A Prayer about Grace Allergies

There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” (John 4:7–10)

Well we are through another week and I trust you have been blessed as we have journeyed together through the ministry of Freedom Fighters.

Our prayer for this Friday was penned by Pastor Scotty Smith – a man who yearns to pray “gospel-centered” prayers:

Dear Lord Jesus,

you spoke these inviting words of hope to a broken woman trying her very best to keep her distance from you. She’d been on a quest to find life in the arms of men—many men—and it obviously wasn’t working for her very well. The more she tried to evade your gaze, the more you simply applied your grace. She ran; you pursued. She danced around; you stopped the music.

How I praise you that you came to seek and save the lost, not just broadcast an offer from the distance. Though the details of my story are different from this nameless Samaritan woman’s, the same foolish strategy is there: playing games with you, like hide-and-seek, only I do all the hiding and you do all the seeking.

I wish this were just true of me a long, long time ago, but I still default to this insanity. Jesus, deliver us from grace allergies—living with an aversion to the gospel. Why we choose broken cisterns, dumb idols, and self-help over your love is sheer madness. Grace is for sinners, not for pretenders, posers, and performers.

You mean to heal us, not harm us; embrace us, not embarrass us; succor us with compassion, not shame us with contempt. So, Jesus, once again I bring real thirst to you today. I bring my penchant to avoid you. I bring my allergic reactions to the gospel. I bring my excuse making, my unbelief, my pride, my self-righteousness. I bring that part of me that would rather help others discover your grace than partake of it for myself.

I ask you for a fresh imbibing of living water, sufficient for the needs of my heart and the demands of this day. May this be a twenty-four-hour period in which I spontaneously join the chorus of many others who are singing, “Come see the man who told me everything I ever did, and he still loves me and is bent on my freedom. Certainly this is the Messiah, the Savior, the Lord. . . . He is Jesus!”

I pray in your pursuing and all-satisfying name. Amen.

Smith, Scotty (2011-09-01). Everyday Prayers for a Transformed Life: 365 Days to Gospel-Centered Faith (Kindle Locations 7080-7102). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition.

I pray that you will have a blessed weekend. Thanks for sharing your time with me. – Bill Welte is President & CEO of America’s Keswick

Team YOU: Isaiah 50-51; Proverbs 12; Colossians 4

Motivations: The Holy Spirit never browbeats us. He always persuades. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Practice to Remember: Level 1:James 1:17; Level 2: James 1:19-27

Powered Up:  God allows the prayers of the saints, those who have entered into an understanding of His mind and purpose, to be brought to Him. Oswald Chambers

 

 

 

 THE OUT AND IN OF GOD’S PURPOSE

“Then He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land which He swore to our fathers.”  (Deuteronomy 6:23)

            The theme verse is part of a recitation by Moses of the plan and purposes of God for the nation Israel.  It should be noted that in this summary statement there was no provision for a 40-year period of wilderness wandering and no mention that a whole generation of those who had been brought out of Egypt had died during that period.

What is stated here is simply the purpose of God.  It was His intent that there be no lengthy gap between the “out” and the “in.”  Because of the unbelief of the people, God’s purpose was interrupted and its fulfillment delayed.

The Apostle Paul has Israel’s history in mind when he said, “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:11).  Therefore we are justified in applying this lesson to ourselves personally and relate it to our Christian life.

God didn’t deliver us from our slavery to sin, only to leave us wandering in a wilderness-like experience for the rest of our earthly lives.  The Canaan provision was not a type of heaven but of an earthly life of victory over the power of sin.  There were battles to be fought, but the victories were assured as the people believed and obeyed God’s Word.  It is His purpose for the Christian to enter Canaan blessing directly upon his being delivered from the slavery of sin through salvation.  He should not settle for less.  Unbelief and disobedience rob us of the realization and enjoyment of God’s purpose.  Are you “out” but encountering wilderness defeat, or are you “in” and experiencing Canaan victories?  God has given you the “land” of spiritual blessing, but are you claiming it by faith? — Pastor William A. Raws, grandson of America’s Keswick founder, William Raws, wrote this devotional for our daily devotional, Real Victory for Real Life.

Team You: Isaiah 49-50; Proverbs 11; Colossians 3

Motivations: My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.”~ Abraham Lincoln

Practice to Remember: Level 1:James 1:17; Level 2: James 1:19-27

Powered Up:  If we look on prayer as a means of developing ourselves, there is nothing in it at all, nor do we find that idea of prayer in the Bible. – Oswald Chambers

Who Do You Trust?

“Now on whom dost thou trust?” – Isaiah 36:5

Do you ever have a difficult time trusting? If we are honest, we have those times when it is hard to trust, and yes, sometimes we have trouble trusting God.

From the pen of the “prince of preachers” – Charles Haddon Spurgeon, comes some wonderful reminders of trusting our great God:

Reader, this is an important question. Listen to the Christian’s answer, and see if it is yours. “On whom dost thou trust?” “I trust,” says the Christian, “in a triune God.

I trust the Father , believing that He has chosen me from before the foundations of the world.

I trust Him to provide for me in providence, to teach me, to guide me, to correct me if need be, and to bring me home to His own house where the many mansions are.

I trust the Son. Very God of very God is He – the man Christ Jesus.

 

I trust in Him to take away all my sins by His own sacrifice, and to adorn me with His perfect righteousness.

I trust Him to be my Intercessor, to present my prayers and desires before His Father’s throne and I trust Him to be my Advocate at the last great day, to plead my cause, and to justify me.

I trust Him for what He is, for what He has done, and for what He has promised yet to do.

And I trust the Holy Spirit – He has begun to save me from my inbred sins. I trust Him to drive them all out.

 I trust Him to curb my temper, to subdue my will, to enlighten my understanding, to check my passions, to comfort my despondency, to help my weakness, to illuminate my darkness.

 I trust Him to dwell in me as my life, to reign in me as my King, to sanctify me wholly, spirit, soul, and body, and then to take me up to dwell with the saints in Oh, blessed trust!

To trust Him whose power will never be exhausted, whose love will never wane, whose kindness will never change, whose faithfulness will never fail, whose wisdom will never be nonplussed, and whose perfect goodness can never know a diminution! Happy art thou, reader, if this trust is thine! So trusting, thou shalt enjoy sweet peace now, and glory hereafter, and the foundation of thy trust shall never be removed.

Spurgeon, Charles Haddon (2009-06-18). Works of Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon. According to Promise, All of Grace, Faith’s Checkbook, Morning and Evening: Daily Readings, A Puritan Catechism & more (Mobi Spiritual) (Kindle Locations 13673-13686). MobileReference. Kindle Edition.

Trusting trouble brother? Then I trust today’s blog will help you remember WHO you can REALLY trust! Trust in HIM today! – Bill Welte is President & CEO of America’s Keswick

Team YOU: Isaiah 47-48; Proverbs 10; Colossians 2

Motivations: To live of love, it is to know no fear; No memory of past faults can I recall; No imprint of my sins remaineth here; The fire of Love divine effaces all. O sacred flames! O furnace of delight! I sing my safe sweet happiness to prove. In these mild fires I dwell by day, by night. I live of love! Thérse of Lisieux

Practice to Remember: Level 1:James 1:17; Level 2: James 1:19-27

Powered Up:  The more you know the less intelligently you pray because you forget to believe that God can alter the difficulties. – Oswald Chambers

Prayer Changes You

“Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.” Exodus 32:32

Have you ever been frustrated when praying that you did not receive the answer you were praying for? Did you think that maybe your prayers could change the mind of God?

Well if that has been your experience, Dr. Henry Blackaby provides insight on this aspect of prayer in his book, EXPERIENCING GOD – The Devotional (Broadman & Holman):

Prayer is not designed to change God; it is designed to change us. Prayer is not calling God in to bless our activities. Rather, prayer takes us into God’s presence, shows us His will, and prepares us to obey Him.

Moses climbed Mount Sinai and spent forty days communing with God. God showed him the wickedness of the Israelites (Exod. 32:7). Moses had not known their desperate condition; nor had he realized the imminence of God’s judgment upon them until God revealed it to him. As God made Moses aware of all that was at stake, Moses felt the same compassion for the people that God felt. Moses became willing to sacrifice his own life for his obstinate people.

In a compelling and selfless prayer of intercession, Moses offered to have his own name blotted out of the book of life if God would spare the people. In Moses’ time with Him, God had formed a mighty intercessor for His people.

God will use your prayer times to soften your heart and change your focus. As you pray for others, the Holy Spirit will work in your heart so that you have the same compassion for them that God does (Rom. 8:26–27).

If you do not love people as you should, pray for them. If you are not as active in God’s service as you know He wants you to be, begin praying. You cannot be intimately exposed to God’s heart and remain complacent. The time spent with God will change you and make you more like Christ.

Blackaby, Richard (2006-12-01). Experiencing God Day By Day (Kindle Locations 4864-4878). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

God word today, brothers. How does God want to change YOU as you pray? – Bill Welte is President & CEO of America’s Keswick

Team YOU: Isaiah 45-46; Proverbs 9; Colossians 1

Motivations: There is nothing as repulsive as phoniness in the spiritual realm. Howard G. Hendricks

Practice to Remember: Level 1:James 1:17; Level 2: James 1:19-27

Powered Up:  When you pray, things remain the same, but YOU begin to be different! – Oswald Chambers

Let It Go!

Have you checked out this month’s DISCOVERING VICTORY podcast? Dr. Roger Willmore is our featured Bible teacher on this month’s podcast. Check it out @ November Podcast

This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.—Romans 3:25

Thanks for joining me on this new week of Freedom Fighter blogs. I really appreciate you taking the time to join me each week day.

Last week I had one of those days were as a friend said, “Some days you are the pigeon and some days you are the statute!”

Have you ever had one of those days? Weeks? Well the cool thing was that the day I had one of those discouraging moments, God spoke from the pen of Nancy DeMoss from her new devotional, The Quiet Place:

“FORBEARANCE” isn’t a word we hear much today, but if we learn to practice it on a daily basis, it can become one of our greatest weapons in staving off bitterness, contention, and unforgiveness.

To forbear means to show restraint, to be patient in the face of provocation, to be long-suffering, willing to put up with people’s actions and inactions—to let things go. Forbearance is actually a by-product of love, the kind of love, as Paul put it so eloquently in 1 Corinthians 13, that “is not provoked … does not take into account a wrong suffered … bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (verses 5–7 NASB).

Yes, some offenses need to be confronted and dealt with. But many others—most, in fact—just need to be overlooked and put away. (Our problem is, we tend to confront the sins we should overlook, and overlook the sins we should confront!)

A lack of forbearance in our homes and everyday circumstances causes us to exaggerate offenses until, as Charles Spurgeon said, “a [fly’s] egg becomes as huge as ever was laid by an ostrich.” It magnifies tension and intensifies conflict. It erects walls in relationships, makes us petty and peevish, and severs us from our friends. I’m convinced that many divorces could be averted if one or both partners would practice the grace of forbearance.

Many tensions and misunderstandings in the workplace would vanish if we would be more forbearing with one another. Bigger issues are sure to arise, requiring a great measure of forgiveness. Learning to forbear today is valuable practice for being able to forgive later.

DeMoss, Nancy Leigh Leigh (2012-09-01). The Quiet Place: Daily Devotional Readings (Kindle Locations 5795-5806). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

I loved the word picture about not exaggerating an offense by not making bigger than a fly’s egg!!! I needed to hear that. How about you? I need to learn forbearance. How about you? – Bill Welte is President & CEO of America’s Keswick

Team YOU: Isaiah 43-44; Proverbs 8; Philippians 4

Motivations: I was not born to be free. I was born to adore and to obey. C. S. Lewis

Practice to Remember: Level 1:James 1:17; Level 2: James 1:19-27

Powered Up:  Until we reach for the impossible through fervent, faith-filled prayer, we will never fulfill our created purpose! David Smithers

A Prayer about Ultimate Insanity

Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? (Rom. 2:4 NIV)

On Friday’s I have been sharing prayers with you. Today’s prayer was written by Pastor Scotty Smith, a dear man of God who serves in Nashville, TN. This is from his book Everyday Prayers –365 Days to Gospel-Centered Praying

Heavenly Father, I’ve seen many crazy things in my life. I’ve encountered a few crazy people. And I’ve certainly done my share of crazy things. But the most certifiably insane thing I do is to show contempt for the riches of your kindness, tolerance, and patience toward me in Jesus. I do this when I dig my heels in and refuse to follow your kindness into fresh repentance.

The GPS of the gospel will never direct me to a destination of harm but only to a place of greater freedom. When I refuse to humble myself, when I refuse to acknowledge the ways I love poorly and act out immaturely, when I refuse to repent of attitudes and actions that rob me and others and most tragically rob you of glory, that is insanity. Showing contempt for your kindness is true craziness!

Father, I praise you today for being outrageously affluent in the currency of kindness, tolerance, and patience. There’s no economic downturn in heaven—never has been, never will be. But there’s nothing in me that assumes the right to any of your loving ways. It’s only because Jesus willingly endured the judgment I deserve that I’m in a position to be dealt with so mercifully and graciously.

Father, thank you that you’re leading me to humility, not to humiliation; to shelter, not to shame; to repentance, not to penance. For when I repent, I’m not the one making promises for change—you are. Only you can change me, and you are changing me, for you have covenanted to do so. That’s what the gospel is all about. When I repent I simply collapse upon Jesus, once again, as my righteousness, my holiness, and my sure hope of a new and changed heart.

So this morning, kind Father, I repent. I repent of not trusting that you are at work in my current irritating circumstances. I’ve looked at the weaknesses of others more than I’ve kept my eyes fixed on Jesus. It’s been easier (and more fun) to gossip than to pray. I’ve been moping and plotting like an orphan rather than rejoicing and trusting as a beloved son. I’ve been more preoccupied with the ways of broken men than thrilled with the occupied throne of heaven. I’ve acted as though I care more about Jesus’ church than he does. That is certifiably insane! I repent. Because the gospel is true and you are so kind, I repent. I pray in Jesus’ merciful and mighty name. Amen.

Smith, Scotty (2011-09-01). Everyday Prayers for a Transformed Life: 365 Days to Gospel-Centered Faith (Kindle Locations 6924-6938). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition.

Have a blessed weekend! Thanks for joining me on the journey. – Bill Welte is President & CEO of America’s Keswick

Team YOU: Isaiah 37-38; Proverbs 5; Philippians 1

Motivations: God’s silence is in no way indicative of His activity or involvement in our lives. He may be silent but He is not still. Charles Stanley

Practice to Remember: Level 1: James 1:5-6; Level 2: James 1:9-18

Powered Up:  Prayer is the way the life of God is nourished. Our Lord nourished the life of God in Him by prayer; He was continually in contact with the Father. Oswald Chambers

A Sermon before the Sermon

Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven”. Matthew 18:2,3

It’s a Sunday morning and business as usual in the sanctuary. I serve as an usher so one of our duties is to collect the offering. About a month ago as I was going down the aisle I noticed a little boy as he could hardly contain himself. His Dad allowed him to put the money in the basket. With a big smile and leaning forward, eyes fixed on that basket he “cheerfully”, without hesitating, put the offering in.  Looking at his dad, his expression was one of “It’s easy for him to give, after all it’s not his money”. At that moment I realized I just “saw” a sermon, I just had a glance of “The Kingdom of Heaven”

The Bible teaches us that everything we have is from God and we are His stewards. We also read the God loves a cheerful giver 2 Corinthians 9:7. When I saw that little boy, so excited to give what really belonged to his Father, I thought to myself “that puts things in perspective”. How often does greed creep in and cause us to think “it’s mine, all mine”? I think the difference is when we give cheerfully our Father in heaven has a different attitude when saying; “after all, it’s not his money”. So become like a child today and get a glance of Heaven on earth, I think you’ll like it, I do. – Rob Russomano is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and serves on our full-time staff.

Team YOU: Isaiah 35-36; Proverbs 4; Ephesians 6

Motivations: God does not have to come and tell me what I must do for Him, He brings me into a relationship with Himself where I hear His call and understand what He wants me to do, and I do it out of sheer love to Him…When people say they have had a call to foreign service, or to any particular sphere of work, they mean that their relationship to God has enabled them to realize what they can do for God.Oswald Chambers

Practice to Remember: Level 1: James 1:5-6; Level 2: James 1:9-18

Powered Up:  It is not so true that “Prayer changes things” as prayer changes me, and then I change things; consequently we must not ask God to do what He has created us to do. – Oswald Chambers

He is Preparing Me

I am sharing just Scripture with you for my blog entries this week. Funny how I have this whole library (print and online) that take pages to tell me what the Word of God is saying. Sometimes it is good to just step back and allow the Word to speak to our hearts!

These verses were from All I Need – Meditations on the Master on September 29^th:

The weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to DESTROY strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:4

Stand firm, mature and confident in everything that God wants you to do. Colossians 4:12 (The Message)

I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12 (NASB)

You have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord. Now keep on following Him. Plant your roots in Christ and let Him be the foundation for your life. Be strong in your faith, just as you were taught. And be grateful. Colossians 2:6-7 (CEV)

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. Ephesians 3:17-18 (NIV)

Therefore, let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity. Hebrews 6:1

And now God is building you, as living stones, into His spiritual temple. 1 Peter 2:5 (NLT)

I read this quote: “Before God can entrust us with ministry, we must spend time in his marvelous light. Then He can move us into the spotlight of the world. Robert Suggs.

Is He preparing YOU for something He wants to do in and through you? Then spend time with Him reading His Word and talking to Him in prayer. – Bill Welte is President & CEO of America’s Keswick

Team YOU: Isaiah 33-34; Proverbs 3; Ephesians 5:17-33

Motivations: There is no labor where one loves, or if there is, the labor itself is loved. Augustine

Practice to Remember: Level 1: James 1:5-6; Level 2: James 1:9-18

Powered Up:  If prayer is not easy, we are wrong; if prayer is an effort, we are out of it. – Oswald Chamber

Persevering Through Trials (Part 2)

Yesterday I mentioned that I was sharing some verses that I read last week while on vacation. They were put together in a powerful devotional tool, All I Need – Meditations on the Master. You can order it from Amazon by clicking on the link.

As I read these verses, I thought of several friends who have been persevering through their trials:

Keep up the good work and don’t get discouraged, for you will be rewarded. 2 Chronicles 15:7 (TLB)

Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 (NASB)

I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Micah 7:7

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33 (NKJV)

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will HIMSELF restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10 (SRSV)

I can think of some pretty neat people right now who are going through intense trials: Doug & Ellen, Joe, Liz, Ron & Diane! And possibly you! Let the Word of God speak to your heart today. – Bill Welte is President & CEO of America’s Keswick

Team YOU: Isaiah 31-32; Proverbs 2; Ephesians 5:1-16

Motivations: May we learn to mature all graces in us; fearing and trembling, watching and repenting, because Christ is coming, joyful, thankful, and careless of the future, because He is come.

Practice to Remember: Level 1: James 1:5-6; Level 2: James 1:9-18

Powered Up:  “ … our prayers are heard, not because we are in earnest, not because we suffer, but because Jesus suffered.” Oswald Chambers