The Real Deal

THE REAL DEAL

"I will walk within my own house in the integrity of my heart." Psalm 101:2b

Yesterday we looked at 11 characteristics of a God-pleaser vs. being a people pleaser, and I told you I wanted to zero in today on No. #7 of the list (if you didn't see yesterday's, you can go to http://www.americaskeswick.org/freedom/

No. 7 - A God pleaser is so concerned about fulfilling not only his PUBLIC duties but also his private ones.

Did you ever hear this comment about someone? "He's the real deal!" or "With him, what you see is what you get."

During my 18 years in conference ministry, I have interacted with many Christian speakers and musicians. The ones that have impacted me the most are the ones that are off stage what they are on stage. In my estimation, they are the REAL DEAL.

One man in particular stands out in my mind. He is a very well known Bible teacher with many published books. On the platform, his "stage"
presence captivates his audience. But once off the platform, he is rude and obnoxious and very demanding. What he preaches on the stage doesn't appear to line up with his behavior off the stage.

Lou Prilio in his book "PLEASING PEOPLE" has some interesting observations that are worth noting: "The person who love's GOD'S approval does not put all of his spiritual energies into doing public duties (corporate worship, teaching, Sunday School, Bible studies, evangelistic outreach, showing hospitality, etc.). He budgets his time so as to discharge his PRIVATE obligations as well.

Behind closed doors, he worships God, thanking Him for who He is and all He has done. He confesses His sin to God, and repents of it. He agonizes in intercessory prayer. He gives of his money and material possessions in secret (if not anonymously). When he fasts, he does so in a way that no one will know what he's up to.

He prepares his heart for worship BEFORE he goes to church. He reads and studies his Bible regularly. He meditates on Scripture. He cooperates with the Holy Spirit in the sanctification process. He cares for his soul and for the souls of those whom he is responsible. And if anyone tries to pressure him into additional public service, he will not accept it if, in his heart, he knows it will keep him from fulfilling his private obligations.

Moreover, he behaves in an upright way when he is in his own home. He flees temptation, resists the devil, and controls his temper and appetites when no one is around just as he does when people are looking."

Wow! Is this the testimony of our live, brothers? May it ever be so. May we be men who "walk within our house in the integrity of our hearts!"
Psalm 101:2b. -- Bill Welte is the President and CEO of America's KESWICK and general editor and writer for Freedom Fighters.

Great Quote: "People-pleasers may become such slaves in at least two ways. First, the intense desire for man's praise and approbation puts them in bondage to man by tempting them to make decisions based on what OTHERS will think rather than on what GOD will think of them." - Lou Prilio

The Characteristics of a God-Pleaser

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOD-PLEASER

"Therefore we also have as our ambition [we make it our aim], whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him." 2 Corinthians 5:9

Several weeks ago we talked about the characteristics of a man who was a people-pleaser. In working through Lou Prilio's book "Pleasing People - How Not to be an Approval Junkie," he describes the opposite characteristics of a people-pleaser - a God pleaser. That should be our aim in life as men of God. We are not here to please man - we should make it our aim to please God.

So what are the characteristics of a God-pleaser? Lou suggests the
following:

1. A God pleaser realizes he cannot please God apart from being a
Christian.
"Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.
But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him." (Romans 8:8-9)

2. A God pleaser studies the Scriptures to understand exactly what
it takes to please God.

"...trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord." - Ephesians 5:10 "The person who delights (seeks his happiness) in the Lord delights (seeks his happiness) in the Scriptures. He reads them, studies them, memorizes them, meditates on them, runs to them when he has questions to answer, decisions to make, passions to quell, and crisis to face. He loves them because they show him how to live a full, rewarding, exciting life that pleases God."

3. In everything he does, a God pleaser is conscious of pleasing
God.

4. When he pleases people, a God pleaser does so out of loving
motives, not selfish ones.

5. A God pleaser knows that "it is more blessed to give than to
receive."

6. A God pleaser considers amending not only his actions, but also
his thoughts and motives.

7. A God pleaser is concerned about fulfilling not only his public
duties but his private ones.

8. A God pleaser is more concerned with what GOD sees in his heart
than what MAN sees in his appearance.

9. A God pleaser programs his conscience by the BIBLE rather than by
the culture!

10. A God pleaser does not shy away from
necessary conflict or confrontation.

11. A God pleaser does not worry or fret when he
displeases people if, by so doing, he pleases God.

Take some time to work through Lou's list. Are you ready to make it YOUR aim to please God? It is good to think about this. Tomorrow I want to zero in on his comments about number 7.

Great Quote: If there be anything that can render the soul calm, dissipate its scruples and dispel its fears, sweeten its sufferings by the anointing of love, impart strength to all its actions, and spread abroad the joy of the Holy Spirit in its countenance and words, it is this simple and childlike repose in the arms of God. S. D. Gordon

Trust His Heart

TRUST HIS HEART

"Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart, and do not lean on your OWN understanding. In ALL your ways acknowledge HIM, and HE will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Someone once wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls ..." and for so many people right now, that sure does seem to be the case. These past few months have been difficult for so many of our Keswick family and extended family as they have faced challenges and difficulties.

Some examples are:

* A wayward son or daughter who wants to go their own way even
though they have been raised in a Christian home

* A family that has hit with on-going health issues from heart
attacks, heart surgery and a daughter-in-law who had a serious miscarriage

* A Pastor who loves the Lord and is committed to serving God and
His people, seeing people grow and even getting saved, and finds out at a church business meeting that there are people calling for a vote of confidence

* A 2- year old granddaughter diagnosed with serious heart issue
that may require surgery

* A 12 year old child that is in serious condition because she
has just learned she has one kidney and her reproductive organs are all messed up

* A man who after many years of serving with a company loses his
job because of downsizing

* A Pastor who is watching several individuals in his church
bring division and strife

* A retired missionary who has served God so faithfully and his
wife and daughter are now both struggling with cancer

These are real like examples of people whose lives are being impacted by difficulties - real time stuff. But it is in these difficult moments of life, that we can TRUST HIS HEART.

Years ago Babbie Mason recorded a song called TRUST HIS HEART ...

All things work for our good though sometimes we don't see how they could. Struggles that break our hearts in two sometimes blinded to the truth. Our Father knows what best for us he ways are not our own. So when your pathway grows dim and you just don't see him remember your never alone. Chorus

God is to wise to be mistaken God is too good to be unkind. So when you don't understand when you don't his plan when you can't trace his hand trust his heart, trust his heart. (He alone is faithful and true he alone knows what is best for you).

Verse 2 He sees the master plan and he hold our future in his hand so don't live as those who have no hope for our hope is found in him. We see the presently clearly but he see the 1st and the last and like a tapestry he's weaving you and me to someday be just like Him.

My guess is that someone reading this today is going through something.
You may be at the place where you are feeling hopeless and filled with despair. TRUST HIS HEART! It really is worth it. HE IS FAITHFUL and HE WILL SEE YOU THROUGH WHATEVER THE DIFFICULTY or CHALLENGE MAY BE. You may not understand it, your heart may be a the breaking point - TRUST HIS HEART. - Bill Welte is the President and CEO of America's KESWICK and the General Editor and writer for Freedom Fighters. His granddaughter, Lindsay Alice, is facing heart surgery for a severe mitral valve prolapsed. We covet your prayers and we are TRUSTING HIS HEART!

Great Quote: "The happiest people I know are the ones who have learned how to hold everything loosely and have given the worrisome, stress-filled, fearful details of their lives into God's keeping." ~ Charles R. Swindoll

Esteem Others Better Then Yourself

ESTEEM OTHERS BETTER THAN YOURSELF

"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves." Philippians 2:3

I am not telling you anything new! You already know this first-hand. We live in a self-centered, ME world. And it starts at a very young age.
Back in January when we were watching our grandkids, there was a day that Tanner, Lindsay, Emma and Tanner were together. While they all got along together (for the most part) it was amazing how many times the word "Mine!" came out of their little mouths.

Think about it - much of the junk that we go through in conflict, whether it be at home with our spouse or kids, at work with a fellow employee, or unfortunately, even at church, really comes down to wanting my way. Our mantra in society has become "I want it MY way," and yet that is exactly the opposite of how God wants us to live in relationship to others.

Paul wrote to the church at Philippi that they were to have a mind of humility and "esteem others them themselves." Apart from Christ doing that through your life, which is why He wants to BE your life, it is impossible to do that. Author, speaker and Christian counselor, Lou Prilio, in his book PLEASING PEOPLE, suggests nine ways that you and I can esteem others better than yourself:

1. Don't assume that others have EXACTLY the same evil motives as
you find in YOUR own heart, but rather put the best possible interpretation on their actions.

2. Look for those virtuous qualities in others that you know you are
in most need of yourself. Then seek their help in acquiring those qualities.

3. Don't assume that YOUR time, money, energy, thoughts, and
opinions are more valuable than your neighbor's.

4. When making a decision, consider not only how that decision will
affect your own interests, but also how it will affect the interests of others.

5. Be alert not only to your own needs, but also to the needs of
others.

6. Demonstrate your high estimation of others by commending them for
those qualities that are biblically worthy of praise.

7. Guard your heart from developing a pattern of critical,
condemnatory, accusatory, judgmental thoughts about others. Such thoughts make it very difficult, if not impossible, to esteem others better than yourself.

8. Pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ.

9. Remind yourself often that God has given to you everything you
need to be proud of and that He has often used others to get you where you are, Thank God and thank those whom He has used to bless you.

Good suggestions for us to consider. "Lord, help me today, to allow You through me, to esteem others better than myself." - Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK, and is the proud Pop-pop of five grandchildren.

Great quote: "God's Word is the tiger that devours the heart set on the flesh. Unleash the that tiger on the reader's hearts." John Sowell

Cell Phones -- Blessing or Curse?

Cell Phones - Blessing or Curse

This is an interesting Freedom Fighter topic, but one that I would lovingly like to address. Can you remember what life was like BEFORE the cell phone?
Maybe I am getting old - but it seems to me that what is a great instrument to help us to be connected has become a tool to rob us of enjoying worship and the ministry of the Word.

At a recent Keswick conference I sat in the back and counted twenty people get up during the ministry of the Word to answer cell calls. At least a dozen folks were outside in the freezing cold weather talking on their cell phones when they could have been sitting in the meeting with their spouse - this was a couple's weekend.

And yesterday was the icing on the cake. During the last session of our Hispanic Weekend, the service was built around the Lord's Table. I was absolutely amazed at how many cell phones were going off. It just didn't seem right.

I don't want to by cynical or sarcastic - but I wonder what we'd do if we were invited by President Bush to visit the White House for a State dinner.
Would we keep our cell phone on? Would we leave to take a call? I don't think so.

Take that a step further - what might it have looked when Jesus was giving the Sermon on the Mount with the disciples standing in the back yakking on their cell phones? Or maybe picture the night of the Last Supper. Jesus is sharing his most intimate thoughts with the Twelve and Peter gets a call on his cell. Being a sanguine, Peter gets up and goes out to talk to his friend and tells Jesus, "Hey, Lord, I need to take this call from one of my fishing buddies. Can you wait to finish this discussion till I'm done?"

Or put it another way - how would we feel if in the middle of our prayers, the Lord said, Can you hang on, I have a call coming in on my cell phone?
How would we feel?

We would most likely be quick to rebuke and criticize the disciples who fell asleep in the garden of Gethsemane while Jesus was praying. How could those guys do that to our Lord during His last hours? Jesus was puzzled too because He asked them why they couldn't have stayed awake for just that brief period of time. But do you think He might ask us the same question today? "Could you not spend time with me for one hour without worrying about your cell phone?"

I have a sneaky suspicion that we have become way too connected. Worship should require our undivided attention. It is the time that He has access to speak to our hearts and transforms our lives. Can I challenge you in love - make a date with the Lord this Sunday, and turn off your cell phone. Allow Him to speak to your heart. I think you will find that you made the right choice! - Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Great Quote: "The real test of a Christian is not one's willingness to preach the gospel, but one's willingness to do something like washing the disciple's feet - that is being willing to do those things that seem unimportant in human estimation but count as everything to God." - Oswald Chambers

Safety on the Journey

Safety on the Journey

"Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days." (Proverbs 19:20)

"Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety." (Proverbs 11:14)

We have too many lone rangers among those who read Freedom Fighters. We think we can do this "Christian thing" all by ourselves, without the aid of those who are farther down the road in their walk with Jesus. Please hear the above verses from Proverbs! We're not designed to go it alone.

Let's think about the fourth word in our consideration of soul care.
We've already thought about hunger, time and discipline. Now we need to put "accountability" on the table. To whom have you given the freedom to question and encourage you in the area of soul care? If you have no one like that, you need to find someone.

I have three good friends who have agreed to hold me accountable for personal purity and spiritual growth. They know they have the freedom to ask any question they think necessary. As the wisdom writer said, people without counsel fall. People with good counsel have safety.
Which would you prefer, the possibility of falling or the security of safety?

In just over a year I'll celebrate forty years of vocational ministry.
Too many friends have fallen in those years. Too many colleagues refused counsel from those who loved them. Too many men in the churches I've served refused to let other men into their lives. I've seen too many divorces and too many people fall out of fellowship because they isolated themselves.

Your soul--your eternal soul--is far too valuable to guard on your own.
God designed us to have companions on the journey. He designed us for fellowship and accountability. If you don't have that wise counsel and security, it's time to seek it out. You may already be in a small group that might work. You may want to start a small group with other men in your church, making soul care accountability a foundation for the group.
Talk to your pastor about your desire for accountability. Ask him what he thinks might work in your setting.

If you want to take your accountability to another level, you might want to think about a spiritual director. I've been meeting with a spiritual director for almost a year, and it has proved incredibly beneficial.
You can contact me through Bill Welte if you have questions about spiritual direction.

The most important thing is that you choose not to make this journey alone. We all need companions. We all need wise counsel. We all need the safety that comes from traveling with those who share our concern for our souls. - Pastor John Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist of Toms River and our weekend Freedom Fighter contributor.

Great Quote -- Have you been holding back from a risky, costly course to which you know in your heart God has called you? Hold back no longer.
Your God is faithful to you, and adequate for you. You will never need more than He can supply, and what He supplies, both materially and spiritually, will always be enough for the present. James I (J. I.) Packer

Soul Care: Discipline

SOUL CARE: DISCIPLINE

"My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:20-23)

We're thinking about the care of our souls. Last weekend we thought about two of the four words I suggested can help us pursue soul care:
hunger and time. I invite you to think with me this morning about the third word: discipline.

I've shared with Freedom Fighter readers in the past about the spiritual disciplines and how they help us become more like Christ. Discipline is an important word when thinking about the Christian life, especially when we're thinking about the nurture of our souls.

Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. He tells us that we need to keep our hearts with all diligence. Look at the words he uses: "give attention," incline your ear," "do not let them depart," and "keep
them." These are all "discipline" kinds of words or phrases. He
understood a simple truth. Those who take care of their souls live at a higher level of discipline than those who don't nurture their souls.

This is not some kind of ascetic discipline rooted in works or self-determination. It is a discipline that flows out of that hunger for God's work and presence in our lives. The discipline focuses on God's Word, both the written Word (the Bible) and the Living Word (Jesus). As we immerse ourselves in God's Word and God's Son, we discover the combination of word and practice that will sustain us and empower us.

I need to remind you that all Freedom Fighters engage in warfare every day. The enemy of our souls "roams about seeking whom he may devour."
One day without discipline and diligence offers him the opportunity for which he waits. One careless day makes us vulnerable to Satan's attacks. Only those who choose daily discipline in the care of their souls stand against his tricks.

We began a prayer for soul care last week. It goes like this: "Heavenly Father, I confess that I've neglected my soul. I ask for soul hunger like that of the psalmist. Create in me a deep hunger for a healthy soul. Lead me to the scripture verses and other reading that will help me know my need and help me learn to give my soul care. I yield to Your ongoing work in my life as I begin to watch over my soul. Lord, by Your power, help me make time for my soul. It will profit me nothing if I gain the whole world and lose my soul. I choose to set aside time for soul care. I choose spiritual health over spiritual neglect. Help me, O Lord, I pray. Amen."

Join me in adding another part to our prayer. "Lord God, build into my life that Spirit-driven discipline that will keep me on guard for my soul. Empower me to live in Your Word and in Your Son. I ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen." -- Pastor John Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River and our weekend Freedom Fighter contributor.

Great Quote: There come times when I have nothing more to tell God. If I were to continue to pray in words, I would have to repeat what I have already said. At such times it is wonderful to say to God, "May I be in Thy presence, Lord? I have nothing more to say to Thee, but I do love to be in Thy presence. Ole Kristian O. Hallesby

A Long Awaited Arrival

A LONG AWAITED ARRIVAL

News Flash -- Ethan William Houston was born at 8:31 AM 7lbs 7 ozs. 19 1/2"

"For You formed by inward parts; You weaved me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them." Psalm 139:13-16

Last night was a very long night! Today our fifth grandchild will be born around 8:00 AM! We are so excited and looking forward to meeting this wonderful new gift that has been given to Julie and Garrett, and their daughter Emma Grace.

For the past nine months, the God of the universe, the One who holds the universe together "by the word of His power,", the One who made the stars and knows them all by name (and we are just starting to find them!), the One who sees when every sparrow falls - has been "knitting and forming" my new grandson in Julie's womb!

There are some who believe that this fetus - this new life formed and fashioned by God in the womb is really not life until it is birthed.
Well you and I know that they are wrong! While Julie and Garrett were given the beautiful God-give privilege of enjoying the process of starting the baby's journey, God has been an work shaping every part of him, and today His work is complete - I can't wait to meet him!

Yesterday was a special day for our Keswick family. We have been praying for the niece of one of our staff members who was scheduled yesterday to have an abortion. After much prayer, this 19 year-old girl decided she will keep the baby! Praise the Lord.

Today is just the beginning of a new adventure for Julie and Garrett!
They will receive a wonderful gift from the Lord! Now comes the fun.
They have the joy and privilege of caring for him, and our prayer is that one day soon, he will come to trust Christ as His Savior! -- Bill Welte is the President and CEO of America's KESWICK and the general editor of Freedom Fighters.

Great Quote: Sound Bible exposition is an imperative must in the Church of the Living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of that term. But exposition may be carried on in such a way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever.

I Took a Break -- Oops!

I TOOK A BREAK...oops

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world. And this world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of the God abides forever." 1 John 2:15-17

The drive to work is about 30 miles, so for me, that leaves a good 45 minutes for mediation, reflection or prayer. Some mornings it can be all three but recently I had the aforementioned verse running on a constant play back loop.

I had been asked by my Pastor to fill in for him on his Wednesday night Bible study. I picked the topic of Biblical friendships when I happened upon this verse in my Bible. It was highlighted. And I remember standing in the Colony chapel sharing this very same verse the night I graduated from my stay at the colony.

I did not know what God had in store for me after that night but I knew that conforming to the world was no longer an option but this time John's words were coming across in a different way. I began to pray these words for a good week. I began to feel convictions in areas of my walk that were not being maintained and then my phone rang. It was Bill Welte. WHAT!? Bill asked if my wife and I would fill in as pray partners for a recent couple's conference. Of course we said yes. To serve Jesus in this way is a blessing. Besides, my brothers, my prayer life was not everything it should be and one of the areas I had felt conviction. (I wonder if God spoke to Bill about this.)

After I returned Bill's phone call worldly things no longer mattered. I felt at peace. My Heavenly Father was listening to me and had answered me. Saying no to Bill was not an option (for those of us who know him it never is anyway). Doing the will of the Father was all that mattered and He chose my wife and me.

When John penned this letter he was defending the Church.
Jesus' Church! And I had taken a break from the battle for the Gospel.
John however took no break. Even on Patmos, he continued on. So who was I to go on cruise control? What was I thinking? Thank God the adversary got a poor foothold.

Martin Luther said "If the devil were wise enough and would stand by in silence and let the Gospel be preached, he would suffer less harm. For when there is no battle for the Gospel it rusts and it finds no cause and no occasion to show its vigor and power. Therefore, nothing better can befall the Gospel than that the world should fight it with force and cunning."

Break time is over Brothers, break time is over. - Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy

Great Quote: "I am most joyously content that Christ would break all my idols to bits. It renews my love for Christ to see that he is jealous of my love, and will have it all to Himself." - Samuel Rutherford

David's Soul Care

DAVID'S SOUL CARE

"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the OUTWARD appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'" 1 Samuel 16:7

Yesterday I shared about the need to take care of not only the outward appearance, but how important it is to take care of your soul.
Unfortunately today there is some confusion in the church about spiritual formation. There are some that have traced back the concept of spiritual formation to the Catholic church, and because of that, they are ready to disregard the concept of soul care saying it is a bad thing because it is rooted in Catholicism or even Eastern mysticism.

While one must be discerning in this area, it is quite a biblical concept to take care of one's soul. To refuse to look at this just because of the misuses would be wrong for us. We need to be like the Bereans and search the Scriptures.

Samuel was in the process of looking for the next King of Israel. He was looking at the sons of Jesse for the position - seven of them in fact.
Reading between the lines they must have "looked" kingly, but the Lord had Samuel looking for more than someone that "looked" kingly. He was looking for someone whose "heart was fully devoted to Him."

One of Saul's servants recognized something different about this David.
David was a "skill musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the Lord is with Him." 1 Samuel 16:18. And I believe that the part that intrigued him was not the outward stuff, but the things going on inside of David.

If you want to get a glimpse of what was going on in David's soul, one just needs to read through the book of Psalms. David meditated on the law of the Lord day and night. (Psalm 1:2) Now there is a concept that has become misunderstood. Meditation in today's circles has come to have a negative connotation because of its roots in Eastern religion.

Great men of the Bible meditated on the Word of God. Joshua was told that if he wanted to be successful - to be the man that God wanted him to be - he was to meditate on the law of the Lord. Meditation is a discipline that we have forgotten, but one that I believe is necessary in taking care of our souls. Meditation is "chewed on the Word of God"
throughout the day. When was the last time you took a verse and throughout the day, prayerfully chewed on it, allowing it to infiltrate your heart and mind?

Here is something to think about: The average male according to the research, thinks about sex once a minute! I think that might be a slight exaggeration, but we think about it often during the day. How often do we meditate on the Word throughout the day? I wonder what our lives would be like if we were to practice meditating on the Word of God even five or six times a day.

Dawson Trotman, founder of The Navigators, taught the principle of writing a verse of Scripture on a 3X5 card, and then several times a day, take the card and re-read the verse, meditating on each word and allowing it to sink deep into your soul. Not a bad idea. Can I challenge you today, my brothers - let's make a commitment to meditate on the Word more intentionally. Grab a 3 X 5 card, jot down a verse, and allow the truth to sink deep down into your soul as your meditate on it. Will you join me? I trust you will. - Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK and is available to speak at your church for missions conferences, pulpit supply or men's retreats. You can contact Bill for more information: 732-350-1187 ext. 22

Great Quote: "God, harden me against myself, the coward with pathetic voice who craves for ease and rest and joy. Myself, arch-traitor to myself, my hollowest friend, my deadliest foe, my clog, whatever road I go!" - Amy Carmichael

Taking Care of Your Soul

TAKING CARE OF YOUR SOUL

"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance (concerning
David) or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

I want to piggy-back on Pastor John's last two Freedom Fighters and share some additional insight about soul-care. I have shared with you in the past that I struggle with my weight, and quite frankly these past several months have been not so good. I could make all kinds of excuses and justifications, but the bottom line is that I have not done my part in being as intentional about my exercise as I need to be.

It isn't like I don't have the place or equipment to do so - I have a treadmill and a total gym in my basement, and shoot, I live at America's KESWICK where there are plenty of places to walk and even use the gym.
But if all I do is think about it, and never do something about it - it will never happen.

On Saturday evening we had the Talley Trio in concert and it was a dress-up event. When I lost my 50+ lbs, I got rid of all my "big" clothes which was a good thing. They say if you hold on to your big stuff, it is easier to have your weight bounce up and down (no pun intended) because you have the freedom to fit in various sizes. Well I am at the point where stuff is tight. So I went down to Robert Hall at the Colony to see if I could borrow a sport coat for the evening. There was one on the rack that fit perfectly. Much to my dismay, it turned out to be one of my BIG coats that I had donated to Robert Hall!

The amazing thing is that numerous people came up to me before and after the concert and commented to me how good I looked and it was good to see that I had lost the weight again. It was all I could do to laugh! The coat camouflaged what was really going on underneath. The scale certainly didn't confirm their observations.

Our society spends an inordinate amount of time getting us to think about the way we look. Just turn on your TV and see the hundreds of infomercials ranging from exercise equipment and programs to diet fads that will give us the abs of a 16 year-old jock. Outward appearance to most of the world is an important thing.

But what matters to God is not what is happening on the outside as much as what is happening on the inside. It isn't that He doesn't want us to care for the physical temple He has created for us, He is more concerned at what is happening in our hearts - in our souls. The problem with the outer you is that it is easy to cover up what is going on inside for everyone else. We can fool everyone else into thinking we have it all together - but for many guys, what is going on in our souls is not so good.

Taking care of the outside is good. It may even extend our earthly life!
But think about it - our soul is something that will be with us for eternity! God is much more interested in that part of you and me!

So what is REALLY going on underneath the outward appearance? Is there something that you need to take care of today? Something that nobody else knows about but you and God? Then why don't you take that first step and begin today to take care of your soul! It really does matter to Him! Think about it. - Bill Welte is the President and CEO of America's KESWICK and is the general editor of Freedom Fighters.

Great Quote: The purpose of fasting is to loosen to some degree the ties which bind us to the world of material things and our surroundings as a whole, in order that we may concentrate all our spiritual powers upon the unseen and eternal things. Ole Kristian O. Hallesby

Don't forget our Men's Fellowship Night coming up this Thursday evening with Pastor Don Meckley. Come and bring a friend. I'd love to meet you!
Call today to make your reservation. 732-350-1187

How to Care for My Soul

"As for me, I will call upon the God, and the Lord shall save me.
Evening, morning and at noon, I will pray, and cry aloud." (Psalm 55:16&17)

"And when He had sent the multitude away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there." (Matthew
14:23)

How do we take care of our souls? I've suggested four words for our thinking this weekend and next that can frame our soul care plan. We thought about hunger yesterday. I hope you're joining me in praying that God will give us great hunger for Himself and for healthy souls that are satisfied in Him.

The word for today is time. Soul care takes time. In Psalm 55, the writer tells us that his soul was in trouble (It needed redemption according to vs. 18.), and he cried out to God morning, noon and night for the help he needed. That kind of praying takes time.

The Psalms devote themselves to soul care. If we'll know the help they offer, we've got to read them. That takes time. We won't know how they help us without investing time in reading, meditating and praying them.

The whole process of examination and watching over our souls (Proverbs
4:23) takes time. We choose to give intentional time and effort to examine, care for and nurture out souls.

A lot of people who read Freedom Fighters spend hours each week taking care of their jobs. Many who read these words will spend time in a gym each week taking care of their bodies. Others, come spring, will spend hours each week nurturing their lawns and plants. We spend time for all those things that we consider important.

It's time for men who want to live in freedom to catch on. Freedom, like jobs, gyms and yards, has a "time price." That time is spent doing the things that nurture our souls. We'll read God's Word and other nurturing literature. We'll "go up on the mountain alone" like Jesus did. We'll spend time with God in prayer and meditation. We'll take time to sit with others who hunger for healthy souls and share the journey to soul maturity. It all takes time.

Add these few sentences to yesterday's prayer. "Lord, by Your power, help me make time for my soul. It will profit me nothing if I gain the whole world and lose my soul. I choose to set aside time for soul care.
I choose spiritual health over spiritual neglect. Help me, O Lord, I pray. Amen."

I pray God's gracious work in your life and mine as we take time for our souls. - Pastor John Strain is Pastor of First Baptist Toms River and is our weekend Freedom Fighter contributor

Great Quote: You may rest assured that God will not allow you to be tried beyond your strength. It is when we are powerless that God does all, and thereby manifests His power and goodness in a striking manner.
John Baptist de La Salle

He Restores My Soul

HE RESTORES MY SOUL

"He restores my soul." (Psalm 23:3)

We're thinking about soul care during the February weekends. During the first two weekends, I've tried to establish what soul care is and why we need it. One of the foundation verses for our consideration comes from
Proverbs: "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." (Proverbs 4:23)

Let's think for the rest of the month about how that soul care happens.
I've got four more editions of Freedom Fighter, and I'd like us to think about four words: hunger, time, discipline and accountability.

Soul care begins with hunger. We have to come to a place where we know our souls aren't as healthy as they should be and not accept that condition. The more we read Scripture (especially the Psalms), the more we discover the reality of a healthy soul. In discovering the potential of a healthy soul, we gain a hunger for that reality.

The psalmist said, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God . . .." (Psalm 42:1&2) That brings us to our first hard question. Have we allowed God to awaken in us a hunger for His presence and work in our souls?

Soul care begins by asking God to give us a hunger for the care only He can give our souls. An honest examination (We thought about that last
week.) will tell us that our souls need care if we are to know God as intimately as He wants to know us.

Pray this prayer with me this week. "Heavenly Father, I confess that I've neglected my soul. I ask for soul hunger like that of the psalmist. Create in me a deep hunger for a healthy soul. Lead me to the scripture verses and other reading that will help me know my need and help me learn to give my soul care. I yield to Your ongoing work in my life as I begin to watch over my soul. Amen"

I promise to pray for you (even though I don't know you by name), and I ask you to pray for me as we commit to care for our souls. - Pastor John Strain is the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River and our weekend Freedom Fighter contributor.

Great quote: There are no shortcuts to holiness. There is no easy way to conquer the flesh. Christian character is a matter of growth, not of secrets or formulas. Growth takes time. It also takes the discipline of prayer, of study, of heart searching, of sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's pleading, and of consistent obedience. It must always begin with a renewed thankfulness for the never-ending grace of God, and a sense of being set free repeatedly to a life of holiness. -- John White

Why Should I Give?

Why should I give?

Normally this would be a pretty tough question. But remember we just learned that it is really not our money, it is God's money. That for starters should get us thinking the right way about giving to God's work. But let me offer some additional thoughts.

Randy Alcorn has written what I believe is one of the best books on this subject. It is called "The Treasure Principle". It is a short, quick read book, similar to "The Prayer of Jabez" book. It is not only similar in appearance; it is also similar in impact.

Randy Alcorn basis this book on a little read parable in Matthew 13:44 - "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."

The parable is simple but very profound. This guy discovers that there is a large treasure hidden in a field. He then sells everything he has and works like crazy to earn enough money to buy the field. In other words, he is consumed with his anticipation of the joy he will get when he is the owner of the field and the buried treasure.

The treasure in the field is simply an illustration of the incredible heavenly treasure that awaits us. Just like the guy in the parable, our focus should be on what awaits us in heaven and not on the very temporary stuff that we accumulate in this very short life.

Our giving does focus our attention on this glorious eternal treasure that awaits us. Our living must undergo a complete transformation that says what is eternal is important and what is temporal (in this life) is not. There is nothing wrong with the big house, the cool cars and the boats that we all long for in this life. They are just so temporary.

Jesus does tell us to invest...but invest for eternity. Matthew 6:20 "...store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal".

Ok, you say but we are guys. We need something a little more practical as to why we should tithe. Let's try these two thoughts.

Tithing is the starting point for a Christian to get their finances in order.

Here are two verses that we need to put together. Deuteronomy 14:22
-23 says "You shall surely tithe all... ... so that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always". And Proverbs 9:10 says "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom".

Could it be that God is saying if we need wisdom (including wisdom in how to make financial decisions) the starting point is tithing? I think the answer is yes. I have seen it in my life as well as hundreds of others that have shared the same testimony.

God tells us to test Him on tithing.

Only one place in the Bible are we instructed to test God. Malachi 3:10 says "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test me now on this...if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows". (emphasis mine)

Before we put $10 in the offering plate this Sunday and expect God to lead us to that buried treasure we talked about in Matthew 13, we have to understand that God wants our heart and not our money. By consistently tithing, we indicate that God has our heart. Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is there will your heart be also".

I believe what God is saying in this verse if we make a plan to tithe (say for a year) and we stick to that plan God will open the windows of heaven and pour out His blessing upon us. It may not be financial blessing and it may not even be in this very short lifetime. But then again it may be. Like it says in Malachi, test God and see for yourself. I did, and by the way, He passed the test. - George Hutchison is an instructor and financial advisor with Crown Financial Ministries

If you have enjoyed this week's Freedom Fighters, reply to this email and I will forward it to George

Great Quote: When our hearts are tenderly responsive --- and it suits His greater plan, then the Lord will lift the thin veil that separates us. And we will be stunned to realize that He has been closer than our own breath all along. Patsy Clairmont

What is Surety

What in the world is surety??

Surety has to be one of the most misunderstood and least taught principles in the Bible. Proverbs alone has a number of passages that warn against surety. By adding Solomon's warnings to the other passages in the Bible, we quickly realize we better pay attention to surety. Proverbs 17:18 says "A man lacking in sense pledges, and becomes surety in the presence of his neighbor"

Webster defines surety as being legally liable for a debt. Larry Burkett used to say it was taking on an obligation without a sure and certain way of paying it. In other words it is owing more on stuff than it is worth.

In today's financial culture, it is basically any debt that you do not have full collateral to satisfy. In explaining what surety is, let us start by explaining what it is not. In most cases, a mortgage is not a debt of surety. If you cannot make your house payments, the bank will take your house as full satisfaction of your mortgage.

However, what happens when your car is only worth $5,000 and you still owe $8000 on your car loan? You have a debt of surety and we have not heeded God's caution.

We must understand this is a principle and not a law. However, statistics tells us that as high as 90% of believers have violated the principle of surety. Let's look at the two most common violations of surety in today's culture.

Cosigning:

Proverbs 11:15 "He who is surety for a stranger will suffer, but one who
hates being surety is secure". NKJV How many times do we as believers
cosign for another's loan? To be a little more specific, how many times do we cosign for our children's school debts or their first car?

Maybe we don't want to disappoint our close friend, or we want our children to get started on their own financial journey as soon as possible. Or maybe we just are not familiar with what the Bible says about cosigning. Regardless of the justification or reason, pledging payment as a guarantor or cosigning for another's loan is not an acceptable practice for God's people.

In most cases, when we cosign for another's loan, we are allowing them to borrow beyond their ability to repay without negatively affecting their financial health. Statistics tell us that a high percentage of those who cosign end up making the payments and becoming responsible for the debt.

Credit Card Debt:

Have you ever gone on a nice vacation and put it on your credit card?
When you come back and get the bill from the credit card company, you start to make monthly payments on the vacation. Guess what, almost all unpaid balances on your credit card are debts of surety. Proverbs 17:18 says "A man lacking in sense pledges and becomes surety......"

Surety is a principle-not a law. Although the violation of the principle does not carry with it punishment-like violating a law of God-its violation does have negative consequences.

Debts of surety are just too risky in God's eyes. Did you know that many of the sub-prime loans that have started the credit crisis our country faces today are debts of surety? God's Word is full of good solid financial principles. - George Hutchison is a financial counselor and instructor with Crown Financial Ministries and a member of the Keswick Board of Trustees

Great Quote: Who stumbles at Christ? All that teach you to do works, instead of teaching you to believe. Those who hold forth Christ to you as a law-maker and a judge, and refuse to let Christ be a helper and a comforter, torment you by putting works before and in the way of God in order to atone for your sins and to merit grace... For if you desire to believe rightly and to possess Christ truly, then you must reject all works that you intend to place before and in the way of God. They are only stumbling blocks, leading you away from Christ and from God. Before God no works are acceptable but Christ's own works. Let these plead for you before God, and do no other work before him than to believe that Christ is doing his works for you and is placing them before God in your behalf. In order to keep your faith pure, do nothing else than stand still, enjoy its blessings, accept Christ's works, and let him bestow his love upon you. You must be blind, lame, deaf, dead, leprous and poor, otherwise you will stumble at Christ. That Gospel which suffers Christ to be seen and to be doing good only among the needy, will not belie you.

This means to acknowledge Christ aright and to embrace him. This is true and Christian believing. But those who intend to atone for sins and to become pious by their own works, will miss the present Christ and look for another, or at least they will believe that he should do otherwise, that first of all he should come and accept their works and consider them pious. Martin Luther, Sermon on Matthew 11

Do You Ever Wonder Why God Discourages Debt?

Do you ever wonder why God discourages debt?

In more than 30 Bible verses, God talks about debt. Although He never forbids it, He certainly does discourage it. Did you ever wonder why?

Let me offer you three of God's principles that we violate when we go into debt. But please don't stop with these three. Continue to look for other principles in God's Word that are violated when we incur debt.

Here are three to get you started...

Debt presumes upon the future: How many of us have ever gone into debt with the payment terms being: "pay in the future as the Lord provides and blesses?" I would be pretty surprised if any bank would offer anything like that. Usually payments are due on a certain day each month with some pretty nasty things happening if we don't make those payments on time.

Going into debt presumes upon our future that we will make those payments. James 4:14 says: Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

Debt blocks God's direction in our lives: Did you ever think that one of the easiest ways for God to lead us is through providing or withholding money? If God owns everything (Psalm 24:1) and if He loves us (1 John
3:1) and He wants the best for us (Jeremiah 29:11, Psalms 84:11), why can't He provide us with the money to get it? Maybe it is not His timing or it is not His will for us to have it.

Suppose we want to buy a car. If God owns all the gold and silver (Haggai 2:8) He certainly has the resources to give us what we need to buy that car.

Maybe God knows that car will take us to places that are not honoring to Him. Maybe God knows that car will take too much of our time that belongs to our family or serving Him. Maybe God knows that car has bad brakes and we will be in a serious car accident.

Just as God directs us to move forward by providing (Philippians 4:19) He also tells us to wait by withholding (Galatians 6:9). How often do we miss God's direction in our lives by going to the bank for a loan instead of praying and waiting on God's timing?

"You ask and do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures" (James 4:3).

Debt puts us in bondage: When we borrow money we become slaves to our creditors (Proverbs 22:7). "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender's slave". Slavery is a yoked relationship.
(Galatians 5:1) "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery".
The Bible is clear that we should not be yoked to non-believers (2 Corinthians 6:14) "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?". (NKJV)

We rightfully focus our attention on business partnerships and marriage as yoking relationships, but how many of us look at our creditors in the same light? The Bible tells us it is a yoking relationship and we should look at it as such.

1 Corinthians 7:23 "You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men". - George Hutchison is an instructor and financial counselor with Crown Financial Ministries and a member of the Keswick Board of Trustees

Great Quote: "If we are true Christian believers, we are called to a life of faith, and the faith-principle is meant to cover courtship, married life, career, finance and Christian service, indeed everything.
It never impoverishes our life; it enriches and transforms it!" - Dr. J.
Sidlow Baxter

Why Should I Care About Money?

Why should I care about my money?

For starters we saw yesterday that God cares about how we handle our money. With over 2000 verses in the Bible about how we should handle our money and our possessions it is pretty obvious that God is very concerned about how we are handling money.

Statistics tell us that in 2005 over 2,000,000 households declared bankruptcy. In 2005 and 2006 we had a negative savings rate. This means that we as Americans spent more money than we made. (This is the first time this has happened since the Great Depression)

Daily we listen to the news and hear about the sub prime mortgage crisis and increased foreclosures on houses (Up 79% last year over 2006) and how this is now spreading to the credit card industry.

For many years handling the families' finances was usually done by the wife. He made it and she managed it (or should I say spent it). I do not believe this is the norm anymore. Now it is much more of a joint venture, with many times the husband and wife both working and sharing the responsibility of managing the families' budget.

So how about us men, should we care about how we and our family spend our money? We saw yesterday that God cares a lot about how we handle our money, and by the way it actually does belong to Him. Those statistics above tell us that the money management in our society is in deep trouble and with our wives asking for help in handling our money, I think the answer is obvious.

Why does God care so much about money? I think the answer is found in Matthew 6:21 where Jesus says "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" Jesus is telling us that how we manage our money reveals heart issues or the state or our relationship with Him. Let's look at our personal finances for a minute.

Do we have a lot of debt? Does this mean we always want more and are not content with what God has given us? Hebrews 13:5 says "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have".

Do we have too much savings? Does this mean we are trusting in our portfolios and bank accounts and not God for the future? Proverbs 23:5 says "Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle". Or are we trying to get significance by big bank accounts? Luke 12:15 says "... a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Are the needs of our family being met? God gives us some pretty strong words about not meeting the needs of our family. 1 Timothy 5:8 says "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever". Our families will have emergencies and the question is are we ready to meet those emergencies? We better have an emergency savings account.

Do we want our family to be spiritually blessed? If God is going to bless our family with spiritual blessings we better handle our money God's way. Luke 16:11 says "So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?

Men, as the spiritual heads of our families, managing money is not a financial issue, it is a spiritual issue. Get involved in your family finances.

George Hutchison serves on the Board of Trustees of America's KESWICK and is an instructor and counselor with Crown Financial Ministries

Great Quote: We are called to live Coram Deo, defined as: before the presence of God, under the authority of God and to the glory of God. -- R. C. Sproul

Who really owns my stuff?

What does it mean that God is the owner and I am the steward? We think, I give my 10% (or at least try to), so I guess God should be happy. Well, not exactly.

God is just as concerned about the 10% that we give to Him as He is about the other 90(+)% that we keep. And the reason is simple. It is His. Haggai 2:8 says "'The silver is mine and the gold is mine' declares the LORD Almighty". And if that is not enough, check out Psalm 24:1; Psalm 50:10-12; 1 Corinthians 10:26 and a bunch of other passages. It is pretty clear that God owns everything.

If we put our money in a bank or mutual fund and they do not handle it the way we want them to, what would we do? Take it out of that financial institution and reinvest it. They are stewards of our investments just like we are stewards of God's money. No, we don't sign all those papers like we do with the financial institution, but God does give us his Word with many instructions on how we should manage His money (over 2,000 verses to be exact).

Well at least we have our job, right? Well not exactly. Deuteronomy
8:18 says ..."the Lord your God...is He who is giving you power to make
wealth". He is even sovereign over our jobs. That last raise we got
was really a result of His sovereignty more than our great performance review.

OK, about now we are probably thinking, I guess I don't own anything but myself. Sorry about this, but it says in 1 Corinthians 6:20 that we are bought with a price. I guess we don't even own ourselves.

So what is the bottom line here? God owns my money, my ability to make money and even me, (plus everything else). I better start being a better manager or steward of all those things and pay attention to how God wants me to handle His stuff.

1 Corinthians 4:2 says "Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful". Another way of saying that is, God wants us to take care of His money and everything else we are managers of. That is no small responsibility!

God very much cares about how we handle His money. He says in Luke
12:34 "Where our treasure is, there our heart will be also". I guess that explains it. How we handle our money is a good indication of how much we love God. - George Hutchison is a member of the Board of Trustees of America's KESWICK and is a instructor for Crown Financial Ministries.

Great Quote: There is nothing small in the service of God. Francis de Sales

Three Reasons to Take Care of Your Soul

Three Reasons to Take Care of Your Soul

During the first three Freedom Fighters for February, I've tried to make a case for taking care of our souls. We neglect them at our own peril.
I'd like to give you three reasons, all from Scripture, why all of us who desire to follow Jesus need to take care of our souls. Next week we'll begin looking at how to take care of them.

Reason Number 1: The World

John tells us "Do not love the world or the things of the world." (1 John 2:15) Christians need to grasp the reality that we live in a world that is our enemy. We're aliens here; our home is Heaven. Everything about the world-this sphere of living where God is not revered as God-wears on us. There is a negative pull on our souls every day to love what we should hate and to hate what we should love. This world is neither our home nor our friend. Taking care of our souls becomes a necessity because this world will push us to neglect it and our God who created our souls.

Reason Number 2: The Flesh

A friend of mine talks about the "residue of the flesh" when he speaks of our ongoing need for God's sanctifying work in our lives. That "residue of the flesh" wants satisfaction in ways that aren't consistent with our walk with Jesus. That's why Paul warns us in Galatians 5:16 ".
. . Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."
Our flesh wars against our souls. We have one way to win the war, and that is to take care of our souls.

Reason Number 3: The Devil

Every Christ-follower has at least one enemy, the devil. He is and always will be the enemy of our souls. He'll do everything within his power to prevent the nurture of our souls, and we need to know that.
Hear Peter's words from 1 Peter 5:8: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." Peter didn't give us those words to scare us. He gave them to us to help us prepare for the fight of our lives! He goes on to tell us in verse 9 to resist him. And, James tells us that if we resist the devil he will flee from us. (5:7)

Our enemies, the world, the flesh and the devil are active enemies. We must actively nurture our souls to overcome the influence of our enemies. Here's the good news: it's doable for every last one of us!
Keep reading. - Pastor John Strain is the Senior Pastor of First Baptist of Toms River and is our weekend Freedom Fighter contributor.

Great Quote: Jesus did not finish all the urgent tasks in Palestine or all the things He would have liked to do, but He did finish the work which God gave Him to do. The only alternative to frustration is to be sure that we are doing what God wants. Nothing substitutes for knowing that this day, this hour, in this place, we are doing the will of the Father. Then and only then can we think of all the other unfinished tasks with equanimity and leave them with God. Charles E. Hummel

Examine Your Soul

EXAMINE YOUR SOUL

"Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the Lord."
(Lamentations 3:40)

We're talking about taking care of our souls for God's glory and our good. Jesus reminded us last week that all the things we can gain in the temporal world aren't worth the value of our souls. Lost souls and damaged souls grieve the heart of God. His plan for us is simple. We find our souls in coming to Christ. The damages and hurts our souls endure find repair and healing in our journey with Christ to wholeness.

In all of that, however, we have responsibility. With the aid of God's Word and His Spirit, we're accountable for regular inspection of our souls. We have responsibility for the care of our souls. Jeremiah tells us to "search out and examine our ways." The psalmist said to God, "Search me, O God, and know my heart . . . and see if there is any wicked way in me . . .." (Psalm 139:23&24)

What does all of this imply for us today. I think we can make several observations as we begin to give attention to our souls. First, we discover that our souls don't naturally stay well. Our souls can get unhealthy, polluted and dirty. They need care. We also discover that we have help available to us. God, who created us and made us living, eternal souls, stands at the ready. He'll always help us see the care we need to give our souls. Further, He'll provide the resources needed to provide the care. There is a third observation that we can't overlook.

We're not always smart enough to know our souls need care! I think that's why the psalmist asked God to search his heart. God will see things we can't see. We fool ourselves with foolish independence when we think we have all the answers. Don't be fooled! If you are alive and reading this Freedom Fighter, you need soul care!

Let the examination of our souls begin! - Pastor John Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River and is our weekend Freedom Fighter Contributor

Great Quote: Will is the whole man active. I cannot give up my will; I must exercise it. I must will to obey. When God gives a command or a vision of truth, it is never a question of what He will do, but what we will do. To be successful in God's work is to fall in line with His will and to do it His way. All that is pleasing to Him is a success.
Henrietta C Mears

Where is Your Path Heading

Where is Your Path Heading?

"A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished." Proverbs 27:12

"Careful about ones conduct". That is the prudent man. When he comes into full view of the world around him he can make the righteous choice. When he comes to a crossroads, he can remain on the straight and narrow. Knowing this as wisdom I have from time to time asked myself, "Well, where is my path heading?"

When I have occasionally looked behind, I had seen the wreckage of my folly. A lot of it is just from being naïve or silly but a great deal of it from being just plain stupid. Do prudent men come that way or have they too walked the hard road? I do not consider myself much of a prudent man but I have learned enough to say, "I ain't going' back that way." That in itself should be wisdom enough for most, but if my goal is to truly serve and love God it would be wiser to say "Lord, your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light onto my path."

I must be capable to surrender to that guidance. I need to die to it daily. There must be less of my word and more of His Word. But sadly my friends that is a hard list to keep enforced. I do have my times when I creep out from behind a rock and make off -the- wall suggestions that sound great to the flesh but are really not good for the soul. Oh what a wretched man I can be but prudent enough to look at the Cross and say Thank You, Jesus. Santo Padre!!

So as I walk along my path, I should be doing it as if to use the meaning of walk in the way the Greeks would say to walk. To show oneself to be upright with confidence and to do this as Paul would write to show Jesus with every step. That means to be wise handling the practical matter of being in communion with God, praying without ceasing, reading God's word and living with the context and precepts set by God.

So where is my path heading? Wherever I am surrendered enough to go. -- Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and has attended the Keswick Institute of Biblical Studies.

Great Quote: Salvation may be described as the blind receiving sight, the deaf receiving hearing, the dead receiving life; but we have not only received these blessings, we have received CHRIST JESUS Himself. It is true that He gave us life from the dead. He gave us pardon of sin; He gave us imputed righteousness. These are all precious things, but we are not content with them; we have received Christ Himself. The Son of God has been poured into us, and we have received Him, and appropriated Him. What a heart-full Jesus must be, for heaven itself cannot contain Him! Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Pride May Blind You to Your Sin

PRIDE MAY BLIND YOU TO YOUR SIN

For the past two days we have looked at the idol of the heart known as pride. Pride is not only insidious - God hates pride. But one of the deadly things that pride does is to blind me to my sin.

Quoting again from Lou Prilio's book PEOPLE PLEASING, he suggests six ways in which pride blinds us to our sin:

1. Pride tempts us to exaggerate our virtues. He quotes Puritan
Richard Baxter: "Self-idolizing causes us to glory in our supposed greatness, when the greatness of God should show us our contemptible vileness. It causes us to magnify ourselves when we to magnify our Maker. It makes the strong man glory in his strength, and the rich man in his wealth, and the conqueror in his victories, and princes and lords and rulers of the earth in their dominions and dignities, and abilities to do good to others.

2. Pride tempts us to minimize our flaws.

3. Pride tempts us to distort and magnify the seriousness of our
flaws.

4. Pride tempts us to change things in our lives according to MAN'S
priorities rather than the agenda of the HOLY SPIRIT.

5. Pride focuses our attention on changing the OUTER MAN rather than
the INNER MAN.

6. An excessive love of praise tempts you to believe MAN'S opinion
of yourself over GOD'S opinion.

Are you struggling with pride, my brother? If so, yield it to HIM and allow Him to transform your life in this area. Surrender the idol of your heart - pride. Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK and general editor of Freedom Fighters, and is available to speak at your church. To schedule Bill, contact Ruth Schmidt at
732-350-1187

NEXT WEEK, George Hutchison, Board member of America's KESWICK and an instructor with CROWN Ministries will address the area of MONEY with us.

GREAT QUOTE: Give me, O Lord, a steadfast heart which no unworthy thought can drag downwards; an unconquered heart which no tribulation can wear out; an upright heart which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow upon me also, O Lord my God, understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. -- Thomas Aquinas

SPECIAL PROJECT: The Lord has given us the opportunity to purchase a new piano for the RAWS AUDITORIUM in memory of Addison Raws' wife, Emma. Thanks to a local businessman, we have been offered a brand new Yamaha C7 concert piano for $28,195. The goal seemed in surmountable, however, thanks to numerous friends, we only need $13,000 to reach the goal. If you'd like to share in this project, simply respond to this email, or go the website (www.americaskeswick.org) and make your donation on-line. Be sure and designate it for the PIANO FUND. You can also make a gift by calling our toll-free number: 800-453-7942. Thanks for your consideration, brothers.

Pride Part 2

"PRIDE" - Part 2

"First pride, then the crash - the bigger the ego, the harder the fall."
Proverbs 16:18 (The Message)

Yesterday I shared with you some insight on the idol of the heart (sin) of pride. Amazingly, most people who struggle with being a "people-pleaser" have major pride issues.

Author and speaker, Lou Prilio, in his book, PLEASING PEOPLE, says that "pride is an insidious thing. Just when you are convinced that you have one of its tentacles under control, another one snakes out to grab you ... Pride is like a garment with a million secret pockets that you're constantly discovering."

In his book, Lou shares a list of questions to help determine if you and I have pride as one of the idols of the heart. I shared several questions with you yesterday, here are some more:

Am I more prone to command than to obey, to teach than to be taught, to speak than to listen?

Do I have little or no respect for authority in general?

Do I become impatient or upset when contradicted in speech, especially publicly?

When wronged, am I unwilling to forgive an offender who has not demonstrated extreme submission or repentance?

Do I invest more resources to establish my own honor than to establish God's honor?

Am I unwilling to admit when I am wrong?

I am inordinately curious about those things that I do not have a biblical need to know?

Am I discontented with my position in life?

Am I ungrateful for God's mercies?

Do I fail to pray?

Am I insensible to the dangers of temptation (being self-confident about handling temptations)?

Am I oversensitive to correction?

Do I have difficulty in being pleasing (because of excessively high expectations)?

Take some time today and work through these questions. I will put the whole list of the website later today so you can download it as pdf handout. Are you wrestling with the idol of pride? Think about it! -- Bill Welte is the President and CEO of America's KESWICK.

Great Quote: What a humbling thought it is, that so often there is earnest prayer in which the desire for our own joy or pleasure is far stronger than many desire for God's glory. No wonder there are so many unanswered prayers! Here we have the secret. God cannot be glorified when that glory is not the object of our prayers. -- Andrew Murray

The Sin of Pride

THE SIN OF PRIDE

"A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor." Proverbs 29:23

Several weeks ago one of my Board members gave me a powerful book entitled "Pleasing People - How not to be an 'approval junkie'" by Lou Priolo (P & R Publishing). It is a must read book for every believer whether you struggle with being a people pleaser or not. It was one of those reads that left you feeling very convicted about the idols of the heart in your life.

In one of the chapters, Lou shares some valuable insights into the idol of pride. Let me give them to you the next two days and then I will put a handout on the website for your use:

1. Pride is the delusion that our achievements are primarily the result of our own doing.

2. Pride is esteeming ourselves above and beyond the condition and proportion that God has appointed for us.

3. Pride is the desire to be ESTEEMED BY OTHERS above and beyond the condition and proportion that God has appointed for us.

4. Pride is the desire to EXALT OURSELVES above and beyond the condition and proportion that God has appointed for us.

So how do you know if you are a "pride-aholic"?

Do you boast about or take credit for your wisdom, abilities, and gifts as though they were acquired primarily by self-effort?

Do you selfishly use for your own glory and benefit the wisdom, abilities, and gifts God has given you for His glory and the benefit of others?

Do you view God in such a way as to think He was made for your pleasure rather than vice versa (making God a means to an end rather than worshipping Him as the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of the universe)?

Do you have a greater desire to be loved by others than for others to love God (wanting others to love you more than they love God)?

Do you have a greater dependence on self than on God's grace and provision?

Do you resort to defensiveness, blame-shifting, justification, or anger when lawfully reproved by another?

Do you have a censorious, critical, condemning, accusing, judgmental attitude toward others, especially those in positions of authority?

If so, my friend, then you may very well be struggling with the idol of the heart known as PRIDE!

I'll share more on this tomorrow. Take some time today to review the list. If this is an issue in your life - Cry out to God, repent and ask for His help in this area of your life. - Bill Welte is the President and CEO of America's KESWICK and the general editor and writer for the ministry of Freedom Fighters

Great Quote: "Pride makes men more desirous to be over loved by themselves, than that God be loved by themselves or others. They would gladly have the eyes and hearts of all men turned on them, as if they were as the sun, to be admired and loved by all who see them." Richard Baxter

From A Heart of Stone

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all of your uncleanness, and from all of your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statues and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. Ezekiel 36:25-28

While living in Cozumel, Mexico I spent a good deal of time on the beaches. Many of them consisted of jagged grey stones covered in crevices and holes. One day while cautiously navigating towards the water I stumbled across something that I would remember to this day. In the stone was a beautiful heart shaped hole. You could see this heart due to the deep blue, green water that filled it. Without the water it would have been almost impossible to see and dangerous to those around it. I went back to the car to get my camera in fear that the picture would disappear. The heat of the day had left all of the stone around this heart dried out, dangerous, and unpleasing to the eye.

After looking at the photographs, I would return to this spot on the beach many times. Each time I went back the heart was visible. What I realized was that each day as the tide would come in new water would fill the heart and the impurities would be washed away. As the day went on the heart would become a deeper more beautiful color causing it to stand out from the miles of stone. Although I actually never saw the heart being filled or washed clean I could always trust in it being there.

If you are a born again Christian God has scrubbed you clean. He has taken your once dangerous heart of stone and replaced it with a beautiful heart of flesh. The world can see your heart because it is filled with the Holy Spirit, which causes us to walk in His statues. By abiding in Him and His word you can overcome the heat of each day. In fact, you can live trusting that these daily trails will grow you into a deeper more meaningful relationship with Christ.

Our hearts of flesh should be consistently visible to those around us creating in them a desire to see it again and again. What will you show the world today? Bill Pruitt is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and serves as a Guest Services Representative for America's KESWICK.

Great Quote: Spirit filled souls are ablaze for God. They love with a love that glows. They serve with a faith that kindles. They serve with a devotion that consumes. They hate sin with fierceness that burns. They rejoice with a joy that radiates. Love is perfected in the fire of God. Samuel Chadwick

Want to do something special for your wife, guys? Send her to ReviveHER Night at America's KESWICK this Thursday, February 7th. Check out this link for details: http://www.americaskeswick.org/rhn.htm It's a great way to encourage your wife. Call today for details.

Take Care of Your Soul

TAKE CARE OF YOUR SOUL
TAKE CARE OF YOUR SOUL
"Hear me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good; Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies. And do not hide Your face from Your servant, For I am in trouble; Hear me speedily. Draw near to my soul, and redeem it. . . ." (Psalm 69:16-18)

We're thinking about "soul care" each weekend during February. David wrote Psalm 69, crying out to God because His soul needed care. Notice that even one as close to God as David (a man after God's own heart) experienced times when his soul was overloaded and needed God's attention. We are no different!

Let me share some things that may indicate the need for soul care in your life or mine. If we are neglecting God's Word, we need some soul care. When we sense no joy in our walk with the Lord, we need soul care. Ongoing struggles with addictions definitely tell us we need soul care. Soul care is a need in our lives when we're not growing in grace.
The list of indicators could fill this edition of The Freedom Fighter!

Soul care really needs to happen regularly in our lives. Think of it like taking care of your physical body. Most of us do some "preventive"
things to take care of ourselves. Exercise, vitamins, rest and a healthy diet all fall into the preventive health care category.

Other occasions require more invasive measures. One of us may need a heart cath to take care of a blockage. Another of us may need surgery for a bad gall bladder. Our care is more aggressive because the problem is more dangerous. When life threatening issues attack us, we pull out all the stops. Major surgery, radiation, chemo and whatever else is needed come into play.

Soul care has counterparts to all the levels of medical care. Each of us, no matter how well we're doing in our walk with Jesus need a maintenance level of soul care. We're spiritually healthy and want to stay that way. So, we take care of our souls.

Times come when we struggle. Something happens that brings greater pressure or temptation to our lives. We see an issue and know that it's going to require more than a maintenance level of soul care. So, we get more aggressive about "watching over our hearts/souls" (Proverbs 4:23)

Some of us will experience times that demand major soul care. Times of great grief or temptation create a need for that level of soul care.
Times of failure demand intense soul care. We do whatever it takes to protect and fortify our souls because of great danger.

I hope you'll this week about the care of your soul. I invite you to join me this month in learning how to take care of our souls.

John Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist of Toms River.

Great Quote: Wise leaders should have known that the human heart cannot exist in a vacuum. If Christians are forbidden to enjoy the wine of the Spirit they will turn to the wine of the flesh...Christ died for our hearts and the Holy Spirit wants to come and satisfy them.

A. W. Tozer

Watch Over Your Heart

WATCH OVER YOUR HEART
"Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." (Proverbs 4:23)

I had an email from a pastor friend last weekend. He had just returned from a pastor's retreat focused on "soul care." He closed the email, after telling me how much he had enjoyed the retreat, by asking me "How is your soul?" I'm not sure anyone had ever asked me that question in just that way.

I thought I'd take the February Freedom Fighters to think about the question and about how we can take better care of our souls. Most men, I think, are too action-oriented, and we really don't like to do the interior work that "soul care" requires. If that's true, then most of us who read this need "soul care" more than we know!

The Wisdom Writer of Proverbs gives us a good admonition in Proverbs 4:23. "Watch over your heart," he says. That's just another way to say "take care of your soul." The metaphor speaks to the control center of our lives. It's that inner most part of us that determines the quality of our lives. All the issues of life flow from that center. The way those "issues of life" play out is the result of how we take care of our souls.

I read recently of an old African proverb that goes like this: "The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now."
None of us can undo the lack of care our souls have received. We can make sure the lack of care doesn't continue. We can "watch over" our souls from today forward.

So, I ask you the question I was asked last weekend. "How is your soul?" Be honest with yourself. Get past the surface "feel good" stuff and determine your true spiritual health. All of us may need to consider what we're devoting ourselves to that hinders our soul care.
I'll finish with one of Jesus' most famous and probing questions. "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for h is soul?" (Matthew
16:26)

Pastor John Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River and is our weekend Freedom Fighter contributor.

Great Quote: God has a time for everything, a perfect schedule. He is never too soon, never too late. The when of His will is as important as the what and the how. Richard C. Halverson

Be Still

Be Still

Psalm 41:10a "Be still and know that I am God."

"The less I pray, the harder it gets; the more I pray, the better it goes." - Martin Luther

In the past few days, we have looked at some of the things that can hamper your walk with God and what to do to move forward with Him. One thing we did not look at was prayer. Prayer is talking to God. Without communication, you cannot have a relationship with anyone, let alone God. Yes, He is always there.

Deuteronomy 31:8, "And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee:
fear not, neither be dismayed." Psalm 48:14, "For this God is our God forever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death." It is up to us to come to Him in prayer.

I have learned in the past nine years that there are two ways to pray, among others. One is group prayer - praying for others and their needs and lifting those in your group up before the Lord. My first experience with this was at the Colony of Mercy. Every night we prayed, in a small group, for each other. At first, it was uncomfortable to pray out loud and in front of other men. Meeting this way and doing it regularly made it less difficult. What an honor and privilege it is to pray in this kind of setting.

Another way to pray, and what I believe really brings you into personal fellowship with the Lord, is quiet or alone time prayer. Here is where your faith and trust in Him will be tested. In Scripture, there are many examples. Jonah's alone time came in the belly of a great fish (Jonah 2:1). Daniel's quiet place was his upstairs room where he prayed three times a day (Daniel 6:10). Even Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews12:2) often withdrew to a lonely place and prayed (Luke 5:16). These are just a few examples.

For the past month or so, my alone and quiet time has been in a small room, far away from where I used to be and all that I knew. You see, I was satisfied with myself and did not want to change my ideals.
But God had other plans; because of the choices I made, He brought me to this prayer closet. God has showed me, through prayer, who I am, what He expects, and how to go about traveling down that narrow path that leads to life that few find (Matthew 7:14). It's the process that all believers will go through if they want to deepen their relationship with the one true living God. So don't be a Jonah, or be put in your closet
- be a Daniel and go willingly.

Prayer does not end there. It's what you do after the prayers, after the crying and the weeping, that will truly bless or curse your walk with Christ. Will you be still and listen? Will you be patient and endure, or will you resist and be in rebellion in that time?
Scripture says, in Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." That's where it will happen.

As Miss Ingrid has always told me, Thomas, you need to be still and listen to God, wait for Him because He loves you. I pray all of you take her advice. I also pray that you will find that "prayer closet" and truly experience God that way He wants you to.

Never forget - chin up.

Always remember - knees down.

This week's Freedom Fighters were written by our friend, Tom Paschke.
Tom is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and is currently residing in Lancaster, PA. If you'd like to send Tom a note of encouragement, you can respond to this email and we will forward your note to him.

Great quote: If you are satisfied with yourself, you had better change your ideals.