Gentleman Outlaw

From Head to Heart

by | Jun 16, 2025 | Daily Light

From Head to Heart

From Head to Heart:

Making God Real in Daily Life

“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
— Matthew 15:8

We live in a world saturated with religious content—churches on every corner, Bible apps on every phone, devotionals delivered to inboxes daily. And yet, many people quietly wrestle with a sobering reality: God feels distant.

They know about Him, but don’t feel like they truly know Him.

So what does it look like to move from intellectual belief to a living, daily relationship with the God who made us? How do we invite Him from the pages of Scripture into the details of our lives?

Start with Relationship, Not Just Routine

Spiritual habits are good, but they aren’t the goal—God is. When we treat Bible reading or prayer like a checklist, we risk missing the relationship entirely. God is not a subject to study—He’s a Father who wants to walk with us.

🟡 Today, try resting in a simple morning greeting:
“Good morning, Lord. I want to know You more today.”

Surrender Is Where He Becomes Real

God will not force His way into the driver’s seat of your life. But the moment you stop clinging to control and surrender your plans, something changes. Your heart softens. Your eyes open. Your soul begins to trust.

🟡 Today, ask:
“Lord, what part of my life am I still trying to control? Help me to lay it down.”

Obey—Even When It’s Small or Hard

Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will obey My commands.” Obedience isn’t just about rules—it’s about relationship. Every act of obedience—especially when it’s difficult—builds trust and deepens intimacy with God.

🟡 Tomorrow, ask:
“What’s one small step of obedience I can take?”

Invite the Holy Spirit to Lead

The Holy Spirit isn’t just a doctrine—He’s your Comforter, Counselor, and Companion. He brings conviction, peace, and boldness. When we invite Him into our day, we begin to see Jesus more clearly and walk in God’s power instead of our own.

🟡 Today, whisper:
“Holy Spirit, lead me. Help me see Jesus clearly.”

Practice His Presence in the Ordinary

You don’t have to wait for Sunday morning or a spiritual retreat to experience God. He’s with you in the kitchen, the carpool line, the office, the laundry room. When you pause to acknowledge Him, even the ordinary becomes sacred.

🟡 Today, remember:
“You’re here, Lord. Help me be aware of You in this moment.”

Final Thought

God doesn’t just want your attention on Sunday or your theology on paper—He wants your heart. He wants your real, unfiltered life. When we invite Him into our everyday moments, we discover that He’s not far off. He’s near. And He wants to be known.

But here’s the deeper truth:
In every real relationship, someone takes the lead. And with God, it’s not us—it’s Him. He is the Father. He takes responsibility for nurturing the relationship. We are the children, growing under His love, not trying to earn it.

A small child doesn’t worry about how to grow the relationship—they simply live in their parent’s affection. In the same way, we are invited to rest in our Father’s presence. You don’t have to fight for His attention or prove your worth. You get to live in the affection of a Father who’s already chosen you, already loves you, and already longs to be near.

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”
— James 4:8

 

The Audacity of Calling Him God

The Audacity of Calling Him God

by | Jun 12, 2025 | Personal Stories

The Audacity of Calling God “Father”

If I call God “God” I speak truthfully.

If I call God “Lord” I speak submissively.

If I call God “King” I speak servilely.

But if I dare to call God “my Father,” I speak with a brassy audacity, chutzpah, that is shockingly familiar and intimate. So it seems anyway.

You dare to call the Master of the Universe “Father”?

You dare to call the One who controls heaven and hell “Father”?

You call the Omnipotent one “Father”?

Who do you think you are?

It is difficult to imagine a more audacious act than to stand before the Creator of the world and to name him “Daddy.” And mean it. And not only to mean it, but to act and speak as a child acts and speaks before a loving and doting Dad.

It’s shocking. It’s exhilarating.

And it’s beautiful beyond words.

But here’s a secret: it’s not really chutzpah. It’s not some brassy boldness that we work ourselves into, nor it is gained by swallowing a bottle of liquid spiritual courage, as it were.

To call God “Father” is simply to live in the space which Jesus created. To move from residing far from God as his enemy; or on the other side of town from him as a stranger; or down the street as an acquaintance; or in an adjoining house as a servant; and to move into our own bedroom as a child in his family. To wake up in the morning and see our Father sipping a cup of coffee and saying, “Good morning, my child,” as we respond, “Good morning, Father.”

You see, when we live in this house, when we move into the room built by Jesus, we inhabit the home not merely of a Master or Lord or King, but the one who’s given us his name and made us his own, now and forever.

“Our Father”: two of the most amazing words ever uttered.

-Chad Bird

When God Comes Down: The True Story of Pentecost

When God Comes Down: The True Story of Pentecost

by | Jun 8, 2025 | Daily Light


The True Story of Pentecost


Most Christians know Pentecost as the day in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples like tongues of fire, filling them with power and sending them out to share the good news of Jesus with the world. It’s often celebrated as the “birthday of the Church” (although they had always been gathering together long before). But few realize that this incredible event is part of a much bigger story—a story that reaches all the way back to the foot of a mountain in the desert, a story that includes us today.

A Story of Freedom and Promise


Long before the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, we were slaves in Egypt. After centuries of oppression, God rescued us through Moses. He led us out of Egypt and across the Red Sea, setting us free from physical bondage.


Fifty days after our freedom, we found ourselves at Mount Sinai. There, God came down in fire, smoke, and thunder, with voices that shook the mountain. He spoke to us—His people—and gave us His Words—what is often called the Decalogue (the Ten Words, or often known as the Ten Commandments). But He gave us so much more than that. He gave us His instruction, His guidance, everything we needed to live together, to live with Him, and to display His glory to the world. This wasn’t just a list of do’s and don’ts; it was God’s loving teaching for a people set free.


We still remember this today through the Jewish festival of Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, which marks the giving of God’s Words fifty days after Passover.

The Story Comes Full Circle


Fast forward to Acts 2: Jesus has died, risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven. Fifty days after Passover, we—His people—were gathered in Jerusalem for Shavuot. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit came down in wind and fire—just like at Sinai—but this time not on a mountain but on us. God’s presence moved from stone tablets to human hearts.


The whole story was happening all over again: God came down in fire, with the sound of a mighty wind, and with voices that spoke His message to the nations. He spoke to us—His people—and gave us His Words in a new way.


The Holy Spirit filled us, empowering us to speak in His voice, in many languages, so that all nations could hear about Jesus. God was writing His Words on our hearts, fulfilling His promise through the prophet Jeremiah:

“I will put my instruction in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33)

From Slavery to Freedom


Both events—Sinai and Pentecost—mark a movement from slavery to freedom:

  • At Sinai, God freed us from physical bondage in Egypt and gave us His Words to guide us in freedom.
  • At the new Sinai—Pentecost—God freed us from the bondage of sin and gave us His Spirit to empower us to live out His Words.


It’s the same God, the same story—freedom from bondage and the gift of His presence. At Sinai, God gave us everything we needed to live together as a community and to live with Him. At Pentecost, He gave us His Spirit to transform our hearts and send us out together to share His glory with the world.


God gave us a voice to take to the world—His voice—just like at Sinai.

Why This Matters Today


Pentecost is not just about “me” and “my” experience with God. It’s about us, the community of God’s people, filled with His Spirit together, called to share His truth and love with the world. When we carry the gospel, we do it together—bearing one another’s burdens and shining His light as a people united in His Spirit.


God still wants to set us free—from fear, guilt, sin, and the lies that hold us back. He wants to dwell with us, not just in a building or on a mountain, but in our very hearts, in our communities, in our nation. Pentecost reminds us that God keeps His promises. He comes down to meet us where we are, filling us with His Spirit so that we can live in freedom and share His love and truth with the world—together.

Did You Know?

The festival of Shavuot (Pentecost) marks both the wheat harvest and the giving of God’s Words at Sinai. For many modern Christians, Pentecost celebrates the giving of the Holy Spirit—the fulfillment of God’s promise to dwell with His people.

Reflection Question


Where in your life is God inviting us to be free from bondage—fear, shame, doubt, or isolation? How can you lean into the community of God’s people and the Holy Spirit’s power to walk in that freedom together?

Further Reflection


Take time this week to read Exodus 19–20 alongside Acts 2. Notice the parallels: fire, voices, community, and the outpouring of God’s presence. Reflect on how these stories point to God’s desire to dwell with His people.

Call to Action


Gather with other believers this week and talk about how God’s Spirit can empower us to live out His Words—together.

Closing Prayer


Father, thank You for the gift of Your Spirit, poured out on us at Pentecost. Teach us to walk together in freedom and power, carrying Your voice to the world. May we live in unity, filled with Your Spirit, shining Your light in a world that needs to know You. Amen.

In the Beginning, God

In the Beginning, God

by | May 29, 2025 | Daily Light

Anchoring Our Faith in Eternal Truth

When we open the Bible, the very first words we encounter are:

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
— Genesis 1:1

These aren’t just the first words of Scripture.
They are the foundation of everything.

Before galaxies spun into motion…
Before breath ever filled human lungs…
Before time had a name…
God is.

He is the Eternal One—uncreated, unshaken, ever-present.
And that changes everything.

A Different Kind of Foundation

In a world that explains existence with chaos or coincidence,
we quietly but confidently anchor our lives in the opening breath of Scripture:

In the beginning, God.

He wasn’t made.
He didn’t appear.
He is the One who made it all.

And this God is not just a distant force.
He is a Person. A Father. A Creator.
The One who speaks… and light obeys.

Before the mountains were born, or You brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting—You are God.
— Psalm 90:2

The God Who Is

When God told Moses, “I AM,”
He revealed something our minds can barely contain:

He does not become.
He does not fade.
He simply is.

That means He’s not only part of the past.
He’s not just waiting somewhere in the future.
He is fully present—right now.
And more than that, He is with us.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
— Hebrews 13:8

When Life Trembles

So when everything around you shifts or shakes…
When life feels uncertain or heavy…

Remember:
God remains.
Unmoved.
Steady.
Faithful.

This is the heart of our hope.

Whether you’re facing a new beginning or walking through an ending—
Whether you’re searching for direction or simply trying to hold on—
You are not alone.

Anchored in His Presence

The same God who is at the beginning…
is here now.
And He is not leaving.

We may not understand it all.
But we don’t have to.
Because we know the One who holds it all.

And that… is enough.

🙏 Pause & Reflect

What would change if you truly believed:
God is.

Not just was for Abraham.
Not just will be someday.
But is—with you, right now.

Let that settle in.

Blinded But Not Broken

Blinded But Not Broken

by | May 25, 2025 | Forged in Fire


Blinded But Not Broken: The Fire-Tested Faith of John Bunyan

He spent twelve years in a cold, dark prison—not for violence, not for theft, but for preaching without permission. He could’ve walked out any day… if he’d just keep quiet. But John Bunyan refused.

John Bunyan wasn’t raised in royalty or trained in theology. He was a tinker—a poor tradesman—and a wild young man, known for his foul mouth and reckless ways. But when Jesus Christ got hold of his heart, everything changed.

Bunyan began preaching, not with polish or pedigree, but with a burning conviction. People gathered to listen. Lives were changed. And that drew the attention of the authorities.

In 1660, under laws that banned unlicensed preaching, John was arrested. The judge offered him freedom—on one condition: Stop preaching.

His reply?
“If you let me out today, I will preach again tomorrow.”

So they locked him up.

His wife was at home, nearly destitute. His young daughter was blind. His church had no shepherd. But still—he stayed.
Why?
Because he feared God more than man.

Inside that tiny prison cell, John began to write. With a piece of paper and a heart full of fire, he penned the most influential Christian allegory ever written: The Pilgrim’s Progress.

It wasn’t a sermon. It was a story.

A story about a man named Christian… walking a narrow path toward the Celestial City. Facing dragons, mockers, swamps, and cages. A journey of danger, courage, doubt, and deliverance.

That book—born in chains—has never gone out of print.

John Bunyan didn’t fight with sword or shield, but his pen cut deep. His life was forged in the fire of suffering—and what came out was pure, unshakable faith.

He could have chosen comfort. He chose obedience.
He could have stayed silent. He chose to speak.

“But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.
Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”
—1 Peter 3:14

Your Turn

What truth are you afraid to speak?
What fire are you being asked to walk through?

You don’t need a stage or a pulpit. You need conviction.
Take the next step. Say the hard thing. Write the bold word. Live the true life.

Let your faith speak—even if the world tries to silence it.