Is Salvation Lost?

11/03/201710/31/2017Leave a comment

“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.” — 1 John 2:19 (NKJV)

I remember a time when I was being rebuked for a position that I took on what I thought was making me behave in a sinful way. As the conversation was getting heated, the Pastor sitting across from me ended a sentence with, “For all you know you may not be saved.” At that moment, I took it all the wrong way. I actually thought the Pastor was doubting my salvation, but in fact he wanted me to examine myself to assure myself of my salvation. I allowed myself to get bent outta all kinds of shape, resign from everything I was involved in, pull up my roots and leave that church. In time God would make a way of reconciliation with that church and its Pastor…but it left a scar nonetheless.

Recently I was having a conversation with a fellow Colony brother that I work with. Matt is a great guy to be around and his timing with things seems to be very, well…timely. However, outta nowhere he asked me about how you can be saved, being unable to sin and still having to deal with the old man that dwells within us. “Maybe I’m just arguing semantics.” He went on to say that he heard a man announce that he doesn’t sin anymore. “How can that be?” Matt asked. “Paul wouldn’t have written in Romans 7 that ‘there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me’ (Romans 7:23). Don’t we still struggle with the old man?” I told him that I sure do, but then it got me thinking…what happens if the old man wins? Hmmm….

Can a born-again Christian go back and be unborn? I mean there is so much that has been discussed over the issue of folks losing their salvation and ya gotta admit this Christian life can be real hard to live out that, at times, it may make one take the route of Demas and head back to Thessalonica. What of the many who lead, teach or even pastor a flock? What if they decide to walk away from Christianity all together, then go do the unthinkable and speak out against it? What happens when they get to the gates of heaven? As Matt put it, “It’s not like God is gonna look around to make sure the coast is clear and then go, ‘It’s okay, c’mon in anyway.'”

Scripture is clear, “For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come—and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing Him to the cross once again and holding Him up to public shame.” (Hebrews 6:4-6)

So here is what I am saying today…be careful with the salvation you’ve been given. It ain’t a toy. If you’re gonna announce that you’re a “sin-less Christian” then I hope that you “work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen” (2 Peter 1:10) and you “Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him” (Col 2:7). If this is happening in your life then you truly become a fruit bearer, showing stuff like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control to everyone you encounter.

Ya know, when one of us falls away, it is easy to say that maybe they were never one of us, but let’s be careful with our own selves as well. We’ve been given promises that say, “I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13) and “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from Me” (John 10:28). Let’s take God’s promises seriously so that we don’t think that God is just gonna look around, to make sure the coast is clear and say “C’mon in anyway.” Ain’t gonna happen. 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: Ecclesiastes 3-4| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “Let us get it straight. Jesus Christ does not just offer us salvation as though it is decoration or a bouquet or some addition to our garb. He says plainly: “Throw off your old rags; strip to the skin! Let me dress you in fine clean robes of My righteousness—all Mine. Then, if it means loss of money, lose it! If it means loss of job, lose it! If it means persecution, take it! If it brings the stiff winds of opposition, bow your head into the wind and take it—for My sake!” — A.W. Tozer

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:20-21

A Place Called Freedom

11/02/201710/31/2017Leave a comment

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

— 2^nd Corinthians 3:17

There are times I get lost in thought and my wife will ask, “where are you?” The question is not a location inquiry, but a mental one. We all can get lost in thought but the question is, where do you reside?

If someone were to ask you “were do you live” would you think to answer with a mental description rather than a physical place? Instead of giving them your address give them your positional circumstances. We all visit different types of emotions as we go through life, but where do you live? How would you describe the majority of your thought life?

In the 2^nd letter to the Corinthian church, Paul seems to be trying to move people from the life of bondage to a life of freedom by liberating them through the truth of the New Covenant. “For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory” (2^nd Corinthians 3:9). There are not many of us living by the law, but we are also not residing in freedom. Freedom comes with the acknowledgement and understanding that we are free in Christ, saved by Grace. For me to legitimately put this into practice it helps to think of it as my residence. “Where do you live,” bondage or freedom? There’s a place called Freedom and like the song lyrics say, referring to Christ, “And where you are, I am free. Holiness is Christ in me. Lord I need You, oh I need You, every hour I need You, my one defense, my Righteousness, oh God, how I need You.”

I think what we believe to be true will determine our outlook on life. The fact that we have the Holy Spirit of God in us that helps us interpret the scriptures should help us to live in freedom. This place called freedom is the location of the absence of bondage, it frees us from the things that hold us back and keep us content. Paul writes to the Galatian church in chapter 5, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” The deception can be if we abuse freedom it turns into bondage, with freedom comes responsibility. For you were called to freedom, brothers. Paul warns us also in Galatians 5, “Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

The directions to get to the freedom destination is through faith and viewing life’s challenges through God’s promises, listen to James chapter 1. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. “Lacking in nothing” is another description for freedom.

If you’re living in defeat put a “For Sale” sign up and move to the neighborhood where Freedom is found, on Jesus Street. 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: Ecclesiastes 1-2| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “To secure one’s freedom the Christian must experience God’s light which is God’s truth.” – Watchman Nee

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Absolute Language

11/01/201708/06/2017Leave a comment

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” — 2 Corinthians 9:8

I have been known to use absolute words out of context and for me it was learned behavior. For instance, ‘you never take out the trash,’ ‘you are always in trouble,’ or ‘You will never amount anything.’ In rooms AA, we were trained to never say never, or this is a disease that will be with always.

In this, changing, confusing, inconsistent world there is not much to be certain. In fact, the one thing that you can be certain, is uncertainties. In the natural sense, we are limited. But God!

In this verse alone:

All Grace abound to you

Having All things

At All times Abound in Every good work.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” — (Matthew 19:26)

“Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.” (Jeremiah 32:17)

God is our absolute, and believers can be confident because He is faithful. Our confidence is not in our own strength; the exact opposite. As we surrender to Him, there is safety, healing, and a level of trustworthiness that is not found in the parameters of this world. His absolute Word transcends all of our reason and there is rest and peace In His unchanging nature. God is Absolute.

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

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 122-124| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “Only he who can say, The Lord is the strength of my life can say, ‘Of whom shall I be afraid?'” – Alexander MacLaren

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25

Lights On!

10/31/201708/02/2017Leave a comment

Just as a lamp helps me find my way in the darkness, so too does God’s Word enable me to see ‘The Way’ I should walk.

Getting to the right place, at the right time, and in the right way, requires first that we know what ‘The Way’ is, second that we disentangle ourselves from what holds us back from actually traveling ‘The Way’, and finally that we travel ‘The Way’ how it was designed to be transversed.

So how do we start this trip? First, scripture tells us that “God is calling you to come out of the darkness and into the light.” (1 Peter 2:9) So the first thing is to not harden your heart and reject Him, but answer His call. Second is to accept that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to God but by Him” (John 14:6). So, the next step we must take is to walk, or live, as Jesus did (1John 2:6). As we begin this journey, having let go of our old ways of thinking and doing (very important or we won’t get very far) and placed our trust in ‘The Way’, that is Jesus Christ, we are given two ‘helps’, His Spirit that will guide, strengthen, and comfort us… and His Word as the map His Spirit will use to direct our path. His Word, as our map and compass, is “the lamp to your feet and a light to your path” (Psalm 118:105) and is “inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God (that’s you) may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16-17). These two ‘helps’ are important. First, they help us avoid the pitfalls and navigate through the obstacles in this world. And second, when we do stumble and fall, they help us get back up and reorient ourselves with ‘The Way.’

If we do these things, our God has promised us that we will benefit from all He has provided along ‘The Way’… all those provisions that are to be ‘found IN Christ’, for “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him ‘who called’ (referring back to where we started) us by his own glory and goodness.

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Peter 1:3-4)

So where are you in your journey? Have you responded to His call.. Or are you resisting it? Are you studying the map and listening to the Guide as He explains the trip? Are you maneuvering through ‘the valley of the shadow of death’ or resting by ‘still waters’ that He has provided for your maturity as a Believer? Or, are you struggling to get up again after a fall? No matter where you are… you are not alone! He has promised to never leave you, not forsake you’… So grab His hand and get going!

Choose Wisely….

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Praying you choose Jesus 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: 2 Chronicles 29-32| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “Let us therefore not deceive ourselves. In walking according to the spirit we shall hear the direction of conscience. Do not try to escape any inward reproach; rather, be attentive to its voice.” – Watchman Nee

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Psalm 111 – A “We Get To” Psalm (Part 3)

10/30/201710/21/20172 Comments

“How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them. Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails.” — Psalm 111:3-4

We have been digging into Psalm 111 for the past two weeks. Today I want to suggest to you that Psalm 111:3-4 offers another “we get to.”

We get to see God’s might and power all around us.

The word “ponder” in the Old Testament means: to weigh in the mind; to view with deliberation; to examine carefully.

In the Hymn, “Praise to the Lord, The Almighty,” the fourth stanza says, “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do.”

Too often we adopt a “ho-hum” approach to our lives because we are never truly satisfied. We are always looking for the “something” or “someone” rather than being fully satisfied in the ONLY one that can bring us true and meaningful satisfaction.

It is a good thing to put the DVD on pause, to just step back and be still and ponder and examine what God is doing all around you.

When was the last time you pondered His beautiful creation? I don’t know what your sunrises and sunsets have been like recently, but ours have been breathtaking.

For seven years I served at Sandy Cove Ministries as Vice President of Ministries. Sandy Cove is located on the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay. I can’t tell you how many nights I walked by the water and saw spectacular sunsets. In all four seasons, the sunsets were completely different.

Have you ever visited the Hubble Space Craft website? Take some time and check out the amazing satellite pictures still coming back. Our awesome God is in total control of the universe. Everything works like clockwork. God is still creating stars and planets, and yet He knows exactly where they are, has them all numbered and even calls them by name!!!

Your body is another amazing miracle. You have been fearfully and wonderfully made. Look at your index finger. NO ONE who has ever lived before you, during your lifetime and no one after you are gone will never have your same fingerprint. The iris of your eye is unique to YOU.

When we take medication today, that medication is toxic if it doesn’t go to the right part of your body. When God created you, most likely that medication didn’t exist. But guess what? He created your body, so it takes that medicine to just the right spot, going through the bloodstream, kidneys, and other organs to make sure it doesn’t harm the other parts of your body.

The bottom line is what the Levite who penned this understood this principle and wanted you and me to grasp it: EVERYTHING He does reveals His glory and majesty.

Joachim Neander paints this picture:

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee;
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend

Praise to the Lord, who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

Praise to the Lord, who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord, oh, let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him;
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye, we adore Him.

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 7-9| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Think About This: Every work of God serves to display His glory, and set off the greatness of His majesty. John Gill

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Precious

10/27/201710/24/2017Leave a comment

To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. — 2^nd Peter 1:1b

I often reference the scriptures by identifying the author and audience. Who is writing and to whom is he writing to? Sometimes it’s a personal note to a specific individual or group, it can be a prayer to God, we see a lot of warnings and admonishments, and then we see some that are intended for us, personally. I’d like to take a moment and recognize the treasure of what Peter calls “Precious Faith.”

Now, we know that, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” But there are certain times where the words on the page become amplified. When I see, “To those who have obtained like precious faith,” it is something that I should be able to utilize to dissolve an ailment like rejection or loneliness, to know that if I’m a believer in Jesus that I have been given a “Precious” gift that unites you and I together.

In the quietness of personal devotion time, may the reminder of this truth unite us as we face a world that seems to be all about division.

With the emphasis on the word “precious,” we move from good to great, held in honor, esteemed, especially dear, as of a great price are some of the definitions of this emphasis. This gift of faith that unites us is something to be valued. Peter instructs us “that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust”.

This “Precious Faith” should be what identifies us as believers, Peter bases his two epistles on trusting in the faith we’ve been given. He says in his first letter, ”Tthat the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ”.

When we treasure the gift that has been given us, there is a manifestation that takes place that reveals the glory of God. So, as we walk our walk, even if there’s not another believer around we are still united through the “Precious Faith” that sustains us until we are “Home”, safe and sound. Amen!

The Daily Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 13-15| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “Daily living by faith on Christ is what makes the difference between the sickly and the healthy Christian, between the defeated and the victorious saint.” – A. W. Pink

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. Romans 14:6

She is her Father’s Daughter

10/26/201710/21/20171 Comment

“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” — Proverbs 22:6 (NLT)

My daughter, Karen, never ceases to amaze me. Just when I get used to seeing her crowd surfing at concerts on that Snapchat stuff, she goes and does something that makes my heart sing with joy. This past week she was featured in her college newspaper, “The Waltonian” (she goes to Eastern University) for a devotional she wrote. I am so moved as a father and a writer in my own writ that I wish to share it with all of you. So, without further ado, here’s Karen….

“Being an athlete that has a faith in Christ is weird. Athleticism, at its core, is all about displaying your own strength, power, and abilities and faith in Christ is supposed to be, at its core, all about displaying His strength, power, and abilities. Essentially, calling yourself a Christian Athlete is contradictory. On top of all of that, how is it that we glorify God with how fast we can run, how well we can head a soccer ball, or how hard we can spike a volleyball? Romans 12 is a great chapter that really reminds us of the major keys of how we ought to live, and you bet I’m about to tell you to pull out your Bible and read it.

However, most relevant to the topic at hand, Paul, the author of Romans, commands those with spiritual gifts to use them and commands others to not discourage them from using their gifts. Similarly to being an athlete, God has gifted us with physical abilities that we are at an obligation to use in order to glorify Him. To those that are able to wake up and run ten miles and still go about their day, do it, simply because God allows you to. We should compete because it becomes a tool for the Lord and we become a servant to the Kingdom of God, something all believers in Christ have been commissioned to.

Competing allows us to be a witness for Christ, a seed to plant, a Bible to read; sometimes we are the only vessel for Christ someone may come across. Of course being an athlete does not mean that this is the only way to glorify God, but the same would apply to those with a beautiful singing voice or those with the ability to minister to the lost. It is advantageous for believers to manifest what God has gifted us. Athleticism is a way to worship Christ and a reminder to thank Him every second that He has gifted us with bodies that can endure double-over time, two hour lifting sessions, and 6AM practice.

Grammatically, a “Christian Athlete” would imply that Christian is an adjective, which is almost how faith is that to be “I’m tall, athletic, blonde, and Christian,” but Christian is the noun and athlete is the adjective. Our identity is found in Christ, not the other way around. God is too glorious and awesome to be found in our identity. Ultimately, calling yourself a student athlete comes with enough assumptions, don’t let Christian athlete become another stigma. Naming yourself as a follower of Christ means more than putting Philippians 4:13 in your Instagram bio or giving glory to Him only after a win, it’s about being that example of what an athletic Christian looks like and setting yourself apart at a meet or game.

A ref or official should be able to look at an Eastern jersey and recognize that this student won’t give them a hard time, will be an encouragement to others, and keep a level temperament. Sports should just be another realm of ministry to us not a pedestal to climb upon. There is a Celtic Prayer that asks “…not to fly from the world, but to be involved with the world. I am in the world but also in the presence of Jesus.” The rest of the world wants to put athletes on that pedestal and as Christians we should put Jesus in front of us on the pedestal.”

I hope this has spoken to your heart today it the way it spoke to mine. I wanna thank my little girl for her permission to share this so I can take the week off and use her devotional in place of my own work. I can’t express to all of you fathers out there enough on the value of having a daughter that saw Jesus in me enough to see Jesus in her. Our walks are being watched more than we realize. So fathers, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (Eph 5:15-16). I wonder if she wants to partner with me on a book project? Hmm…

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: Proverbs 31| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “To a father growing old nothing is dearer than a daughter.” — Euripides

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Jesus is Bigger

10/25/201708/06/2017Leave a comment

It is not true to say that God wants to teach us something in our trials. In every cloud he brings, God wants us to unlearn something. God’s purpose in the cloud is to simplify our belief until our relationship to him is exactly that of a child. God uses every cloud which comes in our physical life, in our moral or spiritual life, or in our circumstances, to bring us nearer to him, until we come to the place where our Lord Jesus Christ lived, and we do not allow our hearts to be troubled. ~Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips. The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
~ Psalm 16

Oh beloved, it is true.

We serve an infinite G_d. He is unchanging. He is trans-temporal. He is able in all ways, in all places, in all times, to make all things work together for good. These are truths that are true regardless of our feelings… And this is where things get even better.

The natural mind can categorize things fairly well. We engineers and teachers and others can slice what we see, into smaller pieces. We can look at things and identify what they are. However, lower order thinking skills are not what are needed to get us where we need to be, when it comes to the beginning of comprehending our Jesus.

However, what we have is a problem actually comprehending many truths. We especially have trouble comprehending the infinite truths of Scripture.

Can we see it? It is subtle.

Look at the passage. Psalm 16 is the very prayer of Jesus, somewhere between His death on the cross, and His eternal resurrection as King of The Universe. Jesus had committed His entire Spirit into the keeping of the Father. As in the same moment, His sacrifice crushed the enemy, and made death irrelevant to those who would but trust in Christ.

And, to put it bluntly: Jesus had just been through one hell of a time.

But, can we see the response? Gorgeous. Beautiful beyond words.

“The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”

Keep looking… Ask Him to show you…

Jesus got bigger through dying.

How?

He got you. And… He got me.

The very infinite unending Creator of existence itself, the Triune One with absolutely no need whatsoever, and the very inhabitor of eternity; the One Who is bigger than any definition of big, inherited a family of billions of brothers and sisters forever.

Stop beloved… Don’t run past this. Jesus was not just victorious over sin and death in His death. Jesus even overran His our limitless boundaries in His work on the cross. Said more simply: The infinite got bigger. The walls of separation across anywhere in creation were torn down. And, Jesus is made even better by having you (and this fool of a writer) in His eternal family.

So, are you facing problems? We all do. Our King/ Brother/ Husband/ Captain/ Friend/ Savior/ Lord has gone through them too. But, if we are willing to see it. The biggest problem ever, was solved through the greatest suffering ever experienced. And in this too, Jesus took on the very limits of His own infinity – and beat them too.

Tonight is your night. Time to believe Jesus is bigger.

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 120-121| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: When compassed about on every side with tribulations, remember that it is the way of the saints, through which they passed to the kingdom of heaven. Learn to comfort thyself also, because that in this thou art made like unto Christ Jesus, thy Lord; and return thanks, if thou art in any small degree able to repay this to him. For I say unto thee that it is a greater merit in thee to suffer affliction patiently than to perform good works. ~Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380-1471)

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Finding Rest in Jesus

10/24/201708/02/2017Leave a comment

“No soul can be really at rest until it has given up all dependence on everything else and has been forced to depend on the Lord alone. As long as our expectation is from other things, nothing but disappointment awaits us.” – H.W. Smith

There use to be a Serta mattress commercial that showed customers falling backwards into a beautifully soft and restful mattress. As they made contact with this place of rest, they would be engulfed by its cushion and find a sense of stability, peace, comfort, and contentment. That is the idea Jesus is trying to convey to us when He says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

The biggest mistake we make in our desire for autonomy is to think we can carry the load life burdens us with on our own. Jesus has already accomplished all the work necessary for our salvation and has established ‘the way’ home to our God’s presence for all eternity. It is when we ‘rest in’ His perfect work, like letting go and falling into the Serta mattress, that we find the joy, rest, peace, and contentment we long for… no matter the circumstances.

Jesus goes on to say, “Take my yoke upon you. (Which is to glorify God, our Heavenly Father) and Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”(vs. 29-30) We need to stop striving for acceptance, significance, and purpose; and we must take on Jesus’ ‘yoke’ of praising our God for all the wonderful promises He desires to fulfill in and for you. That’s what Jesus wants to teach us… and we can read all about it in His Word.

“It is Finished!” Jesus said. On the cross His work for us was completed and all our guilt and shame was removed “as far as the east is from the west.” (Ps 103:11) And this finished work of His makes us able to be declared justified (or not guilty!) in God’s sight… when we put our faith in Him. Because of the cross, “there is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

The answer to our struggle is not more work, BUT to fall into Jesus, finding rest in His perfect work of salvation for us.

Are you struggling today? Turn to Jesus, fall into His Words of comfort and find rest.

Choose wisely….

“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

(Psalms 23:2-6)

Praying 4 U

The Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 25-28| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “God brings men into deep waters not to drown them, but to cleanse them.” – James H. Aughey

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Psalm 111 – A “We Get To” Psalm (Part 2)

10/23/201710/13/2017Leave a comment

If you missed last week, I want to encourage you to go back and read my blog from last week.

We started to look at the five “get to’s” of Psalm 111 and we started to unpack No.1 – We get to meet God’s people.

We often mix our terms using Sabbath and the Lord’s Day in the same way, and we do the same with worship.

Worship in the Old Testament looked much different than in the early church. In the Old Testament, Temple worship was very festive and lively. It was celebrative as well as contemplative. It involved the five senses.

It was sometimes quiet, and it was sometimes loud. Saints who struggle with drums in the church would not have liked Old Testament worship. Psalm 150 indicates that there were not only cymbals – they were loud crashing cymbals. And even more disturbing to some would be the “D” word – there was dance! Lions and tigers and bears – O my!

In the early New Testament Church, they met in homes and sometimes caves. The setting would be quite different than our American church. Their practice was the teaching of the Word, breaking of the bread, prayer, and fellowship, as well as singing.

Our version of worship is quite backward. We tend to have a team of people on the stage who are “performing.” We have developed a more “spectator” version of worship. I personally believe that worship was never designed to be as a spectator, but participatory. Like life, WE GET TO worship with other believers as we participate together.

Picture it this way: a better representation of worship would be for all of us to be on the platform with Jesus sitting where you and I normally sit. He wants to be our audience of one.

So think about this: what would our Sunday look like if we really believed that Jesus would be there next week?

How would we dress?
What time would we arrive?
How would we sing?
What would we put in the offering?
Would we be looking at our cell phones? Texting?

If we do as the writer of this Psalm suggests, we are going to be thinking about meeting with God’s people before we even get there. Instead of looking at this a “we have to” time each week, we will come prepared with a “thankful” heart anticipating the privilege of meeting with my brothers and sisters.

Singing is just part of what we get to do. But singing throughout Scripture, both in the Old and New Testament is important. I love what Keith and Kristen Getty say about singing:

We do not sing because we have to. We sing because we love to.

We sing because we’re created to, commanded to, and compelled to. And when we sing great truths, great things happen. Christ-filled, Spirit-prompted singing moves out in concentric circles changing your own heart and mind . . . changing your family . . . changing your church . . . and changing this world.

When we sing together as the Church, we are showing how we are a congregation of living stones. Our singing is an audible expression of the bonds we share, testifying to the life that lies within these stones. We are cut from the same elements of faith, united in one Lord, filled by one Spirit, brought into one Church, to offer our praise to Him. We are being chiseled and refined through our singing, just as we are through every aspect of our lives. We are forged together through our singing together.

Wow. That puts it into perspective. We’ll digger deeper into Psalm 111 next week. Thanks for joining me on the journey.

Rejoice! Pray! Give thanks!

Bill Welte
President/CEO America’s Keswick

The Daily Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 4-6| You can download our 2017 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Think About This: You are what you sing! Keith and Kristen Getty

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

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Psalm 111 – A “We Get To” Psalm (Part 2)