How Long?

HOW LONG?

“And a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years and had suffered many things from many physicians.  She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.”  (Mark 5:25-26)

            This passage contains a dramatic picture of the effect of a long term illness.  The woman’s physical condition represents the spiritual condition of many.  The nature of her condition was debilitating.  It affected her entire life. In a very real sense life ebbed away and she grew weaker and weaker.

            Do you have a spiritual malady that is draining the life out of you.  Is there a sin in your life that has been allowed to linger so long, possibly for years, that it has slowly and methodically dismantled your fellowship with Christ and your effectiveness for Him?

            Some people think that they can allow a particular sin to remain in their lives with little or no adverse effect.  This is defective thinking, and it underestimates the very nature of sin.  Sin is never static.  It is always in the process of taking a person down to spiritual defeat and death.  “The wages of sin is death.”  Romans 6:23

            The woman in the story before us represents the deteriorating nature of sin. “She had suffered many things from many physicians.  She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse” (v.26).  The duration of her condition led to the deterioration of her condition.  And what was true of her in the physical realm will be true of you and me in the spiritual realm.

            One of the greatest heart aches to me as a pastor is to watch people discover and even admit the sin that is ensnaring them and then do nothing about it.  What is the sin that is producing the spiritual deterioration and death in your life?  How long do you intend to allow that sin to remain?

            Can there be deliverance from the sin that so easily besets you?  Yes!  The source of deliverance is also found in this woman.  In verse 27 we see three verbs that describe the action she took.  Freedom from her malady was found in hearing about Jesus and coming to Jesus, and reaching out and touching Jesus.  Hearing, believing and receiving is the answer.

            New life is available to you today.  Why wait? Dr. Roger D. Willmore will be sharing God’s Word this summer at America’s Keswick. He’d love to meet you. Check out the schedule at www.americaskeswick.org  Today's devotional is from our book, REAL VICTORY FOR REAL LIFE. For information about purchasing a copy, call today: 732-350-1187.

GPS – God’s Positioning System: 1 Kings 10-11; Psalm 119:169-176; Proverbs 31

Compass Pointers: No matter how good the walls and the materials are; if the foundations are not strong, the building will not stand. By and by, in some upper room, a crack will appear; and men will say: "There is the crack; but the cause is the foundation." So if, in youth, you lay the foundation of your character wrongly, the penalty will be sure to follow. The crack may be far down in old age, but somewhere it will certainly appear. Henry Ward Beecher

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 22:4; Level 2: Proverbs 22:1-6

Anchored to the Rock: The men upon whose shoulders rested the initial responsibility of Christianizing the world came to Jesus with one supreme request. They did not say, “Lord, teach us to preach”; “Lord, teach us to do miracles”, or “Lord, teach us to be wise” … but they said, “Lord, teach us to pray.” – Billy Graham

Examination Day

A special word of thanks to all of our military serving around the globe to preserve and protect our freedom. May God bless you, and may God bless America!!!

EXAMINATION DAY

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties.” (Psalm 139:23)

            We tend to dread exams. Some of us dreaded examination day at school.  Some of us dread going to the doctor and the dentist for our yearly exams.

            The Bible encourages us to take the time to examine our lives. It would be good for us to make this a daily practice in our lives as we begin each day and before we lay our heads on the pillow. The Apostle Paul exhorts us to take time before we participate in the Lord’s Table to examine ourselves. (I Corinthians 11:28).

            “Let us search and examine our ways and turn back to the Lord. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart. Behold, You desire TRUTH in my inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. I thought about my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies. I made haste, and did not delay to keep Your commandments.

            If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

            (Lamentations 3:40; Psalm 26:2; Psalm 56:1; Psalm 119:59-60; I Corinthians 11:28; I John 1:9; I John 2:1-2; Hebrews 10:19-22)

            Examination is a good thing. Take some time today to examine your heart. Are you clean before Lord? He longs for you to have a clean heart!  -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: Ecclesiastes 10-12; Psalm 119:161-168; Proverbs 30

Compass Pointers: Our values determine our evaluations. If we value comfort more than character, then trials will upset us. If we value the material and physical more than the spiritual, we will not be able to count it all joy! If we live only for the present and forget about the future, the trials will make us bitter, not better.  Warren W. Wiersbe

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 22:4; Level 2: Proverbs 22:1-6

Anchored to the Rock: As a camel kneels before his master to have him remove his burden at the end of the day, so kneel each night and let your Master take your burden. Corrie Ten Boom

Psalm 137 A Great Paraphrase on this Memorial Day Weekend

Psalm 137 – A Great Psalm on this Memorial Day Weekend

Here is a great paraphrase of Psalm 137 that is very fitting for this Memorial Day weekend. It comes from Psalms Now by Leslie Brandt:

How grateful we are, O God,
   for our great country
  for the blessings You lavish upon our land!
How concerned we are, O God,
  that our very nation may become our god
  and that we worship the gifts rather than the Giver!

Is it possible, O God,
  that our laws may circumvent Your will?
  that our freedom may place chains on others?
  that our wealth impoverish someone?
  that our power may came by way of another’s weakness?
  that our enemies may be those who are obedient to You?

Dare we pray, O God,
   that You take away those things that come between us and You?
   that You raise up men who will oppose those institutions and those citizens
   who carelessly, even unconsciously, equate patriotism with allegiance to You?

We do pray, O God,
   that our nation be restored to YOUR objectives
  and that Your children who abide in this land
  dedicate their lives to You and Your purposes.

Hear our prayer, O Lord, on this Sunday before Memorial Day. Please hear our prayer and revive our land. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: Ecclesiastes 7-9; Psalm 119:153-160; Proverbs 29

Compass Pointers:  When the Gospel of Jesus Christ is presented with authority – quoting from the very Word of God – He takes that message and drives it supernaturally into the human heart. – Billy Graham

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 22:4; Level 2: Proverbs 22:1-6

Anchored to the Rock: When problems get Christians praying they do more good than harm. John Blanchard

Systematic Navigation: Sufficiency

Systematic Navigation: Sufficiency  

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”                                                                                                                      James 1:22-25 (ESV) 

In his book, “Systematic Theology”, Wayne Grudem defines the sufficiency of Scripture as follows: The sufficiency of Scripture means that Scripture contained all the woods of God He intended His people to have at each stage of redemptive history, and that it now contains all the words of God we need for salvation, for trusting Him perfectly, and for obeying Him perfectly. This means that those who were alive prior to the birth of Jesus had access to all the words of God that they had needed to live their lives, so all those seemingly annoying little laws had just as much punch as the “Thou Shall Not’s.” No matter what the era was, the Word of God was in the motion of equipping us for every good work. Once we come to salvation we can begin the work on becoming blameless and that will come from being equipped for every good work that is found in Scripture.  

The one thing to realize here is that we will never be able to become totally blameless.  But that shouldn’t deter us from keeping our focus in on what God’s Word has to say to us on any issue either moral or doctrinal. Because within the sufficiency of Scripture we can receive the confidence that we will be able to find out what God would have us think or do in any given area of our lives. We can spend our time reading what other theologians or commentators have written on those matters, either moral or doctrinal, but it may not give us a true north to go on. What we might be able to glean from them is how God’s Word influenced them during their points in history and see if it can reflect on the present. But invariably we should conclude that it is more of a quest to understand what God, Himself, has to say to us and not so much what man may have already thought He said.  

When, for in those moments where we think we can get by on the “What He had already said to that for that time” we need to think again. Look at how long it took to write the amount of Scripture that we have today. At each stage of redemptive history we got another morsel to sink our teeth into. As our Tuesday night Bible study had plainly agreed on, He is unchanged in what He says throughout the whole Text…just like a straight line. I, myself, see this as a “Deuteronomical” straight line that gets reinforced by Jesus as He gave His “ Sermon on the Mount”, and then in application as we work our way through the Gospels up to the Revelation of John. Where, by the time you get to this book, you pray that you have been able to apply God’s Word with all your heart, soul and strength.

Before the death of Moses, God had him pen the first five books of the Bible. Those five books were sufficient enough for God’s people at that time. But as time went on we need to understand that when God wanted more of His word reveal He decided the who, what and where of his Word. For example, in Deuteronomy he had Moses pen this, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deut 29:29 ESV) It is from this point where the need of salvation springboards into the rest of the Biblical writings that only God could inspire. No words of man could ever measure up or beyond God’s own reason for telling us that we need His redemption and reconciliation.  

Paul had asked that the thorn in his flesh be removed and was told by God, “My grace is sufficient”. It would also be reasonable to believe that if we are navigating life Biblically that the words found in His instruction manual are just as sufficient. All of those self-help guru’s out there in T.V. land are in a constant state of reinvention. God’s Word is in a constant state of regeneration. Where in the rules of man’s reinvention change because of his dissatisfaction, the rules of God’s regeneration remain constant to His satisfaction. And it is in that where we are confident that we are getting a true north. -- Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a regular contributor to Freedom Fighter

GPS – God’s Positioning System: Ecclesiastes 4-6; Psalm 119:145-152; Proverbs 28

Compass Pointers: “God can teach more than even the most experienced Christians know. He can teach you better than all the books that the world has ever seen. But be careful about your motives in this eager chase after knowledge. You are aware, aren’t you, that all we need is to be poor in spirit, and to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified.”  “Let Go” Fenelon

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 21:2-3; Level 2: Proverbs 21:1-5

Anchored to the Rock: We need more Christians for what prayer is the FIRST resort, not the last. John Blanchard

The Will of God

The Will of God

Tonight starts our kick-off to our 87^th summer Bible conference season at America’s Keswick. We’d love to have you drive in for our Memorial Day Weekend Conference which runs Friday evening through Monday morning. Check out our website for times. Drs. Ron Cline and Ray Pritchard will be sharing God’s Word. All sessions will be live-streamed: www.americaskeswick.org

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NASB)

Over the years I have seen this little poem and I ran across it again today. It is a great reminder about the will of God for our lives:

The will of God will never take you
Where the grace of God cannot keep you,
Where the arms of God cannot support you,
Where the riches of God cannot supply your needs,
Where the power of God cannot endow you.

The will of God will never take you
Where the Spirit of God cannot work through you,
Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you,
Where the army of God cannot protect you,
Where the hands of God cannot mold you.

The will of God will never take you
Where the love of God cannot enfold you,
Where the mercies of God cannot sustain you,
Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears,
Where the authority of God cannot overrule you.

The will of God will never take you
Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears,
Where the Word of God cannot feed you,
Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you,
Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you. – Author Unknown

A very powerful reminder for you and me today. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: Ecclesiastes 1-3; Psalm 119:137-144; Proverbs 27

Compass Pointers: To know the will of God is our greatest knowledge. To do the will of God is our greatest achievement. George W. Truett

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 21:2-3; Level 2: Proverbs 21:1-5

Anchored to the Rock: To attempt any work for God without prayer is as futile as trying to launch a space probe from a peashooter. John Blanchard

Lord, Get Me Home Before Dark Part 2

Lord, Get Me Home Before Dark! – Part 2

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

Yesterday I shared with you the prayer written many years ago by my hero, Dr. Robertson McQuilken.  In my file, I had another version of this prayer that I thought was worth sharing with you. I appeared in a June 1996 letter written by radio Bible teacher, Steve Brown:

Lord, Thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older, and will some day be old.

Keep me from getting talkative, and particularly from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from craving to try to straighten out everybody’s affairs.

Keep my mind free from the recital endless details. Give me wings to get to the point.

I ask for grace enough to listen to the tales of other’s pains. They are increasing and my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by!

Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally it is possible that I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet. I do not want to be a saint – some of them are so hard to live with – but a sour old man is one of the crowning works of the Devil.

Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful, but not bossy.

With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all – but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end. Amen

I can say a BIG AMEN to that prayer as well. Wow. Add that one to your list. It is a good one to pray to help us in the journey of finishing well. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: 2 Chronicles 8; Psalm 119:129-136; Proverbs 26

Compass Pointers: In the most lopsided deal of all time, Jesus took our filthy rags of sin and gave us His robe of righteousness. Our righteousness is not our own, it is from Him. Dare we brag of our goodness now?  Paul C. Brownlow

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 21:2-3; Level 2: Proverbs 21:1-5

Anchored to the Rock: Prayer is the contemplation of life from the highest point of view. William James

Lord, Get Me Home Before Dark

Lord, Get Me Home Before Dark

“ … that you keep His commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus’ appearing …” 1 Timothy 6:14

I was looking for something the other day in a file folder and came across a copy of a poem that was written by one of my heroes, Dr. Robertson McQuilken. Robertson is one of the giants of the faith, and has been a faithful servant of the Lord for many years.

In the midst of some very intense trials in his life and ministry, he penned the words of this now famous prayer, “Lord, Get Me Home Before Dark.”

It’s sundown, Lord. The shadows of my life stretch back into the dimness of the years long spent. I fear not death, for that grim foe betrays himself at last, thrusting me forever into life; life with You, unsoiled and free. But I do fear the dark scepter may come to soon – or too late? I fear that before I finish I might stain Your honor, shame Your name, grieve Your loving heart. Few, they tell me, finish well. Lord, let me get home before dark.

Will my life show the darkness of a spirit grown mean and small, fruit shriveled on the vine, bitter to the taste of my companions, a burden to be borne by those brave few who love me still? No, Lord, let the fruit grow lush and sweet, a joy to all who taste, a Spirit-sign of God at work, stronger, fuller. Brighter at the end. Lord, let me get home before dark.

Will be the darkness of tattered gifts, rust-locked, half-spent, or ill-spent, a life that once was used of God now set aside? Grief for glories gone or fretting for a task God never gave? Mourning in the hollow chambers of memory, gazing on the faded banners of victories long gone? Cannot I run well unto the end? Lord, let me get home before dark.

The outer me decays – I do not fret or ask reprieve. The ebbing strength but weans me from mother earth and grows me up for heaven. I do not cling to shadows cast by mortality. I do not patch the scaffold lent to build the real eternal me. I do not clutch about me my cocoon, vainly struggling to hold hostage a free spirit pressing to be born.

But will I reach the gate in lingering pain – body distorted, gro-tesque? Or will it be a mind wandering untethered among the light phantasies or grim terrors? Of Your grace, Father, I humbly ask … let me get home before dark.

Wow! As I re-read this powerful prayer, I found myself praying the same for my life. How about you? Let’s purpose together to finish well. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: 1 Kings 9; Psalm 119:121-128; Proverbs 25

Compass Pointers: “The conviction of the Holy Spirit is always precise: He identifies root causes of sin, and He moves the heart to specific acts of repentance and obedience. All those who trust God sufficiently to desire to obey Him, and who are patient in waiting upon Him, will find unfailingly that HE gives clear guidance. ‘In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths’, promises Proverbs 3:6. For those who love God everything is aboveboard. To know Him is to know what He requires and more than that, it is to have the power to carry it out. In fact these two—enlightenment and empowering—go hand in hand, and where they do not, then the Lord is not in it.” Mike Mason

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 21:2-3; Level 2: Proverbs 21:1-5

Anchored to the Rock: Mastering the art of prayer, like any other art, will take time, and the amount of time we allocate to it will be the true measure of our conception of its importance.  J. Oswald Sanders

Hide God's Word in Your Heart

HIDE GOD’S WORD IN YOUR HEART

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

On Saturday, May 21^st, Jan, Zach and me were privileged to visit Chaplain Jack and Dottie Noel at the home in Lancaster, PA. On May 12^th, Dottie had open heart surgery to repair a heart valve. Shortly after our visit, the Lord called Dottie home and gave her a brand new heart. What a cool surprise to find out that Dottie had written the devotional for May 22^nd in our Keswick devotional, Real Victory for Real Life. The Noel's served at America's Keswick for 18 years.

            These words were given by Moses to Joshua.  Moses instructs him in front of all Israel to lead the people into the Promised Land.  His words are from the Lord to Joshua and the people, but they are also promises for us today. Memorize His Word!

            Other verses that describe the Lord are: Psalm 23:1 – He is our Shepherd; Luke 2:11 – He is a Savior, my Savior since accepting Christ into my heart at age nine.

            This verse in Deuteronomy begins with the promise, “I’ll go before you.”  He is actually ahead of you in every situation and trial.  He has been there for you in the past, is with you in the present, and also promises to go before you in the future.

            God has given me a husband who cared for me through 37 years of an illness.  However, one particular night he was very sick, himself.  I called a neighbor and we rode behind the ambulance to the hospital.  I prayed in fear, and the same words God gave to Joshua became so clear to me.  The Lord was ahead of the ambulance!  He was before us all at the hospital!  He would never fail us or forsake us!  These were His promises.  The Lord gave peace to my heart and quieted my fearful thoughts.

            I knew He was my Savior and my husband’s Savior, too.  Matthew 28:20: “I am with you always,” and He never leaves us alone – Psalm 9:10.

            The closing words, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,” is my favorite part.  I’ve had at least ten hospital stays, my husband two or three, and our three sons and their families at least a half dozen.  Fear is something I often battle, but I’ve learned He gave perfect love at the cross, and perfect love casts out fear.

            Deuteronomy 31:8 is repeated at the little chapel at America's KESWICK Colony of Mercy at the conclusion of every service.  Today, my husband is one of the chaplains.  God went ahead of him, healed and brought him back to serve Him and help lead me in addiction to find new life in Christ. Dorothy Noel

GPS – God’s Positioning System: 2 Chronicles 6-7; Psalm 119:113-120; Proverbs 24

Compass Pointers: “The saved sinner is prostrate in adoration, lost in wonder and praise. He knows repentance is not what we do in order to earn forgiveness; it is what we do because we have been forgiven. It serves as an expression of gratitude rather than an effort to earn forgiveness. Thus the sequence of forgiveness and then repentance, rather than repentance and then forgiveness is crucial for understanding the gospel of grace.” Brennan Manning

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 21:2-3; Level 2: Proverbs 21:1-5

Anchored to the Rock: To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. Martin Luther

How to Worry Scientifically

How to Worry Scientifically

“Be anxious for NOTHING, but in EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses ALL comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

My grandmother, Bertha, was a professional worrier. She could have written the book, “How to Worry Successfully – The Art of Worry and Fretting.” Give her something to worry about, and she was a happy camper!

Unfortunately, I inherited her gift. Over the years I have done battle with this issue, but I am thankful that through Christ, I spend less days worrying and more days trusting. I recently ran across this list of 12 ways to worry scientifically:

1. Never worry over rumors or what “they” say. First get the facts.
2. Know definitely your worry problem. Write it down. Face it.
3. Worry about only one problem at a time.
4. Set a definite day, afternoon or night for worrying.
5. Never worry in bed, in the dining room, living room, or at church.
6. Select an air-conditioned room. Lean back in an easy chair.
7. Set a time limit. If you must go beyond it, give yourself credit for time-and-a-half.
8. Never worry with a frowning face. Smile, sing or whistle.
9. Never worry when you are tired, sick, angry or depressed.
10. Never worry while working, playing, visiting, shopping, or gossiping.
11. There are two times never to worry – when you can help the situation and when you cannot.
12. Never worry alone! Take it to the Lord and leave it there. Proverbs 3:5-6

The bottom line is that worry accomplished NOTHING! Maybe that is why Paul says “be anxious for NOTHING” … If you don’t believe Paul, then go back to the Gospels and see what Jesus has to say about worry. You might be surprised at what He has to say. Let’s join the club – Non-Worriers Anonymous! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: 2 Chronicles 5; Psalm 119:105-112; Proverbs 23

Compass Pointers: Worry is like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere!

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: John 3:16; Level 2: John 3:13-21

Anchored to the Rock: The place for prayer is everywhere. John Blanchard

When He Shall Come

When He Shall Come

I will come back and take you to be with Me. John 14:3

Well if you are reading this May 22^nd post of Freedom Fighter, you were either left behind, or Harold Camping once again miscalculated the return of Jesus Christ! My guess is that we are all still here.

My parents grew up in an age when going to the movies for a Christian was a huge no-no. As a teen I could never figure out what the big deal was back then, especially when they were showing good movies in those days. When I asked them why we didn’t go to the movies the response was always, “Pastor Schmeiser doesn’t go to the movies, so we don’t go.” Great answer?

Well when Jan and I were married we lived down the street from a large theater in Olney. It was a theater with a really wide screen. The Sound of Music had just been released and we went to see it on the big screen. WOW! It was awesome.

We finally convinced Dad and Mom to go with us. They did but fretted the whole time that the Rapture was going to occur and they would be caught in the movie theater!

When you read through the New Testament, you do see get the sense that Paul is urging us to be always ready for the return of Christ. From his writings, Paul really believed that the return of the Lord would be taking place in His lifetime. It didn’t happen then – and we are not really sure when it will take place. We know it will because the Bible tells us it will.

So how do we live until then? We need to be watching, waiting, and serving until that day. I love Paul’s words to his son in the faith, Titus – “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus …” (Titus 2:13)

Many years ago, Almeda Pearce, the mother of trombonist, Bill Pearce, penned a beautiful hymn, When He Shall Come

When He shall come, resplendent in His glory,
To take His own from out this vale of night,
O, may I know the joy of His appearing,
Only at morn to walk with Him in white!

When I shall stand within the court of heaven,
Where white-robed pilgrims pass before my sight --
Earth’s martyred saints and blood-washed overcomers --
These then are they who walk with Him in white.

When He shall call, from earth’s remotest corners,
All who have stood triumphant in His might,
O, to be worthy then to stand beside them,
And in that morn to walk with Him in white!

Keep looking up, brothers. We need to be ready and waiting for His return. What a glorious day that will be! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: 1 Kings 8; Psalm 119:97-104; Proverbs 22

Compass Pointers: No sin is small. It is against an infinite God, and may have consequences ummeasurable. No grain of sand is small in the mechanism of a watch.
Jeremy Taylor

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: John 3:16 Level 2 -John 3:13-21

Anchored to the Rock: The secret of reaching men is to know the secret of reaching God. John Blanchard

No Wiggle Room

No Wiggle Room 

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16 (ESV) 

Every so often I attend Sunday night service at the Colony Chapel on the grounds of America’s Keswick. Most of the time it is because I am getting to watch the graduation of those Colony men (and those Women of Character) whom I (and my own woman of character) have gotten to know. It’s a privilege to have any one of these men ask me if I would come out, watch them receive their Bible and meet their families. It is worth the drive all the time. The most recent trip there was a really blessing. Five men, three colony and two disciples, all were acknowledged and then there was a three “R” sermon that Pastor John Hibbard gave us from John 1:11-13. And just so he knows I was paying attention the three “R’s” were…rejection, receiving and regeneration. 

So I have these “R’s” in mind as a drive home and pop an audiobook into the CD player. The title of it is “The Nonnegotiable Gospel” and is by Dave Hunt of “The Berean Call” fame. And I’ll tell you brothers something…there ain’t any wiggle room in this message. It also had three elements to it and they are, who Christ is, who we are and what Christ’s death accomplished. Run this through those three “R’s” and it is pretty plain to see. 1) It is not too smart to reject Christ who is fully God and perfect, sinless man in one Person. 2) We are hopeless sinners who need to receive salvation from an eternal death. 3) We are regenerated through what Christ death has accomplished---payment for our debt of punishment because of sin. Between Pastor Hibbard and Dave Hunt my sleep that Sunday night did not go too soundly. There just ain’t any wiggle room…period. 

Then comes the Tuesday night men’s Bible study that I attend. We are studying 1 Peter and we are in chapter one and tonight we look at verses 13-16. Well unbeknownst to me these brothers have been using a book in their Sunday school study called, “The Pursuit of Holiness.” (Sidebar here: I do not attend this church but it was my covenant church after my graduation from the Colony of Mercy) This a book I am quite familiar with from my days at the colony and as if in one accord we all agree…there just ain’t any wiggle room. We refer back to what Paul wrote in Romans 12:1-2 and we can see the parallel there, so much so that a comfortable silence fills the room when we once again reach one accord. Then this silence is broken by a question, “What has happened to the church body’s pursuit of holiness?”

My answer, “There just ain’t any wiggle room.” You see in the cultural holiness that has engulfed much of the Church today, it is okay to be or not to be as holy as the next guy. This leaves some space to think we are pretty good people so long as we not axe-wielding, homicidal maniacs eating fruit loops on our front porches. But this thinking will not help us on the how to attain one of the attributes of God, will it? Absolutely not! All this does is give us an easy way of saying, “It was the woman whom you gave to be with me” or “The serpent deceived me”. If we openly call ourselves children of God then we cannot take for granted that, through the Son, He adopts us into His family and regenerates us by His grace.  

Now granted, when we find ourselves between a rock and hard place, knowing what the right thing to do may not come to the forefront of our finite mind. But to know what the right thing is and then be reluctant to do it may not be a good position to be in with the Creator. In 1 Corinthians we find this promise, “NO temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Would you agree with me today that this is the kind of promise that encourages you to get off the front porch, put down the fruit loops and to continue on with your pursuit of holiness? If it is then AMEN but if it isn’t, don’t look to me for the milk to go with those fruit loops, I prefer A-1 sauce and steak!!  Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a regular contributor to Freedom Fighter

GPS – God’s Positioning System: 2 Chronicles 4; Psalm 119:89-96; Proverbs 21

Compass Pointers: “Oswald Chambers warned lest, in our zeal to get people to accept the gospel, we manufacture a gospel acceptable to people and produce “converts” who are not saved. Today’s most popular perversion is the “positive” gospel, which is designed to offend no one with truth. One of our most popular televangelists, for example, has said that it is demeaning to call anyone a sinner and that Christ died to restore human dignity and self-esteem. He claims to win many to Christ with that seductive message---but such a gospel does not save sinners.”  The Nonnegotiable Gospel  Dave Hunt

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 20:5; Level 2: Proverbs 20:1-7

Anchored to the Rock: Many times I have been driven to prayer. When I was in Bible School I didn’t know what to do with my life. I used to walk the streets  … and pray, sometimes for hours at a time. In His timing, God answered those prayers, and since then prayer has been an essential part of my life. – Dr. Billy Graham

Seeking Things from Above

Seeking Things From Above

If you then have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1

Today’s devotional is from the pen of Puritan preacher, Richard Baxter. It is taken from a great daily devotional published by Banner of Truth, Voices from the Past:

Unbelievers seek their happiness in things of the world. Believers find their happiness in God. It is contrary to the nature of a faith for a believer to seek peace in his earthly enjoyments. Our present pilgrimage is a prison, yet alas, we too commonly do this. By this we kill our comforts and then complain they are missing.

It is folly to expect any stable peace or solid joy that does not come from Christ as the fountain. O that Christians would learn to live with one eye on Christ crucified and the other on His coming in glory! If everlasting joys were more in your thoughts, spiritual joys would abound more in  your hearts. No wonder you are comfortless when heaven is forgotten.

When Christians let fall their heavenly expectations but heighten their earthly desires, they are preparing themselves for fear and trouble. Who has met with a distressed, complaining soul, where either a low expectation of heavenly blessings, or too high a hope for joy on earth is not present?

What keeps us under trouble is either we do not expect what God has promised, or we expect what He did not promise. We are grieved at crosses, losses, wrongs of our enemies, unkind dealings of our friends, sickness, or for contempt and scorn in the world. But who encouraged you to expect any better? Was it prosperity, riches, credit, and friends that God called you to believe? Do you have any promises for these things in His Word?

If you make a promise to yourself, and then your own promise deceives you, whom should you blame for that? We have less comfort in earthly things because we have too high an expectation from them. Alas, when will we learn from Scripture and providence to seek far more from God, and far less from the earth?

Pretty powerful reminder from a preacher from the mid-1600’s! I don’t know about you, brother, but I needed to be reminded of this truth today! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: 1 Kings 7; Psalm 119:81-88; Proverbs 20

Compass Pointers: People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. D.A. Carson

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 20:5; Level 2: Proverbs 20:1-7

Anchored to the Rock: Heaven is full of answers to prayer for which no one ever bothered to ask. – Billy Graham

I Love the Family of God

I am repeating this one since most of you didn't get it last week.

I Love the Family of God

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15

I love being a part of the family of God – well most days! J Family is never perfect – and if yours is, please let me know – I want to find out the secret.

On Monday night I was rehearsing our Keswick Celebration Choir for our upcoming Patriotic concert on Memorial Day Weekend. We were singing the last number and I noticed that my wife Jan got up to take a call on her cell. When she didn’t come back in the room right away, I sensed something was wrong.

When rehearsal ended and she walked in the room, I could tell by the look on her face that something was indeed wrong. She shared with me that our grandson, Wyatt, had bumped heads with his older brother, and shortly after turned ashen and had some breathing problems. He had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Wyatt is 6 months old and is the my daughter and son-in-law’s fourth child. If you remember our story, Laura and Jon’s daughter, Lindsay, went home to be with Jesus at age 3. That made this situation even more frightening.

As soon as I got home, I sent an email out to our 100+ intercessory prayer partners. It was the most amazing thing – it was like everyone was sitting at their computers. In a matter of three minutes, I heard from dozens of prayer partners saying, “We are praying!”

The same thing happened on Facebook. Within seconds, the family of God were mobilized and interceding together! One brother actually wrote  prayer right on Facebook! It was amazing.

The good news is that Wyatt appears to be fine and has a bad viral infection. The good news is that no matter what the outcome, God is still good. What blessed our socks off was seeing how the family of God responded!

Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote these words that are so true:

I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God,
I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod;
For I’m part of the family, the family of God.
Copyright 1970 by William J. Gaither

I am thankful today for the family of God! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: 2 Chronicles 2-3; Psalm 119:73-80; Proverbs 19

Compass Pointers: Thou art coming to a King, large petitions with thee bring, for His grace and power are such none can ever ask too much. John Newton

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 20:5; Level 2: Proverbs 20:1-7

Anchored to the Rock: It is not wasted time to wait on God. J. Hudson Taylor

His Finger in the Dirt

We are repeating this one since we were having technical difficulties last week. Have a blessed day.

His Finger in the Dirt 

“This they said to test Him that they might have some charge to bring against Him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him.” John 8:6-9 (ESV) 

I serve under the kind of Pastor who, just outta the blue (but Holy Spirit driven), will change the order of service on Sunday morning, that morning!! All you who are in charge of the audio/video presentations in church give me an AMEN!! Pastor Paul Ort is as unpredictable to serve under as it must be with Bill Welte. They both have had no problem “throwing us under the bus” when the mood seems to strike them and I wish (in love, of course) that our Heavenly Father would take away their assumed CDL licenses. It is an ugly “THUD!!” first thing on a Sunday morning. But truth be told, what gets changed at a moment’s notice can be meant for the edification of the body of Christ. As Pastor Paul puts it to me, “Well one has to be ready to pray, preach or die!” 

Well if one is to be ready to preach at a moment’s notice then one should be aligned with the correct focus of God’s Word. Our church’s Wednesday night Bible has been an interesting one. Pastor Paul has been going through a book titled “Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions” by Ken Ham and having us searching through Scripture in order for us to hone our skill at defending the faith. This past Wednesday night he started off with the genealogy that we find in the beginning of Matthew. I was not one for looking into them in past studies but as of recent I have come to realize their importance no matter how much they seem to put us to sleep. Fear not, however, that is not where I am going this morning. 

Pastor then had us turn to John 8:3-11, he made reference to Deuteronomy 5:18/Exodus 20:14 and reminded us of the consequence we find in Leviticus 20:10. In the book, which Pastor is going through, it had posed this question by the naysayers, “Why didn’t Jesus keep the Law by having the adulteress woman stoned?” Well the bottom line to that argument is the men who brought the woman to Jesus did not provide adequate witness (Deut 17:6, 19:15) nor did they bring the man who allegedly was with her. It does take two to commit the physical act of adultery. Then Pastor Paul pondered what the Lord was writing in the dirt with His finger. 

It is thought that Jesus may have been writing out the Ten Commandments. But then maybe, as Pastor suggested, He may have been writing the sin of each one of the men who wanted to stone this woman. And maybe the Holy Spirit drove those men to just drop their stones and depart from His presence. Therefore, I submit to you today that this may be an illustration of how we will face our Heavenly Father when we are brought into His presence and He opens His books to see what has been written to our account. Those men just may be an illustration of our adversary standing behind us reminded The Father that we know fully and willingly violated His precepts that Moses carried down from Mt. Sinai. “They don’t deserve Heaven!!” the adversary shouts from the back. 

But the refreshing part here is…Jesus as our intercessor. Sometimes in a world where truth can be spun out of control, like in this present day or back in the time where Christ walked the earth, a cool level head prevails. I cannot think of anyone with a cooler level head than Jesus. Yes, we do not deserve Heaven and yes, we deserve to be stoned but with the provision of a perfect sacrifice in Christ Jesus by the Father gives us a Savior who can look the adversary in eye and say unto him…”Well then you throw the first stone.” I can only imagine the sound of the stones as they all hit the ground. THUD…Thud…thud. As the sound guy, I hope it will be a joyful noise. – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and is a regular contributor to Freedom Fighter

GPS – God’s Positioning System: 1 Kings 5-6; Psalm 119:65-72; Proverbs 18

Compass Pointers: “Even in the face of man’s sin and lost condition, there is still that basic potential in the soul and nature of man that through grace can become more like God than anything in the universe.” I Talk Back to the Devil   A.W. Tozer

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 20:5; Level 2: Proverbs 20:1-7

Anchored to the Rock: To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. Martin Luther

Ten Things You Won't Need to be Sorry For

Ten Things You Won’t Need to be Sorry For

Show family affection to one another with brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10

Here’s a great list of things that if you practice them, you will never have to be sorry:

1. For doing good to all. – Galatians 6:10
2. For speaking evil of none. – Titus 3:2
3. For hearing before judging. – Proverbs 25:2
4. For thinking before speaking. – James 1:2
5. For holding an angry tongue. – Psalm 34:13
6. For being kind to the distressed. – Acts 28:7 (NIV)
7. For asking pardon for all wrongs. – Ephesians 4:32
8. For being patient with everyone. – 1 Thessalonians 5:14
9. For stopping the ears to a talebearer. – Proverbs 26:20
10. For disbelieving most of the ill reports. – Exodus 23:1 (NASB)

If we were to practice these ten things – what a difference it would make in our homes, our businesses and our churches! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: Song of Solomon 5-8; Psalm 119:57-64; Proverbs 17

Compass Pointers: God is not looking for ways to make you "squirm." He does, however, want to be Lord of your life. Whenever you identify a place where you refuse to allow His lordship, that is a place He will go to work. He is interested in absolute surrender. God may or may not require you to do that very thing you identified, but He will keep working until you are willing for Him to be Lord of all.
Henry Blackaby

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 20:5; Level 2: Proverbs 20:1-7

Anchored to the Rock: Prayer is not the least we can do; it is the most! John Blanchard

If You Could See Me Now

If You Could See Me Know

“ … eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

Four years ago today, our granddaughter, Lindsay “Bear” Groen received her new heart and entered into the presence of our Savior.

After six weeks at Children’s Hospital Boston, her little body recovering from two open heart surgeries and a cardiac arrest in between, the Lord mercifully and graciously called her home into His presence.

Our family refer to this season in our lives as the best-worst six weeks of our lives. As gut-wrenching and heart-breaking as it was to see Lindsay and our kids face one of the toughest trials of life, we all witnessed the power and presence of God in our lives in ways that today still seem hard to put into words.

Walking this journey of grief has been a lesson for all of us. There are days when it appears to get easier. Then there are days when the pain, heart and questions come ragging in like a flood. Yes, there are still tears. We all are grieving at different stages.

But we do not sorrow and grieve without hope. We take comfort that Lindsay is in the arms of Jesus and enjoying HIS presence. The words of this contemporary song describe it well ... Indeed if we could see Lindsay now … WOW!

Our prayers have all been answered
I finally arrived
The healing that had been delayed
Has now been realized
No one's in a hurry
There's no schedule to keep
We're all enjoying Jesus
Just sitting at His feet

My Dad, Mom and Lindsay ...
Together with Jesus

Is you could see me now
I'm walking streets of gold (sorry Jimmy DeYoung J)
If you could see me now
I'm standing tall and whole
If you could see me now
You'd know I've seen His face                                        
If you could see me now
You'd know the pain is erased
You wouldn't want me
To ever leave this place
If you could see me now

My light and temporary trials
Have worked out for my good
To know it brought Him glory
When I misunderstood
Though we've had our sorrows
They can never compare
To what Jesus has in store for us
No language can share

Lindsay Bear – We miss you so very much! We look forward to the day when we will all be with Jesus and you! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: Song of Solomon 1-4; Psalm 119:49-56; Proverbs 16

Compass Pointers: The Lord wants our precious time, not our spare time. Anonymous

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: Proverbs 20:5; Level 2: Proverbs 20:1-7

Anchored to the Rock: No heart thrives without much secret converse with God, and nothing will make amends for the want of it. John Berridge