Thankful for the HARD Stuff

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Thankful for the HARD Stuff

“Give thanks IN all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Okay — it is easy to give thanks IN ALL circumstances when things are going the way we want it to go — or when the way is EASY. It could be that it is easy when things are going tough all around us. But what about when the IN ALL is when our loving Father is going about the business of pruning and modeling and shaping — when He decides to pick up clay of our lives and use His “potter’s hands?”

My good friend and brother in Christ, Wild Dave McCarty, President of Gospel Friendships, wrote this in a recent email:

Thank You, DaddyJesus Spirit, for the harrrd in my life that You are using to woo me to Yourself. Thank You that the nicest, sweetest, kindest, most miraculous thing you ever do for me, is to send Your Spirit to freshly convict me of my sin of independence, rooted in my sin of thinking I have wisdom worth leaning on, which leads me to trying to find LIFE in my idols, instead of in Jesus.

Thank You for lovingly thwarting my dreams and schemes, so I end up fearful, frustrated, discouraged, or bored, with fresh motivation to come running back to Jesus, and find my all in Him. Thank You that nothing in this world comes close to comparing with Jesus and His unconditional love for the likes of habitual prodigals. Thank You, thank You, thank You, for the perfectness of Your plan for my life, the perfectness of my circumstances right now, many of which my flesh hates with passion.

Thank You that no one loves me nearly as well as You, or I would certainly go awhoring after their love, leaving You behind in a cloud of dust. Thank Your love for me, Your faithfulness to me, has nothing to do with my love and faithfulness to You. Thank You that my biggest need is never changed circumstances, but always, more of Jesus at the core of my life. —

Lord, right now I needed to hear this prayer. Thanks for teaching me to thank you even for the HARD stuff. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 12; Psalm 84-86; Romans 12

Great Quote: Spoken forgiveness, no matter how heartfelt, works best when we do not demand the response we want. I mean that when we tell people we forgive them, we must leave them free to respond to our good news however they are inclined. If the response is not what we hoped for, we can go home and enjoy our own healing in private. Lewis B. Smedes

Don’t Kid Yourself …

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Don’t Kid Yourself …

Here’s a Freedom Fighter from 2004. It really helps to flesh out the THINK VICTORY message!!!

“The Christian life is not simply too hard to live in our flesh – IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. It’s time to expose this lie! Christians are backsliding because they have been deceived. We try to overcome sin in our flesh, but the more we attempt to fight the hordes of hell with our strength, the more worried and discouraged we become. When we make up our minds not to all flesh to control our lives, when the Spirit power of Christ flows through us, then we will be delivered from struggles, worries, and fears, and we will go beyond anything we have ever imagined; we will enter into the greatest move of the Holy Spirit the world has ever seen. Flesh, no matter how sincere, can never break the chains of sin’s power.

When we seek to love the Christian life on our own, we are as dry as desert sand. It’s not about our stuff – vocation, education, gifts, power, personality, power, grace, joy, grace and peace. Any believer who thinks that in his strength he can overcome our unprecedented societal pollution, mass media seduction, and plague of demonic temptation is deceived.

We can cry a river of tears, pray with all our heart, and be sincerely in love with Jesus and at the same time be absolutely bound. We can ultimately surrender to a compromised Christianity; believing we can never be free from the power of sin, we resign ourselves to struggle in futility for the rest of our lives, sinning/repenting, sinning/repenting, and never becoming more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.

After we surrender to Him, the Savior rises up through the power of the Holy Spirit, and sin is stripped of its power by the Spirit’s breath; only then can we truly know the meaning of victory in Jesus. Attempting to live the Christian of life in our own flesh puts us at peace with our sin.

We must experience, as an act of our will, dying to our pride, boasting, ambition, plans and reputation. Only a Christian dead in the flesh and alive to Jesus can know the joy of being free from the power and dominion sin.”

From GOD-WRESTLING by Mike Evans (Bethany House Publishers)

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 11; Psalms 81-83; Romans 11:19-36

Great Quote: “Religion is, ‘I obey, therefore I’m accepted’. The Gospel is, ‘I’m accepted through what Jesus Christ has done for me, therefore I obey’. Religion gives you control, that’s why its so popular…If I am saved by what I can do, then there’s a limit to what God can ask of me. I still have some control. But if I am saved by sheer grace, then there’s nothing He cannot ask of me”. Tim Keller

Choose

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Choose

“Choose for yourselve then, who you will serve…” Joshua 24:14 (NIV)

Sometimes less words are better than more. One of my staff shared with me 8 points from the induction speech of former NFL player, Rod Woodson. He challenged his listeners to make the following choices:

Choose:

1. To love rather than hate

2. To create rather than destroy

3. To persevere rather than quit

4. To praise rather than gossip

5. To heal rather than wound

6. To pray rather than curse

7. To live rather than die

8. JESUS CHRIST over the world.

Good advice. What are you choosing today? — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 10; Psalm 79-80; Romans 11:1-18

Great Quote: In those early centuries of Christianity, Christianity did not go into the world apologizing. It went to slay the powers of darkness and undo the works of the devil, and it lived in holy triumph. John G. Lake

Claim Victory

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CLAIM VICTORY

“You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob.” Psalm 44:4
I want to dedicate today’s Freedom Fighter to Dave Shoppy, a faithful member of the America’s KESWICK staff that went to be with the Lord on August 9, 2006. There is not a week that goes by that someone says, “I remember Dave,” or “I miss Dave because …” Dave lived a life of victory, and he is experiencing the reality of VICTORY in Jesus as he enjoys heaven. Please continue to pray for his wife, Betsy.
“There are no enemies to your growth in grace, or to your Christian work, that were not included in your Savior’s victory. Remember, ‘The Lord said to Joshua, ‘ Do not be afraid of them, because … I will hand all of them over to you'” (Joshua 11:6) Also recall the fact that when you resist your enemies, they “will flee from you” (James 4:7). And remember what Joshua said to the people: “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 10:25). The Lord IS with you, “Mighty men of valour” (Joshua 1:14), and you are mighty because you are one with the Mightiest. So claim you victory!

Whenever your enemies are closing in on you, CLAIM VICTORY! Whenever your heart and your flesh fail you, look up and CLAIM VICTORY! Be sure you claim your share in the triumph that Jesus won, for He won it not for Himself alone but for us all. Remember that you were in Him when He won it — so CLAIM VICTORY! Count Christ’s victory as yours and gather the spoils if the war. Neither the giants (Numbers 13:33), nor the fortified cities need intimidate or defeat you! You are part of the conquering army. CLAIM YOU SHARE IN THE SAVIOR’S VICTORY.

We are children of the King. Therefore which of these most honors our divine Sovereign: failing to claim our rights and even doubting they belong to us, or asserting our privilege as children of the Royal Family, and demanding the rights that accompany our inheritance?” — from Streams in the Desert Dave Shoppy understood what it meant to THINK, LIVE and CLAIM VICTORY! — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 9; Psalm 77-78; Romans 10

Great Quote: Really, then, our problem is not weakness, but independence! And in covenant, you die to independent living. Kay Arthur

Putting Sin to Death

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PUTTING SIN TO DEATH

“Turn (depart) from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:14)

How can you put to death the ruling power of sin in the deeds of your body? Both negative and positive ways: “turn/depart” = negative; “do good” = positive. You need to TURN “from” and TURN “to” in putting sin to death.

From TEMPTATION: (1 Corinthians 10:13) there is no temptation beyond your ability to overcome. God makes a way to escape every time. Temptation is not sin – you have a choice to turn from temptation.

To TRUST: (Proverbs 3:5-6) it is necessary to turn to trust in Christ. You yield to temptation when you don’t really trust God that He will provide for the need that leads you into sin: drugs – what for? Steal – what for? Illicit sex – what for? Cheat – what for? Gossip – what for? Doing for yourself means God won’t do for you. So, turn to trust.

From UNRIGHTEOUSNESS: (Zephaniah 3:5) God does no unrighteousness. He brings justice to light through His Word. The unjust knows no shame. Unrighteousness is the lack of right in every area of your daily life: work ethics, entertainment, relationships, money, worship. Turn…

To UNDERSTANDING: (1 John 5:20) Jesus gives you understanding to know right – in order to know Him who is true. You are IN Him! Turn to understand that.

From RAGS: (Isaiah 64:6) all your self-righteous acts are like filthy rags, and you will shrivel up life a leaf and be blown away by your unrighteousness. Do you wonder why everything is messed up? Turn from your rags!

To RICHES: (Ephesians 2:6-7) you are rich! You are already raised up in God’s mind to sit in the heavens. You have the riches of His grace and kindness. Why chase the world to gain rags? Turn to riches!

From NATURAL: (Romans 6:19) in human terms, you are a member of a body. In your flesh, you are weak and you fall. You are a slave to uncleanness in your habits. In wickedness there are no laws, rules, regulations or restrictions. Turn from the natural man.

To NEW: (Ephesians 4:23-24) be renewed in your attitudes which begin in your mind. Put on (which involves the action of choices) the new man (created to be like God) in righteousness and holiness. Turn to the new!

Put sin to death today: TURN – from temptation to trust; from unrighteousness to understanding; from rags to riches; from the natural to the new. Have a victorious day! –Chaplain Jack Noel serves at the Colony of Mercy

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 8; Psalm 74-76; Romans 9:16-33

Great Quote: Choosing Christ means walking along a single road, not several at the same time. If we wish to follow Christ and ourselves at the same time, are we not running after our own shadows? Anonymous

Pleasing People — Dealing with Pride Part 2

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Pleasing People — Dealing with Pride (Part 2)

I heard from a number of you yesterday that are are struggling with this issue. I don’t want to be a people pleaser — I want to be a recovering people pleaser.

Here is the rest of the questions that you can use to help you get at the heart of pride. They are from the book PLEASING PEOPLE — HOW NOT TO BE AN “APPROVAL JUNKIE!” by Lou Priolo (P & R). If you’d like to order the book from us, the cost is $15.00. I will waive the shipping and handling if you respond to this email with your name and mailing address.

You are pleasing people with a prideful heart:

13. When you give in to peer pressure

14. When you are critical of others (or hold them in contempt)

15. When you overreact to criticism

16. When you fail to witness to someone out of fear

17. When you flatter someone

18. When you lie

19. When you are discontented with the condition of your life

20. When you take credit for the achievements in your life

21. When you boast or brag

22. When you are defensive

23. When you blame someone else for your sin

24. When you are indecisive

25. When you talk too much

26. When you are contentious

27. When you are ungrateful

28. When you find yourself using your wisdom, abilities, and gifts for selfish purposes

This really exposes some issues in my own heart! Ouch! Lord, I thank YOU for revealing this truth to my heart from lips. Painful but necessary words. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 7; Psalm 72-73; Romans 9:1-15

Great Quote: No person has a right to lead such a life of contemplation as to forget in one’s own ease the service due one’s neighbour; nor has any person a right to be so immersed in active life as to neglect the contemplation of God. Augustine

Pleasing People — Dealing with Pride

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Pleasing People — Dealing with Pride

I don’t know why, but for some reason I am really struggling with the issue with people pleasing. My greatest strength (so I am told) is my care for people. My greatest weakness is that so often my care for people can sometimes suck the life out of me.

Sometimes I feel like everyone wants a piece of me — “I need five minutes.” “I know you are on your way home, but can we talk …” In attempt to care for people, too often my own family suffers because I get wrapped up in helping others.

Saying “No” is hard for me. Everyone has expectations. Too often I find myself trying to meet everyone elses’ expectations which then leads to frustration and weariness.

In my heart I know that pleasing people is not my primary role — pleasing GOD is! Yet for people like me who struggle in this area, people too often send the signal that in order to please God, I need to please them.

As I have been praying through this struggle, God continues to show me that PRIDE is at the heart of pleasing people. Ouch! That hurts. I wanted it to be someone elses’ problem — not mine.
Lou Priolo, author of PLEASING PEOPLE — How Not To Be An “Approval Junkie” (P&R) gives 28 indicators of how you can tell if pride is at the heart of your struggle with pleasing people vs. pleasing God.

I will share them the next couple of days:

1. When you realize you should have said “no” to someone but didn’t
2. When you go fishing for compliments
3. When you gossip about someone
4. When you worry what people think of you
5. When you face rejection
6. When you are willing to sin to avoid rejection
7. When you show personal favoritism to someone
8. When you avoid conflict
9. When you are contradicted by someone (especially in public)
10. When you meet a new person
11. When you are afraid to get too close to someone
12. When you have an intense longing to be noticed

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Lord, deliver me from the deadly poison of pride! — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 6; Psalms 70-71; Romans 8:22-39

Great Quote: The way we behave toward people indicates what we really believe about God. Warren W. Wiersbe

How Much Time Am I Willing to Spend with Him?

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How Much Time Am I Willing to Spend with Him?

“And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.” Luke 6:12

“But His delight is in the law of the Lord of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:3

We live in the instant world. We are connected to the Internet instantly through our computers, air-cards, Blackberry’s. We spend time on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter. We watch hours of TV, play Nintendo, Playstation, Wii. We watch the Yankees game in full. We view our favorite movies without interruption.

We eat our microwave food, get impatient if we are having to wait in line even at the grocery store. Everything is about speed: Speed reading, speed exercising. We want faster and faster Internet connections. We read books called The One Minute Manager, The One-Minute Father, The One Minute Manger, The One Minute Leader.

And now we can read The One Minute Bible. How do we ever expect to grow and mature if we relegate Him to just ONE MINUTE a day? How much time are you willing to spend with Him?

I was fascinated and convicted to read how much time the great preacher George Whitefield spent in the Word:

“There he is at five in the morning . . . . on his knees with his English Bible, his Greek New Testament and Henry’s Commentary spread out before him. He reads a portion in the English, gains a fuller insight into it as he studies words and tenses in the Greek and then considers Matthew Henry’s explanation of it all. Finally, there comes the unique practice that he has developed: that of ‘praying over every line and word’ of both the English and the Greek till the passage, in its essential message, has veritably become part of his own soul.”

Wow! Talk about conviction. Does He mean enough to me that I would be willing to get up at 5:00 AM to spend time with Him? Would I be willing to pour over a verse of Scripture until in became a part of my soul?

George Whitefield’s life impacted hundreds of thousands of people. His preaching with filled with power because He was intimately acquainted with the Father. Could we not spend one hour with Him? Something to think about. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 5; Psalm 68-69; Romans 8:1-21

Great Quote: Every one, though born of God in an instant, yet undoubtedly grows by slow degrees. John Wesley

What Happens When You Were Converted?

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What Happened When You Were Converted?

Some of you have met my good friend, Roger Carswell, an amazing character and Bible teacher from England. I love this guy and am grateful for his ministry. We miss him coming to the United States, but still get blessed through his monthly newsletters.

In his latest newsletter, he listed 12 things that happened to a man who is converted. I commend them to you for your review and your further study:

1. My name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (revelation 21:27).
2. My sins are blotted out (Isaiah 44:22).
3. I am justified by God (Romans 5:1).
4. I am clothed in the righteousness of Jesus (Isaiah 61:10).
5. I am redeemed (Ephesians 1:7-8).
6. I am reconciled to God (Colossians 1:21).
7. God the Holy Spirit comes to live within (1 Corinthians 6:19).
8. Jesus gives me His life (1 John 5:12a).
9. God gives me His power (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
10. I am adopted into God’s family (Romans 8:15).
11. I am given a new identity ( 1 Peter 2:9-10).
12. He gives me every spiritual blessing ( Ephesians 1:3).

Twelve marvelous truths that are YOURS because of what Jesus did when you:

* Turned from sin in repentance
* Turned to Jesus in faith and belief
* Finds that God has turned to them making them His own

This, my brother, ought to cause you to jump up and down and proclaim — THANK YOU, LORD! — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 4; Psalm 66-67; Romans 7

Great Quote: “Believers sometimes forget that we have been set free. Freedom scares us and more important, it scares those religious leaders who are into control. Jesus said, ‘Therefore if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed.’ We want to change that, to create some parameters and to ameliorate the dangers of the freedom Jesus gives. When we do that, we miss the joys of being free from the bondage of our slavery to rules and manipulation…Being free enables us to go to God without the need to act like a proper slave…Being free means that , in prayer, we don’t have to work for ‘slave’s wages’…Being free means that we don’t have to worry about every word and every thought that is uttered in the presence of God…God says…’You aren’t a slave, Quit acting like one”. Steve Brown. When Being Good Isn’t Good Enough.

Please check out this week’s insight from George Hutchison in his STEWARDSHIP INSIGHTS:
http://keswickgeorge.blogspot.com/

Stuff

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Stuff

“For the stuff they had was sufficient for the work to make it, and to much.” Exodus 36:7

I love this devotional from the pen of radio preacher, Dr. Dan Betzer regarding stuff in his new book, GODCAST — Transforming Encounters with God:

What a Scripture! What a realization of eternal truth! Just weeks out of 400 years of Eygptian slavery, the Israelites, led by Moses, wer able to erect the tabernacle in the wilderness. One commentary places the value of the structures at $13.5 million. Enabled by the Lord, the Israelites had not only sufficient resources, but even more than enough.

Many church members (and church leaders) poormouth themselves and the Lord. They moan, “We can’t do this — we can’t do that,” especially in the areas of missions and evangelism. Many times when they build necessary buildings they go into unecessary debt. Are you aware that the resources available in the average congregation just stagger the imagination?

I cannot tell you how many times I have seen the Lord provide the absolutely unexpected “unprovidable”! God commanded Moses and the Israelites to build the tabernacle. When they implicitly obeyed their Lord’s directive, His limitless resources were at their beckon. When we obey the Lord’s direction in both our private and the corporate life of the church, the resources are there. If the resources are NOT there, check your premisses. Something may be amiss. If we are in God’s plan, the “stuff” we have is enough. In fact, it is more than enough!!!

Good words. What is He asking you to do? Is He speaking to you about taking a huge step of faith? — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 3; Psalm 63-65; Romans 6

Great Quote: Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. Faith is the belief that God will do what is right.
Max Lucado