A few moments ago I listened to a very short video about the Advent of Christmas wherein the speaker, Paul David Tripp, shared the following:

“I love Christmas. I love everything about Christmas! I love setting up our ridiculously big Christmas tree—twelve feet high—it’s nuts! I love decorating it. I love all of those traditions.

And I’m very aware that Christmas is all about a tree. But it’s not the tree you decorate. There’s another tree that Christmas is all about. In fact, I’ve thought many times that, ‘even before the foundations of the earth, there was a tree in Jesus’ future.’

And from the first breath that Jesus took, every step he took was marching toward this tree. This is not a tree of happiness. This is not a tree of joy. This is not a tree that you would celebrate. Nobody would ever want to be any part of this tree, but Jesus.

In fact, the Bible says that Jesus approached this tree with joy. That tree is not an evergreen. It was a cross. Jesus knew, when He came to earth, that that Cross was His destiny.

When the angels sang, their song of joy was really about the Cross. When the wise men searched for Jesus, they were searching for One who would hang on a cross, because there was no other way for what was broken inside of human beings to be fixed other than the Cross. And so, Jesus came. He didn’t come as a reigning king. He didn’t come to be celebrated. He came to suffer and to die. And so, it’s true that every step he took brought Him to the Cross. That Cross was an essential part of everything that God had in mind for human beings because what was broken at the garden, the separation of sin had to be dealt with. There had to be one who would live perfectly, who would die acceptably, who would rise again, conquering sin and death in order for us to have forgiveness, acceptance with God, power for living, and eternal life.

I would just say to you, my prayer is, when you look at your well-decorated tree, that you would remember that other tree.

Your tree that you decorate, can’t give you life. The other tree is a Source of life. Christmas is a story about that tree and the One who came to hang on that tree to satisfy God’s requirement so we would know life abundant and life forever.”

Dear sisters, may it be ever so true; may it be said of us that we let nothing, absolutely nothing, interfere with or hinder our ability to keep all of our doing, decorating, shopping, cooking, baking…to keep the main, core, primary thing of most importance Jesus, Jesus, JESUS!!

Stephanie Dale Paul
Stephanie 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.

http://www.paultripp.com/advent

I guess one could say that I’m full of the Christmas Spirit. My heart is overwhelmed with the reality of this day of Christ’s birth and I’m on a mission to keep the truth of Christmas freshly alive and active in the forefront of my mind.

Today I invite you into the crux of the matter, the very reason Christmas shows up in the universe. Read on as Paul Tripp gives us another glimpse of the Christmas Story, “the worst and the best thing that ever happened”:

“It’s so easy with all the lights and the decorations, and the family gatherings and the cookies, to forget what the scene was like that first Christmas. Really, what happened was, glory collided with tragedy. Unimaginable glory came to earth. God became flesh. Angels actually announced this birth of the hope of the universe.

At the same time, King Herod, scared to death of his own political power, was planning the slaughter of countless infants.

Glory connecting with tragedy, and that’s really the Biblical story—the glory of God’s Presence; the glory of God’s Promises; the glory of God’s Grace collides with the tragedy of sin. Countless moments of suffering and injustice and evil while, God’s working His plan and redeeming His own. The place where we see again the direct collision of glory and tragedy is on the Cross of Jesus Christ.

I always think about this every time we put up a tree. I think about this in the morning when I’m doing my tweets and looking at the tree. This is not really the tree that Christmas is about. There’s this tree of Calvary where the glory of the Presence of the Messiah; the glory of the plan of God to offer salvation, forgiveness, transformation and ultimate deliverance. The pathway of that glory was unspeakable tragedy. The one perfect human being who ever lived would suffer an unjust and violent death.
If you were unaware of God’s plan you would stand at the foot of that cross and you would think this is the worst tragedy ever. But here’s the Christmas story: the worst thing that ever happened was the best thing that could ever happen.

Nothing could be worse than the murder of the Messiah.
Nothing could be better than the sacrifice of the Messiah for the salvation of the world.

My hope is, that when you think of Christmas you get beyond the things that are okay to enjoy and remember that, because glory was willing to face tragedy, we have hope and life and peace forever. That’s the Christmas Story.”

Dear sisters, my hope is that you take the time, over and over and over again, to pause and ponder the Story, the only story that gives sense and meaning to our lives. And it’s all wrapped up in Jesus, Jesus, JESUS.

Stephanie Dale Paul

Stephanie 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.

http://www.paultripp.com/advent

Colossians 3:12-14 (NASB)
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

The word compassion in this text can be translated “the heart of compassion” or “the bowels of mercy”. It is from the Greek word “oiktirmos”.

During this busy and sometimes crazy holiday season we can all get to the end of our rope. So before we get there let us start each day checking our heart and be sure we have put on the heart of compassion the Lord has given us. After all, compassion is one of the benefits of the Lord. Psalm 103:4 also tells us the Lord redeemed us and crowns us with lovingkindness and compassion.

So when we get up in the morning and we put on our heart of compassion we will likely have eyes to see those places where we can be the compassionate expression of Jesus for someone. It may be a family member, or that slow senior citizen in the grocery store, the child crying in church or the exhausted parent trying to calm that child down.

It may help to think of a time when God poured out unmerited favor on you. Give Him thanks and pay it forward. Merry Christmas!!

Patricia L. Wenzel
Woman of Character Graduate

“But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.” Luke 8:15

Recently I had the opportunity to sit under the teaching of Kay Arthur. She is the best Bible teacher I know. When you are at an event where she is sharing God’s Word, these are the things about her that I appreciate the most:

1. She tells you to get your Bible out. (She will provide the Scripture passages on a handout but she loves to hear pages turn.)
2. She makes it clear that she is not there to entertain you but teach you the Word of God. She is not concerned about providing anything that would glitz up her presentation…she simply taught the Word. (Although, I think watching a woman of 81 years of age teach three 1 ½ hour sessions was pretty fascinating in and of itself.)
3. She was available to people. At one point she even walked the aisles to look people in the face. She didn’t hide in the green room during breaks…she was in the back talking to people.

I read Luke 8:4-15 a few days after hearing her speak. Luke 8:11 says that the seed is the Word of God. The whole parable describes different soils that receive the seed. My prayer for you today is that your heart will be like the good soil mentioned in verse 15. Do you and I hear the Word with an honest and good heart? Do we hold fast to the Word of God? Do we bear fruit with perseverance? (Studying God’s Word Inductively is the heart of Precepts, the ministry that Kay Arthur leads. She is the first to tell you that studying God’s Word is hard and requires discipline and perseverance. She also is the first to tell you that you will gain much through a deep study of the Bible.)

Kay Arthur desires that all who were hearing her speak would receive the Word, hide it in their hearts and grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. More so, when God speaks, He desires that we take in His Word with a right heart, ready to receive, and grow fruit. How is the soil of your heart today? Is reading or studying something to check off a list? Are you giving time at all to hear the Lord speak to you?

A few weeks ago the underground oil tank at our home was removed and replaced with an above ground tank. Even though we had our soil tested, which showed no contamination, Dave and I still prayed that there would be no tiny hole in the tank that would cause us to have to do any remediation of the soil. It would have been a costly job! Thankfully, there were no holes and all is well.

How is the soil of your heart? Rocky, overgrown, hardened? Perhaps, your soil needs remediation? Pray and read today with a heart cultivated to hear, learn and apply.

Blessings, Kathy

Kathy’s 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.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal 2:20 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control… Gal 5:22-23

If I live out the truth of Galatians 2:20 then the fruit of the Spirit will be manifested in my life. Lord, I want that to be true.

Jesus, love others – the lovely and the unlovely – through me.
Jesus, exude joy through me.
Jesus, spread peace through me.
Jesus, be kind through me.
Jesus, model faithfulness through me.
Jesus, be gentle through me.
Jesus, be self-controlled through me.

Lord, I must decrease and You must increase; live through me.

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.

All too often these days I get the impression, from within the body of Christ, that “being spiritual” isn’t a good thing. An example of this occurring could be during a group Bible study or meeting, etc., a question is asked and before anyone can even think about an answer, the one asking says something like the following: “And don’t get all spiritual.” Or, “I don’t want the spiritual answer either.”

More often than not comments like the above cause me to think, “Huh? What’s with that? How can that be? And when did being spiritual get a bad rap?” I personally have no idea what is meant or even why it’s being said and, truthfully speaking, I don’t even care.

What I do care very much about is redeeming what “being spiritual” means according to God’s Living Word, the B.I.B.L.E.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness… Galatians 5:22

In order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:4

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3

Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:7

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:2

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Psalm 51:6

I submit to you that being spiritual is “being godly or possessing godliness. A fine working definition of spirituality is, knowing God so I can please God. That is what godliness (spirituality) is all about…Spirituality is forever tied to knowing God and doing God’s will…Spiritual things are those things that are in harmony with God’s character…The spiritual person behaves and acts like God behaves and acts. ”

Dear sisters, one of the greatest gifts we have as believers is the Spirit of Christ Jesus alive and well in us! We who are Christ-followers get to be spiritual: fully active and living as unto the LORD. It’s all about doing life according to the counsel of the spirit within us and not according to the flesh: our mind, will and emotions.

We who are called by His name are called to be led by the Spirit. It is in this that we have the power and the will to do life on planet earth. How else is the world to know and believe God is good apart from the reflection of His character that is clearly seen and observed when they see His Spirit in us who are spiritual? We get to choose. Selah…

Stephanie Dale Paul

Stephanie 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.

Do you ever fall into the trap, like I have, of feeling like you are just biding time until…?

I remember having a conversation with a man who truly believed God was calling him to the mission field but things had not yet fallen into place for him. He was discouraged and became more and more so.

Is there something in your life that you are just waiting to happen, biding time until it does?

When God has us in a holding pattern, are we waiting in neutral?

The man I mentioned earlier was waiting in neutral. He lost sight of the opportunities presented to him in the present. What opportunities are we overlooking while we wait?

What is God up to in our lives while we wait?

Abraham waited more than a few years for the birth of his promised son. The promise of God to Abraham is recorded in Genesis 12 but Isaac wasn’t born until Genesis 21. The intervening chapters show he did not wait in neutral. He was busy walking out a life of obedience daily while he waited.

So here’s today’s question for you: Are you busy waiting?

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.

Have you ever received an email with a quote, story, or scripture reference from a friend that was just what you needed and the words hit you right where you were? GOOD! We need one another and more importantly we need Jesus to get into our stuff.
While there are many cute quips on Facebook, Twitter and in my inbox that I enjoy, you and I have a Book full of great sayings, stories, wisdom, advice, inspiration and conviction. So, if you enjoy those little emails and Facebook quotes why not get the whole story? At times we do need something quick and to the point but we also need to fill up on vast offerings from the Word. Snacking is fine between meals in this case. What if you and I would sit for a while to feast on a whole meal and not skip meals or snack on junk food all day long?

Wouldn’t Jesus Himself get into our stuff? Yes, by His Word and through His Spirit, to bring sustaining words of mercy, grace and love. Our cup would overflow and we’d get down to some serious business as Jesus sheds light on our darkness.
What is your “stuff” today? Would you take time to talk to Jesus about it right now?

Blessings,
Kathy

If you’re hungry for more of Him, may I suggest Proverbs 3 (the whole chapter)?
It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. Prov. 3:8 (NKJV)

Kathy’s 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.

We wrote a women’s Bible Study called “Crossing the Jordan.” We use it as a basic curriculum for the wives of the men in our addiction program. Chapter 2 is “The Sufficiency of Your Sword.” It is about the power of the Word in our lives. Much of the chapter is focused on Psalm 119. I counted 183 occurrences of a word that mans “Word” in the 176 verses of this Psalm, the longest chapter in the Bible.

For example: law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, judgments, promises.
“How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” Vs. 9
“Your word is hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” Vs. 11
“I meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways.” Vs. 15
“I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.” Vs. 16
“Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.” Vs. 24

How does God’s word guide us? It is our plumb line. As we read it, God uses it to show us where we have drifted from plumb.

Yes, there are some black and white parameters for our protection and our good. But there are far more principles that guide our path.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path” Psalm 119:105
“Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” Psalm 25:4-5

Need guidance? Search the Word.

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.

Would you consider being a part of our STAND IN THE GAP campaign for 2015? Our goal is 1,000 people that will partner with us for January, February, and March, which are some of our toughest financial months. Each STAND IN THE GAP partner will make one $25 gift each month for 3 months in addition to their normal giving. This will bring in $75,000 towards our first quarter expenses. This is perfect for partners that already give or for people that would like to give but cannot make a long term commitment. Sign up today at http://www.americaskeswick.org/support/help-now/stand-in-the-gap
Thank you in advance for your partnership. Come STAND IN THE GAP WITH US.

The word of God exposes/reveals our hearts.

“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.”  Heb 4:12

I have been a counselor for 23 years. Behavior is easy to see; the heart motivation behind the behavior is not.

It is important for the people I counsel to be in the Word.  Through it God will expose their heart.
Years ago, I was reading Psalm 12:3-4 “May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaks proud things, Who have said, ‘with our tongue we will prevail; our lips are out own, who is lord over us?’”

As I read that, I remember thinking what a good Scripture for ___________ (someone I was counseling). But the Lord pressed me to read it again. As I read it the second time, I realized God was not telling me that ___________ spoke proud things or prevailed with their lips or refused God’s rule over their mouth – rather it was me.  I spoke proud things and prevailed with my lips, refusing His rule over my mouth.  Zing, right to my heart.

Through my reading of the Word, God exposed the thoughts and intents of my heart.

How about you?  Are you in the Word, open to what God will expose and reveal to you?

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.

Would you consider being a part of our STAND IN THE GAP campaign for 2015? Our goal is 1,000 people that will partner with us for January, February, and March, which are some of our toughest financial months. Each STAND IN THE GAP partner will make one $25 gift each month for 3 months in addition to their normal giving. This will bring in $75,000 towards our first quarter expenses. This is perfect for partners that already give or for people that would like to give but cannot make a long term commitment. Sign up today at http://www.americaskeswick.org/support/help-now/stand-in-the-gap
Thank you in advance for your partnership. Come STAND IN THE GAP WITH US.