“And it happened that, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth. Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.” 1 Samuel 1:12-13

I love Hannah and her story of prayer. In 1 Samuel 1:13 did you catch that Hannah continued praying before the Lord? Little did she know that Eli was observing her and watching her lips move as she spoke privately to her God. Certainly Eli got the wrong idea. Assuming she was drunk on wine Eli scolded Hannah. Let me stop here and comment. I appreciate Hannah’s example of praying hard and long. I am praying hard and long for a few things that I would like to see scratched off on my prayer list. I can’t wait for that day! I am encouraged that an 11-year prayer request may be- just may be – getting scratched off soon! I still don’t know how the answer will come but it is coming. I think of the four years I prayed for my husband to come to Christ. While Dave’s salvation was still a prayer request I remember hearing a woman share that she was praying for over 47 years for her father-i- law’s salvation! I thought “Please Lord, I could never pray that long”! You and I have often heard that prayers get answered in three ways- yes, no and wait. I like quick answers in the affirmative; I don’t like the other two answers. But when the “no” and “wait” answers come they are teaching me valuable lessons. Do I trust God enough that if an answer is “no” that I am not owed an explanation? Do I trust that my good answer isn’t God’s best answer? If the answer is “wait” do I wait patiently, continue to pray and seek God? Do others see us filled with W-H-I-N-E when our lips move? Nothing but complaining that God didn’t answer the way we wanted Him to. Or are we truly pouring out our hearts before the Lord and just being misunderstood?

What requests are on your prayer list today? Do others think you are crazy for still praying and holding out hope that an answer will come? May I encourage you to continue in your prayers even if others think you are nuts! It just may be your example in faithful, long, praying that others need to see. May I encourage you to know your God and to trust that His answers are on the way? Maybe it isn’t about the answer as much as it is the work God wants to do in your heart today.

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16b

Blessings,
Kathy

Kathy’s on staff at America’s KESWICK in the Development Department. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 26 years. They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local church and has previously served as a Teaching Director for Community Bible Study. Her passion is to encourage women to deepen their walk with Jesus Christ by finding and living out the truths of God’s Word.

May is here and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

Part 2

I am currently working through the Bible Study “James-Mercy Triumphs” by Beth Moore. (I highly recommend it!) James has a lot to say about our faith showing itself to be genuine through what we do. So while yesterday we talked about the importance of listening to the Lord, I thought it would be good to follow up today with the importance of doing what He says.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-25).

I want to share with you a few of Beth’s thoughts that really spoke to my heart:

“We can underline our Bibles till our pens run dry without a drop of ink splattering our lives. The self-deception slithers in when we mistake appreciation for application or being touched with being changed. The tricky part is that hearing all by itself really does lend a certain satisfaction…….The Word of God, however, is meant to do more than penetrate. It’s meant to activate……Simply put, the Word was meant to work. And, through it, we were meant to bear fruit……It’s not until the hearing turns into doing that believing leads to blessing. Our “doing” may not always show up in physical activity. The initial act of obedience might be waiting upon the Lord or setting our minds zealously upon His faithfulness.”1

Sisters, let’s strive to be listeners AND doers, leading to freedom and blessing in our Lord.

Stacey Poplawski
WOC Graduate

1 Moore, Beth, James Mercy Triumphs (Nashville, TN: LifeWay Press, 2011), 78-79.
 
May is HERE! and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

I was praying and asking the Lord as to what He would have me write about this month, and I wasn’t hearing a real clear answer. My goal (as I’m sure is the goal of all the Victory Call writers) is to write about what the Lord would have me share, not something that is just from my head. After more than a few days of this, I came across Exodus 33:11 in the Bible Study that I am currently involved in. It says, “The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.” In the margin of my Bible, I had written, “not Moses talked to God.” It was clear to me that that was what the Lord wanted me to write about. I felt in my heart the Spirit saying to me, “You’ve been asking me, but have you been listening for my answer?”

Now don’t get me wrong, I believe we are to “pray continually” (I Thess. 5:17), and we are invited to “approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). My question is this: Do I listen to Him? Do I listen for the promptings of His Holy Spirit? Do I listen as He speaks through His Word?

As I am sure it is with you, my quiet time with the Lord is absolutely essential if I want to have peace in my life, joy, and victory over sin. But, as we all know, sometimes life is really busy. I have to be careful that my quiet time does not become just another thing to “cross off my list” of to-dos for the day. I am reading His Word, but am I truly listening to it? If someone were to ask me in the afternoon what I had read in His Word in the morning, would I be able to answer them? If I were to be honest (and I will be), I would have to say, sometimes, no. I believe that there is a difference between reading the Bible, and listening to His Word, not necessarily with our ears as it is being read aloud, but with our hearts. I believe that when we truly listen and meditate on His Word, it will stay with us throughout the day.

Lord, please help us, by your Spirit, to listen to what you are saying to us, through your Word and through your Holy Spirit. And, when we hear you, help us to then do what you say.

More on the “doing” tomorrow.

Stacey Poplawski
WOC Graduate

May is HERE! and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.



ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

Exodus 20:20 “And Moses said to the people, Do not fear, for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.”

For as long as I can remember I had to take tests of different sorts for various reasons in my life. Many tests I experienced taking were common: my early years in school, driver’s license, and they were simple to take. For my jobs in New York I also had to take a test. One of the jobs I applied for was a Civil Service job with the Department of Health; this test was challenging. The health department did not disclose what kind of test I would be taking at the time. When I had entered the room they were about five people near a large table; on the other side of the table an empty chair. I was instructed to go sit on the other side of the table. As I went around I noticed the camera in front of me and I got very nervous; the test was going to be filmed. They had presented different procedures, all they wanted to know was how I would apply what I had learned to these trials and the red light of the camera came on. I was glad when that test was over.

After living in Keswick for a couple of years I decided to go back to college. I took American Sign Language; every semester I had to take a test with a video camera. How much did I learn and how was I going to make it applicable. At the time I had no idea what I got myself into, it was difficult. After I had completed these semesters, I realized I learned a lot and it was a good experience for me.

I find in the Christian life, God will test the heart of men. His purpose is to know if the man will obey Him whole-heartedly. “And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not” (Deut. 8:2). My God is observing me and wants to know what I have learned from studying His book, the Bible. God will test me to see if I will obey Him, keep His commandments and apply the truth of His word to my life.

Dear Lord, I want to keep your commandments and obey your will; help me, Lord, to do this. I need your strength and guidance every day. Guard my heart that I may not sin against you. I want to pass the spiritual test, winning the race that is set before me. “You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress” (Psalm 17:3).

Glory to God

Sandra Valdes
Staff Member – WOC Graduate

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

If you were to rate yourself on a scale of 1 – 10, with 10 rating you as a “very quiet still person”, how would you rate yourself? For me, I would most likely rate myself between a 5 & 8. There are days that I can remain still and then there are those days that being still isn’t an option. Recently, my husband & I took two of our granddaughters on a trip to Oklahoma. We had reservations to fly to Dallas, Texas; on our way to the airport we were notified that our flight was cancelled due to the tornado in the Dallas area. I had a choice to make: “be still and keep calm,” “be in the moment and do the next thing,” or be rattled. Of course, being rattled would have caused the girls to be alarmed, and I would have missed the opportunity to do the next best thing and that was to “pray”. If I had allowed myself to be flustered, prayer would not have entered into my thoughts.

After we prayed we were able to get a later flight. I was thankful that I was “still” enough to know that God was in control and I wasn’t. However, the Lord had another test for me to know the importance of “Be still, and know that I am God. ……” because upon arriving in Dallas we found out that there was no shuttle to the hotel that we made reservations with…..now, this was getting testy. It’s 10:30 p.m. and we’re all tired…..well, we did the next thing. My husband said “let’s get the rental car and find a place to stay”.

Again, we prayed and we found a really nice hotel. I thank God that I was receptive to hearing His voice, “Be still and know that I am God…..” for a couple of good reasons: to be a testimony to my granddaughters and to exalt the Lord.

My dear sisters in Christ, is your life out of control? Is there discouragement in your world? Have your plans been changed? Know this that God desires us to “Be still, be quiet, and know that He is God”…Lord, keep me still in the storms of life! The benefit of being still and knowing that God is God and He can do what He says He can do is priceless.

Blessings,
Pat Spies
Women’s Ministry Volunteer

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

The longer I walk with the Lord, the more I get to know myself and see me apart from grace, the more I am on my face before God crying out for mercy. The truth is, on any given day I probably give everyone that knows me at least one reason to be annoyed, perturbed, irritated, and flat out angry with me. In fact, for every person who says they like me there are likely a whole bunch of others who do not.

All by itself that could be distressing to my heart and provoking to my flesh and yet, in the midst of these days we are in, when troubles and trials of various kinds abound, there is a hope to be found, a relief and release from the frailties of the humanity which constrains us. In a word, it is Jesus! Lately, my eyes have been locked with the eyes of the Savior seeking to see me in light of His saving, redeeming and sustaining Gospel. Therein, I have found much to hope and glory in; I have found much to lift my heavy heart. The simple and profound way that the Holy Spirit accomplishes this in me is praise, prayer and thanksgiving!! Certainly it is not magic. God forbid that I would treat his Word so carelessly! What it is though, is powerful above and beyond what I’ll ever be able to explain to you. His Word is deeply penetrating, even into my inmost parts.

My life verse, Philippians 4:4-9, says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.”

Sisters, are you troubled with the cares of broken relationships? Do your so-called friends shun you with or without cause? Do you feel alone and in need of boost? Lift your head and say, “Jesus, thank You! Thank You for the Cross. Thank You for being my Kinsman Redeemer; the Restorer of all breaches; the One Who Is, Who Was and Who Is to come! Thank You for grace upon grace upon grace; grace which has saved me from the uttermost darkness and depravity of my own soul. Go and pray to this Jesus Who sits at the throne and intercedes! Cry out to Him with a heart full of thanksgiving and praise! He is the Rock of our salvation and in Him there is no shadow of turning for He is indeed faithful!

Selah
Stephanie

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 Administrator.

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

Ezekiel 11:16 “Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone.”

Where is your sanctuary? Where do you go for respite? Where do you rest and settle to regroup when things have drained or stressed you? Ezekiel is writing God’s words to the exiles. There are some notable points in this verse. First, God put them where they are. He put them in exile amongst a nation not friendly with Israel. God scattered them among the countries. You may find yourself today in unknown territory — unsure, uncertain which way to turn or where to go. You may be out of your comfort zone or in enemy territory – you are not there by mistake nor are you beyond the vision of God.

Second, although God put the Israelites in exile – it was through their own fault and rebellion that resulted in their exile. Perhaps you are in the circumstances you are in today through your own fault, choices or disobedience, or maybe not. Perhaps you are where you are through no fault of your own.

Third – I love this part. Even though the Israelites were exiled and scattered because of their disobedience, rebellion and hard hearts, YET God was their sanctuary even in their exile. This is a great reminder and comfort to know that regardless of how or why we are in our current circumstances, God is our refuge. He is our sanctuary in the midst of problems and strife. I hope that comforts your soul today like it does mine. What jewels I am finding in the book of Ezekiel. Who would have thought it? ….

God.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.

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

WHAT’S WORTH TAKING A STAND ON

“For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (2 Corinthians 10:12, KJV).

As a young mom and a staff member of Campus Crusade, I heard a speaker say, “We must learn the difference between Christian standards and standards of Christians!” Christian standards can be found in the Bible, but standards of Christians can vary from family to family, church to church or even state to state. I reviewed that quote many times as other Christians tried to impose their thinking on me. I had to ask myself, “what does the Bible say about that issue?” I learned there are Biblical standards, church standards, people standards, and personal standards.

Christian standards are found in the Bible. They don’t change from generation to generation. They are the principles God has given us on salvation, the Spirit-filled life, the sanctity of marriage, proper sexual conduct, and many other topics. In this day when adultery is rampant, abortion is commonplace, and some churches even have homosexual pastors, Christians need to be well-versed in Bible doctrine. Scripture takes a very definite stand on these issues and we need to be willing to take a stand as well.

It was a strong desire of mine to know how to do ballroom dancing, so for my 50th birthday, Glen enrolled us in a dance class. When I received the gift, my first comment was “Who’s going to tell my dad?” Glen volunteered for the daunting task. That evening he told my dad, “Marilyn and I are doing something new and different. We enrolled in a ballroom dance class.” My father rose from the couch and said, “Well, I guess it’s time to go home!” He walked out the door and didn’t talk with me for nearly two weeks! I can share that story because my dad and I have always been good friends, he apologized for his behavior, and we talked through our issues, and besides that, my dad has been gone for almost 16 years! My dad was caught in the church and people standards, the standards of Christians, and he had passed that legacy on to me. When you find yourself behaving in a certain way, ask yourself “Is this a Christian standard or a standard of Christians?”

This devotional is an excerpt from Marilyn Heavilin’s new book, Profound Common Sense. The book will be available for purchase this summer.

Marilyn Heavilin, author of Roses In December,December’s Song, Becoming A Woman of Honor,When Your Dreams Die,Grief Is A Family Affair, I’m Listening, Lordhttp://www.marilynheavilin.com/

Live so that others may safely follow. 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.

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all disputes. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. ~Heb. 6:13-19

“It is impossible for God to lie. He will keep His word. So I have His hope – that no matter what the circumstances, the struggles or yet unanswered prayers, HE WILL KEEP HIS WORD. I can run to Him, find refuge in Him, look to the hope set before me IN and THROUGH Christ, and in the Presence, behind the veil, I can rest.”1

Sisters, are you having a day where your mind is troubled? Are you struggling to believe in the midst of circumstances which threaten to overwhelm? My encouragement to you is this: cling to hope!! You have an anchor for your soul which is both steadfast and sure and His name is JESUS!!

He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our grief and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. ~Isaiah 53:3-5

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 Administrator.

1 Sharon Misiak

May is fast approaching and we will be hosting our 4th Annual Family Freedom Walk on Saturday, May 12th. YOU can help in two ways.

ONE. WALK – call guest services (732.350.1187) to obtain a walk package, solicit sponsors and come to the walk.

TWO. Sponsor Victory Call for the walk. We are having a friendly competition between the 2 groups of devotional readers (Freedom Fighters and Victory Call). Go to Family Freedom Walk Support . Be sure to designate your gift to FFW: VC

Our goal is to raise more funds by the Victory Call team than the men raise for the Freedom Fighter’s team. Last year Victory Call subscribers raised $5,350.00 and Freedom Fighter’s subscribers raised $100.00. Victory Call WON, by ALOT! In reality, the Addiction Recovery ministries won because together we raised $43,136.00!!

Come join in the fun. Please?

As I have been reading through the book of Ezekiel the last few weeks, this phrase has jumped off the page over and over: “… know that I am the LORD.” It appears in various contexts 72 times in the book, 72 times!! Sometimes God is saying that “they will know that I am the LORD” referring to other nations, enemies of Israel. He desired to be known among the nations, and still does. One day…”at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11. One day, people from every tribe and tongue and nation will declare His glory. “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,” Revelation 14:6.

Not only does God make Himself known to the nations, He makes Himself known to us, personally. “Then you will know that I am the Lord” Ez. 25:5, 7. God wants to be known. AND HE IS KNOWABLE. “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” Cross references: A. John 17:3 : [1 John 5:20]B. John 17:3 : Hos. 2:20; 6:3; 2 Pet. 1:2, 3C. John 17:3 : John 5:44D. John 17:3 : 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 John 5:20; [Jer. 10:10]E. John 17:3 : See John 3:17 John 17:3; and “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” 1 Corinthians 1:9.

How do we grow in our knowledge of God? Spend time with Him, in His Word and in prayer. As with all our relationships, the depth and richness of intimacy requires time and attention. Let us not neglect in attitude or action … He who may be known.

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.