WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

By A. Lane Lavender

Sometimes God’s voice is so loud and clear that His will is obvious. At other times, you listen quietly yet it appears God is silent. In times of silence you look around you for confirmation. You look for signs to see what God is saying, where He is moving, what direction He is leading. You read the Word of God, looking and listening for His voice to leap to you from the pages. You listen to your counselors and friends speak and you look at the circumstances surrounding your situation. Sometimes they all point you in the same direction – the direction God has for you. But at other times all of these counselors and events only prove to confuse you more. What do you do then? What do you do when you are trying so hard to follow God’s direction but still are uncertain what that direction is?

WAIT. Don’t jump off of the ship. Don’t panic. Don’t do anything drastic. Don’t take a “leap of faith.” God has a perfect timing for everything He does. If He has not revealed His plan to you yet, then it is for a purpose. The Scripture is clear that God will direct our steps (Psalm 37:23). The Bible is also clear that God’s timing and His ways are not the same as ours. He sees things from a completely different perspective (Isaiah 55:8). It may even appear to us that what God has promised us will not come to pass, but we only live in the present. God lives in the past, present and future all at the same time. He knows what’s ahead. This means that what we think is hurting us may very well be the thing that is helping us. Think of Joseph, for example. He probably felt abandoned by God in prison, yet God was using the prison to set him up for the palace.

Saul got in trouble when he didn’t wait on Samuel as God had instructed him. This cost him greatly. He responded to his circumstances alone. It appeared that Samuel was not coming, and that they would be surrounded and defeated by their enemies if he did not proceed without Samuel. But Saul was wrong (I Samuel 15).

Abraham and Sarah thought they had waited too long and they took matters into their own hands. This resulted in much pain and strife that is still affecting our world several thousand years later. Who can blame them for wondering what God was doing after waiting fifteen years for His promise to come true? Their circumstances looked impossible with their age, but God had a perfect timing for Isaac to be born. In the end, I’m sure they felt Isaac was worth the wait.

It may seem that you have waited long enough – maybe even too long. Just remember that the important things – the best things – are worth waiting for. Isaac will come. Your dream will come to pass. Provision will come. Ministry will come. That special person will come. That child of promise will come. Wait.

Scriptures: Genesis 16, 21, I Samuel 15, Psalm 27:14,

 OBEY. You may not know what God is calling you to do next, but you do know what He has already called you to. Be faithful in what you know is God’s will. Stay committed and faithful to where and what God has called you to until He shows you otherwise. God’s Word promises blessings to those who are found faithful.

Scriptures: Psalm 31:23, Matthew 25:21-23, I Corinthians 4:2, Isaiah 55:10
 
SURRENDER. Have a heart-to-heart meeting with God and surrender your situation to Him. Tell God that you are willing to give everything – even your very life – to fulfill His plan for you. Admit your anxiety/worry/fear about the uncertainty of your future. Confess your dislike for waiting and your frustration with the inability to move forward. Give all of it to God. He already knows how you feel. It helps not to bottle these things up, but release them to God. Don’t worry, God can handle it, and He will not condemn you, rather, He will comfort you and give you faith.

I find an interesting parallel in Scripture with the story of Abraham’s testing by offering Isaac as a sacrifice to God (Genesis 22). Isaac was the “son of promise.” This child was God’s answer to Abraham’s request and to God’s plan for his life. And now, God wants Abraham to let the dream die? How does this make sense at all? I can’t begin to imagine how confused and frustrated Abraham must have felt. And yet, Abraham surrendered his promise to God and willingly gave back to God what God had promised to him. It was at this point – the point of surrender – which Abraham passed the ultimate test and God exalted him to a higher status that he could ever imagine - for eternity.  Sometimes we have to be willing to let go before the real blessings from God come. Often it is the point of complete surrender that launches us into our true destiny.  This process is excruciatingly emotionally painful! These are the most difficult decisions we make in life. It may mean letting go of a business or even harder, letting go of a child. It may be surrendering your home or giving-in to a surgery. Whatever it is, it has great value to you, and it represents the very future that you thought God had for you. You may be asked by God to surrender it.

I cannot tell you how many times I have seen God turn around a difficult situation supernaturally, only after it seemed the situation was over. Businesses that appeared to be sunk and the owners stopped fighting and just said to God – “If you want my business, then take it – all I have is yours.” It was only then that God supernaturally provided for them, and they found their ram in the thicket.  Surrender is a powerful thing with God. It’s not that God is a sadist, and likes to see people suffer. It’s that He wants to be close to us, and as a jealous God, He will allow difficulty and testing to make sure that we can be with Him, and that we can reach our full potential in Christ.  God will gladly sacrifice short-term discomfort for long-term character.
 
ONE DAY AT A TIME. The children of Israel lived one day at a time in the desert. Each day God supernaturally provided manna and water to sustain them. They were not allowed to store any up for the next day, and they had no idea when the manna would stop. Neither could they see that although they were in a desert, God was leading them to a land of abundance – a land flowing with milk and honey. Each day was a step closer to their blessing, but the only thing they could see was desert. You and I are to live by faith one day at a time (Matthew 6:34). You may be going through a desert in your life where nothing makes sense. The desert is a dry and barren place. It is uncomfortable in the daytime as well as in the nighttime. It seems there is no relief. But if we can wait on God, be faithful each day, and surrender to His plan and trust Him, He will get us to our destiny. In the meantime, He will be a shade for us in the hot sun (a pillar of cloud), heat for us in the night (a pillar of fire), light in our darkness (the pillar of fire was at night), water to our thirst (water from the rock) and manna from on high. And he will supernaturally make the things that we have to endure for the journey (their clothes and shoes never wore out).

When you don’t know what to do, don’t “just do something.” More often than not you will do the wrong thing. Understand that God is up to something and you are simply going to have to wait on Him to move. In the meantime, remain faithful and diligent in your assignment, surrendering everything to God, including your emotions. Trust God one day at a time, understanding that each day is a step closer to your destiny. And remember that God is faithful and the best things are worth waiting for.

                                          HALF WAY?

                                           (Turning the big 50)

The doomsday clock is moving: tick, tick, tick, tick. In a couple of weeks I will celebrate (not really) my fiftieth birthday. That's fifty: 5-0, half way to 100, half a century! It pains me to even pen these words. I'm not dealing with this birthday very well so this blog is an attempt at therapeutic writing. Perhaps I can cleanse my soul of fear and dread about getting older and the reminders of our mortality.

No doubt many of you are reading this post and saying, "Fifty, that's young!" And some of you will remind me that "fifty is the new forty." But the hard statistics cannot be compromised: the average lifespan in the USA is 78 years old. This means I am starting the third of what for most people is three quarters. Truthfully, I don't feel fifty, and I don't thing I look fifty either. It's not the physical body stuff that bothers me. What bothers me is the life stuff. Let me try to put it into words...

I thought that I would be much further down the road of success at this place in my life. For example, when I started my pension fund at age 28 the interest rate was such that I would have half a million dollars in the bank by the time I was fifty: Not happening! The economy in the USA has regressed to the point that I will now have to work full time until the ripe old age of 92! When I received my first ministerial license in the Church of God denomination at age 17, I thought for sure that I would be the General Overseer by now, or at least on the Executive Committee: Not happening! When I started pastoring at age 19, I thought for sure that I would be leading a church of at least three to four thousand by now, not three to four hundred. Truthfully though, I am very grateful to God that He has blessed me far beyond what I deserve, even if it's not what I dreamed.

Looking forward, my plans are different than the first half of my life. The first half was all about reaching goals, but the second half will be about reaching people. The first half was about what I can accomplish, but the second half will be about what I can impart. There is a word that stands out in my thoughts like a strobe light in a dark room: LEGACY. That word keeps flashing brightly. The more attention I give to this word the clearer the message becomes.

One of the greatest gifts to me in this life is the gift of a godly heritage. My father and his father were both pastors and great men of God. They passed on a rich heritage of ministry that gave me years of knowledge and insight as a pastor. I want my sons to have the same godly heritage passed on to them, but I want something more. There is something greater than a heritage and that is a LEGACY.

Legacy is defined by Webster's Dictionary as simply "anything inherited from an ancestor," but a legacy is so much more. A legacy is not something that you just give, it's something that you live. It's not a noun, or even an adjective; legacy is a verb - it's a doing, a being. Legacy is a lifestyle that is imparted into an individual or a group. This impartation is not genetic, like good looks or physical traits. A legacy is learned, not earned. In learning, some things are just caught while other things must be taught. An individual must be very intentional about passing on a legacy. Legacy is intentional mentoring - teaching others important things that bring peace, success, love and fruitfulness. Passing on a legacy is passing on a way of doing things, and leaving a legacy is the best way to continue the fruit of your life far beyond your lifespan. When you leave a legacy others continue to do what you did with your life, but at a greater level. In fact, the more people you mentor the more fruit your life produces. It's kind of like the miracle of compounded interest. The further you go in time the fruit of your life is exponentially multiplied.

Jesus understood legacy. He knew that His time on earth was short, and He would not be able to reach every person on earth with the limitations of being robed in flesh. Accordingly, He passed on a legacy into twelve men He called His disciples. He intentionally spent time and gave life to these twelve men and commissioned them to continue His mission. We call this the "great commission," that is, our co-mission with Christ to save the world. Jesus touched a lot of people in His fewer than fifty years, but through the legacy He passed on to 12 men He continues to reach the billions of people across the globe. That's a legacy, and that's the kind of mission that I want to spend my remaining years establishing.

So here we go. Fifty years of life and experiences that I can spend the rest of my life imparting to others. It could just be that the second half will be much more productive than the first! I will try my best to make it so.

Speak louder, Jesus!

Driving my five-year-old to school this week was quite an experience. For some reason, the "Little General" (our nickname for Joshua) was filled with theological questions. I don't know what it is about morning commutes that sparks creativity toward the Divine, but little Joshua's brain was going into overdrive. This morning was especially humorous. He asked me if the soldiers who killed Jesus went to heaven or hell? When I told him that I didn't know, he asked me how we know if we are going to heaven? I responded that only those who pay tithes go to heaven. Not really. I told him that everyone who knows Jesus goes to heaven, and those who don't know Jesus go to hell. "That's why," I said, "we have to make sure and tell everyone about Jesus." Then he asked me how we get to know Jesus. I answered that we know Jesus by reading the Bible and by praying. "When we pray," I said, "we are talking to Jesus." Joshua then asked, "How does Jesus talk to us?" ("Out of the mouth of babes") I told him that Jesus talks to us on the inside - in our heart and in our head. Then Joshua broke out with a loud voice, "Well I wish Jesus would talk louder because I can't hear Him!"
There are a lot of people who would agree with the Little General. Why doesn't God speak clearly to us? If He wants us to do His will then why is it that sometimes His will is not so clear to us? Certainly all of us have struggled at times with hearing the voice of God. We ask God to tell us what to do about important situations in our life, then we wait to hear His voice - seemingly to no avail. So why the silent treatment from God?
The answer is that God is not silent. He is speaking to us continually. He is not trying to hide His plans for you. The problem is not with God speaking to us, but with us listening to God.
First of all, God has already spoken to us clearly in the Bible. This is why we call the Bible the "Word of God." It is God's revelation of Himself to us and His plan for all of our lives. The Bible is our primary source of hearing from God because it is free of human error or emotions. Most of our answers for most of our situations can be found by searching the Scriptures for what God has already told us about our situation. We just have to take the time to listen (i.e. read).
There are times when we have specific situations where we need answers that may not be easy for us to locate in the Bible. In these times we need to find a quiet place and pray. One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to speak God's direction and wisdom into our lives. He lives inside us so He is there speaking to us in our conscience and in our hearts and minds all day long. If we never take the time to be still and listen then we will not be familiar with His voice. There are so many voices in the world speaking to us. The more time we spend in prayer and solitude the easier it is to recognize God's voice. Jesus said in John 10:4, that His sheep"follow Him because they know His voice." Do you know His voice?
I know that when I struggle to hear from God on an issue, it is usually because I am too busy to stop and listen to Him. Every time I find a solitary place and seek Him I find that I can hear His voice clearly.
So remember that God is not trying to hide His will from you. It's not a game where He wants you to try to solve the mystery. God is speaking to us all day every day through his Word and by his Spirit. Sometimes we just have to stop and listen.

WORDS

Last night was a very special night at the Lavender house. Last night Joshua learned how to read. It wasn't that he learned to read in one night. We've been working on this for six months! Every day we went over the sounds of letters and how they come together to form words. We memorized sight words and struggled night after night to get him to understand how to read. He didn't get it. Then, last night all the pieces came together for him and he got it!
We've been through this before. This is our third child that we taught how to read. For some reason, our experience didn't make this round any less frustrating. It's hard to understand how the brain works sometimes. Joshua is perhaps the brightest of our children at this age (5 years-old), yet he seemed to take the longest to learn to read. Each child is different and their learning styles so unique. When it comes to learning, one size does not fit all. This is an important revelation that all educators must understand. Anyway, last night, after months of foundation building, the light came on in Joshua's brain and suddenly he could see!
I'm just going to say this up front. There are few things in life as rewarding as watching someone learn how to read. I understand why my wife gives her life to teaching kids. When you see the light come on in their little head it sends electricity surging through your feel-good channels. Joshua was so excited! He went through the house reading words on books, boxes and even the walls! He kept saying, "I can read, Daddy! I can read!" I almost started crying. He couldn't sleep last night. He laid in bed with books open. I could hear him sounding out words in amazement. He finally got it! Now a whole new world is open before him.
The ability to read is the single most important tool in civilization. Illiteracy is followed by poverty, sickness and crime. Every civilization that advanced did so by educating their people. Is it any wonder that Jesus is called THE WORD?

PASTOR LANE'S FACEBOOK RULES

People come to me all the time with critical remarks about Facebook. Most of them are stories of marriages and families that are torn apart from inappropriate liaison's with the opposite sex. The truth is - I LOVE FACEBOOK. I find social networking to be a great tool for ministry and communication with friends, family and church. There are, however, inherent dangers in social media. Accordingly, I would like to propose a list of rules for Facebook that I think all of us would do well to follow. These rules can save us all a lot of headache and heartache. Here we go...
PASTOR LANE'S FACEBOOK RULES
(spiritual etiquette for social media)

1. KEEP IT LEFT-BRAINED. As much as possible, keep your emotions off the web and focus on the facts - just the facts.

2. NO REGRETS. There are two important rules to remember here: 1. Don't say anything you can't take back. 2. You can't take back anything you say. Everything you say in social media can (and will) be used against you (even in a court of law).

3. NO-NAME. Please don't use other peoples names without permission. Better yet, don't use other peoples names at all. And never post individual pictures of other people without their permission.

4. NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. Don't use Facebook to exploit your "fiends" for money. Sending continual advertisements and promotions for your business or other money-making schemes will soon get you de-friended.

5. I HAVE NO OPINION. Someone once said, "Opinions are like noses: everyone has one and they all small." Leave your opinions to yourself!

6. KEEP IT CLEAN. Stay clear of all sexual innuendos, corrupt communication, slander, and foul (or crude) language. Read Ephesians 4:29

7. PROTECT YOURSELF. Be very selective when putting personal information online, especially your birth date, address, telephone number and email. All of the information you put on your Facebook profile WILL BE STOLEN. Never click on advertising. When you do, you open yourself up to viruses and you will also find your email account flooded with unwanted spam. Never add people you don't know as your Facebook "friend." Think first before you type personal life information. For example, never write things like this: "Leaving for vacation today," or "I'm home all by myself today." If you do, you are inviting thieves and sexual predators to your home. And last bu not least, be very careful about posting children's pictures online. You would be amazed at just how many sick, perverted people are "seeking whom they may devour."

If you will follow these simple guidelines it will make your Facebook experience safer and more enjoyable.

You're welcome!

RAIN

It's raining today. I am coming to understand that this is a daily event in this sub-tropical climate at this time of year. To wake up to a cool rain in the heat of summer is refreshing, to say the least. Rain also slows me down. On a sunny day I spring out of bed ready to tackle the day's obstacles and opportunities. But when I wake up in the dark with the sound of raindrops pattering against the window pane it has a tendency to make me hit the snooze button and roll over for another round of dreams. It sounds pathetic, but the truth is that all of us need a little rain in our lives on a regular basis.

God created the sabbath for man. He even modeled this by ceasing from His labors on the seventh day of creation. He did this for a reason. We need rest to restore brokenness. Our bodies break down from work. Our emotions break down from stress. Our attitudes break down from weariness. Our creativity breaks down from overactivity. Rest restores everything from our body cells to our brain cells.

The opposite of rest is restlessness. Genesis 4:12-14 tells us that restlessness was part of Cain's curse. Whenever we are restless we are operating under the curse. God wants us to be in a state of restfulness (Matthew 11:28-29). He wants us restFULL not restLESS. He is our sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:9-11)! For me, rain says "Stop and relax today - contemplate, allow restoration - chill out - don't take yourself so seriously!"

The other day I was reading in Mark's Gospel where the disciples were overwhelmed with ministry and the demands of people. Jesus said to His chosen disciples, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest" (Mark 6:31). Jesus understands that we as frail humans have limitations. Jesus became weary Himself several times in His ministry and had to seek reprieve to spend time with His father in restoration. These were battery charging times when He could revive to return and minister some more in the power of the Spirit. If Jesus needed times of respite, what makes us think that we are immune to them?

I used to pray, "Lord, I want to go out in a blaze of glory for You!" I have since discovered that burn out is most unproductive. The "abundant life" - that is, a fruitful life - is a life of balance. The longer I last the more I can do for God. And the sharper I am the more productive my time for Him will be. This means I must learn to slow down and rest on a regular basis. The best way to do this is to spend time every day alone with the Father in prayer and contemplation - quiet time - restful time. If you will give God the first hour of every day, and the first day of every week, He will give you the peace and rest that you need to live in full productivity and abundance.

I don't think I would do well to live in a rainy climate like the Pacific Northwest. I would be in contemplation mode all day long and never get anything done. These early summer days in the Piedmont are perfect. They are filled with sunshine but balanced with a daily thunderstorm that says, "OK, you've worked hard all day, now take a break for a few minutes and restore yourself." So, rather than complain about the lack of sunshine today I'm going to say, "BRING ON THE RAIN!"

Matthew 11:28-29 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

ROUGH PLAY

Last night I tried to wear out the "little general" so he would sleep when I put him to bed. Joshua and I frolicked on the floor and "fighted." He is a typical boy and likes to wrestle and be physical. I was teaching the three-year-old how to box (as in punching someone). I know, some of you think that's terrible, but spare me your sanctimonialism - he's a boy! Joshua needs to know how to protect himself from your kids! Anyway, we were boxing and I accidentally cold-cuffed him and knocked him unconscious. Not really. I did, however, accidentally tap him on his rear side a little harder than play (unintentionally - don't call social services!) when he walked away. You should have seen the look on his face. He wasn't sure if the swat on his butt was a spanking or a play swat. He looked up at me with a tear in his eye to see what my reaction was. I laughed and said, "sorry - here, hit me back." When he saw that I thought it was funny and that I was playing he started to laugh and proceeded to lay into me with a flurry of playful punches. If I would have given him a stern look he would have started to cry, wondering what he did wrong. In that moment I thought about our relationship with God. Sometimes God plays rough.

I'm not sure how this plays into your theology, but I believe that there are times when God hits us with some things that aren't easy Like Joshua, at first we are not sure why God allowed that "hurt" in our lives and we look to Him with bewilderment. It is in those times, however, that God smiles down on us and says, "I'm just teaching you something to make you strong. Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I just want to prepare you for what's coming so you can win every battle." Then He affirms us and we feel security in His strength. This is part of the message of Psalm 94:19. One translation reads, "In the middle of my troubles, you roll me over with rollicking delight." We may not always be able to discern the truth of what God is doing in our lives, but continue to look to Him and you will see His smiling face and know that Daddy will protect you, and everything is going to be alright.

BEARING ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS

Today is my father-in-law's 90th birthday. Congratulations dad Strand! Unfortunately, John is spending his birthday in the intensive care unit following a massive stroke. The doctors are telling us that John will not recover from this stroke. Ironically, the Father could take John from the earth on the same day that He brought him to the earth ninety years earlier. What a great birthday present for John. What a tragic birthday for us.

Ninety years is a long time on any one's scale. Just think about all the changes that John has encountered in his lifetime. He was among the first to experience indoor plumbing, television, the automobile, and a myriad of other things that we consider common place. When John starting farming with his family, they still used horses to till the soil. My, how times have changed! John was also one of the few remaining World War II veterans. I remember vividly the stories he told about driving an ambulance in Europe while dodging mortars and bullets. Dad Strand had a lot of experiences in life, and he also gave us a lot of experiences and warm memories.

Thank you for all of your prayers for Linda and her family. All of us have felt you carry us in prayer during this difficult time. In times of tragedy I am reminded of the Scripture in Galatians 6:2: "Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law." Our family has truly felt you carry us during this time, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We will keep you posted as events unfold with dad Strand.

MY PERSONAL CODE OF MINISTRY

Over the years I have picked-up little sayings (from others) or formulated statements that represent who I am and what I believe. I put these into a "code of ministry" that I try to live by. I decided to post them on the blog in hopes that they may help some of you. Here they are....

MY PERSONAL CODE OF MINISTRY

1. WHO I AM IS MORE IMPORTANT TO GOD THAN WHAT I DO.
The quality of my ministry will never rise above the quality of my character.

2. BEING TRUE TO MYSELF IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN TRYING TO MEET OTHER PEOPLE'S EXPECTATIONS.

3. MY FAMILY IS MY FIRST PRIORITY OF MINISTRY.

4. I WILL GIVE MYSELF SOME ROOM FOR FAILURE.
Perfectionism is a dead end street. I don't have to be perfect to be worthwhile. "Winners are not those who never fail, but those who never give up." (L. Cole)

5. WHERE I AM GOING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHERE I HAVE BEEN. I refuse to be bound by my past. Every day is a new adventure.

6. MY PERSONAL WALK WITH CHRIST IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MY PUBLIC WORK FOR HIM. First and foremost I am a personal disciple of Jesus Christ.

7. RELATIONSHIPS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THINGS.
The two most valuable commodity that I have are time and relationships.

8. GOD'S WILL IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MY PERSONAL AGENDA.

9. HOW I TREAT OTHERS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN HOW I AM TREATED.

10. MY LEISURE/CREATIVE TIME AND RECREATION ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT TO GOD AS MY MINISTERIAL ACTIVITIES.

11. I WILL FOCUS EACH DAY ON THE IMPORTANT AND AVOID THE TYRANNY OF THE URGENT

Stay tuned. There will probably be a "part two" of this code in the future.

EXCELLENCE

Today I read about the Statue of Liberty. The entire story of how it was built, transported and assembled is amazing. One thing stood out to me in the pictures and was commented on by others - the top of the head of the statue. The writer of one article noted that the sculptor, Frederic Bartholdi, sculpted the head at a time when there was no such thing as airplanes or helicopters. The height of the statue would ensure that no mortal eye would ever see the top of the head of Lady Liberty. And yet, he completed the top of her head with painstaking detail, just like the rest of the statue that would be seen by all. Little did Bartholdi realize that years later there would be helicopters flying over the head of the statue to give paying tourists a birds-eye-view of the statue. In his mind, he must have thought that only pigeons and seagulls would see atop the monument. Why, then, go through all the hard work of detailing the top of the Lady's head, hair strands and all? The answer from the sculptor would be this: "Because God is watching. Man may not be able to see the top, but God can."

This is the very message of excellence that the Apostle Paul was striving to communicate in Colossians:
"Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, as working for
the Lord, not for men." (Col. 3:23)
We must remember that we are working for God, not for man. Whatever we do, we must do it with excellence because God is watching. He is the one who will reward us, not man.

In addition to this, we must also remember that when we call ourselves "Christians" (followers of Christ) we represent Him in everything we do. This means that we represent Jesus in our work and our play, at church and at home. So lets all strive for excellence and do our best at whatever we put our hands to because God is watching, and because what we do brings glory (or reproach) to Him in every area of our lives.

INAUGURATION

Many of us watched this week as Barak Obamma took the oath of office to become the President of the United States of America. In fact, more people watched this inauguration than any other presidential event in history. I was amazed most by the scenes of the crowds. A sea of people as far as the eyes could see dotted the mall on Washington like kudzu covering the trees of southern roadsides. Flags waved. Shouts of joy rang high. Tears rolled down frozen checks. All of this for a man who two-yers-ago was unknown to nearly everyone standing on the mall. As I watched in wonder I asked myself this quesion:"What does this mean?" In response, I have come to several conclusions.



First, I recognize that before me was unfolding the desperate position of our people. America is starving for hope. People are looking for answers. They are looking for someone - anyone - who will stand up and say "There is hope. I can bring change. Follow me." This message of change and hope won Mr. Obama the presidency. He felt the aching heartbeat of a desperate people and spoke to that need. If only my candidate would have done the same! John Maxwell said it best in one of his book: "People don't care what you know until they know that you care." Obama does not have an impressive resume for the office of president. In fact, he hardly has a resume at all. But people, like sheep, are not led by reason or fact, but by emotion and selfish desires. Clinton won his election the same way Obama did. He spoke to peoples needs - "It's the economy, stupid!" Remember? And so we see how a man can rise from political obscurity to the top office in the country by projectng the right message to the masses.



The second thing I see in this inauguration is the fraility of desperate humanity. Jesus spoke to this issue when He viewed the large crowds that came to follow Him. He said that they were like "sheep without a shepherd." Desperate people are vulnerble people. It seems that the masses will follow a pied piper to hell if they thought he was going to solve their problems. You see it in the crowds of people at the services of healing evangelists, or in food lines in poverty-stricken countries, or in the millions of poor who play the lottery or send in their stickers to the Publishers Clearing House Sweepsteaks. It scares me to think of the implications of a leader with such support taking us to the wrong places. President Obama has a big oportunity but also a big responsibility. I pay that he will do wat is right and what is good.

Finally, I must admit that my spirit man has awakened at the sight of sudden global acceptance of a man of obscurity. Obviously this overflow of support and man worship is not simply the result of good campaigning. Something is taking place in the spirit realm here, and I'm not sure that all this good will is summoned by God, but perhaps by His adversary. I se the spirit of antichrist at work blatantly! Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that Obama is the antichrist (don't get me started here!), but it is the spirit of antichrist that is spreading and preparing these lost masses to acept a man who will have all the answers. What's next?

McDonalds

I love McDonalds. Actually, I don't like their food (with the exception of the worlds greatest french fries and their fish sandwich). I like McDonalds because they are an American icon. Truthfully, at my age (forty-something) I probably wouldn't frequent McDonalds as often as I do, but most people my age don't have a three-year-old son. Three-year-old boys need two things to grow adequately: food and fun. McDonalds provides both at a reasonable price.



Have you ever considered how McDonalds continues to thrive even when other burger chains have fallen through the cracks? What makes them so successful? The answer is that McDonalds stays relevant. It stays up with the times. Whatever is popular McDonalds is on it - the latest entertainment craze (from Barney to Batman), to the latest food craze (from burgers to bagels to latte's). And McDonalds are not only relevant, they are regal. They allow for constant change in their menu while maintaining their classic iconistic giants like the Big Mack and the Big Breakfast. Go into any McDonalds on a weekday morning and you will find it packed with pepper-haired pancake poppers. And of all the Starbucks and coffee-house craze going around I still think McDonalds has the best coffee in town (except, of course, for the Fills Coffee Shop at Union Road). McDonalds has something for everyone.



Chances are that I will still be going to McDonalds well into my eighties. That is, as long as McD's is still relevant, still filling me up, still making me feel wanted, and still serving french fries. Now isn't there something the church can learn from that?

Kay-Bee Toys And The Meaning of Christmas

I had a most disconcerting experience at the mall yesterday. The Kay-Bee Toy Store was going out of business and thus reducing their prices dramatically. We (Linda & I) went into the store to find a robot for Joshua, my youngest son of three years. What we found in the store confirmed our dark fears about human nature. Becuse the store was going "out of business," and because the prices were so low and "evrything must go," people were acting insane. Toys were strung-out all across the floor, the shelves were dishelved, people were actually stepping on merchandise and opening boxes right in front of the store staff. It was anarchy!

I spoke to the manager of the store who was in a tearful rage. She and her staff had tried for several days to keep the store looking presentable but couldn't keep up wit the disrespect and frenzy of the people. She cried, she yelled, she couldn't believe what was happening. I could hardly believe it myself. The store looked like a hurricane had hit it the day before. The scene was not unlike the television clips we've all seen of aid organizations distributing food to hungry people in Africa. "Is this America?" I asked myself. How sad.

Linda and I talked about this event extensively. It's troubling to see how easily people can become disrespectful, unmerciful, abusive, rude, selfish, and even violent. It brought me back to the Rodney King riots in L.A. In an hours-time people can change into animals. The truth is, we are only an event away from overt anarchy in many places in our country. I don't want to believe that, but my experience in Kay-Bee Toys yesterday slapped me in the face with a reality check. Normal people walking beside you in the mall can walk into a store and become a different species. The prophet Jeremiah was right when he declared, "The heart (of man) is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: Who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9)

What I want to say to those reading this blog from cyberspace is this: GET A GRIP ON IT PEOPLE! It's Christmas time! This is a holiday to celebrate the greatest event in human history - the birth of Jesus! His birth was so important that it split BC and AD. It literally is the event that determines time. This is the entrance of salvation to mankind. He came to save us from sin and from self. If Kay-Bee Toys can teach us anything it is that we still need Jesus!

If you find yourself stressed-out this holiday and feeling more like Mr. Grench than a shepherd or a wise man, guess what? You've missed the true meaning of Christmas. It's not too late. You can fall on your knees before the manger and repent. You can glance once again and be amazed at the wonder of a little baby who was God. You can remember, and you can forget. Remember who Jesus is and why he came, and forget about the commercialism that we call "Christmas." Get it right. Go to the cross instead of kay-Bee Toys and you will be a better person because of it.

A WINNING TEAM

Sunday night I preached a message entitled "Becoming Fans of the Kingdom." I used the analogy of professional sports to show how dedicated fans are radically committed to their team. My outline was as follows:
1. Real fans arrive early.
2. Real fans don't care how late the game goes.
3. Real fans will endure any weather.
4. Real fans never miss a game.
5. Real fans want the best seat in the house.
6. Real fans memorize statistics.
7. Real fans pay.
8. Real fans are crazy!

These chracteristics were applied to believers who are supporters of theKingdom and of the local church.

I might add that I found some good pictures to go along wit this sermon, especially the pictue of Daryl Mahrr in a diaper on the "blue man crew."

The following night (Monday night) I was blessed to attend my first Carolina Panthers football game at Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte). Someone purchased tickets for my whole family to attend the game. It was an exciting game, to say the least, and the Panthers won a decisive stratigic victory. After attending the game I wish I could preach my Sunday night message again. If so, I would add another point to my sermon. The new point would be that IT'S EASY TO GET FANS FOR A WINNING TEAM.

Everyone likes to be a part of a winning team. Winning is fun, it's flat out energizing! Winning attracts people, whether it's winning in sports, business, marriage, or any other part of life. A lot of Chrsitians need to be reminded that we are on the winning team. I didn't say "A winning team," but "THE winning team." God has never lost a game. God has never lost anything! All of creation has experienced failure and defeat at times, but not the Creator. And this ever-winning God is our captain. I don't know about you, but I want to be on a team like that, and folow a leader like that The Bible gives us the destiny of the Kingdom of God in black and white. Guess what? We win!!!

It's time - time for us to start acting like, talking like and walking like winners. The truth is, if we are on God's side we can't loose.

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8)

HARD TIMES

Hard times can be a good thing.

These are difficult times in the good ol' USA. There have been times in our past when things were worse - much worse, but for my generation this is the worst economic downturn our contry has faced in a lifetime. In fact, my generation (the baby-boomers & busters) started after the great depression and has enjoyed one of the most prosperous times in our country's history. We've known only good times, so that makes this "recession" feel worse to us then it does to other generations. The truth is, my generation has become quite self-centered and greedy. This is, in fact, a big part of why our country is in a recession - greed! Greed and selfishness. Sad to say, but these are two of the major characteristics of my generation. But... It doesn't have to end that way.

People are not focusing as much this year on purchasing gifts at Christmas because we don' have as much money. GOOD! That was never what Christmas was supposed to be about anyway. Remember? I think Christmas has something to do with celebrating Jesus, doesn't it?!

Perhaps this hard time is a good time. Maybe we can use it to help us get back on track - back into focus. If we don't have money to spend on presents and travel then why not use this holiday season for the really important things? Spend time with your kids. Play games together. Sit around the family table and talk and laugh and remember. Go to church. Visit the shut-ins. Invite someone over to your house. Curl-up in a blanket next to a fire with your wife. Read a good book. Sleep. Relax. Be together. Pray. Yes, hard times can be good times.

I don't know about you, but if hard times is what it takes to bring us back together as a nation and as a family then I say "Bring it on, God!"

DISTRACTIONS

Three hours! I spent three hours this morning attempting to get my new drivers license and NC car tags. I came away from the three hours empty handed. It's amazing to me that I can surf the net, bank online, enter a federal prison or critical care unit with relatively little identification. But to get a drivers license in NC I have to have an "original" birth certificate, social security card, utility bill and other permanent forms of ID. You would think I was applying to work for a nuclear power plant! I just want to drive my car people.

So I get to the office at 10:30 AM mad as a hornet (whatever that means). I was so flustered that I couldn't focus on little spiritual things like counseling, sermon preparation, staff meetings, prayer, and saving the world. As I opened the Word of God (finally), I was brought to Luke 10:38-41. Here I identified with Martha (not Mary - unfortunately). Martha was so frustrated about the secondary things (preparing food) that she failed to do the primary things (listen to Jesus). How easy it is to let the little things distract us from the important things. I remember a Mother Goose rhyme about the pussy cat:

"Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?
I've been to London to visit the queen.
Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you there?
I frightened a little mouse under the chair."

The cat was in the presence of royalty but missed out on the queen because he was "distracted" by a mouse! How often do we miss out on opportunities with God because we allow distractions to focus us on secondary things?
Needless to say, I ended this morning with repentance.

"Lord help us to stay focused on the important things and not be distracted by life's frivilties. In Jesus' name - Amen."

HOLIDAYS AND HOLY DAYS

The Thanksgiving frenzy is over and I must say that I feel deflated. For a pastor, holidays and holy days, which usually occur simultaniously, can be exhausting. Like business owners and retailers, the holidays are no vacation for clergy. In fact, they are just the opposite. Holidays mean more holy days, extra church activities, extra time and extra expense. There is, however, a benefit to all of this - family. Holidays mean the opportunity to see family and remember the things that are really important in your life. This is a spiritual event for me.

So, before I hit the daily grind again I want to stop and thank God for family, for holidays, and of course, for holy days that bring us all together.

THANKSGIVING

Today is Thanksgiving or more affectionately known as "Turkey-Day." I feel so sorry for the turkeys this time of year that I have decided to have beef for the Thanksgiving meal - NOT!
Actually, as I survey my life on this day I am very grateful. I turned on the TV this morning to news of terrorism in foreign countries, bad economic times, and the local misfortune of the homeless and jobless. I turned the TV off!

Thankfulness is really an attitude of the heart - a choice. So, today I choose to be thankful for so many things. In fact, the more I think about it the more I realize that I have no reason at all to be ungrateful for anything. I woke up today in a warm and cozy bed in a beautiful home in a gated community. I have one car in the garage but it is paid-for and I could get in it today and drive to California if I needed to. I have a house full of loving family of all ages. My refrigerator and shelves are full of delicious food. I got paid yesterday, which means that I have a job. And best of all, there is a beautiful lady sleeping beside me in the bed who wants to be my wife. Imagine that! I do not fear terrorists or antagonists when I go shopping tomorrow. I have some money in my bank account, and I live in the greatest country in the world!

Come to think about it - I AM RICH!

THANK YOU JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CHURCH GROWTH

Fifty-one (51) New Members! That's how many members we took into Union Road on Sunday morning. This sets the record for the number of members taken into the church at one time at URC. This is also a new record for me personally (my previous was 28). It brought many to tears to see all those people lined up across the front of the church. This was an emotional event not only because of the progress of the church, but because of Pastor Frazier. Most of these new members started coming to church before Pastor Frazier died. It was encouraging for the congregation to see with their own eyes that Pastor Frazier's ministry continues to bear fruit. And it was encouraging to see that even through great difficulties the church is moving forward to fulfill her destiny!

Personally, I was overwhelmed with emotions of gratitude on Sunday. I had a difficult time holding back my tears. This is a great church and God has extended extraordinary grace to me by bringing me here as the pastor.

Fifty-one members may seem like a lot (and it is), but I believe that we will double that number in the next year. God has placed a huge vision in my heart for this ministry. Please join with me in payer and join with me in faith as we "press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

REBUKING JESUS

Matthew 16:21-23

Sometimes God wants to share bad news with us. At least, it seems bad initially. The bad news tat Jesus presented in this text is that life is not always a bed of roses. Jesus was very specific about this fact in his teaching. Life on earth WILL be filled with trouble for the believer. We are "aliens" and "strangers" here. We are fish swimming against the current. We are light penetrating darkness. These stark contrasts demand some friction.

This text does, however, offer good news to the believer as well. The good news is that God will prepare us or difficulty, and the good news is also that God knows the future. In fact, He is already in the future. There are no "surprises" with God. I find great comfort personally in this truth.

Most of us are like Peter - we do things that are way out of God's plan while believing all along that we are doing the right thing. You may say, "Yes, but I could never rebuke Jesus like Peter did." The truth is, however, that we rebuke Jesus all the time. We rebuke Jesus each time we express to God that our way is better than His way. We rebuke Jesus when we rebel against what God tells us to do because we "feel" or "think" that our plan is a better plan. In these cases WE are the ones in need of rebuke. In fact, as revealed in this text, a lot of us need rebuked for our selfish world view.

Many Christians want to adopt a "prosperity gospel" that decrees "the closer one gets to God the more prosperous his life will become." This is certainly true spiritually but not necessarily physically. In fact, if we are seeking this physical prosperity as our goal then we will never receive true spiritual prosperity because we haven't been willing to "deny ourselves." This text teaches us that the call of Christ is to self-denial not self-indulgence. Jesus taught that true living comes from dying, and prosperity comes from giving. Jesus taught us these lessons with His words and with His very life. This is the Gospel of Christ.