Hearing God Speak

It's really a humbling event. It doesn't matter when, where, or how, it always gets me. There's a song with the lyrics, "Left my fears by the side of the road/hear You speak/won't let go". That's how I feel. Once I hear God speak, it won't let go of me. So, I have to make this latest conversation real for me. You know, before the enemy tries to convince me that I didn't hear correctly.

Yesterday, on the way back from Taco Bell with food for my wife and parents, I drove past one of the local EMS stations. An ambulance pulled out with lights flashing and sirens blaring, followed by an EMS truck. Moved to say a prayer for the wisdom and skills of the EMTs to help save a life, emotions started welling up inside of me.

Earlier this year, I had a prophetic word spoken over me, and in it God said that he had given me his mind - that I had a brilliant mind.

So, I said, "Father, You have given me your mind, would it be too much to ask for your heart also? You ask for my heart and mind, can I not have both your heart and mind?"

"I gave my life for you. Will you give me yours?"

I drove on. What a question. More emotions.

"Father, I give You my life. All I have is yours. I give you my
heart, my mind, my life - it's yours. Whatever You want."

"Preach for me."

Tears. "One more time; I don't want to miss it."

"Preach for me."

By this time, I'm doing everything I can to keep from looking like I'm having an emotional break down inside my car. Even now, the emotions fight their way out. I am Yours, O God.

"Preach for me."

Wow.

When I delivered the food to my parents house, I tried to wipe away the tears before entering, because I didn't want my mother to think that getting Taco Bell for them was a distressful time for me.

Long ago, I started in youth ministry. Always wanted to preach. Always wanted to pastor my own church. (birth)

As time wore on, that desire evolved. I started saying things like, "I know I'm called to ministry, but I don't know what kind of ministry." Eventually, after 10+ years in "the ministry", I left. I knew it was time to not be on staff at a church for awhile. (death)

I'm in radio. I enjoy it most of the time. I help with the sound at the church. I've got a group of buddies with whom we hang out and discuss God things. In fact, we just went camping to hang out with God this weekend. Then, unexpectedly, God shows up on the way home from Taco Bell.

"Preach for me." (resurrection)

Will you help me pray this through? I understand that preaching for God is not necessarily the same as pastoring a church. I've also had apostolic words spoken over me, by the way, so I know that there are a plethora of ways to preach for God. (bonus points to those of you who immediately thought of The Three Amigos when you read the word plethora)

Thank you for praying. Thank you for listening (reading). It's life changing... It's humbling... Hearing God speak.

A Vision Song

Oh, God, be the voice of a
scattered generation
waiting on your spirit to move
Oh, God, fill our hearts with a
current revelation
of how to show the world your love

And we sing, "Alle, Alleluia!"
We sing, "Alle, Alleluia!"
We sing, "Alle, Alleluia!
Alleluia to the Lamb!"

Oh, God, to your throne, help us
lead our generation
yearning for your spirit to move
Oh, God, fill our hearts with the
joy of celebration
as we show the world your love

And we sing, "Alle, Alleluia!"
We sing, "Alle, Alleluia!"
We sing, "Alle, Alleluia!
Alleluia to the Lamb!"

We cry, "Holy! Holy! Holy!
is the Lord, God Almighty!
Worthy is the Lamb of praise!"
We cry, "Holy! Holy! Holy!"
is the Lord, God Almighty!"
With lifted hands and voices raised
Cry out, "Holy! Holy! Holy!
is the Lord God Almighty!
Worthy is the Lamb of praise!"
We cry, "Holy! Holy! Holy!
is the Lord, God Almighty!
Worthy is the Lamb of praise!"

Oh, God, be the voice of this
chosen generation
ready for your spirit to move
Oh, God, send us out ready to
take back every nation
as we show the world your love

And we sing, "Alle, Alleluia!"
We sing, "Alle, Alleluia!"
We sing, "Alle, Alleluia!
Alleluia to the Lamb!"

And we sing, "Alle, Alleluia!"
We sing, "Alle, Alleluia!"
We sing, "Alle, Alleluia!
Alleluia to the Lamb!"

A Blessing

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD Make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26 (NRSV)

A Question

Does the church today, in particular the American church, enjoy peace and increase in numbers? If so, why? If not, why not? Ok, so I have more than one question.

Acts 9:31 says:

Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (NRSV)

Now let's look at the question again. Do we in the American church live in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit?

Please, I look forward to your thoughts.

Skip Carey Part 2

The following are a short tribute to Skip Carey from MLB.com and his most classic (and my favorite) two calls for Braves baseball.

The Tribute:

THE Call: I was praying so hard during this game. I was in my bedroom watching, and my parents were watching in the living room. There were two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Braves were down by a run with Sid Bream, one of the slowest men in the game on second base representing the winning run, and Fransisco Cabrera was at the plate. Did I mention there were two outs? Barry Bonds was in left field for the Pirates. Fortunately, he's never been known for his throwing arm. No movie could ever touch this script.

I don't think I ever jumped so high or cheered so loud in my life. I flew into the living room, "did you see that?!!" My mom was whooping and hollering, too. My dad was trying to get us to calm down. I still get teary-eyed every time I see this clip.

The Championship: It was a Saturday night. I was doing my request show in KKVO radio in Altus, OK. My parents recorded the game for me. I remember asking them at one point what the score was. 1 - 0. The tape was waiting for me on my bed when I got home after midnight. I watched with great anticipation. It was well worth the wait.

The only World Series Championship Skip Carey got to call. It'd be cool to call a championship someday. Any kind of championship. I often wonder if I'll get to celebrate this again. If I do, it won't be the same without Skip Carey calling it.

But I do know that I will enjoy it. ;)

A Poem

Written on my last day at KVWC radio in Vernon, TX, on December 18, 2007. My shift was over, and I was waiting for the next guy to show up. It was around six in the evening.

As the sun sets on another day
So it does on the old way
If with dawn comes morning bright
Then we shall chase God's new light
If tomorrow brings a darkened sky
Then we shall trust that God is nigh
For it matters not what the day may bring
God is on his throne, the reigning king

How Much More

Abundantly. That's the best answer I could come up with for Jesus' question. See, my wife and my mother LOOOVE HGTV. When we had cable, at our house, we had 5 channels we switched between: NickJr. and Disney for the kids, TBS for me (when TBS was cool and airing Braves baseball games), and HGTV and TLC for the wife. OK, make it 6. Throw the Food Network in there, too.

One thing bothers me a little about watching so much HGTV. Granted, other channels, including my beloved TBS, has this problem too, but we watch a lot of HGTV, so I shall pick on them. So much programming surrounding homosexual couples. Hear me. It is simply the lifestyle that bothers me. Plus, the gay men HGTV, and others, put on tv seem, well, gay. I'm sure these are fabulous people, but their lifestyle is in direct opposition to God. This is not my point.

This is: "If [we] then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts,... how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11:13 NRSV

See, tonight on Deserving Design With Vern Yip, two female roommates received a new home office and guest room. I don't know if they were gay. Unfortunately, anymore, one assumes they are before finding out. Two women, living together, on HGTV... That's not the point.

This is: Their sexual preferences aside, it got me to thinking about how much God loves us. The purpose of these shows is to give someone a blessing. Be it a new kitchen, bathroom, whatever. Houses are remodeled and redesigned, and the recipients are usually ecstatic. So, take a homosexual couple, their lifestyle in direct opposition to God, they still receive a blessing. A new this; a remodeled that. I know the couple doesn't have to be homosexual to be in sin. We don't always know if and when we see the ones who are having an affair on their spouse, or the ones who cheat at work, or the ones who are in to drugs and alcohol, and so and so forth.

As I was watching this show, God just spoke the following verse to me.
Matthew 7:11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (NIV)

Luke 11:13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (NIV)

I really don't think the two women were "a couple". Just roommates. But the point remains the same. If we who are evil, homosexual, alcoholic, abusive, promiscuous, deceiving, etc, can give good gifts to those who are also evil, then how much more will the Father, who is not evil by the way, give to us who ask!

Luke 11:9-10 (Amplified Bible)
9So I say to you, Ask and [a]keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and [b]keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and [c]keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you.
10For everyone who asks and [d]keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and [e]keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and [f]keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened.

So, if those who are living in sin can be blessed in such a way, how much more does God want to bless those who are actually trying to live for him. How much more will he bless those who chase after him? Why don't we take hold of that more often? Can you imagine how much more? How much more!

"Meet with me..."

What?
"Meet with me."
When? Now? In the morning?
"Both."
Really?
"Meet with me."

I heard it plain as day. At 11:15 at night. My alarm goes off at 4 in the morning. I have to be at work sometime between 5:30 and 6. 11:15 is late. I know that 10:15 is only an hour earlier, but 11:15 is late. "Meet with me."

OK.
Matt. 19:26. Nothing.
Mark 6:4-6. Nothing.
Lord, I don't know what You want from me right now. Nothing's making any sense.
"Write me a song."
It's late.
"Write me a song."
About what? What kind of song?
"Write me a song."

Anybody else notice I'm not the only stubborn one here? I pull down my guitar.

Give me the words, Lord.
You made the stars....that twinkle....that shine....that burn at night...so bright.
Give me the chords, Lord. Please. Give me the music.
You made this heart...that beats for You...so true...for You...

An hour later:

You made the stars
that burn at night, so bright
You made this heart
that beats for You, for You
You made the wind
that blows through the trees, gentle breeze
You made this soul
that basks in Your glory, Your glory

Your Glory shines brighter than the sun
You're the Holy One
Who was, and is, and is to come
You're the Holy One
The Holy One

You made the seas
that crash into shore, hear them roar
You made these hands
that clap for You, it's all for You
You made the men
who crucified Your son, Your only son
You made Your son
who comes in Your glory, Your glory

Your Glory shines brighter than the sun
You're the Holy One
Who was, and is, and is to come
You're the Holy One
The Holy One

I did not make the morning meeting. I'm sorry, Lord. I will make tomorrow's. Grant me grace to do so. Meet with me.

Skip Carey

One of my favorite all-time voices. If not my most favorite. He called Braves baseball games for 33 years. I boycotted TBS when they quit televising Braves games. I miss his voice. Now, I won't get to hear it again. I just read where Skip Carey died in his sleep Sunday afternoon. He was 68.

It just adds another notch to the "bad year for the Braves" belt. Big fan. Always have been. Past three years have been tough to watch. This year not so much, because they haven't been on tv.

Skip's death just bums me. What bums me most is, I'm not sure he was a believer. If he was, then praise God! He's home! If he wasn't, then...well...I only thought things were bad for the Braves.

Skip Carey and Pete Van Weiren were my faves. Classy broadcasters. The kind I want to be. Sad day. I can't believe one of them is now gone. Gone but not forgotten. Thanks for the memories, Skip.

Do you know Jesus Christ? He's God's only Son. He died so that we may live. I hope Skip knew that. I pray you will if you don't already. Let's talk.