Every once in a while the topic of judging comes up. Well, here I am again presenting it to us for the purpose of examining our own hearts to see where we stand on the matter.

I was on Facebook recently and my former pastor posted the following and it’s so well said that I thought I’d share it with you.

“I’m seeing a lot of folks (including a number of Christians) post stuff against judging others and at first glance it always seems the nice way—even the Jesus way–to go. But I confess to being a bit confused by it all. What do people mean by judging? Do they mean that I cannot ever say that something someone is doing is wrong? If so, then I guess a murderer can never be accused, a rapist can never be faulted, a thief can never be prosecuted, a gossip can never be corrected, a liar can never be rebuked, the guy who intentionally stomps on your toe just to give you pain cannot be the object of your offense.

“When it comes to these things too many Christians are talking sloppily these days. We’d better tidy this up a good deal or we’re going to give away the moral Law of God AND the gospel on the platter of well-intentioned but misguided niceness.

“If by judging we mean that we should not think ourselves—apart from what God’s grace has done in our lives—as better than others, then I agree we shouldn’t judge.
If by judging we mean that we should not think others so bad that we could never be as bad as them, then I agree: that is both sinful (and for that matter naïve) judging.
If by judging one means that it is wrong to consider ourselves inherently better, and more noble and worthy than others, then I agree: that kind of self-righteous smugness is despicable.
If by judging we mean that we should not be harsh or hateful, then I agree again.
If by judging we mean that we should not consider anyone so sinful as to be outside the reach of the mercy and love of God then again I agree.
And if by judging we think that in this life we have right or recourse to damn anyone or consign them to hell, then yes, we are forbidden to judge.

“But friends, if we are thinking that it’s judging to call sin “sin” then we are profoundly mistaken. If we are suggesting that warning people of the error of their ways, the sinfulness of their sin, and the certainty of God’s judgment if they do not repent of and forsake that sin is some kind of sinful judgment on others, then we have forsaken our gospel calling…

“There is hope because there is Jesus. There can be a rescue for there is a Redeemer. Jesus died in the place of every sinner who will ever believe in him.

“Sinful self-righteous hateful judgment is wrong. Humble, tearful, tender, calling of people to see their sin, repent of it, and turn to Christ may well be the purest form of love this side of heaven. ”

Stephanie Paul serves as part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Director of Women of Character. She has been married for over 30 years to Sesky Paul who is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy. They have two grown children.
Her single focus in ministry at Keswick is to image Christ in grace and truth to wounded and hurting women, encouraging them to make Jesus the truest Lover of their soul and the One in whom all hope lies.

1 Tim Shorey via FaceBook post

Love.

As a counselor, I have spent many hours with couples who would say they no longer love their spouse or they are no longer IN LOVE with their spouse. I understand they mean they no longer have the butterflies-in-the-stomach feelings they once had. But when we think Biblically about love, is the butterflies-in-the-stomach really a true indicator of love?

Our culture has made feelings of love the determining factor to marry, as well as the determining factor to stay married. Since feelings change they are a wobbly foundation on which to rest decisions about such an important relationship.

Let’s consider relationships with other people. We still tend to base our choices on whether we like that individual or not.

But Jesus casts a different light on love…

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven…” Matthew 5:43-44

What? Love our enemies? Well, we know for sure that if this relied on our feelings of love, we would NEVER obey. Therefore, love is not based on feelings but on choosing to obey God.

Are you in a marriage where the feelings of love have waned? Choose to love, anyway.

Is your co-worker annoying you to the nth degree? Choose to love, anyway.

Is your brother or sister not helping out much with mom and dad? Choose to love, anyway.

Is your boss demanding and arrogant? Choose to love, anyway.

Is the person in the line at the store vying for your position in line? Choose to love, anyway.

Is someone at church spreading lies about you? Choose to love, anyway.

Were you misunderstood at the last staff meeting? Choose to love, anyway.

Please understand. When I say, choose to love anyway, I am NOT saying do nothing or to be silent. Love is active not passive. Love is choosing to obey God and reflect Him in that moment for God is love.
“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16 Love is active and is characterized by patience, kindness, humility, politeness, other-centeredness, having a thick skin, and consistency. It is characterized by what characterizes Jesus Christ.

Biblical love is not based on feelings. It is based on a thousand choices a day. A thousand choices, TODAY, to be patient, to be kind, to be polite, not to be easily offended, to love… anyway.

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is a Biblical Counselor, Women’s conference and retreat speaker and author. She serves as the Director of Partner Care and Director of Women’s Ministries at America’s Keswick. She and her husband John have two married children and four grandchildren. She loves reveling in warm sunny climates and playing with her grandchildren.

Forgiveness.

Is it an event? Or a process?

Is it based on our feelings or on our choices?

God calls us to forgiveness.

“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another,” Colossians 3:12

To not forgive would be disobedience. Is it difficult? Yes. It may even seem impossible at times.
Forgiveness is a choice, a decision we make at a point in time to obey God and forgive our offender.

However, that is not the end of it. From that point forward, probably a thousand times a day to start, we need to choose to keep our word and to think, act and show the forgiveness we decided to give.

We need to choose to not dwell on the offense.

We need to choose to not continue to talk about it with others.

We need to choose to treat that person with a heart of forgiveness.

We need to choose to trust God with the details of consequences.

Although there may be consequences due to the offense, they should not be used as a weapon of retaliation or revenge.

We need to choose to NOT hold the offense against the person.

Is forgiveness an event or a process? Yes. The event or decision we make to forgive is then lived out through a thousand choices a day.

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is a Biblical Counselor, Women’s conference and retreat speaker and author. She serves as the Director of Partner Care and Director of Women’s Ministries at America’s Keswick. She and her husband John have two married children and four grandchildren. She loves reveling in warm sunny climates and playing with her grandchildren.

There are times when reading Scripture that it seems to contradict itself. I remember a seminary professor once telling us if Scripture seems to contradict itself or appears to not agree with science or experience, it is our understanding and/or interpretation that is in error NOT the Word of God. If we begin with the unwavering premise that God’s Word is true, it being the plumbline, we are far better off than using our experience or understanding as what’s true and trying to make God’s Word make sense in light of it.

For example, Jesus said, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have not reward from your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 6:1 I remember reading in just the chapter before, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

These two portions of Scripture seem to contradict each other. Don’t do your works to be seen by others and don’t hide your works but rather let them be seen by others. But taking a closer look they don’t contradict at all. In the first verse Jesus says don’t practice righteousness before others to be seen by them, thereby drawing attention to self. The second verse says, let your light shine before others so they may see your good works and give glory to God, thereby drawing attention to the Father.
The heart motivation of the first is personal glory; the heart motivation of the second is God’s glory.

I know for me it is often difficult to draw the line between the two. I may start out motivated by God’s glory but somewhere along the way I slip into wanting at least some of the glory for myself. Anyone else like that? May God’s glory will be our greatest joy, passion and pursuit. Today.

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is a Biblical Counselor, Women’s conference and retreat speaker and author. She serves as the Director of Partner Care and Director of Women’s Ministries at America’s Keswick. She and her husband John have two married children and four grandchildren. She loves reveling in warm sunny climates and playing with her grandchildren.

Recently, I was part of a group discussion and in the course of it, this question was asked?
“What are the most important four letters in the Bible?”

Like me, your first thought probably went right to L-O-V-E. I dare say it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that most, if not all, would come to that same conclusion.

However, the answer given was not L-O-V-E, rather, in their thinking the correct response was O-B-E-Y.

When I heard this my reaction was, “Huh? What”? I didn’t understand at all. Some discussion followed with an attempt at persuading the individual to see love as the most important thing. And, in turn, there was equal effort to turn our thinking away from love being the most important.

Without a doubt, we ought to know and understand that obedience is critical in the life of every believer. But the question is, why obey? Apart from love what is obedience? What value is there in keeping the law without love as the driving force?

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…and now abides faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-8:13

Without love: tongues, prophecy, faith, giving to the poor, giving one’s body to be burned…it all fails. That must include obedience. For what is obedience, what is any of it, without love? Love spurs us on! Love compels us to want to obey our Creator, God and King!

The morning after said discussion, I was on my way to work when the Apostle Paul came to mind. Here we have an excellent example of obedience as the primary thing. Paul so zealously obeyed the law that he went to great lengths to persecute Christians. Not until he met the Lord Jesus on the Damacus road was it revealed that he really didn’t love God. He loved the Law.

It wasn’t until his encounter with the One who is L-O-V-E personified, the One who is the reason to O-B-E-Y, that Paul, motivated by LOVE Himself, began to walk in true obedience out of a deep, abiding relationship with the Savior of his soul. Love which cost him his very life!

Stephanie Dale

Stephanie Paul serves as part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Director of Women of Character. She has been married for over 30 years to Sesky Paul who is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy. They have two grown children.
Her single focus in ministry at Keswick is to image Christ in grace and truth to wounded and hurting women, encouraging them to make Jesus the truest Lover of their soul and the One in whom all hope lies.

Last summer I hurt my thumb and wow, did it hurt. It took a while to get to the root of the problem but I was finally diagnosed with tendinitis. A shot of cortisone and I was much better for about five months. However, a new pain appeared in my elbow. You guessed it, tendinitis again. Really? I opted to go for Physical Therapy rather than the cortisone shot this time. The shot in my thumb helped but it really hurt. While receiving therapy for my elbow I was informed that one of the goals of therapy was to increase the blood flow in the tendons. “There is healing in the blood,” said the therapist. He explained that the blood flows to the most important organs first. The tendons are last on the list so it takes longer to heal.

Despite physical therapy my elbow pain would not give up. I had to get that shot into my elbow. Ouch! When the doctor was preparing to give me the shot in the elbow he said he would hit the bone with the needle a few times to get more blood flow released to the tendon area. He said, “There is healing in the blood.”

Today dear, one be encouraged; there can be healing in our blood, but there is One who shed His blood for you and I and there is ALWAYS healing in His blood. Review the words to the old song, “There is Power In The Blood” and let’s live like we believe it! Give thanks… there is truly real, wonder- working power in the blood of JESUS! Hallelujah!

“There Is Power In The Blood”
Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood
Would you o’er evil a victory win?
There’s wonderful power in the blood

There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the blood of the Lamb
There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb

Would you be free from your passion and pride
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood
Come for a cleansing to Calvary’s tide
There’s wonderful power in the blood

There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the blood of the Lamb
There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb

Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow?
There’s power in the blood, power in the blood
Sin stains are lost in its life-giving flow
There’s wonderful power in the blood

There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the blood of the Lamb
There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb

There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the blood of the Lamb
There is power, power, wonder-working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb

Patricia L. Wenzel
Graduate, Woman of Character

A friend posted an article on Facebook recently. I don’t have the time to read all the articles posted but this one caught my eye. A young girl had struggled with depression and shared her story. She talked about a semicolon and gave this definition:

“A semicolon is a place in a sentence where the author has the decision to stop with a period, but chooses not to. A semicolon is a reminder to pause and then keep going.”

I am wrapping up my study on Ruth and Esther and couldn’t help but think that The Author (God is not mentioned in either book but we know He is there!) could have put a period in their stories many times. Yet, He chooses to use the semicolon. Both of these godly women had times to pause and then decide to keep going.

Ruth could have gone home. Period. She could have gone with Naomi and been miserable. Period. She could have been content to just survive. Period. But the Author used the semicolon and her life moved forward, so much so that Jesus lineage can be traced back to Ruth. What if she stopped?

Esther could have been a drama queen. Period. She could have spoken to the king on behalf of her people once, not twice. Period. She could have been happy sparing her own neck. Period. Rather she intervened and saved a nation. The Author used a semicolon yet again. There will always be a remnant of the Jews but Esther’s pleas for her people saved many, many lives. What if she had stopped?

You and I have our stories. The Author is writing it all out. We don’t know what will come next. But you and I should not put a period where God intends a semicolon. Go ahead and pause then move forward, but don’t stop. It’s not the end of the story.

“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

Blessings,
Kathy

Kathy Withers is on staff at America’s Keswick and serves in Partner Care. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 30 years. They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local Church and teaches a Bible Study for women. Her passion is to encourage women to deepen their walk with Jesus Christ by finding and living out the truths of God’s Word.

Today’s Victory Call is inspired by television commercials. All too often, my observation has been that women are depicted in a most unsettling way. And, if I didn’t understand sin and the heart of man apart from Holy God, I’d easily be shocked and surprised.

Any casual observer can’t help but notice that women are in charge. In most sitcoms and commercials, etc., we get the last word; we are the wiser, smarter, dare I say, dominant. We prevail and not without a cost.

Men, our fathers, brothers, sons and especially, our husbands, are shown to be idiots, losers, sluggards, stupid, unintelligent buffoons. And it’s women who are communicating this. Loud and clear we tell men they are incompetent, inadequate and less than capable of meeting our ever-changing, ever -increasing, ever-demanding needs.

I wish I could say that this behavior is nonexistent among us in the household of faith, but I can’t. We, too, have been shaped by the culture we live in and today my challenge to all of us is to decide that we will no longer live as if the curse is real. Instead we will choose to live free in Christ; allow His Spirit, in and through us, to transform and change our stinking thinking.

Remember the garden?
“To the woman he said, ‘I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.'”~ Genesis 3:16 ~ ESV

Since I can’t say it any better than John Piper, here’s what he said:
“In other words the result of sin and the curse of our age is conflict between the sexes. This verse is not a description of the way things should be. This is a description of the cursed way things are going to be while sin reigns. Dominating men and devious women. This is not the meaning of male and female in God’s image. It is the ugliness of sin.”

…”Peter says in 1 Peter 3:7, that a Christian husband and wife are ‘fellow heirs of the grace of life.’ What does this mean? It means that in Christ men and women recover what was meant by being created male and female in God’s image. It means that together as male and female they are to image-forth the glory of God and together as fellow-heirs they are to inherit the glory of God.”

So dear sisters, our challenge today is simple: will we choose to go forth and image Christ, forsaking any modicum of resemblance to that ruling, controlling woman whom the culture has tricked some of us into imitating? Let’s choose to step into the grace and beauty that is ours to behold in Christ alone. May we be fully female for the glory of God!!

Stephanie Dale

Stephanie Paul serves as part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Director of Women of Character. She has been married for over 30 years to Sesky Paul who is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy. They have two grown children. Her single focus in ministry at Keswick is to image Christ in grace and truth to wounded and hurting women, encouraging them to make Jesus the truest Lover of their soul and the One in whom all hope lies.

Naaman, in 2 Kings 5, had leprosy and he was sent to Elisha to heal him. I’m sure Naaman wanted healing and was excited with the possibility. When he arrived “Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.’” (vs. 10) We would think his reaction would be: “Wahoo!! Great – that’s it? That’s all I have to do? Get to me the Jordan and bring the towel!!” But instead “Naaman became furious, and went away and said, ‘Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over this place, and heal the leprosy. Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.”

Naaman’s pride almost cost him the healing of his leprosy. His stubbornness could have easily kept him in his debilitated condition for the rest of his life.

Naaman had an expectation of how Elisha’s God would heal him. When it didn’t proceed according to his expectation he was ready to give up and not even try what Elisha told him to do. He would have missed God’s healing if it had not been for the servant who said, “…my father, if the prophet had told you to do something great would you not have done it? How much more then, when he said to you, ‘wash, and be clean?’” (vs. 13)

It makes me wonder. Have I missed any of God’s work in my life because I have been too stubborn or too proud to accept it? May we never think we know better than God about HOW healing should come. May we accept with faith and humility His plan for our healing and growth.

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is a Biblical Counselor, Women’s conference and retreat speaker and author. She serves as the Director of Partner Care and Director of Women’s Ministries at America’s Keswick. She and her husband John have two married children and four grandchildren. She loves reveling in warm sunny climates and playing with her grandchildren.

The premise of one of my recent classes was that if we want to be set free by the truth we must submit to the Word of truth.

John 8:32 says, Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.

John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

2 Timothy 3:16, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and if profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

How we come to the Word makes a difference in the impact it will have in our lives. I know people who read it as a good book (little to no impact). If we approach it as a good book with good life principles, even God’s Word, but pick and choose what we believe and obey, some impact. But the greatest impact for change in our lives is when we humbly come believing it is truth and that I must align my life with the truth rather than trying to make the truth align with my life.

God’s Word exposes us.

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

It requires humility to remain under God’s finger, especially when He is pointing to a bruise, wound or scar in our lives. Our first inclination is to pull away because it hurts.

Until recently, I have not given much thought to the need for a spirit of humility as we come to God’s Word. I pray this will change my outlook and my attitude. Pride can even slip in our own personal time at the Throne. May it be banned from our time in the Word.

Lord, teach us to come humbly to the Word that You may teach us, change us, heal us and conform us to the image of Jesus.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:5-8

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is a Biblical Counselor, Women’s conference and retreat speaker and author. She serves as the Director of Partner Care and Director of Women’s Ministries at America’s Keswick. She and her husband John have two married children and four grandchildren. She loves reveling in warm sunny climates and playing with her grandchildren.