A Prayer about Christmas Memories

He [God] has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors. (Luke 1:51–55 NIV)

I am glad that so many of you are enjoying the prayers I am sharing on Friday’s from Scotty Smith’s book, EVERYDAY PRAYERS

Heavenly Father, as the Holy Spirit prayed this magnificent prayer through a stunned Mary, little could she have imagined what was ahead. Her birth pains in nine months would be greatly surpassed by her heart pains thirty-three years later at the foot of her son’s cross.

But there’s one thing she did understand—at least one thing she took to heart from her years of growing up in a home of faith. She was taught that you are a God who remembers to be merciful. You have proved this beyond all doubt.

Father, I worship and adore you this morning for your memory and for your mercy. I’ve got a lot of great Christmas memories, but I am most thankful that Christmas is a celebration of what you did not forget and what you will never forget. With the gift of Jesus, you remembered all the promises you made to Abraham and to his descendants, which includes me. I’m humbled and overwhelmed.

You promised Abraham you would take him to a land of your choosing, make of him a great nation, and through that nation ultimately bless all the families on the face of the earth (Gen. 12–17). No one could fulfill these promises but you.

Like Mary, Abraham could not have begun to imagine how all of this would play out. But the promises you made to Abraham and the prayer prayed through Mary all find their fulfillment in your Son, Jesus. I praise you for your memory and your mercy, Father.

Indeed, Jesus, you are the fulfillment of all the covenant promises God has made. Because of your faithfulness, from the cradle to the cross, we live in the embrace of the Father of mercies, whose mercies are new every morning. Great is his faithfulness! Because of you, Jesus, the only sign of amnesia in our Father is his forgetting to remember our sins against us, forever! What peace, what joy, what hope this brings me today.

I pray with the faith of Abraham and the humility of Mary, in your gracious and loving name. Amen.

Smith, Scotty (2011-09-01). Everyday Prayers for a Transformed Life: 365 Days to Gospel-Centered Faith (Kindle Locations 8794-8806). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition.

Have a blessed weekend, brothers.

Running with JOY,

Bill Welte
President/CEO of America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Micah 4-5; Proverbs 21; Revelation 12

Quote of the day:  The church set aside this four-week pre-Christmas season as a time of spiritual preparation for Christ’s coming. It is a time of quiet anticipation. If Christ is going to come again into our hearts, there must be repentance. Without repentance, our hearts will be so full of worldly things that there will be ‘no room in the inn’ for Christ to be born again.…We have the joy not of celebration. Which is the joy of Christmas, but the joy of anticipation. John R. Brokhoff

Bible Memory: Level 1: James 5:7  Level 2: James 5:7-12

Prayer Quotes:  Our opportunity must be intercessory, the whole power of our intercession lies in the certainty that prayer will be answered. – Oswald Chambers

Psalm 145

I read this Psalm on Monday morning and as I read it I thought – this is too good not share with my brothers. It is a text that jumps off the page and really needs no commentary.

Please read it slowly and carefully:

A Psalm of Praise, of David.

145 I will extol You, my God, O King,
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
² Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
³ Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised,
And His greatness is unsearchable.
⁴ One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
⁵ On the glorious ^[a]splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
⁶ Men shall speak of the ^[b]power of Your awesome acts,
And I will tell of Your greatness.
⁷ They shall ^[c]eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness
And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.

⁸ The Lord is gracious and merciful;
Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
⁹ The Lord is good to all,
And His mercies are over all His works.
¹⁰ All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord,
And Your godly ones shall bless You.
¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom
And talk of Your power;
¹² To make known to the sons of men ^[d]Your mighty acts
And the glory of the majesty of ^[e]Your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is ^[f]an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

¹⁴ The Lord sustains all who fall
And raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all ^[g]look to You,
And You give them their food in due time.
¹⁶ You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all His ways
And kind in all His deeds.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
¹⁹ He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also hear their cry and will save them.
²⁰ The Lord keeps all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.

Isn’t it a powerful word today? How did this Psalm speak to your heart? Share your thoughts with us.

Running with JOY,

Bill Welte
President/CEO
America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Micah 1-3; Proverbs 20; Revelation 11

Quote of the day: We do not draw people to Christ by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want  with all their hearts to know the source of it. Madeleine L’Engle

Bible Memory: Level 1: James 5:7  Level 2: James 5:7-12

Prayer Quotes:  God’s “nothings” are His most positive answers. We have to stay on God and wait. Never try to help God to fulfill His word. – Oswald Chambers

God is Always at Work Around You

“ . . . for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13

At the end of my graduation a young man approached me, throwing his arms around me telling me how proud he was of me.

My computer was scrambling to put all the pieces together of what was unfolding before my eyes.

The story goes back decades when his mother-in-law and my mom attended elementary through high school together. Years later, Mom and Jean reconnected at Fellowship Church where we all grew up. I went to school from elementary school through high school with Jean’s daughter, Kathy.

After we were married, my son Josh went to elementary school with this man’s son, Josh.

And on Saturday, I gave the charge to the student body of Lancaster Bible College. This young man’s daughter was one of the graduates!

If you will slow down long enough and start opening your spiritual eyes, you will be amazed at the way God is at work all around you. You will begin to see situations in your life that God has been orchestrating in your life “both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

Take some time and write out your story. Not only will you be encouraged, but it will be a great story for years to come that you can share with your kids and grandkids.

If you haven’t been looking for God at work all around you, stop now and ask Him to open your eyes so that you will see Him today.

How has He been at work in your life so far this week?

Running with joy,

Bill Welte
President/CEO
America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Jonah 1-2; Proverbs 19; Revelation 10

Quote of the day:  Faith is rest, not toil. It is the giving up all the former weary efforts to do or feel something good, in order to induce God to love and pardon; and the calm reception of the truth so long rejected, that God is not waiting for any such inducements, but loves and pardons of His own goodwill, and is showing that goodwill to any sinner who will come to Him on such a footing, casting away his own poor performances or goodnesses, and relying implicitly upon the free love of Him who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Horatius Bonar

Bible Memory: Level 1: James 5:7  Level 2: James 5:7-12

Prayer Quotes: You are born into this world and will probably never know to whose prayers your life is the answer. Oswald Chambers

 

Dear family and friends: 

Merry Christmas from our house to yours. We thank you for taking a few minutes to catch up on all that has been happening with our family in 2012. It has been a wild ride – so please hang on. 

Let’s start with the kids: 

Groen Family (Laura, Jon, Tanner, Lindsay, Case, Wyatt … and welcome Sydney!)

We are praising the Lord for the arrival of our 10^th grandchild on March 9^th and she is such a cutie. We often see glimpses of Lindsay in her little face. She has the biggest, bluest, cutest eyes. 

In October Laura and Jon packed up their family moving from New Hampshire to Wyndmere, North Dakota. Jon took a job farming and loves it. Tanner is now in school and loves it. We miss being able to see them more frequently, but do get to enjoy “Skyping” with them weekly. 

Josh and Jenny’s big news this year is that they added an addition on to their “country barn.” Originally it was to be Sam and Will’s “classroom” – but it has become a very cozy living room. Sam is in kindergarten and being homeschooled by Mom. Jenny served at The Marsh again this summer and had a float in the North East (Maryland) Christmas parade. The float won first place.

 

Julie and Garrett took a big step this fall when Garrett accepted a position with Atlantic Coast Hotsy, a company that services and repairs pressure washers. Because of the change, Julie and Garrett have purchased their first home in Lacey Township (New Jersey) and will be moving mid-January. Thankfully it won’t be too far away for us to continue to have the closeness we have enjoyed with Emma, Ethan and Weston. Emma is in first grade and was recently baptized.

 Zach is in 10^th grade and doing very well academically. This October he turned 16 and we threw him a surprise pool birthday party. We really surprised him, and in fact, he was speechless! For most of the year Zach worked very closely with Garrett in Maintenance. Our guess is that somehow he will end up working with Garrett at some point. This summer Garrett and Zach lost a very good friend in a motorcycle accident. Our friend Joe is spending this Christmas in heaven with Jesus! 

This was a big year for us as a family. In June we started our 16^th year of ministry at America’s Keswick working with a great Board of Trustees and staff. The Board and staff gave us a wonderful surprise party Memorial Day Weekend. They put together too beautiful memory books and are sending us to a wonderful Bed N’ Breakfast in Cape May for a couple of days. It was a very meaningful time to reflect on memories of the past 15 years. We were glad that our “adopted kids,” Brian and Donna Bitler could be here with their growing family for the celebration. 

In October we had the dedication of the brand new playground at America’s Keswick that was built in memory of our granddaughter, Lindsay Alice Groen. Friends of the ministry raised over $79,000 to complete this amazing project. All of the kids were able to be here for the dedication. It was a day of mixed emotions. We enjoy seeing our kids play there knowing that Lindsay would have loved it. 

The biggest surprise of the year occurred on December 15^th. This fall Bill was invited to speak for the commencement of Lancaster Bible College. That in itself would have been a fantastic honor, but Lancaster Bible College conferred on Bill an honorary Doctorate of Divinity degree at commencement. It was a very humbling but special time to be honored for 40+ years of ministry. Over 40 friends comprised of most of our family, Board members and lifelong friends joined us for this amazing day of celebration. 

Jan and Bill celebrated 38 years of marriage and somehow in the midst of all the craziness, Jan keeps us all focused and moving in the right direction. She continues to participate in our Keswick ministry events. She is the greatest wife, friend, Mom and “Granny Apple.” 

As we look back over the year our hearts are filled with gratitude to the Lord that we have been blessed with such incredible kids and the best “grands” in the world! 

We look forward to hearing from you this Christmas and want to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a blessed 2013. The world is filled with much confusion, strife and uncertainty. We are grateful for the joy of knowing Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and trust Him. Jesus Christ IS the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) 

Running the race with joy,  

The Weltes

Acts 20:24

Run Strong – Finish Well

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with JOY, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus Christ, to testify of the gospel of the grace of God. – Acts 20:24

You’ll see this verse on lots of Keswick literature in 2013 as it is the theme verse that goes along with our theme JOY IN THE JOURNEY.

My charge to the graduates of Lancaster Bible College was to TRAIN so that they would run strong and finish well:

Train Hard – “All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an ETERNAL crown.” 1 Corinthians 9:25 (NLT)
Train physically – Train educationally – Train spiritually

Run with Endurance – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the JOY set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of God.” – Hebrews 12:1-2

Accept Accountability  — “By yourself you’re unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded cord isn’t easily snapped.” – Ecclesiastes 4:12 (The Message)

Integrity Matters – “He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity.” Proverbs 2:7

Never give up — But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with JOY, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus Christ, to testify of the gospel of the grace of God. – Acts 20:24

The charge to the grads points right back to me. I think it is a good reminder to you too, today. Are you training well today? What are you doing to run strong – finish well?

Running with joy,

Bill Welte
President/CEO
America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Obadiah; Proverbs 18; Revelation 9

Quote of the day: The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one often comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won’t. Henry Ward Beecher

Bible Memory: Level 1: James 5:7  Level 2: James 5:7-12

Prayer Quotes:  Pray because you have a Father, not because it quietness you, and give Him time to answer. – Oswald Chambers

 

 

God’s Goodness

The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

Saturday was a momentous day for me and my family. I had the privilege of speaking for the commencement ceremonies of Lancaster Bible College.

I cannot think of a more humbling day in my life in terms of being so honored to speak and then to have the opportunity to receive an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from a school that I have come to love.

I want to share the next couple of days several stories that wrap around this special occasion, but today I need to give God the glory, praise and honor.

During my time as President/CEO of America’s Keswick, I have had to speak in front of lots of people. Everyone thinks I am so calm and collected when I speak, but if they only knew just how nervous that I get, they’d be shocked.

In all honesty, it has gotten easier over the years – but I can’t tell you time that I have stood to speak where I wasn’t totally dependent on the Lord to get me through it.

For the past week my stomach has been in knots. First of all, I wanted to do my best in fulfilling the wishes of Dr. Peter Teague, the President of LBC. I was struck with the fact that I was standing on the platform with a number of men who have had significant pulpit ministry in addition to teaching at the college. Maybe not for you – but it certainly added to the pressure for me.

Secondly, I had been asked to speak at a college commencement address. God has a sense of humor. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I never completed my college education. I have always thought about it, but at age 58 I dismissed it as being even feasible.

I was at that point of saying, “How did I get into this situation … and Welte, you were out of your mind to say, ‘Yes!’”

Almost every day last week the verse from Zephaniah 3:17 has been in every devotional I have read. Was God trying to tell me something?

Standing at the entrance to the auditorium getting ready to walk down the aisle for graduation, I felt like I was going to puke (sorry for being graphic …). When I stepped onto the platform, the only thing that would come to my mind was this verse, and in my heart of hearts I whispered, “Lord, quiet me with your love!” Seconds later we began to sing the Christmas carol, “Joy to the World!” I can’t explain it – but the peace of God washed over me like a flood, and by His grace – I got through it! Praise the Lord.

Have you ever experienced God’s peace wash over you like that? If so, I’d like to hear about it. – Bill Welte is President/CEO of America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Amos 7-9; Proverbs 17; Revelation 8

Quote of the day:  “He chose me; therefore I am His responsibility.” That is trust!  G. Campbell Morgan

Bible Memory: Level 1: James 5:7 Level 2: James 5:7-12

Prayer Quotes: If we are abiding in Jesus and His words are abiding in us, then Jesus says God will answer our prayers. Oswald Chambers

A Prayer About Immanuel’s Presence and Presents

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Rom. 8:28–32)

We have reached the end of another week. If you have been blessed by this week’s Freedom Fighter blogs, I’d sure love to hear from you. It will be an encouragement to me, Rob, Chris and Joe.

Here is a special Christmas prayer from the pen of Pastor Scotty Smith:

Jesus, I’m thankful to know that every word of the Word, in one way or another, is ultimately about you. Every command drives me to you. Every promise is fulfilled in you. Every story whispers your name, points to your glory, and proffers your grace. This is why I love the Bible more than ever.

Yet there seem to be some Scriptures that are kind of like “homeroom” to me, like a favorite chair, jogging path, or scenic view. To go there puts everything into perspective. This portion of the Word is just such a place. All the Immanuel promises, all the carols and hymns of Advent converge right here. The hopes and fears of all my years are met right here.

Jesus, I praise you for being Immanuel—God with me and God for me. Your presence and your presents are all that I need, much more than I realize, and way beyond all I could have ever hoped for or imagined.

You’re at work in all things for your glory and for my good—in the obvious and in the not-so-obvious, in my gains and in my pains, in what I “get” and in the things that seem to contradict what I know, when I’m “feeling the love” and when I’m feeling very lonely, when the gospel makes all the sense in the world to me and when I’m tempted to say with John the Baptist, “Are you the Messiah, or should we be looking for another?”

But there is no other Messiah, Savior, or Lord but you, Jesus. And absolutely nothing can separate me from your love, for I’ve been called according to the Father’s purpose, which will never fail or falter. He “foreknew” me; he set his affection upon me before the world began, and he will continue to provide everything necessary to complete the work of the gospel in my life, in the whole family of God, and in the entire creation. “Thrice hallelujah!” I shout.

I pray by the light of this good news of great joy. Amen.

Smith, Scotty (2011-09-01). Everyday Prayers for a Transformed Life: 365 Days to Gospel-Centered Faith (Kindle Locations 8604-8617). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition.

Daily Bible Reading: Joel; Proverbs 14; Revelation 5

Quote of the day: The Bible is alive; it speaks to me. It has feet; it runs after me. It has hands; it lays hold of me!—Martin Luther

Bible Memory: Level 1: James 4:17  Level 2: James 5:1-6

Prayer Quotes:  ‘Pray because you have a Father, not because it quiets you, and give Him time to answer.’ Oswald Chambers

Feelings Are Not Facts

Good morning, brothers. I am re-posting Joe Freeman’s blog entry from last week as I didn’t get the entire post to you.

Dear Jesus,

Lately it has occurred to me that not all of my sins were forgiven at Calvary.  I feel as if You may have left a couple of mine out when You were on the cross.  I’m thinking about many but here’s one: I don’t feel as if I have been totally forgiven for abandoning my children all those years when I was drinking and drugging.  I neglected my responsibilities as their father and now my middle one is having his own battle with drugs and alcohol and thoughts of suicide.  I feel as if I need to do something, to work harder, to prove that I really am sorry for what I did.  There has to be a way for me to feel as if I didn’t fail.

So, can You do me a favor and come back and repeat that day?  I know it was the worst day of Your life on earth but can You leave Heaven again and make sure that my sin was forgiven?  I just don’t feel as if it was.  Can You go to the Cross one more time?  Thanks.

Your child,

Joe

Dear Joe,

No, I won’t be doing that day again, not because I don’t love you or that I don’t care that you are suffering this emotional anguish but because My crucifixion really did conquer ALL sin and death forever, past, present, and future.  My sitting on the throne at the right hand of My Father is proof that when I said, “It is finished,” it is.

It is true that there is nothing you can do.  I did it all, I paid the price, My death reconciled you to My Father.  When you asked Me into your life to become your Lord and Savior, all that you have done, are doing, and will do has been atoned for.  You received a new past, a beautiful present, and a glorious future.  Though you may not feel it, remember that feelings are not facts.  It was only through the love of My Father that you are truly forgiven.  One and done.  You need to accept your acceptance, and your acceptance is based on what I did at the Cross.  You could never do anything that would duplicate what happened that day.  So you may regret the path you took to get to Me, and I know that if you could change what you did, especially abandoning your children, you would.  My death, burial, and resurrection have taken care of ALL your sins.

Check out John 3:3, John 3:16-17, John 5:24, and II Cor. 5:17.  These verses will help you in the areas of your salvation, assurance, and security.  II Cor. 5:21 will help you to know that through My death, burial, and resurrection, you are accepted 100%.

I love you,

Jesus

Many of us who come from a background of drugs and alcohol abuse, poor choices, and selfish decisions don’t feel forgiven.  God is not interested in how we feel but rather that we accept and trust what Jesus did for us that day at Calvary.  He paid the price in full because we never could.  Our Father loved us so much that He gave us Jesus, who did the will of the Father.  As the result of His obedience and His actions, we are set free from sin and death in spite of how we feel.

Trust, obey, and have faith that the past is what you did and not who you are.  Because of, and only because of the Cross, we are forgiven.

Father, thank you for the opportunity, through the crucifixion of Your Son, my Savior Jesus, to become a member of Your family, and that it is not from human acceptance or people pleasing that I am free from the penalty of sin and death.  Thank you, Jesus, for paying my sin debt in full that day on the Cross at Calvary.  I love You and my life is Yours. –Joe Freeman is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy

Daily Bible Reading: Hosea 12-14; Proverbs 13; Revelation 4

Quote of the day:  Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man’s power ends. George Muller

Bible Memory: Level 1: James 4:17  Level 2: James 5:1-6

Prayer Quotes:  God never answers prayer to prove His own might. Oswald Chambers

The Absence of Humility

“He who is greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself [with haughtiness and empty pride] shall be humbled (brought low), and whoever humbles himself [whoever has a modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly] shall be raised to honor.”  Matthew 23:11-12 (AMP)

It’s a rare Saturday morning to be at home. It’s my 50^th birthday and a time to look back at what our gracious and heavenly Father has brought me through. “What I have really gleaned from the many life lesson’s along the way?” I ask myself. Well brothers there have been many but in His infinite wisdom He has brought unto me a new challenge. I have to deal with the absence of humility in my heart.

It really starts with a book that my “brother from another mother” recommend I read. Pastor Andrew Dixon has been a close friend for much of my salvation/restoration walk and now he has the challenge of guiding me through the call to ministry. Pastor Andrew has me reading Andrew Murray’s “Humility” and after just a few chapters into it I was deeply convicted. Because of this I have to go back into what Jesus teaches about humility and realize I have been reading it all wrong.

With this in mind I need to share this paragraph from the book:

“In the life of earnest Christians, of those who pursue and profess holiness, humility ought to the chief mark of their uprightness. It is often said that it is not so. One reason may be that in the teaching and example of the Church, humility has never had that place of supreme importance which rightfully belongs to it. This results from the neglect of this truth: that although sin is a powerful motive to humility, there is one of still wider and mightier influence—that which makes the angels, that which made Jesus, that which makes the holiest of saints in heaven, so humbles. That is, that the first and chief mark of the relationship of man with God, the secret of His blessedness, is the humility and nothingness which leaves God free to be all.”

No one in the time of Jesus’ time on earth took a beating like the Scribes and the Pharisees. They, like us at times, cloaked their pride and worldliness with religion. These men of the Sanhedrin would have been schooled deeply in the prophecy of the coming Messiah and yet with Jesus Christ right in front of them they would try to convince the multitudes to take prejudice against the Son of Joseph, the neighborhood carpenter. And it would be this same Son of the neighborhood carpenter that would gather His bewildered disciples for the Passover supper and wash their feet before “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a Cross.”

So like I was saying earlier on, I need to go back and re-read the Savior’s words. It’s not that I feel I have missed something; it’s just that I thought the idea of humility meant not to think myself more highly than I ought to. But there seems to be more to it than that, it basically needs to be understood that pride is the absence of humility in the heart. That when Jesus says go the extra mile or give them your other tunic, He really says that you should display less of yourself and more of Him. He did it for us by going to that Cross because it was the will of the Father and it’s that will the unsaved world needs to see. Amen? – Chris Hughes is a part of the Freedom Fighter writing team and a graduate of the Colony of Mercy

Daily Bible Reading: Hosea 9-11; Proverbs 12; Revelation 3

Quote of the day: “When we see that humility is something infinitely deeper than contrition, and accept it as our participation in the life of Jesus, we will begin to learn that it is our true nobility.”—Andrew Murray

Bible Memory: Level 1: James 4:17  Level 2: James 5:1-6

Prayer Quotes:  Never make the blunder of trying to forecast the way God is going to answer your prayer. Oswald Chambers

Decisions

            “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.  Isaiah 55:8Genesis 13:4b

“And there Abram called on the name of the LORD. Genesis 13:10a And Lot lifted his eyes.

How will your day Start?

There’s an account from Genesis 13 that reveals to us a Godly decision vs a fleshly decision.

Abram realizes that things have to change.

Gen 13:6 “Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together.”

“Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom.” Genesis 13:12

Abram- “I’ll call on the name of the Lord.”

Lot- “Now let me see…”

That statement divides the two, one who calls on the name of the Lord and one who doesn’t. For me and my walk, it has to be a “call on the name of the Lord” process. Or in other words, “what should I do Lord”?

Do you start your day with a mind set of I need God?

When you have the attitude that there’s a right way and a wrong way to do things, and God’s ways are not my ways, it takes a mindfulness of what is the right choice.

How do we make Quality Decisions?

Follow God’s principles according to His word

1. Unselfishness–

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:3-5

2. Orderly

1 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. 6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. Titus 2:1,2,6

3- Unashamed

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” Romans 1:16

4. Truthful — 

Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. Proverbs 12:19

Just to name a few…

Bottom line; We have to have a “For His name sake” way of life. If we make decisions being mindful of what would bring glory to God, for “His name sake”, we’ll be making not only wise decisions but Godly decisions. – Rob Russomano serves on the full-time staff at America’s Keswick and is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy

Daily Bible Reading: Hosea 5-8; Proverbs 11; Revelation 1 & 2

Quote of the day:  Let’s approach Christmas with an expectant hush, rather than a last-minute rush. Anonymous

Bible Memory: Level 1: James 4:17  Level 2: James 5:1-6

Prayer Quotes:  According to the New Testament, prayer is God’s answer to our poverty, not a power we exercise to obtain an answer.