Does Don Moen have a hotline to God?

If you ask me, my answer would be a big yes.

I did an exclusive interview with Don Moen last year two weeks before he came for an inspirational show and I was amazed by his revelations. 

As the world knows by now, Moen has made a name in international music for transforming contemporary Christian music and bringing praise-and-worship songs to greater heights of recognition and popularity throughout the world.

For more than 30 years as singer, songwriter and producer, he has captivated hundreds of millions of fans with an awesome array of songs that inspire, uplift and awe and which he performs in a style that interprets closely the words of the Bible, such as God Will Make A Way; Thank You, Lord; God Is Good All The Time; and Give Thanks.

The good news is that Moen is coming for another show called God Will Make a Way, produced by Ovation Productions (with The Philippine STAR among the sponsors), at the following venues: Oct. 1 at the CCF Center, Frontera Verde, Ortigas Ave., Pasig City, phone number (02) 470-2222; Oct. 2 at Waterfront Hotel Cebu ((032) 232-6888/0917-6228705; Oct. 3 at St. La Salle Coliseum, Bacolod City (034) 435-0553; and Oct. 4 at Limketkai Mall, Cagayan de Oro City (+63-88-856-8881). It’s Moen’s third visit to Manila.

Here are relevant excerpts from last year’s interview:

When and how did you first feel the presence of God? 

“I guess the first time I ever felt God’s presence would have been in church as a young boy of 10 or 11. I was blessed to have a pastor during those formative years who became like a second father to me and also to several other young men in the church. My mother took us to church but my father never attended in those years. My pastor took us hunting, fishing and camping, and was interested in our motor scooters, sports teams and school activities. He was so approachable, fun and relaxed that we all wanted to be around him. 

“On Sunday nights after a church service, he would take out his guitar and sing worship songs, then invite us to kneel at the altar for a time of prayer and commitment. Those are the first memories I have of feeling God’s presence in a very real way, which I think played a big role in how I approach worship today.” 

How do you pray (using the conventional prayer, The Lord’s Prayer, etc.) or in your own way, with your own words?

“Praying the The Lord’s Prayer is a great place to start any prayer, but it’s more than just reciting words that we’ve memorized. We can use this prayer as a guideline for all of our prayers and speak to God in our own words. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, I think He was giving us a great example to follow. 

“Start with adoration and praise, invite God to come and rule and reign in our lives, and establish His kingdom in our hearts and lives, so we are a reflection in the marketplace, our churches, schools, and families of what is happening in heaven. We pray for our daily needs, knowing that He will provide what we need for each day.  

“And, of course, asking forgiveness for our sins and forgiving those that have hurt us. We should ask for guidance as we go through each day, trusting the Holy Spirit to lead us to make the right decisions, giving us the courage to turn away from sin and evil….”

How do we know (what is the sign) that God hears our prayer?

“David said in the Psalms, ‘God hears and answers my prayer.’ How did David the Psalmist know this? Many times he cried out to God when people were trying to destroy him. Somehow, God protected him and he lived through each ordeal, although he was running for his life. 

“I want to avoid all the storms of life and pray that God would protect me from all these things, but more often than not, I end up going right into the middle of a storm, crying out for the Lord to save me. God has saved me each time, but in the process, I have been changed.  Prayer changes us. Storms change us.

“What is the sign that God hears and answers our prayers?  Look at the beautiful sunrise and sunset each day. It is a reminder that God is always faithful, and while circumstances don’t always work out exactly like we had prayed, God remains constant, unchanging, and we can trust Him with our prayers and our life. I think the key is to keep praying. Don’t stop. 

“I have been praying for certain prayers to be answered for many years and have not seen the answer, yet I keep praying, knowing that God is working in ways I cannot see, maybe not on my time schedule, but He is working, and I will continue to pray. Faith is a key here. Like the story of the man who was healed by Jesus, he said, ‘Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.’ So, keep praying and keep believing!”

What is your idea (“vision”) of heaven?

“The older I get, the more I am aware of heaven, as I have had close friends and family members who passed away, including my mother as I was holding her hand. The Apostle Paul said, ‘To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.’ I believe heaven is a place filled with light and love.

“I’ll never forget the look on my mother’s face as she breathed her last. It was as if she’d seen something too wonderful to believe. I asked, ‘Mom, what do you see?’ She just sat right up in bed with her blue eyes wide open and exclaimed, ‘Ohhhhhhhhh!!’ Personally, I believe she saw angels coming to escort her to heaven.

“I have tried to imagine what heaven is like, but I don’t think there is a way we can comprehend what God has prepared for us. The Bible says, ‘Eye has not seen, ear has not heard the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ When Jesus ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives where I was standing just two weeks ago, He said, ‘I go to prepare a place for you’…and I don’t think there is any way that we can conceive with our minds what is waiting for us. Total healing, total love, total acceptance. No darkness, only the light of Christ. Why would anyone intentionally walk away from this glorious promise?” 

‘What is the sign that God hears and answers our prayers? Look at the beautiful sunrise and sunset each day. It is a reminder that God is always faithful…’

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