Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert

And when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him (Joshua 6:5).

The shout of steadfast faith is in direct contrast to the moans of wavering faith, and to the wails of discouraged hearts. Among the many "secrets of the Lord," I do not know of any that is more valuable than the secret of this shout of faith. The Lord said to Joshua, "See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour." He had not said, "I will give," but "I have given." It belonged to them already; and now they were called to take possession of it. But the great question was, How? It looked impossible, but the Lord declared His plan.

Now, no one can suppose for a moment that this shout caused the walls to fall. And yet the secret of their victory lay in just this shout, for it was the shout of a faith which dared, on the authority of God's Word alone, to claim a promised victory, while as yet there were no signs of this victory being accomplished. And according to their faith God did unto them; so that, when they shouted, He made the walls to fall.

God had declared that He had given them the city, and faith reckoned this to be true. And long centuries afterwards the Holy Ghost recorded this triumph of faith in Hebrews: "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days."
--Hannah Whitall Smith

Faith can never reach its consummation,
Till the victor's thankful song we raise:
In the glorious city of salvation,
God has told us all the gates are praise.

The Burden of Inadequacy ..... Dr. Charles Stanley

The Burden of Inadequacy 

Dr. Charles Stanley
Deuteronomy 1:19-36

Standing on the edge of the Promised Land, the Israelites were overcome by fear. The size and strength of the enemy contrasted sharply with their own weakness and inability. Because we're human, everyone at times will experience inadequacy and the uncomfortable feelings that accompany it. The issue you and I face is not whether we are sufficient for a task, but how we will respond when a challenge is beyond our capabilities.

Like the children of Israel, we can give in to fear and then focus on the expectation of certain failure. As the obstacle grows in our minds, our feet run in the opposite direction, away from the challenge and toward safety. However, turning away from the task that God has given us will lead us not to security but into bondage. By allowing fear to control our choices, we'll become chained to feelings of inadequacy, which will shape our future decisions and, ultimately, our destinies.

As a result of their refusal to trust the Lord and move forward to conquer the land, the Israelites were consigned to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. The men who did not believe God's promise never saw the land that He wanted to give them. Opportunities are always lost when we let fear overrule our faith.

When God calls you to a task beyond your abilities, instead of giving in to your feelings, choose to rely on what you know about Him and His promises. By moving forward in faith despite your inadequacy, you will discover the Lord's faithfulness. He always empowers us for the works He assigns.

He is Always By Our Side..... CORRIE GERBATZ

He is Always By Our Side
CORRIE GERBATZ

“Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.” Joel 2:13 (NIV)

When my youngest daughter learned to ride her bike, family rides became a regular occurrence in our home. Our course in the neighborhood was short and easy, and everyone came home smiling.

But soon enough, my youngest became discontent. She believed she was big enough to chart a new course, and a certain corner became the point of contention. She would beg to go right (the longer and hillier route home), but we would go left (the shorter and easier route). And when we went left, she would then proceed to complain the entire way home.

These frustrating shenanigans continued until, finally, I could take it no longer. I didn’t want to explain, yet again, why we would not be going right. So, I didn’t, and I let her go her own way …

Five minutes later: “Momma! You were right. My legs are stress’d … my head’s all sweaty … and I should’na gone that long, long way!”

She thought she was ready. She thought she knew better. But the energy in her little legs did not yet match the enthusiasm of her heart. And unfortunately, the only way home was the long way she had chosen. So, we persisted on. Many sweaty tears were shed, breaks in the shade were taken, and pushes up hills were offered, until finally we made it home.

I can’t help but think of myself and all the times in my life when I thought I was ready, or knew better, so I forged ahead of God with my plans.

I thought I knew what was best for my career.

I thought my timing for a family made so much sense.

I thought I was ready to serve in that ministry.

I thought the financial decision checked all the right boxes.

But I was wrong. Just like my daughter, I soon found myself on paths I regretted, crying aloud, feeling “stress’d,” “all sweaty” and hopelessly lost.

Throughout the Bible, we read of God’s people going off course and finding themselves on paths they regretted too. Various prophets throughout the Old Testament came to warn Israel and Judah of judgment for their sins, urging them to repent.

One such prophet was a man named Joel. He spoke with authority and conviction, forebodingly. But also, he spoke of hope and the grace to be found when one returned to God:

“Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity” (Joel 2:13).

That same hope and grace is available for us too.

Friends, if we should ever find ourselves stuck amid a path we regret (or perhaps are stuck on one now), we need to remember we have not been left alone. Our heavenly Father walks beside us, and there is no wrong turn big enough to ever separate us from His love!

So, let us heed the call of Joel and cry out to our Lord when we have lost our way. He is there, and He is ever at the ready to dry our tears and guide our hearts and steps back to His redeeming grace.

Dear Lord, we praise You for who You are and are humbled by Your abounding love for us. Please forgive the times we have stepped ahead of You and gone our own way. Hold our hearts fast that we might learn to fully trust Your ways and Your timing above our own. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Isaiah 30:19, “People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you.” (NIV)

Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NIV)

It’s Good for Your Character..... by Laura MacCorkle

It’s Good for Your Character
by Laura MacCorkle

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. - Romans 5:3-5, NIV

I grew up in a very special church back in the '70s and '80s. It was nondenominational, had tremendous traditional worship and congregational singing and was attended and led by many seminary professors and students. 

Seeds that were sown in my life in those early years of my spiritual growth are now sprouting, and I’m drawing upon what I have learned as I make my way through adulthood. 

From time to time, I flip through a bound collection of meditations on sayings that my pastor put together. He would regularly refer to these life principles from the pulpit, and today, whenever I hear them being said (or similar concepts) by others, I remember what he preached on them many years ago.

“It’s good for your character,” he would often say. And here’s how he explained that further:

“God uses the routine, the difficult, even the painful to develop in us qualities of Christlike character that can be learned in no other way.”

When we begin to see our lives from this perspective, that’s when we’ve turned a corner. But in order to keep thinking in this way, we have to make daily readjustments, as we don’t always want to see the routine, the difficult and even the painful in this way.

But it is the right way to look at any uncomfortable situation in our lives. The classic passage regarding trials in James 1:2-4 is wonderfully helpful and instructive to us pilgrims traveling life’s road on our spiritual journeys:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Now, let’s break down this outlook:

1. Consider it pure joy. How do you do this when you’re going through a divorce? Or in the aftermath of a departed loved one or the loss of a job? What will it take to see the joy despite the circumstances? Only God can give us this joy and change our perspective (Psalm 16:8-11).

2. Testing develops perseverance. In order to learn how to persevere, we have to go through some trying times. Think back on the trials in your life. What were the results? Did you make changes in your life? Did God help you get through them? Remember that as you continue to serve him (Psalm 25:4-10).

3. Perseverance must finish its work. We can’t go from diapers to dungarees in the snap of our fingers. Living takes time. And there are “pains” that go with it. Sure, it hurts sometimes, but know that the uncomfortable seasons mean that you’re growing (1 Peter 4:12-19).

4. Be mature and complete. When you were a child, you didn’t have a bulging file folder of life experiences to draw from. Now that you’re older, hopefully you can see how you have grown closer to the Lord and how he has changed you. Draw from past lessons as you choose to live and think differently today (1 Cor. 13:10-12).

Intersecting Faith & Life: Can you look back on “the routine, the difficult, even the painful” times of your life and see how God has developed your character? List some specific trials and the resulting changes that have been made in your character and then praise your merciful Savior.

Further Reading:
2 Cor. 4:7-12, MSG, Phil. 1:21, NIV, Heb. 10:32-39, MSG

“When We All Get to Heaven”, Words by Eliza E. Hewitt (1898), Music by Emily D. Wilson

While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when traveling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh

When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!

God Is the Potter, We Are the Clay..... By Bible Pathways

God Is the Potter, We Are the Clay
By Bible Pathways

This verse and others like it are used often by preachers and teachers. Many love to use the thought of God being the Potter and we, His creation, being the clay. They love to speak on how God can give us a fresh start in life as He remolds us into a new vessel. The old vessel with its flaws and imperfections is cast into something new and better.

There is nothing wrong with this line of thought. It is a fine message that often draws people into a closer walk with Jesus Christ. The old becoming new is a very popular theme in the Word of God. No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved (Matt. 9:16-17).

At this time though, let us look at another part of this verse. There are times when part of something becomes so popular that other parts are sometimes overlooked or even forgotten. The part of the verse that we wish to examine is Thou art our Father.

No one knows our fundamental human needs better than God; He knows our needs for things like hope, love and peace. How can we better trust in God to meet those needs? The first step is to acknowledge the fact that God is our heavenly Father.

Notice, God identifies Himself as a Father to us. That should say a lot to us as to how He feels. This is how He chose to characterize His relationship to us. It’s not just a descriptive term used by preachers or theologians. God chose Fatherhood from all possible human relationships. There was something significant that God wanted to communicate by His choice of this title.

The thing that God was trying to communicate was that He wanted our dependence to be on Him. He desired to show that there is no one who loves us more, or in whom we should place more trust, than Him. God is the perfect example of what a father should be.

Earthly fathers have the perfect model to follow. They have the Word of God revealing God's character to mankind. This should serve as a manual on how to interact with their children. Everything a person needs to know about fatherhood is right there in the Bible. You need to learn how to teach the difference between right and wrong. The Word of God can help. If you need help regarding discipline, the Bible has lots to say on the subject. Many fathers do not use God as a role model, and their children suffer because of it. God is the only Father they know.

God is our heavenly Father. He should receive the greatest of praise for taking on this role in our lives.

A Prayer for Time .....By Pastor Jack Graham

A Prayer for Time
By Pastor Jack Graham

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” – James 4:14

I have a good friend who was sitting at a red light one day, and he began to contemplate how much time we spend sitting at red lights in our lifetime. The thought occurred to him that one of these days, after sitting at so many red lights, he’s going to die. They’ll put him in a box and drive his body down the street in a hearse, running every red light along the way.

So he thought, “How ironic. I’ll have to die to run red lights!”

I was thinking about that little thought not long ago, and I started to thank God for the “red lights” I hit in my daily life. Sometimes, they’re literally red lights. Other times, they’re people who stop me in the hallway because they need to talk. It’s those red lights that tell me I still have breath in my lungs, and I still have a mission to live for God’s purposes.

It’s easy to want to push-push-push our way through life, checking boxes only to make more lists. But what if we take more little blessing breaks in our lives and slow down a bit? Our lives would be much less stressful, and our relationships so much deeper. You’re never wasting time when you’re doing what God wants you to do.

Dear Lord, when our life on earth is done, may we stand before you and hear the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Father, we know our time on earth is but a few words in the cosmic story. Help us to use our time wisely, and leave our mark when our time is done. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.