Video Bible Lesson - Every Right Prayer by Streams in the Desert

1/2 Hour of God’s Power with Scott Ralls
6/3/2020

Every Right Prayer

Streams in the Desert

Every right prayer is answered before the prayer itself is finished--before we have "done speaking." This is because God has pledged His Word to us that whatsoever we ask in Christ's name (that is, in oneness with Christ and His will) and in faith, shall be done.
As God's Word cannot fail, whenever we meet those simple conditions in prayer, the answer to our prayer has been granted and completed in Heaven as we pray, even though its showing forth on earth may not occur until long afterward.
So it is well to close every prayer with praise to God for the answer that He has already granted; He who never forsakes His loving-kindness and His truth. (See Daniel 9:20-27 and 10:12.)
--Messages for the Morning Watch
When we believe for a blessing, we must take the attitude of faith, and begin to act and pray as if we had the blessing. We must treat God as if He had given us our request. We must lean our weight over upon Him for the thing that we have claimed, and just take it for granted that He gives it, and is going to continue to give it. This is the attitude of trust.
When the wife is married, she at once falls into a new attitude, and acts in accordance with the fact; and so when we take Christ as our Savior, as our Sanctifier, as our Healer, or as our Deliverer, He expects us to fall into the attitude of recognizing Him in the capacity that we have claimed, and expect Him to be to us all that we have trusted Him for.
--Selected
"The thing I ask when God doth bid me pray,
Begins in that same act to come my way."

And it came to pass, before he had done speaking...and he said, Blessed be Jehovah…who hath not forsaken his lovingkindness and his truth" (Gen. 24:15, 27).

#Jesus, #Christian, #Bible, #Salvation, #Heaven, #God, #HolySpirit

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert

On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” — Mark 4:35

Even when we go forth at Christ’s command, we need not expect to escape storms; for these disciples were going forth at Christ’s command, yet they encountered the fiercest storm and were in great danger of being overwhelmed, so that they cried out in their distress for Christ’s assistance.

Though Christ may delay His coming in our time of distress, it is only that our faith may be tried and strengthened, and that our prayers may be more intense, and that our desires for deliverance may be increased, so that when the deliverance does come we will appreciate it more fully.

Christ gave them a gentle rebuke, saying, “Where is your faith?” Why did you not shout victory in the very face of the storm, and say to the raging winds and rolling waves, “You can do no harm, for Christ, the mighty Savior is on board”?

It is much easier to trust when the sun is shining than when the storm is raging.

We never know how much real faith we have until it is put to the test in some fierce storm; and that is the reason why the Savior is on board.

If you are ever to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might, your strength will be born in some storm.
--Selected

“With Christ in the vessel,
I smile at the storm.”

Christ said, “Let us go to the other side”—not to the middle of the lake to be drowned.
--Dan Crawford

Live Intentionally.....Dr. Charles Stanley

Live Intentionally

Dr. Charles Stanley

2 Timothy 4:6-8

Paul was a man who lived life to the full. His goals were to know Christ, abide in His power, fellowship in His suffering, and preach the gospel (Phil. 3:10; 1 Cor. 1:17). In doing so, he aligned his aspirations with the Lord's, diligently worked to fulfill his calling, and persevered through opposition, persecution, and suffering. He could face the end of his life with confidence since he'd "fought the good fight," "finished the course," and "kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7).

We'd all like to be able to say the same at the end of our lives, but that means we have to follow Paul's example. How are you doing at setting goals for your life? Have you thought beyond the immediate and set some long-term objectives? Our culture is so fast-paced that few of us take the time to actually consider where we're going. But you don't want to finish your life and find out you were on a course other than God's, fighting the wrong fight, and struggling to keep the faith.

Why not set aside some time this week to get alone with the Lord. Then ask His help in setting goals that will take you where He wants you to go. Consider every area of your life--personal, relational, financial, and vocational--but make spiritual goals your primary emphasis. Then write them down.

If you keep doing what you're doing, you'll keep getting what you're getting. Maybe it's time to get out of your rut and find a new path. God will help you change direction and accomplish new goals that align with His will. Don't settle for the mediocrity of an unplanned life. Start living intentionally.

What Does Jesus Say to Obviously Guilty Women?

What Does Jesus Say to Obviously Guilty Women?
LISA BEVERE

“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7b (ESV) 

I want to invite you to journey back with me into a familiar passage of Scripture in the hope you’ll see something you may have missed before. It’s the story of a nameless woman caught in the very act of adultery. I want us to pause long enough to imagine both the terror and courage of this obviously guilty woman.

John 8 clearly juxtaposes the cruelty of law-led religion and the beauty of God’s mercy and love. So, friends, let’s visit this scene together and view it with a fresh perspective.

In the dim light of early morning, a large crowd awaits a young rabbi named Jesus. When He appears with His disciples, He greets them and then sits down to teach. Those who gathered listen closely, their hearts hanging on every word … when suddenly there’s a disturbance at the edge of the crowd.

It’s the religious leaders, dragging a disheveled woman who frantically clutches a remnant of cloth to herself in an attempt to hide her nakedness. The leaders have dragged her from a bed of adultery, but the man she was with is nowhere in sight.

“Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” (John 8:4b-5, NIV)

His response is delayed as He writes in the dust. Then He challenges her accusers:

“… Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7b).

The religious leaders leave one by one until it’s only Jesus and a nameless guilty woman. Then He rises and asks:

“‘… Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ 
‘No one, sir,’ she said.
‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin’” (John 8:10-11, NIV).

What I find courageous is the fact that this woman stayed.

I might have slipped away when the last stone was dropped. I like to think she stayed because she was tired of being talked about. She waited until Jesus spoke directly to her. Many will hear the words, “Go and sin no more,” as a threat of future punishment, paraphrased as, “Do it again, and you’ll find yourself under a rock pile.” But I hear it as an empowerment to walk away different, for the next verse reads:

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12, ESV).

Jesus gave the power of choice to a nameless woman who’d found herself a public spectacle. Jesus looked beyond the obvious, and He refused to acknowledge her present state as her permanent condition.

No one is without sin. Many of us have turned to men, religion or the world for our affirmation, only to be betrayed. I love that this interchange with the obviously guilty helps each of us embrace His mercy and grace in areas where our sin and struggle might not be so obvious to others.

These words of Jesus speak to the weary mother who lost her temper when her patience was tried. They speak to couples trapped in unhealthy patterns that are deconstructing their marriage. His words speak to men and women trapped in the shadowed shame of porn or addiction. Jesus says to you what He said to her:

“Then neither do I condemn you … go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11b)

When the serpent shames and accuses us, it’s time to wait in the presence of Jesus until His mercy and grace speaks to us.

God’s forgiveness is where our freedom begins. Jesus did so much more than forgive this woman … He sent her away freed from the bonds of sin.

Because of Jesus, the power of our former bondage has been broken. It’s time to have more faith in the words of Christ, our liberator, than in the power of the chains. Dare to believe, and leave behind the shadows of your past!

Lord, thank You for defending us, when we could not defend ourselves. Thank You for saving rather than condemning us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Romans 6:14, “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” (ESV)

Hebrews 8:12, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (NIV)

Kintsukuroi

Kintsukuroi
by Ryan Duncan

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. – 1 Peter 5:10

My father and sister both enjoy making pottery, so over the years I’ve felt obligated to brush up on the subject whenever I have the chance. Recently I came across a Japanese pottery technique called "Kintsukuroi," which roughly translates to mean "Golden Repair." As its name suggests, the procedure has more to do with fixing pottery than creating it. In Kintsukuroi, broken pottery is repaired with a lacquer resin that’s been mixed with gold or silver powder. Once the object has been properly cleaned and dried, its cracks are highlighted by thin veins of metal running throughout its form.

To the Japanese, the breakage and repair become part of the objects history, transforming it from something old into a new creation. One sculpture put it like this,

"The art of repairing pottery with gold or silver lacquer and understanding that the piece is more beautiful for having been broken."

I can remember reading this description and being struck by how wonderfully it captures the message of the Gospel. God created us to be holy and sanctified reflections of Himself, but because of sin, we became a group of broken and malformed prodigals. Yet instead of throwing us out, God picks up the pieces and restores us, transforming us into something new and beautiful. The memory of our sins may remain, but now they have been filled with the precious love of Jesus Christ. Every Christian is a work of art adorned with grace, and when people see our lives, they should think only of God.

But that is not the end, the Bible tells us the best is yet to come. One day, Christ will repair our world the same way he repaired our souls. One day, he will make all things new.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’" - Revelation 21:1-4

Intersecting Faith and Life: Remember that in God we are new creations, the old has gone, the new has come.

Further Reading
2 Corinthians 5:17

I Never Noticed This in Psalm 91

I Never Noticed This in Psalm 91
By Jason Soroski

Psalm 91:1-2 has become one of my favorite passages of Scripture:

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust." (emphasis mine)

When life is draining and there seems to be no time or place to rest, these words are reassuring, comforting and encouraging. When things appear to be their worst, I tend to get a bit negative, and most of us are like that. Our natural tendency is to get down and miss out on what God may be doing in our situation.

When I find myself in these negative places, my goal becomes reprogramming my mind to fend off the negative, and say of the Lord that He is my God in whom I trust, just as the writer of this Psalm did.

But there is also a deeper meaning in this passage, hidden in plain sight. In these verses there are four names for God: the Most High, the Almighty, the Lord, my God. Why does the writer use four different names in two verses, and what is significant about it?

The first name, the Most High, is the Hebrew word Elyon. It suggests a Supreme monarch, one who is elevated above all things. The name signifies God's majesty, sovereignty, and pre-eminence. It carries a connotation of a Davidic king that reigns above all other kings, and is first used in Scripture in Genesis 14:18, describing Abraham's encounter with the priest/king Melchizedek, "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High." Melchizedek gives us a picture of Christ in several ways, and it is fitting that this story contains the first use of this name of God in Scripture. Verse 1 speaks to the protection of one who 'dwells in the shelter of the Most High,' and it causes us to ask where it is that we dwell. Do we dwell in our own self-doubt? Do we dwell in anger? Do we dwell in what could be or what could have been? Or do we dwell in the shelter of the Most High God, the Holy king of heaven who promises to protect and keep us?

The second name, the Almighty, is translated from the word Shaddai (If you are thinking of the Amy Grant song right now, I assure you you are not alone). Shaddai has many meanings, but it as you may imagine, it primarily suggests a mighty, powerful God who is strong beyond our imagination and is more than capable to supply our every need. He is the God who parted the sea and controls all of creation. In His name and in His power, there is no need that cannot be met, and no circumstance he cannot overcome.

The third name, the LORD, is the personal name for God, revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 6:2). This personal name for God was considered so sacred in Judaism, that the original pronunciation is uncertain, only that it contained the letters YHWH, (JHVH in Latin). It has been translated as Yahweh, Jehovah, and more often as the LORD (in all caps). The significance of this name is that it represents a relatable God who seeks for us to know Him on a deep, personal level. The God who is the all-powerful, Divine ruler of all things is also the God who knows every hair on our heads, every joy and fear in our hearts, and desires us to know Him as intimately as a friend. This God who created the universe and all it contains is not just some far-off unknowable being, but a Father, redeemer and friend.

The fourth name, my God, comes from the Hebrew Elohim. This name first appears at the very beginning of the Bible in Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." When Elohim occurs in Scripture, it is typically translated as "God." In Greek, it is translated as Theos, which is where we get our word theology. It means the one who is first, or the creator, and is technically a plural word. So it is fitting that this is how God is referenced in Genesis 1:1; as a creator who is one, yet plural (Father, Son, Spirit). The Psalmist is proclaiming that the God in whom he trusts is the same God who created all things, the first and the last, and the God who is forever faithful to His creation.

In the span of just two verses we see the beauty of God: His ways are higher than our ways, yet we can speak to Him as a friend. What a takeaway! God is at the same time unsearchable yet so very near to us. In His shadow and in His shelter, we find strength, comfort, and rest for our souls.

A Prayer to Forgive Yourself

A Prayer to Forgive YourselfBy Sarah Coleman

“Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.” ( James 3:2)

"What an idiot," I whisper in condescension to myself. "Such a loser."

I am not very kind to myself. Oh, I'm patient, compassionate and encouraging to others. I have all the tolerance in the world for others, but I'm brutal to myself.

From whom did I learn this insidious habit? None other than Satan, the father of lies. He loves to remind me of all the times I have failed. He loves to pile guilt and shame as high as the sky. But he is the father of lies and the names he calls me (and insists I call myself) are false.

So why do I listen when I have a Father who tenderly whispers the opposite?

Nowhere in the Bible do I read of God's disappointment, impatience or hatred toward me. Instead, I read His sheer delight. It's time I listened to the One who speaks truth over my soul.

The names you call yourself matter.

What sayest the tongue, so goest everything else. Your words matter. Words build or tear down, create or destroy. We all make mistakes, but if we control our words, we control everything else. You better believe they matter.

God calls us a different name.

By grace He calls us chosen ( 1 Peter 2:9). He calls us loved ( Ephesians 1:4). He calls us delight ( Isaiah 62:4). The apple of His eye ( Psalm 17:8). He loves us so He carved our names on the palm of His hand ( Isaiah 49:16).

Forgive yourself.

Of all the people I have had to forgive, I have been the most difficult. Unforgiveness toward myself is a cancer that will eat away at my heart. I have to forgive myself in order to move forward.

The self-abuse has to stop. My voice should not curse one who has been made in the image of God.

Father, today I ask forgiveness of all the negative and harmful words I have spoken about myself. I do not want to abuse myself in such a way again. Transform my thoughts and let me understand how marvelously you made me. Change my habits so I use my tongue to speak hope and favor upon my life. In Jesus' name.