(25) “HE/SHE WHO GETS VISION, GETS JOB”
One of the dangers of leadership is that of becoming overloaded by taking on the good ideas of other people. It usually occured when someone would come to me and say, “I have a good idea. Why don’t we do……………. I will leave it with you, Rod.” I was overloaded because I was accepting responsibility for other people’s good ideas. Gradually I realised there was a better way to test the sincerity of the person with the good idea. I learnt to reply, “Let’s talk about this. And by the way, I want you to know, ‘He/she who gets vision, gets job.’” And things began to change.
1. The good ideas were being replaced by well thought out visions that the presenter was willing to pay the price to see it would become a reality.
2. I was able to fulfil my role as coach to equip the members of my church to do the work of ministry and live out the visions that God had laid on their hearts.
3. In the process, the church was growing in maturity. So, be careful you don’t overload yourself with other people’s good ideas. Remember, HE/SHE WHO GETS VISION GETS JOB.

(26) “LEADERS NEED TO BE ABLE TO TELL THE TIME” Amongst King David’s mighty men were the men of Issachar “who understood the TIMES and knew what to do.” 1 Chronicles 12:32. By contrast Jesus was led to say of the religious leaders of His day, “You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present TIME?” Luke 12:56. They missed His coming. The Greeks had two words for time. CHRONOS refers to measured time or quantitative time and it is mentioned 53 times in the New Testament. KAIROS refers to opportune time, critical time or a defining moment and is mentioned 86 times in the New Testament. Jesus lived much of His life on kairos time. “When the time (kairos) had fully come, God sent His Son…..” Galations 4:4. “At just the right time (Kairos)……Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:8 Kairos is not the convenience of the moment but the opportunity that is birthed in the moment that makes it a defining moment. It requires a person with perspective to see what others fail to see. Could it be in this crisis season that we are faced with moments of unprecedented opportunity? The leaders of Jesus’ day couldn’t tell the time and paid a great price for it. Pray that you might have the insight of the men of Issachar who understood the times and knew what to do. LEADERS NEED TO BE ABLE TO TELL THE TIME. See article: http://roddentoneng.com.au/can-you-tell-the-time/

(27) “INVEST YOUR LIFE IN THE THINGS THAT ARE ETERNAL” The greatest investment principle I have learned to apply to my life comes from the words of Jesus: “Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also.” 2 Matthew 6:19-21 I find great comfort in living for the things that are eternal because :-
* I am going to be there for a long time.
* I was created to find deep fulfilment in living for the things that are eternal.
* Living for the things of this world results in living according to the law of diminishing returns.
“As I study the scriptures I see that there are only two things God wants to rescue from this deteriorating planet; His word and people. The only way to live our lives is to invest them in things that will outlive us. Are you investing your life in the treasures God is going to save?” Howard Hendricks

(28) “HAVE THE FUNERAL BEFORE THE FUNERAL” It was in the year that Sue turned 60 and I turned 70 that we decided to have a joint party and invite our friends to our “130th” birthday celebration. It was an unforgettable occasion. We were warmly honoured by the various speakers and at the end I was moved to say something I had never said before. I reflected, “This has been the funeral before the funeral.” Why do we wait for a person’s funeral to express words of honour that the deceased person will never get to hear, when it is too late? The Bible instructs us to “take delight in honouring one another.” Romans 12:10 The word means to value and appreciate and respect one another, now. People with emotional intelligence take time to honour others for the contribution they are making and the value they are adding to the world in which they live. So how about it. Become a funeral director and spend the rest of your life conducting funerals before the funeral. And leave a trail of people behind you who have been honoured in the process.

(29) “SEIZE THE DAY” It was ten years ago that my doctor shared with me that my recent blood test had revealed that I had developed a blood cancer called Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL). As I drove home I was reminded that the Baby Boomer’s theme song that was adapted by my generation, “Fame, I’m Gonna Live Forever” was a fallacy. As I regained perspective on my life and thought about an uncertain future, the Latin words of the Roman poet Horace “Carpe Diem” (seize the day) stirred within me. Interestingly, so did the words of Jesus from His sermon on the mount; “Therefore I tell you do not worry about your life…. Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?…. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:25-34 What followed was a renewed passion to live a day at a time as a good steward of the gift of life that God had entrusted to me. So every morning I thank Him for the gift of a new day and choose to seize the day knowing that He is at work and calls me to partner with Him in the things He is doing. I invite you to do the same.

(30) “YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT AT IT…….DON’T WISH IT AWAY” There are many events in our lives where we can have another go – the failed driving test, that school exam, the athletics or music competition, or the disappointing recipe. Second chances are great opportunities, not to be taken for granted. However, the life changing event of becoming a parent comes without a rewind button. There is no “dress rehearsal” and every day has its own once in a lifetime opportunity to invest in the lives of the children God entrusts to us. A I reflect, those sleepless nights, the chaos, the heartaches and the inexplicable joys were the greatest investment of my time and energy in a season of my life that passed too quickly. Only with the passing years I am now able to see the fruit of that investment, now impacting a whole new generation and beyond, in a way I could never have dreamed. Can I encourage parents in this season, don’t wish it away or completely delegate it away to other 3 influences. You only get one shot at it, don’t miss it! “Then Jesus took the children in His arms and placed His hands on their heads and BLESSED them.” Mark 10:16 (Written by my wife Sue Denton)

(31) “YOUR ATTITUDE DETERMINES YOUR LIFE” There came a time in my life where I came to the sobering conclusion that if I lose my attitude, I will lose my ministry. So seriously did this insight concern me that I gave my wife permission to point out to me any time she noticed that my bad attitude was affecting my life and my ministry. The following are some things that I have learned about attitude:
* It is not what happens to you that can be controlled, it is what you think about what happens to you is the critical issue.
* My attitude is a choice that I make. We can learn to develop great attitudes. The apostle Paul writing from prison said, “I have LEARNED to be content, whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:8
* My attitude attracts people just like me, for better or for worse.
* My attitude determines my perspective. I can see the jar half full or I can see it half empty. Victor Frankl who was a holocaust survivor spoke much about attitude. “We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a person but one thing: the last of human freedoms – TO CHOOSE ONE’S ATTITUDE in any given set of circumstances.” Remember, your attitude determines your life.

(32) “FROM SIMPLICITY TO COMPLEXITY TO SIMPLICITY BEYOND COMPLEXITY” Following the recent death of Dr. J.I. Packer, I felt prompted to reread his classic book, Knowing God. On the cover of his book I read the following commendation by Billy Graham: “Dr. Packer has the rare ability to deal with profound and basic spiritual truths in a practical and highly readable way.” And I was again reminded that there are three steps in the process of good communication.
1. SIMPLICITY : Which is communication that is shallow, subjective and fails to get below the surface and often ends up lacking integrity.
2. COMPLEXITY : Which is communication that has done its homework and even arrived at an understanding of the truth, but not in a way that the recipient can value. (Peter and Paul 2 Peter 3:16)
3. SIMPLICITY BEYOND COMPLEXITY : Which is communication that makes truth and conversation intelligible. A great definition of stage 3 came to me when I read these words of Jesus; “And the common people heard Him gladly.” Mark 12:37 Jesus, the Word of God, became one of us and had the ability to speak the profound simply that even common people and children heard Him gladly. So, which of the three levels of communication would people associate with you? It usually isn’t hard to tell.