These words are never truer than when they are cried out to God. Unfortunately, they are far too scarcely used. “I can’t do this, Lord; I can’t do this without You” is a cry of vulnerability, a cry of dependant acknowledgment, a cry of gut-wrenching faith – and music to the heart of God.

From the time we are born we are being trained by our culture to be independent. Unfortunately, it is contrary to God’s training of dependence.

Let’s face it, none of us like the feeling of vulnerability. None of us like having to rely on another person for anything. None of us like to admit we can’t do something ourselves. None of us like to be dependent.  We fight against getting to the very place of knowing and feeling –
“I can’t do this alone.” 

Admittedly there are those occasions when we are so utterly overwhelmed that our only thought with every breath is…”I can’t do this.” In those times it is “easier” (though now automatic) to go the next step to cry out in faith.  “I need you, Jesus.”  When we are hurting and suffering, it is natural to cry out for help in our weakness. 

What about those times when we are feeling quite confident, like when we are functioning in our area of strength and we don’t give a second thought to needing help – because we believe “I can do this.” 

Isn’t it true that we tend to be drawn to and accept the tasks and assignments that we are confident we can handle?

Yet, isn’t it also true that even then, in our strength,  the cry of our hearts needs to be, ” I need You, Jesus, I can’t do this in Your strength for Your glory without You.” 

God doesn’t want us to walk in His strength only in our weakness but also in our strength, that He may be lifted up and glorified in ALL we do. 

….for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.   1 Corinthians 10:31

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the ministry team at America’s Keswick.  She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study.  Diane has been married to her husband John over 27 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.  

 

Romans 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

I am dead to the sin of anxiety and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of gossip and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of laziness and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of gluttony and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of lust and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of covetousness and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of worry and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of anger and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of resentment and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of fear and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of self-centeredness and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of bitterness and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of materialism and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of fearing man and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of contentiousness and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of discontent and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
I am dead to the sin of _____________ and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

May these words remind you today that you are ALIVE TO GOD IN CHRIST JESUS no longer under the power of sin – whatever that looks like in your life.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the ministry team at America’s Keswick.  She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study.  Diane has been married to her husband John over 27 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.  

 

Today in the process of cleaning out my computer files and I came across an email someone sent to me on May 18th, 2006, titled, “The Whale”.  It was sent 14 days prior to my husband and I receiving a phone call informing us that our one and only daughter’s life was hanging by a thread.  Overnight my husband, our son, and I went from doing life in Toms River, New Jersey, to watching her struggle for life in San Francisco, California. 

As I reread the story of “The Whale” I couldn’t help but think about…”our story”.

“A female humpback whale had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines.  She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, and a line tugging in her mouth.A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farralone Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her …a very dangerous proposition.  One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer. They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her.” -source unknown

While my daughter was in intensive care she needed serious rescuing as well.  It took teams of doctors, a new liver, and an assortment of different life-sustaining machines to untangle the very precarious position she was in.  Like the whale she was wrapped in hundreds of yards of lines, wires, tubes and hoses.  The only difference is that hers were keeping her alive!  Machines were working hard to breathe, feed and physically function for her until the body – with its new liver – could do what it was designed to do, on its own. 

In the whale story, a fisherman radioed for help and a rescue team arrived.  In “our story” I told one person and rescue teams showed up, not only in California with us (in the form of all the doctors, nurses, technicians, etc.), but all over the place, from New Jersey to England.  Our rescue team was everywhere!  Hundreds of brothers and sisters in Christ…even the unconverted to Christ, were praying for her, for us, to be delivered. 

They endured until, one line after the other she was freed from all those machines and once again breathing, walking, eating, thinking, speaking without any mechanical assistance.  Her physical healing came!

Our rescuers prayed until something happened!

Just like the whale, much is not known concerning the “why” of my dear one’s entanglement.  In fact, whenever I watch TV news stories like the one mentioned above, I am always stunned by the seeming senselessness of the whale, to get itself into so much trouble. 

Have you ever thought about it?  We are, all of us, one decision away from victory or defeat; entanglement or freedom; sinking or swimming…

The list could go on and on, but you get my point.  We need each other!  We need rescuing! 

Consider those whom we know who, like the whale, are weighted down by life traps and may need us to come to their rescue.  Let’s wear out the carpet beside our beds with travailing prayer and go to God for them with all our heart, soul, mind and strength!  Let it be said of us that we were not afraid to pray, that we were available at a moment’s notice to come to the rescue.

I could probably write a book detailing how prayer preceded incident after marvelous incident in the saving of my daughter’s, oh-so-young life.  But the story is not yet mine to tell. 

Our faithful Lord continues to write her story, just as He patiently and painstakingly writes each of ours – day in and day out.  His Story is written on our hearts and read by all those we are visible to.  He does this as we seek to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

“Therefore my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:12-13

Stephanie Paul

Stephanie Paul, wife and mother of two grown children. An “instrument of change” in the Redeemer’s Hand, in the lives of wounded and hurting women. Currently serving as a part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Woman of Character Program Director.

 

How long do I have to be good? How long do I have to listen? How long before I can get what I want? How long…….

Do you remember your children asking these questions? Or perhaps you remember asking your parents or teachers these questions yourself. They seem such childish questions, don’t they?  I remember my boys badgering me for one thing or another asking, “how long, Mommy?” I remember how annoyed I would get. I usually had very good reasons for them to wait. Sometimes a reward was directly tied to their obedience. Sometimes I was trying to teach them something as they waited. Children have a hard time trying to be patient. They don’t understand why they can’t just have it now or do it now.

If we’re honest…aren’t we just like our children in many ways when we go to our Heavenly Father in prayer? Father, I’ve been obedient for a month, a year, 10 years….30 years. Won’t you heal me? Won’t you heal my marriage? Won’t you take this addiction from me? Won’t you get my kids back for me? The list goes on and on.  So what is the answer? How long God…how long? I think God says to us, “As long as it takes, but in the meantime…trust Me, walk in obedience daily, believe in who I am and what I can do, what My Word says I can do. Take this time to learn from Me.”

Psalm 37:3-7 “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday. Rest in Him, and wait patiently for Him.”

These few short verses are full of direction for us and it gives us a great promise from the Lord. We are to trust in Him, delight in Him and commit our way to Him. The Lord is faithful and we are to fill ourselves with His faithfulness. The way to do that is to know His character and the way to know His character is to be in His Word because it’s all in there. What is His promise to us if we do this? “He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Of course that doesn’t mean God is our personal magic Genie, but if we know His word we will know if our petitions are in line with His will for our lives. However, our waiting on the Lord doesn’t mean we just sit back on our Lazyboy with our feet up and wait for God to answer our prayers. Do is an action word and there is a part that we must play in the answer to prayer. The Lord tells us to do good; As we do good we are to rest in Him and wait patiently for His answer. I don’t know about you but I’m thinking, “WOW Lord, do you really want to give me the desires of my heart? That is almost too much for me to take in.”

God’s desire is for us to do good not for what we can get out of it though, but to do good because of our love for Him. Then trusting in Him, delighting in Him and committing our way to Him should be a piece of cake!

Mary Ann

MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 38 years, have 2 married sons and are the proud grandparents of three grandsons and two granddaughters and one grandchild on the way! She serves at America’s Keswick as a Biblical Counselor and also as Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.

 

Because we plan to leave, Keswick had a staff chapel just for us in which people could make positive comments about us. We were definitely on the “‘hot seat.” Thank goodness people were kind and they actually had something to say. My friend Sue told me later that while she made no comment during the meeting, she saw a comment written in her Bible that reminded her of me. The statement said, “Serve Him by loving others.” I asked my friend Phyllis if she could make a plaque with the statement painted on it. The beautiful plaque is now hanging over my kitchen sink and has caused me to ponder the statement:

Do I love others? Do I serve Him? Or How do I love others and How do I serve Him?

Is it serving Him when I choose to sit by the well-clad person and not the dowdy one? Is it serving Him when I choose to visit those with whom I am most comfortable or those that I know really like me?
 
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so” (Proverbs 3:27 NJKV).

I must ask myself, “What would Jesus do?” Well, I know He would be there if a person had a need, regardless of how they looked. And I know He would show love to them.

How about you? Do you serve Him by loving others?

Marilyn Willett Heavilin

Marilyn 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

 

I love the 13th chapter of John which records Jesus washing the feet of His disciples.

Even though washing another’s feet is humbling for both parties, it is not particularly difficult for those that are friends.  But Jesus washed Judas’ feet – already knowing he would betray Him in just a few hours. (John 13:10-11)

Amazing!

At that moment it had nothing to do with Judas’ betrayal, but the scene depicts Jesus’ love, grace, and humility.  A poignant example of loving those we feel betrayed by. Lord, please keep that picture before our minds today.  May it crack the hardness of our hearts so that we may love and forgive the sinner in spite of……..

Lord, show us ways to symbolically wash the feet of those that have hurt us.

John 13:14 If I then, Your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the ministry team at America’s Keswick.  She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study.  Diane has been married to her husband John over 27 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.  

 

Psalm 5:3, “O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.”

So often we pray and move right on to the next thing. We fail to watch, which I believe is a form of unbelief. Do we really expect an answer? 
If I asked you a question and then walked away, wouldn’t that communicate to you that I didn’t expect you to answer me? 

When we pray, we must do so with anticipation – let us WATCH with great expectation for God’s answer. 

Lord, My mind wanders, my heart is distracted. Forgive my laziness and idolatry.  I want to be back sitting at your feet, gazing at your face -listening to your voice.  I want to pray – fellowship and interact with You.  I want to love prayer – I want to love You – I want to WATCH and SEE You act. 

Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the ministry team at America’s Keswick.  She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study.  Diane has been married to her husband John over 27 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.  

 

 

There have been many times in my life that God was trying to get my attention but I was living my life with my hands over my ears. I wasn’t hearing a thing. Before I accepted Christ as my Savior this was my common practice. Not to hear the voice of the Lord was a choice I was making. Why? Because if I listened to God calling out my name I would have to respond and I was just “happy” living in my sinful state…or so I thought. Meanwhile, my life became more and more out of control.

Jer. 7:13 says “While you were doing all those things declares the Lord, I spoke to you again and again but you did not listen. I called you but you did not answer.”  I can look back in the times of my life when God was calling my name, trying to get my attention, saying “Can you hear Me now?” Yet I ignored Him. Praise the Lord, He never gave up on me! I kept my hands over my ears until God allowed circumstances to come into my life that made it impossible for me to keep my hands over my ears. I had no more strength or power to even hold my hands up. I wasn’t “happy” any more. I was so far in a pit I thought there was no way out…no hope.

That’s when, in a loving voice – not a condemning or harsh voice – my loving Father said to me, “Can you hear Me now?”

Being in that pit with no strength or hope left, that was where I finally said “Yes, Lord, I hear You!” He met me in my pit. “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to my God.” ~Ps. 40:2-3

I don’t ever want to close my ears to Him again. I try to always respond with a, “Yes Lord?” However, I admit there are times when I don’t listen. I don’t stay there very long because it’s a scary place to be outside the will of God.

Have you been ignoring God’s voice? Has He been trying to get your attention? Take your hands off your ears and answer, “Yes, Lord, I hear you!” There are no guarantees that God will call you forever so don’t delay, answer Him now. There is hope….there is healing and it’s only 5 words away.

Mary Ann

MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 38 years, have 2 married sons and are the proud grandparents of three grandsons and two granddaughters and one grandchild on the way! She serves at America’s Keswick as a Biblical Counselor and also as Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.

 

“As long as my breath is in me, and the breath of God is in my nostrils;” (Job 27:3 NKJV).

Do you pay attention to each breath you take? Obviously you are still breathing, but are you paying attention that you are breathing? Breathing is the one function, I believe, most taken for granted, but without that function, we are dead.

Charles Stanley states, “Every breath we take is really the breath of God. It belongs to Him, and He can take it back at any time.”1

I remember when our son Nathan was killed by a drunk driver.  I wanted to die! I prayed, “Dear Lord, I’m willing to stop breathing if you will just let me die and take me to Heaven.” That prayer never worked. I couldn’t keep my end of the bargain…I simply could not stop breathing! Now, I thank God that I couldn’t, but back then I was totally frustrated. Just think…I wouldn’t have met you and I wouldn’t have been able to share my simple thoughts with you!

The above verse states that the “breath of God’ is in our nostrils.” He gives us breath, and He takes it away. Thanks be to God!

God’s Word is our breath. Labor Day weekend here at Keswick we  had the privilege of listening to Dr. Richard Alan Farmer. Each time Dr. Farmer reads God’s Word, he holds up the Bible and loudly states, “This is the Word of the Lord,” and the congregation responds “Thanks be to God!”

Let’s thank God for each breath He gives us.  Read God’s Word and Keep On Breathing!

Marilyn Willett Heavilin

Marilyn is a wife and mother, author, and international conference and retreat speaker.  She and her husband Glen serve as Counselors-in-Residence at America’s KESWICK during the summer months. 

 1 Charles F. Stanley, Life Principles Daily Bible, page 1001.

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.  The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  James 5:16

Is prayer time an issue for you?  Do you get tired of praying for the same thing over and over?  Is it hard to pray for others?  Are you open and honest in your prayers?  These are common questions regarding prayer.  In fact I, like many, struggle with a consistent prayer life.  Another common issue is that no matter how committed we are to pray – we often do it in ways not necessarily requested or instructed to us from God.  I have a poem in the front of my Bible about prayer:

The secret of living – is learning to pray,
It’s asking our Father – for strength for the day!
It’s trusting completely – That His boundless grace,
Will overcome care – And each problem we face!
It’s walking by Faith – every mile we plod,
And knowing our Prayers – Bring us closer to God!
Author unknown

So, what does the Bible teach about prayer? Let me give you a brief answer that I ran across somewhere and have marked in James 5:16.

Prerequisites to Effective Prayer
* Need to be Righteous – James 5:16 (Is your life in order?)
* Must be Abiding in Christ – John 15:7 (Do you cling daily to Him?)
* Need to ask with the Correct Motives – James 4:1-3 (Are your prayers selfish?)
* Are you sensitive to others’ needs? – 1 Peter 3:7 (Put others before yourself?)
* Pray in His Name – John 14:13 (Prayers must be consistent with what God is Like)

Review your prayer life – what changes do you need to make?  Do you pray more for others and His will, or yourself and your desires?  Are you patient enough to believe that God can do the miraculous?  Are you ready to submit your desires to whatever He wants?  God always answers prayer when it is done as instructed, but His answers are not always what we want.  That is always a tough one for me.  Pray for what you are asking, but pray also that God gives you the strength and courage to accept the answer.

Lynne Jahns
Christian Counselor