The Shepherds: Community leaders of faith

While the innkeeper in the Christmas story operated at human capacity and didn't rely on the infinite
abilities of God, the shepherds offer a sharp contrast of how to respond when God interrupts a day-to-day life with the presence of His glory:

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

 “Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them (Luke 2:8-20).

The Scripture doesn't record any outlandish unbelief from the shepherds. No shepherd is recorded as running in fear from this divine military gathering of the armies of God, and the shepherds don't obnoxiously demand a full explanation from the angels. (Of course, that could be because the heavenly host are not the type of entities you push around!)

In essence, the shepherds' reaction reflects an emerging faith. At that moment, they were living out the words of Paul, which would come decades later: "We walk by faith and not by sight." True, the shepherds saw the hosts of heaven surrounding the glory of God. But they had to trust that the baby with Mary and Joseph was the Christ the angels described. The shepherds accepted the angel's words by faith and shared them.

 Every day at Dallas Leadership Foundation we interact with faithful community leaders who have been our longtime partners, or meet new leaders who share insights about their communities. What a joy it is to partner with them! They are like the shepherds of ancient times who tenderly cared for their lambs. Community leaders look out for their neighbors. They give voice to their concerns.

We learn so much about Dallas and the assistance people need when we collaborate with community leaders. One of our chief projects together is the Treasures of Hope Christmas Store. Community leaders refer families to us who they know could use a little extra help this Christmas. Because of these compassionate community leaders, DLF operates more effectively, more accessibly, and more faithfully to the call of God!

The doors of the Treasures of Hope Christmas Store open today. About 600 families are expected this week at the store and about 1,800 children will be served.  If you want to partner with us, it's not too late to donate toys through our online store at dlftx.org.

The Innkeeper: A leader who relied on human capacity alone

To kick off our 19th annual Treasures of Hope Christmas Store, we're profiling individuals who played a role in the story of Jesus' birth in #12DaystoTreasures.

Jesus was born in a manger because there wasn't room for Him in the inn, according to the Book of Luke:

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,[ who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn (Luke 2:1-7).

While the Bible doesn't name who turned away Mary and Joseph at the "Bethlehem Inn," we all can imagine a frustrated man or woman overcome by guests pouring into the roadside inn and distracted by providing enough food and other amenities. Perhaps this person was angered because so many walk-in guests hadn't booked a room ahead. Maybe the innkeeper was at a breaking point because the cook was out sick.

Overwhelmed by circumstances, that innkeeper assessed the situation based on human understanding and capacity. This person turned away Mary and Joseph away, not recognizing a leadership moment that was part of the eternal plan of God. Instead of asking Yahweh what to do, the innkeeper reached a decision independently of God. Unfortunately, the leadership moment passed by the innkeeper because the heaviness of human problems obscured Divine Opportunity.

How many times have you been too distracted to see God at work? How often do you rely on God instead of taking the time to pray? The best leaders struggle with prayerlessness and self-reliance. Many leaders measure opportunity by the boundaries of their knowledge and skills. They rely on their logical conclusions instead of praying and asking God for His perspective, purpose and power. Like the innkeeper, human-focused leaders miss wondrous events!

You can help Dallas Leadership Foundation and its volunteers operate from a spiritual capacity and not a human one this Christmas. Help us lead by donating your time or by buying gifts online for the Treasures of Hope Christmas Store. The store doors open on Monday, Dec. 12 and continues until.Dec. 15

We ask for your prayers and support so that we see the vastness of God's ability and not our limitations as we serve 600 families on His behalf this Christmas. We don't want to miss anything God wants to do!

If you want to donate toys and other items to Treasures of Hope so that we can make Christmas special for hundreds of Dallas families, please visit our online store at dlftx.org.

The Heavenly Host: Supernatural help for leaders

To kick off our 19th annual Treasures of Hope Christmas Store, we're profiling individuals who played a role in the story of Jesus' birth in #12DaystoTreasures.

In the Christmas story, leaders on earth and in heaven played a role in the unfolding drama of the birth of Jesus.  We've talked about Mary, Joseph, Anna, Simeon and others, but Heaven was also a part of God's long-promised plan to bring men and women back to Himself through His Son Jesus.

In Luke 2 we read about an unnamed angel who stands with the shepherds while they guard their sheep in the fields of Bethlehem. This heavenly representative announces the birth of Christ and where He was born. The Scriptures also express clearly that the magnificent glory of God was present:

Wikipedia

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"

  When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us" (Luke 2: 8-15). 

The reference to the heavenly host reminds us that supernatural help surrounds the people of God. As God's leaders, as His kingdom ambassadors, we shouldn't hesitate to rely on Him to provide the strength and heavenly reinforcements we need to confirm and accomplish the tasks He has given us to complete. Joshua learned this when God revealed one of His names to Him: Lord Sabaoth (Lord of Hosts), the God of the armies. According to Easton's Dictionary,  the military term refers to either the armies on earth, the armies of stars, the armies of angels, or all three. In other words, Jesus' birth was an opportunity for a joyous military gathering for the King of Kings.

At Dallas Leadership Foundation, we rest in His peace because we know that the Lord surrounds us with supernatural strength and power. We're thrilled when we observe donors committing a portion of their resources to others through the Treasures of Hope Christmas Store because of their trust inn an Almighty God. We rejoice in His faithfulness when families receive the help they need because God moved on their behalf.

When do you experience the supernatural power of God surrounding you as a leader in God's kingdom? When do you sit back and realize that the Lord and His armies stand ready to fight for you?

If you want to donate toys and other items to Treasures of Hope so that we can make Christmas special for hundreds of Dallas families, please visit our online store at dlftx.org.

Herod: a case study of a failed leader

To kick off our 19th annual Treasures of Hope Christmas Store, we're profiling individuals who played a role in the story of Jesus' birth in #12DaystoTreasures.

Not every leader is one to emulate. King Herod the Great is one of them. His role in the Christmas story couldn't be more infamous. When the Wise Men or Magi came looking for the Messiah after spotting a strange star in the East, Herod invited them to let him know if they found Jesus.

When they didn't return but took another route back home, Herod started murdering male children about Jesus' age. Even Joseph was warned to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt because of Herod:

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son’ (Matt. 2:7-15).

Controlling and murderous leadership traits like Herod's thread human history, but poor leaders also can beget dramatic revivals and civic movements. Poor

Herod the Great: Wikipedia

leadership creates fertile soil where God can intervene with power. The Lord can enable people to lead in a God-directed fashion so that the higher causes of heaven can be implemented. As the Matthew 2 passage shows, the Wise Men and Joseph countered the evil machinations of Herod by following the voice of God.

Over the years, Dallas Leadership Foundation has relied on the voice of God to navigate challenging times and situations. As we've learned, focusing on what God wants ushers in an unforgettable chance to watch Him move on our behalf.

God's direction guides us when we minister to Dallas families through outreaches such as the Treasures of Hope Christmas Store. The store provides an answer for many families who need help during Christmas time -- and a counter step of hope during difficult economic times.

If you want to donate toys and other items to Treasures of Hope so that we can make Christmas special for hundreds of Dallas families, please visit our online store at dlftx.org.

David, a leader who sought God's heart

To kick off our 19th annual Treasures of Hope Christmas Store, we're profiling individuals who played a role in the story of Jesus' birth in #12DaystoTreasures.

David was beloved by the Lord. In the Christmas story, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David, his mother and adopted father were descendants of David, one of Jesus' messianic titles is Son of David.

A man after God's heart, David saw strength where others felt weakness and experienced God's presence where others imagined His absence. David wasn't a perfect man, but he stood as one who sought God. Heaven honored David's life, giving us a timeless picture of how flawed men and women still can seek out the Father -- in loss, victory, shame, disappointment, and joy.

One of the David's greatest leadership moments was when he faced the Philistine champion, Goliath. David was prepared for this moment, having learned to meditate on the ways of God and having won battles with a lion and bear by the power of the Lord. By the time David faced Goliath, he didn't cower in fear:

David and Goliath: Wikipedia

And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand” (1 Samuel 17:42-47).

At Dallas Leadership Foundation, we've seen how our history with God has helped us in the present and positioned us for the future. Each time we've faced an adversary - our Goliaths, if you will -- we've seen how good God is!

Through the Treasures of Hope Christmas Store, we share what we've learned about God's faithfulness, and we allow ourselves to express His love in any way we can. This year, we're trying to make Christmas special for about 600 families and 1,800 children at Treasures of Hope.

What is your leadership moment? How has God strengthened you in the past so that you can trust Him in the present? What has He given you that He wants you to share with others?

If you want to donate toys and other items to Treasures of Hope so that we can make Christmas special for hundreds of Dallas families, please visit  our online store at dlftx.org.

Daniel, a leader with an unforgettable legacy

To kick off our 19th annual Treasures of Hope Christmas Store, we're profiling individuals who played a role in the story of Jesus' birth in #12DaystoTreasures.

God assigned the prophet Daniel an amazing role the Christmas story. It was a leadership role that left a legacy for eternity.

Daniel, along with other young Israelites were captured and taken to Babylon. Daniel served in high-placed positions both under the Babylonians and later the Persians. Dr. Charles Swindoll offers a good summation of Daniel's life and his influence in a pagan world.

Daniel was a well-learned man and eventually became to head of the Magi. Dr. Chuck Missler writes in A Christmas Anticipation: Who were the Magi? an interesting observation about Daniel's life:

One of the titles given to Daniel was Rab-mag, the Chief of the Magi.  His unusual career included being a principal administrator in two world empires-the Babylonian and the subsequent Persian Empire.  When Darius appointed him, a Jew, over the previously hereditary Median priesthood, the resulting repercussions led to the plots involving the ordeal of the lion's den.
Daniel apparently entrusted a Messianic vision (to be announced in due time by a "star") to a secret sect of the Magi for its eventual fulfillment. 

Daniel's leadership influence through a secret sect reached into the early years of Christ's birth when the Wise Men came to visit the Christ Child. But that's not all that Daniel's life touched. He played a role in signaling the time frame of Jesus's life and sacrificial death. In the Book of Daniel there is an end-time prophecy that was delivered by the angel Gabriel that includes clues about the Messianic era:

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 

And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined (Daniel 9:24-26).

According to Missler, the Book of Daniel offers a time frame when Jesus made His kingly entry into Jerusalem -- to the date!

What a legacy Daniel left the world. Despite the losses he faced by being taken from his homeland, despite living in a pagan world, God used Daniel in his interactions with kings and the wise men of his day. How is God building a legacy through your life? In the face of setbacks and rocky circumstances, can you sense His plans for you?

At Dallas Leadership Foundation, a core effort of our organization is to transform communities through collaborative, purpose-driven leadership. It's why we work in neighborhoods throughout Dallas, in schools, and in prison. It's why we host theTreasures of Hope Christmas Store for families every year. We want to give you hope about the life -- and legacy -- God has prepared for you.

If you want to donate toys and other items to Treasures of Hope so that we can make Christmas special for hundreds of Dallas families, please visit our online store at dlftx.org.

The Wise Men -- unexpected leaders

To kick off our 19th annual Treasures of Hope Christmas Store, we're profiling individuals who played a role in the story of Jesus' birth in #12DaystoTreasures.

The Wise Men, also known as the Magi, appear in the Christmas narrative as mysterious figures who visit Jesus in Bethlehem. Classic literature says there were three men, and some say they represented Asia, Europe, and Africa, but the Bible doesn't give those details. What we do know is that they guided by a strange star or astronomical phenomenon, perhaps were members of a secret sect founded by Daniel in Babylon, and they were used by God for His eternal purpose.

How God used the Wise Men is the question. The men brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh -- three gifts symbolizing Jesus' kingly stature (gold), His priestly role (frankincense) and His sacrificial death (myrrh). Isaiah prophesies about kings bringing gifts to the Messiah, but the New Testament record penned by Matthew may only be a glimpse of a prophecy yet to be fulfilled.

Some scholars say that the expensive gifts helped to finance Mary and Joseph's escape to Egypt during Herod's campaign to kill Jesus. Another speculation is that frankincense was given to Jesus as a gift because of its medicinal properties.

The ultimate point is that these men played a part in the Christmas story. When Herod, told them to tell him when they found Jesus so that he could worship Jesus, they refused. Seeing beyond Herod's pretense, they chose to partner with God and protect Jesus.

During our years of ministry at Dallas Leadership Foundation, we've been amazed who God has brought along our path to help us serve people in Dallas. The Lord has brought dear-hearted people who have supported our efforts to transform neighborhoods and provide support through outreaches like the Treasures of Hope Christmas Store.  They've brought their talents, leadership skills, and love.

What we've learned is that God can raise up partners whom He guides to support His purposes. Look around you. What wise men have God brought alongside you to help?

If you want to donate toys and other items to Treasures of Hope so that we can make Christmas special for hundreds of Dallas families, please visit our online store at dlftx.org.

Isaiah, a farsighted leader

To kick off our 19th annual Treasures of Hope Christmas Store, we're profiling individuals who played a role in the story of Jesus' birth in #12DaystoTreasures.

Every time the Lord speaks is incredible, but when He reveals information that only will be fully known by generations not yet born, His infinite nature rocks our finite understanding. Awe surrounds us because when He shares His secrets, we truly see why the Bible says that God declares the end from the beginning.

God the Father commissioned the prophet Isaiah to participate with Him in declaring Who the Messiah would be. Feel the weight of Isaiah's prophetic assignment. He allowed himself to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to share the eternal plan of God. Isaiah was assigned to be a prophetic leader gifted with sight while sobered by the truths he was assigned to share without hesitation. Isaiah's prophetic words cleaved the world in two. They did, and they still do. People either believe the Father of Heaven sent His Son Jesus or they don't.

Imagine the humility of Isaiah when he wrote about the Messiah, the Son of God, the First-Born of Many Brethren who would come first as a Baby, live as a God-Man, minister as a Prophet, die as a Lamb, and rise again as King of Kings forever:

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this (Isaiah 9:6-7)

 Our spiritual responsibility isn't Isaiah's, but God still gifts men and women today to share His heart and vision with the world. At Dallas Leadership Foundation, we yearn to hear the voice of God and follow in His steps in every encounter we have with the world He loves.

Through Treasures of Hope Christmas Store, we hope families enjoy the chance to celebrate Christmas with their families by sharing gifts, but our hope is that they experience the wooing of the Holy Spirit so that they may know the specific call of leadership He has in store for them.

If you want to donate toys and other items to Treasures of Hope so that we can make Christmas special for hundreds of Dallas families, please visit our online store at dlftx.org.

Joseph, the kingly facilitator-leader

To kick off our 19th annual Treasures of Hope Christmas Store, we're profiling individuals who played a role in the story of Jesus' birth in #12DaystoTreasures.

 Serving as a facilitator can be difficult. Circumstances can cast the facilitator in the shadows. Joseph, Mary's fiance, and later husband, served in this role. The Bible speaks of Joseph sparingly, but what it says of this man was pivotal.

Joseph supported Mary in a work that began before the foundation of the world. He may not have initially understood the depths of what was happening when he learned that his fiancee was pregnant, but his character was revealed at each step. He demonstrated loyalty and compassion when he planned to break his betrothal with Mary quietly. Once the will of Heaven was revealed to him, however, he willingly facilitated the will of God. Each of these traits provides an amazing picture of an unforgettable leader who led from behind the scenes:

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus (Matthew 1:18-25).

Joseph facilitated Mary's safety and thus protected the Baby Jesus. What if Joseph had refused to serve because Gabriel hadn't appeared to him first and explained the plan of God? What if Joseph had pushed his weight around as a man? What if he had had Mary punished to the fullest extent of the Jewish law because it was his right?


Joseph did none of these things. Instead he stepped into his role as a facilitator. Success requires guides throughout our lives who bring people and circumstances seamlessly together. God blessed Joseph by allowing him to see that he had a role that mattered in the Nativity, of the Christmas story.

Note that the angel addresses Joseph's kingly ancestry-- the line of David. Perhaps reminding Joseph of his spiritual inheritance empowered Joseph to support Mary selflessly and to serve God eagerly. In fact, that same selflessness and obedience to God were kingly traits that Jesus would display in His earthly ministry, eternally reflecting His endless love as King of Kings.

Every day, Dallas Leadership Foundation and our dedicated volunteers facilitate a myriad of ministry opportunities God grants us. During this time of the year, we serve Dallas families by facilitating an affordable shopping experience and a a time of fellowship, food and fun through the Treasures of Hope Christmas Store.

And it's a honor.

If you want to donate toys and other items to Treasures of Hope so that we can make Christmas special for hundreds of Dallas families, please visit our online store at dlftx.org. 

Mary, a young leader full of faith

To kick off our 19th annual Treasures of Hope Christmas Store, we're profiling individuals who played a role in the story of Jesus' birth in #12DaystoTreasures.

Scholars say Mary was about 15-16 years old when the angel Gabriel came to her with the announcement that she would bear the longed-for Messiah. She was
young, but she was believing.

"And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end (Luke 1:8-33).

An ordinary day had become extraordinary, and the angelic visitation didn't rattle Mary for long. She wondered how she could bear a child because she was a virgin. However, her words didn't signal unbelief to the angel apparently. Check out Gabriel's response:

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail (Luke 1:35-38)."

The message from heaven was the promise of spiritual capacity -- the ability to do something humans can't do without the power and direction of God.  Mary didn't stumble at the promise. She told Gabriel: "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (v.38).

Dallas Leadership Foundation meets these types of leaders every day. They have bold dreams and bold ideas. They're unfazed by the impossible and driven by hope. We have the privilege of working alongside them to help transform neighborhoods. These leaders inspire us. Just like Mary.

 If you want to donate toys and other items to Treasures of Hope so that we can make Christmas special for hundreds of Dallas families, please visit our online store at dlftx.org. 

Simeon, an effective leader by the Spirit

To kick off our 19th annual Treasures of Hope Christmas Store, we're profiling individuals who played a role in the story of Jesus' birth in #12DaystoTreasures.

Wikipedia: Simeon in the Temple, by Rembrandt van Rijn

Simeon is a picture of the effective leader led by the Spirit of God. Simeon's willingness to devote himself to God and submit to the Lord's guidance placed him in the temple of Jerusalem at a momentous time, when the King of Heaven entered His temple as a babe. It was a must-see time at the temple, and Simeon was there:

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

    “Lord, now you are letting your  servant depart in peace,
    according to your word;
    and for glory to your people Israel” Luke 2: 25-32 (ESV).

    for my eyes have seen your salvation 

    that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 

    a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

The passage says the Lord already had told Simeon he wouldn't die until he saw the Messiah, but if Simeon had had a prayerless day, if he had ignored the promptings of the Spirit and decided to stay home, he would have missed what he had been promised. Being led by the Spirit means showing up at the right place at the right time.

At Dallas Leadership Foundation, we can bear witness every day to the need to follow the Spirit of God. His guidance directs our ministry efforts on projects like the Treasures of Hope Christmas Store. 

Ask us how people received ministry at the store or how gifts from DLF were a specific answer to prayer. Ask us about people who met the Lord for the first time at the store or left full of hope and faith because of someone on our team, or one of our faithful volunteers, heeded the Spirit of the Lord.

 If Simeon hadn't followed the Spirit, he also wouldn't have given the words of revelation to Mary and Joseph, words that have meaning today -- thousands of years later. Luke writes:

And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed” (v. 34, 35).

We don't want to miss our leadership assignment to serve families and function as conduits for the far-reaching purposes of God. During this Christmas season and beyond, may you also stay on course with the Spirit of God. He has amazing encounters in store for you!

If you want to donate toys and other items to Treasures of Hope so that we can make Christmas special for hundreds of Dallas families, please visit  our online store at dlftx.org.

A snapshot of Anna, the phenomenal and faithful leader

To kick off our 19th annual Treasures of Hope Christmas Store, we're profiling individuals who played a role in the story of Jesus' birth in #12DaystoTreasures. 

The prophetess Anna only gets a snapshot in Luke's "orderly account" of the birth of Jesus and His dedication, but that snapshot speaks volumes about the constancy of godly leadership.

Luke describes Anna as the daughter of Penuel, which means the "face of God." She was a descendant of the tribe of Asher, a tribe the rabbis associated with the priesthood, according to chabad.org. Luke also says Anna was a widow of advanced age, but scholars find the text tricky to interpret. When was she married? When was she widowed? Anna may have been an 84-year-old widow when she met Mary and Joseph and the Baby Jesus, or she was widowed 84 years, as an article in Bible History Daily explains. Either way, Anna was dependable. She found her place in the temple and stayed steadfast night and day, in prayer, fasting and worship.

Anna was a spiritual leader who called out to heaven. Interceding was her life purpose and she positioned herself to fulfill it. Perhaps she drew strength from Psalm 122, which describes a person overjoyed to go to Jerusalem for worship:

I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord (KJV).

Commitment is an essential ingredient in leadership of any kind. At Dallas Leadership Foundation, we know how important it is to demonstrate a sustained
commitment to the communities we serve. We work hard to let community leaders and their neighbors know that we'll work alongside them, that we're dependable and accessible.

It's why we have offered the Treasures of Hope Christmas Store for nearly two decades. Eighteen hundred children will receive Christmas toys this year because their parents will shop for toys at a discount of 75 percent or more below the retail price. For nearly two decades, communities have looked forward to our store as a place where they can donate toys or shop for their families.

Like Anna, we want to be faithful at our post. This woman saw the face of God in the face of the Baby Jesus and shared the good news about His birth. We want to do the same. Sharing the presence of the Lord by helping families at the Treasures of Hope Christmas store is a gift we love to share every year.

If you want to donate toys and other items to Treasures of Hope so that we can make Christmas special for hundreds of Dallas families, please visit  our online store at dlftx.org.