Last week, Robert and I were attending a Sunday school class in an old church building with beautiful stained glass windows. It was a crisp sunny morning and the windows were beautiful. We marveled at the craftsmanship, the details in the glass, and the vibrant colors. When the class was over we walked outside and looked up at those same windows. They were dull and lifeless, nothing to comment about. I said to Robert, “The light makes all the difference.”

So it is with our lives. What makes us beautiful, different from everyone else is the light of Christ shining in us that allows people to see the beautiful intricacies: all that is good and right and true of who God, the Artist/Creator, made us to be. If Christ is in us, we have access to the power to turn on the lights, but if we don’t draw on the power, flip the switch, open our Bibles, talk to our Father, we remain dark and lifeless. Turn the lights on in your life; allow Christ to reflect in you.

Ephesians 5:8,9 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light; (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true). ESV

Joyce Hayes
Artist-in-residence at America’s Keswick

I am not a “Kathleen” or a “Katherine.” I was named after my grandmother whose name was “Kate.” I had always wanted to be called “Kate” but there are few who call me by that name. “Kathy” just always seemed common and boring. Although “Kate” never really stuck as my nickname there are other names that I have been called: names that have stuck because they are painful. Childhood names were plunged into my heart and have taken a long time for me to put into perspective.

In Genesis 32:24 Jacob’s name is changed to Israel. Jacob, which means “heel,” is derived from a verb meaning “trip up, “or “over reach.” We know that Jacob was a deceiver and with the help of his Mom he was able to get his brother’s birthright. When Jacob finds himself in a wrestling match with the Lord he is asked, “What is your name?” It is noted in Warren Wiersbe’s commentary that the last time Jacob had been asked that question he told a lie to his father and claimed to be Esau. At the end of the wrestling match the Lord gives Jacob a new name. He is to be called Israel.

I simply want us to remember that we are no longer the names that we were given or labeled before we came to know Christ. We’ve been told, “Sticks and stones can break our bones but names will never hurt us.” Well, names do hurt us. But God has re-named us. Our identity is now found in Him. He doesn’t lie. He doesn’t give us names that are hurtful. He uses names such as forgiven, beloved, My child, and many others. Names are important so as we read Scripture take note when you see a name change, a definition associated with a name, or when a name of God appears. It is apparent that names mean a lot to our God. He knows the names we have been called and He no longer wants us to live with them.

In Genesis 39:9-11 God once again appears to Jacob and reminds him of his name. Maybe you need to be reminded today that those “names and labels” are not who you are. For a great read on names and the importance they have in our lives I would recommend that you read “My Secret Name” by Kary Oberbrunner. This book was given to me and helped me to understand the effects of negative names that I was still wrestling with, and also helped me learn a name that was especially for me from God.

Well, I left out a small detail of the story of my name. For all the kidding I will receive, I will share it with you. When I asked my Mom why I couldn’t have been named “Kate” after Grandma she informed me that “Kate” was Grandma’s nickname but her real name was “Cornelia.” So, I am okay with plain old “Kathy.”

Blessings to you,
Plain Kathy with a “K” and a “Y” but Jesus calls me Accepted

Kathy’s on staff at America’s KESWICK in the Development Department. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 26 years. They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local church and has previously served as a Teaching Director for Community Bible Study. Her passion is to encourage women to deepen their walk with Jesus Christ by finding and living out the truths of God’s Word.

I recently came across this prayer that went perfectly with yesterday’s Victory Call. Be encouraged.

In thy fellowship is fullness of joy,
Beneath thy smile is peace of conscience,
By thy side no fears disturb,
No apprehensions banish rest of mind,
With thee my heart shall bloom with fragrance;
Make me meet, through repentance, for thine indwelling.
Nothing exceeds thy power,
Nothing is too great for thee to do,
Nothing is too good for thee to give.
Infinite is thy might, boundless thy love,
Limitless thy grace, glorious thy saving name.
Let angels sing for sinners repenting, prodigals restored,
Backsliders reclaimed, Satan’s captives released,
Blind eyes opened, broken hearts bound up,
The despondent cheered, the self-righteous stripped,
The formalist driven from a refuge of lies,
The ignorant enlightened,
And saints built up in their holy faith.
I ask great things of a great God.
The Valley of Vision (pg. 6)

Diane Hunt is part of the ministry team at America’s Keswick. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. Diane has been married to her husband John over 27 years. She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all. She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.

To see the generous nature of God we don’t have to go any further than the very first chapter of the first book of the Bible. God created the heavens and the earth. He could have created it just large enough so that it would go as far as we could see. We can see about 1000 to 3000 stars on a clear night in this area but God created 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars (I’m not even sure how to say that). Earth is part of the Milky Way galaxy but it is one in an array of hundreds of billions of galaxies in the universe. God “is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think” (Eph 3:20). He is not a stingy God. His creation is simple evidence of his abundant generosity.

Think of the example in Matthew 14 when Jesus feeds the 5000 (plus women and children) with 5 loaves and 2 fish. When everyone had eaten and were satisfied there were 12 leftover full baskets. He did far more abundantly than was necessary. The Message paraphrase says, “God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!”

The Salvation offered to us by Jesus Christ is a finished work, not half-hearted effort. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 – As forgiven children of God, saved and sealed for redemption, God cleanses us from all sin. On the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished” John 19:30. He did not say, “I’ve done my part – now they can work their way to heaven.”

IF God creates a universe billions of times larger than we can see or imagine, how much more will HE make provision for your needs beyond what you imagine or think?
What difficulty are you facing today? God is not holding out on you. He desires to bless you beyond what you can imagine or think.

Is God enough for your problems? Are you believing and asking for great things from a Great God?

He desires to bless you beyond anything you know, not with material things but with Himself. Will you receive Him?

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the ministry team at America’s Keswick. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. Diane has been married to her husband John over 27 years. She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all. She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.

Psalm 39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.

Have you ever heard someone say, “Well, what are you waiting for?” It seems I have spent much of my life waiting…for what? Well, as a child, I was waiting to grow up, to go to college and to eventually get married.

After my marriage, I was waiting for children. Then, I was waiting for my children to grow up, graduate from high school, from college, and get married. Then I waited for them to have children and the cycle continues to go round and round. Now I’m waiting for my grandchildren to be married and have children.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the worry that occasionally would rear its ugly head along with the waiting. Then I read the verse that says, Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself (Psalm 37:7). This verse says I’m supposed to REST and WAIT patiently! Besides resting and waiting I’m not supposed to fret. Can you believe it? Is that even possible? Yes, I think it is.

Many times as I have been writing my prayers in my prayer journal, I have written Fret Not. It’s as though the Lord is saying to me, “Don’t worry, Marilyn. I’ve heard your request. I will supply your needs. Just WAIT on Me.”

While you may be waiting for Mr. Right, a child, or a specific prayer to be answered, He is saying that very same thing to each of you.

Psalm 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself.

Marilyn Willett Heavilin

Marilyn is a wife and mother, author, and international conference and retreat speaker. She and her husband Glen serve as Counselors-in-Residence at America’s KESWICK during the summer months.

Yesterday we talked about how important “blessing” is to God. If you are not experiencing the blessings God’s Word promises then let’s take another look at scripture. You see, blessings come when we learn to humble ourselves and obey His commands and walk in His ways.

Let’s take a look at Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

It would appear that blessing comes to those who meditate on His word and allow their lives to come into unity with His timing and His purposes. It is not a matter of saying the right prayer or going to the right church, or fasting or making a big donation to the right charity. Rather the Lord says we need to be careful who we seek counsel from. Are we going to someone who knows the Word and will lovingly tell us the truth? Does our life come into unity with choices that sinners would take rather than those who love the Lord? Do we like to point a finger at others rather than looking into our own heart? Do we delight in being a doer of the Word, which we read and mediate upon faithfully? Although we are not under the law as in the time before Christ, I believe we are called to the greater challenge and that is to choose to delight in growing in Christlikeness.

My dear sisters in Christ, may I challenge you and I? Are we among the many who give lip service to “believing in the Bible” but pay little attention to what the Bible says? Are we influenced more by traditions than an intimate relationship with our Savior? Do we read a chapter a day yet have no actual understanding of the passage we read? Are we seeking God as to how the passage we read may change our life?

My challenge to you and I this year is this: let’s go deeper; let’s go all the way to the blessing. One day at a time……let us not just read words, let us meditate upon the Word until God reveals the meaning for us personally. Let us thank God each day for moving us to a deeper richer relationship with Him.

My prayer is that you and I will accept this challenge and experience the fullness of Psalm 1. That we will walk in the fullness of the blessing described in Psalm 1 and be like that tree planted by rivers of water. Not just any water, but rather living water that will fill us and nourish us so that we will bear good fruit at just the right time. The fruitfulness of our lives will not wither and whatever we do will prosper.

It is time to advance……and be blessed.

Patricia L. Wenzel
WOC Graduate

Some material taken from: A Time to Advance by Chuck Pierce with Robert and Linda Heidler Available through Glory of Zion, Inc., PO Box 1601, Denton, TX 76202 http://www.gloryofzion.org

According to a book I read recently, A Time to Advance by Chuck Pierce with Robert and Linda Heidler, the word “bless” or “blessing” is used in the scripture 474 times. That would surely indicate that blessing is important to the God we serve.

The first mention of blessing is found in the very first chapter of the Bible. Genesis 1:22 reads, God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth” (NAS). It would appear that God’s idea of blessing is to release increase, prosperity and the multiplication of all that is good and pleasant in life.

Further into the scripture in Gen. 24:1 it tells us that God blessed Abraham “in all things”. Yes, blessing appears to be significant to the God we serve.

I have always loved the blessing recorded in Deut. 6:24-26, The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace. WOW!! Now that is surely a blessing!!

Why is it then that in this world our lives are filled with tough battles? The author of the book I am reading took me to the story of Joseph. Joseph was hated by his brothers, sold as a slave, falsely accused, and thrown in prison. Hardly what one could call a blessed life. But God………you see the blessing of God actually interfered with the plans of men and the enemy of God’s people. Under the power of blessing Joseph rises above each and every curse on his life. Divine appointments seem to just happen, supernatural connections are made, doors opened to a future he could not have fully imagined possible. In fact, Joseph saves the nation of his forefathers. He is in the exact right place, at the perfect time.

Dear one, you may be in the midst of an incredible battle of life but I tell you the truth, if you would meet with your God, walk humbly and obediently before Him, He will turn your mourning into dancing(Psalm 30:11). With all my heart I believe the Lord longs to bless you (Isaiah 30:18). Jesus came that you and I might have life (John 10:10).

Stay tuned…….part 2 is tomorrow.

Blessings,
Patricia Wenzel
WOC Graduate

Some material taken from: A Time to Advance by Chuck Pierce with Robert and Linda Heidler Available through Glory of Zion, Inc., PO Box 1601, Denton, TX 76202 http://www.gloryofzion.org

That’s usually the problem. God gives us the assurance of something and then we waiver between faith and unbelief. When I read the following portion of scripture, something really upset me. It was verse 6… “And He marveled because of their (my) unbelief.”

Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! 3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.
4 But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. Mark 6: 1-6 (NKJV)

Here’s an example of what I’ve experienced at times and maybe you have too:
“Ok, Lord, so I know I heard you say this, and you’ve confirmed it to me today through this, but I still have doubts, could you send me a second confirmation? Great, got it. But still- what if I do that and it’s not really you, maybe you haven’t spoken this to me and it’s just self-talk? I’m going to need another confirmation. Great, I got it. But Lord what if?” Sounds like I want to live risk-free. Or is it faith free?

Does anyone have a fleece handy?

I could just imagine Jesus shaking His head back and forth as He marvels at my unbelief. I guess you could say He just can’t believe it.

“Dina…Dina…after all I’ve shown you, still you do not believe.”

“Oh Lord, I don’t want You to shake your head at my unbelief in any situation, after all the mighty works You’ve not only done in my life, but in the lives of those around me.”

Those are the times that focusing on the past can give us the good shaking we need. Come on sister, look back, and remember the time God did ____________ and you thought, “Wow, Lord, You really did do just what You said You would. Why didn’t I just trust You and believe?”

That’s Him, same God. Faithful then, faithful now and faithful tomorrow.

So is your faith shaken or do you need a good shaking?

Dina Seaton
Marketing Assistant, Staff Writer

I recently read a comment by Patsy Clairmont, one of my favorite authors and a member of “The Porch” for those of you who are familiar with Women of Faith. It was in the context of something totally different, but she said at the end of a comment she was making that “The purpose of an argument is to resolve conflict not to win.”

Winning – a very important concept to so many of us in this day and age. Our favorite athletic teams are only deemed successful if they win. Our politicians are all about winning. Businesses are successful if they “win” the most customers, or are able to corner a larger percent of their particular market than their competitors. Translate that “winning isn’t everything, it’s the ONLY thing” philosophy to us as individuals, and we get caught up so easily in the “I must win” scenario.

For me, the desire to be a winner all boils down to my pride. I want what I want – and am willing to argue you to death until you say, “OK, you win.” And I got what I wanted. It isn’t even totally a matter of “I’m right, you’re wrong.” If I can get you to blink, then I have gotten MY way – right or wrong.

But what does God have to say about pride (and believe me, He has a LOT to say about it)? The verses that always strike a chord with me are Proverbs 6:16-17, “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination with Him: a proud look…” Now I don’t know about you, but when God says He hates something, when God says something is an abomination to Him, I think it behooves me to sit up and pay closer attention. And while there are seven things listed that God hates, what is the number one thing on the list? “A proud look” or I have seen it translated as a “haughty spirit.”

I have said if before – I struggle with pride. It seems as if I always have. And sometimes when I think I have it “under control,” the Holy Spirit taps me on the shoulder, so to speak, and says, “Now aren’t you proud that you have overcome your proud spirit.” And I go, “duh,” because I haven’t beaten it back at all. It is still lurking just below (and sometimes not even just below) the surface of my actions or words waiting for me to rise up and proclaim how proud I am for saying or doing something instead of giving God the glory that He has enabled me to do it.

We live in a society which is all about recognition – having someone say we have done a good job or getting an award for having done something. But the ONLY One I want to hear say, “well done” is Jesus when I stand before Him to give an account of all of the things I have done with my life. Oh, I can bask in worldly recognition and get my prideful self all puffed up, but when I get to heaven, none of that will mean one thing. Unless what I have done I have done with the motive of glorifying God, doing HIS will and bringing the recognition to HIM, whatever I have done is meaningless in His eyes (or like “filthy rags” in Isa. 64:6).

So, once again, today, I am praying that Jesus Christ will infuse His humble Spirit into me and begin to make me into His own humble, and ultimately, glorious image.

Lynn Randall

Lynn Randall is the Director of Human Resources at America’s KESWICK. She is active in her church and is a gifted planner and organizer. She has a real heart for people as evidenced by her care, concern and practical encouragement.

with Dick & Mel Tunney

Saturday, February 11, 2012, 6:30 PM

With all followers of Christ, the growth process is a lifetime journey designed to reflect His Light to a dark and dying world. Dick & Melodie Tunney continue to spend their adult life in the process, pressing towards the ultimate goal of reflecting and magnifying Christ’s light to all whose paths they cross from their public platform of ministry.

You’re invited for a romantic evening out! Not just for the two of you, but for the three of you!…A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecc. 4:12). Jesus is never the third wheel but the cord that binds a couple together. We encourage you to invite HIM to be the unseen guest at your table. Fine food, the fellowship of other couples and amazing music that will minister to your heart and soul set the stage for themaking of a memory…

$20 per person includes dinner and concert.

Dinner begins at 6:30 PM, doors open at 6:00 PM

Advance reservations are required. Reserve Early! This event WiLL sell out!