Story Behind the Song: "I Am Not Ashamed"

When you come to a worship service at Greeneville First Church of God you will probably say to yourself, “These people are very engaged…they get into the singing…they get into the preaching.” I consider myself a very blessed worship pastor—I get to lead these people every week and it is a thrill! I love how our people use the altar rails. It is not uncommon for the altars to be full during the song service, choral selection or testimony. I love how when the congregation is seated if something is being sung that an individual identifies with, they stand up. The people here are not afraid to raise their hands in praise. Some of them even shout! I look forward to Sunday mornings and evenings.

I wanted to write a song that illustrated the way the congregation in Greeneville expresses herself when it comes to our faith. It only makes sense that you see a physical expression of joy or thankfulness or overwhelming gratitude if that is what is in you for God. If I am scared, I look scared. If I am sad, I look sad. I just love how our people unashamedly display their affection and adoration for our Lord.
The song is very simple: “I am not ashamed. I will not be hindered; nothing can hold me back from lifting my voice. I am not afraid to lift my hands up to Him; I have seen His power in my life.”

The last phrase is the reason for this—so many of the people in our services have SEEN God’s power in their lives. We have people in the pews that have overcome addictions, many have been miraculously healed, some have survived car accidents, cancer and other terrifying situations. Even our senior pastor’s testimony is quite amazing. God’s power has been so evident among us that we cannot hold back when we praise Him.

In this spirit, I wrote “I Am Not Ashamed.” I am grateful to Tim Hybarger that helped refine the music to this song. I pray that other congregations will latch hold of it as the congregation in Greeneville, TN has.

Story Behind the Song: "I Hear the Lord"

The song “I Hear the Lord” was born out of several conversations I had with a young man a few months ago. He had just recently been saved and we were doing Bible study together. I had shared with him that it is important during his prayer time to not just talk to God, but to also listen. I told him, “Listen with the expectation of hearing God speak to you.”

Anyone who has become a student in the school of prayer understands that it sometimes takes awhile to hear God at first…there are so many distractions in this world. I remember this young man becoming frustrated that he didn’t hear God speak back to him. So, we talked about the ways that God speaks to us.

He sometimes speaks audibly, but I believe it is rare. Romans 1:20 says that “since the creation of the world [God’s] invisible attributes are clearly seen”…I not only see who God is in creation but I can hear Him in the wind, in songs, in all of the sounds that are present. You see, God not only made what we can see, He made what we can hear, taste, feel and smell. I hear God in creation.

I also hear God when I look at my life. Isaiah 42:5 says that God gives breath to the people in His creation. God not only gives us every day that we have, He gives us every second. Should He decide to not give me my next breath, my life ends. This is how active God is in our lives…He literally controls every second of our existence. Colossians 1:17 says that “in [Jesus] all things are held together” which also tells me that without Jesus all things fall apart. Jesus is the glue that holds us together, I find this powerful. When I think about this fact, it tells me what He thinks of me—it tells me how He loves me. I hear the Lord just by existing.

The most common way of hearing the Lord is by reading His Word. As you have seen, the previous two ways that I hear God are derived from Scripture. Had I not known the Scriptures that tell me about creation and who I am, I would not have known to listen through them. The third verse to “I Hear the Lord” says, “I read His Word, principles clear, from His mouth to my ear. I obey as I go into His world. I hear the Lord.”

During this time, I was also reading a book entitled The Making of an Atheist by James Spiegel. (I highly recommend this book!) Spiegel tackles the argument that God may have made creation out of pre-existing matter. But for this to be true, matter would have existed before time along with God and the assumption can be made that God depends on matter in order to exist. We know that this is not true. Psalm 90:2 says that “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth; from everlasting to everlasting You are God.” God existed before creation. For this to be true, God must be able to exist dependent upon nothing. I find this to be a foundational truth that many people do not take seriously. God is dependent upon NOTHING. He created this universe out of nothing, He is dependent upon nothing. Hence the bridge lyrics, “Surrounded by proof that I cannot deny of a God who exists on His own…”

I am so glad that the Lord speaks to me and that I see Him at work in my life every day. I pray that you will seek to hear Him more through this song.