THE GIFT OF GIFTS

“O Source of all good,
What shall I render to You for the gift of gifts,
Your own dear Son, begotten, not created,
My Redeemer, proxy, surety, substitute,
His self-emptying incomprehensible,
His infinity of love beyond the heart’s grasp.
Herein is the wonder of wonders:
He came below to raise me above,
Was born like me that I might become like Him.
Herein is love;
When I cannot rise to him he draws near on wings of grace
To raise me to himself.
Here is power;
When Deity and humanity were infinitely apart
He united them in indissoluble unity,
The uncreated and the created.
Herein is wisdom;
When I was undone, with no will to return to him
And no intellect to devise recovery,
He came, God-incarnate, to save me to the uttermost,
As man to die my death, to shed satisfying blood on my behalf,
To work out a perfect righteousness for me.
O God, take me in spirit to the watchful shepherds,
And enlarge my mind;
Let me hear good tidings of great joy,
And hearing, believe, rejoice, praise, adore,
My conscience bathed in an ocean of repose,
My eyes uplifted to a reconciled Father;
Place me with ox, ass, camel, goat,
To look with them upon my Redeemer’s face,
And in him account myself delivered from sin;
Let me with Simeon clasp the new-born child to my heart,
Embrace him with undying faith,
Exulting that he is mine and I am his.
In him thou hast given me so much that heaven can give no more.

From the VALLEY OF VISION – PRAYERS OF THE PURITANS

Good thoughts this the day after Christmas.

JOIN US FOR OUR NEW YEAR’S WEEKEND CELEBRATION with Robby Richardson.
Great dinner concert on Saturday evening, December 30th with Bert
Kettinger – Moody Broadcasting Network. Call today for reservations or
visit our website for details: http://www.americaskeswick.org.

Great quote: All of God’s people are ordinary people who have been made
extraordinary by the purpose he has given them. Oswald Chambers

WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD

I am reading a historical fiction book that was recently sent to me that
chronicles a couple navigating the at trip to Idaho. The account shares
the difficulties that they experienced on the journey from outside of
Chicago traveling in a covered wagon a team of horses and a cow. What
has impressed me so far in my read is the determination they had to get
to their destination – a place that they, by faith, would finally see.

It made me think this morning of the journey that Mary and Joseph made
to Bethlehem. Quite different from the couple I am reading about. While
the mileage was not as great as the distance between Chicago and Idaho,
imagine traveling 85 miles over rugged hills. No covered wagon with
supplies or protection at night – just Mary, Joseph, a donkey and
soon-to-be-born child.

I was thinking about Hebrews chapter 11 – the “Hall of Faith” and was
wondering why Mary and Joseph were not listed. Not that I would have any
say, but I think I would have put them in that list.
I can’t imagine the “faith-struggles” that they experienced. What was it
like for Mary to announce to Joseph that she was pregnant especially in
a culture where a pregnancy outside of marriage would result in stoning.

How do you explain all of this to your family? Visitations from the
angels announcing that you were carrying the Son of God? Imagine the
emotional ups and downs they experienced. Talk about a journey of faith!

Yet after the initial shock, Mary and Joseph, by faith, accepted the
proclamation of the angels and took God at His Word. Mary accepted by
faith that “nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) They
experienced first-hand what the writer of Hebrews declared: “And without
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By faith Mary and Joseph made the journey to Bethlehem and saw the
fulfillment of what the angel told them. And they did exactly as they
were told – they called the baby – JESUS! Emmanuel – God with us. I
admire their faith and obedience. I think I would have included them in
Hebrews 11.

How about you? Do you believe today in the God of the impossible? Is
there a challenge you are facing right now? A mountain that seems to
difficult to climb? Has He called you to do something “outside of the
box” and you need to trust Him? Take some time today to read through
Luke’s account of the Christmas story and then read through Hebrews 11.
It’s a good exercise in preparing your heart at this Christmas season.

Great quote: Jesus paid the price. You get to keep the change.

WITH TERROR AND TREMBLING

“Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great.” 1 Timothy 3:16

“The birth of Christ provides a strong reason for us to experience holy
fear and trembling, for only because of that birth could Christ become
man and later die. Even though He was free from sin, He took upon
Himself a mortal body – and that should make us marvel. That He who is
God was willing to become man, that He accommodated Himself to our
weakness and came down to our level, is too great for our minds to
grasp. It makes us shudder with the deepest holy fear; it fills us with
terror and trembling.

This is what amazed Paul when he said, ‘Beyond all question, the mystery
of godliness is great’ (1 Timothy 3:16). How great? ‘God appeared in a
body.’ And again in another place: ‘For surely it is not angels he
helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like
his brothers in every way.’ (Hebrews 2:16-17)

This is why I especially greet and love this day. This is why I set
before your eyes His love, so that I may help you share in it. And this
is why I ask you to be in church for that celebration, with all zeal and
alertness. Let each of us leave our house empty so that we may recall
our Master wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. It is
incredible and beyond our every expectation.

The magi were strangers and foreigners from Persia, yet they came to see
Him lying in the manger. Can you, a Christian, not give a brief measure
of time to enjoy this blessed sight? If we will present ourselves in a
spirit of faith, there is no doubt but that we shall truly see Him as He
lies in the manger.” By St. John Chrysotom – from HOW GREAT THOU ART –
Multnomah

Good words to ponder as we count down the days to Christmas. Don’t get
so caught up in the hustle and bustle that you miss the WONDER OF IT
ALL.

A CHRISTIAN’S CHRISTMAS

“It not too early to give some things away this Christmas. Not just on
Christmas Day, but during all the days leading up to December 25th. We
could call these daily gifts ‘our Christmas projects.’ Maybe one per day
from now ’til then. Here are a few suggestions.

Mend a quarrel.
Seek out a forgotten friend.
Dismiss suspicion.
Write a long overdue love note.
Hug someone tightly and whisper, ‘I love you.’
Forgive an enemy.
Be gentle and patient with an angry person.
Express appreciation.
Gladden the heart of a child.
Find the time to keep a promise.
Make or bake something for someone else. Anonymously.
Release a grudge.
Listen.
Speak kindly to a stranger.
Enter into another’s sorrow.
Smile. Laugh a little. Laugh a little more.
Take a walk with a friend.
Kneel down and pat a dog.
Read a poem or two to your mate or friend.
Lessen your demands on others.
Play some beautiful music during the evening meal.
Apologize if you are wrong.
Turn off the television and talk.
Treat someone to an ice-cream cone (yogurt would be fine).
Do the dishes for the family (or load the dishwasher and clean up).
Pray for someone who helped when you hurt.
Fix breakfast on Saturday morning.
Give a soft answer even though you feel strongly.
Encourage an older person.
Point out one thing you appreciate most about someone you work with or
live near.
Offer to baby-sit for a weary mother.
Give your teacher a break: be especially cooperative.
Let’s make Christmas one long, extended gift to ourselves to others.
Unselfishly. Without announcement. Or obligation. Or reservation. Or
hypocrisy.
This is Christianity, isn’t it?” from the pen of Chuck Swindoll THE
FINISHING TOUCH – Becoming God’s Masterpiece, published by “W”

Good advice as we begin the countdown to Christmas.

Great quote: “The crucial significance of the cradle at Bethlehem lies
in its place in the sequence of steps down that led the Son of God to
the cross of Calvary, and we do not understand it till we see it in this
context. The key text in the New Testament for interpreting the
incarnation is not therefore, the bare statement…’the Word became
flesh, and dwelt among us’, but rather the more comprehensive
statement…’ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he
was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty
might become rich’. Here is stated, not the fact of the incarnation
only, but also its meaning; the taking of manhood by the Son is set
before us in a way which shows us how we should set it before ourselves
and ever view it-not simply as a marvel of nature, but rather as a
wonder of grace.” J I Packer, Knowing God

What are you doing the day before New Year’s Eve? We have another great
dinner concert planned on the Saturday night of New Year’s Weekend.
Soloist Bert Kettinger who has been a part of the Moody Network for many
years, will be our featured concert artist. A great way to welcome in
the new year. Call today for reservations – 732-350-1187

CHRISTMAS AND THE CROSS

“. . . I am a King. In fact, for this reason was I born.” (John 18:37)

The celebration of Jesus birth has been separated from His life and
especially from His death.
Our Lord’s birth in Bethlehem is still a celebration tolerated
commercially and privately. Christmas at the Malls and behind the walls
of churches and homes is acceptable to the present world system, as long
as it goes no further. The cradle, isolated from Christ’s life, can be
controlled and kept out of public life. But join the cradle to His
mission and execution and the world reacts.

Yet Jesus did this very thing. In fact, the only time He is recorded in
Scripture as
speaking of His birth was on the day of His death. This reference found
in John 18:37 came in a statement made to Pilate only hours before His
crucifixion. From the political prospective Jesus’
claim sealed His fate. Our Lord, however, in bringing the cradle and
cross together revealed the true reason for coming and cause of His
execution. Born a King He would die to carry out the sovereign plan of
God.

At nine o’clock on good Friday morning it seemed His claim to be King
would die with Him, as He was lifted up on Rome’s cross. Nevertheless
this, His crucifixion was not the end, but rather it was the beginning
of His reign. Paul, the apostle, looking back on this hour wrote:

” … he humbled Himself and became obedient to death-even death on a
cross!
Therefore God exalted Him to the highest
place and gave Him the name that is above every name that at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow. . .” Philippians 2:8, 9

His words to Pilate on the day of His death predicted and confirmed what
His execution would accomplish. The promise of Christmas was realized
by His cross. Together they testify to the truth. Born a King in
Bethlehem’s stable cave, He gained the throne at Calvary.

Why? Why would God who created the universe, who rules the universe,
allow Himself to be born a King that had to die on a cross to gain His
Kingdom? Simon Peter tells us why:
“You will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” 2 Peter 1:11

He was born a King, and died on a cross to establish a Kingdom that
could include you and me. Let us then celebrate Christmas, the coming
of the King while always looking beyond the cradle to the cross that
gained a Kingdom we can enter.

Dr. James O. Rose

Scripture Reading: Zephaniah; Revelation 16

SPECIAL! SPECIAL! SPECIAL! – Today’s devotional is taken from REAL
VICTORY FOR REAL LIFE … our 365-daily devotional produced by America’s
KESWICK in cooperation with CLC. Our devotional normally sells for
$14.95 plus shipping and handling, but I want to make it available to
our Freedom Fighter family for $10 plus shipping and handling. If you’d
like to order a copy, please call the Keswick Bookstore today –
732-350-1187 ext. 31. You can leave a message on the voice mail or
respond to this email with your phone number and shipping address. Have
a great day.

THE WONDER OF GOD’S PRESENCE

“The world is perishing for the lack of the knowledge of God and the
church is famishing for want of His presence. The instant cure of most
religious ills would be to enter the Presence in spiritual experience,
to become suddenly aware that we are in God and God is in us. This would
lift us out of our pitiful narrowness and cause our hearts to be
enlarged. This would burn away the impurities from our lives as the bugs
and fungi were burned away by the fire that dwelt in the bush.

What a broad world to roam in, what a sea to swim in is this God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is ETERNAL. He antedates time and is
wholly independent of it. Time began in Him and will end in Him. To it
He pays no tribute and from it He suffers no change.

He is IMMUTABLE. He has never changed and can never change in any
smallest measure. To change He would need to go from better to worse or
from worse to better. He cannot do either, for being perfect He cannot
become more perfect, and if He were to become more perfect, and if He
were to become less perfect He would be less than God.

He is OMNISCIENT. He knows in on free and effortless act all matter, all
spirit, all relationships, all events. He has no past and He has no
future. He IS, and none of the limiting and qualifying terms are used of
creatures can apply to Him.

LOVE and MERCY and RIGHTEOUSNESS are His, and HOLINESS is so ineffable
that no comparisons or figures will avail to express it. Only fire can
give even a remote conception of it. In fire He appeared at the burning
bush; in the pillar of fire He dwelt through all the long wilderness
journey. The fire that glowed between the wings of the cherubim in the
holy place was called the Shekinah, the Presence, through the years of
Israel’s glory, and when the Old had give place to the New, He came at
Pentecost as a fiery flame and rested on each disciple.

Spinoza wrote of the intellectual love of God, and he had a measure of
truth there. But the highest love of God is not intellectual, it is
spiritual. God is spirit and only the spirit of a man can know Him
really. In the deep spirit of a man the fire must glow or his love is
not the true love of God. The great of the kingdom have been those who
loved God more than others did. We all know who they have been and
gladly pay tribute to the depth and sincerity of their devotion. We have
but to pause for a moment and their names come trooping past us,
smelling of myrrh and aloes and cassia out of the ivory palaces.

Frederick Faber was one of those whose soul panted after God as the deer
pants after the water brook, and the measure in which God revealed
Himself to his seeking heart set the good man’s whole life afire with a
burning adoration rivaling that of the seraphim before the throne. His
love for God extended to the three Persons of the Godhead equally, yet
he seemed to feel for each One a special kind of love reserved for Him
alone.” From The Pursuit of God – by A. W. Tozer

How about you this morning? Are you in love with Him? Are you in awe
with the wonder of God’s presence? Think about it on this beautiful
Lord’s Day!

Great quote: “I have no home until I am in the realized presence of God.
This holy presence is my inward home, and until I experience it, I am a
homeless wanderer, a straying sheep in a waste howling wilderness.”
Anonymous, 1841

GLORY AS CLOSE TO YOUR NEXT BREATH

“Glory is what God is all about. Whenever we talk about His character or
attributes – like holiness, love, compassion, justice, truth, or mercy –
that’s God’s glory. When He reveals Himself in any of those qualities,
we say that He is ‘glorifying Himself.’ And I have discovered He does
this most often in the course of daily life, not in the blaze of a
supernova.

Not long ago I entered a friend’s home and immediately sensed the glory
of God. My impression was not based on some heebie-jeebie feeling or
super-spiritual instinct, nor did it come from the Christian plaques I
spotted hanging in the hallway. A peace and orderliness pervaded the
home. Joy and music hung in the air. Although the kids were normal,
active youngsters, everyone’s activity seemed to dovetail – the home had
direction, the kids really cared about each other, the parents put love
into action.

After dinner I left the home refreshed. It was a place where God’s
essential being was on display. His kindness, His love, His justice.
That home was filled with God’s glory.

You and I glorify God every time we reveal His attributes in the course
of our daily lives. His glory isn’t reserved for a temple of stone or
some heavenly vista. It can shine out clearly while we’re changing a
flat on the freeway, or counseling an angry co-worker, or lying in a
hospital bed, or balancing two crying babies in the church nursery.
Whenever those around us see God’s character displayed in our attitudes
and responses, we are displaying His glory.

Far from being some spacey concept out of a theology text, glory is as
close as your next breath, as real as the smile on a dark day, as warm
as the clasp of a caring hand.” Joni Eareckson Tada – HOW GREAT THOU ART
– published by Multnomah

Great quote: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more that all we
ask or imagine, according to his power that works within us, to HIM be
glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for
ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

Good stuff to think about as we prepare for the Lord’s day!

MEN OF INFLUENCE

God has placed in my life over the years men who have greatly influenced
and impacted my life. One of the greatest things we can do as men is to
find an older mentor who can come alongside of us to guide us through
the challenges of life. There is incredible value in developing this
kind of relationship with a man who has lived life from God’s
perspective – one who has faced the challenges of life, and is willing
to share what God has taught him through the trials of life.

I want to honor and remember two men who in the past ten years had a
profound impact on my life. Today would have been, if my memory serves
me right, Dave Shoppy’s 70th birthday. He is celebrating his birthday
today in heaven. Dave went home very suddenly to be with the Lord this
summer, but the impact of his life continues. Each time we have a
conference folks share with me how much Dave’s life meant to them.
Recently I talked with a man who had graduated from the Colony of Mercy.
He shared with me that each month Dave would call and thank him for his
financial gift and would take the time to encourage him and pray with
him. He really misses those calls. Dave was an man of encouragement in a
day when the world is starved for encouragement. We need more Dave
Shoppy’s in this world.

The other man I want to honor and remember is Ken Brown, who served at
America’s KESWICK as Director of Maintenance for over 25 years. Ken was
a faithful servant who loved the Lord, His Word, his family and loved
people. Ken had many gifts, but of his major gifts was his love and
concern for people. Ken saw himself as a task-driven person – but all of
his peers saw him as a people-driven person. I remember the day our
leadership team were working on understanding our personalities and how
God had designed us. Ken said very boldly that he was driven my tasks
and was not a “social” person. I can still see the puzzled look on his
face when his peers finally convinced him that he was really a
people-person who loved tasks. Everyone knew Ken. And his life has
impacted thousands of people. It is almost hard to believe that it will
be a year tomorrow that Ken went home to be with Jesus.

Both men are greatly missed by their families and friends from America’s
KESWICK. But the legacy of their lives continues! How about you? Are you
building a legacy for the future? Have you been investing your life in
serving God and others? You can do it today! If you are an “older” man –
find a young man that you can pour your life into. It is a worthwhile
investment! If you are a young man, you can learn volumes from coming
alongside an older man. Think about it!

Thanks, Lord, for the legacy of Dave Shoppy and Ken Brown.

Great quote: We often make our duties harder by thinking them hard. We
dwell on the things we do not like till they grow before our eyes, and,
at last, perhaps shut out heaven itself. But this is not following our
Master, and He, we may be sure, will value little the obedience of a
discontented heart. The moment we see that anything to be done is a
plain duty, we must resolutely trample out every rising impulse of
discontent. We must not merely prevent our discontent from interfering
with the duty itself; we must not merely prevent it from breaking out
into murmuring; we must get rid of the discontent itself. Cheerfulness
in the service of Christ is one of the first requisites to make that
service Christian. Frederick Temple

FAITH’S POWER TO QUENCH TEMPTATION

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of
the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father; but is of the
world.” (1 John 2:15-16)

“Faith empowers a soul to quench the pleasing temptations of the wicked
one. This is called our ‘victory that overcomes the world, even faith’
(1 John 5:4). Faith plants its triumphant banner on the world’s head.
And John tells us what God means by ‘the world’: ‘Love not the world …
for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father; but is of the world.’
All that is in the world is food and fuel for lust. Now faith enables
the soul to quench those darts which Satan dips into the poison of
worldly lusts – called by some the world’s ‘trinity.’

This is temptation which promises pleasure to the flesh. It carries such
fire in it that when it finds a carnal heart, it quickly inflames with
unruly passions and coarse affections. The adulterer burns in his lust
and the drunkard is inflamed with his wine.

No temptations work more eagerly than those which promise delight to the
flesh. Sinners are said to ‘work all uncleanness with greediness’ – with
a kind of covetousness; for the Word suggests they can never have enough
(Ephesians 4:19). No drink will quench a poisoned man’s thirst. Nothing
but faith can help a soul in these flames. In hell Dives burns without a
drop of water to cool the lip of his tongue. The unbelieving sinner is
in a hell above ground; he burns in his lust without a drop of water,
for lack of faith, to quench the fire.

By faith the martyrs ‘quenched the violence of the fire’ (Hebrews
11:34). ‘We ourselves where sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived,
serving diverse lusts and pleasures … but after that the kindness and
love of God our Savior toward man appeared … he saved us’ (Titus
3:3-5). No one can ever shake off the old companions of lust until by
faith he becomes intimate with the grace of God revealed in the Gospel.
Faith strips away the veil from the Christian’s eyes so he can so sin in
its nakedness before Satan disguises it with flattering costumes.” From
THE CHRISTIAN IN COMPLETE ARMOUR … Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare
by William Gurnall (Moody Press).

Think about it!

Great quote: “When the Spirit of God rests on a man in the midst of the
impossible, God does a mighty work!” – Henry Blackaby

WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND

“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober and rest your hope
fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of
Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13

“‘The revelation of Jesus Christ’ is another expression for the ‘living
hope’ and ‘the appearing of Jesus Christ.’ Christians live in the future
tense; their present actions and decisions are governed by this future
hope. Just as an engaged couple makes all their plans in the light of
the future wedding, so Christians today live with the expectation of
seeing Jesus Christ.

“Gird up the loins of your mind” simply means, “Pull your thoughts
together! Have a DISCIPLINED MIND!” The image is that of a man, tucking
his skirts under his belt, so he can be free to run. When you center
your thoughts on the return of Christ, and live accordingly, you escape
the many worldly things that would encumber your mind and hinder your
spiritual progress . . .

Outlook determines outcome; attitude determines action. A Christian who
is LOOKING for the glory of God has a greater motivation for present
obedience than a Christian who IGNORES the Lord’s return. The contrast
is illustrated in the lives of Abraham and Lot. Abraham had his eyes of
faith on the heavenly city, so he had no interest in the world’s real
estate. But Lot, who had tasted the pleasures of the world in Egypt,
gradually moved toward Sodom. Abraham brought blessing to his home, but
Lot brought judgment. Obedience determined outcome.

We should also have a SOBER MIND. The word means ‘to be calm, steady,
controlled; to weigh matters.’ Unfortunately some people get ‘carried
away’ with prophetic studies and lose their spiritual balance. The fact
that Christ IS coming should encourage us to be calm and collected. (1
Peter 4:7) The fact that Satan is on the prowl is another reason to be
sober-minded (1 Peter 5:8). Anyone whose mind becomes undisciplined, and
whose life ‘falls apart’ because of prophetic studies, is giving
evidence that he does not really understand Bible prophecy.

We should have an OPTIMISTIC MIND. ‘Hope to the end’ means ‘set your
hope fully.’ Have a hopeful outlook! A friend of mind sent me a note one
day that read: ‘When the OUTlook is gloomy, try the UPlook!’ Good
advice, indeed! It has to be dark for the stars to appear.

The result of this spiritual mind-set is that a believer experiences the
grace of God in his life. To be sure, we will experience grace when we
see Jesus Christ; but we can also experience grace today as we look for
HIS return! We have been saved by grace and we depend moment by moment
on God’s grace (1 Peter 1:10). Looking for Christ to return strengthens
our faith and hope in difficult days, and imparts to us more of the
grace of God.” Adapted from Dr. Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on 1 Peter
from THE BIBLE EXPOSITION COMMENTARY.

Good words for you to ponder as we begin this new week! How is your mind
today?

Great quote: And what kind of habitation pleases God? What must our
natures be like before he can feel at home within us? He asks nothing
but a pure heart and a single mind. He asks no rich paneling, no rugs
from the Orient, no art treasures from afar. He desires but sincerity,
transparency, humility, and love. He will see to the rest. A. W. Tozer