1 Corinthians 6:1-8 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud-even your own brothers!

Now you may read today’s Scripture selection and assume it does not apply to you since you have never taken anyone to court or been taken to court but I want to focus on the latter part of the verses because I believe there is a principle that applies to all of us, as difficult as it may be to swallow.

“Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?”

Does this even occur to us when we are in the midst of a conflict? Doesn’t the conflict exist because we think differently than another and we believe we are right and they are wrong? Our inward thoughts and outward discussions about the conflict typically try to get them to see their error. In the flesh, there is a self-protection mode that endeavors to guard us from hurt, pain and suffering so the idea to choose to suffer wrong or be defrauded is somewhat foreign to us.

What is the bottom line? Isn’t self-protection a form a self-love? What is more important to us; our reputation or Christ’s reputation? Who do we love more: ourselves or the person with whom we are in conflict? What is our greater desire: being right or the unity of the body of believers?

Perhaps as you meditate on these truths, you will be as challenged as I have been.

Oh, Father, that we would get outside ourselves to love and serve You and others unabashedly.

Diane

This week I have been thinking of all the things I am thankful for. Of course, I could readily list my family, my friends, my health, my precious spouse, my faith, our traveling lifestyle. However, as I recently sat with my son Matt, his wife Deb, and their kids, Kate, Nate, and Caleb, I couldn’t help but think of October 24, 1987.

It was a quiet Saturday morning. I was just finishing my Bible reading and slowly sipping a cup of tea when the phone rang and abruptly ended my reverie.

“The baby’s coming!” announced the voice on the other end of the telephone line. I hurried upstairs to tell my husband Glen. “You’re going to be a grandpa today!”

Glen and I hurried to get dressed. We gathered up a few personal items in case we had to stay overnight, and we were soon on our way.

During the two-hour drive to our son’s town, we silently prayed for our daughter-in-law Debbie and for Matt. Occasionally we talked about the changes that were coming. We were going to be grandparents. What fun!

As we walked into the hospital, Glen proudly asked directions to the maternity waiting room and we were directed to the fourth floor. As we stepped off the elevator, we paused for a moment trying to figure which way to turn, and a young man from our son’s church walked up to us.

“Mr. and Mrs. Heavilin, I’m here to take you to Matt. The baby has been born but there were some complications in delivery. Matt is in ICU watching the doctors. They’re working with the baby because they’re not sure she’ll live.”

I learned that there was a prolapsed cord which caused our precious little Kate (Katherine Nate’) to suffer a great deal. Later that evening as I stood outside the NICU, peering through the glass window, watching Matt stroke that tiny little girl, bits of statements swirled through my head, severe brain damage; may not live through the night; seizures. Mostly I was thinking, How in the world did I get here, and where in the world is God? A woman standing next to me, asked quietly “Do you have a baby in there?”

I answered, “Yes, my granddaughter.” Then I asked, “How about you? Do you have a baby in there?”

She answered, “Yes, a little boy. He’s going home tomorrow!”

I silently thought, Well, at least some of them get better and they get to go home.

Then the lady asked a surprising question. “You’re a Christian, aren’t you?”

My answer of “Yeah, I guess so” contained so many hidden thoughts and feelings such as “A lot of good it has done me to be a Christian. I have buried three sons, and now I’m probably going to face another funeral. Does God even care?”

The lady continued the conversation by asking, “Have you prayed for Kate?”

You have got to be kidding! Of course, I have prayed, but a lot of good it has done! I’m outside of an NICU hoping my grandchild will live through the night, but what condition will she be in if she does live?

I answered, “I’m not sure how to pray right now. How did you pray?”

She said, “Oh honey, I just prayed for Mercy. Whatever is merciful; that’s what I want for my child. Pray for Mercy for Kate.

As we were driving back to Redlands in the middle of the night, I stumbled on to the verse in Psalm 103 which says something like this, The Lord will show MERCY to the righteous and to their children’s children! That verse was MINE. All I could pray was MERCY, Lord, MERCY!

The next morning as we arrived back at the hospital, the report was that Kate seemed to be a little better. MERCY! I asked the nurses to help me find the lady whose little boy was being released that morning. They looked perplexed and stated, “We don’t have any little boys, let alone one that is being released today!”

OK, you figure it out. My personal belief is that God saw my broken and confused heart. He reached out to me and allowed an angel to minister to me in my deepest need.

Kate continued to progress. She went home in ten days and it didn’t take me long to realize that God had blessed us with a wonderful and brilliant child.

Last night I listened to her talk with her dad about working on her Master’s degree in counseling. Kate will graduate from Kansas State University in December, majoring in Psychology with a 3.94 GPA and she will finish her work at Manhattan Christian College in January with a major in Bible and a 4.0 GPA.

The Lord has certainly been merciful to my children’s children and I am thankful.

Marilyn Heavilin

A mother’s view ~

A called woman:
And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:30-33

An obedient woman:
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” Luke 1: 38

A pondering mother:
And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. Luke 2: 18- 19

A rejoicing/suffering mother:
And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:34-35

A concerned mother:
And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:48-52

An eager mother:
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” John 2:1-5

A grieving mother:
“…but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. John 19:25

A prayerful mother:
All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. Acts 1: 14

Merry CHRIST – mas from a mother’s view.

It’s the time of year when almost everyone in the country is focused on gifts, both giving and receiving. ‘Tis the season to be thinking about all the stuff you want, all the goodies to be made, all the treats to buy, etc., etc., etc. We all know how it goes and it seems to go that way whether we want it to or not. Try as we might to keep the main thing the main thing, it can often be very difficult to maintain a steady and focused gaze on the Christ of Christmas.

So, what do you want this year? What about your Christmas will communicate to all that Christ is Christmas?

One of the things I’ve decided to do is read our church blog which will be posted daily to focus our hearts and minds on the Advent, the season of anticipation and hope. The word itself means “coming” or “arrival.”

We know that in the church this refers to the coming, the arrival of the Savior. With great anticipation we prepare and look forward to celebrating His birth and the ways we prepare are as varied and different as our personalities, traditions and culture.

How will you prepare this year? What is the main thing that you want this year as it relates to the one true and only meaning of Christmas? How will we avoid the lure of all the packaging, trappings and dare I say the “sales” of Christmas?

What do you want? What do I want? On the surface, I can’t really think of anything right now, but on a deeper level, what instantly comes to mind is 1 Corinthians 2:2-5 where Paul says:

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

In a nutshell then, what I want is wisdom, boldness of speech and more love, by which I may more fully love those whom God loves.

Stephanie

My husband graduated the Colony of Mercy(1) approximately 8 years ago and came home a changed man, one who no longer relied upon alcohol to get him through the day, but rather the Lord Jesus Christ. He also came home with a servant’s heart. He wanted to help those less fortunate and began to buy things to give away. The only problem was that he didn’t stop buying and soon our home was filled to the brim with “things” that might be used to help others. I found myself depressed, angry and helpless as I watched rooms being filled with no space to move. I began to bargain and plead with my husband to get rid of things; however this was done in vain and nothing was accomplished.

About six months ago, I finally gave up and guess where I turned? That’s right, to the Scriptures. You cannot go wrong when praying with a right heart. I asked God to forgive my anger and went to the Scripture for answers. “For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” ~ Proverbs 2:62 NIV

In Isaiah 32:18, it says, My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest. (NIV) I went from room to room giving everything in the room to the Lord for His bidding and started praising God for each and every item to be used for God’s glory.

Recently a contractor came to our home to assess some work we needed to have done and told my husband that we needed to remove all the “things” which had accumulated for him to do the work.

After having a season of prayer with the Lord setting my heart right, I found myself thanking my husband for things he accomplished within the home. I began to notice all the little things he was doing and thanking him. “God blesses over and beyond what our expectations are when we become involved in the need to show God cares for us because He wants our heart.” That is what God did in our home. God worked in my heart and in my husband’s heart. Today, our home is being transformed to a home where God takes precedence, both in our actions, words and deeds.

“We never walk away unsatisfied when we delight in the things of God.”(2)

Patsy Foley, Women of Character Graduate

1 The Colony of Mercy is a 120-day men’s residential Addiction Recovery program at America’s KESWICK. For more information go to http://www.americaskeswick.org or call 732.350.1187 ext. 46.
2 Pastor Randy Smith of Grace Tabernacle, Lake Como, NJ

In addition to the rumblings of my own soul and spirit a song I learned as a child is the inspiration for today’s Victory Call. The song is as follows:

LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH
Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on Earth, the peace that was meant to be.
With God as our Father, brothers all are we,
Let me walk with my brother, in perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me, let this be the moment now.
With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow,
To take each moment and live each moment in peace, eternally.
Let there be Peace on Earth, and let it begin with me.”1
~~Words and Music by Jill Jackson and Sy Miller, Circa 1955~~

Peace, however, is not what occupies my thinking today. It is truth. What if the song read, let there be TRUTH on earth? Would we be able to say that truth resides in us?

What is truth? From John chapter 14 we know that Jesus Himself is truth. In verse 6 Jesus responds to Thomas’s question by telling him, “I am the way, the truth and the life…”

We are fast approaching a Christmas and I, for one, have no idea where the time went. In spite of that we are here and for many of us the hustle and bustle is about to begin. Today is a brand new day, sisters. My deepest, truest longing for us all, this season, is that we remember what is true about this and keep it always in focus.

So to paraphrase the song: Let there be truth on earth and let it begin with me. Let there be truth on earth, the truth that was meant to me. With God as our Father, sisters all are we.

Let us walk with each other in truth and let the moment we decide to do so be NOW and not later. With every step we take let us vow to BE ABOUT truth this holiday season the world is in, taking and living each moment with eternity in view.

Let’s begin with remembering to keep the main thing the main thing this Christmas. There is no tradition, or custom or practice that comes close to depicting the truth of Christmas, so may we be ever so intentional to remember the Christ in Christmas!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ~ John 3:16

Stephanie

1 http://synergy_2.tripod.com/lyrics/ponearth.html

Few Christians answer that question any differently then an unbeliever would. Yes, I am married to Dave. Yes, I have two children. Yes, I work at America’s KESWICK. Yes, I have lived in New Jersey all my life. That is not who I am. At the core of who I am must be an identity that is given to me because of Jesus Christ. At the core we are either sinners and enemies of God, or we are sinners who recognized our need for Jesus to save us from our sin and sure death. If you have been saved then there is a tendency to struggle with the “before” Christ and “after” Christ identity. How little you and I probably ponder on who we are in Christ.

Maybe this is not the right illustration to use but I think it will lead to my point. Since I have been back to KESWICK this past January guests have commented that I “have the look” for my job. Now, I admit I like to have a nice appearance but I hope there is more to me than that. So it is with who we believe we are. It is nice to be someone’s wife, mother, have a career, be good at what we do but that is not who we are in Christ. I am sure for most of us ladies we have been taught not to brag or be conceited. Certainly Scripture does not teach us to be so. Maybe that causes us discomfort when we think of who Colossians 1:21-22 and Colossians 2:10, 13 says we are.

I am reconciled, holy, blameless, above reproach, complete, made alive together with Him, and forgiven.

Are you comfortable with that description of yourself? I would not want to be just a description of my outward appearance. I want to know and believe that who I am in Christ is truth and to be comfortable, not in my own skin, but in who I am in Christ. Who I believe I am is not about vanity or love of self. Who I am depends on who Christ is and who He says that I am. Who He says I am is not vain conceit but truth.

Kathy Withers

Kathy serves at America’s KESWICK in the Development Department. She is reconciled, holy, blameless, above reproach, complete, made alive together with Him and forgiven!!

1 Corinthians 6:1-8 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud-even your own brothers!

Now you may read today’s Scripture selection and assume it does not apply to you since you have never taken anyone to court or been taken to court but I want to focus on the latter part of the verses because I believe there is a principle that applies to all of us, as difficult as it may be to swallow.

“Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?”

Does this even occur to us when we are in the midst of a conflict? Doesn’t the conflict exist because we think differently than another and we believe we are right and they are wrong? Our inward thoughts and outward discussions about the conflict typically try to get them to see their error. In the flesh, there is a self-protection mode that endeavors to guard us from hurt, pain and suffering so the idea to choose to suffer wrong or be defrauded is somewhat foreign to us.

What is the bottom line? Isn’t self-protection a form a self-love? What is more important to us; our reputation or Christ’s reputation? Who do we love more: ourselves or the person with whom we are in conflict? What is our greater desire: being right or the unity of the body of believers?

Perhaps as you meditate on these truths, you will be as challenged as I have been.

Oh, Father, that we would get outside ourselves to love and serve You and others unabashedly.

Diane

I am always deeply touched by the timelessness of God and the way He can and does use all of life to teach us, maybe even chastise us, yet, always to draw us closer and deeper into relationship with Himself. I thank Him and I praise Him for seeing, hearing and knowing our deepest inmost heart and for seeing the vision of all that we are and all that we have not yet been.

I know that in spite of the deadness that we/I may sometimes feel, my mouth is open wide to feed from the bounty of His table. How well He does know that I often…too often… settle for the crumbs that fall to the floor…and yet He continually calls and says, “Come.”

Today…contrary to how I feel, I purpose to rejoice in His ineffable Name. Today, I take the time I am given to draw near and be fed, nourished, taught, loved and cared for by the One who is our Comforter.

One of the things I plan to do today is a brain dump or a data dump. However, as much as I’d like to do that before anything else, I find I must do something greater and that is devote some time to sit with the Savior. The thing I love about devotions or time with Him is I get to sing, shout, talk, listen, cry and when I’m feeling better, I even get to dance.

Without holding back, I get to give God my everything, and in the midst of it know beyond any doubt that I won’t be rejected, laughed at or scorned by my Father because I am accepted in the Beloved.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. ~ Ephesians 1:3-61

Dear sisters, Father’s arms are open wide and His lap is as deep as the oceans and we are 100% safe. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” ~ Psalm 91:1-2 NKJV

Sisters, time with the Lord ~ with Father ~ is time when we can all take our masks off and get real, knowing He is a refuge, a safe place.

Stephanie

“In laziness and procrastination there is an assumption and a presumption of time that is not promised.” ~source unknown

Matthew 25:1-13 is “The Parable of the Ten Virgins” and it’s one of those Scriptures that I could only dimly understand every time I heard it preached on, or read for myself.

I got the basic message of the importance and seriousness of being watchful. That part was pretty clear. One of the questions that came to me was, “Why couldn’t the ones who were prepared share their oil?” Perhaps a silly question to some, but nonetheless, it was one that sprang to my mind often.

That might be because I am a procrastinator – which really means, I am lazy. I hate to think of myself as such, but if I have a habit of procrastinating, the truth is I am capable of laziness, by virtue of the fact that I am willing to delay a future responsibility for the present pleasure of comfort and ease.

The message clearly imbedded in the parable is “the unprepared cannot participate in the joy of the Second Coming,” simply because it is too late, (personalized to mean, I would be too late.)

A very sobering thought to say the least. One thing I know for sure, I want to be ready when Jesus comes. So in addition to being watchful there is a need for me, for you, for all of us to be faithful in the discharge of our responsibilities.

We need to always keep the bigger picture in view; Jesus, the Bridegroom is coming again to receive His bride.

And at midnight a cry was heard: Behold, the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him! Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and but for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in to him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. ~ Matthew 25:6-13

Like I said before, I WANT TO BE READY!

Will you be ready?

Lord, help us to have a deeper sense of our calling and responsibility.

Stephanie