Streams in the Desert

Who is among you that feareth Jehovah, that obeyeth the voice of his servant? He that walketh in darkness and hath no light, let him trust in the name of Jehovah and rely upon his God" (Isa. 50:10, RV).

What shall the believer do in times of darkness -- the darkness of perplexity and confusion, not of heart but of mind? Times of darkness come to the faithful and believing disciple who is walking obediently in the will of God; seasons when he does not know what to do, nor which way to turn. The sky is overcast with clouds. The clear light of Heaven does not shine upon his pathway. One feels as if he were groping his way in darkness.

Beloved, is this you? What shall the believer do in times of darkness? Listen! "Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and rely upon his God." The first thing to do is do nothing. This is hard for poor human nature to do. In the West there is a saying that runs thus, "When you're rattled, don't rush"; in other words, "When you don't know what to do, don't do it." When you run into a spiritual fog bank, don't tear ahead; slow down the machinery of your life. If necessary, anchor your bark or let it swing at its moorings.

We are to simply trust God. While we trust, God can work. Worry prevents Him from doing anything for us. If our minds are distracted and our hearts distressed; if the darkness that overshadows us strikes terror to us; if we run hither and yon in a vain effort to find some way of escape out of a dark place of trial, where Divine providence has put us, the Lord can do nothing for us.

The peace of God must quiet our minds and rest our hearts. We must put our hand in the hand of God like a little child, and let Him lead us out into the bright sunshine of His love. He knows the way out of the woods. Let us climb up into His arms, and trust Him to take us out by the shortest and surest road.
--Dr. Pardington

Remember we are never without a pilot when we know not how to steer.

"Hold on, my heart, in thy believing--
The steadfast only wins the crown;
He who, when stormy winds are heaving,
Parts with its anchor, shall go down;

But he who Jesus holds through all,
Shall stand, though Heaven and earth should fall.

"Hold out! There comes an end to sorrow;
Hope from the dust shall conquering rise;
The storm foretells a summer's morrow;
The Cross points on to Paradise;

The Father reigneth! cease all doubt;
Hold on, my heart, hold on, hold out."

Our Heart's Desires ..... Dr. Charles Stanley

Our Heart's Desires

Dr. Charles StanleyPsalms 145:17-21

If you could have anything in the world, what would it be? Your answer reveals a lot about who you are. The psalmist writes, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart" (Ps. 37:4). There is nothing wrong with desires--they motivate us to achieve great things. But not all of our yearnings come from God.

Consider your aspirations and what they say about who you are:

Do you hope for a position of authority in order to be in control? Longing for personal advancement in order to manipulate others reveals a lack of integrity, whereas a godly person craves righteousness.

Do you dream about wealth and fame? Perhaps there's a void in your spirit that you're trying to fill. But only God can meet the insatiable needs of the human heart.

Are you afraid to ask the Lord for what you want? Maybe you think He won't listen, but God tells us to approach His throne with boldness and confidence (Heb. 4:16).

If the Lord doesn't respond affirmatively to your prayers, ask Him to make your desires conform to His will. Whatever you do, don't take matters into your own hands and go after what you want. There is always a high price to pay for rebelling against God.

God cares for us bountifully, but that doesn't mean we can expect Him to deliver whatever we want, whenever we want it. Only when our dreams align with His plan for our lives does He fulfill them. The thoughts that preoccupy us are an accurate barometer of the state of our relationship with Christ.

Holding on to Hope..... JONI EARECKSON TADA

Holding on to Hope
JONI EARECKSON TADA

“So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the LORD!” Psalm 31:24 (NLT) 

I once felt as though life wasn’t worth living. As a teenage quadriplegic, I looked down at my useless legs and limp hands and wanted to give up. Without thinking of their feelings, I begged my girlfriends to help me “do myself in.”

Thankfully, they stepped away from my suicidal demands, but they didn’t abandon their hopeless friend. Instead, they prayed for me. They chose to journey alongside and help pull me out of my deep depression. These Christian friends imparted hope through their up-close-and-personal care for me, and they kept me connected to reality — and to life.

I am forever grateful that the doctors who attended to me after my diving accident still held to the Hippocratic Oath of “do no harm.” Even though medically, they could not give me back the use of my hands or legs, my doctors did everything they could to preserve my life. They even heartily applauded my Christian friends when they saw the difference their love made in my life.

It’s a deep, personal interest of mine to hold fast to God’s sovereignty. Quadriplegia, two battles with cancer, and chronic pain have all forced me to bolster my confidence with the same assurance we give the people we serve through Joni and Friends: The world belongs to Almighty God. As Christians, our confidence rests in His plan and purposes.

This is why I draw courage from the story told in Judges 6. Gideon was in hiding, trying to protect himself from the dangers outside. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!” (Judges 6:12b, NLT). It’s no wonder Gideon was convinced God had the wrong person — he certainly didn’t feel brave. But the Lord said to Gideon: “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites …” (Judges 6:16, NLT).

Trusting that God is with you makes all the difference.

As 2 Timothy 1:7 puts it, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (NLT). When times are at their worst, Christ calls His followers to be at their best. He calls you to be a person of valor.

So, let God use you in your weakness, just like He did with Gideon. Let other people see that Christians are a people of hope — because God is with us!

Heavenly Father, thank You for life and hope and bravery. Thank You that even at my weakest, I can rely on You for strength. Remind me of the bravery You’ve called me to step into today, and help me to encourage others with the mighty hope of the Lord too. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (NLT)

Judges 6:12, “The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, ‘Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!’” (NLT)

Psalm 27:14, “Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.” (NLT)

Wisdom from Above..... by Debbie Holloway

Wisdom from Above
by Debbie Holloway

Recently I participated in a small group discussion on Christ-like humility. Our discussion leader had pulled up several Scripture passages for us to reflect upon, and one of them has been racing around in my brain ever since:

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy (James 3:17).

Christ (such as in Mark 1:35) always sought wisdom from above before speaking and acting. Thus, as Christians (Christ-followers) we should be constantly seeking this godly wisdom and applying it to our lives and relationships. But that verse is a big verse. What does it look like to have this wisdom from above?

1. It is first of all pure. Our motives for doing anything should reflect a desire to live like Christ and be in right relationship with God. If our earthly “wisdom” tells us to approach a situation with impure motives such as greed, selfishness, or pride – that is not wisdom from above.

2. It is peaceable. Sometimes we get preoccupied with the imagery of Spiritual Armor and treat everyone we meet like an enemy solider. We must remember that Ephesians 6:10 says this battle is “not against flesh and blood.” Our Lord is a Prince of Peace, and we have a duty to act as citizens of peace.

3. It is gentle. Proverbs 15:1. If we speak gently, others are more likely to accept and understand God’s work and wisdom. But gentleness is not just about tone of voice. Remember the gentleness and patience with which Jesus dealt with children, sinners, and his apostles. Gentleness is a way of life.

4. It is reasonable. Another translation of this reads “willing to yield to others” – and both are absolutely crucial elements of wisdom. It may seem impossible to live a pure lifestyle while being reasonable and willing to yield, but the Bible says we must. We were given an astounding level of intellect and reason – let us use it! We mustn’t buy in to the lie that “reason is the enemy of faith.” It is necessary to yield to God daily with every decision we make. But it is also possible (and necessary, and wise) to yield to others. Whether it’s a matter of selfless giving or resisting the urge to have angry, theological debates, we are called to yield.

5. It is full of mercy. That parent who abused their authority? That government leader who makes you cringe? That blogger who sounds heretical? Wisdom from above tells us to look on them with mercy. After all, has not God shown us the greatest mercy of all?

6. It is full of good fruits. I’m sure many of us can list Galatians 5:22 of the Lord’s Spirit. When we use godly wisdom to discern what we should do, we will consider the fruits of our choices. Do we strive to make choices that result in the fruits of the Spirit manifested in our lives?

7. It is unwavering. Perhaps it might be strange to think that wisdom from above can be both “willing to yield” and “unwavering.” But don’t think of them as opposites. Perhaps think of it like a marriage or a friendship. Each person in the relationship must listen to reason and be willing to yield to the other. But the relationship itself must be unwavering. We must be bold enough to live unwaveringly as followers of Christ and good stewards of the earth, no matter the opposition.

8. It is without hypocrisy. If something seems like wisdom to you but causes you to be double-minded or deceitful, it cannot be wisdom from above. What we believe must match what we say. What we say must match how we behave. Otherwise, we misrepresent Jesus and the lifestyle we claim to live.

Intersecting Faith and Life: The next time you’re faced with a decision, take a moment to match up your actions with "wisdom from above."

Further Reading

Ephesians 6:10
Galatians 5:22
Psalms 111:10

Today, If You Hear His Voice.....by Lynette Kittle

Today, If You Hear His Voice
by Lynette Kittle

Have you ever had God speak to heart about an issue, maybe multiple times, yet you keep thinking you’ll deal with it or make it right later?

If so, did you know every time you ignore His urging, your heart may be hardening towards the Lord? And by delaying to submit to His will, you are risking being able to obey Him in the future concerning the matter?

It’s easy to think you’ll take care of it when it works better in your schedule or you’re ready to turn away from the situation but Scripture says you may not have that opportunity.

As well, do you know that God views your delay in submitting as your testing Him because you aren’t yielding to His leading?

Throughout the Bible, God urges to “not put the Lord your God to the test” (Deuteronomy 6:16).

Scripture describes how the Israelites through their disobedience in the wilderness tested and tried God for 40 years. It explains how the errors in their hearts caused them to go astray and become harden towards Him (Psalm 95:7-10). Doing so cost them missing out on enjoying the good things God had prepared and planned for them.

In the wilderness during Jesus’ 40 day fast, Satan tempted Him to test God but Jesus reminded him of what Scripture states, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’” (Matthew 4:7).

Maybe you thought you could try various things labeled off-limits because you could stop anytime you want to end it, thinking you’ll have the strength to make that decision whenever you want.

It’s what the enemy of your soul wants you to believe, that you are strong enough to play around with disobedience and be able to give it up anytime you feel like it. But the truth is sinful deeds have a way of ensnaring individuals and the cords of their sins hold them fast” (Proverbs 5:22).

Psalm 40:12 describes how easily this scenario can happen to an individual, “my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.”

Scripture urges you to not be deceived in these matters because a person reaps what he or she sows, and whoever sows to please their flesh, reaps destruction (Galatians 6:7-8).

So if you find yourself today in this situation, is there any hope? Is it too late, yet?

“As the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts’” (Hebrews 3:7-8).

Turn to God, cry out as David did saying, “Be pleased to save me, Lord; come quickly, Lord to help me” (Psalm 40:13).

Know that the Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love (Psalm 145:8). Find comfort in knowing Jesus is able to empathize with your weaknesses, as He was tempted in every way, like us, yet didn’t sin (Hebrews 4:15).

1 John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Take this opportunity, this very minute, to make things right with God. Don’t risk losing this moment when your heart may be softened to obey Him. Don’t take for granted you’ll have another time to do so.

Recognize your responses to God’s leading matter to Him. Take into prayerful consideration the cost of your decision, how the good things God has planned for your future may be in jeopardy.

A Prayer for Patience & Peace..... By Dick Woodward

A Prayer for Patience & Peace
By Dick Woodward

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” - Romans 12:12

Throughout the history of the church, patience has always been considered a great virtue by spiritual heavyweights like Augustine, Thomas a Kempis and Francis of Assisi. Why is patience such an important virtue? For starters, patience is one of the nine fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

In our relationship with God, we might call patience “faith-waiting.” In the Bible we are exhorted to “wait on the Lord” (Psalm 27:14). It takes more faith to wait than most of the real life situations that challenge our walk with God. There are few spiritual disciplines that will focus our faith like those times when all we can do is wait on the Lord. When we are praying for something and receiving no answer, God may be teaching us that there are times when faith waits.

We all eventually find ourselves facing circumstances which are beyond our control. Imagine Paul chained in that awful prison in Rome. Would he find and maintain the peace of God if his formula for peace was to rattle his chains and ‘force it?’ Patience is the supernatural fruit of the Holy Spirit that gives us the grace to accept the things we cannot control.

God, teach us what it means to have faith in silence. When we face trials that are beyond our understanding, help us to find peace. Help me be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. You set all things in accordance to your time. Remind us to wait patiently, and find peace in your plan.