Streams in the Desert.....

 Streams in the Desert

For this our light and transitory burden of suffering is achieving for us a weight of glory (2 Cor. 4:17). (Weymouth)

The question is repeatedly asked--Why is the life of man drenched with so much blood, and blistered with so many tears? The answer is to be found in the word "achieving"; these things are achieving for us something precious. They are teaching us not only the way to victory, but better still the laws of victory. There is a compensation in every sorrow, and the sorrow is working out the compensation. It is the cry of the dear old hymn:

"Nearer my God to Thee, nearer to Thee,
E'en tho' it be a cross that raiseth me."

Joy sometimes needs pain to give it birth. Fanny Crosby could never have written her beautiful hymn, "I shall see Him face to face," were it not for the fact that she had never looked upon the green fields nor the evening sunset nor the kindly twinkle in her mother's eye. It was the loss of her own vision that helped her to gain her remarkable spiritual discernment.

It is comforting to know that sorrow tarries only for the night; it takes its leave in the morning. A thunderstorm is very brief when put alongside the long summer day. "Weeping may endure for the night but joy cometh in the morning."
--Songs in the Night

There is a peace that cometh after sorrow,
Of hope surrendered, not of hope fulfilled;
A peace that looketh not upon tomorrow,
But calmly on a tempest that it stilled.
A peace that lives not now in joy's excesses,
Nor in the happy life of love secure;
But in the unerring strength the heart possesses,
Of conflicts won while learning to endure.
A peace there is, in sacrifice secluded,
A life subdued, from will and passion free;
'Tis not the peace that over Eden brooded,
But that which triumphed in Gethsemane.

Faith versus Reason..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Faith versus Reason

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

The first battle between faith and human reason took place in the garden of Eden. Spurred on by the lies of the serpent, Eve began to look at her situation from a purely logical perspective and decided she was being cheated by God out of something good. Her faith faltered as "reasonable" thoughts of self-interest filled her mind.

I am not saying that the way of faith is never logical, but by operating only on the basis of reason, a conflict with the Lord is inevitable. The reason is that His instructions and actions don't always appear reasonable from a human perspective. Although Isaiah 55:8-9 describes God's thoughts and ways as higher than man's, many people judge divine ideas to be lower than human intelligence.

Paul emphasizes this when he points out that God's choices are illogical by the world's standards. His message of salvation seems foolish, and His messengers appear weak and unimpressive. In an age that thrives on recognition, admiration, and importance, a person who believes the Bible is considered a weakling in need of a religious crutch to cope with life. While this description is given in derision, it's actually quite accurate. Recognizing their helplessness, believers lean on Christ so He can raise them to stand with Him in righteousness.

That day in Eden, sin and self-importance entered the human heart. But all the worldly wisdom that fuels our pride is nullified by God. He is looking not for great and impressive people but for weak, humble servants who can boast only in Christ. The Savior alone is their strength and wisdom.

Choosing Significance Over Success..... ERIN WEIDEMANN

 Choosing Significance Over Success

ERIN WEIDEMANN

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:8 (NIV) 

Ever since God breathed His story into existence, we’ve been drawn to the stories of heroes.

We are inspired by brave warriors who stand up for justice, such as firefighters who run into buildings when everyone else is running out. Heroes don’t do what they do for recognition, credit or fame. They do it because they can take something wrong in the world and set it right again.

Isn’t it interesting that when we read these stories, we don’t consider ourselves in the same category? Maybe we’re asking some of the right questions, though:

God, how do You want to use me?
What are my gifts, and who are they for?

Then God presents opportunities for us to take the answers to those questions and put them into action.

The truth is that every one of us is called to be heroic for God’s Kingdom. That means prioritizing a life of eternal significance over worldly success.

That can be hard for us to accept. For most of us, our success in life has been determined by how well we perform inside worldly grading systems. Whether it’s school and report cards, or the adult world of commission structures and performance reviews, in order to gain success, we have to measure up well inside the system. Believe me, I know. For many years, my ultimate goal was success. Get the highest grades possible. Earn recognition and awards.

But do we want success at the cost of God’s will being done?

It’s not that God doesn’t want us to be successful; He wants us to experience the abundant life He has to offer.

Jesus came to offer that abundant life by turning things upside down. He came to tell us about what rewards look like in His Kingdom. He came to invite believers to partner with Him in building His Church.

As leaders (and we are all leaders in some way), the goal is to shift our mindsets. We aim for significance by being major heroes in building God’s Kingdom instead of minor characters, or worse, players who never got in the game. How do we do that?

Let’s flip that familiar grading system upside down, starting at the “A” and working our way to “F.” Here is how we can prioritize a life of eternal significance:

A ‒ Answer
We answer the call and ask Jesus Christ into our hearts, declaring faith in Him as an initial act of faith. It’s the call to conversion. He knocks on the door, and we accept what He’s offering — Himself.

B ‒ Believe
My first prayer to invite God into my life was on the floor of a bathroom during the middle of my first cancer treatment. From that prayer to actually believing in Jesus — not just saying it but believing Him as God’s true Son — was a longer, more complicated process. God calls us to rise up in faith and truly believe, in every way, that Jesus is who He says He is.

C ‒ Change
God calls us to live a holy life by following the example of Christ. We need active discipleship, someone to show us what the transformed life really looks like. Is there someone who strives for godly living who will walk alongside you as you grow and mature spiritually?

D ‒ Devotion
This is where we are faithful to fulfill the roles we’ve been given as daughters, wives, mothers, teachers, mentors, neighbors and workers. Wherever God has placed us, we can exercise devotion to fill those roles in the way He has called us to fill them.

F ‒ Fruitfulness
As followers of Christ, God challenges us to be fruitful. How do we know if the fruit we’re producing is fruit that lasts? The only thing that will last after this world passes away is souls. People are the crown of His creation, what He values more than anything else.

As we aim to make God-honoring, fruit-bearing choices, there are two important questions to ask:

Is this choice contributing to the winning of souls?
Does this decision help make a disciple?

When what we say and do honors God and invites others into a relationship with Him, we lead a life of significance.

Father, help me to prioritize the building of Your Kingdom above all else and live faithfully and fully in light of eternity. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
John 15:16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit — fruit that will last …” (NIV)

What Does "Merry" Mean?..... By Meg Bucher

 What Does "Merry" Mean?

By Meg Bucher

Merry is festively joyous! It’s a cheerful disposition; laughing happily. (dictionary.com) Merry is the uninhibited joy released by God’s grace, and freedom flowing out of His forgiveness. It’s the boisterous laughter seeping past exhaustion, and the confetti of cares launched free in celebration of the Light of life.

Queen Elizabeth II was said to prefer “Happy Christmas” at a time when merry meant intoxicated. (Wikipedia) The Queen was onto something …Christmas exudes intoxicating happiness. Te verses of the famed “Magnificat” hymn in the Gospel of Luke capture Mary overflowing with heartfelt praise and awe of God.

Mary’s miraculous virgin birth was not the first or last life the Father’s hand has miraculously moved. God’s response to our sinful tendency was to forge a path to forgive us. God loves us for who we are …not who we search to be. His compassionate love was expressed through Christ’s choice to endure humanity, all-knowing“Merry Christmas” would eventually become an intolerable offense to some. Jesus was born to restore our standing with His Father.

Now that the danger of touching the hot stove has passed as my kids grow older, I can begin to back down the maternal scream for safety in exchange for a listening ear and an understanding heart. One un-offended by my daughters’ struggle to find themselves in this world; which recognizes their plight and looks for moments to remind them Whose they are.

“For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (VOICE)

Everlasting life for trusting Jesus with ours. That’s a birthday worth celebrating in merry jubilee.

Christmas is akin to swishing down a fresh powdery slope on a wooden sled, blinded by stinging snow as we speed past our comfort zones! Without the opportunity to have the relationship with God that Christmas grants us, we’d be doomed to watch the sled zip by, never quick enough or smart enough or agile enough to catch it. Jesus holds the sled while we hop on, and then joins in as we scream with glee all the way down the sometimes terrifying hill of life.

Merry Christmas. 

It’s intoxicating …Jesus being born to save the world.

It’s merry …God and His love for us.

It’s endearing and inspiring to be forgiven beyond what we deserve. 

The opportunity we have to journey through life in closeness with our Creator is pure joy.

Be merry! Shout with joy! Laugh happily! Embrace who YOU are …right now! Have FUN in this life, with your Savior by your side.

Don’t Let the Busyness of the Season Crowd Out What’s Most Important..... By Debbie McDaniel

 Don’t Let the Busyness of the Season Crowd Out What’s Most Important

By Debbie McDaniel

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33

Just a few weeks before Christmas, maybe life seems kind of full and busy.

Maybe you haven’t finished Christmas shopping yet. Or that special gift you’ve been looking for is officially out of stock, or costs too much money.

Maybe the decorations never got fully done, or the lights are already burning out.

Maybe the Christmas cards are still waiting to be mailed. And the to-do list is steadily growing day by day.

Maybe life is feeling frazzled and time always seems too short…to finish it all.

But truth says, maybe what we spend so much time focusing on, really isn’t the most important.

Here’s what is:

Spending time first with the God who made you, who loves you, and sent His Only Son Jesus to be the Savior of the world.

In the story of Mary and Martha, Luke 10:38-42, times were busy. There was much to be done, and Martha was “distracted by it all.” Maybe, like me, you can relate. Yet in the midst of all the “busy,” Mary set herself right down at Jesus' feet. She seemed unaffected by all the pressing needs around her, she just longed to spend time with Him. So Martha did what many of us may have done, she complained. Yet Jesus reminded her that in all the hustle and bustle, stress, and preoccupation with other things, Mary had "chosen what is better, and it would not be taken away from her."

So often in this time of year, the most important gets crowded out because of the urgent. It's a battle not to dwell there.

Other voices will say, "You don't have time to pray. There are not enough minutes in the day to spend time with God and still get everything done. You're way too busy." And sometimes we swallow that lie, and the next thing we know, we find ourselves weary and worn from spinning our wheels. Strength drained, impatient, stressed, pressed, out of control, and nothing much going our way.

Yet if we recognize our need for God, spend time with Him, relying on His strength, He is faithful. He’s got our back. He knows our way. We can walk with His blessing and favor, we can live in His peace, and be filled with His joy which is our strength.

We may find that when we end up "doing less,” God is then able to “do more,” much more, with our time and energy than we ever could. He's never limited by the restrictions we face every day. He is powerful and able, to work on our behalf, even behind the scenes where we can't see. He can line out our path, ordain our steps, protect us from what we can't see up ahead, and bring blessing and help where we might otherwise face defeat.

That's where real peace is found, and strength for the days ahead. Not in getting it all done. But simply “choosing what it better.”

Seeking Him first.

Sitting at His feet, time in His Presence, soaking in His words...

Choosing to live there today. Hope you are too.

Intersecting Faith & Life: What can you let go of today so that you can “choose what is better” and spend time with God? Ask Him for His help and strength. Be reminded that He’s with you, and loves you more than you could ever imagine.

Further Reading:
Luke 10:38-42
Matthew 11:28-30

A Prayer When You Worry About What People Think..... By Betsy de Cruz

 A Prayer When You Worry About What People Think

By Betsy de Cruz

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.” – Psalm 34:4-5

I felt jittery, butterflies in my stomach, in the days leading up to my daughter's wedding. Would the ceremony we planned go smoothly? Would the food I ordered for the reception be good? Would I be able to style her hair like she wanted? What if my dress was too flashy for a mother of the bride?

Do you sense a theme here? I was worried about how people would see ME. And it wasn’t even my wedding, for heaven’s sake! (No one is looking at the mother-of-the-bride during a wedding.)

When I realized my daughter had similar feelings, I started to pray. The Lord reminded me the most important thing we could to do prepare for the big day was to look to Him. People wouldn’t remember a perfect ceremony or perfect hair, but they would remember genuine smiles and kind words that reflected Jesus.

I suspect I’m not the only one who worries about what others think. You may be worried about how your mother, your boss, or even your child’s teacher views you. Maybe you’re facing a challenge and feel worried others might judge the way you’re handling it. Maybe someone already made a comment to let you know they think you are too much or not enough.

Today’s passage has encouragement for you.

Friend, as you seek the Lord in prayer, He will deliver you from your fears. Even those pesky fears about how people might judge you. And here’s the best part: if you look to Him, He will make your face shine with His presence. You’ll have nothing to be ashamed of.

If you’re facing challenges that make you worry about how others view you, may I encourage you to turn your eyes to Jesus? He will make you radiant as others see more of Him in you.

What if we make it our job to seek the Lord and look to Him, instead of spending our emotional and physical energy trying to please others?

When we turn our eyes towards Jesus, rely on Jesus, and trust in Jesus, He transforms us. When we turn our focus to Jesus on a daily basis, others will see a tiny bit more of Him in us.

Join me in prayer?

Lord, I spend so much energy trying to please others when you are the one I want to please. Forgive me for letting the fear of man keep me from a whole-hearted focus on you.

You know my fears. I lift them up to you now and trust that you will deliver me. Father, give me the peace that passes all understanding as I turn my focus to you today. Help me to keep my eyes on you and you alone. Give me discernment to follow your guidance today in each challenge that I face.

Lord, instead of making other people the center of my life, I want to make you the center. I need your grace to keep my gaze fixed on you. Lord, as I look to you, make me radiant with your presence. Fill me with your spirit, so others can see a reflection of Jesus in me when I speak or smile. Not so that they’ll think I’m a good person, but so they’ll see you are a good God.  Bring glory to yourself through me.

Father, I thank you in advance for answering my prayer and delivering me from my worries about what others think. I trust that you will enable me to shine the light of Christ today.

In Jesus’ Name, 

Amen.

A Prayer to Put Jesus First This Christmas Season..... By Debbie McDaniel

 A Prayer to Put Jesus First This Christmas Season

 By Debbie McDaniel

“And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7

No room for them. No vacancy. No place. Words that still seem to hang close, even today.

In a world that seeks to crowd Jesus out, where busyness abounds, and hearts are stirred to focus on other things, it can be hard sometimes to choose to keep Him first. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the whole hurried dash of the holidays, and to give our attention to what seems more urgent. Our focus gets blurred; and the most important gets pushed aside.

It takes an active and daily choice to put Christ first, especially in a culture that says you’re too busy to focus there. Or that life is too full. And there’s no more room.

May God help us to choose wisely, what voices we listen to, and where we give our attention today.

He is the One who brings true meaning to Christmas.

He is the One who brings real peace in this all-too-often hectic season.

He is the only One worthy of our time and attention as we slow down the maddening rush around our lives.

We can know all of this in our heads, but may He help us to really believe it in our hearts...and choose to live it out this season.

Renewed.

Refreshed.

Making room for Him, first.

Dear God, 

Help us to keep our focus first on Christ this season. Please forgive us for giving too much time and attention on other things. Help us to reflect again, on what Christmas is really all about. Thank you that you came to give new life, peace, hope, and joy. Thank you that your power is made perfect in our weakness. Help us to remember that the gift of Christ, Immanuel, is our greatest treasure, not just at Christmas, but for the whole year through. Fill us with your joy and the peace of your Spirit. Direct our hearts and minds towards you. Thank you for your reminder that both in seasons of celebration and in seasons of brokenness, you’re still with us. For you never leave us. Thank you for your daily powerful Presence in our lives, that we can be assured your heart is towards us, your eyes are over us, and your ears are open to our prayers. Thank you that you surround us with favor as with a shield, and we are safe in your care. We choose to press in close to you today…and keep you first in our hearts and lives.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.