THE GOD OF TURNABOUTS

"Our God delights in taking the worst of circumstances of life and transforming them into stunning triumphs for His people. In a word, He is the God of turnabouts.

The Lord not only brings good out of evil, He turns evil on its head. He not only overcomes the outrage, He turns it inside out. God will use the most unlike scenarios to display His own omnipotence and the powerlessness of His enemies. God is often exactly where we do not expect to see Him, bringing good out of bad, turning evil inside out.

When our world is caving in, when things look as grim as they possibly can, when it seems as though Satan has applied the coup de grace to our fondest hopes and greatest desires -- at precisely that point the Strong One steps in and brandishes the evil for His glory!

Now, THAT is a God to worship! That is a God to adore! And that is the God who fills the universe with His splendor -- not some shuffling, half-dead, powerless deity who's in it way over his head.

As you focus your attention on the everlasting God, you, too, may see your worst nightmares fade and vanish into the shadows as the blinding brilliance of God's perfect plan for you takes shape. You, too, may be surprised at the unorthodox ways God chooses to bring Himself glory.
Just when you think you have this business of turn-abouts figured out, another one hurtles you through your back door in a form and guise unlooked for. Just when you believe you know how God must act in a certain situation, the turnabout shifts shape before your unbelieving eyes. BUT ALWAYS THE SAME GOD IS BEHIND THEM ALL! -- Steve Holliday HOW GREAT THOU ART -- A Daily Devotional, published by Multnomah

"Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly." Philippians 1:12-14

TAKING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE

"The brain -- pride and joy of the nervous system -- is staggering in its abilities and complexity. 'In man is a three-pound brain, which, as far as we know, is the most complex and orderly arrangement of matter in the universe.' Thus wrote scientist and author Isaac Asimov. In so
stating, he was giving God a compliment, even though he remained an avowed atheist up to the end.

The basic cell of the brain is called the neuron, of which there are ten billion to one hundred billion. In addition to long extensions called axons, each neuron has ten thousand tiny branching fibers and filamentous projections called dendrites. Each neuron is thus in contact with ten thousand other neurons, for a total of one hundred trillion neurological interconnections.

If you were to stretch out all the neurons and dendritic connections in the brain and lay them end to end, they would extend one hundred thousand miles and circle the earth at the equator four times.

One way to visualize these dendritic connections is as light switches, either in the off or on position. The brain holds 10.14 bits of information and thus has a storage capacity one thousand times that of a Cray-2 supercomputer. Unlike the parts of a computer, however, nerve cells are highly individual. No two cells are exactly the same, nor do they respond to the same incoming information in the same way. Each neuron us unique in all the universe.

The brain is capable of firing at ten thousand million computations a second. The capacity of the brain is such that it can hold the information equivalent to twenty-five million books, capable of filling a bookshelf five hundred miles long. In contrast, the Library of Congress has eighteen million volumes.

The brain can be the conduit of distress or a channel of blessing. Overloading our synapses with excessive multi-tasking will leave us besieged by anxiety. If we live in an emotional gutter and perseverate on problems and pain, then we will be battered by our thoughts. If, on the other hand, we yield our spirit to the Spirit of God, our surrendered thoughts can lead us to green pastures and still waters where He restores our souls." from A MINUTE OF MARGIN by Richard Swenson MD published by NavPress.

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE to make it obedient to Christ . . ." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

WHAT KIND OF POWER

"In an impressive show of power, God created science. On an even deeper level, He DESIGNED the science that He created. How exhilarating to be not only fascinated by the science, but also captivated by the DESIGNER who stands behind it all.

But know this: this same God is uncontrollable. When you come to know Him, it will only be on HIS terms. To know Him is to trust Him; to trust Him is to rest in Him. He will give you the rest you seek, but only after He has shaken the foundations of your life.

What kind of power do we so blithely invoke? He spoke the universe into existence. Nothingness obeys His voice. He controls time, space, matter, and light. He monitors the position of every elementary particle. He is sufficient unto Himself. He does not need anybody or anything to
accomplish His purposes. He answers to no one. He obeys on His own counsel. He works on thousands of levels all at the same time. His scientific sophistication is unfathomable. He created the laws of physics and appears to be a 'pure mathematician.' He intelligence is so superior, according to Einstein, that in comparison 'all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an insignificant reflection.'

Look up the word OMNIPOTENT. Either He is or He isn't. And if He is, we had better prepare ourselves to accept the consequences. 'It is madness to wear ladies' straw hats and velvet hats to church,' concludes Dallas

Willard. 'We should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should leash us to our pews.'

Let the record show: God's power is impressive. It should not be underestimated. The deficiency comes not from a lack of God's power but rather a lack of our own faith. Busyness is sometimes what happens when we forget who God is.

Reflect on the word omnipotent. If God has infinite power, what implications does that have for your life? Do you suppose He would share some of His power with you if it were in your best interest? But perhaps, you think, He doesn't know that I need it? Reflect on the word
omniscient. Either He is or He isn't. He knows what you need even before you do, But perhaps, you think, He doesn't care. Reflect on the word compassionate. Either He is or He isn't. If God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-caring, you don't need to run your life by yourself any longer. What is keeping you from trusting Him with your family, your finances, and your future?"

Timely words in light of the storms in the South.

from the pen on Dr. Richard Swenson -- A MINUTE OF MARGIN -- RESTORING BALANCE TO BUSY LIVES, published by NavPress.

WE NEED EACH OTHER

The Christian life is not about living it on your own. It is only through Christ that we can live the Christian life. One of the blessings of the Christian life is that we are a part of God's forever family, not just in the future, but now! There is no such thing as a lone ranger Christian.

Chuck Swindoll says, "that if you are going to dig a foxhole, build it big enough for two!" We're in this thing together -- and God's Word is filled with how we are to live with each other. Let me list a few for your consideration and further study:

Be like-minded towards one other -- Romans 15:5
Esteem one another -- Romans 14:5
Pray for one another -- James 5:16
Exhort one another -- Hebrews 3:13
Prefer one another -- 1 Timothy 5:21
Edify one another -- 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Comfort one another -- 1 Thessalonians 4:18
Love one another -- 1 Thessalonians 4:9
Admonish one another -- Colossians 3:16
Forgive one another -- Colossians 3:13
Submit to one another -- Ephesians 5:21
Speak the truth to one another -- Colossians 3:9

We really do need each other. Good words as we prepare our hearts for worshipping with EACH OTHER tomorrow.

WHO ARE YOU IMITATING?

Having a younger child at home and two parrots help me gain perspective on imitation. It is one thing for Zach to imitate things he sees Mom and Dad do and say, but it is even scarier to think that two parrots can pick up our words.

Paul wrote these words to the church in Ephesus: "Follow God's example (Be imitators) in everything you do just as much as a loved child imitates his father. Be full of love for others, following the example of Christ who loved you and gave himself to God as a sacrifice to take
away your sins. And God was pleased, for Christ's love for you was like sweet perfume to him. Let there be no sex sin, impurity or greed among you. Let no one be able to accuse you of any such things. Dirty stories, foul talk and coarse jokes -- these are not for you. Instead, remind
each other of Gods goodness and be thankful" (Ephesians 5:1-4)

Wow -- powerful words. Our Amazon parrot has picked up lots of sounds and words -- your kids, wife, and co-workers pick up your words - - who are you imitating? Charles Swindoll says, "that we ought to so live our lives that we wouldn't be afraid to sell the family parrot to the town gossip." Good reminder for today and always.

REJOICE

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God. I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. The Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You! Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things. Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Rejoice in
the Lord always! Again I will say, rejoice!" (Isaiah 61:10, Psalm 34:1-3; Psalm 84:11-12; Psalm 103:1; James 5:13; Ephesians 5:18-20; Colossians 3:16; Phil. 4:4)

"REJOICE, REJOICE, O Christian,
Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!
The hope of all who seek Him,
The help of all who find,
NONE OTHER IS SO LOVING,
SO GOOD AND KIND!

He lives! He Lives! Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me, and talks with me
along life's narrow way.
He lives! He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I KNOW HE LIVES?
HE LIVES WITHIN MY HEART!

Good reminder for today. Are you rejoicing today?

OVERWHELMED

Did you ever find yourself in a situation where you felt overwhelmed? I am in on those places at the moment. Our summer season is winding down and we are getting ready to head into a very busy month of our anniversary banquets and ministry events. I am facing a stretch of 8 days without a day off in sight. There is stuff to do around the house after neglecting it because of the intensity of the summer season. Preparation for a Board meeting. Messages to be prepared for upcoming speaking engagements. People that need to see me. Phone calls that must be returned. Quite honestly, I have woken up the past several nights simply overwhelmed.

This morning in my quiet time, my spirit was once again refreshed from the WORD! I love the way GOD knows WHAT we need to hear WHEN we need to hear it. Here is one of the verses from today: "From the end of the earth I will cry out to You, when my heart is OVERWHELMED; Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I (Psalm 61:2). It was a refreshing reminder that in the midst of the crazies of life -- I have the privilege of crying out to the ONE who understands WHAT I am experiencing. Usually when I am overwhelmed, I end up complaining and grumbling. I may even get short and snippy with my wife, son, or co-workers. But David reminds me that when I am overwhelmed, when the world feels like it is crashing in all around me, when life sees life a merry-go-round and I want to jump off -- do this: CRY OUT TO THE ONE WHO IS HIGHER THAN I!

I am reminded of an old hymn, I MUST TELL JESUS . . .
I must tell Jesus all of my sorrow.
I cannot bear all these burdens alone.
In my distress He kindly will help me.
He ever loves and cares for His own.

(Chorus)

I must tell Jesus. I must tell Jesus.
I cannot bear all these burdens alone.
I must tell Jesus. I must tell Jesus.
Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.

Thank You, Lord that YOU understand when I am overwhelmed! Thank you that YOU desire me to cry out to You! Lead me today to the ROCK that is higher than I!

PRAYER -- BATTLE IN THE SECRET PLACE

One of the things that I have struggled with most of my Christian life, is consistency in my PERSONAL prayer life. It has become easier for me to pray with others, both face to face and even over the phone. However, my own PRIVATE prayer life has been a struggle. I purpose to get alone to pray, and yet when I do, my mind starts to wander all over the place, and the next thing I know, I am bogged down with a project or on to something else.

In my quiet time this morning, Oswald Chambers addresses the battle so precisely as he writes: "Prayer is an effort of the will. After we have entered our secret place and shut the door, the most difficult thing to do is to pray. We cannot seem to get our minds into good working order,
and the first thing we have to fight is wandering thoughts. The great battle in private prayer is overcoming the problem of our idle and wandering thinking. We have to learn to discipline our minds and concentrate on willful, deliberate prayer.

Having a secret stillness before God means deliberately shutting the door on our emotions and remembering Him. God is in secret, and He sees us from 'the secret place' -- He does not see us as other people do, or as we see ourselves. When we truly live in the 'secret place,' it becomes impossible for us to doubt God. We become more sure of Him than of anyone or anything else. Enter into 'the secret place,' and you will find that God was right in the middle of your everyday circumstances all the time. Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything! Unless we learn to open the door of our lives completely and let God in from our first waking moment of each new day, we will be working on the wrong level throughout the day. But if we will swing the door our our lives fully open and 'pray to our Father who is in the secret place,' every public thing in our lives will be marked with the lasting imprint of the presence of God." Check out Matthew 6:6 "When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you
openly."

Good words that I needed to hear today. Good words for you to ponder and apply.

HOW IS YOUR WORK ETHIC?

I do a lot of reading in the field of leadership and customer service and today's view of the work world runs congruently with what is happening in our society -- it's all about ME! For many people, work is something that you do to just put food on the table, help to pay your bills, and hopefully to provide for the future.

Years ago, I spent three summers working at Sandy Cove as a bus boy/waiter, and under the leadership of several godly leaders, I began to learn the value of hard work and a godly work ethic. Dr. George Palmer, the founder of Sandy Cove, grew up at Girard College in Philadelphia, which as I remember was an orphanage for boys. He was taught the value of a work ethic, and his experiences there helped to shape how he would build his ministry in the future.

Dr. Palmer taught young people that there was a connection between how our work would bring honor to the glory of God. Our work was a reflection on our relationship with the Lord. What I did on the job was significant because it was a reflection on my walk with the Lord.

Years later, I attended Bill Gothard's BASIC YOUTH CONFLICTS seminar and learned that one of the ways that I glorify God is to do my very best on the job so that it makes my employer look good, which ultimately brings glory to God. That concept is not one that I read in 90% of the leadership books as the goal today is to make ME look good.

Solomon wrote "observe people who are good at their work -- skilled workers are always in demand and admired; they don't take a back seat to anyone (Proverbs 22:29 -- The Message) Paul wrote: "You slaves must always obey your earthly masters, not only trying to please them when they are watching you but all the time; obey them willingly because of YOUR love for the Lord and because you want to please HIM. Work hard and cheerfully at all you do, just as though you were working for the Lord, and not merely for your masters, remembering that it is the Lord Christ who is going to pay you, giving you your portion of all he owns. HE IS THE ONE YOU ARE REALLY WORKING FOR. And if you don't do your best for him, he will pay you in a way that you won't like -- for he has no special favorites who can get away with shirking (Colossians 3:22-25 Living Bible).

How is your work ethic? How would THE master employer rate you today? Good words to think about as we begin a new week.

PURIFIED DESIRES

"Lord, I am convinced that You want me (and all Your disciples) to be as carefree as possible. The life of discipleship is a life of gradual disencumbering, whereas the life of the worldly minded is one of gradual encumbering. The true disciple does what Paul's captain did -- unloads the cargo. But the earthly minded keeps adding cargo as long as he lives.

The self-centered life naturally multiplies its cares because it multiplies its desires. One pleasure must give way to two, and one piece of worldly goods must eventually produce many. The result of all that self-gratification is not the peace of mind but increased anxiety. Jesus called that anxiety 'the cares of this world' (Matthew 13:22). Cares are produced by desires, and desires are born in the naturally selfish heart of man.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I must strike at the heart of worldliness. It does not lie in things, but in the DESIRE for things. I must crucify my desires; I must direct them. Only desires that are manifestly displeasing to God must be crucified, but all other desires must be purified by the washing process of prayer (Mark 11:24).

Desires that have been purified lead to holy carefreeness. When God answers my desires, He does so without adding sorrow (Proverbs 10:22); but when I seek my own self-gratification, I sow seeds of bitterness. The world is full of boredom because those are the fruits of a self-centered existence. When I find my gratification in self-denial for Christ's sake, I find myself marvelously stimulated with the excitement of an eternal adventure. Self-denial is practical immortality to be realized now and to be enjoyed forever! I seek first the kingdom of
heaven and all its right ways, all things will be mine (Matthew 6:33).

'Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you' (I Peter 5:6-7).

from DAILY WITH THE KING by W. Glyn Evans Moody Press

SCRIPTURAL CONVICTIONS

"O God of love, I approach you with encouragements derived from your character, for I am not left to feel after you in the darkness of my nature, nor to worship you as the unknown God.
I cannot find our your perfections, but I know you are good, ready to forgive, plenteous in mercy. You have displayed your wisdom, power, and goodness in all your works, and have revealed your will in the Scripture of truth. You have caused it to be preserved, translated, published, multiplied, so that all men may possess it and find you in it.

Here I see your greatness and your grace, your pity and your rectitude, your mercy and your truth. your being and men's hearts. Through it you have magnified your name, and favored mankind with the gospel. Have mercy on me, for I have ungratefully received your benefits,
little improved my privileges, made light of spiritual things, disregarded your messages, contended with examples of the good, rebukes of conscience, admonitions of friends, leadings of providence. I deserve that your kingdom be taken away from me. Lord, I confess my sin with feeling, lamentation, a broken heart, a contrite spirit, self-abhorrence, self-condemnation, self-despair. Give me relief by Jesus my hope, faith in his name of Savior, forgiveness by his blood,
strength in his presence, holiness by his Spirit: And let me love you with all my heart."

from THE VALLEY OF VISION -- Banner of Truth -- Prayers of the Puritans

SPEECHLESS WITH SORROW?

From the pen of Oswald Chambers -- My Utmost for His Highest

"The rich young ruler went away from Jesus speechless with sorrow, having nothing to say in response to Jesus' words. He had no doubt about what Jesus had said or what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow with no words with which to respond. Have you ever been there? Has God's Word ever come to you, pointing out an area of your life, requiring you to yield to Him? Maybe He has pointed out certain personality qualities, desires, interests, or possibly relationships of your heart and mind. If so, then you have often been speechless with sorrow. The Lord will not go after you, and He will not plead with you. But ever time He meets you
at the place where He has pointed, He will simply repeat His words, saying, 'If you really mean what you say, these are the conditions . . .
'

'Sell all that you have . . . ' (Luke 18:23) In other words, rid yourself before God of EVERYTHING that might be considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being standing before Him, and then give God that. That is where the battle is truly fought -- the the realm of your will before God. Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus
wants than to Jesus Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His harsh and unyielding statements that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is difficult -- it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His nature in them. Beware of allowing anything to soften the
harsh words of Jesus Christ.I can be so rich in my own poverty, or in the awareness of the fact that I am a nobody, that I will never be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Or I can be so rich in the awareness that I am somebody that I will never be a disciple. Am I willing to be destitute and poor even in my sense of awareness of my destitution and poverty? If not, that is why I become
discouraged. Discouragement is disillusioned self-love, and self-love may be love for my devotion to Jesus -- not love for Jesus Himself."

Interesting words for your consideration today from one of the great devotional authors.

SHUT UP AND LISTEN . . .

I am a slow learner. You have heard me say this before on many occasions. I just don't get it at times. My choleric/sanguine personality gets me in trouble because I tend to get the order of things mixed up. I too often speak first and then listen. For most of my years in elementary school, my report card would contain the same lines from my teachers -- "Billy would be a great student if he talked less and listened more . . . "

I am glad that the Father is patient with me. His Word keeps hammering me with the truth HE wants me to hear and learn. Today's chapter in Proverbs hit home: "The one who knows much says little -- an understanding person remains calm. Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise; as long as they keep their mouths shut, they're smart." (Proverbs 17:28-29 THE MESSAGE) Ouch!

The writer to the book of James says: "Dear brothers, don't ever forget that it is best to LISTEN MUCH, SPEAK LITTLE . . ." (James 1:19 NLT). I need to learn to do that -- with my family, my staff, and with the people I meet. When I put this truth into practice, I am walking the way
HE wants me to walk, living the way HE wants me to live -- and in fact, living in obedience to HIS Word.

Yesterday I blew it big time in this area. I was too quick to speak instead of listening. I know that today I need to go back and ask forgiveness of someone that I offended and hurt with my words. Thank You, Lord, for convicting me. Help me to SHUT UP and LISTEN!

"May my spoken words and unspoken thoughts be pleasing even to you, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14 NTL)

MORE INSIGHT FROM THE PENGUINS

I shared with you yesterday some insights that I gained from seeing the movie, THE MARCH OF THE PENGUINS. As I was thinking about it last night, I thought about another cool insight. The penguins do their annual 70-80 mile walk each year to find their perspective mate. Thousands of the them assemble at the main staging area. They spend days squawking until
they finally pair up. After wifey leaves to trek back to the waters to get her food and makes then makes the trek back to find her mate, she faces the challenge of finding her mate in the middle of thousands of "men" who look exactly alike. She needs to squawk and as well as listen for the squawk of her mate. The noise is unbelievable -- yet they are able to find each other.

It was an "AHA!" moment for me as I thought about it. The God of the universe who created us -- has given each of us different voices. And yet thousands of us can be praying at one time, crying out to Him, and He hears YOUR prayer. He hears YOUR voice. He is, as David penned,
"attentive to YOUR voice and the cry of your heart!" That might not excite you, but it sure does me.

Praise God for His listening ear . . . Ps 116:2
"BECAUSE HE HAS TURNED HIS EAR
TO ME, I WILL CALL OUT TO HIM AS LONG AS I LIVE."

Good word for today! Think about it!

THE MARCH OF THE PENGUINS

I normally would never use the Freedom Fighter to recommend a movie, but I will today. If you haven't seen it, go see THE MARCH OF THE PENGUINS. We took Zach to see it on Friday and I was amazed that people were paying to see a National Geographic special. The theater was packed with people of all ages and it was quite refreshing.

There were many amazing biblical principles that one could draw from this movie, but the one the struck me the most was the incredible love of the father. The penguins walk/crawl for 70-80 miles to the spot where they will look for their potential mate. After they find the love of their life, they lovingly mate. The mother gives birth to the egg that is literally handed off to the father who assumes full responsibility for the care and oversight of the egg. The mother has to travel the 70-80 mile journey back to the ocean in order to eat and gain her strength for the journey back and then to feed the growing baby. She is gone for many months. During that time, the father has to endure the harshest of winters, standing next to hundreds of other Dads who are also caring for their future offspring. The winds and storms of the winter rage all around them, but Dad sticks with the stuff and while losing his strength and body weight to protect his future heir.

We live in a day when in some many of our families, Dad is the absent figure in the care and upbringing of their kids. While we may be good financial providers, making sure there is food and all the other "stuff" our families need, there is nothing like a father demonstrating his love
to his kids. Our kids need hugs, words of affirmation and encouragement. Some of us get bogged down in finding just the right amount of time to spend with them. We get hung up on the QUANTITY sometimes rather than the QUALITY of time spent with them. What our kids need is not how MUCH we know, but HOW MUCH we care.

"What marvelous love the Father has extended to us [one translation says 'LAVISHED']! Just look at it -- we're called the children of God! That's who we really are . . ." [1 John 3:1]

Take some time to lavish your love on your kids this week. And go see THE MARCH OF THE PENGUINS!

YOU ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT . . .

As you prepare your heart for worship this morning, reminded of the glorious truth that Christ dwells in YOU! Dr. Jack Hayford says that "right where you are, Christ's salvation has laid the foundation for a temple -- a tabernacle for worship. He invites you to open your life to become a holy site -- a place where He can meet with you, dwell with you, and manifest His presence to you and through you. It is Jesus who makes this possible -- 'Christ in you, the hope of glory!' (Colossians 1:27) Build a life of worship 'according to the pattern that was shown you on the mount' (Exodus 25:40). Let each furnishing become a stepping-stone to a full-house life of worship, responding to his call that we:

* rejoice in the completed sacrifice Jesus has achieved for us,
* be purified from the things that would clutter or pollute our lives,
* feed on His Word, letting the Holy Spirit illuminate it and apply it to our lives,
* lift the sweet fragrance of praise and worship from our hearts to the Lord, and,
* come to the mercy seat, where grace and forgiveness are ever assured, and. . . abide there!

Good words to ponder on this HOT Lord's day.

FLUBS, FLAWS and BRITTLENESS

"I must not be disheartened when I flub in my spiritual life. A lot of flubs are not sins, just mistakes, and mistakes are the marks of immaturity and greenness. An infant makes endless mistakes, but is parents do not give up on him -- they realize he is an infant. They know that he will outgrow a lot of his childishness.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ I must believe in progressive satisfaction. When God begins a work, the result thereof must be His satisfaction. His creation was very good. He viewed the work of His Son on Calvary and was satisfied. So I believe He is progressively satisfied with His work in His children, especially His growing children. This does not mean that our condition at a given moment is perfect morally, but it means that, like a potter, He is satisfied with our progress.

This also means that I must forget comparison with others. Comparison means we are at the same point, on the same level. But no two children of God are ever at precisely the same point, on the same level. I must not therefore, compare myself to David Brainerd, Henry Martyn, or Jim Elliot. I must only ask God if He is satisfied with my progress at a given moment. If He is, all is well, even though flaws and specs appear in my makeup.

The basic thing God looks for in me is not the absence of flaws but the presence of moldable clay. He can easily work out the flaws, but He cannot do a thing with clay that is hard, brittle, and crumbly. Brittleness means I have been hurt somewhere along the line and have not
gotten over it.

Lord, I want to be the best clay, soft and conformable to Your image! You ask, 'Can I not . . . deal with you as this potter does?' (Jeremiah 18:6) Yes, Lord, You can -- abundantly, perfectly, eternally." from DAILY WITH THE KING by W. Glyn Evans

THE PEOPLE GOD USES

Just in case you ever question God's call upon your life . . . remember He uses people who faced challenges in their lives to do extraordinary things . . .

Moses stuttered.
David was an adulterer and murderer.
Hosea's wife was a prostitute.
John Mark (who wrote the Gospel of Mark) was rejected by the Apostle Paul.
Abraham was too to become a father.
Sarah was too old to become a mother.
Peter acted impulsively and had a hot temper.
David was too young and small to fight Goliath.
Jonah ran from God.
Gideon and Thomas both doubted God's voice.
Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.
Martha was a worrywart.
Samson's hair was too long.
Paul was a persecutor.

What about you? Is there a "challenge in your life" that is keeping you from God's call upon your life?

GOD'S BREAK-INS

"I will not walk as a disciple very long before realizing that God is a God of break-ins. He broke into Abraham's life: 'The God of glory appeared to . . . Abraham' (Acts 7:2). The patriarch's normal, average, everyday life was broken into. Whenever God does that it always means a
new direction for things, such as the time He broke into the life of Paul.

The appearances of God, whether visible or inward, are always along the line of interruption or change. Often the change is not understood by us. 'He went out, not knowing where he was going' (Hebrews 11:8) Abraham did not understand that God was going to make him a universal man, a true 'father of the faithful.' So it must come to me as a disciple. GOD MUST RESERVE FOR HIMSELF THE RIGHT OF TE INITIATIVE, THE RIGHT TO BREAK INTO MY LIFE WITHOUT QUESTION OR EXPLANATION. That shattering phone call, that disturbing letter, that unquenchable vision may indeed be the first stage of God's interruption in my life. I must be ready, never doubtful.

Since God does the initiating, He must be responsible for the consequences. Nowhere does God start something and then say, 'All right, the rest is up to those actions. For me that is a warning -- do not tamper with the consequences that God has already appointed for me. But that also is my comfort; I need not worry about something that is out of my hands.

My response must always be to keep a sharp eye on God and obey His Word implicitly. Then He will surprise me with delights! 'Be ready by morning, and come up . . . and present yourself . . . to Me on the top of the mountain . . . And the Lord descended in the cloud and stood there with him.' (Exodus 34:2-5).

from Daily With the King by W. Glyn Evans published by Moody Press

Good word for your consideration on this August 10, 2005.

GOD SEES THE END PRODUCT

"Despite my sins, God is able to deal with me because He sees me complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10). That is not only a theological position, but also a means of my relating to all my brothers and sisters in Christ. I often fail in my interpersonal relationships because I see people as they are, not as they are in Christ. Paul's ambition for everyone was to 'present every man perfect [mature, full grown] in Christ' (Colossians 1:28). In preaching the gospel, Paul had to see his
hearers as already completed in Christ.

I have had Christians say, 'I don't know why God puts up with me, I'm so weak and erring.' Indeed we are! But God puts up with us because He sees the end product as actually realized. The difference between WHAT WE ARE and WHAT WE SHALL BE is the process of working out the ideal, which, in God's eyes, has already been achieved. God is patient with us because He sees us PERFECTED, and you cannot become impatient with perfection.

So it is with my brother and me. The reason I am impatient with him is because I see his raw, ragged faults, not the 'measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ' in him (Ephesians 4:13). The moment I see him 'perfect in Christ,' the moment I will lose my irritation, discouragement, and exasperation with him. To be troubled by my fellow Christian is really not HIS fault, it is mine, because of a short-sightedness concerning Christ's finished redemption. I deny, for
my brother, the Calvary work of Jesus Christ. I must keep in mind that heartwarming word of John, 'It has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when HE appears we shall see HIM as HE IS!' (1 John 3:2)

Thank God for foreseen perfection -- for my brother and for me!" from DAILY WITH THE KING by W. Glyn Evans published by Mood Press

RUN FROM TEMPTATION

Here are some insights on temptation from our good friend, Pat Williams:

1. When in doubt -- don't do it!
2. To tell whether an action is right or wrong, ask what would happen if everyone did it.
3. "Whenever the New Testament lingers on the subject of sensual temptation, it gives one command -- RUN! The Bible does not tell us to reason with it. It does not tell us to think about it and claim verses. It tells us to FLEE! I have discovered that you cannot yield to sensuality if you are running away from it. So -- run for your life! Get out of there! If you try to reason with lust or play around with sensual thoughts, you will finally yield. You can't fight it. That's why the Spirit of God forcefully commands, 'RUN'! (from Chuck Swindoll)
4. Never give the enemy opportunity to trip you by offering him ammunition. 'Any movie, book, magazine, friend, party, event or website that puts temptation into your mind is an open door to allow Satan into your life.
5. Never let self-assurance blind you to the possibility of an attack; never allow yourself to feel impervious to a fall.

Good words from "Unsinkable ...Getting Out of Life's Pits and Staying Out" by Pat Williams published by Revell

THE REDISCOVER OF MAJESTY

"Modern Christianity is simply not producing the kind of Christian who can appreciate or experience life in the Spirit. The words, 'Be still, and know that I am God,' mean next to nothing to the self-confident, bustling worshipper . . . .

This loss of the concept of majesty has come just when the forces of religion are making dramatic gains and the churches are more prosperous than at any time within the past several hundred years. But the alarming thing is that our gains are mostly external and our losses wholly internal; and since it is the quality of our religion that is affected by internal conditions, it may be that our supposed gains are but losses spread over a wider field . . .

The decline of the knowledge of the holy has brought on our troubles. A rediscovery of the majesty of God will go a long way toward curling them. It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate. IF we would bring back spiritual power to our lives, we must begin to think of God more nearly as He is." A. W. Tozer from TOZER FOR TODAY . . . TOZER ON THE ALMIGHTY GOD

"For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward." -- Deuteronomy 10:17

GREAT AWAKENING INSIGHTS

I am an avid reader and this weekend I finished a new book by one of my favorite authors, Jack Cavanaugh. Jack teamed up with the late Dr. Bill Bright to write a series of historical fiction books based on the revivals in America known as the Great Awakening. The second book in the
series is called FIRE. It is based on the preaching ministry of Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield.

The main character of the story is Pastor Josiah Rush and he has recorded in his journal insight into the "soul sickness" he observed in the lives of the people of his town. He describes six distinct stages of soul sickness that are worth considering today:

1. INSENSITIVITY -- there is a cooling of spiritual zeal. Worship becomes routine. Bible reading and prayer are neglected. The things of the world take on greater importance than the things of the kingdom. God is thought to be distant, and thus is no longer feared. Men's spirits
become calloused.

2. INITIAL PAIN -- one becomes dissatisfied with life. Things that once were pleasurable become ordinary, even despised. There is no satisfaction in work. Family members are taken for granted or ignored. Food and drink lose their ability to cheer. There is a general feeling
of anxiety about life.

3. INCREASED PAIN -- Depression sets in, as does bitterness and resentment. Dissatisfaction turns to anger. Those infected are quick to blame others and quick to find fault. There is a loss of sleep and a loss of appetite. At this stage relationships cause more pain than joy. People are defensive and quick to anger.

4. UNCHARACTERISTIC BEHAVIOR PATTERNS EMERGE -- there is a noticeable change in personality. There are premeditated acts of revenge and hate that never would have been associated with the person previously. Camaraderie and wicked joy is found in promoting acts of party spirit. (At this stage, Christians often realize that what they are doing is wrong, but they find themselves unable to stop.) The cycle of guilt starts.

5. INCREASE IN DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR -- shameful, hurtful, divisive acts are rationalized as being justified. The infected persons are blinded to the consequences of their actions. A prideful martyr spirit grows to such extent that the persons infected not only believe they are
justified in their sinful acts, they take pride in their sin.

6. THE SPIRIT DIES -- All guilt is gone. A person sins without fear of impunity. Corruption, immorality, blasphemy, rage, drunkenness, orgies, factions, and idolatry are accepted and at times embraced as part of being human. Acts of sin are viewed as empowering. Violence is enjoyed. Self-destructive behavior results. The person lives as an antichrist.

Interesting observations for our consideration from 1740! Does it sound familiar? Check out YOUR heart today. I recommend this series to you. Available in the KESWICK BOOKSTORE:
FIRE by Jack Cavanaugh published by Howard Publishing.

REALITY SERVICE

Two years ago our facility was approved by the American Red Cross as a site that could be used to service our community in the event of a natural disaster or God forbid, a terror attack due to our proximity to two military bases as well as nuclear reactor. We went through a series of emergency procedures and talked about the "what-if" scenarios. On Tuesday evening there was an accident a Keswick Pines, the lifecare retirement facility next to our property. A maintenance man was working on a boiler that exploded and the elderly residents, except for the medical patients needed to be evacuated.

With the assistance of the Manchester Township Fire and Police and the American Red Cross, the Activity Center of America's KESWICK was turned into a "temporary hotel" for over 210 senior citizens. The staff from Keswick Pines and America's KESWICK did a phenomenal job in helping these precious people through a very traumatic event in their lives. Most of them had already been in bed -- dressed in the pj's!

The following morning I was walking through the Activity Center moving from cot to cot welcoming them to our facility and trying to help the other staff adjust to their new environment. As I looked into their faces you could sense gratefulness that they had temporary housing, but apprehension over how long they would be displaced. Some of them just
needed a hug, a handshake and a smile to settle them down to let them know it would be alright.

As I watched our staff in action, my mind raced back to the Scriptures. What would Jesus have done in this situation? I could see Him moving through the crowd calming the storm with His presence. I saw touching them with his hands that provided calmness and peace to a difficult
situation. I then realized that this is the privilege we have as his disciples and followers in 2005. We have the privilege of being his hands and heart as we have opportunity to serve in His name with those who come across our paths.

Remember the words of Jesus: " . . . For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked and you clothed Me; sick and in prison, and you visited Me . . . Truly I say to you, to the
extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me!" (Mattew 25:35-40)

God may surprise you with an opportunity to be His hands this weekend. Maybe it will be a co-worker who is struggling and needs a word of encouragement from you. It may be a total stranger that you meet in the grocery store, at the gas station -- open your wide eyes to
opportunities to serve others this weekend. When you are serving others -- you are doing it for His glory.

PRIDE BRINGS YOU DOWN

"Pride is the great enemy of the Christian. Pride is an overly high opinion of yourself. It motivates you to do things that you know are not Christlike, and it hinders you from doing what brings glory to God. Pride influenced Adam and Eve to try to become like God (Genesis 3:5). Pride motivated Cain to murder his brother (Genesis 4:5). Pride provoked Joseph's brothers to sell him into slavery (Genesis 37:8). Pride caused King Saul to resent David so deeply that tried to murder him (1 Samuel 18:8). Pride led King Hezekiah to foolishly reveal his nation's wealth
to his enemies (Isaiah 39:2). Pride was at the root of the Pharisees' anger toward Jesus. Pride was the reason the disciples argued over rank in the kingdom (Luke 9:46).

Pride is the relentless enemy. If you succumb to its influence, there will be consequences. You may know that you have offended someone, but pride holds you back from asking forgiveness. You may realize you need to reconcile a broken relationship, but pride will lead you to deny that
need. The Spirit may convict you that you are living a sinful lifestyle, but pride will discourage your admitting it. Pride will convince you that you deserve better treatment. Pride will impede your serving others. Instead, pride will have you striving for places of prominence. Pride will have you listen to flatterers and ignore honest counselors. Pride will lead you to isolate yourself so that you are not accountable to others.

Humility, on the other hand, is pleasing to God and places your life in a position where God will honor you. If pride has crept into some area of your life, ask God to give you victory over it before it robs you of God's will for you." from Experiencing God -- A Daily Devotional by Dr.
Henry Blackaby, published by Thomas Nelson.

Good words to ponder on this Thursday, August 4, 2005.

WHAT A DAY!

I apologize that this Freedom Fighter is so late. Last night around 11:30 PM there was a accident at KESWICK PINES, our friends from the retirement village next to our property. A number of our staff were up through the night working around the clock to care for the over 250 guests that were brought on our grounds to sleep and be fed. The Red Cross provided cots, blankets and pillows for the residents and KESWICK PINES served their residents well with medical care and meals.

This was "GO GOD" day for us as it gave us many opportunities to share Christ with not only the residents, but their loved ones who came to check on their care and safety. The media were given a bird's eye view into what we do on a daily basis. We are praying that we will have opened up many doors to serve these precious seniors in the days ahead.

I will write more tomorrow. Again, I apologize to our Freedom Fighter family for the delay.

CONQUERORS

"...we are more than conquerors ...."

(Romans 8:37)

We have in another place considered the "more" nature of God. He is always "more." He always provides "more." He always does "more." That is just the way He is. Now it is good for us to see and know how His "more" affects us in a more personal way.

God's "more" is personal for US. He is not "more" just for Himself. He is "more" on OUR behalf. He knows WE need His "more." We see that in so many of His assurances. He manifested it in His declaration that He had come in order that WE may have "life... more abundantly." (John 10:10) We see it in the promise that His grace is sufficient for US for his strength is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

That is why our Bible tells us that "WE (emphasis added) are more than conquerors...." We are not merely more than the ordinary. We are not in the category of those who "barely make it" in our efforts to overcome the problems of this life. We certainly are not those who are held captive by desires and circumstances. Neither are we captive to the pressures of peers. Corrupted culture holds no claim over us.

Neither are we the ones who merely study about the conquerors. True, those stories of conquerors are exciting. They raise some hope and excite some discipline in those who would like to join the ranks of the victorious. They encourage other conquerors that share the victory. But the promise to us is that WE are the conquerors. In fact WE are the ones who are "more than conquerors." We are the ones who wear the crown, occupy the throne and hold the victor's sword. Are you now saying that such is not the case in your life? Are you saying that your struggle for such victory continues? Are you wondering why this victory has not replaced your defeat?Why should we ask? The answer to victory is so obvious. For "we are more than conquerors THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US."

Have you not claimed your crown, your throne and your Victor's sword? Have you not claimed your victory in Christ?

Robert L. Alderman

Scripture Reading: Genesis 1-3; Matthew 1

Today's Freedom Fighter is from REAL VICTORY FOR REAL LIFE -- 365 Daily Meditations on Victorious Christian Living.

HEART MUSIC

"The heart must have in it the grace of prayer to sing the praise of God. Spiritual singing is not be be done by musical taste or talent, but by the grace of God in the heart. The conscious presence of God inspires song.

The angels in heaven don't need conductors to lead them, nor do they care for paid choirs to chime in with their heaving doxologies of praise and worship. They are not dependent of singing schools to teach them the notes and scales of singing. Their singing involuntarily breaks forth
from the heart.

God is immediately present in the heavenly assemblies of the angels and the spirits of men made perfect. His glorious presence creates the song, teaches the singing, and impregnates their notes of praise. It is so on earth. God's presence begets singing and thanksgiving, while the absence of God from our congregations is the death of song, or, which amounts to the same, makes the singing lifeless, cold and formal. His conscious presence in our churches would bring back the days of praise and would restore the full chorus of song.

Where grace abounds, song abounds. When God is in the heart, heaven is present and melody is there, and the lips overflow out of the abundance of the heart. This is as true in the private life if the believer as it is so in the congregations of the saints. The decay of singing, the dying down and out of the spirit of praise in song, means the decline of grace in the heart and the absence of God's presence from the people.

The main design of all singing is for God's ear and to attract HIS attention and to please HIM. It is 'to the Lord,' for HIS glory and to his honor." written by E. M. Bounds

(from MAGNIFICENT PRAYER -- 366 Devotions to Deepen Your Prayer Experience published by Zondervan)

"Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song." (Psalm 95:1-2)