“But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” –Romans 8:25

I added Hope to my last Freedom Fighter.

My house growing up at Christmas time was an exciting time of anticipation. We had a tree and all the lights but no presents, that is until Christmas morning. It was like a toy store moved to our den, way more than I needed for sure. Each year would bring with it a great expectation of what might come, but there was always that doubt that nothing would be there Christmas morning.

The Apostle Paul records, in my mind, one of the greatest portions of scripture in the Bible, Romans chapter 8. Starting off with our standing in Christ and the anticipation that comes with the hope we have in the promises of God. Just like the Christmases at my house, there was nothing under the tree but the hope I had, even though there was nothing there, yet it was exciting. That’s about as far as I can go with my Christmas morning analogy, when we put our hope in Christ there is no comparison, there is no doubt, only confidence.

This idea of hope is not easy, it takes patience and trust, but when we are found trusting it should include watching. The trio of “Hope, Watch and Wait” are fueled by being in God’s word, prayer and fellowship. Healthy fellowship with believers is vital to our walk with the Lord, it ignites a passion to be about the things of the God. Recently I was asked if the current events of our time were a sign that Jesus’ return is near. I simply said “Be about your Father’s business and get your house in order.”

So, “Hope, Watch and Wait” as we work, that’s pretty much the believer’s duty. The NLT says, “But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.” When we do get ourselves out of touch and doubt begins to set in, that’s where prayer comes in. The good news is we have help as we “Hope, Watch and Wait”, the next verse says, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words”.

So as we head into the time when we remember our Savior’s birth, don’t forget to “Hope, Watch and Wait”, The anticipation is exciting, 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: Song of Songs 1-4| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “So let hope rise and darkness tremble.” – Hillsong

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

 

 

 

You are free. You just don’t know it yet.
~Francine Rivers

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery… For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another…. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
~ paul, The Least of The Apostles, in Galatians 5

Oh beloved, it is true.

The freedom we have been given comes to us at an astronomical price. And, if we think about it, we realize that we can’t truly comprehend it. The very G_d of the universe, in counsel among His Triune self, chose this path before the foundations of this earth were laid.

G_d, The One Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of G_d, begotten of His Father before all worlds, G_d from G_d, Light from Light, very G_d of very G_d, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father… This One, the One through Whom all things came to be, chose to submit to the wrath of the Triune Father’s justice, and the wrath of His own creation on the cross.

All of this; every iota of this was born of the fabric of Who They Are: Love. And so, Love Himself laid down His Life for ours, and as ours to pay for our sins. But He also died that the slavery we had to our own selves would be abolished as well.

More simply, Christ’s death was not a passive payment for bad deeds. It was that, but it was more. Christ’s death was an active advance of the dominion of G_d across His creation. Jesus Christ, in His dying, also took us with Him through this death that we might not only be innocent of our transgressions, but also free from the need to keep transgressing.

Jesus not only beat sin and death, He beat our fallen flesh too. Jesus victory at the cross was so astounding! What looked like a beat-down on a prophet was actually Him crushing the head of the vilest trio of enemies that have ever existed: Sin, Death, and our fallen Flesh.

The effect of such a victory is so overwhelming that we may be stunned by the force of its eternal blast. We may miss it altogether. The freedom that He has bought for us has broken down the prison doors of all three enemies.

Can we see it?

Actually we can’t. And so, many of us brothers have sat in our prison cells, still convinced that we are locked into a pattern of failure. The lies we have listened to have beaten such a path, that we think there is no other way. But there is.

What if we just got up, and walked out of the prison we think we are still in?  What if we simply allowed The Love that started this whole revolution in the first place to usher us into the freedom that has already been purchased for us? What if?

Are you still sitting in your prison cell? Have you walked back into it? This fool of a writer has haunted the doorstep a few times in the years since i walked out. Oh yes, the flesh will make a play in opposition to the freedom we have in The Spirit. It will never really quit, but we don’t have to listen to something that is no longer part of who we really are.

Because of our union with Him, in His freedom, the voice of your new, true inner man sounds like the Holy Spirit. That voice is loving and joyful and patient and good and whole… and free.

So, hopefully this all is fairly clear. Do you want to sit in a prison you no longer need to inhabit? You do have that choice, though the price is exceedingly high. Or, do you want to walk out into the Light of His Presence?

Tonight is your night. Maybe no one has told you before, so let me do it now (for both you and me). GET UP. WALK OUT! DON’T GO BACK!

Happy freedom.

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 140-142| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: In truth there is only one freedom – the holy freedom of Christ, whereby He freed us from sin, from evil, from the devil. It binds us to God. All other freedoms are illusory, false, that is to say, they are all, in fact, slavery.  ~ Justin Popovich

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

 

Good morning, brothers. Last week I shared with you some daily devotionals to assist with your daily time with the Lord. Today I want to share my “go-to” devotionals, some that I have been using for many years and often refer back to again and again.

I shared that we are reading through the Bible chronologically this year and for those of you that have a hard time working through with a printed plan, I am planning to use a One Year Chronological Bible (New Living Translation) which is available from www.smile.amazon.com.  It is also available in the NIV and NKJV as well.

New Morning Mercies is written by Dr. Paul David Tripp. It is my all-time favorite devotional. It has really revealed so much of my wicked heart as well as helped me understand my identity in Christ and grace. If you can’t buy any other devotional – this is my top pick!!!

The Valley of Vision is a collection of prayers written by the Puritans. It is powerfully convicting and grabs at your heart. I have given you the link for the leather bound issue, but it is available in paper.

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers has been part of my daily reading for 25+ years. Very practical and convicting. It comes in a variety of editions including a journal.

Streams in the Desert has been a part of my life since I was a little child. My Mom would read this to me every day before leaving for school. It has been a wonderful blessing and is marked up like crazy.

Experiencing God Day-By-Day was compiled by Dr. Henry and Dr. Richard Blackaby. Very practical and thought-provoking. It was a very powerful devotional.

Daily Light on the Daily Path is just Scripture for morning and evening. I have used this for 25 years, and it has been a remarkable influence on my life. It comes in a variety of styles and translations.

Words of Wisdom is Psalms and Proverbs for each. It is such a blessing and a practical way to get God’s Word etched into your heart.

I trust you will check these out and plan to start out the new year with an open heart as you allow God to speak to you through His Word and then through the pens of these godly men and women.

Next week I want to share some neat ways to help you develop a good habit of meeting with God each morning.

Rejoice! Pray! Give thanks!

Bill Welte
President/CEO America’s Keswick

Written by Bill Welte, President/CEO of America’s Keswick: Bill has been married to his child sweetheart for 40+ years and has four married kids and 11 amazing grand kids. He loves music and is an avid reader.

The Daily Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 26-28| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Think About This: “If you look for God’s working in your life, if you thoughtfully trace it out and reflect on it, you will be surprised by how much you begin to see.” Mark Dever

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:30

 

“And a voice came to him, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But Peter said, ‘Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.’ And a voice spoke to him again the second time, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.'” – Acts 10:13-15 (NKJV)

I work at a pretty eclectic place, and by that I mean there are many different people from many different backgrounds. One of the blessings I receive from this is in what I do for my employer. Being a guy who works on all kinds of machines takes me into different departments and I get the privilege of conversing with the many different people from the many different backgrounds. They all have a different way of expression and within that expression comes a form of belief in what they’re saying. One of the unfortunate things I hear, at times, is a prejudice tone. It’s not in everyone I speak with, but I do hear it throughout my day. I try not to shake my head as I walk away but that’s getting harder to do these days.

One of these departments I visit was getting a new piece of equipment and it was being installed by yours truly, so I decided to have a little fun with it. As I was guiding the pallet jack with the new “Saw Stop” on it, I began a little “Ho-Ho-Ho” chant. There were smiles along the way but then I heard, “I don’t believe in Santa Claus” to which I replied, “Neither do I, Santa is a communist.” Now that may not go over too well in other groups, but I knew my audience in this case. A conversation quickly ensued about the Gospel and how we all seem to have a slanted view on Christmas. Even though that tone I told you about earlier came through the voice of others, I stayed the course, none the matter that I have been told to stay clear of these “kinda people.” However, I got to thinking about Peter as I walked away…yeah, trying NOT to shake my head.

Ya see, Peter was given clear instruction from Jesus to take the Gospel outside of the Jewish world. I mean, he does a great job of preaching to his own people, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation,” he tells them and 3,000 are saved (you can read about that in Acts 2:14-41) but when it came to those Gentiles…those Romans…well, let’s just say that tradition told him to steer clear from those “kinda people.” But as patient as our God is, Peter was gonna need a little help getting past this obstacle. So, while he was dozin’ off, El Elyon sent him a message. Since his last thought might have been on lunch, God sent Peter a picnic. Everything that a Jew would have considered “unclean” to eat.

So, in familiar fashion, Peter denies the offer three times but the message was sent none the less, and then there was a knock at the door at the place where he was staying and “as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, ‘Three men have come looking for you. Get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitation. Don’t worry, for I have sent them’” (Acts 10:19-20). And in obedience, Peter goes with the men to another man who was given clear instruction on what he was to do, a Roman officer named Cornelius. He tells Peter about his encounter with an angel to which “Peter replied, ‘I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. In every nation He accepts those who fear Him and do what is right’ (Acts 10:34-35) and the conversion of the Gentile world began.

So many of us are in danger of missing out on being used by God to do bigger things then we can imagine. Peter was also in danger of the same thing. When we consider those “kinda people” that God sends our way as unclean we miss out on being part of the bigger picture. We could possess a powerful anointing like Peter did, but when we allow those traditional barriers to get in the way we rob folks of the same spiritual morsels that fed us and brought us into the salvation that is found Jesus Christ and His Gospel message. So, whether you’re delivering a new “Saw Stop” to your co-workers or being told to meet someone at the door, always see it as a chance to share a little Gospel with someone. Never know what blessing could come from your obedience. 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: Song of Songs 1-2| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “Even as Peter had ethnic and cultural barriers that kept him from reaching out to the Gentiles, all of us have barriers in our own lives. Whether it is national pride, religious perspectives, or the values we are raised with, all of us will need God’s adjustment so we can see all people through His eyes.” — Jeff Frankenstein

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
Revelation 7:12

 

 

 

The key to powerful living is changing the way you think.

What is the wall you keep running into when you try to make a change? What is it that keeps you from reaching your potential and all that God desires for you? We could start with pride or what the Bible calls ‘the hardness of your heart.’ This is the refusal to admit we are wrong or a sinner; that is one who operates against God’s perfect design and attempts to live without God and His Word.

Paul, in writing to Believers at Ephesus, instructs them, “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Eph 4:21-24).

So then the key to powerful living is choosing to put off our pride and corrupted ways, having admitted to their futility, and ‘put on’ the ‘new’ self that subjects itself to the workings of Christ’s Spirit that is in you, which you received the moment you believed.

The ‘New Self’, because of the influence of The Spirit, understands the importance of speaking the truth and not allowing anger to motivate its responses. It works hard to be able to share with those who need help, and it encourages others with words that reflect God’s grace, mercy, and love… no matter what they have done.

Paul tells us this kind of powerful living is possible if we…. “do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.” He then presses us to, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior (behavior that is inconsistent with God’s design for us) And, Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,” And here is the kicker… “Just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Eph 4:30-32) When I consider all the wrong I have done that God has forgiven, covering it over with the Blood of Christ shed for me on the Cross, who am I not to respond to others in a like mindedness with Him…?

I pray you put off what is motivated by your selfish desire for control and pleasure and put on those attributes that reflect Christ, such as those the Holy Spirit produces as fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,”(Galatians 5:22)

Do this and you will know a powerful peace like never before.

Choose wisely….

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”

(Ephesians 5:1-2)

Praying U choose Christ today

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

The Daily Bible Reading: Nehemiah 5-9| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “If you are not thinking right, if your mind is not being renewed, if you are not God and His Word properly, it will show up in your emotional life.” – Neil T. Anderson

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
Revelation 7:12