Pursuing Our Destiny, Part 8—The Discipline of Silence

But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him. (Habakkuk 2:20 ESV).

My father used to tell people that I was born talking and never learned to shut up.  More than a few people through the years probably agree with him.  I’m a talker; it’s part of my genetic makeup, and choosing to sit in silence isn’t easy for me.  At least it wasn’t for most of my life.

In my later years, I’ve learned the value of silence, one of the earliest practices of Christians learning to be like Jesus.  Often connected with solitude—the practice we considered last week—silence is not easy to practice in our culture.  It may take some creativity to find those times and places for silence, but discovering quietness is an essential step in that transformation process that make us look like Jesus.

Even before Jesus’ day and the church that developed from his ministry, Old Testament people learned the value of silence.  Isaiah said it this way: In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength (Isaiah 30:15, ESV).  The people of God have always known that quietness in God’s presence strengthens and prepares us.

I have friends and family who keep their televisions on all day.  Even if no one is watching, the sound from the television has become their companion.  We’ve become so accustomed to noise that we can’t live without it.  The teachings of Scripture and the practices of God’s people through the centuries teach us a better way.  Perhaps no one said it more clearly than the psalmist: Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10a, ESV).  If I understand the psalmist correctly, part of our knowing God comes through times when we sit with him in silence.

I’ve done several one-day silent retreats, and I try to include some silence in every day.  At first, it was kind of scary.  I’ve come to learn that silence is valuable for settling my soul and for hearing the “still small voice” of God.  My practice is simple.  Whether it’s thirty minutes of silence early in the morning or a full day of silence, I say to God: Father, I’m here.  I’m going to be quiet and listen.  If you speak, I’ll try to understand.  If you don’t, I’ll enjoy spending the silence with you.  Amen.  My silent times may include reading and/or journaling the thoughts that come from the silence.  Sometimes, the silence is just a rest from talking.

All of us will find different times and ways to seek silence.  Many people experience the desire for longer periods of quietness as they develop the practice and discover its benefits.  Among other things, silence allows us to better hear God’s voice.  It helps us learn to control our tongues, as James teaches is so needed.  It also teaches us how to listen to others and to pay attention.  Silence teaches us lessons we can learn no other way.

As with any of the spiritual practices, I urge you to approach silence in a prayerful, experimental manner, trusting God’s Spirit to lead you in using it in the best way for you.  Dallas Willard calls silence “a powerful and essential discipline.”  How can you build silence into your life as a regular spiritual practice. – Pastor John Strain is our Wednesday Freedom Blogger and is available for pulpit supply. Contact Pat Spies at America’s Keswick for information – 732-350-1187.

Daily Bible Reading: Ruth 1-4; Acts 8:26-40

Quote of the day: When someone thinks that to develop a holy life he must always be alone with God, he is no longer of any use to others.Oswald Chambers

Verse to Memorize: Righteous are you, O Lord, and right are your rules. You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness. Psalm 119:137-138 ESV

“Are You Gel-in”

“Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:10

Recently I was trying to come up with a word that our Summer Staff could relate to as I wanted them to get the idea that God wants us to have “The Joy of the Lord”. The best thing I could come up with was “In the Zone” or maybe “Get in the Groove”. It bombed. In a panic I was reminded of a sole insert commercial that referred to the type of support it provided was called “Gel-in”. They could relate, and I was bailed out of an otherwise awkward situation.

The people in the commercial would be able to recognize this by the way someone would walk. Immediately they would say “You must be Gel-in”.

As we are approaching our summer season, we as a staff have been putting into practice what Keswick is advertising this summer. “JOY”!

We have memorized Acts 20:24. There is a portion of the verse that says “So that I may finish my race with JOY!”

When I think about “The Joy of the Lord” I’m reminded of Nehemiah and his charge to the Israelite’s. “Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Wouldn’t it be neat if when you come to Keswick for a summer conference and see a staff member, you see the Joy and think to yourself “They’re Gel-in”.

There are many verses that help to usher us back into “Joy”. One of mine is Philippians 4:8.It calls us to meditate on the things that bring us “Joy”.

My prayer is that we as a staff would reflect what we are “selling”. It’s gonna be a long summer and believe me the spiritual battle is alive and well at Keswick.

So when you come to see us and we’ve “Got the Groove on” help to encourage us telling us  “You must be Gel-in”. – Rob Russomano serves on the full-time staff at America’s Keswick and is a regular blogger for Freedom Fighter

Daily Bible Reading: Obadiah; Acts 8:1-25

Quote of the day: As I shut the door of the office after me, it seemed as if I met the Lord Jesus Christ face to face. It seemed to me that I saw Him as I would see any other man. He said nothing, but looked at me in such a manner as to break me right down at His feet. I fell down at His feet, wept aloud like a child, and made such confessions as I could with my choked utterance. It seemed to me that I bathed His feet in tears. I must have continued in this state for a good while. I returned to the front office, but as I turned and was about to take a seat by the fire, I received a mighty baptism of the Holy Spirit. Without any recollection that I had ever heard the subject mentioned by any person in the world, the Holy Spirit descended upon me in a manner that seemed to come in waves of liquid love; it seemed like the very breath of God. I wept aloud with joy and love. Charles G. Finney

Verse to Memorize: Righteous are you, O Lord, and right are your rules. You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness. Psalm 119:137-138 ESV

How Is Your Walk?

I was digging through some files and came across a devotional I prepared for the Colony of Mercy residents after a message that I heard given by Pastor Bill Raws. I did a study on the word walk and discovered that some interesting principles on how to walk:

1. Walk in all His ways (Deut. 8:6)
2. Walk in uprightness (1 Kings 9:4)
3. Walk in the fear of God (Nehemiah 5:9)
4. Walk in integrity (Psalm 26:4; 101:2)
5. Walk in truth (Psalm 86:11)
6. Walk in the light of His countenance (Psalm 89:15)
7. Walk in the law (Psalm 119:1)
8. Walk in the path of His commandments (Psalm 119:35)
9. Walk in liberty (Psalm 119:45)
10. Walk in the ways of good men (Proverbs 2:20)
11. Walk securely (Proverbs 3:23)
12. Walk blamelessly (Proverbs 11:20)
13. Walk humbly (Micah 6:8)
14. Walk orderly (Acts 21:24)
15. Walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7)
16. Walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16)
17. Walk worthy of your calling (Ephesians 4:1)
18. Walk in love (Ephesians 5:2)
19. Walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:8)
20. Walk wisely (Ephesians 5:18)
21. Walk in the light (1 John 1:7)
22. Walk according to His commandments (2 John 1:6)

It would appear that our walk according to God is pretty important? Would you agree? So can I ask you the question that I am asking myself? Hey brother – how’s your walk?

Running the race with joy,

Bill Welte
President/CEO
America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 32-34; Acts 7:44-60

Quote of the day: There is no promise God cannot keep, no prayer that God will not answer, and no problem too hard for Him to solve. – Dr. Adrian Rogers

Verse to Memorize: Righteous are you, O Lord, and right are your rules. You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness. Psalm 119:137-138 ESV

 

God’s Young Guns

 “Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.                                                                                                                      2 Kings 22:1-2 (ESV

In 2Kings we can find the stories of two young men who were used by God to do mighty things.

2Kings 12 gives us an account of a young man who became king at age 7. Jehoash was given charge to repair The Temple. I don’t know about you, but I doubt a seven year olds ability to remodel my home let alone God’s Home. But over the years of King Ahaziah reign the house of God had been neglected and the high places popped up around Israel like Dunkin’ Donuts in Cape Cod (anyone who’s been there has to agree with me). By the time Jehoash was in his 23^rd year as king enough was enough and the task was under way and it is a sad thing to say that Jehoash was done in by his own servants.

2Kings 22 gives us an account of another young man, Josiah, who became king at age 8. He also had charge of repairing The Temple. But in his case The Book of the Law had been uncovered and brought to him. He was 26 at the time and when he heard what was read to him, King Josiah said, “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.” (2 Kings 22:13)

Jehoash was to start restoring God’s House and Josiah was to start restoring worship in God’s house.

These were the two stories my closest brother-in-Christ, Mark Fisher, shared with our church youth group before we broke for the summer. He told them about other young people God used. Young people like Joseph, Timothy, Mary, and of course a young man after God’s own heart, David. He made this statement to them at the beginning, “How many times have you heard someone say to you, “you’re too young”, “you’re too little”, “you’re too small”, “you’re not big enough”, “you’re not old enough”, and so on.” And by the time he was done we all agreed God uses anybody to do His will. It doesn’t matter what age so never let anyone ever tell you you’re not old enough.

As our Sunday service was coming up after this night I was informed that I was to give a sorta going away speech to those in the youth group who were graduating high school and moving on with the summer. I didn’t think I could do brother Marks message justice until I found this statement in a book we were reading as a youth group. I will end this Freedom Fighter with what I shared from that morning.

In his book “Live to Give” author Austin Gutwein wrote this; “God has prepared miracles to use you for—miracles just as amazing as fire falling from heaven. So walk the road and watch the results. The results that day by the Sea of Galilee were stunning; thousands of people were fed and praising God. And why did this miracle happen that way? Because a little boy used what he had been given to change the world. He walked the 19.3 miles, gave his lunch to the One who could do something with it, and wasn’t intimidated by the ratio between his small snack and the number of hungry people. One boy decided to just do something…and God in the flesh decided to use a small boy that day to show His glory to the world.” – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and is a regular Freedom Fighter blogger

Daily Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 25-27; Acts 6

Quote of the day: “God doesn’t need you, God didn’t need that boy. God doesn’t need me. If God wanted to, He could have fed those five thousand hungry people just by thinking the thought.”—Austin Gutwein

Verse to Memorize: “Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of your word gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:129-130 ESV

Dealing With Sins Consequences

1. 2 Samuel 12:7-22

So the cards are all on the table and Nathan delivers Gods judgment—David will live—but the child will die.  David goes into a panic of prayer and fasting on behalf of his son’s life with the hope God will change His mind, but to no avail. His behavior was so extreme that David’s servants are afraid to tell him when the child has died—but David knows. What he does next is an amazement to all and an example to us. David gets up, gets cleaned, puts on scented oil, new clothes and before anything else-HE WENT TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD TO WORSHIP HIM!  WOW!

His behavior after the consequences of his sin are more amazing to those around him than his fasting and petitioning before his son died. He worships the Lord. David knew he couldn’t change what was done and needed to be back in a right relationship with the Lord. By entering His house and giving Him praise and worship, David began the process.

It took me a bit longer than a week to get to a place of worshiping the Lord for the “consequences” of my sin. But today, I can say I am grateful for everything the Lord has allowed me to go through—to be where I am today and who I am in Christ. The process, like David’s, was very painful. But God wastes nothing and in the process was both growth and a deeper love of our Lord.

When we make bad choices today, choices that bear heavy consequences, how will we look at the Lord when the dust settles? Will we “get up”, clean ourselves off and go into the house of the Lord to worship? Will we allow sin to overwhelm us, or will we be an example to those around us of Gods grace and amazing love.

Lord, help me to be a man who will always worship you with all my heart, no matter what the consequences of my sin.  Amen. – Steve Schmidt is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and serves on the full-time team at America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 22-24; Acts 5:22-42

Quote of the day: Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord.~ Psalm 119:1, NLT

Verse to Memorize: “Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of your word gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:129-130 ESV

Pursuing Our Destiny, Part 7—The Discipline of Solitude

The Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Mt. 4:1, ESV).

If you have been following this series of posts, perhaps you remember the disciplines of abstinence: solitude, silence, fasting, frugality, chastity, secrecy, and sacrifice.  With a desire to pursue our destiny—to become living images of Jesus (Romans 8:29)—we’re learning that practicing what Jesus practiced is key to the pursuit.

For the next several weeks, I invite you to join me in looking at these disciplines. To be more than just human effort, these practices must be Spirit-driven.  I urge to seek God’s mind concerning the disciplines most needed in your life.  Through prayer, listening, and reflection, allow God’s Spirit to speak into your heart which one or two or three disciplines should get you started.  If you choose this path to spiritual growth, you’ll discover the need for different disciplines at different times in your life.  It isn’t an all or none journey!

The first discipline for most people is solitude.  The verse I used in the heading from Matthew lets us know that forty days of solitude prepared Jesus for his public ministry.  Think forward about three years, and you’ll remember the last thing Jesus did before he was arrested.  He went into the garden, leaving his disciples for enough away that he was alone—in solitude—and prayed to his Father.  He prepared for the worst day of his earthly life in solitude.

Dallas Willard defines solitude as our decision to “purposefully abstain from interaction with other human beings, denying ourselves companionship and all that comes from our conscious interaction with others.”  He goes on to say, “Solitude is choosing to be alone and to dwell on our experience of isolation from other human beings.”

Solitude frees us from all our entanglements with day-to-day life.  Whether our solitude is for an hour, a day, or a week, it detaches us from the clutter that comes with life, and gives us time and space to listen for God’s voice, and opens us to an eternal perspective.  Solitude allows our souls to settle, to live in a different rhythm.

How can we get solitude in the midst of all our responsibilities?  Perhaps you can get up a little earlier and have some solitude before everyone gets up.  I’ve done this for years, and it continues to be the best hour of my day.  Sometimes I read.  Sometimes I pray.  Sometimes I just sit quietly and listen.  If you have any kind of long commute to work, choose to leave the radio turned off.  Enjoy the quietness of your “alone time” in the car.  Invite God to travel with you and ask Him to be at work in your life during the quiet solitude.  Offer Him the time and the freedom to speak into your life.

Willard says that, “of all the disciplines of abstinence, solitude is generally the most fundamental in the beginning of the spiritual life, and it must be returned to again and again as that life develops.”

I’ve learned that solitude is the starting place; it prepares us for everything else.  If you’re ready to start pursuing your destiny, the spiritual discipline of solitude, connected with time in God’s Word, is the place to start.  Let me know if there is any way I can encourage you in getting started; Bill Welte will forward any emails to me, and I’ll be glad to be in touch. – Pastor John Strain is retired and available for pulpit supply. He now blogs weekly for Freedom Fighter

Daily Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 19-21; Acts 5:1-21

Quote of the day: Could it be that one reason we have great problems is that God wants to show us great solutions? He longs to show us the riches of His grace and the poverty of our own resources. Prayer is uniquely designed to demonstrate both truths.David Jeremiah

Verse to Memorize: “Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of your word gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:129-130 ESV

“And Don’t You Forget It”

“Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.” Proverbs 30:5

This past Father’s day I was reminiscing of the times my Dad would “try” to give me advise. I wish I paid better attention as now when I look back he was trying to prepare me for a road he already traveled.

As he would talk to me I remember phrases like “Are you listening to me” or “Look at me when I’m talking to you”.

If there is one thing I picked up from my Dad it’s giving driving directions. I find that if someone listens carefully I could get them where there going, no problem.

Sometimes when giving directions I can tell they’re not paying attention. It’s as if I’m speaking a different language.

I think the Word of God can be a road map at times, directing us down a path and preparing us for the trip ahead.

So many times I find myself in a situation where because of what I’m studying at the time, It’s like I already know what to do.

Recently I was part of a cantata that was about being a part of “The Family of God”. My previous study was a journey I was taking thru the Bible to re-enforce my identity in Christ and the community that comes with it.

The day after the Cantata I was leaving the service when I heard a call from a retired Pastor who I often see walking around Keswick. He wanted me to meet his wife. To be honest I was looking to get out of there and get to a barbeque. Then a song from the concert came to me and I was reminded that he’s my family. We spent about 15 minutes in sweet fellowship that put a smile on my face the rest of the day.

So as you read God’s word, “Pay attention” and “Look at Him” when He’s talking. You will need to remember for the journey ahead. – Rob Russomano serves on the full-time team at America’s Keswick. He blogs regularly for Freedom Fighter

Daily Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 16-18; Acts 4:23-37

Quote of the day: The essence of perfection is to embrace the will of God in all things, prosperous or adverse. In prosperity, even sinners find it easy to unite themselves to the divine will; but it takes saints to unite themselves to God’s will when things go wrong and are painful to self-love. Our conduct in such instances is the measure of our love of God. Alphonsus Liguori

Verse to Memorize: “Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of your word gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:129-130 ESV

 

YOU ARE FORGIVEN

“… The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:8

Each week the Colony men have a theme and this week the theme is forgiveness. I was privileged to have an attempt to share on the topic yesterday at the Colony Chapel service.

I am convinced that we will never grasp forgiveness on the horizontal level until we grasp forgiveness on the vertical level.

When I get into my head and heart how God forgives – wow! It is mind-blowing.

Brothers remember this:

All of our sin was forgiven at the cross – Past! Present! Future!

All of our sin was forgiven once and for all –FINISHED! The blood of Christ fully and completely satisfied the wrath of God!

All our sin has been  removed as far as the east is from the west.

All of our sin as been buried in the depths of the deepest sea.

All of our sin is remembered no more.

Preacher T. DeWitt Talmage wrote: Release! Signed in tears, sealed in blood, written on heavenly parchment, recorded in the heavenly archives. The black ink of the indictment is written all over with the red ink of the cross: “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.”

Corrje Ten Boom said it best – “God takes our sins –the past, the present and the future and dumps them in the sea and puts up a sign that says “NO FISHING ALLOWED.”

My brother – Jesus paid the penalty of your sin and mine. The wrath of God has been satisfied. HE HAS FORGIVEN YOU!

You can now sing with Charles Wesley:

“No condemnation now I dread – Jesus and all in Him is mine.
Alive in Him, the living Head, and clothed in righteousness divine!
Bold I approach the heavenly throne, and claim the crown through Christ my own.
Amazing love! How can it be – that Thou my God shouldst die for me?

Running the race with joy,

Bill Welte
President/CEO
America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 13-15; Acts 4:1-2

Quote of the day: It is a great deal better to live a holy life than to talk about it.Lighthouses do not ring bells and fire cannons to call attention to their shining – they just shine. Dwight L Moody

Verse to Memorize: “Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of your word gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:129-130 ESV

 

Would He still be King?

 Today I had the pleasure of going down to our Colony chapel and praying for this summer at America’s Keswick. The Colony chapel always brings a mood of reflection to me and this time was no different. As I sat down in one of those old pews, and heard the creak of the aged wood and breathed in that warm old timber smell, I began to pray. Searching my heart for the right things to say I started asking God to open the hearts of the people coming this summer and to help fill our empty beds so He would have more people to minister to. As I opened my eyes, an old question popped into my head that I genuinely struggled with when I was younger, which is, “Is God still good if he doesn’t heal, doesn’t restore, and doesn’t supply? Would He still be King?”

 Working at Keswick I hear mountains of stories of peoples loved ones who are severely ill or friends who were taken too soon. Mothers who have lost sons and daughters or marriages that are falling apart. It is in these dark times that a believer’s soul splits in two. The human side of us wants to scream out and say no; to say if He doesn’t heal then he doesn’t care and couldn’t be the heavenly Father I read about. The other side is our spiritual side; it is the side that is filled with the Holy Spirit and continually reminds us that he is there to comfort and carry us through any dark valley in our life.

 As we learn to walk in God’s promises we need to remember what they actually are. God never promises that we won’t struggle or be caught up in this life’s darkest deepest valleys, in fact, He’s promises the opposite. In James chapter 1 is says “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

 God uses these dark times in our lives to build us into the people we we’re created to be. It’s never easy or pain free but he does promise to be with us through it all. The Bible is filled with our Lord promising to be our refuge. In Him “Our King,” we can find an unmatched peace. “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. “ Nahum 1:7”I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John16:33 I am now able to find hope that Jesus is still on the throne and that His position will never change even when my circumstances do.  Even if God doesn’t shield me from life’s struggles, I can always find refuge in a loving Savior. I trust you can do the same today. 

Daily Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 4-6; Acts 2:1-21

Quote of the day: If the heart is devoted to the mirage of the world, to the creature instead of the Creator, the disciple is lost…However urgently Jesus may call us, His call fails to find access to our hearts. Our hearts are closed, for they have already been given to another. Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Verse to Memorize: Therefore I love you commandments above gold, above fine gold. Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way. Psalm 119:127-128 ESV

 

Lion Chasing 101

 “And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.

2 Samuel 23:20 (ESV)

Before he wrote “The Circle Maker”, Mark Batterson wrote a book with a lengthy title, “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day”.  My dear friend, Alan Levine, passed the book along to me a while ago and I really haven’t given it much thought until recently. I found it under my pile of stuff that I keep on “Dad’s side” of the family counter that we here in the Hughes household call “The Island”. Another Father’s Day had come to its close, and while feeling melancholy about not being able to see my dad (he passed in 2008) this book caught my attention. So I read the first chapter and here is what caught my eye.

“God is in the résumé-building business. He is always using past experiences to prepare us for future opportunities. But those God-given opportunities often come disguised as man-eating lions.” Benaiah, possibly a grandson of Jesse, was known as being one of “David’s Mighty Men” and John Gill makes these observations about him. That, like his father Jehoiada, he was a man of great vivacity, valor, and great strength…a valiant man. The Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, makes mention of him in a list “of five of whom I will only relate the performances (Antiquities 7.12.4) when he wrote about the 38 men of courage who were connected to King David.

Benaiah has an impressive résumé for a man who doesn’t get much Bible time. In just 2 verses “he slew two lion-like men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.” (Thank you King Jimmy) Batterson uses this résumé to encourage his reader to chase those God-given opportunities that are disguised as man-eating lions with an old attitude I use to express quite often…”No Guts, No Glory”

Here his list of points to remember Batterson has at the end of chapter one:

1. God is the business of strategically positioning us in the right place at the right time. But the right place often seems like the wrong place, and the right time often seems like the wrong time.

2. Goodness is not the absence of badness. You can still do nothing wrong and still do nothing right.

3. When we don’t have the guts to step out in faith and chase lions, then God is robbed of the glory that rightfully belongs to Him.

4. Spiritual maturity is seeing and seizing God-ordained opportunities.

Within the past few years that expression has changed to “No Guts, Give God No Glory” and I have tried to stick with that attitude. But I must admit that the battle can grow weary and at times there seems to be no safe port in view but because of Jesus I can carry onward. As my son’s graduation from high school loomed on the horizon I felt an assurance that what was done on The Cross gives strength to chase lions. My father told me to do it better than he, I have shared that with my son…but I told him we do this for the glory of God the Father. That should make for an impressive résumé. Amen? – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and blogs weekly on Freedom Fighter

Daily Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 1-3; Acts 1

Quote of the day: “Those who simply run away from sin are half-Christians. Our calling is much higher than simply running away from what’s wrong. We’re called to chase lions.”—Mark Batterson

Verse to Memorize: Therefore I love you commandments above gold, above fine gold. Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way. Psalm 119:127-128 ESV