Back in 1973, I was serving as a Platoon Commander in Northern Ireland as part of the British Security Forces when I experienced a very real “Clash of the Kingdoms.” Our enemy was the IRA (Irish Republican Army) who were fighting for the reunification of the six counties of Northern Ireland with Eire - Southern Ireland.
Read MoreFor weeks now, I’ve had a strong stirring in my spirit that the times are much more urgent than we know, while the world so easily lulls us to sleep. Everyone is busy and tired, many just hobble along, struggling to survive nursing serious wounds. Others, set their faces like flint focus on the positive for fear of offending people. “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.” Jeremiah 6:14 (NIV)
Read MoreDuring our lifetime, most of us experience being in debt of some kind, such as paying off a fridge, a car or a house. It can feel awkward and even a little bit scary to be in debt, especially if big money is involved. Realistically, there is much in life that the majority of us cannot gain without placing ourselves in that position…
Read MoreThe grass is crispy and brown, the cattle are skinny and every living thing is suffering in Northland in the terrible heat. There’s been no rain for weeks, and this is on the back of many consecutively dry summers which has depleted our rivers, reservoirs and aquifers. Kaikohe has run out of water and other towns are not far behind…
Read MoreAs Luke’s car winds slowly up the mountain road to Salento, I revel in the beauty of the green countryside. Everything sparkles in the sunshine after the recent heavy rains. If this is so beautiful, what must it have been like before sin entered our world?
Read MoreA radio interview? Um, no thank you! All my life I have performed in musical theatre and as a singer, but being recorded on the radio… That’s another matter! One of my lovely readers (thank you, whoever you are!) sent a copy of my book Ya’acov’s Well to Joy Ravela, one of the hosts of radio Rhema’s drive show. She got in touch about it and we decided to do a giveaway – and an interview.
Read MoreThe angel standing on my right, and the demon standing on my left, both leaned forward with great anticipation. They were both watching my lips, and waiting to hear what was going to come out of my mouth. They were waiting for their marching orders. After all, the power of life and death are in our tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Remember from part 1 of this blog, angels harken to the spoken word of God (Psalm 103:20-21).
Read MoreThere have been times in my life when God has spoken silently, but meaningfully, into my life. More often than not those times have been what I call the ‘desert times’ – the times where things aren’t going smoothly – the times when I’m being stretched beyond what I think I can endure…
Read MoreMy feet were swollen lumps of mincemeat and mono-blisters, and my muscles were so stiff they got rigor mortis if I stopped longer than ten seconds. The pack on my back weighed nearly as much as I did, and the mountain was almost vertical.
We were two days in to the 3-day tramp in the Kaimai Ranges on the Lifeway First Wave Army training, and I was feeling it. I hit a wall and cried out to the Lord for help. I remembered the Bible says, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV).
Read MoreYou are born for great things. You can do exceedingly more than you can hope for, or imagine.
It costs to live your life to the fullest. There is a commitment required, and a daily persistence in work and faith. Don’t think it comes easy for anyone. Anyone who achieves, puts in the hard yards. To achieve great things in your life you will need to first start believing that you are born for great things. Believe in it wholeheartedly as there is so much potential in you, and you will be able to do exceedingly more than you can hope for, or imagine.
Read MoreIf you want some excitement, tune into American politics as the claws are out and the fur is flying at the moment. One of the dramas involves Bernie Sanders, a “democratic socialist” who is among the frontrunners for the Democratic nomination to run for president.
Read More…and a real life tale of the healing power of communion. The morning of the conference dawned. I stretched and looked forward to a coffee and my quiet time preparing with the Lord. I’d been squeezed in at the last minute to join the lineup of speakers at a local Christian conference in Dargaville. Padding to the kitchen to put the jug on, I remembered that I’d set a trap to catch a wild cat that was being a real problem...
Read MoreWell, summer has been very busy. So busy in fact with visitors and prayer ministry that I haven't had much time for working on my second book. I'm about two thirds of the way through and now have even more stories to include. One of which is a recent trip to Cape Reinga with a team of young people from YWAM Kona. They are praying through New Zealand from the Cape to the Bluff. They are part of a movement called Kingdom Come 2020 and are praying for revival.
Read MoreWhen we meet together for our second Broken Cisterns study session, Len boasts that he has read the whole study book. His smiling face is a contrast to the bitter and twisted expression he wore the previous week. It appears he has found the treasure he has been searching for.
Read MoreWriting is a funny business sometimes. You pour out hundreds, thousands of words, thoughts and feelings – be it on paper, in an old trusty notebook, or onto a computer screen – and then, you erase many of them and rework, rewrite, revise until you are blue in the face.
Read MoreAnother side of former-All Black, Neven MacEwan, that very few can remember, or know about!
In 1976 I was asked if I would do a cameo part in a Television One presentation, “If You Can’t Beat Them,” written by Kevin Boon and produced by Peter Coates.
Read MoreMy new book, The Holy Spirit as Person and Power: Charismatic Renewal and Its Implications for Theology, has just been published by Wipf and Stock in the United States. It’s now available on Amazon and the Book Depository, but has not yet arrived in New Zealand. I’m very excited at its publication.
Read More"Eventually, the time came to sort through my old clothes that Dad had stored in his garage for me. Looking at them through new eyes was thoroughly shocking. I might as well have just raided the closet of an anorexic stripper. There was little there of any use at all, so most of it needed to be dispatched straight to the second-hand shop as soon as humanly possible, and preferably under the cover of night..." excerpt from my memoir, The Wild Side
Read MoreToday marks two months since Ross flew into the arms of Jesus, and I am still busy writing to the hundreds of people who have shared their gratitude and deep affection for Ross, for his life, his teaching, and his books. Ross’s books are still in demand because their message of faith and obedience to God is always relevant. The stories of his growth, learning through success – and even more through failure - always ring true and draw you into his small story – and God’s Big Story.
Read MoreMy life is a journey, not a destination. I pursue excellence each day, while I make ‘love’ my goal.
Most of us have heard before that life is a journey and not a destination, but how many of us truly live it out? There were certainly times in my life when I forgot that life was a journey, and when you forget about the journey the wheels of the bus of life that you are travelling on come to a grinding halt.
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