We are always taking counsel from somewhere.  Who are you listening to? i

I did a quick search through the Bible and found a variety of “counselors” 

…counsel that the old men gave him…according to the counsel of the young men…he took counsel with his servants…he had taken counsel with his people…I took counsel with myself…counsel of the wicked…the rulers counsel together…ii

We take counsel from a wide variety of sources. Some good, some not so good;  a careless comment made by an acquaintance, a wise word from a godly friend, a message on the radio or from the pulpit on Sunday morning, a book or newspaper article, a billboard or an email.  If we are not discerning we will take in bad, ungodly counsel.   Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked…

I appreciate the verse in Nehemiah about taking counsel with myself (5:7).  We all do that don’t we?  We listen to ourselves but it is very dangerous unless we filter our thoughts through the grid of Truth.  We can spend a lot of time thinking thoughts that are not God’s thoughts and that never ends in a good place.  Have you been there?

I am a counselor, a trained Biblical Counselor, so what I am about to say is not a hit on Counselors.  I believe seeking counsel to converse with someone about the Lord and His Word and how it bears on life circumstances can be a blessing and a benefit.  This is NOT advice to not seek godly counsel.  There no longer is a stigma about going for counseling. 

That being said, there is ONE WHO counsels perfectly every time.  The LORD Himself is our Counselor. “…his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor” Isaiah 9:6.

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me… I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you… The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations… You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory…With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding…Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. This also comes from the Lord of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.iii

Looking for answers to life’s questions and difficulties, seek the counsel of God.

Blessings, Diane

i Dr. David Powilson – CCEF, Biblical Counseling Training Course
ii 1 Kings 12:8; 1 Kings 12:14; 2 Kings 6:8; 2 Chronicles 20:21; Nehemiah 5:7; Psalm 1:1; Psalm 2:2
iii Psalm 16:7; Psalm 32:8; Psalm 33:11; Psalm 73:24; Job 12:13; Psalm 119:24; Is 28:29

But you, O LORD, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.  I cried out to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy mountain.  I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the LORD was watching over me.  (Psalm 3:3-5  NLT)

      Do you remember being told when you were young to keep your head up and don’t let your shoulders sag?  I am often reminded of that, and understand why it is so important as it reflects our countenance, and how we feel about ourselves and our surroundings.

       I was walking my dog one day as I usually did, along the bottom of the lower lake at Keswick between my house and the dam.  I usually enjoy looking at the water on the lake and the colors on the trees, or whatever flower is blooming wild along the shore.  Maybe sensing a new fragrance in the air and discovering a new flower I haven’t seen before and taking the few moments to enjoy creation.  Even keeping my eye out for the snake in a tree that my friend Sue Mahoney told me she saw there one day. 

      One day, I was particularly burdened about something and my eyes were on the ground, at my feet, and I wasn’t noticing anything, just going through the motions of putting one foot in front of the other.  Feeling very low, my shoulders were sagging.  I remembered a verse I had read in Psalms that morning. You are the one who holds my head high.  I felt dejected and run down, not able to hold up my head.  I realized I didn’t have to operate on my own power; my head raised and I looked around at a beautiful sunshine-filled day.  I felt God saying to me, “hold up your head, I love you.”  The view of my surroundings was much better when I looked up,  I didn’t just see dead pine needles dropped from the trees on sand in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, but rather, evidence of life.  I started to feel life creep back into me. 

       My perspective had changed. Peace reigned in me where turmoil had only moments before.

       As you go through your day today, remember to keep looking up!  And if you have trouble doing it, ask the Lord; He specializes in lifting heads! 

 Keep Looking UP! 

Joyce HayesArtist-in-residence at America’s KeswickWriter 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

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. (John 7:37-39)

Every once in a while the words “just quit” flash across my mind. It could be for any number of reasons, having nothing to do with any really significant event – it’s sort of a “just cuz” sort of thing. I’ll be “feeling” a particular way and the words “just quit” will come rolling across the landscape of my brain.

If, If, I do not take those thoughts captive I most certainly wind up way off track and wandering down the corridors of my brain where nobody ought to venture without their armor firmly in place. Smile.

Anyway, a few months back I came across a poem titled, “Don’t Quit” which was a huge encouragement to this old soul of mine.
Dear ones, do you ever feel this way? Do you ever feel tempted to JUST QUIT? My hope today is that you will be encouraged to stay the course and resist any desire to throw in the towel. God is up to something and in Him, with Him, through the power of His strength, it is possible to stay the course, to finish, to not quit.

The Don’t Quit presentation is based on a famous poem which was written many years ago. The author of this poem is unknown.  Here is the poem in its entirety:

“When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow–
You may succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor’s cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out–
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit–
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.
– Author unknown

“O fountain of Christ, satisfy my thirsty friends reading these words. Flow into their souls through the Bible and soul friendships. Overflow from them to the people around them who also are thirsty. Yes, Lord, your Spirit is the river of delights that we long for! Amen. 1

Stephanie

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.soulshepherding.org/category/devotional-stories/

     I heard someone say the other day that when God takes something such as a loved one, that He always gives something better in its place. Then the person went on to quote Romans 8:28 as proof that what she said was true.

     Rom 8:28   And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose (emphasis mine).
 
     I have checked all of the major translations of that verse, and I have not seen one yet that exchanged better for good.

     Don’t get me wrong. I know from personal experience that God definitely works seeming tragedy into GOOD  for us and for all concerned.

     Most of you know that my husband and I have buried three of our four sons. Would I say that God allowed my children to die but gave me something BETTER?  NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. But did God work their deaths for GOOD?  YES, ABSOLUTELY!!! Actually, as I look over the past thirty/forty-eight years, I believe God used me to bring comfort and compassion to others because He allowed me to appear on the platform and speak to probably many thousands of people, some were grieving and some simply needed to hear God speak to them in a very personal way. I will say it again…GOD USED ME!!!And He allowed me to write seven books when I never dreamed I could even begin to write one, let alone seven! Even after being in continuous print for 24 years, I still receive two to three notes per week telling me how God continues to use and bless grieving people through Roses In December. I can definitely say that God has worked GOOD into my life, but BETTER??? I don’t think so.

     I know God makes no mistakes and He will never do anything to cause me harm.

     Jer 29:11  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

      I also have learned to take God’s Word literally, but we also must scrutinize our interpretations of His Word.

     Wouldn’t it be nice if we could always count on God giving us something BETTER when He allowed something GOOD to be taken away? Let’s read that verse again,

     Rom 8:28   And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose (emphasis mine).

Marilyn Willett Heavilin Is a wife and mother; author & international conference speaker

Author of
Roses In December,
December’s Song
Becoming A Woman of Honor,
Profound Common Sense
When Your Dreams Die,
Grief Is A Family Affair,
I’m Listening, Lord

Yesterday’s Victory Call was posted late – if you missed it go to www.americaskeswick.org/victorycall to view it.

Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. Psalm 119:18

Recently I was memorizing Psalm 119:18 in the ESV which is different than how I first memorized it in the NIV – “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” At first glance the differences seemed minor but the more I meditated on the ESV phrasing the truth gripped me at a deeper level. 

First the difference between seeing and beholding.  You cannot behold something without seeing it but you can surely see something without beholding it.  The definitions of both words allow for deeper understanding but in the general use of the word “see”, I believe most of us to consider seeing as something we do with our eyes.  “to perceive or detect as by sight”i But to “behold” something has a deeper, richer sense beyond simply seeing something.  To behold: “to gaze upon”ii   Would you agree there is a subtle difference between seeing the stars and gazing at the stars?  I suggest there is a similar difference between seeing things in God’s Word and beholding things in God’s Word. 

Behold wondrous things…there is a component of mystery and miraculous to those things wondrous.  To behold wondrous things does not necessarily mean I will understand the mystery but perhaps that I will appreciate it and be awed by things in His Word. 

Out of your law… when I first read this, it seemed like awkward phrasing.  KJV and ESV say “out of your (thy) law.” The NIV version says “see wonderful things in your law.”  NASB and NKJV say “from Your law.”  “That I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”  Perhaps the difference is oh, so subtle, but to see things in God’s law sounds like we see them and leave them on the page, feeling good but not changed.  But to behold wondrous things OUT of the law sounds more proactive in that we not only behold the wondrous things but they leave the pages of Scripture and settle into our hearts and minds, changing us for His glory. 

I would like to start each of my devotional times with this verse as a prayer to God that my time in His Word would reveal more of Him to me and that it would change me to be more like Him.  I trust it would be your prayer as well.

Blessings, Diane

i http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/see accessed 1.28.13ii http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behold accessed 1.28.13

The first Thursday in February every year marks the date of the annual National Prayer Breakfast.  Please do not confuse this with The National Day of Prayer, which is held the first Thursday in May.  They are VERY different!!

The National Prayer Breakfast was started under the Eisenhower administration.  You may not realize this but there were and still are representatives in DC who meet for prayer and the study of Jesus weekly.  Once a year they host the breakfast and invite leaders from all over the world to come together.  Those leaders come knowing they will hear about Jesus.  This year about 160 nations were represented.  President and Mrs. Obama, countless representatives from our nation and over 3,000 people from around the globe were in attendance.

This year the keynote speaker at the breakfast was Dr. Benjamin Carson, a world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital.  Dr. Carson made it clear that his model in life is Jesus Christ. 

Dr. Carson put forth many challenges to our representatives and those in attendance.  It seemed clear that those challenges flowed from a concern for the spirituality and well-being of our nation.  I would like to share just one of those challenges with you today.

Dr. Carson warned that one of the attacks on the spirituality of our nation is politically correct (PC) speech.  “Today people are afraid to say anything because of the PC police.  We need to speak up what we believe and concentrate on being respectful to each other.”  He continued, “PC speech is dangerous.  It muffles our freedom of expression while the fabric of our society is changing.”

So many of us have bought the lie that we must never say anything that would offend.  In our fear of offending we fall into a place of disrespecting or, even worse, denying our God.  In our fear of being ridiculed or labeled “intolerant,” we stay silent.   We might try to justify such behavior by thinking of Titus 3:2 “…to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men” (NAS).  However least we forget:
Ps. 34:13 – “Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit” (NAS).

By our silence we give others the sense that we agree with a statement therefore allowing others to believe a lie. On the other hand Ps. 37:30 – “The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, And his tongue speaks justice” (NAS).  If we open our mouths after asking Holy Spirit to fill it with wisdom, we will speak for justice and create an opportunity for truth and justice to have its way.  We must remember Ecc. 3: 7 b – There is “A time to be silent, and a time to speak” (NAS).

Dear one, let us not stand silent while the world continues to embrace the lies that lead to a spiritually dead nation.  Let’s go off the fence and arise, shine, and let the light of TRUTH to be spoken in love.  Yes, speak the truth in love, not in arrogance, surely not in ugly pride or self-righteousness.   It seems clear that the Word promises in Eph. 4:15 that if we speak the truth in love we will actually grow up to be more of a reflection of the God we serve…”but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ…” (NKJ).  Now that is going to bear good God-glorifying results!! 

Let’s go for it!!

Blessings,
Patricia Wenzel
WOC Graduate

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
(Romans 11:36)

 The Word of God is very clear, again and again, about the sovereign power of God over all things. We as human beings are totally infected with the sin we have inherited as Adam’s descendants. Satan’s deception was to tell Eve she would be wise, like God, discerning between good and evil, if she ate from the tree. She was deceived and she ate. Adam joined her, and now the entire human race is deceived. We actually think we are wise enough to make “good” decisions.  We generally believe that we, like God, can discern between good and evil and have some power apart from Him. We even believe we have the potential power to change the course of history through our “wise” decisions or our abundant prayers! And we tend to believe we have the right to have our opinions about what God seems to be doing in the realm of world events or in our own personal life.
 The second psalm depicts the ultimate display of man’s egocentric thinking. The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the LORD and against His anointed one. “Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.” But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The LORD scoffs at them (Psalm 2:2-4 NLT).
 Perhaps we need to examine our own belief system in light of biblical truth. The Apostle Paul tells us that all things are of Him; all things are through Him; all things are to Him, for His glory.  Again Paul tells us that God worketh all things after the counsel of His own will (Ephesians 1:11b KJV, emphasis mine).  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things… (Ephesians 1:22 KJV, ephasis mine).
 Our peace and our joy are in direct proportion to our Spirit-given ability to grasp the Lord’s sovereign power and to rest in that reality. If we, for a moment, get trapped in the natural man’s way of thinking, we will not fully trust God. We will not walk by faith if we have any confidence in our own power to choose wisely or to have wisdom about the nature of God. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise… That no flesh should glory in His presence (1 Corinthians 1:27a, 29 KJV).
 We have been called to trust the character of God. “God is love” (I John 4:7). And, He is sovereign over all things. Thus, all that unfolds in our lives is flowing to us from His heart of love.

Oh, Lord, give us grace to release our wonderings and our reasonings and trust Your heart of love in our daily lives.

Glenna Salsbury
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 in Kindle:

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I was recently reading about one of the old saints of the church. In the article the author penned the following: …”he was a very poor and little man (just 4’11” who became a spiritual giant…he had an insatiable longing for Jesus, His Bridegroom and the Lover of his soul…his life was devoted to prayer and serving God. His disciplines of fasting, solitude, poverty…opened up a spacious place in his soul to contemplate the beauty and the goodness of God…he showed people how to turn away from the mindless chatter and feverish activity…and instead to contemplate God in the heart.”1

Before I go on I have to pause and let you know that this man lived in the 16th century in Spain. It’s impossible for me to imagine the “mindless chatter and feverish activity” of that century (except for what I might observe in the occasional period movie) but I’m all too keenly aware of the noise and constant activity of this current day.

The writer continues:
“…the religious leaders were threatened by his intimacy with Jesus. They commanded him to stop…and they persecuted him. He refused so they flogged…imprisoned him in a dark 6 X 10′ room. They fed him nothing but bread and water. Still he would not renounce his way of passionately seeking Jesus…his dark closet lasted for nine dark months.”

Dear sisters, there’s more to read on this man of old. If you want to read further, follow the link below. But if the meantime let’s fast forward to today. Right where you are, pause and consider the following questions:

What would you do?
Do you have place within and without to which you retreat from the noise of our days?

“He had no pen or paper so he memorized the prayers of his heart.”

What are the prayers of your heart?
What are the words that you cry out to God in your moments of desperation?

When he finally escaped he shared the poems memorized of his heart with the people who sought spiritual direction from him. Over 400 years later people are still reading his poems…learning from him how to pray from the depths of their heart and to love and worship God even in their Dark Nights of the Soul.”2

In the Book of Psalms, David, whom God called, “a man after my own heart”, spoke from the depths of his heart, “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression? Do not hide Your face from Your servant: answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.” ~(Psalm 13:1, 27:9, 44:24, 69:17 NIV)

My encouragement to you today:
First and foremost let Scripture speak to you today.
For me, Psalms have long been a place of refuge.  In other moments of stress and soul anguish the Lord gives a song to my heart and lips to sing for His delight, reminding me that whatever state I am in He is a refuge, a very near and present help.

So dear ones, whatever state you may be in, pause and pen (or say) your heart’s own psalm and may they become for you a way to comfort and care for your own soul.

Stepanie 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 soulshepherding.org 
2 http://www.ccel.org/ccel/john_cross/dark_night.pdf

 “Jesus said he came to set the captives free. He came to liberate us from bondage. This explains why God is so passionate about smashing our idols. So what are you trusting in, other than Jesus, to gain acceptance or approval, to experience security and significance, to find meaning and purpose, to discover identity and direction?

I know you understand that this idolatry we’re desperately endangered by isn’t merely bowing down to some engraved wooden or stone statue, like in ancient times, or in some back jungle heathen culture. And yet the biblical bottom line concerning that very form of false-god worship is the same as for our own sophisticated, twenty-first-century idolatry.

Here’s the bottom line: God announces to all such idols. “Behold, you are nothing, and your work is less than nothing” (Isa.41:24). He declares this about idols: “Behold, they are all a delusion” (41:29). They “do not profit” (44:9).” 

Jesus+Nothing=Everything  by Tullian Tchividjian, page41&42

As I read these words I saw two idols that seem to rear their ugly heads in my heart. .. Acceptance and approval.  As I recognize the idols in my heart I need to answer honestly this question from Paul Tripp:
“How is your present disappointment, discouragement, or grief a window on what has actually captured your heart?” 

Tullian continues, ” ….your pain right now could be God prying open your life and heart in order to remove a gift of his that you’ve been holding onto more dearly than him”.

God has gifted me over the years with a loving husband, two kids, extended family and some really great friends. It is easy to let these human relationships take place of the ONE relationship I need. Sometimes we do need “Jesus with skin on”, but sometimes they become more than they were meant to be. So, when “Jesus with skin on” hurts me, leaves me, does me wrong…then what?

Idols of our own making never benefit us. It is a challenge but we need to keep our relationships in perspective and we need to make sure that only one relationship has it’s rightful place in our hearts! Since we find our approval and acceptance in many of our relationships it will serve us well to find and know our identity, acceptance and approval come from Jesus. So, maybe He needs to smash some idols?

Blessings,
Kathy

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.

Did you know that out of hundreds of paintings, Vincent Van Gogh only sold one while he was alive? Only one. If only one had ever been sold it would all have been worth it, the hard work, joy, sweat and, I’m sure, tears at times. If he only knew how many were sold and at what cost. But I bet he’d say it was worth it, if only for the one…

We really don’t know the exact number of people who’ve been saved because of the ministry of America’s Keswick but thousands have been ministered to. It’s hard work, a labor of love. Yet there are days that try the best of saints. But even the least of us saints would have to say, I for certain do say, it was worth it, if only for the one…

A missionary my church supports in Italy gave a message recently. He and his wife have served in Naples for many years and are preparing to retire. He spoke of this one painting sold by Van Gogh. It was a very good analogy to the experience of missionary work. More great cost, hard work, sweat and tears. Naples, Italy may sound like a dreamy destination but in reality it’s a tough neighborhood. Life hasn’t been easy for them there but it has been worth it, if only for the one…

After the service my Pastor, who’s also preparing to retire, came over to me and I greeted him the same way I always do, with a question, “How’s my favorite pastor?” He gave me a hug and what he said next really touched my heart. “You know, Dina, as soon as he said those words ‘If only for the one’, I immediately thought of you.” Twelve years ago, I was the one Pastor led to the Lord.
The name of the painting Van Gogh sold was Red Vineyard. I have purchased a reproduction for my favorite Pastor and will give it to him for his retirement.

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for what You did for all. You’d have done it if only for the one…

For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Romans 6:10 NKJV

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