SIMPLE OBEDIENCE

“ … and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5One of the resources that I use in my quiet time with the Lord is a little devotional book written by Fenelon. It was written over 400 years ago, but his insights are so timely and right on. As I have been meditating on the subject of “taking every thought captive,” his words today were right on:

“Encourage peace. Become deaf to your over-active imagination. Your spinning imagination will harm your health and make your spiritual life very dry. Don’t worry yourself sick for no good reason. Inner peace, and the sweet presence of God, are chased away by RESTLESSNESS. How can you hear God speak, in His soft and tender way, when your hurried thoughts create a whirlwind within? Be quiet, and He will soon be heard. Allow yourself one excess: to be excessively obedient.

You ask for comfort, but you do not see that you have been led to the edge of the fountain and refuse to drink. Peace and comfort are to be found only in simple obedience. Be obedient without a lot of talk about how obedient you are. Your will soon find rivers of living water flowing within you. If you believe much, you will receive much. If you believe nothing, you will receive nothing, and continue to listen only to the stories your empty imagination tells you.

You dishonor true love by supposing that it is concerned about the INSIGNIFICANT things that continually occupy your attention. Satan is transformed into an angel of light. He assumes the form of a legalistic love, and an overly-sensitive conscience. You should know by now the troubles he will lead you into if he convinces you to be a Pharisee. REJECT HIS ADVANCES.If you allow yourself to have only simple and uncomplicated desires, you will be more pleasing to God than if you died the death of a hundred martyrs. Turn your anxieties to the fact that you have delayed in offering this sacrifice of simplicity to God. Can true love hesitate when the Well-Beloved asks?”

Adapted from THE SEEKING HEART – by Fenelon

Are you practicing SIMPLE OBEDIENCE today? That mind of ours can do dangerous things. Today is the day to start taking EVERY THOUGHT captive to the obedience of Christ.

Great quote: “God means what He says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it – no matter what.” Hebrews 4:12 from THE MESSAGE

(The rainbow picture was taken by Bill Pruitt at America’s KESWICK. The rainbow appears to end right at the Colony Chapel.)

Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow” – when you now have it with you. Proverbs: 3:28

Often we put off till tomorrow what we could do today, including helping others. Proverbs 3:28 tells us that we should give to our neighbors now. There should be no delay in doing good whether the request is large or small. We are called to give in various ways. It could be money, time or food. The food we share may be the bread of life – God’s Word. When we give to someone in need God will bless us. In Acts 20:35 Paul tells us – In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” God reminds me of this over and over again.

America’s Keswick asked me to prepare a written testimony of the work the Lord Jesus had done to save me from a life of addiction. I was honored by the request; however, I never expected the inner turmoil that was to come while trying to write my testimony. I struggled with the lies of Satan for two weeks. I questioned God’s strength in my life, the sincerity of my heart to do whatever was necessary to follow Jesus, how others would react and so on. No matter how hard I tried or prayed I could not write the testimony. I had not slept the night before my deadline. I was frustrated and full of doubt. While struggling to get the first paragraph on paper I was interrupted by a man asking me to spend time talking with a new guy coming into The Colony of Mercy. I was irritated and tempted to rush through a quick “Hi, nice to meet you.” Besides, it was my day off. I could talk with the new guy tomorrow.

When I stopped to look up I realized how broken and scared this man was. I laid down my pen to share with him about the love and hope of the new life he could have through Jesus Christ. After we prayed together he had calmed down (so had I). He was called into the building to meet with a staff member. While reflecting on the conversation I began to write my testimony. The words flowed onto the paper with ease and confidence. I knew that God was in control. All of the doubt and lies had vanished. What appeared to me to be an interruption turned out to be a divine appointment with God where he allowed me to join in his work. He allowed me to give and then blessed me with answered prayers. He lifted my faith and gave me the strength I needed to stand firm and glorify him. I praise God for not waiting another day to put the stranger in my life.

Earlier today, a friend stopped by while I was preparing to write this devotional. He asked if I had change for a ten dollar bill. I told him that I did not. He asked if he could borrow a dollar. Without thinking, I told him that I only had one dollar left, but would be getting paid tomorrow. I reached for the bible to read him the verse I had been moved to write about and realized what had just happened. I forgot God’s word that quickly. Before I read the verse out loud I handed him the dollar. He said “I don’t want to take your last dollar.” I assured him I wanted him to have it and I read the verse to him: Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow”- when you now have it with you. My friend said “aaaaaahhhh – practice what you preach, I like it!” He put the dollar in his pocket and we smiled at each other. Later that night someone else read this and gave me a dollar, my friend paid me back as well. God blessed us all through his word.

James 2:14-17 reminds us …”faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Today, will you immediately give to others when they are in need? Will you show up for your appointment with God? Will you allow God to bless you “Sooner or Later?”

Today’s Freedom Fighter was written by Bill Pruitt, a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and the Discipleship Program. Bill is now serving in our internship program working at the Raws Front Desk and in the Dining Room. We praise the Lord for the transformation that is taking place in his life.

GREAT QUOTE: There is nothing that pleases the Lord so much as praise. There is no test of faith so true as the grace of thanksgiving. Are you praising God enough? Are you thanking Him for your actual blessings that are more than can be numbered, and are you daring to praise Him even for those trials which are but blessings in disguise? Have you learned to praise Him in advance for the things that have not yet come?

TAKING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but DIVINELY POWERFUL for the DESTRUCTION of strongholds. We are destroy speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are TAKING every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians
10:4-5

The battle is being waged in our minds. The thoughts that enter are used by the Enemy to lead us into temptation which left unchecked will result in the carrying out of whatever the mind has been dwelling on.

We need to be taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Notice in the text that the word is an active verb – taking. It isn’t a once and for all act – it is a continuous process.

Several weeks ago a staff member brought us to baby ducks to raise that someone had been given as an Easter present. Softies that we are for God’s creatures, we took them. We set them in a cage inside our larger pen where they lived until they were old enough to mingle with the others.

On Sunday night I decided to let them free so that they could go into the outer pen. We have three other ducks and to my amazement, as soon as they stepped out of the cage the larger Peking duck walked right over, put his webbed foot on the body of the duckling and began to try and break its neck.

As I have pondered this, I think this is a good picture of what Paul admonished us to do in these verses. The world, the flesh, and the devil come at us with thoughts that want to destroy our lives. God’s desire is give us ABUNDANT life. Satan’s desire is to steal, kill and destroy. And one of his ways is to use our thoughts.

A man who THINKS VICTORY knows that every thought that raises up against the knowledge of God, every thought that seeks to rob me of living life the way God intended me to live, every thought that is meant to lead me into sin, needs to be aggressively dealt with. We can’t play or toy with it – destroy it! Take it captive. When they are released in our minds, use the weapons has given – they are DIVINELY POWERFUL FOR THE DESTRUCTION of strongholds.

Don’t let those thoughts out of the cage! But when they do, remember the duck – don’t play with it! Destroy it with the weapons he has given you.

Great Quote: “No sin is worse than the sin of self-pity, because it removes God from the throne of our lives, replacing Him with our own self-interests. It causes us to open our mouths only to complain, and we simply become spiritual sponges – always absorbing, never giving, and never being satisfied. And there is nothing lovely or generous about our lives.” Oswald Chambers

TAKING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but DIVINELY POWERFUL for the DESTRUCTION of strongholds. We are destroy speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are TAKING every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians
10:4-5

The battle is being waged in our minds. The thoughts that enter are used by the Enemy to lead us into temptation which left unchecked will result in the carrying out of whatever the mind has been dwelling on.

We need to be taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Notice in the text that the word is an active verb – taking. It isn’t a once and for all act – it is a continuous process.

Several weeks ago a staff member brought us to baby ducks to raise that someone had been given as an Easter present. Softies that we are for God’s creatures, we took them. We set them in a cage inside our larger pen where they lived until they were old enough to mingle with the others.

On Sunday night I decided to let them free so that they could go into the outer pen. We have three other ducks and to my amazement, as soon as they stepped out of the cage the larger Peking duck walked right over, put his webbed foot on the body of the duckling and began to try and break its neck.

As I have pondered this, I think this is a good picture of what Paul admonished us to do in these verses. The world, the flesh, and the devil come at us with thoughts that want to destroy our lives. God’s desire is give us ABUNDANT life. Satan’s desire is to steal, kill and destroy. And one of his ways is to use our thoughts.

A man who THINKS VICTORY knows that every thought that raises up against the knowledge of God, every thought that seeks to rob me of living life the way God intended me to live, every thought that is meant to lead me into sin, needs to be aggressively dealt with. We can’t play or toy with it – destroy it! Take it captive. When they are released in our minds, use the weapons has given – they are DIVINELY POWERFUL FOR THE DESTRUCTION of strongholds.

Don’t let those thoughts out of the cage! But when they do, remember the duck – don’t play with it! Destroy it with the weapons he has given you.

Great Quote: “No sin is worse than the sin of self-pity, because it removes God from the throne of our lives, replacing Him with our own self-interests. It causes us to open our mouths only to complain, and we simply become spiritual sponges – always absorbing, never giving, and never being satisfied. And there is nothing lovely or generous about our lives.” Oswald Chambers

CHEERFUL OR MISERABLE?

“A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day. A miserable heart means a miserable life; a cheerful heart fills the day with song.” (Proverbs 15:13, 15 from The Message)

You’ve met them, haven’t you? There are people who look at life with the glass half-empty. Everything is doom and gloom. They immediately see all the negative things about life. Then there are the people who see life with the glass half full. They can see the positive in just about any situation. Which do you like to be around.

I have a core group of staff that meet with me for prayer every morning. One morning I shared with them how depressing it was to meet with them. My personality is far different than theirs, which is not saying it is better than theirs. I would come in excited to face the new challenges of the day and they were either tired, sick, depressed, overwhelmed, and dreading the stuff they had to do. Instead of walking away from this time of prayer energized, it would suck the life out of me.

Miserable people do that – they can drain you and suck the life right out of you. Last week we served 1000 ladies for our Spring Ladies’ Day and we decided to cancel our daily fitness program activities for the seniors in the community who come to use our weight room, pool and gym. One of the men who didn’t see the many signs that had been posted for over a week canceling the program, showed up to swim and he was not a happy camper. In fact, he went off on everybody about how “Keswick is going to the dogs.” When I inquired about him, the team that serve there said, “That’s so-and-so. He’s never happy about anything.”

Several moments later the “herds” of women began to arrive and two ladies pushed their way to the front and demanded that I open the doors. We were planning to open the doors at 7:30 AM which was a half hour earlier than the published time to open them. For ten minutes they whined and complained to wear me out. Finally the one said, “Can you give me your name. I am going to report you to your supervisor.” I showed her my name badge, and calmly stood my ground. I walked through the Auditorium before the program started and these two complainers were on the front row. When they saw me – they came over and apologized profusely. “We opened the Keswick Today and there was your picture. We had no clue you were the President & CEO.” I cracked up!

Whining and complaining will set the whole tone of your day. As you evaluate your heart today are you a whiner? Complainer? Or does the radiance of Christ and what He has done for you permeate your life so that when people encounter you they say, “What’s up with him? How come you are always happy? How come you are always smiling?” Are you miserable or cheerful today? A man who THINKS VICTORY! will be a man filled with joy that is overflowing and joy that will be contagious.

Great Quote: “When your basic belief system about God and yourself is shaky, your day-to-day behavior system will be shaky. But when your belief system is intact and your relationship with God is based on truth, you’ll have very little trouble working out the practical aspects of daily Christianity. Show me someone who knows who they are in Christ and who is filled with the Holy Spirit, as is taught in the first half of the Epistles, and I will show you someone who will instinctively live according to the second half of the Epistles. It will be the ‘natural’ thing to do.” Neil T. Anderson

INSTANT OBEDIENCE

“On that very day Abraham did … as God told him.” Genesis 17:23

One of our Keswick speakers shared this definition of obedience. Let it fasten itself to your heart and mind: “Obedience is doing everything you are told to do IN THE RIGHT WAY (with the right heart attitude inwardly), RIGHT AWAY (immediately) and ALL THE WAY (do a complete job.) — Pastor Tim Shorey — Senior Pastor Trinity Fellowship Toms River

This is an issue that we are working on with our son, Zach. He is a really good kid, but one of the battles we face is in asking him to do something and then having him come back with alternatives rather than doing was he was asked to do. For example, “Zach, take out the trash.” Instead of say, “Yes, I will do that,” we will sometimes get this response, “I have to do this first,” or “Mom told me to do this instead.”

Has God instructed you to do something and you are holding back from being obedient? Are you giving Him alternatives rather than obey? The writer of Streams in the Desert (Mrs. Cowman/Zondervan) writes that “instant obedience is the only kind of obedience there is, for DELAYED obedience is disobedience. Each time God calls upon us to do something, He is offering to make a covenant with us. Our part is to obey, and then He will do His part to send a special blessing.

The only way to be obedient is to obey INSTANTLY – “On that very day,” as Abraham did. I know we often postpone doing what we know to do, and then later do it as well as we can. Certainly this is better than not doing it at all. By then, however, it is at best only a crippled, disfigured, and partial attempt toward obedience.

POSTPONED OBEDIENCE CAN NEVER BRING US THE FULL BLESSING GOD INTENDED OR WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BROUGHT HAD WE OBEYED AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE MOMENT.

What a pity it is how we rob ourselves, as well as God and others, by our procrastination! Remember, ‘On that very day’ is the Genesis way of saying, ‘Do it now!’Martin Luther once said, ‘A true believer will crucify, or put to death, the question, ‘Why?’ He will simply obey without questioning.’” And I refuse to be one of those who ‘unless … I see miraculous signs and wonders … will never believe’ (John 4:48) I will obey without questioning. Obedience is the fruit of faith; patience is the early blossom on the tree of faith.”

How about you this morning? Are you an obedient child of God? Are you obedient to your employer? Good stuff to ponder as we begin this new week.

Great quote: “Our circumstances are the means God uses to exhibit just how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure His Son is. Discovering a new way of manifesting the Son of God should make our heart beat with renewed excitement. It is one thing to choose adversity, and quite another to enter into adversity through the orchestrating of our circumstances by God’s sovereignty. And if God puts you into adversity, He is adequately sufficient to ‘supply all your need.’ (Philippians 4:19)” – Oswald Chambers

FATHER DAUGHTER NIGHT – Sign up today for our annual Father Daughter Nite at America’s KESWICK. Comedian Gordon Douglas will be our special guest for a fun-filled evening of praise and a time to honor daughters of all ages. Thursday, May 17th at 6:15 PM. Call today to make your reservation for dinner and the program. 732-350-1187.

HOW TO ENJOY GOD’S PRESENCE

A victorious Christian is a worshipping Christian. A worshipping
Christian doesn’t just worship on Sunday mornings. A victorious
Christian worships throughout the day and knows how to enjoy the
presence of God. Here are four ways that you and I can enjoy God’s
presence:

1. The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is
the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine
company, speaking humbly and lovingly with Him in all seasons, at every
moment, without limiting the conversation in any way. This is especially
important in times of temptation, sorrow, separation from God, and even
in times of unfaithfulness and sin.

2. We must try to converse with God in little ways while we do our
work; not in memorized prayer, not trying to recite previously formed
thoughts. Rather, we should purely and simply reveal our hearts as the
words come to us.

3. We must do everything with great care, avoiding impetuous
actions, which are evidence of a disordered spirit. God wishes us to
work gently, calmly, and lovingly with Him, asking Him to accept our
work. By this continual attention to God, we will ‘resist the devil, he
will flee from you.’ (James 4:7)

4. Whatever we do, even in the reading of God’s Word or praying, we
should stop for a few minutes – as often as possible – to praise God
from the depths of our hearts, to enjoy Him there in secret. Since you
believe that God is always with you, no matter what you may be doing,
why shouldn’t you stop for a while to adore Him, to praise Him, to
petition Him, to offer Him your heart, and to thank Him?

Adapted from THE PRACTICE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD – Brother Lawrence

Are living victoriously today in your worship? Stop today and
enjoy His presence.

Great quote: It is a fact of Christian experience that life is a
series of troughs and peaks. In his efforts to get permanent possession
of a soul, God relies on the troughs more than the peaks. And some of
his special favorites have gone through longer and deeper troughs than
anyone else. —
Peter Marshall

Join us this Thursday evening as we enjoy a time of great food
and fellowship and a challenge from God’s Word at our Men’s Fellowship
Night. Pastor Joe Olachea will be sharing God’s Word.
The evening begins at 6:15 PM in the Raws Dining Room. Call
today and make your reservation and bring a friend! 732-350-1187.

A VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN IS A WORSHIPPING CHRISTIAN

“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell
to the ground and worshipped …” Job 1:20

If you’ve never read through the book of Job, I commend it to you. It is
a tough book to work through, but one that will encourage you especially
if you are in the midst of suffering and pain in your life.

Job was considered by God to be “blameless and upright, a man who feared
God and shunned evil.” Job 1:8 In other words, I believe that Job was a
man who walked and lived in victory. So much so that when Satan was
moving back and forth from earth to heaven and appears in the courtroom
of heaven, God suggested to Satan that he take a look at this man and
give permission for Satan to put him to the test.

I want to suggest to you this morning that Job was a worshipping
Christian. I believe that worship was a part of the fabric of his life.
In just the first chapter of this book, the drama unfolds by Satan
attacking Job’s family. In a matter of hours four messengers come to Job
to tell him that that his oxen and donkeys had been taken, his sheep and
servants had been burned up, stole his camels, and then the worst of
all, his kids and their spouses were killed when their house collapsed
in on them.

I don’t know about you, but he was having a
“no-good-very-horrible-bad-day.” If anyone had the cause for a bad
attitude or a pity party, Job was a candidate. In fact, he could have
been depressed to the point of trying to take his life. In one day he
loses everything.

What amazes me every time I read this chapter is what he does at the end
of the day. He worships!
He falls down to his knees and declares: “Blessed be the name of the
Lord!” Wow! He declares God’s sovereign control in facing one of the
darkest days of his life and is able to get on his face before God and
worship Him.

This guy is no casual worshipper. He just isn’t a Sunday worshipper. He
is fully engaged as a worshipper every day of his life. That is why he
was able to face life victoriously even in the midst of horrible
circumstances.

How about you? Do you want to be a victorious Christian? Then I suggest
to you today that to THINK VICTORY – be a worshipper! Don’t just worship
in the good times – worship Him even when your days are chaotic and
filled with hurt and pain. What are you facing today? Declare His
sovereign control in your life and say with Job – BLESSED BE THE NAME OF
THE LORD!

Join us Thursday evening for our Men’s Fellowship Night with Pastor Joe
Olechea. Dinner begins at 6:15 PM followed by a time of worship and a
challenge from God’s Word. Then join other men for fellowship and sports
in our Activity Center. Call today for a reservation! 732-350-1187.

Great quote: “Worship is the tryst of sacramental identification with
God; we deliberately give back to God the best he has given us that we
may be identified with Him in it.” Oswald Chambers

SPONTANEOUS WORSHIP

One of the delights of my ministry at America’s KESWICK is rubbing
shoulders with the men who are in our 120-day residential program for
men, The Colony of Mercy. I have learned so much from them and enjoy
seeing the Lord transform their lives as they understand that victory
for a lifetime is possible through Christ.

On New Year’s Eve we planned a Watch Night service for the men and
before the service we had a bonfire with cider and donuts for them. We
were sitting around the bonfire for about ten minutes talking and
laughing when one of the men started to share what the Lord had been
doing in his life. It wasn’t planned to be a worship service, but we
knew it the men were singing and testifying and worshipping the Lord. It
was really cool.

A victorious Christian is a worshipping Christian. And worship for a
Christian who THINKS VICTORY is not just worshipping at 10:30 or 11:00
AM on Sunday morning. Worship for a victorious Christian is a part of
the fabric of their lives Monday through Saturday. It may take place
during their quiet time or when they are walking in the woods. For
Brother Lawrence it happened when he was washing pots and pans.

Several years ago on our trip to Alaska we were climbing up a path that
took us to a mountain peak in Juno. The setting was absolutely stunning.
One of our fellow travelers stood up on a picnic table and shouted,
“Lord, you done good. You done so good.” Several people broke into
singing “How Great Thou Art.” It was a special moment.

How about you this morning? Are you just a Sunday worshipper or a
spontaneous worshipper? I trust that today your worship comes from a
heart that has already been worshipping throughout the week. That’s what
worship is all about.

Have a great Lord’s day.

Join us on Thursday evening, January 11th for our monthly Men’s Night.
Pastor Joe Olechea will be our speaker. Dinner begins at 6:15 PM. Call
today for a reservation and bring a friend.

Great quote: Holy Spirit of God, visit now this soul of mine, and tarry
within it until the eventide. Inspire all my thoughts. Pervade all my
imaginations. Suggest all my decisions. Lodge in my soul’s most inward
citadel, and order all my doings. Be with me in silence and in my
speech, in my haste and in my leisure, in company and in solitude, in
the freshness of the morning and the weariness of the evening. Give me
grace at all times to rejoice in Thy mysterious companionship. John
Baillie

SEEKING GOD’S GUIDANCE

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will
guide you with My eye.” Psalm 32:8

Dr. Charles Stanley shares some practical advice about God’s leading and
guiding in our lives:

“In seeking the Lord’s guidance, we must be careful to watch for
pitfalls along our paths. Strong fleshly desires, wrong counsel,
impatience, doubt, and pressures are all snares that will leave us with
less than God’s best if we cave in to their temptation. These reasons
are why there are certain essentials to seeking God’s guidance:

* Cleansing: Sin inhibits not your relationship with God, but your
fellowship. If you are a believer, your relationship is secure. But
constant sin will impede your fellowship with God, and He will not act
until you walk away from the sin.

* Surrendering: God loves you and wants your best. So why not
believe Him, let go of the worldly trappings you may hold so dear, and
step out in faith?

* Asking: James said that we don’t have because we don’t ask or
because our requests are made with wrong motives. Our heavenly Father is
often just waiting for us to simply ask with a pure heart.

* Meditating: How often do you make decisions intentionally
seeking God’s promises in His Word and meditating over them?

* Believing: To believe is to trust and obey. His Word says that
whoever has His commands and obeys them is the one who loves Him.

* Waiting: This is difficult. But it is also when the Lord does
His best work as the sculptor of our souls.

>From PATHWAYS TO HIS PRESENCE by Dr. Charles F. Stanley and published by
Nelson Books

Seeking God’s guidance for your life? Then hopefully these practical
insights will help you do so victoriously.

Great Quote: Afraid? Of what? To feel the spirit’s glad release? To pass
from pain to perfect peace, the strife and strain of life to cease?
Afraid of what? — Afraid? Of what? Afraid to see the Savior’s face, to
hear His welcome, and to trace the Glory – Gleam from wounds of Grace?
Afraid of that?? Afraid? Of what? A flash – a crash – a pierced heart;
darkness – light – O Heaven’s art! A wound of His counterpart! Afraid of
that? — Afraid? Of what? To enter Heaven’s Rest, and yet to serve the
Master blest, from service good to service best? Afraid of that??
Afraid? Of what? To do by death what life could not — Baptize with
death a stony plot, till souls shall blossom from that spot? Afraid of
that??

E. H. Hamilton