Due to the potential threat of the storms to hit the Carolina’s this weekend, we left today and drove straight through. I decided to do Freedom Fighter tonight in the event I can sleep in. I will share two more devotionals from Bernie Bostwick on Monday and Tuesday. If they have been helpful, please let me know so I can share your feedback with Bernie.

Watchful Sobriety (1 Peter 5:8)

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

How carefully do you think about and live your life? With what kind of awareness do you walk through your day? How much do you see that part of the fruit of the Spirit called “self-control” in your life? These questions warrant our frequent attention.

The Apostle Peter was onto something when he wrote these words. He knew his own failures. He had been around the block often enough to know of other’s failures. His adversary, the devil, used the same tricks in Peter’s day that he uses in ours. Peter warned his readers to be careful. He knew Satan can lull us to sleep and fool us into living without that much-needed thoughtful self-control.

Be sober, says Peter. He warned his readers, and us, to exercise self-control in all things. One translation takes the “sober” thought one step further. It says “Be sober-minded.” The instruction has the idea of disciplined, under-control thinking. It’s important to guard how we think because we have a true and crafty enemy, Satan. He knows all the tricks, and they work better on those who don’t think carefully.

Let’s think about “thinking” for a minute. What might Peter have had in mind when he wrote this warning? Perhaps he wanted his readers to think about the habits they allowed into their lives. Maybe he wanted them to think about the thoughts going through their minds during their free time. He might have seen a need for them to exercise self-control in thinking about their lives as Christians. He well could have had all these issues and more on his mind as he wrote. Whatever specifics may have been on the table, Peter is definitely telling all of us that we need to live life with a level of “gravitas,” a “high seriousness about life. To do otherwise gives our adversary all the room he needs to devour us.

How you use your mind will determine the quality of your walk with Jesus. It will also protect you from or make you vulnerable to the attacks of your adversary. How sober is your thinking these days? — John Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 27; Isaiah 3-4; Galatians 6

Great Quote: Bring Christ’s Word – Christ’s promise, and Christ’s sacrifice – His blood, with thee, and not one of Heaven’s blessings can be denied thee.

Adam Clarke

Your Legacy

Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Many times throughout the year, my partner, who is an attorney, and I do Estate Planning Seminars teaching people about what they should consider before they pass away. We tell them that they can leave their assets to three groups of people, their heirs, ministries or the government. They are told while they are alive they can pick two out of the three groups. If they plan purposely, they can choose any two of those three groups. Most often, without reluctance, people pick the first two. They are told that their legacy is the fingerprint left behind on their community.

I’ve thought about this in light of today’s topic and see how our fingerprint relates to stewardship. Godly stewardship has more implications then the secular philosophy of planned giving. As believers, we are concerned with leaving a legacy that promotes stewardship (the use of God’s assets) to further His kingdom. This comes in the form of benefiting our families, our churches and Para church ministries at the time of death and is more than just getting the best tax benefits for doing so. It is about glorifying Jesus Christ and building treasures in heaven, “where moth and rust do not destroy”. Matthew 6:19-21

When we build for the earthly kingdom, as Scott Rodin suggests in Stewards in the Kingdom- “In a very real way the kingdom of the world is never built, but it acts like a black hole constantly demanding more with no hope of ever having enough. The irony of the kingdom of the world is that it does not let us stop long enough to enjoy what we have amassed.” Giving to non-profit organizations is good, but when we think about the eternal consequences of giving to ministries, it is powerful! When I drive onto the grounds of America’s Keswick, the sign that I’m confronted with every time is “America’s Keswick, where God speaks to hearts and transforms lives”. Unless God changes the hearts of men dealing with addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling or sexual sins, then they may fall back into their addiction. The testimonies I’ve heard from these men have been incredible and can only come from God. I

‘ve also witnessed for myself people being blessed when they give back to ministries with what God has entrusted to them over their lives. We have sat down with two generations of families that have been entrusted as stewards by grandparents that love the Lord. The grandparents want to see what they have been given by God continue to be used for His purpose and glory even after they depart this world. It is a tremendous testimony to see the excitement that fills the air in situations when grandparents, children and grandchildren get together and plan the future with these assets. Everybody is involved and the lesions of stewardship gets passed down through each generation.The important questions that need to be asked are, what is your legacy? How do you want to be remembered? What do you want to give to leave your mark on the Christian community?

One man who I’m sure has left a lasting legacy is Pastor Bill Raws, grandson of the founder of America’s Keswick. I went to his memorial service in July and was taken aback by the people lives he has influenced will continue to influence for many years to come. Pastor Bill lived his life by faith. He gave of himself for the work of Jesus Christ his whole life. One of his favorite hymns sung at his memorial service was Great is Thy Faithfulness The well known chorus gives us comfort in the provisions of God by saying “Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!”

Let us remember that all we’ve ever needed in life has been provided by God. Are we prepared to continue to do His work with what He has so richly provided for us for His sake? What will be our legacy be whenever we leave our earthly home to go to our heavenly home? –Bernie Bostwick is Vice-President of Ambassador Advisors

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 26; Isaiah 1-2; Galatians 5

Great Quote: The renewal of our natures is a work of great importance. It is not to be done in a day. We have not only a new house to build up, but an old one to pull down. — George Whitefield

Passing the Buck Part 2

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Gal 2:20

It is easy to get caught up in living the way of the world. Back in the 1980’s, Ivan Boesky, a man later sentenced to prison for securities fraud, embodied that philosophy. Time Magazine featured him on their front cover, when he was at his height, with the title Making Millions with Your Money. His life motto was “he who dies with the most toys wins.” I remember, as a young man, seeing a painting that depicted this motto. It showed a beautiful home on a beach front with a four stall garage filled with expensive cars. Just like so many Americans, I envied these people, aspired to embody their mottos and was focused on myself and material happiness. I did not care about my neighbor as Jesus commanded. (Matthew 19:19)

To see life as Christ and start living for him, giving for him as loving our neighbor as ourselves, our hearts need to be transformed to the image of Jesus Christ. We can’t do this alone, but as believers we don’t need to; we have the Holy Spirit. Scott Rodin says in The Transformation of the Godly Steward: Promise, Problems and Process, “Transformation is holistic, requiring our whole being: heart, soul, strength, and mind. If the Holy Spirit is the transforming agent, then every miniscule particle of our being will be affected by His work in us.”

He goes on to say, “It calls us to die to the old nature, to the lies we have been told and believed about our vocation.” The key point is what he says next, “Transformation involves nothing less than the complete abandonment of our thrones and the dismantling of our earthly kingdoms. It is a transformation from the struggle of two-kingdom living to the joy of one-kingdom service.” We cannot live for two kingdoms.

Scott Rodin quotes in his article “Just as Christ made the ultimate sacrifice for us, He desires that we learn to be givers in our everyday lives in response to His generosity.” Scott says, “When you are freely giving a treasure beyond all value, how can you receive it but with joy, thanksgiving, and praise?” How can we have this unbelievable gift of salvation given to us by God and not have a desire to give back to Him for all He has done for us? Moving away from the self-centered view and becoming more God centered. It is realizing as Scott states “in the end, godly stewardship is all about lordship.” This transformation he says “gives us no greater freedom that is available to humankind than that of a godly steward.” We are free! We are free to live for him, we are free to give to Him, we are free! We don’t wait for someone else to give, because we see this as one of the purposes in our lives. To give generously as God has given to us.

I have the privilege of meeting many different people and I’m blessed by their examples of living for Him and not themselves. I met one such couple recently. The first and last thing they said to me was, “We only want to live to give all we have to God.” They have been faithful stewards their whole life, giving all along. As they acquired more they gave more. As they gave, God gave. They recently came into a sizeable inheritance and, as always, they gave. They retired from work and gave of their lives by serving as short term missionaries in a foreign country and are planning to go again in a couple of weeks. They give not because they can or because of tax benefits but for their love of Jesus! Tears come to their eyes when they talk about what Christ has done for them and how unworthy they feel for what He continues to do for them. They will never pass the buck to anyone else. They joyfully take the responsibility God has given them and continue to live, continue to serve and continue to give.

Quote – “Our possessions are meaningless to the One who created and owns everything. But our hearts are His treasure.” Howard Dayton This devotional was written by Bernie Bostwick, Vice-President of Ambassador Advisors. Please check out Bob Kauffman’s statement on the current financial crisis that is impacting our nation. You can read it on our America’s KESWICK website: www.americaskeswick.org

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 25; Song of Solomon 6-8; Galatians 4

Great Quote: “If you don’t live it, you don’t believe it.” Paul Harvey

Good morning, men. I trust you are enjoying Bernie’s devotionals this week. I have asked Bernie to write a statement about the current situation we are facing as a nation and our economic crisis. I will be posting the article later today on our America’s KESWICK website: www.americaskeswick.org

Passing the Buck Part 1

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Gal 2:20

What does our life stand for? Are we passing the buck to someone else?

Often I have to check of my life to see if I’m living it for Christ and having Him live in me, or am I living this life for myself and the pleasures of the flesh. When I live for myself, I become more interested in protecting “my stuff,” “my future” and “my family” rather then what belongs to God. In essence, I become protective of all of these things because I am afraid of losing them. My life does not stand for Christ at that point and I leave what God has put into my trust to someone else. I’m “passing the buck.” To help us, we must constantly be transformed by God’s word, so we can continually grow and be sanctified by His grace. When we are sanctified, then we don’t only live as children, but grow as adults in faith. This will, in effect, change the way we live and give for Gods glory.

In the book Revolution in Generosity, Former President of the Christian Stewardship Association, Scott Rodin, wrote a chapter entitled, “The Transformation of the Godly Steward: Promise, Problem, and Process.” He states, “over the past twenty-six years, I have had the privilege of meeting many generous Christians. Looking back, I recognize one consistent characteristic: they were engaged in the process of personal, spiritual transformation.” It is important in the whole of our lives that we are always growing.

In today’s Freedom Fighter, I would like to focus on this chapter. What is stewardship? Scott Rodin tells us that, “stewardship is the daily practice of the steward who places into God’s service the entirety of his or her life and resources with great joy.” He states “for Christians, godly stewardship is our destiny.” This means that we are willing to give up everything to God and to do so, we must be transformed by the grace of God in order to understand the rich promise of change that we have in Christ.

It’s important to note, as the writer suggests that, “transformation requires relationship. The God who created us is the God who calls us to be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Rom. 12.2). This renewal is possible only in a relationship with our creator God. This transformation is not easy. It runs directly in the face of the world. Scott Rodin says, “the transformation of sinful individuals into godly, Christ- like stewards runs absolutely counter to the prevailing values and forces within North American culture.” He quotes Tom Sine who says” at every turn we are being tempted, cajoled, urged, manipulated, and bullied into making decisions that directly conflict with the spirit’s transforming work within us.”

Our lives are bombarded everyday with the thoughts that we live for ourselves. “The secular humanist’s goal is a self-actualized world society in which human growth and the liberation of human intellect create a paradise on earth.” He states that “transformation is holistic, requiring our whole being: heart, soul, strength and mind. If the Holy Spirit is the transforming agent, then every miniscule particle of our being will be affected by His work in us.”This runs in opposition to the statement made years ago, “The one who dies with the most wins”. We live for Christ and building our treasure in heaven and not here on earth.

How blessed we are that God has left us with His Holy Spirit, that we don’t live this world alone. We don’t have to be left alone to fight the battle alone. Tomorrow we will look deeper into what our responsibility is in the process of transformation. — Bernie Bostwick is Vice President of Ambassador Advisors

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 24; Song of Solomon 4-5; Galatians 3

Great Quote: Proceed with much prayer, and your way will be made plain. John Wesley

Chains -What holds you down, what binds you?What in your life holds the most value? What are the chains that bind you? In Matthew 19:16-30, a rich young man questioned Christ regarding, what good thing he must do to get eternal life. Christ answered that he should obey the commandments. Christ told him to sell all his possessions and give to the poor and then he would have treasure in heaven. “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Matthew 19:22.

The reason the young man walked away sad was that his treasure, that which he valued in life, was earthly in nature. These were the chains that kept him from following Christ. Our earthly treasures don’t have to be just wealth. They could be our careers, our hobbies, our homes and even our families. In the story of the rich young man, Peter asked Jesus, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Jesus tells him “everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”

If the Bible states that “the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it (Psalm 24:1-22), then why do we serve the created and not the Creator? In the book “Revolution in Generosity,” Dr. Craig L. Blomberg states in the section “God and Money: A Biblical Theology of Possessions, “that for every New Testament text that explicitly points to the goodness of wealth, four or five highlight the ways that ‘mammon’ (material possessions as an object of our allegiance or even worship) seduces believers to sin or accounts for why unbelievers remain outside the fold.” He gives as examples:

1. The seed that falls among the thorns, represents those who “hear the word…but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful” (Mark 4:18 -19).

2. The parable of the rich fool describes one who is not rich towards God (Luke 12:16-21).

3. The rich man and Lazarus, depicts a man who feasts every day while refusing to give even the crumbs from his table to the dying, crippled beggar on his doorstep (Luke 16:19-31).

Christ clearly gives us examples of how we can fall into sin, by putting our treasure in our possessions. What then do we boast in today? Have we looked at what we have in eternal riches that has been freely given to us through Christ and His sacrifice? The hymn written by Isaac Watts, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” wonderfully sums this up. The last verse states, “His love is so amazing, so divine, that it demands our soul, our life, our all”. Nothing less should be expected from those that have come to realize love so deep!

“When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the Prince of glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.””Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my God: all the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood.””See, from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down: did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?””Were the whole realm of nature mine that were a present far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.”

Quote: “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.” Jim Elliot – Bernie Bostwick is Vice President of Ambassador Advisors

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 23; Song of Solomon 1-3; Galatians 2

Great Quote: The Gospel is open to all; the most respectable sinner has no more claim on it than the worst. — Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Good morning from Myrtle Beach. Today begins a seven-part series on stewardship. My good friend, Bernie Bostwick will be sharing this thoughts on this timely topic. Thanks, Bernie

Introduction

This past summer, I had the privilege of vacationing in Jackson Hole WY. The second day there, my future father-in -law blessed me with a gift; a book by Wesley K. Willmer entitled “Revolution in Generosity.” Twenty-two authors contributed to this book. Each author comes from a different walk of life and career, but maintaining the same desire to glorify God with the resources He has blessed them with. From the moment I started reading the book, I couldn’t put it down.

As a financial planner with Ambassador Advisors, I work with many ministries like America’s Keswick, educating and helping their donors and supporters to “Do More” with their assets and showing them the importance of stewardship. I’ve had the privilege to witness for myself people who have experienced and recognized the generosity of Christ in their own lives and who want to give back all they have for His glory.

My hope and desire over the next several days is to impart some of the ideas I gleaned from this book along with many of the biblical applications it supports. I hope that it also imparts things you may not have known or reinforce for you things you are aware of and are already doing.

The church I attend in Lancaster, PA is having a capital campaign and is using five topics that I think would be good to base this week on.
1. Your legacy – What are you going to do for the kingdom?
2. Your “Bucket List” – What do you want to do before you die?
3. Passing the buck – What does your life stand for? Are you passing the buck to someone else?
4. Chains – What holds you down, what binds you?
5. Giving Back -What part of the pie is God getting?I have found that one of the most difficult subjects to talk about for people within the body of Christ is money and possessions. It is true that many pastors find it difficult to talk to the church body about money issues. I think we need to take a step back and ask ourselves how important money really is in the eyes of God. In his book, “Your Money Counts,” by Howard Dayton, points out that God has provided over 2,350 verses dealing with money and possessions and does this for our benefit. He is concerned greatly with how we use His resources and how they impact His kingdom.

The first step in stewardship is to realize that everything in our care is owned by God. The Bible states that “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters”.( Psalm 24:1-2). “For every animal of the forest is mine and the cattle on a thousand hills”‘ declares the Lord in Psalm 50:10

Willmer points out that “giving in the Western world averages barely 2 percent per household” Although Syracuse University researcher Arthur C. Brooks recently confirmed that ” religious people give more to everything”, giving among evangelicals (the most generous group) still averages barely 3 to 4 percent per household .” I found this shocking! We have been so blessed not only with material possessions, but also in the generosity and grace of God and His sacrifice of His only son Jesus Christ for us!

My desire for you is that over the next several days you will be encouraged and stimulated to be rich towards God as He has been towards us. As we experience His grace and love and are compelled to give more of ourselves and His resources, may we all one day hear “Well done good and faithful servant,” ( Matthew 25:23) – Bernie Bostwick is Vice President of Ambassador Advisors

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 22; Ecclesiastes 10-12; Galatians 1

Great Quote: As Christians, we ought to be using records to reach people with Jesus; instead, we use Jesus to sell records to Christians. — Pete Stewart

Good morning from beautiful Fayetteville, NC. I trust that you will have a wonderful Lord’s Day.

Enduring through Establishing (James 5:8)

“You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

All of us know living the Christian life isn’t for sissies. We don’t see words like “persevere” and “endure” in Scripture just for the fun of it. Jesus spoke of hardship and suffering as though both go with walking with Him. Both Old and New Testament writers knew of and wrote about the hardship of living righteously in an unrighteous world.

So, how do we do it? How do men and women who love Jesus consistently live above the downward pull of the world? All of us know about prayer, Bible reading, accountability and many of the spiritual disciplines.

They help us along the way, and we should include many of them in our daily living. Living successfully for Jesus requires more than the outward works, however. We need the right attitude.

James caught my attention earlier this week with these words from chapter 5, verse 8. In this verse and the one before it, James urges us to patience-endurance. You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s worth repeating. The Christian life is a marathon, not the 100 meter dash.
It requires endurance, patience and a grasp of the big picture. It’s easy to say, “You need patience. You need endurance.” James tells us how to develop the attitude that allows us to run the marathon. It comes to us in the second sentence of verse 8.

“Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” We develop an attitude of patient endurance by establishing our hearts. This “establishment clause” brings us to the things we can do, things like reading and studying scripture, praying regularly, pursuing spiritual disciplines like fasting, journaling, solitude and service.

Just like a runner builds the endurance for the marathon by disciplined training, men and women who pursue freedom in Christ must discover the importance of discipline. Spiritual disciplines are the stuff that establish our hearts while we wait for Jesus’ return.

I have two questions for you to ponder this week. First, what is your endurance level in all things Christian? Second, what are you doing to establish your heart? Your answer to the second question will provide the answer to the first one.

Establish your heart in the things of Christ. It’s the way we develop patient endurance while we wait for Jesus! – John Strain is our weekend Freedom Fighter contributor and Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 21; Ecclesiastes 7-9; 2 Corinthians 13

Great Quote: God is there to meet you in the centre of all your trials, and to whisper His secrets, which will make you come forth with a shining face and an indomitable faith that all the demons of hell shall never afterwards cause to waver. — E. A. Kilbourne

PLEASE NOTE: Bernie Bostwick, Ambassador Advisors, will be sharing the next seven Freedom Fighters on the subject of stewardship. It is interesting that he wrote these prior to the economic issues we are currently facing as a nation.

Who Is Wise? (Hosea 14:9)

“Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.”

The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:3 that we should not think more highly of ourselves than we ought. I was reminded of that instruction when I read Hosea in my regular Bible reading this week. It occurred to me that many of us, especially men, consider ourselves wiser than we are. Hosea’s words are good for us.

“Who is wise?” Hosea asks of us? “Who is prudent?” he asks. Then he answers the questions for us. That man (or woman) is wise and prudent who knows that “the ways of the Lord” and accepts them as “right.” The wise and prudent understand the need to walk in those ways. Those who don’t understand this wisdom “stumble” in the Lord’s ways.

So, let’s test ourselves. Would Hosea label us as wise and prudent? Are we convinced that the ways of the Lord are right? Do we walk in them? Or, do we stumble in them? Our answers to these questions will go a long way in determining the effectiveness of our fight for freedom.
We won’t know victory unless we meet the biblical standard for “wise and prudent.”

In recent days I’ve been asking the Lord to show me who I really am. It’s not enough for me to think I know who I am. Scripture tells me that I am easily deceived. Most of us know how to deceive ourselves. Hosea spoke to people who had convinced themselves that they were wise and prudent when they were anything but! As we read his words, we need to think carefully and cautiously about our lives.

What evidence exists to confirm that we know “the ways of the Lord are right?” Do we walk in them with strong consistency? Or, do we discover frequent stumbles in His ways? Some who read this Freedom Fighter sense confidence as they examine themselves after reading Hosea’s words.

Others feel discouraged. Don’t be! If you’ve taken the time to think about His words and didn’t like the conclusions, you can move forward with new, fresh goals in the pursuit of the Lord’s ways.

True wise and prudent living flows from knowing and walking in the ways of the Lord. Embrace that pursuit; it’s the only way all of us can avoid the stumbles that come from transgressing His ways. – Pastor Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 20; Ecclesiastes 4-6; 2 Corinthians 12

Great Quote: Safety does not depend on our conception of the absence of danger. Safety is found in God’s presence, in the centre of His perfect will.–T. J Bach

Watch next week for Bernie Bostwick’s devotionals on stewardship.

HOW CAN I FIND COURAGE IN THE FACE OF STIFF CHALLENGES?

“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

Someone recently put this devotional in my box at work. I can’t give credit for the source as it was not listed, so I trust the Lord will forgive me. It was a powerful reading that we can all benefit by it.

“Any time God requires me to face trials and tribulations, He always provides the courage to meet the demand. Moses and Joshua were men of great courage — not merely human courage, but courage rooted in the sovereignty of God.

What can we learn from Moses and Joshua?

DEFEAT IS NEVER A VIABLE OPTION FOR THE PERSON OF COURAGE. Even though Moses faced Pharaoh’s mighty armies and Joshua faced many foes that impeded Israel’s claim to Canaan, they never considered defeat an option. People of courage refuse to look for ways of escape. They set their gaze on advancement and victory. Never go into battle entertaining thoughts of defeat; you will lose every time. Men and women of courage know their success lies with an unshakable God.

COURAGEOUS PEOPLE RECALL PAST VICTORIES AND GOD’S FAITHFULNESS. Whenever Moses or Joshua would face a new battle or obstacle, they could recall how God had strengthened them in the past.

COURAGE IS A RESULT OF HAVING THE RIGHT ATTITUDE. Both Moses and Joshua realized that they could not win in their own strength. They knew God had to be with Israel or they would suffer defeat.

COURAGEOUS PEOPLE LOOK TO GOD AND TRUST HIS JUDGMENT. Both Moses and Joshua faced opposition — and not only from the outside nations. The Israelites often grumbled and sinned. However, their faithlessness did not sway Moses or Joshua. Every time God calls you to follow Him, expect opposition, even from surprising sources. Yet, mere men cannot penetrate nor defeat God-centered faith!

GENUINE COURAGE IS NOT CHILLED BY INNER FEARS OR OUTWARD DIFFICULTIES. The attributes and characteristics of courage turn a deaf ear to those who refuse to believe God. Take time to study God’s WORD and apply HIS principles to your life. You can always face your enemies head on when you stand on the promise of God’s WORD.

A COURAGEOUS PERSON APPLIES RESOURCES AT HAND IN CREATIVE WAYS. At God’s command, Moses struck a stone and water flowed forth (Exodus 17:6) God always provides for His children, and often does so in a matter that grows our faith.

A PERSON WITH THE ATTRIBUTE OF COURAGE CONFRONTS AN OPPONENT WITH CONFIDENCE THAT HE WILL ULTIMATELY SUCCEED. When we face life’s trials as Moses and Joshua did, by faith, we become men and women of courage — and the victory is always ours.”

Are you a man of courage today, my dear brother? Allow God to speak to your heart and make you a man of courage. — Bill Welte, President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

Next week financial consultant, Bernie Bostwick, from Ambassador Advisors will be sharing a five part series on stewardship. Very timely in light of all that is happening in our world right now. Don’t miss it.

God’s WORD for YOU — Proverbs 19; Ecclesiastes 1-3; 2 Corinthians 11:16-23

Great Quote: He that carries bitterness to bed with him will find the devil creeping between the sheets. — William Secher

Today’s devotional was written by Dr. William A. Raws, known to many of us as, Pastor Bill. It is a classic devotional on victorious Christian living.

THE BELIEVER’S OBITUARY NOTICE

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and give Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

A comedian said that the first thing he turned to in the morning newspaper was the obituary column. If he didn’t find his name there, he was good for another day. In the spiritual realm there are numerous New Testament verses which declare the fact that, in identification with Jesus Christ, the believer has died to sin and self. His death has been legally applied to us. In a very real sense, when He hung on the cross and died for my sin, I died with Him. I no longer have responsibility to live the life of sin and bondage. Now there is a new life principle within me – “Christ lives in me.”

Our theme verse provides a spiritual obituary notice which declares that I am dead to the law which condemns me for my sin (v. 19). Death always changes relationships. That which controlled my life under sin can no longer control me – I died to it (see Romans 6:3-7). In order for this to become real in my life, I must reckon myself dead to sin (Romans 6:11). There are those who feel that they must die to self, and they work at it. The problem is that they are too late. The Bible says that they have already died in Jesus Christ. One Bible teacher thought that it might help if he could rent a coffin and then invite the congregation to file past it. He planned to place a mirror in it so that as they filed by, they would see themselves in the coffin.

But the scripture does not leave us as spiritual corpses. We are declared to be alive in a new relationship – “Christ lives in me.” His life is imparted when a person is born again, and it is His desire that His life should be lived out through that new believer. When an appeal is made for a Christian to act independently of Christ, the issue can be resolved by asking, “Whose life is it, after all?” “How would Jesus live and act in this situation?” On the basis of the biblical answers to these questions the response should be to allow His life control – we must yield to Him.

Our identification in the work of the cross and in the risen life of Christ is not a feeling but realized by faith in the Son of God. As a result of faith resting on these facts, the child of God can enjoy freedom from the domination of sin. In yielding to the risen Christ and allowing Him to have full control of the life there is victory. Pastor William A. Raws

God’s WORD for You: Proverbs 18; Proverbs 30-31; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15

Great Quote: The truths that I know best I have learned on my knees. I never know a thing well, till it is burned into my heart by prayer.– John Bunyan