Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert

But they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. (Rev 12:11)

When James and John came to Christ with their mother, asking Him to give them the best place in the kingdom, He did not refuse their request, but told them it would be given to them if they could do His work, drink His cup, and be baptized with His baptism.

Do we want the competition? The greatest things are always hedged about by the hardest things, and we, too, shall find mountains and forests and chariots of iron. Hardship is the price of coronation. Triumphal arches are not woven out of rose blossoms and silken cords, but of hard blows and bloody scars. The very hardships that you are enduring in your life today are given by the Master for the explicit purpose of enabling you to win your crown.

Do not wait for some ideal situation, some romantic difficulty, some far-away emergency; but rise to meet the actual conditions which the Providence of God has placed around you today. Your crown of glory lies embedded in the very heart of these things—those hardships and trials that are pressing you this very hour, week and month of your life. The hardest things are not those that the world knows of. Down in your secret soul unseen and unknown by any but Jesus, there is a little trial that you would not dare to mention that is harder for you to bear than martyrdom.

There, beloved, lies your crown. God help you to overcome, and sometime wear it.
—Selected

“It matters not how the battle goes,
The day how long;
Faint not! Fight on!
Tomorrow comes the song.”

Sufficient Grace..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Sufficient Grace

Dr. Charles Stanley

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

I thought the Christian life was going to be easier than this. Have these words ever entered your mind? Sometimes we come into the family of God thinking that our heavenly Father will fix all our problems and devote Himself to our happiness and comfort. However, that is not the reality portrayed in Scripture. Paul was a man whom the Lord used greatly, and yet his life was anything but easy.

In fact, at one point, the apostle thought his pain was too much to bear, and he begged God to remove it. There’s nothing wrong with asking the Lord to relieve our suffering, but what should our response be if He doesn’t? Paul probably had no idea that His experience would find its way into the Bible, to comfort and guide believers throughout the ages. The promise God gave him applies to us as well: “My grace is sufficient for you” (v. 9).

God’s grace could be defined as His provision for us at the point of our need. The problem is that sometimes it doesn’t seem as if the Lord truly is meeting our need. But He frequently sees deficiencies, outcomes, and complications that we don’t. His goals for us involve spiritual growth, the development of Christlike character, and strong faith. And trials play a vital role in achieving these.

The important issue is how we respond. If all you want is relief, you could descend into anger and doubt. But if your desire is to become the person God wants you to be, you’ll see each trial as an opportunity for Christ to display His c

God Sees and Hears You.....LAURA BAILEY

 God Sees and Hears You

LAURA BAILEY

“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.” Psalm 40:1 (NIV)

Sitting on the bathroom floor with mascara-streaked cheeks, I sobbed. “Lord, do You even care about my problems?”

As soon as the words left my lips, guilt overcame me. Women who want children suffer from infertility, people who need paychecks lose their jobs, and the homeless who need beds sleep on the streets. Meanwhile, I bemoaned a child who wouldn't sleep through the night, a husband who worked late into the evening, and a messy house that seemed impossible to keep organized and tidy.

No doubt my moments of distress pale compared to that of most people, but does that mean God cares less about them or about me? Does He view me as whiny and selfish because I express discontentment or cry out for solace in circumstances that cause me angst?

When I find myself discouraged and disheartened, I open the book of Psalms. Over 70% of the book depicts woe and lament, a passionate expression of grief or sorrow. Centuries before the famous blues musician B.B. King lived, there was David, a veritable “King of the Blues.” Reading through the Psalms feels like reading David's diary. It reveals David's unedited, unfiltered relationship with God, riddled with the highest of highs to the lowest of lows.

Psalm 40 provides an intimate look at David's beseeching the Lord to save him and God’s loving and compassionate response: “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry” (Psalm 40:1). David further states that God lifted him out of a “pit of destruction” and “miry bog” and set his feet upon a rock, making his steps safe and secure (ESV).

Instead of simply thanking the Lord and moving on, David praised God for His faithfulness, righteousness and love in the next 14 verses. David hadn't just asked God to deliver him on that one occasion; he had implored Him not to withhold mercy and to rescue him time and time again, which God did.

Motherhood had landed me on the bathroom floor, exhausted, depleted and desperate for a break. Feeling trapped, I prayed God would somehow make a way for me to have a few hours to recharge. Alas, the day passed, night fell, and a new morning dawned with the familiar wails of my baby girl.

Except on that morning, my baby was not the only one demanding my attention — my phone was dinging. A lady from church called to invite my daughters over for the afternoon. A few hours later, a friend called to tell me she thought I would benefit from a night that did not involve cooking or cleaning. Then, just minutes later, my husband sent a text saying his afternoon meeting had been canceled, followed by the suggestion I go out with a friend and “take the night off.”

Instantly, I thought, Wow! I can’t believe this is all working out today. What luck! It wasn’t luck. It was a gracious heavenly Father who heard my cries and orchestrated a way to lift me out of my “miry bog.”

Friend, I don’t know what weighs on your heart, but I am confident in this: God knows you, and He cares about you, including all of your burdens, heavy or light.

Our heavenly Father created us for fellowship. He loves us and desires an intimate relationship with us. He delights in our singing, praising and shouting thanksgiving to Him, but He also wants us to go to Him when we are hurting, upset and dismayed by life. Call on the Lord; He sees and hears you.

Heavenly Father, thank You for being our helper and deliverer when we are troubled. May we seek a deep, close relationship with You in times of pain as well as in times of joy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (ESV)

Philippians 4:6, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (NLT)

Remembering Thanksgiving..... By Ryan Duncan

 Remembering Thanksgiving

By Ryan Duncan

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” – Colossians 3:16

Thanksgiving has got to be one of the most underrated holidays in America. Once Halloween has finished and the Jack-O-Lanterns are all put away, the Christmas frenzy takes over. Holiday specials start playing on TV, stores decorate their aisle with snowflakes and mistletoes, and people take the chance to hang Christmas lights while there’s no snow. It’s not all that surprising really; the Christmas spirit can be pretty infectious, it’s also a lot harder to profit off a holiday that emphasizes thankfulness.

I feel like this is how many people, even Christians, treat the idea of thankfulness in general. I don’t know about you, but I’m much faster at coming up with a list of things I want for Christmas than a list of things I’m grateful for. It’s also pretty easy for our prayers to become filled with phrases like “God, please give me…”, “God, please help me…”, or “God, I need…”. We get so tied up in what God can do for us, how Christ can impact our lives, that we forget how to be thankful for what we have. Luckily, God is good at reminding us what’s important.

A few months ago, I was leaving for work in the morning when I was greeted by my apartment’s cleaning lady.

“Good morning,” she said, “How you doin?” I thought about the question for a second and, trying to sound funny, said,

“Well, it’s a Wednesday.”

“Now, now,” she said, “It’s a good day. Do you know why? Because you’re walking, and you’re breathing.” You can’t really argue with that, can you?

So, this Thanksgiving, amidst the mayhem of football games and turkey dinners, I encourage you to take a moment to pray and simply thank Christ for the things in your life. Whether is for home, family, or a hot meal, remember to give thanks, for God is good.

Intersecting Faith and Life

During this fall season, remember to give thanks for your blessings.

Further Reading

Psalm 69:30

A Prayer of Boldness for the Quiet Christian..... By Heather Barr

 A Prayer of Boldness for the Quiet Christian

By Heather Barr

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14 ESV)

In my journey with the Lord, as I get to know Him in the Secret Place, not only am I discovering the truth of who He is, but also the truth about who He created me to be. He is teaching me about who I am in Him, and has truly surprised me. For the “quiet” Christians, who may struggle to find the strength God promises through Himself, here is a reflection on truth and a prayer for boldness and courage.

As part of my own adventure with the Lord, I face a lot of fears and life challenges as an “introverted” and often “quiet” Christian. For most of my life I’ve never considered myself to be “bold” or “courageous.” In fact, I have dealt with a lot of fear and intimidation in my lifetime, often running away from facing my fears.

But how He longs to empower us to be His hands and feet, and to communicate His loving heart to a hurting world. To this we must grow to be “bold” and “courageous” – and no matter who we may think we are, our Father placed the capacity for courage within us before the foundations of the earth.

Guess what? The God of Creation lives within you and He lives within me. He empowers us to “roar” with courage. No matter how we may feel, this is the truth. As a child of God, I can boldly declare that I am victorious through Christ Jesus who leads me into victory.

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” ( 1 Corinthians 15:57)

A Prayer for Boldness and Courage:

Father,

As I face my fears, when I am feeling afraid, when I am feeling timid, remind me of who YOU are, and who I am in You. You are strong and courageous, the Almighty King and loving Father. You have said in Your word that as I wait upon You, I can “take courage,” because I know You are with me, You are for me, and You will empower me with the courage and the strength I need for whatever is placed before me. Remind me of who You have created me to be and what You have empowered me to do.

Lord, You are the Courageous One! And so right now, as I wait upon You, as I face fear and intimidation, I trust that You will keep your promise. I trust that I am who You say I am. I trust that You will give me the strength and courage I need to face this circumstance, and I trust that victory is on the other side.

I boldly declare that I will not let fear or intimidation stop me from being obedient. Help me to endure, Lord. Give me grace. You’re a good Father, and You are faithful. I trust You!

Thank you, Father.

I pray this in Jesus name,

Amen

How to Have a Thankful Heart through Difficult Times..... by Veronica Neffinger

 How to Have a Thankful Heart through Difficult Times

by Veronica Neffinger

“For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:15-16)

Colorful, feather-shaped pieces of construction paper sit on the kitchen table, along with cut-outs of turkey-shaped bodies and body parts--beak, feet, etc. My mother brings over the magic markers and we are ready to begin making our yearly Thanksgiving turkeys.

This was a tradition my mother started when I was very young, and we participated every year that I remember until I left for college. We would assemble our turkeys and then write one thing we were thankful for on each feather.

Looking back, I remember it being so simple, especially in the early years: family, friends, pets, God, food, a warm house. In high school things became a bit more theological, but yet they still flowed fairly easily off my pen: salvation, God’s mercy, spiritual mentors.

Holiday traditions like these are fun. They build memories and focus on the blessings of life; but sometimes, especially as adults, it is harder to easily list what we are thankful for. Either it seems too cliche, or we can find it difficult to be sincere about our thankfulness when perhaps times are very hard.

My Thanksgivings after high school have been much less carefree. Adult thoughts of school, jobs, finances, and traveling can weigh heavy on us even as we attempt to drum up feelings of thankfulness on its namesake holiday.

Debra Fileta shares her story of recognizing that Thanksgiving is about more than merely lisiting your blessings. “What if being thankful meant surrendering our struggles, too?” she asks.

“I am proclaiming right now that in times of suffering, a heart of gratitude means more than just saying ‘thank you,’” Fileta says. It means believing that God is who he says he is. Believing that he is good, that he is love, and that he is for me. Believing that he never changes, that he never fails, and that he is working all things for what is good.”

God understands that thankfulness is not always (or usually) a gut-reaction for us. Even Jesus struggled to thankfully accept God’s Plan of salvation while He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, preparing to go through the agony of the cross.

“‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.’ And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him,” Luke 22:42-42 records.

This passage tells us two things:

First, there is value in going through the motions even if the feelings aren’t there. Choosing to thank God even if you don’t feel like it and are actually more stressed than thankful can be an important first step in having your heart opened to true gratitude.

Secondly, the passage says angels ministered to Christ and helped strengthen Him for what he was about to undergo. We have someone even better than God’s entire host of angels to aid us--Jesus Himself.

Though life may bring us trials, we are not alone. And though offering up thanksgiving in the midst of those trials may be a sacrifice, it is a rewarding one.

“When I look at those pieces of my life that look overwhelmingly difficult or disappointing and can thank God for whatever good He plans to bring out of them, I am offering a sacrifice of praise,” says  April Motl. “When I can entrust what looks like something that is broken beyond repair to my heavenly Father’s goodness and love, I am offering a sacrifice of praise.”

This world and the life we live in it is often a thankfulness-stealer. But in Christ, we know that we can “Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16) because the trials and hard times are not a test, but another reason to trust God who is working all for our good and has already given us “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).

Intersecting Faith & Life:
What prevents you from being thankful this Thanksgiving? How can you seek to have thankfulness through the trials?