Make Some Noise

It seems as of late that I have had the opportunity of telling my speech problems as a child.  I had some major hearing issues as a toddler which led to me not being able to speak, except to make some noise to get my parents attention so that they could figure out what I needed.  So at the age of two, I saw my first ear doctor and it would continue for many years.  Likewise, I spent some years in speech therapy to catch up with where I needed to be.  By the way, on September 18 I did a funeral for a dear friend of mine back in Fairfield, and my speech therapist for all those years was at the funeral...kind of unique isn't it?  So even after all those years of therapy I was still afraid to talk.  Today, I still struggle to say words correctly, even with the help of my kids.  I remember in college dating a girl who was bound and determine to be my adult speech therapist, that relationship didn't last long as I always felt humiliated by her.  Also, because of my lack of confidence in speaking, I basically flunked high school speech and barely made it past college speech.  So when Moses and Jeremiah both speak of challenges with their speech, I get it...and then I became a communicator for a living.  Only God.

But let me get very honest with you.  Although my speech has already had its challenges, my life in general has always been against me to be confident to even speak at all.  I can't tell you how many times in my life I have literally said to myself, "who I am to be able to speak on this topic."  When I spent 4 years as the preaching pastor in Mt. Pulaski, my battle every Sunday morning was, "who the heck am I to preach about Jesus."  I would lay there in bed asking for Jesus to find another way.  Then I would muster up the courage to go and my hope was to only give glory to God and paint a correct picture of Jesus Christ.  And then the feeling of being done, I lived for noon every Sunday.  And I promise you, since Mt. Pulaski I still struggle with speaking of Jesus but continue to do so because nothing brings me to life like those moments do and then when I am done, I think I never want to do that again.  Isn't that funny?  But what is that?  I think it is two things:  1.  I am a deep sinner.  I think the deeper I get in my faith the more overwhelmed I am of my depravity.  And like David in Psalm 8:4, I really do think to myself, "whom am I that God would be mindful of me."  I fight against that almost daily.  2.  I think it is the enemy also trying to keep me quiet.  I mean think about it, if I am quiet, then the people that I am around that day, won't hear of my Hope.  I think that is actually pretty clever on Satan's part, don't you?  If we stay quiet, who will hear?

Check this out, Paul writes in Romans 10:14-15 these words, which are borrowed from Isaiah 52:7:

"How then, can they call on Him they have not believed in?  And how can they believe without hearing about Him?  And how can they hear without a preacher?  And how can they preach unless they are sent?  As it is written:  How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news."

If what Paul is saying is true, then when we stay quiet, we are keeping the Great Commission from happening...we keep the Kingdom of Heaven from growing.  And then of course, we see the word preacher in there and it throws the whole thing out of whack for us common people because our first reaction is, "I'm not a preacher."  But let me remind you that the greek word for preacher simply means to proclaim.  So let's do this, "how can they hear without a proclaimer?  And how can they proclaim unless they are sent?"  Now that means everyone who calls on the Name of Jesus is called to proclaim the Name of Jesus.  And again, I find myself many times thinking and "who am I to proclaim the Name of Jesus" because I am a sinner, but Jesus reminds me time and time again, that I am His child before I am anything else.  I am always moved when Jesus says to His disciples in the context of them coming back joyful because the demons were submitting to them in His name, and Jesus says, "However, don't rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20)  Who we are is more important to Jesus than what we do.  Jesus also knows that when we truly know who we are, it will carry out what we do.  I only do what I do because of who I am.  I used to do what I did for others, but no more.  I am actually free from that burden.  I do what I do because of Him...the rest plays itself out however He desires.  I rejoice that my name is written in heaven which now leads me to not stay quiet.

Let me finish up by sharing with your where the idea of this blog came from.  Mark 9:38-41:

John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn't following us.  Don't stop him, said Jesus, because there is no one who will perform a miracle in my name who can soon afterward speak evil of me.  For whoever is not against us is for us.  And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to Christ - truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward." 

I confess that I have tried to stay quiet.  I have thought that it would be best if I was quiet.  Again, who am I to even speak about Jesus.  I have wrestled with these as well as being reminded by the enemy of how much of a sinner I am.  But I declare to you that Jesus keeps winning that battle within me.  As I continually sit at His table to eat His fresh bread, He moves my heart.  And like Jeremiah 20:9 - I just can't stay quiet.  Even if people were to try and shut me up, it won't happen.  Jesus is way too important to me.  And so I have made this my 2020 goal and I am seriously asking you to join me.

Knowing that Satan wants us to be quiet, my goal is to MAKE SOME NOISE each day for the Glory of Jesus.  Think about this, 365 days of MAKING SOME NOISE for Jesus...haha.  I love it.  And I am going to do it...so get ready.  And the beauty of that is that it can come in any form possible.  A text.  A phone call.  An email.  A blog.  A sermon.  A cup of cold water. A card.  Lunch.  A face-to-face conversation.  But I am telling you this friends, every day I will make some noise.  I went from a young boy who couldn't talk to being afraid to talk because of my obstacles to now making sure that I make some noise each day.  So yes, I am a sinner, but I am redeemed only by Jesus.  Yes, the enemy wants to shut me up, but I won't let Him.  My NAME IS WRITTEN IN HEAVEN and I am going to celebrate that...who is with me?