Consecration and Worship

Consecration and Worship

Here is a beautiful prayer for you to use to prepare your heart for the Lord’s Day. It is from the book, Valley of Vision.

My God,
I feel it is heaven to please thee, and to be what though wouldst me to be.
O that I were holy as thou art holy
Pure as Christ is pure,
Perfect as thy Spirit is perfect!
These, I feel, are best commands in thy Book,
and shall I break them? Must I break them?
am I under such a necessity as long as I live here?

Woe, woe is me that I am a sinner,
that I grieve this blessed God,
who is infinite in good and grace!
O, if he would punish me for my sins,
it would not wound my heart so deep to offend him;
But though I sin continually, he continually repeats his kindness to me.
At times I feel I could bear any suffering,
but how can I dishonor this glorious God?
What shall I do to glorify and worship this best of beings?
O that I could consecrate my soul and body to his service,
without restraint, forever!
O that I could give myself up to him,
So as never more to attempt to be my own!
or have any will or affections that are not perfectly conformed to his will and his love!

But, alas, I cannot love and not sin.
O may angels glorify him incessantly,
and, if possible, prostrate themselves lower before the blessed King of Heaven!
I long to bear a part with them in ceaseless praise;
But when I have done all I can to eternity I shall not be able to offer more than
a small fraction of homage that the glorious God deserves.
Give me a heart full of divine, heavenly love.

In the name of Jesus, Amen!

Great prayer, brothers. Use it to prepare your heart for worship. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 31; Jeremiah 22-23; Titus 1

Determined Digging: Level 1: John 8:31-32; Level 2: Isaiah 40:28-31

Determined Praying: Effective prayer is a quartet – the Father, the Son, the Spirit and the Christian. John Blanchard

The Beatitudes Revisited

The Beatitudes Revisited

It seems like every book I have read recently quotes the Phillips translation. Several weeks ago I shared Romans 6-8 with you. Last night I was reading a commentary on The Beatitudes and the author referred to the Phillips translation:

How happy are the humble-minded, for the kingdom of Heaven is theirs!

How happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given courage and comfort!

Happy are those who claim nothing, for the whole earth will belong to them!

Happy are those who are hungry and thirsty for goodness, for they will be satisfied!

Happy are the merciful, for they will have mercy shown to them!

Happy are the utterly sincere, for they will see God!

Happy are those who make peace, for they will be known has the sons of God!

Happy are those who have suffered persecution for the cause of goodness, for the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

As I read through this passage from Matthew 5, I realized how different our definition of happiness is compared to how Jesus defines happiness. Are you defining happiness today like Jesus? Or are you using another definition to define happiness in your life? Think about it! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 30; Jeremiah 20-21; 2 Timothy 4

Dig This Quote: Self-control for the Christian means that my "self," my whole person, my whole being, body, soul, spirit comes under the control of Christ. It means that I am an individual governed by God. My entire life, every aspect of it - whether spritual, moral or physical - has become subject to the sovereignty of God's Spirit. I am a "man under authority." Phillip Keller

Determined Digging:  Level 1: John 7:38; Level 2: Isaiah 9:6-8

Determined Praying: Between the humble and contrite heart and the majesty of heaven there are no barriers. The only password is prayer. H. Ballou

The Habit of Enjoying Adversity

The Habit of Enjoying Adversity

“ … that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” 2 Corinthians 4:10

We all face adversity. If you haven’t ever faced it, please email me immediately! I need to talk to you J As Christians, we face adversity from a different perspective than the world. In fact, James 1:2 from the Phillips Translation says that we can welcome adversity (trials) as our friends!

Oswald Chambers puts this all into perspective for us:

We have to develop godly habits to express what God’s grace has done in us. It is not just a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved so that “the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” And it is adversity that makes us exhibit His life in our mortal flesh. Is my life exhibiting the essence of the sweetness of the Son of God, or just the basic irritation of “myself” that I would have apart from Him?

The only thing that will enable me to enjoy adversity is the acute sense of eagerness of allowing the life of the Son of God to evidence itself in me. No matter how difficult something may be, I must say, “Lord, I am delighted to obey You in this.” Instantly, the Son of God will move to the forefront of my life, and will manifest in my body that which glorifies Him.

You must not debate. The moment you obey the light of God, His Son shines through you in that very adversity; but if you debate with God, you grieve His Spirit (see Ephesians 4:30). You must keep yourself in the proper condition to allow the life of the Son of God to be manifested in you, and you cannot keep yourself fit if you give way to self-pity.

Our circumstances are the means God uses to exhibit just how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure His Son is. Discovering a new way of manifesting the Son of God should make our heart beat with renewed excitement. It is one thing to choose adversity, and quite another to enter into adversity through the orchestrating of our circumstances by God’s sovereignty. And if God puts you into adversity, He is adequately sufficient to “supply all your need” (Philippians 4:19).

Keep your soul properly conditioned to manifest the life of the Son of God. Never live on your memories of past experiences, but let the Word of God always be living and active in you. – Oswald Chambers – My Utmost for His Highest (May 14^th)

Are you facing adversity in your life today, brother? If so, thank God for it and allow Him to use it in your life for His glory and your good. Ask Him to change your perspective. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 29; Jeremiah 18-19; 2 Timothy 3

Dig This Quote: We come to Jesus Christ: and He does for us what He promised; and the thing works out. To our amazement, it works out. And then we settle down. We have had our own first-hand and irrefutable experience. But, instead of opening the windows to the glory of the sunshine so evidently there, instead of being incited to a hugeness of faith by what Christ has already done for us, we can't believe that there can be anything more, or that even He can work, for us, anything better. That first foretaste satisfies us. And so we camp for life out on the confines of the Kingdom, and never press on to inherit what is there and meant for us. Arthur John (A. J.) Gossip

Determined Digging: Level 1: John 7:38; Level 2: Isaiah 9:6-8

Determined Praying: God doesn’t have favorites but He does have intimates.  – Michael Catt

The Special Orders of God

The Special Orders of God

“And the ransomed of the Lord will return, and come with joyful shouting to Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” Isaiah 35:10

We are having some trouble with Blogger at the moment, so I apologize that you may not have received two Freedom Fighters in your email. I believe the problem has been corrected. If for some reason you stop receiving Freedom Fighters, the easiest fix is to go to our home page (www.americaskeswick.org) and sign up again.

Today’s Freedom Fighter devotional was very timely for me personally. It is from one of my favorite devotional tools, Daily with the King published by our good friends at Moody Press:

I must remember that as a disciple of Jesus Christ I am always under “special order.” “For He gives His angels [special] orders regarding you to protect you wherever you go.” (Psalm 91:11 – Berkley) Those special orders are so minute and particular that they prevent my stepping on a stone the wrong way (vs. 12). I may argue, therefore, from the minute to the gigantic, and say that if God has given orders to protect me from pebbles, He most certainly will protect me from greater sources of danger.

The world constantly advises me, “Keep your head!” Good advice, indeed. But God advises me, “Keep your feet!” and He even provides the wherewithal by which I protect them. If I make the Lord my “help” (Psalm 121:2), then I am guaranteed the promise, “He will not allow your foot to slip” (vs.3). As Oswald Chambers says, “God will tax the furthest star to fulfill His promise,” and He will use any means to keep my feet from falling.

To be under special orders is not the same as to be under “sealed” orders. The special order is someone else’s responsibility for me, the sealed order is my responsibility to Christ’s command. Special orders are assigned to angels or to human beings. Angels are assigned to protect me from physical harm. Occasionally God will assign a human being to protect and comfort me, as Barnabas did with Paul.

I am surrounded by protection; I am not alone; I live under the constant “watch care” of a thousand eyes and tender hearts, all assigned the task of bringing me safely to my destination. They encamp around me and have one objective in mind – my safe deliverance! (Psalm 34:7)

Are you thankful for the special orders of God this morning? Are you thankful for His care and protection? Maybe you’ve taken that for granted. Tell Him this morning how thankful you are for His care for you. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 28; Jeremiah 15-17; 2 Timothy 2

Dig This Quote: We never shall be revived until we feel our absolute and entire dependence on God. Edward D. Griffin

Determined Digging: Level 1: John 7:38; Isaiah 9:6-8

Determined Praying: When you kneel to pray, don’t give orders! Report for duty!

The Power to Say No

The Power to Say No

This past weekend I had the opportunity to present Crown's "new and improved" Journey to True Financial Freedom Seminar. It uses a lot of new technology to present the same principles as before. And of course it is still based on the Word of God.

But I noticed that with all the new videos, PowerPoint slides and a few new jokes, the questions are the same. One of the questions that has not changed is "How do I get my finances under control?" 

If I could answer that question with one word it would be discipline. That in itself is probably not too surprising. We have all experienced the frustration of not having enough self discipline to say: "we can't afford to get pizza tonight; we can't afford that vacation, or that car, or that house, etc". And then we have faced the consequences of not making those tough decisions and following through on them.

The Bible tells us this in Proverbs 13:18: "Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline, but he who regards reproof will be honored" Proverbs 19:27 says "Cease listening, my son, to discipline, and you will stray from the words of knowledge." We need discipline in our lives.

So the answer to the question of how do I get my finances under control being discipline is not a big surprise. But what may be a surprise is where this discipline comes from.

Some will say it comes from jogging or other sports activities. Some may say it is part of our genetic structure or we get it from our parents or the atmosphere in which we were raised. 

Jogging or other athletic activities may be helpful in developing discipline. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 and 2 Timothy 4:7-8 that strict training and disciplining of our bodies is important so that we can endure the rigors of being a follower of Christ. 

But the heart of the answer is that self discipline comes from a closer walk with God. Galatians 5:22-23 says "the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace…and self control". 2 Timothy 1:7 says:"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline" (niv).

If we go back and read a few verses earlier in Galatians 5:19-21 we will see a list of sins that Paul describes as the deeds of the flesh. Notice how many of these "deeds of the flesh" sins become evident in the way we handle money. Idolatry, strife, jealously, disputes and envy can all result from our money (mis)management. 

If we see these characteristics of money mismanagement or the symptoms of a lack of discipline in our lives such as impulse purchases, sloppiness with our finances and inability of getting our finances in order, we need to look at our devotional life. We need to spend more time in God's Word and more time in prayer and develop a closer walk with God.

As we release control of our lives to Christ, we will see the fruit of the Holy Spirit become more evident. This includes self control and the ability to say no to the things we cannot afford. – George Hutchison is an instructor with Crown Financial and serves on the Board of America’s Keswick. He writes a blog for Keswick, Stewardship Insights.

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 27; Jeremiah 12-14; 2 Timothy 1

Dig This Quote: I have come to realize more and more that the greatest disease and the greatest suffering is to be unwanted, unloved, uncared for, to be shunned by everybody, to be just nobody. --Mother Teresa

Determined Digging: Level 1: John 7:38; Level 2: Isaiah 9:6-8

Determined Praying: Prayer is the gun we shoot with, fervency is the fire that discharges it, and faith the bullet that pierces the throne of grace. – John Trapp

The Secret Place

THE SECRET PLACE

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high.” (Psalm 91:1)

            The idea must be one of the most compelling thoughts of the scriptures.  To think that one would be allowed to dwell in such a sacred and honored place seems beyond the reach of mortals. But there it is, not only with the possibility but also with a listing of some of the privileges and provisions.

            The choice to take full advantage of such a dwelling place would appear to be a decision fully made. In modern terminology it is a “no-brainer.”  Surely we will seize the opportunity.

            But then comes the haunting question of personal evaluation: What evidence do I have, and what evidence do I give, that I have chosen “the secret place of the Most High” as my dwelling place?

            Can others tell that I have been with Him?  Do I model His manners? Are His behavioral traits manifested in me? Am I comfortable in my communion with Him?  Do I maintain respect for the honor of His holiness while enjoying the pleasure of His closeness? Is the beauty of His peace clouded by the anxiety of my fears? Is every particle of my physical appearance manifesting respect for the significance of His Being?

            One who dwells in “the secret place of the most high” cannot overlook the seriousness of these questions.

            We go further, for the word tells us that he that Dwelleth “shall abide.”  There is consistency and continuity and reinforcement in the privilege.  My dwelling relationship is an abiding one also.  It is not an in and out, off and on visitation of convenience.  Time with Him is not based upon the dictate of crisis.  It is not modeled on an emergency room visit.  It is instead the delight and the discipline of steadfastness, to be always in His presence. 

            Why do I not feel as a stranger in His presence?  It is because He is mine, and I know that I am His. Why, in such a position, do I not feel odd or out of place?  It is because –

“I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress…

in Him I will trust.”(Psalm 91:2)

Dr. Robert L. Alderman is the minister-at-large at Shenandoah Baptist Church in Roanoke, VA and a popular speaker at America’s Keswick

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 26; Jeremiah 9-11; 1 Timothy 6

Dig This Quote: Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.
Corrie Ten Boom

Determined Digging: Level 1: John 7:38; Level 2: Isaiah 9:6-7

Determined Praying: Do not work so hard for Christ that you have no strength to pray, for prayer requires strength. – j. Hudson Taylor

O Boundless Salvation

O  Boundless Salvation

"It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes." Romans 1:16

Here is a great hymn of worship on this Lord's Day written by the founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth:

O boundless salvation, deep ocean of love!
O fullness of mercy Christ brought from above;
The whole world redeeming, so rich and so free,
Now flowing for all men, Come, roll over me!

My sins, they are many, their stains are so deep,
And bitter the tears of remorse that I weep;
But weeping is useless -- thou great crimson sea,
Thy waters can cleanse me, Come, roll over me!


The tide now is flowing, I'm touch the wave.
I hear the loud call of "the Mighty to save."
My faith's growing bolder -- delivered I'll be!
I plunge 'neath the waters, They roll over me.


And now, hallelujah! the rest of my days
Shall gladly be spent in promoting His praise.
Who opened His bosom to pour out this sea
O boundless salvation, for you and more me!


As you gather together to praise HIM today, rejoice in HIS boundless salvation. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's Keswick

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 24; Jeremiah 3-5; 1 Timothy 4

Dig This Quote: The church has many critics, but no rivals!

Determined Digging: Level 1: John 7:38; Level 2: Isaiah 9:6-8

Determined Praying: Only that prayer which comes from our heart can get to God's heart. -- Spurgeon

Don't Stay Away From Church

Don't Stay Away From Church

"Not forasking the assembling together, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching." Hebrews 10:25

I hope you aren't one who makes it a conscious effort to miss church on Sundays! It is important to be with the body of Christ each Lord's Day. I came across this interesting reading:

Don't Stay Away from Church ...

because you are poor. There is no admission charge.
because you are rich. We can help you cure that.
because it rains. You go to work in rain.
because it is hot. So is the golf course.
because it is cold. It's warm and friendly inside.
because no one invited you. People go to the movies without being asked.
because you have little children. What if you didn't have them? We have a well supervised nursery.
because you don't like the preacher. He's human like you.
because your job makes you tired. You may lose your job.
because you have company. Bring them along, they will admire your loyalty.
because you need a little weekend vacation occasionally. It's not good for your soul to vacation from God.
because your clothes are not expensive. Church isn't supposed to be a fashion show.
because our church standard is too high. If you think ours is high, take a look at the Bible's standard!
because you have plenty of time ahead of you to get saved. Are you sure?

What's your reason from staying away from church? Take a moment a reread Hebrews 10:25. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's Keswick.

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 23; Jeremiah 1-2; 1 Timothy 3

Dig This Quote: Christians may not see eye to eye, but they should walk arm in arm.

Determined Digging: Level 1: John 7:38; Level 2: Isaiah 9:6-8

Determined Praying: The best prayers have often more groans that words. John Bunyan

Philippians 4:4

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Part 1

            Now this is not a suggestion but a command. It is a repeated command. The “RE” in rejoice is an intensifier and it means to have great joy. Why does God command it of us?

            When working on the railroad a fellow worker said to me, “God sure must hate you Christians!”

            “Why?” I asked.

            “My neighbor is a Christian and all he does is complain! He has nothing but trouble after trouble. I have never seen him happy.”

            I did not know which one to feel sorry for, the man or his neighbor. When Jesus said that He wanted His disciples to have his joy, I wonder what they thought. Was it “What joy, you were a man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief?”

            Now if he was as sad as the reformers are portrayed, I would suppose that mothers would have to command their children to sit on His lap, but they did not. Think of that.

            Why did Sinners always want to invite him to their parties? In Luke 15, Jesus is accused of wanting to be with them. Did you notice the three stories that He told were three different celebration of Joy. A shepherd when he returned with his lost sheep. The woman who had cleaned her whole house probably spent more than the coin was worth just to have a party.

            I certainly do not have to mention he great happiness of the straying son’s father upon his return.

            One thing for sure Jesus not only had great joy but wanted us to have his joy also. Would we not find sinners more attracted to our Savior if they saw the “Joy of the Redeemed” in our faces and in our lives. Today determine, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, to live out today with His sovereign Joy!  -- Pastor Van is a frequent contributor for Freedom Fighter and a friend of America’s Keswick

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 22; Isaiah 65-66; 1 Timothy 2

Dig This Quote: “In believing prayer, we learn to connect our present troubles to the good and perfect will of God. We refuse to believe that chance rules our lives. We withstand the temptation to imagine that God is capricious or malicious. We know he has a higher purpose and that he is not dealing with us as our sins deserve. As we bring our troubles to Jesus in prayer—asking his will to be done—we approve the will of our Father in heaven. We see our sufferings in the greater reality of his good, acceptable, and perfect will. In prayer we “turn crisis to Christ.” Our heart becomes tuned to his heart and we sing the song of grace.”

Determined Praying: In prayer it is better to have a heart without words, than words without a heart. John Bunyan

Determined Digging: Level 1: John 1:12-13; Level 2: Proverbs 4:20-27

Is God's Will My Will?

Is God’s Will My Will?

This is the will of God, your sanctification . . . —1 Thessalonians 4:3

One of my favorite teachers from PCB (now Philadelphia Biblical University) was the late Dr. John Cawood. “Doc” had a profound influence on my life over the years. Often we would hear him say, “If you want to know God’s will for your life, start by doing what God’s Word already tells you to be His will.

Oswald Chambers gives us one piece of the puzzle as He shares that your sanctification is the will of God:

Sanctification is not a question of whether God is willing to sanctify me— is it my will? Am I willing to let God do in me everything that has been made possible through the atonement of the Cross of Christ? Am I willing to let Jesus become sanctification to me, and to let His life be exhibited in my human flesh? (see 1 Corinthians 1:30).

Beware of saying, “Oh, I am longing to be sanctified.” No, you are not. Recognize your need, but stop longing and make it a matter of action. Receive Jesus Christ to become sanctification for you by absolute, unquestioning faith, and the great miracle of the atonement of Jesus will become real in you.

All that Jesus made possible becomes mine through the free and loving gift of God on the basis of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And my attitude as a saved and sanctified soul is that of profound, humble holiness (there is no such thing as proud holiness). It is a holiness based on agonizing repentance, a sense of inexpressible shame and degradation, and also on the amazing realization that the love of God demonstrated itself to me while I cared nothing about Him (see Romans 5:8). He completed everything for my salvation and sanctification. No wonder Paul said that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).

Sanctification makes me one with Jesus Christ, and in Him one with God, and it is accomplished only through the magnificent atonement of Christ. Never confuse the effect with the cause. The effect in me is obedience, service, and prayer, and is the outcome of inexpressible thanks and adoration for the miraculous sanctification that has been brought about in me because of the atonement through the Cross of Christ.

I trust you will be encouraged today – God DOES have a plan for your life! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 21; Isaiah 62-64; 1 Timothy 1

Dig This Quote: When we really are living close to God we know the reality of the Spirit's guiding. When our spiritual life grows dim we do not appreciate His guidance so much. It is not, I think, that He ceases to guide. Rather we cease to be in a condition to apprehend His guidance. But the guidance is very real. There is the alternative danger of interpreting our own feelings and opinions as the Spirit's guidance. Our best defense against this temptation is a real humility joined with a genuine readiness to hear and obey the Spirit. Leon Morris

Determined Digging: Level 1: John 1:12-13; Level 2: Proverbs 4:20-27

Determined Praying: Work as if everything depended upon work and pray as if everything depended upon prayer. William Booth

The Purpose of Life

THE PURPOSE OF LIFE

“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

 (Hebrews 11:5)

            We read in Genesis 5:24 that Enoch walked with God in his generation.  In the verses before and after, the Bible names several individuals, identifies them and then says, “and he died.”  However, of Enoch is says he “was not for God took him.”  Prior to his translation, his testimony was – he pleased God.  The purpose of life is the pleasure of God.  We are not here to please ourselves or one another but to please the Lord.  The question is – HOW DO I PLEASE GOD?  Here is the key to pleasing God:

1.         I find out what God likes and I do it.

2.         I find out what God does not like and I don’t do it.

            You may ask how do I find out what God likes and does not like?  He has given us a Guide Book – it is the Bible, the Word of God.  Everything you and I need to know for belief and behavior is very clear in the Word of God.  We need to daily consult the manual for living.  In order to please God and fulfill the PURPOSE OF LIFE, you must:

           

1.              1 DESIRE HIM – Hebrews 11:6 says He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  Isaiah 55:6 says we are to seek the Lord while He may be found.  You tell me the number one desire of your heart and I will tell you who you are pleasing.  Enoch sought the Lord and satisfied the Lord – Is your life pleasing to the Lord?

2.  DELIGHT IN HIM – You desire to please the Lord and He becomes the delight of your life.  In Psalm 40:8, the psalmist said he delighted to do the  will of God.  Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight thyself also in the Lord and He the desires off your heart.”

3. DESIGN AFTER HIM – In Matthew 3:17, God the Father said He was well pleased with His Son.  In John 8:29, Jesus said “I do always what pleases My Father.”  We need to seek daily to pattern our lives after Him. Remember that without faith it is impossible to please Him.  THE                                         PURPOSE OF LIFE IS THE PLEASURE OF GOD.

Rev. Wendell Calder is a frequent speaker at America’s Keswick and a contributor to the Keswick daily devotional, REAL VICTORY FOR REAL LIFE

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 20; Isaiah 59-61; 2 Thessalonians 3

Dig This Quote: Anyone can devise a plan by which good people may go to Heaven. Only God can devise a plan whereby sinners, who are His enemies, can go to Heaven. Lewis Sperry Chafer

Determined Praying: Prayer as it comes from the saint is weak and languid; but when the arrow of a saint’s prayer is put into the bow of Christ’s intercession it pierces the throne of grace. Thomas Watson

Determined Digging: Level 1: John 1:12-13; Level 2: Proverbs 4:20-27

---

A Contradicted Man, Samson I Am (Part 5)

A Contradicted Man, Samson I Am.

Part 5

“Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained. Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other.”                                                                                                                    Judges 16:27-29 (ESV)

The first recorded words of Samson are, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now go get her for me as my wife.” I don’t know old he was when he made this demand of his parents but in this day and age if my son, who is zoning in on 16, came up to my wife and I and made that demand…I would have to pick him up off the floor after his mother let him have it. You see my wife, Kathy, and I made a promise to God that we would break the chains that held us so that our children would come to know Christ. Now we may not have had the visit by an Angel of the Lord, like Manoah and his wife did, but we both were done with Gaza/Egypt.

Samson makes this journey to see this Philistine beauty that is “right in his eyes” and kills a lion. After a few days Samson and his parents make a return trip to visit this beauty when Samson catches a glimpse of the carcass of the lion he killed. He sees honeycombs and then scraps out the honey from the dead lion. So far up to this point, Samson has skimmed violating the Nazirite Vow that he had bestowed upon him from conception. He touches the dead and is not keeping himself separated, but the funny thing here is that God allows these things to occur so that He could seek an opportunity against the Philistines and their fish god, Dagon. Interesting!! I wonder if Samson understood his purpose.

Things kinda settle down after Samson sees a jawbone, kills a whole bunch of Philistines and realizes that his thirst can only be quenched by God who, by the way, opens up a hollow place for him to drink the water that renews his spirit. But then we turn the page to read, “Samson went to Gaza, and there saw a prostitute, and he went in to her.” And now an ambush is in place to capture him because it has been decided by the Philistines that Samson needs to be killed. But it doesn’t happen that way does it? Instead Samson lies in wait, pulls the city gates and their posts from the ground, drags them up a hill in front of Hebron…and then comes Delilah.

I believe that the Delilah we face in our lives can be renamed SIN. It looks like a lot of fun until it takes us farther than we want to go, keeps us longer than we want to stay and ultimately costs more than we can afford to pay. In Samson’s case it cost him his eyesight. In the light he saw things as a Nazirite but in the dark he saw things as Samson. I suspect that at the end of Samson’s life the grapes of the field clouded his thinking and that allowed his spiritual enemies to seize the moment. But to the credit of his story, God intervenes and Samson’s hair grows back and that God uses him one last time against the Philistines.

Samson had one moment of deep repentance and reflective spiritual understanding and God renewed him. I believe that the Lord allows us to wander to bring us to the same moment or moments in our lives even though we may have to bear the scar of His displeasure with our sin. I know I may have my scars that were done by my own disobedience, but praise be to Jesus Christ for winning a victory that cost Him more than we can afford. It is my prayer this morning that we all can be disciplined enough to keep that covenant with our eyes beyond what Job did concerning other women. I pray that he try our eyes away from the Gaza/Egypt in our lives and look upon the work of the Cross. And then may we see truth!! – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 19, Isaiah 56-58; 2 Thessalonians 2

Dig This Quote: “See the fatal effects of false security. Satan ruins men by flattering them into a good opinion of their own safety, and so bringing them to mind nothing, and fear nothing; and then he robs them of their strength and honour, and leads them captive at his will. When we sleep our spiritual enemies do not. Samson's eyes were the inlets of his sin, (Jgd 1:1) and now his punishment began there. Now the Philistines blinded him, he had time to remember how his own lust had before blinded him. The best way to preserve the eyes is, to turn them away from beholding vanity. Take warning by his fall, carefully to watch against all fleshly lusts; for all our glory is gone, and our defense departed from us, when our separation to God, as spiritual Nazarites, is profaned.”                                                                       Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Determined Praying: If there is anything under heaven that I am sure as I am of demonstrations of mathematics, it is the fact that God answers prayer. – Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Determined Digging: Level 1: John 1:12-13; Level 2: Proverbs 4:20-27

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A Contradicted Man, Samson I Am (Part 4)

A Contradicted Man, Samson I Am.

Part 4

“After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Seduce him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to humble him. And we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be bound, that one could subdue you.”       Judges 16:4-6 (ESV)

“Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be bound, that one could subdue you.” Can I ask you brothers this question this morning…would you have given Delilah an answer? Better yet, how many you already have at one time in your life or another? I did but her name isn’t Delilah, her name is SIN and the Samson that I believe lies in all of us caved in after being pressed hard and I found myself grinding out an existence at the millstone of punishment. Just going around and around, being mocked and feeling useless. A prisoner to sin because like Samson I allowed myself to get too close and thought I was getting away with it or better yet could just live with it.

In the Book of Judges, we read in the chapters before 16 that Samson has flirted with disaster. He has played with sin like a toy that cannot hurt him and it is in those playtimes that he must have gotten arrogant with his God-given ability. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson and it was that Spirit that should have been given the glory. But after the “Jawbone Incident” Samson must have started to believe his own hype and off to Gaza he went. And I am going to say that now Samson wants to go full blown with his playtime without once counting the consequence. Flavius Josephus put it this way, “However, he at length transgressed the laws of his country, and altered his own way of living, and imitated the strange customs of foreigners, which thing was the beginning of his miseries;”…interesting. Matthew Henry says, “In this chapter we find him behaving in so wicked a manner, that many questions whether or not he were a godly man.” (He is exonerated in Hebrews 11:32)

Three times Delilah has been mocked by Samson in her attempts to reveal his “secret” weakness and she more than likely gently nagged him into exposing where his true strength lie…no brothers not the hair but in the Nazirite Vow, “A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.” He allows Delilah’s greed for money and the Philistines desire to conquer him to ruin his testimony to God and “The Spirit of the Lord left him”. The Philistines find Samson sleeping (more likely passed out from drinking wine) on the knees of Delilah, bind him with bronze shackles, drag him deeper into Gaza and attach him to a millstone in their prison. Oh and they gouged out his eyes.

I want to hold off right there this morning there is more to say about the irony of Samson’s eyes but can you get a sense of the Samson that may live in you. We call him the “old man” don’t we? And as I have read about this Judge of Israel I have found some of myself in him. I may have not had the extreme outward devotion for God from birth like Samson but my mother wanted me to be part of a church. I went to Gaza instead and years later realized my need for salvation. “Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

How about you this morning? Have you had your trip to Gaza and found the same things with the same results? Or are you in Gaza right now? Don’t allow your Delilah to lull you into a false sense of security and have the lords of the Philistines tie you to a millstone of existence. Seek Him and all His riches and live in the victory that has been won for you by what Christ did for you on a cross of wood. Don’t be a slave to the grind! – Chris Hughes is a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter and is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 18; Isaiah 53-55; 2 Thessalonians 1

Dig This Quote: There is a false sense of self-protection in harboring an offense. It keeps you from seeing your own character flaws, because the blame is deferred to another. John Bevere

Determined Praying: Because God is the living God, he can hear; because he is a loving God, he will hear; because he is a covenant God, he has bound himself to hear. – C. H. Spurgeon

Determined Digging: Level 1: John 1:12-13; Level 2: Proverbs 4:20-27

Romans 8:26-31

Romans 8:26-31

This passage couldn’t be more fitting for the Lord’s Day. I trust you have enjoyed reading these passages from Romans from the Phillips Translation.

8:26-27 - The Spirit of God not only maintains this hope within us, but helps us in our present limitations. For example, we do not know how to pray worthily as sons of God, but his Spirit within us is actually praying for us in those agonising longings which never find words. And God who knows the heart's secrets understands, of course, the Spirit's intention as he prays for those who love God.


8:28-30 - Moreover we know that to those who love God, who are called according to his plan, everything that happens fits into a pattern for good. God, in his foreknowledge, chose them to bear the family likeness of his Son, that he might be the eldest of a family of many brothers. He chose them long ago; when the time came he called them, he made them righteous in his sight, and then lifted them to the splendour of life as his own sons.

We hold, in Christ, an impregnable position

8:31-32 - In face of all this, what is there left to say? If God is for us, who can be against us? He that did not hesitate to spare his own Son but gave him up for us all - can we not trust such a God to give us, with him, everything else that we can need?


8:33-34 - Who would dare to accuse us, whom God has chosen? The judge himself has declared us free from sin. Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ, and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us! 


8:35-36 - Can anything separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, pain or persecution? Can lack of clothes and food, danger to life and limb, the threat of force of arms? Indeed some of us know the truth of the ancient text: 'For your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter'. 


8:37 - No, in all these things we win an overwhelming victory through him who has proved his love for us.


8:38-39 - I have become absolutely convinced that neither death nor life, neither messenger of Heaven nor monarch of earth, neither what happens today nor what may happen tomorrow, neither a power from on high nor a power from below, nor anything else in God's whole world has any power to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord!

Wow! If that doesn’t cause you to worship today, then you better check your heart, brother! Fall down and worship HIM today. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 17; Isaiah 50-52; 1 Thessalonians 5

Dig This Quote: Fretting springs from a determination to get our own way! Oswald Chambers
Determined Praying: We should believe that nothing is too small to be named before God. What should we think of the patient who told his doctor he was ill, but never mentioned the particulars. J. C. Ryle
Determined Digging: Level 1: John 1:12-13; Level 2: Proverbs 4:20-27

Romans 8:18-25

Romans 8:18-25

Here are the next verses from Romans 8. I trust that God is speaking to your heart through these marvelous verses from the Phillips Translation:

8:14-17 - All who follow the leading of God's Spirit are God's own sons. Nor are you meant to relapse into the old slavish attitude of fear - you have been adopted into the very family circle of God and you can say with a full heart, "Father, my Father". The Spirit himself endorses our inward conviction that we really are the children of God. Think what that means. If we are his children we share his treasures, and all that Christ claims as his will belong to all of us as well! Yes, if we share in his suffering we shall certainly share in his glory.

Present distress is temporary and negligible

8:18-21 - In my opinion whatever we may have to go through now is less than nothing compared with the magnificent future God has planned for us. The whole creation is on tiptoe to see the wonderful sight of the sons of God coming into their own. The world of creation cannot as yet see reality, not because it chooses to be blind, but because in God's purpose it has been so limited - yet it has been given hope. And the hope is that in the end the whole of created life will be rescued from the tyranny of change and decay, and have its share in that magnificent liberty which can only belong to the children of God!


8:22-25 - It is plain to anyone with eyes to see that at the present time all created life groans in a sort of universal travail. And it is plain, too, that we who have a foretaste of the Spirit are in a state of painful tension, while we wait for that redemption of our bodies which will mean that at last we have realized our full sonship in him. We were saved by this hope, but in our moments of impatience let us remember that hope always means waiting for something that we haven't yet got. But if we hope for something we cannot see, then we must settle down to wait for it in patience.


May God bless His Word today in your life. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 16; Isaiah 47-49; 1 Thessalonians 4

Dig This Quote: Scarcely any law of our Redeemer is more openly transgressed, or more industriously evaded, than that by which he commands his followers to forgive injuries.
Samuel Johnson

Determined Praying: Prayer, among sane people, has never superseded practical efforts to secure the desired end. – George Santayana

Determined Digging: Level 1: Matthew 6:33; Level 2: Proverbs 3:5-8

Romans 8:9-17

Romans 8:9-17
Good morning, brothers. Here are the next several verses from Romans 8 from the Phillips translation:

What the presence of Christ within means
8:9-11 - But you are not carnal but spiritual if the Spirit of God finds a home within you. You cannot, indeed, be a Christian at all unless you have something of his Spirit in you. Now if Christ does live within you his presence means that your sinful nature is dead, but your spirit becomes alive because of the righteousness he brings with him. I said that our nature is "dead" in the presence of Christ, and so it is, because of its sin. Nevertheless once the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives within you he will, by that same Spirit, bring to your whole being new strength and vitality.


8:12-13 - So then, my brothers, you can see that we have no particular reason to feel grateful to our sensual nature, or to live life on the level of the instincts. Indeed that way of living leads to certain spiritual death. But if on the other hand you cut the nerve of your instinctive actions by obeying the Spirit, you are on the way to real living.

 Christ is within - follow the lead of his Spirit

8:14-17 - All who follow the leading of God's Spirit are God's own sons. Nor are you meant to relapse into the old slavish attitude of fear - you have been adopted into the very family circle of God and you can say with a full heart, "Father, my Father". The Spirit himself endorses our inward conviction that we really are the children of God. Think what that means. If we are his children we share his treasures, and all that Christ claims as his will belong to all of us as well! Yes, if we share in his suffering we shall certainly share in his glory.

I love the phrase: “you have been adopted into the very family circle of God, and you can say with a full heart, “Father, my Father!” Wow! I am thankful this morning that I am a part of God’s forever family. How about you? – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 15; Isaiah 45-46; 1 Thessalonians 3

Dig This Quote: God delights to plan for His children. No human father ever experienced such joy in planning for his child as God experiences as He plans for you. He does not want you to miss any part of His beautiful purpose for you. His plans are filled with details of blessing, joy, and wonderful surprises. David said, "The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare." Wesley L. Duewel

Determined Praying: I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk about, when I lie down and when I rise up. And the answers are always coming. – George Muller
Determined Digging: Level 1: Matthew 6:33; Level 2: Proverbs 3:5-8

Romans 8:1-8

Romans 8:1-8

Good morning, brothers. As I am working my way reading through Romans in the Phillips Translation, I was so blessed this morning as I read through chapter 8! I am sharing it with you over the next couple of days. I know it will bless your heart:

8:1-2 - No condemnation now hangs over the head of those who are "in" Jesus Christ. For the new spiritual principle of life "in" Christ lifts me out of the old vicious circle of sin and death.


8:3-4 - The Law never succeeded in producing righteousness - the failure was always the weakness of human nature. But God has met this by sending his own Son Jesus Christ to live in that human nature which causes the trouble. And, while Christ was actually taking upon himself the sins of men, God condemned that sinful nature. So that we are able to meet the Law's requirements, so long as we are living no longer by the dictates of our sinful nature, but in obedience to the promptings of the Spirit.


8:5-8 - The carnal attitude sees no further than natural things. But the spiritual attitude reaches out after the things of the spirit. The former attitude means, bluntly, death: the latter means life and inward peace. And this is only to be expected, for the carnal attitude is inevitably opposed to the purpose of God, and neither can nor will follow his laws for living. Men who hold this attitude cannot possibly please God.


Wow. I love vs. 1: No condemnation hangs over the head of those who are “in” Christ Jesus! I praise Him for that today. How about you? – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick


Digging Deeper: Proverbs 14; Isaiah 43-44; 1 Thessalonians 2


Dig This Quote: You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you. C. S. Lewis


Determined Praying: Prayer is a serious thing. We may be taken for our words. D. L. Moody

Determined Digging: Level 1: Matthew 6:33; Level 2: Proverbs 3:5-8