Streams in the Desert.....

 Streams in the Desert

Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is trustworthy, and he will in fact do this. —1 Thess 5:23-24

Many years since I saw that “without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” I began by following after it and inciting all with whom I had intercourse to do the same. Ten years after, God gave me a clearer view than I ever had before of the way to obtain it; namely, by faith in the Son of God. And immediately I declared to all, “We are saved from sin, we are made holy by faith.” This I testified in private, in public, and in print, and God confirmed it by a thousand witnesses. I have continued to declare this for above thirty years, and God has continued to confirm my work.
—John Wesley in 1771

“I knew Jesus, and He was very precious to my soul; but I found something in me that would not keep sweet and patient and kind. I did what I could to keep it down, but it was there. I besought Jesus to do something for me, and, when I gave Him my will, He came to my heart, and took out all that would not be sweet, all that would not be kind, all that would not be patient, and then HE shut the door.”
—George Fox

My whole heart has not one single grain, this moment, of thirst after approbation. I feel alone with God; He fills the void; I have not one wish, one will, one desire, but in Him; He hath set my feet in a large room. I have wondered and stood amazed that God should make a conquest of all within me by love.
—Lady Huntington

“All at once I felt as though a hand—not feeble, but omnipotent; not of wrath, but of love—was laid on my brow. I felt it not outwardly but inwardly. It seemed to press upon my whole being, and to diffuse all through me a holy, sin-consuming energy. As it passed downward, my heart as well as my head was conscious of the presence of this soul-cleansing energy, under the influence of which I fell to the floor, and in the joyful surprise of the moment, cried out in a loud voice. Still the hand of power wrought without and within; and wherever it moved, it seemed to leave the glorious influence of the Saviour’s image. For a few minutes the deep ocean of God’s love swallowed me up; all its waves and billows rolled over me.”
—Bishop Hamline

Holiness—as I then wrote down some of my contemplations on it—appeared to me to be of a sweet, calm, pleasant, charming, serene nature, which brought an inexpressible purity, brightness, peacefulness, ravishment to the soul; in other words, that it made the soul like a field or garden of God, with all manner of pleasant fruits and flowers, all delightful and undisturbed, enjoying a sweet calm and the gentle vivifying beams of the sun.
—Jonathan Edwards

“Love’s resistless current sweeping
All the regions deep within;
Thought and wish and senses keeping
Now, and every instant clean:
Full salvation! Full salvation!
From the guilt and power of sin.”

God's School of Obedience..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 God's School of Obedience

Dr. Charles Stanley

1 John 1:3-6

Starting at age five, our children are enrolled in school and given lessons to learn each year. We are students too. At salvation, we became participants in the Lord's school of obedience. There, we are discovering the necessity of trusting Him and waiting for His direction. We are taught the importance of commitment and learn to search His Word for guidance. God also wants us to learn these lessons:

• Listen attentively to the Spirit's promptings. Our God does not speak in an audible voice, but He makes Himself heard quite clearly through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said the Spirit is our Helper who will bring to mind Scripture passages we have studied (John 14:26) and show us how they apply.

• Obey the next step. Abraham was called to leave his home and journey to an unknown destination (Gen. 12:1). He obeyed even though the way was unclear to his human mind. We, too, must step out in faith even when we do not know all the details of the itinerary.

• Expect conflict. We can't live obedient lives without having trouble with the world (John 16:33). Our friends or family may drift away when they realize certain interests of ours have changed. Some may hurl criticism our way or call us unkind names, while others may reject us completely.

Practicing a lifestyle of obedience doesn't mean we'll never make mistakes. But it does require diligence if we are to succeed. Obeying the Father was Jesus' priority and purpose in life, and we should make it ours as well. Which of these lessons do you want to tackle first?

A Call to Pray in the Christmas Season..... SARAH GERINGER

 A Call to Pray in the Christmas Season

SARAH GERINGER

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.” Matthew 5:43-45 (NLT)

Hanging Christmas ornaments on the tree is one of my annual delights. It’s a pleasant way to reminisce over lovely memories and revel in childhood collections.

Yet one year, when I lifted a gold ornament from the storage box, I was tempted to drop it back into the darkness.

A year of grief had passed since a treasured relationship turned sour. The ornament reminded me of lost hopes and dreams — things that had gone so wrong due to a change in the relationship, then breaches in trust compounded by abuse.

Hot tears of anger and bitterness sprang to my eyes, though the situation no longer held daily power over me.

As I ran my fingers over the shimmering gold metal, I remembered Jesus’ words:

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike” (Matthew 5:43-45).

Though my natural inclination was to hold on to my hard feelings, I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me. He reminded me of the good times that had existed before the trials came and invited me to rejoice in those blessings. Then in His still, small voice, He asked me to pray for the ones who had hurt me most.

For a few moments, I protested in my spirit. Then I softened as I considered Jesus, the King of kings, coming to earth as a baby. He came to offer grace and salvation to everyone, knowing many would reject Him. Though He would suffer much, He came as the light of the world and living water to all who would accept Him.

Knowing Jesus did that for me, I laid my sorrows at His feet. I accepted the gift of peace He handed me when I sincerely prayed, “Bless them, Lord. May they have a merry Christmas.”

Christmas can bring out the best or the worst in us — it’s our choice. We can keep the ornaments in the package or the photos in the drawer while stuffing hurt and unforgiveness inside our hearts. On the other hand, we can choose to use those physical reminders to pray throughout the season, following direction from the Prince of Peace.

Instead of dropping the ornament back in the box, I hung it on a low branch near the window. Not at front and center, where it would painfully trigger me over and over. Yet in the right place where I could see it as I enjoyed perusing my ornaments in the morning light. As I spied the gold shimmer on December mornings, I kept praying blessings on those who hurt me, and God’s gift of perfect peace filled my heart.

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving Jesus to me even when I was Your enemy. Remind me to pray for those who have hurt me rather than holding on to hard feelings. Fill me with Your perfect peace as I choose to pray and forgive. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Colossians 3:13, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” (NLT)

James 5:16, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (NLT)

When Work is a Nightmare..... By: RJ Thesman

 When Work is a Nightmare (Colossians 3:23)

By: RJ Thesman

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23).

Working in a dream environment is a goal for most of us. But when the dream turns into a toxic nightmare, how do we climb out of bed every morning and make ourselves go to work? What are some practical tools we can use in the workforce? And what is the Christian’s responsibility when dealing with difficult co-workers?

First, try to understand what's happening.

The Native American proverb is still a good principle, “Don’t judge people until you’ve walked a mile in their moccasins.”

In today’s work environment, everyone is dealing with some type of stress. A co-worker whose fibromyalgia flares every morning will not be a cheery person. The same goes for a mother whose son is facing prison time or a wife who is struggling to keep her marriage together. A deadly prognosis from the doctor. Depression, mounting debt, a parent with Alzheimer’s disease. All these issues and more can be festering in a nearby cubicle. Try to understand what’s at the root of the difficult relationship.

Next, Remember: Humility wins.

The balance between standing up for ourselves and showing humility is a delicate line. But in the long run, we need to ask ourselves, “How can I sleep tonight if I respond to this co-worker with the same bad attitude? What does God require of me in this situation?”

The biblical example is Joseph, who was mistreated, betrayed, and misunderstood. Yet he humbly continued to serve even while imprisoned. “God granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden” (Genesis 39:21) and eventually Joseph was released and promoted.

Joseph also knew when to set a boundary and stand up for his rights. “Remember me,” Joseph said to Pharaoh’s cupbearer, “and show me kindness. Mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison” (Genesis 40:14).

Finally - Pray for them.

Even if your prayers don’t release you from the situation, they can strengthen your resolve “to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

A whispered prayer after an unkind remark can release resentment that might have festered into bitterness. An honest petition to the Holy Spirit to comfort the hardened places in difficult co-workers might become the salve of their salvation. We rarely understand the full scope and power of prayer. What it can accomplish is a mystery. Sometimes just repeating the name, “Jesus,” has helped me past the struggle of the moment.

As one of my encouraging friends says, “Do your best and surrender the rest.”

Where is Your Joy?..... by Debbie Holloway

 Where is Your Joy?

 by Debbie Holloway

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11

The winter season can be bleak for many. Students are preoccupied with their work. Others become easily stressed with the pressure to plan (and cook for) family gatherings associated with the various winter holidays. Some of us even struggle with S.A.D (seasonal affective disorder), a medical condition where melancholy and sorrow creep up, due in part to the lack of sunshine.

There is something special, then, about the coming of spring. About seeing daffodils peek their yellow heads above the ground for the first time.

I imagine the Jews of Jesus’ day longed for the spring of the Lord’s favor. No word from the Lord had come for a long time. Jews were living under a powerful, pagan Roman government. While the people were not necessarily miserable or oppressed, their joy perhaps had worn a little thin. They no doubt pined for something better.

Imagine, next, the Shepherds who were visited by Angels on the night of Christ’s birth. The hum-drum of their evening duties, perhaps even their sleep, was interrupted in a big way.

And the glory of the Lord shone around them.

And they were terrified.

But the terror was short-lived, of course. What terror can stand against such amazing, incredible, joy?

A savior has been born to you.

 "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about"  they exclaimed (Luke 2:15).

Is it any wonder that the third candle of Advent, the Joy candle, is called The Shepherd’s Candle? Perhaps no other figure in the nativity story was blessed to receive such unblemished, unmitigated joy as the shepherds were. There they were, pegging away like every other day, when – for no reason other than God’s favor – they were given the gift of joy. They were shown the Messiah, their looked-for Messiah, and had glimpsed into that eagerly-awaited spring of the Lord’s favor.

This season, as Christmas edges ever closer, let us remember this joy. We too await another awakening: the Lord’s second coming. We continue to fight through the pangs and groaning of a world which continually gives birth to sin. But, in this season, let us remember the Incarnation with as much joy as did those first witnesses.

“A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” – John 16:21-22

Intersecting Faith and Life: Is your joy in Christ such that no one can take it away? If not, take some time to meditate on God’s gift of an incarnated Christ to the world.

Further Reading:

Luke 2
Psalms 16
1 Peter 4:13

A Prayer to Stay Christ-focused at Christmas..... By Meg Bucher

 A Prayer to Stay Christ-focused at Christmas

 By Meg Bucher

The modern rush to reach the next big door-buster has stolen our ability to relax through Thanksgiving dinner. There’s no deal greater than Jesus’ birth, and we don’t have to wait in line for it.

“And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.” 1 John 2:28

Christmas gives us the opportunity to reflect upon the plight of the last year of life. John encourages us to stay focused on what’s important, the long journey of our earthly lives to be more like Christ. We can aim right at that goal, because He was born to earth as an example of what to shoot for. Christmas is an encouraging reminder to stay focused on the reason for the season.  The simple joys connect us to the One who once walked where we trod.

Take Action

“ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” - Romans 12:10

When my children were growing up, one of their favorite stories was about a llama that lost sight of the season, and melted down to the gourd in a tantrum of lost holiday priorities. Sometimes, we have to schedule-out our selfishness, and get busy loving other people. Compassion towards others extends His love to them.

Be Quiet

Time in God’s Word is especially important amidst the commercialism of the season. He promises to reveal new layers of the same Christmas story that we can apply to this season of our lives. When we offer Him our first minutes, we being to see Him throughout the day.

Re-program

The surrounding soundtrack of our lives can take a toll on our hearts, especially if we spend most of our time drenched in secular media. Christmas is a great time to reboot our thoughts by adjusting the message we are tune into. The Word weaved into Christmas carols has the power to move our hearts into the correct place.

Say “No”

Before squeezing other event onto a calendar square, we can pause to pray for discernment on whether an additional event or commitment is necessary. “Thank you for thinking of me!” we can reply in the meantime, “I’ll get back to you.” This Christmas, let’s put the magnitude and majesty of the King of Kings at the center of our holiday planner.

Father, Praise You for Christmas! Thank You for Jesus, born to earth to live among us and pay the ultimate price for our sin. Along the way, He lived a life that we can look to as an example of how to navigate human life on earth. Belief in Him reaches beyond this life, and unto heaven. This Christmas, we ask your forgiveness for getting caught up in the hustle of commercialism, and ask that You re-focus our hearts to Christ. Help us to experience His presence and revel in His closeness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.