Chuck Locklear
fascinating characters, impactful books and messages
Leadership Qualities
Leadership qualities are just as important today as they were in 1,000 B.C. Melek is the name of a Hebrew for king. Being melek was a big deal. Most of the nations around them had one and Israel wanted one. Saul was referred to as king, but he was not the king. He was the nagid. He was appointed as a military leader. Nagid is Hebrew for overseer. If you watched Lord of the Rings, he was the steward. For king, God wanted someone like David.
Character Development Plan
To be a melek took character. Saul was acting as the king, but he did not have the characteristics that God wanted. So, God impeached Saul and told Samuel to go to Bethlehem, to the house of Jesse. There he would anoint the king of Israel. One of Jesse’s eight sons had the characteristics that God wanted in the king. Our job today is to sign up for God’s character development plan. Perhaps, God wants to develop some special characteristics in you.
At Jesse’s house, Samuel met seven sons of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:1-13). By human standards, each of these brothers had royal qualities. But God told Samuel “No” to all seven. I’m sure Samuel was beginning to wonder, “Am I at the right house?” Then, Jesse called for his youngest son; who was a shepherd, tending the sheep. Jesse had not called on David earlier. He had disqualified David in his own mind, maybe because he didn’t have the natural qualities of a king or maybe because he simply wasn’t ready. Time is not an issue for God. There would be time to groom David.
What Made David Special?
Is there a time in your life when God did something that surprised you? It seems that God often chooses the least likely person or pathway to accomplish his mission. Sometimes he turns down charisma, good looks, and physical stature. With the things of God, the least likely people often make a huge impact. When God looks at us, he sees beyond what the world sees.
This brings us to the most important question. What was it about David that made him God’s choice? I think it comes down to this; when you spend a lot of time watching sheep, you get time to talk to God a lot. In David’s case, we know that he learned to rely on God to protect him and the sheep from the lion and the bear. David’s experiences taught him that he had to depend on God.
David’s focus on God was his most important leadership quality. Perhaps, you are experiencing trying times in your own life. I’m convinced that God allows difficulties in our lives to teach us to rely on him. When selecting a king, God wanted a God-focused person, someone who would rely on him.
There was a second important leadership quality that we see in David; God wanted faithfulness. When the other brothers were at the house, David had to be called from the pasture, because he was faithfully doing his job. Faithfulness is doing reliably that which God has given you to do.
Check For Yourself
To what degree do you share the leadership qualities of King David? Are you and David basically twins? Does David have some things going for him but you are close? Or, is David way out ahead? Let’s pray and seek to develop in our lives the qualities that made David the right choice for king: God-focused and faithfulness.
© 2019 Chuck Locklear All rights reserved
Also, see Finding Wisdom & Brain Development.
Committed to Success
God has given us amazing smart phones as tools for connecting to him. Luckily, someone was committed to making wireless communication a success.
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
Proverbs 16:3
Man Was I Wrong
I remember my first cellular phone. It came in a big bag. I was a sales person at the time, which meant I did a lot of traveling and I had to take this bulking phone with me everywhere. When used, the receiver got hot, so hot that it burned your ear.
During this time, I remember hearing a reporter on the radio make a controversial statement that in a few years everyone would have their own personal communication device. I turned to Lizzy and said, “Now, who would want one of those?”
Man, was I wrong! I wish I would have bought stock in Apple right then and there.
An Example of Devotion
Lack of commitment is common in our world today. It can be very frustrating at your job, for example, when other employees don’t come to work or just quit without providing notice. Being shorthanded creates extra work for everyone.
I’m thankful that my father modeled the importance of commitment. His devotion to our family and to God was on display for all to see. He pushed through, whether it was difficult or not. That is what God expects of us, to press forward, to finish the race, to commit to being his light in our world.
Lighting My Path
The best way to be committed to God’s direction for your life is by starting our mornings with the Word of God. One of the first verses that we taught our children was Psalm 119:105.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
Psalm 119:105
We need to know the Word of God if we want it to direct our lives. I’ve been surprised at how often my daily devotions have specifically addressed what I would face in the day ahead of me. Moreover, it has amazed me that words read in the morning were a light for how I should act and what I should say in the coming day.
Committed to God
Today, we all have personal communication devices, which we have come to depend on. It is amazing technology. If you want to know the answer to a question, you don’t need to travel to the library and look in an encyclopedia. Just Google it! We have the wisdom of the ages at our finger tips.
Let us use our smart phones to connect to the Word of God. If you don’t currently use a daily devotion, I have one for you. It is called Inspirational Hope and I publish it every morning. Yes, you are reading it right now. It is my prayer that God provides in it “divine inspiration.”
Be committed; try Inspirational Hope for a month. Then, let me know if God uses these words to be “a light unto your path.”
Copyright © 2023 Chuck Locklear
Also, see Victorious Life.
Joy Is the Flag
Learning brings joy to my heart. There is a great quote from the Civil War, “There stands Jackson like a stone wall. Rally around him.” The story is, during the First Battle of Bull Run, Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson got the nickname “Stonewall.” Stonewall Jackson stood as a banner on that day for the troops to rally around and Bull Run became a Confederate victory.
Let joy be the banner that your heart rallies around.
Regimental Flags
During the American Civil War, soldiers placed great importance on the flags of their regiments, and men would sacrifice their lives defending a regimental flag. Civil War armies, both Union and Confederate, tended to be organized as regiments from particular states or regions.
There was a very practical purpose for regimental flags. They were critical in battles as they marked the position of the regiment on the battlefield, which could often be a very confused place. In the noise and smoke of battle, regiments could become scattered. Vocal commands, or even bugle calls, could not be heard. Armies at the time had no radios or cell phones, so a visual rallying point was critical, and soldiers were trained to follow the flag.
A popular song of the Civil War, “The Battle Cry of Freedom,” made mention of how “we’ll rally ’round the flag, boys.” While it was a patriotic song, it also illustrates the practical use of flags as rallying points on the battlefield.
Because the regimental flags had strategic importance in battle, designated teams of soldiers, known as color guards, carried them. Being a member of the color guard was a mark of distinction and required extraordinary bravery. The job was to carry the flag where the regimental officers directed, while unarmed and under fire. Color bearers had to face the enemy and never break and run in retreat, or the entire regiment might follow. Sadly, the enemy artillery often targeted these banners, meaning a high mortality rate for the color guard.
The Lord My Banner
This reminds me of a title given to God: “Jehovah-nissi.” This name is the joining of two words. “Jehovah” is an English word meaning “The Lord.” “Nissi” is a Hebrew word which translate as “banner.” Put Jehovah-nissi together and we get a powerful statement, “The Lord my banner.” Another popular translation is “the Lord my refuge.” Both give us a strong understanding of an important characteristic of the God in whom we put our trust, a God who is our banner, our refuge.
I love a song that I learned as a young person. “Joy is the flag flown high over the castle of my heart, for the King is in residence there. Let it fly in the sky. Let the whole world know that the king is in residence there.”
Today, put your trust in Jehovah-nissi. Maybe history isn’t you thing. Even so, let let your heart rally under the banner of joy.
“And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi.”
Exodus 17:15
Copyright © 2023 Chuck Locklear
Also, see History 101.
Want a Miracle?
Want a miracle, listen.
We all get the idea about the request part. When we pray, we often spend most of our time asking for what we need. God knows we have needs. Sadly, most of us don’t believe God will hear or answer our requests. The truth is he does hear and answer.
133 Miracles
One summer, I researched Biblical miracles. All required faith and something else, a secret ingredient. . . action. In the 133 miracles that I have studied, all required some action to receive the promise. Faith in action means believing so strongly that you are willing to demonstrate your faith by doing something: go show yourself to the priest, go dip in the River Jordan, get up out of your bed.
He may ask you do something that you think is silly…
Did the man with leprosy really need to show himself to the priest? Yes, it was necessary for the priest to declare a leper clean, but I think there was more to it. Our action demonstrates our faith, maybe even increases it.
Jesus performed many miracles. Like us, Jesus’ first audience focused mostly on what he could do—his miracles. Jesus used these signs to show that he was the Messiah through fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. Miracles are a tool, not the message.
Bearing Fruit
Too often, we would rather use him to make our lives comfortable, than to listen and follow his words. Does God talk to you? Now, I’m not suggesting that you trek into the wilderness, so that Jesus will heal you. I am suggesting that we listen and obey God. My experience is, that as I pray, God puts ideas in my mind. I am also suggesting that God uses miracles to cause us to bear fruit. The purpose of the fruit, or us doing good, is so that people will listen to the message of God.
Jesus’ willingness to perform a miracle also demonstrates his love for us. He touched a man with leprosy—an unheard of thing for a teacher of the Law of God to do. As much as God wants us to follow him, he also cares about us right here and right now. When it comes to healing, we should have the attitude of the leper who was convinced Jesus could heal him and was willing to listen and do what the Master asked of him.
Listen as You Pray
If you are listening to the voice of God, he will not tell you to do something that does not align with the Bible, such as throw away your medication. He may, however, ask you do something that you think is silly or you may be uncomfortable doing, such as singing a song out loud or sharing your testimony with a stranger. Listen to God as you pray and do what he tells you! You will be glad you did.
“See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
Mark 1:44
Copyright © 2023 Chuck Locklear
Also, see A Miracle Happened.
You Got This
At one very low point during a struggle at work, my administrative assistant, a woman of strong faith, reminded me of two promises from Isaiah. She gave me two verse on which to focus. I printed these and posted them beside my computer as a daily reminder
Promise One
“No weapon forged against you will prevail.”
Isaiah wrote this promise to the people of Israel as a reminder of the future glory of Zion. I was reminded that this promise is also for God’s people today. Truly, no weapon or instrument of persecution would be successful. Even though the outcome for me could be the loss of employment, this promise focused my attention on the fact that Jehovah Nissi, the Lord my banner, was fighting on my side.
If you don’t have the answer that you are looking for today. Look for evidence that God is fighting on your side. The promise from Isaiah doesn’t mean that you won’t have to fight, or that you won’t have to struggle. It does mean that God will work it out for your good. He is raising his banner over you. Do not fear, God is on your side.
Speaking about all of the terrible things that would occur before the end of time, Jesus said, “But there shall not a hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls” (Luke 21:18-19, KJV). Yes, we may have to endure trials, but have patience, keep your eyes open, God will show up and fight on your side.
Promise Two
“Do not fear; God is on your side.”
This reminds me of something that happened to Lizzy. She offered to take our grandkids on an outing so my daughter could get some work done around the house. The plan was to get books at the library, and then have lunch, ice cream, and maybe some time in at the park. Lizzy borrowed my daughter’s car so she wouldn’t have to move car seats. What started as a fun day with Grandma quickly turned sour. The car was larger than Lizzy was used to driving and she scrapped the car against the side of the garage door.
It was a minor collision—really just a large scratch—but still upsetting. Lizzy pulled over and sat there feeling that the day was ruined. Just then, a tiny voice in the back seat began singing a song learned in kids church, “Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah. Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah …”
Two other voices joined in and within minutes of the accident, the entire car was filled with praises to God. Lizzy called to tell my daughter what had happened and continued on the outing to the Library, to lunch and ice cream, and a sunny afternoon in the park.
Don’t Miss Blessings
When they got home, my daughter asked, “How was it?” The answer, “We had a great day!”
Let us not miss the blessings the Lord has for us because we are focusing on the minor troubles of this life. Remember the promises of Isaiah.
“No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:17)
See Need Patiences for more about God’s promises during trouble.
Copyright © 2023 Chuck Locklear
Victorious Living
What do you do when disaster strikes? Do you panic? Do you run? Our God is strong and he has made us strong. If you want a victorious life, focus on God’s goodness. He wants show up on your side.
Through the prophet Isaiah, we learn that King Hezekiah was near to death. However, “Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord” (Isaiah 38:2-3). Like a desperate man, he prayed, “God, remember me. I have devoted my life to doing what is right. Lord, how can you let this calamity happen to me?” Has anyone ever prayed that prayer?
But, Hezekiah didn’t stop there; he refocused his thoughts, on thanksgiving and praise, instead of despair. When life gets tough, we must do what brings victory, and that is giving thanks and praise to God. We all face trouble in life, and eventually death. None of us can escape suffering. And, we should pray like Hezekiah, “Lord, remember me and take this suffering away.” God desires our prayers. He wants to show up on our behalf.
We can’t, however, stop there. When disaster strikes, rather than panic, we must refocus our thoughts on the power of our God and his goodness. When we experience the death of a loved one, we need to leave time for grieving, but then we must refocus our thoughts on the power and glory of our God.
Our God is strong and he has made us strong. If we want a victorious life, we must focus on thanksgiving and praise. We can do “all things though him who strengthens us.”
Also, see Like Superman.
Copyright © 2023 Chuck Locklear
Victorious
Trust is easy when we feel great and things are going our way. The secret to victorious living, however, is to trust God more than our feelings.
“Feeling helpless doesn’t mean everything is hopeless.”
When we have a child or grandchild in the hospital, we must trust God. When our pay check is barely enough to make ends meet, trust God. We must trust God when our landlord demands our late rent payment. When our joints ache, we can be victorious. Many things in our lives may not be good, but God is good. And, he is looking out for our good.
Impossible Problem
A few years ago, I was faced with an impossible problem. Our church had been praying for a desperate family. A mother with four children were facing eviction. They were living in a rough part of Detroit and had gotten into a conflict with a neighbor, a local drug dealer. He had busted out their front window, kicked in the front door, punched the mother, and put a gun in her face, threatening to kill her. The police had been called, but in a city plagued by crime, this wasn’t a top priority. My naive answer was to talk with the landlord, surely the landlord would not want the property to be destroyed and would put pressure on the police.
I discovered that the landlord was an elderly woman, who had grown up in the house. Her family had moved to the suburbs when the neighborhood began to decline. She was just as afraid of the drug dealing neighbor as was the mother we were trying to help. The landlord’s solution was to evict the desperate family in hopes that the drug dealer would have no reason to continue destroying her house. Crazy! Right?
So, it was now December and we had been trying for months to find alternative housing for this family. You may have guessed that the desperate family was not living in such a bad area by choice. They had been evicted before, she had bad credit, and her income was less than stable. Our church board had met and voted to provide money to help on a temporary basis. However, even with our promise of support, finding a rental had been a discouraging endeavor.
Listening to God
We continued to pray, but had exhausted everything we could think of to do, and the eviction date was getting closer. I felt the Holy Spirit saying to me that we should purchase this family a house. Actually, this was not the first time I felt the Holy Spirit pushing me in this direction. Previously, I proposed this idea to the board and they said, “No.” We simply did not have the financial resources for such a bold move.
Regardless, I had an even stronger sense that I was hearing from God. So, we started looking for houses, hoping for a miracle. Then, I found an abandoned house which needed some work, but was still above our price range. Amazingly, the next thing that happened was unbelievable. I received a telephone call from a wealthy individual offering a $40,000 interest-free loan, enough for the purchase price and the repairs necessary to make the house livable. God had provided the answer.
Feeling helpless doesn’t mean everything is hopeless. When you are stressed and can’t imagine a way out of a bad situation, God can open your eyes to his victory. He can wake you up to smell the coffee and see the light. Then, what felt impossible will feel possible. Victorious living is within reach!
“With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
—Mark 10:27
Copyright © 2023 Chuck Locklear
Also, see Victorious Living.
No Frogs Allowed
It’s easy to make the same mistake over and over. Yes, I am guilty. I have my eyes on the cares of this world rather than on the goodness of God. Hopefully, the “No frogs allowed” rule will be a reminder of where to put your focus.
Frogs and Raising Boys
I was blessed with two daughters, before Lizzy and I had a son. My experience is that raising a son was very different than raising daughters. Boys seem to be bigger risk takers. They are always stretching the boundaries. At our house, we were always making new rules because of our son and his friends. We never needed a rule for the girls that “Climbing the chimney was not allowed” or “You cannot drive through the neighborhood with friends until they have a license.”
So, here’s where the frog rule comes into play. My nephew, Mitchell, loves animals and critters of every kind. One day, his mom noticed that he kept moving around, unable to find a comfortable position at the breakfast table. She asked him, “Are you sick?” “What is wrong?” He smiled and said, “Nothing, the frogs just keep moving.” “The frogs?” she responded. Sure enough he pulled not one, not two, but four big bullfrogs out of his pockets. At that, his mom made a new rule, “No frogs at the table.”
A few days later, just before he sat down at the table, he jumped up and raced back outside. He emptied his pockets of two frogs and a lizard. “Sorry, mom,” he said, “I forgot the rule.” Mitchell is kinda like us. He wanted to do the right thing, but his temperament to scoop up frogs, lizards, and tiny garter snakes was just too much to resist. So, his mom instituted a door check policy. Before entering the house Mitchell had to stop at the door and check his pockets.
I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with loving frog. It is just that his mother did not want them in her house.
Heart Check Policy
I think a similar policy would be good for us too. . . a “No frogs allowed“ policy. This rule would require us to pause a few minutes at the beginning of each day. Specifically, we would check our hearts to make sure we are focusing on the goodness of our God and not on the trouble in our world. Then, we can begin our day by entering into the presence of our God.
Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, wrote that we should fear the Lord. I think a better translation might substitute the words “delight in” for fear. I have found that those who delight in the Lord are blessed. But, those that don’t care about God are headed for serious trouble.
Yes, as humans, it seems that we are often making the same mistake over and over. Our eyes are on the cares of this world rather than on the goodness of God. We don’t take the time to delight in the Lord. Instead, we should check our hearts at the beginning of each day. If we do this, we’ll be able to pray with confidence: Heavenly father, no matter what happens today, my life is good. You make it that way.
“Blessed is the one who delights in the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.”
Proverbs 28:14, ESV
Copyright © 2023 Chuck Locklear
Also, see Finding Wisdom.
Valley of Blessing
There is a mythology in Christianity today that the chosen of God will not have to fight battles in this life. My experience is that this is far from true. In the 133 miracles that I have studied in the Bible, all required some action to receive the promise. God will place us in the Valley of Blessing, but we still have to do our part.
On the Map
I trace this mythology and misunderstanding to a place in the land of Israel called The Valley of Blessing. Yes, it is a real place. On the map, it is actually called the valley of Beracah. It is on the main road from Hebron to Jerusalem. It is significant because of its history and a king of Judah named Jehoshaphat.
The kings of Judah and Israel all fall into one of two categories: those who did right in the sight of God and those who did evil. It is a sad commentary that even with all of the blessings God had given his people most of the kings did not act in a way that pleased God. Jehoshaphat was a king of Judah, however, who did what was right in the sight of God.
Favor
Jehoshaphat had God’s favor, but this did mean that there were no challenges during his reign. God allows challenges in the lives of his people. No one is excluded. At one point in the story, a vast army from three neighboring nations, Moab, Ammon, and Mount Seir, came against Judah. Not surprisingly, Jehoshaphat was overwhelmed by fear and gathered the people together to ask God for deliverance.
God’s reply is a promise that Christians still rely upon today, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” This promise is the source of our misunderstanding. It is true that the prophet said, “You will not have to fight this battle…” But, he did not stop there. He went on to say, “. . . take up your positions; stand firm.” If you do this, then, you will “. . . see the deliverance the Lord will give you.” They could not sit around and wait for a miracle. They were commanded to “Go out and face them tomorrow and the Lord will be with you.”
Crazy! They sang!
Indeed, Jehoshaphat did just as he was directed. Early on the next morning, they left for the place of the battle. Regardless of his fearfulness, he assembled the people and went out to the battle. As they went, Jehoshaphat’s confidence increased to such a degree that he did something very unusual. He appointed people to sing to the Lord and praise God for the splendor of his holiness. Crazy! They sang!
On this day, Jehoshaphat and the people began to sing and praise God and God answered their prayers by stirring up the enemy to kill each other. Just as God had promised, when Jehoshaphat and his army entered the valley, the enemy had completely annihilated each other. Judah’s army took three days to sort through the dead bodies and collect the valuables, including gold, silver, and precious jewels. On the fourth day, Jehoshaphat assembled the people in the valley of Berakah, which means blessing, where they praised the Lord. To this day, the valley is referred to as “The Valley of Blessing.”
We Must Stand
While the battle was God’s, Jehoshaphat still had to take up his position and stand. Too often, Christians use this scripture as an excuse to do nothing. “It is not my battle, it’s God’s.” But, God does not take us out of the battle; He fights on our side! In all of the challenges that I have faced so far in my life, God has been Jehovah Saboth, the Lord our protector and Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our banner. However, that has never meant that there was no role for me to play.
God will vindicate us. This is a promise of protection in times of trouble; God is our banner and protector in times of adversity. If we do our part, God will see us through and place us in The Valley of Blessing.
“Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”
—2 Chronicles 20:21
© 2019 Chuck Locklear All rights reserved
Also, see The Valley of Death is Real.
Love Languages
My in-laws loved each other. Though it was not always obvious when you were around them. It was easier to guess that they drove each other crazy. “Carol are you smoking again?” “Leonard, why don’t you just stop that.” They never learn to speak each other’s love languages.
Paul’s instructions to the Philippians provides the key verse for a valuable lesson. It is advice that we should apply to every area of our lives, but particularly our relationships.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Philippians 4:8
Focus the Joy
It is too easy to focus on the things we don’t like, the things we want to change. When we look at our partner, we see the 20% of them that we don’t like, instead of the 80% that makes us happy. We pick and pick at the parts that drive us crazy and overlook the parts that bring joy. Sadly some will leave their partner to find someone with the 20%, only too late to realize that they have lost the 80%.
I once counselled a young man. He was dating a girl, who seemed perfect for him. When I spoke with him, however, he would talk about the small traits he did not like, things that did not make her perfect. At one point, I had to stop him by asking what are the things you find attractive about her? As he listed these things, it became obvious that this was a much longer list. I encouraged him to focus on these things and not let her go. He did. They got married, had a baby girl, and now, ten years later, have a rich and wonderful live.
Love Languages
I highly recommend the book, The 5 Love Languages, by Gary Chapman. It has been improving relationships for nearly 30 years. Its ideas are simple and conveyed with clarity and humor. Dr. Chapman states that “the desire for romantic love in marriage is deeply rooted in our psychological makeup.” As we strive to fulfill that desire, we can miss some basic truths about relationships. What are primary and secondary languages? How do these function in our relationships?
In this post, I describe one of the five love languages from Dr. Chapman’s book.
Public Praise
Public praise is an act of love. The psalms exhort us, again and again, to publicly praise God. Psalm 34:3 says, “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.” If we want to be the sons and daughters of God, we must express our love of God, but also of each other.
“If a man says, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”
1 John 4: 20, KJV
“Liar” is a strong word. It brings with it strong emotions. Jesus used this word on purpose, to emphasize his point. We can’t please God without loving those around us. In other words, we best express our love toward God by demonstrating love to those we can see.
Don’t wait until it is too late to cherish one another. Now that Leonard is gone, Carol misses him tremendously. Isn’t that just like life? Afterwards, she certainly realized that they had a rich and wonderful life.
