He is Able!

“He [Abraham] did not waver … regarding the promise …, being FULLY PERSUADED that GOD had the power to do what he had promised. Romans
4:20-21

It has been several weeks since my friend, Glenda, from Little Rock, called to tell me that the camels are coming. It has been an interesting journey to wait on the Lord to see how HE will provide in ways that are only traceable back to HIM.

This weekend, Jan’s sister and brother-in-law drove to Boston to visit Jon, Laura, Tanner, and Lindsay. Their car broke down several miles from the Massachusetts Turnpike and they had to be towed to the rest area.
They were upset that their plans to visit where interrupted, but God had a “Camel” visitation for them.

While waiting for their car to be repaired another guy’s car was towed to the same garage. They engaged in conversation and were asked where they were from. When the guy learned they were from Lancaster, PA, he asked why they were in Massachusetts. They shared with him that they were on their way to visit their great niece who is waiting for a heart.
He asked them how old Lindsay was and what hospital she was in. He shared with them that his three year old daughter had a heart transplant at Boston Children’s Hospital at 22 months (Lindsay is 20 months) and is doing well. He told them that they would have the same surgeon and that they were in a good place. And he lives in New Hampshire which is where Jon and Laura live!

While they didn’t understand why they broke down at first, they knew then why! God had allowed them to break down so that He could speak to their hearts in a special way.

Listen to these words from Streams in the Desert: “God is not merely able but ABUNDANTLY able, BOUNTIFULLY able and GENEROUSLY able to do what he promised. He is the God of limitless resources – the only limit comes from us. Our requests, our thoughts, and our prayers are too small, and our expectations are too low. God is trying to raise our vision to a higher level, call us to have greater expectations, and thereby bring us to great appropriation. Shall we continue living in a way that mocks His will and denies His Word? There is no limit to WHAT we may ask and expect of our glorious El Shaddai – our Almighty God. And there is no way for us to measure His blessing, for HE is, ‘able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” (Ephesians 3:20)

He is able! The question is, do I believe it and will I trust Him today with the concerns that I am facing? He’s able … so through Christ, I can trust Him today. Will you? – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK.

God’s Word for YOU! – 2 Samuel 12-13; Luke 16

Think about this: The way to find God’s treasure-house blessing is to climb the ladder of His divine promises. Those promises are the key that opens the door to the riches of God’s grace and favor.

THANK GOD FOR A CARDIAC ARREST

“In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Well I suspect the title of today’s Freedom Fighter caught your attention! I never thought I would be thanking God for a cardiac arrest.

On Tuesday afternoon, our granddaughter Lindsay, had a cardiac arrest at Boston Children’s Hospital. Quite honestly, I was a little upset that after all she had been through with the open heart surgery, she had to face this. But it ended up being a blessing in disguise.

A question in the back of all of our minds is did we make the right decision to have the open heart surgery to begin with. After all, she went in talking, walking, smiling, and now is in a CICU awaiting a heart transplant. My son-in-law had asked the question months back, “What if she DOESN’T have the surgery.” The surgeon explained that eventually she would need a heart and lung transplant. But would she have five, ten, fifteen years of good life before that?

On Friday that question was answered. A heart cath showed not only the severity of the damage to the left side of her heart, but that the main coronary artery to the left side is not even there – not blocked, not cut – not there – period. The right side of her heart was really doing all the work.

As I am piecing the story together, theoretically, Lindsay Bear could have survived the surgery without them knowing this information, and down the road at any moment, away from the hospital, had a cardiac arrest and die. Wow!

While the outcomes haven’t changed – in that she needs to now have a heart transplant, we are thankful that in God’s sovereign plan, He allowed a this precious little girl to have a cardiac arrest so that the doctors could discover the big picture. Even in the midst of the difficulties we face, God is working out a bigger picture. That is why Paul says, “IN EVERYTHING … give thanks!” 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Have you thanked Him today for the difficulties you are facing? Guess what … it is God’s will for you to do that! Think about it! – Bill Welte is the President and CEO of America’s KESWICK.

For more information about Lindsay, visit the Keswick website and visit her blog: www.americaskeswick.org.

God’s WORD for you: 2 Samuel 9-11; Luke 15:11-32

Think About This: If I cast up a confessed, repented, and forsaken sin against another, and allow my remembrance of that sin to colour my thinking and feed my suspicions, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
Amy Carmichael

The Importance of Connection (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Bill Welte has sustained the Freedom Fighter ministry for several years.
Many of us who read it have received blessing, encouragement and help from his effort. We owe him a debt of gratitude for his vision and his persistent effort.

If you read Freedom Fighter regularly, you know the trial he and his family have endured the last several days. His granddaughter, Lindsay, is very sick. Since her heart surgery almost two weeks ago, she and her family have ridden a roller coaster of really good and really bad news. Most of us can’t imagine how difficult this time has been for all of them.

I bring this to your attention because the connection he brings to us through this email needs to go both ways. Paul, the Apostle, teaches us in 1 Corinthians 12:27 that “. . . you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” I’m sure this verse holds more theology than I can touch in this email, but it says something important for us to think about. All of us together are the body of Christ, but we are members of one another. We’re connected!

The New Testament offers us multiple “one another” commands that we express in this relationship we have as individual members of this body which is the church. We love one another and encourage one another. We’re told to build up each other and be kind to one another. All of this instruction brings me back to Bill Welte and his family.

No one would wish the last two weeks on any family. But the circumstances that the Weltes and Groens live in right now give us an opportunity to live out “body” truth.” We have opportunity to love this family. We have occasion to encourage them. They need our kindness like no other time in their lives. Here’s the bottom line: we GET to be the body of Christ because our brothers and sisters in these two families are walking through hard days.

Let’s choose to be the church for these families. Pray for them. Be in touch with them. Look for ways to love them. Listen for prompts from God’s Spirit and honor the connection we have in Christ. – Pastor John Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River

God WORD for YOU: 2 Samuel 6-8; Luke 15:1-10

Think on this: Let everyone consider what his weak point is; in that is his trial. His trial is not in those things which are easy to him, but in that one thing, in those several things, whatever they are, in which to do his duty is against his nature. Never think yourself safe because you do your duty in ninety-nine points; it is the hundredth which is to be the ground of your self-denial. It is with reference to this you must watch and pray; pray continually for God’s grace to help you, and watch with fear and trembling lest you fall. Oh that you may (as it were) sweep the house diligently to discover what you lack of the full measure of obedience! for, be quite sure, that this apparently small defect will influence your whole spirit and judgment in all things. — John Henry Newman

HE WILL DO THIS

“He will do this!” Psalm 37:5

By nature I am a fixer … well not a gifted mechanic fixer … but my personality is I want to fix stuff. There are two things right now that I can’t fix. The first is the finances at America’s KESWICK, and secondly, I can’t fix Lindsay, my granddaughter.

My Administrative team has been working hard at helping me to come up with solutions to our current financial struggles, and we have some “fixes” that will help down the road. But right now our immediate crisis is not something we can fix without borrowing money. Our team has been very diligent to control expenses, but we are seeing the impact of rising food and energy costs and cash flow has been tight this first quarter. God has been providing in amazing ways for our needs, but it has been a day-by-day experience.

I find myself stuck in the “well-if-I-can-do-this-then …”syndrome.
Don’t get me wrong, guys, I have to be a good steward of what HE has entrusted to my care.

My granddaughter Lindsay’s life is hanging in the balances right now. A part from a miracle, she will need to have a heart transplant. That is a “fix” that comes with tremendous risks. I CAN’T FIX HER and that is very hard for me.

So this morning’s reading from STREAMS IN THE DESERT COULD NOT BE MORE APPROPRIATE:

“I once believed that after I prayed, it was MY responsibility to do everything in MY power to bring about the answer. Yet God taught me a better way and showed me that SELF-EFFORT always hinders HIS work. He also revealed that when I prayed and had CONFIDENT TRUST in Him for something, He simply wanted me to WAIT IN AN ATTITUDE OF PRAISE and DO ONLY WHAT HE TOLD ME. Sitting still, doing nothing except trusting in the Lord, causes a feeling of uncertainty, and there is often a tremendous temptation to take the battle into our own hands.

We all know how difficult it is to rescue a drowning person who tries to help his rescuer, and it is equally difficult for the Lord to fight our battles when we insist upon trying to fight them ourselves. It is not that God will not but that He cannot, for our interference hinders HIS work.

Spiritual forces cannot work while we are trusting in earthly forces.
Often we fail to give God an opportunity to work, not realizing that it takes time for Him to answer prayer. It takes time for God to color a rose or to grow a great oak tree. And it takes time for Him to make bread from wheat fields. He takes the soil, then grinds and softens it. He enriches it and wets it with rain showers and with dew. Then He brings the warmth of life to the small blade of grass, later grows the stalk and the amber grain, and finally provides bread for the hungry.

All this takes time. Therefore we sow the seed, till the ground, and then wait and trust until God’s purpose has been fulfilled. We understand this principle when it comes to planting a field, and we need to learn the same lesson regarding our prayer life. It takes time for God to answer prayer.”

I can’t fix two major things today, guys. My “fixer” personality wants to fix it – but I can’t … so today I have to surrender both our finances and my little Lindsay bear to HIM – so that HE CAN DO THIS …”

FOOT TROUBLE

” I thought about my ways, And turned my feet toYour testimonies.”(Psalm
119:39)

Do you have foot trouble? One out of every nine children ages 5-10 does. Foot trouble many times involves other physical problems (aches, cold, wet, etc.). Christians can have “foot trouble” in life:
problems “walking” – sin in their life. There are causes of foot trouble.

Foot trouble starts with Dirty Feet. This is a result of not washing enough (John 13:10). Once you are completely bathed, it is only necessary to wash the feet, since they have come in contact (open
sandals) with the dusty road (the world). Time must be spent in reading the Word and in prayer (1 John 1:9). Confessing your sins will result in His cleansing you. Being uncleansed is offensive. This is your basic trouble – dirty feet.

Dirty feet can develop into Ugly Feet. As you continue to have dirty feet, eventually they become ugly. As you continue to ignore cleansing (time with God), you will lack the beautiful feet of those who bring good news of the Gospel (Romans 10:15). Life must accompany the message. Are your feet ugly?

Dirty, ugly feet can then become Diseased Feet. (2 Chronicles
16:12) Asa, King of Judah, had diseased feet and did not seek the Lord’s help – he died that way. You will continue to have diseased feet until you step out of sin and seek healing from Jesus. Diseased feet cannot be hidden and will hinder your walk.

Don’t allow your feet to remain dirty, for they will become ugly, and then diseased.

What should you do? What is the remedy? (1 Thessalonians
5:22)

1) Remove your foot from evil (Proverbs 4:27).

2) Be followers of God (Ephesians 5:1).

3) Walk in love (Ephesians 5:2).

4) Walk in light (Ephesians 5:8).

5) Walk as wise (Ephesians 5:15).

6) Follow Jesus (Matthew 4:19).

“Your sins are like corns; get rid of them if they are continually being stepped on!”Chaplain Jack Noel serves at the Colony of Mercy. (Today’s devotional is from REAL VICTORY FOR REAL LIFE – 365 Daily Devotions on Victory. It is available for purchase from the Keswick Book and Gift
Shop)

God’s WORD for YOU!: 2 Samuel 1-2; Luke 14:1-24

Think about this: “What many churches are offering America is a new religion that guarantees no hell and requires no holiness. It is a limp, spineless Christianity that does not confront sin for fear of being judgmental. It is an impotent gospel that tells people everything is ok.
We are more concerned with the acceptance of men, than we are about pleasing God.” – Thomas Trask

THE FAILURE TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION

“The high places were not removed from Israel. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was loyal all his days.” 2 Chronicles 15:17

This devotional from my friend Mr. Oswald Chambers, was just too good to pass up. It was the reading for yesterday from MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST.

“Asa was not completely obedient in the outward, visible areas of his life. He was obedient in what he considered the most important areas, but he was not entirely right. Beware of ever thinking ‘Oh that thing in my life does not matter much.’ THE FACT THAT IT DOESN’T MATTER MUCH TO YOU MAY MEAN THAT IT MATTERS A GREAT DEAL TO GOD. Nothing should be considered a small and trivial matter by a child of God.

How much longer are we going to prevent God from teaching us even one thing? But He keeps trying to teach us and He never loses patience. You say, ‘I know I am right with God’ – yet the ‘high places’ still remain in your life. There is still an area of disobedience. Do you protest that your heart is right with God and yet there is something in your life He causes you to doubt? WHENEVER GOD CAUSES A DOUBT ABOUT SOMETHING, STOP IT IMMEDIATELY, NO MATTER WHAT IT MAY BE. NOTHING IN OUR LIVES IS A MERE SIGNIFICANT DETAIL TO GOD.

Are there some things regarding your physical or intellectual life to which you have been paying no attention at all? If so, you may THINK you are all correct in the important areas, but you are careless – you are failing to concentrate or focus properly. You no more need a day off than your heart needs a day off from beating. As you cannot take a day off morally and remain moral, neither can you take a day off spiritually and remain spiritual. God wants you entirely His, and it requires paying close attention to keep yourself fit. It also takes a tremendous amount of time. Yet some of us expect to rise above all of our problems, going from one mountaintop experience to another, with only a few minutes’
effort.”

Is there in area of your life today that needs attention? Take some time to pray about it today. Purpose to do what God tells you to do. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK.

God’s WORD for YOU: 1 Samuel 30-31; Luke 13:23-35

Think about this: Have you been waiting upon God, dear troubled one, during long nights and weary days, and have feared that you were forgotten? Nay, lift up your head, and begin to praise Him even now for the deliverance which is on its way to you. Anonymous

I TRUST IN YOUR WORD

“I trust in Your word.” Psalm 119:42

Happy April 15th! I read a cute story this morning about a guy who was convicted about his taxes after listening to a sermon: “I have been unable to sleep, knowing that I have cheated on my income tax. I understated my taxable income last year and have enclosed a check for $1,150. If I still can’t sleep, I will send the rest.”

He may have been convicted but if he was willing to still withhold what he owed could his word be trusted? We are listening to all the political rhetoric of the candidates running for President, and it my humble opinion, it all boils down to this: are they men and women of their word?

During my lifetime there are times when I have failed miserably in this area, and in the process have hurt people. While I have learned from those experiences, it has been painful.

Praise God that we can trust HIS Word completely! Take it to the bank, men! You don’t have to wonder or second guess it. I read this today in Streams in the Desert (Zondervan):

“The strength of our faith is in direct proportion to our level of belief that God will do EXACTLY WHAT HE HAS PROMISED. Faith has nothing to do with our feelings, impressions, outward appearances, nor the probability or improbability of an event. If we try to couple these things with faith, we are no longer resting on the Word of God, because faith is not dependent on them. FAITH RESTS IN THE PURE WORD OF GOD ALONE. And when we take HIM at HIS Word, our hearts are at peace … God delights in causing us to exercise our faith. He does so to bless us individually, to bless the church at large, and as a witness to unbelievers.”

The older I get, the more the old hymns come back to mind. Do you remember this one? “Tis so sweet to trust in JESUS! Just to take HIM at HIS WORD. Just to rest upon HIS promise, just to know ‘THUS SAITH THE LORD!'”

People WILL let you down. It is inevitable. But rest assured, my dear brother … YOU CAN TRUST HIS WORD! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK and would love to speak for your men’s events or mission’s conferences. He is available for pulpit supply. You can schedule Bill to speak by contacting Ruth Schmidt at 732-350-1187 ext.

God’s Word for You: 1 Samuel 27-29; Luke 13:1-22

Think About This: “I have heard of ministers who can preach a sermon without mentioning the name of Jesus from beginning to end. If you ever hear such a sermon as that, mind that you never hear another from that man … Paul’s harp only had one string, but he brought so much music out if is as never came from any other. He found such infinite variety in Christ that he never exhausted his theme. With him it was Christ first, Christ last, Christ midst, Christ everywhere. He could never have his pen in his hand without writing something in praise of his glorious Lord and Savior.” – Charles Haddon Spurgeon

IS GOD’S PEACE REALLY REAL?

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God which transcends all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus …” Philippians 4:6-7

Last week was one of those incredible moments where we as a family understood the reality of these two precious verses. Remember the story of my friend Glenda from Arkansas? These were the verses the Lord gave her for our kids as they faced Lindsay’s open heart surgery.

There were four specific times that God’s peace was so amazing during the past week:

1. On Sunday we left for Boston to meet our kids. About an hour
before arriving in Massachusetts, our daughter Laura (Lindsay’s mom) called and said they were on their way to the ER because she was spotting and the doctor felt she might be having a miscarriage. We stopped at the first rest stop in Massachusetts and had to wait there for almost six hours until she was finally released from the hospital. Normally in situations like this, I am like a caged lion – but God’s peace permeated by heart and mind.

2. On the day of surgery, saying goodbye to Lindsay was so hard.
There were many tears shed by all of us. Yet we can say that during the
3.5 hours of waiting, God gave us HIS perfect peace.

3. On Tuesday evening, Lindsay had a crisis moment where she went
into cardiac distress. Laura, Jan and I had just walked into her room and the scene was frightening. I went out into the lobby and for a few moments felt like my world was crumbling, and yet at that moment, my heart quieted down and God’s peace flooded my heart and mind.

4. On Thursday night I volunteered to spend the night with Lindsay.
Anyone who knows me and my “love” for hospitals knows that is way out of my comfort zone. During the night Lindsay was thrashing around the bed and snapped one of the med lines that went directly to her heart. The nurse needed to take out the line, so I decided it was my time to exit the room. She told me that I needed to stay and help her during the procedure. There is NO WAY that would have happened without the amazing PEACE that I experienced at that moment!

God’s WORD is true and can be trusted. He doesn’t promise to take away the CIRCUMSTANCES, the pain or the hurt. But He does promise HIS PEACE – the peace that hymn writer, Horatio Spafford wrote about when he penned the words, “When peace like a river attendeth my way; when sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say: It is well, it is well with my soul!”

Men, trust Him today with whatever you are facing. Allow Him to give you HIS peace! – Bill Welte is the President and CEO of America’s KESWICK.

Today’s WORD from the WORD: 1 Samuel 25-26; Luke 12:33-59

Think about this: Christianity seems at first to be all about morality, all about duties and rules and guilt and virtue, yet it leads you on, out of all that, into something beyond. One has a glimpse of a country where they do not talk of those things, except perhaps as a joke. Every one there is filled full with what we should call goodness as a mirror is filled with light. But they do not call it goodness. They do not call it anything. They are not thinking of it. They are too busy looking at the source from which it comes. (Clive Staples) C. S. Lewis

In yesterday’s paper, a recent poll revealed that 58% of Americans will change their vacation plans because of the rising gas prices. Well that prompted me to tell you that now is the time for you to consider spending your vacation this summer at America’s KESWICK. If you’d like a copy of our brochure, please visit our website (www.americaskeswick.org) or respond to this email and I will send you a copy.

When Insufficiency Is Good!

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency if from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5)

Yesterday we heard Jeremiah tell us that we don’t have it within us to direct our own paths. The Lord drove that home to me earlier this week in my regular Bible reading. In His good grace, He taught me the same thing later in the week. He added some encouragement to the instruction, too.

The Apostle Paul takes Jeremiah’s position on our human abilities. We aren’t sufficient in ourselves to accomplish one single thing God has for us. The teaching is consistent through God’s Word. We cannot do God’s work in our own strength or our own wisdom.

Many of us get frustrated by pursuing freedom on our own. We figure out that it doesn’t work, but we’re not always sure of the next step. We began to sense futility because life doesn’t work like we think it should. Sometimes, it seems easier to give up than keep trying.

That’s why Paul’s encouragement in this verse is so important. While we’re not sufficient in ourselves, the sufficiency we need is available.
Every man who walks with Jesus discovers hope in the last phrase of 2 Corinthians 3:5. In our relationship with God we have every sufficiency we need to become everything God has designed us to be. Nothing is lacking!

The lesson is simple, but it’s not always easy to learn. Men don’t enjoy acknowledging their inabilities and insufficiencies. We’re supposed to handle anything that comes our way. It’s hard to admit that we can’t. There’s a problem, though. Until we make that admission we’ll never discover God’s sufficiency in our lives.

The blessing of this little verse is life-changing. Choosing to abandon our sufficiency, which is really insufficiency, for God’s complete sufficiency is the first step to freedom and hope. Throw the futility of self-sufficiency out of your life today. Choose, today, to live in God’s sufficiency. – Pastor John Strain is Senior Pastor First Baptist of Toms River

Think About This: The beginning, the middle, and end of your course must be dissatisfaction with self, and satisfaction with Christ. Be content to be satisfied with faith’s glorious object, and let faith itself be forgotten. Faith, however perfect, has nothing to give you. It points you to Jesus. It bids you look away from itself to Him. It bids you look away from itself to Him. It says, “Christ is all.” It bids you look to him who says, “Look upon me;” who says, “Fear not, I am the first and the last; I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore.” Horatius Bonar

Needed Direction from Jeremiah 10:23

My wife and I have used the same Bible reading schedule for the last few years. It’s been a blessing and surprise to see how things come to light one year that we’ve not noticed in previous years. It’s one of the great joys of regularly reading the Scriptures.

During almost forty years of ministry, I’ve learned a few things. One thing I’ve learned specifically applies to men pursuing freedom in their lives. Those men who think they’ve figured everything out fail more often than not. Many of seem to have difficulty admitting that we don’t know as much as we think we do.

Jeremiah reminded me this week that I need to be careful how I think about myself and my abilities. Many who read Freedom Fighter probably need the same reminder. Hear Jeremiah’s words: “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.”

Those words stuck in my heart. I often want to direct my own steps. Sometimes I try to direct my steps even when I know I can’t. We need to hear Jeremiah’s words! When we think we’re more competent than God to direct our lives, we fool ourselves and head for trouble.

Every man who loves God and wants to walk with Him must choose submission to God’s direction over his own inclinations. We just don’t know what’s best for us. We can’t do better than God. It’s a simple lesson that will protect us from ourselves and the enemy of our souls.

Let’s memorize Jeremiah 10:23 this week and spend some time meditating on our need for God’s direction in our lives. — Pastor John Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River

Think about this:

We do not here advocate the turning of churches over to the women, but we do advocate a recognition of proper spiritual qualifications for leadership among men if they are to continue to decide the direction the churches shall take. The accident of being a man is not enough. Spiritual manhood alone qualifies. A. W. Tozer