Streams in the Desert.....

 Streams in the Desert

Perfect through suffering (Hebrews 2:10).

Steel is iron plus fire. Soil is rock, plus heat, or glacier crushing. Linen is flax plus the bath that cleans, the comb that separates, and the flail that pounds, and the shuttle that weaves. Human character must have a plus attached to it. The world does not forget great characters. But great characters are not made of luxuries, they are made by suffering.

I heard of a mother who brought into her home as a companion to her own son, a crippled boy who was also a hunchback. She had warned her boy to be very careful in his relations to him, and not to touch the sensitive part of his life but go right on playing with him as if he were an ordinary boy. She listened to her son as they were playing; and after a few minutes he said to his companion: "Do you know what you have got on your back?" The little hunchback was embarrassed, and he hesitated a moment. The boy said: "It is the box in which your wings are; and some day God is going to cut it open, and then you will fly away and be an angel."

Some day, God is going to reveal the fact to every Christian, that the very principles they now rebel against, have been the instruments which He used in perfecting their characters and moulding them into perfection, polished stones for His great building yonder.
--Cortland Myers

Suffering is a wonderful fertilizer to the roots of character. The great object of this life is character. This is the only thing we can carry with us into eternity... To gain the most of it and the best of it is the object of probation.
--Austin Phelps

"By the thorn road and no other is the mount of vision won."

The Power Within..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Power Within

Dr. Charles Stanley

Acts 1:8

God's Spirit works in every believer. He does not limit Himself to pastors and missionaries. If you've received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, then residing within you is the same great power that raised Christ from the dead (Rom 8:11) The Holy Spirit pours His energy into creating godly character in all who follow the Lord.

The fruit of the Spirit is so named because it is the character and conduct that the Holy Spirit produces in believers. These are qualities that we can't generate consistently on our own. The most powerful message we can give isn't a testimony or sermon; it is the life we live when the pressure is on, temptation is tremendous, or we are buried under an avalanche of problems.

What the world most needs to see in this modern culture is godly families loving one another, business people working with integrity and frugality, and young men and women who choose moral purity. In a word, the world needs to be exposed to believers who are obedient.

By showing peace instead of anxiety or practicing patience rather than speaking a sharp word, a Christian bears witness to the beauty of the gospel. We attract unbelievers to Christ through our words and deeds. They may turn down a doctrine, but they cannot ignore a righteous life.

The strongest gospel message does not come from a pulpit. The most powerful witness for Jesus Christ where you work, where you live, and where you relax is you. Submit to the Holy Spirit's work, and He will produce a great harvest of spiritual fruit in your life.

Where Did You Take Your Stress in 2020?..... WENDY SPEAKE

 Where Did You Take Your Stress in 2020?

WENDY SPEAKE

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NIV) 

I’ve heard it said that banana bread was the official food of quarantine, and part of the reason many of us gained “the COVID-19.” We turned to comfort foods rather than the Comforter. Likewise, Amazon Prime helped us deal with our stress online. From retail therapy to streaming distractions, we self-medicated our way through a very hard year.

Jesus knew our tendency to take our stress to false-fillers and false gods. That’s why He invited us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

This year wasn’t the first time I found myself turning to something other than God for comfort. In 2014, I was struggling as a young mom. My emotions were all over the place, and I kept turning to the pantry to get me through my days. I could see the way my children crashed after eating candy and knew I was crashing multiple times each day as well. So, I reached out to my friends on Facebook to see if anyone would join me in a 40-day sugar fast, and the response was overwhelming.

There’s something about sugar that has a grip on us, and we know it. We run to it for our comfort and our reward. We turn to it in boredom. We depend on it when life is stressful. We crave it when we’re depressed and use it as confectionary therapy. And even when life is at its best, we celebrate with cake.

My sugar addiction was only exacerbating my problems, not alleviating them. I was up and down on an emotional rollercoaster. I was gaining weight, my muscles and joints were always hurting, and my sleep was fitful. I was grumpy, tired and continued to be impatient with my kids and my husband. Sadly, sugar wasn’t making me sweet.

I didn’t need any more conviction; what I needed was transformation. I needed more than a diet; I needed something deep within me to change.

You see, my problem wasn’t merely physical, emotional or relational. At the core, my struggle was spiritual. I didn’t have a sugar problem … I had a God problem. I was running from sugar high to sugar high to get me through my days instead of running to the Most High.

Perhaps sugar isn’t your vice, but maybe your phone is. You reach for it when you’re weary and stressed. Instead of bringing your heavy load to the One who made the world, you turn to everyone in the world on the web. Or maybe retail therapy is where you run — not because you have an empty shelf but because you suffer from an empty self.

You see, the issue isn’t our highly sugared lattes, mindless scrolling or online shopping … our issue is that we’ve stopped taking our burdens to God. But the more we turn to other things, the less we find what we need.

Given the stress we’ve experienced this year, I think we could all benefit from a radical pivot. Turning away from that thing we’ve been running to, in order to return to the One who said, “Come to me.” That’s exactly what fasting is: setting down something temporary and ordinary to return to the One who is eternally extraordinary.

What would happen if you laid down everything you’ve been turning to and started this next year with your eyes on Him?

It was never banana bread’s job to comfort us during these “unprecedented” times. It was never coffee’s job to give us the strength to get through 2020, or social media’s job to meet our deepest social needs when we’re social-distancing. It was never food’s job to fill the holes and make us whole. Only Jesus can make us whole … and holy. And only by taking our heavy load to Jesus can we finally find the rest and help we’ve been craving.

Dear Lord, nothing has worked to set me free from the compulsive way I turn to other things when I could be turning to You. I need more of You and less of the stuff that leaves me hungry. Take all these heavy idols I’m laying down and teach me to lean into Your gentle refining. Take my life as I empty it out and fill me with Yourself. Your Word proclaims: “It is for freedom that Christ has set you free” (Galatians 5:1, NIV). I’m choosing to believe that’s true. Set me free! In the bondage-breaking, freedom-giving, sweet name of Jesus, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (ESV)

Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (NIV)

When It’s Hard to Wait on the Lord (Isaiah 40:31) ..... By: Anne Peterson

 When It’s Hard to Wait on the Lord (Isaiah 40:31)

By: Anne Peterson

Today’s Bible Verse: But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. - Isaiah 40:31

You would be hard-pressed to find someone who is not tired of going through this pandemic. We wake up tired. And when we sleep, sometimes it’s interrupted sleep. Are you feeling weary today?

In God’s Word, we are promised a renewal of our strength. We will be able to soar like eagles, run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint. But we have to know where to get this renewal.

It’s not found in our own strength, but only when we hope in the Lord. David told us to be strong, let our hearts take courage and wait for the Lord (Psalm 27:14).

Isaiah tells us God is waiting to be gracious to us. He’s waiting to have compassion on us. And when we wait for Him, we are blessed (Isaiah 30:18).

But waiting on God is not easy. We have a tendency to do things in our own strength. The world tells us to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, and we try.

Paul tells us we should keep in step with the Spirit, since we live by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). But we get impatient, wanting things to happen by our timetables. When I was younger in the Lord, I would try and remind God when things were taking too long.

God showed me His ways and thoughts are much higher than mine (Isaiah 55:8-9).

God answers our prayers because of His unfailing love. A Father’s love understands his children and always wants what’s best for them.

Waiting and hoping in the Lord is something we grow into. As new Christ-followers, we believed God could do anything. But somewhere along the way we start believing we should have a hand in things.

After walking with God for many years now, I’ve seen numerous answers to prayer. But sometimes those answers are “no,” or “not yet.” We grow through our trials. We learn that God is who he claims to be. And eventually, we learn to trust God’s character more than what he can do for us. That’s what maturity is.

I remember coming across the verse, “No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11). It was a liberating day for me. God has his reasons for saying “no,” or saying, “wait.” Sometimes God will graciously show me how what I was asking for would not have been good for me. But even without that, I have grown to accept God’s decisions. His ways and thoughts truly are higher than mine.

Waiting on God is not cumbersome, but instead, it’s a privilege. It’s an opportunity to flex our faith muscles. And if you want to really stretch them, I challenge you to praise God even when you receive a “no.” God is not praiseworthy because He answers our prayers; He’s always worthy of praise.

What challenges are you facing right now? Let me encourage you to wait on the Lord. Then when he renews your strength, go ahead and soar!

Take the Reins, Lord

I got so weary on our journey with the paths that you would choose.
I thought my driving was much better, so I took the reins from you.

Your driving always seemed much slower, people passed us all the time,
and we were really getting nowhere, so I snatched those reins from you.

But now we’re lost, and I am tired, even though we made good time.
I think we missed our destination when I took those reins from you.

I humbly ask you to forgive this arrogance inside of me,
and Lord, I’d be so very grateful, if you’d take these reins from me.

Is Satan Spamming You?..... by Ryan Duncan

 Is Satan Spamming You?

by Ryan Duncan

Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship The Lord your God, and serve Him only.'" - Matthew 4:10

"This stock is about to take off!" ... "You won’t believe this Miracle Pill!" ... "Hello, I am a Nigerian Prince" ... These are only a few of the emails that have ended up in my spam folder. We've all received them, those obnoxious messages that try to trick you into sending money or personal information to some unknown source. All spam email follows the same design. First, they open up by preying on a person’s fear, insecurity, or general discontent. After that, they propose a simple solution, an easy win for the reader, which convinces the reader to put their trust in something very untrustworthy.

Thankfully, most computers now come with software to filter out the phony emails. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for everyday life. I’ve found Satan often uses the same tactics as these spam mails whenever he wants to attack a human being. First, he takes advantage of your worry, your self-image, or something else in your life. Then he offers you something that might fix the problem, but in truth, only makes things worse. These temptations will always be present in life, but Jesus offers us a powerful reassurance in Matthew 6 that equips us to defend ourselves.

"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.” Matthew 6:25-29

Many people have taken this verse to mean that as long as we trust in God, nothing bad will happen. Not so. We live in a fallen world, and bad things are always going to happen. What this verse does promise is that no matter what we face in life, God will always be there. Sometimes in the healing we desperately prayed for, other times in the shoulder we cry on.

Whatever roads our lives take, Christ is there to provide for us. Don't allow Satan to fool you with the offer of an easy fix, don’t let fear and despair dictate your actions. God is there, and he will help you.

Intersecting Faith and Life: As a Christian, you are not alone in your struggles. Find support in a small group or an accountability partner.    

Further Reading
Zephaniah 3:17

A Prayer to Offer Up in the Morning..... By Rebecca Barlow Jordan

 A Prayer to Offer Up in the Morning

By Rebecca Barlow Jordan 

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. - Lamentations 3:22-23

Before busy lifestyles try to steal our time and energy, we can spend a few moments with God every day. If He offers us new mercies and compassions with each sunrise, then in an attitude of gratitude and worship, we can offer our lives to Him in prayer every morning. To help you begin your day with joy and purpose, here is a morning offering prayer you can pray to God:

A Morning Offering to Pray Each Day

Lord, I’m coming to you with my personal morning offering prayer. I worship you today and want to give you praise for another day of life. As I begin to think about your amazing grace and for all you have done on my behalf, I am overwhelmed with joy. Your love draws me into your sweet presence the moment my eyes open. Even when sleepiness tries to pull me back under the covers, your tug on my heart awakens me to start the day right with you.

This morning I offer back to you this day and my life as a gift of gratitude. You deserve the best, and I want to give you all that I have and am in a fresh new way. Write on my heart the lessons you want to teach me today. Fill my mouth with your words and thoughts, not mine. I long to live this day for you, with my affections set on things above, not focusing on worries here on earth.

You gave your life for me, an offering of death to pay the penalty of my sin. In return, I long to make your heart happy by offering my life as a living sacrifice to you. Some days I feel like I have so little to offer; yet you know my heart. You created me, and you love me just as I am. You require nothing from me but faith, because your love is a gift with no strings attached. I can’t earn it, and I can’t buy it. But, Lord, out of a deep love for you, I desire to live for you today in such a way that encourages others. I want to bless you as well as those who cross my path. If I give to others with mercy and compassion, you’ve said it’s the same as giving to you.

So accept my morning offering prayer today, Lord. May my life be a sweet fragrance to you, as I seek to follow you, to love you with all my heart, soul, and mind, and to love others as myself. Use my mouth, my mind, my hands, and my feet— all of me — as instruments of your peace. May I be a light in the darkness for others or simply a pitcher of kindness poured out for you. Here is my life; here are my talents. My gifts are yours to do with as you please. Order my steps today; guard my thoughts; and bathe my actions with thoughtfulness and goodness, so others can see your reflection in me. I trust you; I wait for you, and I listen for your voice. Your strength is all I need. With eagerness I begin this day and offer my life to live for you, anyway you want.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

The Thrill of Hope..... by Shawn McEvoy

 The Thrill of Hope

by Shawn McEvoy

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 

"A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn." ~~ O Holy Night

Does Christmas thrill you? 

Children get excited at the coming of the season, and often we might feel a bit of a charge through experiencing their amazement, but the chores we go through to provide that for them are often the very things that rob us from knowing the wonder for ourselves. Plan the party, trim the tree, max out the MasterCard, wrap, ship, take a trip. And that's assuming we aren't one of the multitudes who find themselves with a case of the Holiday Blues. 

So if Christ's coming into this world offers hope, and hope, as the song says, provides a thrill, how do we locate that experience amid the distraction and disillusionment of December? 

Well that's the cool thing about Hope. Just as total darkness can't hold back the light of a tiny flame, so does even the smallest increment of Hope provide joy and purpose. 

Here are a few scriptures I've been mulling over on the subject:

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).

Notice the parallel between "things hoped for" and "things not seen." Talk about a paradox; try applying "assurance" to something your five senses can't detect. It's a challenge. The plus side is that hope, through Christ, is available to you no matter what you see, hear, or feel. It's above your circumstances.

"We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance [brings about]proven character; and proven character [brings about] hope; and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:3-5).

Do you ever hear people say, "I don't want to get my hopes up" because they're afraid of being disappointed? What would you make of Paul's claim that "hope does not disappoint"? Might the disconnect have something to do with what we're hoping for or expecting? Max Lucado thinks so: 

"Hope is not what you'd expect; it is what you would never dream. It is a wild, improbable tale with a pinch-me-I'm-dreaming ending… Hope is not a granted wish or a favor performed; no, it is far greater than that. It is a zany, unpredictable dependence on a God who loves to surprise us out of our socks and be there in the flesh to see our reaction."[1]

"Love… hopes all things…but now abide faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:7,13).

Ever wonder why faith, hope, and love are the greatest virtues, and apparently in that order? 

Maybe hope isn't actually something we do, but something we receive, like grace. If it's true that "without faith it is impossible for us to please Him" (Hebrews 11:6), perhaps it's conversely true that without Hope it would be impossible for Him to please us. The same verse says that God is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Is hope that reward? 

I mean, if faith is what we give to God, and hope is what He gives to us, then we have the dynamic of a relationship. With that in place, we can love. So love is built on hope, which is built on faith. 

For hope to exist, unfortunately it looks like there has to be hopelessness first. A perfect world wouldn't have any need of hope. Deliverance arrives undeservedly and perhaps unexpectedly, just as in the unlikely way God came to earth to provide a once-and-for-all substitute for the sins of all men on the first Christmas. That's why things can look bleak, but that's where hope lives. 

The good news is: you simply can't hope big enough, which goes back to the idea of our minds and senses being inadequate to judge God's design and methods, and hope being more a function of God's involvement than our desires. I readily acknowledge I could not have conceived of the plan of salvation or the virgin birth. I couldn't have imagined the plan for the walls of Jericho to crumble, for hungry lions to turn into Daniel's pet kittens, or the Red Sea to part and offer up dry land. So neither do I know how my problems will be solved, or what miracles I'll be blessed to see this Christmas. 

Isaiah 9:6-7 concerns the hope of the prophecy being fulfilled that brought us a "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace." The last sentence of verse seven says it's "the zeal of the Lord" that will accomplish this. God is excited! He's zealous (enthusiastic, passionate, obsessive even) to bring us this hope! 

Romans 15:13 is my Christmas prayer: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." 

Why is there hope? Because Jesus was born. O holy night. What a thrill. God is at work.  

[1] From God Came Near, page 89 

Intersecting Faith & Life: What does hope out of despair look like? There are lots of examples in any Christian's life, but in terms of contemporary cinema, I know of no better example than the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Go back and watch those movies again over the holidays, keeping an eye out for allusions to hope and hopelessness.  

Further Reading

Isaiah 9:6-7