Streams in the Desert

 Streams in the Desert

 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ (Phil. 3:7).

When they buried the blind preacher, George Matheson, they lined his grave with red roses in memory of his love-life of sacrifice. And it was this man, so beautifully and significantly honored, who wrote,

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee,
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O Light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to Thee,
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in Thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee,
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shalt tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from Thee,
I lay in dust life's glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red,
Life that shall endless be.

There is a legend of an artist who had found the secret of a wonderful red which no other artist could imitate. The secret of his color died with him. But after his death an old wound was discovered over his heart. This revealed the source of the matchless hue in his pictures.

The legend teaches that no great achievement can be made, no lofty attainment reached, nothing of much value to the world done, save at the cost of heart's blood.

God's Ordered Authority ..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 God's Ordered Authority

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Samuel 15:1-23

God's plan for each one of us has our best interest in mind. His way leads to fullness of life. Yet He did not create us to be robots that blindly and lifelessly live their godly life. No, the Lord grants us the choice of whether or not to obey Him. Our human nature tends to choose a self-centered path that turns away from God's authority. But in doing so, we miss His best for us.

Consider the life of King Saul. God chose this man to be king and provided guidelines for him to follow. Though Saul knew the Lord's instructions, he chose to do things his own way. At times his sin was unquestionably deliberate, such as his attempt to kill David out of jealousy. At other times, however, his rebellion seemed less clear-cut. For example, despite God's order to "utterly destroy" the Amalekites and their animals, Saul spared the best of the herd, with the justification that they were "to sacrifice to the Lord" (1 Sam. 15:3, 21).

His disobedient choices cost him the throne and eventually led to his destruction. This man chose the road that satisfied his immediate fleshly desires, but as we know from history, the end result was hardly fulfilling. We can learn from Saul's mistakes. Partial obedience is actually disobedience. And any disobedience falls in the category of rebellion, which is sin.

Each day, we face the same types of choices. Though the details are different, both large and small temptations lure us. We can live according to Christ's will, following His lead and listening for His voice. Or we can refuse. Choose today to live God's way--which leads to fullness of life.

Rotten Fruit..... By Ryan Duncan

 Rotten Fruit

By Ryan Duncan

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. – Matthew 7:1-2

During my time in college, I met another student who considered himself a very devout Christian. In terms of practice, this student couldn’t be criticized for his dedication. He read the Bible each morning, attended chapel like clockwork, and never broke a rule during his time at the university. In terms of spirit though, he represented the worst Christianity had to offer. He was proud and judgmental, always calling out others on what he considered to be “sins”.

When guys got together to play a game of Halo, he accused them of putting videogames before God. Once, when a guy kissed his girlfriend goodbye on the cheek, he railed for an hour about sexual immorality. When one girl stood up to him and told him to mind his own business, he called her “deaf to the Holy Spirit.” Things finally hit a major low one night at a Bible Study where, after being ignored by some of the other members, he declared that a prophet like himself was wasting his time with these reprobates. He left the university shortly after, and no one was sad to see him go.

Now, the reason I’m writing this isn’t to shame him, God knows I’ve done plenty of stupid things in my time too. What bothered me though was the fact that, despite much evidence to the contrary, this student was certain he was doing the right thing. In fact, there are many so-called Christians who do and say terrible things, all in the name of God. In cases like these, it’s vital to remember what Matthew wrote about bearing fruit.

“By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'” – Matthew 7:15-23

At some point, every Christian needs to look at their life and examine the fruit they’ve been harvesting. Are there bushels full of harsh words, proud actions, and vindictive thoughts, or does their bounty include selfless gestures and a gracious heart? Remember, God will judge us by what we sow in the hearts of others, be careful you’re fruit isn’t rotten.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Take a moment to examine how you have been treating others. Are you truly approaching them as Christ would?

Further Reading
Luke 6:31

Staying Alert Against Temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13) By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

 Staying Alert Against Temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13)

By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)

Temptation can often bring shame into a Christian’s life. We get embarrassed or think, “I shouldn’t be tempted by this again” or “I should be past this temptation by now as a believer.”

But the Bible tells us that being tempted isn’t itself a sin. We know this because Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness after His baptism (Matthew 4) yet Jesus never sinned.

We also know via Hebrews 4:15-16 that “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

It should bring freedom and liberation to a Christian to realize that we aren’t in this alone. 1 Corinthians 10:13 points out that every temptation is common to man. You might think your neighbor in the pew isn’t struggling with X, Y or Z, but the Bible assures us otherwise. Some of the specifics of temptations might look different person to person, but we all struggle with them.

Not only are we riding this same struggle bus with fellow believers, but Jesus Christ Himself understands the battle. Hebrews 4 reminds us that Jesus faced every temptation we do, yet overcame. Because of that, we can draw near to Him. He isn’t standing arms crossed, judging us for being tempted to take that next sip or give that second look. He isn’t shaking His head in disgust as we fight the urge to lie, cheat, or steal our way out of a situation or into success. He sympathizes with our weakness. God Himself—King of Kings, Lord of Lords—condescended into human flesh and can directly relate to our weakness in the flesh. He gets it—He’s been there. And instead of being upset with us for not overcoming like He did, He offers grace and sympathy. What a God we serve!

The sin comes into play, not with the temptation, but when we succumb to it. When we tell the lie. When we look with lust. When we act on the opportunity to steal or cheat. When we lift our heads in pride. When we form that idol. When we down the entire bottle.

James 1:14-15 (ESV) But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

So what do we do? Well, the best defense against sin is offense. How? Scripture tells us.

Psalm 119:11 (ESV) I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

James 4:7 (ESV) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

When we fill our minds with the Word of God, we’re less likely to sin. When we’re submitting to God and not forging our own path, we’re more likely to turn away from temptation. When we’re resisting the devil and refusing to believe his lies that sin brings fulfillment, he leaves us. And with that, temptation leaves us.

When temptation knocks, remember—it’s wearing a cloak of deception. It won’t fill you up or make you feel better or alleviate the pain. Maybe for a minute…but that’s the lie. Sin always makes a believer feel worse afterward.

The next time temptation comes, have a plan in place. Know what you’re going to do, what you’re going to say, and where you’re going to go to get away from it. God promises in 1 Corinthians 10 there is a way of escape. Find it, take it, and run. You’ll never regret it.

A Prayer for Boldness..... By: Emily Rose Massey

 A Prayer for Boldness

By: Emily Rose Massey

The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion” - Proverbs 28:1

The last few years it seems there has been constant brutal violence and restlessness among people in our nation that has been ever-increasing and ever before our eyes and in our social media newsfeeds.

So much hatred and violence toward fellow man, so much strife and division in our land, stone cold and bitter hearts towards anyone who may look different than us or think differently than us.

Most definitely, when we see injustice, it should cause us to want to rise up and say something, yet our message as believers proclaiming the solution to such hatred and violence should be vastly different than what the world offers. The imagery in Proverbs 28:1 reveals such a contrast between the world and God’s people:

“The wicked flee when no one is pursuing,
But the righteous are [a]bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1, NASB).

As believers, we must be bold as lions and not shy away from speaking truth when the world may want to flee from truth.

The problem is sin.

The answer is the Gospel.

It all begins and ends in the heart.

Deceit and the growth of sin abounds in our day. Church, we must take a stand against both for the sake of the Gospel! We must declare that the supreme demonstration of God’s provision for sinful humanity is seen in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

We must proclaim that the only way a person can see a change of heart is to become born again (John 3:3)! Such internal transformation through the work of the Holy Spirit results in a new life conforming to Christ’s character. Once a person believes the Gospel and trusts in Christ for their righteousness, the Spirit is given by God to indwell and empower the Christian to reflect more closely the character of our Savior (Galatians 5:22–23).

Human effort will not transform the heart of the sinner. Only God can change a hard heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh and that, my friends, is only done through the power found in acknowledging their need of a Savior from their wretched sin and believing the gospel that truly saves souls and changes hearts! Jesus, give us the boldness to proclaim it! 

Father, 

We are living in a day unlike anything we have ever seen before. Chaos, confusion, and turmoil has been stirring in the hearts of so many people.

We trust that justice belongs in Your hand, but we also trust that You have a great plan for us to see hearts transformed and lives changed.

Jesus, thank You for Your mercy that was displayed upon the cross that has given those who call upon Your name and trust in you for forgiveness and new life. We want to be a part of Your great redemptive plan in the earth.

Help us fix our eyes on Christ when we are tempted to only look at the problems around us. We are asking that You would give us the boldness to proclaim the only solution to what our world is experiencing and that is Your glorious Gospel!

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

A Prayer for a Thankful Heart..... by Debbie Przybylski

 A Prayer for a Thankful Heart

by Debbie Przybylski

My cup overflows with your blessings – Psalm 23:5

It is not easy to give thanks in every circumstance. But when we choose to thank God in the midst of difficulty, it defeats the forces of darkness in the spiritual realm. When we thank God for every gift He has given us even when things are hard, the enemy loses the battle against us. He is stopped in his tracks when we come to God with a thankful heart.

Learn to be thankful for every blessing from God in your life. It is of great significance to Him if in the midst of great trials, we can be thankful. There is a way of looking at life from the standpoint of eternity. The reality of eternal life and eternal glory that far exceeds this life is a priceless treasure. Our afflictions are working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

A Prayer for a Thankful Heart

Lord, teach me to offer you a heart of thanksgiving and praise in all my daily experiences of life. I long to bring pleasure to Your heart daily. Break the power of the enemy in my life. Defeat Him through my sacrifice of praise. Change my outlook and attitude into one of joyful contentment with my present circumstances. I thank You for… [Name a difficult circumstance in your life presently and thank God for it.]

Jesus, I want to be like You who obeyed the Father without complaint. You embraced the chains of humanity when You walked this earth. Convict me whenever I complain or compare myself with others. I know that Your truth dwells in a thankful heart.

I will give thanks to the LORD because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens’ (Psalm 7:17-18:1). In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”