Decision making is critical leadership skill for every effective leader.  Read Nehemiah 1:1-11.

Nehemiah was a Jewish man who had gained favor with Persian Royalty during the time the Jews were exiled from Israel to Babylon.  Nehemiah lived in a time after the Persians had conquered Babylon, in the 20th year of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, (445/444 BC), and Nehemiah was cup-bearer to the king.   A cup-bearer is an officer of high rank in royal courts, whose duty it was to serve the drinks at the royal table. Since there was constant fear of plots and intrigues, a cup-bearer must be regarded as thoroughly trustworthy to hold this position. When Nehemiah heard some difficult news from those who had returned to Persia from Jerusalem he had a major decision to make. If he asked to leave the kings service, even for a short period of time, to return to Jerusalem to help his fellow countrymen, he might be regarded as disloyal and suffer prison or death.

When Christian leaders make a stand for right verses wrong, they will need to depend on God to protect them from the firestorm that can follow. Read Daniel 3:1-30.

Among the captives that were brought from Judah to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 BC were Daniel, King Jehoiakim and three of Daniel’s closest friends known in Bible by their Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. When these three men refused to worship a statue Nebuchadnezzar had made because they had chosen to worship only the One True God, they became instant enemies of the state and were scheduled for an execution that would make an example of them for all other potential dissenters. Their dependence on God would be tested with their life at stake.

Wise Christian leaders include God as an integral part of their leadership. They have a high level of dependence on God in their attitude and actions. Read Lamentations 5:14-22.

The leaders of the nation of Judah failed to recognize the authority of God over their nation and that oversight led them to make decisions and condone actions that broke their covenant with God. Jeremiah confesses the sin of the people and also acknowledges that God reigns forever and will ultimately restore what has been lost. Successful Christian leaders don’t depend on their own strength and wisdom but on the sovereign God.

God longs to bless and reward obedient leaders. Read Jeremiah 29:1-14.

Jeremiah had warned Judah for decades to repent of their violations of the covenant they had made with God. Eventually God gave Babylon military success against Judah. Babylon invaded Judah three times. Once they simply made Jerusalem and Judah subject to their rule and forced them to pay an annual tribute, once they took several thousand captives back to Babylon including the king and his family, Daniel and others that were the brightest and best Judah had to offer, and during the third invasion they destroyed the city of Jerusalem, mercilessly massacred thousands, and took virtually all the able bodied back to Babylon in chains.

A wise leader trusts God even when their heart is inclined to do something contrary to God’s revealed will. Read Jeremiah 17:5-10.

Jeremiah draws a sharp contrast between those who depend on human strength and those who depend on God. A leader who is detached from God is in danger, but one who trusts Him will have the elements essential for His blessing. Jeremiah makes it clear that leaders cannot look to both human strength and dependence on God as their supreme basis for trust. Leaders will either ultimately put their hope in the promises and power of people, or they will look beyond human capability to the person and promises of God.