Streams in the Desert

 Streams in the Desert

Though you have allowed me to experience much trouble and distress, revive me once again! Bring me up once again from the depths of the earth! (Ps 71:20)

God shows us the troubles. Sometimes, as this part of our education is being carried forward, we have to descend into “the lower parts of the earth,” pass through subterranean passages, lie buried amongst the dead, but never for a moment is the cord of fellowship and union between God and us strained to breaking; and from the depths God will bring us again.

Never doubt God! Never say that He has forsaken or forgotten. Never think that He is unsympathetic. He will quicken again. There is always a smooth piece in every skein, however tangled. The longest day at last rings out the evensong. The winter snow lies long, but it goes at last.

Be steadfast; your labor is not in vain. God turns again, and comforts. And when He does, the heart which had forgotten its Psalmody breaks out in jubilant song, as does the Psalmist: “I will thank thee, I will harp unto thee, my lips shall sing aloud.”
—Selected

“Though the rain may fall and the wind be blowing,
And old and chill is the wintry blast;
Though the cloudy sky is still cloudier growing,
And the dead leaves tell that the summer has passed;
My face I hold to the stormy heaven,
My heart is as calm as the summer sea,
Glad to receive what my God has given,
Whate’er it be.
When I feel the cold, I can say, ’He sends it,’
And His winds blow blessing, I surely know;
For I’ve never a want but that He attends it;
And my heart beats warm, though the winds may blow.”

Gratitude in Affliction..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Gratitude in Affliction

Dr. Charles Stanley

Psalms 119:65-72

At Thanksgiving, we typically express gratitude for God's blessings. But did you ever consider thanking Him for something that doesn't seem like a blessing—such as a trying circumstance you want Him to remove or change? A grateful heart is most precious to God when, humanly speaking, our situations don't warrant giving thanks. By making four foundational decisions, we can begin to see the value of our adversities and respond with appreciation.    

Believe and trust the Lord. Only by viewing life from a scriptural perspective can we understand His purposes in our trials and trust His wisdom in allowing them.

Accept the situation as coming from God—either directly sent or permissively allowed. If we truly believe He's working for our good (Rom 8:28-29), we can choose to receive each difficulty as coming from His loving hand. Then we can say "Thank You."

Submit to God in the circumstance. Although we may not like the situation, knowing that God "[is] good and does good" (v. 68) allows us to confidently place our lives under His authority.

Draw from Him the strength to endure. No one has the ability within himself to endure hardships with gratefulness. Only by relying on the Lord can believers go through adversity with an appreciative heart.

Now, think about that circumstance you would like changed, and with a new mindset, offer this prayer to God: "Lord, I accept this situation as coming from You. In faith and trust, I place myself under Your loving authority, and draw from You the strength I need to endure with gratitude."

The Daily Cure for a Heavy Heart..... LYSA TERKEURST

 The Daily Cure for a Heavy Heart

LYSA TERKEURST

“This, then, is how you should pray … ” Matthew 6:9 (NIV) 

Did you know Jesus has given us the perfect prayer to pray each day to help us get ahead of any offenses that may be coming our way?

In Matthew 6, we read about Jesus teaching the disciples how to pray, more commonly known as the Lord’s Prayer. There’s so much He could teach us to include in our daily prayers, right? I mean, if I were tasked with the job of teaching others how to pray, I’m afraid I may have included all the wrong things and left out some really important things.

And you know what I may have been tempted to minimize or exclude? The very parts Jesus seems to emphasize the most — confession and forgiveness. In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus teaches:

“This, then, is how you should pray:
‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’”

And then in the next two verses right after the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus adds: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15).

Here’s something I don’t want us to miss. If you are looking at the word count of this teaching as presented in the New International Version, the total teaching is 94 words. The importance of giving and receiving forgiveness makes up almost half of those words. Wow.

This grabs my attention and makes me want to lean in a little more to what Jesus asks us to pray about every day besides just requesting help and provision from God.

The Lord’s Prayer reminds us what the human heart needs every day — we need God, we need to be forgiven and we need to forgive. Which means forgiveness is supposed to be as much a part of our daily lives as eating and sleeping.

But I will readily admit, I’m not even sure I’ve ever done this weekly, much less daily. And maybe that’s the very reason I often have an unexplainable heavy feeling inside of me.

We live in a day and time when being offended almost seems to go hand in hand with being alive. Almost everyone is epically offended by something. Almost everyone has relationship troubles. And I would guess almost none of us are truly praying daily with confession and forgiveness like Jesus taught us.

I’ll be the first in line to raise my hand and admit this is me. I’m too easily offended. I’m too quick to get defensive. I’m too slow to turn to prayer. I’m very rarely confessing. And I’m too often not forgiving.

But I want to change this. I want to mature in this.

I know I won’t do this perfectly. But that doesn’t mean I don’t try it at all.

Just a few weeks ago, someone I’ve been trying to help completely blindsided me with a reaction that felt extremely out of character and honestly undeserved. I was hurt. All I wanted to do was pull back from helping and give way to a full unleashing of my hurt on her. I could feel bitterness rising up.

But instead of immediately reacting, I remembered how, earlier that morning, I had prayed the Lord’s Prayer and confessed several things to the Lord in which my own heart needed some work.

I’d pre-decided to forgive those who might do or say something that might hurt me or stir up my strong emotion that day.

Instead of letting my anger move me to cause more hurt and pain, I simply let my anger inform me that something needed to be settled between my friend and me. I asked her if she could come over to my house, and instead of us trying to figure it out or talk it out, maybe we could pray it through together.

I let Jesus in me talk to Jesus in her. As we prayed, the most unexplainable peace washed over us both. It didn’t necessarily solve the issue at hand. But it did prevent the chaos of adding in more hurt, more confusion and more opportunities for resentment.

Confession breaks the cycle of chaos inside of me.

Forgiveness breaks the cycle of chaos between us.

The Lord’s Prayer prepared my heart for something I didn’t even know was coming later that day.

The best time to forgive is before we are ever offended.

The next best time to forgive is right now.

Jesus, thank You for teaching me how to pray — not necessarily the prayer I want to pray sometimes, but the prayer I need to pray. Help me remember today that confession and forgiveness are good for my heart, that they help lessen the chaos and lift the heaviness I sometimes feel deep inside. Thank You for helping me do this. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Proverbs 19:11, “A person's wisdom yields patience; it is to one's glory to overlook an offense.” (NIV)

For the Days You Feel Overwhelmed: There's a Rock that Is Higher..... By Debbie McDaniel

 For the Days You Feel Overwhelmed: There's a Rock that Is Higher

By Debbie McDaniel

“When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” - Psalms 61:2

For the times when you feel overwhelmed, there's a Rock that is higher. Stable, sure, faithful, true...a place you can trust, a place you can rest.

We often long for a more simplified life, free of mess or clutter, and struggles. Yet most days we strive just to keep our heads above the demands of work, family responsibilities, and all that calls our name. It’s hard sometimes, feeling like we can never get it all done. Our minds are in a constant mode of “go” from the moment our feet hit the floor in the morning.

This is life.

Real life.

And God longs to be right there in the center of it all. In the mess. In the full days. In the craziness and times when we feel overwhelmed. Because the truth is, the reality that we can ever get everything done we feel like we need to do, is not even a reality for most of us. And that’s not where true success is found anyway. It’s found in spending time with Him.

Our Rock. Our stability. Our hope. Our peace.

Maybe today is the day to rise above. Maybe we’ve been stuck down too long. Maybe we’ve been drowning or fighting the “overwhelm.” All the struggles and stuff won’t ever go away, but they don’t have to defeat us.

He is the One who brings hope in the chaos, the clutter, and demands. Because most days don't look like a Pinterest post or page fresh out of a magazine for Simple Living. Sometimes they're messy and full, and we can hardly keep up. The to-do list doesn't get done, again, and we might be feeling a few steps behind. Pressures cling. We feel hurried and stressed. Battling defeat and discouragement, wondering why we can't just get it together.

Yet still, His Truth shines through.

For though there's a lot that may be left undone at the end of every day, if we're living close to the One who created the day and cares more about us than we could ever imagine, that's where true life is found.

That's where real peace is.

Resting there today.

Hope you are too.

Intersecting Faith & Life: You can be real with God this morning. Tell Him your struggles and what’s concerning you. He already knows, but He longs for that relationship with us, as we sit in His presence, as we pray, and read His words of truth. Ask Him for His peace to cover you, even if you find yourself in circumstances that are anything but peace-filled. He alone has the power to help us rise above the chaos and mess of our days. Let’s choose to fix our eyes on Him and believe that He is with us.

Further Reading: Isaiah 26:3, Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew 11:28-30, 1 Corinthians 14:33

Humility Is the Key to Hearing People..... By Meg Bucher

 Humility Is the Key to Hearing People

By Meg Bucher

Listening to my two daughters disagree over the same side of an argument is one of the more frustrating parental experiences of my mom-life.

“NO, I’m doing my math practice first,” one instructed.

“NO, I’m doing my math practice after you,” came the retort.

“MOM!!!” they both begged for intervention. And intervention is what they need, sometimes.

“You’re both saying the same thing,” I explained.

“Ohhhh…..” giggle, giggle, ha ha…. and I poured myself a gallon of coffee.

I referee hundreds of conversations a day, and most of the time it’s because one is thinking of her response before the other is done talking. They hardly ever fully hear what the other is saying before they react. And neither want to admit to anything. It’s like a piece of crazy I can’t fix.

The Pharisees in today’s verse were no better. They were divided, and probably not fully listening to each other fully. Adults are not always more accomplished in the listening department.

They were debating over what the law said in comparison to what Jesus did. Laws are important, especially God’s laws, but how often to do we mute someone’s story because we’re stuck on a law …a rule …or a judgement. We can’t get past it, and maybe even believe they have what’s coming to them. But we need to remember what should be coming to us for our sins, and what Jesus died to give us in return.

When we struggle to understand another’s perspective, or embrace our own perplexing circumstances, it’s important to look back at the work God has already done in our lives. It’s crucial to remember the cross.

Humility is the key to hearing people.

How much hurt is caused by miscommunication? How much more do we pile on when we dig our heels in instead of apologizing in humility? Or, accepting forgiveness? Receiving a rebuke and making a change?

Jesus died to give us grace, and we are called to extend it to others. Instead of refereeing conversations and trying to change people, let’s love them for who they are …and where they are …right now. The rest is up to God …and He can handle it.

Father,

Praise You for all that You plant in us. Thank You for watering us with Your word so we may bloom in Your love. Forgive us for our lack of extension of love to others. Help us to be compassionate and understanding people, with hearts like His.

 In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

A Prayer to Remember God’s Past Help..... By Tiffany Thibault

 A Prayer to Remember God’s Past Help

By Tiffany Thibault

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! - Psalm 4:1

There are so many circumstances in our lives that can cause us to feel overwhelmed, uncertain and most definitely fearful. As we purposefully choose to make right decisions in the midst of all the hard choices, we can always find fresh comfort in the Scriptures.

In every single situation in our life, whether it be a good one or a difficult one, we can also turn to the Lord in prayer. He is always alert, always ready to hear our prayers, and whether we can see it or not, He is always at work in our lives.

The amazing thing about walking this life with Jesus, is that each and every time that we turn to Him for guidance and for wisdom, He shows up. As we continue through life, trusting Him, we begin to build a “faith” history with Him. We can remind ourselves of what He has already done, which actually strengthens our faith when we turn to Him again and again to ask for His help in every one of our next steps.

I love to read the stories in the Old Testament where the Israelites set up tangible reminders of moments when God moved in their lives.

The Israelites set up 12 stones in the middle of the Jordan River to remind themselves and future generations that God had shown up and moved on their behalf (Joshua 4:1-11).

Abraham named the mountain top “The Lord will provide” in reference to God providing a ram as a substitute sacrifice instead of his son (Genesis 22).

The Israelites built an ark in accordance to God’s design and in it were placed the tablets of laws given to Moses by God, and it also included Aaron’s staff and a jar of manna that God fed the people with for so many long years. This was a symbol for all to see to remind themselves of God’s continual presence and provision (Exodus 16:34, Numbers 17:10).

Jacob set up a stone altar and named it Bethel, for God had met him there (Genesis 28:18-22).

We too can set up spiritual reminders of our faith journey with the Lord. Here are a few easy ways that we can do that: It can be a date and notes next to a verse in our Bibles, it can be a set of stones with moments inscribed on them in the garden. It can be a plaque on the wall with the dates and events where God showed up, or it can be a list of answered prayers written in the back of your Bible.

We keep photo books of our families growing up, so that we can remember all the good times. When I look at photo books of my family, I crave even more family time. When I look back on how God showed up and worked in my life, my faith grows and I am able to find the strength to get through my next season.

However it may look in your life, you too need a tangible reminder of what God has already done in your life. Then when the moments seem long, and the struggles are hard, you can turn to them and find strength from your history with God so you can take your next steps. There is never a moment when God has not been there with you. Let’s remind ourselves of how He gave us relief when we were in distress, and let us walk boldly in faith knowing that He will hear our prayers this time as well.

O Lord,

You have been so good to me in the past. You have heard my prayers, you have seen my tears. When I called out to you while I was in distress, You have answered me. Over and over again you have shown yourself to be true, to be strong. Lord, today I come to you once again. My burdens are so heavy, and I need you to help me through this new trouble. Be gracious to me Lord. Hear my prayer. Please move today in my hard situations. Please move in my heart so that I might praise you through this storm. 

In your Name I pray, Amen.

The Sacrifice of Thanks-sharing..... Glynnis Whitwer

 The Sacrifice of Thanks-sharing

Glynnis Whitwer

"Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." Hebrews 13:15-16 (NASB)

Enough. That's what I have. Really, more than enough.

More than enough clothes in my closet. Food in my fridge. Shoes spread on the floor. Cans in the cupboard.

My children have books, warm jackets, tennis shoes, pencils, and opportunities for more. I have clean sheets, soft pillows, a kitchen table, and indoor plumbing.

My husband and I have never taken our provisions for granted. Every day we are thankful for the blessings of our home and family. Yet eight years ago we were increasingly aware of what Luke 12:48b tells us, "When someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required." (NLT) We felt an obligation to do something more with our blessings.

So in 2005 our family of five put a plan in place to share what we had. We had enough home, enough time, and enough love. Our gratitude to God for His blessings couldn't be kept to ourselves any more. We started with some rearranging. Two of our three sons moved furniture around so they could share a room, Then we bought two little white beds, pink curtains, and some dolls. I bought matching calico comforters and guessed at sizes of dresses.

After months of planning to share what we had, two little orphaned sisters stepped off a plane gripping the hands of their new daddy and walked into our hearts and homes.

They wore "African suits" bought from the place of their birth, brightly colored dresses that hung on tiny bodies. So proud they were to own their first new pieces of clothing, wanting to greet their new family in their best. As we wrapped our arms around these little girls, our family of five became seven.

As weeks turned into months, and typical family issues mingled with trauma from our daughters' pasts, we learned God's call to share isn't always easy. Oh, at first it was great, before the first blush of excitement wore off. But the magnitude of sharing our lives with two wounded little girls was harder than we ever imagined.

When worry about the future threatened to overwhelm me, God quietly reminded me that He didn't ask me to have the answers. That's His job. My job is just to share what He has given me–my love, my home, my life–with two not-so-little girls now who call me Mama. With a heart of thankfulness, and an open hand of generosity. That's all He's asking me. That's what blesses Him.

God's Word confirms what pleases Him. Hebrews 13:15-16 teaches us that we must link thanksgiving with sharing. But it also says it will be a sacrifice: "Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." (NASB)

As we walk together as a family, we continue to learn that showing thanks to God involves sharing, and sharing involves sacrifice. God still calls us to share out of our abundance, and it still involves sacrifice. But when we share our lives, our homes, our money, our hearts, our skills, and our time as an outpouring of thanksgiving, God is pleased.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your generosity with me. I don't deserve Your favor, and my heart overflows with thanksgiving. Help me to show my gratitude through words and actions that are pleasing in Your sight. In Jesus' Name, Amen.