O Let You Soul Now Be Filled With Gladness

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O Let Your Soul Now Be Filled With Gladness

“Therefore God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness …” Hebrews 1:9

Today many churches will celebrate the Lord’s Table and remember again all that Christ did for us on the Cross. I read the words of this amazing hymn and share it with you as a way to prepare your hearts for celebrating together:

O let your soul now be filled with gladness,
Your hear redeemed, rejoice indeed!
O may the thought banish all your sadness
That in His blood you have been freed,
That God’s unfailing love is yours,
That you the only Son were given,
That by His death He has opened heaven,
That you are ransomed as you are.


If you seem empty of any feeling,
Rejoice you are His ransomed bride!
If those you cherish seem not to love you,
And dark assails from every side,
Still yours the promise, come what may,
In loss and triumph, in laughter, crying,
In want and riches, in living, dying,
That you are purchased as you are!


It is a good, every good transcending,
That Christ died for you and me!
It is a gladness that has not ending
Therefore in God’s wondrous love to see!
Praise be to Him, the spotless Lamb,
Who through the desert my soul is leading
To that fair city exceeding,
For which He brought me as I am.

As you gather together to celebrate the Lord’s Table, I pray that your soul will be filled with gladness, brothers! You are redeemed! Hallelujah, praise the Lamb! — Bill Welte is President of America’s Keswick

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 7; Jeremiah 40-42; Hebrews 4

Dig This Quote: When I think of those who have influenced my life the most, I think not of the great but of the good. John Knox 


Determined Digging: Level 1: John 11:25-26; Level 2: Matthew 5:1-9


Determined Praying: He prays well who is so absorbed with God that he does not know he us praying. Francois de Sales


MEN’S FELLOWSHIP NIGHT: Hey guys — why not join me this week for our November Men’s Fellowship Night with Pastor Tim Shorey. Pastor Tim is the Senior Pastor at Trinity Sovereign Grace, Toms River. Thursday, November 11th. Dinner starts at 6:15 PM followed by a time of worship, testimony and fun in the Activity Center. Come and bring a friend. Call today for reservations: 732-350-1187

The Faces We Wear

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Don’t forget to turn back your clocks tonight!!!

The Faces We Wear

“Thus says the Lord, ‘Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man  boast of his riches.'” Jeremiah 9:23

I have often joked that for some of us, our face communicates more than our words. Leading worship and speaking for years is an interesting thing. When you look out at some folks during their times of worshiping the Lord, their faces sure don’t communicate their love for the Lord or the joy that He has place in their hearts. I realize that we judge from the outward appearance and God sees the heart — but listen to what devotional writer, Glynn Evans shares today for Daily with the King (Moody Press):


Lord, what kind of face am I wearing right now? Help me to realize that whatever kind it is, that’s what You are reflecting back to me. Teach me carefully what David meant when he said, “With the merciful, merciful, You are merciful, With the perfect, You are perfect, With the pure, you are pure, and with the stubborn, You are stubborn. (Psalm 18:25-26 — the author’s translation).


My face determines You, Lord, just as a child’s face determines the mother or father. When the child has hurt himself and turns a piteous face toward his mother, instant pity is the result. But when the child grows sullen and rebellious and throws a surly look toward his mother, look out! I see now what C. S. Lewis meant when he was trying to be reconciled to God through Christ and God said to him, “Wipe that look off your face!” God will not be reconciled to surly birds.


How do I see my own face? How do I know what mood I am wearing? I must look continually into the Word of God, the “mirror” that reminds me of what kind of man I am. I am the greatest of fools if I lose contact with my face, if I imagine myself to be one thing while the mirror tells me I am something else.

Lord, not only You, but my friends and neighbors are constantly scanning my face to see what news there is in my heart. Does my face tell them of a Christ who is abundantly able, or do they see a Christ still lying in the tomb? How thrilling it is to realize that Christ’s face can be seen in me (2 Corinthians 4:6).

If He is alive in my heart, my face will be alive with His glory; if He rules me inwardly, He will shine from me outwardly. Jesus Christ is my spiritual cosmetic.


My brothers — what is YOUR face communicating to those around you? What kind of face are you wearing? Maybe its time for a spiritual face lift! — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 6; Jeremiah 37-39; Hebrews 3

Dig This Quote: Some people think God does not like to be troubled with our constant asking. The way to trouble God is not to come at all. Dwight L Moody


Determined Digging: Level 1: John 11:25-26; Level 2: Matthew 5:1-9


Determined Praying: He who wants anything from God must approach Him with empty hands. — Robert Cunningham

The Authority of Truth

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The Authority of Truth
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8

This morning I read this powerful word written by Oswald Chambers in his classic work, MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST. It cut right to the heart of what I needed to hear from the Lord this morning.

It is essential that you give people the opportunity to act on the truth of God. The responsibility must be left with the individual— you cannot act for him. It must be his own deliberate act, but the evangelical message should always lead him to action. Refusing to act leaves a person paralyzed, exactly where he was previously. But once he acts, he is never the same. 
It is the apparent folly of the truth that stands in the way of hundreds who have been convicted by the Spirit of God. Once I press myself into action, I immediately begin to live. Anything less is merely existing. The moments I truly live are the moments when I act with my entire will.
When a truth of God is brought home to your soul, never allow it to pass without acting on it internally in your will, not necessarily externally in your physical life. Record it with ink and with blood— work it into your life. The weakest saint who transacts business with Jesus Christ is liberated the second he acts and God’s almighty power is available on his behalf. We come up to the truth of God, confess we are wrong, but go back again. Then we approach it again and turn back, until we finally learn we have no business going back. When we are confronted with such a word of truth from our redeeming Lord, we must move directly to transact business with Him. “Come to Me . . .” (Matthew 11:28). His word come means “to act.” Yet the last thing we want to do is come. But everyone who does come knows that, at that very moment, the supernatural power of the life of God invades him. The dominating power of the world, the flesh, and the devil is now paralyzed; not by your act, but because your act has joined you to God and tapped you in to His redemptive power.
Is there some area of your life where God has been speaking to you and you have refused to obey? Is there an area of sin to renounce or forsake? A brother or sister you need to forgive? Only YOU know HE is asking you to do. Are you willing to be obedient and act on the truth? — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick
Dig This Quote: The man who measures things by the circumstances of the hour is filled with fear; the man who sees Jehovah enthroned and governing has no panic. G. Campbell Morgan
Determined Digging: Level 1: John 8:31-32; Isaiah 40:28-31
Determined Praying: True prayer is the attitude and resultant expression of one who has come to know God as Father. — Herbert Carson

The Amazing Word of God

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The Amazing Word of God

The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them. Hosea 14:9

I love God’s Word and I trust you do too. There are many Christians today who have drifted away from the love for this amazing God-breathed book that can radically change and transform our lives.

Here is how one person communicated their passion for God’s Word:

I believe the Bible to be the Word of God:
Because it is the champion of human liberties.
Because it is founded upon justice and mercy.
Because it fills men with a desire to help others.
Because it presents the divine-human person – Christ!
Because it points out the Way from sin to salvation.
Because it brings peace and comfort to heart and mind.
Because no other book has ever been so loved and hated.
Because its life stories have a perennial, universal charm.
Because it reveals the only dispensable Man – Jesus Christ.
Because its influence is rapidly traveling to the whole world.
Because after two thousand years of publication it is still the world’s best-seller.
Because it records the only authentic history of the human race.
Because its benefits are not limited to any race, color, or condition.
Because, when accepted, men immediately seek for better things.
Because it provides the only real consolation for men dying in war.
Because in studying its words we “breathe the atmosphere of eternity.”
Because its messages of hope have saved many from destruction.
Because it recognizes and upholds dignity and individuality of every person.
Because those who would destroy it have not furnished any substitute of value.
I believe the Bible to be the Word of God; because it reveals the ONLY WAY out of this present world into a better one! – C. E. Holmes
Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God? I do know this – He longs for you to read HIS WORD and to study it and make it a part of your life. If you have stopped reading it or believing it, today is a new day. Grab your Bible, open it up, and allow God to speak to your heart and transform your life. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 4; Jeremiah 32-33; Hebrews 1

Dig This Quote: There is tremendous relief in knowing that His love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery can disillusion Him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench His determination to bless me. There is, certainly, great cause for humility in the thought that He sees all the twisted things about me that my fellow-men do not see (and I am glad!), and that He sees more corruption in me than that which I see in myself (which, in all conscience, is enough). There is, however, equally great incentive to worship and love God in the thought that, for some unfathomable reason, He wants me as His friend, and desires to be my friend, and has given His Son to die for me in order to realize this purpose. James I (J. I.) Packer

Determined Digging: Level 1: John 8:31-32; Level 2: Isaiah 40:28-31

Determined Praying: Prayer is weakness leaning on omnipotence. – E. M. Bounds

This Is My Life

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THIS IS MY LIFE
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”  (Philippians 1:21)
            How would you define life?  Some would give a physiological answer to that question – life is the sustained, normal function of all of the components of the human body.  Some would advance to a psychological explanation – life is defined by its experiences.  Extending this definition, some would say, “life to me is…” and then would name their essential element of life, the thing that is their priority – that which is of the greatest importance, which gives the most enjoyment or satisfaction.
            The Apostle Paul summarized the essence of life for him in one word – Christ.  In making this statement he was saying in effect, “Christ is my life.”  My father used to paraphrase Philippians 1:21a, “Life itself is Christ Himself.”  He is the one and only indispensable.
            An American was traveling through Europe.  While visiting England he chose to stay at a bed and breakfast home.  The lady who operated it was a devout Christian.  As she engaged the man in conversation, she sensed that he was a professing Christian.  Because she felt that he showed casualness about spiritual things, she asked him three questions.  First she asked, “Is Jesus Christ important to you?”  Rather quickly he replied, “Yes, He is important to me.”  Again she probed, “Is He indispensable to you?”  Taking a little longer before answering, he finally said, “Yes, He is indispensable to me.”  Then she asked one final question, “Is only He indispensable to you?”  After a long period of thoughtful silence, he said, “No, I really can’t say that He is the only indispensable one in my life.”
            Many people, if they were honest, would have to insert a plus into the verse and add a phrase or two.  “To me to live is Christ plus money, pleasure, family, job, fame, etc.  Only as the verse can be stated as Paul wrote it, with a single indispensable, can the second part of the verse be true?  Death is gained only for the one whose life is bound up in Christ. – Pastor Bill was the third generation of Raws men to lead the ministry of America’s Keswick. He served for over 50 years of the Board of Trustees prior to his going home to be with Jesus.
Digging Deeper: Proverbs 3; Jeremiah 30-31; Philemon
Dig This Quote: Sympathy is no substitute for action. David Livingstone
Determined Digging: Level 1: John 8:31-32; Level 2: Isaiah 40:28-31

Determined Praying: Prayer puts God’s work in his hands and keeps it there. – E. M. Bounds

Thoughts on a Mountain Top

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Thoughts on a Mountain Top
“And I said, “This is my anguish; But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.” I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds. Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; Who is so great a God as our God?”   Psalms 77:10-13 (NKJV)
Every so often our family will take a trip to Mt. Pocono in Pennsylvania just to do it. It is a three hour drive from our home in South Jersey at the least. We have taken some trips in the past where none of us knew what was ahead of us and it was in those times where we pulled together as a family unit. But this trip was kinda the same ole’ thang…to the kids. They were thinking about the outlet stores and fireworks that are up there. My son, Kevin, likes to eat at different spots up there and my daughter, Karen, has to shop at Clare’s. My wife, Kathy, and I had other thoughts and we had every intention of carrying them out. That meant our children were hiking up mountains and looking at God’s creation and not hiking to the Reebok outlet. At least not right away.
As we were hiking along the trials at Bushkill Falls I mediated on some phrases that were conveyed to our counseling class Thursday night. Chaplin Jim Freed ( Program Administrator of the Colony of Mercy) had been part of our KIBS class to share his methods on how to counsel the addicted and he said things that caught my thought pattern. One of the things he shared was how we lead the unsaved to Christ but we will, at times, need to lead the believer to The Cross. I haven’t ever thought about this in the contrast it was stated. I was comfortable, I guess, with the notion that once we all came to Christ we surrender to The Cross. But if I re-visit Romans 12:1-2, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”, this takes on a whole new avenue for me to explore. After all it was the peace of Jesus that led Him to The Cross.
Another tidbit that caught my ear that night was something said concerning what we find in Genesis 3:8-9, “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” My initial thinking was that God may have not known what Adam and Eve had done but what was I thinking? I serve a God who has a complete foreknowledge of what’s to come. Even Jesus stated that He does not know what the appointed time is and that it was in the hands of The Father. But if we re-look at this stroll through the garden as God calling out to them to let them know to come back, that He already knew what has happened and was ready to restore what was destroyed, “Where are you?” doesn’t sound like the beat down is coming does it? A comforting thought for this believer to receive indeed.
But the tie-in for me that night was this statement, “God’s will would not take you where His grace would not keep you.” (hope I got that worded right) This thought has permeated deep into my present day thinking about what is going on in my everyday life. I have those moments, either at work or in the home, where I have to realize that I just might be doing what I am doing in my own strength. Because if I take this statement and do some word swapping I get, “My will is taking me where my grace ain’t keeping me and I am getting pretty ticked.” When I run these past thoughts that I have just shared with you, through God’s promises in His word, I get humbled knowing that all it takes is an act of surrender to receive His grace and mercy in my life. I have those times where I forget this simple principle in my daily walk.
So as we leave all that trick or treat nonsense behind us and head towards Thanksgiving may we all remember that our Thanks-Giving should be for His grace and mercy to be abundant in our lives. I am also hoping that as the rest of 2010 rolls to its end that the foolishness with stuffing ourselves with turkey, stuffing and gravy or spending too much time in check-out lines to spend too much money on stuff that has no use in eternity does not interfere with the real reason we have Thanksgiving or celebrate Christmas. The real reason is God’s riches at Christ’s expense and not of ourselves so that we do not boast in anything other than the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. – Chris Hughes is frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter and is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy
Digging Deeper: Proverbs 2; Jeremiah 27-29; Titus 3
Dig This Quote: “God will call me to separation often, because He has people to reach and to reconcile. May I be as self-denying as Jesus was, and as full of love. May I be willing to leave my family, lifestyle, and personal goals in favor of the lost who need to be brought in. And may I always make a sharp distinction between separation from men and separation from their fallen nature. The greatest joy of self-separation is: “They have believed” (John 17:8, KJV). In the light of that, it will all been worthwhile.” Daily With The King W. Glyn Evans
Determined Digging: Level 1: John 8:31-32; Level 2 – Isaiah 40:28-31

Determined Praying: The real secret of prayer is secret pray. John Blanchard

The Disciplines of Life

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The Disciplines of Life
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is about to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you. 1 Peter 4:12

Good morning, brothers. I recently came across this poem again that I have seen in a variety of books. The poem was written by V. Raymond Edman, the fourth president of Wheaton College:
When God wants to drill a man,
And thrill a man,
And skill a man,
To play the noblest part;
When He yearns with all His heart
To create so great and bold a man
That all the world shall be amazed,
Watch His methods, watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How He hammers him and hurts him
And with mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clays which
Only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands!
How He bends but never breaks
When his good He undertakes;
How He uses whom He chooses,
And with every purpose fuses him;
By every act induces him
To try His splendor out – God knows what He’s about!
Wow. Pretty heavy stuff at the outset of a new week. How does God want to use you this week? This year? Are you willing? – Bill Welte is President and CEO
Digging Deeper: Proverbs 1; Jeremiah 24-26; Titus 2
Dig This Quote: To the child of God, there is no such thing as an accident. He travels an appointed way … Accidents may indeed  APPEAR to befall him and misfortune stalk his way; but those evils will be so in appearance only and will seem evils only because we cannot read the secret script of God’s hidden providence.  A. W. Tozer
Determined Digging: Level 1: John 8:31-32; Level 2: Isaiah 40: 28-31
Determined Praying:  Prayer is not so much submitting our needs to God but admitting ourselves to Him. John Blanchard

Consecration and Worship

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Consecration and Worship

Here is a beautiful prayer for you to use to prepare your heart for the Lord’s Day. It is from the book, Valley of Vision.

My God,
I feel it is heaven to please thee, and to be what though wouldst me to be.
O that I were holy as thou art holy
Pure as Christ is pure,
Perfect as thy Spirit is perfect!
These, I feel, are best commands in thy Book,
and shall I break them? Must I break them?
am I under such a necessity as long as I live here?

Woe, woe is me that I am a sinner,
that I grieve this blessed God,
who is infinite in good and grace!
O, if he would punish me for my sins,
it would not wound my heart so deep to offend him;
But though I sin continually, he continually repeats his kindness to me.
At times I feel I could bear any suffering,
but how can I dishonor this glorious God?
What shall I do to glorify and worship this best of beings?
O that I could consecrate my soul and body to his service,
without restraint, forever!
O that I could give myself up to him,
So as never more to attempt to be my own!
or have any will or affections that are not perfectly conformed to his will and his love!

But, alas, I cannot love and not sin.
O may angels glorify him incessantly,
and, if possible, prostrate themselves lower before the blessed King of Heaven!
I long to bear a part with them in ceaseless praise;
But when I have done all I can to eternity I shall not be able to offer more than
a small fraction of homage that the glorious God deserves.
Give me a heart full of divine, heavenly love.

In the name of Jesus, Amen!

Great prayer, brothers. Use it to prepare your heart for worship. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 31; Jeremiah 22-23; Titus 1

Determined Digging: Level 1: John 8:31-32; Level 2: Isaiah 40:28-31

Determined Praying: Effective prayer is a quartet – the Father, the Son, the Spirit and the Christian. John Blanchard

The Beatitudes Revisited

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The Beatitudes Revisited

It seems like every book I have read recently quotes the Phillips translation. Several weeks ago I shared Romans 6-8 with you. Last night I was reading a commentary on The Beatitudes and the author referred to the Phillips translation:

How happy are the humble-minded, for the kingdom of Heaven is theirs!
How happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given courage and comfort!
Happy are those who claim nothing, for the whole earth will belong to them!
Happy are those who are hungry and thirsty for goodness, for they will be satisfied!
Happy are the merciful, for they will have mercy shown to them!
Happy are the utterly sincere, for they will see God!
Happy are those who make peace, for they will be known has the sons of God!
Happy are those who have suffered persecution for the cause of goodness, for the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

As I read through this passage from Matthew 5, I realized how different our definition of happiness is compared to how Jesus defines happiness. Are you defining happiness today like Jesus? Or are you using another definition to define happiness in your life? Think about it! – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s Keswick

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 30; Jeremiah 20-21; 2 Timothy 4

Dig This Quote: Self-control for the Christian means that my “self,” my whole person, my whole being, body, soul, spirit comes under the control of Christ. It means that I am an individual governed by God. My entire life, every aspect of it – whether spritual, moral or physical – has become subject to the sovereignty of God’s Spirit. I am a “man under authority.” Phillip Keller

Determined Digging:  Level 1: John 7:38; Level 2: Isaiah 9:6-8

Determined Praying: Between the humble and contrite heart and the majesty of heaven there are no barriers. The only password is prayer. H. Ballou

The Habit of Enjoying Adversity

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The Habit of Enjoying Adversity
“ … that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” 2 Corinthians 4:10
We all face adversity. If you haven’t ever faced it, please email me immediately! I need to talk to you J As Christians, we face adversity from a different perspective than the world. In fact, James 1:2 from the Phillips Translation says that we can welcome adversity (trials) as our friends!

Oswald Chambers puts this all into perspective for us:

We have to develop godly habits to express what God’s grace has done in us. It is not just a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved so that “the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” And it is adversity that makes us exhibit His life in our mortal flesh. Is my life exhibiting the essence of the sweetness of the Son of God, or just the basic irritation of “myself” that I would have apart from Him?
The only thing that will enable me to enjoy adversity is the acute sense of eagerness of allowing the life of the Son of God to evidence itself in me. No matter how difficult something may be, I must say, “Lord, I am delighted to obey You in this.” Instantly, the Son of God will move to the forefront of my life, and will manifest in my body that which glorifies Him.
You must not debate. The moment you obey the light of God, His Son shines through you in that very adversity; but if you debate with God, you grieve His Spirit (see Ephesians 4:30). You must keep yourself in the proper condition to allow the life of the Son of God to be manifested in you, and you cannot keep yourself fit if you give way to self-pity.
Our circumstances are the means God uses to exhibit just how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure His Son is. Discovering a new way of manifesting the Son of God should make our heart beat with renewed excitement. It is one thing to choose adversity, and quite another to enter into adversity through the orchestrating of our circumstances by God’s sovereignty. And if God puts you into adversity, He is adequately sufficient to “supply all your need” (Philippians 4:19).
Keep your soul properly conditioned to manifest the life of the Son of God. Never live on your memories of past experiences, but let the Word of God always be living and active in you. – Oswald Chambers – My Utmost for His Highest (May 14th)
Are you facing adversity in your life today, brother? If so, thank God for it and allow Him to use it in your life for His glory and your good. Ask Him to change your perspective. – Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK
Digging Deeper: Proverbs 29; Jeremiah 18-19; 2 Timothy 3
Dig This Quote: We come to Jesus Christ: and He does for us what He promised; and the thing works out. To our amazement, it works out. And then we settle down. We have had our own first-hand and irrefutable experience. But, instead of opening the windows to the glory of the sunshine so evidently there, instead of being incited to a hugeness of faith by what Christ has already done for us, we can’t believe that there can be anything more, or that even He can work, for us, anything better. That first foretaste satisfies us. And so we camp for life out on the confines of the Kingdom, and never press on to inherit what is there and meant for us. Arthur John (A. J.) Gossip
Determined Digging: Level 1: John 7:38; Level 2: Isaiah 9:6-8
Determined Praying: God doesn’t have favorites but He does have intimates.  – Michael Catt