Untitled Sermon (12)

WNBS - Week 3

WNBS – Week 3

CHAPTERS 12 AND 16

Your Instinct Protect Your from Predators

Balancing Your intellect and Your Instinct

“If you lose your sense of who you are, you have nothing to which you can return. If you don’t discover your passion, purpose, and power, then you will pursue the roles assigned by others people’s scripts. You will lose the success afforded by new opportunities if you don’t know your own priorities and preferences.”

Chapter 18

Jethro’s Visit to Moses

Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about everything God had done for Moses and his people, the Israelites. He heard especially about how the Lord had rescued them from Egypt.

2 Earlier, Moses had sent his wife, Zipporah, and his two sons back to Jethro, who had taken them in. 3 (Moses’ first son was named Gershom, for Moses had said when the boy was born, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.” 4 His second son was named Eliezer, for Moses had said, “The God of my ancestors was my helper; he rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh.”) 5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, now came to visit Moses in the wilderness. He brought Moses’ wife and two sons with him, and they arrived while Moses and the people were camped near the mountain of God. 6 Jethro had sent a message to Moses, saying, “I, Jethro, your father-in-law, am coming to see you with your wife and your two sons.”

7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law. He bowed low and kissed him. They asked about each other’s welfare and then went into Moses’ tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and Egypt on behalf of Israel. He also told about all the hardships they had experienced along the way and how the Lord had rescued his people from all their troubles. 9 Jethro was delighted when he heard about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel as he rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians.

10 “Praise the Lord,” Jethro said, “for he has rescued you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh. Yes, he has rescued Israel from the powerful hand of Egypt! 11 I know now that the Lord is greater than all other gods, because he rescued his people from the oppression of the proud Egyptians.”

12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God. Aaron and all the elders of Israel came out and joined him in a sacrificial meal in God’s presence.

Jethro’s Wise Advice

13 The next day, Moses took his seat to hear the people’s disputes against each other. They waited before him from morning till evening.

14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What are you really accomplishing here? Why are you trying to do all this alone while everyone stands around you from morning till evening?”

15 Moses replied, “Because the people come to me to get a ruling from God. 16 When a dispute arises, they come to me, and I am the one who settles the case between the quarreling parties. I inform the people of God’s decrees and give them his instructions.”

17 “This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed. 18 “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. 19 Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. 20 Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives. 21 But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. 22 They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you. 23 If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.”

24 Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed his suggestions. 25 He chose capable men from all over Israel and appointed them as leaders over the people. He put them in charge of groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. 26 These men were always available to solve the people’s common disputes. They brought the major cases to Moses, but they took care of the smaller matters themselves.

27 Soon after this, Moses said good-bye to his father-in-law, who returned to his own land. [1]

The same instincts that lead you to new levels of success will protect you from new threats.

It’s tempting to think that you’ve arrived at the next level and stop there. The truth is that while your entrance into excellence should be celebrated, you must also be prepared to defend yourself and your core identity and beliefs as you encounter new people in your new environment.

Regardless of how kind, friendly, and helpful the new environment my appear, others will accurately regard your arrival as a catalyst for change. At best, you will strike them as a person of interest that requires further examination. At worst, your new community members will assess you as a threat to their own instinctive success.

Question?

When you find yourself in new situations, how do you usually respond to new acquaintances. How would you describe their first impressions of you? (warm, friendly, reserved, direct no-nonsense)

Would you say that your instinctive assessment of others based on first impressions tends to be accurate most of the time, some of the time, or none of the time?

Everyone you encounter will definitely be analyzing and assessing you the same way you are sizing them up. Obviously, the more time you spend together, the more data you have to assess these new acquaintances. However, here more than anywhere, don’t discount your instincts. Listen to your instinctive wisdom as it filters and familiarizes you with a new environment.

Trusting your instincts remains one of the best ways to defend yourself against the pursuit of predators.

TAKE AWAYS:

· Don’t rush into alliances without thinking through the implications

· Avoid taking sides in battles that started before you even showed up!

· Stay true to yourself while you integrate what you have into where you are

If you lose your sense of who you are, you have nothing in which you can return. If you don’t discover your passion, purpose, and power, then you will pursue the roles assigned by other people. You will lose success afforded by new opportunities if you don’t know your own priorities and preferences.

BALANCING YOUR INTELLECT AND YOUR INSTINCT

“Your head and your heart produce amazing offspring – your instincts”

When your head and your heart compare notes, the results often emerge in your instincts. Therefore, in order for your instincts to be as well informed and sharply focused as possible, you need to make sure you are actively including both the mental and emotional dimensions of your being.

Information in its purest form is irreplaceable in leadership as well as in life.

Defining Intellect: the necessary access to relevant data, pertinent information and the understanding to interpret it correctly.

You cannot neglect either area and expect your instinct to operate at full capacity.

Keeping the necessity of this balancing act as a priority, you empower your instincts to be twice as strong.

Finding balance between your intellect and your instincts often require you to rely on your relationships. When you include other people with different points of view, different biases and preferences, and different informational angles in your conversation, you’re instinctively seeking balance.

Similarly, you must be keenly aware of your own blind spots. Everyone has weaknesses and these must be considered as you find the right tempo between your intellect and your instincts.

“As essential as instincts are to exploring the design of your destiny, you must not ignore the facts for the feelings!!”

FINDING BALANCE

Balancing what you know in your mind with what you know in your heart takes practice. It is a kind of instinctive intelligence that is the marrying of what is verifiable and what is intangible. It is using what you know and what you sense to arrive at a more integrated decision.

If you are sincerely interested in a balanced truth, you cannot be fed biased data. You need multiple points of view in order to see the big picture. Multiple perspectives and descriptions together can help you progress further toward accomplishing the goals you were meant to be and do. The combined influence gives you a well-rounded perspective through which you can lessen the likelihood of mistakes and regret.

Success Key: When someone advises you, always seek to understand the lens in which they are speaking. Don’t build plans around a description that is a narrow perspective based on only one view.

In order to establish balance between intellect and instinct is to be able to rely on your ability to adjust and adapt. Called “360-degree thinking”

· Through understanding that anything you do affects everyone connected to you.

· Have a strategy that anticipates all the variables

· Go full circle and look at your new endeavor from all angles

· Have a strategy for success

You may not be able to give all those around you the instincts you have. But it is imperative that you share the information. Learn to inform, inspire and impart to all those persons affected and you will exceed anything you have imagined.

FINAL TAKE AWAYS:

· Balancing what you know in your mind with what you know in your heart takes practice.

· Seeing the significance and uniqueness of both will open your eyes to the universal truth

· Ensure that the intelligence they’re using comes from a reliable source.

· Combined influence provides a stronger whole than any single part can provide on its own

· The only way to avoid become someone else’s mouthpiece is by channeling information from a variety of sources.

· Learn to inform, inspire and impart to all those persons affected and you will exceed anything you have imagined.

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[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ex 18). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.