He Leadeth Me

HE LEADETH ME

"With skillful hands he led them." Psalm 78:72

For the past several years we have been seeking God's will for a residential addiction recovery program for women similar to our men's ministry, The Colony of Mercy. Several months ago God led us to a property that would be wonderfully suited for this type of ministry and we began to pray that God would give us CLEAR DIRECTION. It is everything that we could think, dream or imagine.

After several weeks of negotiation, the seller decided he did not want to pursue our proposal and came back to the table saying, "This is it - take it or leave it." Bottom line is that we would have to go through a traditional mortgage and we have made a commitment to the Lord NOT to go into debt as a ministry.

Yesterday I called the realtor and told them that while we really love the property, we just can't do what he is asking. If I told you that I was not disappointed, I would not be being truthful with you. However, I am confident that God is in control and knows the BIG PICTURE. Fifteen minutes after my phone call the realtor called back and said that the seller was re-thinking his position and wanted to continue to dialog.

I share all that to tell you that God is the one who leads and guides. He knew what I needed to hear from HIM today. So you will understand why this devotional reading was TIMELY ...

"When you are unsure which course to take, totally submit your own judgment to that of the Spirit of God, asking Him to shut every door except the right one! But meanwhile keep moving ahead and consider the absence of a direct indication from God to be the evidence of His will that you are on HIS path. And as you continue down the long road, you will find that He has gone before you (Deut. 31:8) locking doors you otherwise would have been inclined to enter. Yet you can be sure that somewhere beyond the locked doors is one He has left unlocked. And when you open it and walk through, you will find yourself face to face with a turn in the river of opportunity - one that is broader and deeper than anything you ever dared to imagine, even in your wildest dreams. So set sail on it, because it flows to the open sea,

God often guides us through our circumstances. One moment, our way may seem totally blocked, but then suddenly some seemingly trivial incident occurs, appearing as nothing to others but speaking VOLUMES to the keen eye of faith. And sometimes these events are repeated in various ways in response to our prayers. They certainly are not haphazard results of CHANCE but are God opening up the way we should walk, by directing our circumstances. AND THEY BEGIN TO MULTIPLY AS WE ADVANCE TOWARD OUR GOAL, just as the lights of a city seem to increase as we speed toward it while traveling at night.

If you go to God for guidance, HE WILL GUIDE YOU! But do not expect Him to console you by showing you HIS LIST of purpose concerning you, when you have displayed distrust or ever half-trust in Him. What He will do, if you will trust HIM and go CHEERFULLY ahead when He shows you the way, is to guide you still further." Streams in the Desert - Mrs. Cowman
(Zondervan)

Coincidence? I don't think so. Today's time with Him was a gift from His lips to my ears! Do you believe that HE STILL LEADS? I sure do. Thank You, Lord, for making Deut. 31:8 a reality today in my life.

Great Quote: For Christ is of those who are humble-minded and not of those who exalt themselves over His flock. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Scepter of the majesty of God, did not come in the pomp of pride or arrogance, although He might have done so. But He came in a lowly condition, as the Holy Spirit had declared regarding Him...You see, beloved, the example which has been given us. If the Lord so humbled Himself, what shall we do who have through Him come under the yoke of His grace? Clement

VICTORY OVER SIN

"But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" 1 Corinthians 15:57

Here is a good one to think about as we begin this new VICTORY week at America's KESWICK. I trust you will consider coming for one of the sessions this week with Drs. Ted Rendall and Roger Willmore.

"A pickpocket once strolled into a rescue mission and was converted. He saw in Christ pardon for His sins and power against them. Rejoicing in a new life he went on planning for the future. 'In my unregenerate days,' said he to himself, 'I used to pick quite twenty pockets a day. But now I am a Christian man, and I know that to pick pockets is a sin. So I must give it up - gradually, of course. Tomorrow I'll make a start and for the rest of this month I shall only pick ten pockets a day: next month by striving and struggling against this sin, I'll cut down to five a day - for I'm a Christian man now. By the end of the year by constant endeavor (and the help of God) I hope to give up picking pockets altogether.'

Do you believe that story? The writer does not. But have we not all been guilty of this very thing in our dealings with bad temper, pride, irritability, jealousy, unloved? We expect a pickpocket, or a drunkard, or a gambler to give up his sin once and for all - the very moment of conversion. We tell him - and tell him truly - that Christ is able to give him complete and instant victory. Is God unable to give us a similar victory over what we deem to be lesser sins? He is able to make us 'more than conquerors!'

Victory over sin is a GIFT and not a growth. Paul recognized this. He did not say, 'Thanks be to God, which giveth us a GRADUAL victory,' but 'giveth us VICTORY through Christ Jesus our Lord.'

There is NO such a thing as a gradual victory over sin - although we may think there is. God's gifts are perfect. The fact is, He gives us Jesus Christ Himself to dwell in our hearts by faith. And Jesus can keep us! Can we trust Christ to do it?" -- An Unknown Christian

Are you experiencing victory today in your life? Today you CAN BE MORE THAN AN CONQUEROR!!!

Great quote: If God has ever given you a victory over ONE sin, He can give you victory over ALL sin. He who has kept you FROM sin for a MOMENT, can with equal ease keep you from the same sin for a day or a month! - Ruth Paxson

The Benefits of a Daily Quiet Time

THE BENEFITS OF A DAILY QUIET TIME

My good friend, Dr. Woodrow Kroll, shares 10 benefits for having a daily quiet time. I would encourage you today to check out the Scripture references that go along with each of the benefit statements:

1. Devotions provide communication with God. (Psalm 25:4-5; Psalm 119:145-52)

2. Devotions quench our spiritual thirst. (Psalm 42:1-2; 84:2; Philippians 3:10)

3. Devotions are the basis for personal spiritual growth. (1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 3:18)

4. Devotions provide a safeguard against spiritual immaturity. (1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Psalm 119:9-11)

5. Devotions provide insight for daily living. (Proverbs 10:4; 17:27-28)

6. Devotions prevent schizophrenic faith. (1 John 4:1; Ephesians 4:11-15)

7. Devotions provide daily comfort and encouragement. (Psalm 119:81; Romans 5:4)

8. Devotions prepare us to share our faith. (1 Peter 3:15; Luke 24:27)

9. Devotions provide daily direction. (Deuteronomy 5:27; Psalm 119:105)

10. Devotions show our respect for the Bible's Author. (Psalm 19:9-10; Psalm 119:127-28)

Are you spending time alone with God each day? If not, there is no time like the present to start this wonderful practice that can transform your life!

Great Quote: "If the church has lost the Word, it is not simply ill, it has cut its throat." John Calvin

Devotion or Duty?

DEVOTION OR DUTY

My good friend and brother, Dr. Roger Willmore, is our evening Bible teacher this coming week at America's KESWICK. I wanted to introduce him to you through his writings in the hopes that you will also come meet him personally this week.

DUTY OR DEVOTION?

"But Martha was distracted with much serving..." (Luke 10:40)

What do your outward actions say about you? Do they say that you are serving the Lord out of a genuine love for Him? Martha allowed her sense of duty to get in the way of her devotion to the Lord. We know this because Jesus had to remind her that her sister Mary had chosen the good part, which was a quiet sense of devotion and worship.

There is a time for work and there is a time for worship. I am not attempting to minimize the importance of work. The Apostle James said, "...I will show you my faith by my works" (James 2:18). He also said, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead" (v.26).

Martha's problem was not laziness. Her life did not have a shortage of activity. Like many Christians of today she was extremely busy. Her problem was that she was too busy. She was so involved in working to serve Jesus, she forgot to stop and worship Him.

Mary's life was marked by adoration. Martha's life was one of frustration. What set these two sisters apart? Their focus!

Martha's preoccupation with service led to frustration. Do you frequently feel disturbed? Do you find yourself complaining about others and comparing what you are doing to what they are doing? Are you easily worried or agitated? Do you serve Christ out of necessity rather than devotion? If you answered yes to these questions you need to pause and ask the Lord to stir the fires of your devotion to Him.

Mary knew the value of true devotion and worship. Worship should always precede work. Our work should be the overflow of our worship. Or focus should be on being not on doing. What we do for Jesus should emerge out of who we are in Jesus.

I have heard Dr. Stephen Olford say many times, "God is more concerned with who you are than what you do; and if you are does not please Him, then what you do is virtually useless."

Make devotion to Jesus a priority in your life. Dr. Roger D. Willmore

Scripture Reading: Judges 9-10; Luke 5:17-39

Today's devotional is excerpted from REAL VICTORY FOR REAL LIFE. Call today for your copy - 732-350-1187 ext. 31. Respond today and you can have the devotional at 50% off the retail price of $14.95.

Great quote: There is no circumstance, no trouble, no testing, that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment. But I refuse to become panicky, as I lift up my eyes to Him and accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart.
Alan Redpath

Man of God

For the next couple of days I am going to introduce you to Dr. Roger Willmore who will be our speaker next week for our THINK VICTORY! Week 1 conference. A MAN OF GOD

"But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, faith, love, patience, gentleness." (1 Timothy 6:11)

Are you a man of God...a woman of God? Though used frequently in the Old Testament, the term is used only here in the New Testament. It was the term Paul chose to describe and define young Timothy. It was a title that conveyed both compliment and challenge.

What must one do to be worthy of such a title? What are the characteristics of a man of God or a woman of God. Paul reminds Timothy that there are at least four characteristics which should set him a part from others. These are four characteristics for which all men and women of God should be known. Paul lists these four distinguishing characteristics in First Timothy 6:11-14.

We should be known by what we flee from, verse 11 "...flee these things..." Paul reminds Timothy that a man of God will flee from certain things. Here, Paul speaks specifically of lust and pride and greed.

Flee these things. It is important to note that there are some things with which Christians are not to fight or flirt. The only safe option is to flee. Have you ever heard the Holy Spirit shouting to you...RUN! When He does it is a good thing to RUN!

We should be known by what we follow after, verse 11, "...pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness..." Seven noble characteristics are to be pursued. A.T.
Robertson reminds us that verse 11 contains vivid verbs which indicate active effort on the part of the man of God. We are to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness as a lion pursues its prey.

We should be known by what we fight for, verse 12, "Fight the good fight of faith..." There is a time to flee, but there is also a time to stand. Someone said that a man who stands for nothing will fall for anything. In a world that is becoming more and more resistant to Christ and His Gospel, it is imperative that the people of God stand fast and fight the good fight of faith.

We also should be known by what we are faithful to, verse 14,
"...keep this commandment..." Paul's use of the word commandment refers to the entire word of God.

What a marvelous title...O man of God! Can God write this title across your life?

Roger D. Willmore Scripture Reading: Genesis 31-32; Matthew 9:18-38

Great Quote: Finding God does not mean building a house in a land of no storms, but building a house that no storm can destroy. Anonymous

The Most Valuable Gift

The Coming Examination Day

"You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness ..." 2 Peter 3:17

I have shared with you my concerns in recent days over some of the erroneous teachings floating around out there and this morning's devotional is one that in some circles you wouldn't hear taught these days as it would be "offensive." But in light of the compelling messages we have heard this week about what God is doing to set the stage for the return of his Son, and the implications that His return could be soon, this is a good reminder of how we should live in light of his return:

"I must realize, Lord, that the only record of my life that exists is the one I write myself. I see now what the judgment seat of Christ is - only a playback. It is there we receive 'the THINGS do in this body for our earthly life,' not simply the reward of those things (2 Corinthians 5:10).

I will meet up with my actions again, like a re-run movie. But this time I will see them from God's standpoint, how they were recorded in HIS eye and ear. There can be no addition to, or subtraction from, what I WAS and DID.

The books of God (Malachi 3:16) are nothing more than His retrieval system. Lord, your eye and ear remember everything! My 'examination day'
will be only my REREADING day, and You will show be the daily pages written with my own life. There is a sense in which heaven and hell are now, right here. Not in the sense of fulfillment, but in the sense of possibility, My destiny is not decided later, in eternity, but now in the sense of possibility. The destiny is only the echo of my present decision.

Also, not only destiny itself, but the QUALITY of that destiny is decided here, whether stubble or precious stones (1 Corinthians 3:12)

Lord, what a responsibility! Only one walk through life and yet an eternity depending on it! How glad I am for my gracious Forerunner, who first removed my sins by His Calvary work and who promises to walk in me and beside me to help me. He wants to help me write the story of my life, which one day will cause Him to smile. After all, Jesus is in the business of producing 'approved' saints! He wants to be able to say to me, 'Well done ... faithful servant: enter . . . the joy of thy Lord.'
(Matthew 25:21)" from Daily with the King by Moody Press

Pretty powerful words to think about today.

Great quote: There is absolutely no substitute for this secret communion with God. The public Church services, or even the family altar, cannot take the place of the 'closet' prayer. We must deliberately seek to meet with God absolutely alone, and to secure such aloneness with God we are bidden to enter into thy closet.' God absolutely insists on this 'closet'-communion with Himself. One reason, no doubt, that He demands it, is to test our sincerity. There is no test for the soul like solitude. Do you shrink from solitude? Perhaps the cause for your neglect of the 'closet' is a guilty conscience? You are afraid to enter into the solitude. You know that however cheerful you appear to be you are not really happy. You surround yourself with company lest, being alone, truth should invade your delusion. Gordon Cove

Loyalty

Loyalty

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" (Hebrews13:5).

As we near the close of our study of the leadership acrostic JJ DID TIE BUCKLE we come to the characteristic of loyalty. It is a quality that is closely related to faithfulness. It is that kind of attitude that sticks with something no matter what. If there were an animal to attach this quality to it would most likely fit a golden retriever.

The unique quality that I think makes loyalty a little different than faithfulness is that loyalty seems to focus more on relationships where faithfulness focuses more on activities. We here of people who are faithful in church attendance, faithful to appointments, faithful in carrying out duties, etc. The only area that I think they overlap is in the realm of marriage, Husbands and wives are to be faithful in fulfilling the roles in their marriages and loyal to one another.

Here is another unique quality of loyalty - it allows for mistakes. It bears with the shortcomings and frailties of human nature and continues to remain loyal to the person. That reflects the character of God. Our Colony verse, Deuteronomy 31:8, shows God's loyalty to Israel. "The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (NIV). God will not show Himself disloyal to us when we are afraid. he will nor forsake us. In other words, He won't leave you hangin' or throw you under the bus.

In this "dog-eat-dog" world we live in. It is essential to demonstrate loyalty to those around us. And all you have to do to be loyal is just be there for someone. It's not about talent, skill or ability. All God desires from us is the availability to be used by Him. - Pastor Mike Woods - Director of Addiction Recovery Ministries for Men

Great Quote -- If we are delivered from law-works-as, thank God, we are, if we are true Christians-it is not that we should be good-for-nothing self pleasers, but that life-works might be produced in us, to the glory of Him whose name we bear, whose we are, and whom we are bound, by every argument, to love, obey and serve. May we earnestly seek to apply our hearts to this practical line of things. We are imperatively called upon to do so, and we may fully count upon the abundant grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to enable us to respond to the call, spite of the ten thousand difficulties and hindrances that lie in our way. Oh for a deeper work of grace in our souls, a closer walk with God, a more pronounced discipleship!" CH MacIntosh, Notes on Deuteronomy, 1861

Think Victory! Kindness

KINDNESS

2Sam. 9:1 (NASB) “Then David said, ‘Is there yet anyone left of the house of Saul,  that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’”

We live in a very unkind world. If you don’t believe me, try driving south on the Garden State Parkway at rush hour on a Friday night! It seems that the further south you go, (especially near the shore exits) the more unkind people become. In this day and age, Kindness is a precious commodity. I have heard stories of people’s experiences on vacations where even the slightest reasonable requests were met with unkindness – customer satisfaction is based on this quality – just be kind. A little kindness goes a long, long way!

As believers in Jesus Christ, Kindness is not an option. We are not only commanded to be kind, but we are equipped with kindness from God. A fruit of the Holy Spirit is Kindness as well as love, joy, peace, etc.. When we think of the Kindness God has expressed toward us in Christ, It ought to prompt us to be kind to others. (Cf. Gal. 5:22; Eph. 5:32)

The above verse is taken from the account of David as he remembers the covenant he made with Jonathan. Even with Jonathan dead and Saul as his enemy, David still remembers his covenant. This account of David and Mephibosheth illustrates God’s kindness to us. We are all like Mephibosheth – having been crippled due to a fall, we are graciously welcomed into the King’s Palace to eat at His table, and spend the rest of our days treated as family by the King. Not because of anything we could merit in our own right, but simply because of the Kindness shown toward us. When we express this kindness toward others, we manifest the life of Christ to them.

Keep in mind this thought as you go through your day – you may be the only Bible people read. My prayer is that as we show kindness toward others, they may realize God’s kindness toward them in sending Christ to die for them. A little kindness can go a long, long way – reaching to the throne of Heaven! (from Pastor Mike Woods – Director of Addiction Recovery Ministries – Men)

Great Quote: When I feel distant from Jesus, it's always because, my eyes and thoughts have been distracted by a concern for my righteousness/performance/somebodiness. Something is blocking my view of Jesus. Not always easy to tell what it is, because the enemy is a stealth warrior, tempting me to focus on, obsess over, worship, some circumstance or potential circumstance in my life, so that I don't focus on, Jesus. – Dave McCarthy (GospelFriendships)

GOD IS

GOD IS

I am really getting churned up with all the crazy stuff floating around out there about "conversations" people are having about their faith in God. One of my good friends shared with me that a long-time friend of mine was discussing a book that they were reading which is filled with erroneous teaching. This respected friend made the statement, "I don't have to believe these foundational truths to be a Christian!" Yikes! That is a pretty scary statement, my friend.

Which foundational truth is up for grabs? The virgin birth? The resurrection? The atonement of our sins? Apparently in a growing number of circles, truth is just not truth anymore. One of the reasons we are drifting is because we have drifted away from God's Word!

Woodrow Kroll in his new book, TAKING BACK THE GOOD BOOK, reminds us that the Bible does not PROVE God, but reveals him, tells us what he is like, and what his plans and promises are for us. Listen to just a few FOUNDATIONAL truths he shares:

"GOD IS PERSONAL - he is not a thing, power force, or influence, but a living personal being (Jeremiah 10:10).

GOD IS ETERNAL - he has no beginning or end. 'From everlasting to everlasting you are God.' (Psalm 90:2)

GOD IS INDEPENDENT - ultimately every other living being is dependent on God, but he is independent of his own creation (Acts 17:25).

GOD IS HOLY - he is separate from all others, majestic in holiness, awesome in glory (Ex. 15:11). There is none holy like the Lord (1 Sam. 2:2).

GOD IS JUST - the Lord is a God of justice. Righteousness and justice are the very foundation of his throne (Isaiah 30:18; Psalm 97:2).

GOD IS PERFECT - in every sense of the word, his character, knowledge, judgments, Word, and more are all perfect (Romans 11:33; Psalm 19:7).

GOD IS SOVEREIGN - he is the sole and supreme ruler of the universe and nothing whatsoever is outside of his control (Psalm 135:6; Ephesians
1:11)

What a mighty God we have! In a day when truth is slipping through our fingers, I am glad that the GOD OF THE BIBLE IS TRUTH -not just in the past or in the future - BUT FOR TODAY! Revel today in His character as we worship Him on this Lord's day.

Great Quote: "If you are a Christian, you should have the Bible running out of your ears. Most people only read a certain number of verses for some devotional thoughts, not to know what the book is actually saying." - J. I. Packer

Join us this week for our Prophecy Conference with Dr. Jimmy DeYoung. See the website for details: www.americaskeswick.org

The Proper Attitude of the Christian Under Grace

THE PROPER ATTITUDE OF THE CHRISTIAN UNDER GRACE "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief." Mark 9:24b

I came across this list from one of the Puritans that was very timely even for our day concerning be a "grace-filled" Christian:

1. To believe, and to consent to be loved while unworthy, is the great secret.

2. To refuse to make resolutions and vows, for that is to trust in the flesh.

3. To expect to be blessed, though realizing more and more lack of worth.

4. To testify of God's goodness all the time.

5. To be certain of God's future favor; yet to be ever more tender in conscience toward Him.

6. To rely on God's chastening hand as a mark of kindness.

7. A Christian under grace has no burdens regarding himself; but many about others.

From His Victorious Indwelling by Nick Harrison (Zondervan)

Something to think about! How would you say you are doing in terms of living a life a victory?

Great Quote: Sinners are not saved until they trust the Savior, and saints aren't delivered until they trust the Deliverer. God has made both possible through the Cross of His Son. - Lewis Sperry Chafer

Our PROPHECY WEEK begins tomorrow evening with Pastor Dave Rittinger and then Dr. Jimmy DeYoung throughout the week. We still have some rooms left. Call today and make your reservations! 732-350-1187

THINK VICTORY! JESUS WANTS TO BE YOUR LIFE

JESUS WANTS TO BE YOUR LIFE

"If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." 2 Timothy 2:13

This is a classic devotional in helping you understand the message of victorious Christian living. It is written by Charles Trumbull, one of the great speakers in the early days of the "Keswick" movement. Let the words burn into your heart and mind today.

"Jesus Christ does not want to be our HELPER. He wants to be YOUR LIFE! He does not want us to work FOR Him. He wants us to let HIM do HIS work THROUGH us, using us as a pencil to write with - better still, using us as one of the fingers of His hand.

When our life is not only Christ's but Christ, our life will be a WINNING life; FOR HE CANNOT FAIL! And a winning life is a FRUIT-BEARING life, a SERVING life. It is after all only a small part of life, and a wholly negative part, to overcome; we must also bear fruit in character and service if Christ is our life. And we shall - because Christ is our life.

"He cannot deny himself"; He came 'not to be ministered unto, but to minister to.' An utterly new kind of service will be ours now, as we let CHRIST serve others THROUGH us, using us. And this fruit-bearing and service, habitual and constant, must all be by faith in Him; our works are the result of HIS life in us; not the condition, or the secret, or the cause of that Life.

The conditions of this receiving Christ as the fullness of our life are simply two - after, of course, our personal acceptance of Christ as our Savior - through His shed blood and death as our Substitute and Sin-Bearer - from guilt and consequences of our sin.

1. Surrender absolutely and unconditionally to Christ as Master of all that we are and all that we have, telling God that we are now ready to have His whole will done in our entire life, at every point, no matter what it costs.

2. Believe that God has set us WHOLLY free from the LAW of sin - not WILL do this, but HAS done it. Upon this second step, the quiet act of faith, all now depends. Faith must believe God in entire absence of any feeling or evidence. For God's Word is safer, better, surer than any EVIDENCE of His Word. We are to say, in blind, cold faith if need be, 'I KNOW that my Lord Jesus IS meeting ALL my needs NOW (even my need of faith), because His grace IS sufficient for ME!'

And remember that Christ HIMSELF is better than any of His blessings; better than the power, or the victory, or the service that He grants. Christ creates spiritual power; but Christ is BETTER than that power. HE IS GOD's best! We may have Christ, yielding to Him in such completeness and abandonment of self that it is no longer we that live, but CHRIST THAT LIVES IN US! Will you thus take Him? - Charles G. Trumbull

This is one of those devotions that you should tuck away in your Bible and re-read often. This is the heart of the message that we have shared at America's KESWICK for over 109 years! CHRIST IS YOUR LIFE!

Great Quote: The moment I consider Christ and myself as two, I am gone."
Martin Luther

Think Victory! Letting Your Spiritual Instinct Take Over

LETTING YOUR SPIRITUAL INSTINCT TAKE OVER

"For if these qualities are yours and increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:8)

I love these reminders from the Lord about living in victory! This devotional this morning was timely and powerful:

"A Christian has an instinctive push towards righteousness because of his new nature. Just as his OLD nature drives him to temptation and wrong, so his new nature moves him toward goodness. I think evangelical Christians tend to give the OLD NATURE too much attention and room; they seem to EXPECT to sin and fall, and keep on doing so. But we should also expect to SUCCEED and be VICTORIOUS over sin because that is the bent of the new man.

God's sees is in us (1 John 3:9). Seed means GROWTH and expression, and God's expression is always holy. I am sure many believers stumble and fall, and yet 'better things' that 'accompany salvation (Hebrews 6:9) are expected of us. The beautiful and yearned for 'fruit of the Spirit'
(Galatians 5:22) is set in exact contrast to the 'fruit of the flesh'; yet both are instinctive and, if given a chance, will abound in us. Which fruit will it be? Paul says that God 'began a good work' in us He will keep bringing it to maturity in us until the day of Christ (Philippians 1:6). There is a determinism in the new man that is difficult to deny!

As any gardener knows, fresh seeds dropped into the ground must be given a chance. Weeds must be removed, the grounds must be prepared, and sufficient moisture and sun must be applied. Do that for the new man, the Bible cries out, and see what will happen! The fruit of the new nature, says Peter, are many and attractive (2 Peter 1:1-9). But we have to make them 'abound,' that is, allow them to MULTIPLY in us. If we let them SHRIVEL or 'lack' we are blind and forgetful.

In short, I have all the equipment I need for a triumphant, godly, fruitful life. That is God's part. My part is to make room for it, clear the rubbish away, and let the spiritual instinct take over from there!" from DAILY WITH THE KING (Moody Press)

Good word for today! I trust that today you will not only THINK VICTORY! But live it!

Great quote: Lord Jesus, failure and disappointment sometimes lead me to despair. I hide behind my pride and self-pity, withdrawing from you and others. Give me the hope I need and help me never to be afraid to begin again. Anonymous

Think Victory! Courage

Joshua 1:9. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

The Random House Unabridged Dictionary defines courage as "the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery." The way I think about courage is to have this quality of mind and spirit to face difficulty, pain, etc. despite fear. In other words, courage enables us to press forward in a dangerous or painful circumstance without fear keeping you from moving forward.

Courage allows for fear - it just doesn't allow it to control one's activity. If you have ever watched the opening scene of "Saving Private Ryan" You will agree that the men who were in those landing crafts on Omaha beach, as they approached the beach were afraid. They reasoned that they may not make it back home alive - but that didn't stop them. They were courageous and pressed forward to take the beach - despite their fear and the bullets flying all around them.

I think Joshua may have felt the same way. He had spied the land of promise before. He knew what the occupants of the land looked like. He also knew of all the grumblings of the Israelites. Now he has the responsibility to cross the Jordan, claim enemy territory as Promised Land for God's people, and destroy the enemies of God. Any reasonable man would be even the slightest bit fearful. But Joshua's faith in the person and promises of God empowered him to be "Strong and very courageous." He pushed through his fear and crossed the Jordan. His courage was based on his trust in God - not his own strength.

How about us? Is there something that fear may be keeping us from advancing the Kingdom of God? Press through with the courage that comes from believing the promises and character of the God who will never leave us nor forsake us! From Pastor Mike Woods - Director of
Addiction Recovery Ministries for Men/America's KESWICK

Great quote: "God will comfort us, but He will never coddle us. He will engage us, but He will never manipulate us. He will provide for us more than we ever could dream of, but He will never overindulge us. And whether we like it or not ... maturity of the heart is synonymous with failure, pain, and powerlessness." - Stephen James & David Thomas

NEWS FLASH: We have some empty rooms this summer that we'd like to fill. We are offering a 75% discount for Prophecy Week, Week #1 and Week #4. This is a great way for you to experience a week at America's KESWICK at a great savings. Check out the brochure on our website: www.americaskeswick.org or call for information: 732-350-1187!

Think Victory! Are You Fully Surrendered?

ARE YOU FULLY SURRENDERED?

"The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." (2 Chronicles 16:9)

This devotional was a special encouragement to me this morning. I trust it will be to you as well.

"God is looking for men whose hearts are firmly fixed on Him and who will continually trust Him for all He desires to do with their lives. God is ready and eager to work more powerfully than ever through His people, and the clock of the centuries is striking the eleventh hour.

The world is watching and waiting to see what God can do through a life committed to Him. And not only is the world waiting but God Himself awaits to see who will be the most completely devoted person who has ever lived: willing to be nothing so that Christ may be everything; fully accepting God's purposes as his own; receiving Christ's humility, faith, love, and power yet never hindering God's plan but always allowing Him to continue His miraculous work.

There is no limit to what God can do through you, provided you do not seek your own glory. George Mueller, at more than ninety years of age, in an address to ministers and other Christian workers, said, 'I was converted in November 1825, but I didn't come to the point of TOTAL SURRENDER OF MY HEART until four years later, in July 1829. It was then I realized my love for money, prominence, position, power, and worldly pleasure was gone. God, and He alone, became my all in all. By God's grace, my understanding of His sufficiency has remained to this day, making me an exceedingly happy man. It has led me to care only about the things of God. And so, dear believers, I kindly ask if you have totally surrendered your heart to God, or is there something in your life you refuse to release, in spite of God's call?'

'Before the point at which I surrendered my life, I read a little of the Scriptures but preferred other books. Yet since that time, the truth He has revealed to me of Himself has become and inexpressible blessing! Now I can honestly say from the depth of my heart that God is an infinitely wonderful Being. Please, never be satisfied until you too can express from your innermost soul, 'God is an infinitely wonderful Being!'" - From Streams in the Desert (Zondervan)

Will you make that your prayer today? Are you willing to become an extraordinary Christian? Think about it!

Great Quote: "Happy is he who has learned to look BEYOND the actions of men to the power that controls them all, and to receive all - favor, persecution, aid, or hindrance, from the Lord. That soul has acquired the secret perfect peace amid the confusion and turmoil of the world, as well as in the presence of Satan's power." Edward Dennett

Think Victory! UNSELFISHNESS

Unselfishness

Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (NIV)

The next leadership characteristic in the acrostic JJ DID TIE BUCKLE is the quality of unselfishness. When you’ve been paddling for a few hours and your shoulder muscles fatigue from such usage, the thoughts begin to creep in, “Hey, why don’t I let the other guy paddle for a while.” “I did my share of paddling – I deserve a break!” This is NOT the attitude of unselfishness. Unselfishness sees things just the opposite. The thoughts of unselfishness are more like, “Hey, let me give the other guy an easier time by paddling for him. For the men in our group who had small children with them, some of the men gave them a break by taking their sons on their canoe for them. It was a clear demonstration of unselfishness. Some guys rotated taking turns in being the last canoe in the group to make sure everyone in front of them was OK.

I also observed this dynamic of unselfishness displayed this past week. I had a unique opportunity to teach a biblical counseling course to a number of seminary students from Seoul, South Korea. I have taught this course in my church and will be teaching it again in the Keswick Institute of Biblical Studies in the fall semester. What I observed among the students from Korea was an attitude of unselfishness. I was welcomed as their guest. They were gracious in making sure I shared their food with them (This was a very interesting experience). I was treated with honor as their “professor.”

The Apostle Paul instructs us in these above verses that in humility, we are to consider others better than ourselves. We must seek out what will benefit others over what will benefit us. When we act this out, there must be no hidden agendas, no ulterior motives -- Only a heart that seeks to reflect the attitude of Christ -- Which is what Paul writes in verse 5, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” The sin of addiction, at its core, is selfish. Those in addiction only seek out what benefits themselves rather than others. As we go through this day, seek to serve others be seeking out what will benefit them. Pastor Mike Woods – Director of Addiction Recovery Ministries for Men at America’s KESWICK.

GREAT QUOTE: Spread out your petitions before God, and then say, "Thy will, not mine, be done." The sweetest lesson I have learned in God's school is to let the Lord choose for me. Dwight L Moody

How do all these crazy events taking place in our world fit into Bible prophecy? Find out next week during our Prophecy Week with Dr. Jimmy DeYoung. Call today for reservations. We are running a 25% discount for our Freedom Fighter family. 800-453-7942.

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THINK VICTORY! The Razor Edge of Failure

THE DISCIPLINE OF DECISION MAKING
"And Elijah came near to all the people and said, 'How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him'". (1 Kings 18:21)

All of us face decisions that we need to make on a daily basis. Some are big, some are minor. But needless to say, men who THINK VICTORY want to make decisions that are in alignment with God's will. Check out today's devotional on this important principle:

"The process that brought Jesus to me in the first place goes on long after I trusted His as Savior. The difference is not in the nature of the decision, but in the nature of thing sacrificed. When I yielded to the saviorship of Christ, I sacrificed my sins; now in my Christian walk I must keep sacrificing those things that keep me from being my best for Him. The 'pearl of great price' makes this clear. The merchant sold his good things in order to obtain the best thing (Matthew 13:45-46).

I must learn to do business in my Christian life, to 'exchange' things as Jesus did. 'IN EXCHANGE for the joy lying around Him, He endured the Cross" (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus saw what was ULTIMATELY GOOD and surrendered it for something INFINITELY better. Daily I will be confronted with a GOOD that must be exchanged for a BETTER; otherwise I invite spiritual stagnation. The discipline of decision making does not end the moment I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior. It is in the process of making decisions that God weans me more and more from what I am to what I was meant to be.

To be able to use that which is better I need insight and willpower. Insight tells me the difference between the "common" and the "holy" (Ezekiel 22:26y); willpower commits me to it. Thus, my Christian life will always be a series of crises, both major and minor, that will seem very much like the crisis that brought me to Christ. I must forever accept the fact that both birth and growth are traumatic; yet the trauma leads to a burgeoning spiritual life that is positively thrilling! The "things ... that God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Corinthians 2:9) are for THIS life, not only the life to come, and they make the Christian adventure richer than any sight or sound experienced by the natural man." DAILY WITH THE KING (Moody Press)

Good words for your consideration today. Enjoy this wonderful Lord's day. Don't neglect being with God's people today!

Great quote: The chief thing is, not to know what God has said we must do, but that God Himself says it to us. It is not the law, and not the book, not the knowledge of what is right, that works obedience, but the personal influence of God and His living fellowship. It is only in the full presence of God that disobedience and unbelief become impossible.
Andrew Murray

Think Victory! TALK WITH THE SHEPHERD

TALK WITH THE SHEPHERD

"In vain you rise early, and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for he grants sleep to those he loves." Psalm 127:2

"One morning when I woke trying to solve a chess problem that had filled my mind as I had put my head upon my pillow the night before I determined that, henceforth, I should go to sleep thinking of Christ.

As the months past, I discovered that there was much more than a habit involved in this. Here was a proof of the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in my heart and mind, controlling even the subconscious element of my life.

Then I learned that I must not merely go to sleep thinking about Christ, but that I must go to sleep in COMMUNION with Him. I began memorizing verses of Scriptures at night and reciting them as I fell asleep. At first these truths were merely objective. 'His Name shall be called wonderful,' might be my verse on a certain night. At first I would meditate on this in terms somewhat like think in which I might expound them to an audience - 'His name is full of wonders', 'His name is the name of Jesus, that of the Savior'; 'He shall save His people from their sins.'

Then there came a change that He brought in my procedure. Those same sentences were altered to the person, number, and tense of fellowship: "Your name is full of wonders"; "Your name is Jesus", "You are MY Savior", "You shall continually save me from MY sins."

Soon He became more real than the inside of my eyelids. I could not see them though they were close to my eyes. Him I learned to know in everything but the touch. And closing one's eyes with Christ takes away all fear of sleepless nights.

Let others count sheep jumping over a wall; I shall talk with the Shepherd. - Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse - from HIS GLORIOUS INDWELLING (Zondervan)

Good word for this Saturday! Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse was the pastor for many years at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia.

Great quote: The Shepherd does not ask of thee, faith in thy faith, but only faith in Him: and this He meant in saying, 'Come unto me'. In light or darkness seek to do His will, and leave the work of faith to Jesus still. Anonymous

THINK VICTORY! BEARING

BEARING

Colossians 2:6-7 “ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

Bearing in this context does not refer to putting up with someone. It refers to how one carries oneself in life. It refers to one’s testimony with the outside world (1Tim. 3:7 – “a good reputation with outsiders”).

Back in my Navy days (or Daze!) We underwent an annual performance evaluation. One aspect that was evaluated was “Military Bearing.” This area evaluated whether you conducted yourself like a military person ought. As a joke, a friend used to carry a single ball bearing in his pocket and called it his military bearing.

Paul reminds us in the above passage that if we claim to know Jesus, our lives out to look like one who knows Jesus. Rooted and built up in Him -- a life that is grounded in Christ. We ought to lead a life that is worthy to be called Christian. If people compared your life to the world, would you stand out in contrast to it, or would you blend into it. Hopefully it will stand in contrast to the world. Unfortunately for some, people can’t tell the difference.

Christian Bearing is the ability for the world to see that we’re different. And to stand firm in our beliefs not acquiesce like so many do. Paul encourages us to “Walk in Him;” (NASB) to let our life be a reflection of the life of Christ in all we do. How are we doing with this? Do people see you life as a man of God? Or do they see something that more closely resembles the world? Do you project an aura of godliness? Keep in mind – this has nothing to do with outward appearances (although man does look on them). It has to do with the internal characteristic that flows out into the life of the believer to impact the world for Christ and His Kingdom.

(Mike Woods – Director of Addiction Recovery for Men – America’s KESWICK)

Great Quote: The Shepherd does not ask of thee, faith in thy faith, but only faith in Him: and this He meant in saying, 'Come unto me'. In light or darkness seek to do His will, and leave the work of faith to Jesus still. Anonymous

Count down to Prophecy Week – Listen to the news and you have to wonder how all this fits into the big picture! Well for answers, why not consider our Prophecy week coming up with Dr. Jimmy DeYoung. We are offering a special 25% discount for Freedom Fighters the week of July 22-27. Call today for information: 732-350-1187.

THINK VICTORY! ENDURANCE

ENDURANCE

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

When we started our canoe trip, I thought to myself, “This isn’t so hard.” The excitement of getting on the river and getting to our first campsite made paddling quite easy. However, the second day was another story. When you use muscles that you haven’t used in a long time, they tend to remind you just how long it’s been since you’ve used them. To complicate things, when your canoe is moving into a headwind, you can paddle and paddle and literally go nowhere. The wind keeps you from moving. It is in those kinds of situations that you must persevere. That’s when endurance is key. It also helps if you have a light load in your canoe. A minimum of camping supplies keep the canoes light. The third day was even more difficult for many of us. We needed endurance to get us through. As we neared the end of the journey, we had fresh energy to push through the fatigue to the finish.

The writer of Hebrews calls us to “run with endurance.” The Christian life is a marathon – not a sprint. We can run more efficiently as we “lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us.” An encumbrance may not necessarily be a sinful thing, but is can hinder how fast you run the race. Sin trips us up; encumbrances slow us up. They are unnecessary weights – “Stuff” that gets in the way of our victorious walk in Christ. It could be insecurities, the opinion of others, and things of that nature. If we slip or fall, we must get back up and keep running. Keep your eyes on the prize! Jesus stands ready at the finish line cheering you on – “You can do it!” As you focus on Him today, my prayer is that you will have renewed strength to run the race and finish well. (from Pastor Mike Woods – Director of Addiction Recovery Ministries for Men – America’s KESWICK)

GREAT QUOTE: -- “Unbelief looks at God through the circumstances, just as we often see the sun dimmed by clouds and smoke. But faith puts God between itself and its circumstances, and looks at them through Him.” – Mrs. Charles Cowman

Think Victory! INTEGRITY

Proverbs 6:6 "Go to the ant, you sluggard, consider its ways and be wise!"

When I consider a verse like this, I have to think that Solomon had a lot of time on his hands to study ants! Thankfully, he was able to illustrate through his study this next leadership quality of Initiative.

Ants don't wait around to be told what to do. They instinctively go about their life storing food and preparing for the time when no food will be available (winter and spring). The quality of initiative was also demonstrated through the leadership of Joseph when he interpreted the dream of the cows to Pharaoh in order to store grain for when famine came. His initiative not only saved Egypt, but was God's provision to Israel during their time of famine.

One important thing about godly initiative is that exercising it never runs ahead of God. What I mean is that when we take the initiative to do something for God, we ought to be sure that it is God directing us and not our own self-will. When we exercise self-willed initiative, we often get thrown into confusion. A prime example of this is the Tower of Babel. When the people in the settled in the plains of Shinar and Nimrod (boy, that's a mane!) led the effort to make a name for themselves by building a tower to reach Heaven. God decided to throw their language into confusion so they would not understand each other and would scatter throughout the land like they were originally commanded. (cf Gen. 9:1, 11:1-9).

Achieving God's purposes requires taking faith-filled risks (initiative). This always involves change. You must launch out into the deep. In other words, "if you want to walk on water - you gotta get outta the boat."

If money wasn't an issue and God offered you the opportunity to further His kingdom in whatever way you wanted, what would you do? Would you start a ministry? Would you go back to school? What would you do? What is your passion? Remember, your passions in life are to be used to further His kingdom on earth. Therefore, your passions come from Him!
Also, He is the God of unlimited resources (Psa. 24:1). However, like the nation of Israel when they faced the racing waters of the Jordan as they prepared to enter the promised land, you have to get your feet wet before you can walk on dry land. (Josh. 3:17). (from the pen of
Pastor Mike Woods, Director of Addiction Recovery Ministries for Men - America's KESWICK)

Great Quote: "We have a duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet. Blessed is the man who speaks such a word." - William Barclay

Our world is in chaos. Some of your world's are in chaos. Nations are pursuing nuclear weapons. Armies are being built up around the world. The weather systems around the world appear to be off kilter. Coincidence? Or are they signs of the times? Dr. Jimmy DeYoung will be our guest Bible teacher for our 2007 Prophecy conference which begins Sunday evening, July 22, 2007. We still have some empty rooms left. Come and bring your family. If you have not already registered, call and ask for the "Freedom Fighter Special" which applies to folks who HAVE NOT registered for this 2007 conference. Call today - 732-350-1187. I look forward to seeing you!

"Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word is a word spoken in right circumstances." (Prov. 25:11 NASB).

The next Character quality from the leadership acrostic JJ DID TIE BUCKLE is Tact. Honestly, more times than not I'm about as tactful as a bull in a China shop! Oftentimes like Peter I suffer from foot in mouth disease. Whenever I open my mouth, my foot seems to go in it. But consider How God used Peter to write 2 encouraging epistles to the church. The first one was to encourage them to 'Keep on Keepin' on,' the second to watch out for poison in the pew!

Solomon, in the above verse, paints a beautiful word picture that encapsulates the idea of tact in our speech. It illustrates the fact that our speech can be sweet and beautiful if we use tact. Someone once said that tact is speaking to someone in such a way as to not make an enemy. Exercising tact is putting several biblical principles into practice. Here are some:

Psalms 141:3 "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth..."

Proverbs 15:1 "A gentle answer turns away wrath..."

Proverbs 15:2a "The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable..."

Ephesians 4:15 "...Speaking the truth in love..."

Ephesians 4:29 "Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."

Colossians 4:6 "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so you will know how you should respond to each person."

Notice these verses all have to do with our speech. However, there is one more principle that is vital to exercising tact that does not directly address our speech, but our heart toward others that will helps us exercise tact in our relationships.

Philippians 2:3-4 "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

If I take a moment to think of how I ought to speak to someone as to not make an enemy, I'm looking out for their interests above my own. If I lack tact and don't care how I come off to another-then it's all about me and not them.

If you're like me (tactful like a bull in a china shop) Pray and ask the Lord to set a guard over your mouth. Watch how faithful he shows Himself to you as you talk to others today. (from the pen of Pastor Mike Woods - Director of Addiction Recovery Ministries for Men, America's KESWICK)

Great Quote: "A half truth masquerading as the whole truth becomes a complete untruth." J. I. Packer -Think about it!

This summer you have the opportunity to hear some of the great preachers of America share God's Word from the pulpit of America's KESWICK. Have you made your reservation for a Victory Week? Check out the full-color brochure on our website at www.americaskeswick.org and make your reservation today! For more information, call 800-453-7942.

HOW TO FIND A GOOD CHURCH

"God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, 'I don't need you!' (1 Corinthians 12:18-21)

To follow up from yesterday's Freedom Fighter, I hope you are connected to a local church and are supporting your pastor as well as the ministry. I love the definition that Mark Dever has for the church: "A group of pardoned rebels ... whom God wants to use to display His glory ... before all the heavenly host ... because they tell the truth about Him ... and look increasingly just like him - holy, loving, united!" Isn't that a cool definition?

Someone once said, "If you are looking for the perfect church, don't join it! You've just ruined it!" The church is a family - and families aren't perfect. Of course, maybe yours it. But I seriously doubt it! So many people are bailing out of church, some for legitimate reasons, but often for the wrong reasons. As I said yesterday, I have a number of friends who are currently in that struggle of working through church issues. I am thankful God has led us to a church where God's Word is faithfully proclaimed. It is an imperfect church, with struggles and challenges. But we know that we belong there.

If you are in that mode of looking for a church, please read yesterday's Freedom Fighter if you missed it. (You can check it out at http://www.keswickfreedomfighters.blogspot.com/). But if you are looking for the RIGHT reasons, here is what Mark Dever suggests in his new book, WHAT IS A HEALTHY CHURCH?, published by Crossway:

HOW TO FIND A GOOD CHURCH

1. Pray.

2. Seek counsel from a godly pastor or from elders.

3. Keep your priorities straight.

* The gospel must be truly affirmed, clearly preached, and
faithfully lived out. A serious lack in any of these expressions of the gospel is very dangerous.

* The preaching must be faithful to the Scripture, personally
challenging, and central to the congregation's life. You will only grow spiritually where Scripture is treated as the highest authority.

* Also very important is to consider HOW the church regulates
baptism, the Lord's Supper, church membership and church discipline.

4. Ask yourself diagnostic questions such as:

* Would I want to find a spouse who has been brought up under
this church's teaching?

* What picture of Christianity will my children see in this
church - something distinct or something a lot like the world?

* Would I be happy to invite non-Christians to this church? That
is, would they clearly hear the gospel and see lives consistent with it?
Does the church have a heart for welcoming and reaching non-Christians?

5. Consider geography. Would the church's physical proximity to your
home encourage or discourage frequent involvement and service? If you're moving to a new area, try to locate a good church home before you buy a house.

Good advice if you are looking for a church! Bottom line is - get connected and stay connect! From time to time people ask me for book recommendations. I love encouraging people to become readers. I have added a recommended reading list to the website:
http://www.americaskeswick.org/conf/index.shtml Check it out. All books can be ordered from the Keswick Book and Gift Shop (732-350-1187 ext.22).

Great quote: Conversion is turning with our whole lives from self-justification to Christ's justification, from self-rule to God's rule, from idol worship to God worship." - Mark Dever

IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT LEAVING A CHURCH ...

"[God's} intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Ephesians 3:10-11

You might think this is an odd Freedom Fighter to write on a Sunday morning when the body is gathering today for corporate worship. I am a local-church man. Love the church, believe in the church, and encourage our people to support their local church BEFORE considering a gift to America's KESWICK. But I am amazed at how many people are "church-shopping" and have told me in recent days, several this week, that they are either bailing out on the church or leaving theirs.

I just completed a great read by Pastor Mark Dever entitled: "WHAT IS A HEALTHY CHURCH? Unfortunately, too many believers today look at church as "What's in it for me?" If you are contemplating a change in churches, let me suggest you consider Mark Dever's recommendations:

BEFORE you decide to leave:

1. Pray.

2. Let your current pastor know about your thinking BEFORE you move to another church or make your decision to relocate. Ask for his counsel.

3. Weigh your motives. Is your desire because of sinful, personal conflict or disappointment? If it's because of doctrinal reasons, are these doctrinal issues significant?

4. Do everything within your power to reconcile any broken relationships.

5. Be sure to consider all the 'evidences of grace' you've seen in the church's life - places were God's work is evident. If you cannot see any evidences of God's grace, you might want to examine your own heart once more. (Matthew 7:3-5)

6. Be humble. Recognize you don't have all the facts and assess people and circumstances charitably (give them the benefit of the doubt).

IF YOU GO:

1. Don't divide the body.

2. Take the utmost care not to sow discontent even among your closest friends. Remember, you don't want anything to hinder their growth in grace in this church. Deny any desire to gossip (sometimes referred to as 'venting' or 'saying how you feel').

3. Pray for and bless the congregation and its leadership. Look for ways to do this practically.

4. If there has been a hurt, then forgive - even as you have been forgiven.

Don't neglect church today! And in fact - make it a point today to encourage your Pastor! He needs it!

Great Quote: "The early church put it this way: in essentials, unity; in non-essentials, diversity; in all things, charity!"

DEDICATION

Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.

Today's leadership quality focuses on Dedication. It gives the idea of giving yourself over to something or someone. It involves an inward declaration to oneself that they are dedicated to___________. (you fill in the blank). Dedication involves defending the one you are dedicated to. It gives a sense of forsaking all others for the one you're dedicated to. I'm reminded of the vow I made before God on June 6, 1992. It was the day I dedicated myself before God to be the husband of Carole - my wife. In my dedication to follow and obey the Lord Jesus Christ; I made a vow to Him that I would forsake all others and cleave to my wife for as long as I live.

We hear of other people who dedicate their lives for one thing or another -- doctors and scientists who dedicate their lives to find a cure for cancer, AIDS, and other life-threatening illnesses. People like Mother Theresa who dedicated her life to helping the dying and unfortunate of Calcutta, India. We think of these as people of great dedication to their causes. Their passion and commitment is what exemplifies the meaning of dedication.

The Apostle Paul urges us to dedicate our lives as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God. Our passion and commitment to be a follower of Jesus ought to characterize our lives as dedicated disciples - not casual Christians. Paul continues in reminding us that doing this is our spiritual act of worship. A more literal translation reads, "Which is your reasonable service." (NKJV). In other words, this is what is expected of us as Christians. We are to be people of dedication - first to God, then to those who are his. This requires a decision to go deeper with the Lord. As Henry Blackaby wrote in his book Experiencing God, "you cannot go with God, and stay where you are." Simple but profound! We must decide to go deeper in our dedication to Him. After all, He went as deep as the grave in His dedication to us. And he remains dedicated to us even when we lack dedication to him. (cf. 2Tim. 2:13).

Good word today from Pastor Mike Woods, Director of Addiction Recovery Ministries for Men at America's KESWICK.

Great quote: When we grieve the Holy Spirit, we push aside the One who is the agent to us of the work of Christ for our present life. On the basis of the finished, passive work of Christ-that is his suffering on the cross-and on the basis of the active obedience of Christ-that is, keeping the Law perfectly through his life-the fruits are there. They are there to flow out through the agency of the Holy Spirit through us into the external world. The fruits are normal; not to have them is not to have the Christian life which should be considered usual. there are oceans of grace which wait. Orchard upon orchard waits, vineyard upon vineyard of fruit waits. There is only one reason why they do not flow out through the Christian's life and that is that the instrumentality of faith is not being used. This is to quench the Holy Spirit...and we sin by omission because we have not raised the empty hands of faith for the gift that is there." Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality

Think Victory! INTEGRITY

INTEGRITY

Today's devotional was written by Pastor Mike Woods, Director of Addiction Recovery Ministries at America's KESWICK.

"Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." Matthew 5:37 NIV.

I can't think of a more fitting verse to address the area of integrity - the next leadership quality. You can't fake this one. You are either a man of integrity, or you're not! It is a character quality that best describes who you are when no one but God is looking. Some would settle for "when no one is looking," but we must remember that God sees every aspect of our lives - even the areas that we prefer He not see. The world, our sinful nature and the devil seek to compromise our integrity regularly in order that our testimony of Christ in our lives will seem foolish or empty by the world around us. The one thing that we must develop if we are going to be leaders of our homes, churches, communities is integrity. Integrity breeds trustworthiness. Knowing that you are trusted by others is a tremendous responsibility. If you have ever betrayed a trust, you know that it is a precious thing, not to be taken lightly.

I had an integrity test just the other day. It was a lean week for me.
There was more month at the end of the money. I went to my mailbox and saw a card that had "Michael Wood" as the addressee (those who know me know my name ends with "s." the address to Michael Wood was blackened out and my address was written in its place. When I opened the card. I found a check for $100.00 pay to the order of (you guessed it) Michael Wood. After I spent a moment praising the Lord for His provision, I read the contents of the card. Here's what it said:

"Dear Michael, Here is the replacement check. Your birthday bash was great! Love Grandma."

Here's where my integrity was tested - It wasn't my birthday and I don't have a grandma! I contacted the woman who sent the card and graciously returned the check to her. Had I compromised my integrity, Yeah, I would've been $100.00 richer, but my testimony would have been bought for $100.00 and ruined before that woman or her grandson.

Psalm 15 looks at a man of integrity as a man who "keeps his oath even when it hurts, and does not change." (verse 4). The promise for this psalm is that "whoever does these things will never be shaken." We need to see that our personal integrity is a precious commodity that can't be bought or bribed. If it can, then we're serving the wrong master (cf.
Matt. 6:24).

Good word for today, Pastor Mike. How about you? Is it time for an integrity check?

Great Quote: This is the purpose of pain for the redeemed: it is one of your Father's ways of speaking to you; it is the evidence of His limitless love, by which He would draw you farther from evil and closer to Him, the divine remedy which can cure you of pride and help you lean more trustingly on the Lord. Walter A. Maier

Think Victory! JJ DID TIE BUCKLE -- Judgment

JJ DID TIE BUCKLE - JUDGMENT

Today's Freedom Fighter is part of a series being written my Pastor Mike Woods, Director of Addiction Recovery Ministries for Men at America's KESWICK.

Yesterday, we looked at the first leadership quality of the acrostic JJ DID TIE BUCKLE - Justice. Today the second quality is Judgment. If we are honest with ourselves, this is something we lack in and of ourselves. We need an external standard to instruct us in the area of godly judgment. Another word to consider with DISCERNMENT. Solomon knew this the moment he was crowned King of Israel in his father David's place. His prayer when God gave him the opportunity to "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." (1Kings 3:5).

Think about this for a minute - the God of the universe handing Solomon a blank check per se; and he asks for "a discerning heart." (1Kings 3:9). What would you have asked for? Solomon, despite his downfall with women and his sacrifices to their gods, was still considered the wisest man of all time. His request for a discerning heart - a heart that exercised godly judgment - pleased the Lord so much that He gave Solomon all the material and social blessings he could have wanted.

Here is what the Bible says about Solomon's godly judgment when it was put to the test over two women and a baby. "When all Israel heard the verdict that the king had given, they held him in awe because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice." (1Kings 3:28). It is interesting, godly judgment assists in administering justice.

The Apostle Paul prayed for the Philippians (and for us) that out of our growing love and knowledge of him that we would "be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:10). The question that begs to be asked is "How do I develop discernment or godly judgment?" The answer begins by developing the proper ambition for life. Paul stated in 2Corinthians 5:9 that he made it his "ambition to be pleasing to him..." As I filter my judgments through the grid of my mind by asking myself "will this be pleasing to God?" I begin the process of developing godly judgment / discernment.

We will be faced with leadership challenges regularly, we need God's righteousness and discernment to lead in a way that honors Him and reflects the leadership qualities that Jesus exemplified through His character.

Great Quote: This new strength which God gives in response to faith is graduated to human need. There will be strength for soaring, for a life with wings--elevation, vision, buoyancy. There will be strength for running, the capacity to meet the stress and strain of trying times.
There will be strength for walking, for "The humdrum dullness of ordinary days" with their frustrations and irritations--strength to be steady and saintly in the regular round, to keep on keeping on when the sky is gray and the way is monotonous. If we wait on the Lord, we shall be perpetually reinforced from within with a strength graduated to our needs. --Leo Green

THINK VICTORY! JJ DID TIE BUCKLE

JJ DID TIE BUCKLE

"He has showed you, O man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

Good morning, brothers. For the next five days, my good friend and co-worker, Pastor Mike Woods will be sharing our devotional thoughts to kick-start your day in THINKING VICTORY. Pastor Mike is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and is Director of Addiction Recovery Ministries for Men at America's KESWICK.

I recently spent 3 days canoeing 28 miles and camping along the banks of the Delaware River with men from my church. It was a retreat unlike any other. We looked at the character qualities of leadership and what it would take for us to be the men of God that we are called to be. One thing that impressed me while out there was the way all of us looked out for one another. We helped each other with setting up camp, breaking it down, loading the canoes, making sure the dads with their young sons (we had 3 boys under 10 yrs. old with us) were able to make it down the river.

In preparing for the trip, each canoe had three colored cards. Red was that there was a problem with one of the canoes and that we needed to stop and help the canoe in trouble. Yellow was to indicate a "Rally Point." A rally point is a place on the bank of the river that if any canoe lagged behind and lost the rest of the group, they were to wait at the rally point for the other canoes to find them. Green meant that there were no problems and that the group was together. The next series of Freedom Fighters will focus on the character qualities of leadership that that were explored over those Three days as well as the Spiritual applications of the three cards.

To aid in remembering the qualities of leadership that men of God must build into their lives, Our lead Pastor Bob Nash shared an acrostic that covers each aspect - JJ DID TIE BUCKLE. Bob learned this from his days serving in the US Marine Corps. The first letter J stands for Justice.

Justice implies that which is right or righteous. The Random House Unabridged Dictionary defines Justice as the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness. If you think about it, Jesus called those who hungered and thirsted for righteousness blessed (Matt 5:6). Those who practice justice do what's right because it's the right thing to do - and this is what is pleasing to God. There is not even a hint of favoritism because he deals equitably with everyone he comes in contact with. Micah 6:8 reminds us that "He has showed you, O man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." One of the men I had the privilege of serving with was John Caruthers. This was his life verse. He would preach with passion to us to "Be Right."
"Be Reasonable." "Be Real." John had an uncanny way of getting your attention in his teaching. He is currently walking the streets of Gold at home with our Savior. John modeled this quality of Justice while he served at the Colony.

Well, how about you? Are you hungering and thirsting for righteousness? Do you act justly? Perhaps there may be someone who has impacted your life with this quality. If you were to attribute this quality to someone (whether it be a bible character, friend, co-worker, etc) who would it be? Ask God to build this quality into your life with increasing measure.

Great Quote: The soul that waits upon the Lord is the soul that is entirely surrendered to Him, and that trusts Him perfectly. Therefore we might name our wings the wings of Surrender and of Trust. If we will only surrender ourselves utterly to the Lord, and will trust Him perfectly, we shall find our souls "mounting up with wings as eagles" to the "heavenly places" in Christ Jesus, where earthly annoyances or sorrows have no power to disturb us.-- Hannah Whitall Smith

Think Victory! Accept the Circumstances

ACCEPT THE CIRCUMSTANCES
“And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purposes.” Romans 8:28

Following through yesterday’s devotional, PRESSED OUT PRESSED IN – this is a good follow-up story:

“The reason why you are in that “place” today is simply in order that you might trust God. Do not pull strings. Do not hold committee meetings. Do not wangle things. Do not manipulate. Do not scheme, and do not plan. Sit still and trust God, and He will deliver you from your self-despair, from the sentence of death. Then the second thing is that we must be willing to ACCEPT THE CIRCUMSTANCES of the hour, and believe that ALL things work together for good to them that are called of God. We must be prepared to accept our circumstances as they are. I believe that quite a lot of people grieve the Spirit of God just at this particular place. They are not prepared to accept the circumstances of their lives, as God has given them, and allowed them to come.

I remember meeting a lady during the war, and I said, ‘How are you getting on?
‘Well,’ she said, ‘I am very well UNDER the circumstances.’And I asked, ‘How is your husband?’‘He’s in the Armed Forces and under the circumstances he’s all right.’‘And how’s your daughter?’‘She is in the army, and what can you expect under the circumstances?’

This dear lady had the whole family ‘UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES!’ And circumstances are like a feather bed: if you are on top you are comfortable, but if you are underneath, you are smothered.

I have in my office some words which were written by Samuel Rutherford, which, apart from the Scriptures, mean more to me than any other words. The words are simply these: “EXPOSE YOURSELF TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIS CHOICE!”

What does this mean? It means that when you and I present ourselves to God in the morning, and present the day to Him, nothing can come into your day that is not allowed by the PERMISSIVE will of God. Everything has its place, and everything has its purpose. Such things may come in as cut right across our own little plans; such things might disturb, as might change: but if we have committed our way to God, everything that comes into that day is allowed by His permissive will.

We do not rebel against it, because that only embitters the soul, and loses the very blessing that God wants to give us; but we expose ourselves to it. We say, ‘O God, I accept this, and I accept it cheerfully; in fact, I rejoice IN it, because there is some lesson that You want to teach me. And I believe that the greatest lesson of all that YOU want to teach me, is just to trust YOU when I can’t see you. Accept the circumstances, then, as they are.” From HIS VICTORIOUS INDWELLING (Zondervan)

So how about you, today? Are you pressed out? Living UNDER the circumstances? How about learning with me today – ACCEPT THE CIRCUMSTANCES knowing that Romans 8:28 is indeed true!

Great quote: Any victory that does not more than conquer is just an imitation victory. While we are suppressing and wrestling, we are only imitating victory. If Christ lives in us, we will rejoice in everything, and we will thank and praise the Lord. We will say, "Hallelujah! Praise the Lord" forever. Watchman Nee