WHO I AM IN CHRIST (Part 4)

I read a quote this morning that went like this — “The optimist sees
the glass half full! The pessimist sees the glass half empty. The child
of God sees the cup full and running over!” This morning as we review
seven more foundational truths of who we are IN CHRIST, may your heart
be full and running over.

22. You have Christ within you! (Colossians 1:27)

23. You are firmly rooted IN CHRIST and now are being built up in Him!
(Colossians 2:11)

24. You have been spiritually circumcised! (Colossians 2:11)

25. You have been made complete in Christ! (Colossians 2:10)

26. You have been buried, raised, and made alive with Christ.
(Colossians 2:12-13)

27. You died with Christ and you have been raised up with Christ. Christ
is now your life! (Colossians 3:1-4)

28. You have been given a spirit of power, love and self-discipline. (2
Timothy 1:7)

Praise God today, my friend for who you are IN CHRIST.

Struggling with internet pornography or know someone who is? Listen
today today’s edition of KESWICK TODAY on our website as Mark Fisher,
President of Sandy Cove Ministries, shares his story —
http://www.americaskeswick.org.

Our Spring semester of the Keswick Institute of Biblical Studies begins
in a few weeks. Consider joining us to study God’s Word. We have
partnered with Lancaster Bible College to provide CEU’s towards a degree
in Bible. For information, please visit our website —
http://www.americaskeswick.org.

WHO I AM IN CHRIST (Part 3)

Paul wrote these words . . . “Finally brothers, whatever is true,
whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy — think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

Understanding WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST is a great application to that verse
. . . this morning as you read these truths, allow the Holy Spirit to
speak to your heart and transform your life . . .

15. You have been redeemed and forgiven and you are a recipient of His
lavish grace. (Ephesians 1:7)

16. You have been made alive together with Christ. (Ephesians 2:5)

17. You have been raised up and seated with Christ in heaven. (Ephesians
2:6)

18. You have direct access to God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18)

19. You may approach God with boldness, freedom and confidence.
(Ephesians 3:12)

20. You have been rescued from the domain of Satan’s rule and
transferred to the kingdom of Christ. (Colossians 1:13)

21. You have been redeemed and forgiven of all your sins. The debt
against you has been cancelled. (Colossians 1:14)

Well my friend — if that doesn’t cause you to rejoice this morning —
something ain’t right!!! Or as one of our speakers says — “if that
doesn’t light your firewood — you’ve got wet wood.” Look up the the
Scriptures today and THINK ON THESE THINGS.

Give a listen to today’s edition of KESWICK TODAY radio on our website
— http://www.americaskeswick.org. Mark Fisher, the new President of Sandy Cove
Ministries, and our speaker for FREEDOM FIGHTER DAY will be sharing his
testimony. If Freedom Fighter is a blessing to you — share it with a
friend and encourage them to join today!

WHO I AM (Part 2)

“Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires.” (Galatians 5:24)

Yesterday we started a journey to review our position in Christ! It is
good to review this often and I encourage you to look up the Scriptures
and make them a part of the fabric of your life.

8. You have been established, anointed and sealed by God in Christ! (2
Corinthians 1:21)

9. You have been given the Holy Spirit as a pledge guaranteeing your
inheritance in Christ! (Ephesians 1:13-14)

10. You have died with Christ and you no longer live for yourself, but
for Christ! (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

11. You have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer YOU who
live, but CHRIST lives in you! (Galatians 2:20)

12. You have been blessed with EVERY spiritual blessing! (Ephesians 1:3)

13. You were chosen in Christ BEFORE the foundation of the work to be
holy and blameless before Him! (Ephesians 1:4)

14. You were predestined — determined by God — to be adopted as God’s
sons (and daughters)! (Ephesians 1:5)

Remember that today the enemy of your souls wants you to FEEL worthless,
condemned, and without hope! Many of us have lived out that cycle which
leads us further into our sin! Well my friend, repent of your FEELINGS!
Focus today on the TRUTH of WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST!

Listen to today’s broadcast of KESWICK TODAY by visiting our website. I
will be interviewing Mark P. Fisher, the new President and CEO of Sandy
Cove Ministries, who is our speaker for our upcoming Freedom Fighter
Men’s Day. Mark has an incredible testimony. Check it out —
http://www.americaskeswick.org.

WHO I AM IN CHRIST . . .

“Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires.” (Galatians 5:24)

Before I share some insights I have learned on the last part of this
verse, I want to remind you WHO you are IN CHRIST. Over the past year of
Freedom Fighter journaling’s, we have looked at this important phrase
numerous times — it’s good to review it often. The moment you trusted
Christ as Savior, you received a NEW identity. You were transferred from
the “kingdom of darkness” to the “kingdom of His dear Son.” You are no
longer of this world — you are IN CHRIST!

With that new identity comes some mind-boggling truths that you need to
hold on to as you navigate life in this ever-changing crazy world.
Believe me — Satan does not want you to grasp or understand this truth
— He’d rather you live in bondage to the old identity and live a life
of defeat rather than a life of victory.

I remind you of who you are IN CHRIST — (and it will take a few days to
scratch just the surface . . .) Don’t just take MY word for it — Check
out the Scriptures with each truth!

1. You are justified — COMPLETE forgiven. (Romans 5:1)
2. You died WITH Christ and died to the POWER of sin’s RULE over your
life. (Romans 6:1-11)
3. You are free from CONDEMNATION! (Romans 8:1)
4. You have been placed into Christ by God’s doing. (1 Corinthians 1:30)
5. You have received the Spirit of God that you may KNOW the things
freely given to you by God. (1 Corinthians 2:12)
6. You have been given the MIND of Christ. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
7. You have been bought with a price; You are NOT your own; You belong
to God. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

This is just the beginning my friend. Over the next several days we want
to rehearse who we are IN CHRIST. It is when you understand this AMAZING
truth — that you will live life to the fullest. Rejoice today, my
friend at your NEW identity!
“Grace binds you with far stronger cords than the cords of duty or
obligation can bind you. Grace is free, but when once you take it you
are bound forever to the Giver, and bound to catch the spirit of the
Giver. Like produces like, Grace makes you gracious, the Giver makes you
give.”E. Stanley Jones

LATE BREAKING NEWS: — KESWICK Today daily (Mon – Fri) 5 minute radio
program is now available LIVE on the Internet. Today’s broadcast, and
over time the past 30 days will always be available. It is available in
Windows Media format, Real Audio format, or as a FREE download in MP3
format. It will also be available in a few days in a podcast
(subscription form – those of you who have MP3 player can subscribe to
it and have it automatically downloaded when you turn your computer on
each day).

Please visit our webpage to give it a try:
http://www.americaskeswick.org/

IN YOUR PROFESSION, WHAT IS HE?

To the artist the Lord Jesus Christ is the One Altogether Lovely.

To the architect, He is the Chief Cornerstone.

To the baker, He is the Living Bread.

To the banker, He is the Hidden Treasure.

To the biologist, He is the Life.

To the builder, He is the Sure Foundation.

To the carpenter, He is the Door.

To the doctor, He is the Great Physician.

To the educator, He is the Great Teacher.

To the engineer, He is the New and Living Way.

To the farmer, He is the Sower and the Lord of the Harvest.

To the florist, He is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley.

To the geologist, He is the Rock of Ages.

The the horticulturist, He is the True Vine.

To the judge, He us the Righteous Judge, the Judge of all men.

To the juror, He is the Faithful and True Witness.

To the jeweler, He is the Pearl of Great Price.

To the lawyer, He is the Wonderful Counselor, the Lawgiver and the
Advocate.

To the newspaper man, He is the Good News of Great Joy.

To the philanthropist (one who loves and seeks to benefit mankind) He is
the Unspeakable Gift.

To the philosopher He is the Wisdom of God.

To the preacher He is the Word of God.

To the sculptor He is the Living Stone.

To the statesman He is the Desire of All Nations.

To the student, He is the Incarnate Truth.

To the theologian, He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith.

To the laborer He is the Giver of Rest.

To the sinner, He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the
world.

To the Christian, He is the Son of the Living God, the Savior, Redeemer,
and Lord.

And He is the ONE we gather to worship on this Lord’s day. What is HE to
you, my friend?

THOMAS PAINE’S FATAL MISTAKE . . .

“In 1787, an immigrant to American by the name of Thomas Paine had
leaped from poverty and obscurity to fame through his brilliant writing.
By his gifts of pamphlet writing, he had inspired the American colonists
to rise against England and achieve independence in the American
Revolution.

At this high point in his success story, Paine made a fatal mistake. He
began to write his ‘masterpiece,’ a book describing his religious
beliefs, which he expected would replace the Bible and other writings
about revealed religion.

He made the prediction that his book, “Age of Reason,’ would destroy the
Bible by exposing it as a myth and legend. He believed that within 100
years after the publication of his book, Bibles would be found only in
museums or in the musty corners of secondhand bookstores.

Paine’s book was published in London in 1794, but instead of bringing
him fame and glory which he expected, the book turned out to be a
scourge that haunted him until his death. His attack on God and sacred
things we so repugnant that many friends and admirers turned against
him.

He sailed to America to renew old friendships and regain his lost
popularity. But it was too late. Former friends would have nothing to do
with him, and the public scorned him as a crank and blasphemer.

Saddened and discouraged by his failure, he was broken in health and
became a bedridden invalid until his death. He died friendless and alone
in 1809. Instead of his prediction concerning God’s Word coming true,
the Bible advanced to the position of the world’s best perennial
bestseller and the daily guide in the lives of millions of people.”

King David wrote, “Forever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in heaven. Thy
faithfulness continues throughout all generations. You established the
earth and it stands. They stand this day according to your ordinances .
. . I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have revived me .
. . I shall diligently consider Your testimonies. I have seen a limit
to all perfection; Your commandment is exceedingly broad.” (Psalm
119:89-91; 93; 95-96)

Make no mistake — the Bible stands forever. When did you read the Book
last? Make it a part of your daily walk.

A FRESH LOOK AT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

As we move into this new year, many of us have made commitments to make
lifestyle changes — some are health related, like new eating and
exercise habits — or maybe you wanting to break free of a besetting sin
. . .

Here is a fresh look at “walking in the Spirit” by using the “fruit of
the Spirit”

LOVE. Love yourself enough to take care of the body that God has given
you. Love God enough to treat it properly.

JOY. Have joy for today because of exactly who you are right NOW. Have
joy for whose you are.

PEACE. Embrace the only peace God provides by fully trusting in Him his
plans for you . . . peace that tells you that you WILL have victory.

PATIENCE. Have patience for that victory. Remember God’s perfect timing
in the past and cling to that evidence for your future.

KINDNESS. Show kindness to yourself. Say positive things about yourself
and don’t criticize your self when you are not doing things perfectly.

GOODNESS. Dwell on the goodness of the Lord and focus on the good
changes you are making in your lifestyle.

FAITHFULNESS. God is faithful, and He will give you faithfulness in your
decision to make these new and healthier changes.

GENTLENESS. Comfort yourself . . . not with tons of ‘comfort food’ but
with gentleness and comfort that comes only from abiding in Christ.

SELF-CONTROL — Yes, you can have self-control. Call upon the powers and
grace of Almighty God. He is waiting to give you strength.”

Good words to help us walk today in the Spirit in this ever-crazy
changing world.

(from SCALE DOWN — A Realistic Guide to Balancing Body, Soul and Spirit
— published by our friends at REVELL and available at the KESWICK
ONLINE BOOKSTORE — http://www.americaskeswick.org.

REALIZE YOUR INHERITANCE AND BELIEVE!

“It is difficult to live out our inheritance in Christ when we don’t
fully believe the truth of our transformation. Imagine that you you’d be
living in poverty for twenty years, not realizing that your
great-grandmother had deposited a million dollars in a trust fund for
you seventy-five years ago. But once you realized this, what would you
do with the truth? You’d probably act on it!

If would be unbelievable if you never withdrew the money. But that’s
often how we live as Christians. We live as paupers instead of princes!
We live defeated instead of victorious. Why? We haven’t embraced our
inheritance. But how do we do that? Believe the truth! Simply knowing is
not believing. When we truly believe, it transforms our minds and
eventually our behavior.

The Spirit of God took residence in you when you believed, and he will
bear witness and animate the truth of God’s Word when you read, study,
and meditate on is as if were all you needed to sustain your life . . .

To live a victorious life in all its dimensions, you must know who you
are and become consumed with a passion to pursue God and His truth. The
process of getting and keeping your ‘spiritual balloon’ fully inflated
is relatively simple. You need to nourish your spirit daily in five
ways:

1. Pray as if it is the air your breath.

2. Nourish your soul and spirit with God’s Word daily.

3. Digest its truth through meditation.

4. Practice the presence of God.

5. Worship him in Spirit and in truth.

Good words today from Dana Demetre in her new book SCALE DOWN — A
Realistic Guide to Balancing Body, Soul, Soul and Spirit — published by
our good friends at REVELL and available at the KESWICK ONLINE BOOKSTORE
— http://www.americaskeswick.org

RETURN TO THE WHO WHO LOVES

“There is a lie pervasive in our society that says that at some point
unclear, yet ever-present point . . . we’ve gone too far. We fear there
is a line crossed, a sin committed, a wrong done that cannot be
forgiven. So when is ‘enough, enough’? Is it three strikes and you’re
out? Is there one or more unforgivable sins? If you’ve run away from
God, I have great news for you — you’ve not gone too far! Whatever your
sin, or series of sins, whatever lifestyle you’re entrenched it . . .
you’ve not gone too far. YOU CAN COME HOME!

That is not to say you should love with reckless abandon. There are
consequences to poor choices . . . they can damage you and others. BUT
IT IS NEVER TOO LATE, you’ve never gone too far to reconcile with God.
God forgives even though we grieve His Holy Spirit with our defiant and
rebellious behavior. His love PREVAILS even though there is a time of
interrupted fellowship as His loving discipline guides us back home.

Let us learn from Him as we set healthy, yet loving boundaries for
ourselves and others. It’s never about you being worthy. No one is
worthy. It’s about the fact that you are God’s child. If you are out
there on a limb and you feel there is no place to go and your heart is
breaking . . . that you’ve gone too far . . . you have not. You can
always come home.” — Dr. Tim Scott from COME HOME — Purpose 5 (Scott
Memorial Community Church)

There was an old Billy Graham movie that had a song with this text:

Return to the One who loves you.

Return to the Savior who cares.

He gives perfect, your burdens He bares,

Return to the Savior who cares.

Are you running from God? Think you are beyond the point of no return?
Come home. We’d love to help you. Respond to this email and we will get
information on how you can come home.

KNOWN BY GOD

“What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the
fact the I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it — the fact
that HE KNOWS ME. I am graven on the palms of His hands. I am never out
of His mind. All my knowledge of HIM depends on HIS sustained initiative
in knowing ME. I know Him, because He first knew me, and continues to
know me; and there is no moment when His eye is off me, or His attention
distracted from me, and not moment therefore when His care falters.

There is tremendous relief in knowing that His love to me is utterly
realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about
me, so that no discovery now can disillusion Him about me, in the way I
am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench His determination to
bless me.

There is, certainly, great cause for humility in the thought that He
sees all the twisted things about me that my fellow men do not see (and
I’m glad!), and that He sees more corruption in me than that which I see
in myself (which in all conscience, is enough). There is, however,
equally great incentive to worship and love God in the thought that, for
some unfathomable reason, He wants me as His friend, and desires to be
my friend, and has given His Son to me for me in order to realize this
purpose.” — J. I. Packer KNOWING GOD

For more insight, see Psalm 139:13-16

Good words to ponder today!