5:1-2 in the Message version it says, “When Jesus saw His ministry drawing huge crowds He climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to Him, the committed, climbed with Him. Arriving at a quiet place, He sat down and taught His climbing champions.”

Most people have the wrong concept of “climbing the ladder of success.” They think they must step on others to get to the top, make money their first priority, and live a life of selfishness. But God’s way is different. A “climber” in God’s sense is someone who successfully applies the principles of the Word to make it to the top and fulfill their God - given dreams. Today let’s look at letter “M”. 

• C - COMMITTED - They don’t give up, no matter what.
• L - LEARNERS - They stay teachable and willing to learn.
• I - INTEGRITY - They don’t deal in shortcuts and compromises.
• M - MISSION - They have a purpose and they know where they are going.
• B - BOLDNESS - They’re not afraid to take a stand for what they believe.
• E - ENTHUSIASM - They give life everything they’ve got.
• R - RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD - They know that all they have and all they are comes from Him.
• S - SERVANTS - They know that the way up is the way down. They live to give. 

 "Create a vision and never let the environment, other people’s beliefs or the limits of what has been done in the past shape your decisions."
—Tony Robbins

Legendary leaders have a defined MISSION, vision, and purpose. Elon Musk, Dr. Martin Luther King, and Walt Disney are all names we quickly recognize, not so much because of their management or communication skills but because of their MISSION. Their MISSION, vision, and purpose propelled them to great heights of success. 

Some years ago, I went hiking in the Sierras with my sons. We had been hiking for around 12 miles, when we came to a crystal-clear stream that we would have to cross in order to continue down the trail. The stream was about 20 feet across and only about 2 feet deep. From the right it ran down a steep incline with beautiful small waterfalls and rapids. It careened underneath a large log that hikers used to cross. Off to the left of the log the water went over a steep cliff that was about 30 feet high. As I began to cross the log, I began to focus on the cliff off to my left. Suddenly I froze! I didn’t want to go forward or backward. I just stood there on the log. With much coaxing from my sons, I finally made it across. When I looked back at the log from the other side, I had to laugh. The log was only 1 foot above the stream and if I would’ve fallen in, nothing would have happened. The problem was I was looking at the wrong thing. I had been focusing on the cliff on the left side and lost my clarity of MISSION. 

Tough circumstances, negative public opinion, and plateaus in growth can distract and even paralyze leaders who aren’t sure of who they are and where they are going. When we are clear about where we are going we can make decisions and choices quite easily. Your MISSION will set your company culture and help you set the goals that your entire team can rally around and work towards. 

Take some time today to write out a clear MISSION, vision, and purpose for your life. Keep it before you and watch how distractions and confusion fade away.

 Recommended Book: The Fourth Dimension by Dr. David Yonggi Cho

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God is for you!
Pastor David Blunt