“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (Luke 2:14)

This is arguably the most significant announcement ever made by God to man. For thousands of years God’s people had been looking and waiting for the promised Messiah. The religious elite had pored over the ancient manuscripts and studied every word uttered by the prophets in hopes of ascertaining some clue, some key that might give them more specific insight as to when, where, and how this “Promised One” might appear.

It’s hard to imagine the surprise and even contempt that the religious leaders must have felt towards a group of shepherds out on a nighttime hillside, tending their flocks and now suddenly proclaiming that an angel of the Lord appeared to them and said, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Then, as if this wasn’t enough, there was yet the, “But wait, there’s more” moment! Not only an angel (singular) of the Lord had visited the shepherds but an entire heavenly host lit up the sky over their campfire and shone, proclaimed, and perhaps sang the glory of God! We know from scripture that the shepherds talked among themselves and decided they must go and see and go and tell.

“Let us go straight to Bethlehem then and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us. And they came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in a manger. And when they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.” (Luke 2:15-17)

It must have been an amazingly difficult thing for most, especially the religious leaders, to accept the fact that God had spoken, announced, decreed to anyone, let alone lowly shepherds, the arrival of the Messiah, the hope of Israel and the Savior of the World! Surely God wouldn’t speak to and through such as these. But He did!

This brings us to the question of the day. Does God still speak?

I believe the answer is yes, but let me carefully unpack my beliefs concerning this.

Have you ever had someone say to you, “God told me this or God told me that?” Or how about, “God told me to tell you…?”

Now, at the risk of offending some who use such terminology, oft times out of habit, not careful consideration, let me say this. Personally, I’ve never said, “God told me this or that.” I’ve also never said to someone, “God told me to tell you…”

I think this can be most presumptuous and oftentimes detrimental, if not hurtful to someone who may take to heart someone saying, “God told me…” When in fact, it was a personal opinion, a misguided attempt at being prophetic, or worst of all, a means to control or manipulate.

I have upon occasion asked those who say, “God told me,” if they actually heard an audible voice. Usually, the reply is something like this: “Well no, I didn’t actually hear an audible voice; it was more a prompting or a sensing.”

How we use words and phrases to communicate with others is so important. It can literally mean the difference between being helpful or harmful.

I’ve concluded that if everything people told me through the years was from God, as they said it was, then He is surely the most confused being in the universe!

Here’s what I believe: God speaks most clearly, specifically, and completely through His Word. God will never, and I mean NEVER speak a word that is contrary to or cannot be backed up, by the Word of God.

Having said that, let us consider some other ways His Word says that He speaks. “The heavens declare the glory of God.” (Psalm 19:1) I am reminded of a line from Ralph Carmichael’s wonderful 1964 contemporary song, He’s Everything to Me: “In the stars His handiwork I see.”

On a side note: I have recently thought of trying to contact Ralph Carmichael to tell him what a huge contribution he made to Contemporary Christian music and how much I honor and respect him and his contributions musically. As I just referenced the previous lyrics from his song, I decided to look up information on him so I might contact him. I was surprised and saddened to see he had just passed on October 18th of this year. (When and if you feel a prompting to reach out to someone, do it! God speaks by His Holy Spirit in such ways.)

The Apostle Paul writes, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they (the unrighteous) are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)

That reminds me of a story told to me by a missionary to China, some years ago. The missionary said he was sitting on the deck of a boat cruising down a river in China, bible in hand and having a time of prayer and study. Next to him sat an elderly Chinese gentleman who at one point asked, “What is the book you read?” The missionary responded, “The Bible.” The Chinese gentleman asked, “What is Bible?” The missionary said, “The Bible is a book that tells us about God, His creation, His Son, and His love.” The Chinese gentleman replied, “So there is a God?” The missionary said, “Yes!” The Chinese gentleman replied, “I thought so!”

The man from China had never been to church, never heard a sermon about God, and didn’t even know what a Bible was. Yet…he believed there was a God. How?

“The heavens declare His glory!”
“In the stars His handiwork I see.”

To be sure, this is not salvation but it is God speaking, drawing, and perhaps convicting so that a hunger is created to know God and I believe such hunger will always be fed by one whom God appoints to share the gospel.

We know from the many reports of missionaries to Muslim countries, that so many who are coming to Christ have first been quickened in their spirits by a dream revealing Christ to them. That dream causes them to search out someone who can share the gospel. I had the privilege of talking to a young couple from Iran who attended a concert of mine a few years back. They videoed the entire concert so they could take it back to their family and friends so they might hear the gospel. When I asked how they came to faith in Christ, the young man replied in broken English, “Jesus appeared to me in a dream and from there I learned of the gospel.”

A dream. Do dreams have biblical support and precedent? One should not live their life on the basis of dreams and visions but God does use dreams and visions occasionally to speak.

There is so much to write on this topic but let me say this; the Holy Spirit who took up residence within us when we surrendered our lives to Christ and trusted by faith in His atoning sacrifice is neither dormant nor silent within us.

My pastor preaches wonderful, rich, biblically sound sermons but it is the Holy Spirit that gives life, power, meaning, and application to those anointed messages.

I’ve written many songs through the years that have blessed, enriched, and even led to the salvation of lives. Is that because I have a way with words and notes? Is it on the basis of talent? No, and may it never be! In fact, we know from scripture it’s not by might, power, talent, intellect, or any other thing of which we may boast. Scripture is emphatic. “It is by My Spirit, thus saith the Lord!” His Spirit is neither dormant nor silent.

So yes, God speaks.

God speaks through His Word. He speaks through that which He has created. He speaks by the prompting of His Spirit within us. He speaks through preachers, teachers, circumstances both difficult and uplifting and in many other ways perhaps too numerous to list.

But in any and every way He may choose to speak, the Word of God must always be the foundation, the compass, and the clear point of reference for any such communication of God to man.

I think God is always speaking. The question is, are we always listening?

I pray that you would seek to spend more time in His Word this coming year and desire to develop a greater sensitivity to the ways and means by which He might speak to us.

May we never wonder: “Does God Still Speak?”

“The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 NASB)

This is a verse with which I assume we are all familiar. Many of the modern day “prosperity preachers” have wrongly leveraged this verse in a way to suggest that Christians should expect (dare I say, deserve) abundant wealth and material blessings.

This mishandling of the text defies any sense of context whatsoever. Here, Jesus is not promoting materialism in any sense or form, but rather emphasizing and re-emphasizing the fact that He is the door through whom the sheep must enter and if they do, they shall be saved, find pasture (every need met), protection and be valued so highly that the Good Shepherd will lay down His life for His sheep. Try to put a price on that!

To promote the idea that the “abundant life” means health, wealth, and no struggle, not only misrepresents the truth of scripture but also adds insult to injury, as the saying goes, to the saints of God who find themselves in the trials and tribulations of life.

Jesus, in scripture, clearly informs and prepares us for the realities of life on planet Earth when He said, “In this world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NASB)

So can we experience “the abundant life” in the midst of difficulty and tribulation? Scripture says, “His mercies are new every morning”, “His grace is sufficient for every need” and “His love endures forever.”

Are these promises only good for the easy days or are they wholly applicable in the difficult days? For the child of God, scripture is clear throughout that all His promises are yes and amen!

“For as many as may be the promises of God, in Him they are yes; wherefore also by Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.” (II Corinthians 1:20 NASB)

Once again, as we examine the context of this wonderful verse we must note that it is framed within Paul’s explanation of affliction, enduring and suffering (verse 6) and affliction, anguish and sorrow (Chapter 2 Verse 4).

Why do I write these things to you? I write them because I am increasingly aware of the struggles and sorrows with which some of you find yourselves.

As I consider the prayer requests that come to us by letter or email and as I hear the prayer needs within our own church body, I am deeply moved by the depths of difficulty that some experience; some for long periods of time.

I know the needs are as diverse as each individual, yet I observe that certain difficulties seem to dominate the landscape of our trials and tribulations.

It is my hope herein to offer some lyrics from past songs, born out of Linda’s and my own struggles in life, to bring some hope, encouragement and in a prayerful sense, intercessory fellowship in the areas of physical need for healing, deliverance from depression and comfort in the midst of the sorrow of loss.

In 1987 my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer which was promptly addressed by aggressive surgery and intense chemotherapy. One evening as I was out in my studio, I wrote a song which expressed the cry of our hearts. I invited Linda to come out and give a listen to this new song. As I sat at the piano and placed a set of headphones on Linda’s beautiful bald head, I sang this prayer for us. I now offer these lyrics as a prayer for those of you who need a touch from the Great Physician.

Heal Me

I knew life had its valleys
Never thought that it would not be so,
But even if they’d told me
I never would’ve thought they’d be this low.
I’ve stood upon the mountain
Looked across to higher peaks and more,
But the only way to reach them
Is to journey through the lowly valley floor.

How long have I been travelin’
Days or years, sometimes I just don’t know.
How deep is this valley,
And how many more miles must I go?
My body’s growing weary
Seems my strength has all but slipped away.
Oh, God, You’ve got to help me;
Place Your healing hand on me today.

Heal me, touch me with your love
Heal me, send Your Spirit from above
(And) Hear me, help me Lord I pray,
Jesus come and make me whole today.

Oh, God, I know You’re faithful,
Leading me each step every day,
But sometimes in the valley
I just forget You’ve often passed this way.
The path is steep and narrow;
Seems this upward climb will never stop,
So I’m holding onto You Lord
And in Your strength I know I’ll make the top.

Heal me, touch me with your love
Heal me, send Your Spirit from above
(And) Hear me, help me Lord I pray,
Jesus come and make me whole today.

Linda has often shared that as difficult as the struggle has been against the breast cancer she has battled now for 34 years, it doesn’t compare to a greater battle she endured in a season of severe depression, prior to her cancer diagnosis. The following lyrics offer hope to any who presently share in the difficult depths of depression.

This Too Shall Pass

There’s a heaviness inside your heart
A weight you can’t describe
A feeling that you just can’t hide
There’s a weariness within your mind
The thoughts don’t come too clear
You feel as though I’m not so near to you

But remember I said I’d never leave
Trust in My Word and believe I am here
Forever, I’ll never let you go
This is all you really need to know

I’ve heard every prayer I’ve seen every tear
When I seemed so distant, I’ve always been near
And I know the future, and I know the past
So believe me when I say; believe me when I say
This too, this too shall pass.

I know sometimes it’s hard for you to put your trust in Me
To place your faith in what you cannot see
I know sometimes you feel that I’m a million miles away
But listen to your heart and hear me say:

I’ve heard every prayer – I’ve seen every tear
When I seemed so distant, I’ve always been near
And I know the future and I know the past
So believe me when I say; believe me when I say
This too, this too shall pass.

Finally; it seems the older we get, the more family and friends there are who are passing on. Linda and I have temporarily said goodbye to our parents in recent years. Linda’s mom and sister both passed a couple years ago and she was not even able to attend any kind of funeral for them due to Covid and Linda’s own health issues. Yes, we grieve but… “Not as those who have no hope.”

I pray the lyrics to this final song bring hope to those who have said goodbye to a family member or friend who died, “In Christ”.

Next Time It Will Be Forever

I just said goodbye to someone I loved
Never pass this way again
The time we had
Just wasn’t enough
And it hurts to reach the end.
A whole lifetime
Is really no time at all
Just a moment, then it’s gone.

But… next time it will be forever
Then our hearts will be renewed
There we’ll always be together
Next time it will be forever.

I don’t understand, but I still believe
There’s a purpose in Your plan
And though I may feel that I can’t go on
In Your strength I know I can.
A whole lifetime
Is really no time at all
Just a moment, then it’s gone.

And I know that just as sure as there’s a God above
We’ll be reunited once again someday
Then forever we will be together in His love
And together in His love we’ll always stay.

It is Linda’s and my desire and prayer that this letter will bring some encouragement, hope, and healing to you. Here’s a link to several of my songs which you can download for free.

Our sincere hope is that from these songs, some written many years ago, they will now be to you…Lyrics for Life.

Put on the helmet of salvation
Put on the breastplate of righteousness
Clothe your whole being in holy armor
Worthy to stand the test

We’re in the battle of the ages
In the Lord’s army there’s no retreat
Fighting against the powers of darkness
For us there is no defeat
(It’s War/Change The World, 1985 Words and Music by Dallas Holm)

In the last Praiseletter we discussed how to prepare for the present situation we find ourselves in regarding increased persecution against Christianity by the government and any and all opposed to biblical truth.

We identified the fact that the real battle is: “…Against the rulers, against the powers, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

We are clearly at war with the enemy of our souls and with those authorities and systems who ascribe to his rule and not God’s.

It’s war we’re fighting
It’s war we’re going to win
It’s war we’re fighting
And we’re fighting this war to win

So the question arises, “How do we as Christians respond to authorities and rulers when they mandate that which opposes the precepts of scripture and the laws of God?”

To arrive at a biblically based understanding, we must first examine what the role of government should be according to scripture.

Without going through every scripture dealing with this topic, starting perhaps with God’s instructions to Noah way back in Genesis 9:5-6, where God institutes a reckoning for the taking of a man’s life, to all subsequent instruction to the Israelites and their interactions with other cultures and governments, some who brought them into captivity; all the way down to New Testament times where Jesus, Peter and Paul (to name a few) taught “rendering unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s”,“Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities” and “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution…”, let us just draw a conclusion pertaining to government, from a biblical perspective: According to scripture, the role of government is to protect, punish and promote.

Protect: Government must initiate some form of restraint and rule to protect citizens from themselves.
Punish: Government must impose punishment upon criminals. Peter tells us that governors are “Sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers.” (I Peter 2:14)
Promote: Government should promote the general welfare of the community where its laws are in effect.

In one sense this is a “short list” and yet the role of government in all its detailed nuances are, from a biblical perspective, addressed in this brief description.

Complications arise in the minds of many a Christian when they read verses such as Romans 13:1-2 and I Peter 2:13-14.

Romans 13:1-2 states: “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore, he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God.”

I Peter 2:13-14 states: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as one in authority, or to governors as sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.”

So does God institute all governments, authorities, kings and presidents and ours is but to obey…end of story?!

This, of course, is where the complication arises in our thinking. Is there a difference between submitting and obeying?

I believe the answer is yes.

The Greek word used in both these verses (and others) meaning to submit or be in subjection to, is the word, hupotasso. It literally means to arrange things respectfully, in an orderly manner underneath.

It is important to note that there is a vast difference between subjection and subjugation!

The Greek word for obey is hupokouo. This word is used in verses that speak of obedience; however, it is not the word used in these scriptures regarding submitting and being in subjection. The original meaning of social orderliness denoted in the word hupotasso would have been understood in its proper context by the original readers.

Scripture does not instruct us to acquiesce to a person or system that demands obedience, by brute force if necessary, nor can the laws of man or governments ever take precedence over the laws of God.

Dr. Wayne Grudem in his book, Christian Ethics, addresses this issue in a timely and biblically based manner. He writes:

God does not hold people responsible to obey the civil government when obedience would mean directly disobeying a command of God himself. This principle is indicated by a number of passages in the narrative sections of the Bible.

One clear example comes from the early days of the Christian church. After Jesus had commanded the apostles to preach the gospel (see Matt. 28:19-20), the Jewish governing authority, the Sanhedrin, arrested some of them and ordered them “not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18). But the apostles Peter and John answered, “We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (v.20), and later Peter proclaimed, “We must obey God rather than men” (5:29).

This is a clear affirmation of the principle that God requires his people to disobey the civil government if obedience would mean directly disobeying God.

Other passages also establish this. In Daniel 3:13-20, King Nebuchadnezzar commanded three Jewish men-Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego-to bow down and worship a golden statue that he had erected. But they refused and said, “We will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (v.18). God showed his approval of their actions by rescuing them from the burning fiery furnace (vv.19-30).

Daniel likewise disobeyed a law that prohibited him from praying to God (see Dan. 6:10). In addition, when King Herod commanded the wise men to return and tell him where the newborn King of the Jews was to be found, they were warned by an angel not to heed this command, so they disobeyed Herod and “departed to their own country by another way” (see Matt. 2:8, 12).

John Calvin put it this way:

But in that obedience which we have shown to be due to the authority of rulers, we are always to make this exception…that such obedience is never to lead us away from obedience to Him, to whose will the desires of all kings ought to be subject…And how absurd would it be that in satisfying man you should incur the displeasure of Him for whose sake you obey men themselves! The Lord, therefore is the King of Kings…If they command anything against Him, let it go unesteemed.

Flesh and blood is not what we’re fighting
We fight against what we cannot see
The prince of power of the air
Accuser of you and me

It’s so important to remember this lest we develop bitterness and even hatred towards those we disagree with, even those in positions of governmental leadership.

We are called as Christians to pray for our governing authorities.

“First of all then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.” (I Timothy 2:1-3)

Simple question: Do we pray for our governmental leaders as much as we complain about them?

I strongly disagree with and am quite frankly shocked by some of the policies being put in play even as I write this letter. But as a Christian, I am called to grumble less and pray more!

I am committed to obey God’s laws first and foremost no matter the cost, and there may be an increasing cost in the days ahead for those of unwavering commitment to Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer called it, “The Cost of Discipleship.”

James Renwick, the last leader of the Scottish “Covenanters” in the 1600s, after enduring torture and imprisonment (he was ultimately beheaded) for his unwavering faith in Christ, stated at the young age of twenty-seven, “I have oft counted the cost of serving Christ but never thought it would be so easy.”

Easy! Yes, according to young James, God’s grace was there in ample supply in his time of great need.

That same sufficient grace will always be there for us too when needed. I fear we sometimes lose perspective in the muddle of political chaos and end times pressures.

Truth has defeated the deceiver
Hell has no power to wound the Son
So why do we fight like we’re losing the battle
When the victory’s already won

Battles come and go, leaders rise and fall, elections are won and lost, but the outcome of the “battle of the ages” is already established! “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. (Luke 21:28)

This is how we Respond!