Tears

The Lubricant of Vision But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.   (1 John 1: 7)

Some of my friends have been afflicted with a medical condition known as dry-eye syndrome.   In some cases this has required surgery to open the tear ducts so that the secretion from the lacrimary glands might flow to the eye.   Tears have at least two vital physical functions related to good vision.   The first is lubrication, and the second is purification.

If the eye is to function normally, it must be lubricated by the secretion from the lacrimary glands through the tear ducts.   Any failure of this system results in major discomfort and possible disease.

The second function of tears is purification and cleansing.   Foreign particles such as dust are flushed away as the tears flow.   Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, founder of Dallas Theological Seminary, once visited a coal-mining town in Wales to conduct special meetings in a church.   The pastor asked Dr. Chafer if he would like to visit the mine and watch the men be lowered into the pit.   He readily agreed.   Standing there in the dim light of morning, they observed that the men wore clean clothes and carried lunch pails.  In groups they entered a cage which lowered them into the darkness of the mine.   Late in the afternoon the pastor and Dr. Chafer had occasion to return to the place just as the miners were being hoisted to the surface.   A remarkable change had taken place.   Faces, hands and clothing were covered with coal dust.   However, there was one part of them which was unaffected by the dirt – the eyes.   Their whites seemed whiter than before in contrast to their dust-coated faces.   What had kept these eyes clean?   Tears.

One of the main functions of the shed blood of Christ, according to 1 John 1: 7, is to keep cleansing us from sin.   The emphasis is on a continuous action like that of the flow of tears.

Earlier in the verse the theme of fellowship was introduced.   It appears to be closely related to cleansing.   There must be application of the blood of Christ in order for fellowship to exist between ourselves and the Lord and between Christians.   This is the means of cleansing and lubricates to prevent friction. Rev. William A. Raws was the grandson of the founder of America’s Keswick and was a part of the ministry for over 50 years

Keswick, America’s  (2012-12-13). Real Victory for Real Life Volume 2 (Kindle Locations 8404-8432).  . Kindle Edition.

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 146-147; John 1:1-28

Quote of the day: Covetousness, or the desire to have more than one has (not necessarily through envy of somebody else) not only leads to strife but also expresses a fundamentally wrong philosophy of life, according to which possessions are all that really matter. I.H. Marshall

Verse to Memorize: Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness. The entirety of Your word is truth, and everyone of Your judgments endures forever. Psalm 119:159-160

Pursuing Our Destiny, Part 15–The Discipline of Study

The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. (Ps. 119:72, ESV)

 Football players watch hours and hours of film in preparation for their games.  Golfers spend hours on the practice tee and the putting green, working all their irons, woods, and the putter, in preparation for their tournaments.  So it is with baseball, basketball, soccer, etc.  To do well at any pursuit, study and practice is necessary.

It is no different in our pursuit of spiritual maturity and growth in the likeness of Christ.  That’s where study comes in.  Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, rehearses over and over the importance of God’s Word and our need to know it well and apply it well.  It is more valuable that “thousands of gold and silver pieces.”

What does it mean to practice the spiritual discipline of study?  I found an article online that I think explains the process of this discipline. The writer says that five things are involved in our study of God’s Word:

1)  Repetition—intentionally training the mind to think biblically

2.) Concentration—focusing our attention on what we are studying

3.) Comprehension—understanding what we are studying

4.) Reflection—discovering the significance of what we’re studying

5.) Submission—choosing to apply what we are studying to our lives

I think the psalmist understood this process when he wrote Psalm 1:

Blessed is the man

who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.

When the Apostle Paul wrote Romans 12:2, I believe he definitely had the spiritual practice of study on his mind.  “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

The transformation of our minds comes through the practice of study: repetition, concentration, comprehension, reflection, and submission.  None of us will become like Jesus unless we invest regular time and consistent effort in the study of Scripture and good spiritual literature.  Dallas Willard says it this way: In the spiritual discipline of study, we engage ourselves, above all, with the written and spoken Word of God.  As solitude is the primary discipline of abstinence for the early part of our spiritual life, so study is the primary discipline of engagement. 

Through personal study, regular church attendance to hear the Word of God taught, and consistent meditation on what we studying (so that it settles in our soul), we will see our lives transformed.  Even better, we’ll see our lives becoming more like Jesus in thought, word, and deed.

This discipline invites us to engage our minds and hearts in a consistent practice of study for the purpose of growing in our knowledge of the Word of God while allowing God’s Spirit to use that knowledge to transform our lives.  If you don’t know where to begin, ask your pastor for some advice, or be in touch with Bill Welte and the folks at Keswick.  All of us are available to help you! – Pastor Strain recently retired as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Tom’s River and is available for pulpit supply

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 143-145; 2 Corinthians 13

Quote of the day: It is easy to want things from the Lord and yet not want the Lord Himself, as though the gift could ever be preferable to the Giver. Augustine

Verse to Memorize: Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness. The entirety of Your word is truth, and everyone of Your judgments endures forever. Psalm 119:159-160

The Value of Prayer

 I was in a conversation the other day with a friend bemoaning the fact that another brother was not doing well and was unapproachable. No way to talk to him without stirring-up a hornets nest so we said, “well, I guess we can just pray for him.”

 Just pray for him. How shallow and “last resort” that sounded.  As if the first and best thing to do was anything but pray for him. I felt so convicted for such an attitude towards one of the most important and powerful parts of our Christian lives. Praying, which Jesus did often, was being considered as an “alternative” last ditch effort. I felt sick as I considered myself.

 I have said this to a few people after Ruth and I reconciled and remarried, that I wish I had kept a journal of all the times I had felt a spiritual “pressing” on my heart. Both she and Bill W. have told me there had been many times when people, individually and corporately, had been praying for me as I wandered in my wilderness. I am positive that those very moments when I was feeling the most spiritual discomfort where the very times that Gods people were praying for me. And somehow, in the rush of everyday life, I had relegated prayer to an emergency measure rather than a regular first avenue of approach to a problem.

And the value—what about the eternal value of prayer—its eternal value in God’s economy.

 ^{Rev. 5:8} Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  

 Our prayers are of such enormous value to God  and so precious that He is keeping them stored-up in Heaven in golden bowls as a sweet incense offering to Jesus when He is handed the scroll! Nothing we can do or offer to God is as powerful or precious as our prayers.

 Father, help me to be a man that will pray first and act second!  Amen – Steve Schmidt is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a full-time member of the staff of America’s Keswick

 Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 140-142; 2 Corinthians 12

Quote of the day: The deeper we go down into the valley of decision the higher we must rise…into the mount of prayer, and we must hold up the hands of those whose chief concern is to prevail with God. P. T. Forsythe

 Verse to Memorize: Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness. The entirety of Your word is truth, and everyone of Your judgments endures forever. Psalm 119:159-160

 

12 Characteristics of a Godly Leader

On a recent trip to Minnesota I read a book by Brad Lomenick who is the Executive Director of an organization, Catalyst, which is a ministry that was birthed by Dr. John C. Maxwell. The purpose of the ministry is to train and equip next-gen leaders.

Brad’s book is very insightful and is helping me to understand the value of equipping and training younger men and women for leadership positions.

In his book, Brad shares 12 characteristics of a godly leader that I feel are worth sharing with you. Take a look at the list:

Great and godly leaders:

1. Don’t look at the clock.
2. Get it done.
3. Realize your are part of something bigger than themselves.
4. Know that giving just the “minimum” amount doesn’t even cross their mind.
5. Make sure that their hard wok and excellence are done with pure motives.
6. Believe that “we” is much more important than “me.”
7. Maintain a high standard of excellence.
8. Make sure that their vision compels them to greatness.
9. Have intentions and goals that are clear.
10.  Are 100% trustworthy.
11. Are willing and motivated to improve daily.
12. Constantly pursue the extraordinary, not the ordinary.

When I read this list in Brian’s book, The Catalyst Leader – 8 Essentials for Becoming a Change Maker (Thomas Nelson), I couldn’t help but think of this verse: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him … Whatever you do, work at it with ALL your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the LORD as a reward.”  Colossians 3:17 & 23-24.

We are all leaders at some level in life. Are you a husband? Father? Grandfather? Elder? Deacon? Then take a look at this list and purpose to become a leader that is serving the Lord with his best.

Running the race with joy,

Bill Welte
President/CEO America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 137-139; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33

Quote of the day: The number one way to block your creativity. Dabble your paintbrush in another’s palette. Stop comparing your gift to another person’s gift. Katherine Walden

Verse to Memorize: Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness. The entirety of Your word is truth, and everyone of Your judgments endures forever. Psalm 119:159-160

 

A Morning With Leonard Part 2

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. 2 Timothy 2:15-17a (ESV)

In my last Freedom Fighter I shared with you about a time at Keswick where my brother-in-Christ, Leonard Evans, was sharing morning devotions with us and his topic was wisdom. As our conversation continued that morning we were discussing what we find in Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” When we understand fear as eternal separation from our Creator and to not be blessed by Him we can shrug off the notion that we are going to be zapped every time we step outside of God’s plan for our lives.(Not that it isn’t a bad idea…just saying)

The real word to use here is “reverence” and to have reverence for a just and holy God should bring us prostrate but that isn’t always the case these days. Some of us in the Body of Christ are bringing God to the same level that the world around us has. The world doesn’t see sin as God see’s it and it’s a shame to think that it too has carried over into our churches. Maybe it is because we don’t have an idea of what “Holiness” is anymore. It seems that anything goes in our worship services and that has allowed a disregard for those things that are to be revered.

Recently during one of my teen Sunday school classes I asked them where they were in their reading of the Bible. I barely got a third of them to say where they were and half of them weren’t really in a specific book. “I jump around a lot” was a popular response…okay, I’ll take it. However, I reminded them how important it was to memorize and mediate on the Word so that they are equipped to make right decisions. I challenged them to let God’s word be before their breakfast or even FaceBook for that matter. Hopefully they make a wise choice.

There are quite a few promises in the Book of Proverbs. Proverbs 2:10 says when wisdom enters your heart it will be pleasant to your soul. Proverbs 3:13-18 contains things like being blessed and happy, having something more precious than silver, gold, rubies with nothing to compare to it. Life is long and full of riches and honor. But most importantly we will have peace and will know joy. “She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.” Brother…what man (or woman) in their right mind wouldn’t want this as a daily promise to live by? If your saying “not me” we need to talk.

Brother Leonard repeated what Charles Spurgeon once said, “Wisdom is the right use of knowledge.” How true! Leonard went on to say that life is like operating a train and down the tracks is switch we WILL encounter. We WILL have to make a decision when we come upon that switch. Having right wisdom will be having the right knowledge at the right time for the challenge we are facing at that switch. He then shared with us the biggest Biblical promise we could ever receive. Straight from the lips of The Savior during His Sermon on the Mount…”But seek first the kingdom and His righteousness and these things shall be added to you.” Thank you Brother Evans for sharing your wisdom with me! – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony and blogs regularly for Freedom Fighter

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 129-131; 2 Corinthians 9

Quote of the day: “What is more reasonable than that the creature should trust his Creator? On the other hand, what is more illogical than a man to reject God’s Word and to live by his own hunches? The wise thing to do is to repent of one’s sins, trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and then live for Him wholeheartedly and devotedly.”—William MacDonald

Verse to Memorize: “Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes. Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord; revive me according to Your judgments. Psalm 119:155-156

A Morning With Leonard Part 1

 “It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.”                                                                                                                    1 Kings 3:10-12 (ESV)

“The world thinks that knowledge is wisdom, the more knowledge you have the more wisdom you have” said my elder brother –in-The Lord, Leonard Evans. It was the last day of a Keswick conference week and Leonard had morning devotions. The conversation that ensued among us was pretty cool…so I asked Leonard for his notes. And with his permission I would like to merge our thoughts on what is wisdom, how do we obtain it and why we would want it from YHVH.

So what is wisdom? Well American Heritage has it as: “Understanding of what is true, right or lasting “or “Common sense”. There was also this word sagacity so I looked that up and it is defined as “Keen intelligence; shrewdness”. Wasn’t there a Pharaoh who was shrewd? Anyway, none the matter here the definition doesn’t define Biblical wisdom. Proverbs 15:33 sums it up like this, “The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom and humility comes before honor.” I realize there are leaders in this world who don’t fear the LORD but way back in time there once was such a leader. He would be King Solomon.

Open your Bible for this part of this Freedom Fighter and turn to 1 Kings 3:7-13.  As verse 7 lead into verse 8 we see that Solomon has to admit that he is in the midst of God’s chosen people, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted. Solomon is revealing to us the most important thing we must do to receive God’s wisdom. This king humbled himself before the LORD. I know for many of us that is a hard thing to do, our own stinkin’ pride just gets in the way. So how does one get the discerning heart to be able to distinguish right and wrong? You ask God…duh?

In verses 9 of 1Kings 3 Solomon does just that and YHVH was so pleased that this was his request that He gave abundantly more than Solomon asked for. We also have a New Testament reference on what the heart condition needs to be. In James 1:5-6 we read, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”

With Solomon there is no doubt he knows what he is facing and being in need of wisdom from on High. And it’s in the not thinking of himself first that God honors his request for wisdom and much more. There is always more to cover on the subject of wisdom but for now please ponder over this question…What would you ask for if YHVH were to ask you for whatever He would give to you? I guess for some of us that would depend on how closely we were walking with Him. For me…maybe just to hear, “Well done, Enter in!!” Guess that too depends on a closer walk with Him. Amen? — Chris Hughes is a weekly Freedom Fighter blogger and is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 126-128; 2 Corinthians 8

Quote of the day: Quote of the Day: “Trust in the Lord is the discipline that leads to wisdom. Humility is the way to honor.”—William MacDonald

Verse to Memorize: “Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes. Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord; revive me according to Your judgments. Psalm 119:155-156

Pursuing Our Destiny, Part 14–The Disciplines of Engagement

And all who believed were together and had all things in common.  And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.  And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people (Acts 2:44-47a, ESV).

 It’s time to deal with the “both/and” nature of Scripture.  We so often get one part of living for Jesus down, only to realize we’re completely missing the mark when looking at another teaching.  As I mentioned earlier in this series, Dallas Willard, in his book The Spirit of the Disciplines, divides the spiritual disciplines/practices into two categories.  He speaks of the “disciplines of abstinence” and the “disciplines of engagement.”  They aren’t meant to be “either/or” categories; they are always taken as “both/and” categories.

 The passage I used in the heading of this piece reflects the latter disciplines—disciplines of engagement.  The new Christians in Jerusalem no longer hid for fear of the religious leaders or the Roman government; they engaged in practices visible to all.  They were practices that helped them grow in their walk with Jesus and in their likeness to Jesus.

For the next several weeks, we’re going to take Wednesdays to look at the disciplines of engagement while, I hope, we practice at least some of the disciplines of abstinence.  We’re not intended to practice one kind of discipline or the other; we’re to see both kinds of practices at work in our lives at the same time.

Here is a list of the engagement practices: study, worship, celebration, service, prayer, fellowship, confession, and submission.  I’ll define them week-by-week, inviting all of us who read Freedom Fighter to think about the place each of them should have in our lives as we serve Jesus and strive to become like him.

You may already incorporate some of them into your lives, but I suggest that all of us may think about them differently when we see them as tools that help us become more like Jesus.  With that goal of becoming a living icon of Jesus, these disciplines should become more intentional and significant in our lives.

Taking time to learn the life of Jesus by spending time in the gospels will prove him to be a both/and person.  He discovered the balance between abstinence and engagement, and it served him well.  As we examine the life of Jesus with the desire to become like him, we’ll find that balance necessary in our lives, too.

Study.  Worship.  Celebration.  Service.  Prayer.  Fellowship.  Confession.  Submission.  Engagement practices needed in your life and mine.  Practices needed if we’re going to allow our world to see Jesus in us.  And allowing people to see Jesus in us is exactly why God saved us and left us here!  Don’t forget Romans 8:29!

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 123-125; 2 Corinthians 7

Quote of the day: Any concern too small to be a prayer is too small to be a burden. Corrie Ten Boom

Verse to Memorize: “Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes. Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord; revive me according to Your judgments. Psalm 119:155-156

 

The Choice is Yours

“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Genesis 4:7

My last post was attempting to help us be careful before making a vow or walking down an isle to make a commitment before the Lord, unless we first “considered the cost”, being prepared to “follow thru” and not overextending ourselves to later be a person who people will say “This man began to build and was not able to finish” Luke 14:30.

I was thinking about the same idea of “counting the cost“, but this time thinking thru the consequences that will follow a bad choice or willful sin.

When I was in the Colony we had a saying, “Play the tape thru”. It was a thought provoking statement that would cause me to consider my next move.

As a person with an addictive behavior it is important for me to take the time to “consider”, whether it be for a good intention or a selfish, self-gratifying acting out that will result in wreckage.

In this passage of scripture In Genesis 4 God poses a choice to Cain, “if you do well” and “if you do not do well”. Isn’t that what it comes down to for us?

Proverbs 4:26 tells us to “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established”. The word “establish” means “to fix or make fast, to set”. Another translation is “to strengthen” or be “steadfast”.

When I begin a building project it is very important that I study the plans and get a visual of what it is I’m about to “establish”.  As men I believe God wants to use His Word to do a work in us that would “establish” us. Our minds should be “fixed”, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” Hebrews 12:2a. Amen? – Rob Russomano blogs regularly for Freedom Fighter and serves on the full-time staff at America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 120-122; 2 Corinthians 6

Quote of the day: I had known, believed and preached (about Christ) for many years…but I had become more concerned about knowledge of faith than about knowledge of God. To me God had become more of a theoretical and doctrinal figure,than a saving, experiential companion. Alan Redpath

Verse to Memorize: “Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes. Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord; revive me according to Your judgments. Psalm 119:155-156

 

Convicting Prayer Life

“The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16b

I have been working on my prayer life this year and have enjoyed reading through the Bible and noting the prayers of God’s servants. It has been fascinating to read the prayers of Moses, David, Daniel and Paul.

In my devotional readings I have come across the prayers of men like George Mueller who was obviously a man devoted to the ministry of prayer.

If you have never picked up a copy of “The Valley of Vision – Prayers of The Puritans” I urge you to go to your local Christian Bookstore or www.amazon.com. I am probably on my fifth read of this powerful resource and each time the prayers have dug deeper into my spirit. I have found myself asking the question, “Can I REALLY” pray this?

Here is a snapshot of the prayer I read over the weekend:

Preserve my understanding from error,

My affections from love of idols,

My lips from speaking guile,

My conduct from stain of vice,

My character from appearance of evil, that I may be

Harmless
Blameless
Rebukeless
Exemplary
Useful
Light-giving
Prudent
Zealous for His glory and the good of fellow-men.

I posted this on Facebook and one of my friends wrote: “Wow – that just about covers every part of my life!” And he is right.

What would God do in my life and yours if we were will to pray like this? What might happen in our families? In our churches? In our businesses or ministries?

The question is am I bold enough – daring enough – willing enough to pray like this? Well I am already started. Want to join me?

Running the race with joy,

Bill Welte
President/CEO America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 119:89-176; 2 Corinthians 5

Quote of the day: When you desire to be most alive to God, you will generally find sin most alive to repel you. —C.H. Spurgeon

Verse to Memorize: “Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes. Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord; revive me according to Your judgments. Psalm 119:155-156

 

The Freedom of Forgiveness

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4: 32 NIV)

One of the most common failures among Christians is the failure to forgive.   We are apt to consider an unforgiving spirit to be a “right” in the light of what someone has said or done which has hurt our feelings.   When conviction comes to us as the Spirit applies the Scripture to our hearts, we try to argue with the Lord.   We say, “That person doesn’t deserve to be forgiven after what he did to me.”

This kind of reasoning is in direct violation of the imperative of our theme verse.   Forgiveness is not optional but obligatory.   We are not told to forgive if the offender is repentant.     Nor are we provided with a condition, i.e., forgive if there is some evidence of remorse.   We are essentially taught that our forgiveness is not to be based on any merit found in the offender.   This mandate for mercy is removed from any conditional circumstances but is based on our standing with God – forgiven.   Unforgiveness is sin.
What condition in the sinner was sufficient to merit the forgiveness of God?   It is strictly the mercy of God which provided the basis of forgiveness.   His grace was demonstrated in the sacrifice of Christ on behalf of the sinner.   The result – we are forgiven!   (Check out Ephesians 1: 7, Colossians 2: 13-14).   The standard for our forgiveness of others is based on His forgiveness of us.   This is declared in the pivotal phrase, “just as.”   Our freedom in Christ makes us free to forgive others.

What happens to the unforgiving Christian?   He becomes a slave of the unforgiven.   His spirit is in bondage to the one he won’t forgive.   The conviction of the Holy Spirit presses upon him.   By the same token, when forgiveness is granted, the spirit is liberated.   There is a tremendous sense of freedom in the heart. Rev. William A. Raws served at America’s Keswick for over 60 years and is the grandson of the founder, William Raws

Keswick, America’s  (2012-12-13). Real Victory for Real Life Volume 2 (Kindle Locations 8189-8209).  . Kindle Edition.

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 113-115; 2 Corinthians 2

Quote of the day: The Holy Scriptures are our letters from home. Augustine

Verse to Memorize: You are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are truth. Concerning your testimonies, I have known of old that You have founded them forever. Psalm 119:151-152