Live from Fuller Seminary with Brother Ben, Day 4

Today began with the continuation of the passage and readings from the Book of Haggai. In our verses today, Haggai 2:10-19, the prophet speaks about connecting life and ministry. It is deeply rooted in the text and it took me four time of reading and concentrating to understand the implications it may have to my life and LHF.

Haggai:
-makes clear the message of hope,
-shows the line of distinction where God affirms that the activities of the Temple will not cleanup sin; only repentance and obedience,
-purveys to us as modern-day Christians a message that in applying this passage, if we harbor wrong feelings, sins, or connecting with sinful people, we will be contaminated [vs 11-15],
-implies that of holy living, discipled living is empowered by the Holy Spirit.
-warns us of the lack of personal and corporate purity seriously affects the progress of the church's work.

The people only called upon God for their comfort. Sometimes that is our own method of operation, too.
Haggai concludes that:
-disobedience renders even sacrificial worship unacceptable.
-we must allow at all cost for God to be sovereign in our life,
-and God doesn't overlook internal impurity even when there is outward ministry success.

With this basis, we discussed, listened and achieved a full understanding of emotional intelligence in our studies today. What does that mean? Emotional Intelligence
moves us to pursue goals, fuels or sustains motivation, drives or colors our perception of reality and events, and shapes and directs our actions.

It doesn't mean being nicer;
It doesn't mean being more or less emotional;
But EI uses the awareness of one's own emotions and others emotions,
to build healthy relations and to serve and lead more effectively.

There are two reasons for leadership failure:
-an inability to manage relationships well and
-an inability to implement change successfully.

Stop and think about yourself. That's what I did today and came away with some new insights into my emotional behavior.
Have you ever:
-demonstrated anger that didn't make sense to you?
-been unable to express what you had to say?
-felt like the other person wasn't really there?
-been unable to listen attentively because of your mood?

Man, that really says a lot to me about the way that my emotional behavior and the way I am "wired."
Along with the identity of this emotional intelligence came the comprehensive learning of the way to work through this and achieve optimum relational management.

Today was definitely a hard day. I thank Brother Dean and Brother Ellis for their prayers of support and strength for allowing me the educational opportunity to achieve my desired goal.

Tomorrow is a half day, but I will be reporting the conclusion of this class.

I look forward to being with each of you on Feb. 19 as I preach the 2nd point in our Purpose-Driven Life Series, FELLOWSHIP.

See you on the journey,
Ben

Rev. Ben Bright is the Logistics & Administration Pastor for LHF.