“For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me. ” 1 Corinthians 4:15-16

There is a distinction between those that instruct the truth and those that reveal the truth.There is a distinction between those that teach others and those that lead others.There is a distinction between those that tell others and those that show others.There is a distinction between those that explain and those that express.Are we telling others the truth or are we living the truth? Are we instructing others in the gospel or are we imitating the gospel? Father, give me the genuine depth of relationship with You that exudes from my life so that to the degree that I imitate Christ, others will imitate Christ as we together love and follow You.

Diane

Single-mindedness

Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Psalm 86:11Yesterday, I shared about the first half of this verse, “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth;” Today, I want to consider the second part of the verse, “give me an undivided heart…”When I read this verse that day in my friend’s home, 15 years ago, this is the part of the verse that immediately struck me. An undivided heart – yes, Lord, yes that is what I want. I suffer from a divided heart. So many things vie for my attention and time that I find I am “multi-minded” rather than “single-minded”.

If we had a single focus, a single purpose, a united heart that is totally devoted to The Lord Jesus Christ oh, how glorious that would be. You may ask, “How can that be? How would we get anything done? Isn’t that going a little overboard? Do we have to be so fanatical?” Oh, sister, dear sister, having an undivided heart will not hinder us from getting things accomplished that are part of God’s agenda. It will not render us useless to our family or to the world. We won’t be sitting on a cloud playing the harp. No, rather is will cause us to roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty with the things of God. It will help us prioritize those things that are of greatest importance and eliminate those things that serve to distract us. It will intensify our focus and bring clarity of purpose. It will actually simplify life as we filter everything, every decision, every action, every choice through the grid “will this unite my heart or divide my heart?” Psalm 86:11b

Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name… NIVPut me together, one heart and mind; then, undivided, I’ll worship in joyful fear … The MsgDirect and unite my heart [solely, reverently] to fear and honor Your name… AmplifiedGrant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.. New Living TranslationUnite my heart to fear thy name… King James Version

Unite my heart to fear your name… English Standard Version

Walking in truth

One day, many years ago, I was visiting a dear godly woman I have long since considered a mentor in my life. There was an open Bible in her bathroom. In the brief time I was in there my eyes fell upon this verse and I instantly memorized it: “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” Psalm 86:11 (NIV)

Of late, this is the cry of my heart. As I was thinking about this verse recently I had to stop and ask myself, is this really my desire? Sure I want God to teach me His way, but will I walk in His truth? Will I respond to His truth with obedience, or do I want to know His truth and do my own thing anyway? I think far too often, I live as if the verse says, “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and I will think about it;” or “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and I will decide if I want to walk in Your truth'” or “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and I walk in Your truth if it’s not too difficult;” or “Teach me Your way, O LORD, and I will tell others to walk in Your truth.” How about you?

When God teaches you His way, how are you most likely to respond? Will you walk in His truth, or your own? When God teaches you to forgive, do you forgive? When God teaches you to be silent, are your silent? When God teaches you to speak the truth in love, do you speak up? When God teaches you to submit to authority, do you submit? When God teaches you to serve another, do you serve? When God teaches you to encourage, do you encourage? When God teaches you to love your enemy, do you love? When God teaches you to humble yourself, do you respond with humility? When God teaches you to share the Gospel truth with that difficult person in your life, do you share? How am I doing?

Have I hit close to home yet? If not, fill in the blank yourself: When God teaches me to ______________ do I _________________? Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth… Psalm 86:11a Diane Hunt is Director of Addiction Recovery Ministries at America’s KESWICK

A MOOSE MOMENT

Several years ago, the Youth Pastor in my church took a number of our young people to Canada on a “Wilderness” trip. God did some awesome things in their lives, including Pastor Jason’s. Shortly after he returned, he spoke at a Sunday morning worship service. He talked about the first moose he saw while he was in Canada. Never having seen one “in the flesh,” so to speak, he was awed by how magnificent a creature the moose was.

During that week, every time he saw a moose he felt the same thrill and amazement as he did at that first encounter. However, others on the trip were kind of the opinion, “seen one moose, seen ’em all.” His message that Sunday morning was taken from Ephesians 2. While he had several “points” to his sermon, the one to which he kept returning was the amazement and thrill he had experienced when he first came to know Christ as his Savior. And what had happened to it? His reaction to his salvation was very much like that of the group’s to the appearances of the moose (or might it be mooses?) all week. Ho-hum. No longer did Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection, nor the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in his life day by day, cause him to stop in amazement and reflect on the greatness of God and our salvation.

Now, lest you think that our Youth Pastor is totally off base, be honest with yourself. How many times do you thank God for the gift of His Son and His ever-present work in your life as a matter of fact? Something that we — I — take for granted. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast.” Now those verses are AMAZING. Think about it – nothing, nothing at all about our salvation has to do with what we say or do. God gives us the greatest gift ever conceived, and all we need to do is say “yes.” But once that takes place, how easy it is for us to slip back into our ruts and take His work of grace for granted. My prayer for you – and for me – today is that we will encounter Jesus Christ in a “moose moment.” Recapture the thrill of that first time we responded to His love and grace, fall in love with Him all over again and never, ever take His grace for granted. — Lynn Randall is Director of Human Resources at America’s KESWICK

How God uses our own Words to remind us……

Yesterday in the whirlwind of events through out the day, I received several emails and a few stop by’s in my office regarding a devotion I wrote. I almost had forgotten this one called…”For this Child I prayed.” It was printed in our Keswick devotional.

My day was filled with many tasks at work, our van needed to go in the shop, my oldest son needed to spend some time with me to review his plans and at my feet was this little bright-eyed young man. My mom was at our home helping to watch Gavin so that I could do all of these miscellaneous things. Gavin’s reply to my mom was “did she leave again,” as I was running around doing all these things. Well, that hit hard with me. When I looked in his backpack there was a note from his teacher that Gavin had a hard day at school.

This devotion was meant for me to read again on this particular day.What a great reminder from the Lord….a devotion I wrote a few years ago would come around again to remind me of what was really important. How soon we forget the lessons we have learned. Though the daily tasks in life are needed and important, these young lives we touch will have an eternal impact. I needed to sit down with my younger son and spend the time with him he needed that day. I can confess the day ran out of time and I did not spend the time I believe he really needed.

In my prayer time that night I had to give him back to the Lord and ask the Lord to guide my steps better the next day to be the mom Gavin needed. The Lord knew that my work schedule would be busy, that our van does need to be repaired and that I am a mom to another young man, too. It is refreshing me to know that even on the days when I find myself committed to many things, that I know that I can remember that the Lord is with my kids all the time, and that I cannot do it all. I can not always be there but what a lesson for me to learn and remember and to teach them both that HE is there for them always.

Moms out there remember… these lives have been entrusted to us for only a few short years. Some days will be busy and filled with many tasks that we do need to take care of. Let us start our day off in prayer and ask the Lord to guide our steps…He knows what we really need to take care of. Let us also remember the blessings we have in knowing that these kids really belong to the Lord and to direct our children to Him. Love your kids each day in a special way and tell them that you love them, but also share daily with them salvation and the love of our Lord.

Lynn Wilson serves in the Guest Services Department at America’s KESWICK.

Forgiven Much

“It is when I am aware of sin that I appreciate grace the most.”1 ~~ CJ Mahaney

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (NKJV)

Are you today, right now, in this present-tense moment aware of how much you are and have been forgiven? Do you appreciate grace? Are you daily convicted of sin in your life? Are you passionate for God and His glory? Is your love for God evident? Growing? Increasing in its intensity? When you stand in church on Sunday morning, singing songs to the glory of God, are you affected? Do you daily express your appreciation to/for the Savior who hung as your substitute, receiving the wrath that you and I deserve? Do you lift up your voice and express your gratefulness to the One who not only hung on the Cross…but who rose again from the dead…who has ascended, who is seated at the Right Hand of the Father…who by His generous hand of mercy has regenerated your heart? 2

These are the questions on my mind (for all of us to consider) as I conclude listening to part two of a three-part teaching by CJ Mahaney titled, The Idol Factory 3. I couldn’t begin to do justice to the richness of this teaching, so I encourage you to click onto the links at the bottom of the page and listen (be sure to listen to them in order). Your heart will be blessed and your soul convicted of sin… and that is a really, really good thing.

We have been forgiven much by the Holy One, and this one true fact alone ought to humble our hearts before the Lord and cause us to lay down our idols and surrender all the things, the ways of being, which we cling to, and/or justify as “just the way I am” or “just the way I’ve always been.”God forbid that we should settle for less than His best for us. He was good enough to have mercy on all of us and He didn’t have to.”He paid a debt he did not owe, I owed a debt I could not pay.I needed someone to wash my sins away.And now I sing a brand new song: “Amazing Grace.”Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay.” ~~Unknown Selah

Stephanie Paul is the Director of Women’s Addiction Recovery Ministries

1 http://www.sovereigngracestore.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=A1040-02-512 ibid
3 http://www.sovereigngracestore.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=A1040-01-51http://www.sovereigngracestore.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=A1040-03-51handout: http://www.sovereigngracestore.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=A1040-00-59

Are You Willing to Pray?

Today I was humbled by a couple who asked if they could pray for me. I didn’t ask them to. I didn’t share anything with them. They could obviously see that the bookstore was closing and knew I would be moving on. They asked me if they could pray for me! There have been many customers in the store bargain hunting, giving hugs and saying good-byes but this couple took the time to pray for me! I have tried to make a habit of praying with people when a need arises.

I have embarrassed myself too many times by telling people I would pray for them or their need and then forgotten. If I take a moment to pray when asked “Will you pray for…?” I find I remember it easier and the Lord puts that need on my heart in the days ahead. I am now challenged to be more discerning at what might be going on in someone else’s life and be willing to ask “Can I pray for you?” This may be easy to do within your church or even with someone you don’t know well but believe they know the Lord. But what would happen if you and I saw the need of the cashier at the grocery store, the elderly woman sitting by herself as you drink your coffee, or the person sitting in the waiting room at the doctor’s office?

I know this can be a challenge but would you ask the Lord to show you who needs you to pray for them? Just ask someone today if you can pray for them and be willing to follow through. I imagine God will supply us with a number of divine appointments if we would just ask to pray for another’s need. Kathy Withers is married to her husband Dave; she has two adult children, Michael and Kerri. Kathy is currently teaching Higher Ground II at America’s Keswick on Fridays at 10 AM.

We’re all just people

Driving down the road the other day, I got behind a car that was going “too slow” for my tastes. I wasn’t in a hurry and they were driving the speed limit but I found it slightly irritating. As I was musing, I realized the two people in the car in front of me reminded me of two dear friends from Keswick. I knew it wasn’t them – it wasn’t their car – but he was tall and she barely could be seen above the seat. Immediately, my heart softened towards the couple in the car in front of me. It occurred to me that if it were my friends I would not be irritated with them at all. I know them as people. I love them.

Rewind about 3 weeks. The Lord has been working on my heart to be real, open, honest, transparent, etc. To press in for greater intimacy with other believers and with Him. I have a friend who is ever so longsuffering with me. She has tried to tell me on numerous occasions how other people see me. Others, especially women, have repeatedly indicated that I am intimidating, and they guard themselves around me. Frankly, I am befuddled, very befuddled. I keep thinking that if they knew me as a person, they wouldn’t feel that way.

Rewind about 8 weeks. In a recent, long-standing conflict with a friend, we were discussing our differences. My friend asked me why I didn’t just come tell them when I disagreed. I said, “I do, but I come with fear and trembling. I lose sleep over it, my heart races and I get knots in my stomach.” In that instant, the other person’s face changed and they sat back in the chair. My friend said, “That changes everything – I never realized that is how you felt, I haven’t been seeing you as a person.” Since that time, we have had no conflict.

Fast forward to today. I was sharing with a co-worker this ‘revelation,’ that if we saw each other as people, perhaps we would be less likely to be irritated frustrated, etc., with one another. He abruptly got up, in jest said, “you need to stop talking,” and as he left my office said, “Thanks a lot, I need to go make something right.” The next time you are irritated, frustrated, etc. – Stop. Take a moment and consider the other person really is a person, and choose to make things right.”You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39 — Diane Hunt is Director of Addiction Recovery Ministries at America’s KESWICK