“…elect exiles…” 1 Peter 1:1 to whom 1 Peter is written to. Elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia (vs. 1).
          Elect exiles sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? The elect are God’s chosen people, hand-picked by Him personally to receive His saving grace. The elect of God, chosen by His love, mercy and grace and nothing in and of the person themselves. In fact, further along in 1 Peter (vs. 3) Peter writes “…According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”
           The elect – Jew and Gentile – are of the elect by God’s choosing not their own, set apart for His kingdom.  Yet exiles.  Elect exiles. A poignant reminder that this is not our home. We are not exiles of heaven, our true home, but we are sojourners in a foreign country.  
          “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.  For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened-not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” 1 Corinthians 5:1-5
          “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.” Hebrews 11:13-15
          Someday we will be home.  
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 over 28 years.  She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all.  She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.

“For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he is cleansed from his former sins.”  2 Peter 1:9

          What qualities is Peter referring to? The ones he mentioned in verses 5-7: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. 
          He says whoever lacks faith, whoever lacks virtue, whoever lacks knowledge, whoever lacks self-control, whoever lacks steadfastness, whoever lacks godliness, whoever lacks brotherly affection, whoever lacks love – is blind and has forgotten she was cleansed from her former sins. 
         This is one of several Scriptures that implies that our own salvation should be the lens through which we view and live life. 
          How is your vision lately? Are you seeing life through the lens of your own salvation? 

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 over 28 years.  She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all.  She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. (Psalm 127:1)

           Reading through Psalm 100 recently, I was overwhelmed with the goodness of the Lord in our lives as I meditated on the final words, His faithfulness endures to all generations.  It brought to mind Stan’s grandmother, Mom Mom, and the time when she taught this psalm to our daughter (who was probably between 2 and 3 years old) while she was visiting Mom Mom for a few days.  Michele came home reciting the whole Psalm.  As I recalled this, it stirred my memory about the rich spiritual heritage both Stan and I have through our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.  How grateful we are for the examples of godly living and the prayers of those who have gone before us for not only ourselves, but for our children and grandchildren. Mom Mom was a woman of prayer and impacted many lives, including our family, through her times of doing “God’s work,” as she called it, before the Lord in prayer.
           Perhaps you are thinking that you have not had this kind of heritage in the family you come from, but I would like to encourage you to believe that today can be the beginning of a new heritage in your home and family.  As you put your faith and trust in Christ and choose to follow the Scriptures claiming, …as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD (Joshua 24:15), and Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it (Psalm 127:1).  God will be faithful to do what only He can do in your family for generations to come.  Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made (Psalm 145:13 NIV).
           As I sat thanking the Lord for His sovereignty and grace in the lives of the generations of our families, I also contemplated the ongoing impact of our lives on the future generations as we trust Him and live out His faithfulness in our daily lives.  Each of us has the opportunity to have a part in the far-reaching effect of the gospel in the lives of those God has placed in our family – our children, their spouses, our grandchildren and eventually their spouses, and then great-grandchildren, and on and on until the Lord returns.  It’s been said that the only thing we can take to heaven with us is our children.
           Thinking on these blessings and promises of the past, for the present, and even the future, causes me to pray that all those whose lives we impact will know God’s abundant faithfulness day by day.  And that we will be found faithful and obedient, living by His grace.
           What a privilege, opportunity and responsibility is ours!!
 Be encouraged and take heart, we do not have to attempt this great task by ourselves in our own strength, for He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
          Trust in Him!

DeEtta Marsh

Writer for “Real Victory for Real Life” 
365 Devotional Thoughts in the Spirit of America’s Keswick
VOLUME 2
 To order a copy of “REAL VICTORY For REAL LIFE” 365 Devotional Thoughts in the Spirit of America’s Keswick, forwarded by Dr. Joseph Stowell visit  www.americaskeswick.org  and click on store.

          I recently read Psalm 139. Most people recognize the first few verses and the last few verses and a few in between. But I like verse 8 which says “If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.”  This verse may be a verse you have skimmed over on your way to more familiar verses like verses 13, 14, 23 and 24. But I always stop at verse 8 because I find a lot of comfort there. Please pardon my paraphrasing and my loose interpretation as I share what this verse means to me. Each of us, I am sure, have had those times where we feel we have pleased God, seen Him do something miraculous or had a wonderful mountain top experience where we thought we ascended to heaven. I would guess we also have failed miserably at some point, where we have made our bed in Sheol. Have you heard, been told or said to anyone, “Well, you have made your bed now lay in it”? Do you know God does not leave us alone even when we “make our own bed”?  We make a mess but He is there! It is possible that some of us have never “made our bed” in a bad place or messed up so terribly as to compare it to being in Sheol. But we know children, grandchildren and others who have. Maybe they still are in the bed of their own making.         

         Take heart in knowing that God meets those who have messed up right where they are! To Him darkness and light are the same. His hand is still leading and holding. He knows each one intimately even before birth. Nothing is hidden from His eyes. So where can we go from His presence? NO WHERE. Today He meets you where you are. Praise Him if you have a clean heart and pure hands. Repent if you have made a mess…Don’t just lie there!
Kathy Withers

 Kathy’s on staff at America’s KESWICK in the Development Department. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 27 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.

          In Judges 5 Deborah and Barak sing a song of thanksgiving to the Lord. The amazing words of this song give a detailed account of everything that took place for the Lord to have victory for the people of Israel.

         The song begins by acknowledging in verse 2, the people are willingly offering themselves to the Lord and it is also mentioned again in verse 9. This is how God wants our hearts to be: willing to trust in Him and obey. We need to give our hearts completely to our Father. Then in verse 4,: the song describes the sovereignty of our God. Our Lord marches before us and even the earth trembled and the heavens poured. The clouds also poured water. He allows rain to come from the clouds to serve His purpose, amazing how God is! This chapter has 31 verses of the featured account of the victory against Sisera; the chapter also states the men and women our Lord placed to destroy the commander of the army, and clearly illustrates the authority of our Lord.

          The story begins in chapter 4 – Deborah a prophetess and judge, knows God will go before her and Barak; she knows of His faithfulness and how He will release His people to peace for forty years. In chapter 4: 6 Deborah sent and called for Barak, and said to him, “Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded…..”

          As I finished reading Chapters 4 and 5 of Judges, I can sing a song every day of the Lord’s grace and love for me. The way God our Father reveals Himself everyday in the most amazing way. When I least expect it, He puts a smile on my face. God demonstrates His love for me every day in a way I know it can only be from Him.

          My Lord never fails; His faithfulness is always there; every day it’s a new adventure with Him.  I learn more of Him and the love He wants to show me.
          I can sing of Blessing God and Praising Him every day, for the peace of the Lord.

          Psalm 32: 7- 8 You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

Glory to God

Sandra Valdes
Staff Member – WOC Graduate

          What do you think of when you see a rainbow? I think of what it symbolizes, God’s covenant promise to never again destroy the earth, by water that is. (Genesis 9:8-17)  What a wonderful reminder of His faithfulness that after a storm the promise still stands. In today’s world, symbols of God’s faithfulness are often distorted, misused, and misrepresented. Sadly, at times, so do we.

        I believe the enemy, who has no new tricks by the way, (Why should he?  The old ones still work so well.), uses that to take our eyes off of our God. We look at others and think, I can really see God at work in their lives. Then a poor choice is made, sin is committed, and we are tempted to consider if it was “real” or if they were “real.” When what we should really consider is that when those things happen, and they will, our God’s promises still stand, and so does He. His works still stand, even if sadly, Lord help us, we fail to.  It’s a good opportunity to examine our own hearts and lives and see where we might be falling short in some area and repent.  There but for the grace of God go I…

The next time you see a rainbow, whether it be in the sky, on the internet or in a book, remember what it really stands for: God’s promise to never again destroy the earth by water. Next time it will be by fire. It wouldn’t hurt to find out why.

Keep looking up.

Dina Seaton

dseaton@americaskeswick.org
Dina has served on staff since the summer of 2002 in Marketing and Guest Services.  Her first book will be in publication this summer – “Do it again Lord, Do it again!”

 

 

“Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.” Psalm 119:37

          I just love Psalm 119 and appreciate the challenge Bill Welte put before the staff this year to memorize numerous verses from the Psalm.  It is easy to memorize a few verses but to meditate on them and be impacted and changed by their truths, that is not so easy.  This verse caught my eye. 
          “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things…” 119:37
          Worthless means lacking worth, valueless, useless.

          What do I spend time looking at, meditating on, seeking, thinking about that have no value to me spiritually, mentally, emotionally?  Some things that we waste time on are actually counter-productive. 
          For example, looking at the ads on Sunday morning may be harmless in and of itself but I find that it stirs up my lust for things, things that now that I have seen them I am pretty sure I need or at least really want.  So thus begins the week of stealing moments away from what I should be doing to think about how and when can I get to that store to get that item.  I think of creative ways to finagle my finances to be able to “afford” this new item.  It stirs up lust in my heart for things.  So FOR ME, generally speaking, looking through the Sunday ads would fit into the category of “worthless things.” 
          There are so many things out there that can stir up lusts in our hearts.  Romance novels can stir up lust for romance and a discontented spirit in our marriage, shopping can stir up lusts for things and overspending, gossip stirs up a desire to tell others what we know that they do not.
          What does your list of worthless things look like?  It differs for all of us. 
          Ask yourself the question, “does this activity add value to my life?  If so, what value does it add?” Isn’t it easy to just go through our day without intention?   We need to Think. Consider. Give thought. BE INTENTIONAL. CHOOSE WORTHY THINGS.

 

Be Blessed.
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 over 28 years.  She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all.  She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.  
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i http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worthless accessed 2.19.13

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
(2 Corinthians 2:14-15 NIV)

           Did you know that God could smell?  Genesis 8:21 tells us that He has the sense of smell.    God specifically designed us to be able to smell for a reason.  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? (1 Corinthians 12:17 KJV).
           Most of us can immediately sit back and think of both smells we have experienced that have been pleasant and those that we’d prefer to never smell again.  Let me just name a few…

Comforting/pleasant smells:
* dinner in the oven
* chocolate chip cookies in the oven
* freshly cut grass (unless you have allergies)
* spring flowers in bloom
* the fresh scent of the ocean
* your loved one’s perfume
* a clean baby out of the tub
* the morning dew or air after a peaceful rain

Could-do-without smells:
* trash on a hot summer day
* body odor
* dead animal
* rotten food
* refinery/plant burn off/pollution

           I have always found it interesting that God calls us a sweet fragrance. Just like the different smells we can experience, our lives can be both sweet fragrances to God, as well as foul odors.  Ecclesiastes 10:1 compares bad smells to folly. Our sins are compared with foul smells in Job 15, He sees the flaws in the very heavens themselves, so how much less we humans, smelly and foul, who lap up evil like water?
           God wants us to be pleasing smells which represent Him before the world.  In 2 Corinthians we are told that our fragrance as victorious Christians points others directly to Him.  Our fragrance when we are walking in Christ is pleasing to God; it reminds Him of Christ.  When He smells us – He smells His son.  You know what that is like, perfumes often remind us of others and bring either pleasant memories, or not so pleasant, depending of whom we are reminded.  That’s the same way we are to God… our lives can be both pleasing to God or can be as foul odors.  I don’t know about you… but I would like to be a pleasing fragrance.
           When God gets a whiff of your perfume… what does He smell?  Are you wearing Christ?  Can others smell Christ through you?  Paul himself knew what it was like to receive the sweet smell from others.   But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God (Philippians 4:18 KJV).
           Let us each daily give to God and others that sweet smell of Christ. 

Dr. Lynne Jahns

Writer for “Real Victory for Real Life” 
365 Devotional Thoughts in the Spirit of America’s Keswick
VOLUME 2
 To order a copy of “REAL VICTORY For REAL LIFE” 365 Devotional Thoughts in the Spirit of America’s Keswick, forwarded by Dr. Joseph Stowell visit  www.americaskeswick.org  and click on store. 

 

“But I do not account my life of any value, nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24

          This year our staff Scripture is Acts 20:24. Bill Welte has asked us each to memorize it and each week He asks “who has the verse” in our Staff chapel time.  As we left chapel one week, another staff member and I were discussing how, in so many ways, we DO count our life as precious to ourselves. 

1. Every time I get unrighteously angry, I am counting my life as precious to myself.

2. Every time I want to be heard, because my opinion matters and others need to hear it, I am counting my life as precious to myself.

3. Every time I put myself first, I am counting my life as precious to myself.

4. Every time I take the bigger piece of cake, I am counting my life as precious to myself. 

5. Every time I push myself to the front of the line, or finagle my way to get the last special toy at a Wal-Mart sale, or roll my eyes when the clerk is inept, I am counting my life as precious to myself.

6. Every time I get annoyed that traffic is moving too slow, wondering if they know I have places I have to be, I am counting my life as precious to myself.

7. Every time I refuse to compromise with others, I am counting my life as precious to myself. 

8. Every time I worry, complain, yell, ignore, gossip or… I am counting my life as precious to myself.

9. Every time I interrupt another, I am counting my life as precious to myself.

10. Every time I sin, choosing my way over God’s way, I am counting my life as precious to myself.

11. Every time I chose not to respond to the Spirit’s prompting to share the Gospel with another out of fear, I am counting my life as precious to myself. 

         Every word, every attitude, every action should be a testimony to the Gospel of the grace of God.  That will NOT happen as long as I count my life precious to myself. 

Blessings of Joy, 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 over 28 years.  She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all.  She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.  

 

          It seems every time I turn around, someone is talking about the sense of entitlement people have — youth, employees, students, etc.  I have to agree. In so many ways it seems our society is breeding individuals who believe and act as if the world owes them something. 

          Recently reading in 1 Peter 2, verse 24 smacked me right in the heart.  “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” It occurred to me that every time I choose my way over God’s way, every time I am selfish, or proud or unkind or do not keep my word, every time I sin, I am demonstrating a sense of entitlement. 
         Christ suffered and died on the cross bearing my sins that I might die to sin and live to righteousness. He made it possible. He did what was necessary that I might die to self and live to God.  When I sin, I am taking His death for granted and treating Him as if I deserved His sacrifice.  I was stunned, convicted. 

          It is easy to point fingers at others but God’s Word points fingers at me and often at the very same things I see in others.  How can anyone deny that the “word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

          Thank you Lord for your sacrifice on my behalf; may I never take it for granted. 

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 over 28 years.  She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all.  She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.