Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert

He went out, not knowing whither he went (Hebrews 11:8).

It is faith without sight. When we can see, it is not faith, but reasoning. In crossing the Atlantic we observed this very principle of faith. We saw no path upon the sea, nor sign of the shore. And yet day by day we were marking our path upon the chart as exactly as if there had followed us a great chalk line upon the sea. And when we came within twenty miles of land, we knew where we were as exactly as if we had seen it all three thousand miles ahead.

How had we measured and marked our course? Day by day our captain had taken his instruments and, looking up to the sky, had fixed his course by the sun. He was sailing by the heavenly, not the earthly lights.

So faith looks up and sails on, by God's great Sun, not seeing one shore line or earthly lighthouse or path upon the way. Often its steps seem to lead into utter uncertainty, and even darkness and disaster; but He opens the way, and often makes such midnight hours the very gates of day.

Let us go forth this day, not knowing, but trusting.
--Days of Heaven upon Earth

"Too many of us want to see our way through before starting new enterprises. If we could and did, from whence would come the development of our Christian graces? Faith, hope and love cannot be plucked from trees, like ripe apples. After the words 'In the beginning' comes the word 'God'! The first step turns the key into God's power-house, and it is not only true that God helps those who help themselves, but He also helps those who cannot help themselves. You can depend upon Him every time."

"Waiting on God brings us to our journey's end quicker than our feet."

The opportunity is often lost by deliberation.

Sick on the Scenic Route

Sick on the Scenic Route
by John UpChurch

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” - Philippians 3:12 

On my way home from North Carolina, I followed my impulse to jump on the Blue Ridge Parkway that meanders along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains. Late spring had hit, and the trees on that slithering byway had burst into color. And if you know me, you know I can’t resist a scenic detour in spring… or summer…  or anytime I’m sure my car won’t get stuck for some reason.

If you’ve ever had the chance to sling along the Blue Ridge, you’ll find it hard to keep your eyes on the road. Gasp-worthy valley vistas pretty much assault you wherever you turn with their seductive greens and purples and blues. The only problem with a wandering gaze, however, is that many of the turns on that road completely bend back on themselves. So, you’re constantly looking out in awe—and then whipping the car back on the road before you become part of that valley view.

In fact, those stomach-churning curves nearly got the better of me. Never before or since have I suffered from motion sickness while driving. But that road, with all its flipping and flopping, beat me up. By the time I finally escaped that tangled beast of a road, I was actually happy to see the interstate and all its rush-hour traffic (well, for the most part). At least those bumper-to-bumper shenanigans meant I’d be going straight.

For many of us, our pursuit of Christ swings us around in much the same way. We whip around curves that seem to take us the long way round, nearly bumble off the road because something shiny catches our eyes, and let the cares along the way nauseate us. It’s a circuitous route, this Christian life, and one that doesn’t move us from start to finish quickly.

But it’s a path paved by the One who made us His own.

Each bend, each switchback curve, brings us closer to the goal He made possible. His mountain climbing 2000 years ago means we can follow Him all the way, no matter how far away the goal may seem. We’re His, and He’s calling us home.

Intersecting Faith & Life: We belong to Christ. He made us His own by dying on a tree. That’s not some partial investment or a half-hearted venture; that’s some serious business. He paid our price in full.

He intends to lead you around the bends, past the vistas, through the gulches, by still waters, and, finally, home. He’ll calm you, guard you, and shield you. But what He won’t do is leave you stranded. (There are no guarantees against nausea, though.)

For Further Reading
Just go ahead and read (or reread) Philippians.

The Key to Fighting Temptation..... By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

The Key to Fighting Temptation
By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox
 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” - Luke 22:40 (ESV)

No Christian is free from temptation. Remember, temptation itself isn’t a sin, as Jesus was tempted (Matthew 4). Rather, the sin lies in whether we give in to temptation. Do you avert your eyes when tempted with the opportunity to indulge in lust? Do you attempt to take a deep breath and curb your rising anger instead of lashing out? Do you make the right decision when presented with the chance to lie, cheat, or steal and get away with it?

Jesus clearly tells us how to fight temptation.

The night that Christ was arrested, he first went to the Mount of Olives to pray. Luke 22:39 (ESV) And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. Something that strikes me about this scripture is the mention of “as was his custom” - meaning, retreating to pray was a habit or routine of Christ’s. It wasn’t foreign to Him, and it shouldn’t be to us. This is the key to overcoming.

Prayer is so important when fighting temptation that Jesus told the disciples to do it twice in the same evening. Just a few verses down, He repeats His command. Luke 22:45-46 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow,  and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

The disciples struggled with this discipline just like we do. It doesn’t come naturally to us to retreat and pray. Our minds wander a mile a minute, and before we know it, we’re planning our grocery list, thinking of tomorrow’s schedule, or remembering something funny we saw earlier that day on social media. Or, quite possibly, we’re dozing off just like the disciples did.

I believe one of the reasons it is so hard for us to imitate Christ in this manner is precisely because of how important it is. Of course the enemy will come against us and cause all manner of distraction and interruptions when we try. Worse yet, once we sin in some way, we instinctively feel the urge to retreat from God and hide (Genesis 3:8) rather than press nearer to the Father. We tend to pray less, and the less we pray, the less desire we have to do so. It’s a vicious cycle.

As Christians, if we’re going to have any hope of overcoming temptation in our lives, we must listen to the commands of Christ and pray. Carve out time to spend talking with the Father. Make it happen! Have you ever noticed that the more disciplined you are with your daily time in the Word and in prayer, the less likely you are to give in to your “typical sins”? Have you paid attention to the fact that when you skip church for a few weeks or forsake fellowshipping with the body of Christ, you’re more likely to give in to temptation?

This is all intentional. This is the way it works. We need each other, and we need Christ to have any victory over temptation. So, fight your flesh. Rise and pray. And then watch with eager anticipation for the fruit this discipline will grow in your life.

A Prayer for Pre-Teen Parents .....By Meg Bucher

A Prayer for Pre-Teen Parents
By Meg Bucher

I fumed about my older daughter’s lack of timeliness, as I thrust the car door open and lunged in. Her little sister sat alone in the backseat, and worried tears streamed down her face. Stunned from watching her best friend run out of her sight, her seven year old voice was as panicked as her eyes were.

“I don’t know where she went!”

The engine hummed and the door hung wide open, as I tore around the yard. We called out her name and searched the hiding places. Flashes of missing kids paraded through my mind as I ran along the edge of our property. Stopped cold, I reached into my pocket to execute every parent’s worst nightmare. 

“My daughter is …missing,” I managed to verbalize, as I ached in prayer for God to protect her.

How had we gotten here?

That morning, I allowed the one thing that my daughter struggled with to snap my patience and leverage a war on her pre-teen emotional state. As she explained herself to the three police men parked at the end of our driveway that day, a guilt that I had failed her washed over me.

“Fathers, don’t exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.” Ephesians 6:4 (The Message)

The original Greek word, parorgizo, means “to rouse to wrath, to provoke, exasperate, anger.” (Strongs 3949) Exasperate means “to excite the anger of.” (Merriam Webster). The only other time “parorgizo” is used in the Bible is in Romans 10:19, “With a senseless people I will anger you,” in which Paul dug up question Deuteronomy 32:21 posed concerning the Jews missing the truth right before their eyes.

Blocking our past experiences causes us to lack empathy for what our children are going through. In our human impatience, we become behavioral-focused. It’s easy to get caught up in how our children should be acting, but more important to pray into God’s purpose for who they are.

My daughter ran back up the street that day, but she had run a half-mile to a wooded trail before she turned around.

“I just needed somewhere quiet to think.”

“Take them by hand and lead them…” Instead of sparking their anger, pre-teens need us to teach them how to run to Christ in overwhelming moments.

Father,

Praise You for pre-teens, and all that they have to teach us about ourselves and Your love for us. Thank You for returning prodigals and run-aways home safely, and bless those that never had the opportunity to turn around and run home to safety before lesser intentions befell them.

Father, we ask your forgiveness today for lacking the patience and compassion that our children deserve. Help us to operate in the power of the Holy Spirit, especially in those heated moments when we are at the end of ourselves. Lead the next generation to compassionate prayer in moments of heartbreak. Teach them run to You, our Healer and our Comforter.

Jesus, run hard after our children’s hearts, and those that we lead to Your feet. Embrace them with encouragement through our lives.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.