Spring has finally arrived and we are fast approaching the 2013 Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 11^th.  Last year the Lord brought in over $61,000 which absolutely stunned us.  We would like to invite you to be a part of what God does this year through the walk.  If you can join us that day, call today to register and start getting sponsors (732.350.1187). If you can’t walk with us, please consider being a sponsor.  All the net proceeds go to support the Addiction Recovery Ministries to help restore lives, marriages and families from the devastation of addiction. 

This year our staff is having a friendly competition between the men and the women so it would be great if all our Victory Call readers would sponsor the women’s team for $25.00 but even $5 or $10 will make a difference. This link will take you directly to our webpage if you would give on-line.   Family Freedom Walk Support  or if you prefer you may mail a check to America’s Keswick 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759 in either case please designate your gift to FFW: Women’s team.

Thank you so much for your support. We appreciate you. 

Blessings,

The Victory Call writers

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”  Romans 8:35

Shall tribulation separate me from the love of Christ?  NO
Shall distress separate me from the love of Christ?  NO

Shall persecution separate me from the love of Christ?  NO
Doesn’t it seem that social tolerance seems to mean tolerance for all beliefs except Christian?  Yet, if and when persecution comes, it does not, can not separate us from the love of Christ.

Shall famine separate me from the love of Christ?  NO
Shall nakedness separate me from the love of Christ?  NO
In America we, in large part, are so disconnected from personal famine and nakedness yet there are people in the United States, and I dare say in your community, who are hungry people. Yet, even famine and nakedness does not, cannot separate us from the love of Christ.

Shall danger separate me from the love of Christ?  NO
Shall sword separate me from the love of Christ?  NO

Lord, it is interesting that You had Paul write “WHO” shall separate me from the love of Christ, not “WHAT” shall separate me…

The answer to both questions is NOTHING/NO ONE can separate me from the love of Christ. 

When Jesus went to the cross – all our sins, all our choices, all our decisions, all our tribulations, all our distress, all our persecution, all our famine, all our nakedness, all our danger and all our swords were still future – yet Christ died for us. 

Nothing, absolutely nothing can rip you out of God’s love for you if you are His daughter.  Oh, what love!! 

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.

Spring has finally arrived and we are fast approaching the 2013 Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 11^th.  Last year the Lord brought in over $61,000 which absolutely stunned us.  We would like to invite you to be a part of what God does this year through the walk.  If you can join us that day, call today to register and start getting sponsors (732.350.1187). If you can’t walk with us, please consider being a sponsor.  All the net proceeds go to support the Addiction Recovery Ministries to help restore lives, marriages and families from the devastation of addiction. 

This year our staff is having a friendly competition between the men and the women so it would be great if all our Victory Call readers would sponsor the women’s team for $25.00 but even $5 or $10 will make a difference. This link will take you directly to our webpage if you would give on-line.   Family Freedom Walk Support  or if you prefer you may mail a check to America’s Keswick 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759 in either case please designate your gift to FFW: Women’s team.

Thank you so much for your support. We appreciate you. 

Blessings,

The Victory Call writers

…choose this day whom you will serve…  (Joshua 24:15 ESV)

       Billy Sunday, evangelist of yesteryear, wrote, “One reason sin flourishes is that it is treated like a cream puff, instead of a rattlesnake.”  Does not that statement still pertain today in the 21st century?
           What once was considered, in my childhood, a particular sin, is now to be enjoyed, even embraced.  And I’m thinking of the freedom of the homosexual community to practice – whatever!
           What once was considered a private sin is now considered a “cream puff” to be enjoyed.  And I’m thinking of sexual indulgence outside of one’s marriage, and of sexual indulgence if single.
           What once was considered a particularly egregious sin against a family member, a friend, a neighbor, is not now so considered.  And I’m thinking of the widely accepted practice of lying.
           Today everything is relative.  What may be true for you is not true for me.  What may be sin for me is not sin for you.  It depends on the circumstances.
           With God, however, there is no middle ground, no relativity regarding morals, no equivocating regarding sin.  Even Paul, God’s specially chosen messenger, struggled from time to time with making correct choices.  He wrote, I do not do the good things I want to do, but I do the bad things I do not want to do (Romans 7:19 NCV).  Can you identify?
           What a miserable man I am! (v. 24a) continued Paul, wondering how to get victory over this temptation to sin.  In the end, however, Paul realized the ability to gain victory came from outside himself, and he gratefully exclaimed, …thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57).
           The Holy Spirit, who resides within the Christian’s heart, gives divine help to overcome temptation to sin.  It is comforting, it is strengthening, to be able to acknowledge that the ever-present help we need is “closer than hands or feet.”  Again, thanks be to God!
           No two images are more disparate than that of a delicious cream puff and that of a dangerous rattlesnake.  Do not be caught in mistaking one for the other!  And you won’t, if you keep yourself close to the Lord, your sure Defense against making wrong choices.

Midge Ruth

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. 

 Now available on Kindle!

http://www.amazon.com/Real-Victory-Life-Volume-ebook/dp/B00BMJ9LRG/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1362515015&sr=8-1

 

Isaiah 43:1-2
But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are mine.”
          Jesus said of a good shepherd, “The sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.” Then he told the disciples, “I am the Good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine,” (John 10:3).
          What a precious thought! My Jesus knows me by my name. I’m not a number, not a symbol, not just one in a series. I belong to Him and He knows my name. What joy and what security! Indeed, this is my point of identity and the basis for my self-esteem. Ah, sweet fellowship for I am His and He is mine!
         Blessed Shepherd, the comfort of knowing that you know me by name is beyond all measure. When I feel insignificant and afraid, let me hear Your voice tenderly calling and find security in knowing that I am Yours and You are mine.
By Ann Shorb
(c)Copyright Ann Shorb, 2006

          In the Bible, God gave new names to a few people.  These new names marked the beginning of a new calling, or a promise God gave to that person.    II Corinthians 5:17 says, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, all things are become new.”    We don’t have to listen to our old names, rather live by the promise that God has given us a new name.  Maybe your new name is “beloved,” or “beautiful,” or “princess.”   Isaiah 62:2-3,  “you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.  You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.”

  Joyce Hayes
Artist-in-residence at America’s Keswick

          I live on a dirt road.  After the harsh winter we had, our road was filled with crater-sized potholes; you know, the kind you can lose the entire front end of your car in.  They were very large and easy to spot, so I got pretty good at avoiding those potholes, both in my car and while on foot running.
          The DPW finally got around to repairing our road.  The large potholes are gone (yay!), but in their place we now have a whole lot of stones, both small and not so small.
          Now in my car, these stones are no big deal.  But on foot, they have the potential to be a hazard if I’m not careful.  While the potholes were large and easy to spot and thus easy to avoid, the stones are smaller, not as easy to see, and I have to watch for them so I don’t end up stepping on one and twisting my ankle.
         Reminds me of our spiritual walk.  As the Lord sanctifies us, the “potholes”, the obvious sins, the traps of the enemy, those things we perhaps struggled with for a long time, become easier to spot up ahead.  And we wisely avoid them like the plague, leaving a wide berth as we navigate past them, so we are sure not to fall in.
          But then there are the “little stones”, the more “subtle” sins, those that are more difficult to spot.  Yet if we let them trip us up, they can be just as damaging.  They may be different for all of us.  Pride?  Self-righteousness? Self-centeredness?  Spiritual apathy or complacency?  Neglecting the fellowship of other believers?  Letting my quiet time slide? A lazy prayer life?  I could go on and on.  I know what the Holy Spirit is pricking my conscience about.  Will you allow Him to prick yours?  Not so He can condemn you, but so that, by His grace, He can prevent you from taking a spiritual fall.
         “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)
          Let’s continue to stay out of those big potholes, but don’t forget to watch out for the “little stones.”

Stacey Poplawski
WOC Graduate

Spring has finally arrived and we are fast approaching the 2013 Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 11^th.  Last year the Lord brought in over $61,000 which absolutely stunned us.  We would like to invite you to be a part of what God does this year through the walk.  If you can join us that day, call today to register and start getting sponsors (732.350.1187). If you can’t walk with us, please consider being a sponsor.  All the net proceeds go to support the Addiction Recovery Ministries to help restore lives, marriages and families from the devastation of addiction. 

This year our staff is having a friendly competition between the men and the women so it would be great if all our Victory Call readers would sponsor the women’s team for $25.00 but even $5 or $10 will make a difference. This link will take you directly to our webpage if you would give on-line.   Family Freedom Walk Support  or if you prefer you may mail a check to America’s Keswick 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759 in either case please designate your gift to FFW: Women’s team.

Thank you so much for your support. We appreciate you. 

Blessings,

The Victory Call writers

 

“Holy God, in love, became
Perfect Man to bear my blame
On the cross He took my sin
By His death I live again.”1

          Dear sisters, what more needs to be said?  The above song, titled “The Gospel Song”, says it well. A holy God loved us so much that He came to earth to bear the blame, our blame; to bear the just penalty that our sin deserves. He died in our place in the worst possible way – The Cross. By His atoning death we live in eternity with Him. Halleluiah!!

“He paid a debt He did not owe;
I owed a debt I could not pay;
I needed someone to wash my sins away.
And, now, I sing a brand new song,
“Amazing Grace.”
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.”2

          If we are in Christ, the Gospel is the reason for our very being and existence. If we are daughters of The Most High, the Gospel informs every thought, every deed, every desire, etc. There is nothing that is part of our existence that isn’t impacted by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

          There is no other Gospel. There is no other truth which will ever supersede  the Gospel. There is nothing else past, present or future sufficient to save us to the uttermost. No truth that justifies, sanctifies, and will one day glorify. No truth apart from the Gospel that transforms and regenerates from the inside out.

          So, let me ask you:
How is that Gospel keeping you today?
Do you know that you know that you know that you know that there is no power on earth that will ever minimize or change the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Nothing, no nothing can or will ever be able to separate us from the love of God wrapped up in the Gospel! Selah. Selah.

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV)3

 Stephanie Paul

 Stephanie Paul serves as part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Director of Women’s Addiction Ministry. She has been married for almost 30 years to Sesky Paul who is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy. Stephanie serves alongside him as Care Group leaders in their church. 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.justsomelyrics.com/406297/sovereign-grace-music-the-gospel-song-lyrics.html
2 http://www.touchjesussongs.net/lyricspage15.html
3 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%208:38-39&version=NKJV

Spring has finally arrived and we are fast approaching the 2013 Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 11^th.  Last year the Lord brought in over $61,000 which absolutely stunned us.  We would like to invite you to be a part of what God does this year through the walk.  If you can join us that day, call today to register and start getting sponsors (732.350.1187). If you can’t walk with us, please consider being a sponsor.  All the net proceeds go to support the Addiction Recovery Ministries to help restore lives, marriages and families from the devastation of addiction. 

This year our staff is having a friendly competition between the men and the women so it would be great if all our Victory Call readers would sponsor the women’s team for $25.00 but even $5 or $10 will make a difference. This link will take you directly to our webpage if you would give on-line.   Family Freedom Walk Support  or if you prefer you may mail a check to America’s Keswick 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759 in either case please designate your gift to FFW: Women’s team.

Thank you so much for your support. We appreciate you. 

Blessings,

The Victory Call writers

          Much thought is given to choosing a name for your child.  Sometimes it is because of the meaning of the name, or to honor someone by carrying on their namesake, or maybe you just like the way it rolls off your tongue.   There are the names we are given at birth, and the names we acquire along the way.
          My brother-in-law told the story that when he was a kid, he called helicopters “hopperdoppers.”  He became known to the well-meaning church people as “hopperdopper” Hayes.  He was called that long after he outgrew calling helicopters “hopperdoppers.”  However, to his great annoyance, if he goes back to his hometown, someone will inevitably call him by that name. 
          Names that we are called in elementary school stay with us for life.    When I was a little girl, I was given the name “chatterbox”.  (Don’t laugh!)  Some of our names are good: “talented,” or “friendly,” and some are hurtful and painful names like “Failure,” “Cheater,”  “Heavy,” (I personally prefer this to “Fat.”)  Some names we give ourselves, and only we ourselves know, and some we are labeled by others.   Those names hold us back from what God wants us to be.   
          One of my favorite praise choruses is “He knows my name.”   When I listen to those words in this context, it brings new meaning to me.  He knows the hurts I have because of the labels I have been given, and the names I have earned for myself from my failures.   
          In the Bible, God gave new names to a few people.  These new names marked the beginning of a new calling, or a promise God gave to that person.    II Corinthians 5:17 says, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, all things are become new.”   We don’t have to listen to our old names, rather live by the promise that God has given us a new name.      

           Maybe your new name is “beloved,” or “beautiful,” or “princess”.  Isaiah 62:2-3,  “you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow.  You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.” 
            “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” Revelation 2:17

A white stone – In Bible times, white stones were used in the judicial system.  Jurors cast a white stone in order to symbolize freedom from accusation, absolution of guilt, while a dark stone was used to symbolize condemnation, blame, and rejection.    We use the term “blackball” today which carries the meaning to “boycott” to “ostracize” or to vote against, to exclude socially. 
Revelation 2:27  “To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna.  I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.”

Joyce Hayes
Artist-in-residence at America’s Keswick

 

Spring has finally arrived and we are fast approaching the 2013 Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 11^th.  Last year the Lord brought in over $61,000 which absolutely stunned us.  We would like to invite you to be a part of what God does this year through the walk.  If you can join us that day, call today to register and start getting sponsors (732.350.1187). If you can’t walk with us, please consider being a sponsor.  All the net proceeds go to support the Addiction Recovery Ministries to help restore lives, marriages and families from the devastation of addiction. 

This year our staff is having a friendly competition between the men and the women so it would be great if all our Victory Call readers would sponsor the women’s team for $25.00 but even $5 or $10 will make a difference. This link will take you directly to our webpage if you would give on-line.   Family Freedom Walk Support  or if you prefer you may mail a check to America’s Keswick 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759 in either case please designate your gift to FFW: Women’s team.

Thank you so much for your support. We appreciate you. 

Blessings,

The Victory Call writers

 

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled. (Hebrews 12:14-15)

           I was visiting a friend recently and admiring the garden and landscape work she and her husband had done in front of their home.  She pointed out to me a tree that has yet to be removed, and what a bother the roots from it have been as they’ve tried to put in new plants.  It reminded me of a bush I dug out of my yard back in the early summer.  It was constantly sending out shoots that I was pulling up to keep them from spreading through the whole yard.  It wasn’t a particularly pretty bush, or anything special, so I finally cut it down, dug it up and threw it away.
           But the funny thing is, everytime I go out and wander in the yard, I still find shoots from that bush that need to be pulled out.  There are roots under the ground that keep trying to start a new bush.
           As I was telling my friend about this, it reminded me of the verse about not letting any root of bitterness take hold in our lives.  It is so easy to let those little thoughts of hurt and resentment take root, and before long, you’ve got little shoots of bitterness springing up all over the place.  And if we don’t keep up with the weed pulling, before long there’s a full-grown plant that has taken over – springing up to cause trouble.
           Pursuing peace with all people is not an easy task.  People will disappoint us.  Let’s face it.  We all fall short of the grace of God, and need a daily, fresh supply to keep our hearts soft, and make those roots easy to pull out.  I’m going to use my gardening time as an opportunity for the Lord to keep my heart free of the weeds and roots of bitterness.  How about you?  Need to do some gardening?

Ruth Schmidt

Full-time staff at America’s Keswick, and grateful to be a daughter of the King.

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. 

Now available on Kindle!

http://www.amazon.com/Real-Victory-Life-Volume-ebook/dp/B00BMJ9LRG/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1362515015&sr=8-1

          Paul, in the book of Romans, over and over reminds us that we were once slaves of sin – but now as God’s redeemed children we are slaves of God – slaves of righteousness.  I would venture to guess that none of us relish the idea of being a slave, period.
          I don’t have a historical bone in my body but if my memory serves me right slaves in the pre-civil war era were property, owned by the slave owner to be used for his own purposes. 
          By all appearances a slave did what he or she was told and because they valued their life and the lives of their family, they dared not offer an opinion or an alternative viewpoint or a better way to do something. They didn’t debate in their minds whether what was being asked of them made sense or if they should or should not do it. They were slaves, not co-workers. 
           When I consider what Paul says about my slave-status before God –
Romans 6:16 – “…slaves of one whom you obey, either of sin which leads to death or obedience which leads to righteousness”
Romans 6:17-18 “…you who were once slaves of sin…have become slaves of righteousness”
Romans 6:19 “…present your members as slaves of righteousness”
Romans 6:22 “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God…”
          Slaves of God – ransomed, redeemed, and bought at a price – I am HIS.  I have been rescued from the auction block. The beauty of this slavery is that we were ransomed in love, purchased at an infinite price and our Owner is working all things together for OUR good and HIS glory.  This relationship is a blessing to ME.  I am NOT God’s co-worker or employee.  It is not majority rule or a democratic relationship.  I have the BLESSING of being a slave of righteousness, a slave of the ONE true LOVING God. 
          Lord, teach me today to follow and obey without delay, without reservation, without concern, for I know You desire to bless and keep me through it.  Thank you for being longsuffering with 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 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.  

 

          Have you ever stood in your closet staring at the selection of clothes thinking, “I don’t have a thing to wear?” 
          Next time that thought runs through your mind consider your biblical wardrobe. 
          …put on the armor of light….put on the Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 13:12, 14
          For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:53
          For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:27
          …put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:24 
          Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:11
          …put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Colossians 3:10
          Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,  bearing with one another… And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:12-13, 14
          Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another… 1 Peter 5:5
          What could be more beautiful than a woman adorned with the character and grace of Jesus Christ? 

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.

Spring has finally arrived and we are fast approaching the 2013 Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 11^th.  Last year the Lord brought in over $61,000 which absolutely stunned us.  We would like to invite you to be a part of what God does this year through the walk.  If you can join us that day, call today to register and start getting sponsors (732.350.1187). If you can’t walk with us, please consider being a sponsor.  All the net proceeds go to support the Addiction Recovery Ministries to help restore lives, marriages and families from the devastation of addiction. 

This year our staff is having a friendly competition between the men and the women so it would be great if all our Victory Call readers would sponsor the women’s team for $25.00 but even $5 or $10 will make a difference. This link will take you directly to our webpage if you would give on-line.   Family Freedom Walk Support  or if you prefer you may mail a check to America’s Keswick 601 Route 530 Whiting, NJ 08759 in either case please designate your gift to FFW: Women’s team.

Thank you so much for your support. We appreciate you. 

Blessings,

The Victory Call writers

          I am sure you want to stand on your faith in the God you serve, the Savior of your soul.  You studied about the full armor of God (Eph. 6) and you are ready to hold up your shield of faith.

          Of course just as you get your feet to the ground, shield in hand, it seems Satan unleashes one overwhelming attack.  For example, you may have made a decision to trust God with your financial future.  You simply will not worry about what you will eat, what you will wear or keeping a roof over your head.  You are going to have faith that God is your provider and you will put your trust in Him  (Gen 22:14; Phil 4:19).  Then POW……a huge unexpected bill comes in the mail, your husband loses his job, or you get seriously ill and are out of work.  These attacks can be an incredible test of the faith you have decided to stand on.    Satan wants us to turn back.  Instead I want to encourage you to review what the apostle Paul advised, “Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Eph. 6:16).

          Our family recently went through a test of faith.  I made a decision a few weeks ago to accept an invitation to be a speaker at a ladies retreat.  The ladies invited me to seek God for the topic.  I have been doing just that and I believe the Lord has given me the topic – FAITH.  I will spare you all the details, but our almost 2-year-old granddaughter ended up in the hospital for two days with a VERY serious allergic reaction to something. With eyes swollen shut, and her mouth so swollen it cut her lip, her Mom and Dad brought her to the ER.  She was on intravenous steroids and Benadryl.  I could not go and see her because I was sick.  I prayed, lifted my shield of faith and although I was grateful she was alive and her air passages were not blocked, she was, it seemed, a long way from coming home.  I couldn’t sleep; I was a mess if you know what I mean.  Dear ones, not unlike the Roman soldiers of the time Paul wrote the passage, I needed the assistance of my fellow soldiers.  A Roman soldier did not go to war alone.  He went with his fellow trained warriors.  They locked their shield of faith together and formed an impenetrable force against the enemy.  By the grace of God, I am aligned with a network of mighty trained intercessors.  I called for help.  We locked our shields of faith and the flaming arrows of the enemy were extinguished.  Why? Because, dear one, the Word of God is true.  Charlotte came home that night and although as of this writing she is not 100%, she is making very good progress.

          If you have time you will benefit your walk in this world we live in by studying about the Roman battle shield Paul used as a picture of faith.  The shield is a picture of a perfect sacrifice (leather made from animal skin) stretched out and nailed to a wooden frame.  Its purpose was to take upon itself all of the arrows intended for the soldier.  Dear one, Jesus is the one we put our faith in.  He is that perfect sacrifice who was stretch out and nailed to a wooden cross.  He continues to take the arrows intended for His soldiers.  He is our faith.  He is our shield.  Praise His Holy Name!!

          When the test comes….activate your shield.  Without faith, without Jesus, we cannot experience deliverance, restoration or anything else He has for us!!  When we have faith, our shield is activated and we experience the protection Jesus has purchased for us  (Psalm 3:3; 28:7).

Blessings,
Patricia Wenzel
WOC Graduate

Some information about taken from Restoring Your Shield of Faith by Chuck Pierce and Robert Heidler.  You are encouraged to read the book for further study and encouragement.