Author: America's Keswick

The purpose of America's Keswick is to model and teach Biblical victorious living in Christ Jesus, to provide an environment in which Biblical life transformation takes place and to foster active personal involvement in the local church.

Sealed With a Strap

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Join us this Thursday evening for our March Men’s Fellowship Night. Pastor Randy Smith (Grace Tabernacle, Belmar, NJ) will be our speaker. Dinner at 6:15 PM followed by the program and fun and fellowship in the Activity Center. Call for details and reservations: 732-350-1187

Sealed With a Strap

“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, I have made Abram rich- except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.” Genesis 14:17-24(NKJV)

As I was going over my Tabernacle workbook I came across this passage in Scripture. I got this idea to go and take a peek at my wife’s notes from the same study. She has gone through this before me and has been a great “bounce back” for me as I work out what I am discovering in God’s Word.

After I looked at Kathy’s notes I noticed that she had some other verses that tied in something very interesting. So after we talked about how these other verses tied in I got to digging in. So here it goes…

We all know this as the moment where Abram meets Melchizedek. They met in the valley of Shaveh and this where the king of Salem brings Abram wine and bread and blesses him and his God. If we look into the Book of Hebrews we see that Jesus is compared to Melchizedek and what is going on here can be looked at as the, if you will, first communion with “El-Elyon” or God Most High. What gets shared here has an everlasting value. There is acknowledgement that God has given Abram victory and that He will be his Procter. AMEN.

But we have the part of the king of Sodom to look at now. He wants to deal with the spoils and the people or as in some translations “the souls”. The part here about the souls almost sounds like this king might as well be the Prince of the power of the air, huh? And Abram rebukes this king by stating quite simply, “I have raised my hand to the Lord” and then he says something that I want to dig into a little further. The part where he says, “that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap”. I will be going to Ruth 4:7 for this nugget. “Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel.”

When you look at this from “Deuteronomical” viewpoint, the removing of sandal was seen as a legal transaction in ancient Israel. In one sense to give up a sandal was like surrendering the keys to your house. I think Abram was letting the king of Sodom know he didn’t need the keys to his house. Not to even want the sandal strap? Which leads me to this in Matthew 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry? He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Are you looking at your sandals a little differently? I don’t wear them)

As my study on the Tabernacle continues on, I am blown away about how much there was going on with what those tribes were being directed to do by God. It seems as if everything leads to Jesus Christ and the Cross. Well, alright…everything God does in our lives leads to Jesus Christ and the Cross. God made a promise back there in Genesis 3:15 and in the 14th chapter of the same book the King of Kings show up to give us an example of worship. And God also shows us that we don’t need the sandal strap of the unrighteous. This morning say AMEN to “EL-ELYON”!! — Chris Huhges is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 10; Deuteronomy 10-12; Mark 12:1-27

Dig This Quote: “We ought, therefore, daily to practice this article, impress it upon our mind, and to remember it in all that meets our eyes, and in all good that falls to our lot, and wherever we escape from calamity or danger, that it is God who gives and does all these things, that therein we sense and see His paternal heart and His transcendent love toward us. Thereby the heart would be warmed and kindled to be thankful, and to employ all such good things to the honor and praise of God.” Luther’s Larger Catechism-Article One-Of the Creed Martin Luther

Determined Digging: Level 1 — Psalm 37:32; Level 2 — Psalm 40:1-5

A New Kind of R & R

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A New Kind of “R and R” (Luke 15:11-32 & Isaiah 55:1-9)

If you are a sports enthusiast, you’ve probably heard of those athletes who “revived” or “resurrected” their careers after a serious injury or a year of very poor performance. Those kinds of stories aren’t uncommon to any of us.

If you have been a follower of Jesus very long, you probably know someone who has been away from the Lord and come back to Him. It is the story of a Christian who has seen his walk with the Lord “revived” or “resurrected.” Again, those kinds of stories aren’t uncommon. We hear more of them than we should!

Most, if not all of us who try to live for the Lord will need, at some time in our journey, revival, if not resurrection. At the very least, we are sometimes in need of a spiritual tune up. It is far too easy to get our spiritual engines plugged up with neglect, busyness, and sin. How do we come back? How do we see that renewal come into our lives?

I first remember hearing of the “R&R” concept during the Viet Nam war. The Armed Forces would rotate their men out of Viet Nam to somewhere else in the region, often Thailand, for “rest and recreation.” It is not uncommon these days to hear people say, “I need some R&R.” We know exactly what they mean, and we often feel the same way.

May I ask you to think about a different kind of “R&R” this morning? It’s the kind of “R&R” that will bring renewal and resurrection to your spiritual life. It can restore you to a place of victory if you’re living without victory. I’m not thinking about “rest and recreation,” however.

The first “R” in my “R&R” is REPENTANCE. Let me share a little with you about it’s meaning. It means to “turn around” or to “change one’s mind.” When the prodigal son “came to himself” (See Luke 15:17) while feeding the pigs, he experienced “repentance” or a “change of mind.” He changed his mind about himself and his situation and decided to go a different direction.

He also changed his mind about his father. He had shown little or no respect for his father when he left with his inheritance. He heads for home expecting to become a servant, but you know what happens. The ring on the finger, the robe, the feast tells him of a loving father who has never stopped caring about him. The prodigal son experienced a change of direction that set him on the road to renewal and resurrection.

The second “R” is RIGHTEOUSNESS. This word defines a way of living that adheres to a standard. For Christians, that standard is the instruction God gives us in His Word. The pursuit of righteousness is choosing to reject that which is of lesser value to go after that which is of greater value. Isaiah challenged the children of Israel to live with righteousness when asking them why they spent all their resources on that which cannot satisfy. (See Isaiah 55:1-9) Choosing righteousness will keep us on the road to renewal and resurrection.

Do you need some “R&R” today? — John Strain is Senior Pastor First Baptist Toms River

Dig This Quote: Poor souls are apt to think that all those whom they read or hear of to be gone to heaven, went there because they were so good and holy…Yet not one of them, not any one that is now in heaven (Jesus Christ alone excepted), did ever come there any other way but by forgiveness of sins. John Owen
Determined Digging: Level 1 — Psalm 37:23; Level 2 — Psalm 40:1-5

Personal Sin

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Personal Sin

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.” Psalm 139:23-34
Yesterday was the Lord’s day, and many of us celebrated the Lord’s Table — a time to remember what Christ did for us on the Cross. How easy we forget that He paid the full penalty for our sins.

We need to be reminded of sin and what it can do in our lives. We don’t hear messages about sin anymore — and if we do, we have joined the ranks of the culture and try to make the words that scripture uses for sin politically correct.

Glynn Evans words about personal sin were powerful in my reading today. Listen to what he writes in his daily devotional, DAILY WITH THE KING (Moody Press):
I can never be a true disciple of Jesus Christ until I adequately despise sin. It is not enough for me to abandon sin; I must loathe it. God refers to sin in terms of beastliness, the stubborn horse, the wily snake, the mud-loving pig. That is not accidental. The beast does what is natural to it; his behavior is instinctive, and it is not redeemable. The beastliness of sin represents sin in its farthest distance from God, not merely that which is DIFFERENT form God, but that which is OPPOSITE!
My true feeling about sin is never reflected about sin in general; it is always sin in ME! God never redeems abstractions or principles; He redeems people. UNTIL I LOATHE THE SIN THAT I COMMIT, the “darling sin: as George Whitefield once called it, I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND GOD’S ATTITUDE TOWARD MY SIN AND HIS UNDYING DETERMINATION TO REDEEM ME FROM IT.
My true attitude toward a SPECIFIC sin seldom is formed BEFORE I commit it; that occurs afterward. It is difficult to see sin in its true light when it approaches me to tempt me. Then sin may often appear as “good” to the taste, “a delight to the eyes,” and “desirable to make one wise” (Genesis 3:6). But once it has done its work, I see its viciousness, I feel defiled, I mourn my actions, and I turn to God in pitiful humiliation for His cleansing power.
To be a true disciple of Christ I must see the beastliness of sin before it works its devastation upon me. I must hate it everlastingly. I must never lose my grip on the fact that is was my very own sin that drove Jesus to tears, to loud outcries, to moaning and groaning, and to bloody nails. When I feel this way about my sin, I will understand Isaiah’s “Woe is me” (Isaiah 6:5) and what it means to be cleansed with a coal from the altar.
I need to be reminded of this daily!!! I must view sin just like my Heavenly Father — He hates it and so must I. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK
Dig This Quote: God will lead you to no waters He cannot part, no brink He cannot cross, no pain He cannot bear. – Bruce Wilkinson
Determined Digging — Level 1 — Psalm 37:23; Level 2 — Psalm 40:1-5

How Deep the Father’s Love For Us

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HOW DEEP THE FATHER’S LOVE FOR US
“Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children.” 1 John 3:1
Today is the Lord’s Day, and for many of us, we will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper. It is a time for us to once again be reminded of the love that the Father has lavished upon us in sending Jesus to be our Savior.
There are so many wonderful new hymns being written today. Here is one of my favorites:
How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give his only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss;
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which marr the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.
Behold the man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life —
I know that it is finished.
I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart;
His wounds have paid my ransom.

Words and Music — Stuart Towsend
1995 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music

Worship Him! Thank Him for His great love. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK
Dig This Quote: It does not matter how great the pressure is. What really matters is where the pressure lies – whether it comes between you and God, or whether it presses you nearer His heart.James Hudson Taylor
Determined Digging: Level 1 — Psalm 37:23; Level 2 — Psalm 40:1-5

What Are You Thinking About?

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WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8

Question for you — what are the things that occupy your mind? You know what I mean — what are you thinking about throughout the day? What are those random thoughts that get stuck in your head?

The Bible makes it very clear that what we think about impacts and effects our behavior. The battle with sin begins in our thoughts, in our minds. Our thoughts define who we are. Our minds are powerful tools, so it is important to think and meditate on the RIGHT things.

Henry Blackaby in his daily devotional, EXPERIENCING GOD (Broadman and Holman) hits that nail right on the head when he writes:

What you and I think about in our unguarded moments reflects what our minds dwell upon. What you speak about when your guard is down is a good gauge of what is in your heart (Matthew 12:34). Your mind needs exercise just as your physical body does. To keep your body healthy, you must be careful what you put into it, and you must exercise regularly.

To keep your thoughts pure, you must guard what goes into your mind. To exercise your mind, you must contemplate things that are noble and truths that stretch your mind.

Some Christians allow the world to fill their minds with ungodly thinking. Some people seem drawn to concentrate on the negative, choosing to be pessimistic about everything. Some remain satisfied with thinking of the mundane. Others fail to intentionally place Scripture in their thoughts, choosing instead to adopt human reasoning. Others, however, choose to expose their minds to the truths of God — to that which is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and good.

The things you allow your mind to dwell on will be revealed by the way you live. If you focus on negative things, you will inevitably be a negative person. If you allow unholy thoughts to fill your mind, ungodliness will become common in your life. If you fill your mind with thoughts of Christ, you will become Christlike.

What you fill your mind with is a matter of choice. Choose to concentrate on the magnificent truths of God, and they will create in you a noble character that brings glory to God.

So my brother, if I walk up to you today and said, “What are you thinking about right now?” — What would your answer be? You are what you think! Paul gives us some great things to think about. Why not commit Philippians 4:8 to memory and start thinking about the RIGHT things. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 6; Numbers 35-36; Mark 10:1-31

Dig This Quote: I believe the Body of Christ must evaluate every resource available and think in a different way. The adult brain encodes knowledge and skills, joys and regrets, plans for the future. It makes us aware of ourselves by producing thoughts linked with our hearts’ desires and our belief system. The brain reflects our emotions by producing thoughts that will cause self-preservation after we have been hurt. The brain is constantly changing the landscape of how we see the world. – Chuck D. Pierce

Determined Digging: Level 1 — Psalm 30:5; Level 2 — Psalm 37:23-26

Out of the Zone

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OUT OF THE ZONE

“All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus, the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before we know it, he brings us alongside of someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.” — 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (The Message)

I have come to the conclusion that God does have an amazing sense of humor. One of the things that I have noticed is that He loves to take His kids out of their comfort zones so that He can display His power and glory. God’s Word is filled with illustrations of this truth.

This week I received a call from a partner asking if I would take a dear friend to the local hospital. This dear friend, at age 93, had been caring for her friend (age 89), and the 89 year old had fallen in the bathroom and was being transported to the hospital by ambulance.

When I arrived at the house, the 93 year old saint was really emotionally distraught over her friend needing to go the hospital. We prayed and made our way to the hospital. I took her into the ER, and told her to call me when she had an update. By the time I made it back to America’s KESWICK the call came in that the 89 year old friend had gone home to be with Jesus in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

I spoke with my 93 year old friend and told her I would meet her at the same place where I dropped her off. I parked the car and realized she wasn’t there. I went into the waiting room and there was a huge line waiting to be helped, so I went to the security guard to see if he could tell me where this dear lady was waiting.

He immediately knew who I was talking about and said, “Follow me!” What I wasn’t prepared for was where he was taking me — the morgue! This dear woman was there saying goodbye to her life-long friend.

Standing there I began to chuckle! Most of my family and friends know that I first of all don’t do hospitals, and second of all, I don’t do dead people. My first reaction was, “No, Lord, I can’t do this,” but then I was amazed at the sense of His presence and peace in having to step out of my comfort zone in order to comfort this dear lady.

We often go through experiences of life that shake us to the core only to discover that at some point, God uses those painful experiences in our lives so that we can come along others who are going through similar circumstances.

Years ago, Jan and I went through a very painful experience when our small Christian bookstore business went bankrupt. It was a horrible experience for us and our kids. But I am amazed at how often we have sat with people who were facing a similar experiencing, and have had them say, “Well, you will never understand this … ” Then we share how God worked in our lives during those dark days, and we can comfort others with the comfort He provided for us.

Is God asking YOU to step out of YOUR comfort zone to come alongside of someone else? Don’t resist it! You will be amazed at the blessing of getting out of the zone to comfort someone else with the same comfort that HE has provided for you. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 5; Numbers 32-34; Mark 9:30-50

Dig This Quote: No revolution that has taken place in society can be compared to that which has been produced by the words of Jesus Christ.Mark Hopkins

Determined Digging: Level 1 — Psalm 30:5; Level 2 — Psalm 37:23-26

The Crew Did the Rebuilding

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The Crew did the Rebuilding.

“The high priest Eliashib and his fellow priests were up and at it: They went to work on the Sheep Gate; they repaired it and hung its doors, continuing on a far as the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. The men of Jericho worked alongside them; and next to them, Zaccur son of Imri. The Fish gate was built by the Hassenaah brothers; they repaired it, hung its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, worked; next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel; next to him Zadok son of baana; and next to him the Tekoites (expect for their nobles, who wouldn’t work with their master and refused to get their hands dirty with such work). Nehemiah 3:1-5 (The Message)

He was King Artaxerxes cup bearer before he turned community leader, this was governor Nehemiah. He would have made a good “PROMISE KEEPER” as well. There are seven promises of a promise keeper and Nehemiah was keeping the fifth promise when he went back to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. That promise goes like this…”A PROMISE KEEPER is committed to supporting the mission of his church by honoring and praying for his pastor, and by actively giving his time and resources.” This was a cupbearer named Nehemiah.

When we give chapter 3 a read we find that there is a long list of men who got in there and rebuilt a wall. Sure we got our “Nay-Sayers” there in verse 5 and to be quite frank we will always have those who aren’t willing to jump in and get something done but by the time we get to verse 10 the men are rebuilding next to the spot that they had to repair. They were going further than they had to go. In my “PROMISE KEEPERS” study Bible there is a great commentary with a list of 5 crucial principles that when combined with the leadership of Nehemiah defined “The Crew”.

The members of the rebuild team were so important to Nehemiah that they got recognition forever in the pages of God’s Word. There was mobilization that Nehemiah had to perform with the 9 teams that were grouped into 42 work crews. And since the stones had to fit, cooperation had to occur so that each segment fit seamlessly with the ones “next to” the ones on either side. Nehemiah’s coordination had to be planned so that the next work crew could go in and pick right up with where the other work crew left off. And everyone knew that the work had to come to its completion.

I had joined a few friends one Saturday morning for a kind of coffee and pastries Bible study. These brothers were already in the Book of Nehemiah so we all opened our Bibles to where they left off at which was chapter 3. Before we got into this we were having a conversation about how men needed to get back into the spiritual leadership role in our homes. We were all old enough to know when they stopped prayer in school and when “social tolerance “had entered the scene. We all agreed that we should be rebuilding what has been torn down like they did in Nehemiah’s time.

If we, as men of integrity, want our kids to truly have it better in their time, it is our time to take up our tools and our weapons and fix the walls. When Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem he was met with “Nay-Sayers” and actual war mongering enemies. The men who did the work had a sword at their side and trowel in their hand. We have the sword and the trowel in one handy-dandy notebook…The Bible. This morning take some time and see what you can do to rebuild what has been torn down in your neighborhood. — Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter

Digging Deeper: We continue to look for ways to enhance your studies of the Word. Starting today, the links will be directed to the ESV sight. By clicking on the Scripture links, you can not only read the text, but listen as well. Please give me your feedback. Proverbs 4; Numbers 29-31; Mark 9:1-29

Dig This Quote: “The ministry of God is done by the people of God, not just by ordained pastors. That means you and me—children, adults, new believers, laymen, and clergy alike. Scripture makes it clear that God intends for all those who call on the name of the Lord to be involved in His ministry. God easily could have called on His angels to fulfill His will on earth, but He chose you and me, as members of His church, to carry out His work. He designed it to be a highly personal calling according to the gifts He gave each one of us (see 1 Cor. 12:8-10). And the vehicle He provided for us to pour gifts into is His church.” “Church” Means “People”
Jesse Miranda, contributing author for “Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper”1999 version

Check out this weeks STEWARDSHIP INSIGHT from George:http://keswickgeorge.blogspot.com/

Determined Digging: Level 1 – Psalm 30:5; Level 2 – Psalm 37:23-26

He Restores My Soul (Part 2)

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He Restores My Soul (Part 2)

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His names’ sake. Psalm 23:3

I shared with you yesterday that the Lord gave me some wonderful comfort and truth during my quiet time. Today’s devotional from STREAMS IN THE DESERT (Zondervan) is one of the messages from the Lord that is helping to restore my soul:

An inner-city missionary, stumbling through the trash of a dark apartment doorway, heard someone say, “Who’s there, Honey? Lighting a match, he caught sight of earthly needs and suffering, amid saintly trust and peace. Calm, appealing eyes, etched in ebony, were set within the wrinkles of a weathered black face.

On a bitterly cold night in February, she lay on a tattered bed, with no fire, no heat, no light. Having had no breakfast, lunch or dinner, she seemed to have nothing at all, except arthritis and faith in God. No one could have been further removed from comfortable circumstances, yet this favorite song of the dear lady played in the background:

Nobody knows the trouble I see,

Nobody knows but Jesus;

Nobody knows the trouble I see —

Sing Glory Hallelu!

Sometimes I’m up, sometimes I’m down,

Sometimes I’m on level groun’,

Sometimes the glory shines aroun’; —

Sing Glory Hallelu!



And so it continued: “Nobody knows the work I do, Nobody know the griefs I have,” the constant refrain being, “Glory Hallelu! until the last verse rose:



Nobody knows the joys I have,

Nobody knows but Jesus!



“We are pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but no abandoned; struck down but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). It takes these great Bible words to explain the joy of this elderly black woman.



Do you remember the words of Martin Luther as he lay on his deathbed? Between groans he preached, “These pains and troubles here are all like the type that printers set. When we look at them, we see them backwards, and they seem to make no sens and have no meaning. But up there, when the Lord God prints out our life to come, we will find they make splendid reading.” Yet we do not have to wait until then. The apostle Paul, walking the deck of a ship on a raging sea, encouraged the frightened sailors, “Be of good cheer” (Acts 27:22).



Paul, Martin Luther, and the dear black woman were all human sunflowers, seeking and seeing the Light in a world of darkness.

Brothers, it could be that one of you needed this same message today. I trust it will bring peace and comfort to your hearts as it did mine. Allow Him to restore your soul. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 3; Numbers 26-28; Mark 8

Dig This Quote: That which makes the men of God so great and impressive is not, first and foremost, what they have accomplished. It is rather how they are able, by God’s help, to pass through the greatest difficulties and the darkest hours;when, like Abraham, they give God the dearest they have; when, like Daniel, they brave the greatest dangers; and when like Moses, they endure that which is well nigh impossible. Thus they glorify God. G. Steinberger

Determined Digging: Level 1 —Psalm 30:5; Level 2 — Psalm 37:23-26

He Restores My Soul

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HE RESTORES MY SOUL

“He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3

I don’t know about you, but there are times when everything just seems to overwhelm me: too many emails, too many things to do, everyone wants a piece of you and your calendar for the day is already full. Or maybe you are facing a time when the trials seem to be pouring in one on top of the other.

These are the times that I am reminded of this precious promise in Psalm 23:3: HE restores my soul. I really needed this reminder today from the pen of teacher/author/writer, Dr. Henry Blackaby:

Your Shepherd knows your every need. He knows you will grow weary in your pilgrimage with Him. He knows there are times when you need rest. Your Shepherd knows just what you need to be refreshed.

At times you need to lie in lush meadows or beside a quiet stream. Sometimes you need to be held by your Shepherd. At other times you need to enjoy the pleasures the Shepherd provides. The Shepherd will not always replenish you in the same way; His response to you will always perfectly correspond to your present need.

As you follow your Shepherd there will be times when your soul becomes exhausted, perhaps because of trial you are experiencing or temptations you are resisting. The persecution you face or the burdens you are carrying for others may be wearing you down. You may be weary from the discipline the Shepherd has brought upon you.

There will be times when you feel you can go no further in your Christian pilgrimage. Your Shepherd knows when you have reached this point and He always has a remedy! There are many ways He can strengthen you: through His Word, through others, or through your circumstances. HE knows what YOU need even better than you do.

Have you grown weary? Does your soul need to be refreshed? Don’t attempt to recover on your own. Only God knows how to heal and rejuvenate a soul (Isaiah 40:28-31; Matthew 11:28-30). He will do it perfectly, sometimes in surprising ways. Ask Him to restore you, and then be prepared to respond to what He does next. — Henry Blackaby — Experiencing God — The Devotional (Broadman & Holman)

I am thankful today that He IS my Shepherd. I am thankful today that He knows what I need today. I am thankful that HE will restore our souls. Let Him do that for you today, my brother. He knows precisely what we need today! — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 2; Numbers 23-25; Mark 7:1-13

Dig This Quote: . Do not fight the temptation in detail. Turn from it. Look ONLY at your Lord. Sing. Read. Work. – Amy Carmichael

Determined Digging: Level 1 — Psalm 30:5; Level 2 —Psalm 37:23-26

Yes, I am Made of Scars

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Yes, I am Made of Scars!!

“While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked Him to dine with him, so He went in and reclined at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that He did not first wash before dinner. And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.” Luke 11:37-41 (ESV)

I always disliked wearing a necktie. I dislike it so much that I never bothered to learn how to tie one until I was 40 and even then it was because someone else said I had to do it. My wife and others tell me that I look handsome in a suit, with the tie, but I don’t see it. Because you see under that well groomed suit, with the tie, there lays a man who knows he is made of scars. Not only do I have my tattooing scars, my “having been knifed” scars and my “just being plain dumb” scars, I have my heart scars. And sometimes when I look into a mirror I can see into my heart or better put, “my cup” and remember a time when it was full of all the wrong things.

I can’t begin to tell you all about the wrong things that I filled my cup with and it really doesn’t matter after I emptied it when I got to the foot of the Cross. It is about making sure that I refill my cup with “living water”. When I read the story of Jesus and the woman at the well, I get a better understanding why it is important to keep the inside of my cup clean. The living water that Jesus was offering was in fact “The Spirit of Grace”. And this “Spirit of Grace” needs to reside in a cup that is clean.

I often look at that moment in Biblical history and say that we all need to be taken to the well so Jesus can deal with us face to face. The woman at the well had a dirty cup to say the least but it’s how Jesus deals with her sin that sets the stage for the “Why” we use this story as an example on how Jesus is for everyone and not just a select few. The woman thinks she is noticing the obvious about Jesus after He tells of the living water, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?”(John 4:11) And Jesus goes for the heart of what is really going on here.

Figuratively is how Jesus had spoken to her and literally is how she took Him. He tells her that Jacob’s water will bring short satisfaction but whoever partakes of the “Spirit of Grace” will never thirst again. Jesus brings conviction to her conscience and rebukes her present state of living. And she goes down the road to announces, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” (John 4:29)

So how can I go from a tie to a cup? It’s all about the rebuke Jesus gave the Pharisees in the aforementioned verse. Even though I dislike the tie, there are times where the outside of my “cup” needs to have the right appearance but that “Tie” is worth nothing around my neck if my heart is off center with The Father. It doesn’t matter about how much damage I have done to my physical body as to what really got repaired and how it needs to presented to those around me who need to see that I really desire to have a heart like Jesus. When it is not about that, the suit and tie is useless and I consider it but refuse if I know not Christ. And just for a final note, I own only one suit…but you should see my collection of ties, SANTO!! — Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 1; Numbers 20-22; Mark 7:1-13

Dig this Quote: What do you say to God when you are under the work of the Cross? You need not say a lot to Him, or even think of Him much. He sees your suffering, and your willingness to submit. With people you love you do not need to continually say, “I love you with all my heart.” Even if you do not think about how much you love Him, you still love God every bit as much. True love is deep down in the spirit—simple, peaceful, and silent.” The Seeking Heart Fenelon

Determined Digging: (Level 1) Psalm 30:5; (Level 2) Psalm 37:23-26