Ever had that road trip that feels like it just won’t end? You’ve been in the car for hours, you’ve driven through the middle of nowhere, except for the one gas station that looked more like a creepy service station in a horror movie more than it did a place to actually get what you needed. And as you are driving, from somewhere behind you, there comes that echo… “Are we there, yet?”

Life has been that way for so many of us. We’ve been in this car for way too long, and most of us are asking that same question. We have been in an economic nightmare for too long. We have been stressed out for too long. We have had no answers for too long. We have been following our leaders blindly without question, hoping and praying they had our answers in their campaign slogans.

It’s almost like we are with Moses, wandering through the desert. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, you can find it in the book of Exodus. Moses led the people of Israel through the desert for 40 years. Imagine that car trip! What makes the story so amazing is that God performed some pretty incredible miracles on this trip. Even so, the people continued to doubt both Moses and God. It was easier to focus on the problems and not put their eyes on the answer.

Is that where we are today? The problems will always be in the forefront because of our media. But, is that our focus? Have we become so tuned in to watching the rise and fall of the stock market that we can’t see the rise and fall of our faith? We are a country founded on the very principles of God. We are a blessed country, who is currently wandering in the desert. Are we being led by Moses? Obviously not. But like the people of Israel at the time, all we see are our problems, and we have forgotten who we are and, worse, who God is.

I believe our country’s status rises and falls with the economy. That’s sad. But, God is awakening the church. The church will be the light that shines during this time. We will be that example that makes others wonder what we have. It is the church’s role to do all the things that our government is currently trying to do with the entitlement programs. As the church awakens, you will see this role increase amongst the church. It is during that time that we will become what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 5:14-16:

14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”

Until that awakening, we will wander. We will stay in the desert. Take the initiative with those around you. Apply Godly principles to your life, and yes, to your finances. This will change our country. Our leaders will change, but our God is always our God. Are we there, yet? No, but we are getting close.

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It has been a long, long dry spell. We haven’t had relief in a long, long time. Everywhere you look, in all faucets of life, things are drying up. Rivers and lakes are symbols of current leadership. we look everywhere for relief, and up till now, none can be found.

If you are like me, you are probably as worried about our future as you have ever been. I feel as though there is no real direction in the way we are being led. The “bipartisan effort” does not exist, and in fact, has become an oxymoron. It’s a fight for power, not answers. It’s an effort to prove the other guy wrong, not accept the situation and do something about it.

Leaders don’t and can’t have a victim mentality. Elected leaders are put into their positions to be servants of the people, to act on their behalf to do what is right, and to do it in a way that creates not a void of leadership, but an example. To continue blaming one party or the other takes the fingers off the pencil and instead points them in other directions. This is not a blame game. This is not a high-stakes poker game. This is the greatest country in the world that has and is being run down into bad late-night talk show fodder.

I pray for the wisdom of our “leaders.” I pray that a true leader would emerge at a time like this and show us what it is supposed to look like. The time is right. This leader needs to emerge with sleeves rolled up, head high, and thumb pointed at his chest. This leader has a task that very few will have faced or will ever face. But, that’s why you are a leader. You fix problems. Whether you are answering to the board, the stockholders, or the American people, you fill that position to get the job done.

Or you are replaced.

It’s that time. Pray for that leader to come forward. Pray that this phoenix rises from the ashes of fallen leaders. Pray for wisdom.

“Where there is no leadership the people fall, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”(Proverbs 11:14)

“Leadership is action, not position.”
Donald McGannon

“One of the true tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.”
Arnold Glasgow

“Leadership is an opportunity to serve. It is not a trumpet call to self-importance.”
J. Donald Walters

“True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers, not the enrichment of the leaders.”
Robert Townsend

“Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.”
John C. Maxwell

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I think I need to clarify some more. I need to build on what was in yesterday’s discussion. The discussion was in regard to not judging–finding no condemnation. What does that look like?

The church should be a place of refuge. It should be a place filled with people who are filled with the love of Christ, the One who did not judge others nor find condemnation in their past. Jesus looked at those with the dark past, the skeleton in the closet, and found–get this–compassion.

He looked at them and saw what they could be, not where they were. He saw them as people, not a statistic, not as a project, not as a charity, and not as a ministry!

Is it that way today? Don’t we have a tendency to label more than we love? We have to change. We have to look beyond what is face value. We have to look beyond the person’s past and see THE PERSON!

What would it take to see beyond the man’s adultery? To see the woman and not the pregnancy or the abortion? Even as you read those three words, your mind and emotions reacted. Something came to your mind. The question though, is what is your answer? When faced with that moment, what would you say? Could you show love the way that we are called to love? Could you look at him and offer him the friendship he needs? Could you look at her and see the pain she carries through your own opinions? Her hurt goes so much deeper than any pity you may have. Jesus knew that.

In Romans 8, we have a great example.

Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

 11 “No, Lord,” she said.

   And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

It’s obvious, but it’s also not that easy, is it? It is time to go a little deeper.

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There’s a problem. There’s something that keeps rearing its ugly head, and we have to do something about it. Now that the political fires are starting to burn brightly, we have to do something with more urgency. Once the news and talking heads begin to spout out their opinions, it may be too late.

Judgment. Condemnation. It will all come out, disguised in a political opinion, cloaked in media spin, and hidden in concern. Either way, it will come across as just opinion, but it is what it is. Judgment. Condemnation. That’s the furthest thing from what we are called to be as Christians.

In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul first addressed the fact that we are, at our best, still floundering, still fighting to live better. We still struggle with sin, and doing things that we know we shouldn’t.

I decided to use The Message version for these verses, because I wanted to make sure I was speaking plainly in this. So, at the end of Romans, in chapter 7: 17-23, Paul says

“But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.
21-23It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.”

It’s not that we look at people and purposefully try to see all their failures, but in fact, we probably look to see if they have the same failures we have. Society in general has a tendency to lift people onto pedestals only to try to knock them off of it. We slay the very heroes we create.

In Romans 8, Paul continues with the explanation of how we have escaped that guilt of failure.

1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

When we becomes Christians, we are freed from the condemnation that comes with the failure in our lives. More importantly, it frees us from seeking the condemnation in others’ failures, slip ups, indiscretions, and moments of weakness and heartbreak. It means that we, as Christians, are supposed to be like Christ, thus the name. If we are who we are called to be, then we are not judgmental or critical, because Jesus wasn’t.

Jesus chose imperfection. When He chose those who would be closest to Him, those who would live life with Him, He chose those who were, get this, normal! He chose imperfection.

When Jesus addressed those that would be the easiest targets of criticism and judgment, He never did. In fact, He did the opposite. He showed compassion. He showed His love.

Where do you stand? Do you struggle with judgmental thoughts? It’s easy to do so. But, you have help. You have opportunity to make a difference. You have all that you need to make the change. And with the upcoming political season, we’ll need all the help we can get.

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It has been a while since my last blog. But, new ones are coming soon I promise! We moved, and our Internet provider has been a bit slow in connecting our service!

Until then, I leave you with a thought from this morning’s reading:
1 Peter 4:8-9

“8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.”

There is a stirring around the world right now, and we are under the microscope lenses of the world. Let them see also our great love for each other, even as we celebrate the death of one who killed so many. We will be tested. We, as Christians, will be judged, ridiculed, and mocked. But, Peter tells us that’s not really a problem.

Verse 14 says it this way:

“14 So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.”

If that’s what happens, then I can take the insults.

Be prepared my friends. This is a pivotal time.

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