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.

I Ain’t Scared of Nothing!!!

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“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” –  2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)

Is it possible to be scared to death? During the January 17, 1994 earthquake that hit the Los Angeles/Northridge area, over 100 people literally died of fright, according to Robert Kloner, cardiologist at the Good Samaritan Hospital in L.A. His research has shown that excessive fear can cause sudden cardiac death. In many cases, the terrorized brain triggers the release of a mix of chemicals so potent it causes the heart to contract so fiercely it never relaxes again. Sounds like one do-zee of a Charlie horse, don’t it? Guess this may be why Paul needed Timothy to be strengthened in his faith before he took over the church in Ephesus.

Because Timothy comes from a heritage of faith, a faith he personally possesses, Paul also encourages him to use his spiritual gift in his work at Ephesus. Throughout 2 Timothy 1:5-14 Paul will weave different themes together, all intended to encourage Timothy. As Paul should know, the Ephesians were passionate about their goddess (Diana) and the business of selling her effigies to this phony goddess’ believers. But before I end up slamming a group of people I’ve never met, let’s look at five things we can glean from this passage of Scripture.

  1. Paul identifies himself with Timothy. Paul was with Timothy when Timothy received his gift [“the gift of God.”] The plural “us” continually associates the two: God gave us a spirit of power and saved us not because of our works, but because of his grace; the Holy Spirit too lives in us. Just as God gave Paul a spirit of power, called him to suffer without shame for the gospel, saved him to a life of holiness as a teacher of that gospel, and gave him the assurance that he would keep Paul safe, so also God has done, and will do, the same for Timothy.

 

  1. Paul calls Timothy not to be ashamed of the gospel or of Paul himself (v 8). Paul is fully convinced that God can keep him safe and is therefore not ashamed (v 12), and neither should Timothy be.

 

  1. Paul encourages Timothy by calling him to share with him in suffering for the gospel (v 8); Timothy’s suffering is not simply to be endured or viewed as a deterrent.

 

  1. Paul reminds Timothy that God has not abandoned him in Ephesus, but rather will empower him to do the work. The call to suffer with Paul for the gospel is “according to the power of God” (v 8), the same power that can keep Paul’s “deposit” safe until judgment day (v 12). Likewise, as Timothy guards what God has given to him, he is to do this not in his own power but through the Holy Spirit that lives in him (v 14).

 

  1. Finally, the description of the gospel itself serves as an encouragement to Timothy. The gospel to which Timothy is called to suffer and of which he is not to be ashamed is the very gospel that declares the salvation of God and a call to obedience, based not on human merit but on God’s grace, the possession of which was Timothy’s before time but is now revealed through Christ. No matter how difficult the situation becomes in Ephesus, Timothy can draw encouragement from a proper understanding of the gospel message.

Verses 6-14 not only afford a personal look into Paul’s heart and his relationship with Timothy, but also provide a paradigm of the nature of Christian encouragement. Timothy is to hold fast to Paul’s gospel, characterized not by bitterness and quarreling but by faith and love. Since God can guard what Paul (and Timothy) has entrusted to him, Timothy should be able to guard what God has entrusted to Timothy, as always, through the power God gives him by the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes we can find ourselves in “earthquake” moments but with the “Pauls” in our lives, we can endure attacks to our faith a lot easier than if we just went on our strength. It is my hope that you have been encouraged to day to seek out a Paul as a go to in your daily walk. Amen?

Written by Chris Hughes: Chris is a graduate of The Colony of Mercy (11-2003), is married to his wife Kathy, has two adult children (Kevin and Karen) and has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008.

The Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 42-46| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

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Daily Quote: “The Christian doctrine is a trust committed to us; it is of unspeakable value in itself, and will be of unspeakable advantage to us. It is committed to us, to be preserved pure and entire, yet we must not think to keep it by our own strength, but by the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us; and it will not be gained by those who trust in their own hearts, and lean to their own understandings.” — Matthew Henry

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

“that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious that gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” 1 Peter 1:7

 

 

Loosen the Load

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“Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” – 1st Peter 5:7

I’m a visual person, so when I read and hear an analogy I immediately begin to draw a picture in my mind of what that looks like. So when I read a portion of scripture that says “Cast all your care upon Him,” I see myself walking around carrying a heavy load. If you’ve ever seen someone with their hands full, you probably wouldn’t think to ask them for something, not even for the time of day.

This verse precedes the one about our enemy, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Again, the visual gives me a picture of not being preoccupied with things that I don’t have control over. Cares and worries are usually things that pertain to circumstances beyond my control. One of the benefits to being a child of God is He invites us to give Him our burdens. When I allow myself to be preoccupied, I put myself in a vulnerable position and can easily suffer a defeat.

The key here is to have an understanding of the difference between a care and a responsibility. He is not saying to cast my responsibility on Him but to cast my cares. I believe the purpose of casting my cares is to allow me to focus and attend to my responsibilities.

Allowing God to handle the things that worry me is a way to be alert and responsive. Too many times I’ve neglected my responsibilities because of not being fully committed to the task at hand. I can become irresponsible when my full attention is not where it should be.

I’m not trying to minimize the things that concern us, the picture here is unloading the things you’re holding onto in order to be productive. This can be accomplished by a time of crying out to God in earnest prayer, writing out these prayers and having your tears soak the page. But then being able to leave them at the alter, only to return to them at a devoted time. For me, it’s in the morning, I spend my time with the Lord and He has his hands open wide to hold my cares until I come back to revisit the concern.

So P.U.S.H., (pray until something happens) but then rise to your feet, leave your cares where they belong and be about your Father’s business. Amen!

Written by Rob Russomano: Rob Russomano is married to Terri, he is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a full time staff member. He is also available as a speaker of the grace of God with a message of Hope for church events. You can contact him at rrussomano@americaskeswick.org.

The Daily Bible Reading: Job 41-42| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

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Daily Quote: “Fall on your knees and grow there. There is no burden of the spirit but is lighter by kneeling under it. Prayer means not always talking to Him, but waiting before Him till the dust settles and the stream runs clear.” – F.B. Meyer

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

“that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious that gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” 1 Peter 1:7

 

 

 

 

The Incorrigible Old Man

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What makes authentic disciples is not visions, ecstasies, biblical mastery of chapter and verse, or spectacular success in the ministry, but a capacity for faithfulness. Buffeted by the fickle winds of failure, battered by their own unruly emotions, and bruised by rejection and ridicule, authentic disciples may have stumbled and frequently fallen, endured lapses and relapses, gotten handcuffed to the fleshpots and wandered into a far country. Yet, they kept coming back to Jesus.
~ Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel

And calling the crowd to Him with Him disciples, He said to them, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
~ Jesus, King of The Universe, in Mark 8

Oh beloved, it is true.

We know that we are broken. This is the prelude to the Good News of Jesus Christ. For, when we come to the end of our belief in ourselves, we can begin to actually believe in the One Who is so mighty to save. And really, nothing gets started – until we come to the end of who we are.

The problem, though, is not just with us. The problem is that we really need to come to believe that entire system around us is broken too. Wave upon wave of history has shown us that we are more than willing to destroy everything around us.

So, there are two insidiously complementary forces at work. And this even leaves out The Satan, who works to push the boulders of our destruction even faster down the hills we have made. We are in a terrible bind, and there is no fix to the problem.

In our own personal walks, we find that it doesn’t really matter how long we have been trusting in Him. There is a dead part of us that simply will not be regenerated. We can be twenty years into getting things right, and in 20 seconds, be right back to some behavior that never got us what we wanted in the first place.

And, in the travels of our civilizations, we find that there really is nothing new under the sun either. Centuries and, even now millennia, of our history with “A.D.” (Anno Domini, or Year of Our Lord) after the year, have shown that every culture, no matter how impregnated with the Gospel, is able to walk away from the One Who set her free.

This has happened four times actually in America, with the recent 40-years being the latest.  Thankfully, there were three great awakenings in the 1730s, the early 1800s and also in the late 1850s. But, it is yet to be seen if America will awaken from her moral and spiritual near-coma, which started in the late 1960s, but which set in most fully after the 9/11 attacks.

Can we see it?

All of this points back to the very prelude of the Gospel: Blessed are the poor in spirit. And, when any of us, or any group of us, begins to think that we are rich in and of ourselves – we are in real trouble. The first thing we lose is our sense of blessedness, and begin to think we are entitled to the wonderful life we have found.

Further, our view of G_d gets small. We begin to think that we already “get it,” and that there is no need for us to continue growing as a person, or as a nation. We think to ourselves, “I have already become very rich. There is no need for me to continue in the planting and harvesting. I will take my leasure.” However, what we find, is that our lives (and even a nation’s life) actually come to an end the day we stop learning and growing.

So, are you struggling with failure? Are the sins of your past beginning to plague you again? It happens. But the solution is exactly the same as it ever has been. You, and this fool of writer, and the nations we inhabit, need to remember that we really cannot do life on our own. We are utterly poor, apart from Him. And to listen to our incorrigible old man will only hasten our demise.

Tonight is your night beloved. Time to remember Who is the Source of your strength. And time to ignore the old voice of our self.

Written by Makala Doulos: Makala Doulos is a child of G_d, a husband to his wife, a father to his children, and a teacher to his students. But mostly, he is a prisoner set free by Jesus. Love has invaded his life, crushed it, and made it new. Now, G_d’s Love is what constrains him to live in full surrender to the freedom The Father and Son and Holy Spirit have bought for us all. Grace and Peace to you all.

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 60-62| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

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Daily Quote: The flood of temporal things draws us after itself, but in this flood there is, as it were, a full-grown tree: our Lord Jesus Christ. He took flesh, died, and ascended to heaven. It is as if He agreed to be in the flood of the temporal. Is this stream dragging you headlong? Hold on to Christ. He became temporal for you, so that you might become eternal, for He became temporal in such a way that He remained eternal. What difference is there between two men in a prison when one of the is a convict and the other a visitor! Sometimes a man comes to visit his friend, and it seems that both are in prison, but there is a great difference between them. One of themes is held there because of guilt, while the other has come out of love for mankind. Thus it is with our mortality: guilt holds us here, but Christ had come out of mercy. He came freely into bondage, and not as a convict.
~St. Augustine, Sermons on I John, II.10

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

“that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious that gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” 1 Peter 1:7

 

Even When I Walk Through the Darkest Valley

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“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.”  ~ David

The 23rd Psalm is one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written, as well as a reflection of a dark time in David’s life. The ‘shadow of darkness’ he refers to is a metaphor for the trials and hardships that invade our lives. These dark times come whether they are from sin, sickness, immorality, jealousy, anger, tragedy, or frustration on our part…or from others actions.

The thing to know and to remember above all else is; regardless of the circumstances, no matter what has cast the ‘dark shadow’, there must first be light for a shadow to exist.

Jesus is that ‘Light’.

Even though something seems to overwhelm us and we can’t see that light, it doesn’t mean that the ‘consuming’ fire of Jesus Christ has gone out. David describes Him as walking with him, and He is bearing all that is necessary to comfort you… even in the presence of what this world considers ‘evil’.

With that confidence, we can be assured that He (The Light) will burn through the darkness at the right time.  So be certain that He is authoring your faith as you wait on Him. And know that this faith is developing in you ‘virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and that all these are producing love’; “For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8)

God is at work in your life… even in the dark shadows that feel like death itself. Don’t give up! Don’t ever let go of that faith! His light will shine though, and you will know our God is faithful.

Choose wisely…

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

  He makes me lie down in green pastures.

  He leads me beside still waters.

  He restores my soul.

  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

   (Psalms 23:1-3)

Praying 4 U

Written by David Brown: David Brown is a husband, father, and grandfather with a Masters of Religious Studies and a Professor of Philosophy and Comparative Religions. Dave is a member of Pemberton’s First Baptist Church.

The Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 20-24| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

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Daily Quote: “To learn strong faith is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings.” – George Mueller

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

“that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious that gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” 1 Peter 1:7

My Plan B Was God’s Plan A

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Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Proverbs 19:21

A few Saturdays ago was our 9th Annual Family Freedom Walk at America’s Keswick. Many of you followed us on social media and I am thankful for those of you who prayed, participated, and gave so that we can reach men and women in addiction.

Our financial goal this year was $65,000, and I have to say that in the beginning I was not thinking it was such a huge amount, but as the day approached – well let’s just say – I was starting to get a little nervous.

For several years we had rain predictions and a couple of walks it rained in the morning and then cleared. One year it rained everywhere but around America’s Keswick.

But this year the prediction was for Nor’easter with 100% rain all day. On Friday, the sun was shining all day and it was beautiful. Several people on our team wanted to have a Plan B, but I was really struggling. Could I not once again trust God with the day?

We mapped out Plan B and there was complete unity on the team with the plan. We decided that even if the sun came out, we would stick with our Plan B and go from there.

It not only rained on Saturday – it poured. And I mean poured.  There was not let up at all. Apart from a miracle, there was no way that this was going to be a success. Well at least from my perspective.

We had hundreds of people praying and we saw God answer prayers in ways only traceable to HIS hand. He demonstrated His faithfulness and it was AMAZING.

Our Plan B turned out to be God’s Plan A. While we had fewer walkers, walking in the gym versus walking around the lake turned out to be so much fun. There was more buy-in from our addiction recovery grads and the men and women who are currently in the program. More people actually walked than just standing around. 95% of the group actually walked for an hour and fifteen minutes.

There was a lot of laughter, great fellowship, and we just had fun walking to the glory of God. But what would God do financially. After all, our goal was $10,000 higher than last year, we had less people, we had a lousy day weather wise.

My friend Dr. B used to say, “The Red Sea is before you – the Egyptian army is coming up behind. There are mountains on either side. Great honks! Things are ripe for a miracle.

When our CFO came to me with the paper with the financial totals, I had a deep settled peace that God would give us what He wanted us to receive from His good hand. He isn’t dependent on sunshine to provide. He really is dependent on is to raise the money. He’s God and we’re not.

To my amazement and for His glory – the total was $68,212!!! To God be the glory great things HE was done.

How often I plan and sweat and fret and fuss. His plans are far better than mine. He knows the BIGGER picture and is not limited to my puny brain and my mere plans.

I learned a big lesson. I need to trust Him with my plans and allow Him to do what only He can do.

Are the times when your Plan B turned out to be God’s Plan A? I’d love to hear your story.

Rejoice! Pray! Give thanks!

Bill Welte
President/CEO
America’s Keswick

Written by Dr. Bill Welte, President/CEO of America’s Keswick: Bill has been married to his child sweetheart for 40+ years, and has three married kids, one that is engaged, and 10 amazing grand kids. He loves music and is an avid reader.

The Daily Bible Reading: Exodus 29-32| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

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Think About This: “Orphans plead and beg; heirs pray and believe.” Susie Larson

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

“that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious that gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” 1 Peter 1:7

 

Escaped

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“Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” – 2nd Peter 1:4b

Who says you’ll ‘never get away with it?’ That was the phrase my big brother would use after he found out I was snooping in his room. I would hear him coming and hide behind the door so after he walked in I’d run for my life and think I had escaped. Instead of chasing me he would threaten with “I’ll get you, you’ll never get away with it.” He was right. Eventually, I’d find myself pinned to the floor begging for mercy with the unintentional promise of, “I’ll never do it again”.

Our salvation continues to preserve us until Glory, we have the promises of God that allow us to be partakers of the divine nature. It’s an account that contains everything we need that pertains to life and godliness and a glimpse of what awaits us in Heaven. Another benefit is that we finally get away with something. The blood of Jesus has made a way for us to be forgiven of our sins and the enemy can’t make us pay for them. Unlike my big brother who eventually evened the score and made me pay for my transgression against him, the forgiveness extended to through Christ gives us mercy and grace. It’s the great escape.

Peter starts off his second epistle with a truth that should give us a grateful heart and cause us to devote ourselves to God. Verses 3 and 4 tell us “as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust”. Escaped is the key word, no longer held down with the burden of our sin. Our fate was set, but because of the work Jesus did on the cross, we’ve escaped.

When we understand this and comprehend the cost of our salvation, we no longer should desire to continue to sin but grieve it when we choose to do it. Paul asks and answers this question in Romans 6, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”

Our identity in Christ and belief that we are who He says we are gives us “Victory in Jesus.” We walk in truth, becoming a sweet smelling aroma to those who desire a relationship with our Father. These truths help to give us a perspective that cause us to become overcomers in Christ. The struggles we face today are instruments for our good. The 1st chapter of 2nd Peter goes on to instruct us to build. The encouragement in verse 10 seals it, “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble”.

So take a moment in prayer to God and be reminded of the benefits that come with being a child of the King. Amen?

Written by Rob Russomano: Rob Russomano is married to Terri, he is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a full time staff member. He is also available as a speaker of the grace of God with a message of Hope for church events. You can contact him at rrussomano@americaskeswick.org.

The Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 37 – 41| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

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Daily Quote: “This day, my God, I hate sin not because it damns me, but because it has done Thee wrong. To have grieved my God is the worst grief to me.” – Charles Spurgeon

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials. 1 Peter 1:6

 

 

DEAD FAITH

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iStock-478408546.jpg“If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” – James 2:15-17 (NASB)

It was an impromptu sit down on a Thursday night that consisted of cheese fries, coffee, and a simple glass of cold water. I was meeting with one of the Elders in our church just to talk, but it did lead into some issues that had taken its toll on our walk. Eric is a few years younger than myself, but he has an insight that is on the same level as my own and it makes him easy to talk to. As we were talking about how others around us react to certain things, I told him the thing I noticed was how people will say things out of reflex.

One of those things being, “Well okay. Hope God works that out for you. Sorry you have to go through that, I’ll be praying for you” and as fast as they get those words out is as fast as they disappear into the sunset, never to ask you if God really did work things out. Eric and I got a bit of laugh out of that, but we did agree that it is a sad state of affairs to see that in our churches today. I compare this to what we read about in the Book of James. Take a look at the verse I begin with today and let’s get into it, shall we?

The first thing to note is folks who do the ‘lip service’ routine. “Go in peace, be warmed, and be filled” or “Hope God works that out for you. Sorry you have to go through that, I’ll be praying for you” can be examples that pretty much reflect that we know the correct vocabulary for prayer and doctrine, our walk may not measure up to our talk. You could say that when we exhibit this, we show we only have an intellectual faith. We know the doctrine of salvation and showing compassion for one another, but we haven’t really submitted to God or trusted the words of Jesus Christ. We only know the “words” but we don’t back them up with “works.”

The second thing to take away is that there is no salvation with an intellectual faith. None, zilch, zero. Three times in James 2:17-26 we’ll see that James will emphasize that “faith without works is dead.” Now one could go up on a mountain and yell out to the world “I BELIEVE IN GOD!!” but if there is no change in the life of that person all that yelling did nothing and all that academia is good for is an episode of “Jeopardy” Without any change in a person life, even if they say they believe in God, results in what I dare call a dead faith or a counterfeit faith. This kinda faith lulls us into a sleep that only the devil would appreciate and gives us a false confidence that we are partaking in the eternal life that only Jesus Christ freely gives.

I know the father of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther, had some issue with “faith without works is dead.” His initial thought was that to simply trust in God’s perfect love would be the only correct way of responding to God’s plan of salvation and that had lead into by faith alone would be the way one would be saved. But if you look through the Bible, especially at some guy I’ll call Abraham, you’ll see that it took some act to reflect the faith that one had in their heart to God that they are willing to OBEY Him and walk in His ways. Keep in mind that Faith and Good Works go hand in hand in the life of a child of The Most High God.

Sometimes we see folks that are having a bad day and we think that they need to be shown a bit of compassion, so we walk up to them and say something encouraging… and that’s fine, BUT if it isn’t done in the compassion of Jesus Christ it’s just you…and you can fail people every once in a while. So, if you’re gonna say you’ll pray for someone, then pray and if you have prayed, go back and see if God answered… and if He did, then praise Him as The Most High God. It is in Him that we have the words of life simply because, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life” (1 John 5:12). In the meantime, if you find yourself at a diner, Brother Eric and I recommend the cheese fries and coffee, for from that will spring up a cool glass of water. Amen?

Written by Chris Hughes: Chris, a graduate of The Colony of Mercy (11-2003) is married (Kathy) with two adult children (Kevin and Karen) and has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008.

The Daily Bible Reading: Job 39-40| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

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Daily Quote:“No man can come to Christ by faith and remain the same, anymore than he came into contact with a 220-volt wire and remain the same.” — Warren Wiersbe

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials. 1 Peter 1:6

 

 

 

Already Seated Above the Fight

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It has come these days with new light and power that the first thing we have to see to as we draw near to God day by day is that our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. If we listen in the stillness till our hearts begin to respond to what he is thinking and feeling about the matter in question, whether it concerns ourselves or others, we can, from that moment, begin praying downwards from the Throne, instead of praying upwards from ourselves. ~ I. Lilias Trotter

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
~ paul, The Least of The Apostles, in Ephesians 2

Oh beloved, it is true.

Life on this plane is so brutally difficult, and there are so many enemies of our soul, that we simply cannot win. We will be disdained, hurt, rejected, and killed by our enemies. And even those close to us, will often swing at us in their pain and fear.

We will be…
Judged
Slandered
Forgotten
Doubted
Blasted
Hated
And purposely misunderstood.

It really is too much. We cannot win, if we try to fight in this theater.

Those who are in the heavenly places see God’s counsels in what to the wisdom of the world is arrogant stupidity.
~Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)

And so. It is really a good thing that we are not here. Really.

Can we see it?

G_d understands the battles through which we are passing in this world. He understands how devastating things are in this cosmos. We will have trouble. We will be killed. We will be hurt. But now, thankfully, all of this is irrelevant.

So, He has already seated us above the storm, with Him.

Jesus did not just come to give us a few supplies for the battle, and then give us some remote possibility of everything turning out OK in the end. No, He has already seated us with Him, in Heavenly places, that we might fight the battles we are surely going to face from a completely different stance.

And that stance is as a radical overcomer, saved from our sins, saved from ourselves, and working from a position of His Strength.

Said simply: We have, in Him, already won.

So, are you struggling with all the stuff that is flying at you in this life? It is definitely a problem if you (and this fool of a writer) do not understand our actual position. While it may feel like we are stuck on the ground, the reality is that we are already seated, with Him, in heavenly places.

Maybe it is time we begin acting like it.

Written by Makala Doulos: Makala Doulos is a child of G_d, a husband to his wife, a father to his children, and a teacher to his students. But mostly, he is a prisoner set free by Jesus. Love has invaded his life, crushed it, and made it new. Now, G_d’s Love is what constrains him to live in full surrender to the freedom The Father and Son and Holy Spirit have bought for us all. Grace and Peace to you all.

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 57-59 | You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

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Daily Quote: If all Jesus Christ came to do was to upset me, make me unfit for my work, upset my friendships and my life, produce disturbance and misery and distress, then I wish he had never come. But that is not all he came to do. He came to lift us up to “the heavenly places” where he is himself. The whole claim of the redemption of Jesus is that he can satisfy the last aching abyss of the human soul, not hereafter only, but here and now. ~Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials. 1 Peter 1:6

 

Perfect Assurance…

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What have you placed your confidence in… I mean, if everything were to come apart in your life, what could you count on to remain?

The past few years have been a bit crazy as I sit here looking back over them; I realized that God has touched almost every aspect of my life… revealing how transient our health, relationships, wealth, education, employment, possessions, and desires all are. As heart rendering and stressful each of these trials are, I have also seen how faithful and loving our God is. In each circumstance, He has provided through someone that He has used to reveal His faithfulness to me and my family. There is not room in the message to communicate all Our Heavenly Father has done, but I can tell you this, there is one precious thing that has grown in me that I would never have known if not for the struggle; that is confidence in Jesus my Savior. The song writer called this “Blessed Assurance.”

In preparing for the sunrise service, I have been moved by the account of Mary Magdalene. Her heart was truly broken in the loss of her Lord. I think of all of the believers at the time, she truly understood what it meant to be redeemed; you see Jesus had removed 7 demons that had possessed her. The freedom and renewal this must have had on her would have provided her a glance at the salvation from sin and death Jesus’ sacrifice would provide. I believe her weeping over His death came from a heart that knew that her life depended on His presence for all eternity. Even though He spoke many times of His resurrection, and even though they had the testimony of Lazarus being called forth from the grave, Jesus defeating sin and death and rising again without someone like himself present to call His name, seemed so impossible… And ‘then came the morning’ that Mary Magdalene would hear Jesus call her name once again. How her heart must have soared to hear His voice say ‘Mary’…

John tells us what happened next, he says “she came ‘announcing’ to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord,’ and that He has said these things to her!” (John 20:18)

What confidence she exuded! What joy must have sprung in her words, how her life had changed, all because she had met our Savior face to face in the midst of her ‘storm’…

Mary’s confidence was no longer in the transient things of this world, but in her living and eternal Savior who the writer of Hebrews tells us, “is able also to save forever (completely, perfectly, for eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede and intervene on their behalf [with God]” (7:25).

I pray your confidence is anchored in Him as well, I hope you will turn to Him in all things, not just the struggles, and give Him the praise due the One who loves you with His life.

Choose wisely….

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:19-23)

Praying 4 U

Written by David Brown: David Brown is a husband, father, and grandfather with a Masters of Religious Studies and a Professor of Philosophy and Comparative Religions. Dave is a member of Pemberton’s First Baptist Church.

The Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samuel 15-19| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

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Daily Quote: “Faith is a living and unshakable confidence, a belief in the grace of God so assured that a man would die a thousand deaths for its sake.” – Martin Luther

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials. 1 Peter 1:6

That I May Know Him (Part 1)

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“that I may know HIM and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings being conformed to His death, if by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:10-11

Easter is behind us now by several weeks and in churches across the country, we preached and talked about the resurrection.

Jesus stepped out of the tomb defeating sin and death forever. But the big question is SO WHAT?

For some it’s like checking off this “holiday” off our check-list and we move on living life like any other day.

But the implications of the resurrection are life-changing, life-transforming – or so they should be.

Paul’s prayer for HIMSELF was that he would KNOW Christ and the power of  His resurrection.

For the next couple of Freedom Fighter blogs, I would like to dissect these two verses and share with you what I have been learning.

The first thing I want to share is that part of knowing Him is knowing what He is doing now. Can I suggest to you 7 things?

  1. The risen Christ is seated at His Father’s right hand. He finished the work that His Father gave Him. He completed His earthly ministry. Don’t take my word for it. Read Ephesians 2:1-10 and Hebrews 1:1-4
  2. He is holding the world together by the “word of His power.”
    Hebrews 1:3 says that Everything is working according to the way He created it. We talked several weeks ago about this amazing universe.
  3. He is living His perfect life THROUGH you! Galatians 2:20 is the reference you need to underline in your Bible. YOU can’t live the Christian life in and of yourself. It’s impossible apart from Him living it through
  4. He is praying for you! I love Hebrews 7:25. Jesus is seated at His Father’s right hand and one of the things He is doing is praying for you!!! In fact it says “He ever lives” to make intercession for you and me. Jumping Jehosopat!!!
  5. He is conforming you to His image and preparing His bride. Read Colossians 1:15-23
  6. He is preparing a place for you in heaven. Some translate it “mansions,” some “dwelling places.” But think about this – Jesus, the master carpenter is building a place for YOU! (John 14:16)
  7. He is coming again! 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16 The last chapter has already been written. And what a day that will be.

So Paul’s wanting to know this One has some amazing implications for you and me today. This Jesus, the Son of God, who came to earth as a Babe, lived His life perfectly and was obedient to His Father in every way. This One is the One who gave His life for you and me, and is the One who wants to have an intimate, abiding relationship with Him. (Colossians 3:1-3) Wow!

My prayer for you this week is that your desire to know HIM who increase more and more each day.

Rejoice! Pray! Give thanks!

Bill Welte
President/CEO
America’s Keswick

Written by Dr. Bill Welte, President/CEO of America’s Keswick: Bill has been married to his child sweetheart for 40+ years, and has three married kids, one that is engaged, and 10 amazing grand kids. He loves music and is an avid reader..

The Daily Bible Reading: Exodus 25-28| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

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Think about this: “The surest sign that you have been chosen by God is when you find yourself depending on NOTHING by God’s mercy. Pastor Dave Ridder

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials. 1 Peter 1:6