Recently, in a small group leaders meeting, one of the men confessed that he often coasts in his Christian walk. Rather than gasps and tongue-clucks, most of us nodded our heads in agreement. How about you? Are you prone to coast in your Christian walk? I am certainly guilty, guilty, guilty.

You ask, what is coasting?

Coast: “to move along without or as if without further application of propulsive power… : to proceed easily without special application of effort or concern.”1 To move along without further propulsive power… assuming the initial push is sufficient.

What does that look like in our Christian walk? Haphazard devotions, short or insignificant prayer times, half-hearted church participation or service, distracted by life, going through the motions, looking good on the outside but knowing on the inside there is a superficial walk at best, doing just enough to get by and look good doing it. Perhaps you take the lily pad approach, hopping from one spiritual experience to another with very little substance in between. I cannot deny that all too often, I coast. What makes us think we can maintain a vibrant, life-giving, life-sustaining, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ apart from significant, dedicated, intentional time, attention and devotion to Him?

How intentional are you about deepening your relationship with Jesus Christ? Are you regularly, daily applying fresh propulsive power? If we coast on flat ground, we immediately begin to lose momentum and eventually stop. And that is on flat ground. How about the uphill road of sanctification and holiness? If we coast, we immediately lose momentum, stop ever so briefly, right before we begin plummeting down the hill.

Let me encourage you not to push your Christian walk into the category of, “when I have time,” because you never will have time. When you make it a priority, you will find time to spend with Jesus, memorize Scripture, meditate on the Word, pray, and worship. Go to Him daily, moment-by-moment for a fresh supply of His power.

Diane

1 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coast%5B2%5D accessed 07.23.09

Today is the final chapter of Martha’s vignette. What we’ve been given is a glimpse into the possible life of many a believer – maybe even you. For me, this snapshot has been a serious hug from God. Only a loving Father cares enough to teach us, rebuke or correct us and then draw near enough to allow us to lean way, way in and rest our weary, repentant and sorrowful heads in and under the shadow of His wings.

Psalm 36:6-8 speaks to us of God from history past, “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.”1

The Message, -a Scripture paraphrase- sets the pen to paper in a way that is full of description. “God’s love is meteoric, his loyalty astronomic, His purpose titanic, his verdicts oceanic. Yet in his largeness nothing gets lost. Not a man, not a mouse, slips through the cracks. How exquisite your love, O God! How eager we are to run under your wings, to eat our fill at the banquet you spread as you fill our tankards with Eden spring water.” Psalm 36:5-8

Dear sisters, we don’t have to be thirsty or hungry! Let’s invite Him who is the Bread of Life into our day. Let’s taste and see that He, the Lord, is good.

Who but God is big enough to be all and everything we need Him to be? Who but God can take our time and somehow multiply it, enabling us to accomplish all that He calls us to?

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” Psalm 19:23-24

“Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; see for Yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong then guide me on the road to eternal life.” The Message Paraphrase

Remember we serve a God who is, “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power in us.” Ephesians 3:2

My Question for You: Will you allow God to try you concerning the time you are given?

Stephanie

Yesterday we left Martha with 4.5 hours, to be all that she could and would be to all the people in her life that she was lovingly attempting to serve, in a godly manner. Now let’s fast forward a few years in Martha’s life. She’s still attempting the same pace and yet she is no longer all that happy with herself or with life. Something isn’t right. She can’t remember the last time she felt good about her faith walk and she sometimes wonders if her faith is even real. After all, if it was, wouldn’t she have more time to sit at the feet of Jesus? She can’t seem to find any time for herself, let alone more time for her Lord. And if and when she does think about setting time aside for herself (which would include time with the Savior) she tends to feel a bit guilty.

Now, let me say right here and now – whether Martha should or should not feel the way she does is not relevant. The fact is – she does!

This puts us right back where we started, with my phone conversation. After examining an average day in my friend’s life, she was actually relieved. She took a deep breath, exhaled loudly, and in so many words said, “Then it’s okay for me to take time off in my day for me?” Of course it is. But…let’s not forget what the Holy Spirit revealed to us. Remember what He said? He told us that our guilt, or put another way, our sorrow was due to our need for Him; a very real need which was not being met by the busyness that characterized our existence. So, while it is good to schedule yourself into your day, it is better still to schedule Him, Who Is above all earthly things, into your day. And do it in such a way that you experience His Presence. Dare we take a new step of faith and cease from our activity long enough to experience a true rest? Dare we call upon Him, seek Him and actually wait to find Him right there where we are?

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

My Question For You? When is the last time you rested at the feet of Jesus?

Stephanie Paul

Today and for the next day or so I want to revisit a series of Victory Calls written a few years ago, as I believe the topic to be something that may well serve some of us in the present tense.

Recently, in conversation with someone regarding the use of our time, God by His Holy Spirit infused some very practical wisdom into our session. My friend shared with me how she often feels guilty if she takes time off to “just do nothing.” I can’t remember how many times I have heard those words spoken over the years, and often by some of the busiest women I know. As my friend and I talked about this guilt and why we seem to feel it regardless of our best intentions, the Holy Spirit stepped in and gave us an unmistakable answer. His words – not mine – were as follows: “The reason you feel guilt is because we, Father, Son and Holy Spirit have been absent from your day.” We were both stunned by this revelation. However, we both had to admit to each other the extreme truth of it. Yes, we were both given to having many “mini” devotions and yet, peace was definitely lacking. There just didn’t seem to be enough time in a day to accomplish all the tasks that we set for ourselves and still have time for more meaningful moments of repose before the God of our salvation.

I’m sure at this point God chuckled at our silliness. We all get 24 hours, no more, no less. If this is what God has given us, then surely it is sufficient. As our conversation continued, the Holy Spirit led me in a very practical way to “get real” about the time that we have.

Since it will be impossible to share all of this with you in one Victory Call, I’ll spread it out over a few days, so as to do justice to what God shared with us. I believe with all my heart that this is applicable to so many of us and my sincere hope is that we are challenged to draw near, and nearer still, to God.

I pray that we will be unafraid to do as the Preacher in Ecclesiastes 1:13, to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven, as it relates to pursuing communion with God. If it means I get disciplined and organized in the use of my time, then I am willing.

My Question For You Today: What does time with God look like in your daily life?

Stephanie Paul

I recently lost a nephew. Whenever you lose a loved one, your heart is in pain. This loss was a particularly difficult one. My nephew, Steve, was 49 years old and an addict for over 3/4 of his life. He was found dead behind a warehouse with a bottle of booze in his hand. He died helpless and hopeless. This just breaks my heart….

I spoke to Steve a little over a year ago. I had hoped to get him to come to the Colony of Mercy. He had been to dozens of rehabs over his lifetime and was kicked out of more than he could remember. I shared with him that Jesus was the only one that could set him free from his addiction but he never called me back. He felt hopeless and I guess my words failed to reach his hopeless heart.

My position at the Colony of Mercy is as the Intake Coordinator. I speak to hundreds of people…men who want to come to the Colony, family members hoping to have their dad, husband, son or brother come to the Colony. I share the hope of victory and freedom through Christ; I pray with them, I give them hope from the Word of God. I can help others but my own family members reject the hope of Christ. Perhaps you know the feeling of trying to share the love of Jesus, the gospel message with those who are closest and dearest to your heart only to have them reject it or think you’re out of your mind.

Chaplain Jim reminded me that my Savior was rejected by his own family. They thought He was out of his mind.

Mark 3:20-21 “Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, ‘He is out of his mind.'”

How sad, how the heart of Jesus must have been broken…this was His mother Mary, His brothers and sisters and they thought He was crazy! He was fully human and fully God. And in His humanness I can imagine how deeply this hurt Him. I don’t dare compare my pain of family rejection to His, but my Jesus knows how I feel.

The attitudes of Jesus’ friends and relatives in His hometown even limited what He could do there. I’m sure He wanted to help each one in His hometown, yet couldn’t.

Mark 6:4-5 “Jesus said to them, ‘Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house, is a prophet without honor.’ He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.”

Jesus could have taken the rejection to heart and allowed it to affect His ministry. Yet Jesus knew that there was much work to be accomplished in the short time He had. So He continued to spend time with His Father in prayer and receive the strength and power to do His Father’s will. So that when His ministry on earth was done and He hung on the cross, Jesus was able to say “it is finished.”

I want to be found faithful for the task the Lord has for me as well….but it’s difficult and at times discouraging. So I can do no less than follow the example that Jesus left for me. I, too, need to seek the Lord through prayer and spend time with God…I can’t do what God has called me to do except for Jesus who lives in me.

Praise the Lord for the promise in Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

MaryAnn

MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 35 years, have 2 grown/married sons and are the proud grandparents of two grandsons. 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.

Malachi 1:6-14 lists the grievances the Lord had towards the priests and people of the time. God received no honor and no reverence. The sacrifices that were being offered were lame, sick and blind. (Lev. 22:20-25, Deut. 15:21) The sacrifices were offered with an insincere heart that despised God’s name and they had become weary of doing the requirements given by God.

How about you and me? We also can become haphazard in our worship and become weary of doing things God’s way. God required honor and reverence, yet how often do we contemplate His position in that way? If we only see God as our friend and good buddy then we do not see Him in His totality. If we are weary of serving and living for Him, then what position has He taken in your life? Who is it that is being exalted?

Kathy Howard shares in her study a story about one of her children who had some candy. When she had asked for some, the reply was, “Sure, Mom you can have all the green ones!” Hum? I have done the same thing with bags of candy- I like the red Starbursts and all the Skittles but the green ones. Those would be the first I would offer. Do I do this to God? How does He view me when I only offer Him the pieces I don’t like? I suspect He is not pleased with me either. When there is no fear of God and there is no honor of Him, it will show in our actions. We will get sloppy and God is not pleased. God’s sacrifice for us, Jesus Christ, was a perfect sacrifice. Could you and I say we are a holy, living sacrifice being offered to Him today?

As you begin the day consider inserting your name in the verse below:

“And now, ______, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires you to fear him, to live according to his will, to love and worship him with all your heart and soul, and to obey the Lord’s commands and laws, that I am giving you today for your own good.” Deut. 10:12-13 (NLT)

Also, remember:

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).

Kathy Withers

Kathy serves at America’s KESWICK in the Guest Services Department. She is married to Dave and has two children, Michael and Kerri.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to tend to my sister’s 6 children (2, 2, 9, 9, 9, and 10) for a week. I am still in one piece and so are they. I clearly understand why the Lord saw fit to give me only 2 children (now grown). As the week wore on, and the kids were missing Mom and Dad more and more and probably had enough of Aunt Diane, the verbal bantering seemed to increase. One morning as I was reading my Bible it dawned on me that it would be good to have them memorize a well selected Bible verse:

Ephesians 4:29: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (NIV). We worked on it all day. One nephew, in particular, was struggling, saying “It’s hard,” to which I replied, as any Aunt would, “Just because it’s hard is no reason not to do it.” Each in turn succeeded in memorizing the verse.

The morning after I returned from my “play week” I was reading the Bible and the Lord prompted me to take my own words to heart. Honestly, I have not been memorizing Scripture consistently in a long time. Do I believe there is great value in it? Absolutely! Do I believe it is needful and profitable? Absolutely! Do I encourage and even counsel people to memorize Scripture? Sure. Then why do I not consistently memorize the Word of God myself?

How about you? I would venture a guess of our close to 900 Victory Call subscribers less than 1/2, probably less that 1/4 of you are consistently memorizing Scripture. Why? Why are we not more faithfully hiding God’s Word in our hearts? The number one reason I hear? It’s hard. Just like what my 9-year-old nephew said.

It takes time and effort. Just because it’s hard, is that a good reason not to do it?

Psalm 119:11 “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

Diane

…as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:16-18

Oh, that we may really, really, really understand the embrace of God. For every believer, born-gain in the Spirit, He is our God and we are His people. He is our Father, we are His daughters.

As a grandparent, I know the delight and absolute joy of embracing my grandchildren. I want to hug them up real good, but alas they giggle, wiggle and squirm after a moment or two. I may want to hug but they want to run and play.

God delights in us and wants to wrap us in His everlasting embrace that says: I chose you. You are mine. I am your Father, you are my daughter. Forever and always.

Before rushing off to your busy day, would you take a moment and meditate on your Father’s embrace, rest your head upon His chest and say, “Thank You. I love You.”

Diane

We think with our HEART… Genesis 6:5

We pray with our HEART…1 Samuel 1:13

We love with our HEART…Deuteronomy 6:5

We hate with our HEART… 2 Samuel 6:16

Our HEART deceives us…Jeremiah 17:9

Our HEART fears… 1 Samuel 28:5

Our HEART can become hardened…Ephesians 4:18

We seek God with our HEART…Psalm 27:8

We meditate in our HEART…Psalm 27:8

We can become proud in our HEART…2 Chronicles 3

With our HEART we rejoice …1 Samuel 2:1

With our HEART we grieve… 1 Samuel 2

With our HEART we are faithful to God…1 Samuel 2

With our HEART we discern … 1 Kings 3

With our HEART we store things… Psalm 119:11

With our HEART we sing and make music… Ephesians 5

With our HEART we repent…Psalm 51, Joel 2

With our HEART we believe… Psalm 51

Therefore, sisters, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23

Diane

I recently was speaking to a woman on the phone when she told me that her pastor denies there is such a thing as addiction because it doesn’t appear in the Bible. I’m glad I was on the phone so she couldn’t see my jaw drop. The word “Trinity” doesn’t appear in the Bible either but I wouldn’t go as far as to deny its existence. I shared with my caller that the Bible does speak through and through about idolatry of which addiction is a form. She wholeheartedly agreed.

Far too often we consider idolatry to refer to bowing down to worship little statues with big bulging bellies, yet idolatry goes far beyond that. The more common idols today are idols of the heart.

Ezekiel 14:3-5 “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols.”

When we become convicted of the grip idolatry has on our hearts I think our first cry to God is that He remove them from our lives. I remember praying that God would smash the idol at the foot of the cross – it sounds good, but it didn’t happen.

“The death of an idol comes not from it ceasing to be an idol, or from its removal, but it comes from knowing that I no longer have to serve it.”1

That is victorious living. By the power and presence of Jesus Christ in me, I no longer have to serve any idols. I’m free to walk in obedience. Hallelujah!!!

Diane

1 Personal Quote – Lidia Mocelo