The Need of Perfect Solitude..... Streams in the Desert

 

The Need of Perfect Solitude 

Streams in the Desert

He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when evening was come, he was there alone (Matthew 14:23).

The man Christ Jesus felt the need of perfect solitude--Himself alone, entirely by Himself, alone with Himself. We know how much intercourse with men draws us away from ourselves and exhausts our powers. The man Christ Jesus knew this, too, and felt the need of being by Himself again, of gathering all His powers, of realizing fully His high destiny, His human weakness, His entire dependence on the Father.

How much more does the child of God need this--himself alone with spiritual realities, himself alone with God the Father. If ever there were one who could dispense with special seasons for solitude and fellowship, it was our Lord. But He could not do His work or maintain His fellowship in full power, without His quiet time. Would God that every servant of His understood and practiced this blessed art, and that the Church knew how to train its children into some sense of this high and holy privilege, that every believer may and must have his time when he is indeed himself alone with God.

Oh, the thought to have God all alone to myself, and to know that God has me all alone to Himself!
--Andrew Murray

Lamertine speaks in one of his books of a secluded walk in his garden where his mother always spent a certain hour of the day, upon which nobody ever dreamed for a moment of intruding. It was the holy garden of the Lord to her.

Poor souls that have no such Beulah land! Seek thy private chamber, Jesus says. It is in the solitude that we catch the mystic notes that issue from the soul of things.

A MEDITATION

My soul, practice being alone with Christ! It is written that when they were alone He expounded all things to His disciples. Do not wonder at the saying; it is true to thine experience. If thou wouldst understand thyself send the multitude away. Let them go out one by one till thou art left alone with Jesus... Has thou ever pictured thyself the one remaining creature in the earth, the one remaining creature in all the starry worlds?

In such a universe thine every thought would be "God and I! God and I!" And yet He is as near to thee as that - as near as if in the boundless spaces there throbbed no heart but His and thine.

Practice that solitude, O my soul! Practice the expulsion of the crowd! Practice the stillness of thine own heart! Practice the solemn refrain "God and I! God and I!" Let none interpose between thee and thy wrestling angel! Thou shalt be both condemned and pardoned when thou shalt meet Jesus alone!
--George Matheson

Paying Attention to How We Live..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Paying Attention to How We Live

Dr. Charles Stanley

Luke 12:16-21

One day we’ll give an account of ourselves to the Lord (Romans 14:12). We must, then, pay attention to how we live.

The rich man in Luke 16:19-31 made the tragic choice of living for himself without regard for the Lord. He also made two other mistakes.

First, he invested everything for himself and nothing for the life to come. When we are blinded by our own desires and personal satisfaction, it is easy to become lukewarm about spiritual matters. We forget that this life is not all there is. Scripture tells us to store up treasures in heaven, not on earth. Where our treasure is reflects where our heart is (Matthew 6:19-21).

The rich man’s other mistake was to prepare everything for himself and nothing for others. Crumbs falling from his table (v. 21) were the only form of assistance he gave a poor man named Lazarus. The one who had much wealth did not share it with the one who had little. Jesus explained what our priorities should be to love the Lord wholeheartedly and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:27).

We see the rich man’s mistakes repeated in another parable. This time a wealthy man builds bigger barns to store crops so he will have plenty for the future. God calls him a fool for such shortsightedness (Luke 12:20).

The Bible repeatedly warns us to pay attention to spiritual matters—the Lord is to have first place in our lives and be the center of our affections. He urges us to store up heavenly treasure by caring for the lost and hurting people around us. On whom is your attention focused?

His Light Shines in Your Darkness..... DANIA YADAGO

 His Light Shines in Your Darkness

DANIA YADAGO

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 (NIV) 

I spent most of my childhood doing my homework in the dark under a burning gas lamp. As war erupted in my Middle Eastern country, we had electricity only eight hours a day, and then it was dark.

Not only was my country physically dark, it was also spiritually dark. My family experienced the effects of this darkness, as we were the only Christians in our village. When we shared the gospel with our neighbors, we received heavy persecution and death threats urging us to stop, or my father would be killed. I experienced darkness at my school as well, where I was bullied for my faith. Often, my heart sank deep within me as I felt the rejection from those around me.

Persecution was affecting my family from the outside, but from the inside, poverty was taking over.

We often lacked food and sometimes only had raw onion and bread for dinner. We lived in a small apartment with no furniture, couches or beds. I desired to have new clothes, dolls and toys, but we could not afford them, and I didn’t receive gifts on Christmas or my birthday.

Yet, my parents continuously encouraged me to be content and to keep my eyes on Jesus. Mom recited Psalm 23 to me every night before going to bed, and she taught me to pray and bring all my needs to God.

During this season of darkness, Christian resources were limited. Aside from finding other Christians to meet, a Christian radio station broadcasted two hours a day. My family desired to have access to the station, but we could not afford a radio. Being a family of prayer, we brought this need to God.

Then God pierced through our darkness.

Amid the war, poverty and persecution, I was given the gift of a beautifully wrapped shoebox packed by someone halfway across the world who wanted to show me God’s love.

My family gathered to open the shoebox. As I opened it, my heart was filled with joy! I found many things that were an answer to my prayers and reflected my innermost self so well. There were hygiene items, school supplies and many beautiful toys such as a slinky and a Beanie Baby.

As we rejoiced over each item inside the box, there was another surprise awaiting us. Inside the shoebox was a smaller box, and inside that box we found a mini radio!

Out of millions of boxes, God orchestrated that box to come specifically to my family with what we needed and had prayed for. That day, as I sat in our room holding my box, the darkness did not go away, but it was overcome by God’s light. Just as the Bible says in John 1:5, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

From that day forward, every time I turned on the radio, I was reminded that God is the God of details. In a unique yet ordinary way, He pierced through the surrounding darkness and showed me that I am seen and loved by Him, even when rejected by many.

There are times when darkness seems too overwhelming and blinds us from seeing God’s presence in our lives. The enemy uses many forms of attack to blur or even blind our vision of the One True Light.

But God is not deterred by the darkness around us.

Continue to seek God even when everything is dark. God is actively working behind the scenes. He is still the God of love, the God of peace and the God of answered prayers.

Heavenly Father, sometimes I am too overwhelmed by my situations and don’t see or feel You. Would You pull me into Your light and allow me to see You shine through my darkness? Help me trust what You’re doing in my life even when I do not know all the details. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
John 8:12, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” (NIV)  

Are You My Leader?..... by Meghan Kleppinger

 Are You My Leader?

by Meghan Kleppinger

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. - John 10:27

 For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you - John 13:15

In the classic children's story Are You My Mother, a baby bird falls from his nest and spends the remainder of the book approaching various animals, from dogs to cows, asking if any of them are his mother.

When asking the cow, her response is: "How could I be your mother? I am a cow."

Yes, this story about birds, cows, dogs, and so forth reminds me of human nature. By design, we humans desire someone who will step up and tell us what to do. We want someone to say “Don’t worry, I have things under control.” We crave leadership!

Children often look to athletes...
Teens look to celebrities...
Adults look to political and spiritual leaders.

Unfortunately, and only too often, there is news about an athlete abusing and killing animals, a celebrity heavily involved in alcohol and illegal drugs, or a political leader using power for unscrupulous gain. Even more unfortunate, our Christian leaders aren't immune from earthly temptations and failings.

It's enough for us to cry out like that little birdie, "I want my mother!"

In a fallen world, humans will make mistakes, and leaders will fall. We all fall. It's not wrong to have role models and people to look to for leadership. I'm sure that bird learned a lot of interesting things in his travels, but he was not going to learn how to be bird from a cow, a dog, or a cat.

Don't get me wrong. I'll be the first to admit that much of my spiritual growth has come under the mentorship of godly leaders, and that's a good thing. Paul was used as an example of Christ-likeness throughout scripture (2 Thessalonians 3:7; Philippians 3:17) to). We, too, are called to be examples (Titus 2:7; 1 Timothy 2:12).

God uses leaders to point to Him, but we must never forget that they are not Him. He sent a Perfect Example to earth, not only to die for us, but to show us how to live for Him. We learn best to be like Christ from Christ himself.

"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps" (1 Peter 2:21).

Intersecting Faith & Life: Charles Spurgeon simply said, "You are saved--seek to be like your savior." Seek to know Him and become more like Him through prayer and by studying His Word.

Further Reading

1 Chronicles 16:11

When Should We Praise God? ..... By: Anne Peterson

 When Should We Praise God?

 By: Anne Peterson

Today’s Bible Verse: For I cried out to Him for help praising him as I spoke. - Psalm 66:17

My friend and I sat quietly as the conference speaker shared her story. She told the story of how God had spared her son when one day he was swinging around a wooden bat and he hit the florescent light on the ceiling.

She continued speaking, “There was glass all around his young body in a perfect circle. When the fog lifted, I saw him and though there was glass surrounding that circle, inside he stood perfectly fine, untouched. God is good!”

I looked over at Jeanie and saw a tear slide down her face. I knew her question even before she whispered it to me.

“Would she have said God is good if her son had been hurt?”

Jeanie and Al had recently buried their infant daughter, Erin. Erin had lived through 5 major surgeries, but tragically died in her crib. All of Al and Jeanie’s friends shared in their grief. I still remember when I visited Erin in the hospital. She was only 4 1/2 pounds and had to remain there. I watched as Jeanie stroked her daughter’s precious little leg and she softly sang the words, “Jesus loves me, this I know…”

I was certain that as she sang, God hushed heaven and told his angels to watch and see what love looked like.

Too often, we wait and praise God after he answers our prayers with the yes we had hoped for. We wait to praise him until after a loved one recovers, or we get that job we badly needed.

When Jesus went to visit his friends Mary and Martha following Lazarus’ death, Jesus asked them to take him to where Lazarus was laid. They reminded him that he had been dead for a few days and that he would stink. That did not deter Jesus. And we know that Jesus called on God at that moment. And the order of what he prayed always struck me:

Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” - (John 11:42-45).

Jesus thanked God for hearing him before Lazarus took one wobbly step. Before!

Recently when reading Psalms 66, I came across verse 17 where David said he cried out to God for help, praising him as he spoke. Similarly, Paul sang in prison as he waited for God to answer his prayers. Both these men believed God was more than able to do what they asked. Do we believe that?

Sometimes I think we get things backward. We mistakenly think God is good when he answers our prayers. In her book, The God of All Comfort,  Hannah Hurnard tells us that God can be nothing less than good. God’s goodness is part of his character. It’s who God is.

May we continue to lean on God with our whole weight, praising God as we call out to him, just like God’s servant, David.

God is Good

Lord, I pray you help us learn
and to discern what’s true.
That you are worthy of all praise,
no matter what you do.

And God, if there are ever times
when you’re misunderstood,
help us just remember this—
that you are always good.

A Prayer to Ease Confusion..... By: Kristine Brown

 A Prayer to Ease Confusion

By: Kristine Brown

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” - Hebrews 11:1 ESV

We hold the key to endless information at our fingertips. One click or swipe and we’re instantly transported to the next current event, opinion, or tidbit of news. Real or fake? Can we trust the source? Yes, exposure to world happenings has its benefits. But sifting through each article, considering different perspectives, and staying up-to-date can get overwhelming.

Lately I’ve been enticed with information overload, leaving me dazed and confused. What should I believe? Who should I listen to? When confusion threatens and I start feeling overwhelmed with it all, God’s Word provides the antidote. The only thing that helps when confusion takes over is the certainty of my future hope.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

Chapter 11 of Hebrews gives us an inspiring look at the meaning of faith. It includes examples from biblical heroes who displayed faith, even though they didn’t get to see some of God’s promises during their time on earth. “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us…” (Hebrews 11:39).

Abel, Enoch, Noah, and more. Their lives showed strength through trials and offered the one truth we need to hold onto when confused by circumstances surrounding us. We have the one true God who gave his son to be our Savior. Jesus Christ, our living hope.

Our assurance in the hope of Christ will ease any confusion we feel.

As we go through our day, let’s make choices that reflect the faith we have rather than the confusion created by the world. Uncertain times may abound, but God’s promises remain certain. Let this prayer ease any confusion we may feel and bring us back to the assurance God freely gives.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the truth of Your Word, which allows us to walk in confidence rather than defeat, and certainty rather than confusion. Sometimes in our effort to stay informed, we can get confused by all the voices of the world. Trying to sort out what’s real and what isn’t leaves us overwhelmed. Thank You for showing us a better way.

We claim Your promise that we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper…” (Hebrews 13:6). Help us make life-giving choices today as we hold without wavering to the assurance of Your son Jesus. He is our one true hope.

Help us also look to Scripture for answers in the midst of all the differing opinions we hear. When we struggle to discern truth, we pray that your Word will be “a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path.” (Psalm 119:105)

John 3:16 shows Your unending love for us with the simplicity we need in times of turmoil. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” When our minds fall into the trap of confusion, bring this verse back to our remembrance. Let the assurance of Your message ease our confusion. You are worthy of our praise, Lord.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.