I have the privilege to share each week with the new students at Barbara’s Place, which just opened February 16th. The topic of my class is, “The Power of Truth.”

Recently, we discussed Truth. What is truth? Is there absolute truth?

Our theme verse was, “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.” Psalm 119:89

Why is it important to know if there is absolute truth? If there is not, then recovery or even spiritual growth is based on one’s own interpretation or opinion. That is a scary idea. If there is no absolute truth, everyone decides their own reality. This is a very popular notion. “In 2002, 91 percent of our born again church kids said there is no absolute truth.” That was 13 years ago. Those teens that were 13, 15 and 18 back then, are 26, 28 and 31 now. Those 91% are now adults. That is an extremely high number of born-again adults that do not believe there is absolute truth.

We each must wrestle with this reality.

Here are two definitions:

Truth – the real facts about something, the state of being the case; fact; the body of real things, events and facts; a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality; the body of true statements or propositions.

True – being in accordance with the actual state of affairs; conformable to an essential reality; being that which is the case rather than what is manifest or assumed.

If there is absolute truth, that truth pre-exists our belief. Our believing doesn’t make it true. It is true whether we believe it or not. It is truth external to us. That body of truth – absolute truth — exists in the essence and being of the triune God. Before there was Genesis 1:1 there was truth. That truth has not changed with the seasons or the generations.

Why is this a big deal? Because if we do not have a plumb line, a standard of truth, we will subtly drift from the truth over the generations, over our lifetime and end up missing the mark and not even realizing it.

I know this requires deep thought. Come on sister – we can dabble in these profound thoughts about God for just a few moments.

Check back with us tomorrow for another thought (brain stretcher) about absolute truth.

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John for 30 years. She has 2 adult children, 4 grandchildren, 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 11 in all. She delights in reading and teaching, but mostly in laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.

(www.abideinchrist.com/selah/nov6.html)

http://www.meriam-webster.com/dictionary/truth
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/true

But that the world may know that I love the Father and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here. John14:31

As I was reading this verse, I couldn’t help but consider, Lord, do the people that I come in contact with know that I love You and want to obey my Father? Does my life demonstrate to the world, my gracious Lord, Who forgave me of my sins and gave me the right to be called His daughter?

Christ has left us with a great example of the love He had for His Father in complete obedience.

I prayed, “Lord, I want to love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and also love others. I want to live my life showing kindness and having a peaceful spirit. May your Spirit fill me with joy and goodness. Help me to be in fellowship even in times of longsuffering and to always remain in complete faithfulness and obedience to Your Word. My Father, I know I need Your help, I can’t do this without You. I pray that every day You will help and equip me to do your will.”

John 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

Glory to God
Sandra Valdes

Full Time Staff Member at America’s Keswick and a Servant of the Lord

Cultivation by definition is: (Merriamwebster.com)
1. To prepare, or prepare and use for the raising of crops; to loosen or break up the soil about (growing plants)
2. To foster the growth of
To improve by labor, care or study

Foundational to any relationship is our relationship with God.

Matthew 22:36-39
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment, and the second is like it; you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

The first great commandment is to love God with our entire being, our heart, our soul and our mind. We are to love God with everything that we are.

In spite of our best efforts, we know that in this world we will struggle as our flesh pulls in the opposite direction. Jesus said we are to love the Lord our God with ALL our heart, ALL our soul, and ALL our mind. It is only by the power of His Holy Spirit living in us that we are able to do it. God does not command us to do something He doesn’t intend to enable us to do. And yes, He wants us to do it here. Be encouraged, we can learn to better cultivate our relationship with God. It’s going to require effort on our part. But it’s worth it!

Effort – not to improve our standing; not to gain forgiveness; not to get more of the Holy Spirit; not to be more accepted or more loved. No, our effort allows us to experience God’s grace more fully which empowers us to grow.

Having a growing relationship is an active, interactive experience/process.

Our relationship with God must be our highest priority.

Many things vie for our attention. If we do not protect, guard and cultivate our relationship with God, it will atrophy like unused muscles.
So here are some ways to cultivate —
1. Listen to Him — read His Word
2. Talk to Him — pray
3. Journal
4. Practice spiritual disciplines, such as: meditation, silence, fasting
5. Seek to grow in faith and the practice thereof

Our relationship with God does not just happen. To grow in our walk with Him, we have to…walk. What a wonderful companion we have in Jesus as we walk with Him!

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John for 30 years. She has 2 adult children, 4 grandchildren, 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 11 in all. She delights in reading and teaching, but mostly in laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.

For those of you that have tracked with us for very long, you know that we have been talking about and praying for a residential women’s program at Keswick for years and years. I am excited to share that on February 16th we finally opened Barbara’s Place, the first women’s residential program in Ocean County. Barbara’s Place is named after the wife of our Chairman of the Board, Howard Bateman. Together they have sacrificially served the Keswick ministry for over 20 years before Barbara started to battle dementia a few years ago.

This vision dates back to the early 1900’s. Pastor Bill Raws wrote of his grandfather, William Raws, Keswick’s founder, “He anticipated having a home for women and a men’s spiritual recovery program both functioning on portions of the property but independent in their programs.” **

Dr. Lynne Jahns, one of our Victory Call writers, is the Director of Barbara’s Place. She has a staff of 3 plus numerous volunteers to help implement the program.

In Lynne’s office is a sign that says, “Change your mind; change your world.” That statement is as true for each of us as it is for the students in Barbara’s Place. I shared with the women recently that it is foundationally what their stay is about. Throughout their time in the program, in various ways, they will be presented with the truth of God’s Word. Over time, by God’s grace, their mind will be changed. They will be challenged by truth and to the degree that they accept and believe the truth, making it their own, they will be changed. In reality, that is true for all of us as well.

“We act upon what we believe not upon what we know.” Vicki Arudda, quoted in Beth Moore’s Praying God’s Word.

Knowing and believing are two different things. We may know truth but unless we believe it, it will not dispel the bondage of error that holds us bound. This is the journey we are all on, challenging the lies and errors in our thinking with the truth of God’s word and in so doing, finding lasting freedom.

Please pray for Lynne, the staff and the 8 women in the program. Thank you for your partnership.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John for 30 years. She has 2 adult children, 4 grandchildren, 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 11 in all. She delights in reading and teaching, but mostly in laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.

Monitoring the Movement of God by William Addison Raws

One of my initial goals in counseling is to help the person begin to believe that change is possible. It isn’t even to help them to see HOW change will happen initially, it is simply to help them believe that IT IS POSSIBLE.

It’s not possible because they or I are going to do anything to change whatever it is. No… change is possible because of Jesus Christ, because of the cross, because of who God is and what He wants for His children.

Once we believe change is possible, hope fills our being like a breath of spring air fills our lungs.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NIV

What is it in your life that seems to never change? That you have come to believe is impossible to change? That feels like it will remain forever? Take heart, change is possible because of Jesus. So for today, can you believe it possible?

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John for 30 years. She has 2 adult children, 4 grandchildren, 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 11 in all. She delights in reading and teaching, but mostly in laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.

Freedom, liberty, and victory — we all want these to characterize our lives. Yet, so often they seem elusive.

Instead we worry, fret and stew. As God’s children we have 24/7 access to our Father. Why do we so rarely take advantage of that?

Perhaps we think that we can handle the little stuff but we will go to God for the big stuff. Looking at that statement we realize the foolishness of it, but truth be told, that is how most of us operate. As soon as we think, “I can handle…anything” we have exposed an independent attitude that characterizes many believers.

I was first struck by this thought while working through Beth Moore’s “Breaking Free” study. She lists prayerlessness as one of the obstacles to our freedom, liberty, and victory.

I was reminded of that again recently when I was reading the March 3rd devotional in “New Morning Mercies” by Paul David Tripp. Here are some excerpts from that day: “Prayer abandons independence. Prayer forsakes any thought that you can make it on your own. Prayer affirms dependency… We need to be met by God’s grace if, in true humility, we are ever going to be able to abandon our self-reliance and pray for grace…since prayer is fundamentally counterintuitive, we need grace to rescue us from our self-oriented religious meanderings so that, with humble hearts, we may acknowledge God as the Redeemer-King and cast ourselves on his gracious care. Prayer always forsakes the kingdom of self for the kingdom of God.”

I needed that reminder today. Perhaps you did too.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John for 30 years. She has 2 adult children, 4 grandchildren, 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 11 in all. She delights in reading and teaching, but mostly in laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.

When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. Proverbs 10:19

We have all heard the old adage: “Think before you speak.” How many of us actually practice that?
I find myself saying less and less as I get older (and hopefully wiser). I often ask myself, “is it worth saying?” I have come to realize that my opinion isn’t necessarily wanted or even helpful. Sometimes it nearly kills me, but I hold my tongue because I am learning slowly, ever so slowly, that everything that pops into my mind doesn’t have to come out of my mouth. “…people will give account for every careless word they speak,” Matthew 12:36

In addition to sheer quantity – saying too much, there are others times we need to hold our tongues.
Sarcasm “…There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts…” Proverbs 12:18

Gossip “…A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.” Proverbs 16:28

Nagging “A continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike; to restrain her is to restrain the wind or to grasp oil in one’s right hand.” Proverbs 27:15-16

Deception “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” Ephesians 4:25

Having to make our point “May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, those who say, ‘With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?’” Psalm 12:3-4

Complaining “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,” Philippians 2:14-15

Criticism “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged…” James 5:9

The old adage has value and biblical support: Think before you speak. Is it valuable? Is it worth saying? Will it add to the conversation or subtract? Am I building the other person up or tearing them down? Am I speaking in love or am I speaking with self-love?

Words are powerful. Holding our tongue when appropriate is also powerful.

Yes, “I can do all things, through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil 4:13 Even hold my tongue.

Blessings, Diane
Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick. In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events. She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John for 30 years. She has 2 adult children, 4 grandchildren, 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 11 in all. She delights in reading and teaching, but mostly in laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.

“You are good. Hallelujah, you are good!”

These are the words to a worship song we sang this past week. That’s it – the entire song. And frankly, as my worship team and I belted these words to the heavens, a profound sense of awe and reverence began to take over.

Sometimes we believe God is good because we say He is. You know, because He did what we asked Him to do.

Sometimes we believe God is good because of what He does.

But the reality is God is good because that is Who He is! Period. End of story.

Micah 7:18 says

“Who is a God like You, Who forgives iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retains not His anger forever, because He delights in mercy and loving-kindness.”

Even when we are at our worst, and He has the right to be angry and judge us, God delights in showing us mercy and love.

When put this way, how can we not cry out about the greatness of our Lord!

It’s one of the reasons I love the Psalms. When I am feeling despair or uncertainty, I can always find reassurance and comfort in this book.

I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
</em> The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Psalm 34:1-8

Diera Mendez
Diera is a minister and youth leader at New Beginnings Worship Center, Pennsauken, NJ, and works full-time for an educational nonprofit in Philadelphia. She is wife to Chaplain Juan Mendez and mama to Olivia Joy. She spends her “spare time” running an online invitation design shop on Etsy and write occasionally for her personal blog, With Style, By Grace. Diera is a God-fearing, Starbucks loving, tech junkie (…in that order!) who simply wants to inspire women to invest in THE beauty that never fades!

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