FOLLOW THE LEADER

Personally, I believe God is always speaking to us. The question is, Are we listening? Over the past few days, I've been asked on several occasions about filling worship leader positions. Is it that time of year again where local churches are " cleaning house"? Is the fact that I've been asked repeatedly a clear indication that God is calling me into that position or is it Satan trying to distract me? I have to believe that part of that answer lies in whether or not I've been given the abilities to perform the duties specified. I know, I know! "God doesn't call the equipped. He equips the called." I've heard that before and, yes, there is a certain amount of truth in that. However, along with walking by faith, we are also to make wise choices in life which indicates that we have to make the effort based on the knowledge we have. Faith without works is dead, right? Moses was given the task of leading Gods people out of Egypt. The only provision that Moses was given was a stick but, oh, look at the miracles that were performed when that provision was surrendered to God's will! Also, there is the fact that Moses was in constant conversation with God. Constant prayer. Prayer without ceasing.




God's word says "My sheep hear my voice and they do what I say."(John 10:27) It's when we don't listen that we find ourselves in peril and outside of God's will. What happens next is beautiful. It's a little known fact that, when a sheep goes astray, the shepherd goes out of his way to find the lost and bring them back into the fold. When He finds them, He breaks the leg of the one which prohibits the one from running off again. By the way, sanctification is always painful. At that point of brokenness, the Shepherd gently holds the wounded sheep close to his heart. There, the sheep hears and begins to get in sync with the Shepherd's heart and it is there that the healing begins. The broken bones are set and fused back together and, often times, stronger than before.



The kind of relationship that God wants with us is one where we follow Him so intently and passionately that we hear His voice speaking ever so quietly. When we don't hear Him, we still follow and we still pray. Why is He not answering? Did it ever occur to you that maybe He's waiting on you to start praying for the things that He wants for you instead of what you want for you? I recently heard Charles Stanley say that we begin to see action when our desires line up with God's will. Understand that God, like any good father, has a permissive will and will allow us to make choices ( good and bad ) and suffer the effects because experience is often the best teacher. If you're a parent then you know as well as I do that there are times when you can talk till you're blue and your kids are not going to listen because their desires are not yours. There are times when your kids will pester you to no end for something you know is not in their best interest and you don't respond because they aren't going to hear "No". At that point, the child makes a decision whether or not to follow through and it is usually determined by whether or not the child shares the same heart of the parent.



God has called us to abundant life. Try as we may, we cannot wrap our little, finite minds around the fact that with abundant life comes those "learning curves". Learning/growing involves struggles, discomfort and, sometimes, pain. All the while, God stands in our corner offering words of instruction and encouragement. We have one goal in life and that is to be like Him. Don't you think it best that we listen to the author and perfecter of our faith?

DO YOU LOVE ME?

I've sat here and tried to find the words to explain what happens on a daily basis. We have been given the duty, the responsibility, the honor to pick up ridiculous amounts of food and to make sure that it ends up in the hands of those who need it. I got up today, Labor Day '10, and drove my blue Chevy pickup to the local grocery store only to have it filled completely with produce, breads, deli and dairy items. What happens next is even better. On Tuesday morning at 10:30, volunteers arrive at 15 Perry St. Newnan, Ga to sort out this food into family sized bags. People are singing. People are praying. People are laughing and people are crying. Some are believers. Some are just curious. At around 11:30, the food is loaded into several vehicles, at which point, we divide and show up at various locations around Coweta County to deliver relief to those in need.


Need is indiscriminate. It doesn't care how long you have been without. It doesn't care about skin color or age. Sometimes the food ends up in the hands of those who never had much. Sometimes it ends up in the hands of those who make bad choices. Sometimes it ends up in the hands of those who have been making six figure incomes but, due to a failing economy, are left without a job and stuck with a mountain of bills. Through this transfer of food from one hand to another, relationships are developed.

I remember one day in particular when most everything had been distributed except for a few loaves of bread. As a friend is engaged in conversation with a single mother who happens to be in an abusive relationship, I'm on the next block engaged in prayer with a single mom for her infant daughter who has been experiencing seizures. Its mind blowing, really.

"Who am I?" "Are you sure you have the right person, Lord?" These are questions raised throughout the bible by those who would go on to be soldiers for Christ simply because they obeyed. By our standards, it didn't make any sense for God to call someone who had been orphaned then raised by a pagan slave driving culture. It didn't make sense that God would call someone who had murdered another human being to be the one who would lead the exodus of God's people out of bondage. (By the way, bondage is also indiscriminate.) Exodus 4:2 Moses questioned God about the possible disbelief of the people he was to deliver. God responded "What is that in your hand?" This was not a case of God having a mental hick up and not knowing what was in Moses' hand. He wanted Moses to realize what was in his hand. In this case is it was a staff, a stick that, as the story progresses, would turn into a snake that would devour the snakes of the Egyptian magicians,be used to bring water from a rock, and even split the Red Sea. Talk about a serious miscalculation for Moses! In spite of Moses' doubts, the story goes on to say that God loved him.

In September '09, God called a couple of singers with no organizational skills and a very bad case of ADD (we still can't agree on who has it...) into a ministry that feeds His people physically as well as spiritually. We have been called to lead His people out of bondage. Some will follow. Some will find themselves wondering aimlessly in the desert. There will be impossible circumstances. There will be hardships. There will be victories. Will you accept the challenge? Will you answer to the call? John 21:15-17 God asked Peter repeatedly "Do you love me?" and, after Peter's struggles with his own flaws and failures, God still commissioned him to "Feed my sheep". God's question for you - "Do you love me?".....

LETTING GO

As I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs, I, along with four other guys in the worship arts ministry, have been going through a study on grace. Its been said you can't truly give grace until you've truly received grace. If I'm totally honest, I've had a real problem with receiving grace. Its the difference between a head knowledge and a heart knowledge. Just recently, I found myself engaged in a conversation with someone who, apparently, has been through some similar struggles. If we're honest, that's what most people want to hear. They want to hear something that relates to "real life". They want to hear about the difference that a relationship with Jesus Christ has made in my or your life. Not what we've heard about in someone else's.




The Bible says that its by grace we're saved through faith. Again, we have to understand that grace is defined as a gift that is given and is not attainable by any other way. We don't deserve it and there is nothing we can do to earn it. Its not something that is inherited or "grandfathered in". Based on those facts, we make a choice to trust God and receive the gift of salvation. That's where faith steps in.



"Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen." (Heb. 11:1) We hope for peace. We hope for wisdom. What happens is, when everything we do, say or think is driven by our desire to please the father, these things become ever closer and attainable. Gal. 5:6b says "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." God is the definition of love. When we obey God's command to "Love the Lord your God" and "Love your neighbor", the result is fruits of the spirit and there lies the substance. When people see someone led by the Spirit and displaying a supernatural love that's not based on investment returns, they see the evidence of an almighty, loving God.



Those "fruits" don't just appear without making the effort to follow. "I thought you just said there was nothing you could do to get to heaven. Why are you talking about effort?" Funny you should ask. James 2:17 says "..faith without works is dead." When mom used to tell me "Dinner's ready!", I didn't just lay there and expect to get full. I had to get up and get going to sit at the table where my nourishment was so freely given. Those "efforts" are based on obedience. Not on how good I may think I am or how hard I think I may be working. If my work is not the results of a direct order from God above, then its all in vain. This is where I've had a serious struggle. Letting go...



Losing your identity isn't something that comes without pain. After all, you worked hard to be who you are, right? People know you for who you are, right? Again, vanity... Upon the day of your salvation, you became a child of the King. You became a follower, a slave, a CHRISTIAN. The Bible says you have a new name in glory. (So much for my birth name...) A dear friend of mine once told me, when I was going through a troublesome time, that I was going through the crucible. I've never been a scholarly person so I asked her to explain. She began to tell me about the purification process. When the goldsmith begins to purify the gold, he turns up the heat and all the impurities float to the surface where the goldsmith is constantly removing the impurities. The goldsmith knows the gold is pure when the only reflection he sees is his own. How many times have you felt like God was telling you to do something or go somewhere and, because you trusted your own judgement, God got trumped. That's right. You trusted your own intellect over God's. That's when the friction began and it started getting hot.



For all the husbands reading this, God tells us in the book of Titus (2:5) that wives should be subject to their husbands. The problem is, we always seem to stop reading there. The very next verse basically tells us, as husbands, to live with self control, integrity, and live by a Godly example. In other words, MAN UP! Give your spouse a reason to be subject or submissive. When she sees that you are trust worthy and love her to the point of laying down your life, chances are she'll be prepared to live by the same standards.



Jesus was not only prepared to lay down his life for His bride (the church), He did! When we understand that the blood that was shed on the cross at Calvary has the power to cleanse us of EVERY sin, then we can get on with our Christian walk without hesitation or, in my case, false guilt. He accepted me when and where I was even with all my baggage. When Jesus layed down his life for me, He took all that baggage (past, present and future) and took it upon Himself. That leaves me with no choice but to be submissive to the Bridegroom.



I'll leave you with a quick story. I once heard a preacher tell a story about a hunting expedition and the method was simple. Place a banana in a cage with an opening just small enough for the monkey to get his hand in or out. Once the monkey reached for the banana, it became a real problem for him to get his hand back out of the cage while it was still wrapped around the banana. He was trapped by his own desires. Because he wanted the banana so badly, he remained there until the hunters came with the expected results. The moral of the story is this. The enemy is coming to steal, kill, and destroy. LET GO!

GRACE

 

"When is the word 'Freely' not associated with the word 'Grace'?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I've been meeting with four other guys from the worship arts department at church and reading through "In The Grip of Grace" by Max Lucado. The topic, obviously, is Grace and its a walk through the book of Romans. During these meetings, in order for us to be able to better minister to each other through what God says about our issues, we've been pretty transparent and pretty much laying our darkest secrets on the table. What I've found is that, at some point, we've all experienced a state of spiritual paralysis. I was happy to learn I wasn't the only one. I was also encouraged by what God's word says.

I'll take this opportunity to share a little of my personal testimony. I was fifteen years old and accompanying my parents with our choir while singing at a revival at a little church in Alabama. I didn’t want to be there. I can't remember why. I just didn't. The evangelists bringing the message looked like he was going to drop dead of a heart attack; sweating profusely, red faced, neck bulging, gasping for breath with the signature "Haa!" at the end of every statement. I endured nevertheless. When the invitation was given, if I'm honest, I was praying that no one responded so I could go home. I looked up to find the evangelist standing right next to me (I was in the back of the church). "Are you ok?" he asked. "No" I responded. I still don't know why he singled me out but it was like God had placed me under a holy microscope and, at which point, everything was revealed. I asked God to come into my life and I was miraculously changed.

I would like to tell you that I immediately started living a saintly life and I was a soldier for Christ from then on. I wasn't. I was very excited and I knew I was different. I went to school the following day and proceeded to tell my friends that I was saved but the following years were much different. I have done things after the day of my salvation that, honestly, I'm embarrassed to talk about and it would make for a much longer book. Did I lose my salvation? No! That's not scriptural. I believe because I wasn't studying God's word daily I became preoccupied and the rest is history. Again, I was saved. However, I had no understanding of "Lordship". Fortunately, God allowed me to stay around long enough to learn that lesson and has allowed me to serve Him further while here on the earth.

I've been constantly reminded of my past. That's what Satan does. If he can't have your eternity, he'll have your today. He'll make you question your salvation, question your abilities, and even question God's abilities.

Let's get back to the question. "When is the word 'Freely' not associated with the word 'Grace?" When the application is "Receiving" grace. Grace; unmerited favor, given freely, paid for with a price. There is nothing you can do to earn or deserve it. If there was, then Jesus died for nothing.

John 11:32-44 tells us the story of Jesus was called to rescue his friend Lazarus from the dead. This account states that, according to Mary, Jesus was four days late. Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days and stunk. "Jesus wept." (vs 35) Did He weep because His friend, Lazarus, was dead? That doesn't make sense. Jesus raises the dead! I believe Jesus wept because of their lack of faith. As the story continues, Jesus yelled "Lazarus, Come out!" and Lazarus walked out of the grave. Why did Jesus yell? He whispered to the storm and it subsided. He spoke and the universe was created. Was it to show authority? I believe there's the possibility that he was a little mad with the fact that His people, His own followers, had just accused Him of being too late.

What's keeping you from stepping out of the grave, or rut, you're in? Is it disbelief? Lack of faith? Jesus is weeping because His people are constantly coming across the "next big thing" that He can't overcome. It is by grace, through FAITH, that we are saved. By the way, God's word says that we are BEING saved (1Cor 1:18). That's on a daily basis through a relationship with Him. We are going to mess up but, through grace, we are made holy in Him. Jesus is calling. Roll away the stone, lose the grave clothes and start living!

GIVE US THIS DAY......

Trust. It seems its the one thing that's the hardest to come by. Once you gain it, its another thing, entirely, to retain it. It involves a number of issues. Compassion, understanding, patience and, above all, love.

As a child, it never occurred to me that my parents didn't love me. Because of that assurance, the thought of not eating or being clothed never crossed my mind. I got up everyday knowing that everything I needed would not only be provided but done so in such a way that I knew Mom and Dad took pride in what they were doing. They wanted the best for their kids. Does that mean that I always got what I wanted? Absolutely not! (That being said, I was a little spoiled!) What if I had gotten the Yamaha 80 I always wanted? What if I had gotten the endless supply of comic books I always wanted? I was so short sighted, at the time, to understand how much money went into acquiring these things not to mention how much money, time and effort went into maintaining these things. Does that mean that I stopped asking for them? Probably not. I was still learning valuable lessons.

Fast forward. Very similar situation but with a different perspective. Now as an adult with children of my own, I'm given the task of being the provider rather than the provided for. My wife and I get up everyday and immediately start addressing needs for that day. Meals, clothes, baths, school, recreation, clean beds, etc., all vital parts of our children's existence that they take advantage of without a second thought. Chances are, if we are any sort of parents, our kids never have to ask for it. They just have an inherent trust that they will have what they need. What comes next makes your heart melt. "Thank you" or "that meal was great" or "these clothes fit perfectly". Gratitude has a way of making you feel appreciated or complete as a parent. Its the icing on the cake. Next level stuff. It just makes you want to improve your game that much more.

Again, different perspective. I would LOVE to have a recording contract. What if its not in my best interest? Better yet. What if its not God's will for my life? Do I keep on asking until I get what I asked for? It kind of reminds me of Verruca from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" as she screams "I want a squirrel!" It sounds a bit hedonistic doesn't it? It makes me want to slap that spoiled little rich kid! How do you think God feels? I once heard Charles Stanley say "We start seeing action when our desires line up with God's will.". Ultimately, God's will for us is to be a reflection of His son Jesus Christ. Does He not know what we need exactly when we need it? Matthew 6:25-34 tells us to not worry about what we will eat or about our bodies or our clothes. (v26) "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

When was the last time you sat at your computer and said "Thank you, God, for this modern convenience....". (now for a moment of silence....) Do you get the picture? We get up everyday and begin our tasks as if we're the ones doing all the work. Seems a bit legalistic doesn't it?! You're not the one who grew the cotton that was used to make the underwear you're wearing! You're not the one who created the seed from which the apple you're eating was grown! Yes, we do a certain amount of work (you can thank Adam for that one!) but we're also given the strength to do that work not to mention the lessons we learn from that work. Again, you have to look at the imagery. Our heavenly Father puts us into parental roles (even though we're His children) so that we can teach our children (who are also His children) so that they can grow to be mature adults (still His children) and teach their children.

To get to the point, God wants us to communicate with Him, make our requests known and, when we get our answer (even if we don't like the answer we get) be thankful. He wants us to develop trust. We lack trust because we don't have a close enough relationship with Him and, as a result, have a lack of understanding. How do we expect to teach what we do not know? He is our father. He loves us. He will provide what we need for today.

GET REAL!

If I'm being completely honest, my reasons for wanting to write this started with selfish and defensive motivations. Hopefully, as you read on, it'll become clear that those kind of motives lead to nothing but a vicious circle of arguments and a very ugly display of a life unbecoming a Christian. What I would like to do instead is take this as an opportunity to encourage those who desire to walk the footsteps of Jesus to stay focused on the author and perfecter of our faith and not be distracted by those who, even with the best of intentions, have been tricked by the deceiver into this facade of religion instead of a relationship with Jesus.

Don't get me wrong. One thing that we don't have enough of within the body of Christ is accountability. Alot of times, we may question the actions of a brother of sister but, because we lack knowledge, we fail to "call them out". That's not to say we should be hanging our dirty laundry out for the world to see. God's word plainly states how we should go to that person, in God's love, and show them what God's word says about the situation at hand and pray that their eyes are opened to the Truth. Jesus said,"If you know me, you will be my disciples and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32) If a lack of knowledge is what's hindering you, the solution is easy. Pick up a copy of God's word, readily available, and begin to read. Personally, I've got several different translations. If I'm feeling scholarly, I'll pick up a KJV and try and decipher old testament lingo. Other times, I'll pick up a NAS or a copy of "The Message" and really enjoy the simplicity of it. Either way, Ask God to speak to you clearly. I believe He wants to.

Wisdom, however, is a different story. Wisdom is actually taking what we know and applying it properly. Sometimes its a lack of wisdom that compels us to speak what we have read but we lack the spiritual maturity to know when to shut up. I get all excited about something I've read or heard and, before you know it, I've opened my mouth and made a train wreck of things. Again, Jesus said,"If you KNOW me...". Not just His words but His heart! There's alot of Christians running around quoting what we all know to be true but, if our words aren't "delivered with grace, as though seasoned with salt" (Col 4:6) then it can have quite the opposite effect! Its like the "bull in a china shop" syndrome.
Wisdom is just one of those things that take time. You could memorize the Bible inside and out and, if you don't know the heart of the Master, you'll still mess up.

Finally, there's faith. Even if we had Solomon's wisdom, I believe God can and will ask us to do things that defies our finite understanding. Whether it be a command to build an ark or whether it be to follow Him straight into the heart of Samaria, as children of God, I believe we have a responsibility to obey first and ask questions later.

"Therefore as you have come to know Jesus Christ, SO WALK IN HIM, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude." (Col 2:6-7)

I WILL

Sunday morning started out the usual way. That was probably strike one! I started my day with my usual two cups of coffee and walked into church thinking about the usual order of service and how I was going to lead the choir as well as the congregation into the very presence of God. Problem was, I wasn't walking closely enough myself.

We started the service with "Our God Reigns" declaring "spirit of doubt, you have no place here!" Obviously, the enemy knew that I was spiritually deaf at the time because he attacked hard. I have been questioning "self worth" for a number of reasons. Am I being a good husband and father? Am I providing what my family needs? Should I go and take a "real" job for the sake of "taking a job" or do I continue pursuing what I believe is God's will for me? Often times our worship of an almighty God is determined by our circumstances. I think what happened next was based on the fact that I had failed the very test that I had been learning. I wept.

In the book of Luke (5:17-26) Jesus healed a paralytic that had been brought, through the roof, into the house where He was teaching. Jesus told the paralytic "Because of your faith, you are healed." and told him to get up. At that point, because of his faith in Jesus, he got up. When Jesus said "Get up", those words not only penetrated his ears but resignated within his soul!

I have been so paralyzed by a spirit of doubt and fear that I was useless! I hadn't taken into consideration the fact that, despite a failing economy, we haven't missed a meal, we haven't missed a bill and my family is clothed and fed! Last night, while thinking back to the song we finished Sunday's service with, it struck me. "Give us Clean Hands" kept referencing Jacob so I came home and did a little reading. Genesis 28:20-21 says "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's house, then the Lord will be my God..."

He will give us exactly what we need according to His will. It may not always be comfortable (just ask John the Baptist!) but the end result is glory. Lift your head up and step out of the boat and onto the water. Just don't take your eyes off of Him. The next time God says to you "Get Up!" what will your response be? As for me, I will.

REVERBNATION

Recently, I've started using ReverbNation which is a promotional site for independant artist. This site not only allows the user to hear my music, but has several applications that the listener can "click and grab" to help better promote the artists they support. Also, there are other features such as blogs and calendars to keep you better connected. Under "Links", click on ReverbNation and be sure and sign up for the mailing list. Thanks for your continued support. Kevin