The Highlander

 As I began my rookie training with the local Fire Department, I was reminded in a round about way of how much our lives impact the lives of others.  One of the things I was blessed with as I began my training was our wonderful textbook Essentials Of Firefighting And Department Operations.  This wonderful gift literally weighs about 20 pounds, give or take a few ounces!  It is loaded with all kinds of vital information that every firefighter NEEDS to know.  As we were going through our class on Firefighter Safety and Health, I came across a quote that struck a deep chord within me.  It was this, “Train as if your life depended on it–it does.”  No statement could be any truer, especially when it comes to firefighting, and all of the rigorous and repetitive traing that you go through.  This statement has affected the way I approach all of it; from working out and doing all of the physical training, to all of the mental and psychological aspects as well.

Yet, the more I pondered that statement and principle, I thought about another statement that is just as true, “Live as if the lives of others depended on it–they do.”  We have been placed in this world by Father to love Him and to love others.  It does not get any simpler than that.  Every single day, people are brought across our paths that He has placed there for us to love in some way.  It may simply be a kind word that they need or maybe some encouragement.  It could be that we have the chance to invest some time in their life or give them something that they may physically need.  It may just be that they need a listening ear.  It doesn’t matter that you don’t have all of the answers, just that you have the time to care enough to listen.

The deepest need of all of our hearts is to be loved.  Having that need met gives us all of the significance, meaning, and direction that we need to live a fulfilled and richly blessed life in this world.  The way that we live, the words that we speak, whether we like it or not, touches the lives of others.  That impact can be positive or negative and it could be one that lasts for a short time or for a lifetime.  People watch us and listen to us, especially if they know that we profess to walk with Christ.  I don’t say that in order to “guilt you” into living right.  That is just a fact.  We don’t need more rules and regulations or principles and steps, in order to live lives that make a difference.  We just need to live loved by Father.  As we receive His love for us, and it fills us up, it HAS to spill over into the lives of others.  We just cannot contain it.  We learn to live life as Eugene Peterson states in The Message, according to the “unforced rhythms of grace.”

If we will give ourselves over to the pursuit of being loved by God and loving Him, the impact of our lives on others will be for the eternal good.  So remember, live as if the lives of others depended on it–they do!

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

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. (more…)

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! (more…)

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. (more…)

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? (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…)

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. (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…)

“…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. (more…)