Restore Gently

Leave a comment

Restore Gently

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” Galatians 6:1

I’ve been around the block long enough to know now that I need to be very careful it comes to dealing with a brother who is in the midst of a struggle. Most times, it is very easy to very critical and judge someone before looking at the facts, or as Proverbs suggests, “checking out a matter,” as well as making sure that I don’t have a “log jam” in my own eye/heart.

Years ago I was on the Board of a local church where the Senior Pastor went through a very painful three years of separation from a wife who left him. For three years I watched this faithful servant of the Lord preach through his pain and suffering, and under his ministry the church was growing. He was preaching a series from the life of Joseph. What made the series come alive, was he was living through it.

During the time of separation, the Board was working through what to do if his divorce was finalized. Could a divorced man serve as the pastor of a local church. He was convinced in his heart that he couldn’t, but the men loved him and wanted to see if there was any other way.

We were in the midst of a very tearful meeting thinking that his divorce was six months away. Little did we know that his papers would be delivered that night. What broke my heart was that once the papers arrived, the love and support for the pastor went right out the window. All of a sudden he was no longer fit to pastor the church because the divorce notice would be in the paper, and the men were concerned about what the neighbors might think.

Needless to say, it was a very sad ending to a very fruitful time of ministry. The interesting thing was that several years later, a number of those men had family members who went through painful divorces several years later, and then ended up having to go back and ask this pastor for his forgiveness.

Serving at America’s KESWICK has taught me a valuable lesson: I am one heart beat away from blowing it myself but by the grace of God. Every time I find myself judging another brother, it comes back to bite me.

Now I am not suggesting that we never are to take a stand when it comes to dealing with a brother living in sin. What I am suggesting is that there is a biblical process that leads to repentance and reconciliation. Too often we take the path of wiping our hands clean of the painful part of the process. The principles of Matthew 18, when exercised biblically, are designed to bring brother full circle. Painful? Yes. Worth it? You bet it is!

I want to encourage you today to read through Galatians 6. Do you have someone in your life that is walking off the track? Prayerfully consider what God’s way is for restoration. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 20; 2 Samuel 9-11; Luke 15:11-32

Great Quote: Be patient till your wings are grown. I fear very much that you are too vehement and headlong in your wishes and attempts to fly. You see the beauty of spiritual light and good resolutions; you fancy that you have almost attained, and your ardor is redoubled; you rush forward, but in vain, for your master has chained you to your perch, or else it is that your wings are not grown; and this constant excitement exhausts your strength.(continued tomorrow)Francis de Sales

What to Do To When a Brother Strays

Leave a comment

What to Do When a Brother Strays

“Brothers, if anyone is caught in a transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” Galatians 6:1

I am not sure why I am always surprised at God’s timing with events and my devotional readings, but it has happened again.

A good friend of mine has made some choices that I do not agree with. We have met and he knows my position. I have tried to keep the door open in our relationship because I love him as a brother and want to see him be the man that I believe that God wants him to be.

Several of our mutual friends have recently asked me how they should respond to my friend. Interesting timing because I have been reading through Galatians and tracking with the devotional TABLE TALK which is published by R.C. Sproul’s ministry.

This week they addressed this very topic. Listen to what they wrote: ” … to follow the Holy Spirit is to seek the good of others. Spirit-led people mourn when believers sin and work to restore them (Galatians 6:1). They show mercy to errant brothers and sisters in Christ, urging them to turn from sin and be reconciled to God and the brethren (Matthew 18:25; 2 Corinthians 2:5-11). If harsh words are necessary, they are spoken GENTLY (Galatians 6:1) to show sinners a desire for their repentance and cleansing.

The church father Jerome says, ‘The Spirit-led person should correct a sinner gently and meekly. He must not be inflexible, angry or aggrieved in his desire to correct him. He should stir him up with the promise of salvation, promising remission and bringing forth the testimony of Christ.”

“While seeking to restore sinners through gentle confrontation and encouragement, we must take care lest we be tempted. Clearly, he means that we are capable of any transgression, and it is all too possible to the unwary person to commit the same error he is trying to correct. (See 1 Corinthians 10:12-13)”

“Augustine comments that “there is no sure test of the spiritual person than his treatment of another’s sin,” adding that there spiritual people, as much as they can, seek to rescue and support sinners, not to punish or triumph over them.””

Bottom line, we hate the sin, but love the sinner. I know this is hard, but we make the choice to obey or disobey the Word. More on this tomorrow. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 19; 2 Samuel 6-8; Luke 15:1-10

Great Quote: We are only what we are in the dark; all the rest is reputation. What God looks at is what we are in the dark- the imaginations of our minds, the thoughts of our heart, the habits of our bodies; these are the things that mark us in God’s sight. Character is what you are in the dark.Oswald Chambers

Called By His Name

Leave a comment

Called By His Name

“…all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord.”
Deuteronomy 28:10

These words were spoken by Moses to Israel in preparation for their entrance into the land of promise. Assurance was given them that they would strike fear in the hearts of the residents of the land because they were called by the name of the Lord. His name was the source of authority for possessing the land. It was also the guarantee of sufficiency and enablement to meet the opposition that lay head.

Just as Moses spoke this message during his final days as leader of Israel, so Jesus when He was about to leave His disciples prayed that they might be kept in the name of the Father (John 17:11). Being called by His name provided security for the disciples in a world of people rebellious against God. The security was not in terms of immunity from rejection and persecution but of being kept in the Father’s hand.

Another significance of being called by His name is in the area of identity. In other words, it means that God was identifying Himself with His people Israel. They were to be recognized as God’s own people. He would be among them, leading them, and fighting for them.

For many of us, it is an honor to be called by the name of our earthly father. There is a degree of prestige in some cases and a healthy form of pride. We attempt to live up to that name and do not want to bring shame and disgrace upon it. Being called by our heavenly Father’s name calls for a holy life – free from compromise and sin. Just as His people Israel, being called by His name, carried authority over the enemy, sufficiency to meet life’s challenges, and security from the attacks of the enemy, so believers today can experience these benefits through being called by His name. Pastor Bill Raws was the grandson of the founder of America’s KESWICK and served for more than 55 years in various capacities. He went home to be with the Lord in July of 2008

God’s WORD for Today: Proverbs 18; 2 Samuel 3-5; Luke 14:25-35

Great Quote: Passive faith but praises in the light, When sun doth shine. Active faith will praise in darkest night – Which faith is thine?Anonymous

Have Faith In God

Leave a comment

Have Faith in God

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. Mark 11:22

This has been one of those crazy weeks where money has been tight, and in a sense, waiting on God was the ONLY answer. Believe it or not, it wasn’t a white-knuckler for a change, but the pressure was on. We came really close to not making payroll.

We thought we knew HOW God would provide — after all, we were expecting a large check from an estate. Guess what — that’s not how He answered at all. The check didn’t come yesterday or today. But payroll was met — miraculously. After payroll was submitted, the bank called and said that they had mailed the check to the wrong address and they would re-mail it today!

God is NEVER late — always on time.

One of my daily prayer partners gave this to me this morning:

Faith says, “It’s impossible” is the only objection, it can be done! Faith brings God into the scene, and therefore it knows absolutely NOTHING of difficulties — it laughs at impossibilities.

In the judgment of faith, God is the grand answer to EVERY question — the grand SOLUTION of every difficulty. It refers all to Him; and hence it matters not in the least to faith whether the need be $600,000 or $600,000,000! No matter, it knows that God is all-sufficient. It funds all its resources in Him.

Unbelief says, “How can such and such things be?” It is full of “Hows”; but faith has one great answer to ten thousand “hows,” and that answer is — GOD!” C. H. Mackintosh

He can provide for you today, too! Can you trust Him? — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 17; 2 Samuel 1-2; Luke 14:1-24

Great Quote: How often we say about our earthly friends, “I really would like to have a good quiet settled talk with them so that I can really get to know them.” And shouldn’t we feel the same about our Heavenly Friend, that we may really get to know Him? These thoughts have taught me the importance of the children of God taking time to commune daily with their Father,so that they may get to know His mind and to understand better what His will is. Hannah Whitall Smith

‘Nough Said

Leave a comment

Unusual Opportunity — A friend of America’s KESWICK has four Yankee game tickets valued @ $350 each. He is willing to make those tickets availabe to the highest bidder (all four only) and will split the proceeds between New Song Fellowship Church (Lancaster, PA) and America’s KESWICK. You can send you bid to my by responding to this post. We will close the bids by 5:00 PM tomorrow. Please include your name and phone number.

‘Nough Said

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides 1 John 2:15-17 (NKJV)

“Do not love the world….This is in sharp contrast to what the Gospel of John tells us…”For God so loved the world that he gave us his only Son that whoever believes in Him might not perish but have eternal life.” What does John mean by “Do not love the world?” We know that God loves the world and yet John is challenging us not to love the world. As this scripture verse continues John begins to unravel why “We” are not to love the world….the words lust and pride come to mind. In Greek, the root word for lust, “thumos,” means to strongly desire or have a passion for. As a matter of fact, the English Standard Version goes “the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions.”

Thumos is also used as a word for anger. Pride would be translated as a word to mean pretense or arrogance. When we, as men of integrity, allow runaway desire and arrogance to guide our footsteps, those footsteps are leading us down a path away from God. John’s point here is not to love the world by the world’s standards, but the standards set down by Jesus. We are to love this world from God’s point of view.

And that’s what I shared at my church’s men’s breakfast. I borrowed some of that from The Communicator’s Commentary. The men’s breakfast at my church needed revival. A former trustee announced in church one day that he would cook breakfast for all who would come and felt that our former location at a local diner was no longer suitable for good men’s fellowship. I felt the Lord give me a nudge to approach Warren and ask if he thought a devotional was in order since we were going to use the church kitchen for this event. He immediately said it would be great and what did I have in mind? After all, before they started going to the diner for breakfast, it was held at the church and there was prayer time.

Well this aforementioned verse is one that has really been in my heart since my days at the colony. Since I have gone from the realm of the blue color to polo shirts and khaki pants, it is a verse that keeps things in perspective for me. I had one of those weeks at work where every selfish thing that could be said and done reared up. It made it very hard to focus on what I wanted to mediate on for my devotional. I felt the enemies fiery arrows all five days of my work week. It was only when I sat down with my Bible open to work on my breakfast devotional that I felt any peace. One night I found myself in the Book of Mark.“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:35-36(ESV)

Here is some of what I borrowed from the Believer’s Bible Commentary to finish my devotional.…”Now there is always the temptation to save our life, to live comfortably, to provide for our future, to make our own choices, with ourselves as the center of everything. There is no surer way of losing one’s life. Christ calls us to pour out our lives for His sake and the gospel’s, dedicating ourselves to Him spirit, soul, and body. He asks us to spend and be spent in His holy service, laying down our lives, if necessary, for the evangelization of the world. That is what is meant by losing our lives. There is no surer way of saving them.”“Even if a believer could gain all the world’s wealth during his lifetime, what good would it do him? He would have missed the opportunity of using his life for the glory of God and the salvation of the lost. It would be a bad bargain. Our lives are worth more than all the world has to offer. Shall we use them for Christ or for self?”

The most important time of the year is all around us, brothers, and to say I can’t repent enough is an understatement. I can, at times, forget what was done on the Cross but the Father doesn’t let me stray too far and then He jars my memory. It’s not about me and what goes my way at anytime. It’s about Him and what He has done for me all the time. ‘Nough said! — Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent Freedom Fighter contributor.

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 16;1 Samuel 30-31; Luke 13:23-35

Great Quote: “Frequent notice is taken of the great flocking there was to Christ for help in various cases. All are concerned to know this, if they expect him to heal their souls. They must not indulge the ease of the body. As the happiness of heaven with Christ, is enough to make up for the loss of life itself for him, so the gain of all the world in sin, will not make up for the ruin of the soul by sin. And there is a day coming, when the cause of Christ will appear as glorious, as some now think it mean and contemptible. May we think of that season, and view every earthly object as we shall do at that great day.” Matthew Henry

Join us tonight for our monthly Men’s Fellowship Night. Dinner is at 6:15 PM followed by the program. Bill Welte, President and CEO will be our speaker. Can’t attend tonight? Join us by watching the webcast at 7:00 PM — www.americaskeswick.org. Let us know that you are a member of the Freedom Fighter family.

Apathy

Leave a comment

HAPPY INCOME TAX DAY!!!

Apathy

“You will find no peace among those nations, and there will be no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despondent (apathetic) spirit.” Deuteronomy 28:65

Apathy is one of those things that seems to be brewing and breeding. More and more people in our world who have so much and yet take so much for granted, seem to be despondent and apathetic.

Our kids have so much stuff — they get more and more, and the more they get the less happy and excited they are. We hear kids saying, “I’m bored,” after a party, skateboarding, or a fun activity that they wanted to do.

Dr. Archibald Hart suggests that we a “thrilled to death” and have been so caught up in ourselves and always want to please ourselves, that we are becoming people who are apathetic in many areas of our lives.

How can you tell if you are apathetic?

* It feels like someone has pulled the plug and all your power has been shut off. You move as if it would take a bulldozer to shift you.

* Other people laugh while you grimace at what gives them amusement.

* Days are long, and you’re thankful when you finally get to fall into an unmade bed. But getting up can be hell all over again.

Apathy is an I DON’T CARE feeling. You have no interest in what USED to give you great joy. You can’t get as much done each day as before. You eschew new experiences and avoid anything that takes a little effort to accomplish. And you can’t even get excited when something really good comes along. Apathetic people are indifferent and spiritless as they shuffle through their chaotic lives, not caring that they don’t care.

Is your apathy out of control? Here are some warning signs:

* You are no longer interested in activities you used to enjoy.
* You are neglecting your personal care and grooming.
* Someone else has to tell you to do things you used to do yourself.
* You no longer wants to get together with friends, as it is too much trouble.
* You prefer to stay in your pajamas all day.
* When something really good happens, you cannot get excited.
* You are less concerned about your personal problems than you used to be.
* You no longer care what happens to you, or if you live or die.
* You cannot complete anything you start doing anymore.

If you are there, then I want to suggest that you make an appointment and talk to your pastor or biblical Christian counselor who will walk you through steps to turning this around. Don’t try and fight this on your own. Own up to it get help! — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 15; 1 Samuel 27-29; Luke 13:1-22

Great Quote: Nothing tends more to cement the hearts of Christians than praying together. Never do they love one another so well as when they witness the outpouring of each other’s hearts in prayer. Charles G. Finney

Finishing Strong

Leave a comment

FINISHING STRONG!

“Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.”
(Psalm 71:18 NKJV)

I couldn’t help think of our dear friend Bobby Michaels when I read today’s devotional in our America’s KESWICK publication, REAL VICTORY FOR REAL LIFE. Bobby finished well. Pray for his wife Lee, and his kids, Rachel and Jeff today during the Memorial Service.

Every life is a life of influence for good or for evil. The prayer of the Psalmist in this passage is a prayer to influence future generations for time and eternity. He cries out to God for the opportunity to influence, “…everyone who is to come” by his talk and his walk. His talk is described in verse 15, “My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And Your salvation all the day, For I do not know their limits.” However, our talk is only effective as it is supported by our walk. The psalmist describes this in verse 16, I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of your righteousness, of Yours only. Our key verse above reveals that the psalmist understood that He could not live in this way except by the work of the Lord in his life.

So often we make life and salvation about us when it is all about God. Our life is to be swallowed up in the truth that our whole purpose is to bring glory to Him. Finishing strong in the Christian life is extremely important if we are to leave the proper legacy.

“Artful Eddy” was the overseer of mobster Al Capone’s dog tracks and a crooked lawyer during the 1920’s. He had all of what the world considers to be important – wealth, position, possessions, and class. Yet he chose to turn himself in to federal officials and testify against his partners in crime, knowing that it would probably mean the end of his life. When asked why he would do this he revealed that he didn’t desire to see his son follow in his footsteps. He was gunned down in the street a short time later.

What happened to Artful Eddy’s son? Appointed to Annapolis and commissioned as a Navy pilot during WWII he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor after single handedly shooting down five enemy bombers saving hundreds of lives. You see, Artful Eddy’s last name was O’Hare – the name of Chicago’s airport which honors the memory of his son, Butch.
A true life of overcoming will finish strong! May our prayer be that of the Psalmist in this passage. — Rev. Joe Olachea is Senior Pastor of Lakes Community Chapel in Medford, NJ and a friend of America’s KESWICK

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 14; 1 Samuel 25-26; Luke 12:32-59

Great Quote: Don’t measure God’s mind by your own. It would be a poor love that depended not on itself, but on the feelings of the person loved. A crying baby turns away from its mother’s breast, but she does not put it away till it stops crying. She holds it closer. For my part, in the worst mood I am ever in, when I don’t feel I love God at all, I just look up to His love. I say to Him, “Look at me. See what state I am in.Help me!” Ah! you would wonder how that makes peace. And the love comes of itself; sometimes so strong, it nearly breaks my heart.George Macdonald

Three implications regarding the Resurrection

Leave a comment
Three Implications Regarding the Implications
Please note that I did not email a Freedom Fighter yesterday. You can read yesterday’s post directly from the Freedom Fighter blog: http://keswickfreedomfighters.blogspot.com/
Good morning, brothers … here are three implications concerning the Christ’s resurrection that you may have forgotten about. The implications are HUGE for you and your life in Christ:

1. You have been crucified WITH Christ and He lives IN you! — “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives IN me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” — Galatians 2:20

2. You are dead to sin and alive to God — “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like His (Galatians 2:20), we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection LIKE His. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died to sin, ONCE FOR ALL, but the life he lives he lives to God. So YOU must also consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to make you obey its passion. Do not present your members to sin as instruments fro unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have NO dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” — Romans 6:1-14
3. You not only have been crucified with Christ, you not only are dead to sin, you have been raised with Christ!

“If then you have been risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things on earth. For you have died, and YOUR life is hidden WITH CHRIST in God. When Christ who is YOUR life appears, then you will also appear with him in glory. — Colossians 3:1-4
Brothers — is this not amazing? I took this picture at my daughter-in-laws home in Maryland. I couldn’t help but think about the verse above that says that “your life is hidden in Christ.”
Take some time to meditate on these these bedrock implications regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ. — Bill Welte is President and CEO of America’s KESWICK
God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 13; 1 Samuel 22-24; Luke 12:1-31
Great Quote: A Christ-centred worship – which is event-oriented worship – can never be static and merely intellectual because what happens is an actual and real communication of the power and benefit of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Worshiping churches recognize that every gathering of worship is ultimately a praise and thanksgiving for the overthrow of evil by God in Christ. This victory not only happened two thousand years ago, but it happens today in the lives of people who bring to worship their own struggles against that evil which shatters relationships, oppresses the poor, and brings constant dislocation into life.Robert Webber

Easter Sunday Morning

Leave a comment
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Sing, O earth, His wonderful love proclaim!
Hail Him! Hail Him! highest archangels in glory;
Strength and honor, give to His holy name!
Like a shepherd Jesus will guard His children,
In His arms He carries them all day long:
Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness;
Praise Him! Praise Him! ever in joyful song!
Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
For OUR sins He suffered, and bled and died;
He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation,
Hail Him! Hail Him! Jesus the crucified.
Sound His praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows;
Love unbounded, wonderful, deep and strong:
Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Heavenly portals loud with hosannas ring!
Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever;
Crown Him! Crown Him! Prophet and Priest and King!
Christ is coming! Over the world victorious,
Pow’r and glory unto the Lord belong! — Fanny Jane Crosby (1820-1915)
Hallelujah! Christ is risen!

God’s WORD for YOU: Proverbs 12; 1 Samuel 19-21; Luke 11:29-54

Great Quote: The resurrection is the keystone of the arch on which our faith is supported. If Christ has not risen, we must impeach all those witnesses for lying. If Christ has not risen, we ave no proof that the crucifixion of Jesus differed from that of the two thieves who suffered with him. If Christ has not risen, it is impossible to believe his atoning death was accepted.D.L. Moody

The Gospel Way

Leave a comment

The Gospel Way

Join us tonight for the Keswick Celebration Choir Concert — The Majesty and Glory of the Resurrection. If you’d like to attend live, the doors will open at 6:00 PM at the Activity Center and the program begins at 7:00 PM. You can also watch live via the webcast: www.americaskeswick.org

I am fascinated by the depth of the prayers of the Puritans. As we ponder the events of Good Friday and prepare for the glorious resurrection tomorrow, listen to these words from one of the Puritan’s as he reflected on the gospel:

Blessed Lord Jesus,
No human mind could conceive or invent the gospel.
Acting in eternal grace, thou art both its messenger and its message,
Lived out on earth through infinite compassion,
Applying thy life to insult, injury, death,
That I might be redeemed, ransomed, freed!

Blessed be though, O Father, for contriving this way,
Eternal thanks to thee, O Lamb of God,
for opening this way,
Praise everlasting to thee, O Holy Spirit,
For applying this way to my heart.

Glorious Trinity, impress the gospel on my soul,
Until its virtue diffuses every faculty;
Let it be heard, let it be acknowledged, professed, felt.

Teach me to secure this mighty blessing;
Help me to give up every darling lust,
To submit heart and life to its command,
To have it in my own will,
controlling my affections,
molding my understanding,
to adhere strictly to the rules of true religion,
not departing from them in any instance,
not for any advantage in order to escape evil,
inconvenience or danger.

Take me to the cross to seek glory from its infamy;
Strip me of every pleasing pretense of righteousness
by my own doings.
O gracious Redeemer,
I have neglected thee too long,
often crucified thee,
crucified thee afresh by my impenitence,
put thee to open shame.

I thank thee for the patience that has borne with me so long,
and for the grace that now makes me willing to be thine.
O unite me to thyself with inseparable bonds,
that nothing may ever draw me back from thee,
My Lord, MY Savior. — from THE VALLEY OF VISION — Prayers of the Puritan

God’s Word for YOU: Proverbs 11; 1 Samuel 17-18; Luke 11:1-28

Great Quote: In his death Jesus demonstrated God’s love for us in the fullest possible way, achieved total victory over evil, and made our salvation possible. He was not merely a good man who died as an example of virtue or meekness; he was the perfect God who took our burdens of sin and guilt and made them his burden. His death was not an example to inspire us but a sacrifice to save us! Rod Benson