Please hit "WEBCASTS"
Script: Yvette l Narrator: Josh l Mix: Yujie
Hello friends, thank you for staying with us. This is the seventh episode of the series.
Hebrews 11: 6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
We develop a biblical worldview by using Scripture as a framework to interpret events and circumstances around us. These views are for application – whatever we know about God must always have an implication in the way we live as leaders.
The next step to integrating it into our lives is to establish core values – guiding principles that translate our worldview into words and actions. Core values are our theological anchors, similar to the large iron weights that hold a ship steady in the midst of stormy waves. We will certainly face storms relating to our jobs, families, health and many others, but these core values will anchor us in the solid ground of God’s promises in His word. Hebrews 6: 19 says, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil”.
What are some kingdom core values that we can use as our personal anchors? Some examples include:
Pastor Daniel Foo highlighted two important theological anchors, and they are (1) Grow in discernment and (2) be accountable.
Growing in discernment requires an increasing familiarity with the leading of the Spirit. As we connect with God regularly, we will be able to discern the promptings and nudges of the Spirit.
Testimony: Ann is a heritage consultant. She sources for artefacts and receives requests to appraise them. While she may have information based on provenance, research, expert opinions and clients’ inputs, all that might not be readily available or sufficient, she has to rely on her “gut feeling” to come to a decision. Ann prays and asks for wisdom and discernment from the Holy Spirit for every transaction. Increasingly, she realises that becoming more sensitive to the Spirit’s leading helps her to be more effective at her work.
The theological anchor of being accountable in matters big and small helps us to remain grounded, covered and protected.
Biblical core values protect our lives, our consciences and our ministries so that we do not fall, and can help other stay on the narrow way. They work to keep our appetites and attitudes in check, and protect us from pitfalls. The three ‘G’s which are girls, glory and gold, have caused many promising male leaders to fall.
Testimony: David is a sales executive who recently got promoted. His company secured a deal that would sustain the business and open doors to a new market in Asia. They received the sales agreement but within the document, there was a clause the company could not fully meet. The GM tasked David to sign the document. As David had recently been promoted, he did not want to be seen as opposing his superior. David decided it did not matter the clause could not be adhere to as that was commonly practised in business deals.
David did not experience peace since. He knew that was against his core value of practising integrity in his workplace and decided to negotiate with the customer. But the company would not compromise and after much prayer and godly counsel from his mentor, David was convicted that he should honour God by holding to his convictions. So he informed his boss that he could not sign it. His boss was not pleased and relieved David from the project. The document was passed to another person.
A month later, David’s boss called a meeting unexpectedly and declared that he agreed with David’s position. He mentioned that the company should do business with integrity and honour. He renegotiated the deal and signed the papers. David had stood firm on his convictions and honoured God in his actions, and was encouraged to see the results.
When we continually stand upon our theological anchors, we build faith convictions each time we experience Him coming through for us. As Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2: 2-3 that “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” If we have continually tasted and experienced His grace, we will grow spiritually, which is evidenced in the strengthening of our faith in God.
Having developed faith convictions in his ministry, Pastor Daniel Foo shared:
I am deeply loved by God. The Lord struck me with this revelation that His love is a power source to be tapped into, not simply a truth to be believed in. The Holy Spirit provides the power that ultimately comes from the love of the Father, and I can always come to God - any time of the day, any week, in any calendar year.
Do I wish that I could pray more? No! This leads to guilt and condemnation. I learn to be rested in the Lord, trusting Him in all circumstances and experiencing Him in every way.
There are several things to note when growing faith convictions:
For example, I do not buy travel insurance when I travel alone. But when I travel in a group and they want to buy it for the whole group, I do not object. I go with the flow and take care not to cause anyone to stumble. Similarly, we may have a faith conviction that God can heal us, but we do not go around telling others that they have no faith when they are not healed.
If I have the faith conviction that I will have no lack and God will provide for my needs, but contravene other biblical principles, such as not being a good steward of my wealth or spending beyond my means, then these convictions do not hold and they will eventually give way to financial problems.
If the premise of the confidence is ”I”, then it is arrogance. But if it is based on God’s Word and His coming through for me repeatedly, then it is a faith conviction. For example, when I state that I am fully protected in Christ, this is based on the promise in God’s Word that He is my protector (Psalm 91). As I personally lay hold of this truth, I see this coming through for me in the many trips I have undertaken, and this becomes my faith conviction.
Our convictions may waver when something does not happen the way we expect. On one of my trips, my check-in was unexpectedly delayed and I reached the boarding gate just five minutes before the plane departed. Fortunately, I still made it on board. Things may not turn out the way I expect, but I can rest in the truth that God knows what will happen. He will intervene and redeem what is seemingly lost.
Some of us struggle to maintain our convictions in our busyness and when things do not go our way; this is where it helps to have good spiritual mentors and examples to follow. As the author of Hebrews counsels in Hebrews 6: 11 & 12, “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
Above all, God looks at our heart! He knows that we are limited in time, resources and physical strength, and sometimes we get frustrated, exhausted and angry. Perhaps we fall ill or are involved in an accident. In these circumstances, doubts may arise. Does God know what is happening? Of course! These are moments in which our faith convictions remind us that God can be trusted, and we flow with Him, stay cool and calm, and surrender to His leading. Even if problems continue, we can trust Him to redeem the situation, giving us back the time and resources we have lost.
Next week, we shall focus on last part of the Perspective of the Leader. Please stay tuned. Goodbye.
Excerpted from outstanding Leader by Pastor Daniel Foo; first published by Armour Publishing Singapore and the book can be purchased from