The Highlander

Two weeks ago, my girls and I braved the elements and went to the first showing of Prince Caspian which took place at 12:01 am. Now, I must say that I have been looking forward to this for a long time, and I was not disappointed.There in the midst of a host of college kids and a few adults who were allowed to (or were able to), stay up past their bed time, I was blessed with another fresh encounter with the living Aslan. There were several points during the movie, when I just had to keep from breaking down and crying uncontrollably. I know that may seem weird to some, but to others, it makes perfectly good sense. Read the rest of this entry »

Have you ever stopped and listened to many of our conversations about our relationship with God? If so, have you ever noticed how much of our language is rooted in an Old Covenant, separation mentality? Here are a few simple examples:”Welcome to the “the Lord’s house”" (Usually given when welcoming people to a Sunday morning gathering).

“Lord, we come into Your Presence…”

“Be with us Jesus…”

“Help us draw near to You…”

“Cast me not away from Your Presence”

“Come to us now Lord…”

These are just a few of the kind of Old Covenant, separation Freudian slips we make when talking about our relationship with God. Are they correct? Heck no! Read the rest of this entry »

This past Sunday we went and listened to my father-in-law preach at the church where he is the interim Pastor. He spoke from Matthew 15:21-28. There we have the story of the woman who came to Jesus, desperately pleading for Him to deliver her daughter who was being tormented by a demon. As I sat and listened, I began to think about this woman’s plight and the level of desperation she was at. I also thought about how Jesus was truly, as my father-in-law shared, drawing something out of her that He had already given to her.

This lady was desperate! She was so desperate to see her daughter healed that she was willing to make a scene and a fool of herself in her desperation. Her loud pleading and crying was really an embarrassment to Jesus’ little entourage. They wanted Jesus to just shoo her off and send her away. The nerve of that lady making such a fuss in the Presence of the Teacher! Read the rest of this entry »

Do you ever wonder why God hates sin so much?  I was reflecting on this the other night, and I was struck by many of the reasons why.  Have you ever noticed what happens when we sin?  Well, first of all after the initial pleasurable feeling (that’s right pleasurable, why do it if it does not feel good to do so?), the guilt comes.  For us as children of God, the Holy Spirit brings conviction to us that we have hurt Him in some way.  Now, the enemy is waiting to step right in when this conviction comes.  He wants to turn this feeling into false and heavy guilt and condemnation.  These “lies” are intended to lead to something…flight!

That’s right.  He wants us to take the Adam and Eve “run away, run away” and hide action.  He also wants to use our sin to create a feeling of great separation and isolation away from God.  Then in our place of hiding from God, he fills our minds with thoughts like, “God is so disappointed with me.  He is angry with me.  He will never bless me.  He is surely going to punish me for what I have done.  I am a failure.  I am no good.  I can never do anything right.  God does not really love me, He just tolerates me for Jesus’ sake.  I cannot go to Him again and ask forgiveness for this.  I am sure He is running out of patience with me on this one…”  On and on I could go. Read the rest of this entry »

You know, it really is a hard thing to stay focused on seeking God’s Kingdom first, and trusting that “all these things” shall be added to us.  Over these last five weeks since we got back from Honduras, I have found that many of my prayers have turned from being “God centered” to “me centered”.  Things like, “God help!  We need a house to live in!”  “God do something, we all need jobs to pay the bills!”  “God, are you ever going to open something up for us in…?”  “God, are you there?  Are you listening?”  Ever been there before? Read the rest of this entry »

I wrote the following poem after listening to William (Willie) P. Young, author of The Shack, share his testimony.  It was very powerful and you will be blessed if you listen to it.  Of course, it will make all the difference in the world if you have read the book first, because he is sharing about his own “personal shack” experience.  Get the book if you have not already!  It will bless your socks off!

You can listen to his testimony at:

http://www.drewmarshall.ca/listen2008.html

Just scroll down to William P. Young and click.

This poem is all about coming out of hiding and exposing all your secrets to the light of God.  It can be a traumatic and painful experience, but the most freeing and grace filled journey in your life.

You all be richly blessed!

The Highlander

COMING OUT OF HIDING

I’m coming out of hiding,
I’ve nowhere left to run,
I’m tired of all the secrets,
I’m facing them in the light, one by one,

I’m coming out of hiding,
the shame is too much to bear,
I’ve done all the should’s and should not’s
But healing is not there,

I’m coming out of hiding,
Because Someone calls to me,
He invites me to step into His embrace,
Into arms of love that will set me free,

I’m coming out of hiding,
Exhausted from all the pain,
Yet He tells me, “Be at peace,
What you thought was loss, I’ll turn to gain”,

So from the darkness I emerge,
And collapse in the arms of grace,
I open my eyes and lift up my head,
And see a smiling face,

“Just so you’ll know, I’m so glad you’re here,
We’ve been waiting to make all things new,
I’ve just one thing to say, and it comes straight from My heart,
My, my, my, how I do love you!”

By Randy Umberger

Greetings to you all!Finally, after a little over a month’s long hiatus, I am writing again! It feels great!

Anam Cara is a Gaelic word which means “soul friend”. In the early days of missionary work in Ireland, when Patrick was planting churches throughout that nation, if someone came to a community of believers as a seeker, or as a new Christian, they were assigned an Anam Cara, a soul friend. This person was responsible for answering their questions and encouraging them along in their own personal journey to faith or in the faith. They were there to encourage and instruct them in the ways of God and how to get to know Him as intimately as possible.

That is exactly what I desire to do through these devotionals/writings. I want to encourage and help each of you get to know Papa as intimately as you can. I desire to stir you to live out a kingdom centered life that manifests the Person and power of Jesus Christ, everywhere you go. I would like to, in some way, be a soul friend to each of you.

Just the other night, I was meeting with a group of believers form a fellowship nearby. They were telling me of their own personal journey over the last several years as a group, and about their experiences with their last several Pastors. The one word that was used by one dear lady describing their experience was “beaten down”. She was describing how the folks left their gatherings feeling that way after the Pastor has blistered them with his message. In fact, they all said that it seemed that he did not feel like he had “preached”, unless he had screamed, yelled, and scolded them until they felt so horrible and burdened down with guilt, that they had to come to the altar and “get right with God”. How sick and how sad. Read the rest of this entry »

These last few weeks have been exhausting to say the least!  Between getting all of the stuff together to try and sell and tying up loose ends here and there, we feel like we have been run ragged.  The emotional aspect of cutting loose from here has also been taxing.  This is the first time that I feel like I could sit down and put some sentences together in a coherent fashion.

In the midst of all of this upheaval, the following passage spoke to me and touched me deeply.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden,  and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

As I read that, I cried out on the inside, “Yes Lord, I am exhausted!  I am tired.  I feel very, very weary within.”  The longer I meditated on this passage, here are a few things that He shared with me. Read the rest of this entry »

“O our God, will You not judge them?  For we are
powerless before this great multitude who are coming
against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes
are on You.”  (2 Chronicles 20:12)

The Israelites were facing an approaching army that was larger and more powerful than anything they could stand against.  In fact, just the mere report of their entrance into Judah, sent fear racing through the heart of King Jehoshaphat.  He knew that there was only one thing to do in the face of such impending doom and danger; seek God!

He called a fast and gathered the people together to seek help from God.  Where else could they go?  They had no one to turn to, no ally to call that would rush to their aid.  Their backs were against the wall. Unbeknownst to them, they were exactly where God wanted them to be.

As they cried out and sought God, Jehoshaphat confessed their utter helplessness before such an imposing force.  They had no options, no way out.  He confessed to God that they did not know what to do, but that they would do the one thing, the only thing that mattered in such a situation; they would fix their eyes on God.  Simply stated, this phrase means that they would look expectantly and confidently towards God for their help and deliverance.  He was fully confident in God’s love for them, as well as His power to deliver and to provide.  He knew that God would not sit by and do nothing.  He knew that He would intervene, and He did! Read the rest of this entry »

“…mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13b NIV)

You know, as we read through the Bible, we come across some pretty powerful scenes of God bringing down judgment on nations and people.  In fact, these events are sometimes so cataclysmic and drastic in scope, that many people call into question the love and mercy of God.  “How could a loving God do…?” Or, “How could a loving God permit…?”

Yet, if one reads the Scripture from the proper perspective of the heart of God, we can see these judgments in a whole different light.  Yes, Scripture must  be interpreted in its context and according to proper grammatical rules, etc.,  but, it must ALWAYS be viewed through the heart, nature and character of God.  Every event, every action, every experience must be seen from His heart.  It is so with judgment.

We must ask ourselves, “What is God’s ultimate goal in his acts of judgment/discipline?  What is He after?  What does He desire?”  And, the answers to these questions must be in harmony with His heart. Read the rest of this entry »