The Will of God

01/16/201701/09/2017Leave a comment

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

Over the years, I have had people ask me how to know if you are in the will of God. One of my long-time mentors was Dr. John Cawood, who was a popular conference speaker and a professor at Philadelphia College of Bible.

Doc used to say “If you want to be sure you are in the will of God, first start by doing what the Bible already says is the will of God for your life.”

Today as I was meditating on our theme verse, I had one of those ‘AHA’ moments. You probably already have figured this out. The New Testament is filled with dozens of things that are God’s will for our lives. In fact, as I read through the Bible this year, I want to be even more aware of those statements made about HOW THEN SHALL I LIVE?

Paul wrote: “And WHATEVER you do in word or deed, do ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” – Colossians 3:17

Or this one: “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31

“Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to Him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:9 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Before we even get to the BIG PICTURE areas of life in determining God’s will, whether it be where you work or serve or other big decisions you need to make, there is already so much about the implied will of God for daily victorious Christian living.

One aspect of how we live is how we live for, care for and serve one another. This is part of God’s will for our lives.

There are 59 “one another” passages in God’s Word that help us define HOW WE LIVE:

Be at peace with each other. (Mark 9:50)
Love one another. (John 13:34)
Be devoted to one another. (Romans 12:10)
Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)
Live in harmony with one another. (Romans 12:16)
Stop passing judgment on one another. (Romans 14:13)
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you. (Romans 5:7)
Instruct one another. (Romans 15:14)
Have equal concern for one another. (1 Corinthians 12:25)
Serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:13)
Be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:2)
Forgiving each other. (Ephesians 4:32)
Admonish one other. (Colossians 3:16)
Make your love increase and overflow for each other.
(1 Thessalonians 3:12)
Encourage each other. (1 Thessalonians 4:18)
Don’t grumble against each other. (James 5:9)
Pray for each other. (James 5:16)

That’s just a couple. Pretty direct? Very clear. A good guide to help me understand HOW WE THAN SHALL LIVE.

Thanks for joining me on this journey. Dr. Bill ….

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: Genesis 8-11 | You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “Where one man reads the Bible, a hundred read you and me.” Dwight L. Moody

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, And my soul, which You have redeemed. Psalm 71:23

You Think That’s Air You’re Breathing (Finding Your True Identity)

01/13/201701/09/2017Leave a comment

In the first experience of sanctification we lose altogether the consciousness of our own identity, we are absorbed in God; but that is not the final place, it is merely the introduction to a totally new life. We lose our natural identity and consciously gain the identity that Jesus had, and it is when God begins to deal with sanctified souls on that line that darkness sometimes comes and the strange misunderstanding of God’s ways.
~Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that One has died for all, therefore all have died; and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised… From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Him to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
~ Paul, The Least of The Apostles, in 2 Corinthians 5

Oh beloved, it is true.

We have been living in a dreamworld. Everything we thought we understood, or could understand – we didn’t, and we can’t. We have been thinking we could process what we sense through the through the processes we have used before.

We can’t. Not even close.

And it is Jesus death that shows us the path through this conundrum.

Jesus, in His life here on this earth, became 100% man. And in doing so, He gave up 0% of His Deity. While theologians have struggled with this concept for centuries, it really is not that hard to understand. G_d became what we were all Designed to be, in Jesus.

Humans were Designed to live on the very breath of The Spirit. We were never Designed to call our simple respiration of oxygen and carbon dioxide, breathing.

Humans were Designed to see with the very eyes of The Almighty. Our physical eyes are a vital item on the instrument panel of our frame, but they are just instruments.

Humans were Designed to feel with the very Sacred Heart of Jesus. Our fingertips and emotions are wonderful at helping us connect, and keeping us from dropping things. But, our senses are just senses.

Can we see it?

To be truly human is not to default back to our base and basic backup systems. No, to be truly human is to become like G_d. And Jesus Christ is the Form of this for us. It is not just what He did. It is Who Jesus was, and is, and will be.

And now, comes the most astounding part of the whole story. Jesus is still Man. He never stopped. He did not shed His skin when He went back to Heaven, and sat down at the right hand of The Father. He is already what we are becoming.

Oh, have no doubt, there is nothing we can do on our own to become this. But, Jesus is, after all – G_d. And so, His work on our behalf is a work so thorough as to make us completely, totally and utterly new. So again, we don’t even really breathe the same air that we used to.

So, are you struggling with your identity as a Christian? Perhaps it is time for you to understand just who you are. The Antiochians threw out the term as a “cutdown” for these strange believers in the King of The Universe. But, they got it exactly right. “Christian” means “little Christ.”

Tonight is your night beloved. Time to believe exactly who you are in Him. Take in the first breath of eternal Air. And keep breathing. Jesus has done it all. Relax. And just breathe!

The Daily Bible Reading: Isaiah 7-11 | You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!” ~ The cry of The Moravian Missionaries

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. Psalm 63:7

We’ve Been Given Permission

01/12/201701/09/2017Leave a comment

“He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” – Ephesians 1:5-6 (NASB)

For my 54^th birthday, my wife decided to send me an e-devotional from the Institute of Creation Research. This “Days of Praise” e-devo was titled “The Christian Permission” and, as always, it was written by Henry M. Morris III. This independent Baptist has penned some real doozies and on this December 8th, there was no exception. So, without further ado let’s get our knives and forks out and cut into the meat of this permission.

The first slice has to begin with our opening verse from Ephesians. When we look at this passage, we could take the position that our God, through His kind intention, just gives us grace. But if you understand that it’s only through the adoption process, we get from the work done by Jesus Christ you might not understand it so cheaply. Jesus taught, healed, and then emptied Himself on The Cross so that we may come boldly, yet humbly to the Throne of Grace through His intercession. Apart from Him in all of this you can do NOTHING!! So open your Bibles and let’s get movin’ on…

Dr. Morris begins to thread the needle with something the high priest of Israel would have to wear. “Holy to the LORD” was something “you shall” engrave in gold, fasten with blue cord, and wear it on the front of your turban like a seal. (Exodus 28:36-38) This would have made them accepted before the LORD. A high priest, returning from the Babylonian Exile dressed in filthy garments, being accused by a now rebuked Satan has those garments removed from him. This priest, whose name is Joshua (he also could be seen as a type of all believers) is admonished, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘If you walk in My ways, and if you perform MY service, then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing.’” – Zechariah 3:7

If you take a look at John 15:16 you’ll read where Jesus commanded His chosen and ordained disciples to “ask” the Father for “whatever” solely on the condition that theirs was to “go and bear fruit” and “that your fruit remain”. And since we are on the subject of asking, we ordinary folks have been permission by Jesus Christ Himself. “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you.” (Matt 7:7) Sounds very cool, doesn’t it? This means we are accepted!! Well don’t lose your place, because this is all hinged on you “abiding in” and “grafted into” But there is more…

The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:13-14 that we are “sealed in Him with the promise of the Holy Spirit, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance.” In other words, we are “established…anointed…sealed” (2 Cor 1:21-22) Our permission expands when we look at 1 Cor 1:4-8 and see we are confirmed in everything. Exodus 28:41 and 1 John 2:27 has us consecrated, sanctified to serve and a look at 2Cor 5:5 says we are given “the Spirit as a pledge” to empower our ministry.

The work of the Holy Spirit is a threefold ministry in our lives and He does this on Christ’s behalf. That by doing this work in us we can be a witness to those who aren’t part of the family yet (see John 16:7-11). We can also go to John’s Gospel to see where He will also teach us so that we are guided in all truth (John 16:13; 14:17,26; 15:26). Furthermore, the wisdom, prudence, and knowledge of God are revealed to us through His work in us (1 Cor2:9-10). Our “effectual working” has been “graced” to us (Eph 3:7) so that we can “work out [our] salvation” (Phil 2:12), “and in Him you have been made complete” (Col 2:10).

I recently got myself the iPhone 6 Plus and still haven’t used it for what it could really be used for. At times, I treat my walk with Christ the same way. With all the studying I’ve done over years, I still find myself keeping myself in this tight box of Christendom simply because I forgot that I have been given permission to be much more. I am grateful for “so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us” because they help me “lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which easily entangles us” so that I “run with endurance the race that is set before us.” I hope you agree…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 3-4 | You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “The actual call of Jesus and the response of single-minded obedience have irrevocable significance. By means of them Jesus calls people into an actual situation where faith is possible. For that reason, His call is an actual call and He wishes it so to be understood, because He knows that it is only through actual obedience that a man can become liberated to believe.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. Psalm 63:7

A Trip Down Memory Lane

01/11/201701/09/2017Leave a comment

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” – Philippians 4:6

I think Philippians 4 is my go to chapter when I forget the “main thing.” It seems to me that when I become anxious and get that feeling of despair because I have allowed my mind to take me places I don’t belong, I run to this section of scripture. I have to put a “No Vacancy” sign up and remind myself there’s no room for the things that draw me away from God.

My problem is when I get to a point where things are pressing in, it’s usually because I’ve allowed myself to believe things that are not true. If you’ve ever went on the bunny trails of the mind and have gotten yourself all worked up and let your imagination run wild, it’s time for “A trip down memory lane,”or you can apply verse 8 in Philippians 4. Primarily the part that says “whatever things are true, meditate on that…”

You might be feeling a certain kind of way because of a misunderstanding or lack of communication with someone and have become consumed with an untruth that is controlling you. Stop.“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”. – Philippians 4:6-7

This will give you the clarity to deal with the situation or the ability to let it go.

I can feel the passion of Paul’s heart as he once again pleads with his readers to not forget the truths of God’s word. “In everything by prayer.” What a reminder! I can draw near to God when I decide to enter into His presence in prayer. These prayers in a time of need for me to get the right frame of mind are supplications, supplying me with the comfort of the Holy Spirit to lead me to truth. This is one of God’s ways to protect us and keep us from despair. The next verse tells us “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” – Philippians 4:7. Also ,“We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair” – 2 Corinthians 4:8.

Psalm 63 is A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. Verses 6-7 state:“When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help. Therefore, in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice”.

So if there are things pressing in on you “Take a trip down memory lane” and return back where you belong. 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: Psalm 3-5 | You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “The person who never meditates with delight on the glory of Christ in the Scriptures now will not have any real desire to see that glory in heaven. What sort of faith and love do people have who find time to think about many other things but make no time for meditating on this glorious subject?” – John Owen

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. Psalm 63:7

Sin – It’s Costly!

01/10/201701/09/2017Leave a comment

Don’t Forget — Our Men’s Fellowship Night is coming up this week, Thursday January 12th at 6:15PM. Hope to see you there!

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23

My family and I recently went on a trip to Disney World, and we loved it. The shows were great, the people treated us nicely, and it was filled with amazing events that created great memories. But…it was expensive. For instance, I bought a small juice for my daughter, handed the clerk a $5 bill, and I didn’t have enough for a small bottled water. I looked at the young clerk and said, “I don’t have enough” and she smiled and proclaimed, “Welcome to Disney, where you will never have enough.” We shared a laugh and I continued having a great day.

Leaving the store I couldn’t help but to think: It’s okay not to have enough for all that Disney has to offer, but sin is so much more costly.

“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” -unknown

The Sin in my life always had consequences and, naturally, pain followed. From the little compromises to the life dominating addiction; it’s costly.

Actually, Paul says that the wages (or the payment of sin) is death. (Un)confessed sin and/or habitual sin is not to be taking lightly; it’s costly. However, “O Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.” – Romans 7:24,25.

The nature of sin, as well as all our practical sin, are both defeated at the cross.

Written by Juan Mendez: Juan is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and full-time staff member at America’s Keswick.

The Daily Bible Reading: Joshua 6-10 | You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

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:

Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. Psalm 63:7

HOPE

01/09/201701/06/2017Leave a comment

This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:21-23

For the past several years I have asked the Lord for a word to focus on for the new year. I challenged our prayer partners to do the same again this year and have received back a number of cool words.

I failed to share with them the word the Lord gave me for 2017 which is the word HOPE.

The word hope in the Scriptures is defined differently than our normal English understanding of the word. This week, I am leaving for Florida and I hope that it will be warmer than it is here. I hope that I am going to have pre-check when I arrive at the airport. I hope that I am sitting on the plane with some normal people vs. my last trip home from Florida when I was surrounded with 15 out of control kids who made the flight home miserable.

“Hope” in the Scriptures are not a wishful thinking kind of hope. The word ‘hope’ in Scripture is more about that deep settled assurance that it will happen. You can take it to the bank – you can expect it to happen.

Lamentations 3:21-23 is a great illustration of this truth. Because of His mercies, we are not consumed! Wow. If it wasn’t for His mercy I would have been a goner a LONG time ago. We can count on the fact that His compassion never fails. Check out what Paul said in Romans 8:38-39: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the long of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Consequences? Absolutely. But there isn’t ANYTHING that can ever separate you and me from HIS love.

We aren’t hoping his mercies are new every morning. They are! Consider it done. It is going to happen. Count it!!! We can count on it because of His great faithfulness.

A good old Jersey boy Hymn Writer penned these words:

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not; Thy compassions, they fail not.
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
Summer and winter, and spring-time and harvest,
Sun, moon and starts in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide.
Strength for today and bright HOPE for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine with ten thousand besides!
Would you prayerfully consider a word for 2017. I would love to hear the word you will be focusing on this year. Email it to me at bwelte@americaskeswick.org. God bless you. Dr. Bill Welte

The Daily Bible Reading: Romans 3-4 | You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “The nature of hope is to expect that which faith believes.” – Richard Stibbes

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. Psalm 63:7

Living Within God’s Design

01/06/201701/03/2017Leave a comment

“God removes the sin of the one who makes humble confession, and thereby the devil loses the sovereignty he had gained over the human heart.” ~ Saint Bernard

Today is the day we make the special oatmeal rolls. It’s been a tradition in the family for as long as I remember … oatmeal rolls and football. The key to the airiness of the rolls is the yeast… Used correctly, this ingredient produces light, feathery rolls… used incorrectly or unchecked, yeast makes a mess.

Sin is a lot like yeast in these same ways. Augustine referred to sins as “inordinate desires”… that is, taking what was intended to be “good” and beneficial, and going beyond its designed use or limit. When we choose to go beyond what God has designed for us to be… or we use what God has provided us in ways other than He designed them to operate, we sin. But, if we confess or admit to Him our mistake and willful choice, John tells us, “… God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

The part that is satisfying, and most like the “checking” power of confession, is punching down the dough before rolling out the rolls. It stops the progress of the yeast (sin) before it goes beyond the limits of the bowl.

Sin has a very destructive power over our lives and it corrupts everything it spills over on. The Bible and confession is God’s “punch” to limit sin’s progress in our lives. The only option to these two in dealing with sin, is to “sear our conscience”. But this is to feel no -pain, becoming insensitive, self-centered, hard-hearted, or simply… dead.

I love the taste of the fresh, warm oatmeal rolls.. covered in butter and homemade strawberry jelly. But the only way to reach that joy and contentment is to operate in accordance with the recipe and the design of yeast.

The same is true of life. If we live by the guidelines of God’s Word (recipe), we WILL properly enjoy the desires He has given us… within the limitations of His design. And if we cross over those boundaries to ‘inordinate desire’, when we reach out to our Savior through repentance and confession, He is faithful to pull us back within the realm of His love and peace.

Choose wisely…

“Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” (Psalms 32:1-5)

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.

Daily Quote: “God is interested in developing your character. At times He lets you proceed, but He will never let you go too far without discipline to bring you back. In your relationship with God, He may let you make a wrong decision. Then the Spirit of God causes you to recognize that it is not God’s will. He guides you back to the right path.” – Henry Blackaby

The Daily Bible Reading: Isaiah 1-6 | You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The LORD be magnified!” Psalm 40:16

Not the Same Ole Story

01/05/201701/03/2017Leave a comment

“Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.” – Matthew 2:12

Each year I find myself thinking “same ole story” when it comes to the Christmas account in the Gospels. Thinking about how I’m one of those guys that always likes to find a new route when driving home, which makes my wife crazy, I drew a comparison to the verses in Matthew and my annoying change of route home. It reminded me of a principle used by the Wise men after coming to Jesus.

Although there may not be anything spiritual about going home a different way, the story of the Wise men visiting Jesus reminded me that when we accept Christ into our lives, the way we walk away shouldn’t be the same way we came.

This simple act of the Wise men spoke to me about my life in Christ. It is not the “same ole story” and I can’t go back the ‘same ole way.’ Once I’ve gazed upon the Lord my life has to take a different path. I can now take Paul’s admonition “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” Galatians 5:25. The previous verses tell us we should have the fruit of the Spirit. The verses before that describe the works of the flesh. If we have come from the flesh, in a sense we need to walk a different way that lines up with the fruit of the Spirit that God provides for us and works in us.

Too many times I see believers return to the same way as they lived before Christ, denying the power that is given to us to walk in a newness of life. The Wise men were sensitive to the Spirit of God that warned them to return home a different way. I need to realize that when I act in the flesh, in order to walk in the Spirit I need to turn away and walk in a different direction.

It seems whenever I spend time in God’s Word I walk a different way, the way of the Master. So if you’ve traveled the wrong road don’t go back the same way. 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.

Daily Quote: “Give up the struggle and the fight; relax in the omnipotence of the Lord Jesus; look up into His lovely face and as you behold Him, He will transform you into His likeness. You do the beholding–He does the transforming. There is no short-cut to holiness.” – Alan Redpath

The Daily Bible Reading: Job 1-2 | You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The LORD be magnified!” Psalm 40:16

The Creeping Panic of Isolation

01/04/201701/03/2017Leave a comment

Unlovely, nay frightful, is the solitude of the soul which is without God in the world—this chill, houseless, fatherless, aimless Cain, the man who hears only the sound of his own footsteps in God’s resplendent creation.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
~ Peter, in 2 Peter 1

Oh beloved, it is true.

We, those of us who have been through the Colony, and any of you all who are reading this little blog, can probably attest to the following. Those of you who cannot agree, have probably not thought down through this enough. Forgive this fool of writer, but this one is going to be real. So, if it causes you to feel the fear, then maybe it has communicated properly.

We are in a terrible battle to understand who we really are. The forces arrayed against us are mighty indeed. Any of you brothers who have had the iron grip of addiction grabbing your souls know exactly what I mean. The battle is only partially about the chemicals or whatever was (or still is) our thing.

The bigger part of the battle was that we were alone. We were travelling this globe, and we had no idea how to connect with people. And any of the connections we made with others were more like collisions. So, any time we tried to get close to anyone, we basically ended up getting hurt, or hurting others – or both – most of the time.

This is where the lies come in like a flood…

You are alone… You will always be rejected.
You will never get better… Might as well keep going.
You are a loser… Even in heaven people won’t be your friend.
Your pain is not even worth fixing… Just smother it with (insert whatever here).
Your salvation won’t even save you… Eternity will just be a long, waking nightmare of walking along a tunnel of time. Even god will run out of things to do.

And on they go.

As we listen to the lies; the lies that we are separated, unlovable, unfixable, and that even the seeming solution of heaven will end up being a hell worse than we can imagine, in comes this creeping panic. We look around with wild eyes and reach for the only thing that brings us a fleeting moment of comfort. But, as we all know, this doesn’t even work – but we stay in this ever-spinning process of using and losing and hurting and disconnecting even further.

Can you feel it?

Do you remember the panic? Maybe it was just me, but I doubt it. Years of working with hurting and addicted people have helped me see that this was one of the main tools the liar used to bring brothers like you and me to ruin.

But G_d!

Read the passage again. Note the wording. This is not some finely parsed classical Greek, written by a scholar. No, this was written by Peter, a fisherman, and somewhat blunt kind of guy. Now, surely by the time he wrote 2 Peter, the Holy Spirit had smoothed out quite a few rough edges in this apostle. But, what we find in every person who grows in the Spirit, their personalities do not disappear. They grow strong, and wax wise. So, said more simply, note that what Peter is saying is being said by a guy who pretty much just says things like they are.

All of the passage above, is pretty much the exact opposite of the lies we have been listening to. All of this passage pretty much speaks to exactly who we are, now, in Christ. And, understanding exactly who we are, is the perfect antidote to fear.

You are not alone. You are in equally included in a faith bought and made real by a G_d who does not change, and cannot lie.

Things are already better. His Grace has saved you. You are already at peace with G_d. And, this will only be multiplied as you walk with Him and experience ever-greater portions of His infinite favor and power.

You are not a loser. You cannot lose. You have already won. His divine power has already given us all of everything. We own the very keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, in Him.

Your pain has already been healed. You are known, personally, and intimately. You are precious to the very King of The Universe. You will never be alone again.

Your salvation is already bigger than you yet know. You are free from time, and the world, and corruption, and failure. None of this will follow you into forever.

And then… comes the part that blows the doors off of our tiny little concept of what is going on. Remember, Peter is a straight-talker. He is not given to fluffy words and stuffing in his syntax. Read it, and let the isolation and panic and lies flee away: “so that through them, you might become partakers of the divine nature.” This word, ‘partakers,’ in the original language properly means a mutual belonging, or a joint-participant.

Can we see it? What?… Yeah. You’re in.

Not only are we not alone, we are on the team – on the first string. We are G_d’s posse. We are, if you will have the humility to accept it, included within His very inner circle. We are beyond fear. We are eternal. We are Home. And we are whole.

Beloved, are you feeling alone this holiday season? It is a lie. Jesus did not just die and go down through the grave to resurrection to give us a little comfort in our loneliness. He did all of this to completely pull us out of the whole mess, and into the very Presence of G_d, forever.

Tonight is your night. Time to abandon fear, and panic. Time to begin your participation in who you already are, in Him.

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.

Daily Quote: Relationship is the final stuff of reality.
~ Dr. Larry Crabb

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalms 1-2 | You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The LORD be magnified!” Psalm 40:16

A Mind to Work

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“So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.” -Nehemiah 4:6

I’m at the age where I’ve had the privilege to witness men and women graduate from High school and go right to work with various corporations. No college, no skills, and more or less no work experience. But a company would take a chance with you if you had potential or at least a mind to work. In addition, I get to see the fruit of their labor years later; retiring with a plethora of life experience.

Nehemiah prayed, fasted, and sought the Lord, but the wall of Jerusalem wasn’t getting built unless they put some feet to their convictions. They push through the tension and accomplished this very tedious task.

So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.(Nehemiah 6:15

A mind to work connected the spiritual with physical; faith in action. A mind to work is the application or the illustration of the grace we received from our Savior. People will compromise, run short, and frustration will set in, ‘But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength’. When you believe in Jesus, and that Jesus is in the work this mindset enables things to happen. A mind to work is finishing the race God has equipped you to do and called you to do.

Written by Juan Mendez: Juan is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and full-time staff member at America’s Keswick.

Daily Quote: “The Christian life requires hard work. Our sanctification is a process wherein we are coworkers with God. We have the promise of God’s assistance in our labor, but His divine help does not annul our responsibility to work (Phil. 2:12-13).” – RC Sproul

The Daily Bible Reading: Joshua 1:5 | You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The LORD be magnified!” Psalm 40:16

Freedom Fighters

A Daily Email Encouragement for Men!

Author: America's Keswick

The Will of God

You Think That’s Air You’re Breathing (Finding Your True Identity)

We’ve Been Given Permission

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Sin – It’s Costly!

Don’t Forget — Our Men’s Fellowship Night is coming up this week, Thursday January 12th at 6:15PM. Hope to see you there!

HOPE

Living Within God’s Design

Not the Same Ole Story

The Creeping Panic of Isolation

A Mind to Work