Can You Hear Me Now? by Steph Beth Nickel

Can you imagine if God made a telephone commercial?

While He, of course, knows the answer to the question, sometimes we need to be asked, "Can you hear me now?"

Where do I hear from God? How do I connect with him?

Highlight Scripture Verses
I recently purchased a package of multicoloured highlighters to use when reading my Bible. (They're retractable and I love them.) I use use the yellow marker to highlight familiar verses, the green to highlight those that stand out either for the first time or for the first time in a while, orange to highlight passages about prayer, etc.

Listen to Worship Music
Whether hymns that were written hundreds of years ago or contemporary Christian songs that only hit the market within the last few years, truth set to music can sink deep into our hearts and minds. I prefer the latter and enjoy listening to music by contemporary artists such as Lauren Daigle, Matthew West, and Toby Mac. I even enjoy some songs by Skillet. Sometimes I need a musical shot in the arm.

Subscribe to Christian Podcasts
I listen to a number of podcasts, most are on the topics of writing and marketing. However, I also enjoy listening to faith-based recordings. As most of you know, I write for HopeStreamRadio. There you will find a wide variety of podcasts, from academic to personal testimony. I also enjoy listening to Matt McCarrick's One Verse Devotional and others.

Join Online Christian Communities
I was once asked, "Who needs them?" when I was discussing the connections, the friends, I'd made on social media. I can answer categorically, "I do." While connecting with brothers and sisters online in lieu of doing so in person is not a healthy option, I'm a both / and kind of person. I have been blessed tremendously through my online interactions, and I have had the opportunity to bless others as well. I love that.

Take Notes
When I asked my husband if anything in particular stood out when our guest speaker gave the message at church today, he said he hadn't really learned anything new. Although the same was true of me, Pastor Don did present his points in a way I had never heard before, and I made note of some phrases that stood out to me.

My plan to to review these notes periodically, but I rarely do. Even so, I like to take notes. It ensures that I'm listening more closely.

And speaking of things I intend to do but often forget ...

Commit Each Task to the Lord
There are many benefits of doing so.
1. It reminds me that I should do all as if doing them for him. (See 1 Corinthians 10:31.)
2. It keeps my focus where it out to be—on him.
3. It serves as an invitation to him to redirect my path. (If I can't commit a task to him, I ought not to be doing it.)

How do you hear from the Lord?

Taking Your Stand by Janice Keats

There’s something about how music draws a crowd of people, especially when a live band is performing in an outside venue. It happened to me recently. My husband and I were taking a leisurely stroll in a very popular downtown area and we happened to notice a lively band playing very good upbeat music. They were actually very entertaining which was the reason for the large crowd that was gathered.

It wasn’t long before it was revealed that they were a Christian family band. They consisted of fiddle players, singers, and tap dancers. It wasn’t until the leader of the group spoke about God’s love and plan of Salvation that the crowd began to disperse. In the two minutes it had taken to share a simple message, most of the crowd had already walked away. I saw them walk away one by one, then in clusters. The only people that remained were the people who were seated in the front section.

As I watched in complete amazement as to what was evidently taking place, I literally laughed aloud. This is so predictable, I thought. It seemed that the audience had no interest in hearing the Gospel message even though it was a brief two-minute talk between songs. Secular bands do the same, especially when they change instruments or make other adjustments and I have never seen a crowd walk away in large numbers.

My thoughts took me to the story of when Jesus was teaching in a Synagogue in Capernaum. Many of the disciples began to grumble among themselves saying, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” Consequently, many decided right there at that moment to discontinue in the journey with the Lord and turned back. Moments later, Jesus directed an important question to the twelve disciples, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” They didn’t leave. They assured Jesus of their dedication to Him as their Master. (John 6:60-69)

They believed in the Gospel message and willingly took their stand for Christ. Are you willing to stand in the gap and be noticed as a follower of Christ? Or, walk away and denounce Him? Was the Gospel message from the Christian band so difficult that the hearers could not accept it? Or, is the message foolishness to those who are perishing? (1 Corinthians 1:18a)
Could it be as Jesus had foretold in His word? “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) You see, there was no pretence to the two-minute talk. It was an evening of music and entertainment, which included God’s wondrous story. But the mere mention of the name of Jesus caused many to become uninterested.

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:6) Taking a stand for Christ enables the Christian to walk in faith. Jesus directed His faith to the Father saying, “I stand with the Father who sent me.” (John 8:16b) What crowd are you journeying with? The band continued with their performance and they weren’t dismayed that few remained. Their joy was evident!

Photos: My twin daughters, known as The Keats, performing at the Capital Hoedown in Ottawa in August.

Janice Keats

Time With God - Janet Sketchley

“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10, NIV”

When we first choose to trust God, it’s like falling in love. We want to spend time with Him, get to know Him. He’s all we can think about, no matter what we’re doing.

Getting to know Him means reading His Book, talking with others and discovering what they know about Him, spending time alone with Him in prayer.

Over time, there’s a tendency to take Him for granted, not seize special moments with Him, talk more about ourselves than about Him.

God does want us to talk about ourselves, invites us to bring our needs and concerns to Him. I think His intent is “Let’s look at this together, and I’ll show you how I see it. Then let Me deal with it. It’s too big for you, and you don’t see all the pieces.”

What He doesn’t want is for us to natter at Him nonstop, rehashing the same grievance and telling Him yet again how He should solve it. (The humans we love don’t want that either!)

I love it that Jesus invites us to persistent prayer, but I need to combine that with the Apostle Paul’s instruction to “present our petitions with thanksgiving” (Philippians 4:6) so I don’t end up being a nag.

Most of all, I need to remember the intent of prayer is to bring me to God. I come with needs, requests, confessions, praise and thanksgiving, but the point is that I come to the God of the universe, who loves me.

When I finally run out of words, He wants me to stay with Him. To love Him, rest in Him, abide in His presence.

Father, please forgive me for the times I get more caught up in “prayer requests” than in Your presence. Please still my soul to know and love You. Thank You that You meet my needs. Thank You even more for who You are.

A good prayer for the week is the song “Give Me Jesus,” written by Peter Shambrook, sung here by Jeremy Camp.

*New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

© Janet Sketchley, 2009
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For devotionals, reviews and conversation, stop by Janet Sketchley's blog, God with Us: Finding Joy.

Better Questions - Janet Sketchley

It’s great to find an excellent book or CD and discover it’s by a Canadian. Inside, I give a little cheer for my fellow citizen and bask in a bit of shared pride. We have some amazing, God-given talent in this country, and too often we don’t hear about it.

I feel the same way when I find a book or CD by a Christian. Little cheer for my fellow believer, and a bit of shared pride: “hey, that’s my brother or sister in the LORD.”

Although I’ve read some great writing by Canadian Christians, and worshiped to some great Canadian music, today I want to tell you about the new CD from my favourite Christian musician, who happens to be American: Todd Agnew.

Better Questions (Ardent Music LLC, 2007)

Artist: Todd Agnew

http://www.toddagnew.com/

Todd Agnew is the gifted songwriter who brought us the life-changing “Grace Like Rain” and “My Jesus.” The title of his new CD comes from the first track: “I’ve got better questions than I have answers….”

Better Questions’ music ranges from the rocky, driving “Least of These” and “War Inside” to the pensive “If You Wanted Me” and “Can I Be With You?” to the playful and catchy “Funny.” 

“Martyr’s Song,” co-written with novelist Ted Dekker, gives a poignant view of God’s longing to welcome His children into Heaven.

The songs are Agnew’s own, except for “Our Great God” (a duet with Rebecca St. James), “Can I Be With You?,” and the bonus track “Glorious Day,” which continues his tradition of reprising a public domain hymn in his own unique style.

Todd Agnew sings as everyman/woman, exploring Christians’ struggle to live right and challenging us to see past the labels we put on others into their hearts and needs. His lyrics leave no room for plastic Christianity.

The songs remind me of the group Casting Crowns, who also call Christians to authentic living, although Agnew’s music is heavier. His straightforward lyrics remind me of contemporary Christian music pioneer Keith Green, but they don’t have the harshness I sometimes felt in Keith’s delivery. There’s no judgement here, just an awareness of our common need for grace and a heartfelt “We have His heart, what is keeping us from being His hands?”

Better Questions packs a challenging message, but it’s no sermon set to music. Todd Agnew delivers vibrant music with raw, honest lyrics that could have come from our own souls—or our neighbours’. Like the old man in “A Corner in Memphis,” “he’s telling us our story, or at least his side.” It’s worth a listen.

Grace and peace,

© Janet Sketchley, 2007
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For devotionals, reviews and conversation, stop by Janet Sketchley's blog, God with Us: Finding Joy.