BE STILL AND KNOW

Thanksgiving has come and gone. Today is “Black Friday” – supposedly the
biggest shopping day of the year. I couldn’t believe that there were
stores that were open last night, let alone opening up at 3:00 AM this
morning to get ready for the Christmas season. The hustle and bustle has
begun.

As I thought about the craziness and fast-pace of the holidays, today’s
reading from STREAMS IN THE DESERT was so fitting …

“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

“Is there any note in all the music world as mighty as the grand pause?
Is there any word in the Psalms more eloquent than the word ‘Selah,’
meaning pause? Is there anything more thrilling and awe-inspiring than
the calm before the crashing of the storm, or the strange quiet that
seems to fall upon nature before some supernatural phenomenon or
disastrous upheaval? And is there anything that can touch our hearts
like the POWER OF STILLNESS?

For the hearts that will cease focusing on themselves, there is ‘the
peace of God, which transcends all understanding’ (Phil. 4:7),
‘quietness and trust (Isaiah 30:15), which is the source of all
strength; a ‘great peace’ that will never ‘make them stumble’ (Psalm
119:165); and a deep rest, which the world can never give or take away.
Deep within the center of the soul is a chamber of peace where God lives
and where, if we will enter it and quiet all other sounds, we can hear
His ‘gentle whisper’ (1 Kings 19:12).

Even in the fastest wheel that is turning, if you look at the center,
where the axle is found, there is no movement at all. And even in the
busiest life, there is a place where we may dwell alone with God in
eternal stillness.

There is only one way to know God: ‘Be still, and know.’ ‘The Lord is in
His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.’ (Hab. 2:20)

All-loving Father, sometimes we have walked under starless skies that
dripped darkness like drenching rain. We despaired from the lack of
light from the sun, moon, and stars. The gloomy darkness loomed above us
as if it would last forever. And from the dark, there spoke no soothing
voice to mend our broken hearts. We would gladly have welcomed even a
wild clap of thunder, if only to break the torturing stillness of that
mournfully depressing night.

Yet your soft whisper of eternal love spoke even more sweetly to our
bruised and bleeding souls than any winds that breathe across a wind
harp. It was Your ‘gentle whisper’ that spoke to us. We were listening
and we heard You, and then we looked and saw Your face, which was
radiant with the light of Your love. And when we heard Your voice and
saw Your face, new life returned to us, just as life returns to withered
blossoms that drink the summer rain.”

Good words for today.

Great quote: [God desires] not that He may say to them, “Look how mighty
I am, and go down upon your knees and worship,” for power alone was
never yet worthy of prayer; but that He may say thus: “Look, my
children, you will never be strong but with my strength. I have no other
to give you. And that you can get only by trusting in me. I cannot give
it you any other way. There is no other way.” George Macdonald

THANK GOD FOR FLEAS?

“In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:

“Corrie ten Boom in THE HIDING PLACE relates an incident that taught her
always to be thankful. She and her sister, Betsy, had just been
transferred to the worst German prison camp that they had seen yet,
Ravensbruck. On entering the barracks, they found them extremely
overcrowded and flea-infested.

That morning, their Scripture reading in 1 Thessalonians had reminded
them to give rejoice always, and give thanks in all circumstances. Betsy
told Corrie to stop and thank the Lord for their new living quarters.

Corrie at first flatly refused to give thanks for the fleas, but Betsy
persisted, and Corrie finally succumbed to her pleadings. During the
many months spent at the prison camp, they were surprised to find how
openly they could hold Bible studies and prayer meetings without guard
interference.

It was not until several months later that they learned the reason the
guards would never enter the barracks. Fleas!!!”

Has God brought ‘fleas” into your life this Thanksgiving? Maybe it’s
time to evaluate and thank God for the fleas He has brought into your
life.

I am thankful for the privilege of sharing with my Freedom Fighter
family and friends on this Thanksgiving Day. I trust that you and yours
will have a blessed day in Christ as you celebrate together. Have a
happy and blessed Thanksgiving.

Great quote: Among the many acts of gratitude we owe to God, it may be
accounted one to study and contemplate the perfections and beauties of
His work of creation. Every new discovery must necessarily raise in us a
fresh sense of the greatness, wisdom, and power of God.”
Jonathan Edwards

PRACTICAL WAYS TO THANK OTHERS

“A genuine spirit of thankfulness to God will also produce a practical
gratefulness to others. Here are some ways in which true gratefulness
can be expressed.

1. By telling them – Thank others for what they have done and for
the qualities demonstrated through their actions.
2. By writing to them – Letters should be prompt, neatly written,
and well thought out.
3. By public recognition – Tell others of the kind deeds done by
specific individuals and how your life has been benefited by those
deeds.
4. BY giving gifts to them – These gifts should be appropriate and
of value to the ones receiving them. The personal thoughtfulness behind
the gift is of greater importance than the actual gift.
5. By spending time with them – For the lonely or discouraged
quality time or a special outing would mean more than a letter or a
gift.
6. By informing them of your prayers for them – Paul routinely
began his letters by explaining how he thanked God for the believers to
whom he wrote. (See Ephesians 1:16; Colossians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:2;
and 2 Thessalonians 2:13)

So how grateful are you?

1. Do you begin each morning by thanking God for a new day?
2. Do you look for things you usually take for granted and thank
God for them?
3. Do you thank God for your health and strength?
4. Do you quickly express thanks to other people?
5. Do you rejoice in trials and tribulations?
6. Do you think of creative ways to express gratefulness to God and
others?
7. Do you look for benefits in the things that normally cause
murmuring?
8. Do you give public recognition to individuals who have helped
you?
9. Do you pray for those who have benefited you?
10. Do you thank God for your human authorities and pray for them?

Good things to consider on this day before Thanksgiving. Adapted from
THE POWER OF SUCCESS – How to Build Character in Your Life – by Bill
Gothard

Great quote: A proud man is seldom a grateful man; he never thinks he
gets as much as he deserves. – Henry Ward Beecher

WHEN SHOULD I BE MOTIVATED TO BE THANKFUL

1. When we remember His name – “It is a good thing to give thanks to the
Lord, and to sing praises to His name, O most High.” (Psalm 92:1) “By
him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually,
that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.” (Hebrews
13:15)

2. When we remember His holiness – “Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of
his, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.” (Psalm 30:4)

3. In a special time of worship during the night – “At midnight I will
rise to give thanks to You because of Your righteous judgments.” (Psalm
119:62)

4. During gatherings with other believers – “I will give You thanks in
the great congregation: I will praise You among much people.” (Psalm
35:18) “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom,
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual
songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever you
do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
to God and the Father by Him.” (Colossians 3:16-17)

5. When surrounded by evil – “Therefore I will give thanks to You, O
Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises to Your name.” (2
Samuel 22:50)

6.When your faith is put to the test – “Now when Daniel knew that the
writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open
in his chamber towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times
a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before His God, as he did aforetime.”
(Daniel 6:10)

7. When in need of a miracle – “Jesus took the seven loaves and fishes,
and gave thanks, and broke them, and gave them to His disciples, and the
disciples gave them to the multitude.” (Matthew 15:36)

8. When eating a meal – “And when He had spoken, he took bread, and gave
thanks to God in the presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he
began to eat.” (Acts 27:35)

9. When we see growth in another believer – “Thanks be to God, which put
the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.” (2 Corinthians
8:16)

10. When remembering the saints in prayer – “We give thanks to God
always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers.” (1
Thessalonians 1:2)

Adapted from THE POWER OF TRUE SUCCESS – HOW TO BUILD CHARACTER IN YOUR
LIFE by Bill Gothard

Great quote: Thank God for what you DO have instead of murmuring about
what you DON’T have.”

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

GRATITUDE

” …having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and
established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing
with gratitude.” (Colossians 2:7)

“The modern world has had far too little understanding of the art of
keeping young. Its notion of progress has been to pile one thing on top
of another, without caring if each thing was crushed in turn. People
forgot that the human soul can enjoy a thing most when there is time to
think about it and be thankful for it.” G. K. Chesterton

“In everyone’s life there is much to be unhappy about, and there is much
to be grateful for. Realistically acknowledging both ends of the
spectrum is appropriate.

When we turn to look at our problems, we assess them and make a plan –
no matter how small or grand – to work on them. This plan we formulate
with our MIND and motivate with our WILL. Then we look in the other
direction at our blessings, finding our obligation for gratitude. Here
we may fully engage our EMOTIONS.

Often we send our emotions to do battle with our problems, and despair
results. Then we send our will to express our gratitude, lacking any
confirming passion whatsoever.

Of course our emotions ought to be informed about our problems; of
course our mind and our will ought to express gratitude. But we should
send out that warrior best suited for the duty. And I think there can be
little debate concerning the most appropriate assignments here.

If we can adopt such a balanced approach, we will combine a realistic
and objective involvement in working on problems with a simultaneous
assurance that there is much good in life. We’ll recognize that the
world is full of beauty, that most people are worthy of our respect and
trust, and that the affairs of suffering humans are replete with acts of
love, kindness, nobility, and sacrifice. And we’ll remember that
overseeing it all is a God who knows us well, who loves us anyway, and
who is very, very, good.

We all have within our grasp much to be thankful for. Gratitude fills.
Discontent drains. The choice is ours.

Prescription: Every day write down a specific reason you have to be
thankful and post it somewhere visible. If you wrote a different reason
each day, how long would it take before you ran out of reasons to be
grateful? Personally, I am grateful that grass is green, that we have
vision, that our vision is in color, that four-year-olds laugh once
every four minutes, that we can have an appreciation of beauty …
Furthermore I am grateful for Handel’s Messiah, for oboes, for sunsets,
for my wood burning stove, for fishing, for birds, for our capacity to
love the Scriptures … When you give thanks to God, He turns it around
and gives it to you!” from A MINUTE OF MARGIN – RESTORING BALANCE TO
BUSY LIVES by Dr. Richard Swenson

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

THE LUXURY OF FRUSTRATION

“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the
nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

“As a disciple of Jesus Christ I cannot afford the luxury of
frustration. If I lie down at the end of the day and feel at loose ends,
I am not up to my commitment. Why didn’t that letter come? Why didn’t I
telephone so-and-so? Why did I leave some things out of the interview?
Why did my talk before the group flop? And so on. In such a state I feel
cheated, robbed, dissatisfied. And there is no peace whatever.

That condition is both UNBELIEF and REBELLION. Unbelief, because if all
things are mine, as Paul said (1 Corinthians 3:21), why do I not simply
believe it and rest? And rebellion because I have quarreled with God’s
portion for me today! I must learn that I cannot gain any more than what
God has planned to give me in a given day. All the striving, yearning,
and even praying will not yield one sliver more of the blessing God has
decreed for me. My attitude ought to be: Thy will, not my will; let Your
portion come, not, give me the portion I demand. I must learn to yield,
not resist.

Nothing in heaven or earth can stop or delay the blessing that God has
reserved for YOU today. There is no ‘Delayed Blessings Office’ in God’s
economy. The word DELAY does not even appear in His vocabulary. Anything
that is delayed is simply not HIS will for me at the particular moment.
Therefore, why fret? My days may not always be characterized by
pleasureful delight, but they will always be characterized by His
specially chosen portion, which will never fail to arrive. So why should
I fear?

Yet I always seem to fear God – fearing that He will refuse to give me
what I ought to have. The result? I live miserably rather than joyfully.
God, give me a heart to accept Your portion – with JOY! I rest in this:
‘NO GOOD HING DOES HE WITHHOLD FROM THOSE WHO WALK UPRIGHTLY.’
(Psalm 84:11)” From DAILY WITH THE KING published by Moody Press

Good word for today. I know I needed it, and my guess is that someone
reading it today needed it too. Have a blessed Lord’s Day.

Great Quote: To the individual believer indwelt by the Holy Spirit there
is granted the direct impression of the Spirit of God on the spirit of
man, imparting the knowledge of His will in matters of the smallest and
greatest importance. This has to be sought and waited for. G. Campbell
Morgan

CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION

Here’s another great prayer of the Puritans from the THE VALLEY OF
VISION …

O Lord,
I marvel that you should become incarnate, be crucified, dead and
buried.
The sepulcher calls forth my adoring wonder,
For it is empty and you are risen;
The four-fold gospel attests it,
The living witnesses prove it,
My heart’s experience knows it.
Give me to die with you that I may rise to new life,
For I wish to be as dead and buried
To sin, to selfishness, to the world;
That I might not hear the voice of the charmer,
And might be delivered from his lusts.
O Lord, there is much ill about me – crucify it,
Much flesh within me – mortify it.
Purge me from selfishness, the fear of man, the love of approbation,
The shame of being thought old-fashioned,
The desire to be cultivated or modern.
Let me reckon my old life dead because of crucifixion,
And never feed it as a living thing.
Grant me to stand with my dying Savior,
To be content to be rejected,
To be willing to take up unpopular truths,
And to hold fast despised teachings and death.
Help me to be resolute and Christ-contained.
Never let me wander from the path of obedience to your will.
Strengthen me for the battles ahead.
Give me courage for all the trials,
And grace for all the joys.
Help me to be a holy, happy person,
Free from every wrong desire,
From everything contrary to your mind.
Grant me more and more of the resurrection life;
May it rule me,
May I walk in its power,
And be strengthened through its influence.
Amen

Good prayer to prepare your heart for the Lord’s day.

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

MAKING WISE DECISIONS

“For they are a nation lacking counsel, and there is no understanding in
them. Would that they were wise, that they understood this, that they
would discern their future!” Deuteronomy 32:28-29

From time to time we all face times where we need to make decisions –
some big, some small. Here is some good advice on making wise decisions:

“The nation of Israel was showing little discernment, and they lacked
the wisdom to know their own destiny. Moses, like all the great leaders
in the Bible, was intimately acquainted with God, and acquiesced to His
will in all things. The wise person knows the will of God; the
successful person does it. If you are trying to discern God’s will and
make wise decisions, consider the following questions:

1. Have I prayed about it? The first thing a Christian does about
anything is pray and seek HIS kingdom. Recall that the Lord’s Prayer
begins with a petition to establish His kingdom and do His will.

2. Is it consistent with the Word of God? The majority of God’s will for
our lives has already been revealed in His Word. According to the courts
of our land, ignorance of the law is no excuse. Make it your habit to
consult the Bible when making decisions.

3. Does this decision or choice compromise my Christian witness? If the
choice you are considering requires you to compromise your witness or
integrity, then the answer is no. The end does not justify the means.

4. Will the Lord be glorified? Are you seeking the glory of man or the
glory of God? Can you do it and glorify God in your body? Are you
concerned about God’s reputation or yours? Will this build HIS kingdom
or yours?

5. Am I choosing and acting responsibly? What are my responsibilities
and what would be the most responsible course of action to take? You
cannot be in God’s will and shirk your responsibility.

6. Is it reasonable? God expects us to think. His guidance may transcend
human reasoning, but it never excludes it. God doesn’t bypass our minds.
He operates through them. Our Lord is a rational God and His ways are
reasonable.

7. Does a realistic opportunity exist? Closed doors are not meant to be
broken down. If you have a hopeless scheme, let it go. If a realistic
opportunity exists, and all the other factors are in agreement, then
step out in faith. God opens windows of opportunity, but they may close
if not taken advantage of.

8. Are unbiased, spiritually sensitive associates in agreement? Be
careful not to consult only with those who are inclined to agree with
you, or those who are afraid to be honest with you. Give them permission
to ask hard questions and the right to disagree without recrimination.

9. Do I have a sanctified desire to do it? The greatest joy in life is
to serve God and be in His will. You should feel good about doing God’s
will and want nothing less. If you delight yourself in the Lord, HIS
desires will be YOUR desires.

10. Do I have peace about it? You should sense an inner confirmation if
you are in God’s will and a troubled spirit if you aren’t.”

Practical advice on making wise decisions from the book THE DAILY
DISCIPLER – Daily Readings That Will Give You A Solid Foundation in the
Christian Faith by Dr. Neil T. Anderson

Have a loved one in addiction? Need help in figuring out how to help
them? Join us for our FAMILY and FRIENDS day on Saturday, December 9,
2006. See this link for details:
http://www.americaskeswick.org/conf/evspmensday.shtml

Great quote: Any such distinction between disreputable and respectable
sins…Jesus Christ absolutely refuses to allow. In His eyes avarice,
pride, refusal to forgive, hypocrisy, are at least as bad as fornication
or adultery or violence. — Charles Gore

STILL HUMAN!

” … whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians
10:31)

“In the Scriptures, the great miracle of the incarnation slips into the
ordinary life of a child; the great miracle of the transfiguration fades
into the demon-possessed valley below; the glory of the resurrection
descends unto a breakfast on the seashore. This is not an anti-climax,
but a great revelation of God.

We have a tendency to look for WONDER in our experience, and we mistake
heroic actions for real heroes. IT’S ONE THING TO GO THROUGH A CRISIS
GRANDLY, YET QUITE ANOTHER TO GO THROUGH EVERY DAY GLORIFYING GOD WHEN
THERE IS NO WITNESS, NO LIMELIGHT, AND NO ONE PAYING EVEN THE REMOTEST
ATTENTION TO US. If we are not looking for halos, we at least want
something that will make people say, ‘What a wonderful man of prayer he
is!’ or, ‘What a great woman of devotion she is!’ If you are properly
devoted to the Lord Jesus, you have reached the lofty height where no
one would ever notice YOU personally. All that is noticed is the POWER
OF GOD coming through you all the time.

We want to be able to say, ‘Oh, I have had a wonderful call from God!’
BUT TO DO EVEN THE MOST HUMBLING TASKS TO THE GLORY OF GOD TAKES THE
ALIMIGHTY GOD INCARNATE WORKING IN US. To be utterly unnoticeable
requires God’s Spirit working in us making us absolutely humanly His!
The true test of a saint’s life is not successfulness but faithfulness
on the human level of life. We tend to set up success in Christian work
as our purpose, but our purpose should be to display THE GLORY OF GOD in
human life, to live a life ‘hidden with Christ in God’ in our everyday
human conditions. (Colossians 3:3) Our human relationships are the very
conditions in which the ideal life of God should be exhibited.” Adapted
from MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST by Oswald Chambers, published by
Discovery House.

Powerful words that I needed for this morning. I hope they will be
helpful to you today as well.

Great quote: A saint is never consciously a saint! A saint is
consciously dependent on God. – Oswald Chambers

Be sure and check out today’s THINK VICTORY! Memory Verse on our
website: http://www.americaskeswick.org

ARE YOU UNDER GREAT PRESSURE?

“We were under great pressure.” (2 Corinthians 1:8 ” … so that
CHRIST’S POWER may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

“God allowed the crisis in Jacob’s life at Peniel to totally surround
him until he ultimately came to the point of making an earnest and
humble appeal to God Himself. That night, he wrestled with God and
literally came to the place where he could take hold of Him as never
before. And through his narrow brush with danger, Jacob’s faith and
knowledge of God was expanded, and his power to live a new and
victorious life was born.

The Lord had to force David, through the discipline of many long and
painful years, to learn of the almighty power and faithfulness of his
God. Through those difficult years, he also grew in his knowledge of
faith and godliness, which were indispensable principles for his
glorious career as the King of Israel.

Nothing but the most dangerous circumstances in which Paul was
constantly placed could ever have taught him, and thus the church
through him, the full meaning of the great promise of God he learned to
claim: ‘My grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Corinthians 12:9). And
nothing but the great trials and dangers we have experienced would ever
have led some of us to know Him as we do, to trust Him as we have, and
to draw from Him the great measure of His grace so indispensable during
our times of greatest need.

Difficulties and obstacles are God’s challenges to our faith. When we
are confronted with hindrances that block our path of service, we are to
recognize them as vessels for faith and then to fill them with the
fullness and complete sufficiency of Jesus.

As we move forward in faith, simply and fully trusting Him, we may be
tested. Sometimes we may have to wait and realize that ‘perseverance
must finish its work’ (James 1:4). But ultimately we will surely find
‘the stone rolled away'(Luke 24:2) and the Lord Himself wanting to
bestow a double blessing on us for our times of testing.” From Streams
in the Desert – Zondervan

Great quote: “If I belittle those whom I am called to serve, talk of
their weak points in contrast perhaps with what I think of as my strong
points; if I adopt a superior attitude, forgetting “Who made thee to
differ? and what hast thou that thou hast not received?” then I know
nothing of Calvary love.”
Amy Carmichael

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