PERFECT PEACE

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.  Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.”  (Isaiah 26: 3-4)

THOUGHT:  There is a close connection between the opening verses of Isaiah 26 and the words of our text.  In his song of victory Isaiah describes a strong city with salvation for its walls and bulwarks and open gates for those whose lives are characterized by righteousness and truth.  The prophet then goes on to speak of the security and serenity of those who live within this city of God.  So we have:

I.              The Source of Perfect Peace.  “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You…for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.” (v.3-4).  The source of this wonderful peace is the Lord Jehovah.  He is spoken of in these matchless verses as the “everlasting strength” or literally, the “rock of ages.”  How comforting to know that in a world where everything seems to be shaking and shifting the Christian can stay his mind upon the Rock of Ages.

II.           The Scope of Perfect Peace.  “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You.” (v.3).  The scholars tell us that this should more accurately read, “You will keep him in ‘peace, peace’ whose mind is stayed on You.”  The peace which God offers His own people is not intermittent or occasional, but rather like a glorious river ever flowing in its unbroken fullness to the believing heart. (See Phil. 4:7).

III.        The Secret of Perfect Peace. “ You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You… Trust in the Lord forever.” (v.3-4).  The word for “mind” here is “thought or imagination.”  It is within the area of our thoughts and imaginations that unrest, turmoil, and fear begin; but to stay our minds, in simple trust, upon Jehovah is to know perfect peace.

THRUST:

Stayed upon Jehovah,
Hearts are fully blest;
Finding, as he promised,
Perfect peace and rest.

Francis R. Havergal

Dr. Stephen F. Olford was a popular speaker at America’s Keswick and a dear man of God. This was one of the last five things he wrote before the Lord called him home. This was published in our Keswick devotional, REAL VICTORY FOR REAL LIFE.

Team YOU: Psalm 37-39; Proverbs 25; Acts 26

Motivations: Never when in authority rebuke any one in anger, but only when anger has passed away; and so shall the rebuke bring forth good fruit. Teresa of Avila

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Philippians 2:14-15; Level 2: Philippians 2:12-18

Powered Up:  To ask in the name of Christ is … to set aside our own will and bow to the perfect will of God. A. W. Pink

PARTAKERS

“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus.” (Hebrews 3:1).

            The believer’s relationship to the Lord is described by a number of words in the New Testament.  One of these is the word partakers.  It is used to translate two basic Green words.  Their setting appears to influence the translator’s choice of English terms.  One of these terms is used to express ideas such as: to have in common, and to share in.  The other has a similar meaning and could be expressed literally as to hold with or to share with.

The writer of Hebrews used each of these words in his epistle.  In our theme text he addressed believers as those who share in common the heavenly calling.  In the light of the two previous chapters, this term describes believers as being sharers in common benefits through their union with Christ Jesus.  His triumphant greatness is shared with those who have received Him.

Of what do believers partake?  First, we are partakers of the heavenly calling.  In other words, we share in privileges related to our heavenly calling (Hebrews 3:1).  The word used here is the one which means “to hold with” or “to hold things in common.”  Second, we are partakers of Christ (Hebrews 3:14).  Literally, we have been made holders-in-common of the things of Christ.  Third, we have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 6:4).  The ministries of the Spirit have become available to us.

From the writings of Paul, we learn that we were made eligible to be “partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Colossians 1:12).  We share in the light of the One who is the Light of the World.  This carries present implications as well as future.  Jesus stated that we are the light of the world, and that places us under obligation to let our light “so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14, 16).  John in his first epistle reminds us that we are able to have fellowship in the light because He is in the light (1 John 1:7).  In the descriptions concerning heaven and the heavenly city, we are given the basis for our expectation of sharing in the divine light.

The concept of our being sharers-in-common reminds us of the teaching of Jesus in John 15 concerning the union and communion between the vine and the branches.  As partakers, we have the resources of the fullness of the godhead found in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are “complete in Him” (Colossians 2:9-10).  Since we have been declared to be partakers, let’s also be active participants through faith and obedience.

William A. Raws is the grandson of the founder of America’s Keswick and served at America’s Keswick for 50+ years.

Team YOU: Psalm 35-36; Proverbs 24; Acts 25

Motivations: If the good news of God’s grace is to be truly heard, the bad news concerning man’s sin must be preached. If the “Yes” of God’s grace is to be truly heard, God’s “No” to sin must be proclaimed. Charles Cameron

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Philippians 2:14-15; Level 2: Philippians 2:12-18

Powered Up:  Every true prayer is a variation on the theme, “Thy will be done!” John R. W. Stott

Not With Human Hands

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:14-16 (ESV)

Outside of the intense heat on a Saturday during our most recent Families for Christ weekend, the presentation of God’s Word was some pretty cool stuff to dig into. Mark Kolchin, who serves on the Board of America’s Keswick, was our guest speaker and he went over those things that not only make up the House of God but what our part in that house is. He went over the people of, the promises of, the priorities of and the priest over the House of God. But it was when he took this breath of fresh, cool air kinda rabbit trail that brought something into focus and understanding. The House of God cannot be made with human hands if the human’s hands are not divinely guided.

He pointed out a few verses in Scripture that make it quite clear that the House of God cannot be made with human hands by human effort. Take a look at Exodus 20:25, “If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it.” This may have been a simple law but after time in Egypt using tools to build Egyptian idols it could have lead the Nation of Israel to do the same. And when we think of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream concerning his vision of a statue Daniel informs him of this, “As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.” We can get the notion that this stone represents both Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God; its appearance in the dream portrayed the coming of Christ to establish the Kingdom.

A few New Testament verses that reinforce that the House of God cannot be made of human hands with human effort…

“For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”— 2 Corinthians 5:1

“In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”— Colossians 2:11-12

“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent ( not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)”— Hebrews 9:11

In the Garden is where we fell and God showed Adam and Eve what it took to make an offering to Him. But when we take a look at Genesis 4:3,  ^“In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground” it shows just how forgetful we can be because Cain brings an offering from a cursed earth. He had to work the ground with his hands and like thinking that we have a “religion” we too can think our offering made from our works will be acceptable to God. It is in Psalm 139:14-16 where we can see that David had the best take on us.

Since we are fearfully and wonderfully made we get to be partakers of the things of Christ. We need to rest in the knowledge that we are the people that make up the House of God. Not mere hewn stones but individual living stones fearfully and wonderfully made who have been given the promises of House of God. We get the privilege of maintaining the priorities in the House of God, but most importantly, resting comfortably in our roles as Priests of the House of God. All this and we don’t lift a finger with our effort…He wants to use us to do His work and guide our fingers, hands and minds. Pretty cool stuff to understand on a hot summer day, don’t you think? – Chris Hughes is a grad of the Colony of Mercy and a regular blogger on Freedom Fighter

Team YOU: Psalm 33-34; Proverbs 23; Acts 24

Motivations: “And say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for He shall branch out from His place, and He shall build the temple of the Lord. It is He who shall build the temple of the Lord and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on His throne. And there shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”— Zechariah 6:12-13 (ESV)

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Philippians 2:4; Level 2: Philippians 2:5-11

Powered Up:  He who labors as he prays, lifts his heart to God with his hands. Bernard of Clairvaux

Happy Birthday, Pastor Bill

For 50+ years, Pastor Bill Raws was a part of the ministry of America’s Keswick. He was the grandson of our founder, William Raws, and God used him in so many ways during his 80+ years of life.

For years I watched him from a distance. I always admired and respected him. 16 years ago I was given the privilege of working side by side with him when I became the 6^th President & CEO of America’s Keswick.

There are many things that I miss about him:

• The dignity at the way he conducted himself both on and off the platform.
• His humility and his love and attention to people. They knew he cared.
• His love the Word of God and prayer.
• His commitment to exercise and nutrition.

Every Tuesday for 12 years I waited every Tuesday for the rustling of his jogging suit, the snapping of the rubber band wrapped around his Day-Timer, his unique way of letting me know he was outside my office ready to meet for prayer.

Like all of us, he had character flaws – but he sure was someone that I loved and looked up to, and hope to be like when I grow up. Happy birthday in heaven, Pastor Bill. – Bill Welte is the President & CEO of America’s Keswick

Team YOU: Psalm 26-28; Proverbs 20; Acts 22

Motivations: “Though, your faith is as weak as a single strand of a spider’s web, if it is faith in Christ, it is saving faith; because it is not faith that saves, it is not even faith in Christ that saves, it is Christ who saves.”   John Murray

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Philippians 2:4; Level 2: Philippians 2:5-11

Powered Up:  Prayerlessness is expatriation, or worse, from God’s kingdom. It is outlawry, a high crime, a constitutional breach. – E. M. Bounds

 

 

 

Don’t Quit

THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us .. Hebrews 12:1 Zondervan (2010-08-17). Amplified Bible (p. 1439). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Two men sat in a Diner discussing the Olympic Marathon. It was the race that was run mostly in the Olympics. One said “I think the most important part of the race is how you begin.” The other said “I think it is when you are near the end and the strength is almost gone.”

I thought I thought, “You are both wrong. It is in the middle of the race” for the following reasons.

1. At the beginning we have great hope. We can trust in our energy and assurance that we have a good a chance as any.
2. While we may know our own limits we often misjudge our own ability and the demands of the race.

1. Towards the end of the race we have the goal in sight which encourages us.
2. BUT in the middle of the race when boredom sets in and the goal seems
   farther away weariness overcomes us …

I am writing this, not to those who are new in the Faith but to those who have known the Lord for a long time lest you begin to stop trusting in your own power and are not trusting in God’s. Galatians 5:7  Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

When we  have fallen too many times we are tempted to “give up”

Don’t Quit.

Remember He who ran the race before you never gave up. – Dr. George Van Sandt is a retired pastor and Christian Counselor. He is a contributor to the Real Victory for Real Life daily devotional.

Team YOU: Psalm 23-25; Proverbs 19; Acts 21:18-40

Motivations: No soul has ever lacked God’s supply when he depended upon God’s invitation to trust in Him absolutely. John Owen

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Philippians 2:4; Level 2: Philippians 2:5-11

Powered Up:  Prayer and sinning will never live together in the same heart. Prayer will consume sin, or sin will choke prayer. J C Ryle

The thing I love so much about devotions is it’s the time I get to set aside to dance, sing, shout, cuddle, talk, listen, cry, dump my every thought, all my dashed hopes, my hurts, and my sorrows. I also get to express my joy unconstrained by fearful thoughts of what others may think.

In the midst of time set apart devoted to Him, I get to experience joy – His joy!

A joy which comes from knowing, beyond any doubt, that I will not be rejected, despised, laughed at, scorned or condemned. My Fathers arms are wide and His lap is deep. And in Him, I am 100% safe.

“He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I shall say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fortress: My God in Him will I trust” Psalm 91:1-2

Isn’t that a beautiful thought to ponder? Pause and think on it. See yourself abiding under the shadow of the Almighty.

Webster defines abiding as, “continuing to be sure or firm.”  Endure Sisters – time spent with the Lord, abiding with Father, is time when we can take off our masks. You know what I mean – all those faces we wear in the course of a day, week or month. If we can’t; if we don’t, we are saying that we don’t trust Him or believe Him. Trust Him, dear ones, to be faithful. Rejoice in the ineffable Name. His Name!

Stephanie Paul

Stephanie Paul, wife and mother of two grown children. An “instrument of change” in the Redeemer’s Hand, in the lives of wounded and hurting women. Currently serving as a part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Woman of Character Program Director.

He is At Your Right Hand

I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Psalm 16:8

This devotional from the pen of Drs. Henry and Richard Blackaby was so very timely! Dr. Richard Blackaby will be at America’s Keswick in just a few weeks. Plan to join us!!!

What does it mean to set the Lord always before you? It means that you choose to relate everything you encounter to your trust in God. What you choose to focus on becomes the dominant influence in your life.

You may be a Christian, but if your focus is always on your problems, your problems will determine the direction of your life. If your focus is on people, then people will determine what you think and do.

In biblical times, the right hand was the most distinguished position, reserved for one’s chief adviser and supporter. When you choose to focus on Christ, you invite Him to take the most important position in your life as Counselor and Defender.

Every time you face a new experience, you should turn Christ for His interpretation and strength. When people insult you and mistreat you, you should seek direction from your Counselor regarding the right response. When you face a crisis, you should receive strength from the One at your right hand. When you experience need, you should consult your Counselor before you react. When you face a fearful situation, you should take courage from the Advocate at your right hand. Everything you do is in the context of your relationship to Christ.

What an incredible act of God’s grace that Christ should stand beside you to guide you and counsel you and defend you! How could you ever become dismayed over your situation with Christ at your right hand? What confidence this should give you!

Blackaby, Richard (2006-12-01). Experiencing God Day By Day (Kindle Locations 3438-3443). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Team YOU: Psalm 20-22; Proverbs 18; Acts 21:1-17

Motivations: Every time we experience a trial, the world watches to see the substance of our faith – watches to see if we maintain our love and devotion; watches to see if God will see us through this difficult time. There may often be no better way to minister to others than to simply praise God in the middle of our own trials – no better way to show that God is real than by making Him real in our own life. Steve Troxel

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Philippians 2:4; Level 2: Philippians 2:5-11

Powered Up:  God answers only the requests which He inspires. Ralph H. Herring

La Noche de la Progresiva Derecho

“It is He who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom, and by His understanding stretched out the heavens. When He utters His voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and He makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and He brings forth the wind from His storehouses.” Jeremiah 51:15-16 (ESV)

I can see Snoopy on the roof on his doghouse typing the following words, “It was a dark and stormy night…” and then I could follow with, “a Friday night, just after one in the morning. The wind is howling as the hail slams against the windows. A genuine fear arose when my wife awoke me to say that I have to get of bed to see the fury that The Almighty has descended upon us.” And the funny thing with this is that it would have been very true. The 30^th of June, this year, our Creator permitted what has been called a “Derecho” to come from the west and pretty much destroy much of the electrical, cable tv and telephone infrastructure in my part of Southern New Jersey.

Here is what I found out about the word “Derecho”. It comes from the Spanish word for straight (direct) wind and is in contrast with a tornado which is a twisted wind. The one that hit us is known as a progressive derecho and happens when small lines of thunderstorms take a bow-shape and travel for hundreds of miles along stationary fronts. The winds gain a speed of up to 80mph+ and this thing puts on quite a lightning show. The hail was, at times, golf ball size and they made a lot of noise as they hit the house. The sound of this thing was real loud and when it was over we wearily went back to sleep.

The next morning was the reality shot. Everything was all over the place but The Lord, in His infinite wisdom, spared our home. Others were not so lucky. We have heard some amazing stories on how close calls were made on our church family as well as the community in general. My wife just recently showed me a picture of what this thing looks like if it happens in the day.  It looks as if Judgment Day has arrived and Jesus is right behind ready to speak The Word that finishes it all. It did make me wonder about just how ready am I if this had been Judgment Day.

I wondered what the major Prophets would have said if they saw this thing coming and in the melancholy of my thoughts I looked back as if I might be Jeremiah. The verses I started off with should remind us all just who God is all the time. A sovereign, wise and awesomely powerful God who exposes the stupidity of men as they trust in their idols. And in this case I dare themselves because it doesn’t matter how well man goes about engineering infrastructure, God can simply destroy it with a mighty wind from literally left field. God can make mortal man appreciate the simplicity of running water just by situating him in a position where he has to travel a long distance to get lake water to flush toilets. (Yes that man was me and there were others)

It seems as if the storms are getting more frequent and the damage they cause is increasing as well…remember not all of these storms will be of nature. Not long after the “Derecho” my wife and I were taking much needed showers at a friend’s house when a conversation was stuck up about how God is dealing with America these days. My close friend Alan believes that it won’t be much longer before El Shaddai says, “I’ve had enough!!”

The important point to this conversation was our need to be in right relationship with Jesus Christ. The whole of being ready is being in right relationship with Jesus. Are you in that right relationship this morning? If you are I’d say you’re ready, if not…well I’ll just leave that as “’nough said!” — Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and contributes regularly to the Freedom Fighter blog

Team YOU: Psalm 18-19; Proverbs 17; Acts 20:17-38

Motivations: “Oh, how we need to know ourselves. Are we saved? Are we alive in Christ? There is only one instrument that creates, detects, and confirms eternal life in the soul of man; namely, the Word of God.”—John Piper

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Philippians 2:4; Level 2: Philippians 2:5-11

Powered Up:  To pray effectively we must want what God wants – that and that only is to pray in the will of God. A. W. Tozer

 

 

No Grumbling & Mumbling

Join us live this week as Dr. Ayers and Dr. Steve Nichols share God’s Word from the pulpit of America’s Keswick: www.americaskeswick.org

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world … Philippians 2:14-15

This past week Dr. Tony Hart, Senior Pastor of Montco Bible Fellowship and President of the Grand Old Gospel Hour was our morning Bible teacher at America’s Keswick. I want to encourage you to visit our website and either download the messages to your media device or watch the video archives.

Our evening speaker, Dr. David Esptein, remarked to Tony at the dinner table that he would be only a little more direct in his messages, he’d be a very forceful preacher. That was tongue in cheek humor, because Dr. Tony doesn’t beat around the bush.

I thought of that when I put in the memory verses for this week (Practice to Remember) and chuckled that Scripture doesn’t give us much wiggle room when it comes to how we should live.

This week’s short memory verse states very clearly that in whatever we do, we should do it without “grumbling or disputing.” Not some, not what I choose, not when I feel like it – it states very clearly that grumbling and disputing should not be a part of our “M.O.”

Paul gives the reason why – so we “may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among who you shine as lights in the world …”

We, the children of God, in every context of life, could shine brightly by taking to heart this exhortation. I talk with lots of CEO’s of other organizations. So many are frustrated because their employees grumble and complain about everything.

And if we are honest, we see it in the church. We live is this culture where everyone wants what they want when they want it and how they want it. We grumble about the music. We grumble about the Pastor. We grumble about this and that …

But what if we would cease from the grumbling and disputing and shine as light in a dark world. Seems to me that we could see revival break out – or at least a bunch of people begin to question what makes you tick!

Purpose today not to be a mumbling grumbler and let your light shine! – Bill Welte is President & CEO of America’s KESWICK

Team YOU: Psalm 16-17; Proverbs 16; Acts 20:1-16

Motivations: Even to ourselves come afflictions that we cannot understand, and Satan seems so busy in the matter that it is hard to trace the hand of the Lord in it at all. But His hand is in it nevertheless, and He overrules everything. No trial comes except by His permission and for some wise and loving purpose which perhaps only eternity will disclose. Hannah Whitall Smith

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Philippians 2:14-15; Level 2: Philippians 2:12-18

Powered Up:  Prayer is weakness leaning on omnipotence. W. S. Bowden

NEVER SEPARATED FROM HIS GRACE

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,…shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Romans 8:38, 39)

Today’s devotional was written by Dottie Noel, wife of retired Chaplain Jack Noel. Jack and Dottie served for 18+ years at America’s Keswick. Dottie had a heart for evangelism and loved to share the gospel. She went home to be with Jesus in 2011.

At age nine, I accepted Jesus as my Savior when an evangelist, Jack Murray, was at our church.  He used John 3:16 to make things plain to me.  I soon knew that verse by heart.

At age sixteen, I joined church and our pastor chose for me the above verses, Romans 8:38, 39.  He always prayed before selecting a life verse for new members.  That didn’t seem to fit into my happy lifestyle.  The “things present” were very acceptable and life was good.

By seventeen I started working and also attended evening Bible school.  Later, I married and had three sons and was in full-time ministry with my husband at the church where I accepted the Lord and became a member.  Proverbs 3:5, 6 says, “He will direct your path,” and He did!

By age thirty-three, the “things to come” began to happen!  Two of our children went through surgery, and we had a near-death experience of our 9-month-old son – choking.  I thought these things caused weakness for me, but God had plans to use me through a muscle illness, myasthenia gravis.  May I insert here: the ministry of “helps,” given to us by so many people, are never forgotten!  God needs us all in helping each other; we do it unto the Lord!  However, one requested I ask: don’t say to someone who is ill, “If you just had faith, you could be healed!”  I was concerned about my faith, but not considering it was His will.  I did see God use this illness, the trials, the heartaches.  I still see it today as I have had this disease for 37 years.  I am serving the Lord atAmerica’s KESWICK with my husband.  Nothing has been able to separate me from the love of God; in fact, I’ve grown even closer!

Jeremiah 29:11 is another verse I have claimed.  He does not have plans to harm me, but to give a future and a hope.  He says, “I know the plans I have for you.”  I do want His plans, not mine!  His way is not just for good, but for a purpose! Dorothy Noel

I make an assumption that all of our Freedom Fighter friends have a personal relationship with Christ. Do you? If not, please write to me. I’d love to get into your hands a little booklet to help you understand how you can have Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. – Bill Welte is President & CEO of America’s Keswick

Team YOU: Psalm 7-9; Proverbs 13; Acts 18

Motivations: God does not owe you salvation. You deserve damnation, but He provides salvation.

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Philippians 2:4; Level 2: Philippians 2:5-11

Powered Up:  God answers only the requests which He inspires. Ralph A. Herring