Author Archives: lrbartel

Mar 09 2016
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Devos

Remembering W. H. Kesler … A godly leader who influenced my life profoundly

Godly leaders serve as examples! They show us how to live. They teach not only by their words – they teach us by their lives.
As a young man preparing for ministry I had the privilege of having such a leader. His impact on my life and ministry were profound. He wasn’t a perfect person (none of us are) – but with sincerity and devotion he sought to follow the Lord and serve others with all his heart. That person was Rev. W. H. Kesler who back then led Trinity Bible Institute (earlier named Hub City Bible Institute and today the school goes by the name Trinity Bible College and is located in Ellendale, North Dakota).
Back in those days, W. H. Kesler not only led the school which trained young men and women for ministry; several of the young men who were students had the privilege of living in the basement of the Kesler’s home. We would wake up in the morning to hear the sounds of this godly man and his wife in prayer. The Kesler’s passion for prayer deeply influenced my life.
Those who were students at the school at the time will recall that W. H. Kesler started every chapel service by leading the students in the following prayer taken directly from Scripture…
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (From Psalm 139:23-24)
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer!” (From Psalm 19:14)
And then W. H. Kessler would lead us in this final affirmation from the Bible: “I am crucified with Christ! I live – yet not I, but Christ lives in me! And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me!” (From Galatians 2:20)
Yes, today I’m remembering – remembering a godly leader with appreciation! This morning as I read Psalm 19 in my Bible I was reminded of what W. H. Kesler taught me as a young man preparing for ministry… A wonderful daily prayer, a wise practice, and a godly life… Thank you W. H. Kesler! (Wish I had a picture of him to honor him with… perhaps one of the former students from the school have one that they could scan and send me.)
Mar 08 2016
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Devos

“Straight talk” right out of the Bible + Hope!

Guilty
It seems during this election cycle there is a premium placed upon “telling it like it is” – “straight talk” if you please. (I’ve got another characterization for it personally… rude, crude, and certainly not “Christ-like!” … the tragedy is, that some who are engaged in it claim to be “Christians” … even in their own words, “good Christians.”) Well, enough political commentary…
 
You want “straight talk?” Here’s some inspired “straight talk” right out of the mouth of Apostle Paul – “straight talk” in the Bible…
 
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived [i.e. don’t let anyone fool you]: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers [those whose mouths spew mean, character destroying, vitriol], nor swindlers [those who cheat others and “rip them off”] will inherit the Kingdom of God!” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
 
Pretty straight, wouldn’t you say? And it’s God’s word! His warning goes with it – if you practice those things you won’t make heaven! Don’t let anyone deceive you otherwise…
 
But there is hope for those who have been guilty (and the Bible declares “all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory!” (Romans 3:23) The very next verse declares…
 
But you were washed [1 John 1:8-9 needs to be read right after that one!], you were sanctified [made holy and set apart by God for Himself], you were justified [declared righteous – acquitted by the Divine Judge, though guilty] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God!” (1 Corinthians 6:11 – bracketed words, my comments)
 
Praise God! Makes me want to shout “Hallelujah!” and proclaim the good news of what God does for guilty sinners who turn from their sin to Jesus Christ to EVERYONE… EVERYWHERE! How do I know? He did it for ME and for a lot of friends of mine!
Mar 07 2016
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Devos

Wish I could say “Give me what I deserve!” – I can’t! Don’t know about you, but I need God’s mercy!

I read a passage attributed to King David, the psalmist, this morning and wrote in the margin of my Bible… “Not me! I can’t say this! I’m really glad I don’t get what I deserve! I’m glad I was granted mercy!”
 
The passage that prompted that response? Here’s what David wrote…
 
“The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD! I have not wickedly departed from my God! For all His rules were before me, and His statutes I did not put away from me. I was blameless before Him, and I kept myself from my guilt. So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.“ (from Psalm 18:20-24 ESV)
 
Now I wish I could say that was true of me… It isn’t; and I know it! David must have been feeling pretty good about himself the day he wrote those words! Maybe it was before the Bathsheba and Uriah event in his life… I don’t know. (Check out II Samuel 11-12 to see what I’m referring to… Pretty sordid!) The same guy wrote Psalm 51 after that deal! (Believe me, a very different tone – and a worthy read)!
 
I just have to say, I identify more with Psalm 103:8-10! Here’s what it says…
 
“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love! … He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities! For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him! As for as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us! As a father shows compassion to His children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him! For He knows our frame – He remembers that we are dust!” (from Psalm 103:8-14)
 
Same guy… different day! Yes, I identify more with that last passage… Don’t you?
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