I recently read Psalm 139. Most people recognize the first few verses and the last few verses and a few in between. But I like verse 8 which says “If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.” This verse may be a verse you have skimmed over on your way to more familiar verses like verses 13, 14, 23 and 24. But I always stop at verse 8 because I find a lot of comfort there.

Please pardon my paraphrasing and my loose interpretation as I share what this verse means to me. Each of us, I am sure, have had those times where we feel we have pleased God, seen Him do something miraculous or had a wonderful mountaintop experience where we thought we ascended to heaven. I would guess we also have failed miserably at some point, where we have made our bed in Sheol. Have you heard, been told or said to anyone, “Well, you have made your bed, now lay in it.”? Do you know God does not leave us alone even when we “make our own bed”? We make a mess but He is there! It is possible that some of us have never “made our bed” in a bad place or messed up so terribly as to compare it to being in Sheol. But we know children, grandchildren and others who have. Maybe they still are in the bed of their own making. Take heart in knowing that God meets those who have messed up right where they are! To Him darkness and light are the same. His hand is still leading and holding. He knows each one intimately even before birth. Nothing is hidden from His eyes. So where can we go from His presence? NO WHERE. Today He meets you where you are. Praise Him if you have a clean heart and pure hands. Repent if you have made a mess…Don’t just lie there!

Kathy Withers

Kathy’s on staff at America’s KESWICK in the Development Department. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 25 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.

DIGGING DEEPER
James 3:13-18
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

“The people of the village laughed. They thought that the man was crazy. They had always thought he was a fool; if he wasn’t, he would have sold the horse and lived off the money. But instead, he was a poor woodcutter, and old man still cutting firewood and dragging it out of the forest and selling it. He lived hand to mouth in the misery of poverty. Now he had proven that he was, indeed, a fool.

The old man spoke again:
“It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. No one knows.
Say only this. Your sons had to go to war, and mine did not.
No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse.
No one is wise enough to know.
Only God knows.”1

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” ~ Galatians 5:22-25

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 3:13-18
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

1 Max Lucado (In the Eye of the Storm) The Old Man and the White Horse http://www.maxlucado.com/pdf/woodcutters.wisdom.pdf

By necessity and due to the sheer nature of the flesh, it’s a given that the topic I address in this Victory Call is one which must be kept before our eyes and must be diligently annihilated in any and all ways it will show up in our lives.

That topic is judging. You know, that thing we love to hate to do, and yet, can’t seem to cease from? No matter what is going on we are drawing conclusions, making assumptions, presumptions, making broad statements about situations and circumstances based on bits of information. In other words, we are judging.

Lest you misunderstand, let me make this one clarifying statement. We, all, ought always to be discerning, watching and careful to assess and evaluate all that life brings to us. However, when it comes to judging it would serve most, if not all, of us well if the deeds, motives and heart we first judged, was in fact our own.

Let me share a story with you:

“Once there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, for he owned a beautiful white horse. Even the king coveted his treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before – such was its splendor, its majesty, its strength.

The old man spoke again. “All I know is that the stable is empty, and the horse is gone. The rest I don’t know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can’t say.
All we can see is a fragment. Who can say what will come next?”1

I will finish the story tomorrow. For now, let me leave you with this question/thought: What situation or circumstance in your life or the life of another are you judging right now with only partial knowledge?

“Judge not, that you be not judged.” ~ Matthew 7:12
“Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” ~ John 7:24
“And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,” ~ Isaiah 11:3

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 3:13-18
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

1 Max Lucado (In the Eye of the Storm) The Old Man and the White Horse http://www.maxlucado.com/pdf/woodcutters.wisdom.pdf

I know I have said it before but I love the book of James. There are such practical truths that matter in everyday living. They make a difference in how we relate to others, to our children, to our parents, to our spouses, to our co-workers, to our employees, to our friends, to our not-so-friends. This week’s section from James is packed with practical wisdom. It would be a great section to memorize so it can be in your arsenal of weapons for ready use.

James 3:13-18
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Commentary
“…3:13 wise and understanding. Wise is the common Greek word for speculative knowledge and philosophy, but the Hebrews infused it with the much richer meaning of skillfully applying knowledge to the matter of practical living…meekness. Also rendered “gentleness,” it is the opposite of arrogance and self-promotion…
3:14 bitter envy. The Greek term for bitter was used of undrinkable water. When combined with envy, it defines a harsh, resentful attitude toward others…
3:15…earthly, sensual, demonic. A description of man’s wisdom as: (1) limited to earth; (2) characterized by humanness, frailty, as unsanctified heart, and an unredeemed spirit; and (3) generated by Satan’s forces…
3:16 …every evil thing. Lit. “every worthless (or vile) work.” This denotes things that are not so much intrinsically evil as they are simply good for nothing.
3:17…gentle. This word is difficult to translate, but most nearly means a character trait of sweet reasonableness. Such a person will submit to all kinds of mistreatment and difficulty with an attitude of kind, courteous, patient humility, without any thought of hatred or revenge…” The John MacArthur Bible Commentary by John MacArthur pg. 1890-1891.

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery and Development at America’s KESWICK. In addition to her Keswick responsibilities which keep her busy, she loves to read, write and teach, travel and laugh with her grandchildren. Diane has been married to her husband John over 26 years. She has 2 children, 3 grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

“From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.” James 3:10-12

Points to ponder
I grew up in a home where cursing was not tolerated. I can remember once in the 18 years I lived at home that I heard my father use “damn” because I was putzing around and putting off doing the evening dishes. (Chores tended to take me longer than they should have because I was so easily distracted.)

As I entered the work force it was not uncommon to hear cursing and the Lord’s name taken in vain. I worked my way through college as a supervisor in a local restaurant. One day the manager encouraged me to swear at the staff working on my shift, “so they would know I really meant what I said.”

Though I was not inclined to swear, neither was I offended by others that were. That is, until I became a follower of Jesus Christ. Now I find that I inwardly cringe when I hear swearing and cursing.

Oh, sister, please don’t think that just because I don’t curse or swear that I don’t misuse my words for my own agenda. I do. I am not proud of that but it is the truth. My problem is not a problem with my tongue as much as a problem in my heart. My tongue simply reveals my heart attitudes. For one thing I arrogantly think that my opinion matters – because of that error I interrupt others, I correct others’ opinions, I keep talking until the other person either agrees with me or simply acquiesces out of sheer exhaustion.

How about you? What ways do you see that your words contradict who you are in Jesus Christ? Gossip? Anger? Self-righteousness? Discouragement? Negativity? Having to make your point or having the last word?

Would you join me today in praying that God would show us ways we use our tongues that dishonor Him and His plans and purposes? Imagine the impact you, as one individual, would have if you choose to guard your mouth and commit it to God for His use to His honor and glory.

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery and Development at America’s KESWICK. In addition to her Keswick responsibilities which keep her busy, she loves to read, write and teach, travel and laugh with her grandchildren. Diane has been married to her husband John over 26 years. She has 2 children, 3 grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

“Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning on the hearth before him. And it happened when Jehudi had read three or four columns that the king cut it with the scribe’s knife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. Yet they were not afraid, nor did they tear their garments, the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words.” Jeremiah 36:22-24

God had some things to say against Israel, Judah and all the nations. He had Jeremiah write it down on a scroll in hopes that “…everyone may turn from his evil way, that I may forgive there iniquity and their sin” Jeremiah 36:3.

But the king decided as each column was read, to cut it out and burn it until there was nothing left of the scroll. Unafraid of any consequences, he simply didn’t care what God had to say. It’s interesting to me that he burned it in the hearth before him, maybe because his heart wasn’t burning for God, or from the hearing of His word, like the two men on the road to Emmaus…

“And they said to one another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?'” Luke 24:32 (my favorite verse in the Bible)

Don’t be afraid of anything, be strong, be brave, be courageous: all good advice and all biblical. BUT…there is one thing and one thing only we should fear, and that is God. By fear, I mean to give Him all the reverence due Him. Even He has said fear the one who hold the keys to Hades and to hell.

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” Matt 10:28.

“I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” Rev. 1:18.

This is no joke. God is love and He is all about forgiveness but that doesn’t negate the fact that He is also holy and just. They should have been afraid, very afraid, because God is not a liar and all He said He would do, He did. Mercifully, He warned them, not once but twice, having His warning they burned rewritten with additions none-the less, yet they did not heed the warnings and turn from their sin.

Are you being warned about something? Are you willing to turn or do you want to toss what God is saying to you in the fire and take your chances? Hey, you’ll be the only one to bear the consequences right? More often than not, wrong.

I confess that I’ve done just that at times and have always regretted it. I thank God for His tender mercy as well as His disciplines and don’t want to forget in the light what He’s taught me in the dark.

Don’t run from Him in fear. Run to Him!

Dina Seaton
Marketing Assistant, Staff Writer

DIGGING DEEPER
James 3:10-12
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.” James 3:10-12

As DeEtta has said, “When the heat is on, it pulls back the curtain to reveal what’s in our hearts.” I have found that to be very true, and unfortunately, there have been many times that I don’t like what the “heat” has revealed.

Recently, I found myself in a situation that brought out some not so attractive qualities that were in my heart: anger, fear, hurtful words, a bad temper… I thought that the Lord had helped me to deal with these sins, and He had. But, given the right circumstances, there was yet more sin in my heart, as there unfortunately always will be this side of heaven. But praise the Lord, not only for His precious saving grace, but also for His sanctifying grace.

In talking about the situation with my accountability partner, she gave me a verse. I Chronicles 28:20 says, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.” Here, David was encouraging Solomon in the building of the Lord’s temple. Yet the Lord impressed upon me that now, we as believers are the Lord’s temple. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you received from God?” (I Cor. 16:19). I felt the Lord encouraging me that I need not fear or be discouraged – He will not fail me nor forsake me but will continue the work He began in me (Phil. 1:6). I just need to cooperate with Him!

As I was referring to the verse in 1 Chronicles later, I came across another passage and related comment I had underlined in my Bible. 2 Chronicles 32:31 says, “…God left him (Hezekiah) to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.” In my Bible, the commentary on that verse says: “A test can bring out a person’s true character. God tested Hezekiah to see what he was really like and to show him his own shortcomings and the attitude of his heart. God did not totally abandon Hezekiah, nor did he tempt him to sin or trick him. The test was meant to strengthen Hezekiah, develop his character, and prepare him for the tasks ahead. In times of success, most of us can live good lives. But pressure, trouble, or pain will quickly remove our thin veneer of goodness unless our strength comes from God. What are you like under pressure or when everything is going wrong? Do you give in or turn to God? Those who are consistently in touch with God don’t have to worry about what pressure may reveal about them.” 1

Sisters, while we will never be perfect until we reach heaven, let us allow the Lord to continue His work in us here on earth – making us more and more like Jesus, so when the “heat” comes, it will reveal a Christ-like character.

Stacey Poplawski
WOC Graduate

1 Life Application Bible – NIV by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (c)1991

DIGGING DEEPER
James 3:10-12
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.” James 3:10-12

Jeremiah 9:24 says, “But the one who boasts should boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, showing faithful love, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things.” HCSB

Today I would like to “boast in the LORD”, for His faithfulness in our lives as Stan and I celebrated our 50th Wedding anniversary on July 1st. He has shown us His “faithful love” in so many countless ways over these years. His provision, His grace and blessing, His protection, His guidance as we have walked this journey one day at a time. The week before we were married, I asked my mother, “What if we change after we are married?”, having heard people say that they had changed and their marriage dissolved. Her answer to me was that you “just do one day at a time, and trust in the Lord to keep the commitment you’ve made.” So here we are, fifty years later, still looking to the Lord, one day at a time. We’ve changed; God has changed us and grown us, stretched us and continues teaching us many new things about His “steadfast love”, enabling us to serve in various ministries over these years, being blessed. “And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.” 2 Cor. 9:8

We are blessed by God’s gift of our wonderful family. Each of our children and their spouses are so special to us, and our grandchildren continue to grow in the Lord as they mature physically. It’s a delight to see them as they move through their teen years, making decisions that are the fruit of what their parents are building into their lives day by day. We are so blessed!!!! We see the faithfulness of God’s “abiding love”.

While our married life has been generally uneventful, there have been a few times when God’s mercy brought us through and in His “everlasting love” we were spared. A health issue when our younger son was an infant caused me to say, “If there is someone better to raise my children, Lord, so be it.” Praise God, after five years of tracking there was no progression of the situation. Another time of God’s amazing protection on us was in 1984, when our Suburban and trailer rolled and were totaled while driving in Florida on vacation. In the midst of the wreckage, as we were spared any broken bones and stitches, I could say, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us” (1 Thess. 5:18). God was not finished with us yet!!!!

These past sixteen years here at America’s Keswick have continued to be proof of God’s blessing and faithfulness in our lives, as He has allowed us to be a part of the ministry. We continue to see His “faithful love”, His “steadfast love”, His “abiding love”, His “everlasting love” at work in our lives on a daily basis and are privileged and blessed.

To the “praise of His glory”, I am so grateful for the evidence God’s faithfulness continually in our lives these 50 years. We find it so hard to believe!!! It’s been a great and wonderful journey!!! Thank You, Lord!

“Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” 1 Corinthians 8:6 NIV

DeEtta Marsh

DeEtta Marsh is presently serving as Women’s Ministry Assistant P/T, and with her husband, Stan, as Coordinators for Families For Christ ministry to Colony of Mercy residents and wives, and Colony Graduate Couples. Serving the Lord on Staff at America’s KESWICK since summer, 1995. Wife, mother, teacher, grandmother of 8.

DIGGING DEEPER
James 3:10-12
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.” James 3:10-12

The last few weeks we have been camping out in James 3 and giving thought to our words. The tongue wields a great deal of power not just on those around us but on us ourselves. It works like the rudder on a sailboat steering the course and direction of our attitudes and actions. The words that come from our mouths are a reflection of what resides in our hearts (For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks) Matthew 12:34.

“From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.” James 3:10-12

Commentary
“We are taught to think of the use we make of our tongues in religion and in the service of God, v. 9, 10. How absurd it is that those who use their tongues in prayer and praise should ever use them in cursing, slandering, and the like! That tongue which addresses with reverence the divine Being cannot, without the greatest inconsistency, turn upon fellow-creatures with reviling brawling language. These things ought not so to be; and, if such considerations were always at hand, surely they would not be.” [Matthew Henry’s Commentary in One Volume by Matthew Henry, pg. 1934-1935]

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery and Development at America’s KESWICK. In addition to her Keswick responsibilities which keep her busy, she loves to read, write and teach, travel and laugh with her grandchildren. Diane has been married to her husband John over 26 years. She has 2 children, 3 grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

Points to Ponder:
Here are a few helpful strategies to make progress in the pursuit of a godly tongue.
1. Repent – begin with a heart confession of using your tongue for your own agenda rather than God’s.
2. Pray – ask God for wisdom to discern when to speak and what to say. Sometimes we should keep our thoughts to ourselves.
3. Commit your mouth to God for His plan and His purposes. Ps. 141:3, “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!”
4. Hit the pause button. It took time for me to learn that every last thing that popped into my head didn’t need to come out my mouth. Sometimes after pausing and praying I realized it wasn’t necessary for me to say. Think through what you want to say and why. Choose your words carefully.
5. The issues of the tongue are actually issues of the heart. “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45 If you continue to really struggle with your tongue, ask God to reveal the issues of your heart that are being exposed by your mouth.

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery and Development at America’s KESWICK. In addition to her Keswick responsibilities which keep her busy, she loves to read, write and teach, travel and laugh with her grandchildren. Diane has been married to her husband John over 26 years. She has 2 children, 3 grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.