Don’t Miss the Obvious

Leave a comment
Don’t Miss the Obvious
I am a book-a-holic! Some of you already knew that. But there – I said it! And I love books about the Word of God. And I am a sucker for a good commentary. One of the regrets I have is that I didn’t get to finish my education at PBU back in the 70’s. I think I would have loved to learn Greek and Hebrew to better understand the texts of Scripture.
BUT I am very thankful for the way God still speaks to my heart even without that piece of paper that says I’ve completed a degree.
Today in my Bible reading I was reading through the little one chapter book of Jude. The last verses really jumped off the page – and I laughed to myself and said, “It can’t get any more obvious.” So here it is – just the text – no commentary. Allow God to speak to your heart today from the ESV. I am leaving the notes in the event that the links will take you there for further study:

A Call to Persevere

17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They<a href="http://www.esvbible.org/search/Jude/#f6-1&quot; id="fb6-1" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" title="Or Christ, because they“>6said to you, u“In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, vdevoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, wbuilding yourselves up in your most holy faith and xpraying in the Holy Spirit, 21 ykeep yourselves in the love of God, zwaiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt;23 save others by asnatching them out of bthe fire; to others show mercy cwith fear, hating even dthe garment<a href="http://www.esvbible.org/search/Jude/#f7-1&quot; id="fb7-1" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" title="Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin”>7 stained by the flesh.
Doxology
24 eNow to him who is able fto keep you from stumbling and gto present you hblameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to ithe only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, jbe glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
GPS – God’s Positioning System: Romans 4-7; Psalm 128; Proverbs 8
Compass Pointers: We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good; if bad, because it works in us patience, humility, contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country. C. S. Lewis
Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: John 17:3; Level 2: John 17:1-5
Anchored to the Rock: A sinning man will stop praying. A praying man will stop sinning. Leonard Ravenhill

Courageous — The Resolution Part 2

Leave a comment
Courageous – The Resolution  (Part 2)
“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
Yesterday I shared six of the 12 “I WILL” statements from the book, The Resolution (Broadman and Holman) based on the movie COURAGEOUS. Here are six additional resolutions:
7. I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.

8. I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.

9. I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.

10. I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a man answerable to God.

11. I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will.

12. I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill His resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.

Just think of what could take place if we each started to apply these 12 “I WILL” resolutions. It starts with you and me! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick
GPS – God’s Positioning System: Acts 20:1-3; Romans 1-3; Psalm 127; Proverbs 7
Compass Pointers: “While in the Old Testament  the mediating roles of prophet, priest and king were fulfilled by separate individuals, all three offices now coalesce in the One Person of Jesus.  It is His glory given Him by the Father, to be in this way the all sufficient Savior.  We who believe are called to understand this and to show ourselves His people by obeying Him as our King, trusting Him as our Priest and learning from Him as our Prophet and Teacher.  To center on Jesus Christ in this way is the hallmark of authentic Christianity.” J.I. Packer,  Concise Theology
Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: John 17:3; Level 2: John 17:1-5
Anchored to the Rock: I can take my telescope and look millions of miles into space, but I can lay it aside and go into my room, shut the door, get down on my knees in earnest prayer, and see more of heaven and get closer to God than I can assisted by all the telescopes and material agencies on earth.” Sir Isaac Newton

Courageous — The Resolution

Leave a comment
Courageous – The Resolution
“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
Several weeks ago, Keswick Board member, Pastor Dave Sutter recommended that I read the book, The Resolution for Men, written by Stephen and Alex Kendrick (Broadman & Holman). The book is based on the movie Courageous, and is built around 12 “I Will” statements. This book will go down as one of the must reads for 2011.
Here are six of the “I WILL” statements. I will give you the additional six on Wednesday:
  1. I will solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.
  2. I will love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home.
  3. I will be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ did for me.
  4. I will bless my children and teach them how to love God with all of their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.
  5. I will train them to honor authority and live responsibly.
  6. I will confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.
What powerful statements, but think what it would be like if we put these into practice, men. By the way, we are trying to finalize the license so we can show Courageous at America’s Keswick. I’ll post the following six tomorrow. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick
GPS – God’s Positioning System: 2 Corinthians 10-13; Psalm 126; Proverbs 6
Compass Pointers: “Before you can (know you are right with God) you must not only be troubled for your sins of your life, but also for the sins of your best duties and performances…before you can be at peace with God, there must be a deep conviction before you can be brought out of you self-righteousness; it is the last idol taken out of your heart.  The pride of our heart will not let us submit to the righteousness of Jesus Christ.  But if you never felt that you had no righteousness of your own or if you never felt the deficiency of your own righteousness, you cannot come to Jesus Christ.” George Whitefield 
Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: John 17:3; Level 2: John 17:1-5
Anchored to the Rock: God wants to be loved for Himself, but that is only part. He also wants us to know that when we have Him we have everything.

You Can’t Upgrade Contentment

Leave a comment
You Can’t Upgrade Contentment

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.” 1 Tim 6:6-9 (NKJV)

How many of you enjoyed this past holiday break filling up on turkey, stuffing and whatever that green stuff was your guest brought to the Thanksgiving table? Did you happen to catch the commercials during the football games? Did you notice what I was noticing? That the stuff you have now is in desperate need of upgrading and you should get up out of your tryptophan-induced serotonin slumber and venture into that nightmare they have titled “Black Friday” and get yourself that 92 inch television that my buddy Pete Subotin was telling me about.

Our Wednesday night Bible study has been going through Jerry Bridges “The Practice of Godliness” study book and there is a very convicting chapter on contentment. Our study group has found it ironic how this ties in with this Christmas shopping season. It is a shame how the world is being force fed this notion that you not find contentment unless you empty your wallet on the new Android toy. I am even trying to justify my latest upgrade from the DROID 2 to the DROID 3 smartphone.

In Bridges’ book he talks about how Paul warned Timothy to only be content with food and clothing and to “flee from” this love of money and discontentment with possessions (1Tim 6:10-11). This is also reinforced by the writer of Hebrews when he pens, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Heb 13:5) We need to keep in mind that was written in the Old Testament was written for our instruction (Romans 15:4) like the story of Achan’s covetousness at Jericho resulting in the defeat of the army of Israel at Ai (Joshua 7).  Or that of Gehazi (2Kings 5) who brought the disease of leprosy on himself and everybody in his family line forever. Let’s never forget Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)

Remember when Paul learned how to be content whatever the circumstances (Phil 4:11). Maybe he learned this from what he writes in 2 Corinthians 12 when he tells us of being caught up in heaven and hearing inexpressible things. It was in this chapter when a thorn was put in his flesh, a messenger of our adversary to harass him so that he couldn’t boast in the experience but to plead with the Lord to have it removed. To only have the Lord respond by saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” 

To finish this in Paul’s own words, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” And that, my Brothers, is an attitude that needs not to be upgraded. Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a regular Freedom Fighter contributor

GPS – God’s Positioning System: Psalm 125; 2 Corinthians 5-9; Proverbs 5

Compass Pointers: “In view of such strong biblical warnings against covetousness and the earnest exhortations of the New Testament writers to be content with what we have, we must take seriously the need to earnestly pursue contentment as a dominant character trait in our lives. It is not a spiritual luxury. Contentment with what we have is absolutely vital to our spiritual health.” The Practice of Godliness  Jerry Bridges

Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: John 17:3; Level 2: John 17:1-5

Anchored to the Rock: Prayer at its best is the expression of the total life, for all things else being equal, our prayers are only as powerful as our lives.

In Everything Give Thanks

Leave a comment
In Everything Give Thanks
Today was one of those amazing days of being whacked yet again on the side of the head. I am sure you have it all together so this kind of stuff doesn’t impact you.
I find myself at 57 complaining about my back hurting more, my leg cramps at night being a nuisance – can’t do what I could at even 40!
Well today my friend Sue Thomas came to share her story with our Hymnsing guests. If you’ve never heard of her, she is the one who PAX did the television story about: Sue Thomas FB EYE.
Sue has been profoundly deaf since she was 18 months old. She has lived in a world of silence for 60+ years, and is now doing battle with macular degeneration and MS. If anyone had the reason to complain – it would be Sue.
BUT every time I hear her story I am amazed at how she gives God the glory for her trials and suffering. She readily admits that while “the outward man is perishing, her inner man is being renewed day by day!”
Today when she finished sharing her testimony, she ended the way she has done every time she has an opportunity to share – she sang SILENT NIGHT. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. I found myself not being able to sing because I was so emotionally moved by her joy in the midst of her trials. (I will let you know when the video link is on our website.)
Lord, forgive me for whining and complaining for my little aches and pains and discomforts. I can hear. I can see. I can walk. Forgive me for my ungrateful spirit. Bless my friend, Sue, with contagious joy! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick
GPS – God’s Positioning System: 1 Corinthians 12-14; Psalm 122; Proverbs 2
Compass Pointers: True patience grows with the growth of love. We put up with our neighbors to the extent that we love them. If you love, you are patient. If you cease loving, you will cease being patient. The less we love, the less patience we show. Gregory the Great
Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: John 16:33; Level 2: John 16:5-15
Anchored to the Rock: A day hemmed in prayer seldom unravels.

Love the Word

Leave a comment
Love the Word
“They received the word with all eagerness.” Acts 17:11
If you have been reading the Scriptures included with this email which are from the 2011 Bible Reading Plan, you have been reading Psalm 119. What a powerful Psalm.
I am really enjoying reading what David said about the Word of God and his love for it.
As I have read the Word this year it has really come alive for me.
.
In the devotional, Voices from the Past (Banner of Truth), Puritan preacher, George Swinnock writes: “Do not leave your Bible as some do, at church, and hear nothing of it all week long. Bring it home and let it dwell with you. Do not let the Word be as a wayfaring man that tarries with you for a single night and is gone.

Let it be an inhabitant, one that accompanies you to bed and board, and with whom you converse continually as your familiar and intimate friend. Have you not found the Bible to be so bountiful a guest, to pay you so liberally for its board, that you always give it a hearty welcome and would not part with it for the whole world?

The godly have meditated on it day and night and have esteemed it above the sweetest honey and the finest gold. The martyrs in England have given much their estates for a few leaves of it, and have laid down their lives before they would lose the precious fruit in it.

O let this Book of books be often before you, and your meditation all the day! If you know and believe the contents of the Word, you would hardly ever let it out of your hand.

Wow! Do you love God’s Word more today than you did yesterday? Fall in love with the God of the Bible and you will fall in love with the Bible. If you haven’t picked up lately, today is a good day to start. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: 1 Corinthians 9-11; Psalm 121; Proverbs 1

Compass Pointers: In the world to which the Apostles preached their new message, religion had not been the solace of the weary, the medicine of the sick, the strength of the sin-laden, the enlightenment of the ignorant: It was the privilege of the healthy and the instructed. The sick and the ignorant were excluded. They were under the bondage of evil  demons. This people which knoweth not the law are accursed, was the common doctrine of Jews and Greeks. The philosophers addressed themselves only to the well-to-do, the intellectual, and the pure. To the mysteries were invited only those who had clean hands and sound understanding. It was a constant marvel to the heathen that the Christians called the sick and the sinful. Roland Allen 
Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: John 16:33; Level 2: John 16:5-15
Anchored to the Rock: All our perils are as nothing so long as we have prayer. C. H. Spurgeon

Ten Little Christians

Leave a comment
TEN LITTLE CHRISTIANS
10 little Christians came to church all the time;
            one fell out with the preacher; then there were nine.
9 little Christians stayed up late;
            one overslept on Sunday, then there were eight.
8 little Christians on their way to heaven;
            one took the low road, then there were seven.
7 little Christians, chirping like chicks;
            one didn’t like singing, then there were six.
6 little Christians seemed very much alive;
            one took a vacation, then there were five.
5 little Christians pulling for heaven’s shore;
            one stopped to rest awhile, then there were four.
4 little Christians each busy as a bee;
            one got his feelings hurt, then there were three.
3 little Christians couldn’t decide what to do;
            one couldn’t have his way, then there were two.
2 little Christians each won one more;
            now don’t you see, two and two make four.
4 little Christians worked early and late,
            each brought one, now there were eight.
8 little Christians, if they double as before ….
            in just seven Sundays we’d have thousand twenty-four.
In this little jingle there is a lesson true —
            you belong either to the building or to the wrecking crew!
(From WHO AM I IN CHRIST by Dr. Neil Anderson)
“And He gave some . . .  For the equipping of the saints for the work of the service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we ALL attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”
Now to which crew do YOU belong? – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick
GPS – God’s Positioning System: 1 Corinthians 5-8; Psalm 120; Proverbs 30
Compass Pointers: In the counsel of God the church existed even before the creation of man. R. B. Kuiper
Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: John 16:33; Level 2: John 16:5-15
Anchored to the Rock: The prayers of Christians are secret, but their effects cannot be hidden. Howard Chandler Robbins

Things Are Ripe for a Miracle

Leave a comment
THINGS ARE LOOKING RIGHT FOR A MIRACLE
I don’t know what you have been experiencing, but there seem to be so many people who are hurting and struggling. As a ministry, we have had a couple of tough months that have been very stretching. We have been crying out to God for a miracle. In the last several days, we have begun to experience some exciting signs that God is up to something cool. It reminded me of a powerful song written by our friends, Steve and Annie Chapman:
Well the money’s getting tight,
And we’re working day and night,
But, we can’t seem to fit the ends together.
And way down in our souls
The wind of fear is a-blowin’,
And I know it’s bringin’ in some stormy weather.
But before it gets to you,
There is something you can do
That will help you when you’re facing your recession.
In your heart get on your knees,
Be like Moses at the seas,
And let God hear you make this good confession.
Things are looking right for a miracle!
Ain’t no reason I should get hysterical.
Open up the doors,
God, you’ve done it before.
Things are looking right for a miracle.

Now, it may not be your money,
But some other kind of pain.
Let God get the glory, your confession is the same:
Things are looking right for a miracle!

Ain’t no reason I should get hysterical.
Open up the doors,
God, you’ve done it before.
Things are looking right for a miracle!
“Things Are Looking Right for a Miracle” – Lyrics by Steve Chapman
From Married Lovers, Married Friends – Steve and Annie Chapman  (Bethany House)

I look forward to sharing you when that miracle happens! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: Psalm 119:169-176; Proverbs 29; 1 Corinthians 1-4
Compass Pointers: Lay any burden on me, Lord, only sustain me. Sever any tie, but the tie that binds me to Thyself. David Livingstone
Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: John 16:33; Level 2: John 16:5-15
Anchored to the Rock:  “One should never initiate anything that he cannot saturate with prayer.”  

Walking By Faith

Leave a comment
WALKING BY FAITH
“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith.”  (Colossians 2:6-7a)

            There are some Christians whose lives appear to have transitioned from a faith basis to a works basis.  They seem to have the attitude that faith alone is essential to salvation but that one graduates from the simplicity of faith into the complexity of works.  The Bible does not support this idea.  In fact, the Apostle Paul in dealing with the matter of disputed practices gives the litmus test, “Whatever is not from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23, b).
            In Colossians 2:6 the Apostle Paul is dealing with the commencement and continuance of the Christian life.  These are connected by two tiny conjunctions (correlative conjunctions, as and so) showing that the two parts of the verse are of equal importance.  There seems to be no doubt that faith is the requirement for receiving Christ Jesus the Lord.  But how are we to continue?  By faith.  In writing to the Corinthians concerning our present life versus our future hope, Paul says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
            In choosing a figure to express the nature of the Christian life, the Bible often uses the action of walking.  The process of walking requires the transfer of dependence from one leg to another in a sequence of steps.  Life for the Christian is a continuous transfer of dependence from self to the Savior.
            As an illustration of this principle, we remind ourselves of the account of Peter walking on the water (Matthew 4:25-31).  He walked in faith based on the invitation of Jesus, come.  However, he took his eyes off of Jesus, turning his attention from the Savior to the storm, and began to sink.  His failure was not in continuing as he began – by faith.  Pastor William A. Raws was the grandson of the founder of America’s Keswick and wrote this devotional for our book, Real Victory for Real Life
GPS – God’s Positioning System: Acts 18:19-19:41; Psalm 119:161-168; Proverbs 28
Compass Pointers: Christianity can never come to us as a bargain; it can never be had at wholesale price. We must be willing to pay the full price of surrender and trust.  William L. Krutza
Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1:John 16:33; Level 2: John 16:5-15
Anchored to the Rock: When prayers are strongest, mercies are nearest. Edward Reynolds

Thank You, Lord, Looking Within

Leave a comment
Thank You, Lord  — Looking Within

Happy Black Friday. Seems like a crazy name for the name after a season of Thanksgiving. Today I share the third part of Charles Swindoll’s prayer:

Looking Within – Thank You, Lord
           
            for the gift of good health, a hidden treasure easily overlooked
            for eyes that see the beauty of your creation
            for minds that are curious, creative, and competent
            for memories of past pleasures and recent accomplishments
            for ears that receive the world of sounds around us
            for the special stimulation of taste and touch
            for hands to work with and legs to walk with
            for heartaches that force us to rearrange our priorities
            for broken dreams and lingering afflictions that humble us

Lord, may we be men who turn THANKSGIVNG into THANKSLIVING on a daily basis, not just on Thanksgiving Day. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

GPS – God’s Positioning System: Galatians 4-6; Psalm 119:137-144; Proverbs 25


Compass Pointers: Thanksgiving is not a natural virtue; it is a fruit of the Spirit, given by Him.  Jerry Bridges
Navigation Rules to Memorize: Level 1: John 15:26-27; Level 2: John 15:18-27

Anchored to the Rock: When I pray coincidences happen, and when I don’t, they don’t. William Temple