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by Eric Barger

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. - Psalm 16:11

Music has been an important part of my life as far back as I can remember. Now, knowing the Lord as Savior, it remains so but with a completely different perspective than back in those dark days when I served the world, flesh, and devil.

Along with several other artists in the worship and praise genre, I have come to greatly appreciate the long-standing Christian group, Newsong. Their music has filled my vehicle, office, and earbuds probably as much or more than all other such talents combined. Tremendous vocalists, godly lyrics, and good production are a winning combination to me and Newsong has it all plus an abiding sense of joy and an obvious heart for evangelism. Many years ago I came to appreciate their songs and I've become particularly fond of a few of their older compositions in recent times. Though I've heard most of their songs many times through the years, it's only been in the last few months that I find myself intently focused on a select few of their messages. More on that in a moment.

Unexpected Encounters

About the title of this piece. Personally, I've had a number of "God moments" of late. By that, I mean sovereign, unexpected visitations of His presence. Though the Holy Spirit is with every believer at all times and though we should ask for, expect, and anticipate His interaction in our lives, there are moments completely of His choosing when He draws near to do a unique work in our hearts and minds. I'm finding it a bit hard to describe, but when it takes place you certainly don't want to get in the way or try to rush God along. No way!

I want to use the word "revival" here because that seems to best represent what has been happening deep inside of me as times of refreshing, inspiration, and, yes, conviction have come and then subsided as the Lord has seen fit. These instances have been frequent during this spring and summer season, usually coming in the pre-dawn moments of study and prayer just as my day is about to begin.

One of the advantages of getting older is that one learns what does and doesn't work well. That said, I can assure you that vainly grasping for a return of yesterday's feelings or experiences is a certain dead end. I’ve learned along the way that any attempt at reliving previous precious godly moments on my own will only be good intentions but without the reward of His eminence. Attempting to bring back past anointings is like remembering a great meal but being without the main ingredient to prepare it again - and with no market in sight. It’s a wonderful memory but you cannot recreate the event again on your own. I have watched people try and it isn’t good. If you've been a Christian long you have probably experienced some mostly well-meaning folks mistakenly proclaiming something to be of God just because they wanted it to be so. Without getting too terribly far from where I am intending to go here, I need to point out for the record that, if we attribute only raw human emotion as being "of God," we'll be sorely disappointed at whatever we drum up. First, we run the chance of becoming accustomed to something less than God’s presence that is not authentic. And worse, if the Lord isn't sovereignly inducing and directing the events and leading the way, we run the risk of becoming susceptible to the Enemy's interference and actually may aid in his efforts to sidetrack us and perhaps others as well.

Now, What Was I Saying?

As much as I'd like to travel down several rabbit trails of thought there, I imagine you may be wondering what all of this has to do with Newsong. Well, one early morning as I went to prepare coffee, I clicked "play" on the now aging CD player we keep in our family room. Soon, sitting at my kitchen table, where my study Bible usually resides, I had the Word open with fingers holding several pages to mark my places. However, as the song "This One's With Me" by Newsong began, it was as if all other thoughts and activity faded into the background and God began stirring my heart. I moved across the room toward the source of the music and instantly thought of someone whom I have prayed for a great deal. As I sat down next to the old “boom box,” I became overwhelmingly burdened for this individual, especially for their eternity. The words of the song rang out and in the span of just a few seconds, I found myself wet with tears with my face on the carpet. Mind you now, I had prayed for this particular person often but never with such as strong yearning for their soul and also never sensing God's holy presence around me as I did that early morning.

Here is just part of the lyrics to "This One's With Me." As you’ll see, it’s a song about Heaven and meeting Jesus face to face.

I was dreaming about Heaven
I was standing at the Pearly Gates
And we were all there and I was so scared
In the presence of One so great
I felt so very unworthy
I felt like runnin' away
I bowed my head and I turned to go
When I heard someone say

Father, this one's with me
Part of the family
One of the reasons I died on Calvary
Father, welcome him in
I paid the price for him
Father, oh Father, this one's with me

Finally, we were there face to face
And He placed on me Heaven's crown
I fell down on my knees
Laid my crown at His feet
Then He said, to me

Father, this one's with me... (1)

Heart Surgery

I won't try to describe what took place in my heart during the following minutes but suffice it to say it was deep and intense. God was moving on me, shining His light into dark crevasses and upon numerous human frailties and inconsistencies. It was convicting yet wonderful all at the same time as if He seemed to be saying, “You have a long way to go son, but with My grace and help you’ll make it. We’ll work on your flaws together.” The song lyrics quoted above state, "I felt so very unworthy. I felt like runnin' away." Yet at the same instant, I was absolutely where I wanted to be as our Holy God was applying salve and pouring the transforming oil of His joy upon my heart. It was a “wonderful” surgery by the Master surgeon similar to what took place in me the morning I received Christ many years ago. Again, it is hard to put something like this into words.

I suppose it’s not unusual to ponder and analyze moments like this. It consumed my thoughts throughout that morning and beyond. Later that afternoon I found myself in rush hour traffic, the CD containing "This One's For Me" playing again and at the first strain of the song tears began to fill my eyes once more as I brought first one and then another prayer need for the salvation of lost loved ones before the Lord. Over the following days, the same continued as God seemed to infiltrate my life more and more, deepening and strengthening me from the inside out. That was some weeks ago and to this day the Lord is still using this particular song and often moving in a deep and unusual way in and through my life.

As much as I know that I am to pray for people, especially particular individuals, such as the one whom God brought to mind during that first early morning visitation, in the process of praying for others, God has clearly been doing heart surgery on me. He's made me mindful in a new way of just how important we each are in His sight. The Lord has also dealt with me concerning His perfect understanding and attention to every detail and also the problem of my own stress level concerning the various nuances and minutia I face in the course of each day. To use a phrase from the ‘60’s, I have a way of being uptight about things that indeed do need my attention but shouldn’t have to spike my blood pressure to match. He's also impressed me with how absolutely vital it is that I not allow the cares of life - even the many needs of the ministry - to interfere or get in the way of positioning myself to hear from Him and to experience whatever He wants to do in me. I have often stated that God doesn't want to leave us like He found us. On a moment by moment basis, He wishes to move us along closer to Him. If that isn’t happening, then the issue is clearly on our end. Not His, and the culprit is likely misplaced priorities.

Now I want to be clear, through this "revival" I haven't heard an audible voice or seen a vision. Nor have I ever chased after a “sign” or gone out on the fringe. Spiritual thrill seeking is dangerous and the discerning avoid it (Matt 16:4). Perhaps just as foolish however are those who choose to believe that God has ceased operating supernaturally and then make it their mission to denigrate any such suspected occurrences as a work of the flesh or even from Satan himself. For them, a careful reading of Hebrews 13:8 is in order for the Lord is unchanging - no matter what our spiritual prejudices may be. To believe otherwise is to be carried about by “divers and strange doctrines” (Heb. 13:9). I have always wondered if those on the two polar extremes of this issue realize how foolish they appear. On the one hand, some accept any and every alleged sign and wonder floating around without a thought of exercising any discernment. While those, on the other hand, persist in trying to convince anyone who’ll listen that Almighty God is no longer involved in anything resembling the supernatural!

If God sovereignly moves on an individual by His Spirit it is indeed a supernatural happening and speaking for myself, what He has been doing in me is gently and somewhat profoundly changing me in several ways. Perhaps most notably, I am struck by a heightened sensitivity to the plight of others, especially considering their eternal condition. God has also clearly impressed on me a greater understanding of how He loves me (and each of us) beyond what I previously could fathom that word to mean. This God-ordained time of refreshing has also caused me to seek Him more diligently and it’s given me renewed hope that specific prayers, in particular for the salvation of souls close to me, are going to be answered.

So dear friend, please understand that I have related all of this knowing that some may be skeptical or critical. Others might think I’m just attempting to elevate myself to appear enlightened or super-spiritual. I sincerely hope you will believe me that any such motivation is the furthest thing from my mind. I am simply recounting what has happened with me to encourage you to maneuver yourself into a position to be able to hear from God and to be prepared to allow Him opportunity to move both in and through your life by His Spirit. Be it in the moments before dawn or whatever time you set apart, when you seek Him in prayer and through His Word, be aware that He might be about to sovereignly operate on you and do something out of the ordinary.

Truth be told, people all over the Church need a fresh touch from God, a reboot, to put it in computer terms. It is simply amazing when we get out of the way just a bit so God can move in and we stop trying to single-handedly resolve the many issues in our lives long enough to realize that we really weren’t as submitted to God with all the stuff we face as we thought. Even during writing and pondering the facts I'm attempting to communicate in this piece, He's been dealing with me concerning priorities and direction for both Melanie and me and the ministry, etc.

So, to sum this up, if you allow God time and opportunity and make hearing from God your first and most important priority, God has assured us in His Word that He will meet you. Just patiently wait on Him through prayer and study and allow Him opportunity. Then, when He chooses the perfect moment (and how could anything ordained of Him be anything less than perfect?), I believe you’ll say the same as I have been saying: "Keep it up Lord, in Your will and timing, keep it up. Rearrange whatever You want in me. I surrender. I am Yours."

 (1) Copyright with Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/atv Music Publishing Llc. Written by Leonard Ahlstrom, Eddie Carswell

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