Streams in the Desert

There hath not failed one word of all his good promise (1 Kings 8:56).

Some day we shall understand that God has a reason in every NO which He speaks through the slow movement of life. "Somehow God makes up to us." How often, when His people are worrying and perplexing themselves about their, prayers not being answered, is God answering them in a far richer way! Glimpses of this we see occasionally, but the full revelation of it remains for the future.

 

If God says 'Yes' to our prayer, dear heart,

And the sunlight is golden, the sky is blue,

While the smooth road beckons to me and you,

And the song-birds warble as on we go,

Pausing to gather the buds at our feet,

Stopping to drink of the streamlets we meet,

Happy, more happy, our journey will grow,

If God says 'Yes' to our prayer, dear heart.

 

If God says 'No' to our prayer, dear heart,

And the clouds hang heavy and dull and gray;

If the rough rocks hinder and block the way,

While the sharp winds pierce us and sting with cold;

Ah, dear, there is home at the journey's end,

And these are the trials the Father doth send

To draw us as sheep to His Heavenly fold,

If God says 'No' to our prayer, dear heart.

 

Oh for the faith that does not make haste, but waits patiently for the Lord, waits for the explanation that shall come in the end, at the revelation of Jesus Christ! When did God take anything from a man, without giving him manifold more in return? Suppose that the return had not been made immediately manifest, what then? Is today the limit of God's working time? Has He no provinces beyond this little world? Does the door of the grave open upon nothing but infinite darkness and eternal silence?

 

Yet, even confining the judgment within the hour of this life, it is true that God never touches the heart with a trial without intending to bring upon it some grander gift, some tenderer benediction. He has attained to an eminent degree of Christian grace who knows how to wait.
--Selected

 

When the frosts are in the valley,

And the mountain tops are grey,

And the choicest buds are blighted,

And the blossoms die away,

A loving Father whispers,

"This cometh from my hand";

Blessed are ye if ye trust

Where ye cannot understand.

 

If, after years of toiling,

Your wealth should fly away

And leave your hands all empty,

And your locks are turning grey,

Remember then your Father

Owns all the sea and land;

Blessed are ye if ye trust

Where ye cannot understand.

--Selected

Our Growth as Christians..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Our Growth as Christians

Dr. Charles Stanley

Galatians 2:20

 

There's a goal to the Christian life, which God expresses this way: "For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:29). This refining process is called sanctification. And there are several identifiable stages en route to this goal, but sadly, most believers are unfamiliar with them. Let me offer some definitions so you can identify where you are on the journey and understand what to expect.

 

Salvation is the first stage of the Christian life. This describes our redemption from sinfulness through Jesus' atoning sacrifice. What results is forgiveness of sin, which lets us have a relationship with Almighty God.

 

Next, God gives us opportunity to serve (Eph. 2:10). We were created to do good works in Jesus' name.

 

But at some point, we notice something isn't working. This is the start to stage three: frustrated inadequacy. This unpleasant but necessary part of the journey can last varying amounts of time. Without it, we'd undoubtedly experience self-sufficiency and pride. But we should recognize this difficult phase as beautiful because it leads us into the best part of our spiritual lives: total dependency upon Jesus as Lord of our life. And we will be fulfilling our ultimate goal: becoming a reflection of Christ.

 

Sadly, many Christians don't reach a point of complete reliance on the Lord. Pride, discouragement, and distraction can ruin focus and perseverance. Paul reminds us to fix our eyes on the goal of maturity in Christ (Phil. 3:14). Learning to die to self is painful, but ironically, it's the only true way to life.

How Loneliness Can Hone Our Hearing ..... ALICIA BRUXVOORT

 How Loneliness Can Hone Our Hearing

ALICIA BRUXVOORT

“The word of God, you see, is alive and moving; sharper than a double-edged sword; piercing the divide between soul and spirit, joints and marrow; able to judge the thoughts and will of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 (VOICE)

The mac and cheese had grown cold by the time my kids traipsed through the back door for lunch on that carefree day long ago.

“Why didn’t you tell us it was time to eat?” asked my oldest. He clutched his stomach in an exaggerated charade. “I’m sooooo hungry,” he complained.

Our backyard had been teeming all morning with the happy noise of neighborhood kids gathered to play.

“I called for you three times, but you were so busy playing with your friends that you didn’t hear me,” I gently explained.

My hangry boy grumbled and took his place at the table.

His younger sister climbed up beside him, saying, “Mommy, sorry I didn’t come when you called. I didn’t even hear you.” She flashed me a contrite smile. “I guess I just listen better when I’m lonely.”

I tried not to laugh at my little girl’s word choice, but big brother couldn’t contain his giggles. “You mean alone,” he corrected with second-grade expertise. “You listen better when you’re alone.” 

Unconcerned with matters of linguistics, my preschooler shrugged her slender shoulders. “Mommy knows what I mean.”

My bright-eyed girl was right. I knew exactly what she was trying to say.

But what I didn’t realize on that day long ago is that my daughter’s mixed-up word choice holds a tender truth for us all.

Sometimes we just listen better when we’re lonely.

Moses was tending sheep on his own in the wilderness when he heard the voice of God speaking from a burning bush.

Elijah was standing alone on a mountain when he heard the Lord’s whisper in the wind.

John was imprisoned on a remote island when he heard the voice of Jesus inviting him to write down the final revelation of Scripture.

And though I’ve never found myself alone in the wilderness or abandoned on an isolated island, I’ve certainly been in lonely spaces and hard-pressed places.

I’m guessing you have, too.

Maybe you’ve been called to a job beyond your comfort zone or distanced from the community you cherish. Or perhaps you’re navigating a situation your friends can’t understand or carrying an ache your family can’t fix.

Though loneliness is something few would choose, there’s a gift tucked in its unwanted folds if we’re willing to unwrap it. Loneliness reveals our longing to hear from the One who sees our need and knows our ache.

It was in a lonely season when I opened my Bible as a listener instead of just a learner. I no longer wanted to merely read about Jesus; I wanted to hear from Him.

Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that the Bible isn’t just informational; it’s also relational. God’s Word isn’t a static drone of wisdom from the past; it’s the vibrant din of His voice in the present.

“The word of God, you see, is alive and moving; sharper than a double-edged sword; piercing the divide between soul and spirit, joints and marrow; able to judge the thoughts and will of the heart.”

It’s amazing but true — through the Holy Spirit, Jesus can deliver a right-now word through Scripture’s ancient truth. He speaks to each of us personally and purposefully. He knows exactly what we need to hear and when we need to hear it.

Just as listening to the people around us requires time and intention, so does listening to the voice of our Savior. The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we know His voice. We grow familiar with the pitch of His promises and tone of His Truth, the timbre of His faithfulness and the ring of His assurance.

Maybe it’s time to turn our lonely seasons into listening seasons, so we can discover for ourselves that the words of a bright-eyed girl hold true.

Loneliness really does hone our hearing.

But best of all, we just may find that hearing assuages our loneliness, too.

Because when we hear the voice of Jesus, we remember we’re not really alone.

Dear Jesus, I want to hear from You. Please help me to recognize Your voice as I seek You in Your Word.In Jesus’ name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Matthew 4:4, “It is written, ‘Man does not live by bread alone. Rather, he lives on every word that comes from the mouth of the Eternal One.’” (VOICE)

"You Never Do Anything You Don't Want to Do"..... by Shawn McEvoy

 "You Never Do Anything You Don't Want to Do" 

by Shawn McEvoy

Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. - Galatians 6:5, The Message

If I try, I can remember my friends from 10th-grade Sunday School. In fact, I'm still tight with two of them. I remember our church, our youth group, and our youth minister. What I don't remember so well are the individual lessons we learned from the Bible each week. As I realize that, I give myself another kick for not having gotten into note-taking and journaling. I'd like to have those things to review now.

What I do recall from one particular class session, however, has always stuck with me. And it wasn't even a quote from the Bible. To show how much I've forgotten, I don't even remember the name of the teacher who said it! He was tall, well-accomplished in business, but still wanting to give of his time to young men. And one day he looked at us and said the following:

"Today's lesson is going to be very short. Look at me, because whatever you remember from today, remember this. Whatever you remember from your time in this youth group, remember this: You never do anything you don't want to do."

That was it. Obviously I still remember it. Why?

I also remember challenging the teacher on that day, most of us scoffing and saying things like, "Yeah, right... I can honestly tell you I do not want to do my homework tonight."

"Yes you do."

"No, I really don't."

"What will happen if you don't?"

"Well, I guess I'd be embarrassed when it was time to turn it in, I'd probably have to lie to my parents when they asked if I'd done it yet, and I wouldn't be prepared for the upcoming quiz."

"So I guess the reason you're going to do your homework is because for the motives you just stated, you DO want to do it."

Snap.

I wanna do my homework? ... Wow, I want to do my homework! What a relief to not have to dread it, but to face it gladly because I recognize my want.

A dozen high school boys just got handed a logic lesson in responsibility, desire, and motivation. All around the room you could see eyes and minds opening to new possibilities.

This is what we'd been hearing about free will. But now contextualized and personalized.

This is what our parents and teachers had been getting at as they spoke to us about becoming responsible young men.

This would make me own all my actions and reactions, decisions and indecisions. And, surprising myself, that was a concept I could handle.

The applications were everywhere.

I'm still not even sure his statement was absolutely true, or necessarily biblical. But to be honest, it doesn't matter anymore, because it informed and continues to inform many things in my life that are true and biblical.

Do I want to lay in bed or do I want to get to work? Why or why not?

Do I really "want" that sportscar, or can I put it out of my mind to burden me no more since it conflicts with several of my primary wants?

Why am I overweight? In my case, I don't have to be. My bad. Guess I wanted that, too, when you get down to the nub of it. Certainly didn't do the things I knew would prevent it.

One of the doors that opened to me was in realizing that once I got past "my will be done," I could begin to pray as Jesus did, "Your will be done."

Another was in being able to recognize motivation. Why am I going to conquer this lust or pursue this knowledge or accomplish this hard task for God's Kingdom? Because ultimately, what I want to do is to have my heart's desires be the same as God's. That's where he tells us delight is, and that's the only place where we know what we want is right.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Now, please realize, the lesson is NOT, "Nothing you don't want to have happen to you will happen." Instead, it's about owning what you choose to do and not do, and why. What "have to" in your life can you admit is actually a "want to"? What action or reaction have you been blaming on other people or circumstances? Write down all the ways you yourself can own up to it.

Further Reading

1 Thessalonians 5:12
Philippians 1:23

The Lord is the Shepherd, and We are the Sheep..... By Christina Patterson

 The Lord is the Shepherd, and We are the Sheep

By Christina Patterson

Psalm 23:1 is surely one of the most popular verses in the Bible. Through this simple illustration of God being our Shepherd, we see how He tenderly takes care to provide, guide, and protect us.

Now if the Lord is our Shepherd, that makes us the sheep. Prone to wander. Entirely and always reliant on our Shepherd, whether we realize it or not. We can't see God as Shepherd if we don't see ourselves as sheep. When we open our eyes to how much we really need and rely on God for everything, the more we realize His provision in our lives. But if we live in the lie that we can do everything on our own, we wander and drift away from our true source, looking for satisfaction in artificial places.

So when David says, "I shall not want," he is acknowledging how completely reliant he is one God as his Shepherd.

“I shall not want” because God, as a good shepherd, will ensure I have everything I need. “I shall not want,” not because of what I've done or can do but because God loves me. “I shall not want” because I know God personally as Shepherd.

A shepherd represents a close and intimate relationship. Whereas a king might do what's best for the majority, a shepherd knows each one of his sheep. A shepherd has deep concern and care, not only for His flock of sheep, but also for each and every single one.

This is how God cares for us. He knows our comings and goings, He knows every hair on our heads, He knows when even one of us is lost, and He has made every provision to find us through His Son Jesus Christ.

Notice that this Psalm does not say I shall not need. In Matthew 6, Jesus makes it clear that God is going to provide all our physical needs and we shouldn't worry about them. Psalm 23, however, says I shall not want, speaking to our desires.

It's saying that not only can God take care of my physical needs, but He can also fulfill me. He can satisfy my heart.

The word "want" in today's text means to lack, decrease, empty, or run dry. So when David says “I shall not want” he's saying two things:

1. There are areas in my life that only God can fulfill, and He will fulfill them.

2. I've made the decision not to desire anything outside of the scope of what God wants for me.

In this shepherd-sheep relationship with God, I am satisfied.

A Prayer for the Toxic People in Your Life..... By Jennifer O. White

 A Prayer for the Toxic People in Your Life

By Jennifer O. White

But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. – Luke 6:27-28

God offers healing and freedom to everyone.

God created those who hurt us. He has a good plan for their lives. He knows the “why” behind their destructive behaviors. He knows the lies they believe about themselves. He knows what stands in the way of their wholeness. He is a Shepherd who pursues every sheep that wanders away from all He offers.

What would delight our God more than for us to turn our minds away from the problems and focus on Him? He is our solution.

Praising God is a powerful first line of defense. We can worship and adore Him, our wonderful counselor and supreme relationship expert.

Holy God. You are full of mercy and compassion, slow to anger and full of love.

You love imperfect people extravagantly. Father, I may be blind to my own role in toxic relationships. Help me see the truth about myself. Apply the healing power of Your Word to my heart and mind. Deliver me from any stronghold that causes me to harm people with my words and actions. Save me from self-destructive patterns.

I struggle in my relationship with ______. I need You to give me wisdom on how to love them well. You are my shield and defender. Show me how, when and where to erect boundaries in our relationship. I believe You are my healer and I trust You to guard my heart and mind.

Help me to love ______ courageously. Fill me with Your truth and compel me to fearlessly tell the truth with love. Let Your perfect love cast out all of my fears related to our relationship.

I surrender what I think our relationship should be. Please transform it so that it honors You.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.