The “L” stands for “Living Successfully.”  There are so many around us that are only surviving at best.  Living  Successfully means that you know who you are in Christ and that you have a personal relationship with the Lord.  This involves spending time with Him and incorporating Biblical principles into your everyday life.  This has an impact on your priorities, your relationships, your time, and your resources.

When you are walking with Him, your faith is something more than what you pull out on religious occasions.  It helps you be a better spouse or parent.  It gives you the strength to meet the challenges of the day, and it helps you be productive with the time and resources that God has given to you.  Spending that time with the Lord each day in His Word makes a tremendous difference.

Most of us try to live life our way and then we try to use our own ideas to fix the things that don’t work for us.  What we need to do is to seek His will in every area of our life.  We have a lot of people that are trying to do that right now.  It is exciting to see the strides that are being made.  “Living successfully” is available to everyone that will make Christ the Lord of their life.

If you have been trying to do it your way, it is probably not working for you.  Try making the adjustments that draw you closer to Him and see what God will do.

There is a part of his statement that we need to pay particular to. At one point he said, “Part of following this path for me is Buddhism, which my mother taught me at a young age. People probably don’t realize it, but I was raised a Buddhist and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years.  Buddhism teaches [that] a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security.  It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously I lost track of what I was taught.”

The Bible teaches us that we are sinners by nature and by choice. It is impossible for us to change our behavior permanently on our own. A change of behavior only comes where there is a change of heart. In dealing with hundreds of people who have had every type of personal problem that you can imagine, I have found that those who just make the commitment to change their behavior rarely make it.   There has to be true repentance and there has to be a change of heart.  When there is a change of heart then and only then will there be a lasting change of behavior.

This Sunday we’ll be talking about having a better marriage.  The truths that we will be looking at from the Word of God are always effective no matter how famous, how rich or how ordinary you might be. There is a word here for all of us. I am sure that many people watching today were impressed with his commitment to change his behavior and will see that as a real commitment, but that is impossible without a change of heart. You are surrounded by people who feel exactly that way. Why not invite them to join you for worship on Sunday and hear about the principles that will make a real and lasting difference.

I am very excited about the possibilities and you will enjoy the visual effects, as well as the videos. In a time when people are searching for so many things, this series will provide some clear answers based on Biblical teachings and principles. I encourage you to invite your friends and those who have some special need in their life.

Below is a list of the titles for the next eight weeks.  I hope you will use this opportunity to use this to reach out to people have a need to know the truth.

• I Want To Be Happy
• I Want To Find True Love
• I Want A Better Marriage
• I Want A Closer Family
• I Want My Life To Count
• I Want Financial Freedom
• I Want To Change The World
• I Want To Live Without Fear

Watch a video preview

We have been talking about four elements that are necessary if we are to have that full life.  Here are the elements that are necessary:

L – Living Successfully.  This speaks to the stewardship of our lives.  It is about how we manage our daily lives.  It speaks to our walk with God, our relationships with others, and the way we use our abilities and resources.

I – Investing in Others.  This speaks of Ministry.  The Lord put us here for a purpose and a part of that purpose is to invest in the lives of others.  Our life should make a difference in the lives of others.

F – Following Christ.  This is about Discipleship.  We are to grow in our knowledge of the Lord.  The Bible teaches us that as followers of Christ we are to walk worthy of our calling.  That means we cannot have life to the full if we are not moving forward in our knowledge of Him and the principles of His Word.

E – Engaging the Culture.  This speaks to the area of Evangelism.  We live in a world of great needs but the greatest need around the world is to hear the good news that God sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins and then raised Him from the dead. I Peter 3:15 says “always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you.”  We must know what we believe and be ready to share it.

Our new schedule gives to each of us the opportunity to grow and excel in these areas.  This is an effort that meets the needs of our entire church family.  It will give us the chance to really get serious about our walk with Christ.  We are going to see some great things happen in the lives of people as we learn to live a life at “full throttle.”

There is a list of questions that is much more important and over the next few weeks we will be talking about that list. When people look at their lives, the first thing they need above everything else is to know that there is someone out there who loves them unconditionally. How clearly we see that in the birth of our Savior. We’ll begin that this Sunday morning and I hope and pray that it is going to help us to see Christmas in a more meaningful and a more powerful way than we have ever seen it before.

I am looking forward to sharing that with you.

The first part of the document reads,

We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are:

1. the sanctity of human life
2. the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife
3. the rights of conscience and religious liberty.

Inasmuch as these truths are foundational to human dignity and the well-being of society, they are inviolable and non-negotiable. Because they are increasingly under assault from powerful forces in our culture, we are compelled today to speak out forcefully in their defense, and to commit ourselves to honoring them fully no matter what pressures are brought upon us and our institutions to abandon or compromise them. We make this commitment not as partisans of any political group but as followers of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Lord, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Over 200,000 have already signed the declaration and it is growing daily.  I have signed it and I would encourage you to do the same thing.  Go to Manhattandeclaration.org

We are spending a lot of time talking about the problems.  This is a way for believers to take a stand together on issues that are fundamental to our faith.

We spend this time being especially grateful for His blessings and then when we go back to work and the leftovers are gone, we have a tendency to go back to living the same way we were living last Wednesday.  We sometimes have the attitude that “I don’t have to be grateful again until next year.”

When it is called to our attention, it is easy to express our thanks for the blessings of God.  It is much more difficult to be thankful in every circumstance.  But that is exactly what God tells us to do.  I Thessalonians 4:17-18 says “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in “all” circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

“In all circumstances”, you have got to be kidding.  But that is exactly what He says.  We serve a powerful and loving God that is even able to work with us in the bad stuff.  I have been praying  this morning  for a friend that has experienced a terrible tragedy in the loss of a loved one.  I do not know how the Lord is going to work in this area but I know He has the power to do so.  We will never be grateful for the tragedy but we can live with a spirit of gratitude.  This will always draw us closer to Him and that is what we need more than anything else.

Thanksgiving may be over but we should live our lives with a spirit of gratitude giving thanks in all our circumstances.

In following the story, I heard one commentator say they can just take the cross off and leave the “I believe.”  In my estimation, that’s worse that banning the license plate all together. We cheapen the meaning of the message and fool ourselves when we think the words “I believe” all alone mean anything at all. This waters down the intent of the license plate so much it makes it totally worthless, in my estimation.  This is another illustration of the greatest problem that we have in America and that is we don’t know what we believe. We have compromised in so many areas that we can adopt the ridiculous position that just saying the words “I believe” means anything at all.

This is but another reminder of the importance that a follower of Christ not depend on just a license plate, a piece of jewelry, or a tee shirt to express our faith. We must know what we believe and we must be able to articulate clearly what we believe and do it without hesitation. This is another reminder of the importance of each believer growing in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is no substitute for growing as a disciple and sharing that message with a lost world. We must not find ourselves being only like the commentator, complaining about a license plate. Rather we need to show those around us a lifestyle of following Christ.

We talked about the frustration that comes when you see someone with so much potential and it just doesn’t seem to click at the right time. Sometimes when we are in the position of a coach, a leader, a witness, or a director we feel a sense of frustration when we don’t see it happen in the lives of people. So often it is all about timing. I said to the coach that I believe that he had made a significant impact in the life of that young person. The player never would have had the opportunity in college if that coach had given up on him in high school.  I told the coach that whatever success this player has in college was due to the investment that he had put into him in high school.

The same is true in every area of our lives. God gives us an opportunity to invest in the lives of people. We want to see immediate fruit and great results. But sometimes that is not the case. We must continue to be that witness and influence regardless of the outcome and regardless of what we see at the moment. Most of us have someone that we care about that we feel is not living up to their potential. Let’s remember that the Lord has not given up on us and we should not give up on them.  You never know what the Lord is going to do.

What a great picture this is of the value of the relationship that we have of God in Jesus Christ.  We live in a world that is completely consumed with the economy.  People are constantly talking about their financial situations.  It is dominating every conversation.

It is true that you cannot overestimate the greed that we see in this culture.  But we are missing the point in terms of what is really valuable. The place of Ophir is a very special place. Commentators tell us that it is where the gold came from that David gave to the Temple. This wasn’t just ordinary gold. It was a special type of gold. The picture here is one of us setting our priorities.

In a day when we are constantly consumed with money, we must continue to find our worth and our value in our relationship with the living Lord Jesus. You hear people talk about the fact that in this type of financial pressure people are holding on to their money a little tighter. Now is not the time to take a tighter grip on what we have, but rather we should loosen it. When we have the promise of Him being our gold, the One who provides, our Sustainer, that is worth far more than any currency that we might use or treasure that we might possess. The question for us is whether the Lord is more valuable to us than the gold or silver that this world offers.

Now is a time for us to be reminded that many people are consumed with the dollar, but it cannot compare to the value of the relationship we have with Him. When you understand this principle and you take God at his word, it is not hard to lay down what we have or to rearrange our priorities, for His plan and His economy and His value is so much greater than anything that we can ever know.

As I walked around the parking lot last night, I was doing some prayer walking.  I was praying for the people that I know and for the tremendous numbers I had never met.  I was reminded of two things.  First of all, we live in a very religious culture.  I’m sure most of the people who were there last night had some type of religious background.  I was also reminded that most of the people there last night will face their own special type of challenge or issues. The only answer to dealing with those challenges is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  A religious pedigree certainly will not cut it.

We have the names of hundreds of people  with whom we will try to make contact. A very important part of the Festival needs to be our intentional prayers for those who were there and that God will use it as only a first step in order to show them the wonder of a personal relationship with the loving Lord Jesus.  Pray that many of those people will use this Sunday as an opportunity to be in our fellowship.  We are going to have a great day and I am looking forward to what God is going to do.

Many of these people do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  The most important thing about the Festival is the opportunity that we have to share.  Last spring, Lifeway Resources did a study.  They interviewed 15,371 people who did not consider themselves to be Christians.  Out of that group, 63 percent said they would be open to information about the gospel if it came from a family member in the midst of a personal conversation.  56 percent said that they would be open to information about the gospel from a neighbor or friend in the midst of a personal conversation.  These were the two highest percentages in terms of effectiveness of sharing the gospel.

What that says to us is that we have a tremendous opportunity with the people we know and the lives we touch.  The Festival is a tool to use our conversations to build relationships and to have the opportunity to share what Jesus has done in our lives.

Tonight will be a great time for a lot of people, but they will return to the same challenges, responsibilities, and trials that they face now.  The only thing that can make a real difference is that relationship with Christ.  The information is undeniable.  If you are willing to share what Jesus has done in your life, there are people who are willing to listen that need to hear the gospel.  We must not miss those opportunities.

The greatest tools that we have are not just the attractions, but rather our people that will be working the Festival. It looks as if the weather is going to be great and that this will provide us a wonderful opportunity to share the gospel. Let me ask you to do several things.

1. Pray that God will use these events to touch the hearts of individuals whether it be now or in the future.
2. Make sure that you are here on Thursday night. Hundreds of our people will be manning games, exhibits and providing much needed services. Your presence is important as a worker and as a participant.
3. Use the Festival as a tool to build relationships and when the opportunity presents itself tell your story.  This whole
   thing could very well be about you having the chance to share your faith.
4. Over the next two days, make sure that everyone you know is aware of the Festival. Invite your neighbors, coworkers,
   and friends, especially those you know who need a touch from God. We are praying that this will be a first step for many in this category.

It is going to be a wonderful evening and we pray that we will honor the Lord in every way.

They felt very comfortable in our church and, as a result, I had the opportunity to lead one of them to accept Christ.   It was a tremendous evening. I call it one of those “divine appointments.”

There are two things I was reminded of when I left. One is the importance of everything that we do. A lot of people made a contribution to this family by just being involved in a number of ministries that God used in their lives in only a short period of time. The second thing that I want to remind you of is the importance of going. On this occasion it happened to be me. You must remember there is no substitute for going and telling. There are people out there that you can touch before Sunday and as a result of your invitation this could be the most important day of their life. I went home last night very grateful not only for the opportunity to share my faith, but for those in our fellowship who did their part to make it happen.

In the few minutes we spent together he gave me a great illustration, shared with me a funny story, and recommended a book to me which I made sure I started reading the next day.  He is a wealth of information and godly wisdom. We were talking to him about his knowledge of the scripture. It has been his practice to memorize great portions of scripture for many years. He can no longer clearly read the scriptures, but he continues that practice. He told us that his wonderful wife, Ann, reads the scripture to him. He then dictates it into a small recorder. He uses an earphone and plays it back into his ear in order to memorize it. I sat there astonished and was amazed at the effort that he continues to make and how he overcomes every obstacle in order that he might continue to incorporate the Word of God into his life.  I was humbled and challenged at the same time.  It was a wonderful dinner, I got some great information, and had a chance to tour the Billy Graham Library, but the highlight of the evening was Cliff Barrows’ speaking into my life once again as he has done so many times. It was a treasure.

• I want to have a closer walk with the Lord.  This is always a matter of time in His Word, intensity and focus.
• I want to see that the Lord is glorified in every area of my life.
• I want to see people come to know Christ and see their lives changed.
• I want to see people grow up in the Lord and become committed disciples.
• I want to see our church make an impact in our culture and to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.

There are other things that I would like to have or to see take place.  But it is important that we keep our priorities in the right order.  I have a long list today and there are many different things that have to be done.  I happen to be wearing a lot of different hats today.  But whatever the responsibility or the task, I pray that I am working on one of these critical priorities.

You have to know what you want.  What do you want?  Is it pleasing to the Lord? Are the things you are doing moving you in that direction.  It is a good thing to keep in mind.

A map of the globe is constantly changing. There are no two days that the national boundaries are the same. It is time for us to erase the borders spiritually and to seek to reach the world with the gospel of Christ. Our Global Impact Conference is a great tool to use to that end.  Lives will be changed and challenged as we spend time with these wonderful servants of the Lord. This is a weekend that is filled with opportunity beginning with our worship service tonight. I am praying that our people will make it a priority to be a part of this tremendous service of worship. It is a time that we ought to make a priority for the entire family. It is one of the finest teaching tools that we have to show our children our value system.

I am so excited about what I believe the Lord is going to do with this weekend. It never ceases to amaze me how God in His grace gives us a chance to be a part of taking the story of His Son to so many places.  I hope that all of our people will be found faithful and will be in their spot this evening.

Whether you know it or not, this coming week will give you a chance to take another step forward in your walk with God.  It is not the only step, but it is certainly one of them that we must take. As you pray for your missionaries, as you encourage them, and as you pray about making your commitment to our Global Impact budget, we must remind ourselves of the importance of being involved in this endeavor. A lot of people have been called to the mission field out of this church. Much of it happened during a global impact conference.  I am confident that we will see many great victories in the coming week.  My prayer is that each of us will be prepared to do exactly what God wants us to go.

I am excited about the people we saw baptized last night.  They represented all ages and backgrounds and the Lord has done a work in all of their lives.  It was exciting to see them in that act of obedience.

To see such a great crowd taking part at the Lord’s table was inspiring.  Seeing people serious about following the Lord is always a great encouragement and challenge to me.

I was reminded of the many people that do so many things to make sure our ministry operates and touches lives.  We have the greatest and most committed set of volunteers that you will ever find.  These people do many things with a great heart and total unselfishness.  I think about them all the time.  By their very presence and faithfulness they are an inspiration to me.

I am grateful for our wonderful body of deacons.  These men are so faithful and I pray that all of our leadership starting with me will be better warriors for the Kingdom.

I think about the courage of a person who spoke to me about the pressure they have from family members to reject their faith and yet they remain faithful.  I have prayed for them this morning.

Everyone that comes in the door has something going on in their lives that presents some type of challenge.  Some are greater than others but the Lord is more than sufficient to meet those challenges.  That is a part of our constant message.

On Sunday evening, Clayton King asked of us the question “are we willing to do whatever it takes.”  If people are to come to Christ and if we are to do a work for the kingdom, then people like us are going to have to do whatever it takes.

Monday evening, Ergun Caner encouraged us to be a warrior for those who do not know Christ. Perhaps there are those out there you know who do not know the Lord. You have lost hope of ever seeing them come to Christ. Ergun Caner encouraged us to become a warrior for them. Do not give up. Redouble your efforts in order to see them come to Christ. For those of us who have put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is not an option…it is a command of our Lord.   Revival begins when we draw a circle around our own lives and ask God to do something in the midst of the circle. It is then that we begin to touch the lives of those around us.

I believe in the coming days that we are going to see many who will take up that challenge and seek to become a force for the spread of the gospel. We will look back and see this effort as a great victory, not only for what happened during this period of time, but for the future as well.

People are looking for a fresh start.  This is true whether you have kids in school or not.  It becomes part of the environment.  How can we make the most of it?

1. Make sure your priorities are in the proper order.  This is a time when a lot of good things can get in the way of that which is important.  There is a lot to do so that makes your time in God’s Word and your time in prayer more critical.  Spending time with Him will make you more productive.
2. Get on a schedule and seek to be more disciplined.  There are all types of people and causes that are seeking to set your agenda.  Your use of time and talent is important to you and those around you.
3. Look for ways to minister to other people.  This is a time of challenge and pressure.  There are many ways that we can invest in people and show them we care.
4. See it as a time of opportunity.  It is a fresh start and there are so many ways that you can make a difference in the lives of people.  They are constantly looking for answers and we must remember that we have the answer in Jesus Christ.

An Emphasis on the Value of Time – They did not waste a moment.  Every second was planned.  They run by a script and every drill, exercise and place was carefully selected for that practice.  They wanted to make the best use of the time.

An Attention to Detail – They worked on all the basics and took nothing for granted.  You could see it in the way they used their hands, placed their feet, held the ball or ran the plays.  They taped every single play so the coaches could review each player’s performance later.

An Awareness of the Plan – Every time the horn blew, the players knew where to go next.  They did not hesitate.  They did not know all the details but they all realized that they played a part in the overall plan and if they wanted to be a part of that team, they had to be in their place.

The Power of Encouragement – It was a hot evening and many of these players had been through training camp before, but there was a lot of encouragement on the field.  Not just from the coaches, but between the players.  They challenged one another and praised each other when they made a play.  They were competing and investing in one another at the same time.  It was as if they understood that if they helped someone else be better, it would make them better.

A Sense of urgency and a Passion for the Game – Football is only a game.  These guys are professionals and they are paid to excite us as we watch, but you could tell that they had a passion for the game.  The process has begun in trying to get to the Super Bowl and every moment could be significant.  You could feel a sense of urgency on the field, but it is still just a game.

We can talk all of these and apply them to our daily walk with the Lord.  What we do for Him has an eternal impact.  We are not paid like they are paid and we do not have people standing  around waiting to get our autograph, but The Lord gives us a chance to “make a play” that will change the life of someone else.  I pray that we will be ready.

This is an important project for us for a number of reasons.

1. It gives us the chance to show that we are interested in the teachers and the students in our county.
2. It is an encouragement and a reminder to those that serve in these schools that we care about them and realize that theirs is a tough job.
3. It provides us an opportunity to pray strategically for these students and their parents, teachers, and administrators that will be impacted by what goes on in those facilities.
4. It gives to us the opportunity to be salt and light for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
5. It will open the door down the road for individuals to share with people in other venues the good news of the gospel.
6. In serving these schools, we have the opportunity to serve in the name of Jesus without thought of reward or recognition.  This gives us the chance to grow in our faith.

I am so grateful for the ministry that we have in Spartanburg Christian Academy.  It is an important part of our ministry and we are looking forward to another great year.  But I am also glad that we have the chance to show our support for those Christians that serve in the arena of public education.

Tomorrow is going to be an exciting day and I am so grateful for the selfless attitude of believers in our fellowship that are willing to make a difference in this way.

In Hebrews 13:5-6, the Lord gives to us some very clear instructions and encouragement.  “Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

In a time when many are being swept away with an obsession about money, what can we do to stay clean in this area of life?

1. Remember, it all belongs to him.  He just lets us manage it.
2. Be proactive.  Not only must we stay free of the love of money, we must stay close to the Lord.  We cannot neglect the time and attention that we give to Him.
3. Keep in mind your values.  What is really valuable in your life? Are your values based on your desire or His direction?
4. Keep a constant check on your priorities.  It is easy to say that we are trusting the Lord and yet we are more concerned about how secure we are in this world.
5. Express gratitude to the Lord for what you have because you know that everything you have comes from God.
6. Take the long look.  We are so impatient and self-centered!  Remember that He has a plan and He has made the promise to be with us.  As we walk with Him, He will sustain us.  He has given us His word.

These are the type of steps that are separating the believer from the rest of the world in these turbulent times.

The scripture is clear, there is a race for us to run.  How are we to do that?

1. We are to run with a purpose.  We are to run for the glory of God.  We have the chance to impact the people around us and make an impact.
2. We are to run with endurance.  There is always the tendency to get tired and quit.  There are people around you today that are quitting in so many areas.  We have the chance to show them an illustration of someone that is going to go the distance.  You will be tempted to quit today, but don’t do it.  The Lord will give you the strength to finish.
3. We are to run with focus.  We are to be “looking to Jesus.”   There are all types of things seeking to distract us but we must stay focused.  We must keep our eyes on Him for He is the goal.

I am fascinated watching the tour de France bike race.  The riders are in a big crowd called the peleton.  They are only inches apart moving at great speeds.  The crowds watching the race are crushing in on them and you don’t see how they can ride through such a crowd.  They have to fear that someone will jump in front of them at any second.  Yet it does not seem to bother them at all.  They are trying to increase their seed, climb a mountain or get to the finish line.  They are focused!

What you are doing today is so much more important than a bike race.  Remember your purpose, run with endurance and stay focused.

1. Make sure that you are looking for those that you can influence for the Lord.  This includes those with whom you can share your story as well as other believers that you can encourage.
2. Invest in them by sharing Biblical principles and model those principles in your own life.
3. Look for opportunities to instruct and train them.  You do not have to be a spiritual giant to invest in the life of another.  You just have to be willing to be used by the Lord.  You may not be the best at it, but then the Lord gets the glory.
4. Share the truth with them by working with them.  Let the Lord use you as a teaching tool and an illustration of what He wants to do in their lives.  That is one of the reasons that the Lord wants to be an active part of a local church.  It gives us the chance to work for and with others.  It multiplies the impact of your life.
5. Hold them accountable.  All of us need accountability.  It is also an encouragement to be faithful when we know that someone else is watching what we are doing.  Continue to remember and remind others that what we do for the Lord and for His kingdom is what really makes the difference in this world.

You can do this today.  The Bible says that we are to “hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering” (Hebrews 10:23).  There are those around you that are just waiting for someone to show them an example of what it means to follow Christ.  We should get out there and “stir them up”.

There were the stories of young parents who were blessed by those who loved on their babies.  There was the look of excitement on the faces of parents as they watched their elementary children perform with over 140 other children.  That is something they never get to see.  They were overwhelmed with the commitment our people had to their children.

There was the investment in the lives of their young people who seldom get to be with other young people.  These kids have great maturity and yet they absolutely loved the attention and counsel given to them by members of our team that were with them 24/7 for a week.

People continually shared with me how they were blessed by the worship services and what it meant to them to be able to worship with other believers and hear the Word proclaimed.

There was the gratitude for the technical assistance we were able to give to so many and the medical help and advice that was so professionally provided to these families.

There were the countless conversations about problems, cultures, challenges and victories.  There was the chance to minister to all of these in the midst of a time of great change.  There was a lot of uncertainty and we were able to minister in their midst.

I could go on and on, but one of the greatest blessings of the entire trip was to see the way our people worked so hard and ministered so faithfully with a sense of gratitude.  So many kept saying to me how much they appreciated and valued this opportunity.   This is the opportunity to give a lot of time, work hard in preparation, interrupt their personal schedule, sacrifice financially, leave their families, travel over 20,000 miles and work themselves to the point of exhaustion.  And they were grateful!

This wasn’t just a project in which 118 people participated.  It was an effort on the part of the entire church.  I can’t say that enough.  This could not have been accomplished without the commitment and prayers of our family.  The members of the team realized what a blessing it was.  That is why they are grateful.  This is also another indication of a great church family.  It was a hard time to perform such a task but the members of our church family rose to the task.  We should all be grateful!

1. They have a clear sense of purpose.  They want their life to count.
2. They also have a very clear call to be doing what they are doing.  They are in the work they are in because they believe that God has put them there.  For them, doing what they do is not optional.
3. They have learned not to take themselves too seriously.  I have heard so many stories that blow my mind but as they tell them, you get the idea that the circumstances are no big deal.
4. They live with great flexibility.  If something does not go their way, they take it in stride and immediately formulate another plan.  Most of us panic when we do not get our way.  They have learned to adapt and this has drastically reduced their stress level compared to the rest of us.
5. They stay forcused.  They have a clear understanding of what they are supposed to do and they are not easily distracted.  They refuse to quit.
6. They are not selfish and exhibit a great sense of gratitude.  They flesh out what they believe.  They know that God takes care of them and they are grateful for the things that God does for them.

These are all things that we can and should have in our lives.  It would make a difference in the way we live and it would have a tremendous impact on those around us.

They say that we live in the Bible belt but we are surrounded by people who do not understand what it means to be a follower of Christ.  This experience has been a reminder to me of what we are to be doing where we live.

I am so much looking forward to Sunday and being a part of a great worship service this Sunday at 10:30.  Invite your friends to be with us.

This day should be a reminder of the values that the founding fathers of our country held dear.  We are rapidly moving in the opposite direction.  The news reminds us daily that we have lost an appreciation for perosnal and corporate moral standards.  We are a nation that was built upon moral absolutes.  Two examples this week make that abundantly clear.

The tragedy of our governor continues to worsen.  This is troubling for two reasons in particular.  He seems to be going in the wrong direction for saving his marriage while using so much religious verbage. Secondly, he continues to talk about his faith while talking of an adulterous affair as a real love story.  That is not morally possible.  What is more troubling is that so much of the public does not seem to understand how absurd this is.

At the same time, our president is openly accelerating his support for homosexuality and in so doing is attacking the concept of marriage and the traditional family.  As a people we do not seem to have the foresight to realize how devestating this can be for our culture.

July 4th is a time for hope for our nation.  We must pray that Americans may once again understand how important it is for us to stand for the values upon which our country was built.  Along with the celebration of our nation’s independence there should be an individual recommitment to stop the slide of our culture and regain the meaning of what it means to be one nation under God.

As we celebrate what has occurred in the past, we must commit ourselves to the future with our focus on the one that has given us this great opportunity to be Americans.

Today I have heard stories of persecution, being forced to leave a country, a family that will have to come home because they have a child that must have special help, and governments moving against Christians.

At the same time I hear stories of people groups that have just baptized their first believer, churches being started, people that have learned a foreign language just to share the gospel, people groups that have been engaged for the first time, national partners that have joined in our efforts.  I could go on and on.

It has also been a reminder to me of the responsibilities that we have at home.  The longer I am here, the more I think about our church and the ministry that we have there.  We must always remember that the light that shines the farthest shines the brightest at home.  While this is a great ministry, I am anxious to get home and get back to the work.

Please continue to pray for our team and for me as I preach.  Because of the great need, I feel a great sense of responsibility.  They have been very responsive but I want to share exactly what the Lord wants me to communicate.

I am praying for so many of our people there and I am grateful for those that stand in the gap.

I am also amazed at the challenges that they face in this part of the world.  The spiritual warfare is beyond belief.  Even now, believers are being threatened in this part of the world.  We have some national partners that live in the midst of danger.  I just prayed with a couple of guys that are concerned for fellow believers that are facing persecution and it could happen today!  This is not new.  We pay very little attention to it, but there is more persecution of Christians going on now than at any time in history.  Our media does not report much of it and oftentimes we do not take note of it.

The fact that so many people are praying for them by name is so very meaningful to them.  Your prayers are not in vain.  Please do not take this opportunity for granted.  They covet and need your prayers.  This is a way for those of you at home to make a significant difference in the lives of some great servants of the Lord.

I remind them everyday of how this is a project of our entire church.  I tell them that there are many that are paying a price so that our team could be here.  This is pure ministry and we are able to invest in the work with about 1.4 billion people.  I am not sure how it will work but this is going to be of great benefit for our entire church family.

I heard great things about the service yesterday.  I knew it would be that way.  I do miss being there and while I enjoy being with these people, I am already looking forward to being at home on Sunday for our joint service at 10:30.  I will try to keep you posted on Twitter.  If you would like to follow along, go to our website.

Being away only makes me more greatful for a great church family.  You are very special!

The youth program has already started and the children’s program begins tomorrow.  We have our first service in only a few hours.  I hope that you will be much in prayer for all of our team members but I would ask that you especially remember me as I speak.  This is a very stragetic time for a lot of these people and I am asking the Father to ready lead and guide me as I share what is on my heart.

It is amazing how quickly you can feel out of touch with what is going on at home.  Of course we have heard about the governor’s unfaithfulness.  What  a tragedy!  I have only seen a small part of it but I am sure that the press is all over it.  While there is a lot of talk, there needs to be a lot of prayer for our governor and his family.  I think there are several things that we should pray.

• Pray that he will be truly repentent.
• Pray that he will do whatever it takes to repair the damage that has been caused.  He must be willing do everything possible (and I am not talking about political damage).
• Pray that he will get the right kind of help in order to make real changes, not just cosmetic ones.
• Pray for his wife as she tries to deal with the hurt.
• Pray that his children may be protected as their home is in danger.

As governor, we have the right to expect him to maintain a moral standard and faithfulness in his marital relationship, but we must also pray for him.  Pray that this will be a real wake-up call for him spiritually and in every other way.

The other story is the death of Michael Jackson.  What an opportunity he had to make a positive difference and he became such a terrible role model.

I am sure that there is a lot of talk about these stories at home.  But I truly believe that the work that we are doing here will have more of an impact in the long run than either of those stories.  There will not be any press about it, but we have the chance to make a difference for the kingdom.  Those of you that pray for us are just as much a part of it as we are.  Thank you for your faithfulness.  We will keep you posted on our web page or you can follow on “twitter.”   Go to our webpage and you can follow along as I go through the next several days.

• We are taking 118 people around the world
• Our travel will include over 900 flight segments going and coming.
• We have 15 different routes to our destination
• Together our people will spend over 7000 hours in travel on this trip
• In addition to personal luggage we are taking over 40 trunks filled with supplies and equipment.

It is probably the most complicated trip we have ever taken.  Several years ago we took more people to East Asia, but it was not nearly so complex.

The people that we are working with will be working with different people, working for different people, working on new strategies, working under new leadership in clusters of people that have just been created.  Everyone who is a part of this meeting will have their tasks officially change this week.  All of this is at a time when things are changing here in the U.S. when it comes mission giving.

We must be very flexible and ready to deal with changing circumstances when we get on the ground.  There are several things that I am sure of:

• There is no way that we can accomplish this task in our own strength
• I know that the Lord will be faithful and will guide us in this effort
• I know that many people are praying for these servants and for the members of our team.
• I know that people here will step to the line and do what it takes to meet the needs here.  We are so fortunate.

Please don’t fail to pray for this effort.  Because of the size and complexity of the project and because of the spiritual warfare involved, we must approach this as a church family.  Even though you may be staying here, you are a part of this effort.  We cannot do it without you.

Let me share with you two incidents that someone shared with me this morning.

A little girl was standing with her mother as this morning’s session was about to begin.  It was obvious that she was excited about the day and being a part of Bible school.  She looked up at her mother and asked, “How much are we paying for this?”  Her mother told her that it did not cost anything and the little girl said, “We have to be paying something, this is too much fun to be free.”  What a great comment.  That type of attitude makes my day.

The truth is that it really isn’t free.  People gave their tithes and offerings so we could provide this chance to share Jesus with hundreds of kids.  These volunteers have given their time and talents to these kids.  Hundreds of hours of preparation have gone into this effort.  It’s really a very expensive undertaking but it is time and money well spent.  I am so grateful for all those that have given to make this possible.

The second story involves a 1st grader that walked up to one of our workers today and with a big grin said, “Hey you remember me?”  The worker did not recognize the child.  We have hundreds of kids here.  The worker was trying to remember where and how she had met the little boy.  He came around the table and hugged the worker and she asked where they had met.  The little boy said “yesterday.”  She wasn’t even working with that age group but that great little kid had gotten the idea that he was the only one there that she remembered.

That is exactly how we want them to feel.  I want all of them to know how special they are and how much God loved them through His son Jesus.  There is a lot of good stuff happening here this week.  Please keep praying for our VBS.

Vacation Bible School has been a tool that has been used in the lives of countless numbers of people.  Year after year it is the leading tool in seeing people come to faith in Christ.  Many of you reading this post heard the gospel as a child at VBS.  The statistics tell us that it is extremely effective at reaching people with the message of the gospel.

Because it has been around so long, we tend to take the impact of VBS for granted.  We live in a society where compared to years ago, these kids have much less access to the truth of scripture.  We now live in a culture that is Biblically illiterate.

This fact increases the importance of VBS.  Many of these kids will hear the gospel for the first time.  They will go home and tell their parents what they have learned.  Perhaps some of these parents will be reminded of their responsibility to teach their children spiritual principles.  It may cause them to look for a Bible believing church.

As we pray, it is important for us to be aware of these possibilities.  We should also be looking for opportunities to use what is happening in our VBS as a part of our task to share the gospel.  All of the studies tell us that we are becoming more secular with each passing day.  We must not assume that people have heard or know the truth.  All of this makes our witnessing opportunities even more important.

Because we have done it year after year, we take for granted the fact that the kids that we minister to know all about the Bible. Even in the Bible Belt, we now live in a society that is largely Biblically illiterate. They do not know the stories and do not have an understanding of the gospel.

This is a mission field and the work that hundreds of people in our church will do is critical to the spiritual development of our community.

We must take every opportunity to share this with people around us. You can be one of the best assets that we have. You should be sharing the news of this ministry with those in your family, neighborhood and workplace. This is not just another Bible school. It will be the only chance that we have with certain families.

Let me ask you to make it a matter of prayer and priority. Allow yourself to be used in terms of making sure that kids are here. We can always use extra help in caring for these kids. If you have the time, there is certainly something for you to do. We will give you the opportunity to sign up on Sunday. Pray that God will use this in a great way next week.

We have done this type of project in the past, but each one has its own personality and set of challenges. This is a critical time and we have the chance to make a real investment in the lives of those that are working in some of the toughest spots in the world.

I tried to share with the team last night the burden that I feel for this project. Like everything else that we do, it is an extension of our ministry here in Spartanburg. That is why this is an effort that belongs to the entire church. There are a number of things that you can do to make this more impactful.

-Pray for those that serve in the South Asia region. Go to the website, go2southaisa.org. You will get a lot of information

-Pray for the members of the team as they make final preparations. Lift these that are going to the Lord and ask that He will give them great discernment and ability

-Contribute to our Thailand offering. This is a very expensive project at a very critical time. Your investment will make a difference.

-Be faithful in all that is taking place here. There is much to be done in the midst of a busy summer. There is no one here to take your place or to pick up your responsibility. We are in the midst of a busy summer trying to touch all types of people. Your involvement can make a real difference.

]]> http://www.mikehamlet.com/index.php/2009/06/09/two-weeks-to-go/feed/ 0 http://www.mikehamlet.com/index.php/2009/06/07/twitter-weekly-updates-for-2009-06-07/ http://www.mikehamlet.com/index.php/2009/06/07/twitter-weekly-updates-for-2009-06-07/#comments Sun, 07 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +0000 mikehamlet http://www.mikehamlet.com/index.php/2009/06/07/twitter-weekly-updates-for-2009-06-07/

I am continually amazed at the dedication of our Bible Fellowship leaders.  They take their ministry seriously and use it to touch the lives of so many people.  They understand the importance of this ministry in the total life of our church.  It touches every age group and God uses it to meet so many needs.

We should constantly be taking the opportunity to be a part of a class in our Bible Fellowship ministry.  We should also be inviting those around us to join us.  We sometimes take it for granted the value of this experience.  We believe that everyone has what we have.  I can assure you that this is not the case.

There are those around you that would love to be a part of such a ministry.  All they need is an invitation.

As we begin this new Bible fellowship year, this should be on the minds of all of us.  It provides us another chance to make a difference in the name of the Lord.

]]> http://www.mikehamlet.com/index.php/2009/06/05/bible-fellowship-classes/feed/ 0 http://www.mikehamlet.com/index.php/2009/06/04/south-asia/ http://www.mikehamlet.com/index.php/2009/06/04/south-asia/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:35:35 +0000 admin http://www.mikehamlet.com/index.php/2009/06/04/south-asia/ Recently I have been spending some time on the IMB website for South Asia.  The lostness in that part of the world is almost beyond belief. There are more unengaged and unreached people groups in South Asia than any other part of the world. I would encourage you to go to the website (www.go2southasia.org) where you can read numerous stories both for the opportunity to share the gospel and the tremendous need among those people groups. To read about the challenge there is overwhelming.  Our missionaries are doing a fantastic job in that part of the world. God is moving in a powerful way in so many places, but it does not come easy. The challenges are great and the size of the task is mind-boggling.  The level of devotion of these missionaries is simply staggering to me.

As we prepare for our trip to Thailand, I am convinced that we must redouble our efforts in prayer and preparation.  This is a chance for us to invest in the lives of some of God’s choicest servants.  As a church, we must not take this opportunity for granted.  It deserves our very best effort.  I am burdened by the responsibility of sharing in this context. I would ask that you continue to pray for me as I continue to seek the Lord’s direction in preparing for our time in Thailand. Pray for our entire team because I have no doubt that God will use each of these members in the lives of individuals that we are going to serve.

At this convention there will be discussion of a document entitled, “The Great Commission Resurgence.” Many people have had input into this document.  Dr. Danny Akin, President of Southeastern Seminary is the author of the paper.

In a time when the need to share the gospel is so great, we must do more than talk about it.  This statement is a challenge for us to be what we can be in terms of sharing the gospel.  It is about what we are to be about.  There is not anything in this document with which I would disagree.  My prayer is that the Lord will use this in the lives of our people and in our churches.

The Southern Baptist Convention is  composed of autonomous churches.  That means that we are independent in terms of our decision making.  As Southern Baptists we decide to cooperate with other churches for the purpose of putting forth the gospel.

Our President,  Johnny Hunt is giving us great leadership and Danny Akin did a great job in writing the document.  You may be interested in reading it.  You can go to greatcommissionresurgence.com and you will be able to read it.  You can even to sign it as an expression of your support.  Any Baptist can do it.  I have and I encourage you to do the same.

We have walked through this process together.  While I hate to see him go, I am in agreement with him that this is what the Lord would have him to do.  He is extremely valuable to us.  But we have to remember that if it is the Lord’s will for him, it is also the Lord’s will for us.  Just as He has something great in store for the Lanfords, the Lord also has a better plan for our ministry.

We are fortunate in that we get to be a “small” part of what God is going to do in another place.  We have had that opportunity before and it is a blessing for us to have it again.

We will be having a reception for the Lanfords this Sunday night after church.  I certainly hope that you will be there to honor them and to show them our love and appreciation for all they have done for our fellowship.

Since I have been a part of this process, I have been thinking and praying about what we are to do next in this area.  I am confident that God has the right person in store for us.  We just have to be faithful in seeking His will in this matter.  I would like to ask you to join me in praying that the Lord will give us some very clear guidance in the days to come.

Terry is a dear friend and is one of the best doing his job that I have ever seen.  It is a great loss to us and to me particularly, but I am excited about what the Lord has for them and for us.

This also means that there is the possibility other missionary appointments will be limited as well.  This is a result of the financial crisis that we see all over the world.  This comes at a very inopportune time when we have so many opportunities, so many people interested in going to the mission field and the need for the gospel is more critical every day.

This move will affect people within our own church.  We pray that this will be temporary.  This will certainly have an impact on our missionaries on the field.  I believe that this has just amplified the importance of our trip to Thailand. These missionaries will need our support and encouragement.

It is certainly a challenge for us to take such a large group at such a difficult time, but I know that God is and will continue to bless our efforts.  I would ask you increase your prayer efforts on behalf of our team and the missionaries that are feeling the effects of this action.  God is not shocked by these circumstances.  We must put our trust in Him and make sure that we are found faithful in every area.

It is very user friendly and easy to control.  You can do as little or much as you like.  You can receive as little or much as you like.  I have found that it does not take much time because I am not spending my time stressing over what is next.

It is a great way to share information.  It is short and to the point.  It is also a great way to be encouraged.  It is also helping me be more aware of using that which goes on around me to encourage someone else.  It is much more valuable than I thought it would be.

I would encourage you to give it a try.  You can just go to the web page and click on twitter and it will give you very clear directions.  I would also encourage you to share it with other people.  It is another tool that we can use for the glory of the Lord.  Others may find it interesting and it may well give you some great opportunities for ministry in the lives of others.

I look forward to seeing your name!

Recently she sang “Memory” from “Cats.” This time the crowd was wildly behind her.  She had a little bit of a rough start but then she reached a point where they knew she would be okay and they stood with her.  The videos of her performances have been watched by millions from around the world.

Why is that people have become enamored with her?  I think there are several reasons.

First of all, she was a surprise!  They thought that she would be funny and she shocked the world with her voice.

Secondly, she is talented.  She has a great voice and she courageously stepped on the stage when all the odds were against her.

But I think the biggest factor is that people are able to identify with her.  She is an average middle-aged woman who certainly does not look the part of a star.  When she walked on the stage she was the underdog, the long shot, the one that appeared to have no chance.  In an interview for the show she said, “I am not the worthless person that people think I am.  I have something to offer.”  There are people out there who would love to believe that if she can do it, I can do it.  I am not sure it has as much to do with her voice as it has to do with the way she is overcoming the odds.

Most of us would like for people to see that we have something offer.  We would like to dream that someday someone will be cheering for us.  Most of the people that I talk to as a pastor are dealing with the same self image issues that Susan Boyle has.  We must remember that what the Psalmist said in the 139th Psalm applies to us.  “For you formed my inward parts; you wove me in my mother’s womb.  I will give thanks to you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are your works, and my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:13)

I can only imagine the pressure that you feel in this type of competition.  You are playing only 18 holes.  There is no chance to be better tomorrow.  Each shot could be the one that gets you in or puts you out.

Daniel told me that He was very relaxed.  Mark Pangle caddied for him and Daniel said that his consistent encouragement made a huge difference.

Daniel mentioned to me that He had been at the leadership dinner last night and heard Jonathan Falwell speak.  He remembered Jonathan saying that when he took over the church he prayed something like, “Lord I can’t do this but you can”  Daniel wrote that down in his yardage book and he told me he must have read it over 20 times during the day.

He now moves on to the next level which will be somewhere in Georgia.  It gets tougher all the time, but I told him he already had a great victory.

Life is much like the game of golf.  It helps to be consistent, stay committed, and have encouragement.  Every shot counts.  That is the way that it is with us.  We must seek to make every shot count.  You never know what a difference it will make.