The Highlander

 I never can seem to get enough of the gospel!  When I look at my life and just how many times I fall flat on my face,, I am reminded why Martin Luther said that we must preach the gospel to ourselves every day!  I need to be reminded just how much I am loved by Father and that ALL of my sins have been forgiven and are gone forever!  I need to stand afresh at the foot of the cross and look up at my Savior and remember how much value He placed in me, because He paid the ransom price with His own life for my soul.  I must hear the good news that condemnation is gone, gone forever, and will never exist towards me again because I am in Christ.

The gospel tells me that I am a free man.  I am free from the guilt and condemnation my sin brought me.  I am free from the tyranny of the past and the anxiety of the future, because I now belong to the One Who controls it all, and He has given me His absolute word that He will never leave me, fail me, or forsake me.  I am free from the bondage of the evil one because my Redeemer has crushed his head beneath His heel, and transferred me from the power of darkness into His glorious Kingdom of light and life.  I am free from the Law and its harsh judgment, because Jesus fulfilled the Law for me as my substitute.  He lived the life I could never live, and died the death I deserved to die.  Now I live by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and I only have one law to live by…love!

I was dead, but now I am alive.  I am a new creation.  Old things have truly passed away and everything has become new.  Now I live by His life within me, and I am free to experience life…real life, abundant life!  I no longer hear the Law screaming at me demanding me to “DO!”  Nope.  I hear the gospel shouting victoriously, “DONE!”  Rather than tuning in to the frequency of “religion” and listening to the tune of “work, work, work”, I have fixed my dial on the station of “grace” and enjoy the smooth sounds of “rest, rest, rest”!

Wow!  Just writing this is getting me stirred deep within!  And to think that being born from above is just the beginning!  It only gets better from there!  There is so much more waiting for us.  That’s what the Scripture tells us.  Our eyes have not seen, our ears have not heard, and we cannot in our wildest imaginations, conceive of all that God has planned for us!

I know that life can throw some real curves at us all.  Things happen to us almost on a daily basis that can bum us out and get us down.  We can all “step in it”, regularly and become depressed and discouraged.  When those times come, preach the gospel to yourself.  Shucks, you may get so happy and encouraged that you’re ready to take up an offering (well, maybe not that), but you get my drift.  The gospel is good news, it really is.  Not just for the world, but for me and you!

The Highlander

 ”For You have tried us O God; You have refined us as silver is refined, You brought us into the net; You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins.  You made men ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water, YET You brought us out into a place of abundance” (Psalm 66:10-12)

Have you  ever noticed how important the “little” words are in Scripture?  Words like “but”, “and”, “the”, and this word “yet”?  Heck.  These folks had been through a living hell.  Tried, tired, captured, oppressed, conquered, and put through fire and water.  None of which are fun experiences in and of themselves.  But, throw them all together and you have a recipe for night of the living dead, and you are one of the living dead!  They were beaten down, ready to throw in the towel, take a handful of pills and just end it all.  What’s even worse, is that God was the One Who led or  allowed all of these things to happen to them!  Talk about wondering if God loves you!  I am sure they questioned that one a great deal.

Then comes the “YET”!  After having taken them through all of these horrible places, He brought them OUT into an abundant place!  Way to go God!  Yep, weeping may endure for a night, but joy really does come in the morning. There was a light at the end of the tunnel and it was not a train.  It was the glory and blessing of Father!

For all who know and walk with God, there is always a “yet”.  Things may seem bad, chaotic, dark, and hopeless at times, but for us, but there is always a “yet”!  He will never leave us in the pit or in the net.  We always pass “through” the fire and the water.  Though we are tested and tried, as well as seemingly put through the ringer, we must not forget that HE is in control!  His desire is never to leave us in any of these places, but take us through them and bring us out into an abundant and blessed place!  He always has and He always will, even if it does not seem like it at the moment.

Do you feel like He has forsaken you?  Do you question His love for you because of the hard or dark place that you find yourself right now?  Are you ready to quit?  Don’t!  He has a “yet” for you too!  Just throw yourself into His arms of love and trust His heart for you.  Your “yet” is coming.  In fact, it may just be right around the next bend in the road!  Don’t forget…”yet”, “yet”, “yet”!!!

The Highlander

Hola Mafe!  Que tal?  Y Brady?

Greetings friends!

Well, our recent trip to Honduras was, as expected, a great blessing, as well as a blast!  It was also a trip that made Denise and I very homesick for our “other home”.  It was wonderful to see dear friends that we have missed terribly, and to revisit many of the places where we have done ministry over the last four years.  Cesar, one of the best friends we have in this world, took us around all week, and Alberto, one of our other “sons”, helped our group with translation.

The church in Tegucigalpa, Rebano de Jesus, continues to grow, both numerically and spiritually.  We held a service there the second night, and with just word of mouth about us being there, we had well over seventy five percent of the congregation in attendance!  The service was alive, stirring, and God touched many lives (especially ours and our groups), that night.  I fought back the tears for as long as I could, but then just broke down as we stood at the front as they prayed for us at the close.

We were finally able to make it back to Santa Elena where we have wanted to help the people get clean water from the mountain for so long.  We had been collecting blankets to take down to them for nearly two months, and the people here at Mount Pisgah, as well as some of Anna’s co-workers at Starbucks, were so gracious in their giving to help us.  Yes, it does get cold up there, and because it is in cloud forest, it is a damp cold.  So,  blankets are a real need. (more…)

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. (more…)

“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! (more…)

“…dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness.” Psalm 37:3b

This Psalm is filled with encouragement concerning the blessings of God upon His people.  Throughout the Psalm we are told not to worry about anything, especially where it concerns God meeting our everyday needs.  We are constantly admonished to trust in God and to look towards Him in an expectant manner.  Our focus is to be making God our chief delight and all of the rest will take care of itself.

But, thrown into the mix of all of this are these important words, “feed on His faithfulness.”  Hmmm.  When I look at all of the things this Psalm encourages me to do (not worry, trust God, etc.), I ask myself, “How do I do these things?”  In these words I find the answer…feed on His faithfulness!

To feed is a constant practice and action.  It is to take nourishment into my being on a daily and consistent basis.  Yet this feeding is one for the soul.  What is to be the source of my nourishment?  The faithfulness of God!

I am to feed my soul with the reality that God will ALWAYS keep His word.  He will ALWAYS do what is right.  He will NEVER break a promise.  He will ALWAYS be with me.  He cannot lie so what He says He will be, He will be.  What He says He will do, He will do!

Even when I am at my worst, He is at His best!  “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Timothy 2:13).  Yes, we can rest assured that as He so lovingly and faithfully cares for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, He will take care of us.  Our souls are to be fed with that reality.  This spiritual food will sustain us in the darkest of valleys and on the highest of mountain tops.  GOD IS FAITHFUL!

What is the fork that brings this spiritual delicacy from our plates to our mouths?  FAITH!  By faith we partake of this meal and by faith we eat and eat until our soul is satisfied.  Our whole walk with God and all of life in the Kingdom is by faith.

But, do you want to know what is so totally mind blowing?  It is not OUR faith we live by…it is HIS!  We live, “by THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD” (Galatians 2:20)!  This faith was a gift to us (Ephesians 2:8).  Now, when we are living by His faith, we will feast on His faithfulness.  We don’t have to work up faith, faith, His faith, already resides within us!  All we are to do is exercise it.

You see, He cannot doubt something that is true about Himself!  He has perfect and full confidence in Who He is and what He says.

He is faithful when we are good.  He is faithful when we are bad.  He is faithful when we are up.  He is faithful when we are down.  He is faithful when we are living lavishly in the Father’s house.  He is faithful when we are prodigals on the run.  He is faithful to His own, and yes, even to those who know Him not.

Yes, my friend, we can feast on His faithfulness!

When worry pays a visit, sit down and enjoy a plateful of the faithfulness of God.  When depression tries to steal your attention, get your eyes fixed on the banquet table of the faithfulness of God set before you and dig in!

I do not know who you are or what you are facing today.  But this I can tell you…GOD IS FAITHFUL!  He will never fail you and He will always keep His word.  Enter into the dining room.  The table is set, your chair is pulled out.  Sit down and enjoy the feast!!

Grace and peace,

The Highlander

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

This is such a wonderful passage of scripture!  It really fills our minds with dreams and thoughts of what is to come in our walk with God.  Adventure, beauty, and a host of other experiences await us.  The neat thing is that these and many other things not only await us in the age to come; they are ours for the taking now!

Paul is quoting a passage out of Isaiah 64:4.  It reads, “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts in behalf of those who wait for Him.”  Obviously, you see that there are some words used by Paul that are not used in the Isaiah passage.  Are they really different, or are they tied together in a very beautiful way? (more…)

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. Mark 11:22  

Our lives are to be lived by faith not by sight.  Jesus took the opportunity of the withering of the fig tree to teach His followers a very important lesson about life in the Kingdom.  Life can only be lived within the realm of God’s rule by having faith in God; nothing more and nothing less.  Our confidence and hope is not in a doctrinal statement, a church, or an idea.  It is in a real live Person.  A Person Who is vitally connected to each of our lives.

  We are to have faith in the Person of God.  We are to trust Who He is and what He is like.  We are to live in full confidence and dependence upon His nature, character and abilities.  When the Scripture says, “God is love”, we are to trust that.  When they declare that He is all knowing, ever present and never changing, we are to live in quiet confidence of those realities.  Whatever the Bible declares and reveals about God is fact and that fact can be transferred into the situations and circumstances of our daily lives.  Whatever He is, whatever He is like, and whatever He can do, He is all of these things for us!  We must have faith in that fact. (more…)

“The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy (unfailing love).” Psalm 147: 11  

Have you ever had a desire to just really want to please God?  I mean, have you ever wondered just what it is you could do to make Him happy with you?  I have heard the sermons that tell us how.  You know the “5 Steps to pleasing God” (invariably one of those steps is giving money to the church), “10 ways to make God happy” (number one on the list is always attending church every time the doors are open), or maybe the famous, “Pleasing God for Dummies”( Point two, even though you are a sinner…don’t sin!   Duh!).

  As believers, down within us, there is a longing to satisfy the heart of our Father.  We really do want to make Him proud of us.  So, just how do we do that?  Simple.  He tells us in Psalm 147:11 just what thrills His heart.  The Lord takes pleasure (is happy with, pleased by and with, thrilled with, satisfied by), two simple things.

  First, people who fear Him.  Now just what does that mean?  Does it mean standing in dreaded terror like the kid who has been caught in the act and is fearfully waiting for Dad to get home and lower the boom?  Does it mean living in cowering terror of a cosmic terrorist?  Nope.  Let’s just put it plain and simple.  To live in the fear of God is to live in “drop jawed wonder and awe of Him.”  Now that is about as simple as I can out it.  It means to have your breath taken away by the wonder of Who He is and what He is like.

  Have you ever been struck speechless, breathless, with an “OOOOOOHHHH   WOWWWWW”, kind of response to beauty?  I have.  I can remember many of the times vividly.

-the first time I ever looked into my wife’s deep blue eyes

- Sunrise over the snow capped Rocky Mountains 

-Sunset at the beach after a day of surfing with a storm building off the coast

-the moment I held my girls in my hands after they were born

-the first time I ever saw the Milky Way clearly from horizon to horizon.

I think you get the picture.  Words cannot describe what you are seeing and feeling.  The beauty and wonder are just too much.  In fact, they experience can be so powerful that it is frightening and can cause you to even tremble! 

God is thrilled with people who live in that kind of wonder and awe of Him.  Folks who just get a glimpse of His glory and are struck breathless by the wonder of it all.  To see Him and just say, “OOOOOOHHHH  WWWWOWWWWW GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!”  That pleases Him more than you know.  

The other thing He says that pleases Him is those who, “hope in His mercy…His unfailing love.”  People whose expectancy, confidence, hopes and dreams are wrapped up in the reality that He loves them more than they could ever know…and they believe it!  They really believe that He loves them as much as He says He does.  They don’t allow the devil to spread his pernicious lies about “conditional love”.  They know they have a Father who loves them perfectly.  They know that there is nothing they could ever do to “make” God love them one bit more, and nothing they could ever do to “make” Him love them one bit less than He already does.  They are able to rest and relax in the arms of a Daddy who knows them perfectly, and still loves them more than they could ever dream or imagine.  They are secure in a love that covers their past; brings life, liberty and laughter to the present; and guarantees a future of adventure and freedom beyond their wildest dreams.  People, who live in such hope of His love, thrill His heart to no end!!!  

So, forget the “5 steps” and the “10 ways” to please God.  Relax.  Let Him take your breath away and let Him love you.  When these things are happening, HE  IS  PLEASED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Highlander

“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! (more…)