AN ATTITUDE OF THANKSGIVING

AN ATTITUDE OF THANKSGIVING

We've talked about this before, but it is a good reminder --
Thanksgiving is not just a holiday we celebrate in November.
Thanksgiving needs to be a part of the very fabric on our lives. Someone
said that for the believer it is not thanksgiving -- it's THANKSLIVING.

Charles Swindoll in his new daily devotional, GREAT DAYS WITH THE GREAT
LIVES-- DAILY INSIGHT FROM GREAT LIVES OF THE BIBLE,
shares that the Apostle Paul "had an attitude of genuine thanksgiving:
'Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of
thanksgiving, praying that at the same time for us as well, that God may
open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the
mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; in order that
I might make it clear in the way I ought to speak' (Colossians 4:2-4).

Here's a man in his sixties who has been preaching for years asking for
prayers for a clearer delivery. There was no pretense with Paul. No
degree of success or number of years in the ministry gave him a false
sense of ultimate accomplishment. He knew he had not yet arrived. He was
convinced his preaching could be improved. And so with a genuinely
thankful heart, he entreated his fellow believers for their prayers. Can
you see the power of that kind of attitude? Very refreshing.

No wonder the man had such a lasting impact for Christ. His secret bled
through every one of his letters. He had learned to be content in all
things. But we can't leave the ink of these truths to simply sit and dry
on the page. We must embrace the same secret for ourselves if we are to
have the same lasting impact . . .

Let's turn the spotlight away from the many housed in Rome back then and
focus it on you and your life, wherever you find yourself right now. Are
you making a difference in the lives of those closest to you by the way
you respond to your circumstances? Are others inspired by your faith, or
are they discouraged by your fears? Are the attitudes of unselfish
humility, joyful acceptance, strong determination, and genuine
thanksgiving evident in the way you respond to circumstances? Maybe its
time to make some changes.

Start by refusing to let your situation determine your attitude. When
your attitude overshadows your situation, transformation really begins.
As we saw in Paul, the power to transform stubborn attitudes of fear and
bitterness, anger and defeat, comes from Christ. The Lord our God stands
ready to pour his strength in you. He alone has the power to deliver you
from those relentless foes and send you soaring. Keep an attitude of
thanksgiving." GREAT DAYS WITH THE GREAT LIVES -- DAILY INSIGHT FROM
GREAT LIVES OF THE BIBLE is available from the KESWICK ONLINE BOOKSTORE
-- www.americaskeswick.org.

Good words for you to apply to your heart today. One last call for
FREEDOM FIGHTER DAY CD'S . . . Mark P. Fisher shares three pratical
sessions on how you can live victoriously in your sexual life. 3 CD's
are yours at no cost. Simply respond to this email with your mailing
address.

YOUR LORD PROCEEDS YOU . . .

YOUR LORD PROCEEDS YOU . . .

One of the traditions established by our founder, William Raws, many
years ago, is the use of Deuteronomy 31:8 as a benediction at the close
of our chapel services . . . "And the Lord, it is He that doth go before
you; He will be with you neither forsake you; fear not neither be
dismayed."

Sometimes we face those times and situations where we FEEL like we are
all alone. Henry Blackaby in his daily devotional EXPERIENCING GOD DAY
BY DAY reminds us that: "God never sends you into a situation alone. He
always goes BEFORE His children, as He did with the children of Israel
when He led them with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

You do not serve as His advance troops in a foreign and hostile
situation. HE always proceeded YOU in any situation you encounter. God
is never caught by surprise by your experience; He has already been
there. He is prepared to meet your every need because He has gone before
you and knows exactly what you will need for your pilgrimage (Deut.
31:8)

Not only does God go BEFORE you, but He also stands BESIDE you and
BEHIND you, to provide protection and comfort (Psalm 139:7-12). Jesus
knew His disciples would be totally bewildered by His crucifixion, so He
assured them in advance that no matter what happened, not matter where
they went, they could go in confidence that He had already gone before
them. Paul, too, experienced this assurance (Acts 18:9; 23:11). In the
most bewildering circumstances, His Lord was there!

If you are going through a difficult or confusing time, know that your
Lord has gone BEFORE you and He is present with you. He is fully aware
of what you are facing, and He is actively responding to your need.
There is nowhere you can go that you will not find Christ waiting for
you to join Him. Even when you face death, you can be assured that He
has gone before you in triumph. As a child of God, rest in the knowledge
that your Savior PROCEEDED you, and He will walk WITH YOU through each
experience of your life."

EXPERIENCING GOD DAY BY DAY is published by Broadman Holman and can be
ordered from the KESWICK ON-LINE BOOKSTORE (www.americaskeswick.org).

It's not to late to request a complimentary set of the free FREEDOM
FIGHTER DAY CD's. To order your copy, respond to this email.

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!

"The appeal of sensual lust works like a magnet, drawing two 'sudden and
fierce' forces toward each other -- inner desire and an outer bait.
Let's face it, you can't escape the bait if you live in the real world.
In fact, even if you somehow manage to shut yourself away from the REAL
world, your MIND will not let you escape the outer bait. But keep in
mind that there is no sin in the bait. The sin is in the BITE.

When the lust of another TEMPTS you to give in to your OWN lust, so much
so that your resistance weakens, you have been enticed. You have given
in to the lure of temptation. The secret of victory is modeled
beautifully by Joseph. He REFUSED to weaken. He continued to resist.

Potiphar's wife dropped the bait day after day after day. And each time
Joseph refused to take it. 'No, no, no!' he replied. Not only did he not
LISTEN to her, it got to where he did not even want to be near her. She
was not safe to be around. Joseph had rebuffed her time and time again,
refusing to yield to her advances. Finally, she set a trap for him.

Joseph had come into the house to do his work one day. He noticed that
the house was quiet. There were no servants nearby. She was alone with
Joseph in the house, and she again made her move. Only this time she
would not take no for an answer. She went beyond her verbal advances and
physically grabbed hold of Joseph. She held on so tightly that when he
jerked away from her and dashed out into the street, he left his outer
robe in her hands.

What a clear image! What a practical spotlight from Joseph's life. What
strong biblical counsel. Whenever the New Testament lingers on the
subject of sensual temptation, it gives one command: RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It 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 you
CANNOT 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!'

My question for you this morning -- are you facing a situation in your
life where you need to RUN? Are you dabbling with temptation thinking
you won't get burned? Then do what the Scripture says . . . RUN!

from Charles R. Swindoll's new daily devotional "GREAT DAYS WITH THE
GREAT LIVES . . . Daily Insight from Great Lives of the Bible" published
by W. This book is available at the KESWICK ONLINE BOOKSTORE --
www.americaskeswick.org.

This week I am offering to you a complimentary set of the messages
presented at our March Freedom Fighter Day. To order a set, respond to
this email and please include your snail address. If the CD's or this
ministry is a blessing to you and you would like to make a donation to
the Colony of Mercy, you can now make donations on-line by visiting our
website -- www.americaskeswick.org. America's KESWICK depends on
friends like you to support us with your gifts and prayers.

BOLD FAITH

BOLD FAITH

"As soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord -- the Lord of all
the earth -- set foot IN THE JORDAN, its waters flowing downstream will
be cut off and stand up in a heap." Joshua 3:13

Sometimes when God calls us to join Him in something exciting, it
requires I bold step of faith to step out into the deep with Him. In
this amazing account in the life of Joshua, the children of Israel were
instructed by God to cross the river. Their parents had done this once
before and God had demonstrated His power and glory -- but where they
willing to trust God and His promises to do it again? God was about to
once again demonstrate HIS faithfulness and power, but they had to first
take the step of faith and put their feet in the water.

Listen to the words from today's reading from STREAMS IN THE DESERT . .
. "Who can help but admire those brave Levites! They carried the ark of
the covenant right into the water, for the water was not divided UNTIL
THEIR FEET TOUCHED THE WATER'S EDGE (vs. 15). God had promised nothing
else.

God honors faith -- stubborn faith -- that sees HIS PROMISE and looks to
that alone. We can only imagine how bystanders today, watching these
holy men of God march on, would say, 'You will never catch me running
that risk! The ark will be swept away!' We must not overlook the fact
that faith on our part helps God to carry out His plans. Be willing to
come to the help of the Lord.

The ark of the covenant was equipped with poles so the priests could
raise it to their shoulders. So even the ark of God did not move by
itself but was carried. When God is the architect, men are the
bricklayers and laborers. Faith assists God. it can shut the mouths of
lions and quench the most destructive fire. Faith still honors God, and
God honors faith.

Oh, for the kind of faith that will move ahead, leaving God to fulfill
His promises when He sees fit! Fellow Levites, let us shoulder our load,
without looking as though we were carrying God's coffin. It is the ark
of the living God! Sing as you march toward the flood!

One of the distinguishing marks of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament
church was the spirit of BOLDNESS. One of the great essentials of the
kind of faith that will attempt great things FOR God and expect great
things FROM God is holy boldness and daring. When dealing with a
supernatural Being and taking things from Him that are HUMANLY
impossible, it is actually easier for us to take a lot than it is to
take a little. And it is easier to stand in a place of bold trust than
in a place where we cautiously and timidly cling to the shore.

Like wise sailors living a life of faith, let us launch out our ships
into the deep. We will find that ALL THINGS are 'possible with God'
(Luke 18:27), and 'everything is possible for him who believes.' (Mark
9:23). Today let us attempt great things for God, taking His faith to
believe great things and taking HIS strength to accomplish them!"

Are you willing to be bold today in your faith? I'd love to know how God
is working out this truth in your life. Let me hear from you today.

Missed our Freedom Fighter Day? I would be happy to send you FREE -- the
three messages that Mark P. Fisher shared on living in sexual freedom.
Respond to this email with your address.

DIVINE PROMISES

DIVINE PROMISES

"All the promises of God in Him are YES, and in Him Amen, to the glory
of God through us." 2 Corinthians 1:20

I love the prayers of the Puritans and have one to share with you this
morning on the DIVINE PROMISES . . .

Glorious Jehovah, My Covenant God,
All Your promises in Christ Jesus are yea and amen, and all shall be
fulfilled.
You have spoken them, and they shall be done, commanded, and they shall
come to pass.
Yet I have often doubted You, have lived at times as if there were no
God.
Lord, forgive me that death in life, when I have found something apart
from You,
when I have been content with short-lived things.
But through Your grace I have repented; You have given me to read my
pardon in the wounds of Jesus,
and my soul trusts in Him, my God incarnate the ground of my life, the
spring of my hope.

Teach me to be resigned to Your will, to delight in Your law, to have
not will but Yours,
to believe that everything You do is for my good.
Help me to leave my concern in Your hands, for You have power over evil,
and bring from it an infinite progression of good,
until Your purposes are fulfilled.

Bless me with Abraham's faith that staggers not at promises through
unbelief.
May I not instruct You in my troubles, but glorify You in my trials;
Grant me a distinct advance in the divine life;
May I reach a higher platform, leave the mists of doubt and fear in the
valley,
and climb to the hill-tops of eternal security in Christ by simply
believing he cannot lie,
or turn from His purpose.
Give me confidence I ought to have in Him who is worthy to be praised,
and who is blessed evermore. Amen.

From VALLEY OF VISION -- PRAYERS OF THE PURITANS published by Banner of
Truth. This powerful devotional tool is available at the KESWICK ONLINE
BOOKSTORE (www.americaskeswick.org).

FREEDOM FIGHTER DAY -- Did you miss the day? If you'd like a
complimentary set of the three messages that Mark Fisher shared with the
guys, respond to this email with your mailing address and we will get
them to you. It is our gift to our Freedom Fighter family.

Saturday begins DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME!!! Turn your clocks ahead.

DESIGNED FOR A PURPOSE

DESIGNED FOR A PURPOSE

"And God said unto Abraham, You shall keep my covenant therefore, you,
and your seed after you in their generations." Genesis 17:9

"We are surrounded throughout our lifetime by a multitude of things
designed for specific purposes. Without argument, most things are at
their best when they are fulfilling their purpose and design.

For instance, a piano is made with a specific purpose: to produce music.
However, I happen to know that someone once stood on a piano in order to
put a fastener of some kind in the ceiling . . . I have seen piano tops
that were cluttered filing cabinets or wide library shelves.

There is an intelligent design in the creation of a piano. The
manufacturer didn't announce: 'This is a good piano. It has nineteen
uses!' No, the designer had only one thought in mind: 'This piano will
have the purpose and potential of sounding forth beautiful music . . .
!'

Don't miss the application of truth here. God said to Abraham, 'You may
have some other idea about the design and purpose for your life, but you
are wrong! You were created in My image to worship Me and to glorify Me.
If you do not honor this purpose, your life will degenerate into
shallow, selfish, humanistic pursuits." -- A. W. Tozer from TOZER ON THE
ALMIGHTY GOD published by Christian Publications and available from the
KESWICK ONLINE BOOKSTORE (www.americaskeswick.org).

This morning as you gather with like-minded believers, remember YOU WERE
DESIGNED FOR A PURPOSE. You were created to worship HIM. Enjoy HIM
today!

LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH PRAISE THE LORD . . .

LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH PRAISE THE LORD . . .

As you prepare your hearts for worship tomorrow, think about this from
the pen of Dr. Richard Swenson . . .

"Every breath we take contains 150 million molecules that were breathed
by Jesus. The exact same air molecules. It is one of the many ways He
shares life with us -- intimately. Whenever we inhale, Jesus is there
with us sharing Himself minute-by-minute and molecule-by-molecule.
Daniel spoke of the God who holds in His hand your breath.

We breathe about 23,000 times per day and 630 million times over an
average lifespan. With each inhalation we breathe 10 molecules, more
than a billion trillion with each lungful.

Once the air is in the lungs, the next step is to get it into the
bloodstream. The lungs first divide the breath into smaller portions and
send each down a series of dividing wind tunnels. Finally, the air
arrives in different peripheral "rooms" where each molecule of oxygen
can receive individual attention.

These rooms, called alveoli, are actually tiny air sacks. Perhaps you
can picture them like bubbles, miniature balloons, or clusters of hollow
grapes. The average diameter of these alveoli is only twice the
thickness of paper. Overall we have about three hundred million such
alveoli, greatly increasing the surface area available for the oxygen to
come into contact with. If you were to spread out all the alveolar
surface and lay it down on the floor, it would equal half the size of a
tennis court.

With the inhaled oxygen now closely approximated to the lining of the
alveoli, the red blood cells and hemoglobin within the capillaries can
attract the oxygen across the thin membrane and begin transporting it to
the various cells.

With increased exercise the muscles need more oxygen. Under strenuous
conditions, the muscle demand for oxygen may increase as much as ten
fold-- a demand the pulmonary system can me because of a huge built-in
physiologic margin in our respiratory function.

Once again God has pulled off another display of His creative genius.
All He asks in return is 'LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH PRAISE THE
LORD!"

Are you praising the Lord with the breath God has given to you? Good
words to ponder today from A MINUTE OF MARGIN -- RESTORING BALANCE TO
BUSY LIVES and published by our friends at NavPress. This book is
available at the KESWICK ONLINE BOOKSTORE -- www.americaskeswick.org

THE SURRENDERED REST

THE SURRENDERED REST

"When our bodies find rest, we feel refreshed. When our emotions find
rest, our countenance is lifted. Yet relaxed muscles and minds are of
little worth unless our souls also find rest in the acceptance of God.
Such a rest transcends the problems of our world and shelters us where
no injury can follow. His rest is ultimately the only dependable rest.

Sabbath rest is a rest He calls us to, but surrendered rest is a rest He
offers to us. Sabbath rest we enter our of obedience; surrendered rest
we enter out of our own need. Sabbath rest arise from the good and
perfect law of God; surrendered rest arises from the good and perfect
grace of God. Sabbath rest is remembrance; surrendered rest is meekness.

'Come to ME, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you
rest,' offered Jesus. '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.' These are attractive words to
weary people everywhere. Yet, as usual, Jesus leaves us scratching our
heads: What does He mean, to take His yoke? Does that really sound so
restful?

The answer lies in meekness. In this passage Christ calls Himself meek.
He came not to judge but to die. He came not to shout and defend the
honor of the Father but to die. He came not to fight but to die. No
persecution could disturb Him, for He came to suffer. Yet all the time
He as suffering, He knew He was winning. We, too, can suffer and win. We
can live with love even when others hate -- all the time knowing that
Love wins. We can respond with grace when other surrender, knowing Grace
wins. When we come to Him and surrender, accepting HIS yoke, we accept
full vulnerability to the onslaught of the world. Yet at the same time
we are assured that NOTHING can separate us from the love of Christ.
This rest is a self-weakening unto God-strength. It is a self-emptying
unto God-fullness. It is the rest of surrender.

Even when I FEEL inferior, even when I have been victimized, even when
the pace and pressures of life bring me to the point of collapse, Christ
brings me to HIS rest. When my surrender is completed and HIS yoke is
accepted, then my soul will find rest." from the pen of Dr. Richard
Swenson in his daily devotional A MINUTE OF MARGIN ... RESTORING BALANCE
TO OUR BUSY LIVES.

Thot: Jesus calls us to His rest, and meekness is HIS method. The meek
man cares not at all who is greater than he, for he has long ago decided
the esteem of the world is not worth the effort." -- A. W. Tozer

Good words to ponder as we end this week and enter into the weekend. Has
Freedom Fighters been an encouragement to you? We'd love to hear from
you, and even better, encourage a friend to sign up. Visit our website
for up-to-date information about the ministries of America's KESWICK --
www.americaskeswick.org.

GRATEFULNESS vs. MURMURING

GRATEFULNESS vs. MURMURING

I have been reading through the ONE YEAR BIBLE and for the past several
weeks the readings have been in Numbers. I have been amazed at how often
in that book, Moses talks about the murmuring and grumbling of the
children of Israel.

I found myself saying, "How could they be so stupid?" and then the Holy
Spirit places His hand on my shoulder and says, "And how can you? Don't
you do the same thing?" Ouch!!!

Bill Gothard in his book THE POWER OF TRUE SUCCESS -- HOW TO BUILD
CHARACTER IN YOUR LIFE suggests several principles about gratefulness:

1. Gratefulness is receiving all things from the sovereign hand of God
and finding the benefits in each one. (James 1:17)

2. Gratefulness depends on the ability to see or anticipate the benefits
of God's bigger program.

3. Nothing holds back a heart from gratitude so much as holding on to
expectations. Are your expectations His? Are they unrealistic? (See
Psalm 62:5) "A proud man is seldom a grateful man; he never gets as much
as he deserves." -- Henry Ward Beecher

4. Thank God for what you DO have instead of murmuring about what you
DON'T have. Helen Keller said, "So much has been give to me, I have no
time to ponder over that which has been denied."

5. Grateful people appreciate WHAT they have; murmurers don't want what
they are given. (See Exodus 16:8)

6. Gratefulness is defined by God as a sacrifice because it means
surrendering our NATURAL tendency to murmur. (See Psalm 116:17).

"Think not on what you lack as much as on what you have." -- Greek
Proverb

Are you grateful this morning our are you a murmurer? Good thought to
ponder today.

HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH THIS THING CALLED LOVE?

HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH THIS THING CALLED LOVE?

A number of years ago our Board mapped our our ministry core values. We
established a list of 10 non-negotiables that must never change at
America's KESWICK. They are benchmarks to guide us into the future years
of ministry.

A list of core values are of no value if you never review them. For me,
as the Executive Director, I must go back to them almost weekly to see
how we are doing. In a sense, they are a part of my "report card" (now
for some of you those two words send shivers up your spine!). The review
process is good.

Today's passage from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is one of the CORE VALUES for
all us -- LOVE. Paul gives a pretty strong statement on what love looks
like -- how we should love our spouses, our kids, and others for that
matter. Eugene Peterson in his paraphrase, THE MESSAGE, lays it out this
way:

Love NEVER gives up.
Love cares more for OTHERS than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut.
Doesn't have a swelled head.
Doesn't force itself on others.
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end!

So how are you doing today? Would you pass the test? Allow Christ to
love THROUGH you today. This would be a great portion of Scripture to
commit to memory and meditate on daily. I know that I need some work on
this today.

COLONY GRADS: We are building a "Grad Web Album" on our website and
would like to include your picture along with a couple lines about when
you graduated and what you're doing. You can email your pictures to:
bwelte@americaskeswick.org

LIVE WELL, LIVE WISELY

LIVE WELL, LIVE WISELY

From the Book of James (The Message)

"Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom?
Here's what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly! It's the way
you LIVE, not the way you TALK, that counts.

Mean-spirited ambition isn't wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn't
wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourself sound wise isn't wisdom.
It's the furthest thing from wisdom -- it's animal cunning, devilish
conniving. Whenever you're trying to LOOK better than other or get the
better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the other's
throats.

Real wisdom, GOD'S wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized
by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing
with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not
two-faced.

You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God
and enjoy its results ONLY if you do the hard work of getting along with
each other, treating each other with dignity and honor." (James 3:13-17)

Good words from THE WORD for you to meditate on this morning and
throughout the day.

MORNING PRAYER

MORNING PRAYER

"Compassionate Lord, Your mercies brought me to the dawn of another day,
Vain will be its gift unless I grow in grace, increase in knowledge,
ripen for spiritual harvest.
Let me this day know You as You are, love You supremely, serve You
wholly, admire You fully.
Through grace let my will respond to You, knowing that power to obey is
not in me, but that Your free love alone enables me to serve You.
Here then is my empty heart, overflow it with Your choicest gifts;
Here is my blind understanding, chase away its mists of ignorance.
O ever watchful Shepherd, lead, guide, tend me this day;
Without Your restraining rod I err and stray;
Hedge up my path lest I wander into unwholesome pleasure, and drink its
poisonous streams;
Direct my feet that I be not entangled in Satan's secret snares, nor
fall into his hidden traps.
Defend me from assailing foes, from evil circumstances, from myself.
My adversaries are part and parcel of my nature;
They cling to me as my very skin;
I cannot escape their contact.
In my rising up and sitting down they barnacle me;
They entice with constant baits;
My enemy is within the citadel;
Come with almighty power and cast him out, pierce him to death, and
abolish in my every particle of carnal life this day." from VALLEY OF
VISION -- Prayers of the Puritan

Great prayer as we begin this new week and the first day of Spring.

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

Counseling 'Phone Numbers"
By A Anonymous

All calls are free of charge. Isn't that great!

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS:

When in sorrow, .......................................... call John 14.
When men fail you, ...................................... call Lamentations 3:17-26.
If you want to be fruitful, ...............................call John 15.
When you have sinned, ................................ call Psalm 51.
When you worry, ........................................ call Matthew 6:19-34.
When you are in danger, .............................. call Psalm 91.
When God seems far away, ......................... call Psalm 139.
When your faith needs stirring, ..................... call Hebrews 11.
When you are lonely and fearful, .................. call Psalm 23.
When you grow bitter and critical, ................ call 1st Corinthians 13.
For Paul's secret to happiness,...................... call Colossians 3:12-17.
For understanding of Christianity, ................. call II Corinthians 5:15-21.
When you feel down and out, ....................... call Romans 8:31-39.
When you want peace and rest, .................... call Matthew 11:25-30.
When the world seems bigger than God, ....... call Psalm 90.
When you want Christian assurance, ............. call Romans 8:1-30.
When you leave home for labor or travel, ...... call Psalm 121.
When your prayers grow narrow or selfish, ... call Psalm 67.
For a great opportunity, ................................ call Isaiah 55.
When you want courage for a task, ................call Joshua 1.
For how to get along with fellow men, ........... call Romans 12.
When you think of investments and returns,.... call Mark 10.
If you are depressed, .................................... call Psalm 27.
If your pocketbook is empty, ........................ call Psalm 37.
If you are losing confidence in people, ........... call 1st Corinthians 13.
If people seem unkind, .................................. call John 15.
If discouraged about your work, ................... call Psalm 126.

If you find the world growing small and yourself great, ........call Psalm 9.

Alternate numbers:

For dealing with fear, ................................... call Psalm 34:7.
For security, ................................................ call Hebrews 6:13-20
For assurance, ............................................ call 1 John 5:9-15.
For reassurance, ......................................... call Psalm 145:18.

Emergency numbers may be dialed direct. No operator assistance is
necessary. All lines to Heaven are open 24 hours a day!

Have a blessed Lord's day. Enjoy HIM today.

A LOOK IN THE MIRROR

A LOOK IN THE MIRROR

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise
his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me
a sinner!'" (Luke 18:13)

If you've ever wondered how far God would go to show His
love, look in the mirror and wonder no more. We need not look any
further than ourselves to find the most shocking and amazing displays of
God's grace. If we think otherwise, it is only because we have not seen
ourselves as we truly are.

It has been said and sung many times: "There but for the
grace of God go I." At first this sounds grateful, but such sentiment
masks a dangerous pride. It is actually not unlike the statement of a
religious leader in Jesus' day as he looked upon a sinner on his knees
crying out for God's mercy. "Lord I thank you that I am not like that
sinner over there," the Pharisee prayed. It is a view that focuses on
someone else's misfortune. Someone else is worse than I am. Much better
to be thinking and praying, "Here, because of the grace of God, and for
no other reason, am I." I am the only person I truly know about when it
comes to sin. I am the authority on the subject.

The Pharisee hasn't a clue about the sinner-who he is or
what he has done. Nor does he have any business making the assumption
that the sinner is lot is any worse than his. The only prayer any of us
can pray on the subject of sin is: "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner."
This is the only prayer that sends heaven scurrying.

It is best to steer completely clear of the comparison game.
Any attempt to better oneself at the mercy of someone else's failure
will always bring a twisted view of both ourselves and others.

The immensity of God's mercy is not displayed in what He did
for the world, or for someone else. Nor is it discovered through some
theological understanding of the many nuances of His grace. The
immensity of God's mercy is revealed finally-and only-in the incredible
realization that, lo and behold, it found out the worst of the lot. It
looked from heaven and found out me!

John Fischer

Scripture Reading: Genesis 29-30; Matthew 9:1-17

Today's devotional comes from REAL VICTORY FOR REAL LIFE -- a 365 daily
devotional published by America's KESWICK. Currently out-of-print, a new
edition will be released in June published by Christian Literature
Crusade. Singer-songrwiter, John Fischer, is a member of the Board of
Reference of America's KESWICK.

PRAYER -- HIS PART AND OURS . . .

PRAYER -- HIS PART AND OURS . . .

"Then Isaiah said, 'Prepare a poultice of figs.' They did so and applied
it to the boil, and he recovered." 2 Kings 20:7

"I would have you understand that prayer must be accompanied by means.
It is an outrage to ask God to do a thing while we sit passively.
Prayer, to be acceptable, must come not only from the heart, but from
the hands. We must work while we pray -- devotion and work going
together. Martin Luther cam to his dying friend's beside and prayed for
his recovery, and insisted, at the same time, that he should take some
warm soup, the soup being just as important as the prayer.

In the time of the great plague that came to England, the priests prayed
all day and all night for the removal of the plague, but didn't think of
clearing out the dead dogs and cats that lay in the gutters causing the
sickness. We must use means as well as supplication.

If a man prays for good health, and then sits down to a full supper of
indigestibles at eleven o'clock at night, his prayer is a mockery. A man
has no right to pray for the safety of his family when he knows there is
no cover for his cistern.

The Christian man, reckless about his health, ought not to expect the
same answer to his prayer as the Christian man who retires regularly at
a reasonable hour and practices good hygiene. Paul said to the
passengers of the Alexandrian corn-ship that they would get safely
ashore, but he told them that they must use means, and that was, 'Stick
to the old ship!'

God is not weak, needing our help, but God is strong and asks us to
cooperate with him that we may be strong too. Pray by all means, but
don't forget the fig-poultice . . . Sometimes, we know full well what to
do, but we continue to pray, asking God to do what we know we should do.
As you pray, always be asking God, 'Is there a fig-poultice for this
situation?' If the answer is yes, then do what you know you must."
adapted from MAGNIFICENT PRAYER -- 366 Devotions to Deepen Your Prayer
Experience by Nick Harrison -- published by Zondervan.

"See that you do not use the trick of prayer to cover up what you know
YOU ought to do." -- Oswald Chambers

MY WORTH TO GOD PUBLICLY IS MEASURED BY WHAT I

This weekend we added a number of new men to our Freedom Fighter list.
Welcome guys! We are glad you have joined us. Freedom Fighter was
birthed because of our passion to see men living victoriously in a world
filled with craziness and change. We desire to see men not living on the
edge with temptation and sin -- but living in freedom -- being more than
conquerors.

Most of what I share with you each morning is fresh from what I am
reading and learning through my daily devotional time with the Lord.
This morning my friend Oswald Chambers once again nailed me . . . I
admit to you that one of my life long battles has been pleasing people.
Sometimes I have allowed the fear of man to override my fear of God. But
it isn't about pleasing people -- it's about PLEASING HIM! Listen to the
words of Chambers from today's devotional from MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST
. . .

"We make it our aim . . . to be well pleasing to Him." (2 Corinthians
5:9)

"It requires a conscious decision and effort to keep our primary goal
constantly in front of us. It means holding ourselves to the highest
priority year in and year out; not making our first priority to win
souls, or to establish churches, or to have revivals, but seeking only
'to be well pleasing to Him.' IT IS NOT A LACK OF SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE
THAT LEADS TO FAILURE, BUT A LACK OF WORKING TO KEEP OUR EYES FOCUSED
AND ON THE RIGHT GOAL.' At least once a week examine yourself before God
to see if your life is measuring up to the standard He has for you. Paul
was like a musician who gives no thought to audience approval, if he can
only catch a look of approval from his Conductor.

Any goal we have that diverts us even to the slightest degree from the
central goal of being 'approved to God' (2 Timothy 2:15) may result in
our rejection from further service for Him. When you discern where the
goal leads, you will understand why it is so necessary to keep 'looking
unto Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). Paul spoke of the importance of controlling
his own body so that it would not take him in the wrong direction. He
said, 'I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest . . . I
myself should become disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:27)

I must learn to relate everything to the primary goal, maintaining it
without interruption. MY WORTH TO GOD PUBLICLY IS MEASURED BY WHAT I
REALLY AM IN MY PRIVATE LIFE. Is my primary goal in life to please Him
and to be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how
lofty it may sound?"

Powerful words for our consideration this morning. "Lord, my desire
today is to be pleasing to YOU, and you alone. Help me today not to fear
people, but to fear YOU. Help me today to stay focused on the RIGHT
goal. I pray that for me and for my fellow Freedom Fighters."

THE VALUE OF A GODLY MENTOR

THE VALUE OF A GODLY MENTOR

Three verses today that jumped off the pages of the Word (from THE
MESSAGE) and reminded me of how grateful I am for the older men God has
placed in my life over the years:

"Moral dropouts won't listen to their elders; welcoming correction is a
mark of good sense." -- Proverbs 15:5
"Know-it-alls don't like being told what to do -- they avoid the company
of wise men and women." Proverbs 15: 12
"Listen to good advice if you want to live well -- an honored guest
among wise men and women." Proverbs 15:31

Over the years God has placed in my life older, mature men who have
impacted my life in astounding ways. Much to my dismay, many of my peers
and men younger than me tend to shy away from older folks and don't see
the value of allowing them to come alongside to give counsel and
assistance. My life is richer and fuller because of the many men that I
have allowed to come alongside of me to counsel, guide, pray with, and
simply listen too.

Some have offered me correction. It hasn't always been easy to listen to
-- I do struggle with pride. But I have to tell you -- I have avoided
some pretty major disasters in my life by listening to their godly
advice. Some have actually given me an action plan. I must admit that
there were times when "their" plans didn't make any sense. But it did it
-- and I avoided some major blunders.

I am reminded today of one mentor, Joe Dariano. He was the choir
director of a church in Pennsylvania for many years. I was asked to
candidate for the position as he was wanting to "retire" as the choir
director. I can remember sitting on the swing with Joe at his home as he
shared time after time with me, godly counsel that I needed to hear.
Sometimes he said tough things. At times he encouraged me and helped me
to grow.

During a major tough time in our lives, Joe came alongside of us, not to
condemn us, but to support us and stand with us when we were facing one
of the most horrible moments of our lives. At that point in our lives --
he was there to put an arm around us, give a hug, pray, and just love on
us. God used Joe Dariano in our lives to walk us through this crisis and
to help us get to the other side victoriously.

Do you have a mentor in your life? Find an older man in your church and
ask to spend some time with him. Ask him questions. Share your
struggles, your concerns, your fears. Then do what most of us have a
hard time doing -- LISTEN! You might be amazed at what you hear!
Thanks, Joe Dariano for investing in my life.

WHAT ARE YOU YIELDING TO?

WHAT ARE YOU YIELDING TO?

" . . . you are that one's slave whom you obey . . . " (Romans 6:16)

"The first thing I must be willing to admit when I begin to examine what
controls and dominates me is that I am responsible for having yielded
myself to whatever it may be. If I am a slave to myself, I am to blame
because somewhere in the past I yielded to myself. Likewise, if I obey
God I do so because at some point in my life I yielded myself to Him.

If a child gives in to selfishness, he will find it to be the most
enslaving tyranny on earth. There is no power within the human soul
itself that is capable of breaking the bondage of the nature created by
yielding. For example, yield for one second to anything in the nature of
lust, and although you hate yourself for having yielded, you become
enslaved to that one thing. (Remember what lust is -- 'I must have it
now [INSTANT GRATIFICATION],' whether it is the lust of the flesh or the
lust of the mind.) No release or escape from it will ever come from
HUMAN power, but only through the power of redemption.

You must yield yourself in utter humiliation to the only ONE who can
break the dominating power in your life, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ.
'. . . He has anointed Me . . . to proclaim liberty to the captives . .
. ' Luke 4:18 and Isaiah 61:1)

When you yield to something, you will soon realize the tremendous
CONTROL it has over you. Even though you say, 'Oh, I can give up that
habit whenever I like,' you will know you can't. You will find that the
HABIT absolutely DOMINATES you because you WILLINGLY yielded to it. It
is easy to sing, 'He will break every fetter,' while at the same time
living a life of obvious SLAVERY to yourself. But yielding to Jesus WILL
break every kind of slavery in any person's life.'" -- amazingly
powerful words today from the pen of Oswald Chambers in the daily
devotional, MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST.

On Saturday at our Freedom Fighter day, I was amazed how few men have
protection on their computers for them and their family. Of the 275 men
in attendance, only 7 men raised their hands to indicate that they are
using a software to provide protection from the smut that is one-click
away from disaster. We cannot play with fire men. You MUST protect
yourself and the ones you love. SAFE EYES is a filtering program that
will provide protection and accountability. Do you want your kids
trapped in the same bondage that you have been in for years? A $50
investment can make a difference. If you are not protected-- call our
Keswick Bookstore today and order SAFE EYES. We will ship it to you
postage free. IT IS AN INVESTMENT THAT WILL KEEP YOU FROM YIELDING TO
THE FLESH and protect your family. Do it today! 732-350-1187 ext 31.

EXCUSES!

EXCUSES!

My good friend, Mark Fisher, shared this at our Freedom Fighter day on
Saturday, and I thought it was worth sharing with you this morning . . .
Next time you THINK you have an excuse as to why God CANNOT use you,
think of these:

Noah got drunk
Abraham was too old
Sarah had stopped ovulating
Isaac was a daydreamer
Leah was ugly
Judah committed incest
Joseph was abused
Moses murdered (so did David and Paul)
Moses stuttered, tended sheep and died too you
Deborah was a woman
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair
Hosea's wife was a prostitute
Rahab WAS a prostitute
David was too you (so were Jeremiah and Timothy)
David had a nervous breakdown and an affair
Elijah was suicidal
Jeremiah was depressive
Isaiah had to preach in the mud
Daniel was torched
Jonah ran away
Naomi was a widow
Job was attacked by Satan
John the Baptist ate bugs
Peter had a temper
John was self-righteous
The disciples fell asleep
Matthew was a thief
Simon was fanatical
Nathaniel was cynical
Martha was a worry wart
Mary was lazy
Mary Magdalene was demon-possessed
The little boy only had five loaves and 2 fish
The Samaritan woman had been sleeping around
Zaccheus was too short
Paul was a prisoner and a poor speaker
Philip disappeared
Mark quit
Timothy had ulcers
And Lazarus . . . was dead.

Now what's your excuse? God does not use us because of WHO we are, but
in spite of who we are ... Good words for today.

A number of our Freedom Fighter family are graduates of the Colony of
Mercy. I wanted to let you know that Nell "MOM" Morrison went home to
glory yesterday afternoon. Tentatively, the plan is to have a Memorial
Service on Wednesday at 11:00 AM at the Colony Chapel. Check the website
later today for details.

A PRAYER OF PREPARATION

A PRAYER OF PREPARATION

As you prepare your heart for worship, here is a prayer of one of the
Puritans from THE VALLEY OF VISION . . .

O God,
Praise waits for You, and to render it is my noblest exercise;
This is You due from all Your creatures,
for all You works display Your attributes and fulfill Your designs;
The sea, dry land, winter cold, summer heat, morning light, evening
shade are full of You,
and You give me them richly to enjoy.
You are King of kings and Lord of lords;
At Your pleasure empires rise and fall;
All Your works praise You and Your saints bless You;
Let me be numbered with Your holy ones,
resemble them in character and condition, sit with them at Jesus' feet.
May my religion be always firmly rooted in Your Word,
my understanding divinely informed,
my affections holy and heavenly,
my motives pure and simple,
and my heart never wrong with You.
Deliver me from the natural darkness of my own mind,
from the corruptions of my heart,
from the temptations to which I am exposed,
from the daily snares that attend me.
I am in constant danger while I am in this life;
Let Your watchful eye ever be upon me for my defense,
Save me from the power of my worldly and spiritual enemies
and from all painful evils to which I have exposed myself.
Until the day of life dawns above let there be unrestrained fellowship
with Jesus;
Until fruition comes, may I enjoy the earnest of my inheritance and the
firstfruits of the Spirit;
Until I finish my course with joy may I pursue it with diligence,
in every part display the resources of the Christian, and adorn the
doctrine of You my God in all things.
Amen

Powerful prayer as we together prepare our hearts to worship Him -- not
just today, but every day!

FREEDOM FIGHTER DAY

FREEDOM FIGHTER DAY

Today is our FREEDOM FIGHTER day at America's KESWICK and we are praying
that there will be many men that will be SET FREE to live victoriously.
As I was waking this morning, the words to a powerful song that the
Brooklyn Choir sings came to my mind. In fact, we are going to be using
this as the signature song for our KESWICK TODAY radio program. I
encourage you to read the lyrics and allow them to bless your heart this
morning.

This Is How It Feels To Be Free

Performed by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

Words and Music by Shawn Craig, Dave Clark & Don Koch

There's a wall that has been standing since the day that Adam fell
Sin is where it started, sin is why it held
Speaking as a prisoner who was there and lived to tell
I remember how it felt
I could hear the sound of freedom like a distant voice it called
And beckoned me to follow where I had never gone
Though myheart was willing, I just stood there at the wall
Praying somehow it would fall
But in a cross I found a doorway and a hand that held the key
When the chains fell at my feet, for the first time I could see

Chorus:
This is how it feels to be free
This is what it means to know that I am forgiven
This is how it feels to be free
To see that life can be more than I imagined
This is how it feels to be free, this is how it feels to be free

There are days when I'm reminded of the prison I was in
Like a living nightmare burning from within
I can feel the voice of evil, I can hear the call of sin
But I won't go back again
Once I tasted freedom then the walls could bing no more
Since mercy gave me wings to fly, like an eagle I can soar

Somewhere there's a prison where the chains still bind
There but for the grace of God those walls could still be mine
So for all the captives I say

My friend, if you are struggling, PLEASE allow Christ to transform your
life.

FAITH VS. FEELINGS

FAITH VS. FEELINGS

"Often our feelings and emotions are mistakenly substituted for faith.
Pleasurable emotions and deep, satisfying experiences are part of the
Christian life, but they are not the essence of it. Trials, conflicts,
battles, and testing's lie along the way and are to be counted not as
misfortunes but rather as part of our necessary discipline.

In all of these various experiences, we are to rely on the indwelling of
Christ in our hearts, regardless of our feelings, as we walk obediently
before Him. And this is where many Christians get into trouble. They try
to walk by feelings rather than by faith.

Trust God's Word and His power more than you trust your own FEELINGS and
experiences. Remember, your Rock is Christ, and it is the sea that ebbs
and flows with the tides, not Him. Keep your eyes firmly fixed on the
infinite greatness of Christ's finished work and His righteousness. Look
to Jesus and believe-- look to Jesus and live! In fact, as you look to
Him, unfurl your sails and bravely face the raging storms on the sea of
life. Do not exhibit your distrust by staying in the security of the
calm harbor or by sleeping comfortably through your life of ease. Do not
allow your life and emotions to be tossed back and forth against each
other like ships idly moored at port. The Christian life is not one of
listless brooding over our emotions or slowly drifting our keel of faith
through shallow water. Nor is it one of dragging our anchor of hope
through the settling mud of the bay, as if we were afraid of
encountering a healthy breeze.

Sail away! Spread your sail toward the storm and trust in Him who rules
the raging sea! A brightly colored bird is safest when in flight. If its
nest is near the ground or if it flies too low it exposes itself to the
hunter's net or trap. In the same way, if we cower in the lowlands of
feelings and emotions, we will find ourselves entangled in a thousand
nets of doubt, despair, temptation, and unbelief. PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD
(Psalm 42:5). When I cannot FEEL the faith of assurance, I live by the
FACT of God's faithfulness."

Good words today from STREAMS IN THE DESERT, published by our friends at
Zondervan and available at the KESWICK ONLINE BOOKSTORE.

Tomorrow is our FREEDOM FIGHTER DAY. Men are struggling in the area of
sexual sin. If you are there, don't stay away. This day is for YOU! It
can mean the difference between death and life for you. Come find out
how you and live in freedom vs.. bondage. Mark P. Fisher, Sandy Cove's
new President, will be sharing his story and from God's Word. To may a
reservation, call 800-453-7942. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow!!!

THE SURRENDERED LIFE

THE SURRENDERED LIFE

"I have been crucified with Christ . . . " -- Galatians 2:20

"To become one with Jesus Christ, a person my be willing not only to
give up sin, but also to surrender his whole way of looking at things.
Being born by the Spirit of God means that we must first be willing to
let go before we can grasp something else. The first thing we must
surrender is all of our pretense or deceit. What our Lord wants us to
present to Him is not our goodness, honesty, or our efforts to do
better, but real solid sin. Actually, that is all He can take from us.
And what HE gives in EXCHANGE for our sin is real solid righteousness.
But we must surrender all pretense that we are anything, and give up all
our claims of even being worthy of God's consideration.

Once we have done that, the Spirit of God will show us what we need to
surrender next. Along each step of this process, we will have to give up
our claims to our rights to ourselves. Are we willing to surrender our
grasp on all that we possess, our desires, and everything else in our
lives? Are we ready to be identified with the death of Jesus Christ?

We will suffer a sharp painful disillusionment before we totally
surrender. When people really see themselves as the Lord see them, it is
not the terribly offensive sins of the flesh that shock them, but the
awful nature of the pride of their own hearts opposing Jesus Christ.
When they see themselves in the light of the Lord, the shame, horror,
and desperate conviction hit home for them.

If you are faced with the question of whether or not to surrender, make
a determination to go on through the crisis, surrendering all that you
have and all that you are to Him. And God will then equip you to do all
that He requires of you." from the pen of Oswald Chambers -- MY UTMOST
FOR HIS HIGHEST -- available at the KESWICK ONLINE BOOKSTORE ---
www.americaskeswick.org
There must be a constant and increasing appreciation that though sin
still remains it does not have the mastery. There is a total difference
between surviving sin and reigning sin, the regenerate in conflict with
sin and the unregenerate complacent to sin. It is one thing for sin to
live in us: it is another for us to live in sin. It is of paramount
concern for the Christian and for the interests of his sanctification
that he should know that sin does not have the dominion over him, that
the forces of redeeming, regenerative, and sanctifying grace have been
brought to bear upon him in that which is central in his moral and
spiritual being, that he is the habitation of God through the Spirit,
and that Christ has been formed in him the hope of glory. -- Eric
Liddell

Good words for your consideration this morning.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SIN ISSUE

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SIN ISSUE

Last week I shared with you some thoughts about the grip of sin and one
of my staff members said, "You are going to share the other side of the
coin . . ." Well as I was reading this morning, here are some WORDS FROM
THE WORD that will encourage you this morning:

"You have cast all my sins behind Your back. Who is a God like You,
pardoning iniquities and passing over the transgression of the remnant
of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He
DELIGHTS in mercy. He will have compassion on all of us, and will subdue
our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."

"For a moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercy I will gather
you. With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with
everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,"says the Lord, your
Redeemer. I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no
more.

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in
whose spirit there is no deceit. The blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanses us from all sin."

(Isaiah 38:17; Micah 7:18-19; Isaiah 54:7-8; Jeremiah 31:34; Psalm
32:1-2; 1 John 1:7) Taken this morning from THE DAILY LIGHT

Grace remits sin and peace quiets the conscience. Sin and conscience
torment us, but Christ has overcome these fiends now and forever. Only
Christians possess this victorious knowledge given from above. These two
terms, grace and peace, constitute Christianity. Grace involves the
remission of sins, peace and a happy conscience. Sin is not canceled by
lawful living, for no person is able to live up to the law...the fact is
the more a person seeks credit for himself by his own efforts, the
deeper he goes into debt. Nothing can take away sin except the grace of
God. In actual living, however it is not so easy to persuade oneself
that by grace alone, in opposition to every other means, we obtain the
forgiveness of our sins and peace with God.

Martin Luther

Good thoughts for you to ponder today. Men's Day is coming quickly. Have
you registered for our Freedom Fighter Day -- Saturday, March 11th? Call
to today.

THE SOURCE OF ABUNDANT JOY

THE SOURCE OF ABUNDANT JOY

"In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved
us . . ." (Romans 8:37)

"Paul was speaking here of the things that might SEEM likely to separate
a saint from the love of God. But the remarkable thing is that NOTHING
can come between the love of God and a saint. The things Paul mentioned
in this passage can and do disrupt the close fellowship of our soul with
God and separate our natural life from Him. But NONE OF THEM is able to
come between the love of God and the soul of a saint on a spiritual
level. The underlying foundation of the Christian faith is the
underserved, limitless miracle of Calvary; a love that is not earned and
can never be. Paul said this is the reason that "in all these things we
are more than conquerors." We are super-victors with a joy that comes
from experiencing the very things which look as if they are going to
OVERWHELM us.

Huge waves that would frighten an ordinary swimmer produce a tremendous
thrill for the surfer who has ridden them. Let's apply that to our own
circumstances. The things we try to avoid and fight against --
tribulation, suffering and persecution -- are the very things that
produce ABUNDANT JOY in us. "We are more than conquerors through Him"
"in all these things"; not in spite of them, BUT IN THE MIDST OF THEM. A
saint doesn't know the joy of the Lord in spite of tribulation, but
BECAUSE of it. Paul said, "I am EXCEEDINGLY joyful in all our
tribulation" (2 Corinthians 7:4).

The undiminished radiance, which is the result of abundant joy, is
nothing built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing
can change. And the experiences of life, whether they are everyday
events or terrifying ones, are powerless to "separate us from the love
of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39)."

Good words this morning from MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST written by Oswald
Chambers -- available at the KESWICK ONLINE Bookstore
(www.americaskeswick.org) or by calling the Keswick Bookstore
(732-350-1187 ext 31).

If the statistics are accurate, and I believe they are, there are guys
who enjoy Freedom Fighters who are struggling with porn on the internet.
The cycle of bondage has you in its grip. The good news is that you can
be SET FREE. I want to encourage you to join us this Saturday for our
special FREEDOM FIGHTER day with Mark P. Fisher, Sandy Cove's new
President. Mark struggled in this area and will be sharing how he was
SET FREE through Christ to live a life of victory. So that we can plan
properly for the day (your great food and snacks), please call in your
reservation -- 800-453-7942. And why not bring a friend! See you there.

FAITH IN GOD NOT IN YOUR PRAYERS

FAITH IN GOD NOT IN YOUR PRAYERS

Here are some thoughts on prayer from one of the great Bible conference
speakers of the past, Vance Havner. Though he was small in stature, he
was a giant of the faith.

"Many have prayed earnestly for some definite blessing and then, when it
failed to come, have grown bitter and even cynical. And one hears from
such disappointed hearts the frequent refrain, 'I have lost faith in
prayer.'

The very phrasing of that statement reveals a misunderstanding of the
the right ATTITUDE toward prayer. Faith in prayer is one thing. PRAYER
IN FAITH is another.

The Christian who starts out with faith in prayer puts too much emphasis
upon prayer and not enough upon the GOD to WHOM he prays. He uses prayer
as a sort of magic talisman, an 'open sesame; to the things he wants, a
quick way of getting things he wants from God. Then, when he doesn't get
what he asks for, he gives up prayer as the heathen beats his fetish
when he gets into trouble. Prayer is really his god. Instead of being
pious, he is, in a sense, idolatrous. Faith in prayer may be a very
childish and inadequate attitude.

The OBJECT of our faith should be GOD rather than prayer. Then, prayer
in such faith will not fail. We ought first utterly commit all we are
and have into His hands and leave them in His keeping. We ought to
realize that while we can see only a tiny segment of life at a time, God
sees the length and breadth of it with all its complications and
intricacies. That being true, what we THINK we want man not, in His
sight, be our need at all. So, when we pray IN FAITH, faith in God, we
first recognize that ALL things are in HIS hands and that HE has
promised to supply our needs . . .

Faith in prayer may be a cheap thing, bordering on superstition, like
knocking on wood. But prayer in faith, FAITH IN GOD, is a sturdy, rugged
confidence that presents humbly, yet boldly, its claims and leaves the
rest with God." -- Vance Havner as quoted in MAGNIFICENT PRAYER -- 366
Devotions to Deepen Your Prayer Experience by Nick Harrison, published
by Zondervan

SMALL PRAYERS WILL ACCOMPLISH MUCH IF THEY'RE DIRECTED TO OUR VERY LARGE
GOD.

Good words for today. This powerful resource is available online at the
KESWICK BOOKSTORE -- www.americaskeswick.org.

A PRAYER OF WORSHIP

A PRAYER OF WORSHIP

Glorious God,
It is a flame of my life to worship You,
the crown and glory of my soul to adore You,
heavenly pleasure to approach You.
Give me power by Your Spirit to help me
worship now,
that I may forget the world,
be brought into fullness of life,
be refreshed, comforted, blessed.
Give me knowledge of Your goodness
that I might not be over-awed by Your greatness;
Give me Jesus, Son of Man, Son of God,
that I might not be terrified,
but be drawn near with filial love,
with holy boldness;
He is my Mediator, Brother, Interpreter,
Branch, Daysman, Lamb;
him I glorify,
In Him I am set on high.
Crowns to give I have none,
but what You have given I return,
content to feel that everything is mine
when it is Yours,
and the more fully mine when I have yielded it to You.
Let me live wholly to my Savior,
free from distractions,
from carking [burdening] care,
from hindrances to the pursuit
of the narrow way.
I am pardoned through the blood of Jesus --
give me a new sense of it,
continue to pardon me by it,
may I come every day to the fountain
and every day be washed anew,
that I may worship You always in spirit and truth.

From THE VALLEY OF VISION -- Prayers of the Puritan -- available from
the KESWICK ONLINE BOOKSTORE

Have you registered for FREEDOM FIGHTER DAY -- Saturday, March 11, 2006
with Mark Fisher, the new President of Sandy Cove Ministries. Call today
to register. Come and bring a friend. 800-453-7942.

GOD UPHOLDS ALL THINGS

GOD UPHOLDS ALL THINGS

"A human mechanic may leave the machine he has constructed to work with
his personal supervision, because when he leaves it, God's laws take it
up; and, by their aid, the materials of which the machine is made retain
their solidity -- the steel continues to be elastic, the vapor keeps its
expansive power.

But, when God has constructed His machine of the universe, he cannot so
leave it, or any the minutest part of it, in its immensity and intricacy
of movement, to itself; for, if he retires, there is no second God to
take care of this machine. Not a single atom of matter can He for a
moment withdraw his supervision and support. Each successive moment, all
over the world, the act of creation must be repeated. The existence of
the world witnesses the perpetuity of creating influence. Active
omnipotence must flood the universe, or its machinery stops, and its
very existence terminates.

The signs of an all-pervading supernatural energy meet us wherever we
turn. Every lead waves in it, every plant in all its organic processes
lives in it; it rolls round the clouds, else they would not move; it
fires the sunbeam, else it would not shine; and there is not a wave that
restlessly rises and sinks, nor a whisper of the wanton wind that 'blows
where it listeth,' but speaks the immediate intervention of God."

And my friend, the God of the universe who upholds all things by the
word of His power (Hebrews 1:3) is the God who is intimately acquainted
with YOU and loves YOU with His everlasting love. As you prepare your
heart for HIS day tomorrow, reflect on these words:

I sing the mighty pow'r of God,
That made the mountains rise;
That spread the flowing seas abroad,
And built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained
The sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at His command,
And all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord,
That filled the earth with food;
He formed the creatures with His Word,
And then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed,
Where e're I turn my eye:
If I survey the ground I tread,
Or gaze upon the sky!

There's not a plant or flower below,
But makes Thy glories known:
And clouds arise, and tempests blow,
By order of Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee
Is ever in Thy care.
And every where that man can be,
Thou, God, art present there.

Isaac Watts (1674-1748)

Good words to ponder. Have a great day.

DO YOU HEAR ME NOW?

DO YOU HEAR ME NOW?

God's Word speaks to our hearts! It is His way of communicating us if we
will LISTEN to His voice. I remember when Zach was fairly young and he
wanted me to tell me something and I was half-listening. He was smart
enough to know that I was only half-listening to him. He came over to me
placing his little hands on my cheeks and said, "Dad, are you listening
to me!"

Sometimes we approach the Lord that way. He wants to get our attention
as we read His Word -- but He doesn't have our undivided attention or we
just really don't want to hear what He has to say. We aren't tuned in to
what He wants to communicate with us. Devotional writer says: "To hear
the word of God is not enough though certainly necessary. I must mix
what I hear with faith, I must believe it to be the truth, and finally I
must obey what it tells me to do.

The universe is full of radio signals. But only when I turn on my radio
and pick up the frequency do I receive a message. God's Word is full of
continually emitted signals intended for me personally, but only as I am
tuned in does the message ever penetrate my being. God is saying
something to me right now from His Word about that personal need or
problem, but I keep cloying the message by getting hung up on Greek
words, theological meanings, archaeological evidence, and historical
data. Sometimes I feel that God wants to shake me, as Moody used to
shake his audiences by saying; 'Listen! I've got a message for you and I
want you to hear it!'

Lord, You are the God of the NOW, and Your Word is Your message of the
NOW. I will not tune You out, Lord; I will tune myself and the world
out, and I will listen to Your personal message to me right now." --
from Daily With the King

Has He been trying to get your attention this week? Open your ears
--receive the truth and than OBEY.

TRUST AND OBEY FOR THERE'S NO OTHER WAY -- TO BE HAPPY IN JESUS -- BUT
TO TRUST AND OBEY!!!

Good reminder as we begin this weekend.

Have you registered for our FREEDOM FIGHTER DAY next Saturday, March
11th? Mark P. Fisher will be sharing his journey from bondage to
pornography to freedom in Christ. Call today to register and bring a
friend -- 800-453-7942.

YIELD YOUR WILL

YIELD YOUR WILL

"Love does not depend on your feeling. Your will is what God wants from
you. Run your household in a godly way, raise your children properly,
and give up your empty pleasures. Seek to be simple, quiet and humble.
Let your life be hid with Christ in God. This is what God is after.

When God asks you for something, do not refuse Him. Learn to wait for
God. Do not move until He directs you. Each day will bring its own
problems. As you deal with them you will grow deeper and deeper in God.

Let your faith strengthen you. When you feel absolutely weak you will
discover a strength that is not your own. You will know that the
strength is not your own. And if you go astray for a little while, you
will learn humility as you return.

Your Lord lives in the center of your spirit. Return to him there as
much as you can. Surrender yourself to God and learn to live by Him
rather than out of your own strength. Little by little this learning to
live by your Lord's strength unfolds within you. No longer will you
cling to things you can see, but you will cling to God, within you, and
there you will find deep and true fellowship."

from Fenelon -- A SEEKING HEART -- available at the ONLINE KESWICK
BOOKSTORE -- or call 800-453-7942 and order from our live store.

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS ON SIN . . .

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS ON SIN . . .

Most mornings I am sharing with you from what God is teaching me in my
own quiet time as I read the Word and devotional readings.

Many mornings there seems to be a common thread weaved by the Holy
Spirit that ties all of the readings together. It is hard to explain as
none of the materials were written in the same year and were penned by
various writers.

The common thread today deals with sin -- a good reminder as we face the
temptations of life and the grip of sin on our lives. I am sharing with
you several quotes this morning that deal with this topic that will
hopefully awaken your spirit again this morning to God's point of view
towards sin in the life of a believer.
"I preached on the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of
faith. While I was speaking, several dropped down as dead and among the
rest such a cry was heard of sinners groaning for the righteousness of
faith that it almost drowned my voice. But many of these soon lifted up
their heads with joy and broke out into thanksgiving, being assured they
now had the desire of their soul - the forgiveness of their sins." --
John Wesley

"Am I so self-deceived that I believe that if I give in to sin, its grip
will be weaker over me? Do I really think that if I give in to Satan, he
will thereafter leave me alone? I like Paul's word, 'Do not give the
devil an opportunity' (Ephesians 4:27). Do not give him a chance to
maneuver, get a toehold or a grip on you. Do not give him a satisfaction
of a look, a glance, or a listen. Look at the wreckage of those who gave
him a chance -- Eve, David, Judas! The price is too steep." -- Guy Evans

"Sin taints every thought, word, and act, including the seemingly best
deeds." -- R. C. Sproul

"We are so depraved that God must drag us to himself. The beauty of the
gospel, however, is that at the same time, the Spirit's work is to make
us willing to come." -- R. C. Sproul

"The wrath of God is a perfection of the Divine character upon which we
need to frequently meditate. First, that our hearts may be duly
impressed by God's hatred of sin . . . The more we study and ponder
God's hatred of sin and His frightful vengeance upon it, the more likely
we are able to realize its heinousness. Secondly, to beget a true fear
in our souls for God . . . 'for our God is a consuming fire' (Hebrews
12:29). We cannot serve Him 'acceptably' unless there is due 'reverence'
for his awful Majesty and 'godly fear' of His righteous anger; and these
are best promoted by frequently calling to mind that 'our God is a
consuming fire.' Thirdly, to draw our souls, in fervent praise for our
having been delivered from 'the wrath to come.' (1 Thessalonians 1:10)
A. W. Pink

May the Lord impress upon our hearts the awfulness of sin and how He
hates it. Ask Him for the desire to forsake all that is sin in you.

Good words for our consideration, not only for today, but every day.