The Epidemic of Distraction: An Addict’s Dilemma

11/04/201610/31/2016Leave a comment

“We are so ministerial-minded, and we want so to come into our ministries, and a lot of souls are made shipwreck by a premature coming into ministry when there had been no attention to the foundation of relationship with God and men.” ~Art Katz

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. ~ Jesus, King of The Universe, in Matthew 6

Oh beloved, it is true. We are hammered by the distractions that present themselves to us. Maybe, for us addicts, this is one of the reasons we used. We had so much stuff banging around in our skulls that we felt like we could barely think.

Or actually, maybe it was just because we were thinking too much. Intelligence and the ability to analyze information is not a true sign of wisdom…

But somehow, He gets us free. And for the addict, there is a moment early in our breaking out of the prison cell, where the cacophony in our heads goes quiet. It is like being in a room where something has been making noise in the background (like an air conditioner or some machine). While the noise is going on, we hardly notice it. But, once it is turned off, we are amazed at the quiet we experience.

And this quiet can continue, if we allow it. He is the Source of the peace. And there is no end to Him.

But, the letting it continue. This is the problem. In come the waves of the world. In come the fiery darts or the evil one. And, around go the thoughts in our chemically-damaged brains.

Jobs
Grades
Family
Finances
Bitterness
Politics
Sex
Media
Relationships
Health
Religion
And on, and on, and on… All of this stuff competes to get into the flow of our relationship with Him. It is like the little kid, or the little kitten who competes to get between a writer and his keyboard.

And while it is dangerous for any of us to live distracted, it is gravely treacherous for those of us who have only gained our freedom after becoming adults. We have learned that we really are the weaker brothers. We don’t have any tolerance for the turbulence the world gives. We are those who will be swept away without us keeping our eyes directly on Jesus.

Can we see it? This is what the Kingdom is. This is what we all need to be seeking: Jesus. Jesus, a Person, is the Kingdom. Because, oh, it is not that other things are unnecessary. It is that we cannot obtain them. And if we do – we cannot take them into our hands without putting ourselves into grave danger. We, like little children, need to look to our Father, and like our Biggest Brother, see that He alone is the Source of anything of value.

However, the beautiful thing is, that in single-minded devotion to Jesus and His Way of doing things, we find that everything we do receive is no longer a distraction. They do, in fact, point us back to the Giver. We become more amazed at His goodness, more astonished by His sense of timing, and fall more deeply in Love with Him.

So beloved, are you finding yourselves getting distracted by all the distractions in the world? It can happen. But it doesn’t need to. Just look away from all the stuff trying to get in the way. Just look at Him. Everything else fades when we look into His eyes. For it is in those eyes that we see the everything we need.

Tonight is your night. Time to look right at Him. He will take care of everything else.

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 4; Proverbs 4

Daily Quote: “Recognize the dark night for what it is. Be grateful that God is lovingly drawing you away from every distraction so that you can see him. Rather than chafing and fighting, become still and wait.” ~Richard J. Foster (1942- )

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. – Philippians 3:8

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The Art of Being Out-Gunned (The Last Part)

11/03/201610/31/2016Leave a comment

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” – Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (NKJV)

I was kind of shocked recently to find out that one of The Victory Call writers decided to write on the very same undertone topic I have been discussing the past few Freedom Fighters. Erin Culleny shared her thoughts recently, and will be doing so in her next writings, on the political atmosphere that surrounds Christians. Erin is in the same age range as my own son and daughter (they served on summer staff with each other) and apparently has the ability to be as candid as this Freedom Fighter writer has been in the past. So, it got me wondering…what are we older aged Christians been exhibiting to our younger aged Christians concerning what we think are good sound politics?

During her recent visit home, my own daughter Karen and I had a candid conversation on something Erin hit on in her Victory Call. To quote Erin, “I’m pretty disappointed by how many people belonging to the body of Christ have been presenting themselves through this season. I’m shocked by the hate, anger, and unkindness I see from everyone – believers and nonbelievers alike. People have this mentality of ‘if you don’t agree with me, you’re an enemy.’ I have seen my dear brothers and sisters in Christ treating others like garbage because of this election… insulting people’s personality, character, education, political beliefs, even looks.”

“If you don’t agree with me, you’re an enemy” rang out when I read it. Even the Christian youth of America can see that we don’t do well when it comes to loving our enemies. It’s true that those who reside in “Secularland: America” can claim to hate those who disagree with them…but we ain’t supposed to be doin’ that! Once again I feel that our hearts need to hinge on what was taught during the Sermon on the Mount. “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! (Matt 5:43-44) Those are red-letter words…ain’t no escaping them, unless you’ve got a better Gospel message than Jesus and to that I say “Good Luck.”

Pastor Ray Pritchard recently shared this story in his “How To Love Your Enemies” pamphlet. “When German pastor Martin Niemoller was arrested by the Nazis in World War II, he prayed daily from his prison cell for his captors. Other prisoners asked why he prayed for those who were his enemies. “Do you know anyone who needs your prayers more than your enemies?” he replied. But what if you hate the person you are praying for? Tell that to the Lord. He won’t be surprised. Then say something like this, “Lord, I hate this person, but you already know that. I ask you to love this person through me because I can’t do it in my own power. I ask you for a love I don’t have and can’t begin to produce.” God will not turn you away when you come with an honest heart, admitting you need his love to flow through you.”

When this election season is over God will still be on The Throne. Someone you don’t like will be in a position to make decisions you don’t support and guess what…it’s been like that for a real long time. I’m not exactly a fan of the first Adam because his one act of disobedience created a chaos I can’t stand living in, BUT GOD. I recently stood where George Washington stood when he took a leap of faith across the Delaware River and wondered if he thought, BUT GOD. Are you going into a voting booth with the same thought? Or are you gonna go in there thinking that by hitting this button YOUR “Christian Living” is gonna get better with this person in office? If that’s the case maybe you should just stay home and watch the results on TV.

However, when you do go out to vote how about mediating on these red-letter words, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Now go ahead and hit the little red button that says “Vote”. 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: Psalm 3; Proverbs 3

Daily Quote: “How then does love conquer? By asking not how the enemy treats her but only how Jesus treated her. The love for our enemies takes us along the way of the cross and into fellowship with the Crucified. The more we are driven along this road, the more certain is the victory of love over the enemies hatred.”- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

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Spiritual Food

11/02/201610/28/2016Leave a comment

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. -John 6:35

Two of my favorite things – Jesus and food (Bread).

Food is a vital part of our survival. It has nutrients that provides and sustains life. Food can be divided into energy content and nutrients. The way our bodies break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates distributes energy throughout the body. The vitamins in the food we eat also have the ability to build up the body to stay healthy; fighting off sickness. But these are all physical benefits.

“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” (John 6:27)

Jesus is trying to invite our attention to spiritual essentials … or as some would say, eternal benefits. He decided to give the people what they think they need to give them what they really need. We think we need the physical elements that derives from the world for satisfaction, we assume we need the fleeting provisions of our flesh components, and we settle for Satan’s offers for temporary gratification.

Physical components are here for temporary use, but Jesus is providing the peace, rest, grace, redemption, love, wisdom, eternal life, mercy, etc… He didn’t die in vain for us to settle for less than eternal glory. Though it might seem alluring this life will never compare to the glory set before us.
“He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.” -Psalm 23:3

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: Psalm 2; Proverbs 2

Daily Quote: “If we will not learn to eat the only food that the universe grows, then we must starve eternally.” – C.S. Lewis

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

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Keep Your Fingers Crossed

11/01/201610/27/2016Leave a comment

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, That we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:16

I remember a time before I was saved when everything relied on luck and karma. There were some people who would live their lives believing they only had bad luck. Their slogan was: “If it weren’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all.” Then there was the fail-safe act of crossing your fingers. I often wondered how long I needed to keep them crossed.

Recently, we had a trial in our life and when I put out a “Please Pray” post on Facebook, dozens of God’s people responded with a resounding Amen! The throne of Heaven was bombarded with supplications on our behalf. As I read through the countless responses, some actually called out to Jesus in their post, I was immediately taken back by the love people had for us. Some of the responses came from people I hardly know or have only met briefly.

Sometimes it takes a trial in our lives to realize how much we as believers have by being united with Christ. I had such comfort knowing that these prayers were being heard on our behalf.

Then there was the occasional “Thinking positive thoughts towards you” or “I’ve got my fingers crossed.” I’m thankful for these concerns but the picture in my mind was a balloon when you let the air out. It starts off good but quickly loses steam and falls uselessly to the ground.

The challenge we have in Hebrews 4 is to put our trust in God. Prayer is one of the best ways we can “Call upon His name.” However, we must believe that He hears us and that our prayers are not bouncing off the ceiling or resemble a balloon running out of air.

The writer tells us at the end of chapter 4, “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

We serve a compassionate and understanding God who uses the trials in our life to remind us how good He is because we have each other. 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 1; Proverbs 1

Daily Quote: “The true church lives and moves and has its being in prayer.” – Leonard Ravenhill

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

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Overcoming Temptation (Part 2)

10/31/201610/27/2016Leave a comment

“No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”

Romans 8:37

Last week I shared with you that I had the opportunity to share God’s Word at the Colony of Mercy Chapel. I suggested to you that we need to have a battle plan when overcoming temptation and encouraged you to take the first step and that is to Identify Your Area of Weakness.

The second step in our battle plan as see what God’s Word has to say about our area of temptation. How did other men and women handle this in their lives? Were there lessons that were learned because they yielded to the temptation in their life?

The Scripture is filled with principles that will help us see our area of temptation and weakness. We can’t use the cop-out “But you just don’t understand my struggle.” Tell that to David, Moses, Joseph, Abraham, Daniel, and the list goes on and on.

When Jesus did battle with Satan in the wilderness, his first line of defense was this: IT IS WRITTEN (For the Scripture says). Yes, Jesus was tempted in every area just like we are. Satan went after Him with the “trinity of the world” — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. It is the same thing he used on Adam and Eve in the garden.

When you and I are facing temptation, we need to have in our battle plan and arsenal of Scripture that we can immediately throw back at the world, the flesh, and the devil and declare: IT IS WRITTEN.

That is why having a consistent daily quiet time in the WORD is so important for us. My friend Dr. Ray Prichard says, “Your best defense against temptation will always be an accurate knowledge of the Word of God. Know it. Read it. Memorize it. Quote it when the devil comes knocking at your door.”

So grab a concordance, either hard copy or go on line. You can visit biblegateway.com and type in the area of weakness and get a list of verses that talk about lust. Print out that list and find those Scriptures in your Bible. Highlight them. Underline them. Memorize them. Write them on 3X5 cards or record them in your journal.

Our Colony residents memorize 120 Bible verses during their 120+day stay. And guess what – we encourage them to do it so that when they face the temptation, the Holy Spirit will bring back those verses to their memory.

We are in this battle – but praise God – “in all these things we can be more than conquerors.” (Romans 8:37) Have you identified your area of weakness? Are you willing to check out from God’s Word what He has to say about your temptation? I trust you will join me on this adventure.

Written by Dr. Bill Welte, President/CEO of America’s Keswick: He 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: Psalm 150; Proverbs 31

Daily Quote: If you don’t want to trade with the devil, stay out of his shops. – Vance Havner

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

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Blessed Poverty

10/28/201610/24/2016Leave a comment

If you are discouraged it is a sign of pride because it shows you trust in your own power. Your self-sufficiency, your selfishness and your intellectual pride will inhibit His coming to live in your heart because God cannot fill what is already full. It is as simple as that. ~Mother Teresa

“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also conquered and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” ~ Jesus, King of The Universe, in Revelation 3

Oh beloved, it is true. What drove most of us to the edge of destruction in our lives, was the belief that we were OK. We listened to the drumbeat of the world, that was telling us that everything we wanted was just around the next bend. All we had to do was keep going… Keep trying.

Thankfully, some of us learned that this was not true, before it killed us.

This fool of a writer came to the end of his belief that he was rich, and doing fine exactly six years ago yesterday. I was sitting in my room, in my parents’ home. They had taken me in, after my own false beliefs in my own amazingness and riches had landed me in jail for a few months, and then released into homelessness.

I looked down at my barely-used Bible on a coffee table, and said: “God, just do whatever you gotta do. Kill me if You have to. Just do it.”

He did.

However, He did not do what maybe I had expected Him to do. Though, I am not completely sure what I expected… He sent me to The Colony of Mercy. And it was there, that I started on an odyssey well beyond my imagination.

Mostly though, it seems that G_d convinced me of the fact that I was – and had always been – the weaker kind of brother. I absolutely did not have the freedom to let my eyes wander in any direction. I am the kind of guy who really can’t even watch TV or movies. I don’t get to eat junk food. I don’t have the ability to safely do just about anything people do in the world.

Said more simply: He showed me that I am nothing. I have absolutely no power to resist any of the things the world wants to offer me. And, apart from Him, I am about 5-tenths of a second away from failure. My spiritual bank account is completely empty. Without Him, I got nothing.

And it is here, in this place of abject spiritual poverty, that I have become one of the happiest and most blessed men on the planet. In the years following His showing me my poverty, He given me a family, has sent me to live in three Asian countries and to introduce over 1,000 students to the Very Good News of Jesus Christ. He has given me a writing ministry that now has gone into over 150 other countries. And, He has given me the riches of His very Presence in ways that I will not cheapen with words.

But mostly, He has taught me to keep giving what He gives me, away. He has taught me that He really likes putting greater and greater true riches into the hands of His impoverished children (of Whom, I am a favorite [and so are you, by the way]). But, He gives the most precious gifts into my hands (and yours), when they are empty.

Can we see it? The blessing of spiritual poverty is not a cut down to my humanity. No, seeing myself as nothing, apart from Him, is for me to live as truly human as possible. It is the way that Jesus lived when He lived here on earth. He lived in abject dependence on every word that came from His Father’s mouth. He did nothing but what the Father guided Him and empowered Him to do by His Spirit.

And once we live the same way as Jesus did. We begin to see that we really have more power and riches than we ever imagined possible. We become rich beyond our wildest dreams. We realize that our picture of riches were a wretched missing of what true wealth really is.

So, are you feeling pretty good about yourself lately? This is a pretty bad place to be. Could this fool preach to you for a moment? It is time to quit believing in yourself. It is time to quit believing everything is OK. You are a mess and more poor than you can begin to know right now. However, in coming to believe this reality, you will be beginning towards a life of blessing beyond your wildest dreams.

Tonight is your night, beloved. Time to believe in your poverty.

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 147; Proverbs 28

Daily Quote: For Ragamuffins, God’s name is Mercy. We see our darkness as a prized possession because it drives us into the heart of God. Without mercy our darkness would plunge us into despair – for some, self-destruction. Time alone with God reveals the unfathomable depths of the poverty of the spirit. We are so poor that even our poverty is not our own: It belongs to the mysterium tremendum of a loving God. ~ Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ~Philippians 3:7

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We Are In For The Long Haul!

10/27/201610/24/2016Leave a comment

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11-13)

Olivia, now three, has developed very well in her thought process. While at an activity farm she decided to conquer a hay maze all by herself. I showed her where to start and also the exit; she dashed. That little girl was like a rabbit; hitting turns, lanes, roadblocks etc… However, the dead ends frustrated her and she began to climb over the hay walls avoiding blocks.

Isn’t that how we approach this journey without proper training and discipline? We get approached with trails and uncomfortable circumstances; we duck and dodge until we miss the lesson God is trying to impart.

The writer of Hebrews was addressing weariness that happens in the journey. He compares the Christian walk to a race and an athlete that has been trained or disciplined himself to compete. Have you ever seen a professional athlete train, workout, eating habits, rigorous schedule; they are equipped.

The Christian walk is not always a dash; in fact, it sometimes is referred to as marathon. And if we are going to continue being a light in a dark world; train yourself to manage through this life with patients, endurance, zeal, boldness etc…

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 ESV

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: Psalm 146; Proverbs 27

Daily Quote: The greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer. ~F.B. Meyer

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ~Philippians 3:7

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You Don’t Know Me but I’m Your Brother

10/26/201610/24/2016Leave a comment

“Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” ~Ecclesiastes 4:12

I think one of the most overlooked attributes to the Christian life is the fact that we are all brothers and sisters. I can travel all over the country and simply walk into an evangelical church on a Sunday morning and be amongst family.

The danger we face is the daily interaction with one another that can irritate and agitate each other. I remember the first time I heard an old saying,

“To live above, With the saints I love, O, wouldn’t that be glory. But to live below, With the saints I know, That’s another story”

Truth is we need each other. I was reminded recently during a heated conflict when a brother said to me “We are on the same team”. Remembering that we have a mutual relationship with our Heavenly Father is not something that should be forgotten. I remember a time when my two children we young and they were yelling at each other, my oldest retaliated with a comment that got to me. She said “I hate you and wish you would go away forever”. This turned into a closed door meeting. I reminder my daughter that he was her brother, she answered with “I don’t care, I hate him”. This brought me to my feet, hands on hips and a stern voice, “That’s my son you’re talking about”. Well, that got her attention, she was no longer concerned about the previous issue with her brother because she now had a new one with her father.

When we realize that when we speak and act out towards one another we are dealing with God’s child, we may want to be careful that we don’t get “Dad” mad and have to deal with Him. Besides we are better together, in the previous verses Solomon tells us

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.”

I know we can’t always get along with everyone but allow me to introduce myself, “You don’t know me but I’m your brother”, and to quote another classic “We all need somebody to lean on”. Amen!

Written by Rob Russomano: Rob 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.

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 145; Proverbs 26

Daily Quote: Do not work so hard for Christ that you have no strength to pray, for prayer requires strength. ~Hudson Taylor

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ~Philippians 3:7

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The Art Of Being Out-Gunned Part #3

10/25/201610/24/2016Leave a comment

“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives His best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.” ~Matthew 5:43-47 (The Message)

So, with all that debating nonsense finally done and over with let me ask you this question…You still gonna vote? At first I thought it would be funny and write in a President that already has been (like Theodore Roosevelt) just to show them but in reality, I am really vexed by the whole thing. I see the ads on the T.V. and wonder who they are trying to fool. I, for one, don’t think that the laws of this land are actually geared towards one special individual or another and yet because of the mindset and strayed moral compass of the masses these T.V. ads want you to think yourself more highly thought of than you actually are…now anybody can that without an impending election, so who are they fooling?

As I have been going through the Sermon on The Mount and trying to run it through this election season I am having a hard time seeing any shred of it and, to be honest, why should I? Kingdom principles and Democracy don’t mix very well. You can’t vote for a Messiah. There’s only one and His party affiliation doesn’t cater to the masses simply because it is about saving the masses for Kingdom purposes, it’s for peacemaking and not peacekeeping. So, the real question is where can we find peacemaking in this coming election? The answer is simple here too…it starts with you.

Let’s go back into the Babylonian Exile for a moment. It is popular to believe that The Exile was punishment for the nation of Israel’s disobedience to a lot of what YHVH told them they shouldn’t be doing and that is a truth here. However, if we were to take a peek into Jeremiah 29:7, “And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace.” What I hope you see here is that the nation of Israel is given a purpose within its punishment. Now we all fall upon Jeremiah 29:11-13 for strength but we seem to leave out the condition that will bring that strength. So, what is that condition? Love your enemies…and pray for them. Easy to say, hard to do.

Here is a little something that brother Ray Pritchard noticed about Jeremiah 29:7. “Shalom, the Hebrew word for peace, is used three times in this verse. Besides peace, it means blessing, wholeness, completeness, the absence of conflict, prosperity. Here is the shocking fact—at least it would have been shocking to the Jewish exiles. God ties their blessing to the blessing of the Babylonians. This seems counterintuitive since the exiles were God’s people and the Babylonians were pagans. He is really saying they were better off in Babylon, and Babylon is better off because they were there. Said another way, we can summarize this verse this way: You need Babylon! Babylon needs you!”

Today’s media would have us think that a wide road is necessary to peaceful “Co-existence” (like the bumper sticker displays), but what it leaves out can only be found in a peace that is surrender to a crucified life (easy to say, hard to do). What we do see today is a people spending too much thought on “what they’re doing” and not enough on “what I should be doing”. It brings to mind this dialog found at the end of John’s Gospel…” Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” (John 21:20-22)

There’s more to come, until then…pray for Babylon/Rome/America. 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: Psalm 144; Proverbs 25

Daily Quote: “Christian love draws no distinction between one enemy and another, except that the more bitter our enemy’s hatred, the greater his need of love. Be his enmity political or religious, he has nothing to expect from a follower of Jesus but unqualified love.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ~Philippians 3:7

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Victory Over Temptation – Part #1

10/24/201610/23/2016Leave a comment

It happened again. It’s my second wake-up call in two months. Another ministry friend had to resign from his position because of poor choices. It is painful. It is heart-breaking. It could be you or me.

Yesterday I was the morning Bible teacher at the Colony of Mercy Chapel service and I was preaching as much to myself as to the men in the program as well as our guests.

Each week we do a theme for the men and ironically, and no coincidence, the theme of the week is Victory Over Temptation. It didn’t hit me until yesterday that the theme is not victory over SIN. But isn’t that the ultimate goal?

Victory over temptation is heading off sin at the pass. The implication is that you and I can take the necessary steps, plan a strategy to prevent and keep us from sin.

Charles Swindol shared these three principles that I believe we need to burn into the hard-drive of our hearts and minds:

1. Sin will ALWAYS TAKE you FURTHER than you want to GO.

2. Sin will ALWAYS COST you MORE than you are willing to PAY.

3. Sin will always KEEP you LONGER than you want to STAY.

If we are really honest, there is NO ONE who couldn’t give testimony that those three principles are not true. We are all at different places on the continuum, but if we don’t make a change or do as the Bible says, “Repent = turn and face a different direction” – we are heading for the cliff called destruction.

The Bible is filled with illustrations of men and women whose stories support the above principles. Knowing how NOT GO THERE is understanding temptation and knowing in advance HOW to overcome temptation and destroy the impact of our sin.

So for the next couple of weeks, I want to share with you what I shared with the men in my message: Preparing for Temptation – What IS Your Battle Plan?

Are you ready to dive in? We’ve all been there. So let’s explore it together. I have five points but there are probably more.

1. Identify your area of weakness. I am sure you already know it. But my guess is that part of the strategy by naming it helps you to put a face to it.

Your area of weakness will fall in one of the three categories that John wrote about. Check out 1 John 2:16-17 “For all that is in the world – the LUST OF THE FLESH, the LUST OF THE EYES, and the PRIDE OF LIFE – is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

This isn’t new – it’s been the enemies plan since the Garden of Eden. Satan came at Adam and Eve with these three things.

The lust of the flesh can be summed up in the three words: I WANT IT and usually in reference to our passions. The lust of the eyes is summed up in the words: I SEE IT and often refers to possessions. The pride of life: I WANT TO BE and trips up men with their need for success and status.

Reminder: Satan went after Jesus with those same three issues when Jesus face him during the temptation. So let’s not think that WE are exempt. If he went after the Son of God, he must certainly wants YOU and ME.

The good news is that Jesus got it right. Hebrews 4:15 says “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in ALL points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

What is the area where you already know you are weak? That is most likely the area where you will have the greatest level of temptation.

See you next week!

Written by Dr. Bill Welte is President/CEO of America’s Keswick: He 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: Psalm 143; Proverbs 24

Daily Quote: Quote: Most people who fly from temptation usually leave a forwarding address.

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ~Philippians 3:7

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Freedom Fighters

A Daily Email Encouragement for Men!

Author: America's Keswick

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Spiritual Food

Keep Your Fingers Crossed

Overcoming Temptation (Part 2)

Blessed Poverty

We Are In For The Long Haul!

You Don’t Know Me but I’m Your Brother

The Art Of Being Out-Gunned Part #3

Victory Over Temptation – Part #1