“Now Lord, Thou dost let thy bond-servant depart in peace, according to Thy word. For my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, and the glory of Thy people Israel.” ~Luke 2:29-32 (NASB)

So Charlie Brown yell’s out, “Isn’t there anybody who knows what Christmas is all about?” Then Linus Van Pelt replies, “Sure Charlie Brown I can tell you what Christmas is all about.” Linus cue’s up his light man, we get the KJV rendition of Luke 2: 8-14, and as he finishes Linus picks up his blanket, walks back over to Charlie Brown and says, “And that’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown” then goes back to sucking his thumb. I’ve been seeing this scene for a better part of my 50+ years and it never gets old…despite the fact that I am getting older.

For most Christians this is also where the scene ends in the story. Sure they’ll finish listening to or read the verses that lead up to Luke 2:20 but for the most part it stops there. It’s a shame because I think the crux of the story continues with a little known guy named Simeon. Now I suppose that Simeon is not-so-famous because we aren’t told much about him. Luke 2:25 say’s that a man named Simeon was in Jerusalem, that he lived an honorable and devout life and that he was waiting for the One who would comfort Israel or to put it in an Old Testament viewpoint he was looking for the consolation of Israel through the coming of her Messiah. But that’s pretty much it, however…

The Holy Spirit was with Simeon and it was the Holy Spirit who had revealed to Simeon that he would not die until he had seen Israel’s Messiah. It was also the Holy Spirit that directed Simeon to the temple on the particular day that Jesus’ parents brought Him to be presented to the Lord. Finally, in some unspecified way, it was the Spirit of God who revealed to Simeon that this child was indeed the Messiah. (Did I mention the presence of the Holy Spirit? Anyway…) I am so sure that there was great joy in Simeon’s heart because of what we read in Luke 2:29-32 and this is what I would like to focus in on. Even though Simeon was a devout Hebrew there was no way he was gonna view the Messiah’s arrival as only for the benefit of Israel, oh no, Simeon knows his Word and surely Isaiah 52:10 crosses his mind…“The LORD has bared His holy arm In the sight of all nations; That all the ends of the earth may see The salvation of our God.”

And “A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES”, isn’t something that any Jew at that time would have shouted out in THE Temple but Simeon did. Everyone, and I

mean EVERYONE that was living in those times wandered around in darkness and the Roman Empire was doing a fantastic job of keeping it that way. So is it possible that by The Holy Spirit’s leading Simeon was being used to witness this prophetic announcement from Isaiah 42:6: “I, the LORD, have called you to demonstrate My righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to My people, Israel, as a symbol of My covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations.” I think it might be so…

I realize that Jesus had to reach His Father’s people first because things needed to so ironed with them. They come back from exile pretty much a downtrodden people and it had been so long since they heard from YHVH. The only thing they had was religion…and religion, being as ultra-legalistic or as blended as it was, had been weighing heavy on everyone. Enslaved to believe on what the Pharisees told you to believe in (yes there were a few expectations, i.e. 1Kings 19:18) and the rules to make sure you carried that belief out made relationship with YHVH impossible.

The Gentile world had it all different until Jesus. They worshipped the created rather than The Creator. They would chop down a tree, widdle an image, bow down and say, “you are my god”. And if that one didn’t work…they would carve something outta stone, bow down to it and say, “Now YOU are my god”. (Side bar here…nowadays we click on the Zombie King and select something from the menu and then say, “WHAT is my god?”) In any case once the miracles of Jesus Christ started happening everything got thrown out the window.

So, Yes Simeon we ALL have access to The Messiah, if we choose to receive and use that access. Did YHVH fore know this moment in the Temple was gonna happen? Did a Triune God know the effect it would have on His creation? For the Christian the answer is obvious but to truly believe that answer takes obedience to The Holy Spirit’s leading and the faith to carry it out. We don’t need to be Super-Christians either, just being a Simeon is enough. Amen?

Think About This: “The very fact the Holy Spirit has left the love and joy of heaven and made His residence for nearly 2,00 years in this uncongenial world places His sacrifice alongside that of Jesus Christ in His incarnation and redemption” —A.B. Simpson

Written by Chris Hughes, graduate of The Colony of Mercy 11-2003, serves on the Deacon Board at Trinity Alliance Church in Cologne, NJ.

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 21; Proverbs 21

Click Here to Download our 2016 Daily Bible Reading Plan

Daily Quote: “If God called us to a task, He will then qualify us for the job.” ~Jack Hyles

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.~Psalm 27:3 (NKJV)

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures.” ~Romans 1:1, 2

When I was learning how to drive one of the soundest advice was to always stay in my lane. This proved to be helpful while driving in crazy city traffic, bad weather conditions, and even on long the dark roads. The principle still is very useful years later. Stay in my lane even has value in other areas of life.

Paul understood his role or his lane, and the more he embraced his call, in that call he was effective and infections. Paul knew the he was an apostle; and in that role he demonstrated leadership that the church needed. He knew that he was called to preach the gospel of grace, and lived his life to further the good news. Moreover, he identifies himself as a servant. This role is most likely the least favorite, usually the most worked, with least recognitions. But he doesn’t care because he understands the significance of staying in his lane. He is not Jesus; he is His servant.

Likewise, we all have different roles in are life; some of us fathers, some are sons, hopefully employees or employers, brothers, uncles etc… various faucets with various responsibilities. But we all share in the roles as co-laborers in the faith. We might not have the preaching role or musical abilities or even the best testimony. But God has provided wisdom to stay in the gifts/lane He provided.

And like Paul, there is one role all us share; the responsibility to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. We must claim this role as fellow sojourners. Staying in this lane doesn’t mean we carry the load of the world, but it does require an action on our behalf. God created us for great works for His kingdom. Let’s be good stewards and stay in our lane.

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

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 20; Proverbs 20

Click Here to Download our 2016 Daily Bible Reading Plan

Daily Quote: “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength.” ~Corrie Ten Boom

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.~Psalm 27:3 (NKJV)

“Why, my soul, are you downcast, Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” ~Psalm 42:11

My heart has been heavy lately for a dear friend and his family, they are saying goodbye to his Dad who is dying of cancer. I would never consider myself a prayer warrior but I must tell you lately it’s all I do for my friend.

We’re watching a video series as a staff here at Keswick about tending to our soul. It compares our soul to a stream of water that nourishes its territory by which it travels by and to. We’ve watched as the narrator makes light of the importance of tending to, and caring for our soul as a caretaker has maintained the flow thru an otherwise polluted stream. He compares it to a stream that if not tended to can become cluttered and its flow can be obstructed. The video goes on to talk about how God is the healer of our soul and thru His word we are comforted.

In the last video we watched the guy says that when asked why people don’t believe in God the most popular response is suffering. He said the interesting thing about believers is they find their faith is strengthened during that same suffering. As I watch from a distance and read a daily blog of my Buddy’s Dad it has been heartbreaking, but to read all the scriptures and the encouragement that has been poured out to this family has been nothing short of a stream that would otherwise have been cluttered with anger and bitterness but now has been allowed to endure the pain and suffering by distributing it out amongst all of us as believers in Christ. I’m honored to be a part of that distribution.

The Bible tells us in 1st Corinthians 12:26 “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it”. Now this is not to say there won’t be times of doubting and questioning but I find when I begin to doubt God and move away from Him I experience a loneliness and even catch a glimpse of a darkness I once knew. I’m not sure why God allows this stuff to happen but from the words of Job we read;

“For I know that my Redeemer lives,

And He shall stand at last on the earth;

And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,

That in my flesh I shall see God,

Whom I shall see for myself,

And my eyes shall behold, and not another.

How my heart yearns within me!”

Written by Rob Russomano. Rob is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a full time staff member at America’s Keswick.

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 19; Proverbs 19

Click Here to Download our 2016 Daily Bible Reading Plan

Daily Quote: “I am not a theologian or a scholar, but I am very aware of the fact that pain is necessary to all of us. In my own life, I think I can honestly say that out of the deepest pain has come the strongest conviction of the presence of God and the love of God.” ~ Elisabeth Elliot

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.~Psalm 27:3 (NKJV)

Last week I started to give you a list of books I read in 2015 and then didn’t get around to actually giving you the list. So here goes:

1. Mastering Life Before It’s Too Late (Robert J. Morgan) – This book would probably go on my top ten list of must read books for every Christian leader and every man who wants to not only live life to the fullest but also to help us finish well. I have this book on my list to reread every year. It is available on Kindle too.

2. It’s Not Who You Know, It’s Who You Are (Pat Williams) – I have read every book that Pat Williams has written. Everyone is underlined and dog-eared to the hilt. He is so stinking practical. Whether you are a leader or an employee, you will benefit from Pat’s books. Grab everyone you can read. Available on Kindle

3. The Grave Robber (Mark Batterson) – I love Pastor Mark’s writing style. He forces me to think and his illustrations are amazing. He makes the Scriptures come alive. Great fresh look at the life of Jesus. Available on Kindle

4. Overworked and Overwhelmed (Scott Eblin) – If you are a Type A driven personality, this will be a resource that will help you. So many practical principles you can put in place. This was so practical that I actually made 4×6 cards for some of the principles and have them on a stand on my desk. Available on Kindle.

5. Essentialism (Greg McKeown) – We buy stuff. Collect stuff. Then we have to figure out what to do with the stuff. Then we end up eventually getting rid of the stuff. This book really helped me to look at keeping life simple and working towards getting rid of the clutter in every area of life. If you are a pack-rat – well you will survive. Available on Kindle

6. What Keeps You Up At Night (Pete Wilson) – I am not the greatest sleeper, and once I am awake it is hard to get back to sleep. This was a great read for me and if you have issues with fear and anxiety, a great read. Available on Kindle.

7. A Trip Around the Sun (Mark Batterson) – Another great read from the pen of Pastor Mark Batterson. What are you going to do with your life? This book will take you past getting rid of the clutter to now that I have done it – what meaningful things will I do with my life? Available on Kindle

8. Inside Job (Stephen Smith) – This book and Soul Custody combined were two of the most challenging and yet fulfilling books on the topic of soul care. In fact, this is the book God used in my life to get me on the right track with my eating and exercise. Dr. Smith said that we spend a lot time trying to care for our soul, but many of us have done a poor job caring for the body that our soul is contained in! Yikes!!! Available on Kindle.

9. Soul Custody (Stephen Smith) – See above.

10. Shadow of the Mountain – Cliff Graham is a fiction writer who has a great way of telling biblical stories in a thrilling way. Men tend to shy away from fiction, but historical and biblical fiction is a great way to read and relax at the same time. Check out Cliff’s stuff.

I’d really like to see you read more this year. And I would certainly like to hear what you are reading.

God bless you.

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 grandkids. He loves music and is an avid reader.

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 18; Proverbs 18

Click Here to Download our 2016 Daily Bible Reading Plan

Daily Quote: “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” Joseph Addison

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.~Psalm 27:3 (NKJV)

The bending of the mind by the powers of this world has twisted the gospel of grace into religious bondage and distorted the image of God into an eternal, small-minded bookkeeper. The Christian community resembles a Wall Street exchange of works wherein the elite are honored and the ordinary ignored. ~Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might that He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all… 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. ~Paul, The Least of The Apostles, in Ephesians 1&2

Oh beloved, it is true. We who have been saved know that the saving He has done is an absolutely incredible thing. We were dead, and now we are alive. More alive than we had thought possible. But the problem, is that we think the limits of our

imagination really do approximate the boundaries of what He has done in our lives.

We need to be completely redone in our thinking. And unless we allow for this renewal of our minds, we are never going to begin to even touch what He has done.

We judge our success by how people see us. He sees us decked out in robes of luxurious royalty that would put the kings of the earth to shame.

We judge our progress by our ‘batting percentage’ in getting things ‘right’. He quit judging us altogether some time ago.

We gauge our progress in the Christian life by how little we seem to make mistakes. He gauges His power in our lives by the measurement of what it took to raise a dead man from death to forever alive.

We measure our world by how we see it. He already knows the entire landscape and merely shines across all of creation with a hope that will never fade.

We reckon our wealth by the money in our bank account. He simply laughs, knowing (do we) that we own the whole world already and are co-heirs of the entire new heavens and new earth to come.

We believe Jesus is Lord. But His authority is so beyond ours, that it matters not a whit whether we choose to believe or not.

We hope for some sort of position of respect. He has already seated us with Himself in this same incredible seat of authority.

We just try to ‘sense’ His presence once in awhile. He has already filled us with His very Self, and fully at that. (Read this again beloved.)

We still feel (often) that we are crashing our lives around the course of this world. He has already made us just as forever alive as Jesus (read: King of The Universe) already is.

We think some of this had something to do with us. It didn’t. Not. One. Tiny. Little. Bit.

Oh my.

Yeah.

And then it gets better…. He created eternity because it is going to take at least forever for Him to show us the measure of His Love and Grace and Kindness and Goodness and Amazingness.

So. Are you feeling like your faith is a little shallow? Tonight is your night beloved. Time to go deeper. He is amazing! And the more you find, the more there is to believe.

Written by Makala Doulos. Makala Doulos is a child of God, 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, God’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 15; Proverbs 15

Click Here to Download our 2016 Daily Bible Reading Plan

Daily Quote: “All men who live with any degree of serenity live by some assurance of grace.” ~Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” ~Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)

Should a Christian be involved in mentoring? What does the Bible say about mentorship? Is it the same as discipleship? Is this an effective way to build the kingdom?

A mentor can be simply defined as a wise/trusted counselor or teacher.

In Exodus, Moses’s father-in-law, Jethro, mentored him by encouraging him to not spread himself thin, and Moses heeded, and begun delegating the minor responsibilities to trusted men whom feared the Lord. Moses trusted God and he understood the importance being a good listener.

I love the way Paul mentors young Timothy in being an example of Christlikeness and investing in his life. “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” (Timothy 2:2) Paul allowed the Holy Spirit to guide him towards being a role model of the faith, in addition encouraged Timothy do likewise.

However, Paul wasn’t just a mentor he was mentored by Barnabas. Barnabas, the exhorter, believed in Paul and trusted God to guide their relationship. Barnabas did what good mentors do. He directed Paul as far as he could and then allowed Paul to blossom without resistance. We can only assume that Barabbas was refreshed by the way Paul tuned out.

Moreover, we have the greatest example, model, and teacher in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All is vain if we are not submitting our hearts to Jesus and the way He did ministry. And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23). He has filled the body of Christ with many potential mentors; besides those in leadership. The church, in whole, is in a dire need of saints equipping saints. Mentorship can be formal, informal but it must be part of the development process of Church. Who are you mentoring, or are you being mentor?

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 14; Proverbs 14

Click Here to Download our 2016 Daily Bible Reading Plan

Daily Quote: “God never said doing His will would be easy, He only said it would be worth it.” ~Joanne Shetler, missionary

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” ~Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)

Coming up this week!

Men’s Fellowship Night | Thursday, January 14, 2015 at 6:15PM

Guest Speaker: Pastor Robert Rodríguez | CityView Metro NYC, East Harlem, NY

Only $12 per person, Call 800.453.7942 and purchase your ticket today! Or visit our website for more info…

‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.” ~Luke 14:30

I remember a phase that said “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. Now I’m not sure how true that is but I do know that my good intentions have gotten me in the dog house. One of the biggest disappointments is to have someone promise something and not deliver. I’ve been guilty of this on more than one occasion, meaning well (good intentions) but not able to fulfill. For me it was either out of a guilty conscience or my desire to be a people pleaser. Having a guilt trip and fear of rejection, two traits that can damage a relationship and a testimony.

In Luke 14 Jesus challenges us to “count the cost”, or make sure your yes is a yes. When working with men who desire a healthy relationship with the Lord I can often use examples of everyday life that can be referenced to our walk with God. If a man has a problem keeping a promise to another person then chances are he may waiver in his faith. Now of course there are no absolutes here but if you’re not feeling right with the Lord I would encourage you to look at your earthly relationships and your commitments to one another. Jesus uses the term “one another” multiple times to express the importance of the way we treat one another.

I find that I’m better off when, even though I believe I can be of some assistance or am able to serve I will be careful to commit until I’ve counted the cost or make sure, to the best of my knowledge that I can do it. This usually is more effective when I don’t answer a request or volunteer right away but take time to pray and ask God to first check my motives and second, is this doable?

When it comes to making wise decisions the book of Proverbs is always helpful. I know that Keswick is offering a reading plan this year through Psalms and Proverbs, so if you’re looking to make better choices this year or if you just want more of God’s word in your life give it a go, it’s a good investment.

Written by Rob Russomano, Colony of Mercy graduate and full time staff member at America’s Keswick.

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 12; Proverbs 12

Click Here to Download our 2016 Daily Bible Reading Plan

Daily Quote: “The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.” ~Billy Graham

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” ~Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)

I have had several friends ask me to compile of list of books that I have recently read that I would recommend that you read in 2016. I welcomed that question because of think it is important for men to be readers. Women do a much better job in this area and are much more well-read than men.

Dr. John C. Maxwell has preached for years that “leaders are readers” and the more I read, the more I see the value of reading.

And we are really without excuse. There are so many resources available for us and we never have to leave home (or the comfort of our comfy chair).

I still the feel and smell of a real book in my hand. When I was working in a Christian Bookstore, my boss used to open a new book or a Bible, fan the pages, and say, “This book smells like a best-seller.” And most times he was spot on.

Have a computer? A Kindle? A smart phone? Call your local library and you will be amazed at the number of books you can get electronically for free. Amazon has free book offers almost daily.

And if you are a Kindle user, more and more books are coming out that having audible versions for free. So if you want to read while on the treadmill, you can have the print on your screen while someone reads to you. You will be amazed at how much more you will comprehend.

Before I share some recommendations with you, I want to first of all say that your most important reading of the day should be what you are reading in your quiet time.

I am a devotional book junkie. I have a huge collection. Some devotionals I go through once, others I have used for years.

But this year I purposed that I was going to place a priority on only reading God’s Word first. I have four ways of reading just the Scriptures this year:

1. The ESV Bible Reading Plan (which I blogged about last month) which is just Scripture from the Old Testament and New Testament arranged by Robert Murray M’Cheynne. If you use no other tool, you will enjoy this.

2. Daily Light – These are daily compilations of Scripture which can be read morning and evening. They are short enough that I read them both at once.

3. Words of Wisdom is the book of Psalms and Proverbs arranged for each day. You will go through the Psalms and Proverbs 12 times during this year. I love it.

Don’t be afraid to highlight the Scriptures that stand out and speak to you. Underline. Write notes in the margins. It will be a cool way over the years for you to see how God has used those Scriptures in your life.

And grab your favorite pen and get either a nice leather journal or even just a plain old composition book and journal what God is teaching you. This is an exercise that you will not regret.

Uh oh … I am out of space. I guess you will have to wait until next week for the list. And by the way, I’d love to hear what you do when you spend time with the Lord. I am a willing learner.

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 grandkids. He loves music and is an avid reader.

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 11; Proverbs 11

Click Here to Download our 2016 Daily Bible Reading Plan

Daily Quote:  “You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” ~Ray Bradbury

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” ~Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? ~Luke 18:8b

My friend, are you living a life of faith? Are you simply trusting the Lord Jesus Christ in your daily walk to provide all that you need? We cannot see into the future but we know Who holds the future. We are His sheep; we belong to Him. A wise old minister once said, “The Lord is our Shepherd, and nothing can get to the sheep unless it comes through the Shepherd.” As we think of the soon return of Jesus Christ, will He find His children faithful? A dear friend of my family, Mrs. Carolyn Alsip, wrote this poem entitled:

Will He Really Find Faith?
In times like these will He really find faith?
In the homes of America, in churches that sing “Amazing Grace.”
Blinded by self and steeped in sin, we doubt our salvation and blame it on Him. Our pews are half empty with pulpits to fill; we do not pray, we do not read, we do not die to our own selfish will.
No power to witness, no longer we see, as we sit, we soak, we sour, and blame on others our own ugly deeds.
Yes, time is at hand, no signs we can miss.
Will He really find faith in a life such as this?

These are sobering words, my friend. Let’s take them to heart and ask ourselves these questions, “Am I making the most of this life God has given me?” “Am I choosing to walk in His Spirit, allowing Him to live His life through me unhindered?” Today, determine in your heart that when the Son of Man returns He will find you faithful, doing what He left all of His children to do, going and making disciples wherever you are. This is living a true life of faith. There will be those who will not understand you. Expect it and keep moving. There will be times when you will feel you have accomplished little. Remember, when you are faithful, little is much in the hands of God. Simply by faith, turn and do the duty that lies nearest.

Written by Rev. Chris S. Hodges. Chris Hodges is the senior pastor at Lakeland First Baptist Church in Tennessee and founder of Abiding Above Ministries. Rev. Hodges is also a regular guest speaker at America’s Keswick during our summer Bible conferences. 

Today’s Freedom Fighter was taken from our Real Victory for Real Life Volume 2 Daily Devotional. Real Victory for Real Life Volume 2 includes 365 Daily Meditations for Victorious Christian Living with daily Bible readings to take you through the Bible in a year! If you would like to purchase your own copy you can do so by calling 800.453.7942 or on amazon.com by clicking here.

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 8; Proverbs 8

Click Here to Download our 2016 Daily Bible Reading Plan

Think About This: Employ whatever God has entrusted you with, in doing good, all possible good, in every possible kind and degree. ~John Wesley

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “For the Lord will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.”~Proverbs 3:26 (NKJV)