When God Speaks

Ever wonder what happens in us when God speaks?  Hearing God's voice can be a hot topic, but there is no doubt that God wants to and does speak to us.  Many people struggle over hearing the voice of God without being spooky and getting off track.  Some are convinced they can't but I want to share with you today what happens "When God Speaks"

I'm going to pull these thoughts out of my SOAPing this morning from the book of Daniel.

Daniel 10:10-11, 18-19

10 Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees. 11 And the man said to me, “Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I have been sent to you.” When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling.

18 Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning.  19 “Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”

Here are 4 things that can help you to know the voice of God when, not if, He speaks to you.

1. God's voice is filled with love.

• Notice that twice God spoke to Daniel to remind him that he was precious to God.  The voice of God will always be filled with love, even when He corrects us.  The Bible says that God is love, so His voice can convey nothing else.  
• The voice of God, if it's God, will always cause you to feel loved by Him, always.
• Too many people fall victim to the deceivers taunts that God doesn't love you, but it's not true, talk to Him and find out.

2. God's voice will always be personal.

• God spoke to Daniel that "i have a message for you" , and "I've been sent to you".
• God voice will not be vague or confusing, but He speaks directly into our lives and our situations.  
• You will not wonder about whether He's speaking to you, it's so personal that you know it's for you.
• A personal touch is God's plan to connect with you.

3.  God's voice is encouraging.

• Very few people know how to be encouraging, but God voice always encourages.
• Even in correction, the encouragement is there.
• He spoke peace, strength and encouragement to Daniel at a time when he needed it the most.
• God's voice will build you up like nothing else you can experience. 
• If it's God, you will be encouraged.  

4. God's voice imparts faith.

• Daniel said, "I'm strengthened and now I want to hear what You have to say."
• Faith comes through hearing His voice.  His voice carries with it the spiritual faith to obey whatever He commands us to do.  
• You will believe God after He talks with you, and you will belieive that He can help you to do what He's spoken.  
• Make time to hear His voice today, so that you can be blessed.

Daniel S.O.A.P. The Reason for Your Gift

While S.O.A.P.ing the other morning, I came across this powerful verse that spoke to me and I believe it will do the same for you.

And it is not because I am wiser than anyone else that I know the secret to your dream, but because God wants you to understand what was in your heart.


Daniel 2:30(NLT)


The king of Babylon had a dream and wanted to know what it meant.  He asked his wise men, but they couldn't interpret the dream and so he purposed to kill them all.  When Daniel heard about it, he asked God to help him interpret the dream and God did.

Daniel's keen understanding of God's gift at work in his life to interpret dreams is something we could all learn from.

1. Daniel understood that his special ability was from God and so he couldn't think of himself as better than anyone else.

• It's amazing how we sometimes take credit when in reality God has just given us a gift.
• Whatever you are good at, whatever just comes natural to you, whether it's sports, business, speaking, any talent, God gave that to you, so don't think you are better than.
• I Cor. 12 tells us that God gives everyone of us gifts, at least one.  Have you discovered yours?  
• Our nature is to want to be better than the next person, the best worker, the best looking, the highest paid.  Daniel had dealt with that selfish pride and understood that God had a higher purpose for him than merely being better than another.

2. Daniel understood that God gifted him to get through to other people, in this case the king.

• Your gifts are never about you, but about the people that God wants to use you to serve.
• Without this knowledge, you'll waste your life on personal gain but never find purpose.
• Your awesome, god-given gift is not to make you famous but to make Jesus famous.
• Think about how God wants to use your voice, your skills, your organizational ability for His kingdom.
• The body of Christ is an amazing entity, and you are a part, so do what you were designed to do.
• What makes you angry? You may be called to make it right.
• What breaks your heart?  You may be called to be a solution.
• What are you good at without trying?  That's the area in which God wants to use you.

3. Humility is just remembering that any good thing comes from God.  Worship is when we give it back to Him for His glory.

• God has promised to give grace to the humble.
• You've received it as a gift, so give it as a gift.

S.O.A.P. for Today

I love S.O.A.P.ing.  It's given me a fresh take on my times with the Lord in the mornings.  Let me recap for those who don't get the acronym.

S- Read a chapter from the reading guide or however you read and pick out 1 scripture that

    really speaks to you

O- write down any observations from your reading, there will be some about God, sin, the Holy

    Spirit, others, leaders, fools, wise, church, strength, whatever you see.

A- Your scripture verse should be viewed in terms of application. In other words ask yourself

     "How can I live this out today?" or "How can I do this today?"  Christianity is to be lived not

     just understood.

P- Pray and ask God to help you apply what you've seen and heard from Him.  Also, pray about

    any other needs in your life.

My S.O.A.P. verse today was:

6 Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.  2 john 6

• Loving God means obeying Him. LOVE = OBEDIENCE
• God always has something for us to do.
• Obeying God always results in me loving someone else.  Remember, it's all about loving  God and loving people.
• Your obedience will always show love towards people, that's God's heart, His passion, and His focus: people.
• This truth never changes, no matter how long we walk with God or to what level we rise in ministry.  
• I'm loving God by responding to His call on my life to pastor HOF church.  When I obey His voice to lead in a specific direction, I'm loving God.  
• When He prompts me to good works and I obey, I'm loving God.
• I've got to hear His voice in order to follow His command.  That's why I S.O.A.P.

Clean Your Windshield

One of the things I absolutely can't stand is when the windshield on my truck gets dirty with bug guts, dirt, and whatever else.  So when I get gas, I often wash my windshield because I love having clear vision when I drive.  I want to share with you how to have clear vision when you live.  I was at small group last night and this verse really spoke to me.

Romans 1:21 says, "Yes they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks.  And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like.  As a result, their minds became dark and confused."


Wouldn't we all love to clearly see God, because when I can see Him, then it brings the rest of my life into focus: my relationships, things, finances, ministry, etc..  I've talk to some people with a whacked out picture of who God is and now I know why.

Worship and Thanks

Something powerful happens when we worship, yes that 20-30 minutes before the preaching is included as well as our own private worship time.  By worshipping, God reveals Himself to us, and we begin to see Him as He really is, not a legend, or a fairy tale, or some man's opinion, but God Almightly.
 Thanksgiving is the beginning of worship and it's a great starting place.  If you don't know how to worship always start by giving Him thanks for all the good things in your life.  Just thank Him for the normal, the routine, the incredible and the familiar.  Breath, life, air, sun, spouse, kids, job, you're getting the idea.  Giving thanks is starter worship.  As you thank Him, then you will begin to gain an understanding of how much more He wants to be to you and do for you, and then the worship kicks in.  When you can get a picture of who God is: Savior, Redeemer, Comforter, Friend, Father, it's will clarify how He desires to work in our lives.  He doesn't just want to save you from sin, but give you life and purpose and walk with you through this life as a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
 In reality, some of our ideas about who God is and how He deals with us are just foolish.  You'll never know until you worship and thank Him for what He's done and doing.

How to Handle Your Anger

My S.O.A.P. time was great today and thought I'd share some thoughts from Proverbs.

   Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.  Proverbs 29:11


This is some pretty strong language about how we handle things that frustrate and anger us.  We all have to deal with this issue.  Jesus tells us to be angry but don't sin, so we know that having anger is a valid, normal emotion.  Dealing with our anger is where our challenge to live lies.

Fools vent....

Venting is becoming a modern day pastime, road rage, telling people off, a good cussing.  We foolishly buy into the fact that if we could just vent the anger we feel inside that it will make the situation better.  Truth is that venting is one of the more destructive behaviors that you can engage in.  Venting ruins relationships and all of our life is built around relationships.   I've known people who vented at work and had to find another job, vented at home and damaged parent/child relationships, vented in public and had to answer for it legally.  The lie is that venting will make you feel better.  Venting just gets all those unhealthy, mostly wrong ideas into the open for everyone to see how out of touch with reality we are.

The wise quietly hold them back


The wise man is allowing the Spirit of God to develop the fruit of self-control in his life.  The wise man understands that just because you are feeling something doesn't mean that's the way it really is going.  There is something strong about a woman who can keep quiet in times when you feel like venting.  There is something powerful about a woman who can hold back her feelings and instead trust God with every situation.  Wise people keep their marriages, keep their kids, keep their jobs, keep their friends because they don't give in to the urge to blurt out everything they are feeling in the moment.

What to do?

When you are experiencing overwhelming emotions of anger you need to understand that God still expects you to be in control of your life and your tongue.  If you can, get to a quiet place where you can pour out your heart to God.  It's much better to tell God in prayer than to tell people in the heat of the moment.  I love that the psalms is full of real people pouring out real emotion to the Lord.  Let God deal with people, and if necessary, let Him deal with you.  Chances are that He is working in you to perform His will and plan for your life.  Remember, what you feel is not necessarily real.  What is real is God's word.  I have often found that my emotions have betrayed me as I believed things that I later found out were not true.  Stand on His Word, control your anger and watch God bless your life.

It Was My Turn, So I Did It

Yesterday was my day off and I had a busy day.  I got up and S.O.A.P.ed then I went to the gym to get a workout, then Vanessa and I took her dad to lunch at the Kemper Williams Golf Course in Patterson, LA.  After getting home about the time the kids got out of school, I decided to cut the grass at the entrance to my subdivision.  It was my turn.  See, we have no schedule, no committee to oversee this, we just take turns.  It's subdivision property and no one owns it.  It was my turn.  The last few times it's been cut, I didn't do it because I'd cut the grass my fair share of times.  But yesterday, I felt like it was my turn.  So I did it because it was my turn.  What needs attention in your life, house, work, or subdivision that is your turn.  No one is going to make you, but it just needs to be done.  What if everyone just took their turn think of how much stuff would get done and it wouldn't be a burden to just a few people.  Is it your turn to make coffee? bring the donuts? pick up the tab for lunch? wash the dishes? pick up the clothes? whatever it is, take your turn.  You will encourage someone today and will make a difference in someone's life at work, home or play.  Take your turn, don't have to be asked, don't have to be told, just see what needs to be done and do it.  I believe one of the best leadership practices is just to take your turn and do something that needs doing.  It's your turn now.

Top 10 Ways to Avoid Influencing people for Jesus

1. Ignore Jesus command to take a long hard look at the “fields” from John 4:35. 

• ·      Just stop, listen and look at what is happening in the lives of people today.
• ·      Brokenness, sickness, dysfunction, depression.
• ·      You have to look to really get His Book.

2. Focus on the same things that everyone else is focusing on.

• ·      Bigger car, house, 401K, job promotion.

3. Marry someone who only cares about himself or herself.

• ·      They think the Great Commission is your % after a big sale.
• ·      Have the perfect family, chase the perfect dream.

4. Stay away from really authentic Christians who are influential.

• ·      Their stories will distract you from chasing the American dream.

5. Focus on the “impossible” people who don’t want to hear

    about Jesus, you know, the vocal 2-5% who wouldn’t

     listen to Jesus Himself.

• ·      Forget about the multitude that will respond to love and an authentic life.

 6. Spend all your empty time obsessing over your faults and all the wrong things you’ve even done.

• ·      You know that everyone in the Bible was perfect, right?

7. Put “real” Christians on a pedestal, believing that they possess some magic gene that you just don’t have.

• ·      God could never use “ordinary people”. Could He?

8. Let people tell you that you are “indispensable” right where you are now.

• ·      We could never make it without you doing what you are doing right now.

9.  Worry about what you will say or do when the moment comes.

• ·      God could never give you a dynamic thought, could He?

10.  Go do life by yourself and without any training.

•      You will flame out and be home in time to catch the 6 pm news.

·      I knew it wouldn’t work.

3 THings That God wants for YOU

Colossians 2:1-4 (NLT)

I read these verses yesterday and really saw the heart of God speaking through Paul in Colossians.  Paul laid out a simple list of things that are God's heart for you.  You see it's not enough just to get people but God's desire is to grow people.  Here is the list and I think you will recognize the process, yes it's ours.

1. I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love.

• BELONG
• Nothing says ,"you belong", like love.
• From belonging you get encouragement and develop a support system, a family

2.I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God's mysterious plan, which is Christ himself.

• BELIEVE
• God's wants YOU to confidently understand His plan.
• You'll never get it and be confidant until you read His Word.
• S.O.A.P. 
• When you are convinced of God's will for you, then you become convincing to others.

3. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.

• BECOME
• You are doing it without me, Paul says.
• The goal is to grow up into someone that doesn't need a mentor, but begins to mentor others.
• Become someone who can be an influencer for Jesus.

What are you planning?

Pro. 16:1-3 is a great read about making plans for our lives.  So many don't think of planning, they just prefer to live life and watch what happens.  I don't think that is wise.

There are 6.5 billion people on the earth, and they all have some kind of a plan if it's just what they are going to do today.

When we make plans together, the number of plans could swell to 20-25 billion plans in a 24 hr. period. We plan with our friends, spouses, kids, etc..

God has an answer to every plan.  The proverb says that God weighs our motives, even though we think our motive is fine.

When we commit our actions to the Lord and then our plans will succeed.  I know that I want my plans to succeed and so do you.

Paint a picture of the kingdom

The kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by......Matt. 25:14

I love how even in Jesus seemingly connecting words there is a message.  The Kingdom CAN be illustrated.   So much emphasis is put on the fact that God can't be seen, but the truth is that God's kingdom CAN be illustrated so that we can see it.  3 pictures are painted in Matt 25 that give us great insight into what the kingdom looks like and how it operates, and who it encompasses from the 3 parables of the chapter.

1. The kingdom can be illustrated by those who are ready and have enough oil.

• Those who look to Jesus as the source instead of men.  
• The kingdom is illustrated by those who keep their eyes on the King.

2. the kingdom can be illustrated by the servants who invest and increase what they are given.

• Using our God given gifts by investing in people and seeing them increase the kingdom for God.
• It's never about how much you have, but what you do with what you have.
• Those who do much will have more. That's the way of the kingdom.

3. The kingdom can be illustrated by those serving the least of these, the naked, the poor, the imprisoned.

• Jesus identifies w/ the broken and hurting.
• We serve Jesus when we serve the "lonely"

God sets the lonely in families, sets the prisoners free, and gives them great joy....Ps. 68:6

S.O.A.P. from Matt. 24

My S.O.A.P. verse today was Matt. 24:35
         Heaven and earth will disappear but my words will never disappear. 


After doing a little digging into what the word "disappear" means, this verse is very interesting. Jesus is giving a discourse to His disciples about the end times and what's going to happen, and they are understandably interested as we all would be.  He goes through the whole series of events about wars and rumors of wars, famine, pestilence, that will accompany the coming of the Lord.  At the end Jesus gives them this statement above in verse 35.  The word, disappear, has the implication of the passing of time, or of passing through a distance.  I thought of some of the trips we used to take to Michigan to see Mom's family.  Seemed like it took forever and that was before the days of the ipod so I just stared out the window watching the markers and signs flash past.  I think Jesus was telling the disciples not to let the events of time be the markers of their lives, but instead mark their lives by the words they heard from Jesus.  Most of us section our life by time: child, school, hi school, college, married, middle age, etc...  Don't measure your life by birthdays, that's just time with no significance.  Measure your life by what God has spoken to you.  The season of your salvation, when the H.S. drew you to Jesus and you answered the call. The season of growth, where you got in His Word and He spoke to you about life, finances, marriage, anything.  The season of service, where you began to live life for others and serve and find your place in God's plan.  Perhaps a season of leadership where you help influence and raise up the next generation of leaders.   Every time God speaks to you, it's significant.

Jesus Style Leader

Matt. 23 gives us some insight into what Jesus style leaders should do.  I'm going to go through some of them.  Using the religious leaders as a "how not to", Jesus tells His disciples they should follow their teaching but don't follow their example.  Here's what we can see a Jesus style leader(JSL) should be:

1. Jesus style leaders help to ease people's burdens.(v. 4)

• I'm there to help, so I need to be a blessing not a burden.

2. Jesus style leaders look to give, not what they get.(v.5-12)

• Not into titles, seats in the front, or respect in the crowd.
• Their humiltiy helps them be who they really are with no need to pretend.

3. Jesus style leaders continue to grow.(v. 13-15)

• They are constantly growing, and walking into new arenas that God opens to them.
• If we don't go new places, we can't take other's into new places.
• People are better off not worse after following a JSL.

4. Jesus style leaders are life-giving and not legalistic.(v. 16-22)

5. Jesus style leaders teach a holistic gospel.(v. 23-24)

• Can't pick and choose, Jesus wants to impact your whole life.

6. Jesus style leaders display an inside out work in their lives.( v. 25-28)

• Care more about the inside(heart) than the outside(look).

7.Jesus style leaders honor leaders of the past.(v. 29-31)

• Realizing we stand on the shoulders of leaders of the past.

6 Days to Create our 6 Month Future

In the beginning God spoke the earth into existence in 6 days the Bible tells us. We have a chance to speak into existence our future through corporate prayer. We are going to focus on praying those things now. God said, "Let there be light" because He was modeling how we create the future we are promised in Christ. There is power in our prayers and that's the way God has chosen for the kingdom to work. Let's commit the next 6 days to creating the next 6 months of our church future.

Man Up

Hey guys, Saturday morning, July 31, Pastor Bud Plake will be speaking at our final Man Up of the summer @ 7:30 a.m. in the activity center.  P Bud is a good friend of mine and a great pastor of The Freedom Church.  We are going to start with a slammin breakfast by Mrs. Gail, so you know it will be good.  Come on out and get your biscuit n bacon on, then get encouraged to man up for Jesus.  We thought we'd try out a morning meeting to get your weekend started off right and then you'll have to day to relax or work around the house.  I'll see you in the morning , so call or email somebody and let's Man Up.

End Times Events

Apocalyptic- means to "unveil" so apocalyptic writings are those with hidden meanings.

Eschatology: big word that means a study of the last days.

The day of the Lord- when you see that in scripture it means a time period, not a 24 hr. day.
                                  Usually associated with end times teaching and timelines.

Rapture- the catching away when Jesus returns for his bride, the church.  1 Thess. 4:15-17

• Jesus will not come to earth, but we will meet Him in the air.
• Both those dead in Christ and the living will be raptured.
• We will be changed in the twinkling of an eye.
• One taken and one left.
• It's next on the Biblical agenda.

Tribulation- the 7 year period between the Rapture and the 2nd Coming of Christ.

• This is a period of God's wrath poured out on the earth.
• Will facilitate the rise of a world ruler who promises peace but can't deliver, will be called the Anti-Christ
• Antichrist - means anti or against Christ.  
• An enemy of Jesus, and His followers.
• Will decieve many, that spirit is already at work in the earth.
• The first three and a half years will not be so bad, but the last three and a half years will be the worst in all of history.
• 1 John 2:18-22

Mark of the Beast- a financial mark required by the Antichrist to do business.

• Rev. 3:16-18
• Those who refuse will be persecuted, possibly executed.

Armeggedon- A great battle that will take place, a battle between the antichrist and his 

                    armies and Jesus and the saints who come with Him to do war.

• Jesus will defeat the Antichrist and his armies 
• At a middle eastern location
• Rev. 19:11-21
• This is also known as the Second Coming of Christ, as He will set His feet on the temple mount in Jerusalem.
• Antichrist's defeat sets up next 1000 years

Millennium- 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth.

• Satan will be bound for this time, so no demonic influence.
• Rev. 20:1-3
• At the end of the 1000 year period, Satan will be released for a little while leading to the Great White Throne Judgement

Great White Throne Judgement

• Rev. 20:11-15
• God judges the living and the dead based on what they have done with their lives.
• Afterward Satan is cast into the pit eternally.

New Heaven and New Earth

• Rev. 21:1-7
• God reinvents it all again.
• The curse of time is removed and we live forever in eternity with Him.

XG Camp Alive 2010

Well, Vanessa and I were there for opening night of Alive 2010, and for Cayle's 1st camp sermon and he did great.  200 kids worshipping, and just getting away for some God time is awesome.  I have found that hanging around the next generation helps keep me young thinking.  I don't have to have the music as loud as they do, don't have to always embrace all the culture that they do, but I love their energy and passion for God.  As always, 1st night was great, seeing God call so many to turn to Him fully and to awake fully to Christ is a highlight.  Cayle's message to wake up was right on time.  They team did an incredible job and everything turned out beautifully.  Kudos to Rachel, Abigail, Joey, Kyle, Cayle, Bridgette, Courtland, Branden, the band, LeJuene, Summer Interns, and too many others to name that make it happen.  Gonna try to post some video and some pictures.

Youth Camp today, Eternity will be changed for many

I don't know if you've ever had to opportunity to attend a youth camp with HOF, but it's awesome.  So much work and planning has gone into the next 3 days and I know that God will honor it with His Presence.  Lives are changed at youth camp, young men and women are called by God at youth camp, God's voice is heard at youth camp for so many.  It's powerful, it's priceless and it's fun.  This is P. Cayle's 1st year to "lead" XG at camp, and I'm looking forward to hearing him preach tonight for the 1st time.  200 youth coming together for one thing: Jesus.  It's not too late to register as we won't be leaving until around 10:30 am or 11 but you'd better get moving quickly.  I have 2 sons going and am looking forward to all that God is going to do in their lives.  Next Generation is the life of any church, pray for the next 3 days, these will be the future leaders of our churches, families, and community.  Camp is on, it's time to be made ALIVE

July 4th Celebration Service

This Sunday falls on July 4th, only happens every few years.  What a fitting day to celebrate Independence Day.  Freedom is a precious commodity, both politically and personally.  Freedom is a God idea, and our freedom as a nation was a work of God though many don't choose to recognize that fact.  So many God moments contributed to the founding of our nation and it was for a reason.  So that we can use our freedom to bless the world and share the Good News.  America has done just that.  It's the same reason that God wants to bring freedom to your life, so that you can share the Good News with others.  So many are not free, but instead are bound by hurts, habits, and hangups in their lives.  This Sunday we talk about freedom, real freedom which I'm convinced is misunderstood.  Freedom can be yours.  It is God's will for your life.

S.O.A.P. What are you writing with your tongue?

Psalms 45:1  Beautiful words stir my heart, .....for my tongue is like the pen of a skillful poet.

I was thinking that if our tongues are a pen, what are we going to be writing today?

Tabloid piece: Tabloids deal in rumor and the latest gossip, and when engage in rumor and
                     talk about people discussing their problems and issues, we are in fact writing a
                    tabloid piece.

Hatchet piece: This is where articles are written that chop people up and criticize them over
                     something they've said or done.

Horror story: This is when all we talk about are the hard or difficult things that we are
                    experiencing.  Recounting the horrors instead of God's help.

Novel: You know, you just talk and talk and talk and really don't have much to say, it's all
          fiction anyway.

Wish list: all of our words center on the things we wish we had or want someone to give us.

And I could go on and on, but i think you get the message.  If our tongue is a pen, then we can use it to write beautiful words to our great God or use it to write things that only discourage and damage the hearer.

I want my tongue to write an first person story on the goodness of God.

Lord, you are my only hope! S.O.A.P.

Reading Psalm 39 this morning, and it's good stuff.

This psalm of David begins with David making the statement that he's not going to sin anymore, he's going to watch what he says and do good. But then he goes silent, because he realizes that he can't keep himself from sinning.  I think we've all said, "I'm not going to do that anymore".  But when we really get honest, we know that if we possessed that power we wouldn't have done it in the first place.  He asks God to show him how short life is, my guess is to motivate him to passion towards God.
Then he says, Lord, you are my only hope.  Rescue me from my rebellion.  David does what we all must learn to do and that's ask God for His help, because it's only through Him that we can live this life.