“Don’t think God has ordained you to carry the entire space-time universe on your own back. God created it, God sustains it, and God intends that the government will be upon His shoulders.” — Carl F. H. Henry, Theologian

“Limits were God’s intention from the beginning. He decided early on that limits were not only good, but also necessary. It was His way of preempting any ambiguity about who is God and who is not. He is the Creator — the One without limits. We are the created — the ones with
limits.

Because God is the author and creator of my limits, then it is probably okay with Him that I have them. He probably doesn’t expect me to be infinite and is a little surprised when I try. It is okay with Him if I am not all things to all people all the time all by myself. As a matter of fact, it is probably not okay with Him if I assume otherwise.

We often get into all kinds of trouble by inflating our role in the drama of life. Perhaps this is one of the main reasons God created limits. He knew that without limits we would overreach, swell with pride, and become independent. We would get priorities all messed up, and life balance would be neglected. He would have been right. So to address that problem preemptively, He created limits.

WE ARE NOT INFINITE. None of us has more than twenty-four hours in a day. We do not have an inexhaustible source of human energy. We cannot keep running on empty. Limits are real, and despite what some stoics may think, limits are not our enemy. Overload is our enemy.

As the author of limits, God put them within us for our protection. We violate them at our own peril. God is under no moral obligation to bail us out of our pain if we attempt to do more than He asks. It is okay for me to have limits — God doesn’t. It is okay to get a good night’s sleep
— God doesn’t sleep! It is okay for me to rest — God doesn’t need to.

We don’t know a lot about what heaven looks like, but this much we know: God is not pacing the throne room anxious and depressed because of the condition of the world. He knows, He is not surprised, and He is sovereign. It is okay if we have limits — HE IS ABLE. So relax. He’s
got it covered!

from A MINUTE MARGIN by Dr. Richard A. Swenson Navpress

Good words to ponder today!

Proverbs 10 is filled with little nuggets of truth about our words. There are two verses that address the mouth using the same phrase. Whenever that happens, the Lord is trying to get our attention.

Proverbs 10:6 “Blessings accrue on a good and honest life, but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.” Proverbs 10:11″The mouth of a good person is a deep, life-giving well, but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.”

The older I get it seems the more I am getting tuned in to how important my words are. Words can build up and encourage, or words tear down and destroy. Words can bring life — words can bring death. Sometimes after I have spoken words, I cringe at what I have said. I realize that something I have said in jest has really hurt and broken the spirit of my wife, my kids, or a staff member.

I know someone whose words have destroyed so many people. When this person’s name comes up in conversation, what people remember about them is the many horrible things that have come from the mouth of this person. Their mouth rather than being a “deep, life-giving well — has been a “dark cave of abuse.”

How are you using your mouth? Maybe you need to step back today and pray David’s prayer in Psalm 19:14 “These are the words in my mouth; these are what I chew on and pray. Accept them when I place them on the morning altar, O God, my Altar-Rock, God, Priest-of-my-Altar. (The Message)

Ponder your words today! Are they life-giving or life destroying? It’s not too late for you to register for our Men’s Day this Saturday with Dr. Fred Hartley. Three powerful sessions, great worship and plenty of food. See the website for details or call 800-453-7942.

This is one of my favorite readings from the daily devotional DAILY LIGHT which is all Scripture.

“I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that HE IS ABLE . . .”

Able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20)
Able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)
Able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)
Able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always live to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
Able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. (Jude 24)
Able to keep what I have committed to him until that Day. (2 Timothy 1:12)

Do you believe that I am able to do this? ‘According to you faith, let it be to you.'” (Matthew 9:28-29)

Rejoice this morning in the God WHO IS ABLE!!!

If you have enjoyed today’s Freedom Fighter, why not forward to a friend. To unsubscribe, visit our website http://www.americaskeswick.org and click “unsubscribe.” Freedom Fighters is a daily e-mail ministry of America’s KESWICK, “where God speaks to hearts and transforms lives.”

“The Christian is he who is righteous in his conduct, uncompromising in his principles, passionate in his devoton to His Savior, sacrificial in his service, and transparent in his life. He has no life behind the scenes to which he retreats to indulge his appetite for things that he would be ashamed to do in the company of Christian people. His life will bear the closest scrutiny of his strongest critics, from which he will come out unscathed, a holy man of God continually.

In light of His Word, it is God’s plan that His people should always be on the offensive, never on the defensive. Too often we retreat, run away, hide from the devil, instead of launching a full scale offensive in the name of Jesus. There will be no victory in the name of Jesus Christ until you declare war against everything in your life that is sinful. Fancy you and me having our feet on the neck of jealousy, pride, a critical spirit, of a harsh tongue! Fancy our having our feet on the neck of every crippling thing in our Christian testimony!

Have you identified yourselves by declaring war on pride, on self, on tongue, on criticism, by determining to attack and conquer them in the name of Jesus? You have a constant attitude to maintain, and a victory to claim.”

from VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIVING by Dr. Alan Redpath

Good words to ponder as we begin a new week.

“The trouble with so many of us Christians is that we fail to apply divine strategy to our daily living. If our Christian lives are hit-or-miss, it is not to be wondered at that we miss more than we hit! Very seldom does the Christian apply himself to daily disciplined action or to planned war against the enemy. The result is that many of us are completely outmaneuvered by Satan, who, if I may say so, is a master strategist. Remember, Satan is not only a roaring lion, he is also a subtle snake, and the roar of the lion is far less dangerous that the hiss of the snake.

Every victory that Christian wins in his own personal life is an invitation for a full-scale attack by the enemy of his soul. Every time a child of God steps into an experience of blessing he is on the verge of another assault by the enemy. Our blessings and battles go side by side. If you are being pressed on every front are in the thick of the fight, praise God! If you are finding temptation almost too much to bear and the struggle almost too hard to carry on, I want you to know that I am tremendously glad. You may be feeling miserable, but I am most thoroughly happy on your account. It is a good sign! IF YOU ARE BEING TEMPTED RIGHT AND LEFT IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING RIGHT THROUGH WITH THE WILL OF GOD IN BLESSING. However, if you are saying to yourself, ‘I don’t know what he is talking about; I haven’t been tempted in years; I don’t know anything about this kind of thing;’ do get before the Lord and ask Him to show you what is wrong with your life!” from Dr. Alan Redpath VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIVING published by Revell.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day!

If you have enjoyed today’s Freedom Fighter, why not forward to a friend. To unsubscribe, visit our website http://www.americaskeswick.org and click “unsubscribe.” Freedom Fighters is a daily e-mail ministry of America’s KESWICK, “where God speaks to hearts and transforms lives.”

“You can count on defeat in your life if you neglect prayer. Failure to pray always makes us insensitive to sin. If you pray in the time of victory you will never have to plead in a time of defeat. One of the greatest temptations that can come to you after you have proved that God
is able to give you victory, is to neglect to pray. When you think that you are strong and don’t need to pray any more, then you will have dulled your sensitiveness to sin. It is only prayer in the hour of victory that makes a man of God realize that he will face defeat again unless he maintains contact with the Lord Jesus Christ.

The moment of victory is the moment for humiliation. When one experiences the excitement and thrill of God giving him a new deliverance from sin, that should be the moment, not for ride, but for humility. I wonder how many of us as Christian people have gone out into defeat and disillusionment in Christian life because we didn’t pray — when our senses were dulled, and we were no longer acutely conscious of the fact that sin was still there, and that Satan would gain the upper hand unless we clung to the Lord Jesus.” from VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIVING by Dr. Alan Redpath Revell Publishing.

My friend, Jesus said in Matthew 26:41 “Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”

NEXT SATURDAY IS OUR ANNUAL MEN’S DAY with Dr. Fred Hartley. Fred is an effective communicator and will be sharing three sessions with us. Come and bring a friend. For reservations and information, call 800-453-7942!!! Great music, fellowship, food — but FOOD FOR THE SOUL!

If you have enjoyed today’s Freedom Fighter, why not forward to a friend. To unsubscribe, visit our website http://www.americaskeswick.org and click “unsubscribe.” Freedom Fighters is a daily e-mail ministry of America’s KESWICK, “where God speaks to hearts and transforms lives.”

“There is no experience in Christian living so full of danger as the flush of victory. There is no moment so perilous as when, for the first time in his Christian life. the man of God experienced deliverance from sin. At such times we begin to take pride in ourselves, and to boast that our own arm has saved us. We so easily imagine that because we have achieved victory once, God has imparted to us some new strength which will see us through all our earthly journey.

How utterly contradictory to the truth that is! The fact is that, apart from the grace of God and the blood of Jesus, the smallest temptations will be too powerful for us. The victories we win in fellowship with a Risen Christ impart no strength to us. THE VICTORY YOU WON YESTERDAY WILL NOT BRING YOU POWER TODAY!”

Remember that in the story of Joshua and the battle of Jericho, it was not Israel who captured Jericho. The Israelites walked around the city and shouted — but it was GOD WHO HAD TAKEN THE CITY! “The silence which reigned over the ruins of Jericho was not a testimony of the strength of the people of God, but a testimony to the power of Jehovah Himself.

The greatest lesson that the child of God has to learn is the lesson learned by Paul, that ‘in my flesh dwelleth no good thing,’ that ‘when I am weak, then I am strong.’; for the greatest cause of failure in Christian living is just this: imagining the victory God has given us has imparted strength to us to win every battle, when it has done nothing of the kind.”
from VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIVING by Dr. Alan Redpath published by Revell

Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side,
the man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabbaoth, his name,
from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.
FROM LUTHER’S HYMN — A MIGHTY FORTRESS

Good words to ponder on this Friday, March 4, 2005
If you have enjoyed today’s Freedom Fighter, why not forward to a friend. To unsubscribe, visit our website www.americaskeswick.org and click “unsubscribe.” Freedom Fighters is a daily e-mail ministry of America’s KESWICK, “where God speaks to hearts and transforms lives.”

“The ultimate benefit in allowing Christ to express His life through us is not what happens in us personally. Personal fulfillment is a wonderful by-product of His life within, but His great goal is to express His life to a needy world through loving ministry.

Legalistic religion promises freedom, but actually causes those drawn into its snare to become prisoners of rules. Grace causes the Christian to simply rest in Christ, allowing Him to reveal Himself to others in the course of living each day naturally. Religion makes performance its priority. Grace chooses people as its priority. It frees us to take our eyes off ourselves and allows us to invest ourselves in others. It is a freedom which activates ministry motivated by life, not laws. Law insists on ministry. Grace INSPIRES it.

When people are consumed with desire, they can’t be stopped. Grace inflames the desire to share Christ. It ignites compassion toward the lost and motivates Christians to naturally witness with supernatural power. Grace-based evangelism is nothing less than an excitement about Jesus that is contagious to others. Grace will motivate you to share a PERSON, not a plan.” from GRACE WALK — Dr. Steve McVey Harvest House

Take some time to visit our website and log on to the official FREEDOM FIGHTER site. You will now be able to add your comments and questions to the daily emails. We’d love to hear from you — www.americaskeswick.org.

POINT OF GRACE in concert this coming Monday night at America’s KESWICK. Tickets are still available. Call today for your reservations. 800-453-7942.

If you have enjoyed today’s Freedom Fighter, why not forward to a
friend. To unsubscribe, visit our website http://www.americaskeswick.org and click “unsubscribe.” Freedom Fighters is a daily e-mail ministry of America’s KESWICK, “where God
speaks to hearts and transforms lives.”

“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am not longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants . . . But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fattened calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.” (Luke 18-19; 22-23)

“If Satan can cause you to feel that God doesn’t accept you because of bad behavior. he can keep you in the far country for a long time. However, when you KNOW that your Father loves you and FULLY ACCEPTS you at all times, you feel an inward motivation to see the foolishness of your sins and to come running home, back into His arms.

Is there a place for confession in the Christian’s life? Yes, if confession means acknowledging the foolishness and disobedience to the Father and then praising Him that we are ALREADY FORGIVEN AND ACCEPTED by Him. We don’t need to beg for forgiveness. The Father relates to us from a forgiving heart because He loves us UNCONDITIONALLY! Do you FEEL unaccepted by God? If so, your feelings are tell you a lie! In Christ you are totally accepted by God! It’s hard to passionately love someone you believe doesn’t accept you. Failure to understand God’s acceptance will create a barrier to intimacy.”

from GRACE WALK — Dr. Steve McVey Harvest House Publishers

You can now view our daily Freedom Fighters right on our website — ww.americaskeswick.org. You can even add your comments, questions, and dialog with others about the truths we are sharing. Take some time and visit today! We’d love to hear from you.

If you have enjoyed today’s Freedom Fighter, why not forward to a friend. To unsubscribe, visit our website www.americaskeswick.org and click “unsubscribe.” Freedom Fighters is a daily e-mail ministry of America’s KESWICK, “where God speaks to hearts and transforms lives.”

“God said, [to Joshua] ‘Be strong,’ and when God said that it meant that the man to whom He spoke felt weak. God said, ‘Be not afraid,’ which meant that the man to whom He spoke was frightened. God said, ‘Neither be dismayed,’ which meant that the man to whom God spoke would easily quit the job altogether. But when men feel like that, God comes and lifts them up to leadership and into responsibility.

Most of us, God forgive us, are too big for God to use. We are too full of our own schemes and of our own way of doing things. God has to humble us and break us and empty us. So low, indeed, must God make us that we need every word of encouragement from heaven to enable us to take on the job and dare to go forward in the will of God. The world speaks about the survival of the fittest, but God gives power to the faint and He gives might to those who have no strength. He perfects His strength in weakness; He uses the things that are not to bring to naught the things that are. If Paul had been as eloquent as he confessed himself to be contemptible in speech, he could never have become the great apostle.”

From VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIVING — Studies on the Life of Joshua by Dr.
Alan Redpath. This book is published by our friends at Revell.