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How’d That Happen by Rick Barton - barton@gunnison.com It was a warm Sunday morning after church and I was in the Forest Service garage sharpening tools we had used the previous day on a grass fire. Suddenly the stillness was broken by someone calling my name on the radio. The squad I had left on the hillside needed help. The fire that was “out” was now racing into dark timber. happen? How’d that When we first arrive on a fire we try to cool down the flames on the edges. Then, we anchor our line at the base of the fire, flank the sides with an 18” wide control line, and pinch off the head of the fire. Still, the job's not finished. Every wildland firefighter knows that one of the most important parts of our job is “mop up”; making sure every inch of the perimeter is cold. As soon as we contain the fire, we immediately begin securing it. Taking one glove off, we start to “cold trail” by sweeping the back of our hand through the ash and along the base of every shrub, log, or tree. We stop and look for tiny wisps of smoke, sniff the air, and listen for the tiny sounds of crackling embers. On a small fire this may mean going through the entire burn area. On a larger fire it begins with a fifty foot swath both inside and outside of the line. Depending on the fuels and terrain, another even wider sweep may follow. Mop up is tedious, dirty, work. We come home with “black leg” up to our knees and smeared faces from stirring the ashes. Few, if any of us, really enjoy mop up. We’d love to leave it to someone else. We’d love to cry out, “Got to get back for initial attack”. Yet we do it because we know that how we finish the job is just as important as how we began it. The squad on the hillside had somehow missed a spark hiding itself in a clump of bunchgrass or beneath a cow patty. Now the hard work of the previous day was lost. Now, more crews and resources were needed to finish the mission we had started. Once again, lives were in danger. This principle applies to the rest of our life as well, doesn’t it? It seems easier to make a commitment than to keep it, to begin a task for the Savior than to finish it. When we pledged “till death do us part” to our spouse, it seemed exciting and romantic. When those seasons of “tedious” or even “dirty” duty come, it seems different. When your child seems to be an evil alien from another planet, it’s tempting to bail out. When the Master calls us to lay aside an attitude or action that is holding us back from fully following Him, it’s a difficult choice. essential! And yet it is One of the saddest statements in the Bible is found in 2 Timothy 4:10. The Apostle Paul is in jail awaiting execution by the Romans. He has finished his mission for the Savior. Heaven awaits him with a victor’s crown! Yet, one of his closest friends and helpers has left his post. “Demas, having loved this present world, has forsaken me”. Demas didn’t finish his mission. He left too soon. Every day is one step closer to being with Jesus; can’t we persevere, finish our mission, and cross the victory line? Of course we can! FCFInternational/Encourager/Page 6
Table Top Discussions Bible Studies for Small Groups Designed for small group discussions: The First Responder and Prayer “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16 NIV Prayer In the fire service prayer is often a misunderstood concept. The Christian firefighter has the opportunity to go directly before God and ask for something. This doesn’t mean that we always get what we want, especially if we are asking for selfish things. God desires for us to communicate with Him through prayer in order that we might draw closer to Him and accomplish His will for our life. What is Prayer? Prayer is simply a conversation between you and God. The Christian firefighter can go directly before God with his/her thoughts, feelings, worries and requests. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6 NIV) Prayer is Not Prayer is not some mystical process where we as good firefighters can call out to some unknown force in order to get our own way. Prayer also is not some chant that we repeat over and over again in order to gain some approval by that unknown force. We are also reminded that we can go directly to God and do not need any other persons help or approval. “But when you pray, go into your room and shuttle door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6) How does prayer work? There is not a specific way we must pray when we approach God with our requests. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NKJV). If believers were required to be in a specific posture when praying then it stands to reason that we would not be able to get anything done in life if we are to follow this command. Christian firefighters can pray anytime, anyplace and with or without their eyes closed. Prayer works because of our relationship with Jesus Christ and His relationship with the Father. Romans 8:34 reminds us; “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died - more than that, who was raised - who is at the right hand of God, interceding for us.” (NKJV) How does God answer Prayer? God answers prayer in one of four ways: 1. I can’t hear you - because of unconfessed sin in our life God refuses to hear our requests. Check out Psalm 66 and Isaiah chapter 5. 2. “No” - Sometimes our wants and desires get in the way of God’s will for us. 3. “Yes” - When our will and God’s meet, He chooses to say yes because it glorifies His name. 4. “Wait” - Occasionally we may be required to wait until the perfect time to see God’s answer to our prayers. For more on prayer go to - II Chronicles 7:14, Philippians 4:6-7, Romans 12:12 and I John 5:14 For additional downloads. go to: www.fellowshipofchristianfirefighters.org and click on Table Top Discussion FCFInternational/Encourager/Page 7
Page 1 and 2: summer 2016 ENCOURAGER MINISTERING
Page 3 and 4: CraigDuck - President/Missionary Re
Page 5: FCFInternational Annual 3D Summit -
Page 9 and 10: Encourage One Another Daily Devotio
Page 11 and 12: Everyone Goes Home By Andrew Starne
Page 13 and 14: What Does the Word Say? by Dwayne C
Page 15 and 16: Genuine Joy by Wayne Detzler - Inte

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