Where is the LIGHT?

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that^[a] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 English Standard Version (ESV)

Here is another identity blog for you.  We are still on the Sermon on the Mount, and right after Jesus tells those who are kingdom people that they are the salt of the earth, he tells them, “You are the LIGHT of the world.”  Wow!!!

Again, we must learn this truth that we do not become, or we will one day be, we are.  We are the light of the world.  We are the salt of the earth.  Look, if you are a child of God, Jesus is telling us that we are already the light of the world.  Notice that he doesn’t say we are a light in the world, no he says we are the world’s light.  I like this.

So, just as we thought about salt, we need to think about light.  Jesus is telling his listeners that since they are light, they should not go into hiding.  Look, many of us use all kinds of excuses for not living our lives out before our unbelieving friends as the light of the world.  I can remember one time early in my marriage that after we had been to a family gathering with my side of the family, my wife saying, “You sure are different when you are around your brothers.”  It was true, I would act one way with my unbelieving family and another way when I was not with them.  This statement from my wife, as painful as it was to hear, was the best thing she could have done for me that day.  I am the same now whether I am with family or not.  I am letting my life shine men.

Not only are we not to hide our light, we are not supposed to put in under a bed or bushel.  Hear the light is not hidden, it is just dimmed.  It doesn’t penetrate the darkness, it does not expose the darkness, it doesn’t overwhelm the darkness.  One of the best illustrations of light for me comes every year at Christmas time when our Christmas Eve service always ends with a candle lighting.  One light begins by getting lit, then exposing itself to another candle, then that candle reaching out and lighting the next, until each candle is lit.  A once darkened room now has the light of the candle shining all in it.  Each face in that room is known because the candle sheds light on each person’s face.  Awesome picture of what Jesus states that we are, LIGHTS OF THE WORLD.

SO, how effective is your light shining?  It is easy to tell.  Are those who you are living life around, seeing your light and glorifying your Father who is in heaven?  So, you are the Light of the world, just let your light so shine before men, stop that hiding of your light, stop that burying of your light, let it shine before ALL men (women and children too).  Doug Barger is the Director of Men’s Ministry at Bethesda Mission. You can write Doug at dbarger2030@comcast.net

Daily Bible Reading: Isaiah 14-16; Mark 4:21-41 

Think About This: The fear of man strangles us, because we can never please everybody; but the fear of the Lord frees us, because it challenges us to live and serve for an audience of One. Paul Chappell

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:  Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight. 2 Samuel 10:12

Ask, Seek, Knock

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened … Matthew 7:-8

Some of you are aware that we had dedicated the home of our new residential addiction recovery program for women, Barbara’s Place, in early October – the fulfillment of a 30 year dream.

But we received news from one of the department’s in our county that we needed to comply with three pages of regulations/stipulations before we could open. Some of those requirements could have been very costly.

Every time we tried to get clarity on the “why’s” and what did we really have to do to move forward, we received conflicting reports.

As the end of the year was drawing near, I began to realize that this was really a spiritual issue and that the enemy was trying his darndest to block the opening of this much needed ministry for women.

We decided to call on our intercessor’s and prayer partners to join us in asking, seeking, and knocking for the next 30 days. Our prayer was that GOD would answer in such a way that it could ONLY BE TRACEABLE BACK TO HIS HAND!

The answer came and the back story is amazing. At our January Hymnsing we kicked off the ASK/SEEK/KNOCK initiative, and before the Hymnsing started I saw a friend who I didn’t ever remember seeing at our Hymnsings. He approached me to find out what was going on with Barbara’s Place.

He recommended that I reach out to someone in Ocean County that could help us. Two days prior, a pastor friend recommended that I contact this office. Long story short, this past Tuesday I received the information for this individual but before I had a chance to call him, two other emails came from different individuals all recommending that I speak with the same man. To my knowledge, the three people do not know each other.

I placed the call on Wednesday and was pleased that someone would at least listen to our story. He promised that we would hear back from them between 9:30 AM and 10:30 AM on Thursday.

I received the call at 9:45 AM. I would have been pleased if there was a compromise to move us forward. But he call came from the director of the department that was giving us the challenges.

Bottom line, they released us from all of the requirements and not only gave us the green light to move forward, but also reached out say that they would be willing to come alongside of us if there were ways that could assist the women.

I was floating! But here is the even more amazing thing. My friend who gave me the contact first had called this office on Wednesday to let them know what we were all about. He was told that the problem was resolved an hour after they received my fax on Wednesday!!!

But wait – there is more. This man was not scheduled to come to the Hymnsing. One of the couples from his church was scheduled to attend and they were sick. A call was placed to our friend to see if he and his wife would like to attend. In his words, this was a DIVINVE APPOINTMENT!

God delights when His kids take the time to talk to Him in prayer. It was a great reminder that when we pray GOD HEARS. His answers may not be on our timetable, and the answer may not appear to be the right one – but God answers prayer. Thank you to the many who joined us is ASKING/SEEKING/KNOCKING. And now we look forward to the first ladies arriving to Barbara’s Place. To God be the glory. – Dr. Bill Welte is the President/CEO of America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Isaiah 11-13; Mark 4:1-20

Think About This: God never made a promise that was too good to be true. —D. L. Moody

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:  Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight. 2 Samuel 10:12

The Joy of Being an Ex-Addict

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in Him, who is the head of all rule and authority… And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
~ paul, The Least of The Apostles, in Colossians 2 and Ephesians 4

Oh beloved, it is true. Some of us have lived a life trying to fill an enormous hole in our souls. There was within us a perceived thirst we could not slake, and a hunger we could not satisfy. We were ravenous. We were called addicts.

And we may be among the most blessed of all the ones He has ever saved.

We were so hungry for something. We did not know what is was. But every waking moment was a search for comfort, or an attempt to dull the pain of our emptiness. We were wounded, but much of the wounding was self-inflicted as we bounced around in the world trying to get something to both fit and fill the enormous hole inside of us.  And again, this was (in retrospect) very good news.

And what we found – if we did not die during the search – was that the hole inside of us was not enormous. It was infinite. Anything we tried to throw into the hole fell away into an abyss. And it did not matter how fast or furiously we flung – nothing worked. We tried everything. But things being finite, did not do any good. No idea or principle or program could fill the abyss. And any time we tried to put a lid over the hole, that just fell in as well.

Now, many others who seem to have their lives a bit more under control, may never have the opportunity to know (or will not take the time to know) how empty they are inside. But, an addict knows it. He is driven to see it for some reason. Perhaps it is better spiritual vision, or that we have the ears to hear.

Then He called out to us. There was this Voice. It was Jesus. And the sound of it was like many waters; more water than we could ever begin to comprehend. And the Voice instantly convinced us that He was it. He, Jesus, infinite and mighty G_d, was the only One who could fill the hole inside.

So, we asked Him to do it. And He did.

And those of us set free from living to fill the abyss, have come to find that the only thing that fills the hole is all of Him. So, an addict set free, might look like He is addicted to G_d – like Jesus and His Spirit and the Love of The Father are the only thing that matters any more.  It is almost like they have become even more obsessed with the freedom and love and joy and peace and abundance they now have, than the bondage they were in before.

Exactly.

And this is why an addict is the most blessed of the children of G_d. We can see the answer so much more clearly. Can you see it? The abyss in our lives is now so full that it flows outwards with rivers of living waters.

Beloved, do you understand that you too need this same infinite filling to reverse the event horizon of the abyss in your soul?  You need Jesus. And perhaps, you need Him much more than you yet know.

So, is there such a thing as too much Jesus in a person’s life? No. He is the only One who is enough. Tonight is your night beloved. Time to let Him fill the hole in your soul. Makala Doulos is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and serves in full-time ministry in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Daily Bible Reading: Isaiah 5-6, Mark 2

Think About This: From morning to night keep Jesus in your heart, long for nothing, desire nothing, hope for nothing, but to have all that is within you changed into the spirit and temper of the Holy Jesus. ~William Law (1686-1761)

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left … Joshua 23:6

Comfortably Numb

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Psalm 51:12

I bet this title got Chris Hugh’s attention. No Chris, this isn’t about Pink Floyd but I can’t help but draw a comparison from their song to today’s Church.

I was watching a video on leadership recently and the statement was made that a weakness in most leaders is that the longer they are in their position the more removed they are from reality. He suggested that a “numbness” takes affect and the individual loses sight of the original vision and the everyday dealing become the norm. He says it’s healthy for the leader to spend some time with a new team member and get a fresh perspective.

I think the same is true with us as believers, the longer we believe the more “comfortable numb” we can become. In Psalm 51, David is lamenting over his sinful act with Bathsheba and by the 12 verse he begs God to “restore to me the joy of my salvation”.

This occured to me when I found myself just singing in Church, it was a familiar song and my hands were in my pockets and I was doing worship. That’s what I call “Comfortably Numb”.

When I talk to worship leaders they often tell me a struggle they have is to lead worship certain times because of the defeated look on most people’s faces. It’s as if they are in a dentist waiting room waiting to get a tooth pulled.

I suggest if you can relate to this and it makes you feel ill at the numbness you experience that there are a few things you could do. One would be to spend some time reminiscing when you first got saved, that time when you felt like a child in the arms of your heavenly Father and nothing else mattered. The other is to hang around new believers, like the man suggested a boss should do by getting a fresh perspective with a new team member, it’s good to be around the excitement of someone who has just received the Lord.

I pray that when we realize we are just “doing church” that we would become “Uncomfortably Numb”, and that the Spirit of God will awaken us to “Be the Church”. Hear the words of the Apostle Paul as he is influenced by the Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 13, “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts”, Amen? – Rob Russomano is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and serves full-time at America’s Keswick. You can write Rob at rrussomano@americaskeswick.org

Daily Bible Reading: Isa. 3-4, Mark 1:23-45

Think About This: The existence of hypocrites does not prove the non-existence of true believers. —C.H. Spurgeon

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left … Joshua 23:6

How Thirsty Are They?

13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. Matthew 5:13 English Standard Version (ESV)

My journey in the Christian life has had many joys, sorrow, hard times, easy times, good times and bad one too and the above verse was read to me just yesterday and I realized a few things that I have not realized in the past 26 years of being a believer.

The first thing that I want to do for us is give us the context of this passage.  This is part of the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus is the speaker.  He is telling those who are listening the ways of the kingdom and of kingdom people.  This verse in particular is really speaking about our identity as kingdom people and how who we are influences the world around us.

In my early days as a Christian, I got involved in everything that I could get involved in.  I remember one time being involved in a training at my church that had to do with evangelism.  I learned the techniques of sharing the gospel with those who did not know the gospel.  Now, if you know me at all, you know that I am not a salesman and I do not have the personality of someone who can just go up to someone and start talking to them about spiritual things.  This was even truer in my earlier days that it is now, although I still am not one who would just start a conversation with someone I do not know.

So, as I heard this verse read yesterday, I noticed something that I never noticed before.  It shows up in the first few words of the verse, “You are the salt of the earth”.  Notice that it does not say, you are becoming, you will be, it states, “you are…”.  This speaks of my identity as a kingdom person and as a kingdom person, I have a responsibility to act like the person I am.  If I act contrary to my identity, that is what Jesus calls hypocrisy, which he also addresses in the Sermon on the Mount.

I would like to take a minute or two more of your time to think about the benefits of salt.  Do you know any benefits?  Think about that for a minute, because it is significant that Jesus uses the word, salt for our identity.  Salt has a preservative factor in it.  Look at the verse again, You Are the Salt of the Earth.  As a kingdom person, we are to live our life in a way that preserves those around us.  How are you doing with preserving those around you?

Salt is also a flavor enhancer.  This is an interesting thought to me because I am not one who puts salt on his food but recognizes when something has been enhanced with salt.  I like unsalted peanuts, but I like even more those peanuts that have salt all over them.  I do not care for a pretzel without the salt, I think that if you are going to make a pretzel you should have salt on it.  Those are two examples of enhancement of flavor that I go with.  This is an area of my life that I need to work on because when it comes to enhancing flavor, I may have lost my saltiness.  When I write that, immediately the Holy Spirit just said to me, “what are you going to do about that?”  Repent.  Now, repentance is a whole other topic that I can not go into now, but you know where I just went there.

The last thing that I want to say about this whole idea of being salt is that salt makes one thirsty.  Let me asked you one thing those that you are living life with, are you leaving them thirsty for the things of the kingdom?  This is really the heart of what Jesus was talking about.  He says, You are the salt?  We are it…. He also says that we should be concerned about the condition of our saltiness.  If we lose our preserving, flavor enhancing, and thirst making abilities we are putting ourselves in a horrible situation.  Jesus says, we would not be any good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled upon.  Doesn’t sound real good to me.  If you have, then repent and follow Jesus.  He has already forgiving you of your sin, repent and get on with living out who you already are.  You are the salt of the earth.  Have a great week.  Doug Barger is the Director of Men’s Ministries at Bethesda Mission in Harrisburg, PA. You can write to Doug at dbarger2030@comcast.net

Daily Bible Reading: Isa. 1-2, Mark 1:1-22

Think About This: I still find my corrupt heart longing for tomorrow’s bread. I can make a good argument to the Lord about how effective I can be if He would supply me with enough advance funds. It’s a little frightening to pray for TODAY’s bread. That means I must pray again for tomorrow and believe again for tomorrow. My greedy heart is willing to be corrupted by a little bit of riches so that I see my warehouse full of loaves. I can make a good argument about how God won’t have to be bothered with me every day if He would only advance me about ten years worth of bread. Gayle D. Erwin

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left … Joshua 23:6

Where is Your Thought Process?

Joyce Myers wrote a book called “Battlefield of the Mind.” While I have not read it, the title captured my attention. It is safe to say that if any believer or person wants to be successful in his or her spiritual life, it will require a victory in the area of the thought life.

In Romans it mentions, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2) When the transition happens from being lost and in hopeless state, we bring with some unhealthy perceptions in our new life in Christ, which are skewed.

Individuals come with addictions, others with host of unanswered questions, while some just are unsettled or unhappily with circumstances of life. Thou some might have entered the kingdom with more of noble or cerebral process. Whether your life was ok or destroyed, there is still a lot of repairing from just the mindsets of our world and culture. Since these learned perceptions are instilled in our thinking, so we must retrain our minds for our life in Christ.

So For me, I try to match my thought life with scripture, as Paul writes, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8) This previous list is good filter to challenge what is on one’s mind.

Some thoughts may have some level of truth, but is that thought noble? Other situations might seem admirable; however, is it praiseworthy to ponder? If anything can get through this list, it must have some eternal value. The Word continues to motivate believers to discipline our minds through lenses of Christ. Where are you in the battlefield of the mind? Chaplain Juan Mendez is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and serves full-time at America’s Keswick. You can write to him at jmendez@americaskeswick.org

Daily Bible Reading: Gen. 49-50, Rom. 16

Think About This: This is the work of the kingdom of God: people in the hands of the Redeemer, daily functioning as his tools of lasting change. Paul Tripp

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left … Joshua 23:6

Two Observations about Obedience

And Moses inspected all the work, and behold, they had done it; as the Lord commanded, so they had done it. And Moses blessed them. (Exodus 39: 43 Amplified Bible)

Something jumped off the page this morning when I was reading the final chapters of Exodus (38-40). Last week I talked about Bezalel and Aholiab and I was even more impressed with them as I read the final chapters of this amazing book.

I would love to have these two guys on my team. They exhibited a trait that is very rare these days in that they did exactly what they were told. If that weren’t something of importance, why did the writer of Exodus repeatedly say that they did “as the Lord commanded Moses.” By the way – that phrase is used nine times – so obviously the Lord wants us to see something.

I have shared this quote from Pastor Tim Shorey on a number of occasions: “Obedience is doing everything you are told to do IN THE RIGHT WAY (with the right heart attitude inwardly), RIGHT AWAY (immediately) and ALL THE WAY (do a complete job.)”

That’s exactly what Bezalel and Aholiab demonstrated. They could have tried to do it their way – but they were obedient and God blessed the work of their hands.

But something else to note: chapter 40, which closes out the book, showed that Moses modeled what he wanted others to do. Eight times it says, Thus did Moses; according to all that the Lord commanded him, so he did!

If we want those who follow us to get it, then we as leaders, fathers, supervisors, must model it for those who look up to us. Good reminder, Moses.

How about you today ? As you look at Pastor Tim’s definition of obedience , how are you doing? Take some time today to think about it! Dr. Bill Welte is President/CEO of America’s Keswick

Keswick, America’s  (2012-12-13). Real Victory for Real Life Volume 2 (Kindle Locations 1548-1569).  . Kindle Edition.

Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 46-48; Romans 15:14-33

Think About This: “Every other discovery of God, without this, will but make the soul fly from him; but if the heart be once much taken up with this the eminency [superiority] of the Father’s love, it cannot choose but be overpowered, conquered, and endeared unto him. This, if anything, will work upon us to make our abode with him. If the love of a father will not make a child delight in him, what will? Put, then, this to the venture: exercise your thoughts upon this very thing, the eternal, free, and fruitful love of the Father, and see if your hearts be not wrought upon to delight in him.”  John Owen
This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left … Joshua 23:6

A Generous Heart

So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more. (Exodus 36: 6-7 ESV)

The building of the tabernacle was an amazing feat. The exodus from Egypt has been compared to moving the population of Philadelphia. There were over 600,000 men 20 years or older, plus women and children, out in the desert and God asked them to build Him a tabernacle. The children of Israel are primarily known for their grumbling and complaining but they also showed they had very generous hearts. In Exodus 35, Moses asked them to give a contribution to the Lord: a free will offering of gold, silver, bronze, yarns, linen, animal skins, acacia wood, oil, spices, incense and precious stones.

This offering was truly a time of worship for the people. In verse 21 we see the phrase everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him… In verse 22 we see all who were of a willing heart… In verse 29 we see again whose heart moved them… and once more in chapter 36 verse 2, whose heart stirred him… It is a beautiful thing when God’s Spirit moves in His people. The end result of this outpouring of the Spirit is seen in 36: 4-5 , … all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came … and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” In 36: 6 we see that the people were restrained from bringing anything more. We don’t know all that was brought, but in chapter 38 we see that about 2,200 pounds of gold, 7,500 pounds of silver and 5,300 pounds of bronze were brought. At the beginning of 2010 their combined value was close to $ 37 million. The Israelites’ giving was not limited to gold and silver but they also gave freely of all their possessions, their time and their abilities. In 36: 2 we see …every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. They not only gave their money but they gave of themselves.

All that we have is from God and should always be at His disposal. When God’s Spirit stirs our hearts we need to respond not out of a feeling of obligation but out of our love for Him. Allen E. Beltle is CFO of America’s Keswick. You can write to Allen at abeltle@americaskeswick.org

Keswick, America’s  (2012-12-13). Real Victory for Real Life Volume 2 (Kindle Locations 1636-1661).  . Kindle Edition.

Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 39-40; Romans 13

Think About This: We will never run out of new discoveries to make about God and his glorious purposes. Christians ought to be the world’s greatest Explorers…. The moment you quit being an Explorer–the second you identify yourself first as a “pastor,” “businessman,” “house-wife,” or “hairdresser,” you degenerate. When your earthly occupation trumps God’s deeper design in you to explore and discover, your earthly occupation will lose its fire and direction, and you’ll degenerate. Justin Buzzard

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

Hey brothers – join us tonight for our January Men’s Fellowship Night. Pastor Andrew Brown, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River will be sharing God’s Word. Dinner begins at 6:15 AM and the program will follow. Call 800-453-7942. Check out our website for details: http://americaskeswick.org/christian-events/monthly-events/mens-fellowship-night

A Soul Hungry for God

O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. (Psalm 63: 1)

I once heard Stuart Briscoe say that God meets man on the level of his desire; man can have as much of God as he wants.

If this statement is true, and I believe it is, then our level of desire to know God will affect the level of our intimate, personal knowledge of God. Do you desire to know God with all your heart? Or would you say that your pursuit of God is lukewarm?

Psalm 63 has been called the soul of the Psalms. It is packed with expressions of David’s longing to know God, to serve God and to praise God.

The Psalm contains some practical guidelines to assist us in our pursuit of God.

First, we are to seek the Lord… early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You…(v. 1). The psalmist is describing a seeking heart. Do you want to know God? Then seek after Him with your whole heart and soul.

Secondly, we are to remember the Lord…when I remember You… I meditate on You… ( v. 6 ). The psalmist is describing how God occupies his mind. This is a sign of the psalmist’s love for the Lord. Is it not true that those we love are always on our mind?

Thirdly, we are to praise the Lord… my lips will praise You…(v. 3). The psalmist praised the Lord not only for what He had done, but for Who He was. And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips (v. 5).

Do you long to know the Lord in a deeper, more intimate way? And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29: 13). Dr. Roger D. Willmore is a popular teacher/speaker at America’s Keswick. You can listen to his messages at http://www.americaskeswick.org

Keswick, America’s  (2012-12-13). Real Victory for Real Life Volume 2 (Kindle Locations 1454-1479).  . Kindle Edition.

Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 36-38; Romans 12

Think About This: I had rather stand against the cannons of the wicked than against the prayers of the righteous. —Thomas Lye

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

Hey brothers – join us this Thursday night for our January Men’s Fellowship Night. Pastor Andrew Brown, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River will be sharing God’s Word. Dinner begins at 6:15 AM and the program will follow. Call 800-453-7942. Check out our website for details: http://americaskeswick.org/christian-events/monthly-events/mens-fellowship-night

THE ATTITUDE OF CHRIST

January 1, 2015 some friends and I went to NYC.  I was blessed to be able to experience this with like-minded brothers.  We saw the world in pretty much all forms.   There was one particular situation that took place, when a guy helped us purchase a subway ticket.  This act of kindness was inspired because this man wanted to make sure he didn’t miss the train, but still in a Godly way.  Not only did he assist us he just paid for it.  He was helpful, kind, and polite.  I don’t know if this man was a Christian or not but he defiantly exhibited Christ like behavior.

Sometimes (most times) we treat those we don’t know with more respect than those we do know.  I tend to get comfortable enough with those that are close to me to say and do things that will hurt their feelings.  When I find myself doing this I realize it’s because I feel that I’ve been wronged, and that might be true, but doesn’t mean I have the right to  inflict pain or wrong them or others.  There are many reasons we act out inappropriately.  These types of action not only hurt our spiritual life but also spreads like cancer to all those around us.  I would like remind us all, especially myself, that this can work both ways.  Just like the man in NYC, doing acts of kindness will generate a positive chain reaction.  So often people do and say things before thinking how it might affect others.  This coin again has two sides, weather your on either side you must always think of the other person.

When I was growing up my mom said two things very often, and I never thought of them as biblical.  One of these things was two wrongs don’t make a right, and treat others as you would have them treat you.  We’ll now I see these are very biblical, and line right up with the understanding the Spirit of God has shown me.  Remembering to exercise this truth is we all fall short, which is why, no-matter which side of the coin your own as soon as the Spirit reveals to you what your part is, act on it and the blessings of God will enter your heart.  Then you can begin a chain reaction of Christ like behavior of denying self that will encourage others to do the same.

There are many places in the Bible that will come to mind when we think of these words, but the two passages that come to my mind the most from this devotion are Romans 12 and Matthew 7:12.  We always want justice, not only do we want it but we want to see it.   Instead of worrying about ourselves focus on Jesus and others.  My prayer today is everyone who reads this takes a few minutes to open their Bible and read and meditate on them and any others that the Spirit of God directs you.

GOD BLESS

You’re Brother in Christ

Brian Ferguson is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy. He serves full-time at America’s Keswick and is an on-line student at Lancaster Bible College

Daily Bible Reading: Genesis 33-35; Romans 11:19-36

Think About This: A gglorious thing to learn the secret joy of giving all that we are, including our dreams, to God, whether in seasons of lack, prosperity, joy or pain. Our expression of trust creates the opportunity for God to do something great in our lives. Stephen K DeSilva

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6