For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you. ~Proverbs 2:6-11

Do you know that your responses to all that comes your way in this life matter to God? Do you believe that He has equipped you through the indwelling Holy Spirit with everything you need to walk in wisdom with grace and truth?

Do you think and believe it’s possible to be in a bad situation with a person or persons who are behaving badly and not forget that you are God’s daughter; that you are equipped by and through the Word of God to respond well?

If your answer is yes, praise the Lord! If your answer is no, praise the Lord!

My answer is yes, yes, yes! I do believe it’s possible and I believe God has not set anything before me that He can’t or won’t enable me, by His Word, to respond well to.
At the same time I say my answer is yes, it’s also true that there are many times my answer is no. Those are the times when I know I’ve blown it and the enemy of my soul is whispering to me that I’m a fake and I may as well give up and stop going to God about the difficult person, situation or circumstance in my life. He, the enemy, tells me I’ll never really change or I’ll never see change in the person who’s giving me angina, so why bother. Just go back to the old way and forget trying to do it God’s way, it’s just too hard.”

Am I making sense here? Do ya know what I’m talking about?

That’s why I said praise God whether your answer is yes or no. Because, even when we’re not doing it right, all we have to do is pause, consider Abba Father, and praise His name just because HE IS!

Remember that it’s Him in us, through the Holy Spirit who is at work, willing us to do His good pleasure.

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;” ~ Philippians 1:3-6

And when you’re having victory and remembering what His Word has taught you about imaging Christ in a lost and dying world, the response is the same, praise Him! Praise Him just because HE IS!!

“…for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.” ~ Philippians 2:13-16

Stephanie

Stephanie Paul, wife and mother of two grown children. An “instrument of change” in the Redeemer’s Hand, in the lives of wounded and hurting women. Currently serving as a part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Woman of Character Program Administrator.

DIGGING DEEPER
James 5:8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

It’s finally here!!! Crossing the Jordan: Living Victoriously in Difficult Relationships by Diane Hunt, MaryAnn Kiernan, DeEtta Marsh, Stephanie Paul and Betsy Shoppy (several of our Victory Call writers). Today’s Victory Call is just a taste of what you will find in this Bible Study for women. Although it was originally written for wives of men in addiction it has already been a blessing to women from various circumstances and relationships: moms, siblings, daughters, wives, fiancees’ etc. Most of the 14 chapters are applicable to any woman in any situation. To secure your own copy contact America’s Keswick Guest Services 732.350.1187 $16.00. If you have any questions contact Diane Hunt at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.

When our grandson was only a few months old (he is now 22 years old!) our daughter sent us a video in which she sang “This Little Light of Mine. I’m going to let it shine; Let it shine; Let it shine.” Every time our daughter would hold up her index finger, symbolic of a candle, our grandson would giggle. His giggle became contagious and soon I was giggling, too. Then my husband joined me in watching our grandson, and soon my husband was giggling, too. Not only was our grandson giggling, but he was SHINING!

Several years ago, my husband and I attended a conference led by Mrs. Leanne Paine. While we were there, we learned a new song, “Shine, Jesus, Shine!”

Shine, Jesus, shine
Fill this land with the Father’s glory
Blaze, Spirit, blaze,
Set our hearts on fire
Flow, river flow
Flood the nations with grace and mercy
Send forth Your word
Lord and let there be light.1

How do we shine for Jesus? First, we make sure that Christ is Lord of our lives. Then we become very familiar with Scripture. We then ask God to help us to never miss an opportunity to shine for Him. It is now our responsibility not to pass up any chance we have to shine for Him. That means as we are driving…do we represent Him well? When we are in a store, do we shine because we know Jesus? In our casual conversations do we take the credit for our “nice” behavior, or do we Shine?

I mentioned in an earlier devotional about finding a beautiful rose centerpiece. I shared the story with several clerks before I left the store, and then I even had my husband take the centerpiece out of the bag and show it to a man at the bus stop, and of course, he heard my “roses” story and was told of God’s faithfulness. That’s what I call “Letting my light shine for Jesus!”

Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

SHINE, SHINE, SHINE!!!

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.

DIGGING DEEPER
James 5:8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

It’s finally here!!! Crossing the Jordan: Living Victoriously in Difficult Relationships by Diane Hunt, MaryAnn Kiernan, DeEtta Marsh, Stephanie Paul and Betsy Shoppy (several of our Victory Call writers). Today’s Victory Call is just a taste of what you will find in this Bible Study for women. Although it was originally written for wives of men in addiction it has already been a blessing to women from various circumstances and relationships: moms, siblings, daughters, wives, fiancees’ etc. Most of the 14 chapters are applicable to any woman in any situation. To secure your own copy contact America’s Keswick Guest Services 732.350.1187 $16.00. If you have any questions contact Diane Hunt at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.

1 http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/cliff+richard/shine+jesus+shine_20032227.html

Many of you know my “Roses” story already, but for those who don’t I feel I need to share it. When our 17-year-old son Nate was killed by a drunk driver, our son’s friends asked, “What are we going to do with Christmas?” since Christmas day would be his 18th birthday? My personal thought was, “Can’t we just cancel December?” His 18th birthday, and he would not be here! Actually, Nate was our third child to die; Jimmy died when he was 7 weeks old; Ethan, Nate’s twin, died when he was 10 days old, and now Nate was killed when he was 17 years old. It would be my vote to just cancel the whole month. Everyone is so “Jolly, Ho, Ho, Ho” in December, and I see nothing to celebrate.

Shortly after, I saw a poster that said, “God gives us memories, so we might have Roses In December.”1 My first thought was, “You’ve got to be kidding. Roses in December? I really doubt that I will see any roses in my December. “

But slowly I did begin to see that God had given me roses in meaningful Scripture, in people, in memories, and even in little treasures that kept appearing. Such as the plant of miniature roses that appeared at my door on a day I was really struggling to sense God’s love for me, or the day the bouquet of roses was sent to me claiming I had been a blessing to someone who was almost a stranger to me.

It has been 28 years since Nate was killed; could God still be sending roses my way?

Recently I had need of a cane. We are in a small town, and the likelihood of finding any kind of cane seemed slim, but wouldn’t you know that the first cane my husband found had a rose print over the entire cane! God still remembered!

Just a short time ago, as we were traveling through a tourist town, I was tired and about to end my day of sight-seeing when I entered a lovely gift shop. While I was still in the entry, I spotted a Christmas sleigh with an arrangement in it that included many red roses and THREE white roses. Since we normally supplied our church with an arrangement of red roses and three white roses each Christmas season, I knew that centerpiece was MINE!!! God still remembered me and my need for roses. Thank You, Jesus. He knew my need and met it. He is faithful!

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Dear Jesus,
Thank you for caring for me and remembering my occasional need for roses as a reminder of my boys and of Your love for me. Amen

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.

DIGGING DEEPER
James 5:8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

It’s finally here!!! Crossing the Jordan: Living Victoriously in Difficult Relationships by Diane Hunt, MaryAnn Kiernan, DeEtta Marsh, Stephanie Paul and Betsy Shoppy (several of our Victory Call writers). Today’s Victory Call is just a taste of what you will find in this Bible Study for women. Although it was originally written for wives of men in addiction it has already been a blessing to women from various circumstances and relationships: moms, siblings, daughters, wives, fiancees’ etc. Most of the 14 chapters are applicable to any woman in any situation. To secure your own copy contact America’s Keswick Guest Services 732.350.1187 $16.00. If you have any questions contact Diane Hunt at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.

1 This quote is attributed to Sir James Barrie, the author of Peter Pan.

Each week as I prepare the Digging Deeper Victory Calls, I find my eyes darting to the end of Chapter 5; the end of the book of James is fast approaching. It is hard to believe in just a few months we will have worked through the entire book of James verse by verse. If you have been reading it each week, you will have read the entire book 52 times by the end of the year. I trust your heart has been blessed through your time in the word. If not, it’s not too late to start.

James 5:8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Commentary:
Establish your hearts. A call for resolute, firm courage and commitment. James exhorts those about to collapse under the weight of persecution to store up their hearts with the hope of the Second Coming. at hand. The imminency of Christ’s return is a frequent theme in the NT. [The MacArthur Bible Commentary by John MacArthur pg 1896)

Have a good week. In the midst of your busyness, stop and look around. God didn’t just create beauty; He gave us the ability to appreciate it. Don’t waste it.

Blessings,
Diane

Cross references:
A. James 5:8 : 1 Thess 3:13
B. James 5:8 : 1 Pet 4:7; Rom 13:11, 12; Phil 4:5; Heb 10:25, 37

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.

I remember 25 years ago, planting my own first and only garden. I was a newlywed and living in a townhouse. I planted… well… I can’t remember what I planted other than the sole plant that came up and the 1 eggplant it bore which I picked and gave to my neighbor. Thus my only garden. Starting about a week after planting my little garden, I would go out every few days to look to see if the plants had started to sprout. Day after day, week after week, I looked with anticipation, anxious to see evidence of success. I watered and watched, watered and watched. Gardening takes patience and apparently something else I didn’t have.

James uses a farmer’s waiting and watching to illustrate patience and calls us to be patient until the Lord comes, perhaps in light of the Lord’s coming.

I hope you had a great week.

Have a good weekend. Be blessed in the Lord’s House on Sunday. Be refreshed as you rest.

Blessings,
Diane

This Victory Call is a little different from our typical VC. We have gotten some questions about the Crossing the Jordan Bible Study, so I share this with you.

Imagine for a moment standing on the side of a raging river at flood stage, which is threatening, at any moment, to overtake you right where you are. As you stand there, you can see on the other side of the river that there is higher ground where you would be safe from the torrents and threat of where you are.

This is exactly how many women feel. Difficult life circumstances happen to everyone, male and female, young and old, married and single.

God not only desires for women to have abundant life and to live in victory, but He also made a way through His Son Jesus Christ. “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
John 10:10; “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57.

Crossing the Jordan is a topical Bible Study workbook designed for individual or small group study. It was written by women for women in all stages and phases of life. Originally written for women whose husbands were part of the Colony of Mercy Addiction Recovery Program of America’s Keswick, we soon realized the principles and Biblical truths of the study apply to all women with 11 of the 14 chapters applying to any woman, while the remaining 3 chapters apply specifically to a marriage relationship.

The title Crossing the Jordan: Living Victoriously in Difficult Relationships was chosen because it beautifully depicts the life of freedom that awaits those who choose to get their feet wet and to cross that raging river knowing that on the other side there is higher ground of hope, freedom and victory. Much like the Israelites who had to cross the Jordan River at flood stage BEFORE God parted the waters, by faith the priests had to step into the water and get their feet wet. It was the only way for them to finally leave their wilderness wanderings and enter the promised land, “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Deut. 23:7).

“So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose up in a heap…and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. “ Joshua 3:14-16

Just like the Israelites, as we choose to step out in faith to move from our wilderness wanderings to lay hold of the promised land in our lives, God will go with us. He will empower us moment by moment to lay claim to the promises of freedom and hope awaiting us on the other side of the Jordan.

Crossing the Jordan is already impacting women’s lives, leading them in an encounter with the transforming power of the Living God.

Recently, I was doing some reading about “Finding Peace in Life’s Busy Seasons” by Jackie M. Johnson. I am in the midst of a very high pressure time with more to do than I can humanly do and my to-do list seems to get longer and longer. We have all been there. I am not unique by any means.

So, how do we find rest in the midst of hectic lives?

Mt. 11:28 says, “Come to my, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” In the midst of reading the article I read this quote: “bottom line: Rest is not a reward, “she* continues. “you can’t earn it. You don’t deserve it. It’s not a sign of weakness or inability. Rest is a matter of obedience, stewardship and delight.”

Our culture values non-stop work. Being a work-a-holic is more a badge of honor rather than an addiction to work and busyness.

I appreciate her statement that “rest is a matter of obedience, stewardship and delight.”1 Rest is God’s plan. Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.

I was very touched by this Jank statement in the article, “The hard work of rest is the holy work of God.” 2 Think about that and let it sink in for a moment. “The hard work of rest is the holy work of God.”

Remember this: Work hard. Play hard. Rest hard.

Blessings,
Diane

*(Brenda Jank, director of Rest and Renewal Ministries at Camp Luther – Haven (Albion, Ind)
1 Jank, Brenda – quoted in “Finding Peace in Life’s Busy Seasons” by Jackie M. Johnson.
2 Ibid

“By this the love of God was manifested in us that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has beheld God at anytime; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us; God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us”
1 John 4:9-19.

God your love is perfect, and it is perfected in me. Lord thank you for loving me. As imperfect as I am, I am Blessed to be loved by you.

Glory to God.

Sandra Roman
Staff Member – WOC Graduate

DIGGING DEEPER
James 5:4-6
4Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
6You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

People can really try our patience can’t they? Not everyone got the memo about doing things our way. Why do we grow impatient with people? They are not living up to our expectations. People cut in line at the deli, people cut us off on the highway. People disagree with our political preferences and don’t hesitate to voice them…strongly. We do not like being mistreated whether by someone we know or someone we don’t know. James challenges us to look beyond our immediate circumstance to the bigger picture and the Lord’s return.

James 5:7, “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.”

Commentary:
…patient. The word emphasizes patience with people…not trials or circumstances (as in 1:3). Specifically, James has in mind patience with the oppressive rich.
…the coming. The Second Coming of Christ.” “Realizing the glory that awaits them at Christ’s return should motivate believers to patiently endure mistreatment
…the early and later rains. The early rain falls in Israel during October and November and softens the ground for planting. The latter rain falls in March and April, immediately before the spring harvest. Just as the farmer waits patiently from the early rain to the latter for his crop to ripen, so must Christians patiently wait for the Lord’s return… [The MacArthur Bible Commentary, by John MacArthur pg. 1896]

Have a great week.

Blessings,
Diane

James 5:4-6
Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

Points to Ponder
Please understand when James wrote this he was communicating something the Lord put in him to write. There is one true, accurate interpretation of these verses and I am not learned enough to know what that is specifically. Though there is one interpretation there may be various different applications.

What attitude do we have towards others? Are we givers or keepers at heart? Isn’t this the very thing these landowners were struggling with? Their greatest priority was their own comfort, convenience, luxury and pleasure even at the expense of others. Are we willing to go without so others have what they need or have earned? When we give, do we give sacrificially putting our own comfort, convenience, luxury and pleasure second?

Are we self-indulgent? One of the commentators in Monday’s Victory Call said, “a life without self-denial soon becomes out of control in every area” (MacArthur). Do we practice restraint? Do we practice self-denial? Do we live the crucified life?

Blessings,
Diane