STUMBLING BLOCKS

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Hebrews 12:1

This devotional from STREAMS IN THE DESERT (Zondervan) was really powerful. It will be in two parts. I pray that it will be an encouragement to someone who may need to hear this message:

“There are certain things that are not sins themselves but that tend to weigh us down or become distractions and stumbling blocks to our Christian growth. One of the worst of these is the feeling of despair or hopelessness. A heavy heart is indeed a weight that will surely drag us down in our holiness and usefulness.

The failure of the children of Israel to enter the Promised Land began with their complaining, or as the Word says it, “All the Israelites GRUMBLED!” (Numbers 14:2) It may have started with a faint desire to complain and be discontent, but they allowed it to continue until it blossomed and ripened into total rebellion and ruin.

We should never give ourselves the freedom to doubt God or His eternal love and faithfulness toward us in everything. We can be determined to set our own will against doubt just as we do against any other sin. Then as we stand firm, refusing to doubt, the Holy Spirit will come to our aid, giving us the faith of God and crowning us with victory.

It is very easy to fall into the habit of doubting, worrying, wondering if God has forsaken us, and thinking that after all we have been through, our hopes are going to end in failure. But let us refuse to be discouraged and unhappy! Let us ‘consider it pure joy’ (James 1:2), even when we do not feel any happiness. Let us rejoice by faith, by firm determination, and by simply regarding it as true, and we will find that God will make it real to us.”

Good word for today. I will share part 2 tomorrow morning.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: It is a glorious thing to know that your Father God makes no mistakes in directing or permitting that which crosses the path of your life. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter. It is our glory to trust Him, no matter what. Joni Eareckson Tada

THE LORD IS …
When reading through the Word each day, I am amazed at how many times words or phrases seem to jump off the page and minister to me in an amazing way. This morning as I was reading through the Scriptures in the devotional tool, DAILY LIGHT, I was reminded of the little word, “IS!”

By the way … this IS a great tool. The DAILY LIGHT is just Scripture verses arranged in a morning and evening reading. We have them available in the KESWICK BOOK & GIFT SHOP or you can read it online at http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/daily.light/

I am thankful that I have a historical record from God’s Word of God’s faithfulness of who He WAS to the children of Israel and to many of the great Bible characters. But what is incredibly thrilling to me is that not only WAS God – HE IS today for me and for you.

Listen to some of these amazing verses:

The Lord IS my rock and fortress and my deliverer; the God of my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my Savior!

The Lord IS my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.

When my enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. We may boldly say: ‘The Lord IS my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me?’The Lord IS my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord IS the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?

(Psalm 59:9; 2 Samuel 22:2-3; Psalm 28:7; Isaiah 59:19; Hebrews 13:6; Psalm 27:1)

I challenge you to work your way through the book of Psalms and underline all the verses that say: “The Lord IS …” You be absolutely amazed at what the Lord IS to you, right now – today – October 15, 2007. That ought to cause your heart to soar towards heaven with praise and thanksgiving.Write them down in your journal – and when you are tempted to have that pity party that we all face from time to time, go back and remind yourself – The Lord IS …

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT … “A God-hungry person soon becomes a God-filled person, then He becomes a God-explaining person. What a joy to be a God-explaining person, one who invitingly says: ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good!” (Psalm 34:8) – Glynn Evans

Join us tomorrow for the first THE BUSINESS NETWORK breakfast of the new season. We will be studying business principles from the book of Proverbs. Pastor Bill Raws will be sharing on the topic of TRUSTING IN THE LORD. The breakfast is free and begins at 7:15 AM in the Raws Lobby. Come and bring a friend … but please call today for reservations!!! (732-350-1187)

The Gift of Rest

Jesus’ initial invitation to us offers us the promise of rest. It’s anincredible gift, one that all of us need. It seems illusive and distantto so many people, especially those of us who know the heavy burden of sinin our lives.We need rest. All of us know the need to rest after long hours of work. My wife and I were recently on Nantucket Island. On the return trip toCape Cod by high speed ferry, we encountered a large group of constructionworkers who commute to the island every day. They can’t afford to live onthe island, so the contractors pay the high cost of getting them back andforth.When we met them, they were tired. They get up early for the commute. They work hard. The hour-long ride to the Cape was a chance to closetheir eyes and rest before getting to their cars and trucks for the drivehome.

We need other kinds of rest. Some of us know great guilt, and we needrest from that guilt. Others of us know great fear, and we need rest. Still more of us know the unrest that comes with life-controllingaddictions. We, too, need rest. All of us know the struggle with sin,and many of us have tried to win the struggle through our own efforts. We know the failure of those efforts. We need rest. Jesus comes to people like us and offers to us this incredible gift! Come to Me, He says, and I will give you rest. He adds no qualifiers orrestrictions. Come to Me.

The invitation is simple and the promised giftis everything we need.Only Jesus can give us the rest He offers. If you have come to Him already, you know His promise is true. If you’ve not come to Him, you can right now. It’s as simple as saying “Jesus, I accept your invitation tocome to you, and I receive your gift of rest. I trust you and you aloneto take away my burden of sin, guilt and fear. Thank you for the gift ofrest.”Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give yourest. You can come today! (Pastor John Strain – First Baptist Toms River)

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: If you want a wonderful experience, take your New Testament and use aconcordance to look up the two little words, but God. See how many timeshuman resources have been brought to an utter end; despair has gripped theheart and pessimism and gloom has settled upon a people; and there isnothing that can be done. Then see how the Spirit of God writes inluminous letters, but God, and the whole situation changes into victory.Ray C. Stedman

Understand the Invitation

Jesus’ invitation to walk in the yoke with Him isn’t like receiving aninvitation to dinner. Grasping the importance of the invitation from Jesus requires some understanding that begins with looking at thoseinvited.Jesus says to us Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden. The people Jesus invites have problems; life is not good. They struggle with burdens and labor under more than they can manage. They need rest! The people to whom Jesus speaks are people like us. They, like us,labored under the heavy burden of sin, and they weren’t able to get outfrom under it. Every day reminded them that they were heavy laden.

Rest was not to be found in all their religious rituals and efforts atobedience to all the rules and regulations of first-century Judaism. Here comes Jesus, however. He speaks to them in the hearing of theirreligious leaders and tells them that He’ll give them rest! It’s justwhat they wanted and needed. It’s just what we want and need. All their works and all their effort hadn’t worked. They still labored under their heavy burdens.

In this first part of Jesus’ invitation, He offers us Himself. Come to me, Jesus says and I will give you rest. He invites them to discover theforgiveness of sin—the cause of their heavy burdens. This initial coming, before stepping into the yoke, is the coming to faith in Jesus Christ, hisdeath, burial and resurrection.Notice the breadth of the invitation. He doesn’t limit it to one group orone gender or one age group. All you who labor and are heavy laden maycome. The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus includes you and me inthe all! Anyone who knows the burden of their own sin and the futility oftheir own labors to remove the burden can come.His promise is simple. I will give you rest. His rest will release usfrom the burden we carry and free us of the labors that don’t accomplishtheir goal.

If you are one of those who labors and is heavy laden, you can come to Jesus. He’s already invited you! (Pastor John Strain – FirstBaptist Toms River)

SOMETHING TO THING ABOUT: Whenever you are concerned to think and actabout your salvation, you must put away all thoughts of works, traditionsand philosophy – indeed, of the law of God itself. And you must rundirectly to the manger and the mother’s womb, embrace this infant andvirgin’s child in your arms, and look at Him – born, being nursed, growingup, going about in human society, teaching, dying, rising again, ascendingabove all the heavens, and having authority over all things. In this wayyou can shake off all terrors and errors, as the sun dispels the clouds.This vision will keep you on the proper way, so that you may follow whereChrist has gone. Martin Luther

His Plan . Not Mine (Part 2)

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (ESV)

Here is part 2 of Bill Pruitt’s testimony:

When we got to the cemetery I was tired and feeling like I had no more strength. The family was sitting in front of the casket with the guests standing behind us. I began to cry, feeling like I was going to lose it. The pastor opened up a hymn book and asked the crowd to sing Victory in Jesus. I could hardly believe my ears. It seemed like every guy in the Colony was standing behind me singing – OOOOHHHH Victory in Jesus my Savior forever. My mom, aunt and pastors that were familiar with KESWICK all smiled. It seemed planned, though not by us.

The days after the funeral were stressful; however, full of the presence of the Lord. On two separate mornings my mom woke up sad and nervous she would make her way into the living room and ask me to pray. I would get on my knees in front of the recliner she was sitting in and lean forward into her wrapping my arms around her (my brothers looking on). We prayed for his strength, peace, comfort and the Lord would do the rest. He pored comfort on us. It got us through each day’s journey. We kept saying “His grace is enough.” On the third morning my brother who had just come to know the Lord sat down and said “mom – how bout’ letting me try.” My mom’s joy was apparent as he prayed the most beautiful and sweet prayer you have ever heard. As sorrowful yet always rejoicing. 2 Corinthians 6:10

Before coming back to New Jersey I went to have lunch with a couple of pastor friends. Jim helped me get to the Colony of Mercy. His dad had gone through the Colony thirty years earlier, his good friend ten years earlier and recently he brought another guy from Memphis. While visiting me in the colony last December the Lord put it on his heart to begin praying about starting an addiction recovery center in Tennessee modeled after The Colony.

We talked about how the details were getting in the way of getting something started soon. Tom said maybe we should be thinking how we would approach this if a house fell out of the sky as an interim solution to the larger plan. A thought popped into my head – Maybe a house did just fall out of the sky. Two days earlier mom and I were discussing how she would handle the maintenance of my father’s childhood home and land until she was prepared to sell it in two or three years. The house is in the country and prefect for beginning an addition recovery center. I offered to mention them using and maintaining the house to my mom when the time seemed right.

When I arrived home my mom stated that the night before she had been praying about how she could be a part of the ministry that we had all been praying about – That’s right the addiction recovery center. After thinking – you have got to be kidding me God. I told my mom of the conversation I had just had. Needless to say she has offered the house as an interim solution and help is coming out of the woodwork. People that were at my dad’s funeral have offered to help in ways that blow my mind.

The way the Lord had used my journey out of bondage, my mother’s spiritual growth and my father’s death to create an amazing situation (still to unfold) reminds me of Genesis 50:20 where Joseph is talking to his brothers after his father has died. “as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

Thank You, Lord, for what You are doing in Bill Pruitt’s life.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: Oh! blessed Jesus, reveal yourself to my heart; soften, melt, and renew it. Consume all the dross which it contains, and transform it, wholly, after your image; that, while surrounded by evils of every name, and sorrows of every kind, which abound in this rebellious, dying world, I may enjoy the light of your countenance, and the purifying influence of your love. Fill me with your love; satiate my soul with your goodness; and make me an everlasting trophy of your grace. Thomas Reade

HIS PLAN NOT MINE

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (ESV)”

Several weeks ago, we shared with you the story of Bill Pruitt, one of our recent grads who is now serving on our full-time staff. I asked Bill to write about a recent experience in his life that I think will be an encouragement to you.

On September 13, 2007 I was getting ready to share my testimony at an America’s KESWICK 110th Year Anniversary Banquet. I was very nervous about speaking and one of the guest pointed out that she had been praying for me and so had 2600 other prayer partners. It was the day I was listed as the staff member to be prayed for. This was comforting; however, I didn’t fully understand the significance. On the way back to Keswick in the van a friend asked what my family thought about me staying on after leaving The Colony of Mercy’s Addiction Recovery Center. I replied that they did not necessarily understand; however, I would be going home in November and I was looking forward to sitting across the table face to face and explaining my desire to serve Jesus. We discussed that I was uncertain about my father and brother’s salvation and that my dad had promised to go to church with me when I came home. We arrived home just before midnight and I was prompted to pray for my family.

At 6:45am I received a shocking call from my mother saying that my father had died from a massive heart attack. This couldn’t be true, he had worked until midnight the night before, he wasn’t sick. This felt like a nightmare; however I knew my mother’s cries were real. No coincidence that 2600 people had been praying for me the night before. While I had a great deal of sorrow I could feel the peace and strength of God all around me. On the way to the airport I told a friend that I knew God was going to use my dad’s death for something good. It was the only explanation for the peace I felt. I had a little more than a hunch since one of my three brothers came to know the Lord over the phone the night before – Praise The Lord!
The same day my dad passed away there was an enormous answered prayer.

As soon as I arrived home my mom and I went to plan my father’s funeral. My mother’s strength and peace were amazing. I could tell that she knew God had a plan and that he would give us the strength to handle the days to come. My mother was a different woman than the one that I said goodbye to when I was leaving for The Colony 14 months earlier. God had done a powerful work in her. She is a testimony to the grace of God. I asked to speak at my dad’s funeral. I wanted to honor him and I felt that I should read some scripture and pray. You see, when dad promised he’d go to church with me the Lord knew this would be the next time I would see him.

While praying at the funeral I prayed that we would not focus on the things we should have done or said but rather that God would help us to focus on the good that He would do as a result of my father’s death. Relying on the promises of the Lord’s word “… All things work together
for good, for those that are called according to his purpose.” The pastor that spoke at my dad’s funeral laid the gospel down plain and simple, yet direct. It was a beautiful time that honored Jesus.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: “If you obey God in the first thing He shows you, then He instantly opens up the next truth to you. You could read volumes on the work of the Holy Spirit, when five minutes of total, uncompromising obedience would make thins as clear as sunlight.” Oswald Chambers

Join us tonight for our first Men’s Fellowship Night of the new season. Dr. Peter Teague, President of Lancaster Bible College, will be our speaker. Call today to make your reservation: 732-350-1187.

DON’T FRET

“Do not fret.” Psalm 37:1

Worry has a cousin – actually he is probably a brother – FRET! One of the definitions of the word FRET is “to gnaw or wear away, erode.” Some of the synonyms for FRET are: fume, rage, harass, goad, tease, gnaw, corrode, grind, rust …

The Bible not only instructs us not to worry, but it tells us not to fret – not to let things gnaw at us or wear us away or wear us down. That is what worry and fretting will do if we allow them to take control of our thoughts and our minds.

This is what I read this morning about fretting: “One person defined [fretting] as that which makes a person rough on the surface, causing him to rub and wear himself and others away. Isn’t it true that an irritable, irrational, and critical person not only wears himself out but is also very draining and tiring to others?

When we worry and fret, we are a constant annoyance. This Psalm not only says, ‘Do not fret because of evil men,’ but leaves no room for fretting whatsoever. It is very harmful, and God does not want us to hurt ourselves or others.

Any physician can tell you that a fit of anger is more harmful to your system than a fever and that a disposition of continual fretting is not conducive to a healthy body. The next step down from fretting is being quick-tempered, and that amounts to anger. May we set it aside once and for all and simply be obedient to the command – DO NOT FRET!” Streams in the Desert (Zondervan)

Are you are worrier? Are you fretting today? Purpose today to be obedient to the commands of Scripture: Don’t worry about anything! Don’t fret!

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:
Said the Robin to the Sparrow:
“I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.

Said the Sparrow to the Robin:
“Friend, I think that it must be,
That they have no Heavenly Father,
Such as cares for you and me! – Elizabeth Cheney

DON’T WORRY

“Do not be anxious about anything …” Philippians 4:6

I come from a long line of worriers. My grandmother had the gift of worrying. She was most happy when you have her something to worry about.
What she never figured out is that 95% of what we worry about never happens.

I love what Bill Gothard says about worry: “Worry is assuming responsibility that God never intended us to have!”

I have to admit, in my flesh, I tend to be a worrier. I am a recovering worrier, but every once and awhile, it rears its ugly head. Today’s devotional reading from STREAMS IN THE DESERT, was a great reminder for me:

“Quite a few Christians live in a terrible state of anxiety, constantly fretting over the concerns of life. The secret of living in perfect peace amid the hectic pace of daily life is one well worth knowing. What good has worrying ever accomplished? It is never made anyone stronger, helped anyone to do God’s will, or provided for anyone a way of escape out of their anxiety or confusion.

Worry only destroys the effectiveness of our lives that would be otherwise useful and beautiful. Being restless and having worries and cares are absolutely forbidden by our Lord, who said, ‘So do not worry about worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?'” (Matthew 6:31) He does not mean that we are not to think ahead or that our life should never have a plan or pattern to it. He simply means that we are not to worry about these things.

People will know that you live in a constant state of anxiety by the lines on your face, the tone of your voice, your negative attitude, and the lack of joy in your spirit. So scale the heights of a life abandoned to God, and your perspective will change to the point that you will look down on the clouds beneath your feet.

It is a sign of weakness to always worry and fret, question everything, and mistrust everyone. Can anything be gained by it? Don’t we only make ourselves unfit for action, and separate our minds from the ability to make wise decision? We simply sink in our struggles when we could float by faith.

Oh, for the grace to be SILENT! Oh, to ‘be still and know that Jehovah is God!’ (Psalm 46:10) ‘The Holy One of Israel’ (Psalm 89:18) will defend and deliver His own. We can be sure that His every word will stand forever, even thought the mountains may fall into the sea. He deserves our total confidence. So come, my soul, return to your place of peace, and rest within the sweet embrace of the Lord Jesus!”

So how about you today, my friend? Are you on “worry-patrol?” If so, let’s start trusting Him today!

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: Sin is like a sugar coated pill. We loved those pills at first as a child – they were so sweet- but when we had sucked the sugar off, they were so bitter that we wanted to spit them out. Sin’s pleasures first, then the remorse and pain. Anonymous

DON’T SIMPLIFY YOUR SALVATION

“And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11

This was a powerful reading from my quiet time with the Lord this morning:

“I must be careful, Lord, not to simplify Your salvation. Too often I have dismissed salvation as merely the forgiveness of my sins, whereas it is far more extensive than that. ‘With long life I will satisfy him, and show him my salvation.’ (Psalm 91:16) Lord, my salvation is an intensely personal thing and Your purpose for me is to show me how YOUR salvation has worked in my life.

My life is not only afflicted WITH sin, but with sin’s RESULTS. Those results have permeated every corner of my personality, infecting my feelings, attitudes, and instincts. To be forgiven from the PENALTY of my sins is primary and basic, but to be delivered from all the damage sin has done is God’s purpose for me until He can bring me to the place where He can SHOW me His salvation. The joy of God’s salvation is that He sent His Son not only to save sinners but to ‘save His PEOPLE from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

The biblical concept of salvation is basically deliverance. The gospel that Jesus came to proclaim includes the ‘opening of the prisons to those who are bound (Isaiah 6:10. He not only breaks the chains that bind me, but also leads me out of the prison into sunlight and liberty.
He delivers me from the twists and turns of my own deviousness, from surliness and selfishness, from prejudice and hate, from dismal doubt and unbelief, from oppression by Satan and my own ego, and from my inner lustings and cravings. By the time God is finished with me at the end of my life, I will recognize that He has done an amazing work in me; I will “see” HIS salvation. That in itself will cause me to praise His name everlastingly, and give me the joy of His salvation. Lord, in that day ‘my tongue shall declare Thy righteousness and Thy praise all day long.’
(Psalm 35:28)

Good stuff to think about today as we begin this new week.

Great quote: Christ is not a reservoir but a spring. His life is continual, active and ever passing on with an outflow as necessary as its inflow. If we do not perpetually draw the fresh supply from the living Fountain, we hall either grow stagnant or empty, It is, therefore, not so much a perpetual fullness as a perpetual filling. A. B. Simpson

The Ultimate Deception <http://intheyoke.com/?p=5>

Jesus’ invitation to walk in the yoke with Him is simple, straightforward. He tells us the benefit of walking the yoke: rest for our souls. We might think that accepting the invitation is as simple and straightforward as the invitation itself. It isn’t.

Most people who follow Jesus know we have an enemy. We know his name is Satan, and we often call him “the devil.” He is a wily foe who has mastered the tricks of deception, misdirection and illusion. He can make truth look like a lie and lies look like truth. He has honed his craft through multiple millennia; we ignore him at our own peril.

If Jesus’ invitation to walk in the yoke with Him is the ultimate invitation, Satan’s efforts to keep us out of the yoke may qualify as “The Ultimate Deception.” He’ll use his bag of tricks to convince us that we can’t really walk in the yoke. Or, he’ll make us think it’s just too hard to stay in the yoke. He may make something else look far more appealing and direct our attention from that which has eternal appeal.

In his little book The Seeking Heart Fenelon writes “You do not see the lovely side of following Christ. You see what He takes away, but you do not see what He gives. You exaggerate the sacrifices and ignore the blessings.” We may think that way because of our own self-centeredness.
Behind that thinking, the devil lurks. He encourages us to see difficulty, hardship and discipline. He tries to hide the gifts of God and the blessings that come from walking with Jesus.

Jesus calls His followers to “yoke up” with Him. If we find that uncomfortable, we might want to consider the tricks of the devil, the master of “The Ultimate Deception.”

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

(Pastor John Strain – First Baptist – Toms River)

Great quote: The habit of judging is so nearly incurable, and its cure is such an almost interminable process, that we must concentrate ourselves for a long while on keeping it in check, and this check is to be found in kind interpretations. We must come to esteem very lightly our sharp eye for evil, on which perhaps we once prided ourselves as cleverness. We must look at our talent for analysis of character as a dreadful possibility of huge uncharitableness. We are sure to continue to say clever things, so long as we continue to indulge in this analysis; and clever things are equally sure to be sharp and acid. We must grow to something higher, and something truer, than a quickness in detecting evil. Frederick W. Faber