I Have a New Hero - Chris Broussard Is My Kind of Christian

Broussard Took an Unpopular Stand, then Supported His Point of View Perfectly!  Everyone Should Memorize His Statement About Sin and the Proper Christian Response to Sin

(Courtesy of Sports Illustrated)

"ESPN is standing by NBA reporter Chris Broussard after his controversial comments about Jason Collins, the NBA player who on Monday became the first active participant in a major men’s pro sport in the U.S. to publicly say that he is gay.

Nearly all the immediate reaction from present and past athletes was supportive, but in an appearance on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines,” Broussard was asked for his personal opinion on Collins’s comments, and he didn’t hold back. He said he believes homosexuality is an “open rebellion” against God and discussed how that jibes with his views on tolerance.

“I’m a Christian. I don’t agree with homosexuality. I think it’s a sin, as I think all sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is,” he said (transcript via Blazers Edge’s Ben Golliver). “L.Z. [Granderson, a gay sportswriter and ESPN contributor] knows that. He and I have played on basketball teams together for several years. We’ve gone out, had lunch together, we’ve had good conversations, good laughs together. He knows where I stand, and I know where he stands. I don’t criticize him, he doesn’t criticize me, and call me a bigot, call me ignorant, call me intolerant.

“In talking to some people around the league, there’s a lot of Christians in the NBA, and just because they disagree with that lifestyle, they don’t want to be called bigoted and intolerant and things like that. That’s what L.Z. was getting at. Just like I may tolerate someone whose lifestyle I disagree with, he can tolerate my beliefs. He disagrees with my beliefs and my lifestyle, but true tolerance and acceptance is being able to handle that as mature adults and not criticize each other and call each other names….

“Personally, I don’t believe that you can live an openly homosexual lifestyle or an openly premarital sex between heterosexuals, if you’re openly living that type of lifestyle, then the Bible says you know them by their fruits, it says that’s a sin. If you’re openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality, adultery, fornication, premarital sex between heterosexuals, whatever it may be, I believe that’s walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ. I would not characterize that person as a Christian because I do not think the Bible would characterize them as a Christian.”
Collins, in an interview with George Stephanopoulos on “Good Morning America,” said of Broussard’s comments: ”I am a Christian. I will state that very proudly…. You can’t please everyone”

In a statement, ESPN said: “We regret that a respectful discussion of personal viewpoints became a distraction from today’s news. ESPN is fully committed to diversity and welcomes Jason Collins’ announcement.”

On Twitter late Monday night, Broussard added:
“Today on OTL, as part of a larger, wide-ranging discussion on today’s news, I offered my personal opinion as it relates to Christianity, a point of view that I have expressed publicly before. I realize that some people disagree with my opinion and I accept and respect that. As has been the case in the past, my beliefs have not and will not impact my ability to report on the NBA. I believe Jason Collins displayed bravery with his announcement today and I have no objection to him or anyone else playing in the NBA.”

Send Chris Broussard some love by Tweeting your support.  

Active Listening in Conversation with God

Are You and Active Listener?  What About When You Are Desiring an Answer from God?

I'm going to go way out on a limb here.  I have a brand new theory about listening.  I believe that we can break folks down into various kinds of listening and listeners.  Maybe someone else has done a much better job of this analysis, but I'm going to just put it out there without any research.

1.  You listen, but half of your mind is already deciding what you are going to say
2.  You listen, but you know that you already know what your friend is going to say
3.  You listen half heartedly, because you could care less about what the other person is saying
4.  You listen very carefully, because the subject is important to you
5.  You listen really, really carefully, because you need something from the person
6.  You actively listen because you are intrigued by the conversation and the person
7.  You actively listen because whether or not the information is useful, you love and respect the person, and want to show it by the intensity of your attention
8.  You listen with one ear while you read something on your laptop, work on a project, or catch the TV out of the corner of your eye.
9.  You listen because you are shy, and it is easier to listen than to engage
10.  You listen because you know soon it will be your turn, and you want the same respect

Did I leave anything out?  Let me know in the comments.  

Now, go back through the list and think about your conversations with the Heavenly Father or Jesus or the Holy Spirit.  Whether in prayer, Bible reading, hearing the teaching of pastors or others appointed to preach, or being in the presence of wise counsel, do you have the same 10 possible approaches?

Now available at Amazon. Please tell others

So I'm toying around with this idea of active listening.  If I've asked something of God such as a prayer request, or for wisdom in a matter, or for direction, or for His call on my life, do I ask and just go about my business?

Even if I'm praying His names, or the Lord's Prayer, or the armor, or some Psalms, or repenting, or thanking Him, shouldn't I still be actively listening for His response.

I suspect that you are like me, and that you kind of figure He's going to find a way to get my attention.  That makes a lot of sense.  But I wonder if there would be a bigger blessing in our conversations with loved ones and associates if we were more active in our listening at all times.  And then I wonder the same thing about our quiet times with God.

P.S.  I did a bit of research.  I didn't invent the idea of active listening.  LOL

While you're here, would you mind going over to Amazon.com and buy my new book. I promise you are going to like it and see life change if you read it.  You can read the reviews and see pricing at http://bit.ly/GodCalled

Do You WANT to Hear From God?

Facebook Query Dud Causes Reset in Book Plan

http://www.oneyearbibleblog.com

My plan, already under way to completion, is to write a "short" book on the subject of hearing from God.  By hearing from God, I don't mean in the every day sort of way with decisions to buy this or help us with our cousin's sprained toe.  Not to minimize the importance of bring all such matters to God, asking for his help, and expecting answers, but rather I'm talking about hearing from God in the Isaiah 6:8 sense.

God, in Isaiah, said that he was looking for someone "who would go for us? Who could He send?"  He was talking about calling out to someone to throw caution to the wind and be prepared to go wherever the Father asked.  Jesus went to the disciples and said, "Come, follow me."  They just dropped what they were doing and followed Him.

So, After posting the first installment of the book on this blog, (and I thank everyone in advance for any thoughts, comments, corrections, or ideas they can add), I wondered whether, and how many of my Christian friends even wanted to hear from God in that way.  I'm not a big Facebook user, but I have around 160 friends, most of whom are strong Christians.  I posted the question expecting a ton of responses.  I got three.

Of the three, one said his life was messed up right now, so not a good time.  (I get that.  My life was messed up much of the last five years, and it wouldn't have been a good time).  One said that he is in constant conversation through Bible study.  I get that, too.  One said, absolutely! Bring it on!

With such a low level of responses, I decided to ask a few more folks, face-to-face.  The answers fell pretty much into those three buckets, plus one new one.  A very mature friend said that he wasn't sure he was ready for whatever God might have for him.  He knew that he should be able to trust God to only ask him to do that which would be a great blessing.  But he noted there was a fear of making himself available.

I get that one, too.  Years ago, I prayerfully told God I was fully surrendered to go and do His bidding.  But I said "except Haiti!"  I'd been there, known some who done missions there, and I had no interest in ever going back.  Later, I repented of my lack of faith.  I went all in, and was richly rewarded with an immense project that blessed many. 

So, it may be that my book will have a limited audience.  Maybe only a small percentage of Christians are sold out enough at any given moment to be ready for that still small voice.

I wonder

In fact, the more I thought about it, I wondered whether each step in our faith walk might be faced with the same obstacles to a deeper, more abiding, more trusting walk.

So, if we don't believe in God and/or Jesus, the barriers might be a fear of taking that decision, concern over what we might have to give up, bad timing, and I'm okay where I am.  Then if we do decide we believe, we have to decide if we just believe, or if we're going to follow Christ.  Same barriers?

Once we say the sinner's prayer, we then have some discipline issues like Bible reading, church attendance, tithing, baptism, prayer, and intentional holiness that we understand should be the next steps, but the time may not be right.  What will I have to give up?  I'm doing okay.

Let me leave it there for now.  I'd really, seriously, be thrilled to get some comments from you.  If you don't want to leave your comments in a public forum, send me an email at RandyKirk77@gmail.com.  Or call me.  310-910-1848.
  
  The book is now finished and will be available on Amazon.com April 26 under the title God Called - He Needs Your Decision!  This will be the Kindle edition.  The print edition will follow approximately May 15, and the audio is slated for availability around June 1. 

Click here to buy on Kindle and see more reviews

The rest of the book was available free for almost a year, but has now been removed.  It is my hope that you will truly enjoy the book and that it will bless you.  Some have already reported their thoughts about the book.  

Serious Disciples of Jesus should read God Called - He Needs Your Decision!  because, according to one reviewer:

If a baby were born and failed to thrive, the family would rightly consider it a great tragedy. When a Christian is born and fails to thrive, however, many people don’t notice. God Called—He Needs Your Decision! by Randy Kirk is an invitation to Christians to thrive. It is a spiritual counterattack to the widespread misconception that “being” a Christian is a passive state. Randy invites Christians to “do” Christianity.

Katherine Harms, Editor

Are you ready to ratchet up your devotion to God and Jesus to the next level?
God Called - He Needs Your Decision! is perfect for you

Do you sometimes feel stuck in your walk and desire to be of greater service?
God Called was written for Christians just like you

Are you the first to sign up for any seminar that teaches how to find out God’s will for your life?
The pathway to that answer for you is one click away.
Other early reviews:

Michael J. Webb, Bestselling Author of The Master's Quilt

Randy Kirk, in his latest book, God Called—He Needs Your Decision, shows a great gift for telling his story from with the crowd.  He lets the power of the principles exert the authority.  He walks alongside other disciples and points to the principles. 

The solid structure and content of the book attract and pull the reader toward growth.  Kirk’s personal narratives are like stories shared around the fire.  He and the reader work through all the same problems, and both he and the reader experience the successes and the failures, making each very real to the reader. 

Katherine Harms

Are you hungering for a closer walk with God? Do you realize that you need something more than what you have in your spiritual life? Then God Called by Randy Kirk is the book for you to read.

From the first chapter this book caught my attention. Filled with nuggets of wisdom and the instructions and encouragement to step out in faith for a fuller walk with God, this book carefully points out what it takes to go a little further in your daily life: to become a true disciple of Christ. Easy? Not at all. But for a very real sense of satisfaction in knowing you’re doing what you’re suppose to do at the right time in your life, becoming a disciple of Christ will give you a peace and fulfillment from a choice and decision that you must make. Excuses abound plentifully, no matter what age you are, to prevent one from praying the prayer of discipleship, and yet it all depends on your desire and willingness: are you willing to become humble and forsake all to follow Christ?

Kirk’s scriptures drive home his points and his knowledge in the topic is outstanding. His examples and quotes and expounding pinpoints the problems individuals have, the cost many will have, and the solutions to a life of happiness.

I heartily recommend this book for all serious Christians!

Katherine Harms

Click here to buy on Kindle and see more reviews

King's Cross by Timothy Keller - The Story of the World in the LIfe of Jesus

About 150 years ago George MacDonald wrote a children's book called The Princess and the Goblin.  

Irene, the protagonist, is eight years old.  She has found an attic room in her house, and every so often her fairly grandmother appears there.  When Irene goes to look for her she's often not there, so one day her fairy grandmother gives her a ring with a thread tied to it, leading to a little ball of thread.  She explains that she'll keep the ball.
     "But I can't see it," say Irene.
     "No.  The thread is too fine for you t see it.  You can only feel it."  With this assurance, Irene test the thread.
     "Now listen," says the grandmother, "if you ever find yourself in any danger . . . you must take off your ring and put it under the pillow of your bed.  Then you must take your forefinger . . . under the thread, and follow the thread wherever it leads you."
     "Oh, how delightful!  It will lead me to you, Grandmother, I know!"
     "Yes," said the grandmother, "but, remember, it may seem to you a very roundabout way indeed, and you must not doubt the thread.  Of this you can be sure, that while you hold it, I hold it too. . . .

Irene will definitely have adventures related to this thread and her need to trust this invisible thread no matter where it takes her.  I was, and I believe you will be delighted by where the story goes from here.  You'll find the story delicately weaved into a much larger work that I believe is an instant classic by Timothy Keller.  "King's Cross" is one of only a few books that I've read twice, and I read it twice back-to-back. 

I can sincerely say of this book that it turned my life around, at least in the short term.  You can tell from reading other parts of this blog that I have had a rough five or so years.  As rough as it was, some might consider it to be fantastic compared to their trials.  But, whatever a Christian is going through, Keller puts the idea of it all being for good in an entirely new and penetrating light.  It was in that light that I overcame my confusion and frustration with the Father, and moved out of my spiritual funk.  

The book is a study of the the Gospel of Mark.  The insights into Mark would be enough to rate "King's Cross" as formidable and a valuable read.  But there is so much more.  Keller grabs you by the heart and never lets go for a minute.  You don't need to be in a valley for this book to have impact.  It should be an inspiration even if you feel you are on the mountain top.

I'd love to hear from others who've read it, and to hear from you later if you do read it based on this review.  I've even considered the idea of starting an online discussion group using Google Hangout just around this book.

Other book reviews are coming on "Crazy Love," "Cross Roads," "Countdown," and "The Utter Relief of Holiness."  Be sure to subscribe to this blog if you'd like to hear when those reviews are posted.

King's cross was a big influence on my new book, God Called - He Needs Your Decision! which is now available on Amazon and getting some very humbling reviews. Please give it a look and maybe even tell a friend about it. 

God Wants to Have a Conversation With You

Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Would You Like to Hear from God?

I would like to invite you on a journey.  Not unlike Bilbo Baggins, the journey is also an adventure.  I will encourage, but never coerce you to take this journey, but I believe that I can promise you only good will come from it.  On the other hand, on the way to gaining that good, there could easily be trials, danger, choices that seem impossible to make, and obstacles that seem insurmountable.  Just like for Bilbo Baggins.

Since you will be seeking to hear from God and ultimately to find out His will for you, or His calling for your life, the Devil is very likely to make an effort to stop you.  The last thing that the Devil wants is for Christ followers to start actually doing the will of the Father, imitating the life of the Son, or being filled by the Holy Spirit.

This was the orignian first chapter of a book that has been created here on this blog. It is now the second chapter, but more importantly,  The book will be available on Amazon.com April 26 under the title God Called - He Needs Your Decision!  This will be the Kindle edition.  The print edition will follow approximately May 15, and the audio is slated for availability around June 1. 

The rest of the book was available free for almost a year, but has now been removed.  It is my hope that you will truly enjoy the book and that it will bless you.  Some have already reported their thoughts about the book.  

Serious Disciples of Jesus should read God Called - He Needs Your Decision!  because, according to one reviewer:

If a baby were born and failed to thrive, the family would rightly consider it a great tragedy. When a Christian is born and fails to thrive, however, many people don’t notice. God Called—He Needs Your Decision! by Randy Kirk is an invitation to Christians to thrive. It is a spiritual counterattack to the widespread misconception that “being” a Christian is a passive state. Randy invites Christians to “do” Christianity.

Katherine Harms, Editor

Are you ready to ratchet up your devotion to God and Jesus to the next level?
God Called - He Needs Your Decision! is perfect for you

Do you sometimes feel stuck in your walk and desire to be of greater service?
God Called was written for Christians just like you

Are you the first to sign up for any seminar that teaches how to find out God’s will for your life?
The pathway to that answer for you is one click away.
Other early reviews:



Even as a Pastor sometimes we can lose focus on what it really is to be a
true disciple of Christ.

I would recommend it to any Pastor or leader of a church
Great Stuff!

Robert Hill - Administrative Pastor
Core Church Los Angeles



God did not call a specific group of people to discipleship - the young, the mature, the outgoing.  He called all of us to become disciples, disciplined ones, ready to listen and follow where He leads. My first reaction when I hear this  message is to duck my head in condemnation, knowing I am not living up to this commandment. However, in his new book, God Called—He Needs Your Decision!, author Randy Kirk immediately moves toward the positive possibilities that can lead to major advances in our lives and purpose.

Just reading the first few pages, God spoke a quick word to me, setting me free from years of bondage to what people will think of me if I follow Jesus full out. Using Randy's simple steps of faith, this is a must-read for your next step in growing in grace.

Cheryl Colwell   author  The Secrets of Montebellis and The Proof

The Psalmist tells us that deep calls unto deep . . . Take the plunge into
the River of Life with Randy Kirk's newest book, God Called—He Needs Your Decision! and drink deep from the well that never runs dry.  Find keys to intimacy with Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit hidden in plain sight.  Come away refreshed and longing for more of Him.

Michael J. Webb, Bestselling Author of The Master's Quilt


Randy Kirk, in his latest book, God Called—He Needs Your Decision, shows a great gift for telling his story from with the crowd.  He lets the power of the principles exert the authority.  He walks alongside other disciples and points to the principles. 

The solid structure and content of the book attract and pull the reader toward growth.  Kirk’s personal narratives are like stories shared around the fire.  He and the reader work through all the same problems, and both he and the reader experience the successes and the failures, making each very real to the reader. 





Katherine Harms

Stephen Hawking Believes Weird Things - Explains Why There Is No Need for God

English: By Stephen Hawking (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At Caltech, Noted Scientist, Dr. Stephen Hawking Offers a Perfect Example of Human Pride

"We now know..."  How can those in the science world use this line over and over.  Steven Hawking, undoubtedly one of the most brilliant men of this age, claims to know a long list of things about the universe that I can faithfully predict will be considered preposterous within a generation.

Hawking spoke at Caltech here in Pasadena this week, and he is a very good speaker.  Funny, charming, and intellectually challenging.  Due to the wonders wrought by engineers schooled by science, the talk is already up on YouTube for you to enjoy.  But the good Dr Hawkings doesn't seem clever enough to figure out the limits of his knowledge.  His adoring fans cheer him on never-the-less.

He begins by giving a history of theories related to the origins and nature of the universe, including the question of whether time includes a beginning and an end.  In the course of his discussion he must debunk earlier theories proposed by equally brilliant and adored scientists, most of whom proposed and gained popular support for their theories in the 20th century.

Of course, scientists such as Hawking and others, argue that as the tools get better, or new ideas in related science add context to old theories, that the theories change and adapt.  They are better.  Therefore we have: "We now know....." 

But in order to debunk theories of just 30 or 40 years ago, and offer what we now "know" because of new information, wouldn't it be the purest logic to assume that we will have better tools and new insights over the next few decades that will change what we are now claiming to "know?"  To be fair, the word know is sometimes softened with "I now believe."  Wouldn't a much more precise turn of phrase be: "based on our current ability to observe, test, and understand, there seems to be good evidence for the possibility of..."   Wouldn't it be great if they had used that language regarding global warming a few years ago?

You may be aware that one of the things which Hawking "knows" is that there is no God, and truly no need of God or any primogenitor (first mover).  He has perfect confidence in the big bang theory, right down to explaining the speed with which matter burst our of the original little ball of matter.  He says that science can explain how that matter has always existed, and that it makes perfect sense for this matter to explode into a universe like it did, including billions of galaxies, black holes and all the rest.  In fact, he "believes" that other such universes have been launched from other balls of matter.

There is no need for him to provide a creative source for the matter contained in the ball, because it will be shown to fit within the laws of science.  He never bothers to explain where the laws of science came from, why they exist at all, and why they are so dependable.  In fact, it is their very dependability upon which scientists like Hawking are able to base their entire system of theses and antitheses.  All it would take is for one little element of those laws to stop working, and everything would collapse on itself.

I am not going to fall into the same trap as Hawking and his disciples.  Philosophically, Christianity has the same problem.  God spoke the universe into being.  We can only take that by faith.  But our philosophical dilemma becomes: who or what created God?  Our answer is much stronger than science, however, and I suspect this is why so many scientists do believe in God.

The Amazing Evidence for God

We have a Bible that has existed in some form or other for 7000 years.  It is the most studied item in history.  Based on those studies, we know that the Bible has been faithfully reproduced over those 7000 years.  We have hundreds of prophesies that have clearly been fulfilled.  Babylon has never been restored.  Nor has Nineveh.  The list goes on.  The Jews have returned to Israel and have become prosperous while defending themselves against a billion neighbors who are working to destroy them.  Then there's Jesus.

Billions of individuals, many with equal or even more horsepower between their ears than Hawking, have studied the Bible, archeology, related history, and more, only to conclude that the Bible has it right and continues to provide the best prescription for a joyful life.   Science and the social sciences change the prescription for a joyful or "happy" life as often as music styles change.  And this Bible says that God is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end.  If we take his "creating the universe and all that is in it by speaking it into existence" by faith, then I guess we can conclude by faith that if He says that He was not created but "Is,"  that is the end of the story.  Not by my wisdom, but by my faith.

Many in the Hawking's camp call themselves skeptics.  They are, of course, skeptical of Biblical knowledge and ideas.  I wonder that they are not as skeptical of science which is forever offering us new "knowledge" while laughing at the stupid stuff they called knowledge not that long ago. 

So, when God speaks repeatedly of pride, he is speaking specifically of the kind of pride that Hawking exhibits.  A pride of knowing how things came to be, and a pride of believing the one of God's created beings doesn't need God in order to breath his next breath.  It will be these very same skeptics who won't turn to God when Israel begins to rebuild the Temple, because they know that the Biblical prophesies are just made up.

Getting Quiet With God in a Noisy World

How Can We Hear from God if We Never Stop Yacking at Him?

I know that it is easy pickens to try and make negative statements about our current culture and yearn for the good old days.  In fact, I'm about 100% certain that folks have been so yearning since Able yearned for the days of the garden before his folks messed it up.  For the most part, I am cynical of too much judging of today in light of yesterday.  For instance, here are a few surprising things you may not have known:

• The percentage of the average paycheck being spent for gas is about the same today as 50 years ago, but we now drive twice as far on that same amount of expendable income.
• Child abductions are about the same now as in the 1950's.  In fact most crime is about the same as the 1950's
• Lots of people had all kinds of sex outside of marriage in every culture in every century.  (Not saying it isn't worse now.  Not a lot of data from prior centuries.  No Cosmo to take the polls).  But the Bible kind of suggests that our current circumstances are not completely different.
• We are currently living in a time of peace.  Annual deaths as a percent of the population due to war are very low by historical standards.

I could go on, but you get the point.  However, I would love to hear from you if you have any basis for disagreeing with this idea:  We are completely different today in terms of how much time we are having our senses assaulted, particularly our ears.  Sure babies made noise, and kids, and farm animals, but I'm thinking that it wasn't non stop.  When the sun went down, I think it got very quiet in most homes.

This long introduction is just a set up to this:  I believe that it is very hard for most Christians to tune out all that noise and get quiet with God.  Moreover, I think we have been taught to pray at God, not to enter into a conversation with God.

In reading a dozen or more books on prayer, many by authors that I really trust, the advice is to make lists and create methods to remember the way we want to pray.   We need to:

• Keep a prayer list.  Chuck Swindol says that his is so long that he divides up what he is going to pray about by days of the week.  For example we might pray for family on Monday, Christian friends on Tuesday, Missions and Missionaries on Wednesday and so on
• Keep a prayer journal.  Write down our praises and our requests, our intercessions and the answers to our prayers.  Keep notes on our reading and our insights.  
• Pray the Lord's prayer, says Larry Lee in the classic "Could You Not Tarry One Hour."  Others suggest praying God's names, the beatitudes, one Psalm or Proverb per day, or the armor.  

To be clear, there is nothing wrong with any of the above.  I have used virtually every one of these as prayer time methods to keep me focused and on track.  I use some today.  But what kind of friend does all the talking?  Especially if the one doing the talking is praising, giving thanks, asking for help, and requesting counsel?  It would seem that the "conversation" would need to be two way to have any chance of being meaningful.

Many, many times throughout the Bible we are scolded for having our ears closed, and our spiritual eyes as well.  

Isaiah 6:9 
He said, “Go and tell this people:

“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
    be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
¹⁰ Make the heart of this people calloused;
    make their ears dull
    and close their eyes.^[a]
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”

If we are going to open our ears and eyes, we are likely going to need to set it as a priority, understand why we need to do so, and then practice.  Not unlike the steps we would take if we do all the talking in a relationship with one of our friends or family currently.

For example, if I tend to take over conversations with a certain friend, I might first come to see it as an issue.  Then I might determine that I want to change the behavior.  I'd need a good reason.  What better reason than that I would like to have a truly intimate relationship where I was much more interested in him and his life than always blabbing about mine?  Then I would need to remind myself before each meeting, possibly have a few tricks to keep me on track, and then try and try again.

Hopefully you have been reading between the lines above and have quite a good list of reasons why you should listen to God more and talk less.  Two really good ones are to establish greater intimacy, and because He says so. 

What about methods.  You undoubtedly know the items at the top of the list for ways to have a more effective prayer time, but just as a reminder:

1. Pray early - First thing when you get up, before you start cranking up the to do lists.
2. Quiet place - What ever happened to prayer closets.  Look for no noise, no distractions, and certainly no smart phones.
3. Same time, same place - Routine helps to establish a habit
4. Set length of time - This lets the family know that you are not available for that amount of time each day

Now let's examine a few things you may not have heard before.  Have an agenda.  You might even establish the agenda the night before in a shorter prayer time with the Lord.  What are you most interested in learning or discussing with your Heavenly Father?  If you don't set the agenda the night before, set it prior to your prayer time in the morning.

Next, work on blocking the noises in your head.  I recommend against the Eastern methods of chanting or humming or swaying.  But rather, try to keep in mind the old saying that you can't truly hear from the other person if you are speaking or thinking about something else.  Possible have a mental image of God.  Not the old man in the shiny white clothes, but an image of pure love. 

Give God time to answer.  We all know people who don't answer right away.  And then some folks ponder for a longer time than we would like, only to tell us they need to think about it some more and get back to us.  There are many possible answers that God may give you that may not seem helpful.  But, of course, they are.  In fact the answer may come back later in the day, and it can come in many formats. 

Some of the ways that you may hear from God include:

• The specific word of God in the Bible is your best source of an answer
• The Holy Spirit's guidance through interpretation of scripture
• Your hearts yearning or an urging inside of your soul to do something that is clearly within God's will
•  Circumstances may arise that open or close doors to certain options
•  Dreams and visions are not an uncommon way for God to speak to us
•  Angels bring messages to us all the time.  Sometimes it is just more obvious than others
•  The wise counsel of others around us helping us to assess all of these 
•  The inspiration of teachers and their prophetic voice regarding scripture
•  The still small voice of God 

Many of the methods that God speaks to us are controversial.  But every one on that list has multiple scriptural examples, and there is no reason to suspect that any of these aren't being used by God today.  But let's take that last one, which for some reason is the most controversial of all. 

For the purposes of this post, I'm going to agree that God is not going to speak to us in the same way that he did to Moses or Paul.  He sure could if He wanted to.  Can I get an Amen?  But I suspect that he will leave such dramatic instances for dramatic purposes.  

Rather, I'm talking about an experience that thousands of folks claim to have had.  The voice is commonly described as maybe audible or maybe not.  The key is that there is much more than a hint or an urging or a feeling.  I have personally experienced this on two occasions.  In both instances, the information or directions to action that were "spoken" were specific, Biblical in all regards, and outside of the scope of anything I would have thought of, expected, or planned to do. 

Without using this space to go into the specifics, I couldn't be more certain of the source of the words spoken to me.  I am as certain of that as I am of my salvation.  There can be no other explanation for either the content of the words or the results that flowed from them.

So, maybe the most important exhortation that I can bring to you is this:  When you open your ears to listen, be prepared to hear.  Have faith that God not only answers prayer, but that he may do so in ways that are supernatural and unexpected.  

Our Father's Lament

What Did I Do or Fail To Do That Resulted in Your Current Choices? - Micah 6:3-5

Is there someone in your life now or has there been in the past, who has messed up really badly?  Maybe your child, a spouse, a sibling, or a friend whom you poured your life into, that went off the rails?  I suppose the best example is commonly a child who has been raised in church, taught early and often about Jesus, and who seemed to be growing up a believer.

Maybe they got saved early, and you were proud at their decision.  Later they were baptized and you were thrilled that they were willing to make a public profession.  In high school they went to the youth group, had mountain top experiences at camp, and told others about their faith.  But then, one day the rug got pulled out from under your expectations for them.

Commonly, they might be a cause for rejoicing in other areas of their life.  Grades, degrees, talents, great jobs, even a beautiful family of their own.  You're thankful, and tell them so, for the good choices they've made in these other areas of their life.  But as a believer, you understand only too well that these successes have no eternal substance.  Your heart breaks for their salvation.

Sometimes it is even worse.  They may be on a paved road straight to an earthly hell.  Drugs seem to be the destroyer of choice today, but the root is commonly the same as it has been since time began, sexual sin.  Promiscuity, adultery, homosexuality, rape, molestation.  The destroyers of our souls
manifesting themselves in divorce, child abandonment, abortion, poverty, depression, despair, anger, and drugs of all types and descriptions to numb the pain.

Many have written poems, songs, and books about the grief of losing a child to cancer or an accident.  But at least those things have a finality, a grieving, and a hope for a future heavenly relationship.  With a child who has chosen to walk away from God and embraced sinful behavior, the pain just goes on and on.

The pain has many facets.  You are hurting for your child (or spouse, friend, sibling), but you are also questioning your own part in the playing out of their life.  You might feel like asking them:  "What did I do that has caused you to reject my teaching, example, and outpouring of love, even sacrifice?"

You might feel like giving them a list of the things you did for them:  the pain of childbirth, the sleepless nights, the financial sacrifices, the massive amount of time invested in their future and their spiritual upbringing.  How could they now turn away and act so unappreciative?  How could they have so little respect for you and your beliefs, that they would turn utterly from the most important life lesson you imparted.  How is it that they don't love you enough to show you they care about your desire for their life and soul?

As you ponder and maybe even pray for a moment about the person in your life that fits that storyline, you are probably experiencing some renewal of the pain.  For that I apologize.  But there is a larger point here.

Your Heavenly Father has all the same questions, and all the same heartache.  He wonders aloud in Micah 6 how it is possible that his chosen people could have turned away from his outpouring of love and devotion.  He isn't asking the question about the unsaved.  He doesn't expect them to behave well.  He is asking it about the Israelites, and by extension he is asking it about those in the church today.  In other words, he is asking those questions about you and me.  Micah 6:3

“My people, what have I done to you?
    How have I burdened you? Answer me.
⁴ I brought you up out of Egypt
    and redeemed you from the land of slavery.
I sent Moses to lead you,
    also Aaron and Miriam.
⁵ My people, remember
    what Balak king of Moab plotted
    and what Balaam son of Beor answered.
Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal,
    that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.”

The Lord God, our Heavenly Father, asks very little of his chosen people.  For what he has provided us, he could ask so much more.  And just like you, as you weep over your lost child, He isn't even asking you to do something that will harm you.  Everything He asks of you is for your own good, both now and in eternity.

So how is it that we, (that includes me) have so much difficulty staying on course with our love and devotion to God and Jesus?  How is it that we are not calling him on the smartest phone ever invented to share our most intimate issues and hearts desires?  He is obviously thrilled that you have chosen to trust him as your Lord and Savior, and to live your life for Him.  But are you living your life for Him? Or is He getting the left overs?

Here is all he asks of you.  Micah 6:8

⁸ He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly^[a] with your God.

I'd love to hear from you if this passage has impacted you as much as it has me.