An Accurate Self-Assessment
"For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me." Psalm 51:3
I have been working through a very powerful study on Psalm 51 by Dr. Paul David Tripp. The study is entitled: Whiter Than Snow -- Meditations on Sin and Mercy and I would like to recommend it to you. It is one of those studies that I was not prepared to do, but one that is very necessary.
I want to share portions of a chapter called "An Accurate Self-Assessment." We don't hear sermons about sin any more. We don't even name sin in the same way that the Bible names it. We prettify it and call it other names. Well, listen to the words of Dr. Paul Tripp and allow them to sink deep into your soul this morning ...
Sin lives in a costume; that's why it is so hard to recognize. The fact that sin looks so good is one of the things that make it so bad. In order for it to do its evil work, it must present itself as something that is anything but evil.
Life in a fallen world is like attending the ultimate masquerade party. Impatient yelling wears the costume of a zeal for truth. Lust can masquerade as a love for beauty. Gossip does its evil work by living in the costume of concern and prayer. Craving for power and control wears the mask of biblical leadership. Fear of man gets dressed up as a servant heart. The pride of always being right masquerades as a love for biblical wisdom. Evil simply doesn't present itself as evil, which is a part of its draw.
You will never understand sin's sleight of hand until you acknowledge that the DNA of sin is deception ... I say all the time to people that no one is more influential in their own lives then they themselves are because no one talks to them more them they themselves do.
We are too skilled at looking at our own wrong and seeing good. We're all much better at seeing the sin, weakness, and failure of others than we are our own. We're all very good at being intolerant of others of the very things we are willing to tolerate in ourselves. The bottom line is that sin causes us not hear or see ourselves with accuracy. And we not only tend to be blind, but, to compound matters, we also tend to be blind to our own blindness ...
Only Jesus can open our blind eyes. Whenever a sinner accurately assesses his OWN sin, the angels in heaven rejoice, and so should we." from Whiter Than Snow -- Meditations on Sin and Mercy -- published by our good friends at Crossway.
Brothers, are you willing to do what David did in Psalm 51 and take an accurate self-assessment of your sin today? Go back and read the Psalm and allow the Spirit of God to talk to you. It's painful, but a necessary step in your walk with Him. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 31; Psalm 132-134; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
Great Quote: Deep within there is a glorious and terrible empty space - loneliness. It is out of sight, pushing us to our best and to our worst. Behind every effort to make a friend - Behind ambition - Behind pride - Behind gossip - Behind memories of your mother's kitchen - Loneliness. We were created with the space carefully planted in our hearts. God created us with the loneliness that moves the heart to others, the loneliness that moves the heart at last to God. Is it what moves us to become whole. David Kidd
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Carrying YOUR Cross
Carrying Your Cross
"Carrying his own cross ..." John 19:17
Years ago I heard a drama regarding this story but never found the in print version. I discovered it in Streams in the Desert this morning ...
"The Changed Cross" is a poem that tells of a weary woman who thought that the cross she must bear surely was heavier than those of other people, so she wished she could choose another person's instead.
When she went to sleep, she dreamed she was taken to a place where there were many different crosses from which to choose. There were various shapes and sizes, but the most beautiful one was covered with jewels and gold. "This I could wear with comfort," she said. So she picked it up but her weak body staggered beneath it's weight. The jewels and gold were beautiful, yet they were much too heavy for her to carry.
The next cross she noticed was quite lovely, with beautiful flowers entwined around its sculptured form. Surely this one was for her. She lifted it, but beneath the flowers were large thorns that pierced and tore her skin.
Finally she came to a plain cross without jewels or any carvings and with only a few words of love inscribed on it. When she picked it up, it proved to be better than all the rest, and the easiest to carry. And as she looked at it, she noticed it was bathed in a radiance that fell from heaven. Then she recognized it as her own old cross. She had found it once again, and it was the best of all, and the lightest for her.
You see, God knows best what cross WE need to bear, and we never know how heavy someone else's cross may be. We envy someone who is rich, with a cross adorned with jewels, but we do not know how heavy it is. We look at someone whose life seems easy and who carries a cross covered with flowers.
Yet it we could actually test all the crosses WE THINK are lighter than ours, we would never find one better suited for us than our own." -- from Streams in the Desert, published by our good friends at Zondervan
My brothers, thank the Lord for the cross that He as asked you to carry. Take up YOUR cross and follow Him today. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 30; Psalm 129-131; 1 Corinthians 11:1-16
Great Quote: Oh, for the baptism of fire! Oh, for the living coal upon the burning lips of love! 0h, for men and women God-possessed and self-surrendered, grasping God's great idea and pressing forward toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). A. B. Simpson
"Carrying his own cross ..." John 19:17
Years ago I heard a drama regarding this story but never found the in print version. I discovered it in Streams in the Desert this morning ...
"The Changed Cross" is a poem that tells of a weary woman who thought that the cross she must bear surely was heavier than those of other people, so she wished she could choose another person's instead.
When she went to sleep, she dreamed she was taken to a place where there were many different crosses from which to choose. There were various shapes and sizes, but the most beautiful one was covered with jewels and gold. "This I could wear with comfort," she said. So she picked it up but her weak body staggered beneath it's weight. The jewels and gold were beautiful, yet they were much too heavy for her to carry.
The next cross she noticed was quite lovely, with beautiful flowers entwined around its sculptured form. Surely this one was for her. She lifted it, but beneath the flowers were large thorns that pierced and tore her skin.
Finally she came to a plain cross without jewels or any carvings and with only a few words of love inscribed on it. When she picked it up, it proved to be better than all the rest, and the easiest to carry. And as she looked at it, she noticed it was bathed in a radiance that fell from heaven. Then she recognized it as her own old cross. She had found it once again, and it was the best of all, and the lightest for her.
You see, God knows best what cross WE need to bear, and we never know how heavy someone else's cross may be. We envy someone who is rich, with a cross adorned with jewels, but we do not know how heavy it is. We look at someone whose life seems easy and who carries a cross covered with flowers.
Yet it we could actually test all the crosses WE THINK are lighter than ours, we would never find one better suited for us than our own." -- from Streams in the Desert, published by our good friends at Zondervan
My brothers, thank the Lord for the cross that He as asked you to carry. Take up YOUR cross and follow Him today. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 30; Psalm 129-131; 1 Corinthians 11:1-16
Great Quote: Oh, for the baptism of fire! Oh, for the living coal upon the burning lips of love! 0h, for men and women God-possessed and self-surrendered, grasping God's great idea and pressing forward toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). A. B. Simpson
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Written Prayers
Written Prayers
For many years I have been writing our my morning prayers in my journal. I struggled for many years being able to concentrate when I was praying. I found my ADD (self-diagnosed) kicking in -- writing my to-do list, thinking about other things -- and before I knew, I was completely lost in my head.
Fred and Florence Littauer introduced me to the concept of writing down my prayers, and it has been a huge blessing in my life. It has caused me to focus on my prayer time with the Master, and has helped me to process and articulate the things that are on my heart. It helped me to concentrate on Him -- totally!
Men have been writing down prayers for years. One of the things that I have done in recent years is to add books of prayers to my library. Now before you think I am going off the theological deep end, think of all the prayers that have been recorded for us in the Scriptures! Many years ago, devotional commentator and pastor, Herbert Lockyear, wrote "All the Prayers of the Bible."
I received a new book this week written by Steven James. I loved the title "A Heart Exposed -- Talking to God with Nothing to Hide." It is a collection of prayers that he has written in his journal.
I love the concept. It's a little scary. But think about it, brothers: we can pray publicly or privately and use all the right "Christian lingo." The only ONE who really knows our hearts when we pray is God Himself. We can't pull the wool over His eyes. He wants us to open and honest with Him when we pray. After all -- He sees and knows everything!!!
Here is one of the prayers from Steven James book:
"This moment is all that you ask of me. I can either give it to you, or turn it into a fist and try and keep it to myself ... and fail.
Jesus, your prayers were drenched with sweat and blood,
and throbbed with glory and pain.
My prayers are so often soaked in perfume,
decorated with nothing more
than stock phrases and catchy cliches --
carefully varnished pieces of furniture for you to admire.
Unpeel my pretenses, masks and facades,
and stare beneath my whitewashed life.
Shake off the rust,
and the dust,
and the tired repetition.
Here, now, Jesus,
I will break the trend,
I will speak prayers raw with the realities of life,
tender with the realization of grace;
prayers
with flesh and blood
born of marvel and pain.
Prayers like yours! (from A Heart Exposed--Talking to God with Nothing to Hide published by our friends at Revell)
I want to be able to pray like that -- praying to God, through the Lord Jesus, with nothing to hide! How about you? -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 29; Psalm 129-131; 1 Corinthians 11:1-16
Great Quote: The Christian life is the life of the Lord Jesus Christ lived two thousand years ago, lived now by Him in you! W. Ian Thomas
For many years I have been writing our my morning prayers in my journal. I struggled for many years being able to concentrate when I was praying. I found my ADD (self-diagnosed) kicking in -- writing my to-do list, thinking about other things -- and before I knew, I was completely lost in my head.
Fred and Florence Littauer introduced me to the concept of writing down my prayers, and it has been a huge blessing in my life. It has caused me to focus on my prayer time with the Master, and has helped me to process and articulate the things that are on my heart. It helped me to concentrate on Him -- totally!
Men have been writing down prayers for years. One of the things that I have done in recent years is to add books of prayers to my library. Now before you think I am going off the theological deep end, think of all the prayers that have been recorded for us in the Scriptures! Many years ago, devotional commentator and pastor, Herbert Lockyear, wrote "All the Prayers of the Bible."
I received a new book this week written by Steven James. I loved the title "A Heart Exposed -- Talking to God with Nothing to Hide." It is a collection of prayers that he has written in his journal.
I love the concept. It's a little scary. But think about it, brothers: we can pray publicly or privately and use all the right "Christian lingo." The only ONE who really knows our hearts when we pray is God Himself. We can't pull the wool over His eyes. He wants us to open and honest with Him when we pray. After all -- He sees and knows everything!!!
Here is one of the prayers from Steven James book:
"This moment is all that you ask of me. I can either give it to you, or turn it into a fist and try and keep it to myself ... and fail.
Jesus, your prayers were drenched with sweat and blood,
and throbbed with glory and pain.
My prayers are so often soaked in perfume,
decorated with nothing more
than stock phrases and catchy cliches --
carefully varnished pieces of furniture for you to admire.
Unpeel my pretenses, masks and facades,
and stare beneath my whitewashed life.
Shake off the rust,
and the dust,
and the tired repetition.
Here, now, Jesus,
I will break the trend,
I will speak prayers raw with the realities of life,
tender with the realization of grace;
prayers
with flesh and blood
born of marvel and pain.
Prayers like yours! (from A Heart Exposed--Talking to God with Nothing to Hide published by our friends at Revell)
I want to be able to pray like that -- praying to God, through the Lord Jesus, with nothing to hide! How about you? -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 29; Psalm 129-131; 1 Corinthians 11:1-16
Great Quote: The Christian life is the life of the Lord Jesus Christ lived two thousand years ago, lived now by Him in you! W. Ian Thomas
Friday, August 28, 2009
Sing, Smile and Pray
SING, SMILE AND PRAY
I am very heavy hearted for a dear friend, Chuck Heidel, former Vice President of Operations of Sandy Cove, who had a biking accident last week and is Shock Trauma. He was diagnosed as being profoundly paralyzed from the mid-chest down, and is currently struggling with pneumonia and blood clots. Reading Brendy's devotional yesterday brought tears to my eyes as she has faced physical challenges for most of her precious life. Yet despite her handicaps and challenges, God has given her the ability to write. That makes today's Freedom Fighter even more meaningful to me. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
“I will sing of lovingkindness and justice, to You, O Lord, I will sing praises.”
(Psalm 102:1NASV)
MUSIC had always been part of my life and lifts my spirit. When struggling to get me dressed or when I am “droopy” from the effects of my medicine, Mom and I SING. An oldie she taught me years ago ends this way: “If you sing and smile and pray you'll drive the clouds away.” It works! Memorizing the words (Spanish and English) of meaningful hymns is one of my favorite things. Snuggled in bed at night, I love to sing, “Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all” and “Day by day and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet my trials here.” What beautiful songs with which to end the day with thoughts of my Lord, His blessings and singing praises to Him. So SING and chase the clouds away.
A SMILE works too. Proverbs 15:1 says “A soft answer turns away wrath.” Is a smile an answer? It is for me. I used to get very angry when children (adults, too) would stare at me in my wheelchair and some would even imitate my expressions. A smile is really effective in most cases. Some will return the smile, others will turn away. This reminds me that a “soft answer” to something negative can change a difficult situation into something positive. A smile rather than a growl does reflect joy that the Lord gives which honors Him and makes me feel better too. So SMILE!
And PRAY. Praying for someone else (and for myself) chases away those clouds. Sometimes we need reminders. Have you ever opened one of those tiny plastic containers of cream for coffee and it spurted out all over? This happened at KESWICK to our friend the late Don MacCullough. How we all laughed! For years every time we opened one of those things, we prayed for Don. Interesting prayer reminder, a little plastic cup. Associating an object or occasion is a good mind jogger to pray for someone. When you see a wheel chair, you could pray for me! So SING with me, “Sing, smile and pray, that’s the only way. If you sing, smile and pray you'll drive the clouds away,” be blessed and bless others. -- Brendy Platt is the daughter of Al and Gladys Platt, who served for many years with CAM International. The Platt's were very much apart of our Hispanic Weekends for many years.
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 28; Psalms 120-122; 1 Corinthians 9
Great Quote: It seems to me that there are but few who really live with a passion for God, especially a passion just to be with Him. Today there is such a noise coming up before the throne of the Most High-the clamor of so-called praise, singing, and joyful shouting. But I wonder if the same people who love to sing and shout, loudly exclaiming the the praises of God, really have such an intense glory in their secret life with the Lord. When the meeting's over and there's no one there to listen except the only One who matters, do you still have that same passionate joy in your spirit, just to be alone with the Living God? Keith Green
I am very heavy hearted for a dear friend, Chuck Heidel, former Vice President of Operations of Sandy Cove, who had a biking accident last week and is Shock Trauma. He was diagnosed as being profoundly paralyzed from the mid-chest down, and is currently struggling with pneumonia and blood clots. Reading Brendy's devotional yesterday brought tears to my eyes as she has faced physical challenges for most of her precious life. Yet despite her handicaps and challenges, God has given her the ability to write. That makes today's Freedom Fighter even more meaningful to me. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
“I will sing of lovingkindness and justice, to You, O Lord, I will sing praises.”
(Psalm 102:1NASV)
MUSIC had always been part of my life and lifts my spirit. When struggling to get me dressed or when I am “droopy” from the effects of my medicine, Mom and I SING. An oldie she taught me years ago ends this way: “If you sing and smile and pray you'll drive the clouds away.” It works! Memorizing the words (Spanish and English) of meaningful hymns is one of my favorite things. Snuggled in bed at night, I love to sing, “Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all” and “Day by day and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet my trials here.” What beautiful songs with which to end the day with thoughts of my Lord, His blessings and singing praises to Him. So SING and chase the clouds away.
A SMILE works too. Proverbs 15:1 says “A soft answer turns away wrath.” Is a smile an answer? It is for me. I used to get very angry when children (adults, too) would stare at me in my wheelchair and some would even imitate my expressions. A smile is really effective in most cases. Some will return the smile, others will turn away. This reminds me that a “soft answer” to something negative can change a difficult situation into something positive. A smile rather than a growl does reflect joy that the Lord gives which honors Him and makes me feel better too. So SMILE!
And PRAY. Praying for someone else (and for myself) chases away those clouds. Sometimes we need reminders. Have you ever opened one of those tiny plastic containers of cream for coffee and it spurted out all over? This happened at KESWICK to our friend the late Don MacCullough. How we all laughed! For years every time we opened one of those things, we prayed for Don. Interesting prayer reminder, a little plastic cup. Associating an object or occasion is a good mind jogger to pray for someone. When you see a wheel chair, you could pray for me! So SING with me, “Sing, smile and pray, that’s the only way. If you sing, smile and pray you'll drive the clouds away,” be blessed and bless others. -- Brendy Platt is the daughter of Al and Gladys Platt, who served for many years with CAM International. The Platt's were very much apart of our Hispanic Weekends for many years.
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 28; Psalms 120-122; 1 Corinthians 9
Great Quote: It seems to me that there are but few who really live with a passion for God, especially a passion just to be with Him. Today there is such a noise coming up before the throne of the Most High-the clamor of so-called praise, singing, and joyful shouting. But I wonder if the same people who love to sing and shout, loudly exclaiming the the praises of God, really have such an intense glory in their secret life with the Lord. When the meeting's over and there's no one there to listen except the only One who matters, do you still have that same passionate joy in your spirit, just to be alone with the Living God? Keith Green
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Are You Ever Troubled?
Are You Ever Troubled?
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you ..." John 14:27
I can't remember a summer were there seems to be so many of God's children who are going through difficult situations: sickness, tragedy, job losses, issues with spouses and kids. Right now one of my dearest friends is in the Shock Trauma unit of a hospital in Baltimore, and was diagnosed as being "profoundly paralyzed" from mid-chest down, a result of a biking accident.
There seems to be trouble on every side. That is why today's devotional from the pen of Oswald Chambers resonated with my heart today:
There are times in our lives when our peace is based simply on our own ignorance. But when we are awakened to the realities of life, true inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When our Lord speaks peace, He creates peace, because the words that He speaks are always "spirit, and they are life" ( John 6:63 ). Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? ". . . My peace I give to you. . ."— a peace that comes from looking into His face and fully understanding and receiving His quiet contentment.
Are you severely troubled right now? Are you afraid and confused by the waves and the turbulence God sovereignly allows to enter your life? Have you left no stone of your faith unturned, yet still not found any well of peace, joy, or comfort? Does your life seem completely barren to you? Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting His peace is proof that you are right with God, because you are exhibiting the freedom to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. Allowing anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you either causes you to become troubled or gives you a false sense of security.
With regard to the problem that is pressing in on you right now, are you "looking unto Jesus" ( Hebrews 12:2 ) and receiving peace from Him? If so, He will be a gracious blessing of peace exhibited in and through you. But if you only try to worry your way out of the problem, you destroy His effectiveness in you, and you deserve whatever you get. We become troubled because we have not been taking Him into account. When a person confers with Jesus Christ, the confusion stops, because there is no confusion in Him. Lay everything out before Him, and when you are faced with difficulty, bereavement, and sorrow, listen to Him say, "Let not your heart be troubled . . ." ( John 14:27 ). (from My Utmost for His Highest)
My dear Freedom Fighter brother ... are you troubled today? Go to the ROCK and allow Him to flood your heart with HIS peace. -- Bill Welte is President of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 27; Psalm 120-122; I Corinthians 9
Great Quote: A man of God is one in whose heart and life God has taken the right place as the All in all, and who has only one desire, that God should have the place of preeminence throughout the world. -- Andrew Murray
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you ..." John 14:27
I can't remember a summer were there seems to be so many of God's children who are going through difficult situations: sickness, tragedy, job losses, issues with spouses and kids. Right now one of my dearest friends is in the Shock Trauma unit of a hospital in Baltimore, and was diagnosed as being "profoundly paralyzed" from mid-chest down, a result of a biking accident.
There seems to be trouble on every side. That is why today's devotional from the pen of Oswald Chambers resonated with my heart today:
There are times in our lives when our peace is based simply on our own ignorance. But when we are awakened to the realities of life, true inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When our Lord speaks peace, He creates peace, because the words that He speaks are always "spirit, and they are life" ( John 6:63 ). Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? ". . . My peace I give to you. . ."— a peace that comes from looking into His face and fully understanding and receiving His quiet contentment.
Are you severely troubled right now? Are you afraid and confused by the waves and the turbulence God sovereignly allows to enter your life? Have you left no stone of your faith unturned, yet still not found any well of peace, joy, or comfort? Does your life seem completely barren to you? Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting His peace is proof that you are right with God, because you are exhibiting the freedom to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. Allowing anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you either causes you to become troubled or gives you a false sense of security.
With regard to the problem that is pressing in on you right now, are you "looking unto Jesus" ( Hebrews 12:2 ) and receiving peace from Him? If so, He will be a gracious blessing of peace exhibited in and through you. But if you only try to worry your way out of the problem, you destroy His effectiveness in you, and you deserve whatever you get. We become troubled because we have not been taking Him into account. When a person confers with Jesus Christ, the confusion stops, because there is no confusion in Him. Lay everything out before Him, and when you are faced with difficulty, bereavement, and sorrow, listen to Him say, "Let not your heart be troubled . . ." ( John 14:27 ). (from My Utmost for His Highest)
My dear Freedom Fighter brother ... are you troubled today? Go to the ROCK and allow Him to flood your heart with HIS peace. -- Bill Welte is President of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 27; Psalm 120-122; I Corinthians 9
Great Quote: A man of God is one in whose heart and life God has taken the right place as the All in all, and who has only one desire, that God should have the place of preeminence throughout the world. -- Andrew Murray
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
The Goodness of God
The Goodness of God
"You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told." -- Psalm 40:5
This morning Psalm 40 was a part of my reading. It is one of the most wonderful Psalms. Every time I read it, my heart is filled with gratitude as I realize again that "He brought me out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a NEW song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord."
The past several weeks I have been very conscious of how incorrectly I pray. I find myself asking God for things that He has already given me. Yesterday my kids were traveling to New Hampshire and I wrote in my journal, "Lord, please put your hand of protection on them as they travel." I quickly crossed it out, and wrote, "Lord, you've never taken your hand of protection off of my kids. Thank You that Your hand is already there!"
I prayed yesterday that I would walk in victory! I crossed out that sentence and wrote, "Lord, You have already given me the victory, by faith, I am going to walk in the victory that you have already secured for me IN CHRIST!
Yesterday when I arrived at work, our Director of Maintenance informed me that the boiler in our Activity Center was shot. He said that in his research the cost to replace it would be $50,000. Normally I would panic. But yesterday I prayed and asked our intercessory team to do this: "Lord, thank you that YOU already KNOW the need! Thank You, that YOU already KNOW the answer."
I shared this with our conference guests, and we committed the matter to prayer. I walked to the back of the Raws Auditorium and our CFO asked to see me. He handed me a piece of paper which was letter that arrived in Friday's mail. My Administrative Assistant was off Friday, so she didn't open the letter until yesterday morning.
The letter was dated August 19th and read, "Enclosed find a check for $40,000 from the estate of ... which is a partial distribution ..." I could not believe it! Yes, I could -- because GOD KNEW the need even before we did, and had already provided the solution!!!
Needless to say, I walked back in the auditorium and shared this praise with our guests and we sang, "PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW ..."
I am so thankful for the goodness of God. I am thankful that He is ALWAYS at work around me, and that He has invited us to be a part of that work. Lord, thank You for teaching me how to pray. Thank You for Your goodness. Bless the Lord, O my soul! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 26; Psalm 119:89-176; 1 Corinthians 8
Great Quote: To excuse what can really produce good excuses is not Christian charity; it is only fairness. To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. This is hard. It is perhaps not so hard to forgive a single injury. But to forgive the incessant provocations of daily life - to keep on forgiving the bossy mother-in-law, the bullying husband, the nagging wife, the selfish daughter, the deceitful son - how can we do it? Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning our words when we say in our prayers each night, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." We are offered forgiveness on no other terms. To refuse it means to refuse God's mercy for ourselves. There is no hint of exceptions and God means what He says. C. S. Lewis
"You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told." -- Psalm 40:5
This morning Psalm 40 was a part of my reading. It is one of the most wonderful Psalms. Every time I read it, my heart is filled with gratitude as I realize again that "He brought me out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a NEW song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord."
The past several weeks I have been very conscious of how incorrectly I pray. I find myself asking God for things that He has already given me. Yesterday my kids were traveling to New Hampshire and I wrote in my journal, "Lord, please put your hand of protection on them as they travel." I quickly crossed it out, and wrote, "Lord, you've never taken your hand of protection off of my kids. Thank You that Your hand is already there!"
I prayed yesterday that I would walk in victory! I crossed out that sentence and wrote, "Lord, You have already given me the victory, by faith, I am going to walk in the victory that you have already secured for me IN CHRIST!
Yesterday when I arrived at work, our Director of Maintenance informed me that the boiler in our Activity Center was shot. He said that in his research the cost to replace it would be $50,000. Normally I would panic. But yesterday I prayed and asked our intercessory team to do this: "Lord, thank you that YOU already KNOW the need! Thank You, that YOU already KNOW the answer."
I shared this with our conference guests, and we committed the matter to prayer. I walked to the back of the Raws Auditorium and our CFO asked to see me. He handed me a piece of paper which was letter that arrived in Friday's mail. My Administrative Assistant was off Friday, so she didn't open the letter until yesterday morning.
The letter was dated August 19th and read, "Enclosed find a check for $40,000 from the estate of ... which is a partial distribution ..." I could not believe it! Yes, I could -- because GOD KNEW the need even before we did, and had already provided the solution!!!
Needless to say, I walked back in the auditorium and shared this praise with our guests and we sang, "PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW ..."
I am so thankful for the goodness of God. I am thankful that He is ALWAYS at work around me, and that He has invited us to be a part of that work. Lord, thank You for teaching me how to pray. Thank You for Your goodness. Bless the Lord, O my soul! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 26; Psalm 119:89-176; 1 Corinthians 8
Great Quote: To excuse what can really produce good excuses is not Christian charity; it is only fairness. To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. This is hard. It is perhaps not so hard to forgive a single injury. But to forgive the incessant provocations of daily life - to keep on forgiving the bossy mother-in-law, the bullying husband, the nagging wife, the selfish daughter, the deceitful son - how can we do it? Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning our words when we say in our prayers each night, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." We are offered forgiveness on no other terms. To refuse it means to refuse God's mercy for ourselves. There is no hint of exceptions and God means what He says. C. S. Lewis
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
How To Make the Most of Your Time in God's Word
How to Make the Most of Your Time in God's Word
James 1:21-22 -- Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves
Here is a very practical outline of how you and I can make the most of our time in God's WORD. This outline is from the Sunday evening message that Dr. George Murray, Chancellor of Columbia International University, shared with us on Sunday evening.
Step One: Before you listen to and study God’s Word
Come with a pure heart.
· Wash up before you eat
· Get the soil ready to plant the seed
· Get rid of all moral filth
· Get rid of the evil that is so prevalent (overflow of wickedness) “When you leave – don’t look back – Remember Lot’s wife. Luke 17:32
· It took God one night to get Israel out of Egypt; It took forty years to get Egypt out of Israel.
Step Two: As we listen to God’s Word
Receive God’s Word with humility
· Like a baby
· For yourself (and not for someone else)
Step Three: After you listen to and study God’s Word
Go do what you hear!
· Merely listening = Listening with the intent to gain more information is Deceiving yourself = listening without doing anything about it
· Really listening = Listening with the intent to change my life. Looks intently = listening with doing something.
Spiritual maturity is not measured by how much we know, but how much we obey. – Dr. Howard Hendricks
Brothers, use this simple, but profound outline to help maximize your time in God's WORD. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 25; Psalm 119:1-88; 1 Corinthians 7:20-40
Great Quote: Somewhere in this trial His will must be hidden, and you must accept His will whether known or unknown...Say "Thy will be done!" again and again. Shut out every thought but the one thought of submission to His will and of trust in His love. Hannah Whitall Smith
James 1:21-22 -- Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves
Here is a very practical outline of how you and I can make the most of our time in God's WORD. This outline is from the Sunday evening message that Dr. George Murray, Chancellor of Columbia International University, shared with us on Sunday evening.
Step One: Before you listen to and study God’s Word
Come with a pure heart.
· Wash up before you eat
· Get the soil ready to plant the seed
· Get rid of all moral filth
· Get rid of the evil that is so prevalent (overflow of wickedness) “When you leave – don’t look back – Remember Lot’s wife. Luke 17:32
· It took God one night to get Israel out of Egypt; It took forty years to get Egypt out of Israel.
Step Two: As we listen to God’s Word
Receive God’s Word with humility
· Like a baby
· For yourself (and not for someone else)
Step Three: After you listen to and study God’s Word
Go do what you hear!
· Merely listening = Listening with the intent to gain more information is Deceiving yourself = listening without doing anything about it
· Really listening = Listening with the intent to change my life. Looks intently = listening with doing something.
Spiritual maturity is not measured by how much we know, but how much we obey. – Dr. Howard Hendricks
Brothers, use this simple, but profound outline to help maximize your time in God's WORD. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 25; Psalm 119:1-88; 1 Corinthians 7:20-40
Great Quote: Somewhere in this trial His will must be hidden, and you must accept His will whether known or unknown...Say "Thy will be done!" again and again. Shut out every thought but the one thought of submission to His will and of trust in His love. Hannah Whitall Smith
Monday, August 24, 2009
Prayer -- The Battle in "The Secret Place"
Prayer -- The Battle in "The Secret Place"
"When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly" —Matthew 6:6
Today's devotional ties in with what I shared yesterday. I shared this devotional with my Freedom Fighter brothers in 2005, but it bears repeating ...
Jesus did not say, "Dream about your Father who is in the secret place," but He said, ". . . pray to your Father who is in the secret place. . . ." Prayer is an effort of the will. After we have entered our secret place and shut the door, the most difficult thing to do is to pray. We cannot seem to get our minds into good working order, and the first thing we have to fight is wandering thoughts. The great battle in private prayer is overcoming this problem of our idle and wandering thinking. We have to learn to discipline our minds and concentrate on willful, deliberate prayer.
We must have a specially selected place for prayer, but once we get there this plague of wandering thoughts begins, as we begin to think to ourselves, "This needs to be done, and I have to do that today." Jesus says to "shut your door." Having a secret stillness before God means deliberately shutting the door on our emotions and remembering Him. God is in secret, and He sees us from "the secret place"— He does not see us as other people do, or as we see ourselves. When we truly live in "the secret place," it becomes impossible for us to doubt God. We become more sure of Him than of anyone or anything else.
Enter into "the secret place," and you will find that God was right in the middle of your everyday circumstances all the time. Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything. Unless you learn to open the door of your life completely and let God in from your first waking moment of each new day, you will be working on the wrong level throughout the day. But if you will swing the door of your life fully open and "pray to your Father who is in the secret place," every public thing in your life will be marked with the lasting imprint of the presence of God.
I needed to be reminded of this truth this morning. Oh that my prayer life would be this way. By faith, today, it can be. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 24; Psalm 116-118; 1 Corinthians 7:1-19
Great Quote: Wherever thou goest, whatever thou dost at home, or abroad, in the field, or at church, do all in a desire of union with Christ, in imitation of His tempers and inclinations, and look upon all as nothing, but that which exercises, and increases the spirit and life of Christ in thy soul. From morning to night keep Jesus in thy heart, long for nothing, desire nothing, hope for nothing but to have all that is within thee changed into the spirit and temper of the holy Jesus. William Law
"When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly" —Matthew 6:6
Today's devotional ties in with what I shared yesterday. I shared this devotional with my Freedom Fighter brothers in 2005, but it bears repeating ...
Jesus did not say, "Dream about your Father who is in the secret place," but He said, ". . . pray to your Father who is in the secret place. . . ." Prayer is an effort of the will. After we have entered our secret place and shut the door, the most difficult thing to do is to pray. We cannot seem to get our minds into good working order, and the first thing we have to fight is wandering thoughts. The great battle in private prayer is overcoming this problem of our idle and wandering thinking. We have to learn to discipline our minds and concentrate on willful, deliberate prayer.
We must have a specially selected place for prayer, but once we get there this plague of wandering thoughts begins, as we begin to think to ourselves, "This needs to be done, and I have to do that today." Jesus says to "shut your door." Having a secret stillness before God means deliberately shutting the door on our emotions and remembering Him. God is in secret, and He sees us from "the secret place"— He does not see us as other people do, or as we see ourselves. When we truly live in "the secret place," it becomes impossible for us to doubt God. We become more sure of Him than of anyone or anything else.
Enter into "the secret place," and you will find that God was right in the middle of your everyday circumstances all the time. Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything. Unless you learn to open the door of your life completely and let God in from your first waking moment of each new day, you will be working on the wrong level throughout the day. But if you will swing the door of your life fully open and "pray to your Father who is in the secret place," every public thing in your life will be marked with the lasting imprint of the presence of God.
I needed to be reminded of this truth this morning. Oh that my prayer life would be this way. By faith, today, it can be. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 24; Psalm 116-118; 1 Corinthians 7:1-19
Great Quote: Wherever thou goest, whatever thou dost at home, or abroad, in the field, or at church, do all in a desire of union with Christ, in imitation of His tempers and inclinations, and look upon all as nothing, but that which exercises, and increases the spirit and life of Christ in thy soul. From morning to night keep Jesus in thy heart, long for nothing, desire nothing, hope for nothing but to have all that is within thee changed into the spirit and temper of the holy Jesus. William Law
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Don't Miss the Point ... It is all about HIM
Don't Miss the Point ... It is all about Him!
"When you pray, enter into your inner chamber, and having shut your door, pray to your Father ... who sees in secret." Matthew 6:6
Sometimes I miss the point. The purpose of the "morning watch" is all about fellowship with the Father, not about the method or the amount of time I spend. It isn't about which devotional book I should read -- God often speaks to me from devotional books. It isn't about how many chapters of the Word I can read in one sitting -- and He always speaks to me from His Word. It isn't about how many pages I can fill in my journal ...
It is all about HIM -- spending time and fellowshipping with Him -- which is why you and I were created!!! He longs for us to spend time with Him.
Andrew Murray, in his book, THE INNER CHAMBER (CLC) writes: Christian! There is a terrible danger to which you stand exposed in your inner chamber. You are in danger of substituting prayer and Bible study for living fellowship with God.
You may get so occupied with your needs and their expression, your method of praying and believing, that the light of His face and the joy of His love can't even enter you. You might get so interested in your Bible study, and the delightful emotions it arouses in you that -- yes -- the very Word of God may become a substitute for God Himself. Your soul becomes so preoccupied, and you do not lead it to God at all. Then you go out into the day's work situation without the power of an abiding fellowship and wonder why you are so weak in your spirit.
What a difference it would make in the lives of many, if they looked upon that time of morning watch as a definite engagement with the Father, and understood that it grieves Him when it is broken. What strength we miss -- what daily control by the Father, what preparedness for anything that might come to us -- when we do not secure God's presence with us through this daily appointment with God.
When the secret fellowship with the Father is experienced and maintained, it will be evident in public -- the reward will be there. The Father takes charge and rewards you openly. This is the only sure way to live with people in the power of God's blessing."
Lord, I want to remember that my time with you isn't about tools and methods. It is all about spending time with YOU! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 23; Psalm 113-115; 1 Corinthians 6
Great Quote: It is grace at the beginning, and grace at the end. So that when you and I come to lie upon our death beds, the one thing that should comfort and help and strengthen us there is the thing that helped us in the beginning. Not what we have been, not what we have done, but the Grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. The Christian life starts with grace, it must continue with grace, it ends with grace. Grace wondrous grace. By the grace of God I am what I am. Yet not I, but the Grace of God which was with me. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
"When you pray, enter into your inner chamber, and having shut your door, pray to your Father ... who sees in secret." Matthew 6:6
Sometimes I miss the point. The purpose of the "morning watch" is all about fellowship with the Father, not about the method or the amount of time I spend. It isn't about which devotional book I should read -- God often speaks to me from devotional books. It isn't about how many chapters of the Word I can read in one sitting -- and He always speaks to me from His Word. It isn't about how many pages I can fill in my journal ...
It is all about HIM -- spending time and fellowshipping with Him -- which is why you and I were created!!! He longs for us to spend time with Him.
Andrew Murray, in his book, THE INNER CHAMBER (CLC) writes: Christian! There is a terrible danger to which you stand exposed in your inner chamber. You are in danger of substituting prayer and Bible study for living fellowship with God.
You may get so occupied with your needs and their expression, your method of praying and believing, that the light of His face and the joy of His love can't even enter you. You might get so interested in your Bible study, and the delightful emotions it arouses in you that -- yes -- the very Word of God may become a substitute for God Himself. Your soul becomes so preoccupied, and you do not lead it to God at all. Then you go out into the day's work situation without the power of an abiding fellowship and wonder why you are so weak in your spirit.
What a difference it would make in the lives of many, if they looked upon that time of morning watch as a definite engagement with the Father, and understood that it grieves Him when it is broken. What strength we miss -- what daily control by the Father, what preparedness for anything that might come to us -- when we do not secure God's presence with us through this daily appointment with God.
When the secret fellowship with the Father is experienced and maintained, it will be evident in public -- the reward will be there. The Father takes charge and rewards you openly. This is the only sure way to live with people in the power of God's blessing."
Lord, I want to remember that my time with you isn't about tools and methods. It is all about spending time with YOU! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 23; Psalm 113-115; 1 Corinthians 6
Great Quote: It is grace at the beginning, and grace at the end. So that when you and I come to lie upon our death beds, the one thing that should comfort and help and strengthen us there is the thing that helped us in the beginning. Not what we have been, not what we have done, but the Grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. The Christian life starts with grace, it must continue with grace, it ends with grace. Grace wondrous grace. By the grace of God I am what I am. Yet not I, but the Grace of God which was with me. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The Morning Watch
The Morning Watch
"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." Psalm 5:3
Funny how we look for shortcuts. I have a friend that wanted to do the Weight Watchers program, but their goal was not just to lose weight, but too see how little of the diet he could do, and how many points he could "steal" to beat the system.
Unfortunately when it comes to living the "grace" life, we can easily take disciplines that are good for us and turn them into "legalistic practices." The danger is that we view necessary things from the lens of legalism, which then leads to saying, "I don't have to do this or that because I already have all the love of Christ that I will ever get.
While that is true, some of the disciplines of the Christian life are necessary for MY benefit because it strengthens MY relationship with HIM. Every great man (or woman) that I know who has had a deep, abiding relationship with Christ, took time each day to spend time with God.
Listen to the words of devotional writer and preacher, the late Andrew Murray:
The morning watch is the key to unceasingly and fully maintaining our surrender to Christ ... The goal is to secure the presence of Christ for the whole day. Personal devotion to Jesus means that we do not allow anything to separate us from Him for a moment.
When we are convinced that our success for the day depends on our seeking and finding and holding HIM in our morning watch, we will allow NOTHING to interfere with it. It will be the means to this great end. Meditation, prayer, and reading the Word will be subordinate to laying hold of the presence of Christ. The morning watch is the link for the day between Christ and me, which must be renewed and firmly fastened in the morning watch.
At first, we may be afraid that the cares and pleasures and temptations of the whole day may crush the benefit we have enjoyed in our quiet time. Don't be disturbed about that. Christ is forming HIS character in us, and gradually, in our most common place actions, He will show Himself through us. It takes time.
Whether we are relaxing or involved in the business life, it will eventually become second to us to act according to HIS Spirit and will of Christ. All this can be because of Christ Himself, as the Living One, lives in us and is never separated from us. If we recognize this, we will never be able to speak of walking outside of His presence as we leave the morning watch.
When your purpose is to have a definite, conscious meeting with Christ upon each occasion, and secure His presence for the day, you will fix your determination. Whatever effort or self-denial it may cost you will be worth it to win that prize ... It will strengthen your character and fortify you to say NO when you face the temptation of self-indulgence. You will come to your quiet time with your whole heart and be at once ready to communicate with Christ. It will establish the keynote of your daily life." from THE INNER CHAMBER -- A Call to Daily Communion with Christ (published by our friends at CLC)
Brothers, I encourage you -- make your MORNING WATCH a non-negotiable each day. We need it! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 22; Psalm 110-112; 1 Corinthians 5
Great Quote: We've become too polite. We don't laugh and cry with God. We've forgotten the excitement of the Good News. What greater sign of the extraordinary, lavish marvellous love of God than the incarnation! God so loved the world and all of us in it that God himself came to live with us as one of us! Is it so good that we're afraid to believe it? -- Madeleine L'Engle
"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." Psalm 5:3
Funny how we look for shortcuts. I have a friend that wanted to do the Weight Watchers program, but their goal was not just to lose weight, but too see how little of the diet he could do, and how many points he could "steal" to beat the system.
Unfortunately when it comes to living the "grace" life, we can easily take disciplines that are good for us and turn them into "legalistic practices." The danger is that we view necessary things from the lens of legalism, which then leads to saying, "I don't have to do this or that because I already have all the love of Christ that I will ever get.
While that is true, some of the disciplines of the Christian life are necessary for MY benefit because it strengthens MY relationship with HIM. Every great man (or woman) that I know who has had a deep, abiding relationship with Christ, took time each day to spend time with God.
Listen to the words of devotional writer and preacher, the late Andrew Murray:
The morning watch is the key to unceasingly and fully maintaining our surrender to Christ ... The goal is to secure the presence of Christ for the whole day. Personal devotion to Jesus means that we do not allow anything to separate us from Him for a moment.
When we are convinced that our success for the day depends on our seeking and finding and holding HIM in our morning watch, we will allow NOTHING to interfere with it. It will be the means to this great end. Meditation, prayer, and reading the Word will be subordinate to laying hold of the presence of Christ. The morning watch is the link for the day between Christ and me, which must be renewed and firmly fastened in the morning watch.
At first, we may be afraid that the cares and pleasures and temptations of the whole day may crush the benefit we have enjoyed in our quiet time. Don't be disturbed about that. Christ is forming HIS character in us, and gradually, in our most common place actions, He will show Himself through us. It takes time.
Whether we are relaxing or involved in the business life, it will eventually become second to us to act according to HIS Spirit and will of Christ. All this can be because of Christ Himself, as the Living One, lives in us and is never separated from us. If we recognize this, we will never be able to speak of walking outside of His presence as we leave the morning watch.
When your purpose is to have a definite, conscious meeting with Christ upon each occasion, and secure His presence for the day, you will fix your determination. Whatever effort or self-denial it may cost you will be worth it to win that prize ... It will strengthen your character and fortify you to say NO when you face the temptation of self-indulgence. You will come to your quiet time with your whole heart and be at once ready to communicate with Christ. It will establish the keynote of your daily life." from THE INNER CHAMBER -- A Call to Daily Communion with Christ (published by our friends at CLC)
Brothers, I encourage you -- make your MORNING WATCH a non-negotiable each day. We need it! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 22; Psalm 110-112; 1 Corinthians 5
Great Quote: We've become too polite. We don't laugh and cry with God. We've forgotten the excitement of the Good News. What greater sign of the extraordinary, lavish marvellous love of God than the incarnation! God so loved the world and all of us in it that God himself came to live with us as one of us! Is it so good that we're afraid to believe it? -- Madeleine L'Engle
Friday, August 21, 2009
God Took Me At My Word
God Took Me At My Word
"I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me ..." Acts 17:25
Earlier in the week I shared a devotional from STREAMS IN THE DESERT regarding George Mueller and his faith in a God who answers prayer. I wrote that I wanted to have that kind of faith, and God literally took me seriously in teaching me a lesson about HIS ability to answer prayer.
On Tuesday night I was handed a check for the ministry of America's KESWICK. I was blown away that the amount was $6000! About the time that the man handed me the check, a big storm hit our area and we scrambled to our vehicles. He went to his car and I went to my golf cart. The winds were really blowing, lightning was flashing and it was pouring. I was desperately trying to pull the sides of my golf cart down to keep from getting wet.
I didn't know it, but at that point the check blew out of my pocket. Jan, Zach and I were sitting in the living room talking and something Zach said triggered my memory about the check. I stood up to check my pocket -- no check. I checked my work that I had brought home -- no check. I was frantic.
Zach and I went back out on the golf cart with a flashlight, and in the pouring rain, began to retrace my steps. I was really upset and Zach (13) turned and said, "Dad, relax. God knows where the check is. It will be alright." I didn't listen. I dropped Zach off at home and went out again to look again.
We crawled into bed and Jan prayed and asked the Lord to take care of the check, thanking Him that HE knew where it was. She slept! I fretted. I got up early to have my quiet time, and finally was able to thank the Lord that HE knew where the check was. Was I willing to take Him at HIS Word?
After my quiet time I went for one more search. Nothing! About a half hour later, a guest discovered the check on the parking lot, sopping wet, but still very much in tack with no running of the ink. And by the way ... the lady who found the check has vision problems!!!
God was so gracious in protecting that check! And guess what -- when I got home for lunch -- I knew it was coming -- Zach said, "Dad, I told you so! God took care of it!" Don't you love when that happens? Thanks, Lord, for showing me once again, that I can trust YOU for EVERYTHING! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 21; Psalm 107-109; 1 Corinthians 4
Great Quote: A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer. -- Oswald Chambers
"I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me ..." Acts 17:25
Earlier in the week I shared a devotional from STREAMS IN THE DESERT regarding George Mueller and his faith in a God who answers prayer. I wrote that I wanted to have that kind of faith, and God literally took me seriously in teaching me a lesson about HIS ability to answer prayer.
On Tuesday night I was handed a check for the ministry of America's KESWICK. I was blown away that the amount was $6000! About the time that the man handed me the check, a big storm hit our area and we scrambled to our vehicles. He went to his car and I went to my golf cart. The winds were really blowing, lightning was flashing and it was pouring. I was desperately trying to pull the sides of my golf cart down to keep from getting wet.
I didn't know it, but at that point the check blew out of my pocket. Jan, Zach and I were sitting in the living room talking and something Zach said triggered my memory about the check. I stood up to check my pocket -- no check. I checked my work that I had brought home -- no check. I was frantic.
Zach and I went back out on the golf cart with a flashlight, and in the pouring rain, began to retrace my steps. I was really upset and Zach (13) turned and said, "Dad, relax. God knows where the check is. It will be alright." I didn't listen. I dropped Zach off at home and went out again to look again.
We crawled into bed and Jan prayed and asked the Lord to take care of the check, thanking Him that HE knew where it was. She slept! I fretted. I got up early to have my quiet time, and finally was able to thank the Lord that HE knew where the check was. Was I willing to take Him at HIS Word?
After my quiet time I went for one more search. Nothing! About a half hour later, a guest discovered the check on the parking lot, sopping wet, but still very much in tack with no running of the ink. And by the way ... the lady who found the check has vision problems!!!
God was so gracious in protecting that check! And guess what -- when I got home for lunch -- I knew it was coming -- Zach said, "Dad, I told you so! God took care of it!" Don't you love when that happens? Thanks, Lord, for showing me once again, that I can trust YOU for EVERYTHING! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 21; Psalm 107-109; 1 Corinthians 4
Great Quote: A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer. -- Oswald Chambers
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Oneness with Him
Oneness with Him
"Come to Me ..." Matthew 11:28
I never ceased to be amazed at how God knows exactly what I need to hear from Him! Today was one of those days were all five of the tools I use for my quiet time all lined up to speak to my heart. Today's reading from Oswald Chamber's, MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST really spoke to MY heart:
God intends for us to live a well-rounded life in Christ Jesus, but there are times when that life is attacked from the outside. Then we tend to fall back into self-examination, a habit that we thought was gone. Self-awareness is the first thing that will upset the completeness of our life in God, and self-awareness continually produces a sense of struggling and turmoil in our lives.
Self-awareness is not sin, and it can be produced by nervous emotions or by suddenly being dropped into a totally new set of circumstances. Yet it is never God’s will that we should be anything less than absolutely complete in Him. Anything that disturbs our rest in Him must be rectified at once, and it is not rectified by being ignored but only by coming to Jesus Christ. If we will come to Him, asking Him to produce Christ-awareness in us, He will always do it, until we fully learn to abide in Him.
Never allow anything that divides or destroys the oneness of your life with Christ to remain in your life without facing it. Beware of allowing the influence of your friends or your circumstances to divide your life. This only serves to sap your strength and slow your spiritual growth. Beware of anything that can split your oneness with Him, causing you to see yourself as separate from Him. Nothing is as important as staying right spiritually. And the only solution is a very simple one— "Come to Me . . . ." The intellectual, moral, and spiritual depth of our reality as a person is tested and measured by these words. Yet in every detail of our lives where we are found not to be real, we would rather dispute the findings than come to Jesus.
Brothers, what is it in your life that is keeping you from Oneness with Him? Take some time as you begin your day to talk to Him about it. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 19; Psalms 103-104; 1 Corinthians 2
Great Quote: Although we have no claim on God's mercies, and although they are altogether undeserved, nonetheless they never cease. We have done much to provoke God and give Him cause to cut off His mercy in our behalf. We have abused His mercy, ignored His mercy, even at times ungratefully accepted His mercy. Still, while God's mercies may not always be visible, they are always present. The mercies of God may change their form, as the morning light varies from the evening light, but the mercies of God will never cease to give their light. Even chastisement is mercy in disguise; and frequently, under the circumstances which make chastisement necessary, it proves to be more merciful than if God had not chastised us at all.
Woodrow Kroll
Check out this week's STEWARDSHIP INSIGHT from George. It's a good one. http://keswickgeorge.blogspot.com/
"Come to Me ..." Matthew 11:28
I never ceased to be amazed at how God knows exactly what I need to hear from Him! Today was one of those days were all five of the tools I use for my quiet time all lined up to speak to my heart. Today's reading from Oswald Chamber's, MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST really spoke to MY heart:
God intends for us to live a well-rounded life in Christ Jesus, but there are times when that life is attacked from the outside. Then we tend to fall back into self-examination, a habit that we thought was gone. Self-awareness is the first thing that will upset the completeness of our life in God, and self-awareness continually produces a sense of struggling and turmoil in our lives.
Self-awareness is not sin, and it can be produced by nervous emotions or by suddenly being dropped into a totally new set of circumstances. Yet it is never God’s will that we should be anything less than absolutely complete in Him. Anything that disturbs our rest in Him must be rectified at once, and it is not rectified by being ignored but only by coming to Jesus Christ. If we will come to Him, asking Him to produce Christ-awareness in us, He will always do it, until we fully learn to abide in Him.
Never allow anything that divides or destroys the oneness of your life with Christ to remain in your life without facing it. Beware of allowing the influence of your friends or your circumstances to divide your life. This only serves to sap your strength and slow your spiritual growth. Beware of anything that can split your oneness with Him, causing you to see yourself as separate from Him. Nothing is as important as staying right spiritually. And the only solution is a very simple one— "Come to Me . . . ." The intellectual, moral, and spiritual depth of our reality as a person is tested and measured by these words. Yet in every detail of our lives where we are found not to be real, we would rather dispute the findings than come to Jesus.
Brothers, what is it in your life that is keeping you from Oneness with Him? Take some time as you begin your day to talk to Him about it. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 19; Psalms 103-104; 1 Corinthians 2
Great Quote: Although we have no claim on God's mercies, and although they are altogether undeserved, nonetheless they never cease. We have done much to provoke God and give Him cause to cut off His mercy in our behalf. We have abused His mercy, ignored His mercy, even at times ungratefully accepted His mercy. Still, while God's mercies may not always be visible, they are always present. The mercies of God may change their form, as the morning light varies from the evening light, but the mercies of God will never cease to give their light. Even chastisement is mercy in disguise; and frequently, under the circumstances which make chastisement necessary, it proves to be more merciful than if God had not chastised us at all.
Woodrow Kroll
Check out this week's STEWARDSHIP INSIGHT from George. It's a good one. http://keswickgeorge.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
What Has He Told Me to Do?
What Has He Told Me to Do?
"When he heard this, he became sorrowful, for he was very rich ..." Luke 18:23
Have you been there? God has spoken SO plainly that you knew it was Him speaking. His direction and counsel came in that still small voice ... and you KNEW in your heart of hearts it was Him speaking. Did you obey? Surrender? Or did you simply go on about your business without paying attention?
Listen to these striking words from the pen of devotional author, Oswald Chambers, from the book, My Utmost for His Highest:
The rich young ruler went away from Jesus speechless with sorrow, having nothing to say in response to Jesus’ words. He had no doubt about what Jesus had said or what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow with no words with which to respond. Have you ever been there? Has God’s Word ever come to you, pointing out an area of your life, requiring you to yield it to Him?
Maybe He has pointed out certain personal qualities, desires, and interests, or possibly relationships of your heart and mind. If so, then you have often been speechless with sorrow. The Lord will not go after you, and He will not plead with you. But every time He meets you at the place where He has pointed, He will simply repeat His words, saying, "If you really mean what you say, these are the conditions."
"Sell all that you have . . ." (Luke 18:22). In other words, rid yourself before God of everything that might be considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being standing before Him, and then give God that. That is where the battle is truly fought— in the realm of your will before God.
Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Jesus Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His harsh and unyielding statements that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is difficult— it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His nature in them. Beware of allowing anything to soften the hard words of Jesus Christ.
I can be so rich in my own poverty, or in the awareness of the fact that I am nobody, that I will never be a disciple of Jesus. Or I can be so rich in the awareness that I am somebody that I will never be a disciple. Am I willing to be destitute and poor even in my sense of awareness of my destitution and poverty? If not, that is why I become discouraged. Discouragement is disillusioned self-love, and self-love may be love for my devotion to Jesus— not love for Jesus Himself.
Lord, I want to be sensitive to YOUR voice, but even more, I want to listen and obey. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 19; Psalm 103-104; 1 Corinthians 2
Great Quote: For such is the weakness of human nature, alas, that evil is often more readily believed and spoken of another than good. But perfect men do not easily believe every tale that is told them, for they know that man's nature is prone to evil, and his words to deception. Thomas a Kempis
"When he heard this, he became sorrowful, for he was very rich ..." Luke 18:23
Have you been there? God has spoken SO plainly that you knew it was Him speaking. His direction and counsel came in that still small voice ... and you KNEW in your heart of hearts it was Him speaking. Did you obey? Surrender? Or did you simply go on about your business without paying attention?
Listen to these striking words from the pen of devotional author, Oswald Chambers, from the book, My Utmost for His Highest:
The rich young ruler went away from Jesus speechless with sorrow, having nothing to say in response to Jesus’ words. He had no doubt about what Jesus had said or what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow with no words with which to respond. Have you ever been there? Has God’s Word ever come to you, pointing out an area of your life, requiring you to yield it to Him?
Maybe He has pointed out certain personal qualities, desires, and interests, or possibly relationships of your heart and mind. If so, then you have often been speechless with sorrow. The Lord will not go after you, and He will not plead with you. But every time He meets you at the place where He has pointed, He will simply repeat His words, saying, "If you really mean what you say, these are the conditions."
"Sell all that you have . . ." (Luke 18:22). In other words, rid yourself before God of everything that might be considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being standing before Him, and then give God that. That is where the battle is truly fought— in the realm of your will before God.
Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Jesus Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His harsh and unyielding statements that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is difficult— it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His nature in them. Beware of allowing anything to soften the hard words of Jesus Christ.
I can be so rich in my own poverty, or in the awareness of the fact that I am nobody, that I will never be a disciple of Jesus. Or I can be so rich in the awareness that I am somebody that I will never be a disciple. Am I willing to be destitute and poor even in my sense of awareness of my destitution and poverty? If not, that is why I become discouraged. Discouragement is disillusioned self-love, and self-love may be love for my devotion to Jesus— not love for Jesus Himself.
Lord, I want to be sensitive to YOUR voice, but even more, I want to listen and obey. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 19; Psalm 103-104; 1 Corinthians 2
Great Quote: For such is the weakness of human nature, alas, that evil is often more readily believed and spoken of another than good. But perfect men do not easily believe every tale that is told them, for they know that man's nature is prone to evil, and his words to deception. Thomas a Kempis
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
I Want This Kind of Faith
I Want This Kind of Faith
"I have faith in God that IT WILL happen just as he told me." (Acts 27:25)
Yesterday's reading from Streams in the Desert touched my heart. This is the kind of faith I want in my life ...
A number of years ago I went to America with a steamship captain who was a very devoted Christian. When we were off the coast of Newfoundland, he said to me, "The last time I sailed here, which was five weeks ago, something happened that revolutionized my entire Christian life. I had been on the bridge for twenty-four straight hours when George Mueller of Bristol, England, who was a passenger on board, came to me and said, 'Captain, I need to tell you that I must be in Quebec on Saturday afternoon.' 'That is impossible,' I replied. 'Very well,' Mueller responded, 'if your ship cannot take me, God will find some other way, for I have never missed an engagement in fifty-seven years. Let's go do to the chartroom to pray.'
"I looked at this man of God and thought to myself, 'What lunatic asylum did he escape from?' I had never encountered someone like this. 'Mr. Mueller,' I said, 'do you realize how dense the fog is?' 'No,' he replied. 'MY EYE IS NOT ON THE DENSE FOG BUT ON THE LIVING GOD, WHO CONTROLS EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE IN MY LIFE.'
"He then knelt down and prayed one of the most simple prayers I've ever heard. When he had finished,m I started to pray, but he put his hand on my shoulder and told me NOT to pray. He said, 'FIRST, you do not believe God will answer, and SECOND, I BELIEVE HE HAS. Consequently, there is no need whatsoever for you to pray about it.'
"As I looked at him, he said, 'Captain, I have known my Lord for fifty-seven years, and there has never been even a single day that I have failed to get an audience with the King. Get up, Captain, and open the door, and you will see that the fog is gone.' I got up, and indeed the fog was gone! And on Saturday afternoon, George Mueller was in Quebec for his meeting.
Brothers, that is that kind of faith in God that I want. How about you? Will you join me in taking Him at His Word? -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 18; Psalm 100-102; 1 Corinthians 1
Great Quote: The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of Christians is a God of love and comfort, a God who fills the soul and heart of those whom he possesses, a God who makes them conscious of their inward wretchedness, and his infinite mercy; who unites himself to their inmost soul, who fills it with humility and joy, with confidence and love, who renders them incapable of any other end than himself. Blaise Pascal
"I have faith in God that IT WILL happen just as he told me." (Acts 27:25)
Yesterday's reading from Streams in the Desert touched my heart. This is the kind of faith I want in my life ...
A number of years ago I went to America with a steamship captain who was a very devoted Christian. When we were off the coast of Newfoundland, he said to me, "The last time I sailed here, which was five weeks ago, something happened that revolutionized my entire Christian life. I had been on the bridge for twenty-four straight hours when George Mueller of Bristol, England, who was a passenger on board, came to me and said, 'Captain, I need to tell you that I must be in Quebec on Saturday afternoon.' 'That is impossible,' I replied. 'Very well,' Mueller responded, 'if your ship cannot take me, God will find some other way, for I have never missed an engagement in fifty-seven years. Let's go do to the chartroom to pray.'
"I looked at this man of God and thought to myself, 'What lunatic asylum did he escape from?' I had never encountered someone like this. 'Mr. Mueller,' I said, 'do you realize how dense the fog is?' 'No,' he replied. 'MY EYE IS NOT ON THE DENSE FOG BUT ON THE LIVING GOD, WHO CONTROLS EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE IN MY LIFE.'
"He then knelt down and prayed one of the most simple prayers I've ever heard. When he had finished,m I started to pray, but he put his hand on my shoulder and told me NOT to pray. He said, 'FIRST, you do not believe God will answer, and SECOND, I BELIEVE HE HAS. Consequently, there is no need whatsoever for you to pray about it.'
"As I looked at him, he said, 'Captain, I have known my Lord for fifty-seven years, and there has never been even a single day that I have failed to get an audience with the King. Get up, Captain, and open the door, and you will see that the fog is gone.' I got up, and indeed the fog was gone! And on Saturday afternoon, George Mueller was in Quebec for his meeting.
Brothers, that is that kind of faith in God that I want. How about you? Will you join me in taking Him at His Word? -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 18; Psalm 100-102; 1 Corinthians 1
Great Quote: The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of Christians is a God of love and comfort, a God who fills the soul and heart of those whom he possesses, a God who makes them conscious of their inward wretchedness, and his infinite mercy; who unites himself to their inmost soul, who fills it with humility and joy, with confidence and love, who renders them incapable of any other end than himself. Blaise Pascal
Monday, August 17, 2009
How Can I Keep From Singing?
How Can I Keep From Singing?
I heard this amazing old hymn today at our Sunday afternoon concert with Diane Susek. The words are powerful and I know they will be a blessing to you ...
My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn
That hails a new creation:
Through all the tumult and the strifeI
hear the music ringing;It finds an echo in my soul—
How can I keep from singing?
What though my joys and comforts die?
The Lord my Savior liveth;
What though the darkness gather round!
Songs in the night He giveth:
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that refuge clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of Heav’n and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes
Since first I learned to love it:
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since I am His—
How can I keep from singing?
Good words to ponder as you begin this new week. Don't let the song go out of your heart! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 17; Psalm 97-99; Romans 16
Great Quote: Nothing will ever be attempted, if all possible objections must first be overcome. Samuel Johnson
I heard this amazing old hymn today at our Sunday afternoon concert with Diane Susek. The words are powerful and I know they will be a blessing to you ...
My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn
That hails a new creation:
Through all the tumult and the strifeI
hear the music ringing;It finds an echo in my soul—
How can I keep from singing?
What though my joys and comforts die?
The Lord my Savior liveth;
What though the darkness gather round!
Songs in the night He giveth:
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that refuge clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of Heav’n and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes
Since first I learned to love it:
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since I am His—
How can I keep from singing?
Good words to ponder as you begin this new week. Don't let the song go out of your heart! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 17; Psalm 97-99; Romans 16
Great Quote: Nothing will ever be attempted, if all possible objections must first be overcome. Samuel Johnson
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Rivers of Living Water
RIVERS OF LIVING WATER
“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38)
This passage and this promise thrill me beyond description. With all my heart I want to be a Christian from whom flows rivers of living water. I believe you have the same desire.
Have you noticed that all the promises in the Bible are conditional. Before there can be mighty flowing rivers of living water there first has to be desire…and insatiable desire for Christ. Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come unto Me and drink.” (v.37)
At a Keswick Christian Life Convention many years ago I heard Stuart Briscoe make a statement that I have never forgotten. He said, “We have as much of God as we want. God meets man on the level of his desire.” That thought continues to echo in my mind. Think about it, “We can have as much of God as we want. God meets man on the level of his desire.” I believe this was what Jesus meant when he said, “If anyone thirsts…”
Lack of thirst will eventually reveal itself. A Christian who does not thirst for God will be dry, barren, lifeless, and defeated.
Thirst for Christ will manifest itself. To use the words of Jesus, “out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
We cultivate our thirst for God by spending time with Him and His word. Once we have tasted Him nothing else will satisfy.
Many people thirsts for things, for money, for power and for position. Such pursuits only lead to the brackish water of the world which can never satisfy. When Saint Augustine said, “My soul finds no peace until it finds its peace in thee O God,” he spoke from experience. He had attempted to satisfy his thirsts with worldly substitutes. It was not until he came to Christ and believed in Him that his soul was truly satisfied. The same will be true for you and me.
How much of God do you want today? --Dr. Roger D. Willmore is a Pastor and Friend of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 16; Psalms 94-96; Romans 15:14-33
Great Quote: You may as soon find a living man without breath as living saint without prayer. Matthew Henry
“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38)
This passage and this promise thrill me beyond description. With all my heart I want to be a Christian from whom flows rivers of living water. I believe you have the same desire.
Have you noticed that all the promises in the Bible are conditional. Before there can be mighty flowing rivers of living water there first has to be desire…and insatiable desire for Christ. Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come unto Me and drink.” (v.37)
At a Keswick Christian Life Convention many years ago I heard Stuart Briscoe make a statement that I have never forgotten. He said, “We have as much of God as we want. God meets man on the level of his desire.” That thought continues to echo in my mind. Think about it, “We can have as much of God as we want. God meets man on the level of his desire.” I believe this was what Jesus meant when he said, “If anyone thirsts…”
Lack of thirst will eventually reveal itself. A Christian who does not thirst for God will be dry, barren, lifeless, and defeated.
Thirst for Christ will manifest itself. To use the words of Jesus, “out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
We cultivate our thirst for God by spending time with Him and His word. Once we have tasted Him nothing else will satisfy.
Many people thirsts for things, for money, for power and for position. Such pursuits only lead to the brackish water of the world which can never satisfy. When Saint Augustine said, “My soul finds no peace until it finds its peace in thee O God,” he spoke from experience. He had attempted to satisfy his thirsts with worldly substitutes. It was not until he came to Christ and believed in Him that his soul was truly satisfied. The same will be true for you and me.
How much of God do you want today? --Dr. Roger D. Willmore is a Pastor and Friend of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 16; Psalms 94-96; Romans 15:14-33
Great Quote: You may as soon find a living man without breath as living saint without prayer. Matthew Henry
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Encouragement 101
ENCOURAGEMENT 101
“Encourage one another; and all the more, as you see the day draw nearing.” (Hebrews 10:25)
“The great thing about encouragement is that anyone can do it,” so writes Ken Sutterfield in his book THE POWER OF ENCOURAGEMENT. “You don’t even have to be a certain age to reach out and come alongside someone and elevate them to greater heights. What you do need is a willingness to put yourself aside and put someone else’s value above your own to give them hope and encouragement.
Words are powerful seeds. Once planted, your words will bring forth flowers or weeds, health or disease, healing or poison. You carry a great responsibility for their use. And the words you write will be remembered.”
Praise is the polish that helps keep self-image bright and sparkling. Encouragement helps rub off the sharp edges of daily contact. Words of encouragement are the most effective method of getting people to do their best. The encouragement of others helps us move from fear to belief to action.
William Barclay writes, ‘One of the highest human duties is the duty of encouragement … It is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm. It is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time, a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has a man on his feet.”The question for you today? Are you an encourager or a discourager? Good words to ponder on Saturday, August 15th. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 15; Psalm 91-93; Romans 15:1-13
Great Quote: As a man, looking steadfastly on a dial, cannot perceive the shadow move at all, yet viewing it after a while, he shall perceive that it hath moved; so, in the hearing of the Word, but especially in the receiving of the Lord's supper, a man may judge even his own faith, and other graces of God, to be little or nothing increased, neither can he perceive the motion of God's Spirit in him at that time; yet by the fruits and effects thereof, he shall afterward perceive that God's Spirit hath little by little wrought greater faith and other graces in him. William Gurnall
“Encourage one another; and all the more, as you see the day draw nearing.” (Hebrews 10:25)
“The great thing about encouragement is that anyone can do it,” so writes Ken Sutterfield in his book THE POWER OF ENCOURAGEMENT. “You don’t even have to be a certain age to reach out and come alongside someone and elevate them to greater heights. What you do need is a willingness to put yourself aside and put someone else’s value above your own to give them hope and encouragement.
Words are powerful seeds. Once planted, your words will bring forth flowers or weeds, health or disease, healing or poison. You carry a great responsibility for their use. And the words you write will be remembered.”
Praise is the polish that helps keep self-image bright and sparkling. Encouragement helps rub off the sharp edges of daily contact. Words of encouragement are the most effective method of getting people to do their best. The encouragement of others helps us move from fear to belief to action.
William Barclay writes, ‘One of the highest human duties is the duty of encouragement … It is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm. It is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time, a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has a man on his feet.”The question for you today? Are you an encourager or a discourager? Good words to ponder on Saturday, August 15th. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 15; Psalm 91-93; Romans 15:1-13
Great Quote: As a man, looking steadfastly on a dial, cannot perceive the shadow move at all, yet viewing it after a while, he shall perceive that it hath moved; so, in the hearing of the Word, but especially in the receiving of the Lord's supper, a man may judge even his own faith, and other graces of God, to be little or nothing increased, neither can he perceive the motion of God's Spirit in him at that time; yet by the fruits and effects thereof, he shall afterward perceive that God's Spirit hath little by little wrought greater faith and other graces in him. William Gurnall
Friday, August 14, 2009
Run Over By Good Intentions
RUN OVER BY GOOD INTENTIONS
"Rush through breakfast . . . hurry out the door . . . speed to work .. . punch the clock. Deadlines and demands, busyness and bustle. More productivity needed, higher efficiency demanded. Ratchet up another notch, ricochet off the walls. Finally, saved by the bell. Run to the car. Tear through traffic. Dash in the door. Lunge for the sofa. Collapse in exhaustion.
Speed. Too much speed. We are wheezing and worn out. Our relationships have been starved to death by velocity. Our children lie wounded on the ground, run over by our high-speed good intentions. Our nanosecond culture is toxic to relationships, as nearly every family knows. Surveys and studies reveal time pressures to be at the top of our relational complaints. No one has the time to listen, let alone love.
Fast-lane families are headed for head-on collisions. They don't have the opportunity to eat together. Shared, unstructured leisure time disappears. Communication suffers, problems multiply, tempers flare. But it takes time to make up. Stress flows downstream. When parents are hurried, children are hurried.We MUST have some room to breathe.
In a slower era, every day and any place, people had time for each other. At the store, the gas station, or the church there was time to visit. At the breakfast table and the dinner table, there was time to visit. Marginlessness, however, finds everyone overcommitted, self-protective, late, and in a hurry. It is time for a change. For the sake of our families, it is time, perhaps, for a slowdown crusade, or a campaign of mellowness. It is time to rediscover the fine art of relational dawdling." from A MINUTE OF MARGIN by Dr. Mark Swenson
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 14; Psalm 89-90; Romans 14
Great Quote: We can be certain that God will give us the strength and resources we need to live through any situation in life that he ordains. The will of God will never take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us. Billy Graham
PLEASE WATCH FOR THE GRAND OPENING OF THE KESWICK THINK VICTORY ONLINE BOOKSTORE THIS WEEKEND -- www.americaskeswick.org
"Rush through breakfast . . . hurry out the door . . . speed to work .. . punch the clock. Deadlines and demands, busyness and bustle. More productivity needed, higher efficiency demanded. Ratchet up another notch, ricochet off the walls. Finally, saved by the bell. Run to the car. Tear through traffic. Dash in the door. Lunge for the sofa. Collapse in exhaustion.
Speed. Too much speed. We are wheezing and worn out. Our relationships have been starved to death by velocity. Our children lie wounded on the ground, run over by our high-speed good intentions. Our nanosecond culture is toxic to relationships, as nearly every family knows. Surveys and studies reveal time pressures to be at the top of our relational complaints. No one has the time to listen, let alone love.
Fast-lane families are headed for head-on collisions. They don't have the opportunity to eat together. Shared, unstructured leisure time disappears. Communication suffers, problems multiply, tempers flare. But it takes time to make up. Stress flows downstream. When parents are hurried, children are hurried.We MUST have some room to breathe.
In a slower era, every day and any place, people had time for each other. At the store, the gas station, or the church there was time to visit. At the breakfast table and the dinner table, there was time to visit. Marginlessness, however, finds everyone overcommitted, self-protective, late, and in a hurry. It is time for a change. For the sake of our families, it is time, perhaps, for a slowdown crusade, or a campaign of mellowness. It is time to rediscover the fine art of relational dawdling." from A MINUTE OF MARGIN by Dr. Mark Swenson
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 14; Psalm 89-90; Romans 14
Great Quote: We can be certain that God will give us the strength and resources we need to live through any situation in life that he ordains. The will of God will never take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us. Billy Graham
PLEASE WATCH FOR THE GRAND OPENING OF THE KESWICK THINK VICTORY ONLINE BOOKSTORE THIS WEEKEND -- www.americaskeswick.org
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Why Repent?
WHY REPENT?
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)
How do you interpret scriptures in Revelation 2:5, Revelation 3:16, and James 2:14 that sound like repenting is a condition to salvation?
The renowned C. I. Scofield said, “Repentance is not an act separate from faith, but saving faith implies that change of mind which is called repentance.”
John the Baptist paved the road to Jesus by preaching only one message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2) Jesus’ forerunner taught repentance as paving the road to salvation, by faith.
As Jesus launched His earthly ministry, God says, “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ ” (Matthew 4:17). You might say that Jesus preached repentance as the “front porch” to salvation by faith.
Jesus commissioned Peter as the “apostle to the Jews.” Peter subsequently preached, “Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away” (Acts 3:19). Peter called for the Jews to repent.
Jesus commissioned Paul as the “apostle to the Gentiles.” Paul subsequently preached, “God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent” (Acts 17:30). Paul preached repentance to Gentiles.
The four great teachers of the New Testament, Jesus, John, Peter and Paul insisted that man must repent. Repent means to do a 180o. The person who refuses to repent implies that he is firmly seated on the throne of his life. He is his own god (controller, ruler, source).
I believe that much of today’s evangelism, although well-meant, presents heaven, an eternal retirement villa, as the goal of salvation rather than a living, agape relationship with the God of the Universe. We hear many “believers” talking about heaven, heaven, rapture, rapture, but rarely if ever mentioning being in an intimate, One-on-one relationship with Father. It’s like Jesus is a Celestial Environmentalist whose purpose on the cross was to save us from a bad environment called hell and usher us into a good one called heaven where we’ll live it up eternally. It’s all about a self-indulgent environment instead of about a Father/child relationship with our wonderful God.
My goal is not to wound or plant doubt about anyone’s salvation. But, when the Lord first showed the above to me, I had to ask myself if I had repented because this had not been emphasized when I came to Christ that I recalled. I had simply been told to believe (Acts 16:31) which I had done. But the Holy Spirit assured me that everything was OK between God and me because over the years I had clearly demonstrated a repentant attitude even dating back to my salvation. Although I did not use the R word, I remembered telling God in my salvation prayer time that I wanted to change.
So, what are you to do if you’ve never repented? Repent. -- Bill Gillham is the founder of Lifetime Guarentee, and author of the book by the same title.
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 13; Psalm 87-88; Romans 13
Great Quote: Dr. Chalmers went to see a Scots woman in her time of trouble about her sin. She was trying to "get faith". On his way to her house, he had to cross a stream over which was a thin plank. Looking out of her window, she saw he was afraid to venture across it, and, coming out, she called to him. "Just lippen to it". That was her way of advising him just to trust himself to the plank. Then he spoke to her about the way of salvation and used the ilustration and her own words to explain to her how to trust the Saviour. Thomas Chalmers
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)
How do you interpret scriptures in Revelation 2:5, Revelation 3:16, and James 2:14 that sound like repenting is a condition to salvation?
The renowned C. I. Scofield said, “Repentance is not an act separate from faith, but saving faith implies that change of mind which is called repentance.”
John the Baptist paved the road to Jesus by preaching only one message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2) Jesus’ forerunner taught repentance as paving the road to salvation, by faith.
As Jesus launched His earthly ministry, God says, “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ ” (Matthew 4:17). You might say that Jesus preached repentance as the “front porch” to salvation by faith.
Jesus commissioned Peter as the “apostle to the Jews.” Peter subsequently preached, “Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away” (Acts 3:19). Peter called for the Jews to repent.
Jesus commissioned Paul as the “apostle to the Gentiles.” Paul subsequently preached, “God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent” (Acts 17:30). Paul preached repentance to Gentiles.
The four great teachers of the New Testament, Jesus, John, Peter and Paul insisted that man must repent. Repent means to do a 180o. The person who refuses to repent implies that he is firmly seated on the throne of his life. He is his own god (controller, ruler, source).
I believe that much of today’s evangelism, although well-meant, presents heaven, an eternal retirement villa, as the goal of salvation rather than a living, agape relationship with the God of the Universe. We hear many “believers” talking about heaven, heaven, rapture, rapture, but rarely if ever mentioning being in an intimate, One-on-one relationship with Father. It’s like Jesus is a Celestial Environmentalist whose purpose on the cross was to save us from a bad environment called hell and usher us into a good one called heaven where we’ll live it up eternally. It’s all about a self-indulgent environment instead of about a Father/child relationship with our wonderful God.
My goal is not to wound or plant doubt about anyone’s salvation. But, when the Lord first showed the above to me, I had to ask myself if I had repented because this had not been emphasized when I came to Christ that I recalled. I had simply been told to believe (Acts 16:31) which I had done. But the Holy Spirit assured me that everything was OK between God and me because over the years I had clearly demonstrated a repentant attitude even dating back to my salvation. Although I did not use the R word, I remembered telling God in my salvation prayer time that I wanted to change.
So, what are you to do if you’ve never repented? Repent. -- Bill Gillham is the founder of Lifetime Guarentee, and author of the book by the same title.
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 13; Psalm 87-88; Romans 13
Great Quote: Dr. Chalmers went to see a Scots woman in her time of trouble about her sin. She was trying to "get faith". On his way to her house, he had to cross a stream over which was a thin plank. Looking out of her window, she saw he was afraid to venture across it, and, coming out, she called to him. "Just lippen to it". That was her way of advising him just to trust himself to the plank. Then he spoke to her about the way of salvation and used the ilustration and her own words to explain to her how to trust the Saviour. Thomas Chalmers
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Thankful for the HARD Stuff
Thankful for the HARD Stuff
"Give thanks IN all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." -- 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Okay -- it is easy to give thanks IN ALL circumstances when things are going the way we want it to go -- or when the way is EASY. It could be that it is easy when things are going tough all around us. But what about when the IN ALL is when our loving Father is going about the business of pruning and modeling and shaping -- when He decides to pick up clay of our lives and use His "potter's hands?"
My good friend and brother in Christ, Wild Dave McCarty, President of Gospel Friendships, wrote this in a recent email:
Thank You, DaddyJesus Spirit, for the harrrd in my life that You are using to woo me to Yourself. Thank You that the nicest, sweetest, kindest, most miraculous thing you ever do for me, is to send Your Spirit to freshly convict me of my sin of independence, rooted in my sin of thinking I have wisdom worth leaning on, which leads me to trying to find LIFE in my idols, instead of in Jesus.
Thank You for lovingly thwarting my dreams and schemes, so I end up fearful, frustrated, discouraged, or bored, with fresh motivation to come running back to Jesus, and find my all in Him. Thank You that nothing in this world comes close to comparing with Jesus and His unconditional love for the likes of habitual prodigals. Thank You, thank You, thank You, for the perfectness of Your plan for my life, the perfectness of my circumstances right now, many of which my flesh hates with passion.
Thank You that no one loves me nearly as well as You, or I would certainly go awhoring after their love, leaving You behind in a cloud of dust. Thank Your love for me, Your faithfulness to me, has nothing to do with my love and faithfulness to You. Thank You that my biggest need is never changed circumstances, but always, more of Jesus at the core of my life. --
Lord, right now I needed to hear this prayer. Thanks for teaching me to thank you even for the HARD stuff. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 12; Psalm 84-86; Romans 12
Great Quote: Spoken forgiveness, no matter how heartfelt, works best when we do not demand the response we want. I mean that when we tell people we forgive them, we must leave them free to respond to our good news however they are inclined. If the response is not what we hoped for, we can go home and enjoy our own healing in private. Lewis B. Smedes
"Give thanks IN all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." -- 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Okay -- it is easy to give thanks IN ALL circumstances when things are going the way we want it to go -- or when the way is EASY. It could be that it is easy when things are going tough all around us. But what about when the IN ALL is when our loving Father is going about the business of pruning and modeling and shaping -- when He decides to pick up clay of our lives and use His "potter's hands?"
My good friend and brother in Christ, Wild Dave McCarty, President of Gospel Friendships, wrote this in a recent email:
Thank You, DaddyJesus Spirit, for the harrrd in my life that You are using to woo me to Yourself. Thank You that the nicest, sweetest, kindest, most miraculous thing you ever do for me, is to send Your Spirit to freshly convict me of my sin of independence, rooted in my sin of thinking I have wisdom worth leaning on, which leads me to trying to find LIFE in my idols, instead of in Jesus.
Thank You for lovingly thwarting my dreams and schemes, so I end up fearful, frustrated, discouraged, or bored, with fresh motivation to come running back to Jesus, and find my all in Him. Thank You that nothing in this world comes close to comparing with Jesus and His unconditional love for the likes of habitual prodigals. Thank You, thank You, thank You, for the perfectness of Your plan for my life, the perfectness of my circumstances right now, many of which my flesh hates with passion.
Thank You that no one loves me nearly as well as You, or I would certainly go awhoring after their love, leaving You behind in a cloud of dust. Thank Your love for me, Your faithfulness to me, has nothing to do with my love and faithfulness to You. Thank You that my biggest need is never changed circumstances, but always, more of Jesus at the core of my life. --
Lord, right now I needed to hear this prayer. Thanks for teaching me to thank you even for the HARD stuff. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 12; Psalm 84-86; Romans 12
Great Quote: Spoken forgiveness, no matter how heartfelt, works best when we do not demand the response we want. I mean that when we tell people we forgive them, we must leave them free to respond to our good news however they are inclined. If the response is not what we hoped for, we can go home and enjoy our own healing in private. Lewis B. Smedes
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Don't Kid Yourself ...
Don’t Kid Yourself …
Here's a Freedom Fighter from 2004. It really helps to flesh out the THINK VICTORY message!!!
“The Christian life is not simply too hard to live in our flesh – IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. It’s time to expose this lie! Christians are backsliding because they have been deceived. We try to overcome sin in our flesh, but the more we attempt to fight the hordes of hell with our strength, the more worried and discouraged we become. When we make up our minds not to all flesh to control our lives, when the Spirit power of Christ flows through us, then we will be delivered from struggles, worries, and fears, and we will go beyond anything we have ever imagined; we will enter into the greatest move of the Holy Spirit the world has ever seen. Flesh, no matter how sincere, can never break the chains of sin’s power.
When we seek to love the Christian life on our own, we are as dry as desert sand. It’s not about our stuff – vocation, education, gifts, power, personality, power, grace, joy, grace and peace. Any believer who thinks that in his strength he can overcome our unprecedented societal pollution, mass media seduction, and plague of demonic temptation is deceived.
We can cry a river of tears, pray with all our heart, and be sincerely in love with Jesus and at the same time be absolutely bound. We can ultimately surrender to a compromised Christianity; believing we can never be free from the power of sin, we resign ourselves to struggle in futility for the rest of our lives, sinning/repenting, sinning/repenting, and never becoming more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.
After we surrender to Him, the Savior rises up through the power of the Holy Spirit, and sin is stripped of its power by the Spirit’s breath; only then can we truly know the meaning of victory in Jesus. Attempting to live the Christian of life in our own flesh puts us at peace with our sin.
We must experience, as an act of our will, dying to our pride, boasting, ambition, plans and reputation. Only a Christian dead in the flesh and alive to Jesus can know the joy of being free from the power and dominion sin.”
From GOD-WRESTLING by Mike Evans (Bethany House Publishers)
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 11; Psalms 81-83; Romans 11:19-36
Great Quote: “Religion is, ‘I obey, therefore I’m accepted’. The Gospel is, ‘I’m accepted through what Jesus Christ has done for me, therefore I obey’. Religion gives you control, that’s why its so popular…If I am saved by what I can do, then there’s a limit to what God can ask of me. I still have some control. But if I am saved by sheer grace, then there’s nothing He cannot ask of me”. Tim Keller
Here's a Freedom Fighter from 2004. It really helps to flesh out the THINK VICTORY message!!!
“The Christian life is not simply too hard to live in our flesh – IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. It’s time to expose this lie! Christians are backsliding because they have been deceived. We try to overcome sin in our flesh, but the more we attempt to fight the hordes of hell with our strength, the more worried and discouraged we become. When we make up our minds not to all flesh to control our lives, when the Spirit power of Christ flows through us, then we will be delivered from struggles, worries, and fears, and we will go beyond anything we have ever imagined; we will enter into the greatest move of the Holy Spirit the world has ever seen. Flesh, no matter how sincere, can never break the chains of sin’s power.
When we seek to love the Christian life on our own, we are as dry as desert sand. It’s not about our stuff – vocation, education, gifts, power, personality, power, grace, joy, grace and peace. Any believer who thinks that in his strength he can overcome our unprecedented societal pollution, mass media seduction, and plague of demonic temptation is deceived.
We can cry a river of tears, pray with all our heart, and be sincerely in love with Jesus and at the same time be absolutely bound. We can ultimately surrender to a compromised Christianity; believing we can never be free from the power of sin, we resign ourselves to struggle in futility for the rest of our lives, sinning/repenting, sinning/repenting, and never becoming more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.
After we surrender to Him, the Savior rises up through the power of the Holy Spirit, and sin is stripped of its power by the Spirit’s breath; only then can we truly know the meaning of victory in Jesus. Attempting to live the Christian of life in our own flesh puts us at peace with our sin.
We must experience, as an act of our will, dying to our pride, boasting, ambition, plans and reputation. Only a Christian dead in the flesh and alive to Jesus can know the joy of being free from the power and dominion sin.”
From GOD-WRESTLING by Mike Evans (Bethany House Publishers)
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 11; Psalms 81-83; Romans 11:19-36
Great Quote: “Religion is, ‘I obey, therefore I’m accepted’. The Gospel is, ‘I’m accepted through what Jesus Christ has done for me, therefore I obey’. Religion gives you control, that’s why its so popular…If I am saved by what I can do, then there’s a limit to what God can ask of me. I still have some control. But if I am saved by sheer grace, then there’s nothing He cannot ask of me”. Tim Keller
Monday, August 10, 2009
Choose
Choose
"Choose for yourselve then, who you will serve..." Joshua 24:14 (NIV)
Sometimes less words are better than more. One of my staff shared with me 8 points from the induction speech of former NFL player, Rod Woodson. He challenged his listeners to make the following choices:
Choose:
1. To love rather than hate
2. To create rather than destroy
3. To persevere rather than quit
4. To praise rather than gossip
5. To heal rather than wound
6. To pray rather than curse
7. To live rather than die
8. JESUS CHRIST over the world.
Good advice. What are you choosing today? -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 10; Psalm 79-80; Romans 11:1-18
Great Quote: In those early centuries of Christianity, Christianity did not go into the world apologizing. It went to slay the powers of darkness and undo the works of the devil, and it lived in holy triumph. John G. Lake
"Choose for yourselve then, who you will serve..." Joshua 24:14 (NIV)
Sometimes less words are better than more. One of my staff shared with me 8 points from the induction speech of former NFL player, Rod Woodson. He challenged his listeners to make the following choices:
Choose:
1. To love rather than hate
2. To create rather than destroy
3. To persevere rather than quit
4. To praise rather than gossip
5. To heal rather than wound
6. To pray rather than curse
7. To live rather than die
8. JESUS CHRIST over the world.
Good advice. What are you choosing today? -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 10; Psalm 79-80; Romans 11:1-18
Great Quote: In those early centuries of Christianity, Christianity did not go into the world apologizing. It went to slay the powers of darkness and undo the works of the devil, and it lived in holy triumph. John G. Lake
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Claim Victory
CLAIM VICTORY"You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob." Psalm 44:4
I want to dedicate today's Freedom Fighter to Dave Shoppy, a faithful member of the America's KESWICK staff that went to be with the Lord on August 9, 2006. There is not a week that goes by that someone says, "I remember Dave," or "I miss Dave because ..." Dave lived a life of victory, and he is experiencing the reality of VICTORY in Jesus as he enjoys heaven. Please continue to pray for his wife, Betsy.
"There are no enemies to your growth in grace, or to your Christian work, that were not included in your Savior's victory. Remember, 'The Lord said to Joshua, ' Do not be afraid of them, because ... I will hand all of them over to you'" (Joshua 11:6) Also recall the fact that when you resist your enemies, they "will flee from you" (James 4:7). And remember what Joshua said to the people: "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous" (Joshua 10:25). The Lord IS with you, "Mighty men of valour" (Joshua 1:14), and you are mighty because you are one with the Mightiest. So claim you victory!
Whenever your enemies are closing in on you, CLAIM VICTORY! Whenever your heart and your flesh fail you, look up and CLAIM VICTORY! Be sure you claim your share in the triumph that Jesus won, for He won it not for Himself alone but for us all. Remember that you were in Him when He won it -- so CLAIM VICTORY! Count Christ's victory as yours and gather the spoils if the war. Neither the giants (Numbers 13:33), nor the fortified cities need intimidate or defeat you! You are part of the conquering army. CLAIM YOU SHARE IN THE SAVIOR'S VICTORY.
We are children of the King. Therefore which of these most honors our divine Sovereign: failing to claim our rights and even doubting they belong to us, or asserting our privilege as children of the Royal Family, and demanding the rights that accompany our inheritance?" -- from Streams in the Desert Dave Shoppy understood what it meant to THINK, LIVE and CLAIM VICTORY! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 9; Psalm 77-78; Romans 10
Great Quote: Really, then, our problem is not weakness, but independence! And in covenant, you die to independent living. Kay Arthur
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Putting Sin to Death
PUTTING SIN TO DEATH
“Turn (depart) from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:14)
How can you put to death the ruling power of sin in the deeds of your body? Both negative and positive ways: “turn/depart” = negative; “do good” = positive. You need to TURN “from” and TURN “to” in putting sin to death.
From TEMPTATION: (1 Corinthians 10:13) there is no temptation beyond your ability to overcome. God makes a way to escape every time. Temptation is not sin – you have a choice to turn from temptation.
To TRUST: (Proverbs 3:5-6) it is necessary to turn to trust in Christ. You yield to temptation when you don’t really trust God that He will provide for the need that leads you into sin: drugs – what for? Steal – what for? Illicit sex – what for? Cheat – what for? Gossip – what for? Doing for yourself means God won’t do for you. So, turn to trust.
From UNRIGHTEOUSNESS: (Zephaniah 3:5) God does no unrighteousness. He brings justice to light through His Word. The unjust knows no shame. Unrighteousness is the lack of right in every area of your daily life: work ethics, entertainment, relationships, money, worship. Turn…
To UNDERSTANDING: (1 John 5:20) Jesus gives you understanding to know right – in order to know Him who is true. You are IN Him! Turn to understand that.
From RAGS: (Isaiah 64:6) all your self-righteous acts are like filthy rags, and you will shrivel up life a leaf and be blown away by your unrighteousness. Do you wonder why everything is messed up? Turn from your rags!
To RICHES: (Ephesians 2:6-7) you are rich! You are already raised up in God’s mind to sit in the heavens. You have the riches of His grace and kindness. Why chase the world to gain rags? Turn to riches!
From NATURAL: (Romans 6:19) in human terms, you are a member of a body. In your flesh, you are weak and you fall. You are a slave to uncleanness in your habits. In wickedness there are no laws, rules, regulations or restrictions. Turn from the natural man.
To NEW: (Ephesians 4:23-24) be renewed in your attitudes which begin in your mind. Put on (which involves the action of choices) the new man (created to be like God) in righteousness and holiness. Turn to the new!
Put sin to death today: TURN – from temptation to trust; from unrighteousness to understanding; from rags to riches; from the natural to the new. Have a victorious day! --Chaplain Jack Noel serves at the Colony of Mercy
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 8; Psalm 74-76; Romans 9:16-33
Great Quote: Choosing Christ means walking along a single road, not several at the same time. If we wish to follow Christ and ourselves at the same time, are we not running after our own shadows? Anonymous
“Turn (depart) from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:14)
How can you put to death the ruling power of sin in the deeds of your body? Both negative and positive ways: “turn/depart” = negative; “do good” = positive. You need to TURN “from” and TURN “to” in putting sin to death.
From TEMPTATION: (1 Corinthians 10:13) there is no temptation beyond your ability to overcome. God makes a way to escape every time. Temptation is not sin – you have a choice to turn from temptation.
To TRUST: (Proverbs 3:5-6) it is necessary to turn to trust in Christ. You yield to temptation when you don’t really trust God that He will provide for the need that leads you into sin: drugs – what for? Steal – what for? Illicit sex – what for? Cheat – what for? Gossip – what for? Doing for yourself means God won’t do for you. So, turn to trust.
From UNRIGHTEOUSNESS: (Zephaniah 3:5) God does no unrighteousness. He brings justice to light through His Word. The unjust knows no shame. Unrighteousness is the lack of right in every area of your daily life: work ethics, entertainment, relationships, money, worship. Turn…
To UNDERSTANDING: (1 John 5:20) Jesus gives you understanding to know right – in order to know Him who is true. You are IN Him! Turn to understand that.
From RAGS: (Isaiah 64:6) all your self-righteous acts are like filthy rags, and you will shrivel up life a leaf and be blown away by your unrighteousness. Do you wonder why everything is messed up? Turn from your rags!
To RICHES: (Ephesians 2:6-7) you are rich! You are already raised up in God’s mind to sit in the heavens. You have the riches of His grace and kindness. Why chase the world to gain rags? Turn to riches!
From NATURAL: (Romans 6:19) in human terms, you are a member of a body. In your flesh, you are weak and you fall. You are a slave to uncleanness in your habits. In wickedness there are no laws, rules, regulations or restrictions. Turn from the natural man.
To NEW: (Ephesians 4:23-24) be renewed in your attitudes which begin in your mind. Put on (which involves the action of choices) the new man (created to be like God) in righteousness and holiness. Turn to the new!
Put sin to death today: TURN – from temptation to trust; from unrighteousness to understanding; from rags to riches; from the natural to the new. Have a victorious day! --Chaplain Jack Noel serves at the Colony of Mercy
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 8; Psalm 74-76; Romans 9:16-33
Great Quote: Choosing Christ means walking along a single road, not several at the same time. If we wish to follow Christ and ourselves at the same time, are we not running after our own shadows? Anonymous
Friday, August 07, 2009
Pleasing People -- Dealing with Pride Part 2
Pleasing People -- Dealing with Pride (Part 2)
I heard from a number of you yesterday that are are struggling with this issue. I don't want to be a people pleaser -- I want to be a recovering people pleaser.
Here is the rest of the questions that you can use to help you get at the heart of pride. They are from the book PLEASING PEOPLE -- HOW NOT TO BE AN "APPROVAL JUNKIE!" by Lou Priolo (P & R). If you'd like to order the book from us, the cost is $15.00. I will waive the shipping and handling if you respond to this email with your name and mailing address.
You are pleasing people with a prideful heart:
13. When you give in to peer pressure
14. When you are critical of others (or hold them in contempt)
15. When you overreact to criticism
16. When you fail to witness to someone out of fear
17. When you flatter someone
18. When you lie
19. When you are discontented with the condition of your life
20. When you take credit for the achievements in your life
21. When you boast or brag
22. When you are defensive
23. When you blame someone else for your sin
24. When you are indecisive
25. When you talk too much
26. When you are contentious
27. When you are ungrateful
28. When you find yourself using your wisdom, abilities, and gifts for selfish purposes
This really exposes some issues in my own heart! Ouch! Lord, I thank YOU for revealing this truth to my heart from lips. Painful but necessary words. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 7; Psalm 72-73; Romans 9:1-15
Great Quote: No person has a right to lead such a life of contemplation as to forget in one's own ease the service due one's neighbour; nor has any person a right to be so immersed in active life as to neglect the contemplation of God. Augustine
I heard from a number of you yesterday that are are struggling with this issue. I don't want to be a people pleaser -- I want to be a recovering people pleaser.
Here is the rest of the questions that you can use to help you get at the heart of pride. They are from the book PLEASING PEOPLE -- HOW NOT TO BE AN "APPROVAL JUNKIE!" by Lou Priolo (P & R). If you'd like to order the book from us, the cost is $15.00. I will waive the shipping and handling if you respond to this email with your name and mailing address.
You are pleasing people with a prideful heart:
13. When you give in to peer pressure
14. When you are critical of others (or hold them in contempt)
15. When you overreact to criticism
16. When you fail to witness to someone out of fear
17. When you flatter someone
18. When you lie
19. When you are discontented with the condition of your life
20. When you take credit for the achievements in your life
21. When you boast or brag
22. When you are defensive
23. When you blame someone else for your sin
24. When you are indecisive
25. When you talk too much
26. When you are contentious
27. When you are ungrateful
28. When you find yourself using your wisdom, abilities, and gifts for selfish purposes
This really exposes some issues in my own heart! Ouch! Lord, I thank YOU for revealing this truth to my heart from lips. Painful but necessary words. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 7; Psalm 72-73; Romans 9:1-15
Great Quote: No person has a right to lead such a life of contemplation as to forget in one's own ease the service due one's neighbour; nor has any person a right to be so immersed in active life as to neglect the contemplation of God. Augustine
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Pleasing People -- Dealing with Pride
Pleasing People -- Dealing with Pride
I don't know why, but for some reason I am really struggling with the issue with people pleasing. My greatest strength (so I am told) is my care for people. My greatest weakness is that so often my care for people can sometimes suck the life out of me.
Sometimes I feel like everyone wants a piece of me -- "I need five minutes." "I know you are on your way home, but can we talk ..." In attempt to care for people, too often my own family suffers because I get wrapped up in helping others.
Saying "No" is hard for me. Everyone has expectations. Too often I find myself trying to meet everyone elses' expectations which then leads to frustration and weariness.
In my heart I know that pleasing people is not my primary role -- pleasing GOD is! Yet for people like me who struggle in this area, people too often send the signal that in order to please God, I need to please them.
As I have been praying through this struggle, God continues to show me that PRIDE is at the heart of pleasing people. Ouch! That hurts. I wanted it to be someone elses' problem -- not mine.
Lou Priolo, author of PLEASING PEOPLE -- How Not To Be An "Approval Junkie" (P&R) gives 28 indicators of how you can tell if pride is at the heart of your struggle with pleasing people vs. pleasing God.
I will share them the next couple of days:
1. When you realize you should have said "no" to someone but didn't
2. When you go fishing for compliments
3. When you gossip about someone
4. When you worry what people think of you
5. When you face rejection
6. When you are willing to sin to avoid rejection
7. When you show personal favoritism to someone
8. When you avoid conflict
9. When you are contradicted by someone (especially in public)
10. When you meet a new person
11. When you are afraid to get too close to someone
12. When you have an intense longing to be noticed
Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Lord, deliver me from the deadly poison of pride! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 6; Psalms 70-71; Romans 8:22-39
Great Quote: The way we behave toward people indicates what we really believe about God. Warren W. Wiersbe
I don't know why, but for some reason I am really struggling with the issue with people pleasing. My greatest strength (so I am told) is my care for people. My greatest weakness is that so often my care for people can sometimes suck the life out of me.
Sometimes I feel like everyone wants a piece of me -- "I need five minutes." "I know you are on your way home, but can we talk ..." In attempt to care for people, too often my own family suffers because I get wrapped up in helping others.
Saying "No" is hard for me. Everyone has expectations. Too often I find myself trying to meet everyone elses' expectations which then leads to frustration and weariness.
In my heart I know that pleasing people is not my primary role -- pleasing GOD is! Yet for people like me who struggle in this area, people too often send the signal that in order to please God, I need to please them.
As I have been praying through this struggle, God continues to show me that PRIDE is at the heart of pleasing people. Ouch! That hurts. I wanted it to be someone elses' problem -- not mine.
Lou Priolo, author of PLEASING PEOPLE -- How Not To Be An "Approval Junkie" (P&R) gives 28 indicators of how you can tell if pride is at the heart of your struggle with pleasing people vs. pleasing God.
I will share them the next couple of days:
1. When you realize you should have said "no" to someone but didn't
2. When you go fishing for compliments
3. When you gossip about someone
4. When you worry what people think of you
5. When you face rejection
6. When you are willing to sin to avoid rejection
7. When you show personal favoritism to someone
8. When you avoid conflict
9. When you are contradicted by someone (especially in public)
10. When you meet a new person
11. When you are afraid to get too close to someone
12. When you have an intense longing to be noticed
Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Lord, deliver me from the deadly poison of pride! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 6; Psalms 70-71; Romans 8:22-39
Great Quote: The way we behave toward people indicates what we really believe about God. Warren W. Wiersbe
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
How Much Time Am I Willing to Spend with Him?
How Much Time Am I Willing to Spend with Him?
"And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God." Luke 6:12
"But His delight is in the law of the Lord of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night." Psalm 1:3
We live in the instant world. We are connected to the Internet instantly through our computers, air-cards, Blackberry's. We spend time on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter. We watch hours of TV, play Nintendo, Playstation, Wii. We watch the Yankees game in full. We view our favorite movies without interruption.
We eat our microwave food, get impatient if we are having to wait in line even at the grocery store. Everything is about speed: Speed reading, speed exercising. We want faster and faster Internet connections. We read books called The One Minute Manager, The One-Minute Father, The One Minute Manger, The One Minute Leader.
And now we can read The One Minute Bible. How do we ever expect to grow and mature if we relegate Him to just ONE MINUTE a day? How much time are you willing to spend with Him?
I was fascinated and convicted to read how much time the great preacher George Whitefield spent in the Word:
"There he is at five in the morning . . . . on his knees with his English Bible, his Greek New Testament and Henry's Commentary spread out before him. He reads a portion in the English, gains a fuller insight into it as he studies words and tenses in the Greek and then considers Matthew Henry's explanation of it all. Finally, there comes the unique practice that he has developed: that of 'praying over every line and word' of both the English and the Greek till the passage, in its essential message, has veritably become part of his own soul."
Wow! Talk about conviction. Does He mean enough to me that I would be willing to get up at 5:00 AM to spend time with Him? Would I be willing to pour over a verse of Scripture until in became a part of my soul?
George Whitefield's life impacted hundreds of thousands of people. His preaching with filled with power because He was intimately acquainted with the Father. Could we not spend one hour with Him? Something to think about. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 5; Psalm 68-69; Romans 8:1-21
Great Quote: Every one, though born of God in an instant, yet undoubtedly grows by slow degrees. John Wesley
"And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God." Luke 6:12
"But His delight is in the law of the Lord of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night." Psalm 1:3
We live in the instant world. We are connected to the Internet instantly through our computers, air-cards, Blackberry's. We spend time on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter. We watch hours of TV, play Nintendo, Playstation, Wii. We watch the Yankees game in full. We view our favorite movies without interruption.
We eat our microwave food, get impatient if we are having to wait in line even at the grocery store. Everything is about speed: Speed reading, speed exercising. We want faster and faster Internet connections. We read books called The One Minute Manager, The One-Minute Father, The One Minute Manger, The One Minute Leader.
And now we can read The One Minute Bible. How do we ever expect to grow and mature if we relegate Him to just ONE MINUTE a day? How much time are you willing to spend with Him?
I was fascinated and convicted to read how much time the great preacher George Whitefield spent in the Word:
"There he is at five in the morning . . . . on his knees with his English Bible, his Greek New Testament and Henry's Commentary spread out before him. He reads a portion in the English, gains a fuller insight into it as he studies words and tenses in the Greek and then considers Matthew Henry's explanation of it all. Finally, there comes the unique practice that he has developed: that of 'praying over every line and word' of both the English and the Greek till the passage, in its essential message, has veritably become part of his own soul."
Wow! Talk about conviction. Does He mean enough to me that I would be willing to get up at 5:00 AM to spend time with Him? Would I be willing to pour over a verse of Scripture until in became a part of my soul?
George Whitefield's life impacted hundreds of thousands of people. His preaching with filled with power because He was intimately acquainted with the Father. Could we not spend one hour with Him? Something to think about. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 5; Psalm 68-69; Romans 8:1-21
Great Quote: Every one, though born of God in an instant, yet undoubtedly grows by slow degrees. John Wesley
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
What Happens When You Were Converted?
What Happened When You Were Converted?
Some of you have met my good friend, Roger Carswell, an amazing character and Bible teacher from England. I love this guy and am grateful for his ministry. We miss him coming to the United States, but still get blessed through his monthly newsletters.
In his latest newsletter, he listed 12 things that happened to a man who is converted. I commend them to you for your review and your further study:
1. My name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life (revelation 21:27).
2. My sins are blotted out (Isaiah 44:22).
3. I am justified by God (Romans 5:1).
4. I am clothed in the righteousness of Jesus (Isaiah 61:10).
5. I am redeemed (Ephesians 1:7-8).
6. I am reconciled to God (Colossians 1:21).
7. God the Holy Spirit comes to live within (1 Corinthians 6:19).
8. Jesus gives me His life (1 John 5:12a).
9. God gives me His power (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
10. I am adopted into God's family (Romans 8:15).
11. I am given a new identity ( 1 Peter 2:9-10).
12. He gives me every spiritual blessing ( Ephesians 1:3).
Twelve marvelous truths that are YOURS because of what Jesus did when you:
* Turned from sin in repentance
* Turned to Jesus in faith and belief
* Finds that God has turned to them making them His own
This, my brother, ought to cause you to jump up and down and proclaim -- THANK YOU, LORD! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 4; Psalm 66-67; Romans 7
Great Quote: “Believers sometimes forget that we have been set free. Freedom scares us and more important, it scares those religious leaders who are into control. Jesus said, ‘Therefore if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed.’ We want to change that, to create some parameters and to ameliorate the dangers of the freedom Jesus gives. When we do that, we miss the joys of being free from the bondage of our slavery to rules and manipulation...Being free enables us to go to God without the need to act like a proper slave...Being free means that , in prayer, we don't have to work for 'slave's wages'...Being free means that we don't have to worry about every word and every thought that is uttered in the presence of God...God says...'You aren't a slave, Quit acting like one". Steve Brown. When Being Good Isn’t Good Enough.
Please check out this week's insight from George Hutchison in his STEWARDSHIP INSIGHTS:
http://keswickgeorge.blogspot.com/
Some of you have met my good friend, Roger Carswell, an amazing character and Bible teacher from England. I love this guy and am grateful for his ministry. We miss him coming to the United States, but still get blessed through his monthly newsletters.
In his latest newsletter, he listed 12 things that happened to a man who is converted. I commend them to you for your review and your further study:
1. My name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life (revelation 21:27).
2. My sins are blotted out (Isaiah 44:22).
3. I am justified by God (Romans 5:1).
4. I am clothed in the righteousness of Jesus (Isaiah 61:10).
5. I am redeemed (Ephesians 1:7-8).
6. I am reconciled to God (Colossians 1:21).
7. God the Holy Spirit comes to live within (1 Corinthians 6:19).
8. Jesus gives me His life (1 John 5:12a).
9. God gives me His power (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
10. I am adopted into God's family (Romans 8:15).
11. I am given a new identity ( 1 Peter 2:9-10).
12. He gives me every spiritual blessing ( Ephesians 1:3).
Twelve marvelous truths that are YOURS because of what Jesus did when you:
* Turned from sin in repentance
* Turned to Jesus in faith and belief
* Finds that God has turned to them making them His own
This, my brother, ought to cause you to jump up and down and proclaim -- THANK YOU, LORD! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 4; Psalm 66-67; Romans 7
Great Quote: “Believers sometimes forget that we have been set free. Freedom scares us and more important, it scares those religious leaders who are into control. Jesus said, ‘Therefore if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed.’ We want to change that, to create some parameters and to ameliorate the dangers of the freedom Jesus gives. When we do that, we miss the joys of being free from the bondage of our slavery to rules and manipulation...Being free enables us to go to God without the need to act like a proper slave...Being free means that , in prayer, we don't have to work for 'slave's wages'...Being free means that we don't have to worry about every word and every thought that is uttered in the presence of God...God says...'You aren't a slave, Quit acting like one". Steve Brown. When Being Good Isn’t Good Enough.
Please check out this week's insight from George Hutchison in his STEWARDSHIP INSIGHTS:
http://keswickgeorge.blogspot.com/
Monday, August 03, 2009
Stuff
Stuff
"For the stuff they had was sufficient for the work to make it, and to much." Exodus 36:7
I love this devotional from the pen of radio preacher, Dr. Dan Betzer regarding stuff in his new book, GODCAST -- Transforming Encounters with God:
What a Scripture! What a realization of eternal truth! Just weeks out of 400 years of Eygptian slavery, the Israelites, led by Moses, wer able to erect the tabernacle in the wilderness. One commentary places the value of the structures at $13.5 million. Enabled by the Lord, the Israelites had not only sufficient resources, but even more than enough.
Many church members (and church leaders) poormouth themselves and the Lord. They moan, "We can't do this -- we can't do that," especially in the areas of missions and evangelism. Many times when they build necessary buildings they go into unecessary debt. Are you aware that the resources available in the average congregation just stagger the imagination?
I cannot tell you how many times I have seen the Lord provide the absolutely unexpected "unprovidable"! God commanded Moses and the Israelites to build the tabernacle. When they implicitly obeyed their Lord's directive, His limitless resources were at their beckon. When we obey the Lord's direction in both our private and the corporate life of the church, the resources are there. If the resources are NOT there, check your premisses. Something may be amiss. If we are in God's plan, the "stuff" we have is enough. In fact, it is more than enough!!!
Good words. What is He asking you to do? Is He speaking to you about taking a huge step of faith? -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 3; Psalm 63-65; Romans 6
Great Quote: Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. Faith is the belief that God will do what is right.
Max Lucado
"For the stuff they had was sufficient for the work to make it, and to much." Exodus 36:7
I love this devotional from the pen of radio preacher, Dr. Dan Betzer regarding stuff in his new book, GODCAST -- Transforming Encounters with God:
What a Scripture! What a realization of eternal truth! Just weeks out of 400 years of Eygptian slavery, the Israelites, led by Moses, wer able to erect the tabernacle in the wilderness. One commentary places the value of the structures at $13.5 million. Enabled by the Lord, the Israelites had not only sufficient resources, but even more than enough.
Many church members (and church leaders) poormouth themselves and the Lord. They moan, "We can't do this -- we can't do that," especially in the areas of missions and evangelism. Many times when they build necessary buildings they go into unecessary debt. Are you aware that the resources available in the average congregation just stagger the imagination?
I cannot tell you how many times I have seen the Lord provide the absolutely unexpected "unprovidable"! God commanded Moses and the Israelites to build the tabernacle. When they implicitly obeyed their Lord's directive, His limitless resources were at their beckon. When we obey the Lord's direction in both our private and the corporate life of the church, the resources are there. If the resources are NOT there, check your premisses. Something may be amiss. If we are in God's plan, the "stuff" we have is enough. In fact, it is more than enough!!!
Good words. What is He asking you to do? Is He speaking to you about taking a huge step of faith? -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 3; Psalm 63-65; Romans 6
Great Quote: Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. Faith is the belief that God will do what is right.
Max Lucado
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Acts 16:31 Revisited
Acts 16:31 Revisited
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved -- you and your household." Acts 16:31 (NIV)
The ripple effect has been amazing. It started out with Bill getting saved during his time in the Colony of Mercy. During his 120-days in the program, one of our disciples had the joy of leading his Mom to the Lord. Months later she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She is now home with the Lord.
The night of his graduation, his Dad and his Dad's girlfriend both trusted Jesus Christ as Savior. That in itself was truly amazing. But there was more to come because of the testimony of Bill's life. Weeks later, he had the joy of leading his two kids in the sinner's prayer.
What an amazing example of how God works in people's lives. A whole family has been rescued from the "kingdom of darkness" to the "kingdom of His dear Son!"
But today, I heard yet another miracle. Last week Bill and his son were on a retreat. Bill and his wife are separated. After returning from the retreat Bill's son was so broken up about his Mom's need for Jesus, all he could do was cry. Towards the end of the week, guess what -- this 11-year old boy led his Mom to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ! Is it real? Only time will tell -- but what a thrill to see God at work. In fact, HE IS ALWAYS at work around us -- and He invites you and me to join Him in that work. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 2; Psalm 60-62; Romans 5
Great Quote: Integrity is keeping my commitments even if the circumstances when I made those commitments have changed. David Jeremiah
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved -- you and your household." Acts 16:31 (NIV)
The ripple effect has been amazing. It started out with Bill getting saved during his time in the Colony of Mercy. During his 120-days in the program, one of our disciples had the joy of leading his Mom to the Lord. Months later she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She is now home with the Lord.
The night of his graduation, his Dad and his Dad's girlfriend both trusted Jesus Christ as Savior. That in itself was truly amazing. But there was more to come because of the testimony of Bill's life. Weeks later, he had the joy of leading his two kids in the sinner's prayer.
What an amazing example of how God works in people's lives. A whole family has been rescued from the "kingdom of darkness" to the "kingdom of His dear Son!"
But today, I heard yet another miracle. Last week Bill and his son were on a retreat. Bill and his wife are separated. After returning from the retreat Bill's son was so broken up about his Mom's need for Jesus, all he could do was cry. Towards the end of the week, guess what -- this 11-year old boy led his Mom to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ! Is it real? Only time will tell -- but what a thrill to see God at work. In fact, HE IS ALWAYS at work around us -- and He invites you and me to join Him in that work. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 2; Psalm 60-62; Romans 5
Great Quote: Integrity is keeping my commitments even if the circumstances when I made those commitments have changed. David Jeremiah
Saturday, August 01, 2009
VIctory
VICTORY
Here is a wonderful prayer from the Puritans from THE VALLEY OF VISION, published by Banner of Truth. Watch for information about how you can order THINK VICTORY Resources from the Keswick Online Store ...
O Divine Redeemer,
Great was thy goodness
in undertaking my redemption,
in consenting to be made sin for me,
in conquering all my foes;
Great was thy strength
in enduring the extremities of divine wrath,
in taking away the load of my iniquities;
Great was thy love
in manifesting thyself alive,
in showing thy sacred wounds,
that ever fear might vanish,
and every doubt be removed;
Great was thy mercy
in ascending to heaven
in being crowned and enthroned
there to intercede for me,
there to succour me in temptation
there to open the eternal book,
there to receive me finally to thyself;
Great was thy wisdom
in devising this means of salvation;
Bathe my soul in rich consolations
of thy resurrection life;
Great was thy grace in commanding me to come hand in hand
with thee to the Father,
to be knit to him eternally,
to discover in him my rest,
to find in him my peace,
to behold his glory,
to honor him who alone is worthy,
in giving me the Spirit as teacher, guide, power,
that I may live repenting of sin,
conquer Satan,
find victory in life.
When thou art absent all sorrows are here,
When thou art present all blessings are mine.
Amen
Great prayer for us men who desire to walk in VICTORY. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD: Proverbs 1; Psalm 57-59; Romans 4
Like art, like music, like so many other disciplines, prayer can only be appreciated when you actually spend time in it. Spending time with the Master will elevate your thinking. The more you pray, the more will be revealed. You will appreciate not only the greatness of prayer, but the greatness of God. Joni Eareckson Tada
Here is a wonderful prayer from the Puritans from THE VALLEY OF VISION, published by Banner of Truth. Watch for information about how you can order THINK VICTORY Resources from the Keswick Online Store ...
O Divine Redeemer,
Great was thy goodness
in undertaking my redemption,
in consenting to be made sin for me,
in conquering all my foes;
Great was thy strength
in enduring the extremities of divine wrath,
in taking away the load of my iniquities;
Great was thy love
in manifesting thyself alive,
in showing thy sacred wounds,
that ever fear might vanish,
and every doubt be removed;
Great was thy mercy
in ascending to heaven
in being crowned and enthroned
there to intercede for me,
there to succour me in temptation
there to open the eternal book,
there to receive me finally to thyself;
Great was thy wisdom
in devising this means of salvation;
Bathe my soul in rich consolations
of thy resurrection life;
Great was thy grace in commanding me to come hand in hand
with thee to the Father,
to be knit to him eternally,
to discover in him my rest,
to find in him my peace,
to behold his glory,
to honor him who alone is worthy,
in giving me the Spirit as teacher, guide, power,
that I may live repenting of sin,
conquer Satan,
find victory in life.
When thou art absent all sorrows are here,
When thou art present all blessings are mine.
Amen
Great prayer for us men who desire to walk in VICTORY. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK
God's WORD: Proverbs 1; Psalm 57-59; Romans 4
Like art, like music, like so many other disciplines, prayer can only be appreciated when you actually spend time in it. Spending time with the Master will elevate your thinking. The more you pray, the more will be revealed. You will appreciate not only the greatness of prayer, but the greatness of God. Joni Eareckson Tada
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