I was watching TV last night and not one but two different shows had characters that were “Christians.” Sadly, I laughed at the way they portrayed Christ followers. They were narrow-minded, unloving, and constantly shoved their faith down others’ throats so that all they wanted to do was get away from them. If that is how the world sees us, it’s no wonder they don’t want anything to do with Jesus. Sad, too, is that most everyone watching would probably laugh at such characters.

Every day I see posts on Facebook that are argumentative, critical, judgmental and harshly opinionated, posted by believers who seem to only be interested in spouting their point of view.

Behavior like that does nothing to draw people to Jesus. It either makes people laugh, or want to run away.

It reminded me of a song by Joy Williams ~
Is the face that I see in the mirror the one I want others to see?
Do I show in the way that I walk in my life the love that You’ve given to me?
My heart’s desire is to be like You in all that I do, all I am
Do they see Jesus in me?
Do they recognize Your face?
Do I communicate Your love and your grace?
Do I reflect who You are in the way I choose to be?
Do they see Jesus, Jesus in me?
Well, it’s amazing that You’d ever use me, but use me the way You will
Help me to hold out a heart of compassion and grace
A heart that Your Spirit fills
May I show forgiveness and mercy the same way you’ve shown it to me
Well I want to show all the world that You are the reason I live and breathe
So You’ll be the one that they see when they see me

Sadly, I know that I don’t always live out the life that Jesus wants for me. I know that many times, Jesus would not be what people see in my words and actions. But watching those two depictions of “Christians” on TV, I know that is not what I want people to see.

What do people see in us? Do they know we are believers by the way we act? By what we say? Do we show the love that we’ve been given, or only our judgmental opinions of right and wrong?

I’m challenged by seeing what I don’t want to be, to seek God more so that He can live through me and be seen in me. How about you?

Ruth Schmidt

Ruth is on full-time staff at America’s Keswick, and grateful to be a daughter of the King.

I don’t like confrontation and I am sure you didn’t read this title and raise your hand either.

Confrontation brings to mind heated words, fear of a fight and other not-so-pleasant pictures. I was recently “confronted” by a neighbor I don’t even know. I haven’t met her and I didn’t see her when she just yelled from somewhere behind a bush to tell me what was on her mind. I’ve been in a battle with my flesh ever since. What do I do? Do I respond, and how will I respond?

Right now I know that any response will not be fruitful. You see my heart is not in a place to do all things as unto Christ. My heart is not lined up with “WWJD”. What is in my heart really doesn’t need to spring out of my mouth. What would come from my lips is not what the Bible would call speaking the truth in love.

If I do need to say anything at all I really need to get my heart right first.

I need to pray. I need the love of Christ. I need His wisdom. I need to know if I am to say anything. I need to know if I just need to remain silent.

I also know my heart is not the only one in this. The heart of the other person is involved. So whichever end of “confrontation” we may be on, we have a heart issue. Can you and I truly speak truth in love with the right motives? Can we receive words from others and really examine our own hearts and hear the truth?

As I examine this situation I recognize that although my neighbor wasn’t nice about how she said what she said, it was true. I have had to correct the wrong in this case and need to know what the next step would be. Scripture would back up heaping hot coals of kindness on her. Scripture also shows me Jesus’ wisdom in keeping quiet, too. I need His voice to let me know what the next step is.

Today you will need to use your words. How will you use them? Will they pour out from your flesh? Will they be coming from a right and pure motive? Today others will be using their words. Are you willing to listen and not just hear? Are you willing to look for truth in those words even if they sting at first? Are you willing to seek out a godly resolution to the situation words bring about?

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:6

Blessings,
Kathy

Kathy Withers is on staff at America’s Keswick in the Development Department. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 28 years. They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local Church and has taught Sunday school and Bible studies 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.

Jesus was tempted in every respect as we are yet without sin. Heb 4:15

Matthew records Jesus’ encounter with Satan in the desert. Jesus overcame the temptation and left us an example.

1. Satan waited to tempt Jesus when He was hungry (and presumably weak). His temptation was fitted to Jesus’ situation. “…command these stones to become loaves of bread.” Matthew 4:3
Jesus responded with a Scripture that specifically addresses the temptation. Jesus was prepared with the appropriate weapon to combat the specific temptation.

Lesson #1: Be ready. Memorize Scripture. “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11 What weapons do you have in your arsenal to combat the temptation of Satan?

2. The second ploy, a tactic of Satan, is the use of Scripture in an attempt to mislead or confuse Jesus. Christ’s response was to counter this misappropriated Scripture Satan used with a larger principle of truth. We need to keep the big picture of God’s Word in focus. “…for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” Acts 20:27

Lesson #2: Be wise. It is important to know the whole counsel of God’s Word rather than just a handful of Scriptures so that we may not be easily misled. Be wise. Be discerning. Check your thinking with the entirety of God’s Word.

3. The third temptation, in fact in response to all three temptations – Christ responds: It is written… He speaks with authority and assurance. After the third temptation Christ says, “Be gone, Satan!”

Lesson #3: Be sure. We can be sure that Satan’s temptations will not succeed in the face of God’s truth spoken and believed. Both are necessary to pack a one-two punch to overcome temptation in your life.

Be ready. Be sure. Be wise.

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.

Well, it is that time again for our annual Family Freedom Walk (our 7th!!!), May 9, 2015. We are having a little staff competition to see who can raise the most money. We would like to invite you to support one of your Victory Call writers. Click on their link below and it will take you directly to their individual webpage for the walk. You can give directly through their webpage. If you prefer to send a check, just mail it to America’s Keswick 601 Route 530, Whiting, NJ 08759 ATTN: the person’s name – and mark your check FFW in the memo. Thank you for your support.
Mary Ann Kiernan
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/MaryAnnKiernan/
Stephanie Paul
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/StephaniePaul/
Dina Seaton
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/DinaSeaton/
Kathy Withers
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/KathyWithers/
Diane Hunt
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/DianeHunt/
If you would like to help us raise money for the Addiction Recovery Ministries – to help men, women and children, we would love to have you walk with us. If you are interested please go to our website and sign up today then start raising sponsors.
http://www.americaskeswick.org/christian-events/special-events/family-freedom-walk
Thank you so much for your support.

As God’s child, we are called to obedience born out of a heart of love and fear of God.

Sometimes obedience is easy; sometimes obedience is hard.

It is easy to obey when our flesh is not opposed, but when our flesh is opposed – resistance rises up in our heart.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Romans 13:14

Immediate obedience is not only right and evidence of our faith, trust and love of God, it is also the most likely way we will obey.

The moment we allow the second thought, the likelihood of our obedience decreases.
I don’t want to…
I can’t do that…
I’m too tired…
That’s not fair…
I need to rest…
I’ll think about it…
First, I’ll…
Just once…
I’ll do it tomorrow…

As soon as we start to entertain not obeying, the condition of our heart is exposed.
A heart of unbelief…
A heart of self-trust rather than trusting God…
A heart of self-love rather than loving God…

When God prompts your obedience, don’t give it a second thought.
Do it.

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.

You don’t just think by faith, you live by faith.

“…Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Heb. 11:1

As difficult as faith can be at times, it is, by comparison, relatively easy to “think by faith” than it is to think biblically about life, believing God for your life and circumstance.

But…

Thinking by faith is not the same thing as living by faith. If thinking by faith does not translate to living by faith – it is not really faith at all, is it?

Thinking by faith is necessary to live by faith; but thinking by faith is not necessarily followed by the action of living by faith.

This is akin to being a hearer of the word but not a doer of the word as James tells us (James 1:22). It is a form of personal deception.

Thinking by faith is not sufficient. It is living by faith we are called to. “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17-NIV)

Thinking by faith can be relatively passive while living by faith is putting our faith into action.

Be blessed and live by faith today.

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.

Paul David Tripp, New Morning Mercies.

Angels, Angels everywhere. Necklaces, earrings, clothing, home décor. Is there anything wrong with any of those things? NO. But there is a trend in recent years of the study, fascination and worship of angels.

Angels are not deity.

Angels are not eternal. They are created beings.

Angels are not all-knowing, all-seeing, or all-powerful.

Angels are not infinite.

Angels are ministering spirits that exist to worship God and to do His bidding. (Hebrews 1:4; Luke 1:19, 26; Acts 12:11; Gal 3:19; Rev 1:1)

Angels are not to be worshipped.

In the book of Revelation, John records the visions given to him from God through the agent of an angel. “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” (Rev 22:19).

On occasion, John felt compelled to fall at the angel’s feet as the angel delivered God’s message. The angel was quick to say essentially, ‘do not worship me – I am a fellow servant’.

“And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!'” (Rev. 19:10).

“Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.’” (Revelation 22:8-9).

In both of these verses the angel directs John’s focus and worship from himself to God. Worship God.
Not even angels are worthy of worship. God is the only One worthy …

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.

On a recent drive down Rt. 70 west I had noticed two separate businesses for tarot card reading and psychic services. Owning our own business, it got me thinking dollars and cents for a few minutes. Each business was independent, not an extension of a house or part of another business. That requires the business owner to pay mortgage or rent. Then there are other things necessary to keep a business running, such as the lights and water and advertising. Of course, the purpose in having a business is to provide income for yourself. Therefore that’s overhead and salary. Now even if we were talking bare minimum to keep a business afloat we would be talking thousands of dollars. Thousands of dollars made by providing services to people willing to pay for a glance into their future, a ray of hope or direction in life. These two businesses are part of a two billion dollar a year industry. Wow, just take that in for a minute. Two billion dollars a year spent on looking for hope, peace, and direction.

After dissecting the financial business aspect in my mind I became sad. I was sad because I know that what these people are searching for in a psychic reading is readily available for free from Jesus. In fact, this industry is doing so well because it never delivers true satisfaction. It only leaves the receiver with more questions and therefore a return customer.

God does not call us to discern His will for our life through fortune tellers, horoscopes, palm readings, tarot cards, mediums and psychics because they are not of Him. In fact, in Acts 16 we hear of an account of a fortune teller who could predict the future until Paul rebuked a demon out of her. These things are not of God; they are of Satan. Satan knows what we are looking for and is happy to oblige us with anything but Jesus.

He knows Jesus can and will satisfy. I am overwhelmed with gratitude to know the Giver of true satisfaction and motivated to be used to point people to Him.

There are so many aching, broken hearts in need of rescue out there. The numbers do not lie.

How will people call upon Jesus for their hope if they do not know of Him. Who will tell them? Will you?

Romans 10:14-16 How then will they call on him whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?

Because He Lives,
Kim M. Spicer
Women of Character Graduate and Volunteer

Well, it is that time again for our annual Family Freedom Walk (our 7th!!!), May 9, 2015. We are having a little staff competition to see who can raise the most money. We would like to invite you to support one of your Victory Call writers. Click on their link below and it will take you directly to their individual webpage for the walk. You can give directly through their webpage. If you prefer to send a check, just mail it to America’s Keswick 601 Route 530, Whiting, NJ 08759 ATTN: the person’s name – and mark your check FFW in the memo. Thank you for your support.
Mary Ann Kiernan
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/MaryAnnKiernan/
Stephanie Paul
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/StephaniePaul/
Dina Seaton
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/DinaSeaton/
Kathy Withers
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/KathyWithers/
Diane Hunt
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/DianeHunt/
If you would like to help us raise money for the Addiction Recovery Ministries – to help men, women and children, we would love to have you walk with us. If you are interested please go to our website and sign up today then start raising sponsors.
http://www.americaskeswick.org/christian-events/special-events/family-freedom-walk
Thank you so much for your support.

So rare it is to look around the church and see believers enjoying the Abundant Life in Christ. The Abundant Life which is ours by faith. “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

Immediately it is easy to see the Abundant Life as a benefit to us; after all, who would turn that down? But have you considered that living and enjoying a vibrant, Abundant Life in Christ honors Him?

Andrew Murray says, “Let Jesus be precious to you and daily communication with Him indispensable. He will teach you by His Holy Spirit to honor Him by an Abundant Life.

How does you living the Abundant Life honor Christ?
1. Your life is a life of faith.
2. Your life gives glory to God
3. Your life display the accomplishments of the cross
4. Your life reflects God’s grace to a lost world.
5. Your life is a spigot for Living Water in a dying, thirsty world.
6. Your life is a manifestation of Christ in you, the hope of glory.

The Abundant Life is not just for your benefit – but also honors Christ. What better purpose is there?

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.

Well, it is that time again for our annual Family Freedom Walk (our 7th!!!), May 9, 2015. We are having a little staff competition to see who can raise the most money. We would like to invite you to support one of your Victory Call writers. Click on their link below and it will take you directly to their individual webpage for the walk. You can give directly through their webpage. If you prefer to send a check, just mail it to America’s Keswick 601 Route 530, Whiting, NJ 08759 ATTN: the person’s name – and mark your check FFW in the memo. Thank you for your support.
Mary Ann Kiernan
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/MaryAnnKiernan/
Stephanie Paul
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/StephaniePaul/
Dina Seaton
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/DinaSeaton/
Kathy Withers
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/KathyWithers/
Diane Hunt
http://americaskeswick.donorpages.com/2015FamilyFreedomWalk/DianeHunt/
If you would like to help us raise money for the Addiction Recovery Ministries – to help men, women and children, we would love to have you walk with us. If you are interested please go to our website and sign up today then start raising sponsors.
http://www.americaskeswick.org/christian-events/special-events/family-freedom-walk
Thank you so much for your support.

Leaving a Legacy

Matthew 6:20-21, “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

John 13:34-35, “A new Commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

We all face a day when our eyes will close in death and our faith alone determines where we will spend eternity, either with God or eternally separated from Him. We will leave our loved ones behind along with all our earthly possessions. Each of us will also leave a legacy of some kind. For those who will mourn for us… how will we be remembered? Will their conversations be about how we loved and served the Lord, how we loved our families, friends and even strangers? Or will we be remembered for our selfishness, our lack of love for others, or perhaps for the hurt and pain we left behind?

There was a man who lived a life of alcoholism, destroyed his family and was the cause of the death of his child. And if his life ended there what a sad legacy he would have left behind. And over 100 years after his death he would have been barely a memory.

Praise God his story didn’t end there. In the midst of his pain and suffering in alcoholism he cried out to God. For the rest of his life he lived and served the Lord. And because of the legacy William Raws left behind, my son Daniel found freedom from his addiction at the Colony of Mercy that was established by William Raws in 1897.

Another young man, John Hanna, came to the Colony in 1997. He was 26 years old. This is where he met Jesus, surrendered his life to Him and lived out Jesus’s greatest commandment to love one another. John lived his life with a passion for the LORD and others.

In 2005, only 8 years after he left the Colony, John was in a tragic car accident that left him with a severe brain injury. He would live only nine days after the accident. But during that short time John’s atheist, cold-hearted neurosurgeon would be impacted by John in ways he never could have imagined.
The neurosurgeon finally asked John’s sister Caroline:

“Who is John Hanna?…First, I hear that he was an addict, hence the people visiting from different rehabs, then I hear he is a pastor, hence all the religious people visiting, and then I see men visiting from a homeless shelter who knew him well. Is he an Egyptian movie star, is he famous, who is he? Above all, I receive a phone call from Egypt yesterday from a doctor who tells me he is now a monk at some monastery and wants an update on John’s condition. Caroline, who is your brother and what makes him so special to hundreds of people? I want to know him.”

Caroline answered, “John was an ordinary man who became extraordinary through Jesus Christ. John sought to change the world by changing himself first. He stopped blaming others for his mistakes. He owned his mistakes, he owned his faith, and he became a new man after living a destructive life. He was redeemed, restored and reconciled by God, through God, for God. This gift was not cheap but costly. John then gave this gift to hundreds of people by loving them the way God loved him. He never judged or labeled a person, he did not see rich, poor, black, white, believer, or non-believer. He just loved and served people every second of his day, expecting nothing in return.”*

Even though we look though human eyes and think why? Why so young? Why so soon? And one hundred other unanswerable “whys” . . .we can see the powerful legacy that John left behind. Not that John Hanna is glorified but that the LORD is glorified through John’s life, lived for Christ.

Jesus said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” William and John lived out this greatest commandment. Their legacy lives on because of it and impacts lives today and they continue to glorify the LORD long after they have been called home.

What legacy will you leave behind?

Mary Ann Kiernan
Mary Ann serves as the Intake Coordinator for the America’s Keswick, Colony of Mercy and as a Biblical Counselor. She is a contributor to “Crossing the Jordan,” and “Real Victory Real life” Volume 2. She and her husband John have 2 grown, married sons and 6 wonderful grandchildren. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.

*Quote taken from Caroline’s testimonial at the dedication of the Colony of Mercy Library in memory of John Hanna, February 2014.

It’s a human cry; a simple, honest and real human plea. This particular plea was made by a young foster- teen named Davion Only from Florida. Davion had been in the foster care system since he was born; finally he has his forever home. This happened after he reached out for love asking, “Will you love me?”
As a mom, who loves her children deeply, those words, “will you love me?” are heart wrenching.

Here’s part of the story as told by AJ Willingham of HLNTV:

“Davion Navar Henry Only is 15 years old. He has been around people all his life, in and out of foster care and under the watchful eye of a caseworker, but he has never had a family.

In a church in Saint Petersburg, Florida, on a Sunday in September, in front of a crowd of hundreds, he took it upon himself to change that.

“My name is Davion and I’ve been in foster care since I was born,” he started. “I know God hasn’t given up on me. So I’m not giving up either.”

He asked the crowd for help in finding what he has been so reluctant to admit he wants: An adoption, a family, a home. . .Davion searched for his real mother online. She had passed away earlier that month, merely weeks before Davion had sought her out. . .the discovery spurred something inside Davion. As he stood at the front of the church, he laid his feelings bare.

“I’ll take anyone,” he said. “Old or young, dad or mom, black, white, purple. I don’t care. And I would be really appreciative. The best I could be.”

After I followed the link for this story, read it and thought about it, I couldn’t help but think about the heart cry of every human being ever born to simply be loved. It’s not a cry or plea that is born of man. It’s a yearning deep within that was placed there by God Himself.

Paul David Tripp says it this way:
“You were hard-wired for love, so everything you decide, desire, think, say, and do is an expression of love for someone or something. . .Your capacity to love was created for Him. Your desire to love was meant to draw you to Him. Your heart was designed to long for love, and that longing was meant to find its final and complete fulfillment in Him.” (1)

Dear sisters, whatever the longing of your heart is today, know this: the ultimate fulfillment of that longing is in God and God alone. Take time today to sit still and invite Him to converse with you. Open wide your mouth and cry out to Abba, the truest Lover of your soul.

He hears. He sees. He knows. He has already loved you with an everlasting love and it is enough!

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.

1 http://www.hlntv.com/article/2013/10/16/orphan-adoption-church-teenage-davion