Streams in the Desert

 Streams in the Desert

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them? (Luke 18:6-7)

God’s seasons are not at your beck. If the first stroke of the flint doth not bring forth the fire, you must strike again. God will hear prayer, but He may not answer it at the time which we in our minds have appointed; He will reveal Himself to our seeking hearts, but not just when and where we have settled in our own expectations. Hence the need of perseverance and importunity in supplication.

In the days of flint and steel and brimstone matches we had to strike and strike again, dozens of times, before we could get a spark to live in the tinder; and we were thankful enough if we succeeded at last.

Shall we not be as persevering and hopeful as to heavenly things? We have more certainty of success in this business than we had with our flint and steel, for we have God’s promises at our back.

Never let us despair. God’s time for mercy will come; yea, it has come, if our time for believing has arrived. Ask in faith nothing wavering; but never cease from petitioning because the King delays to reply. Strike the steel again. Make the sparks fly and have your tinder ready; you will get a light before long.
—C. H. Spurgeon

I do not believe that there is such a thing in the history of God’s kingdom as a right prayer offered in a right spirit that is forever left unanswered.
—Theodore L. Cuyler

The Ultimate Father-Son Relationship..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Ultimate Father-Son Relationship

Dr. Charles Stanley

John 5:19-20

God is called by a variety of names in the Bible, and each one sheds light on an aspect of His nature. Jesus' favorite title for Him was Father. Surprisingly, this name for God is used only 15 times in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament, it's recorded 245 times!

Many of God's names speak of His majestic and lofty attributes that separate Him from mankind, but Father conveys intimacy. Jesus used this name not only because He was God's Son, but also to help people realize that Jehovah isn't some unapproachable Deity gazing down on them from a distance. Rather, He is their loving heavenly Father, who cares about them and wants to be involved in their everyday lives.

Throughout His time on earth, Christ revealed by example what this kind of love relationship was like. He depended completely on His Father for daily direction, power, and provision and obediently carried out every instruction. He often left the demands of ministry just to find a secluded place to be alone with Jehovah. We know Jesus successfully conveyed the riches of this relationship to His disciples, because in John 14:8, Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father"—he wanted to know Him the way Christ did.

Do you long for that kind of intimacy with God?  He wants to relate to you as a Father to His child, and He's given you the privilege of drawing near to Him. In fact, He chose you before the foundation of the world and waits with open arms for you to enter His loving embrace.

You Deserve to Stop Suffering..... LYSA TERKEURST

 You Deserve to Stop Suffering

LYSA TERKEURST

“When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be healed?’” John 5:6 (ESV)

I walked into my appointment with my counselor, Jim, wishing I’d canceled. I just didn’t feel up to tackling the topic of forgiveness that day.

So much felt unsettled in my life. Not only were my husband Art and I separated, but there were also layers of complicated realities that prevented us from being able to sit down and process the fallout after his betrayal. I was devastated. Shattered. And so caught off guard that this nightmare was my real life. I couldn’t even open my mouth without a flood of emotion rushing out.

As I sat in Jim’s office, I felt utterly unmotivated to talk and overly motivated to cry.

“Lysa, do you have the desire to heal from this?”

I nodded my head yes. I did want to heal. From the marital devastation. From the shock of all the unpredictable ways people had reacted to what happened.

But how could I possibly start healing when there was no resolution or restitution or reconciliation with Art or others who had hurt me?

I thought those who did wrong things would realize they were wrong. And then surely they would say they were sorry and seek to make things right between us. Then, I would consider forgiveness. And then I could possibly heal.

As Jim kept talking, I started to realize I might never feel like things were fair. Even if the people who hurt me suddenly became repentant and owned all they’d done, that wouldn’t undo what happened. That wouldn’t instantly heal me or make any of this feel right.

And based on their reactions so far, they weren’t going to apologize any time soon.

Therefore, I had to separate my healing from their choices. My ability to heal cannot depend on anyone’s choices but my own.

It reminded me of something I learned during a trip to the Holy Land when my guide taught about the only two healing miracles recorded in the book of John that Jesus performed in Jerusalem. Only two!

The first was a healing at the pool of Bethesda.

In John 5, we read about a lame man who thought he needed the cooperation of other people to help him get to the water when the angels stirred it, according to the superstition believed by many. So, when Jesus came and asked him the question we find in our key verse, “Do you want to be healed?” the man’s response was surprising. He gave Jesus an excuse based on the fact that no one would help him into the water.

Isn’t it amazing that the man was so focused on what others needed to do that he almost missed what Jesus could do?

Without one word about the other people, Jesus instructed him to get up, pick up his mat and walk. The Bible then says, “At once the man was cured …” (John 5:9a, NIV). The healing didn’t involve anyone but the paralyzed man and Jesus.

The other healing miracle is found in John 9 with a blind man. In this story, we find the disciples wanting to know whose actions caused this man’s blindness. Surely someone was at fault. But Jesus blew that assumption apart. He didn’t place blame or shame on anyone. He said this man’s blindness “… happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3, NIV). Jesus then spat onto the ground, mixed up some mud and rubbed it onto the blind man’s eyes, instructing him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. Notice that Jesus didn’t make healing contingent on other people doing or owning anything.

Jesus gave the instruction. The blind man obeyed. Jesus healed. The blind man moved forward. My guide in Jerusalem that day said “one of these miracles showed us a new way to walk, and the other showed us a new way to see.”

I couldn’t grab my journal to record this revelation fast enough. I wrote, “For me to move forward, for me to see beyond this current darkness, is between me and the Lord. I don’t need to wait on others to do anything. I must simply obey what God is asking of me right now. God has given me a new way to walk. And God has given me a new way to see. It’s forgiveness. And it is beautiful.”

Oh, friend, what if we stopped waiting for things to feel right and fair and placed our healing in the hands of Jesus instead?

Our ability to heal cannot depend on others wanting our forgiveness, but only on our willingness to give it.

Our ability to heal also cannot depend on them receiving adequate consequences for their disobedience, but only on our obedience to trust God’s justice whether we ever see it or not. We can trust sin has built-in consequences. We don’t have to see it to know that the other person will eventually have to face what they’ve done. My healing is my choice. And your healing? It’s with the utmost compassion that I say your healing is your choice too.

I know how incredibly hard all of this is. But I’m finding what I learned both in Israel and in my counselor’s office to be true.

We can heal. We can forgive. We can trust God. And none of those beautiful realities can be held hostage by another person.

You deserve to stop suffering because of what other people have done to you, sweet friend. And today’s a good day to let that process start.

Lord, I confess that forgiveness and healing feel incredibly hard to choose sometimes, but I know You will give me the strength to walk through these processes. Thank You for inviting me to see and walk in a new, healed way today. Thank You for making me more like You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Psalm 147:3, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (NIV)

What Does God Love?..... by Debbie Holloway

 What Does God Love?

by Debbie Holloway

I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave (Psalms 86:12).

There is a very famous passage in Proverbs detailing what God hates. Indeed, throughout the Bible God never shows reluctance to speak against behaviors he finds detestable. This should come as no surprise to us, being that he is holy and man has amassed a large amount of sinful tendencies since he first came into the world.

But what does God love? While avoiding the “bad” list – is there a “good” list toward which we can be working? Let’s dissect Proverbs 6:16 to discern the things which God loves.

God hates “haughty eyes.”

Therefore, God loves eyes which gaze with humility. Not a false or broken humility of despising oneself, but a genuine, Christ-like choice to serve others, not draw undue attention to oneself, and treat others with great honor and respect.

God hates “a lying tongue.”

Therefore, God loves a tongue which speaks truth. Note that this does not say a brash tongue, or a loud tongue, or a tongue which speaks its opinion at any and every possible moment. Rather, he loves a tongue which, when it does speak, values honesty and artlessness.

God hates “hands that shed innocent blood.”

Therefore, God loves hands which protect the innocent. Throughout Scripture, God’s compassion for the defenseless and the innocent is clear. He commends his children (in both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Covenant) to protect the defenseless (Psalm 82:3-4), welcome the alien (Matthew 25:35), care for the widow (James 1:27), defend the orphan (Deut. 24:17), and mourn with those who are mourning (Romans 12:15). We are to be peaceful citizens, not bloodthirsty citizens, and our hands should therefore strive to protect innocence.

God hates “a heart that devises wicked plans.”

Therefore, God loves a heart which devises good and righteous plans. God loves our desires to serve, our desires to help, our desires to minister. When our hearts long to carry out God’s plans for goodness, righteousness, and peace, it delights him.

God hates “feet that run rapidly to evil.”

Therefore, God loves feet which run rapidly to goodness. Our feet carry enormous power. Where we choose to walk can truly define who we are as a person. Will we choose to walk away from a fruitless argument, or remain in an attempt to stubbornly prove a point? Will we choose to chase after those whom we have wronged, falling at their feet with love and humility? Will we let our feet wander to where the Spirit leads us, or will our feet guide us to our own selfish desires?

God hates “a false witness who utters lies.”

Therefore, God loves a trustworthy witness who speaks the truth. When we are beacons of integrity, truth, and honor, God rejoices. In any situation, a witness is charged to faithfully report what happened to the best of his ability. The greatest witness we can be is a faithful witness of God’s redeeming work in our lives. Will we stand boldly and speak the truth of God to the world? Are we living our lives as false witnesses, or trustworthy witnesses?

God hates “one who spreads strife among brothers.”

Therefore, God loves one who spreads peace among his brothers. It is really only possible to spread peace or strife. Every word we speak contributes one of those two attitudes to our relationships. And God loves those who value peace over 1) proving a point, 2) being heard, or 3) manipulating situations. With one word at a time, God wants us to change our attitude and sow seeds of peace in our relationships.

Intersecting Faith and Life

Pick one thing that God loves and work to implement more of it into your daily life.

Further Reading:

Leviticus 19:18
Micah 6:8

How to Test and Approve God's Will..... By Matt Erbaugh

 How to Test and Approve God's Will

By Matt Erbaugh

For me, it didn’t take long before I began to think the Bible might not be big enough. During my college years, the Bible guided me through many moral choices, like alcohol consumption. But it seemed to fall short in other areas, like which career path was right for me.

This became a problem when I was offered a job. I felt called to do the work, but the job required me to move away from friends and family—and the pay was barely enough to make ends meet. While the Bible could not confirm that this job was God’s call for me, the difficult circumstances seemed to indicate that this could not possibly be God’s will.

While the Bible holds no information about specific job offers, it does give insight into judging our circumstances. Two passages in Matthew and five loaves of bread changed my perspective.

1. In Matthew 4, Jesus was tempted by Satan after fasting for 40 days: “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread” (4:3). Satan did not ask Jesus to do something impossible (the man who changed water into wine would have no problem changing stones into bread). Rather he tempted Jesus with something that He could easily do.

2. Contrast that with Matthew 14. Here, the disciples tell Jesus, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food” (14:15). Instead of taking their advice, Jesus tells His disciples to feed a crowd of 5,000 with just five loaves of bread. He does not ask them to do something easy—He asks them to do the impossible.

I realized that there were plenty of differences between these two passages and the way I was judging God’s will for my life. The ease of the path no longer seemed to be an indicator of God’s call, as it did before. The more I studied God’s Word, the more I realized He was orchestrating my circumstances—not for comfort, but to encourage my dependence on Him. If I passed on a job opportunity simply because of how difficult it seemed, I might be missing the whole point of why God was calling me to it in the first place.

In the end, taking that job was the right move for me, not because it was the difficult path, but because it was the path God desired. Studying the Bible confirmed that when the circumstances seemed to indicate otherwise.

While the Bible does not always give us the direct answer we are looking for, we have the promise that God will renew our minds through it so we can “test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom 12:2).

A Prayer of Gratitude for Life’s Blessings..... By: Kristine Brown

 A Prayer of Gratitude for Life’s Blessings

By: Kristine Brown

Ever feel like you wake up each morning to more problems? Like they’re waiting for you to open your eyes, so they can grab all your attention at the start of your day? Problems can consume us. Steal our energy. But in the process of handling the many issues that come our way, we may not realize the effect they have on our attitudes.

Focusing on life’s issues can lead to frustration, discouragement, or even hopelessness. One way to ensure that problems don’t overshadow the blessings in our lives is to give thanks. Dealing with one problem after another leaves me with a scarce gratitude list. But I can always find things to fill that list, even when my life seems filled with problems.

“...give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV

We’re familiar with that old saying, “Count your blessings.” It’s something many of us learned at a young age. Yet, how often do we stop and proclaim the things we are thankful for? Especially in today’s world, where complaining and arguing have become a way of life?

Paul gave the church at Thessalonica guidance to help them live abundant and fruitful lives through any circumstance they encountered. He encouraged them to “give thanks in all circumstances...” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV) Yes, there would be trials and challenges, but Paul had learned the power of gratitude. He knew this valuable truth. In the worst times of life, we can still discover the peace and hope of Christ by counting our blessings.

It’s easy to let thoughts about everything going wrong drown out the many things going right. But it only takes a moment to find something we’re thankful for, however small it may seem. A simple pause to thank God for that one thing in the midst of challenges can change our outlook from discouraged to hopeful. Let’s begin with this prayer of gratitude for life’s blessings.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the blessings in my life. I confess that I haven’t stopped to give you thanks for the many ways you have blessed me. Instead, I’ve let problems take over my attention. Forgive me, Lord. You deserve all the gratitude I can give and so much more.

Each day seems to bring more problems, and the more I focus on them the more discouraged I become. Your Word teaches me the value of gratitude. In Psalm 50:23, you proclaim, “The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” Help me remember this amazing promise and make gratitude a priority in my life.

Starting each day giving thanks to you for life’s blessings will renew my attitude toward any problems that happen. Gratitude is a powerful weapon against discouragement and hopelessness. Strengthen me, Lord, to resist distractions and focus fully on your goodness. Thank you for the greatest gift of all, your son Jesus Christ.

In his name, Amen.

A Prayer to Share a True Heart of Thankfulness..... By: Maggie Meadows Cooper

 A Prayer to Share a True Heart of Thankfulness

By: Maggie Meadows Cooper

"When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other." - Ecclesiastes 7:14  

It's Thanksgiving season, and I have naturally been thinking of all I am thankful for. Family, friends, jobs, material blessings, etc. Those are all things I am absolutely thankful for, but it all just seems so predictable. Too routine. Too blah.

Saying I'm thankful for my family, etc. just doesn't seem like enough for some reason. It doesn't seem honest enough. It doesn't show the reality of my days. It doesn't show the depth of my depravity. It is all just too superficial. You may get what I'm saying. You may not. But hear my heart, here. 

I have gotten to know a number of souls in the past few years who live day to day through situations and relationships I can't even begin to understand. Their hearts and minds carry burdens that I can't even fathom because, in all honesty, I have led a fairly charmed life.

There have been hiccups along the way, some unfortunate choices, and some regrets. However, through it all, I knew, without question, that I was loved and forgiven and accepted.

But some whom I speak of have never had the security I feel. They don't have "their people" who they can say with absolute certainty will always love them and stand by them as long as they are able. They don't know, without a doubt, that there is a God who loves them and will never leave them because no one in their life has modeled a love like that.

It's because of them that thankfulness takes on a new meaning this year. I can't just give a blanket statement anymore. I need to tell them and others exactly what I am thankful for and Who is responsible for every good thing in my life. Because I can't guarantee them family or friends who will always be there. But I can guarantee them that there is a Savior who loves them and will never let them go. And we, as Believers, can help introduce them to  Him….the One a true heart of thankfulness comes from.

Here are three things to consider when you share Jesus, not only this Thanksgiving season, but throughout the year:

1. Talk to the Lord and proclaim His name out loud.

When Jesus was about to raise Lazarus from the dead he said: "Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me." - John 11:41-42

Jesus didn't need to talk to the Lord out loud. He did it so those around Him would hear and recognize and acknowledge that this miracle came from God. If He had not, they might have given credit to his human flesh. 

It is our turn to acknowledge, out loud, publicly, for all to hear, where all of our thankfulness is due. When we do that, when we claim the name of Jesus and share with others about all that He has done in our lives, it can't help but resonate with those who might not know Him yet. 

2. Remember to thank Him in the good and the bad. 

If we can share thankfulness in the good things, awesome. But if we want to make even more of an impression... share thankfulness for the hard things too.

"When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other." - Ecclesiastes 7:14

I am thankful for the times the Lord has brought me to my knees in tears because they humbled me. I am thankful for the health issues I've had from time to time because they show me my humanity. I am thankful for dealing with disobedience in my children because it makes me take a good hard look at myself when the Lord reveals my own sin nature.

When opportunities arise in everyday conversation, when you are sharing life with others, talk about the One who gives you life. Say His name out loud for others to hear. If others hear us talk about the Lord outside of church-away from the Christian setting where we are "supposed to"- it may mean more. If we show others that we think enough of Jesus to give Him credit for our good days and trust Him to guide our steps in the hard things too, it may plant seeds that will grow in time. 

3. Keep it simple and speak gently.

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect," - 1 Peter 3:15

The majority of the people you talk to are not Bible scholars. Many may have never even read one. You don't need fancy answers and highfalutin talk to impress anyone. You just need to speak your heart, simply. Go ahead and have an idea of what you would tell someone about the Lord and all He has done in your life, so that the next time you have an opportunity, you don't back down because you feel unprepared. Don't believe the lies Satan may whisper in your ear, that you are not qualified enough to share about the Lord or that you are undeserving of that opportunity. You are a child of the King and He wants you to share! And finally, speak gently because you never know what someone has been through or what negative experiences they may have had with "church."

Dear Jesus,
Help me take time this Thanksgiving to be still, thoughtfully consider all you’ve done in my life, and praise you for the good things as well as the hard things. Give me courage, wisdom, opportunity, and the words to share you with someone who needs you as much as I do. Thank you for loving me, forgiving me, and never letting me go. You are the reason for the hope that I have.
In Your Mighty Name,
Amen