Hearing God

When I lived in New York, this guy joined the church. He had scraggly hair, and dressed and smelled like he had just left a mosh pit at an all day heavy metal festival. He was an admitted  alcoholic that was trying to battle his inner demons.

I befriended him, because that's the kind of thing that Jesus would have done. Many times he called me after he had gone on a bender and I sat with him, talked with him, prayed with him.

He had a sincere desire to stop, but the voice of God was washed out by the familiar voices that were calling him to drink and to self destruction.

That's the problem with hearing God... you have to really listen. The voices in the world are always far louder, far more demanding. This... had been the problem throughout history. God says

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27 ESV)

however, if you ask any truthful Christian, they will tell you that they've thought they've heard the voice of God on multiple occasions, but didn't act on it, or in some cases, missed it altogether! This is from people who are chasing after the heart of God!

I think the challenge is to listen and to do. The more you listen, the easier it will be to hear... to move... to act. During this Christmas season, when so many things are pulling for our attention, let's find God in the stillness of his voice.

And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:11-13 ESV) 

I use to curse like a sailor.

I am ashamed to admit it, but when I was younger I use to curse worse than a sailor. One of the guys in my neighborhood taught me how,  and I took that newly acquired skill to professional levels. I always had the right word at the right time. The way that I strung them together was masterful. I was seriously a pioneer in profanity.

When I was a junior in high school, I had a change of mind. I repented and realized that I needed to stop cursing. This was a real moment. I understood the need to stop. I changed my mind, my will, I had a desire to stop!

It took 2 years for me to completely stop cursing. 2 YEARS. I repented, but I did it wrong.

A lot of times, when we're faced with issues in our life, WE get convicted by the Spirit of God. WE  realize that we need to change. WE try to make this change happen by our own will. WE fail, so we either continue in our sin, or we stop trying.

Today, I believe that if I would have taken that conviction and prayed to God to help me stop. If I were truly sorry and realized that I was powerless over this and asked God to help, it would have taken far less time, and God would have gotten the glory.

As Christians, we don't change because we want to. We change because God called us to be Holy. He sent Jesus to be a sacrifice for us because we were incapable of making the changes necessary to live a holy life ourselves. Jesus told us that He needed to leave so he could send His Holy spirit what would teach us all things and bring all things to our remembrance. (John 14:26)

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is 1 Peter 5:6-7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV)

When God calls us to repentance, He doesn't expect us to figure out how to change ourselves. He wants to help us and mold us into the image of His son.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:26-30 ESV)

God searches out hearts, He knows us. He wants to conform us to the image of his Son. He justifies and glorifies.

So... let us struggle to not try and fix ourselves on our own. Let us truly repent and take full benefit of what God offers us to we can truly be Christians... followers of Christ.

Understanding adoption

The high school pastor at our church along with his wife (not pictured above) were involved in an interracial adoption. They have a beautiful daughter. Sunday, he hold us a story that really made me think about adoption.

He took his daughter our for a Daddy/Daughter breakfast date on Thursday,  like they do every Thursday before school. This time, they were at McDonald's. After they ate and talked, she wanted to play in the play area. When it was time to leave, she was putting on her jacket - looked at him and said:

Are you my Daddy?

He got down on one knee, looked at her eye to eye and very solemnly said. "I will always be your father." Admittedly, he was a little hurt that she asked the question, but felt like he handled the situation as properly as you can.

Later on in the week, they were driving in the car and she asked:

Is God my Daddy?

He replied, "Yes, He is!"

"So, I have 2 Dad's?"

"YES! A perfect heavenly Father and an earthly Dad that makes mistakes!"

Sometimes, we take for granted what our relationship with God means. We are a part of His family. He chose us and has an inheritance for us.



This girl got it. She knows that she has a future. She knows that she has someone that loves her. And this will impact her entire life! She doesn't have to worry about her past. She doesn't have to worry about her family coming in and making her live with them... she has a new house, a new family, and a new future.

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
(Romans 8:12-17 ESV)

Let us struggle to remember that, and share this good news with others!