Stay in the Battle - The Battle is the Lord's

The Art of Self-deception

“The story of King David’s demise begins with the statement, “And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David…tarried still at Jerusalem.” David, tired of the battle, decided to take some time off. With nothing to do he allowed his mind to roam into forbidden areas. His harem was not enough; he needed another man’s wife.

Having committed adultery and murder, David thought he had gotten away with it. Joab, the head of his army, as well as some of the servants in the palace, probably knew. But who would challenge the will of the king? David committed the perfect crime – except he forgot that God was watching. “The thing that David had done displeased the Lord.” Those few words marked the beginning of the end for David. Although forgiven by God, David never completely recovered from the consequences of his sin. The prophet Nathan warned David that he would be able to connect the coming havoc with the crime. Nothing again would be the same.

Because of his crime, his son by Bathsheba died. His son Amon emulated his sin and raped Tamar. Absalom in turn killed Amon and then revolted against this father, temporarily taking his kingdom from him. And so it went as it got worse and worse.

Nobody is smart enough to out-smart God. As ridiculously obvious as this appears, people live as though they believe they can. They deceive themselves into believing that crime pays. If you do not want to live in regret, never forget the lesson of King David. God will forgive you, but He will not deliver you from the consequences of your sin. Like your words, once spoken they can never be retracted. The damage has been done.”

­Thoughts From the Diary Of A Desperate Man

By Walter A. Henrichsen
(Bolding and italics mine.)

Brothers as I meditated this morning in the devotional listed, I was reminded (and want to remind you) that we live in a day of deception, perhaps like none other. Rev. 3:17.

It’s scary to think, “If you’re deceived, you don’t know it!”

To fight deception, stay in the Word. Stay in community with God seekers. Pray, and stay in the “fear of the LORD.”

Also, “Don’t tire of the battle!” You are born into a world at war. Fight to the end. God will give you rest from time to time, and you’ll need it! But don’t give up the battle and take things into your own hands.

He loves you! Great Easter service yesterday! Thanks be to Him! -=db=-

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:8)

Brent Proctor 1963 – 2008

Brent Proctor was a liver of life and a lover of people! He went home to the presence of his Lord, Jesus Christ, a few days ago at the age of 44, leaving behind a lovely wife, two handsome twelve year old twin boys, a loving family, and a very large host of friends. There were hundreds of people at the visitation last night, and I’m sure there will be hundreds at the funeral today.

He was a skilled craftsman, businessman, leader of the family company, and active in the kingdom. He was admired in all the above capacities. But what made Brent so special to so many? It’s a bit mysterious, really. But it is bound up in his simple approach to life and living, how he loved his Lord, and how he loved people.

Two verses of Scripture come quickly to mind. “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” (Genesis 5:24) And “... what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)

Today is a day of mourning, more for us than for Brent, for we will miss him! More of a day to remember and honor a “life well lived.” A day to meditate on his journey and our journeys with his wonderful and mysterious God who rules over all. A day to laugh and cry, remembering Brent’s big smile, big hugs and humorous ways. To comfort his precious family. To enjoy our God’s calming and peaceful Spirit. To be quiet.

“The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.” (Isaiah 57:1)

“Near the Goal”

In a race it is not the start that hurts, not the even pace of the long stretch. It is when the goal is in sight that heart and nerves and courage and muscles are strained almost beyond human endurance, almost to breaking point.

So with you now the goal is in sight, you need your final cry to Me. Can you not see by the nerve and heart rack of the past few days that your race is nearly run. Courage, courage. Heed My voice of encouragement. Remember that I am by your side, spurring you on to victory.

In the annals of heaven, the saddest records are those that tell of the many who ran well, with brave stout hearts, until in sight of the goal, of victory, and then their courage failed. The whole host of heaven longed to cry out how near the end was, to implore the last spurt, but they fell out, never to know until the last day of revealing, how near they were to victory.

Would that they had listened to Me in the silence as you two meet with Me. They would have known. There must be the listening ear, as well as the still small voice."

God Calling (A.J. Russell, ed.)February 13, 2008

“Victory belongs to the most persevering.” Napoleon Bonaparte

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Thomas A. Edison

"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." (Galatians 6:9-10)

January 2008 CCF Men’s Meeting

We had a great men’s meeting last night! Thanks to the twenty-six men who braved the cold. Thanks to Gary Brock for getting the pizza. Thanks to Jeff Cazzell for leading us in worship. Thanks to Joe Carruth for sharing an important word from the Scripture and God’s heart on “Priorities!”

He finished to the applause of the crowd. I wish I could tell you to listen to the recording, but we met in the Fuse Room and it wasn’t recorded. I too would love to listen to it again.

Brian Fields introduced Joe with some remarks from our Subiaco leader’s retreat last week. Basically the greatest and second greatest commandment as pronounced by our Lord. Then what we heard most clearly was, “Husbands, love your wives….” During this journey, you’ll learn about My love, and the power it will bring to your lives and walks. Do it! That's what it seems He's saying.

Joe started right there with, “(2Co 4:5 NAS77) For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake.”

He said quickly and quietly that our priorities are to be (1) God (2) Wife (3) Children (4) Work, in that order. Then he said, “OK, we can go home now.” Powerful statement. Powerfully true.

Yet he went on to say, “We can know what they are, but not what they look like in practice.” He went on to teach about “love” from the word and life of Christ. He gave examples of how these priorities should work and flow in our lives, with “agape” love informing all the other kinds of love. Love then is the motive, referee, and driving force in demonstrating our priorities.

We want to get to the place where, “We see our priorities not as duties and obligations – but as opportunities to love.”

The New Testament calls it, the “new and living way of the Spirit.”

Joe, the Lord was good to you, and to us. It was an honor and a blessing to be there.

(Eph 5:25 NAS77) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;

(Col 3:19 NAS77) Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered against them.

Subiaco Men's Leaders Retreat 2008

WORDS TO GAZE UPON
(Gen. 30:30)

“SING MORE”

“Expectations” “Expectations”

“Love your Wives”

“We’re not walking in the fullness of His power, because we’re not walking in the depths of His love.”

“COINS” => Prayer Instruction & Reminder God is near…

Look for “coincidences”

Live One Day at a Time – “Manna”

Don’t carry two days burden on one day.

Go Deep with God (Abide there) before trying to go up & out.

Go deeper with your brothers as you go up & out.

The limits of our expectations are measured by our availability.

“Many prayers” & “Mini prayers” God is pleased with many prayers.

“Log Jam” is slowing flow of God to us personally & at CCF.

“Offenses!”

Ps 6:9 “The LORD has heard my cry…the LORD accepts my prayer.”

B.G. – Home from Thailand

B.G. spoke at our December 18^th men’s meeting. He was so refreshing, humble and honest. He had complete freedom to share whatever he wanted, but if I could have asked him to share exactly what I believed would help our men the most, it would have been just the things he shared! You can listen or download and burn a CD by clicking here.

I’ll try to recap a few of his thoughts from my notes that evening. The first sermon B.G. heard when he arrived in Thailand was about “breakthrough.” He said, “I was heading into something big, but I was drying up spiritually. I needed breakthrough.”

“The devil didn’t temp me too much with direct sin, he’s more subtle than that. He just caused me to put my love for the Lord on the back burner.”

“I wasn’t there in Thailand alone. I had a community there that saw my need and ministered to me. They told me, ‘Spend more time with the Lord; He misses you.’”

“I was on the sidelines for a while. So I could recover, rest, train. It was the first time I went through a real ‘discipleship’ program. I felt like this was my rookie year.”

There’s more, much more. As Paul Harvey says, “... the rest of the story!”

Not hungry enough for God? Want motivation to seek Him again? Listen to B.G.’s word!

Fishers of Men

December 30th, the same day Craig preached the last message of 2007 about becoming again an active witness of Jesus Christ, the daily devotional "God Calling" by A.J Russell had this to say.

"When you think of those of whom you read who are in anguish do you ever think how My Heart must ache with the woe of it, with the anguish of it?

If I beheld the city and wept over it how much more should I weep over the agony of these troubled hearts, over lives that seek to live without My sustaining Power.
'They will not come unto Me that they might have Life.'

Live to bring others to Me, the only Source of Happiness and Heart-Peace.