Cultivating a Thankful Spirit

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Cultivating a Thankful Spirit

“For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to him.” Romans 1:21

I don’t want to be a spoiled brat. I want to be a thankful “King’s Kid!” Ever stop to think how quickly we run into the presence of the Lord immediately with our list of wants, cares, problems … and how little time we actually stop to THANK HIM.

Here is a neat little exercise. Get out a timer and start off your prayer time just thanking God for who He is without thanking Him for what He has done. I’ve tried it in numerous settings … I lasts for just a couple of minutes and before you know it, we are thanking Him for all He does for us and then we quickly segue into our requests (couched with thanksgiving).

The Apostle Paul is a great role model in teaching us how to cultivate a thankful spirit. Paul Miller in his new book, A PRAYING LIFE (NavPress) says that “almost every time Paul describes HOW he prayed for people, he mentions thanksgiving …”

  • First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you. (Romans 1:8)
  • I give thanks to my God always for you. (1 Corinthians 1:4)
  • I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. (Ephesians 1:16)
  • I thank my God in all my remembrances of you, always in every prayer of mine. Philippians 1:3-4)
  • We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you. (Colossians 1:3)
  • We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers. (1 Thessalonians 1:2)
  • We also thank God constantly. (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
  • For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you? (1 Thessalonians 3:9)
  • We ought always to give thanks to God for you. (2 Thessalonians 1:3)
  • Be we ought always to give thanks to God for you. (2 Thessalonians 2:13)
  • I thank my God … as I remember you constantly in my prayers. (2 Timothy 1:3)
  • I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers. (Philemon 4)

That’s the spirit that I want to develop THROUGH Christ … the spirit of thanksgiving. I am thankful today for my Freedom Fighter brothers! — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 10; 2 Chronicles 34-36; John 19:1-22

Great Quote: The present is what slips by us when we are pondering the past and worrying about the future.

Have you registered for Thursday evening’s Father Son Night? Call today for reservations: 732-350-1187

Ten Commandments Cowboy Style

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Ten Commandments Cowboy Style

Most of our Freedom Fighters are very serious in nature. I couldn’t resist sending this one to you today. It isn’t really making fun of the Ten Commandments, but I love the forthrightness of this guys perspective as he paraphrased them into “cowboy” lingo. I can almost hear Roy Rogers saying these:

1. Just one God! Period!

2. Honor yer Ma and Pa!

3. No tellin’ tales or gossipin!

4. Git yerself to Sabbath meetin’!

5. Put nothin’ before God!

6. No foolin’ around with another feller’s gal!

7. No killin’!

8. Watch yer mouth!

9. Don’t take what ain’t yers!

10. Don’t be hankerin’ for yer buddy’s stuff!

I can hear my Nan saying, “Somethin’ about this you don’t get? Maybe our country needs to have this posted everywhere! Pretty hard to miss it? — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 9; 2 Chronicles 32-33; John 18:19-40

Great Quote: “The most oft repeated command in the Bible is ‘fear not’…’do not be afraid’. Probably because for most us we lack courage. Courage isn’t the absence of fear. In fact, fear might be a constant companion for the rest of your life. But courage is an essential ingredient for those following Jesus. It is a moral value—an operating quality of someone with a radically changed heart. How do we get courage in the midst of all that frightens us—when the Dr. says there isn’t anymore that can be done? When you get a pink slip at work? When your spouse says ‘I found someone new’? When you spend one more night in the lonely dark? You won’t get it by your own will power. But, by faith in the One, Jesus, Who when faced with the most frightening of all experiences, death for our sin, abandonment from the Father, did not run. He stayed and offered up His life for you. When you see his courage and believe his promise, “I will never leave you or abandon you”…you will face your fear with courage. Tom Wood

Spending Time With Poppa in the Morning

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Spending Time with Poppa in the Morning

“O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.” Psalm 5:3

In his brand new book on prayer, Paul Miller suggests seven simple suggestions for how you can spend time with your Poppa in the morning:

1. Go to bed. What you do in the evening will shape your morning. The Hebrew notion of a day as evening and morning (see Genesis 1) helps you plan for prayer. If you want to pray in the morning, then plan your evening so you don’t stay up too late. The evening and the morning are connected.

2. Get up. Praying in bed is wonderful. In fact, the more you pray OUT OF BED, the more you’ll pray IN bed. But you’ll never develop a morning prayer time IN bed.

3. Get awake. Maybe you need to make a pot of coffee first or take a shower.

4. Get a quiet place. Maybe a room, a chair, or a place with a view. Or maybe you do better going for a walk. Make sure that no one can interrupt you.

5. Get comfortable. Don’t feel like you have to pray on your knees.

6. Get going. Start with five minutes. Start with a small goal that you can attain rather than something heroic. You’ll quickly find that the time will fly.

7. Keep going. Consistency is more important than length. If you pray five minutes every day, then the length of time will slowly grow. You’ll look up and discover that twenty minutes have gone by. You’ll enjoy being with God.

Practical suggestions for spending time with your Poppa each morning. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 8; 2 Chronicles 30-31; John 18:1-18

Great Quote: Apart from God, nothing matters. We think that health matters, or knowledge, or art or civilization. And but for one insistent word, they would matter indeed. That word is eternity. A W Tozer

Join us this Thursday evening for our annual Father Son Night. This year’s speaker is Bevan Greiner. Come enjoy a great evening with your Dad or Son. Call for reservations and information. 732-350-1187

First Day Morning Worship

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First Day Morning Worship

Here is a prayer from one of the Puritans in the book VALLEY OF VISION. Great prayer as we celebrate this Lord’s Day:

O Lord,
We commune with thee every day,
but week days are worldly days,
and secular concerns reduce heavenly impressions.
We bless thee therefore for the day sacred to our souls
when we can wait upon thee and be refreshed.

We thank they for the institutions of religion
by use of which we draw near to thee and thou to us;
We rejoice in another Lord’s Day
when we call off our minds from the cares of the world
and attend upon thee without distraction;

Let our retirement be devout,
our conversation edifying,
our reading pious,
our hearing profitable,
that our souls may be quickened and elevated.

We are going to the house of prayer,
pour upon us the spirit of grace and supplication;
We are going to the house of praise,
awaken in us every grateful and cheerful emotion;
We are going to the house of instruction,
give testimony to the Word preached,
and glorify it in the hearts of all who hear;
may it enlighten the ignorant,
awaken the careless, reclaim the wandering,
establish the weak, comfort the feeble-minded,
make ready a people for their Lord.

Be a sanctuary to all who cannot come,
Forget not those who never come,
And do thou bestow upon us
benevolence towards our dependants,
forgiveness towards our enemies,
peaceableness towards our neighbors,
openness toward our fellow-Christians, Amen

Good prayer for this June 7, 2009 Lord’s Day — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 7; 2 Chronicles 28-29; John 17

Great Quote: How many Christians are there who pray every Sunday in church, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done!” without ever realizing the spiritual implications of such intercession! What are we praying for? Should we edit that prayer so that it becomes a confrontation: “My kingdom go, Lord; let Thy kingdom come!” Certainly His kingdom can never be realized in my life until my own selfish kingdom is deposed. It is when I resign, when I am no longer king of my domain that Jesus Christ will become king of my life. A. W. Tozer

Is Jesus Lord of All?

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IS JESUS LORD OF ALL?

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1,2)

Submitting to Jesus Christ as your personal Savior opens your heart to Him, allows Him to fellowship and reside with you. However, committing to Him means you transfer the title of your life to Him. He comes not only to fellowship but also to re-design; not just to reside but to renovate your life.

The Lord goes through every room and does a remodeling job, top to bottom. He takes out a door here, but puts in a window there, erects a wall where there is permissiveness and takes out a dark closet where pet sins were once fed and nurtured. He wires your thinking and expands the square footage of your heart to dimensions you never thought possible!

So, the question is – are you willing to have the Lord be in control of your relationships, your work, your circumstances, your body? This would be making Him not just present in your life, but president – over all – the Lord of your externals. But perhaps more important is that the Lord be supreme and over all your internals; that is, your mind, your emotions, your will. The lordship issue boils down to a decision of the will. Robert Munger, in his excellent booklet, “My Heart – Christ’s Home” says, “Give the King a castle that is worthy of His presence.” Let’s make that a goal.

Make Him Lord of your externals and internals, and He will have His rightful place in your life. — Rev. John Hibbard is a Board member of America’s KESWICK and shares God’s WORD each Sunday morning at the Colony Chapel.

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 6; 2 Chronicles 25-27; John 16

Great Quote: Part of our imitation of Christ includes a desire that all people come to salvation. Too often we lack this desire because we have not considered how terrible hell will be and have not remembered often enough that eternal punishment is the fate of all those who are apart from the true God. Let us pray daily that the Lord will give us a desire for everyone we know to be saved, even those who can be considered our enemies. Table Talk Magazine May 28, 2009

I Didn’t Need a Second Cup

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I Didn’t Need A Second Cup.

“Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach Him? Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about what is good? Did someone teach Him what is right or show Him the path of justice?” — Isaiah 40:13-14 (NLT)

“There ain’t nothing like a good cup of coffee to get the morning going!” I say to myself. I open up Fenelon’s “Spiritual Letters” from the “Best of Fenelon” book and get to Letter 8 when something pop’s right out in front of me.

“Do you believe that it is possible that the love of God,-and the abandonment of self for His sake,-is only to be reached through acquiring so much knowledge? You have already more than you use, and need further illuminations much less the practice of what you already know. O how deceived we are when we suppose we are advancing because our vain curiosity is gratified by the enlightenment of our intellect! Be humble, and do not expect the gifts of God to come from people.”

Just when I thought I was getting smart enough to read this guy I get slapped with this. Now it’s not like I can’t understand what I read but this part of the 8th letter spoke real loud on this morning. And it wasn’t because of the coffee! Maybe it’s because I just received a certificate from KIBS and I got kind of proud of myself. After all, I really didn’t apply myself when I was in school and never thought of myself taking college course let alone courses in Biblical Doctrine. Just a side note here, the more read my Bible the less I think fully understand God. The Bible has an application that is so vast that I am constantly finding a different situation that can be viewed through the same verse that had applied to something I would have thought did not have the same relevance.

After I read this passage by Fenelon I started to take it apart. First thing I had to realize was that he wrote to the court of Louis the XIV and they weren’t known for having a great sense of morality. But at one time neither was I so there is relevance. Anyway the first thing is the love of God not being acquired through knowledge. The key to this bit of understanding is right in the middle of the sentence, “and the abandonment of self for His sake”. I think we find it easy to put ourselves aside when we are putting ourselves aside for others, like in a brotherly way. We want to show that we practice dying to ourselves when we are amongst the brethren but do we do it when we are not around anyone. Jesus did say do your good out of the sight of others so are we doing a random act of kindness without receiving a round of applause? Have I done this? Hmmm…..

Now I have to deal with the need of “further illuminations much less the practice of what you already know”. I feel sort of convicted by this statement because I really want to know the whole atmosphere of what had been written and I feel that you can only get this “illumination” from deep study but sometimes I forget that human nature hasn’t changed over the eons. So what’s the sense of knowing all that can be known if I haven’t experimented with the application of God’s Word in my own life.

And then there is the two most dreaded words that some of us hate hearing. BE HUMBLE. Tell me that we can go through the day without mumbling something we think is good about ourselves and not even consider the love and grace of God that is the only good we really have?
Who are we to tell God how great we art? We ain’t that smart in the first place.

But it all ties right into what I have used as my verse today. Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach Him? Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about what is good? Did someone teach Him what is right or show Him the path of justice?”

Yes Brothers I got all that before I even finished my coffee that morning. What are you getting from God before your morning cup of coffee is done? — Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and frequent Freedom Fighter Contributor

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 5; 2 Chronicles 23-24; John 15

Great Quote: We are too busy to pray, and so we are too busy to have power. We have a great deal of activity, but we accomplish little; many services but few conversions; much machinery but few results. (Reuben Archer) R. A. Torrey

He’s Got His Eye on YOU

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He’s Got His Eye on YOU

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ear is open to their cry.” Psalm 34:15

It happened numerous times. Our Junior Christian Endeavor leader was an elderly lady who loved the Lord and kids. She was a fantastic piano player. She would be playing the piano with her back to us, and somehow, Dorothy Keenest had eyes in the back of her head. She’d yell, “Billy Welte you are not singing.” How did she do that?

My sister, Judee Dickinson, just painted a wonderful portrait of her Dad, Pastor Bill. The picture is of Pastor Bill standing behind the pulpit preaching at the Colony of Mercy. The likeness is really amazing. In fact, it is so good, you think that Pastor Bill is standing right there.

But it gets even more weird … It gives new meaning to “he’s got his eyes on you.” If you stand in front of the picture, Pastor Bill is looking right at you — literally facing you. If you move to the left, he is looking right at you, literally facing you. If you move to the right, he is looking right at you, literally facing you. It was giving me and Mrs. Raws the creeps!!! How did she do that?

I tell the guys of the Colony all the time: “I’ve got my eyes on you!” But wait — I can’t do that unless they are right there. God the Father on the other hand, has his eye on every one of us. He knows, weighs and sees, every one of my thoughts, deeds, words and actions. He is awesome. There is absolutely no place that we can go to escape his watchful eye.

What I do on my computer? He sees! What I do in my alone time, when no one else is around, he sees! Wherever I go — He’s there! He’s got His eye on me. That in itself should motivate the way I live! And by the way — He’s got HIS eye on YOU. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 4; 2 Chronicles 21-22; John 14

Great Quote: The true secret in giving advice is, after you have honestly given it, to be perfectly indifferent whether it is taken or not and never persist in trying to set people right. Hannah Whitall Smith

I Would Be Like Jesus

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I Would Be Like Jesus …

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly beloved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1

My long-time friend and mentor, Neil Fichthorn is ministering to our Seniors this week at America’s KESWICK.

I have had the privilege of watching his life for over 40 years and what I have learned in those 4o years has been awesome.

I worked for Neil as a teenager at Sandy Cove. One of my best friends, Gary Dambach and I had great fun in walking behind Neil when he walked. Due to an injury during his youth, Neil’s arm was sort bent in an odd way. We thought it was cool so we started imitating his bent arm. We did it for three summers in a row. We never got caught (then), but the amazing thing is that we did it so well, it actually became a way of life for us. People would tell us all the time that we looked like Neil.

To top it off, I have spent so much time with him, observing how he directed music, how he conducted himself on the platform, that I found myself imitating him without even knowing it. The last time we were together, we both took our glasses off at the same time to read something, and of course we busted up laughing.

Several weeks ago in a meeting, I was trying to make a point and scared myself silly — I actually heard Neil talking about the matter through my lips. My body language, style, etc., was so much like him … I had so observed his life, that imitating him was almost being just like him.

Paul instructed the flock at Ephesus to not imitate him, but imitate God. How do we imitate God? I think it is much like my relationship with Neil. We need to spend time, lots of time with Him. We need to observe how He works. We need to sit as His feet and learn from Him. The more we spend time with him the more we become like Him.

Neil has often said that married couples tend to end up looking alike because of the time they spend with each other. When people see you, do they see Jesus in you?

I love the words to this old hymn:

I have one deep, supreme desire,
That I may be like Jesus.
To this I fervently aspire,
That I may be like Jesus.
I want my heart His throne to be,
So that a watching world may see
His likeness shining forth in me.
I want to be like Jesus.

O perfect life of Christ, my Lord!
I want to be like Jesus.
My recompense and my reward,
That I may be like Jesus.
His Spirit fill my hung’ring soul,
His power all my life control;
That I may be like Jesus.

Ever think about who you might be imitating? I don’t know about you — Neil is a good model to follow — but my supreme desire is to BE LIKE JESUS — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 3; 2 Chronicles 19-20; John 13:21-38

Great Quote: “Yes, Lord! Jesus, I give all of this to you. Jesus,” I just started out a dream for my neighbourhood. “I didn’t ask you to make me a messenger to the world. I just wanted to love neighbours. But Jesus, here it is. Here’s my future, here’s my loneliness, here are all the pressures, here are the criticisms”, and I gave Him everything. And I told Him to take me again and I would try to make “Yes, Lord” the continuing motto of my life. Ann Kiemel Anderson

Miscommunication

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Miscommunication

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry …” Psalm 40:1

Very early Sunday morning I started with a intestinal virus that has been going around our area. I trust that none of you get it — it is dreadful. Now I admit that most men are whimps when it comes to getting sick (that’s what my wife says …) — but this thing hits you like a ton of bricks — at one point you are afraid you’re gonna die … and then you are afraid you are not going to die.

Late last night I was on the sofa feeling so weak and tired, I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I was so sleepy that I said to Jan, “Will you call Brian Bitler and ask him to write tomorrow’s Freedom Fighter.”

She called Brian and asked him to write the Freedom Fighter for me. Brian was on his way home from New York City and had a hard time hearing Jan. Jan called on Brian for help, and Brian didn’t really hear what she was asking … well at least until yesterday morning when he saw no Freedom Fighter. It was at that moment he realized she asked him to handle a Freedom Fighter not an Intercessor’s Alert.

Even in moments like these, we can learn valuable spiritual lessons. Think about this — we all battle with communication issues. Sometimes we think we are communicating to our spouse, a child, a co-worker, and we aren’t being heard. The listener may be looking right at us and still miss what we are saying.

My friend, God is not like that! Sometime read through the Psalms and note how many times is says, God heard or he heard … I am not a Hebrew scholar, but I have read that what that phrase is used of God, is indicates that He hears with both ears. He gives you His undivided attention.

Even when we have difficulty putting into words our cry for this or that, the Holy Spirt takes my groaning and sighs (Romans 8:26) and translates them for me.

Think about it — 40,000 people could be praying and God listens to every person with His undivided attention. He hears you! — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 2; 2 Chronicles 17-18; John 13:1-20

Great Quote: All God’s revelations are sealed to us until they are opened to us by obedience. You will never get them open by philosophy or thinking. Immediately you obey, a flash of light comes. Let God’s truth work in you by soaking in it, not by worrying into it. Obey God in the thing He is at present showing you, and instantly the next thing is opened up. We read tomes on the work of the Holy Spirit when…five minutes of drastic obedience would make things clear as a sunbeam. We say, I suppose I shall understand these things some day. You can understand them now: it is not study that does it, but obedience. The tiniest fragment of obedience, and heaven opens up and the profoundest truths of God are yours straight away. God will never reveal more truth about Himself till you obey what you know already. Beware of being wise and prudent. Oswald Chambers

Please check out George’s latest Stewardship Insight: http://keswickgeorge.blogspot.com/

How Thirsty Are You?

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Correction: In yesterday’s Freedom Fighter entry I said that Neil Fichthorn was the one who asked for the new piano. It was Dr. Dan Betzer, who served as a pastor in Florida, not Neil. Neil relayed the story to me.

HOW THIRSTY ARE YOU?

“…whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst” (John 4:1-6;14).

Decisions we make each day can turn around and make us! In a study at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Eric Klinger found out that we made anywhere from 300-1700 decisions every day of our lives. Many are simple decisions; some are complex, but often they can make for a good or not so good start for the day.

Scripture tells us that Jesus decided to go through Samaria – He had to or “must needs go through!” Was it comfortable for Him? Could He have decided otherwise? It made the route to Galilee twice as long. But He came to do the will of the Father and it was His will to meet a woman at the well. To her the meeting looked like an accident. It wasn’t. It never is when Jesus meets us.

No Jew should be associating with a Samaritan (v. 9 & 10). Jesus had a different end in view that quenching His thirst. He wanted to excite a spiritual desire in the Samaritan woman’s mind. As she debates about how and where to worship, Jesus compels her to understand internal worship. Jesus knows what is in each of us (John 2:25) and He approached this woman with her thirst – a thirst only He would fill.

He sees your unsatisfied longings. Give Him your discontent, what you lack, your frustrations, and He will meet you where you are. He is water to our souls. He tells you today, “I will pour water on him who is thirsty, I will pour floods upon the dry ground” (Isaiah 44:3). A twentieth century hymnwriter, Lucy J. Rider, wrote, “Come to the fountain, there’s fullness in Jesus, all that you’re longing for: come and be glad!” — Rev. John Hibbard serves on the Board of Trustees at America’s KESWICK and is the Sunday morning chapel service speaker at the Colony of Mercy Chapel. Services at 10:30 AM each Sunday morning.

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 31; 2 Chronicles 13-14; John 12:1-26

Great Quote: How many Christians are there who pray every Sunday in church, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done!” without ever realizing the spiritual implications of such intercession! What are we praying for? Should we edit that prayer so that it becomes a confrontation: “My kingdom go, Lord; let Thy kingdom come!” Certainly His kingdom can never be realized in my life until my own selfish kingdom is deposed. It is when I resign, when I am no longer king of my domain that Jesus Christ will become king of my life. A. W. Tozer