Special Announcement to my Freedom Fighter friends

Keswick Celebration Choir Concert and

Dramatic Presentation

Saturday, March 31, 2012, 7:00 PM

Join us Saturday evening March 31st in the Activity Center for a Keswick Celebration Choir concert. You have two options for this event: you may want to participate in the worship as a listener, or join with over 100 voices celebrating the events leading to the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer, Thanksgiving, Praise

Prayer, Thanksgiving, Praise

Be careful for nothing; but in everything by payer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

The Lord continually amazes me at how He directs my devotional reading. I needed to be reminded of this verse and truth again this morning. I trust it will speak to your hearts today as you read from the writings of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the prince of preachers. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

No care but all prayer. No anxiety but much joyful communion with God. Carry your desires to the Lord of your life, the guardian of your soul. Go to Him with two portions of prayer and one of fragrant praise.

Do not pray doubtfully but thankfully. Consider that you have your petitions, and therefore thank God for His grace. He is giving you grace; give Him thanks, Hide nothing. Allow no want to lie rankling in your bosom; "make known your requests." Run not to man. Go only to your God, the Father of Jesus, who loves you in Him. This shall bring you God's own peace.

You shall not be able to understand the peace which you shall enjoy. It will enfold you in its infinite embrace. Heart and mind through Christ Jesus shall be steeped in a sea of rest. Come life or death, poverty, pain, slander, you shall dwell in Jesus above every rolling wind or darkening cloud.

Will you not obey this dear command? Yes, Lord, I do believe thee; but, I beseech thee, help mine unbelief. – From Faith’s Checkbook

Team YOU: Judges 9-10; Proverbs 30; Luke 5:17-39

Motivations:  Satan distracts sinners with delays. He does not fear fleeting thoughts of repentance. I doubt there are many in hell who did not at one time or another give some thought to repenting, but Satan was always able to carry them away on some more urgent business. Sinner, if you ever hope to escape, run for your life -away from Satan, away from your lusts, away from your present joys if they are the handiwork of Satan. The devil says, "Tomorrow" God says "Today." Whom will you obey?

William Gurnall. The Christian in Complete Armour (Kindle Locations 1171-1173). Kindle Edition.

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Ephesians 4:25; Level 2: Ephesians 4:11-16

Powered Up:  Every prayer is an inverted promise … If God teaches us to pray for any good thing, we may gather by implication the assurance that he means to give it. C. H. Spurgeon

Courageous Breakfast

Courageous Breakfast 

“No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.”   Joshua 1:5-7 (ESV) 

I am sure that many of you who are reading this have seen the movie “Courageous”. I got to see it after a lovely Valentine’s Day dinner that was served by the youth group of First Baptist Church in Egg Harbor City, NJ. We were all moved by way the message came across and, like an altar call, one of FBC’s deacons announced that they would be doing the “Resolution” ceremony and encouraged the men in attendance to sign on to do this. Even though I didn’t sign on my wife bought me the DVD and it came with the “Courageous Living Bible Study”. Just for the record, it was not my Valentine’s gift from her. 

The first chapter of the study has you watch a clip from the movie and not to give too much detail it is the one where Nathan has his vehicle truck-jacked. I recently shared this with our men’s breakfast at Christ Wesleyan Church in E.H.C, and we talked about what we would have done if it was us. But what really got shared was something in the movie’s Bible Study from the Book of Joshua. The study has you read Joshua 1:1-9 and it is where God tells Joshua to be “strong and courageous” three times in this passage. Then it asks why might Joshua have been afraid?  

How about the call itself that God gave him? After all this call was a very full call. So hear this out with me as we go through some point’s in the Joshua passage. “Moses my servant is dead”, but his extraordinary work has to go on and now this has fallen upon Joshua. “Now therefore arise “and be the successor that God has called you to be. All good men of God are His servants but now the Lord has bestowed a higher honor upon Joshua. “Go over this Jordan”, does anyone see in this passage of Scripture where God supplied a boat or a bridge? No, and the Jordan river was at flood stage during this time in history so Joshua has to have complete faith in The God of Israel to get the Nation across. 

Now there is a part in the study where it asks this question, “If you knew God was commanding you to do something, was going to bless you if you did it, and would always be with you helping you succeed, would you be more courageous? Well if you take a look at what God promised Joshua in verse 3, 7, and 9 of chapter one it goes something like this. The promise starts with “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.” Then we go into verse 7…”Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.” And we come to verse 9…“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." That is a great basis for courage isn’t it? 

So to sum this all up I would like quote this from the Courageous Bible study, “WE can all stand to improve in consistently reading God’s Word and obeying His voice. Like Joshua, you may need reminders to be strong and courageous. You may need to recall that God will help you lead your family and will never leave you as you obey Him. You may need His reminder that he is calling you to spiritually lead, guide, and protect those under your care. Your success in spiritual leadership of your family is directly tied to your commitment to the Word of God.” AMEN? – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a regular member of the Freedom Fighter team 

Team YOU: Judges 7-8; Proverbs 29; Luke 5:1-6

Motivations:  “Danger and fear are words often associated with the word courageous. It takes courage to respond to a threatening situation. According to one popular description, “COURAGE is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”—Catt/Kendrick/Kendrick

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Ephesians 4:25; Level 2: Ephesians 4:11-16

Powered Up:  the shortening of private devotions starves the soul, it grows lean and faint. I have been keeping late hours. William Wilberforce

Spiritual Vision Through Personal Character

SPIRITUAL VISION THROUGH PERSONAL CHARACTER

This was way too good to not share with you today! Very convicting word from the pen of Oswald Chambers. Trust it helps. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

 “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place . . . .” Revelation 4:1

    A higher state of mind and spiritual vision can only be achieved through the higher practice of personal character. If you live up to the highest and best that you know in the outer level of your life, God will continually say to you, “Friend, come up even higher.”

There is also a continuing rule in temptation which calls you to go higher; but when you do, you only encounter other temptations and character traits. Both God and Satan use the strategy of elevation, but Satan uses it in temptation, and the effect is quite different.

When the devil elevates you to a certain place, he causes you to fasten your idea of what holiness is far beyond what flesh and blood could ever bear or achieve. Your life becomes a spiritual acrobatic performance high atop a steeple. You cling to it, trying to maintain your balance and daring not to move. But when God elevates you by His grace into heavenly places, you find a vast plateau where you can move about with ease.   

 Compare this week in your spiritual life with the same week last year to see how God has called you to a higher level. We have all been brought to see from a higher viewpoint.

Never allow God to show you a truth which you do not instantly begin to live up to, applying it to your life. Always work through it, staying in its light. Your growth in grace is not measured by the fact that you haven’t turned back, but that you have an insight and understanding into where you are spiritually. Have you heard God say, “Come up higher,” not audibly on the outer level, but to the innermost part of your character?     “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing . . . ?” (Genesis 18:17). God has to hide from us what He does, until, due to the growth of our personal character, we get to the level where He is then able to reveal it. – Oswald Chambers – My Utmost for His Highest

Team YOU: Judges 4-6; Proverbs 28; Luke 4:31-44

Motivations:  Give us Lord, a special faith, unlimited and free, A faith that isn't bound by what we know or what we see...A faith that trusts the sunshine even when there is no light, a faith that hears the morning song's soft echo in the night...A faith that somehow rises past unhappiness or pain, Knowing that in every loss Your goodness will remain...A faith that finds Your steadfast love sufficient for all things, A faith that lifts the heart above and gives the spirit wings  B. J. Hoff 

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Ephesians 4:25; Level 2: Ephesians 4:11-16

Powered Up:  Every work of God can be traced to some kneeling form. D. L. Moody

The Heavens Declare

The Heavens Declare

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows and proclaims His handiwork. Psalm 19:1

Here’s another description of the heavens and the glory of God that should blow your mind:

A scientist once suggested an interesting analogy. Imagine, he said, a perfectly smooth glass pavement on which the finest speck can be seen. Then shrink our sun from 865,000 miles in diameter to 2 feet, and place this gilt ball on the pavement to represent the sun.

Step off 82 paces of about 2 feet each, and to proportionately represent the first planet, Mercury, put down a mustard seed.

Take 60 steps more, each about two feet, and for Venus, put down an ordinary shot the size of a BB.

Mark 78 steps more, and for our earth, put down a pea.

Step 108 paces from there, and for Mars, put down a pinhead.

Sprinkle some fine dust for the asteroids, take 788 steps more, and for Jupiter, put down an orange.

Take 934 steps, and for Saturn, put down a golf ball.

Mark 2,086 steps more, and for Uranus, put down a marble.

Step off 2,322 steps from there, and for Neptune, but down a cherry.

This will take 2 ½ miles, and we haven’t discussed Pluto. If we swing completely around, we have smooth glad surface 5 miles in diameter representing our system, just a tiny fraction of the heavens. On this surface, 5 miles across, we have only one mustard seed, BB, pea, pinhead, dust, orange, golf ball, marble, and cherry.

And we should have to go 6,720 miles, not feet, on the same scale before we could put down another two-foot ball to represent the nearest star!!!

He created all of this and holds it all together by the word of His power! What an amazing God we serve. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

Team YOU: Judges 1-3; Proverbs 27; Luke 4:1-30

Motivations:  God has left fingerprints all over creation!

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Ephesians 4:25; Level 2: Ephesians 4:11-16

Powered Up:  Believing prayer never asks more than is promised. William S. Plummer

Wow ... Talk About A Big God

Wow! Talk About A Big God

In recent days it seems like everywhere I turn I am being reminded how big GOD is and how small I am.

In one of his newsletters, speaker/teacher Steve McVey shares these thoughts about the bigness of God:

Did you know:

Our earth is a little over 8000 miles in diameter.
Over a million earths would fit into out sun.
Our home galaxy, The Milky Way, has 2 0r 3 billion stars like our sun.
It would take a jet 100,000 million years to make the trip around our galaxy once.
It would take that same jet 5.5 million years to travel one-way to Alpha Centauri, the other nearest neighbor we have in this galaxy.
Our known universe is 12-15 light years to is edges. Remember that light travels at 186,000 miles per second and a light-year is the distance that light can travel in a year.
Scientists have recently discovered the largest galaxy thus far known. Abell 2029 is sixty times the size of our own and possesses more than 100 trillion stars. It is a billion light-years from us.
Beyond Abel 2029 there are billions of additional galaxies and stars in every direction!

No wonder David wrote: When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained what is man that You are mindful of him … O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth! – Psalm 8:3-4,9

Just think – this BIG GOD – who created the universe – loves you and me! Wow! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

Team YOU: Joshua 22-24; Proverbs 26; Luke 3

Motivations:  We are not mightier than Samson, wiser than Solomon, more knowledgeable about God than David, and we do not love God better than did Peter, prince of the apostles. So let us not have confidence in ourselves; for he who has confidence in himself will fall headlong. Hesychios

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Ephesians 4:25; Level 2: Ephesians 4:11-16

Powered Up:  Work as it you were to live a hundred years. Pray as if you were to die tomorrow.

No Survivors

No Survivors

No one survives the preaching of the Gospel.  Either the hearer will die to self and come to rest on the Bedrock of true belief, or they will die alone in their sins.  There is no escape.

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.  We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. ~ Romans 6:3-6

In Him, everything is backwards from the world.

Last to be first.

Give away to gain.

Seek Him first.

Slave to be free.

Strength in weakness.

Grace to the humble.

Surrender to win.

Die to finally Live.

Oh, beloved, somehow we know this foolishness is true.  All of us do.  We just have that one last little thing in our lives onto which we hold.  One more time, one more thought, one more attempt to try it ourselves.  And He hammers it home... Apart from Me, you can do nothing.

We become brutally aware of the cost of the Gospel becoming effective in our lives.  The price for this transaction is absolute abandonment of our lives.  And the price has to be paid by both parties in the transaction.  The Initiator has already anted up.  The very G_d of the universe has torn Himself asunder and poured out His own blood.

All He wants from us is our weak souls, minds and bodies.... Naught but dust and wind really.  But He wants all of the dust and all of the wind.  He wants to take all that little bit of us, and kill it in the death He died and bury it in His burial.  For, this death is the only path to new Life in Him.  Flesh can have no confidence before the coming judgement that will surely come.  Only a human made new and perfect in His Spirit can stand on that day.

But, in Him, stand we will.

Can we see it?  This new Life is not a new way of living - it is Life finally Lived.  He is the Way, He is the Truth, He is the Life.  This new life is not something we live somehow enabled by Him.  This Life is His Life lived in us - and through us.  And the only path to this Life, is the death of our old life. 

There is no other way.

Oh, we can try.  He has always left that option open.  The first covenant in the Bible is still in effect.  We can stand before Him that day on our own merits, and He will judge fairly.  We only have to make our wind and dust stand against the perfection of inapproachable Light.  Yeah, we can try.  And we will fail.  We will fail just like every other time we have tried to make ourselves be good enough.  And after the final trying, and the final failure will come a death that never ends.

So, when are we going to die friends?  Now or later?  There are no survivors.

When are you gonna die? – Makala Doulos is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a new contributor to Freedom Fighter

Team YOU: Joshua 13-15; Proverbs 23; Luke 1:57-80

Motivations:  The presence of God is not just the icing on the cake - it is the cake.

Che Anh

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Ephesians 4:11-12; Level 2: Ephesians 4:1-6

Powered Up:  The sin of doing and not praying is only rivaled by the sin of praying and not doing.

Tune into the Poem

Tune Into The Poem 

^“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”   Romans 1:18-20 (ESV) 

There’s this Spanish store tucked away on the corner of 7^th and Peach streets in Vineland, NJ where they make some of the best roasted pork I’ve ever had. The rice and beans that goes with it adds a nice dimension to its flavor and it leaves you wanting a nice portion of flan covered with caramel syrup. I was introduced to this place by Pastor Tony Cuellar (Emmanuel Bible Church, Vineland, NJ) and now that I work in Vineland, Cidra’s Supermarket has become a once a week lunchtime spot for me. Now a good place for lunch is important place for a Pastor and a friend to meet but this isn’t the only cool thing that Pastor Tony has introduced to me. 

Pastor Tony was the most recent speaker during the Families For Christ weekend at America’s Keswick and he introduced to all of us there on how to look at the Creation as God’s “poiēma” or God’s “poem.” Now we get our word poem from poiēma and when you go to look up poiēma in “The Strongest Strong’s” we can find the word creation in its meaning (#4161 just you can see it for yourself). The cool thing that Pastor Tony tells us is that we get to wake up into The Poem everyday…and we really don’t deserve it. Even as believers in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we don’t deserve it. 

The way God’s Poem started was in absolute perfection. We can go back into the book of Genesis, chapter two, and go day by day and see just how God in His infinite wisdom began to create a world that was to bring Him glory. But something went wrong and The Poem got an unwanted re-write or an inversion, if you will. Because by the moment the words pop off the page  “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”, The Poem became more about us and less about Him. Now, we wake up in the morning, into a poem we don’t deserve to be part of, and we complain on how lousy the weather is or that the trash still hasn’t been taken out. 

Somehow it is as if it has become that we need God to try to understand us and not us trying to understanding the things of God. Now we all know that Satan needed Eve to eat the fruit to complete his agenda of separation from the Heavenly Father but it seems that even though we have said “YES” to Jesus we still need  God to understand that at least we are not like this or that or so and so. That is so far off the mark isn’t it? We can’t get it into our heads that we don’t deserve to be part of The Poem at all. It isn’t what we are not doing it is what we are doing in our hearts. And for those of us who are married that heart can get to be doing a lot of what is no good…can I get an AMEN? 

So with all that being said can we tune back into The Poem? If we look at is found in Zephaniah 3:17 we can rest in this promise, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.” We don’t need to do Satan’s job, for he is the accuser of the Brethren,  meaning we need to keep our own boney finger to ourselves and say, “We are the ones that fall short, we are the ones to be held accountable, we are the ones without excuse.” When we can get ourselves to deal with that, then we can tune our receivers back to The Poem Channel, Amen? – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to the daily Freedom Fighter blog

Team YOU: Joshua 10-12; Proverbs 22; Luke 1:39-56

Motivations:  “God does not say that none of the unregenerate are refined, or cultured, or able, or sweet-tempered, or generous, or charitable, or even religious. But he does say that none are righteous, none understand God, or seek after Him.”---C.I. Scofield

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Ephesians 4:11-12; Level 2: Ephesians 4:1-6

Powered Up:  Prayer without work is like an empty wagon – lots of noise but no load!

S.W. in the Armor Part 3

S.W. In The Armor

Part Three 

^“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.”   Ephesians 6:16-18a (ESV)  

I can hear this being shouted from the pulpit somewhere on St. Olave’s Street in Southwark, England (circa 1755) …“Stand therefore! Keep your ground! Do not desert the army, the Church of Christ, nor His cause; continue in the station in which you are placed, keep your post, be upon your watch, stand upon your guard!” says John Gill in a sermon concerning the process of putting on the armor of God. And so it begins with fastening the belt around your waist. In Isaiah 11:5 it is confirmed by God’s Word, “Righteousness shall be the belt of His waist, and faithfulness the belt of His loins.” But for us this is the belt of Truth or better yet, the Gospel and it is something that should gird us at all times. 

Put on the breastplate of righteousness (is this the same the breastplate alluded to in Isaiah 59:17?)  But not of the righteousness of men but that of righteous living and the righteousness provided by the Gospel. The breastplate repels the accusations and charges of Satan but is security from wrath and condemnation.  After you have received a good foot washing (John 13:1-20) get yourself fitted with a special pair of shoes. Because when we go marching off into this spiritual battle we need to wear the Gospel of peace as like what we can find in Isaiah 52:7. (Now go look that up…no, seriously, go look that up!!)  

It had measured about 4 foot in length and 2.5 foot in width and was part of the Roman panoplia (body armor) but when we use it, it becomes the shield of faith. This shield will extinguish the flaming arrows launched at us by our adversary. Abram had a shield (Gen 15:1), His Word is our shield (Pro 30:5) and the shield must match the breastplate.  Since we are mentioning the breastplate again let us go back to Isaiah 59:17 and PUT A HELMET ON!!! (Thank you for that Brad Stine) The salvation that this piece of the armor provides will protect your head from some of the most fatal blows to the head that a child of God could take. 

Take into your hand that which can cut the heart so that it bleeds conviction. Also understand that this offensive weapon can be used to slice down the righteousness of man because this weapon is received from God, Himself. The sword of the Spirit is one weapon that the Christian at any stage of their walk cannot be without. We should be grasping this weapon right after we have placed the helmet of salvation on our heads. These two pieces of armor are critical to the believer. 

But the glue that hold this all together is prayer. After you wake up in the morning, pray on these pieces of God’s armor as you place them upon you. Pray that the stand you take while you walk forward through day dink’s the armor. (Dinked armor is used armor) Don’t fool yourself in thinking that the armor you wear in Christ Jesus is just meant for you to stand out in the crowd. Your armor should get dirty, scratched, scraped and have its share of wear. It will be when you get to the foot of the Cross with it on that it will regain its shine again. Be battle ready…Be In The Armor!!! – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a member of the Freedom Fighter writing team

Team YOU: Joshua 7-9; Proverbs 21; Luke 1:21-38

Motivations:  “Give yourselves to this Word of God, the Bible. Use it to know yourself and confirm your own spiritual life. If there is life, there will be love and joy and a heart to obey the Word.. Give yourselves to this Word so that your words become the Word of God for others and reveal to them their own spiritual condition. Then in the wound of the Word, pour the balm of the Word.”---John Piper

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Ephesians 4:11-12; Level 2: Ephesians 4:1-6

Powered Up:  The Scriptures make prayer a reality and not a reverie. Austin 

S.W. In the Armor Part Two

S.W. In The Armor  Part Two 

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.”   Ephesians 6:13-15 (ESV) 

So in order to continue on with putting “The Armor” we need some understanding of the daily spiritual conflict we will be engaged in. First thing to know that spiritual conflict is inevitable and that goes for those who do not want to believe it. Second, for those of us who understand this battle exists we need to muster up some strength for the struggle. We should prayerfully seek that our strength is coming from Christ, because our spiritual enemies are not human, but superhuman, Satan and all the powers of darkness. Third, we need more than human strength; we need the divine armor of God! 

So now knowing this we should introduce the armor of God but not by its piece but by its purpose. The armor’s purpose consists of…

1. The knowledge and reception of the truth

2. The righteousness of Christ

3. The zeal which flows from the peace of the Gospel

4. The consciousness of salvation

5. Faith

6. The Word of God.

7. Prayer gets an honorable mention here. 

With this list of purposes fitted together we can assemble the mindset for the spiritual warrior. So long as that mindset also realizes that not every purpose on this list is meant to be on the defensive but to also go on the offensive. A warrior who only defends and never attacks is more than likely unfit to go into battle. He is like a battle tank that has run outta gas and can only hold a position. When we go in the spiritual war that faces us every day our best defense is a good offense (this is also a great football cliché).  

^“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” Even though this sounds like an ending it really starts off the section of Ephesians that names the pieces of armor.  We need to keep this in the fore front of minds as we put on “The Armor” because it is only though the redemption purchased by Christ that the armor fits us at all. This is not a figure of speech. It is something very real. Salvation, however gratuitous, is not to be obtained without great effort. Understand that your spiritual fitness is required as well!!  The Christian conflict is not only real, it is difficult and dangerous.  

We need to have spiritual strength and courage for our spiritual warfare and suffering. Those who would prove themselves to have true grace must aim at all grace; and put on the whole armor of God, which he prepares and fits for us. The Christian armor is made to be worn; and there is no putting off our armor until we have done our warfare, and finished our course. Which isn’t gonna be anytime soon. Stick around while we get into the armor piece by piece in the next Freedom Fighter. But before I close I’ll ask you this…How do you think you’d look in battle ready armor?  Hmmm…it ain’t no suit and tie is it? – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a member of the Freedom Fighter writing team

Team YOU: Joshua 4-6; Proverbs 20; Luke 1:1-20

Motivations:  “Practically speaking, when we read or hear “the word of God” we sense ourselves pierced. The effect of this piercing is to reveal whether there is spirit or not. Is there marrow and life in our bones? Or are we only a “skeleton” with no living marrow?”---John Piper

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Ephesians 4:11-12; Level 2: Ephesians 4:1-6

Powered Up:  "Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers." Sidlow Baxter

S.W. In the Armor! Part 1

S.W. In The Armor! Part One 

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:10-12 (ESV) 

Alright!! The holiday season is history and I guess the Giants won the Super Bowl…so what now? Well there still is the everyday spiritual warfare that needs to be dealt with. As an Eagles fan I have had to endure all the fiery arrows of Giant fans, Cowboy Fans and even do I dare say it…Jets fans. When it is football season I arm myself with the same South Philly banter I was born with and go forward into yet another season where we Eagles fans say “This Is Our Year, Man”. I repeat this, like the insane fan I am, year after year. Yeppers, that is what I do (heavy sigh)…Anyway onward to warfare I mentioned earlier. 

Like an offensive line, I believe spiritual warfare is a going forward to the end zone process. When we seriously look at the armor, it is all put on so that the Christian can go forward into battle. If the Book of Romans is meant to guide us into transformation and renewing, the Book of Ephesians is meant to go into battle with. When we wake up in the morning with a renewed and transformed spirit, chapter 6 of Ephesians gets us dress before we even get to the breakfast table. Not that I suggest you eat your Cheerios out of the helmet of salvation with the sword of the Spirit, but you understand what I mean. 

This passage of Scripture has been the source root of strength since the early Church. When it seems as if the bowels of Hell had unleashed the warriors of doom and gloom, every theologian and lay Christian will turn to this chapter of Ephesians for guidance from above. Clinton Arnold, author of Ephesians: Power and Magic, says that this Ephesians 6 is “Paul’s call to acquire divine strengthening for the purpose of engaging the spirit-forces of evil (Ephesians 6:10-20). It is not an irrelevant appendix to the Epistle. It is a crucial part of the parenthesis to which the rest of the Epistle has been pointing.” Pretty fancy way of saying Ephesian 6 ain’t no doxology!! 

When taking a gander at Acts chapter 19-20, I can see the need for the best armor that Jehovah-jireh can supply. Two years of Nay-Sayers in the synagogue, a riot that broke out in the theater because of some silly silver statue, the shenanigans of those seven sons of Sceva and the giving of the final instructions on defending the Cross to the Ephesian Elders. Paul was at war with the idolatry that had planted itself so deep in the heart of the citizens of Ephesus. The real kicker of it all is that Paul wrote this infamous Epistle from his first Roman imprisonment. 

Over the next few Freedom Fighters I would like to share with you some things to consider from verses 10-20 in the six the chapter of Ephesians. We need to be battle ready in these present times and to understand what “The Armor” is meant to do. Hopefully we all will be able to get ourselves together in the morning and go out in the world fitted with what is necessary hold off the prince of the world. In the meantime consider this fact about “The Armor”. It has nothing to cover your back with; all you have is meant to go forward with. – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and serves on the Freedom Fighter writing team.

Team YOU: Joshua 1-3; Proverbs 19; Mark 16

Motivations:  “The Word of God is not a dead word or an in effective word. It has life in it. And because it has life in it, it produces effects.”---John Piper

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Ephesians 4:11-12; Level 2: Ephesians 4:1-6

Powered Up:  Turn the Bible into prayer. Robert Murray M’Cheyne

Have you checked out our new monthly podcast, Discovering Victory? Each month we will feature a message that was given from the pulpit of America's Keswick by one of America's great pulpiteers. This month's podcast features Dr. Richard Allen Farmer. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Worship -- It's Not Just For Sunday

WORSHIP – IT’S NOT JUST FOR SUNDAY

“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” (Hebrews 13:15)

            Who should worship?  Anyone who has placed their trust in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior has the privilege of worshipping the one true God.  I Peter 2:9 says “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” 

            Why should we worship?  Because God desires to have a personal relationship with us, He created us for His glory that we might worship Him.  Romans 12:1-2 says “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.

            When should we worship?  Hebrews 13:15 says “Through Jesus, therefore let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess His name.”  A.W. Tozer said “It does not seem to be very well recognized that God’s highest desire is that every one of His believing children should so love and so adore Him that we are constantly in His presence, in Spirit and in Truth.”  “True worship of God must be a constant and consistent attitude or state of mind within the believer.”  I Thessalonians 5:17 says “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

            How should we worship?  Deuteronomy 6:5 says “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  Colossians 3:16-17 says “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”  I Chronicles 28:9 says “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.  If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” – Robert Hayes serves as Artist-in-Residence at America’s Keswick

Team YOU: Deuteronomy 28-29; Proverbs 16; Mark 14:54-72

Motivations: Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional. We cannot avoid pain, but we can avoid joy. Tim Hansel

Practice to Remember: Level 1: Ephesians 4:1; Level 2: Ephesians 3:14-21

Powered Up:  Not to work and then to pray to make up for it I consider to be bad manners. Charles Peguy

God's Requirements For the Day

 GOD’S REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DAY

“…to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8)

            What am I thinking this morning?  Am I purposefully expecting to fulfill all of my Heavenly Father’s requirements for today?  Not unless I make the conscience decision to do so!  Do I really want to do that today?  

My answer would be an outright “No” if I don’t allow that thought to cross my mind today.  God’s first requirement for me today is to “do justly” (6:8).  Without thinking, I walk through the day as a blind man not knowing what I might run into next.  Applying the first part of God’s requirement in doing justly, would allow me to see clearly throughout the day.  “But the path of the just is as the shining light…” (Proverbs 4:18).  Why would I consciously choose blindness? 

            His next requirement for my day is for me “…to love mercy…” (6:8).  To whom will I choose to have mercy on today?  Will it be that individual that I am most friendly to or will it be to the one that is unfriendly to me consistently?  I will have to choose, especially if I plan to fulfill this part of the requirement for the day as He would desire.  God made his choice clear as he spoke to Moses, “…I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy…” (Romans 9:15).  If I make this choice, the type of person with whom I will have contact today will have no bearing on whether I will show mercy or not. 

I am two thirds there, but in order to “…walk humbly with thy God…” (6:8) I must make the decision for the day to give up my throne for His. Executing the full requirement for today demands that pride be abased as I take my position under the authority of my God.  If I maintain that position for today, doing justly and showing mercy are second nature.  They take place because of my position, and I don’t have to think on whether I will accomplish them or not, because they will be done automatically. 

            God’s requirement for me today is quite simple.  Maintain my position!  I will then have absolutely no trouble meeting His requirement.  What requirement do you have for today?  If the words of Micah are not in your thoughts before your day begins, the only requirement that you will accomplish will be your own! James K. Kennedy serves at America’s Keswick as our Chief of Operations

Team YOU: Deuteronomy 25-27; Proverbs 15; Mark 14:27-33

Motivations: If you have the smile of God what does it matter if you have the frown of men. Leonard Ravenhill

Practice to Remember: Level 1: Ephesians 4:1; Level 2: Ephesians 3:14-21

Powered Up:  All Christians are obligated to work as if they do not believe in prayer and pray as if they do not believe in work. Leonard Ravenhill