THE VALUE OF DEFEAT

“O sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His
right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory.” Psalm 98:1

“Paul tried to do the right thing, but, like us, sometimes he failed. In
his letter to the Romans, Paul seemed to agonize over his inability to
triumph over sin at every confrontation in his life. Don’t we all feel
like Paul at times? We want to do what’s right, but our actions don’t
always represent our true desires.

However, Paul learned that failure shouldn’t be condemning – in fact, it
taught him an invaluable lesson about victory: Christ’s strength could
shine through any situation, no matter how weak that situation may have
made Paul. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

Here are some things to remember about defeat:

1. Defeat is often engineered by God. God isn’t after
self-improvement. He is after death – death to our flesh, which leads to
life in Him.
2. Defeat is often essential for God to fulfill His purposes in our
lives. When we are broken to the point that the only place we can look
is up, and see Him, then we begin to see the purposes and plans He has
for our lives.
3. Defeat exposes our weaknesses and inadequacies. Our best efforts
never match what God can – and wants to – do in us and through us.

Defeat in our lives doesn’t mean we are defeated. It is merely
God’s way of pointing us to ultimate victory!” adapted from PATHWAYS TO
HIS PRESENCE by Dr. Charles F. Stanley

Great Quote: The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait
until the hour of battle. The reason why others succeed is because they
have gained their victory on their knees long before the battle
came…Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees before
temptation comes, and you will always have victory. (Reuben Archer) R.
A. Torrey

Don’t forget our FAMILY AND FRIENDS seminar this Saturday, December 9th.
If you have a loved one in your family struggling with addiction, this
seminar is for you. Call today for reservations, or visit our website
for information: http://www.americaskeswick.org.

CONTROL OF YOUR BODY – THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

We deal every day with men and women who are struggling with issues from
addictions to substances to sexual issues. We will often hear the
phrase, “but I can’t control what I am doing!” or “I keep trying to not
do these things.”

I loved the words penned by Oswald Chambers today in MY UTMOST FOR HIS
HIGHEST … “I am accountable to God for the way I control my body under
His authority. Paul said he did not ‘set aside the grace of God’ – make
it ineffective (Galatians 2:21). The grace of God is absolute and
limitless, and the work of salvation through Jesus Christ is complete
and finished FOREVER.

I am not BEING saved – I am saved. Salvation is as eternal as God’s
throne, but I must put to work what God has placed within me. To ‘work
out my own salvation’ (Philippians 2:12) means that I am responsible for
using what He has given me. It also means that I must exhibit in my own
body the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, not mysteriously or secretly,
but openly and boldly. ‘I discipline my body and bring it into
subjection…’ (1 Corinthians 9:27).

Every Christian can have his body under absolute control for God. God
has given us the responsibility to rule over all ‘the temple of the Holy
Spirit,’ including our thoughts and desires (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are
responsible for these, and we must never give way to improper ones. But
most of us are much more severe in our judgment of others that we are in
judging ourselves. We make excuses for things in ourselves, while we
condemn things in the lives of others simply because we are not
naturally inclined to do them.

Paul said, ‘I beseech you … that you present YOUR bodies as a living
sacrifice …’ (Romans 12:1) What I must decide is whether or not I will
agree with my Lord and Master that my body will indeed be His temple.
Once I agree, all the rules, regulations, and requirements of the law
concerning the body are summed up for me in this revealed truth – MY
BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!”

Powerful words this morning.

Great Quote: “Once you are rooted in reality, NOTHING can shake you. If
your faith is in experiences, anything that happens is likely to upset
that faith. But NOTHING can ever change God or the reality of
redemption. Base your faith on that, and you are as eternally secure as
God Himself.” – Oswald Chambers

Check out today’s THINK VICTORY! Memory verse on the website:
http://www.americaskeswick.org.

PARADOXES

If you haven’t noticed, the Christian life is filled with many
paradoxes. Webster defines a paradox as:
“a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or
absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth; an opinion or
statement contrary to commonly accepted opinion.”

Dr. Henry Blackaby in his book THE MAN GOD USES says that “Christ often
uses ordinary situations to teach spiritual truth. Of his parables
contain paradoxes – statements that seem to contradict themselves. For
example, Jesus said if you want to save your life you must lose it (Mark
8:35); to be the ruler of all you must be the servant of all (Matthew
20:27); and to live you must die (John 11:25)”

He goes on to say that “spiritual truths often contradict what we accept
as reality as Christ demonstrated lordship by washing his disciples
feet. In the world today, to be the owner or boss is to rule and control
by directives.”

The following list shows the paradox between what the world says vs.
what the kingdom says:

What the World Says What the Kingdom
Says

Pride is important. Humility is
essential.
Hitch your wagon to a star. Jesus is Lord.
Success Obedience
Professionalism Servanthood
Competition Service
Maintain your rights. Give all your
rights to God.
Negotiate for the best deal. Obey God’s
commands.
Excellence
Christlikeness
Save your life. Lose your
life for my sake.
Affirm yourself Deny self.
Accomplishments Character
You don’t have to take that. Take up your
cross.
Live to die. Die to
live.
Rule and be served. Serve in order
to rule.
Things will make you happy. Godly character
brings joy.
Walk by sight. Walk by
faith.
Set long-range goals. God reveals
the future.
Take the initiative. Let God
take the initiative.
Get revenge. Do good to
your persecutors.
Eat, drink, and be merry. Seek first the
kingdom of God.

So the question this morning is this – are you living by what the world
says or by the kingdom? Good thoughts to ponder as we start this new
week.

(Adapted from THE MAN GOD USES by Drs. Henry and Tom Blackaby – Broadman
& Holman)

Its not too late to purchase your ticket for our Christmas dinner
concert with violinist, Jamie Jorge, for this Thursday, December 7,
2006. Call today for your reservation. It will be a great date night for
you and your spouse. 732-350-1187.

THE OLD CROSS AND THE NEW CROSS

Many of us will be celebrating and observing the Lord’s Table today.
Here is a power word about the Cross that is worth reading this morning
as you prepare your heart.

“All unannounced and mostly undetected there has come in modern times a
new cross into popular evangelical circles. It is like the old cross,
but different: the likenesses are superficial; the differences,
fundamental.

From this new cross has sprung a new philosophy of the Christian life,
and from that new philosophy has come a new evangelical technique – a
new type of meeting and new kind of preaching. This new evangelism
employs the same language as the old, but its content is not the same
and its emphasis is not as before.

The new cross is not opposed to the human race; rather, it is a friendly
pal and, if understood aright, it is the source of oceans of good clean
fun and innocent enjoyment. It lets Adam live without interference. His
life motivation still lives for his own pleasure, only know he takes
delight in singing choruses and watching religious movies instead of
singing bawdy songs and drinking hard liquor. The accent is still on the
enjoyment, though the fun is now on a high plane morally if not
intellectually.

The new cross encourages a new and entirely different evangelistic
approach. The evangelist does not demand forsaking the old life before a
new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts but similarities. He
seeks to key into public interest by showing that Christianity makes no
unpleasant demands; rather it offers the same thing the world does, only
on a higher level. Whatever the sin-mad world happens to be clamoring
after at the moment is cleverly shown to be the very thing the gospel
offers, only the religious ‘product’ is better.

The new cross does not slay the sinner, it redirects him. It gears him
into a cleaner and jollier way of living and saves his self-respect. To
the self-assertive it says, ‘Come and assert yourself for Christ.’ To
the egotist is says, ‘Come and do your boasting in the Lord.’ To the
thrill-seeker it says, ‘Come and enjoy the thrill of Christian
fellowship.’ The Christian message is slanted in the direction of the
current vogue in order to make it acceptable to the public.

The old cross is a symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt, violent
end of a human being. The man in Roman times who took us his cross and
started down the road had already said goodbye to his friends. He was
not coming back. He was going out to have it ended. The cross made no
compromise, modified nothing, spared nothing; it slew all of the man,
completely and for good. It did not try to keep on good terms with its
victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when it had finished its work, the
man was no more.

God offers life, but not an IMPROVED life. The life God offers is life
out of death. How can this theology be translated into life? Simply, he
must repent and believe. He must forsake his sins and then go own and
forsake himself. Let him cover nothing, defend nothing, excuse nothing.
Let him seek to make terms with God, but let him bow his head before the
stroke of God’s stern displeasure and acknowledge himself worthy to die.

Having done this, let him gaze with simple trust upon the risen Savior,
and from Him will come life and rebirth and cleansing power. The cross
that ended the life of Jesus now puts an end to the sinner; and the
power that raised Christ from the dead now raises him to a new life
along with Christ.”

Adapted from MAN: THE DEWELLING PLACE OF GOD by A. W. Tozer.

Great quote: “The cross always stands ready, and everywhere awaits you.
You cannot escape it, wherever you flee, for wherever you go, you bear
yourself, and always find yourself. Look up or down, without you or
within, and everywhere you will find the cross.” Thomas a Kempis

REASONS TO TRUST GOD

Did you ever find yourself saying to someone, “Just trust me!” and not
wanting to give reasons? It may be to your kids, your spouse, your
employees, or your congregation. Well we read throughout the Bible
“Trust me” in reference to God. Are there reasons why we can trust God?

Dr. Charles Stanley suggests six reasons why you can trust God:

1. He is the one, true God (2 Samuel 7:21-22). From the beginning
of time, those who seek God have found Him. No other god revealed
himself to man in this way.
2. He is the essence of truth (Hebrews 6:17-18). God cannot lie,
and He will never lead you astray. However, He has told us that there is
one who deceives us, and that is Satan. Jesus called him the ‘father of
lies” and rightly so. (John 8:44)
3. He is absolutely faithful (Lamentations 3:23). When was the last
time God let you down? He never has, and He never will. No matter what
you are facing, God knows about it, and He is near to show you how to
resolve your dilemma.
4. He has all power (Matthew 28:18). Henry Thiessen writes, “God
can do what He wills to do, but he does not necessarily will to do
anything … To the Christian the omnipotence of God is a great source
of great comfort and joy.
5. He loves you unconditionally (John 15:9). God will never stop
loving you. Even when you are unlovely, He loves you. And it is His love
that draws you away from sin and into His arms of infinite care.
6. He never changes (Hebrews 13:8). God is immutable. Thiessen
writes: ‘He is exalted above all causes and above even the possibility
of change.

Adapted from PATHWAYS TO HIS PRESENCE by Dr. Charles F. Stanley
– Nelson Publishing

Great quote: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not
unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He
will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

TESTING YOUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Growing up I hated tests. How about you? Now looking back, I realize
that they were not so bad. Tests are a gauge of how we are grasping the
subject we are studying. Dr. Charles Stanley shares 13 ways that you can
determine if you are maturing in your relationship with Jesus Christ:

1. You are becoming increasingly aware of your sinfulness and
weaknesses.
2. Your response to sin is quick and followed by genuine
repentance.
3. Your spiritual battles are becoming more fierce, and yet you
still rejoice.
4. You begin to see trials and temptations as opportunities for
growth: ‘Lord, what are you trying to teach me?’
5. You view your service to Him as an honor not a burden.
6. You view everything as coming from God. He is sovereign, so He
either brought it or allowed it.
7. You sense your faith growing stronger. It takes more to ruffle
you.
8. You desire to spend more time in praise and worship. You are in
love with the Lord and want to show it.
9. Your desire to obey Him becomes more intense, and sin becomes
less attractive.
10.You are eager to share with others what Christ is doing in
your life.
11.You experience more awareness of His presence at all times,
not just in places like church on Sundays.
12. You jealously guard your quiet times of prayer and Bible
study.
13. You prefer to spend time with Him above all others. The more
time you spend with Him, the more you become like Him.

Adapted from PATHWAY TO HIS PRESENCE by Dr. Charles F. Stanley

So how are you doing? Good things to ponder on this 30th day of
November.

Join us for a wonderful evening of great food, fellowship and worship –
Christmas Dinner Concert with violinist, Jamie Jorge. Thursday, December
7th. Reservations required. Call today or visit our website for
information: http://www.americaskeswick.org

Great Quote: “There is only one relationship that really matters, and
that is your personal relationship to your personal Redeemer and Lord.
If you maintain that at all costs, letting everything else go, God will
fulfill His purpose through your life. One individual life may be of
priceless value to God’s purposes, and yours may be that life!” Oswald
Chambers

What’s Weighing You Down

“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so EASILY entangles
us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

“The call to ‘lay aside every weight, and the sin which so EASILY
entangles us’ is indeed a call to the present-day saint. It comes
immediately following Hebrews 11’s long list of men and women in the
Hall of Faith.

We are told of the faith and the sufferings of the faithful, and then,
because we are surrounded as it were by these examples of faithful men
and women, we are exhorted to lay aside something.

First, let us lay aside every weight, not just some, every burden, every
impediment, every stumbling block. Whatever it may be, if it interferes
with our service to Christ, or cramps our prayer life, or is harmful to
our bodies, it is a weight. It should be dropped.

Second, let us lay aside the SIN that so EASILY ensnares us. Here the
writer to the Hebrews is primarily concerned with apostasy. He addresses
Jews who professed Christianity, but some of them gave up and returned
to their previous Jewish customs and manner of worship and beliefs.

The principle is applicable to this: We are to lay aside the sin the
CLINGS to us. It is as if each of us has a specific monkey on our backs
to shake loose. There is some particular sin that is bothering you with
the devil’s help. Its weight slows us up in the spiritual race of life.

God is saying, ‘Lay aside, put off,’ using the same word used for taking
off clothing. Life is a footrace, and we must strip down for it if we
are to run successfully. Through faith in the shed blood of Christ, we
are on God’s team. May it be that we will be able to say to our captain,
‘I have finished the race!’ (2 Timothy 4:7) from DAILY MANNA by Dr.
William Banks, published by CLC

Good words for today. Why not pass it on to a friend and encourage them
to sign up today for FREEDOM FIGHTERS!

Great quote: “The effort to repay God in the ordinary way we pay
creditors would nullify grace and turn it into a business transaction.
If we see acts of obedience as installment payments, we make grace into
a mortgage. Let us not say that grace creates debt; let us say that
grace pays debts. John Piper, Future Grace

DEALING WITH TEMPTATION

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God
IS faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are
able, but with the temptation WILL provide a way of escape also, so that
you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

“Let’s talk about the wrongs that you allow yourself to fall into. I am
not talking about major sins – deliberate disobedience to God on major
issues is not usually a problem a committed Christian deals with on a
daily basis. I am talking about not stopping a sharp word, or being
deliberately quarrelsome. These things you have some control over, but
you let yourself do what you want.

The closer you get to God, the more miserable things you will find in
your heart. This is not a negative thing – God allows it to let you lose
confidence in yourself. You will have accomplished something when you
can look at your inner corruptness without anxiety or discouragement and
simply trust in God. But you should try to not let yourself fall into
temptation.

There are two resources against temptation. One, be faithful to God
within you. Avoid all that is better left avoided. Of course you are not
always able to avoid these situations, some are brought to you by God
and will do you no good to flee them.

The second resource is to turn to God when you are tempted. If you find
that you’ve consented to temptation, then head straight back to God.
Take the example of a child who hides his face in his mother’s bosom as
soon as he sees something that frightens him.

Practice staying in God’s presence so that you are able to respond to
His leading immediately. In a way, there is little to do in doing the
will of God. It is true that holding back nothing from God is doing
quite a bit. God’s love searches the secret places within, looking for
anything that resists Him.

On the other hand, Christianity is not found in a multitude of rules,
nor in holding yourself back from every pleasure. Just yield yourself to
Him without reserve. Live in the present moment. Let God do what He sees
fit without resisting Him, and agree with God without trying to justify
what you want to do. Temptation is a necessary part of a Christian’s
life. Don’t be upset by even the most shameful temptation. Look at God
and dwell continually in His presence – He will keep your feet from
falling.” From THE SEEKING HEART – by Fenelon

Great quote: “There are certain attitudes we should never dare to
indulge. If we do, we will find they have distracted us from faith in
God. Until we get back into a quiet mood before Him, our faith is of no
value, and our confidence in the flesh and in human ingenuity is what
rules our lives.” Oswald Chambers

Has Freedom Fighters been a blessing to you? Why not encourage a friend
to become of our growing family. You can sign them up right from our
website at http://www.americaskeswick.org.

GIVING GOD YOUR GRINS

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.”
(1 Chronicles 16:34)

In church one Sunday a small boy was turning around smiling at
everyone. He wasn’t gurgling, spitting, talking, humming, tearing the
hymnals or rummaging through his mother’s purse. He was smiling, just
smiling. Suddenly his mother jerked him around and said in a loud
whisper, “Stop grinning. You’re in church.”
Is that the way you feel about spending time with God? Not a
very fun thing to do? How very different is the attitude of true
worshippers found in the Bible. When the ark was returned to Jerusalem,
David composed a song of thanksgiving. You can read it in 1 Chronicles
16:7-11. It’s something of ode to joy that presents a string of
suggestions designed to help us enjoy out time in worship of God. David
says:

* give thanks to the Lord
* call on his name
* make known among the nations what he has done
* sing to him
* sing praise to him
* tell of all his wonderful acts
* glory in his holy name
* let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice
* look to the Lord and his strength
* seek his face always
* remember the wonders he has done

Of all David’s counsel, perhaps the most difficult for us is to
seek God’s face always. That simply means to enjoy His presence, like
the grinning boy in church. True worship of God is often the simple act
of enjoying Him.
Missionary Jim Elliot wrote in his diary: “Oh, the fullness,
pleasure, sheer excitement of knowing God on Earth. I care not if I
never raise my voice again for Him, if only I may love Him, please Him.
Perhaps in mercy He shall give me a host of children that I may lead
them through the vast star fields to explore His delicacies whose finger
ends set them to burning. But if not, if only I may see Him, touch His
garments, smile into His eyes – ah then, not stars nor children shall
matter, only Himself.”
Take the time today to discover that there is no joy like that
of an intimate hour spent with God. Spent the time and enjoy Him.

Dr. Woodrow Kroll

Taken today from our Keswick devotional – Real Victory for Real Life –
365 daily meditations to help you live and walk in victory. You can
order today from the Keswick Bookstore – 732-350-1187 ext. 31. Check out
our ad in the current edition of World Magazine:
http://www.americaskeswick.org.

Great quote: There is one thing that keeps many from zealously improving
their lives, that is, dread of the difficulty, the toil of battle.
Certainly they who try bravely to overcome the most difficult and
unpleasant obstacles far outstrip others in the pursuit of virtue. A
person makes the most progress and merits the most grace precisely in
those matters wherein he gains the greatest victories over self and most
mortifies his will. True, each one has his own difficulties to meet and
conquer, but a diligent and sincere person will make greater progress
even though he have more passions than one who is more even-tempered but
less concerned about virtue. Thomas a Kempis

AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
for you.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:18)

It’s easy to be grateful when life flows along like we think it
should – when the sky is blue, the sun shines brightly, pleasant breezes
blow, and a surplus builds in our bank accounts. But what about those
times when health wanes and money is scarce? Even during such times of
need a spirit of thankfulness is important because it reminds us of the
trustworthy character of God.
The psalmist wrote, “Many … are Your wonderful works … and
Your thoughts which are toward us … they are more than can be
numbered” (Psalm 40:5). In response, we are challenged: “In everything
give thanks; for this is the will of God … for you” (1Thessalonians
5:18, italics added). The simple power of a grateful heart is
impossible to exaggerate.
An attitude of gratitude encourages a feeling of well-being.
Occasionally, I write down the things for which I’m thankful. For
example:

* Faith in a caring heavenly Father
* The comfort and direction I receive from reading the Bible
* The love of family and friends
* Health that is reasonably good
* The challenge and enjoyment of work
* The privilege of contributing to the lives of others
* The ability to meet my financial obligations
* A good night’s sleep
* Waking up to the smell of coffee and burnt toast (I like burnt
toast)
* More than my daily bread to eat
* The privilege of taking our thirteen grandchildren out to
breakfast one at a time, and learning their likes and dislikes
* Fellowship and inspiration with the people of our local church
* Finding a parking place, especially when I’m late
* Laughing enthusiastically until it hurts
* An occasional afternoon nap – “nature’s sweet restorative”
* Pruning roses in our garden or picking berries
* Reading a good book
* Listening to old songs … and remembering when …
* Watching the sun rise and then set at the close of day
* The sound of rain beating on the window pane
* Chatting with neighbors about small things

Especially, I’m thankful for the privilege and pleasure of
prayer. That, in all the experiences of life, I’m invited to, “by
prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let [my] requests be made
known to God” (Philippians 4:6).
Above and beyond everything else, I would join with Paul the
apostle in saying, “Thanks be to God” – for what? – “for His
indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
The worst moment for an unbeliever must be when he’s really
thankful and has no one to personally thank. But for believers, an
attitude of gratitude is a solid foundation on which to build our lives.

From Too Soon To Quit: Fifty Ways to Experience the Best that Life Has
to Offer, reprinted with permission of Dr. George Sweeting

Today’s devotional is from REAL VICTORY FOR REAL LIFE – published by
America’s KESWICK. Why not consider this as a Christmas present for your
family and friends. You can order right from our website or call the
Keswick Bookstore at 732-350-1187 ext 31.

Great quote: “The main thing we learn from a serious attempt to practice
the Christian virtues is that we fail. If there was any idea that God
had set us a sort of exam and that we might get good marks by deserving
them, that has to be wiped out. If there was any idea of a sort of
bargain-any idea that we could perform our side of the contract and thus
put God in our debt so that it was up to Him to perform His side-that
has to be wiped out.’ C S Lewis Mere Christianity