God said. God showed up.

I've been what I'd call a charismatic for some time now. I'm not talking about my personality. I'm talking about my theology. I believe God is present. God is speaking. We can sense Him, feel His presences, hear His voice. He gives gifts, supernatural gifts, charisma. Mostly though, the gift is His direction, His leading and the power that comes when we follow that lead. In charismatic circles we throw around terms like "God told me" and "God showed up." and I know it raises some questions. "What do you mean God said? Did you hear an audible voice?" What do you mean God showed up? Isn't God everywhere?" "Are you writing scripture?" Are you saying that you're just like Abraham? Isaiah? Moses? I thought I'd clarify this language since most of what I will post here will include it.

This language is more a language of perception than it is a language of the absolute. God is omnipresent, God is omnipotent, whether I perceive it or not, but sometimes He shows up in a way where we can actually feel it and perceive it. He shows up to dinner with Abraham, His glory shows up in Solomon's temple. He shows up as a baby in Bethlehem and I believe that keeps happening today. Joel said the spirit would be poured out on all flesh. Have you ever had a bucket of water poured out on you? Its a much more powerful way to perceive water than reading about it. When I say, I sense God's presence, it's not about Him being there one moment and then gone the next. I believe its about Him making himself known to me in a way I can feel. How much volume He uses is up to him. Am I sensitive enough, though, that he can speak softly and I still hear? You can whisper to people who are paying attention to you. You have to shout at people who aren't.

To be frank, when God speaks to me, it seems like I'm talking to myself, its a thought that sounds like the way I talk to myself but there's something a little bit more specific on it. I know how I talk to myself. When I sense God's voice, there seems to be something different going on. In some ways its hard to tell the difference. It could be me. It could be God. Why not check it out. Moses sees a bush burning but it doesn't ever burn up. Hmmm, maybe there's something going on over there. He goes and checks it out.

I started out practicing. I'd go for a walk and listen for directions. "Turn left. Stand here. Walk over there and look at that." Why not. Then stuff started happening. There would be moments. Incites. Encounters with people that seemed to matter. I can remember one day when I needed to get ahold of woman who was struggling with addiction to get her into a rehab program. I didn't know where she was. I asked God to lead me. "Turn right, go left, walk straight, stop here." I was standing on a corner with a park to my left, and homes right in front of me. Her daughter pulled up and jumped out of a car.

"What are you doing here, Scott" she asked.

"I'm looking for your mom."

"She's right here in my in-laws house." the girl told me.

God led me right to her.

I said God led me, because,well, look at the results. Its the best call I can make. It doesn't mean I'm infallible. It doesn't mean I hear absolutely correct. Ask my wife and kids if I always hear things correctly. Of course I don't. And I still perceive things with whatever lens I have in that season of my life, but I'm seeking to hear. Seeking to submit. So, if in this blog, I say God told me to look up a passage what I literally mean is I was being quiet. I heard myself whisper in my thoughts look up "x " passage and I did so. That's what I mean and I just wanted to qualify and clarify that.