Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert

As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: so the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange God with him" (Deut. 32:11-12).

Our Almighty Parent delights to conduct the tender nestlings of His care to the very edge of the precipice, and even to thrust them off into the steeps of air, that they may learn their possession of unrealized power of flight, to be forever a luxury; and if, in the attempt, they be exposed to unwonted peril, He is prepared to swoop beneath them, and to bear them upward on His mighty pinions. When God brings any of His children into a position of unparalleled difficulty, they may always count upon Him to deliver them.
--The Song of Victory

"When God puts a burden upon you He puts His own arm underneath."

There is a little plant, small and stunted, growing under the shade of a broad-spreading oak; and this little plant values the shade which covers it, and greatly does it esteem the quiet rest which its noble friend affords. But a blessing is designed for this little plant.

Once upon a time there comes along the woodman, and with his sharp axe he fells the oak. The plant weeps and cries, "My shelter is departed; every rough wind will blow upon me, and every storm will seek to uproot me!"

"No, no," saith the angel of that flower; "now will the sun get at thee; now will the shower fall on thee in more copious abundance than before; now thy stunted form shall spring up into loveliness, and thy flower, which could never have expanded itself to perfection shall now laugh in the sunshine, and men shall say, 'How greatly hath that plant increased! How glorious hath become its beauty, through the removal of that which was its shade and its delight!'"

See you not, then, that God may take away your comforts and your privileges, to make you the better Christians? Why, the Lord always trains His soldiers, not by letting them lie on feather-beds, but by turning them out, and using them to forced marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim through rivers, and climb mountains, and walk many a long march with heavy knapsacks of sorrow on their backs. This is the way in which He makes them soldiers--not by dressing them up in fine uniforms, to swagger at the barrack gates, and to be fine gentlemen in the eyes of the loungers in the park. God knows that soldiers are only to be made in battle; they are not to be grown in peaceful times. We may grow the stuff of which soldiers are made; but warriors are really educated by the smell of powder, in the midst of whizzing bullets and roaring cannonades, not in soft and peaceful times.

Well, Christian, may not this account for it all? Is not thy Lord bringing out thy graces and making them grow? Is He not developing in you the qualities of the soldier by throwing you into the heat of battle, and should you not use every appliance to come off conqueror?
--Spurgeon

From Ordinary to Great..... Dr. Charles Stanley

From Ordinary to Great

Dr. Charles Stanley

Acts 4:13

Anyone who studies God's ways soon realizes they are quite different from man's. Worldly wisdom says that extraordinary people and abundant resources are needed for great tasks, yet the Lord often chooses the small and insignificant to achieve His purposes on earth.

For example, Christ selected a rather unimpressive group of men as disciples, yet after being filled with the Spirit, they "turned the world upside down." During His ministry on earth, Jesus fed thousands with a child's meager lunch, and He viewed the widow's two small coins as a greater offering than all the other generous donations (John 6:5-12; Luke 21:2-3).

God specializes in using people who aren't naturally qualified to accomplish His tasks. Moses was a verbally impaired 80-year-old shepherd who liberated a nation. After Gideon hid from the enemy, God made him a valiant warrior. David was the overlooked youngest son who killed a giant with a small stone and became Israel's greatest king.

God isn't looking for impressive people; He wants willing ones who will bow the knee in humble submission. Being weak and ordinary doesn't make you useless. Rather, it positions you for a demonstration of divine power in your life. He takes insignificant ones and delights in making them great.

Have you ever considered that your lack of ability, talent, or skill is the ideal setting for a great display of Christ's power and glory? If you are willing to submit to His leading and venture into the scary yet rewarding territory of faith and obedience, He will do great things in and through you.

How to Find Your Strength and Identity in the Lord..... ALLI WORTHINGTON

How to Find Your Strength and Identity in the Lord
ALLI WORTHINGTON

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)

Have you ever watched a time travel movie where the main character keeps going back in time to try to fix things, but when he comes back to the present, he’s made things worse? That’s what 2020 has felt like!

It seems like we just find our footing with one crisis when another erupts. This turbulent world, turned upside down by calamities, catastrophes and contagions, is crying out for a generation of women … daughters of the King, filled with the Holy Spirit, who get their strength from God to live in a way that matters.

We’ve all been deeply touched and changed by the adversity of this season. Your adversity may have included a broken relationship. It could have been a time of battling anxiety, illness, loss of someone you loved, financial hardships or even a pattern of thoughts that tore you down. Every woman’s battle is unique.

What I know to be true is that our hearts have been fashioned to face and fight even the hardest of situations. We aren’t alone; we have God on our side. And we can’t ever lose sight of that truth because it holds the secret to our real identity.

When we forget who we are in God, we are at risk of believing these lies from the enemy:

• How you look is the most important thing about you.
• What you do and what you achieve define you.
• You must prove your worth.
• You are responsible for everyone’s happiness.
• You aren’t going to recover from this.

Each of these lies is custom designed to distract, discourage and depress us. Small and insignificant on their own, these lies compound over time until they feel true. As the constant day-to-day reminder of these lies wears us down, we begin to doubt who we are.

To do all God has for us in this life, we must know who we are. And our uncertainty about our identity is precisely why the enemy’s lies trip us up. John 10:10 spills the enemy’s deceitful mission, but it also reveals God’s ultimate plan for us when we believe in Him and who He’s made us to be: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” 

The truth is, we are in the direct lineage of the King of the universe. That is our true identity, and no lie of the enemy has the power to steal that from us.

And because of that truth, our calling is clear. Our calling is to know Him, and our mission is to show Him. We’re not called to be people-pleasers but God-pleasers. We aren’t called to give up when times get hard but to give in to God’s will and draw strength from Him.

The truth is, you can’t break a woman who gets her strength from God.

If you are a believer, the Holy Spirit lives in you. We can’t keep walking around feeling powerless, like life is happening to us and we are victims. The Spirit of God lives inside us, empowering us every single day no matter what the world throws at us.

And no matter what lies the world throws at you, the truth is that you are worthy of salvation because He saved you. You are worthy of love because Jesus loves you. You are worthy of more in this world because He empowers you.

Being a woman of God isn’t about what you can do on your own. It’s about standing strong in who you are in Christ and what He does in and through you.

We can partner with God and press into the future He has for us, no matter what that looks like, no matter what adversity comes our way, no matter what obstacles we face, no matter what.

You are a daughter of the King, filled with the Holy Spirit, standing strong on the promise that God created you and called you to live life abundantly in Him.

Lord, thank You for the comfort that comes from knowing You created us to find our identity and strength in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
John 3:17, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (NIV)

Who Determines Your Identity?..... by Kelly Givens

Who Determines Your Identity?
by Kelly Givens

One year, in between jobs, I worked as a temporary administrative assistant at a financial planning firm... during tax season. It was as challenging as you might imagine. I had no experience in taxes but suddenly found myself surrounded by tax forms, calculators and clients who expected me to have the answers to all of their tax issues. I might as well have been in a foreign country trying to communicate in a language I barely understood.

I started with grand ambitions: I told myself that I would learn all about taxes; I took an incredibly challenging online tax course, learned a ton about deductions and exemptions, and strove to be cheerful and helpful to my colleagues and our clients. Things were going great - I was exhausted but felt helpful, felt like my boss appreciated me and thought my coworkers were glad to have me around. Until the worst imaginable thing happened.

A customer claimed to have dropped off his taxes to be done, but his paperwork was nowhere to be found. All of the most important documents he owned and had trusted to us had somehow vanished. Worst of all, I had been the person handling the coming and going of most of the client’s paperwork the day it went missing, so the blame fell on me.

I was nauseous with anxiety. I felt the cold condemnation of my coworkers as they repeatedly asked me what I had done with this man’s documents. All I could say over and over was, "I don’t know. I don’t remember taking his paperwork. I am so sorry." I listened as they whispered accusations behind my back. I felt them watching me like a hawk, seeing if I would make any more careless mistakes. Worst of all, my boss was totally stressed out and I felt the weight of everything on me.

I went home that night and cried my eyes out. I prayed fervently that God would somehow miraculously make the documents appear. I prayed for the strength I needed to face work the next day. I truly felt as David did in Psalms 55 when he prayed,

Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.
Oh, that I had wings of a dove!
 I would flee far away and stay in the desert.

All I wanted was to run away and never face my coworkers again. And I couldn’t even think about what the client would say when he found out that all of his tax information was gone.

My husband and I went to Bible study that night, and together our small group prayed over the situation, prayed that the missing documents would be recovered, and prayed for my peace. One person’s prayer in particular stuck out to me:

Father, I pray that Kelly knows her identity is not in what she does or doesn't do, but in what you have done for her. I pray she knows that no amount of mistakes could make her any less your daughter.

Those words were a balm to my wounded spirit. I pictured Jesus holding me, reminding me of his great love for me and that even though I had messed up, my mistakes didn’t define me, he did.

I am a daughter of the King. Being reminded that my identity rests not in my success but in Christ’s sacrifice gave me the courage I needed to face another work day. I realized I had been finding my identity in what other people thought of me and in a job well done, instead of resting in the knowledge that no matter what, I am a beloved, redeemed child of God.

I went home that night and cried my eyes out. I prayed fervently that God would somehow miraculously make the documents appear. I prayed for the strength I needed to face work the next day. I truly felt as David did in Psalms 55 when he prayed,

Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.
Oh, that I had wings of a dove!
 I would flee far away and stay in the desert.

All I wanted was to run away and never face my coworkers again. And I couldn’t even think about what the client would say when he found out that all of his tax information was gone.

My husband and I went to Bible study that night, and together our small group prayed over the situation, prayed that the missing documents would be recovered, and prayed for my peace. One person’s prayer in particular stuck out to me:

Father, I pray that Kelly knows her identity is not in what she does or doesn't do, but in what you have done for her. I pray she knows that no amount of mistakes could make her any less your daughter.

Those words were a balm to my wounded spirit. I pictured Jesus holding me, reminding me of his great love for me and that even though I had messed up, my mistakes didn’t define me, he did.

I am a daughter of the King. Being reminded that my identity rests not in my success but in Christ’s sacrifice gave me the courage I needed to face another work day. I realized I had been finding my identity in what other people thought of me and in a job well done, instead of resting in the knowledge that no matter what, I am a beloved, redeemed child of God.

Unlikely, Yet Perfect..... By Jennifer Waddle

Unlikely, Yet PerfectBy Jennifer Waddle

Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. - Matthew 1:5-6

I’ve never been one to dig deep into my own family’s genealogy. It’s not because I don’t find it interesting. In fact, the few things I do know about my heritage is fascinating to me. But there’s one genealogy that captures my attention every time I read it—the genealogy of Jesus. For amidst the ordinary (and not so ordinary) names, there’s mention of a woman who probably never dreamed she’d be included in the Messiah’s family line. Her name is Rahab.

Rahab is described in the Old Testament book of Joshua as a harlot, or prostitute— depending on the version of the Bible you read. However, her way of life changed drastically the day she decided to hide two Israelite spies. Through divine inspiration, she knew the men had been sent by God to search her hometown of Jericho, and she helped them escape the king’s men by hiding them on the roof, underneath stalks of flax (Joshua 2:6).

The remarkable thing about Rahab’s actions, was that they were carried out from an unlikely perspective of faith. You see, she had heard of God’s miraculous ways—how He had dried up the Red Sea and led the Israelites on dry land. She had heard of the Israelites’ victories, as they conquered mighty kings and took over entire provinces. And with that knowledge, a seed of faith was planted in her heart. Remarkably, she believed (and feared) what she’d heard about the God of the Israelites. In her own words, she said, “For the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath” (Joshua  2:11).

Through her faithful acts of bravery, she and her family were miraculously spared the destruction of the wall of Jericho in which they lived. Afterward, she went on to marry Salmon, who was in the direct lineage of King David. And twenty-eight generations later, Jesus Christ was born to Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem.

The genealogy of the Savior is the perfect example of how God sometimes chooses the most unlikely people to be instrumental in His purpose. For He looks at the heart and not the outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). He chooses the weak to be symbols of His strength. And, He calls unlikely people to carry out His perfect will.

If genealogies and family histories are fascinating to you, consider looking deeper into Jesus’ timeline. As you read the ordinary (and not so ordinary) names, you’ll find that the Bible is full of surprises that will take you on a journey of remarkable discovery. You’ll also see how God can use the most unlikely of people to perform His perfect plan for mankind.

A Prayer to Soothe an Anxious Heart..... By Jennifer Heeren

A Prayer to Soothe an Anxious Heart
By Jennifer Heeren

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

Feelings of worry and nervousness will inevitably pop up as you travel your life’s path. Things will happen that you don’t understand. You will be called to do something even when you don’t have a clue about the outcome. Anxiety will present itself to your uncertain mind. But you don’t have to live there. The answer to anxieties is to go to God as soon as you sense a worry. Don’t wait. Pray immediately and ask for His strength to carry you.

Philippians 4:6 has the first three steps to talk to God about your anxiety:

1. Pray about everything. Does it say only pray about the big problems? I know I have the tendency to try and muddle through in my own meager strength until I can’t go on anymore. But if I do what Philippians says and pray about everything, that really does include everything. God is strong enough to handle ALL my worries. Whereas, I often break from the pressure that I put on myself.

2. Tell God what you need. Don’t use the excuse that He already knows. Of course, He knows already. He’s God. Actually, He knows even more than you do. I tend to get so caught up in my wants, that my real needs are often hidden from view. God may already know what I need but He wants me to always come to Him about everything. Even when I ramble on, He probably just smiles and listens and is glad that I felt comfortable talking with Him

3. Thank Him for all He has done (and will do). Gratefulness goes a long way to cover my anxieties. When I keep a long mental list of all that God has blessed me with, they often crowd out my anxieties. Also, I can keep a mental list of hopes and promises for my future, that also takes up the space that fears try to live. Doubts may seek to fill my mind but thoughts of comfort give me renewed hope and cheer (Psa 94:19).

Go straight to the psalms. The psalms are a great place to go when anxieties seek to overwhelm you. They often begin with a problem and a crying out to the Lord. Then they explain what they want. Finally, the Spirit within the author remembers the truths about just who God is and extreme comfort is the result. The situation may not go away but the attitude changes.

Bring your emotions; don’t hold back. In Psa 31, David comes to the Lord with tears blurring his eyes. He feels as if his body and soul are withering away. He feels sadness is shortening his years. His strength is gone. Like David, we should come to God with all our emotions showing. God knows about them anyway so why should I try to hold something back from him?

Remember that God is very near to you. Psalm 23:4 says that even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, when I remember that the Lord is close beside me. I can remind myself often of this fact that God is indeed very near to me. Then, I don’t have to worry about fighting off my enemies. I can simply let God be God.

Remember that the Lord is your light and salvation. Doubts, fears, and anxieties seek to surround me with darkness—so much that I can’t keep moving forward on my journey. This is Satan’s goal—to stop me from living out my faith in God. But God is my light always, especially when anxiety threatens to darken my path. With that much light all around me, why should I be afraid (Psa 27:1)?

Be desperate. Psalm 34:6 tells me that when I pray out of desperation, the Lord listens and saves me from all my troubles. I can be real and honest with him and I can come to Him like my life depends on it. Just like a parent runs to their child’s cries of distress, God will run to mine. And the more brokenhearted I am, the closer the Lord seems to me (Psa 34:18).

Remember that He is a Good, Good Father. God is indeed a Good Father. Like a mother eagle to her eaglets, God longs to cover you with His feathers and give you full refuge along with a warm place of safety to rest your head (Psa 91:2-4). God promises that He will rescue those who love and trust Him (Psa 91:14). He really does want the best for me and you.

Trust that He has overcome the world and its trials and troubles. Trials, and even sorrows are inevitable in this fallen world where evil so often appears to be winning. But I can have peace despite those troubles. I can take heart and have courage because Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33). And His Spirit lives within me so I am an overcomer too!

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” (Psa 27:8)

Pray over your anxiety with me:

Dear Lord, I thank you that I can come to You always for any reason. I’m grateful that when I pray to You, You answer me. Help me to come to You at the beginning of my fears and anxieties instead of waiting until I can’t stand them anymore. The quicker I come to You the better. You want to free me from ALL my fears. Help me look to You for help more often so that I can be radiant with Your joy. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.