Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were three young men who totally understood what it meant to have faith in and trust God. In the book of Daniel these three young men had to make a decision that could have led to a very painful end to their lives. They came to a crossroad of either trusting in the One true God or just bowing down, not only to pressure but to a false god. In Daniel 3:15, King Nebuchadnezzar says, “…if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if not you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

They never even blinked an eye when the edict was given to all in Babylon to bow down and worship the “image.” They continued to serve and pray to God. So when confronted with the choice of either bowing down to the image or burning in the furnace, they were able to stand firm and say to King Nebuchadnezzar: “…O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king, but even if he does not, we want you to know, O king that we will not serve your gods, or worship the image you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18 Emphasis mine) “But even if he does not.” Wow! I don’t think you or I will have to make this decision of bowing down to a false god or being burned alive in a blazing furnace, but we are confronted with many other decisions that will have extreme consequences.

In our prayer life, are we able to, in faith and trust, lift our prayers and our requests to the Lord, and believe that He is able to do what we ask for. BUT, if He doesn’t answer our prayer to “save” us or our loved ones (whatever the situation), can we, will we, trust God in the midst of the “blazing furnace” anyway? That certainly does require thought. But even more than that, it requires prayer. It requires that we earnestly seek God daily and learn of Him and His promises through His love letter to us, the Bible. Trusting God this deeply doesn’t come by with superficial faith or one hour a week in church.

What are you facing today? What is your “blazing furnace?” Is there something you have been praying about? Is there some test result you’re waiting for? Is there someone you need to forgive? I could continue asking questions but I think you get the idea. In your prayer can you say to the Lord “but if not,” I will still trust you, Lord? It is a question I have to ask myself as well. But there is no other choice than to trust in the only One who is trustworthy in all our trials. What happened to those three young men? Why don’t you check it out for yourself?

MaryAnn

MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 37 years, have 2 grown/married sons and are the proud grandparents of three grandsons and one granddaughter! She serves at America’s Keswick as a Biblical Counselor and also as Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.

DIGGING DEEPER
Isaiah 40
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
And young men shall fall exhausted;
But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles;
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

I ran across an old journal of mine from 1982 and thought I would share about how the Lord ministered to me. I wrote, the Lord ministered to me. Put Me first my child, put Me first for as you put Me first, I will lead you, I will guide you, I will mold you and make you. Put Me first. I have seen your heart. I know the deepest intent of your heart. As you put Me first, I will take you to places you never dreamed you would go. I will use you in ways you don’tknow about, put Me first in all things. Don’t look to the arm of flesh, for they will fail you. Don’t go by feelings because faith is what I look for. I will guide you by My Word, Stay in My Word. Stay close to Me. Step out My child – you must step out in faith – others will tell you you’re wrong, but you’re not; just step out and I will provide. I AM God – Provider of all. Put Me first. If you don’t put Me first, you will suffer. But when I am first, then I can give you the best – for this is My desire for you. I love you, I called you – I knew you in your mother’s womb. I have chosen you – Put Me first. My child, don’t look to the past – don’t be angry or bitter for that is not my way. I will heal all those feelings, but you must put Me first, for I am God, the Almighty.

This was my prayer thoughts in 1982 and still my prayer in 2010. Thank God, He never changes.

In Christ.
Patsy Foley
WOC Graduate

DIGGING DEEPER
Isaiah 40
He gives power to the faint,
And to him who has no might he increases strength.

I’ve found you meet some interesting people at bookstores/coffee shops. On one occasion there was a husband and wife having coffee; she knitted while he read the Bible. I thought to myself, “How nice, this sweet couple is out enjoying the day together, having a cup of really good coffee and reading God’s Word.” My friend and I had made eye contact with him and that opened the door for him to “share.” He started to share about the Bible and how he was somewhat of a “foreteller for free.” He mentioned the name of a man we all knew who’s teaching of the Scriptures focuses mostly on its prophecies. His focus was on discrediting this man’s teachings and trying to offer his own. Mind you, I said his own, not the Bible’s. Interesting, I thought, he had the Bible open and seemed to know the Scriptures well but had a confusing interpretation; he never once mentioned the Lord.

The encounter left me with an uncomfortable feeling. I’ve had it before when I’ve come to meet someone and wondered, even feared for them, whether it is they know the Bible very well but not its Author. I’m ashamed to admit, I was more annoyed with him than anything else. And in hindsight I know I should have shared Christ with him. Why is it we can be so easily impressed by someone who has a great knowledge of the Scriptures? I would guess I’m not alone in that. I’ve often heard people comment; “Wow, he really knows his Bible.” I think that’s incredible. I should know mine better than I do; there’s no excuse that I don’t. I simply haven’t taken the time to study. I’m thankful I knew enough to ascertain a lie from the truth when it came to this “foreteller.” Having said that, we’d do well to remember that even Satan knows Scripture, and the Scriptures say it is so: Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘ He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘ In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'” Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'” Matthew 4: 5-7 (NKJV)

Each time Satan tempted Jesus, even if he quoted Scripture, JESUS rebuked him with Scripture. God’s Word is alive, and He wielded it like the sword that it is. For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)

This “foreteller”. I’m not sure of his intent although he kindly offers his interpretation for free, I believe he has missed the point. Is Jesus alive and coming back? Oh yes…He’s coming back but the Bible teaches us that not even the Son knows the hour of His return. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Mark 13:32 (NKJV) If God didn’t reveal it to Jesus, what makes “foretellers” or anyone think they know when He’s coming back? Many will attempt to deceive, even the elect. Thank God for the Bible! Even if the Book were to be burned, as I’m sure in some places it is, the Word can never be destroyed. Heaven and earth will perish and pass away, but My words will not perish or pass away. Mark 13:31 (Amplified Bible). Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming-in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning- lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch! Mark 13:35-37 (NKJV). Are you watching?

Dina Seaton

Dina serves on staff in Marketing and as a staff writer. She is currently working on her first book, Do It Again LORD, Do It Again…

DIGGING DEEPER
Isaiah 40:28-31
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
His understanding is unsearchable.

Is memorizing Scripture like reciting your A, B, C’s to you? In other words, does it have meaning to you? Are you stopping to meditate and consider the words and meaning? When we come across familiar Scripture it’s easy to gloss over it without taking time to Dig Deeper. The Word of God is like a deep, rich mine. Sure there is beauty near the surface but as you plumb the depths, you will see and experience a richness and beauty that will take your breath away. Where are you in your journey through the mine?

Isaiah 40:28-31
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
And to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
And young men shall fall exhausted;
But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles;
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Commentary: Neither faints nor is weary. God was not too weak to act on their behalf, nor was fatigue an obstacle for the Creator in caring for His people …though even the young and strong become tired and fall, the Ancient of Days never does. Unsearchable. To the human mind, God’s wisdom is not fully comprehensible in how He chooses to fulfill His promises to deliver Israel. Paul saw a further illustration of this truth in God’s plan for the final restoration of Israel…Wait on the Lord….There is a general principle here that patient, praying believers are blessed by the Lord with strength in their trials…The Lord also expected His people to be patient and await His coming in glory at the end to fulfill the promises of national deliverance, when believing Israel would become stronger than they had ever been. [The MacArthur Bible Commentary pg. 806-807]

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 25 years. She has 2 children, 2+ grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Points to Ponder:
There is such richness in this week’s meditation, that it seemed appropriate to spend all week thinking about different segments. I trust that your heart has been touched and that already your heart is being prepared for the season in which we rejoice over the birth of our Savior.

Everyone loves a birthday. Let us not forget that what makes THIS birthday so very unique and special is that THIS baby was born to die. To die for you and for me that we might have life eternal. What a glorious gift.

2 Corinthians 5:15 He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

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 25 years. She has 2 children, 2+ grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

All this week, we have been meditating on these two verses. I hope you have joined together with me and other Victory Call readers as we think deeply within our hearts about these truths. Even though we are not Bible scholars, it is the Spirit of God Who illumines His Word to our hearts. Come. Come to the brook and drink deeply of the Living Water. He will meet you. Expect His arrival and then tarry with Him a while.

Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

And His name shall be called…Prince of Peace

When asked a few years ago which character or attribute of God is most precious to me, this was my answer: His peace. Because of a 30-year history with anxiety (starting at age 7), I longed for peace and in Christ I have found peace. In my mind, we can deal with anything as long as we have the peace of Christ in our hearts. The Scripture says He Himself is our peace (Eph 2:14) Therefore it is through the personal relationship with Him that we have the peace. For He is the Prince of Peace.

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 25 years. She has 2 children, 2+ grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

Even as I am sitting here typing these Victory Calls for this week, I am being washed over by praise and joy in my Savior. Today, would you meditate on these truths? He is our Mighty God. He is our Everlasting Father. Please take a few minutes to meditate on our Scripture selection this week. Perhaps you might even want to journal the precious truths God is giving you.

Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

And His name shall be called…Mighty God, Everlasting Father

Mighty God. He is all powerful. There is nothing, absolutely nothing beyond His power or control. He is mighty. We cannot even begin to comprehend the power our Creator has or is. I don’t think of it as power He possesses, but it is Who He is. When we see events occurring in nature like Tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, a beautiful sunset, and the whisper of a breeze, we just begin to glimpse His power.
He is also Everlasting Father. There has never been a time when He was not. He is the Great I AM, the Alpha and Omega, the Everlasting One, Eternal and Infinite, without measure or bounds. He IS, perpetually in the present. He will neither cease nor wane. And He is all those things in relationship as our Father. He is Everlasting Father. He is My Everlasting Father. He is YOUR Everlasting Father, if you know Him personally.

Can you sense the delight of those truths? I hope they are touching your heart like they are mine.

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 25 years. She has 2 children, 2+ grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

This week, I am inviting you to do a little daily exercise with me. Would you join me in meditating on our week’s Scripture for even just 5 minutes each day? I believe we often rush past our Bible reading onto the next thing, checking it off our to-do list but in so doing fail to savor the Savior. Join me.

Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor… As I was mediating and memorizing this verse, I paused and considered what it would really be like if I embraced Jesus as my own personal Wonderful Counselor. Being a counselor myself, I realize that many people come expecting me to enlighten their situation and help them think through the Biblical course of action. Of course, it is never about step one do this, step two do that. It is much more likely to have everything to do with that personal aspect of their relationship with Jesus.

I don’t have all the answers. Jesus does. I don’t know the heart. Jesus does. I don’t know all the surrounding circumstances. Jesus does. I can’t make a decision without at least part of my flesh pushing its way through, Jesus can. We can’t, Jesus can.

Are you willing to ask Him to be your Wonderful Counselor? And then heed His counsel? Embrace Him. He will be your guide. Learn to walk with Him daily, moment by moment, hand in hand.

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 25 years. She has 2 children, 2+ grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

Proverbs 4:20-27

20 My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Let them not escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from you crooked speech,
and put devious talk far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet;
then all your ways will be sure.
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.

Points to Ponder
This portion of Scripture not only gives a challenge but also the process to accomplish the challenge. There are great promises in this Scripture. Wisdom guards our life and brings health to our bones. How much do we treasure wisdom? Do we keep God’s Word within our hearts? Does it influence our choices and decisions? It isn’t really wisdom if it is only head knowledge without any practical application in our life. To be women of wisdom, we must know God, know His Word and live in light of it.

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 25 years. She has 2 children, 2+ grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.