Core Values – The Word of God

Posted on April 11, 2016 by America's Keswick in Freedom Fighters

Tags: americas keswick, Bill Welte, christian living, core values, Devotional, the bible

I love serving with young millennial leaders. They challenge your thinking and get you to see things from a totally different perspective. So as a result of Graeme Wilson’s challenge, I want to take the next couple of Monday’s to share with you about the Core Values of our ministry.

In 1998, our Board mapped out the ten values that would continue to guide, guard and protect our ministry moving forward. When everything else around us may be changing, these are the 10 non-negotiables that are most valuable to America’s Keswick.

This was/is an important exercise because if you don’t take the time to do this in your personal life, your business, your ministry – things and situations can quickly erode, and your foundation begins to crumble.

Our top three Core Values are the FOUNDATION of who we are as a ministry. The cool thing is that it has been this way for 118 years.

• Value #1 – Our commitment to the Word of God
• Value #2 – Our commitment to prayer.
• Value #3 – Our commitment to the ministry of addiction recovery

So let’s unpack Value #1 – our commitment to the Word of God. It is important to state from the outset that our overriding commitment is to love, honor and obey the Lord. There is a thin line between loving the Bible over the God of the Bible.

We believe that God’s Word is inspired by God and is infallible. One of our speakers refers to the Bible as Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. It is our instruction manual and we place a high value on God’s Word.

God’s Word has specific purposes for our life. Paul wrote: “ALL Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16)

God’s Word is a book to be studied. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

God’s Word is a book to be memorized.

God’s Word is what we should be meditating on daily: “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” Joshua 1:8

God’s Word when treasured in our hearts will keep us from sin: “Your Word have I treasured in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11

God’s Word keeps us walking on the right path: “Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and I light to my path. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Thy Word.” Psalm 119:105; 101

God’s Word is a weapon for us to use in spiritual warfare: “and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Ephesians 6:17

God’s Word is alive and powerful: “For the Word of God is living an active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, both of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

I could go on and on – but the point is this – The Bible is the foundation of what we believe and teach at America’s Keswick. It reveals the heart, attributes and characteristics about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It is what we teach in our addiction recovery ministries and our conferences/retreats.

It’s a book for you and for me. It can be trusted, and it will help us become more and more like Jesus. Have you spent time today in His Word? If not, stop what you are doing, and take some time to read, study, meditate and memorize His Word. I guarantee it – take it to the bank – it can and will change your life!