A Fathers Day Declaration

“I WILL NOT RUN”

My great grandfather was an angry man, he abused his family
He passed along that heritage, through the roots of our family tree
His children turned against him, and they drove him from his home
Never knowing where he ended up, or if he died alone

My grandfather was an honest man, he tried to live what’s right
But somewhere in the darkness, he fell without a fight
He took his sons, and dignity, and threw them in his truck
And he drove off in the shadows tryin’ to break his string of luck

I will not run, I will not run
By God’s grace, I’ll stand and face
Each new day as it comes
I will not run, I will not run
The family curse has been reversed
The healing has begun
And I will not run

My father was a godly man, of that there is no doubt
He told me once when he was young, he tried taking the wrong way out
But his love for God, and mom, and me, was stronger than his fear
So Jesus Christ was honored through the life dad lived down here

I will not run, I will not run, by God’s grace
I’ll stand and face, each new day as it comes
I will not run, I will not run
The family curse has been reversed
Now there’s a blessing for my son
For I will not run

(By: W. Berry / See & Say Songs, BMI)

I sang that song at church on "Fathers Day" Sunday for several years. I stopped singing it because I felt the Holy Ghost saying I should lay it aside for a while. However its been stirring around in my spirit the last several weeks so perhaps the time has come for it to be repristinated.

I'm told that the more personal a blog can be the better (more interesting) it is for the reader. I don't know if I can get any more personal than opening up some of my family history to you. So, here goes...

The first verse above is about my great grandfather on my dad's side of the family. The story that my grandmother told to me works itself out like this:

He was a farmer in the South sometime during the first half of the 1800's or thereabouts. He began his family (my family) by kidnapping a young Cherokee maiden. He somehow managed to elude the young warriors from her tribe that tried to track him down intent on killing him, and rescuing her. They were married (?) and during their life together had 8-10 children. As the children grew up he became more and more violent -- especially toward his wife (my great grandmother). One day he beat her and knocked her to the ground. She was pregnant at the time. He picked up a stick of firewood and in his rage he yelled out that he was "gonna beat that baby out of you."! His sons by then were apparently old enough and strong enough and angry enough to have reached their breaking point. They came to their mothers defense and chased him off at gun point and told him that if they ever saw him again they would shot him. A sorry state of affairs to be sure. After that dreadful event took place no one in the family ever saw or heard from him again. So the subject matter of that opening verse is a painfully sad (but true) story.

The second verse takes place a generation later and involves my grandfather on my mothers side. If you thought verse one was intense then consider this:

My mother was given to an uncle to raise when she was only three. She grew up thinking that her father had simply deserted her after her mother died believing he was not able to care for her. He had two sons that were approaching their teen years so trying to raise a baby girl without a wife seemed out of the question. My mom was well into her 40's before the real story came out. It reads like this:

Her dad married a women who had been widowed twice before. Both her husbands had died under "mysterious circumstances". The gossip was that she had killed them both but there wasn't enough proof to build a case on. However, while my mom was still a baby her mother apparently tried on several occasions to kill my grandfather (her husband, my mothers father). Whatever had transpired created a fearful situation that prompted my grandfather to run away in the middle of the night frightened for his life and that of his two sons. He left my mother with his brother and just disappeared. This was all revealed to my mother in a letter which he'd written to her before his death. He'd made both his boys vow not to contact my mom (their sister) until he passed away.

One afternoon I watched my mother open the mail box and begin to read "the letter" as she walked back up to the house. She didn't make it -- she collapsed in the front yard. I ran to try and find out what was wrong. I learned this story sitting there with her as she wept for what seemed like hours having discovered that she had two elder brothers and that her father (whom she'd never seen or heard from) had just passed away. It was a shattering experience for our family.

All this family history business had a deeply profound impact on me personally. Both these stories forced me to question things about my life, and the lives of others. Marriage covenant, birthing and raising children, honesty, responsibility, compassion (for others), respect, love and the fallen nature of humankind (SIN). Trying to learn how to process all that became a pretty heavy burden to bear. As it turned out, these events were all part of God's plan to begin imparting a desire into my heart in matters of "generational connections" (see Rom.8:28).

"He planted a witness in Jacob, set his Word firmly in Israel, then commanded our parents to teach it to their children so the next generation would know, and all the generations to come — know the truth and tell the stories so their children can trust in God, never forget the works of God but keep his commands to the letter'. (Ps.78:5-7 / The Message Bible)

The last verse is not as dramatic as the first two, but for me it is much more personal since it deals directly with my father.

I grew up in a great home with godly parents. They were wonderful to me. I don't know how my life with them could have been better -- blessed as I was. My dad had a solid understanding of how to be the head of our home and to provide, cover, and love his wife, and his only child - me. Nonetheless he told me something one day that relates directly to the stories you've just read. One day when I was still a baby the pressure of a new family, livelihood issues, and (I imagine) some generalized fear took hold on him. And, on his way to work one morning he decided to just drive away and never look back. Keep in mind that he knew the first story about his grandfather, the kidnapping, and the abuse. But, he didn't know anything about the other story involving my mom's childhood and the situation with her father. That all came out years later as I said. As it turned out the Holy Ghost got my dad's attention that morning in the car and before he got too many miles away he made a decision to face life as it had been given him. So, he turned around, drove back to Nashville, and went to work. He lived that way for another 40 years or so. In the year I turned 40, he turned 68 and went home to be in the eternal Presence of God.

After my father passed away these three stories all came together as a song. The inspiration for it came from a book I was reading by Gordan Dalby entitled, "Fathers & Sons". In it Dalby commented on something he'd discovered in his ministry to men across the country. He always ask in his seminars for the men who were present to stand up and state the names of the men who had proceeded them generationally in their families. During his years of ministry he discovered just how quickly our culture was losing touch with it's roots. Few men could go back passed two generations before them. That all prompted me to write the song and it prompts me even today to say this:

{I am Richard Wayne Berry; the son of William Lee Berry; the son of Rufus Henry Berry; the son of John Lee Berry....who was driven away from his family for acts of an ungodly nature}

My father broke the cycle of iniquity when he turned his car around that morning so many years ago. After several years of personal struggle and running away in my own life I came to terms with how I should try to live before my Lord. By God's grace and under His mercy I am still standing my ground for the sake of His kingdom. Now my son, Jesse Aaron Berry has the chance to add his story to mine and our forefathers.

I’ve shared this song lyric and these background stories with you in order to make the following observation. The Biblical meaning of the word “salvation” is much broader than the receiving of forgiveness for our sins and being assured of our promised reward(s) in heaven when we die. In Scripture salvation has as much to do with “deliverance” in this world as it does our hope in the afterlife. The word “deliverance” carries the meaning of…

Aid / Victory / Health (physically or spiritually) / Welfare / Liberty / and Rescue (physically or morally)

The salvation (deliverance) of the Lord has been at work in my life since before I was born (Ps.139:13-16). It has worked a cleansing purification in my temporal bloodline by transfusing it with the pure and holy sacrificial (atoning) blood of the Lamb, Christ Jesus, my Lord, and Savior. Not only has my family history been cleaned up, my life in the present (the now) is still being purified daily. And, my eternal future has already been perfected ---- before the days of my destiny have even come to be (Ps.31:14-16).

This is all a mystery. It is also a divine gift from my heavenly Father (Ja.1:17). And that gives me all the reason I need to testify to His goodness here "in the land of the living” (Ps.116:5-9). This testimony is a declaration of His deliverance from a “generation curse”. Blessed be the name of the Lord!







Copyright Secured: See & Say (Songs & Such), BMI

Wind Blown Worship (Part 1 & 2)

WIND BLOWN WORSHIP
(Part #1)

“Blowing toward the south, then turning toward the north,
the wind continues swirling along; and on it’s circular courses
the wind returns.” (Ecc.1:6)


I’m continuing with thoughts from my previous blog focused on hearing things related to God’s kingdom which come at us from outside of our normal, everyday lives. I want to share a story with you. It concerns an event that deeply impacted my life, my perceptions about living, and my future/destiny. In fact the term “life-changing” is appropriate for what I have to share.

The story begins in late September of 2004 standing in the middle of no where in Kenya, Africa. I was returning with a short term mission team from a region located in the very shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro. We had spent 10 days or so building two church structures for the Maasai tribes people who had converted to Christianity. After finishing and dedicating (consecrating) both buildings we started our journey out of the “bush” toward a paved highway that would take us back to Nairobi. Driving along roads that really weren’t roads at all one of our Land Rovers broke down. Fortunately our team guide had the no how and the tools needed to make the necessary repairs. However, doing so was going to take a while. So, we all piled out of our vehicles and purposed to make the most of our time until things got sorted out.

{Waiting patiently for circumstances to change is a major part of the African lifestyle. It’s in the DNA of those on the continent. If you go there you will find that out for yourself}

Here’s what happened:

During our time together as a team we had learned that we weren’t to walk too far away from the others when we were out in the “bush”. Things can get dangerous in such an environment. So staying within eyesight of each other is pretty important. Our team leader had released us to roam the area near the vehicles instructing us to stay close. We began to amble around in groups of two’s and three’s. A few of us went off on our own a brief distance away. I had walked away by myself to take care of natures call behind a couple of scrub trees when something very unusual began to occur as I turned to head back facing into the breeze that was rising up out of the valley which opened up just below us.

As I turned I began to hear what sounded like music. More specifically it sounded like singing. To be exact it sounded like children singing. And to fine tune that even further, I heard children singing what seemed to me like worship. The “sound” was very brief – 2 or 3 seconds at the most. But I know worship when I hear it. It’s a “deep calls to deep” thing (Ps.42:7).

What I heard stunned me. How could this be happening? We were in “the middle of no where” so how could there be singing? Where would it come from? And, how could it be kids voices?

As I continued to turn my face directly toward the wind the sound disappeared. As soon as it was there, it was gone. I stopped in my tracks and began to try and figure out what was taking place. I turned my head ever so slightly too re-center myself and when I did the wind shifted and blew more directly into my ear again instead of straight into my face. When that happened the sound returned. This time it was as clear as a bell, but not very loud. Got the picture? So, now I’m getting excited because my brain (and my senses) are starting to catch up with my spirit. I turned my face directly back into the wind and the sound disappeared again. Now I was on to something that was beyond my immediate comprehension. As I turned my head away from the wind blowing at me directly the air current blew into my ear again instead of into my face. Then what was happening hit me light a bolt of lightening. What I was hearing was on the wind – or in the wind. The sound was coming from somewhere as yet to be determined and it was being carried on/by the wind itself. In fact it couldn’t be detected unless my ear was turned exactly the right way in order to catch the sound as it blew in my direction. In other words -- without being positioned properly I couldn’t hear the singing at all. Saint’s, that’ll preach!


I glanced back up the ridge to see if any of the others from the team knew what I was experiencing. Not a clue --- they had heard nothing. They weren’t positioned (tuned in) to it at all. I WAS HAVING A DIVINE APPOINTMENT AND PEOPLE WITHIN EARSHOT OF ME HAD NO IDEA! Selah…pause & consider.

Once I realized what kind of “moment” I was in I locked into the sound like a laser-tracking-beam. I begin to move toward it. But, every time I turned directly into the wind I lost the singing. I could only stay on track by turning my head every so slightly every few steps. That way the wind carried the sound into my ear and I could adjust my path of pursuit accordingly. My heart was pounding and my soul was caught up in the dynamics of what was taking place. I had to know where the singing was coming from and who was creating it. So up toward the top of the ridge I ran yelling like a crazy man for the others to join me. But the angle I was moving in was taking me away from those on the team and the wind was carrying the sound of my voice (along with the sound of the singing) away from my comrades.
The only person near enough to really hear me was a sister from our worship choir back in our home church. As I motioned for her to meet me at the top of the ridge she began to head in that direction. She had no idea what was waiting up at the crest --- and neither did I.

To be continued...

WIND BLOWN WORSHIP


(Part #2)

“Blowing toward the south, then turning toward the north,
the wind continues swirling along; and on it’s circular courses
the wind returns.” (Ecc.1:6)

Continued from my last posting...

As Patti and I topped the rise of the ridge we saw the valley opening up below us and beyond us toward a small mountain range in the distance. The valley wasn’t very deep but it was fairly wide and long. On the edge nearest us as we looked down we could see a dry river bed which continued out and away from where we stood. At the base of the ridge just below us we saw something besides land and space. There was what appeared to be a sort of fort made from slender tree trunks which had been stripped clean of their bark. The fort was constructed in a rectangular shape and open to the sky. It had just four walls of wood with no ceiling. As we stood there trying to figure out what it was suddenly everything locked into place in one profoundly amazing moment. The wind off the valley floor picked up and began to rise up the side of the ridge toward where we were positioned looking downward. And, what it carried up to us was now hitting us square in our faces. It was the sound of children singing at the top of their voices. It was such a precious and passionate sound. Such beauty and wonder in such a dry and barren place. This “no place” had become a high and holy place “in the middle of no where”. I turned toward Patti who up until that moment had no idea of why I had called her to join me there. She hadn’t heard a sound till it rose up on the wind and overwhelmed her. I looked at her with tears in my eyes (matched by her own) and I said, “Patti, it’s a school and the kids are singing praise songs”! There under the open and expansive African sky the Holy Ghost fell big time and my sister and I were overcome by the sound, tears, smiles and joy of it all.

In the very next instant one side of the “fort” opened up were a doorway was positioned and all the kids ran out of their classroom, made a turn away from us and moved out beyond and down into the dry riverbed laughing, jumping and having a grand time of it. I looked at Patti thru more tears and I said, “it’s recess”. We both began to laugh out loud as we thanked God for His precious gift to us. As we stood there talking it all in the Holy Ghost spoke to me with a word of revelation. He said, “no place, is some place, to somebody”. At that moment my global perspective exploded. My view of humanity, the nations, and God’s ever-expanding kingdom took on entirely new dimensions. My understanding of His Omnipresence had been blown totally off the charts. I was awestruck!

There’s much more to this story than I’ve presented here. It continues to impact my life and ministry almost daily. But it’s my understanding that blogs work best if they remain brief. So, I’ll end with this:

God’s “otherness” is a very real thing to encounter. The eternal dynamics of His kingdom --- the ebb & flow ---- are constantly at work. We are “compassed about” (Ps.32:7 / KJV) by the sights & sounds of His Divine Presence in truly supernatural ways.

Allow the Spirit of the Lord to open up your senses, your soul and your very being to the glory and wonder of it all.

And may His kingdom come (manifest) on earth as it is in heaven.


Let me mention one last thing to those of you who lead congregations in corporate worship on a regular basis. Please be encouraged by this FACT! Worship, heart-felt, soul-engaged, pure, honest and undefiled worship is being released all over this earth every moment of every day (24/7/365). God has purpose and ordained it to be that way (Ps.150:6 / Luke 19:40). But, the thing is, we’re not always standing in the right spot, at the right moment, with our heads turned just the right way to be able to hear it. Nonetheless, it is there. I can personally testify to the fact that there is worship on the wind coming from people in places that you’d never imagine.

Copyright Secured: See & Say (Songs & Such), BMI

“All of heavens waiting
All the earth expecting
Sons, daughters, arise
Singing songs of freedom
Words of healing
One voice, wind blown worship”
(From: Hallelujah / By: Denise Graves)

EARS TO HEAR
(The Sound of Otherness)


Previously I commented about “songs of deliverance” (Ps.32:7) and I asked you if you were able to hear them surrounding you. This business of hearing things supernatural can be a very tricky thing to try and accomplish.

Hearing spiritual things requires spiritual ears tuned to frequencies which are outside (above & beyond) our earthly senses. To be open for and sensitive to such transcendent sonic-ness we have to first desire to hear the “otherness” coming forth from God’s eternal kingdom. And, then, we have to begin to understand that such hearing as that doesn’t happen through casual contact. Relationship is required in order for the lines of communication to be strung into place. For without a connecting point to “things above” (Col.3: 1-3) our reception can only be random at best. And, regardless of the increasingly popular “post-modern-mind-set” randomness isn’t necessarily the best way to move thorough ones life and times. That however is a subject for another blog down the road a ways - perhaps.

For now --- how’s your link to the Trinity? Dropped any calls lately?

A pondering: In John 12, verses 28 & 29 we are told how the sounds of heaven can be received ---- or not. Verse 28 says that “a voice out of heaven” spoke. Verse 29 gives us two examples of how such a sound as that can be processed. One group of bystanders responded by stating “that it had thundered”. The other respondents said that “an angel had spoken”. If you’ll allow me just a little flex room with this passage please, I think there could well have been a third group present at that moment of “divine encounter” who missed it all together. That group would have been comprised of those who heard nothing at all. No thunder. No angels. No nothing. Personal experience has taught me that such people are still among us today. Just look around. There are folks everywhere who never hear (or see) any evidence of God’s presence, power or purpose on the earth or in the heavens above (see Rom.1:20). Sad but true.

When the voice of the Lord speaks which group are you in? As “songs of deliverance” are being sung around you, you may or may not be aware of them. That all depends on how receptive you are to things eternal. And, that’s a “where your treasure is” sort of thing (Luke 12:22-34).

Can you hear Him now? Just checking.

Copyright Secured: See & Say (Songs & Such), BMI

GOD’S GOT YOU COVERED

“You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance.” Selah. (Ps.32:7)

I do a lot of pondering. I turn things over in my head, heart and spirit. I examine, re-consider, and generally think about stuff in ways that some folks don’t want to be bothered by. So be it. We’re all “fearfully and wonderfully made” ya know (Ps.139:14).

There’s a word (besides nuts) for someone who filters life that way.
(Contemplative: Marked by or given to contemplation)

A contemplative person practices contemplation.
(Contemplation: A. Concentration on spiritual things as a form of private devotion B. Acts of considering with attention (Midrash: Hebrew for study) C. The act of regarding steadily)

Here’s a portion of a recent pondering that I thought I’d blogify 4 u: The verse I’ve quoted above tells us that we’re surrounded by “songs of deliverance”. The KJV says God will “compass” us about. To compass (or encompass) something means to cover it from every possible angle and perspective. North, South, East, West as well as above and beneath. In other words the Spirit of God daily covers us with such deliverance songs. From every direction we turn, from where we stand, and to wherever we might ascend --- songs (KJV says “shouts”) of deliverance are there waiting to be heard, sung, and appropriated into our lives.

Did you know that? Can you hear them?

More about all that in the daze ahead (see Ps.139:7-10). For now, try a little selahness.

Copyright Secured: See & Say (Songs & Such), BMI

Commenting on the phrase “You shall surround me with songs of deliverance”, Charles Spurgeon says this: “What a golden sentence! David is surrounded with song and with dancing mercies, all proclaiming the triumphs of grace. There is no breach in the circle; it surrounds him. On all sides, he hears music, in front, hope sounds the cymbals, and behind, gratitude beats the timbrel. Right and left, above and beneath, the air resounds with joy.” (From “The Treasury of David” /By: Charles Spurgeon)

WORLD OF WONDERS

God is Creator of everything! That of course includes all of life on this planet, the heavens above us, and the ever-expanding universe as well. Through His Sovereign an endless creativity He has provided the seasons as a context for all of life to express praise and adoration for this “world of wonders”. For those who have the spiritual eyes to see it ---- the earth really is filled with His glory.

There is a passage in God’s Word that addresses this in a grand way. In Romans 1:20 Paul makes a statement as to what could perhaps be considered the bedrock of kingdom evangelism. He states that there are things most wondrously infused into the DNA of earth which can (or should) serve as keys to unlocking the door leading to the Gospel, and then on to confession, repentance, conversion, and covenant relationship, followed by a life of consecration as servant-stewards unto the Lord.

“The basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse.” (Rom.1:20 / The Message Bible)

I’ve recently returned with a team of my kingdom comrades from a ministry trip to South Africa. The huge expanse of the continent is truly overwhelming to experience first hand. Everything is, well, just bigger there! The immensity of the clouds, the seemingly endless vistas from the mountain tops, the visual (and visceral) perspective of time and space standing in the deserts, and of course the drive time from wherever you may be to wherever you’re headed next ----- all come together in a way that brings you to your knees while at the same time seeming to raise your heart to higher levels of praise and deeper levels of worship for God’s benevolent handiwork.

All that our eyes can behold in the nature of this earth is what Scripture calls the “fringes of His ways” (NASB):

“He spreads the skies over unformed space, hangs the earth out in empty space. He pours water into cumulus cloud-bags and the bags don't burst. He makes the moon wax and wane, putting it through its phases. He draws the horizon out over the ocean, sets a boundary between light and darkness. Thunder crashes and rumbles in the skies. Listen! It's God raising his voice! By his power he stills sea storms, by his wisdom he tames sea monsters. With one breath he clears the sky, with one finger he crushes the sea serpent. And this is only the beginning, A mere whisper of his rule. Whatever would we do if he really raised his voice!" (Job 26: 7-14 / The Message Bible)

Here in America, as we enter into the season of spring with it’s new growth, new promise, and new life coming up all around us it’s a very good time to renew your vision of God’s unfolding kingdom. This should be a time of thankfulness for the days that the Lord is giving us.

Don’t be fooled (or mislead) by the news you hear coming at your from every direction. Birth, new birth is taking place. There are healings, mighty acts of deliverance, divine encounters, and new converts being added to the kingdom daily. God releases new mercy with each new sunrise. Just keep looking till it begins to come into focus. And, if the glasses you’re viewing your life through don’t seem to be working well anymore…..perhaps you just need some new lenses.

“The heavens are declaring the righteousness of the Lord”
(Ps.50:6)

Copyright Secured: See & Say (Songs & Such), BMI

“INVISIBLE GOD”


I give you praise, O Great Invisible God
For the moon in the space of a dark night
For the smile on a face in the sunlight
I give you praise, O Great Invisible God
For the sound of the storm on the window
For the morning adorned with a new snow
For the tears on the face of the old man
Made clean by the grace of the good Lamb
And oh, I long to see your face, Invisible, Invisible God
All the works that you have made are clearly seen and plain as day
So mighty and tender. O Lord, let me remember

That I see you everywhere Invisible God
In the seed that descends to the old earth
And arises again with a new birth
In the sinner who sinks in the river and emerges again, delivered
And oh, I long to see your face, Invisible, Invisible God
All the works that you have made are clearly seen and plain as day
So mighty and tender. O Lord, let me remember

Your power eternal, your nature divine
All creation tells the tale that Love is real and so alive
I feel you, I hear you, Great God Unseen I see you

In the long, cold death that the winter brings
And the sweet resurrection spring.
(From: Resurrection Letters Vol. 2 / By: Andrew Peterson)