WELL DONE, DAVE SHOPPY

Yesterday heaven gained another friend of America’s KESWICK. Dave Shoppy, our Director of Development closed his eyes on this side of heaven and opened them in eternity. From what we can determine, Dave had a massive heart attack and was instantly in the presence of Jesus.

Dave was a faithful servant who was committed to serving His Savior and loving people. He invested most of his life in education and served as Administrator of several Christian schools. During the past several years, Dave ministered to our donors and guests as Director of Development. He was a man that was committed to integrity and excellence. (www.americaskeswick.org)

During the night as I was reflecting on the events of yesterday, the enemy was flooding my mind with all the “what ifs” that he likes to use. A number of our key staff have already been feeling overwhelmed, and the thoughts of now having to add Dave’s responsibilities to the list, well quite honestly, it felt very overwhelming. The Holy Spirit quickly brought to my mind this verse from 2 Corinthians 12:9: “MY grace is sufficient for you.” It immediately brought peace to my aching heart.

As I started by quiet time, I flipped through Streams of the Desert and remembered this devotional from August 5th:

“God was pleased to take my youngest child from this world, under circumstances that caused me severe trials and pain. As I returned home from the church cemetery, having just laid my little one’s body in the grace, I felt a compulsion to preach to my people on the meaning of trials.

I found the verse ‘My grace is sufficient for you’ was the text of next week’s Sunday School lesson, so I chose it as my Master’s message to the congregation, as well as His message to me. Yet while trying to write the sermon, I found that in all honesty, I could not say that the words were true in my life. Therefore I knelt down and asked the Lord to make His grace sufficient for me.

While I was pleading in this way, I opened my eyes and saw this exact verse framed and hanging on the wall. My mother had given it to me a few days before, when I was still on vacation resort where our little child had been taken from us. I had asked someone to hang it on the wall at home during my absence but had not yet noticed its words. Now as I looked up and wiped my eyes, the words met my gaze: ‘My grace IS sufficient for you.’

The word IS was highlighted in bright green, while the words MY and YOU were painted in yet another color. In a moment, a message flashed straight to my soul, coming as a rebuke for having prayed such a prayer as, ‘Lord, make your grace sufficient for me.’ His answer was almost an audible voice that said, ‘How dare you ask for something that IS? I cannot make my grace any more sufficient than I have already made it. Get up and believe it, and you will find it to be true in your life.

The Lord says in the simplest way: ‘My grace IS [not will be or may be] sufficient for you.’ The words MY and YOU were from that moment indelibly written upon my heart. And thankfully, I have been trying to live in the reality of that truth from that day to the present time.

The underlying lesson that came to me through this experience, and that I seek to convey to others is this: NEVER CHANGE GOD’S FACTS INTO HOPES AND PRAYERS BUT SIMPLY ACCEPT THEM AS REALITIES AND YOU WILL FIND THEM TO BE POWERFUL AS YOU BELIEVE THEM!” Webb Peploe as written in STREAMS IN THE DESERT

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendedth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction He addeth His mercies,
To multiplied trials His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted OUR store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our horded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has NO limit, His grace has NO measure,
He power NO BOUNDARY known unto men;
For out of HIS infinite riches in JESUS
He giveth and giveth and giveth again. — Annie Johnson Flint

THE TROUBLED HEART

In light of what is happening all around us in the world, I felt that this devotional this morning written many years ago by Susannah Spurgeon was particularly timely:

“Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

“From whose lips do these tender words fall like ‘rain upon the mown grass?’ Whose heart has such intimate knowledge of my need, and such profound sympathy with my weakness, as thus to meet both with the grace of his exceeding love?

It could be no other than ‘Jesus Christ himself’, my gracious Lord and Master, who thus speaks, and I shall do well to ponder each weighty sentence as I listen to his loving voice.

LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED. Dear Lord, these words of yours, though so sweet, are imperative. They are a command, and should be instantly obeyed. Perhaps I have never before looked upon them in this light, never realized that, in carrying a troubled spirit about within me, I am acting in direct DISOBEDIENCE to your wishes!

‘Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things from Your law.’ Say the words over again to me, dear Lord! Speak ‘as one having authority,’ and, with your gracious command, issue also the mighty power which will enable me to fulfill it. How often must I have grieved you by my want of trust in your tender love and care! How often must you have marveled at my foolishness in attempting to bear burdens which might have been cast at your feet.

LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED. Truly, I hear a grave note of rebuke and disappointment mingling with the music of these sweet words on my Lord’s lips. It may indeed be so, dear Master, for after all that you have done and said, my heart should never be troubled, I ought not to let it be afraid.

And yet how soon does fear overtake the steps of joyful assurance, how quickly do I pass out of the light of your presence into the deep shadow cast by the mountain of my sin!

Lord, help me to reason with myself about this, for a few moments, or rather to say, ‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ for then I know that your infinite love with conclusively silence my fears, and hush all my anxious restlessness of my soul.

WHY should my heart be troubled? Is it on account of the overwhelming sense of sin and unworthiness which sometimes threatens to crush all the spiritual energy out of my life? Then, I have but to turn again to the ‘fountain of the blood,’ and there see all my iniquities pardoned because laid upon the Sin-bearer, all my guilt forgiven because He suffered in my stead.

Can I keep a troubled heart when he died that I might have peace through believing? Can I have trusted HIM with my soul’s salvation, and yet permit myself to doubt whether he has truly saved me?

WHY should my heart be troubled? Is it the things which seem temporal, which are distressing me? The cares of this life, the struggle for daily bread, perhaps, or if not that, the thousands of stresses and disappointments which are the lot of our poor humanity?

Come again to your dear Lord, my soul, and bring to his feet all the perplexes and grieves you; you will surely hear him say, ‘LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED, NEITHER LET IT BE AFRAID; all your sorrows are known to me, and I am guiding and directing ALL that concerns you. Is it more difficult to trust my love in earthly sorrows than for eternal joys?’

WHY should my heart be troubled or afraid? There is nothing on earth or in hell that can harm a soul who believes in Jesus. Every fear is put to flight by his perfect love. Even the fear of death — so great a bondage in some lives — is lifted quite away when ‘God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’

Blessed Lord, help me to be obedient to your command, and to receive meekly your well-deserved rebuke, glorifying you from know on in my daily life by a restful faith, which NOTHING can disturb or dismay! The soul that on Jesus hath leaned fro repose’, ought never to know trouble or fear.”

Timely words from the pen of Susannah Spurgeon from MORNING DEVOTIONS BY SUSANNAH SPURGEON: Free Grace and Dying Love, published by BANNER OF TRUTH TRUST

Great quote: The right way to pray is to stretch out our hands and ask of One who we know has the heart of a Father.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

THE DETAILS OF EVERY DAY LIFE

Most people have heard the name Charles Haddon Spurgeon, one of the great preachers from England who pastored the Metropolitan Tabernacle. But little is known about his wife, a woman who greatly supported her husband and his work despite physical challenges and difficulties. Mrs. Spurgeon also was committed to helping pastors, missionaries and lay leaders through her book fund.

Today’s Freedom Fighter comes from her writings. It was an encouragement to me today and I share it with you:

“You know my downsitting and my rising up, you understand my thoughts afar off . . . ” Psalm 139:2

“YOU KNOW. Come my soul, here is a test as to your present spiritual condition! Will you apply it? Will you be weighed in the balance of the sanctuary, and see whether or not you are found wanting? Does your Lord’s intimate knowledge of your every thought, and desire, and action, oppress and disconcert you, or are you willing and glad to live under such close inspection, and even to covet the glances of that eye which searches your through and through?

Nothing but ‘full assurance of faith’ in the precious blood shed for you on Calvary can give you this boldness. Happy are you, my soul, if you know that God ‘looks through Jesus’ wounds on you, and through those wonderful ruby windows sees you so changed and beautiful that he can say, ‘You are all fair, my love there is not spot in you.’

MY SITTING DOWN AND MY RISING UP. Lord, do you love me so much as to watch tenderly over me in such small matters? How the thought comforts me! We do not care about the details of everyday life of strangers: but when we love anyone very dearly, we take great interest in all that concerns them; and even so, my God, this searching, knowing, understanding, compassing, besetting, laying of your hand upon me, are all most precious tokens to me of your indescribable love.

How watchful and careful should this knowledge make me! ‘My sitting down and my rising up!’ My home life! My daily duties both of work and of leisure. My going out and my coming in, my conduct and bearing under all circumstances! How these are gathered into the compass of those five words! Lord, help me to walk worthy of you, unto all pleasing!

YOU UNDERSTAND MY THOUGHTS FROM AFAR. What infinite knowledge! Well may the psalmist say, ‘It is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain to it!’ BEFORE I think, God knows my thought! O my soul, are not your thoughts the source of most of your grievous perplexities and sorrows? They are often so unruly and rebellious, sometimes so unholy and profane, that all your efforts to bring them into captivity to the law of Christ are unavailing! Then, see where your help lies.

The God who understands your thoughts ‘from afar” has the power to restrain them; no, more than that; before they reach you, while they are yet distant and unexpressed, he will purify and cleanse them, so that they shall enter your heart as angel whispers, and pass your lips only as words of love and blessing.

Dear Master, I make your servant David’s prayer my very own and say, ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” from MORNING DEVOTIONS BY SUSANNAH SPURGEON — FREE GRACE AND DYING LOVE, published by our good friends at THE BANNER OF TRUTH TRUST.

Great quote: Lord, for tomorrow and its needs, I do not pray; Keep me, my God, from stain of sin just for today. Let me both diligently work, And duly pray. Let me be kind in word and deed, Just for today. Let me be slow to do my will, Prompt to obey; Help me to sacrifice myself Just for today. And if today my tide of life should ebb away, Give me thy sacraments divine, Sweet Lord today. So for tomorrow and its needs I do not pray, But keep me, guide me, love me, Lord, Just for today.
– Augustine

LOVE ‘EM OR LIKE THEM

A number of weeks ago, I asked one of our staff members to step out of their comfort zone and doing something that would stretch them. They looked at me and said, “Right now I don’t like you!” They were joking (I think …) and I responded … “You don’t HAVE to like me — but you gotta love me.”

Our Director of Human Resources shared this quote with me in an email this morning: “God grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to know the difference.” I love it.
Jesus reminded the disciples several nights before his death, that the way the world would know that they were his was not because of all the wonderful miracles they would do. It wasn’t about their eloquence or their ability to accomplish great things. The benchmark that would demonstrate that they belonged to Him was this: “by this all men will know your are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35
What does that kind of love look like? Paul gave us a pretty thorough description in the love chapter — I Corinthians 13:4-7:

Love is patient.
Love is kind.
Love is never jealous or envious.
Love is never boastful or proud.
Love is never haughty, selfish or rude.
Love does not demand its own way.
Love is not irritable or touchy.
Love does not hold grudges.
Love will hardly even notice when others do it wrong.
Love is never glad about injustice.
Love rejoices when the truth wins out.
If you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost.
If you love someone you will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.

So how are your doing today in this area of your life? Good question to think about today.
We all have friends and love ones who experience grief and hurt. This week on KESWICK TODAY we will talk with author, speaker and KESWICK counselor-in-residence, Marilyn Heavilin about grief and how to handle it. Marilyn is the author of ROSES IN DECEMBER and shares what God taught her through the pain of losing three children. You can listen to the broadcasts right from our website: http://www.americaskeswick.org.

PRAISE TO THE LORD

Many of the great hymns and songs we love have been written out of times of great difficulty and trials. Joachim Neander wasted most of his early days living in immorality and sin. A preacher came to town and Neander decided to go to hear him with the intention of ridiculing the man. Instead he was converted. Four years later he became the headmaster of a school and wrote over sixty hymns. Eventually he was fired because of his beliefs. After losing his job, he wandered around, mostly living in caves. Despite the trials he faced in his short lifetime, he left us a legacy of praise to His great God:

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to his temple draw near,
Join me in glad adoration!

Praise to the Lord, who o’er all thing so wondrously reigneth,
Shieldeth thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth.

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
Let the amen sound from His people again;
Gladly forever adore Him! Joachim Neander (1650-1680)

I love the line in stanza three: PONDER ANEW WHAT THE ALMIGHTY CAN DO. As you prepare your hearts for worship today, take some time to ponder what HE has done in your life — and then praise HIM!

Sunday Afternoon concert today with Frank Boggs. 2:30 PM Hymnsing followed by the concert at 3:00 PM.

CHOICES

From the Prayers of the Puritans … a prayer to prepare your heart for the Lord’s Day.

O God,
Though I am allowed to approach you
I am not unmindful of my sins,
I do not deny my guilt,
I confess my wickedness, and earnestly plead forgiveness.

May I with Moses choose affliction rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin.
Help me to place myself always under your guiding and guardian care,
To take firmer hold of the sure covenant that binds me to you,
To feel more of the purifying, dignifying, softening influence of the religion I profess,
To have more compassion, love, pity, courtesy, to deem it an honor to be employed by you
As an instrument in your hands,
Ready to seize every opportunity of usefulness,
And willing to offer all my talents to your service.

You have done for me all things well,
Have remembered, distinguished, indulged me.
All my desires have not been gratified, but your love denied them to me
When fulfillment of my wishes would have proved my ruin or injury.
My trials have been fewer than my sins,
And when I have kissed the rod it has fallen from your hands.
You have often wiped away my tears,
Restored peace to my mourning heart,
Chastened me for my profit
All your work for me is perfect, and I praise you.

Good prayer to prepare your heart for worship!

THANKING GOD IN ADVANCE . . .

Addision Raws, the son of the founder of America’s KESWICK preached a message often about God being “The God of the Previous.” In his message he shared that we need to thank the Lord IN ADVANCE for the answers to the prayers that we have offered to him.

We are in the midst of some challenges financially. The summer slump is upon us and we have been asking God to supply the needs for the ministry, something we have done consistently over the course of 109 years of ministry. God HAS BEEN faithful. Ten years ago a Christian businessman looked at our financials and said, “I give this ministry two years and it will be down the tubes.” The interesting thing is that this ministry belongs to God. He is the One who has preserved and protected it for 109 years. It is unexplainable apart from God.

Today’s reading in my quiet time reminded me that HE KNOWS our need and that we can praise and thank Him in advance of the victory that is to come:

“Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me.'” (John 11:41)

The sequence of events in this passage seems strange and unusual. Lazarus was still in his tomb, yet Jesus’ thanksgiving PRECEDED the miracle of raising him from the dead. It seems that thanks would only have been lifted up once the great miracle had been accomplished and Lazarus had been restored to life. But Jesus gave thanks for what He was about to receive. His gratitude sprang forth BEFORE the blessing had arrived, in an expression of ASSURANCE that it was certainly on its way. The song of victory was sung BEFORE the battle had been fought. It was the Sower singing the song of the harvest — it was thanksgiving BEFORE the miracle!

Who ever thinks of announcing a victory song as the army is just heading out to the battlefield? And where do we ever hear a song of gratitude and thanksgiving for an answer that has not yet been received? Yet in this Scripture passage, there is nothing strange, forced, or unreasonable to the Master’s sequence of praise BEFORE the miracle. PRAISE is actually the most vital preparation to the working of miracles. Miracles are performed through spiritual power and our spiritual power is always in proportion to our FAITH.” from STREAMS IN THE DESERT

Are you facing a challenge in your life right now? Have your prayed about it? If so, thank and praise God IN ADVANCE for the answer that is already on its way!!!

OBSTACLES . . . HIS PURPOSE?

“I will turn all my mountains into roads.” (Isaiah 49:11)

“God will make our obstacles serve HIS purposes. We all have mountains in our lives, and often they are people and things that threaten the progress of our spiritual life. The obstacles may be untruths told about us; a difficult occupation, ‘a thorn in the flesh’ (2 Corinthians 12:7); or our daily cross. And often we pray for their removal, for we tend to think that if only these were removed, we would live a more tender, pure, and holy life.

‘How foolish you are, and slow of heart …!’ (Luke 24:25) These are the very conditions we need for achievement, and they have been put in our lives as the means of producing the gifts and qualities for which we have been praying so long. We pray for patience for many years, and when something begins to test us beyond our endurance, we run from it. We try to avoid it, we see it as some insurmountable obstacle to our desired goal, and we believe that if it was removed, we would experience immediate deliverance and victory.

This is not true! We would simply see the temptations to be impatient end. This would not be patience. The only way genuine patience can be acquired is by enduring the very trials that seem so unbearable today.

Turn from your running and submit. Claim by faith to be a partaker in the patience of Jesus and face your trials in Him. There is nothing in our lives that distresses or concerns you that cannot become submissive to the highest purpose. Remember, they are GOD’S mountains. He puts them there for a reason, and we know He will NEVER fail to keep His promise.

‘God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under heaven.’ (Job 28_33-34) So when we come to the foot of the mountains, we will find our way.’

THE PURPOSE OF OUR TRIALS IS NOT ONLY TO TEST OUR WORTHINESS BUT ALSO TO INCREASE IT, JUST AS THE MIGHTY OAK IS TESTED BY THE STORMS AS WELL AS STRENGTHENED BY THEM.” from STREAMS IN THE DESERT by Mrs. Cowman and published by our good friends at Zondervan. You can order a copy of this classic devotional from the KESWICK BOOKSTORE (732-350-1187 ext. 31)

HIS ACCEPTED, ADOPTED CHILD

“Beloved, now we are the children of God.” (1 John 3:2)

“Having a right relationship with God begins with settling once and for all the issue that God is your loving Father and you are His accepted, adopted child. That’s the foundation of your spiritual heritage. You are a child of God, you are created in His image, you have been declared righteous by Him because you trust that what Christ accomplished in His death and resurrection is applicable to you. As long as you believe that and walk accordingly, your daily experience of practical Christianity will result in growth. But when you forget who you are, and try to produce in your daily experience the acceptance God has already extended to you, you’ll struggle. We don’t serve God to gain His acceptance; we are accepted, so we serve God. We don’t follow Him in order to be loved we are loved, so we follow Him.

That’s why you are called to live by faith (Romans 1:16, 17). The essence of the victorious Christian life is believing what is already true about you. Do you have a choice? Of course! Satan will try and convince you that you are an unworthy, unacceptable, sin-sick person who will never amount to anything in God’s eyes. Is that who you are? No, you are not! You are a saint whom God has declared righteous. Believing Satan’s lie will lock you into a defeated, fruitless life. But believing God’s truth about your identity will set you free.

Your perception of your identity makes such a big difference in your success at dealing with the challenges and conflicts of your life. It is imperative to your growth and maturity that you believe God’s truth about who you are.

The Bible says, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; an such we are!” (1 John 3:31) Tragically, many believers are desperately trying to become something they already are, while other are living like something they aren’t. It’s true: “Beloved, NOW we are the children of God.”
(1 John 3:2)

From DAILY IN CHRIST by Neil T. Anderson, published by our good friends at HARVEST HOUSE.

Great Quote: Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting around daydreaming about the greatness of His redemption, while neglecting all the things you could be doing for Him? I’m not referring to works which could be regarded as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, simple human things – things which would be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him. Oswald Chambers

Check out our newest feature on our website: ADDICTION IN THE NEWS … Finding Truth in the Midst of Chaos — http://www.americaskeswick.org/AddictionintheNews.htm

FEAR OF THE LORD (Part #3)

“The fear of the Lord is the continual awareness that God knows, weighs and sees every one of my thoughts, deeds, words, and actions.” — Bill Gothard.

I did a search through the Scriptures and want to share with you 24 benefits of fearing the Lord. I will share 12 today and 12 tomorrow.

1. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).
2. The fear of the Lord results in serving God in sincerity and truth (Joshua 24:14).
3. The fear of the Lord will result in serving God with a whole heart. (1 Samuel 12:24)
4. The Lord instructs those who serve the Lord. (Psalm 25:12)
5. Prosperity will abide in those who fear the Lord. (Psalm 25:13)
6. The descendants of those who fear the Lord will inherit the land. (Psalm 25:13)
7. God reveals secrets to those who fear Him. (Proverbs 3:32b)
8. Goodness is laid up for those who fear Him. (Proverbs 31:19-20)
9. God’s eye is on those who fear the Lord. (Proverbs 33:18)
10. Angelic protection and rescue is provided for those who fear the Lord. (Psalm 34:7)
11. God blesses us so that other will fear Him. (Psalm 67:7)
12. God has compassion on those who fear Him. (Psalm 103:13)

I encourage you to take some time to look up these verses and search the Scriptures. It will be a good study for you.

Need a break this weekend? Why not bring your family to America’s KESWICK to enjoy a peaceful weekend away. We have some rooms that have opened up and will offer our Freedom Fighter family a reduced rate. Enjoy the lakes, the pool and allow God to speak to your heart and transform your life as you get alone with Him. For information, call today — 732-350-1187. Remember to tell our reservationists that you are a member of the Freedom Fighter family.

GREAT QUOTE: It is a glorious thing to know that your Father God makes no mistakes in directing or permitting that which crosses the path of your life. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter. It is our glory to trust him, no matter what. Joni Eareckson Tada