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.

Sin That Entangles Us

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SIN THAT ENTANGLES US

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let is throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. — Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

Last week at our hymnsing we featured the hymns of Charles Wesley. He was an amazing trophy of God’s grace. Wrote over 6000 hymns and was not afraid to be bold and proclaim the Word of God. He used the word SIN in his messages, and often times was scolded, cursed at, and even had has life threatened because he was direct in calling sin what it is, and telling people that they were sinners.

We need to be reminded often about sin in our lives and how easily we can become entangled with it. Dr. Henry Blackaby writes this in his devotional, EXPERIENCING GOD — THE DEVOTIONAL:

Sin is our most persistent, determined, and pernicious enemy. Sin seeks to rob us of every good thing God has designed for us. Paul tells us that sin brings death (Romans 7:11). Yet it is very subtle. Sin creeps into our lives when and where we least expect it. It packages itself so attractively that we are lulled into thinking that it cannot really harm us (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

Sin stealthily and relentlessly entangles our lives. We will never be able to run the race marked out for us as long as we are entrapped in sin. We can free ourselves from sin’s bondage only if we recognize it for what it is. If we call sin a “mistake,” a “bad habit,” or “weakness,” we will never escape its grasp.

We must not blame our sins on others. We must not allow pride to convince us it is to humiliating to admit the sin in our lives. Sin can blind us to is presence. It does not always command our attention but rather, it subtly and pervasively robs us of the spiritual power and victory that could be ours. The good news is that there is no extent to which sin can entangle us that God’s grace does not abound still more to free us. (Romans 5:20)

Has sin robbed your joy? Has it prevented you from being the best husband, wife, son, daughter, or friend you could be? Is it keeping you from spiritual maturity? If you have become entangled with sin, God can release you immediately, no matter how desperately entangled you may have become!

POWERFUL! BROTHERS: if you are caught up in your sin, stop! Turn around! It’s not too late. Don’t destroy yourself and everyone around you. Run to HIM! Do it today! — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

DIGGING DEEPER: Proverbs 8; Leviticus 4-5; Matthew 24:29-51

DIG THIS QUOTE: This is the wonderful thing about Jesus: He sees us not as we ARE but as what we can BECOME. Even more, He is able to change us from what we ARE into what HE sees us as capable as BECOMING. – Dr. Glynn Evans

DETERMINED DIGGING: Level 1– Psalm 19:14; Level 2 –Psalm 27:1-6

Join is this Thursday evening, February 11th, for our Men’s Fellowship Night. Dr. Glen Blossom will be our guest speaker! Call today for your reservations. Come bring a friend. 732-350-1187

A Prayer of Confession

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PRAYER OF CONFESSION

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

This morning most of us will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper at our churches. As a part of preparing our hearts for the taking the bread and cup, Paul exhorts us to “examine” ourselves so that we are clean before we take part in this memorial feast.

During our Pastor’s conference this past week, Robert Hayes shared a prayer of confession that was sent to him by email. It would be a good way for you to begin this day with this prayer. Read it slowly and allow the words to become your prayer to your Father today:

Dear Heavenly Father,
I confess that I have sinned against You, through my own fault, in thought and word and deed, in what I have done and I have left undone.

I have not loved You with my whole heart, and mind, and strength.

I have too often forgotten that I am Yours. Sometimes I carry on my life as if there was no God.

I have not loved my neighbor as myself.

I have not forgiven others, as I have been forgiven.

I confess to You the pride, hypocrisy, and impatience in my life.

I confess I have not properly loves and nurtured those closest to me; my wife and children.

I confess my frequent failures to think pure and excellent thoughts; to often lust and let anger fill my mind.

I confess my self-indulgent appetites and the way I use other people to get what I want.

I confess my envy of those more fortunate than I.

I confess my lust after worldly goods and comforts.

I confess my dishonesty in daily life and work.

I confess my negligence in prayer and worship.

I confess my blindness to human need and suffering, and my indifference to injustice and cruelty. I have not done the loving things that I ought to have done … especially for the weakest and most neglected around me.

I confess my unloving thoughts and actions towards my neighbors.

I confess my prejudice and contempt toward those who are different from me; or who disagree with me.

I confess my waster and pollution of Your creation, and my lack of concern for those who will come after me.

I confess the heartbreak, worry, sorrow that I have caused, that make it difficult for others to forgive me.

I confess the times I have made it easy for others to do wrong; when I was not a credible witness for You.

Accept my repentance, Lord. For the sake of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, forgive all my sins and offenses to You. In removing my guilt, please also grant me a daily increase of Your Holy Spirit so that I may serve You in newness of life, to the glory of Your name. Amen

Powerful prayer. Work it through this morning. Be clean today as you participate with your brothers and sisters at the Table. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

DIGGING DEEPER: Proverbs 7; Leviticus 1-3; Matthew 24:1-28

DIG THIS QUOTE: All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen. – Bruce Wilkinson

DETERMINED DIGGING: Level 1 — Psalm 19:14; Level 2 –Psalm 27:1-6

The New Year’s Old Resolutions

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The New Year’s Old Resolutions

“When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed- Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands? For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.” Ecclesiastes 5: 4-7 (NKJV)

So, we are well into the New Year and I was wondering how many of you made “New Year’s Resolutions”? The first Saturday of this New Year I had done a devotional at Men’s Breakfast on making vow’s and oath’s being Christian men. I had a top ten list that the Associated Press put out but I’ll spare you guys that. No one really keeps it or keeps a record if anyone keeps it so it doesn’t matter. I will, however, share with you this morning on some of what I spoke about that Saturday morning.

In the Book of Genesis 28: 18-22, we find Jacob making his conditional promise to be faithful to God based on what God has promised to him. And like his grandfather, Abraham, he promises a tenth of his possessions to God. Abraham made this same promise to Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God. We need to recognize three things about Jacob here, his faith, his moderation in asking for his desires and his piety. His regard to God appear in what he desired, he knew that God would be with him and that God would keep him.

Then there is verse I started off with in the Book of Ecclesiastes. The Teacher comes right and pretty much says, “Don’t try to bribe God with a hasty vow. Because what will happen is either a priest, prophet or one of God’s angels as the “messenger of God” will be the one to hold you accountable and have to listen to your excuses for an unfulfilled vow.”

When you make your vow rashly, you suffer your mouth to cause your flesh to sin. This example supposes a man coming to the priest, and pretending that his vow was made rashly, and that it would be wrong to fulfill it. This mockery of God will bring Him displeasure, which might make things worse for this man. We are to keep down the fear of man and set God before us. If you don’t intend to pay, don’t vow in the first place. The Teacher knew man’s tendency to strike a bargain with God when caught in a tight and desperate situation.

In the New Testament we can read where Jesus spoke of making oaths while He gave His “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 5:33-37. Jesus wanted to convey that honest men do not need to resort in the making of oaths. For the Christian man, an oath is unnecessary. His Yes should mean Yes, and his No should mean No. Jesus did not want us to find it necessary to introduce our promises by some fancy use of words that may sound like this, “I swear by the archangel Gabriel and all the heavenly host.” or how about this “I swear on the Holy Bible”…”The only reason we do this “oath-taking” is that we know our simple word is not likely to be trusted so we try to induce or persuade people to believe us by making a solemn oath. Oath taking is really a pathetic confession of our dishonesty.

So this morning let us be mindful of promises we make to others no matter how small they are. We are held to a higher standard because of the relationship we maintain in Christ Jesus. The Bible is full of God’s promises and He hasn’t broken anyone of them. In Genesis 3:15 He made an awesome promise of a coming Savior to redeem a fallen world and from that moment forward (Hebrews 6: 13) He has maintained the certainties of His promises. — Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter

DIGGING DEEPER: Proverbs 6; Exodus 39-40; Matthew 23:23-29

DIG THIS QUOTE: “How sad to see those relations who should quicken one another to that which is good, hardening one another in that which is evil! And this punishment was in reality mercy to vast numbers. It would cause strict self-examination, prayer, and dread of hypocrisy, covetousness, and vain-glory, and it should still do so. It would prevent the increase of false professors. Let us learn hence how hateful falsehood is to the God of truth, and not only shun a direct lie, but all advantages from the use of doubtful expressions, and double meaning in our speech.” Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, Matthew Henry

DETERMINED DIGGING: Level 1 — Psalm 16:8; Level 2 — Psalm 23

Thinking Rich

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Thinking Rich

“Correct me, O Lord, but with justice; not with Thine anger, lets Thou bring me to nothing.” Jeremiah 10:24

Have you ever stopped to think about how good you have it? Have you ever noticed how quickly we complain when the littlest of things either change our plans or our agenda for the day? We get frustrated when our technology equipment doesn’t work, or the Internet is down, or we have to sit in traffic, stand in line, or simply have to wait?

Well brothers, we often think like paupers, rather than thinking like King’s kids! What devotional author, Dr. Glynn Evans wrote in his book, DAILY WITHE THE KING, whacked me on the side of the head this morning. Maybe you need this too?

Lord, I promise that by YOUR help I will never poor mouth again. Most of Your children do not need a dose of poverty; they need a dose of faith.

“All things are yours,” You told us through Paul (1 Corinthians 3:21). But most of the time I have not believed this word. I have lived as a pauper, a beggar, in spite of what You distinctly said, “The Lord … daily leadeth us with benefits.” (Psalm 68:19)

So I tossed on my bed, feeling cheated, left out, denied. Lord, is this the portion you had for me? You have tried to teach me, Lord, that all things are mine in Christ. Also, You have tried to teach me that You select the daily portion meant personally for me from the great storehouse of “all things.”

What a rebel I am, Lord. My nightly unhappiness is simply childish rebellion against Your portion for me during the day. I need to master the idea that what happens in my life each day is what You send. It is YOUR portion wrapped in the ribbons of love. Each day yields what YOU send and I cannot lose it. Nothing planned for me is denied me. Whatever arrives is heaven’s recipe.

Yet You have said, “All things are yours.” IN CHRIST, I am heir to the universe. I vow to remember my wealth and think rich. I vow to remember that my daily portion, whether bitter or sweet, is given by YOUR love and cannot be lost. I will receive all that Christ has for me. This, Lord, will banish the inferiority and bring quiet acceptance.

Brothers, are we thinking like spiritual paupers or King’s Kids? Do you have, as Zig Ziglar says, “stinkin’ thinkin” or do you need to step back this morning, fall on your knees and thank Him for ALL that you have IN CHRIST? Think about it! — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

DIGGING DEEPER: Proverbs 5; Exodus 36-38; Matthew 23:1-22

DIG THIS QUOTE: God’s will done in any way but God’s way is not God’s will. – Bruce Wilkinson

DETERMINED DIGGING: Level 1 – Psalm 16:8; Level 2 — Psalm 23

THIS IS MY DOING

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THIS IS MY DOING

“This is my doing.” 1 Kings 12:24

It’s a day permanently etched in my mind. My CFO came and said the health insurance bill was due and we didn’t have the resources to pay the bill = $25,000.

The Board had made a decision that we would no longer borrow money to pay our bills, but we would trust God for HIS supply. No line of credit! No bank loan. Where do you turn for the resources? God!

We called the staff together for pray, to cry out to God for His provision. A friend made a $25,000 loan, but said “the real deal will arrive on Friday — trust HIM!”

Friday came, and Friday went. No provision. No check falling from the sky.

Saturday morning was a Board meeting. I was not looking forward to this meeting. I was discouraged and despondent. I sat down to have my quiet time and this was the verse that morning: “This is my doing!” I would be lying to you if I said I didn’t chuckle sarcastically to the Lord, “Well thanks alot, Lord.”

I pressed on and read the reading from STREAMS IN THE DESERT and came to this passage: Are you having problems with money, finding it hard to make ends meet? “This is My doing,” for I am the One who keeps your finances, and I want you to learn to depend upon ME! MY SUPPLY IS LIMITLESS and “I will meet all your needs” (Philippians 4:19). I want you to prove My promises so no one may say “You did not trust in the Lord your God.” (Deut. 1:32)

I packed up my stuff and went over to breakfast. Dr. Eric Crichton, a giant of the faith, asked to speak with me in my office. He and his wife came back and wanted me to tell them how much the health insurance bill was. I told him $25,000, and with that he sat down in the chair and said, “I have something amazing to tell you.”

On Thursday he received a call from a dear lady that he had introduced to America’s KESWICK. She told him that she was wiring money into his account and asked that he please take it to America’s KESWICK on his next visit. On Friday he went to the bank to transfer the money to his checking account. The teller told him the amount: $25,000!!! The “real deal” had indeed arrived on the exact day!

The most amazing part of that story is that this dear lady lives in France! How did she know? God had laid on her heart at precisely the right time the need for her to send the gift to America’s KESWICK.

Every year we have had miracles in regards to our health insurance. This year we were facing a similar challenge. What seemed like an impossible situation, has once again turned into another miracle!

I tell you that to remind you that YOU have a GOD who is able to take care of you in ways you can’t begin to even imagine. He is interested in displaying HIS power and glory in YOUR life. Are you willing to trust HIM? — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

DIGGING DEEPER: Proverbs 4; Exodus 34-35; Matthew 22:23-46

DIG THIS QUOTE: God never promises us an easy time, only a safe arrival.

DETERMINED DIGGING: Level 1 — Psalm 16:8; Psalm 23

Check out this week’s STEWARDSHIP INSIGHT FROM GEORGE: http://www.americaskeswick.org/363836.ihtml#h_3532

The Four Faces

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The Four Faces

“Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John his brother, led them up a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Matthew 17:1-4 (NKJV)

During the fall of last year I was attending a KIBS class on the “Sermon on the Mount” and one night we were having a discussion that lead to the Tabernacle and there being a copy of one in Lancaster, Pa. As it turns out I had been one of the few in the class who did not see this attraction, so out of the blue I told my wife (Kathy) that I wanted to go out there and see this. Now she had done a Bible study on the Tabernacle and its relationship to Jesus and the Cross so it seemed relevant to go. Just as a side note my kids thought I was nuts to travel to Clippity-Clop Land to see a tent…with them in tow. So, I bought a nice lunch…afterwards.

Well since that trip the Men’s Bible study that I participate in on Tuesday night’s has decided to study the Tabernacle. I also heard about the Tabernacle from the weirdest place. I-Tunes!! I downloaded a sermon on what I thought was going to be focused on the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” but it went into the Tabernacle and the four faces of Jesus. The Pastor talked about how we need to live by what the four sides of the Tabernacle represent and how they protect us from the four winds of the Horsemen. (That one might be a stretch.)

So from what I am understanding the camp that surrounded the Tabernacle had to be set-up a certain way. The twelve tribes had to camp by their own standard, beside the emblems of his father’s house (Num 2:1-34). Now this is where it get’s interesting for me. These emblems, after some research, just may represent the four face of Jesus before the throne (Rev 4:2-8). The tribe of Judah camped to the east; their banner has the face of a lion. The tribe of Ephraim camped to the west; their banner has the face of a calf or oxen. The tribe of Reuben camped to the south; their banner has the face of man. The tribe of Dan camped to the north; their banner has the face of an eagle.

Now these faces also are represented as the four faces of Jesus in the Gospels. The Lion for Matthew dignifying Jesus as King of the Jews, the Ox for Mark portraying Jesus as an obedient and laboring servant of God. Then we have Man to represent Luke as this Gospel represents Jesus as “the Son of Man”, a phrase that Jesus used for Himself numerous times and then the Eagle for John. This is a symbol that dignifies Jesus as royalty, the Son of God who came from Heaven.

If we had God’s point of view from Heaven, we could look down and see the Cross. At the center we would see God being surrounded by the four faces of Jesus. And when the twelve tribes packed up, got into formation and marched while they followed the Pillar of Fire or the Cloud of Smoke, it was in the form of a cross. I’m looking forward to the rest of this study and praise God that this has been showed to me. I think it is no coincidence that God can be found on I-tunes. Where are you finding Him brother? — Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter

DIGGING DEEPER: Proverbs 3; Exodus 31-33; Matthew 22:1-22

DIG THIS QUOTE: “This is what Jesus prays for us: “Father, show them my glory and give them the very delight in me that you have in me.” Oh, may we see Christ with the eyes of God and savor Christ with the heart of God. That is the essence of heaven. That is the gift Christ came to purchase for sinners at the cost of His death in our place.” John Piper “Pierced by the Word”

DETERMINED DIGGING: Level 1 — Psalm 16:8; Level 2 — Psalm 23

Happy Ground Hog Day

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Happy Ground Hog Day

“I will bless the Lord who ha given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” Psalm 16:7-8

I have been reading through the book of Exodus with you on our “Digging Deeper” adventure. It has been a good review for me of the story of redemption.

I came to the place in the story where God calls Moses up into the mountain to give him the Ten Commandments (not the Ten Suggestions), and to give him the detailed instructions for the building of the tabernacle, the duties of the priests, and the offerings. Moses has been gone for over a month, and the people are getting restless. You can hear them asking, “Where has the old boy gone?”

The people come to Aaron and want to make a “new” idol and old Aaron doesn’t even suggest to them that this is wrong. He goes right along with the plan, makes the golden calf, and then calls for a day celebration.

The Lord tells Moses what has happened: “They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them.” Exodus 32:8

The Israelites have witnessed some incredible miracles: the plagues and how God worked during their release from the captivity of the Egyptians; the parting of the Red Sea and how God made a way for them to pass through the sea without anyone perishing; and good old Aaron had the opportunity to go with Moses up on the mount to see the God of Israel (Exodus 24:10).

We might ask the question, how could they be so stupid? Wait a minute! Don’t get Pharisaical on me. Have you not been there? It would be like watching a rerun of the movie “Ground Hog Day.”

Think of ALL that the Lord has done for you and me. Some of us have witnessed miracles and displays of God’s glory and power in our lives in amazing ways. And yet how QUICKLY we find ourselves stepping back into our old routines, falling back into our old sin patterns, making new idols of the heart.

The children of Israel and Aaron, forget one thing: The God of Israel knew exactly where they were and what they were doing. Nothing escaped His eyes. They forgot the “fear of the Lord”: God knows, weighs and sees every one of my thoughts, deeds, words and actions.

Puritan preacher John Owen said: We cannot take one step in our walk with God unless we remember that always and in all places, He is present with us; that He knows ALL our thoughts and sees all that we do and that at all times, night and day. And as we ought always to live in the fear of God as the omnipresent and omniscient God, so there are special times when our minds ought specially to remember His omnipresence and omniscience.

Thousands of people will turn on the news, or go to western PA to find out if the groundhog will see his shadow. They will get the prediction and quickly go back to life as it has been. Instead of focusing in on whether we will have a longer or shorter winner, a victorious way to spend this Ground Hog Day would be to remember THAT NOTHING ESCAPES HIS EYES! Remembering that will help us be MORE THAN A CONQUEROR not just today, but for the rest of our lives. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

DIGGING DEEPER: Proverbs 2; Exodus 29-30; Matthew 21:23-46

DIG THIS QUOTE: It is not enough to want to be a useful tool for God; you must be willing to sit still for the grinding that produces the edge. – Bruce Wilkinson

Have You Met Good O’le Will?

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Have You Met Good O’le Will?

“Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 2:3

I know that you know him — his name is WILL. Everyone of us knows him very intimately. We see him, dialog and interact with him every day. In fact, some of us actually do battle with him each day — some of us battle him quite often during the day.

Some if us know him as “Strong Will” or “Iron Will”. He often wants to control us, do battle with us, and take us in places that we know are forbidden territory. The only way we can do battle with him and win, is to allow the Spirit of God to reign him in.

Listen to what Dr. Glynn Evans says about “good o’le will” in his devotional book, Daily With the King:

I will be soldierly at all times. The chief requirement of the soldier is the surrender of his WILL. Other things are irrelevant. The disposition of his time, his duties, and his responsibilities is entirely in the hands of his commander, and they are not his business.

If Christ has my will, He will also have my body, my mind, my strength, my ambitions, my inclinations, my attitudes, in short, my all. The will is the key. When I am tempted it is in the will that the victory will either be won or lost. Temptation gives me alternatives: I can submit and lose or resist and win. There is ample power for either.

Christ gives me power to resist; my old nature gives me power to submit. But the key is the will. If I will resist, Christ will empower me has He has promised; if I will submit, I only need to let the old nature take over. Whoever [or whatever] has my will is my master!
I therefore must decide daily, hourly: shall Christ have my will, or shall it be some other master?

The decision is instantaneous; the results are eternal. My hope is based on the two-fold action of God: “God … is at work in you, both to will and to work His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). While God does not make up my mind, He strengthens my resolve. Even more, He brings my resolution to a finished product “for HIS good pleasure.” Thus, I can honor the Lord’s intent and say, “It can be done!”

So brothers — have you surrendered your WILL to him today? Who or what is master of YOUR will? Surrender it to HIM and allow HIM to be the Master of YOUR will. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

DIGGING DEEPER: Proverbs 1; Exodus 27-28; Matthew 21:1-22

DIG THIS QUOTE: Prayer is co-operation with God. It is the purest exercise of the faculties God has given us – an exercise that links these faculties with the Maker to work out the intentions He had in mind in their creation. Prayer is aligning ourselves with the purposes of God…Prayer is commitment. We don’t merely co-operate with God with certain things held back within. We, the total person, co-operate. This means that co-operation equals commitment. Prayer means that the total you is praying. Your whole being reaches out to God, and God reaches down to you…(continued tomorrow) E. Stanley Jones

DETERMINED DIGGING: Level 1 — Psalm 16:8; Level 2 — Psalm 23

SING TO THE LORD

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SING TO THE LORD

“Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise His holy name.” Psalm 30:4

I am in the process of preparing our February hymnsing. This month we are singing the hymns of Charles and John Wesley. They have given us some of our greatest hymns. Charles actually wrote more hymns than John, but both have made significant contributions to our hymnals.

Today is the Lord’s day, and a significant part of worship is singing praises to our great and mighty God. As a song leader, I find myself baffled when I look out across and see the “looks” on the faces of the people. Now I realize that God is the only one that can judge the heart, but so many times the “look” is see is off people singing on “auto-pilot” — not really thinking or contemplating the words. So seem to be off in another world rather than focusing in on the One we are singing about.

John Wesley wrote some interesting directions to his congregation about singing. I think that they should be plastered in every hymnbook (and some of you have no idea what a hymnbook is !!!):

I. Learn these tunes before you learn any others; afterwards learn as many as you please.

II. Sing them exactly as they are printed here, without altering or mending them at all; and if you have learned to sing them otherwise, unlearn it as soon as you can.

III. Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a single degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing.

IV. Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being heard, then when you sung the songs of Satan.

V. Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound.

VI. Sing in time. Whatever time is sung be sure to keep with it. Do not run before nor stay behind it; but attend close to the leading voices, and move therewith as exactly as you can; and take care not to sing to slow. This drawling way naturally steals on all who are lazy; and it is high time to drive it out from us, and sing all our tunes just as quick as we did at first.

VII. Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself, or any other creature. In order to do this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and see that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve here, and reward you when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.

John Wesley was right on the mark! I would encourage you to put those principles of singing into practice starting today. You are worshipping the God of the universe!!! He is indeed our AUDIENCE OF ONE! — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

DIGGING DEEPER: Today you have ended the first month of the “Digging Deeper” Challenge. I would love to hear from you. What has God been teaching you? If you have slacked off on the challenge, get back on track. Let’s keep at it as we dig together into God’s WORD!

Proverbs 31; Exodus 25-26; Matthew 20:17-34

DIG THIS QUOTE: There are no new sins – we just keep returning to the old ones. — Dr. Jerry Bridges

DETERMINED DIGGING: Level 1 — Psalm 16:8; Level 2 — Psalm 23

Cross-Centered Love (Part 5)

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CROSS-CENTERED LOVE (Part 5)

“This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love; not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:9-11

Well here is the last installment of insights from Dr. Paul David Tripp on what “cross-centerd” love will look like in our lives. I trust it has been a helpful study:

33. It means being open to correction, loving criticism, and godly rebuke

34. It means believing in the body of Christ and recognizing that you are but one of the tools in God’s big toolbox of redemption

35. It means being open to counsel and receptive to advice

36. It means being willing to go to bed tired and to awake to another day of calling

37. It means hiding God’s Word in [my] heart and keeping His kingdom always before [my] eyes

38. If means refusing to become anyone’s substitute messiah, but instead to point people to the presence and grace of Jesus

39. It really does mean looking out not only for [my] own interests, but also for the interests of others

40. It means building relationships, not just for the purpose of being relationally comfortable, but so that those relationships would be a workroom for redemption

41. It means loving people in such a way that they never feel like that are in debt to [me]

42. It means remembering that you are more like than unlike the people you are called to love

43. It means understanding that the call to love is a call to both word and deed

44. It means daily remembering Jesus, being in awe of the gift of his love, and living thankfully

Truth is often painful, isn’t it? But the good news is that I can love with cross-centered love as I allow Christ to live HIS life in and through me. Just think what life will be like when love like this. It could be the beginning of revival … and it still starts with YOU and ME. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

DIGGING DEEPER: Proverbs 30; Exodus 23-24; Matthew 20:1-16

DIG THIS QUOTE: Let no extreme difficulty discourage you, and make you think, Oh! it is impossible relief can now come; What? Are not all things possible to him that hath all things in his hand? Yea, “All things are possible to him that believeth;” and it is possible for you to do all things through Christ strengthening you, even to overleap the highest walls, to break bows of steel in pieces, and wade through the deepest fords in your way. Ralph Erskine

DETERMINED DIGGING: Level 1 — 2 Chronicles 7:14; Level 2 — Psalm 19