Financial Bondage or Freedom -- Till Death Do Us Part

Financial Bondage or Freedom -- Till Death Do Us Part

America's KESWICK has two other blog ministries in addition to Freedom Fighter. Diane Hunt and a host of our staff team ladies write a blog Monday-Friday -- Victory Call. George Hutchison, one of our esteemed America's KESWICK Board members and a instructor with Crown Financial, writes a blog -- Stewardship Inisghts. Have your wife check out Victory Call.

I have been on vacation and am feeling brain dead and out of my routine. I missed posting George's blog from last week, so here it is. Sorry, George!

Joyce and I have been on the wedding circuit this month. It seems like all of our friend's children decided to get married this summer. In the period of a little over a month, we will attend four weddings. Right now we have two down and two to go. Let me tell you about the first two.

The families and weddings had some similarities and some differences. Both families are all boys. Both sets of parents are committed to the Lord. In both cases, it is my understanding that the financial burden of the wedding fell on the newlyweds. One of the weddings was on the east coast and one was on the west coast.

The one on the east coast was an incredibly grand event by the world's standard. Everything was unquestionably first class. From the hors d'oeuvres, to the beverages, to the dresses, to the venue, to the cake,wedding favors and flowers; nothing but first class or better. The honeymoon continued with the same theme with one week in Hawaii and another in California.

I have no idea what the cost of the wedding was, but if I took Joyce out on an evening like that, our individual bill for the meal alone would be well over a hundred dollars. Multiply that times the approximately 200 people and add the cost of the flowers, cake, dresses etc. etc. and your mind is boggled by your guesstimate of the cost.I would not be surprised if when the east coast couple returns from their honeymoon there will be a significant pile of bills to be paid and credit card balances to be dealt with.

Last weekend we attended the west coast wedding. It also was a grand and glorious event. But it was very different. The venue was very nice but certainly not excessive. The hors d'oeuvres and beverages were limited to homemade ice tea, Country Time lemonade, coffee and water. The food was delicious and completely prepared by the bride's family. The flowers and dresses were beautiful, but certainly not extravagant. The honeymoon took place less than 100 miles from the wedding and was over within 3 days. My guess is that most of this wedding was paid in full and there was little if anything to be paid after the honeymoon.

Next Monday, both couples will be back in their homes starting their married lives together. Both couples will start to work through the many different issues in their marriages. Both couples will have different ideas about when to buy a home, when to start a family and what the future holds for their lives.

But my guess is that one thing will be different. The west coast couple will work through these issues and make their decisions based on their understanding of God's will for their lives and their love for each other.

The east coast couple will need to deal with the additional issue of the debt from the wedding. Their choices right from the start will be controlled by the need to pay off these debts. It will affect where they can live, where and how much they work and someday it may even determine if one parent will be able to stay home with a newborn child. Put very simply, their decisions are not totally theirs, because they are in bondage to their creditors.

I am not saying that one wedding was right and the other was wrong. They are different couples and not exactly in the same place in life. I care very deeply for both of these couples and will continue to care for them and pray for them no matter what choices they make.
But what I am saying is that the Bible is extremely practical and applicable to our lives today. This is especially true for newlyweds. It warns us about the dangers of financial bondage. (

Proverbs 22:7).

Be careful of buying into the world's economy and the financial bondage that comes with it. Freedom from the stress of financial bondage is part of God's economy. (

Proverbs 10:22) This is an important lesson for all of us, but especially those just getting married.

Thanks, George, for your insight. George will be teaching seminar during our "Digging Deeper" weeks this summer at America's KESWICK. Check out the schedule and join us for a great week of teaching, worship, and fun. Our rates are lower than 2009, so take advantage of this great way to spend a week away with your family. Call today for information: 732-350-1187 -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 30; Job 17-19; Acts 10:1-23

Dig This Quote: The Christian is in a different position from other people who are trying to do good. The Christian thinks any good he does come from the Christ-life inside him. He does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us... C. S. Lewis

Determined Digging: Level 1 - Proverbs 23:17; Level 2 - Psalm 100

Too Many Masters -- Part 2

Too Many Masters -- Part 2

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Luke 12:34

Yesterday I shared with you a devotional by Chris Tiegreen that taught us the principle that we cannot serve two masters. Our hearts are idol factories, and if we are honest, we too often allow those idols to become the driving factors in our lives.

Today's devotional builds on this theme by addressing the issues of our heart. What we value most we treasure. Dr. Henry Blackaby shares this insight on identifying where your treasure is:

What you value most you treasure. Where you spend your time and your money is your treasure. Whatever dominates your conversation is what you treasure. What others know you for is a good indication of what your treasure is.

Most Christians are quick to claim that God is their first priority. Yet often their actions reveal that a their treasure is not God but the things of this world. Some Christians find it difficult to discuss their relationship with God, but they can chatter easily about their family, friends, or hobbies.

Some find it impossible to rise early to spend time alone with God, but they willingly get up at dawn to pursue a hobby. Some find it difficult to give an offering to God but readily spend on lavish recreation. Some boldly approach strangers to sell a product, yet they are painfully timid of telling others about their Savior. Some give hundreds of hours to serve volunteer organizations but feel they have no time available to serve God.

If you are unsure of where your treasure is, examine where you spend your available time and money. Reflect on what it is you most enjoy thinking about and discussing. Ask your friends to tell you what you think is most important to you. Ask your children to list the things most valuable to you. It may surprise you to know what others consider to be YOUR treasure! -- from Experiencing God -- The Devotional

So my brothers, where is YOUR treasure today? Good question to ask yourself. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 29; Job 14-16; Acts 9:22-43

Dig This Quote: To fall in love with God is the greatest of all romances; To seek Him, the greatest adventure; To find him, the greatest human achievement.-Augustine

Determined Digging: Level 1 - Proverbs 23:17; Level 2 - Psalm 100

Too Many Masters

TOO MANY MASTERS

"No one can serve two masters ..." Matthew 6:24

Today's devotional is from the pen of Chris Tiegreen, devotional writer for Tyndale House Publishers and Walk Thru the Bible. I have been using his devotionals the past several years, and his teaching ministry has blessed my heart.

Every human being is a temple. We who understand that the Spirit of God dwells in believers John 14:17; 1 Corinthians 3:16) know this to be true of Christians. But in a sense it is true of everyone. We are either temples of the Holy Spirit, or temples of any number of idols. We are worshippers by nature, and the objects of our worship are placed on the altar of affections.

We underestimate the power of our affections. We will pursue that which we love and value most highly. And when that happens to be something other than God -- and it often is -- then we are idolaters attempting to serve two masters.

Contrary to popular belief, we are not helpless captives of our hearts' desires. We choose them. We value relationships, riches, possessions, activities, and all other cravings BY CHOICE. We choose to dwell on certain desires, possibilities, and problems.

We we dream about a venture, a purchase, a romance, or a game, we do so because we want to. We are not defenseless against those idols. We feed them. And while imaginations and dreams can be used for God's purposes, they can also fill us with substitutes for Him. When we let them, we find ourselves with too many masters.

Jesus does not say that no one SHOULD serve two masters. He says no one CAN! It is an impossibility. One will carry more weight than the other, in which case that one is the true master and the other is the weaker rival. And how easily we make God the weaker rival!
We try to maintain our fellowship with Him while placing our greater affections on less worthy things.

Those who know the power of their affections are wise disciples. They have learned that we choose what we put in our hearts, and then we let ourselves be driven by them. We must remember: We are a house of worship, and there is only one rightful Master in that house. Anything else will pollute the temple. -- from The One Year At His Feet Devotional (Tyndale House Publishers)

So my brothers, this would be a good moment to take a step back and do some serious evaluation this morning. Are you trying to serve two masters? I am not talking about working two jobs and serving two bosses. I think you already know what the issuse is -- are there idols in your heart that have taken first place rather than having HIM be numero uno in your life? Think about it. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 28; Job 11-13; Acts 9:1-21

Dig This Quote: Everyone of us is, even from his mother's womb, a master craftsman of idols. -- John Calvin

Determined Digging: Level 1 - Proverbs 23:17; Level 2 - Psalm 100

A Prayer About A Bigger Heart for God's Praise

A Prayer About A Bigger Heart for God's Praise

Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD. Psalm 150

I love reading prayers from some of the great men and women of God. My collection is growing, but most of the prayers I have collected have been from the Puritans. I recently found a collection of prayers that are being written by an amazing "gospel-filled" preacher, Pastor Scotty Smith, Senior Pastor of Christ Community Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Scotty has been Pastor and mentor to many of our contemporary Christian music artists. I trust that this prayer this morning will help to prepare your heart for worship of our great God and Savior:

Most gracious Father, it occurs to me as I meditate this Psalm that I need a much bigger heart for the purposes of your praise. I need the gospel to expand my palate… multiply my aesthetic taste buds… and increase my capacity to enjoy the rich diversity of worship which is offered by your pan-cultural beloved people.

My tendency is to treat this Psalm, like many parts of your Word, as though it was a buffet line from which I pick and choose the items that I personally enjoy. What’s worse, I find ways to marginalize or eliminate expressions that don’t fit within my bandwidth of beauty. I love harps-n-lyres and stings-n-flutes, but trumpets make me cringe, waiting for a sour note… tambourines remind me of bad theology… clashing and resounding cymbals are simply too loud and non melodic for me… and there’s no way I’m going to dance. Father… all of this I confess as sin. My heart is just too small… too turned in on me.

O how I long for the Day when the work of Jesus will be complete in my heart … when I will no longer be the measure of anything and I will no longer offer a measured response to your glory and grace… when I will find great joy in celebrating your surpassing greatness with the whole family of God… with all of restored creation… with every single breath, instrument, sound, molecule and nano-particle.

Your greatest praise-worthy act of power was in sending, offering and raising Jesus from the dead… for us… for me. May the limits of my worship and praise only be determined by the unsearchable immeasurable riches of the gospel. ‘Nuff said. So very Amen, I pray, in Jesus’ magnificent and merciful name. -- from the blog, HEAVENWARD by Scotty Smith

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 27; Job 8-10; Acts 8:26-40

Dig This Quote: Moses became radically addicted to the Cross, God’s vehicle of death where I must make sure I AM REALLY DEAD to self and to any desire to worship myself or create vehicles I worship by which I can feel good myself. -- Manny Mill

Determined Digging: Level 1 - Proverbs 23:17; Level 2 - Psalm 100

The Power of the Word -- Matthew 5

The Power of the Word -- Matthew 5

I have started to occaisionally share just Scripture with you in my Freedom Fighter blog. God's Word is powerful enough without commentary, so here is a powerful word from the Sermon on the Mount taken from The Message. I pray that it will speak to YOUR heart today:

Matthew 5: 1-12

1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:

3"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

4"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

5"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.

6"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.

7"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.
8"You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

9"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.

10"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.

11-12"Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

Today, my brother, be amazed at how blessed you are! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 26; Job 5-7; Acts 8:1-25

Dig This Quote: Out of suffering come the strongest souls. God's wounded often make his best soldiers. Anonymous

Determined Digging: Level 1 -- Proverbs 19:3; Level 2 -- Psalm 96:1-9

The Unchanging Law of Judgment

The Unchanging Law of Judgment

With what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you —Matthew 7:2

I have read this devotional many times, but the message is one I need to be reminded of often. It comes from the writings of Oswald Chambers -- MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST:

This statement is not some haphazard theory, but it is an eternal law of God. Whatever judgment you give will be the very way you are judged. There is a difference between retaliation and retribution. Jesus said that the basis of life is retribution— “with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” If you have been shrewd in finding out the shortcomings of others, remember that will be exactly how you will be measured. The way you pay is the way life will pay you back.

This eternal law works from God’s throne down to us (see Psalm 18:25-26 ).
Romans 2:1 applies it in even a more definite way by saying that the one who criticizes another is guilty of the very same thing. God looks not only at the act itself, but also at the possibility of committing it, which He sees by looking at our hearts.

To begin with, we do not believe the statements of the Bible. For instance, do we really believe the statement that says we criticize in others the very things we are guilty of ourselves? The reason we see hypocrisy, deceit, and a lack of genuineness in others is that they are all in our own hearts. The greatest characteristic of a saint is humility, as evidenced by being able to say honestly and humbly, “Yes, all those, as well as other evils, would have been exhibited in me if it were not for the grace of God. Therefore, I have no right to judge.”

Jesus said, “Judge not, that you be not judged” ( Matthew 7:1 ). He went on to say, in effect, “If you do judge, you will be judged in exactly the same way.” Who of us would dare to stand before God and say, “My God, judge me as I have judged others”? We have judged others as sinners— if God should judge us in the same way, we would be condemned to hell. Yet God judges us on the basis of the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ.

How about it? This is a good devotional to keep referring to often. I needed to be reminded of this today. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 25; Job 5-7; Acts 8:1-25

Dig This Quote: Jesus Christ did not say, "You will understand why war has come," but "Do not be scared, do not be put in a panic."...It is the most natural thing in the world to be scared. There is no natural heart of man or woman that is not scared by these things, and the evidence that God's grace is at work amongst us is that we do not get terrified. Oswald Chambers

Determined Digging: Level 1 -- Proverbs 19:3; Level 2 -- Psalm 96:1-9

I Am Not Al Bunday

I Am Not Al Bundy!

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26 (ESV)

There was a television show that would come on Sunday night’s back when I was waist high in the muck and mire of my sinful self. The show was called “Married…With Children”. The main character of the show was Al Bundy. He was a shoe salesman who once had football glory while he was in high school but then he got married and turned into this buffoon of a man. His wife wouldn’t work at anything and his children seemed to follow that same pattern. Al would have his moments of manly victory but in the long run he was a frustrated loser of a man who everyone laughed at either on screen or in the living room. And I was one of them, until my life also became a joke for people to laugh at.

I was in agreement with a message that Pastor Garth Hanselman of the Spirit and Truth Worship Center in Egg Harbor City gave one time. It was a very simple battle cry. After we come to The Cross all that Disney nonsense that the world would have us believe about fathers and husbands should get wiped out. The Christian man is not the weak willed goof that Robin Williams might portray in a Disney movie. And yes I am referring to the Disney movie “RV”. I don’t know about you guy’s but I for one no longer have the desire to watch any movie that makes any man look like he has no clue how to be the spiritual head of his house. And to those ladies who have chosen to read my Freedom Fighters, I am not Al Bundy so hear me roar. With that outta the way here’s where I am going with this….

Man was given dominion. God had already given us this responsibility. Adam may have surrendered it and television may want to keep it that way but that was not God’s original plan for man. We are to reign in boldness like a king and worship boldly like a priest. That means we should use the rod with all the authority of a scepter but with the love of The Cross. Christian men need to rise up and begin to take their place in who we are. We have had the world walk up to us and poke in the chest and say, “so what are you going to do about that?” I believe that it is time that we poke back and say “The Lord rebukes you!!”

We need to show the world we can maintain our integrity and our fortitude. That we can walk what we say and say what we walk. The Christian man needs to remember that the very first thing that God said over us was, “And let them have dominion”. We need to take back the original charge that God put over us. We should not sit idly by and complain how bad it is out there when we were given the responsibility not to let it get this way in the first place.

This is what was running through my head this past Father’s Day. I looked back at what I remembered about my father while he was alive and then looked at myself as a father now. I believe that God has used me to make it better for my family…my children in particular. They are a constant reminder to me that in those times where I need to step up and be that king or be that priest that I can do it with Godly boldness and not with the boldness of Al Bundy. So I’ll say it again, I’m Not Al Bundy!! And I hope you’re not him either. This morning take time and ask Him to restore your boldness. Make it part of your rising up and your setting down. -- Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 24; Job 1-2; Acts 7:22-43

Dig This Quote: “True greatness is not recognition or popularity. Greatness is godliness. Greatness is obedience. Greatness is faithfulness. I am willing to go anywhere, to do anything, to be anything that God wants me to do or to be. I take my hands off my life, and say to Him, “No more telling You how to use me.” I want to lay it on the line. I want to make a difference. I’ll pay the price. Life is too short, and, at any moment, God may say, “Give Me back My breath!”
“Godly Men: Hope for Our Times” Crawford Loritts

Determined Digging: Level 1 -- Proverbs 19:3; Level 2 -- Psalm 96:1-9

You've Got a Friend in Me

You've Got a Friend in Me

"A man of many companions may come to ruin; but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

Don't shoot the messenger ... yes, I did go see Toy Story 3 in 3-D! It was a great movie. It was the best of the three in my humble opinion, and it was surprising to me to see how many teens and adults were there without kids. Guess you can't take the kid out of an adult.

As I was watching the movie, there were several thoughts running through my mind. There were actually a number of spiritual applications that one can learn from the movie:

1. We've come to love all the toys from Woody to Buzz Light Year. It is amazing how the toys come alive and we get sucked in very quickly to their story line. Don't deny it. For years I have been fascinated by one of America's great ventriloquists, Bevan Griener. His dummy Julius is quite the character. By the end of his routine, Bevan has people thinking that dummy is real!

All of the characters in Toy story are useless and lifeless until Andy makes them come alive. Much like you and me -- apart from Christ -- we are really lifeless, useless and hopeless! But just think what we are because of Christ. " ... Apart from me, you can do nothing!" John 15:20 (Thanks, Chris Thompson, for this illustration!)

2. In this movie, Andy is packing up to go to college. His Mom is getting him to clean out his room. At one point all the toys are in a box and are headed to the attic. Andy looks in the box and pulls out Woody and sticks him in a box that he plans to take to college. The other toys get mistakenly put in the trash rather than the attic, thus the adventure begins.

Woody goes isn't about to leave his friends ... so he goes after them with a passion and is reunited with them. The rest of the story is for you to find out.

I was thinking about how this relates to our life in Christ. We were headed to the trash heap (hell) -- "But God, who is abundant and mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses!" -- Ephesians 2:4

God pursues you and me with a passion. Other friends may fail you -- but in Him, you and I have "a friend that sticks closer than a brother."

No wonder the hymnwriter could pen these words:

Jesus! What a friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul!

Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole!

Refrain
Hallelujah! what a Savior!

Hallelujah! what a friend!

Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
HE is with me to the end.

If you're like me, and the little ditty from Toy Story gets in your head -- "You've got a friend in me, You've got a friend in me, You've got a friend in me; You've got troubles, well I've got 'em too;There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you;We stick together and we see it through;You've got a friend in me!" -- just remember that you have a FRIEND who is not imaginary -- He is real! He's alive, and He calls you and me HIS friend. What a friend we have in Jesus.

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 23; Esther 9-10; Acts 7:1-21

Dig This Quote: Abundant life means that we are fully alive at every level our our being, to the whole of life; alive to the very tips of our fingers; aware of the whole range of response, intellectual, spiritual, emotional, sad and joyful, painful and peaceful. Tom Marshall

Determined Digging: Level 1 -- Proverbs 19:3; Level 2 -- Psalm 96:1-9

Holy Dissatisfaction

Holy Dissatisfaction

"Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of the Lord always. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 23:17-18

You've been there I am sure. There is that longing in your spirit that you want more. There is a yearning for something far better, something deeper. You are hungry and it is hunger that keeps getting more intense. Snacking doesn't take it away. You want MORE!

If that has happened to you, then today's thoughts from Dr. Glyn Evans will put it into perspective for you:

I will practice the art of holy dissatisfaction. God deals only in holy, not unholy dissatisfaction. This means dissatisfaction in spirit, not in flesh. Jesus refereed to this as being "poor in spirit," and the result of this poverty is to receive the "kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3)

The Bible is full of dissatisfied holy people. I am sure that Abraham left Ur because of the emptiness of worship of the moon goddess Ishtar. David built his kingdom on men who were tired of Saul's arrogance; his collection of men "in distress ... in debt, and ... discontented" (I Samuel 22:2) was the raw material for his empire.

The disciples of John the Baptist, and later Jesus' disciples, were men who were tired of this world's politics of greed and selfishness; they longed to see God's kingdom in operation on this earth. No matter where I look in church history, I see a trail of dissatisfied men and women who longed for higher, better things. They sought and found a spiritual ideal, and left a spiritual empire behind them.

Holy dissatisfaction always begins with God and ends with God. I can be easily dissatisfied about THINGS -- politics, money, the world situation -- but that is usually selfish, and it leads nowhere.

But HOLY dissatisfaction begins with me, in my spirit; it sees poverty there, and then it begins the quest for satisfaction that must lead to God. I will never be much of a disciple unless I have felt this kind of dissatisfaction; the greater the dissatisfaction, the stronger my discipleship.

I need to keep asking myself, Are you satisfied? If I answer yes there is a sense in which I have become my own obstacle to a flourishing discipleship for Jesus Christ. On the other hand, when I "mourn, I have HIS comforts, and when I "hunger and thirst" I have HIS filling.

As I read this devotional this morning, Bill and Gloria Gaither's little praise chorus was running through my mind:

More of You more of You

I've had all but what I need

Just more of You

Of things I've had my fill

And yet I hunger still

Empty and bare

Lord hear my prayer

For more of You

CCLI Song No. 15111© 1977 William J. Gaither, Inc. Christian Grit Music Press ARR UBP of Gaither Copyright Management (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Cool Springs Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)Gary S. Paxton Gloria Gaither William J. GaitherFor use solely with the SongSelect Terms of Use. All rights Reserved. www.ccli.comCCLI License No. 1301252

Are you dissatisfied today? Hungry for more of Him? If so, run to Him today. Allow Him to fill you with more of HIM! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 22; Esther 6-8; Acts 6

Dig This Quote: John Paton was making a translation of the Scriptures into a language spoken in the country where he was a missionary, and searched long for the world for "Faith". The natives had no word for "believe" One day, while working on his translation, a native entered his room, exhausted and flung himself down on the nearest chair, and placed his feet on the chair across from him. The native remarked how good it was to lean his whole weight into that chair. Dr Paton noted the word he had used for "lean his whole weight." He had his word for "believe". John G. Paton

Determined Digging: Level 1 -- Proverbs 19:3; Level 2 -- Psalm 96:1-9

Basic Realities for Life

Basic Realities for Life—Freedom Fighter

Life doesn’t always work as we want it to. Many who read FF each day have known the frustration of living a life that isn’t working. We know defeat. We know remorse over those defeats. Sometimes, though, we don’t know how to get through life when it isn’t working.

The Apostle Paul addresses a group of people for whom life wasn’t working. They were believers, but life was hard. Men were coming to the Galatians with false teaching that would lead them into legalism and bondage . . . again.

Beginning in Galatians 3:26 and going Galatians 4:7, Paul addresses some basic realities that will lead us through life, even when it’s not working so well. These realities are true for all people in all times . . . period . . . if we know Christ. They don’t vary. They don’t stop being true. They are just true!

In 3:26, we learn that we share a common faith. All of us who know Christ share a common faith, and that faith encourages us and strengthens us, even when much of life isn’t working. During the worst of our struggles, we can come back to that basic reality of faith in Jesus Christ.

We also share a common identity. Galatians 3:27 teaches us that we have “put on Christ.” We may not always feel like we’ve done that, but it’s the reality. To put our faith in Christ is to put on Christ. We share that identity with every brother and sister in Christ. The deceiver works hard to convince us that we are still our old self—that person we were before we put on Christ. The basic reality confounds his lies; we have put on Christ!

Sometimes we get so bogged down in the present that we forget what the future holds. The Apostle, in 3:29, tells us that we share a common future. We are heirs according to promise. Even when life is at it’s worst, that basic reality remains true. Followers of Jesus have assurance of a bright, fulfilled future. That promise of the future will sustain us when life isn’t working—if we’ll keep it in view.

Finally, Paul tells us that we share a common relationship. Galatians 4:6 teaches us that we are no longer slaves in bondage; we are sons (and daughters) of God! When life isn’t working very well, and we can’t see it getting any better, we have this basic reality of life. We belong to God. We’re adopted into His family. We’re His children!

One more thing to notice comes out of all of this. Notice the word “common.” More than at any other time, when life isn’t working we must understand that God places His children in communities of faith. You and I aren’t designed to live the life of Christ in isolation. We share these basic realities in common—together. -- John Strain is Senior Pastor First Baptist Toms River and a contributor to Freedom Fighter

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 21; Esther 3-5; Acts 5:22-42

Dig This Quote: Seeing God as parent may seem childish. But might there be, in the unadmitted sparkle of the child within you, a sometime longing to climb into God's fatherly lap, ...to nestle against God's breast, to rest for a moment in the shadow of God's wings or be held in God's strong and tender arms? If you could allow yourself to feel it, are there not times when you would love to cry on God's shoulder, to let God tell you you are worthwhile and beautiful? And is there not something in you that would be delighted if you could bring a smile to God's face?Gerald May

Determined Digging: Level 1 -- Proverbs 19:3; Level 2 -- Psalm 96:1-9

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day

"... you should contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." Jude 1:3

Good morning and happy Father's Day. This hymn has been floating around in my head as I have thought about this father's day:

Faith of our fathers, living still
In spite of dungeons, fire, and sword,
O how our hearts beat high with joy
When-e'er we hear that glorious word!

Faith of our fathers, God's great power
Shall win all nations unto thee,
And through the truth that comes from God
Mankind shall then indeed be free.

Faith of our fathers, we will love
Both friend and foe in all our strife,
And preach thee too as love knows how,
By kindly words and virtuous life.

Refrain
Faith of our fathers, holy faith,
We will be true to thee 'till death.

I am very, very thankful for the father's that God has put in my life over the years. My biological father, Bill, was such a blessing in my life. God took him home over 24 years ago. But he has blessed me over the years with men who have been like a father to me: Pastor Bill Raws, Neil Fichthorn, Joe Dariano and Pastor Van.

Though my earthly Dad is with the Lord, I have a HEAVENLY Father that never leaves me or forsakes me. I am thankful for my three sons: Josh, Garrett and Jon, who are three of the greatest Dads to their kids. Guys, I love you and I am so proud of you. And Zach -- he has had the opportunity to learn to be a Dad by watching his brothers. I know Zach will one day be a great dad as well.

If you have an earthly father still alive today -- I want to encourage you to pick up the phone and call him, or better yet, go visit him. Let him know today how thankful you are for his life today. You just may make his day. God bless. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 20; Esther 1-2; Acts 5:1-21

Dig This Quote: Here they are, Lord Jesus, my hidden sins. I bring them out of the secret chamber of my heart. I take them out of the darkness and expose them to Your light. Lord, You have promised You will execute Your word upon the earth, thoroughly and quickly. Oh God, thoroughly cleanse my heart; purify me quickly! Francis Frangipane

Determined Digging: Level 1 -- Proverbs 19:3; Level 2 -- Psalm 96:1-9

Keep Recognizing Jesus

KEEP RECOGNIZING JESUS

. . Peter . . . walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid . . . —Matthew 14:29-30

Today's reading from the writings of Oswald Chambers is powerful:

The wind really was boisterous and the waves really were high, but Peter didn’t see them at first. He didn’t consider them at all; he simply recognized his Lord, stepped out in recognition of Him, and “walked on the water.” Then he began to take those things around him into account, and instantly, down he went. Why couldn’t our Lord have enabled him to walk at the bottom of the waves, as well as on top of them? He could have, yet neither could be done without Peter’s continuing recognition of the Lord Jesus.

We step right out with recognition of God in some things, then self-consideration enters our lives and down we go. If you are truly recognizing your Lord, you have no business being concerned about how and where He engineers your circumstances. The things surrounding you are real, but when you look at them you are immediately overwhelmed, and even unable to recognize Jesus. Then comes His rebuke, “. . . why did you doubt?” ( Matthew 14:31 ). Let your actual circumstances be what they may, but keep recognizing Jesus, maintaining complete reliance upon Him.

If you debate for even one second when God has spoken, it is all over for you. Never start to say, “Well, I wonder if He really did speak to me?” Be reckless immediately— totally unrestrained and willing to risk everything— by casting your all upon Him. You do not know when His voice will come to you, but whenever the realization of God comes, even in the faintest way imaginable, be determined to recklessly abandon yourself, surrendering everything to Him.

It is only through abandonment of yourself and your circumstances that you will recognize Him. You will only recognize His voice more clearly through recklessness— being willing to risk your all. -- Oswald Chambers -- My Utmost for His Highest is available from the Keswick Online Bookstore (http://www.americaskeswick.org/)

Open your eyes, brother! He is at work all around you. Do you recognize Him? -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 19; Nehemiah 12-13; Acts 4:23-37

Dig This Quote: Keep clear of concealment - keep clear of the need of concealment. It is an awful hour when the first necessity of hiding something comes. The whole life is different thenceforth. When there are questions to be feared and eyes to be avoided and subjects which must not be touched, the bloom of life is gone. Phillips Brooks

Determined Digging: Level 1: Proverbs 16:7; Level 2: Psalm 92-1-4

Wisdom for Distracted Souls

Wisdom for Distracted Souls

"To You, my strength, I sing praises, because God is my stronghold -- my faithful God." Psalm 59:17 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Sometimes God speaks to our hearts in the strangest of places. Many of you know that I have a major book addiction. I love to read, and because of my love for reading, I receive many catalogs featuring new books.

Last night when I came home from work, I picked up a catalog and read an amazing quote from a brand new work by Puritan preacher, Nathaniel Vincent. He lived from 1638-1697. I was moved by the excerpt from his teaching -- it was just what I needed to hear:

While we are in this world, truly this world is too much in us; it is suitable to our senses, and apt to entice and draw away our hearts. Let the eye of faith pierce through the clouds and see heaven's joy and glory, and then this world's vanity will be more apparent.

How vain it is for you to be so thoughtful about it and eager after this world. When faith has seen how God is attended upon by saints and angels above, it may help to kindle in you a holy zeal and a vehement desire to more resemble those excellent attendants, and to serve the Lord more gladly and seriously here below.

Oh, cry out to have the cure of distractions carried on further toward completeness. Live as strangers and sojourners here on earth, not concerned about worldly things as others are. Declare plainly that you are born from above, and let your hearts and thoughts more and more ascend there.

Carry yourselves as fellow citizens with the saints, and as those who are of the household of God. Let there be more of God, and more of grace in all you do and speak, in all the power of your souls, in all the duties you perform.

And think with gladness and longing of that blessed inheritance, when you shall fully be delivered from sin and death, and from all deadness and distraction in mind and heart. Everlasting rest must eternally exclude whatever now troubles you. How perfectly healed and perfect in holiness and joy you will be in every way when you have attained to the glorious liberty of the sons of God!

Wow. I needed to hear those words. It is so easy to be distracted in the day in which we live. Is your soul distracted today? What is keeping you from spending time with HIM today? He's right there waiting to meet with you, brother! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 18; Nehemiah 9-10; Acts 4:1-22

Dig This Quote: Focusing on God in the present moment is an antidote to self-pity and despair. It gives one clearer vision, courage and energy in the face of life's troubles. Such an approach helps one to avoid even the smallest tension, anger and bitterness. Attention to God's presence dissolves them. I can help others because I am not focused on myself. Glen Argan

Determined Digging: Level 1: Proverbs 16:7; Level 2: Psalm 92-1-4

More From the Garden -- Part 4

More from the Garden Part Four

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” Luke 8:11-15 (ESV)

In yesterday’s Freedom Fighter I told you I would get into the place where most Christians hope they are…the good soil!! It is where the seed (The Word of God) will fall on it will yield a harvest at least hundredfold and with all the fruits of the Spirit. “But the seed in the good earth-these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest.” (Luke 8:15) The Message. But what will be harvested here has lasting effects besides the fruits to enjoy.

We all know that we as Christian men (and women) are to bear fruit. But it is not enough to just forth fruit but to bring it must be brought to perfection and it has to be fully ripened. Now it is at this point where in the message that I heard Dr. Earl Johnson give based on this parable the idea of “germination” comes in. You see I always thought I needed to great my ground good so when the seed falls on me (I hear, receive and do the Word of God) I will bear the fruits of Christendom and all will see Christ in me. BUT…this is where that old idea gets a RE-VISION!!

You see I am at point in my walk where I need to hear a matured Word. I can be told to toss all the fruit around I want and still not be challenged enough to be brought forth to perfection. If I am not germinating any seed for others to sow into their life I am falling short of what God is sowing into me. If I keep going around listening to milky sermons I will not be challenged and I will show no growth in my life or in my walk with Jesus.
If I don’t toss the rocks out, do the weeding or till the seed into my soil I might as well go and worship a block of wood. What good will a block of wood do for me when I need encouragement?

So my soil (heart) needs to honest and good. It has to be ready to receive instruction and commandments. It has to be free from sinful pollution. It has to be tender and upright. It must tremble when the seed goes in deep for the planting. It must understand and keep the seed well. It must stay freshly watered. It must be ready to be tested and tried and at times burned. It must have the patience to suffer tribulation and persecution because of the seed.

“Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” Heb 2:1-4 (ESV)

This warning is from one of the toughest books in the New Testament (at least to me) and it don’t matter what version you use this warning is still the same. Pay closer attention to what you have heard because if you sow it into bad soil your harvest will be wrong and what will germinate from it will be as equally wrong. As for me and my little plot of FARMVILLE; we will sow the seeds that Jesus would sow, will you? -- Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter. Thanks, Chris, for this four part series!

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 17; Nehemiah 7-9; Acts 3

Dig This Quote: “Our minds and memories are like a leaky vessel, they do not, without much care, retain what is poured into them. This proceeds from the corruption of our nature, temptations, worldly cares, and pleasures. Sinning against the gospel is neglect of this great salvation; it is a contempt of the saving grace of God in Christ, making light of it, not caring for it, not regarding either the worth of gospel grace, or the want of it, and our undone state without it.” Matthew Henry Concise

Determined Digging: Level 1: Proverbs 16:7; Level 2: Psalm 92-1-4

More From the Garden -- Part 3

More from the Garden Part Three

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” Luke 8:11-15 (ESV)

In yesterday’s Freedom Fighter I told you about “The Wayside Condition” where the heavy traffic of everyday life can drive that good seed into the ground or allow it to be devoured by the birds of the air. And then we took a look at what happens when the seed lands on rocks and gravel where the seed cannot reach it’s taproot to the Living Waters. Today we will take a look at the other two “soil” conditions.

So what of the seed that fell among the thorn bushes? We have a soil that can grow some stuff…along with the vines that could bear fruit. So what could be implied here is that we have people today that start off with hearing the Good News and making that outward commitment but they may be selective on their weeding. Or maybe it’s because people get all excited with their daily living that that “feel good” influence blends with the Word. Or maybe they are becoming so involved in being depressed with the events that go wrong in their daily living.

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” Gal 6:7-8 (ESV) We all know this verse all too well don’t we but what if we mixed this part, “for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” with one of those modern statements like, “That which does not kill me only serves to make me stronger.” now let’s put the two together, “So remember you reap what you sow and if it don’t kill you it makes you strong.” Sounds like one of them new fangled statements those motivational speakers whip out on people. And if we are saying this to ourselves as well we will get the wrong harvest out of God’s Word won’t we? We become the ones who choke the out the vines of God’s Word.

And let’s be mindful of those dangerous and mischievous thorns known as the “pleasures of this life”. Even the so-called “lawful delights” can serve to ruin the soul when they have been over indulged. Demas will forever be remembered as being the one who deserted Paul for his love of the world after he heard the Good News and was put to the test. “And the seeds that fell in the weeds-well, these are the ones who hear, but then the seed is crowded out and nothing comes of it as they go about their lives worrying about tomorrow, making money, and having fun.” (Luke 8:14) The Message)

Tomorrow we will be where most Christians hope they are…the good soil!! But today take a moment to reflect on what you are being intentionally or unintentionally choked by. What thorns are poking you in the side? Are they the ones that produce grace? And what are you letting grow alongside the True Vine? Does it bring a harvest of Good Fruit? -- Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 16; Nehemiah 4-6; Acts 2:22-47

Dig This Quote: “What happened? Was Demas simply tired, and he decided to retire? Did he feel compelled to serve God on the field? Both options seem implausible, given Paul’s words. Demas “deserted” Paul. His reason for doing so was that he “loved this present world.” Demas stood with Paul through his first imprisonment, and one would hope that now, approximately four years later, he would remain with his traveling companion, but he did not. He left. Not for spiritual reasons and not for familial emergencies. He deserted Paul. His faith was a “fair weather” variety. These types of Christians are “ministers of misery,” and they can exhaust you beyond recognition.” Why Churches Die Mac Brunson & Ergun Caner

Determined Digging: Level 1: Proverbs 16:7; Level 2: Psalm 92-1-4

More From the Garden (Part 2)

More from the Garden Part Two

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” Luke 8:11-15 (ESV)

Yesterday I had us look at our plot of dirt and see if it was tilled with the right stuff and ready for planting. Today I would like to continue with some of the different conditions that Jesus said the dirt may have been as He was scattering His seed throughout the towns He traveled to and preached in. Let’s take a look at the four conditions that Jesus said the dirt was in.

The first “some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot”. Dr. Johnson calls this “The Wayside Condition” and it falls in the context of being just too busy for God’s Word. If we are not careful we can fall into this category just as much as the person who is hearing the Word for the first time and allows it to fall by the wayside where “the birds of the air devoured it.”When we get to Jesus’ explanation of this part of Luke in verse 11 He puts it like this, “The seeds on the road are those who hear the Word, but no sooner do they hear it than the Devil snatches it from them so they won’t believe and be saved.”(The Message)

The Wayside Condition can even fall on those of us who are in the House. We are sitting in the pew, the Preacher is on the Pulpit giving a message and in our thoughts we are somewhere else. How many people do you see leaving Church to get to lunch and they are on the cell phone getting into their car and driving into heavy traffic? Well guess what…bye, bye Word of God. It is being trampled under by a set of Goodyear tires, a cheeseburger and then washed down by a Starbucks frappuccino.
The next condition to look at is what has fallen on the rocks and gravel. This is where the seed can get no root system developed. It is a plot of ground that has unresolved issues and hurt. It is as if there has never been some sort of root system instilled into it at all. These are the folks who claim that because their family had dysfunctions they will have life crippling dysfunctions. But couldn’t we also say there is a point in us where we seem to say…”The good I want to do that I do not do but the bad I do not want to do that I do.” And we do not finish up the rest of that verse and we know where the source of the Living Water is but we let some unresolved issue stop us from running our tap root to the Streams!!

“The seeds in the gravel are those who hear with enthusiasm, but the enthusiasm doesn’t go very deep. It’s only another fad, and the moment there’s trouble it’s gone.”Luke 8:13 (The Message). The Word is being preached but there is no target listening. Those in the gravel love the idea of someone else dying for their sins but when it comes times to put themselves on that altar of dedication this no longer becomes a good thing.
“Present myself a living sacrifice? Hmmm…and so exits our hero through the front door, stage right, none the less for his heroic deeds.”

I’ll stop here for today but before I exit…through the front door…stage right, I want to ask you…Are you doing something different with your plot of dirt? Are you one of those who know where the water is…but won’t let the root grow? Try to remember that if we run our tap root to The Bible all the other roots will be drawn to it as well. -- Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 15; Nehemiah 1-3; Acts 2:1-21

Dig This Quote: “There is a good deal of mere mental and logical sanctification nowadays, which is only a religious fiction. It consists of mentally putting one’s self on the altar, then mentally saying the altar sanctifies the gift, and then logically concluding therefore one is sanctified; and such a one goes forth with a gay, flippant, theological prattle about the deep thing of God. But the natural heartstrings have not been snapped, and the Adamic flint has not been ground to powder, and the bosom has not throbbed with the lonely, surging sighs of Gethsemane; and not having the real death marks of Calvary, there cannot be that soft, sweet, gentle, floating, victorious, overflowing, triumphant life that flows like a spring morning from an empty tomb.” G.D.W Streams in the Desert Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

Determined Digging: Level 1: Proverbs 16:7; Level 2: Psalm 92-1-4

More From The Garden Part 1

More from the Garden Part One

“And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Luke 8:4-8 (ESV)

A little while ago I had written about how I actually got some basic hand tools and tilled some ground to plant some corn. Well I am happy to say that there are sprouts coming up from the ground. I am so happy about this that I decided to post a little diddy on my Facebook page called “FARMVILLE: The Reality Series”. So for those of you who do the Facebook thing I sure hope you get a laugh from my future posts. Farmville, for those of you who may not know, is a game that is played on Facebook and is a make believe farm and many people “labor” in their fields, share their results and other stuff. Now I wonder if we can apply this to our everyday living…laboring in the vineyard for the building up of the maturity of the saints, if you will?

I heard a message on the “Parable of the Sower” from Dr. Earl Johnson. Dr. Johnson pastor’s Covenant Life Church in Carson, Ca. He oversees the “According to Pattern” apostolic team and is an “AMEN” preacher. After I had listened to his message on this parable I decided to RE-VEIW the parable from Luke 8. At my earlier reads I only thought this a parable of evangelizing but it has become much more after Dr. Johnson’s teaching. So…“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

“I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here am I, here am I,” to a nation that was not called by My name.” (Isaiah 65:1) In Luke’s Gospel account Jesus is going from town to town preaching the Good News when He stops and tells the people around Him a story. “A sower went out to sow his seed” He starts out with but I do not think anyone looks at Him being the sower in His own parable let alone the ground He is sowing into being the heart of the listener.

So let’s say that the fresh plot of ground or soil is the heart of man and that the seed is God’s Word being sowed into it. Agree? I hope you do. So if we look at the heart of man as being the soil and the seed is God’s Word (and remember the seed is always good) then the success of the seeding is based on the nature and the temper of the soil. So if it is the nature and the temper of the soil (or the heart) to intentionally look for growth or truth then there the seed will have success but if there is no concern for growth or finding truth there is no success and the ground has no maturing.

I will stop there today. I think it is rather ironic that I am looking at the heart like a plot of soil. But I keep in mind that our Hebrew brethren speak of the heart as really being your thought process. So like a modern-day psalmist once said, “Garbage in, garbage out” and most garbage is dirty. So if we keep choosing the garbage to till into our soil or heart we will never be ready for that good seed and we may never see any real growth or maturing in ourselves. So why not ask yourself today…What am I tilling into my plot of soil and will it yield a hundred-fold? -- Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter

Happy Fourth Birthday, Lindsay Bear. Pop loves you a bushel and a peck!

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 14

Dig This Quote: “Those with a well-kept heart are persons who are prepared for and capable of responding to the situations of life in ways that are good and right. Their will functions as it should, to choose what is good and avoid what is evil, and the other components of their nature cooperate to that end. They need not be “perfect”; but what all people manage in at least a few times and areas of life, they manage in life as a whole.” Dallas Willard

Determined Digging: Level 1: Proverbs 16:7; Level 2: Psalm 92-1-4

The Power of the Word (Part 4)

The Power of the Word (Part 3)

Years ago I heard that Dr. Jack Hayford announced to his congregation that the next Sunday they would be welcoming a special guest to their services. Jesus Christ Himself would be coming to worship with them.

He asked the questions: I wonder who will be on time next Sunday? How will be dressed? What will the singing be like? Hmmmm ... I wonder what the giving will be like?

The reality is that He already IS present when we gather together to worship! The question for this morning is have you prepared to meet HIM today? Listen to what King David said about prepartion for worship from Psalm 24:

24:1 The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, [1]the world and those who dwell therein, 2 for he has founded it upon the seasand established it upon the rivers.

3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,who does not lift up his soul to what is falseand does not swear deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the Lordand righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,who seek the face of the God of Jacob. [2] Selah

7 Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors,that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who is this King of glory?T he Lord, strong and mighty,the Lord, mighty in battle! 9 Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors,that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is this King of glory?The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah

As you come to worship HIM today, do you have clean hands and a pure heart? Take some time this morning to clean up! HE WILL BE THERE! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 13; Ezra 6-8; John 21

Dig This Quote: We should learn to live in the presence of the living God. He should be a well for us – delightful, comforting, unfailing, springing up to eternal life (John 4:14). When we rely on other people, their water supplies ultimately dry up. But the well of the Creator ever fails to nourish us. – Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Determined Digging: Level 1: Proverbs 16:7; Level 2: Psalm 92-1-4

The Power of the Word -- Part 3

The Power of the Word (Part 3)

Some powerful verses taken from today's reading from the DAILY LIGHT:

. . . that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and . . . be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and . . . put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.—. . . that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. . . .

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. . . .

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. (1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:3; Rom. 6:4, 6, 7, 11-13 )

As you prepare your heart for celebrating the Lord's Day tomorrow, rejoice in what Christ has accomplished for you on the cross. Hallelujah! What a Savior! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 12; Ezra 3-5; John 20

Dig This Quote: Sins concealed by man are never cancelled by God. – Dr. Bruce Wilkinson

Determined Digging: Level 1 --Proverbs 16:13; Level 2 -- Psalm 91:11-16

The Power of the Word -- Part 2

The Power of the Word -- Part 2

Here is another powerful WORD from the WORD --DON'T PUT IT OFF!

2 Peter 1:3-11 The Message

Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.

So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.

So, friends, confirm God's invitation to you, his choice of you. Don't put it off; do it now. Do this, and you'll have your life on a firm footing, the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Take some time this morning to prayerfully and carefully meditate on this passage of Scripture. Allow the Holy Spirit to give you the insights He has for YOU this morning. I would love to hear what HE is teaching YOU through HIS WORD! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 11; Ezra 1-2; John 19:23-42

Dig This Quote: When the love for the Savior shall lead us to keep His Holy Word – lead us to an immediate, unreserved, unhesitating obedience – lead us to say in a spirit of entire self-surrender and sacrifice, “Thy will, not mine, be done,” then, farewell to doubt and darkness, to loneliness and sorrow! Then shall we mourn no more an absent Lord. Then shall we walk as seeing Him who is invisible, triumphant over every fear, victorious over every foe! – Arthur W. Pink

Determined Digging: Level 1 --Proverbs 16:13; Level 2 -- Psalm 91:11-16

The Power of the Word

The Power of the Word

"For the Word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide the soul, spirit, joint, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

Like many of you, I enjoy being on Facebook to get connected with old friends. It has been fun to reconnect with many of my high school buddies that I haven't seen in decades.

If you are familiar with Facebook, isn't it amazing what people post on their status lines? I am amazed at what people share. Early on I got sucked into sharing trivia, then the Lord prompted me to post Scripture verses.

I am amazed at how many comments I get from the verses I post. It is another reminder to me of the power of God's WORD and how HIS Word speaks to our hearts.

For the next couple of days I want to simply post some Scripture passages on Freedom Fighter that are speaking to my heart. Will you allow God to speak to YOU today from HIS WORD. I would love to hear back from you -- what is YOUR favorite passage of Scripture?

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in your sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of your sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the their sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Brothers, if a man is trapped in some sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself; you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. -- Galatians 5:13-6:2 (New International Version)

This is a meaty passage of Scripture. Why not use yesterday's teaching on how to meditate on the Scripture and work this passage of Scripture into your heart. I would love to hear from you, so please write! -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 10; 2 Chronicles 34-36; John 19:1-22

Dig This Quote: We cannot escape from our daily routine, because it will go with us wherever we go.... God must be sought and found in the things of our world. By regarding our daily duties as something performed for the honour and glory of God, we can convert what was hitherto soul-killing monotony, to a living worship of God in all our actions. Everyday life must become itself our prayer. Karl Rahner

Determined Digging: Level 1 --Proverbs 16:13; Level 2 -- Psalm 91:11-16

Join us this tonight for our Father Son Night with Christian Comedian, Gordan Douglas. Call for information and reservations: 732-350-1187

Methods of Meditation

Methods of Meditation on Scripture

"His delight is in the Lord's instruction, and he meditates on it day and night." -- Psalm 1:2

Over the years I have listened to messages and read exhortations regarding the discipline of meditating on God's Word. I recently came across this teaching by Dr. Whitney that has some practical approaches on HOW to meditate on God's WORD. It was very helpful for me ... I hope it will be for you too:

Summary of the methods of meditation on Scripture taught by Don Whitney

1. Repeat the verse or phrase with emphasis on a different word each time.

Whatever He says to you do it (John 2:5). Whatever He says to you do it.
Whatever He says to you do it. Whatever He says to you do it.
Whatever He says to you do it. Whatever He says to you do it.

2. Rewrite the verse or phrase in your own words.

3. Look for applications of this text – what should you do in response to it?

4. Formulate a principle from the text.

5. Pray through the text.

6. Ask the Philippians 4:8 questions.

What is true or what truth does it exemplify? What is lovely about it?
What is honorable about it? What is admirable or commendable about it?
What is right about it? What is excellent about it?
What is pure or how does it exemplify purity? What is praiseworthy about it?

7. Ask the “Joseph Hall” questions.

What is it (define and/or describe what it is)?
What are its qualities and attachments?
What are its divisions or parts?
What is contrary, contradictory or different to it?
What causes it?
What compares to it?
What does it cause (its fruits and effects)?
What its titles or names?
What is its place, location or use?
What are the testimonies or examples of
Scripture about it?

8. Discover a minimum number of insights into the text (set the number in advance).

9. Find a link or common thread between all the chapters of paragraphs you’ve read.

10. Use Meditation Mapping.

A. Put the verse(s), phrase, word or topic to be meditated upon in the middle of the page. (When possible, this should be done in picture form.)

B. Allow insights, ideas and thoughts to come quickly and freely.

C. Use key words to represent your ideas.

D. Connect your key words ideas to the central focus with lines.

E. Use as few words per line as possible.

F. P-r-i-n-t all the words for easier reading.

G. Use color for emphasis and recall.

H. Make frequent use of symbols and pictures in addition to words.
(See: Buzan, Tony. The Mindmap Book. New York: Plume/Penguin, 1996.
Wycoff, Joyce. Mindmapping. New York: Berkley, 1991.)

I trust this little tool will be helpful as you learn the discipline of meditating on God's WORD. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 9; 2 Chronicles 30-31; John 18:19-40

Dig This Quote: Even the best of intentions hold little value without their fulfillment in obedience to God's directive, paying no heed of any personal inconvenience. Anonymous

Determined Digging: Level 1 --Proverbs 16:13; Level 2 -- Psalm 91:11-16

Join us this Thursday evening for our Father Son Night with Christian Comedian, Gordan Douglas. Call for information and reservations: 732-350-1187

Discouragement

Discouragement

"In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears." Psalm 18:6

It is interesting that over the past few weeks I have heard several messages now about Elijah and his discouragement. If you remember the biblical account about Elijah and the amazing showdown with the prophets of Baal, Elijah went through a very intense battle with depression and discouragement. (See 1 Kings 18 and 19)

Poor Elijah witnessed the power of God displayed in an amazing way, and then discouragement and depression hit him like a ton of bricks. It was so intense that he prayed that he would die.

Sometimes after intense blessing and spiritual victories, discouragement can hit us like a ton of bricks. We must be careful to look at discouragement from HIS point of view ...

Devotional author, Glynn Evans shares these thoughts in his book, DAILY WITH THE KING ...

I must be ever alert to the FEELING of discouragement, which is sin. Discouragement says, "I refuse to accept God's plan for my life." Discouragement always comes when our expectations are confused. Discouragement is the result of not letting God alone.

It is a tragedy that that I accept Jesus as my "Lord" and then discouraged because He frustrates MY expectations. If Jesus is my Lord, then Romans 8:28 must always be my textbook. It is impossible to have the one without the other.

I must reckon with the CAUSES of discouragement and see them in their proper perspective. Am I criticized by others? Let me rejoice! Do I not realize that God uses diamonds to sharpen diamonds? Let me remember that it was criticism that started Joseph on his way to Pharaoh's throne; and God will let criticism put me on a throne also, if I let Him.

Am I suffering a lack of success? Don't I realize that success is the result of God's careful timing, not mine? And don't I realize that I am faithful where God puts me, success is inevitable?

Am I discouraged because the way is hard and painful? If so, I must realize that God is preparing a plowed ground to yield fruit a hundredfold. God will never give me a hard way without a "nevertheless afterward" (Hebrews 12:11). When I am in a difficulty I must pray, "Lord, give me patience to wait for your "afterward.'"

Am I harassed by Satan, and are his whisperings getting to me? I must remember his history: everyone who have listened to him suffered horrible defeat.

I will honor God by my trust; I will please Him, affirming: "All things [do] work together for good (Romans 8:28). I believe God will "go before [me] and will level the mountains ... [and] give [me] the treasures of darkness." (Isaiah 45:2-3 NIV).

Brother, are you facing a season of discouragement today in your life? Take a moment to check out the causes, and put discouragement in its proper perspective. I will be praying for you today. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 8; 2 Chronicles 30-31; John 18:1-18

Dig This Quote: When you felt inclined to pray it was Jesus Christ who moved you in that direction. When you said, I think I see more clearly today; truth seems to be enlarging, - it was Christ who was performing a miracle upon you. Trace all happy impulse, all sacred inspiration, all ennobling influence, to the touch, the glance, the benediction of Christ. Joseph Parker

Determined Digging: Level 1 --Proverbs 16:13; Level 2 -- Psalm 91:11-16

Join us this Thursday evening for our Father Son Night with Christian Comedian, Gordan Douglas. Call for information and reservations: 732-350-1187