Watkiss & Tell

Finishing up the 2007 speaking schedule

We had a great Christmas with family and friends! Luke enjoyed every minute of Christmas day playing with all of his new toys. It looks like we will have to build a play room onto the house when we get home : ).

** Tomorrow I will be speaking at First Assembly of God in Dyer, TN. Pastor Mark Kirkpatrick happens to be Ashley's old youth pastor from back in the day. We are looking forward to connecting with Pastor Mark, Melody, the kids, and the whole church tomorrow morning. This last Sunday of the year will rap up a transitional year for us. We are looking forward to a new year full of excitement, destiny, and meaning as we continue to live the life of faith! Have a HAPPY & BLESSED NEW YEAR!

Memphis TN Schedule

** We traveled to Memphis yesterday to see Ashley's family and I will be speaking at a few churches while visiting. I always enjoy this time of the year to give room for family time and mental rest. God always seems to speak to my heart during the Christmas season by birthing dreams and vision into my spirit. Tomorrow morning I will be speaking at River of Life Church on the topic of "Destine By Birth". God's desire for us all is to receive New Life into our hearts through a birthing process. Please join me in prayer this week as God develops these dreams in my life!

Believe What God Has Already Spoken

As I continue the blogging series on “Hearing the Voice of God”, the most effective way to hear His voice is through what He has already spoken in His word. There are many people who are seeking for God’s will in their lives. Here are some tips when it comes to directional issues in our lives.
 Keep in step with the Spirit, who is always consistent with the written word.
 Where God has already spoken, we should not expect nor should we need another word from God.
 If God has already birthed something in your heart, don’t let fear or other voices keep you from moving forward in obedience.
 Why would God tell you His un-revealed will if your not walking in His revealed will.
 “The steps of a righteous person are ordered of God.”
 God always tells you what you need to know to carry out His will for your life, not always what you want to know.
 It is important to journal what He speaks to you through His word and Spirit so that you can remember the journey.

** This week has been very busy with phone calls and emails to confirm missions teams for next year’s trips. Many churches, youth ministries and other groups of people will have the opportunity this coming year to touch the lost around our globe. Join with Partnership International this season as we pray for billions of lost souls who have yet to meet the Christ we all celebrate.

Discerning Different Voices

Not every voice is God’s voice. There are many other voices competing for space in our lives. The first voice that competes for that space is often our own voice. We sometimes convince ourselves or tell ourselves what we want to hear (personal preferences). We want something so bad its possible to imagine God spoke it to us when in fact God wasn’t saying that at all, telling ourselves what we want to hear and calling it God. (Imagining the voice of God)
Hebrews 5:14 says, “Solid food is for those who are mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong and then do what is right.” Our conscience is what Hebrews chapter five is talking about here. Some people have an over-acting conscience, and others have no conscience at all. Two things we need to understand when it comes to our own voice.
1- Our conscience is not God
2- Our conscience is not infallible (yes we can be wrong)

The second voice is that of Satan. II Corinthians 1:11 says, “…Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” Satan does come along and cause us to think things. He will often try to make those things look good from certain angles. The word tells us that he is a big deceiver and that he is out to destroy our lives. We must know the enemy’s voice and his tactics!

The third voice is that of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit will speak into our lives if we are willing to stop and listen. How do you know that it’s the voice of the Spirit?
1- He will always be consistent with His written word
2- There is a special weight of the spirit that confirms His voice
3- When He speaks, its usually softly
4- God often attaches a promise to His voice so that it motivates us to follow through with obedience
5- He will often bring confirmation through His word, our conscience, and Godly people
6- God will speak to you first when it comes to directional issues in your life
*If you’re a believer that is living in disobedience, you can’t count on this to be true.

God’s word tells us “…the steps of a righteous person are ordered of God”. When you are living in wholehearted obedience to God, there is great confidence that comes with the journey of faith.

People have often come to me claiming to have a "word from the Lord". Personal prophecy should be conformational and not directional in the life of a wholehearted committed believer. If you have never heard it before, don’t believe it. It’s essential that we walk in tune with God’s voice!

Fun in the Snow

Today my son Luke and I made our first snowman together. It took me back to the days when I would spend hours outside in the snow making snow forts, having snowball fights, and going sled riding. We had a great time in the snow together and here are a few pictures.

** Tomorrow I will be sharing at Chippewa United Presbyterian (CUP) Church in Beaver Falls, PA. The CUP church will be taking a team from their church to go with us to the Bay Islands of Honduras this summer. I will continue blogging on “Hearing the Voice of God” the first of the week.

Does God Contradict Himself ?

The quick answer to this question is NO! But here is an interesting passage to look at when it comes to discerning the Holy Spirit leading us and directing our steps. In Acts 21 verse 4, we see the disciples through the Spirit urging Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. If you look back one chapter to Acts 20 verse 22, we see Paul compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. Now take a look at Acts 21 vesres 10-14, the prophet named Agabus brings clarity to this whole contradiction taking place between Paul and the disciples.

The Spirit of God had definitely revealed what was going to take place to Paul in Jerusalem with all parties involved. But the disciples added their own personal preferences to the Holy Spirit’s revelation because they didn’t want to see Paul get hurt. We need to be very careful not to take what the Spirit gives us through revelation and change it with personal preferences. This was possibly a pure motive on the part of the disciples that turned out to be their desire for Paul verses God’s will for Paul.

As humans we like to see the game of life played out a certain way. It is very dangerous to super impose personal preferences on other people’s directional issues in their lives! Proverbs 20:24 “A man's steps are directed by the LORD.” The next blog will be dealing with the many different voices we hear and discerning them.

Understanding the Voice of God

Hearing voices is a lot different than understanding them. If you have ever been around someone who is speaking in a different language, at least one you don’t know, you might hear the voice just fine but not comprehend a single word that is spoken. The same could be true around someone who has a thick accent you're not used to hearing. We learn to understand people or voices when we spend time with those individuals. The same is very true when we spend time with the King. John 10:4 says, “His sheep follow Him because they know His voice”. This only comes true when we spend quality time in the presence of God and position ourselves in a place to learn His voice. Understanding the voice of God has a great deal to do with us being close enough to hear Him when He speaks! God is always consistent with His word. If something doesn’t line up to God’s revealed word . . . IT’S NOT FROM GOD. God’s voice will always honor His heart; His heart is for the lost.

** Yesterday I was at a great church southwest of Pittsburgh in Houston, PA. Central A/G Pastor Steve is leading a great group of people and doing an incredible job! This church has a true heart for missions and the lost people of our world.