Streams in the Desert.....

 Streams in the Desert

Look, a time is coming – and has come – when you will be scattered, each one to his own home, and I will be left alone. Yet I am not alone, because my Father is with me. —John 16:32

It need not be said that to carry out conviction into action is a costly sacrifice. It may make necessary renunciations and separations which leave one to feel a strange sense both of deprivation and loneliness. But he who will fly, as an eagle does, into the higher levels where cloudless day abides, and live in the sunshine of God, must be content to live a comparatively lonely life.

No bird is so solitary as the eagle. Eagles never fly in flocks; one, or at most two, ever being seen at once. But the life that is lived unto God, however it forfeits human companionships, knows Divine fellowship.

God seeks eagle-men. No man ever comes into a realization of the best things of God, who does not, upon the Godward side of his life, learn to walk alone with God. We find Abraham alone in Horeb upon the heights, but Lot, dwelling in Sodom. Moses, skilled in all the wisdom of Egypt must go forty years into the desert alone with God. Paul, who was filled with Greek learning and had also sat at the feet of Gamaliel, must go into Arabia and learn the desert life with God. Let God isolate us. I do not mean the isolation of a monastery. In this isolating experience He develops an independence of faith and life so that the soul needs no longer the constant help, prayer, faith or attention of his neighbor. Such assistance and inspiration from the other members are necessary and have their place in the Christian’s development, but there comes a time when they act as a direct hindrance to the individual’s faith and welfare. God knows how to change the circumstances in order to give us an isolating experience. We yield to God and He takes us through something, and when it is over, those about us, who are no less loved than before, are no longer depended upon. We realize that He has wrought some things in us, and that the wings of our souls have learned to beat the upper air.

We must dare to be alone. Jacob must be left alone if the Angel of God is to whisper in his ear the mystic name of Shiloh; Daniel must be left alone if he is to see celestial visions; John must be banished to Patmos if he is deeply to take and firmly to keep “the print of heaven.”

He trod the wine-press alone. Are we prepared for a “splendid isolation” rather than fail Him?

Why We Need to Be Still..... By: Anne Peterson

 Why We Need to Be Still

By: Anne Peterson

Today's Bible Verse: Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. - Psalm 46:10

Anxiety, restlessness, heart racing.

The day had come. We would finally have our memorial service for my sister Peggy, who died as a victim of domestic violence. And while her murder trial and this memorial were two decades after she was killed, it was still important for all of us. The trial did not go as we thought it would, but our minds were on this last piece.

Suddenly a sharp pain shot throbbed on my right side. My daughter-in-law, Heather called her mom, a nurse and we were given a couple of things to try. It did not have signs of appendicitis, so we resumed getting ready to leave.

While anxious thoughts flew like gnats before me, Psalm 46:10 popped up in my mind. How we’re instructed to be still and know that He is God. I prayed and held onto that verse with both hands. As the pain continued, I held on even tighter.

Have you ever had a time when your peace seemed to slip out of you? You worried, wringing your hands and feeling your heart rate quicken.

I rode the 20-minute ride laying down in the van, praying the whole way. I was going, this memorial would happen. And so it did. God gave me the peace I needed to get up in front of the group assembled and share what my sister had meant to me. All four of us siblings shared. Then we all went to the cemetery and stood on her empty grave. Empty because we never recovered her body. Perhaps now we would finally have peace, though we still had unanswered questions.

For the longest time, I had foolishly believed if I just had more information, I would feel better. But in court, the more I learned, the worse I felt. Instead, God wanted me to trust Him through this whole ordeal. We’re told in Colossians, our walk with the Lord should be one of faith, like the faith we exercised when we accepted Christ (Colossians 2:6).

I don’t understand why my sister was killed, or why other difficult things happen in life, but I’m learning I can trust God with all my questions. He is sovereign and all knowing. As a child trusts his loving parent, I can trust my Heavenly Father.

David learned he could trust God when David was a mere shepherd boy. And when he faced a giant, he remembered the same God who helped him fight the lion and the bear, would also help him with the Philistine.

As Joseph sat in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, he still trusted God. It was evident when Joseph’s heart did not become embittered, but instead, Joseph remained open toward God.

Paul sat in prison, shackled and yet, he chose to sing praises to God. Not because of the situation at hand, but because Paul knew God was faithful and worthy of praise.

If we need reassurance that God is sufficient and more than capable of helping us with what we are facing today, we need to be still. For in the stillness, we will be reminded of other times God came through for us. And we will remember why God tells us to cast our cares (1 Peter 5:7).

Psalm 46:10 has been a comfort to me over and over, in my life. I know God is more than able to get me through anything I will face. I know that God is immutable so if He helped me before, God will help me again. I need to be still so I can hear Him.

God, why is peace so hard to hold,
It slips right through my hands?
Yet anxious thoughts all cling to me,
till I can hardly stand.

He answers me, My precious one,
the world is moving fast.
Be still, and keep your eyes on me;
I’ll give you peace that lasts.

Tell Everybody!..... by Anna Kuta

 Tell Everybody!

by Anna Kuta

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds (Luke 2:15-18).

Every December my church puts on an event called Bethlehem Walk, an interactive living nativity of sorts that takes people through a recreation of first-century Bethlehem and then through scenes of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Thousands of people from the community and even all over the state come each year to hear about the real meaning of Christmas. I’ve been a cast member almost every year, but this year for the first time I played the part of a guide, who leads groups of people through the city and from one drama scene to the next.

If I thought it would get monotonous saying the same lines, hearing the same story and seeing the same things acted out on repeat for 20 hours in one weekend, I could not have been further from the truth. One of my favorite parts was seeing the reactions of people in my groups to each of the scenes, especially the kids.

After the group watches the angels appear to the shepherds in the field and tell them of Jesus’ birth, we hurry with the shepherds to the stable to see it for ourselves. After we learn that this baby really is the Messiah, the guide is supposed to tell the group, “Come, let us go tell others what we have seen!” (From there, the group stumbles upon the three kings and points the way to them.) One night, however, I had a group of kids who were as enthralled with the whole story as anyone I’d ever seen. When we got to the manger, they crowded in close, eyes wide, like they’d never seen anything like it. They watched with awe as Mary sang “Silent Night” and rocked the baby Jesus in her arms. And just when she finished and I opened my mouth to speak my lines, I was upstaged – one little boy in the front jumped up and shouted, “It’s Jesus! We gotta tell everybody!”

Sure, we all crack a smile, but the little boy had it absolutely right. Tell everybody! The shepherds did just that after the angels pointed them to baby Jesus – they made it “widely known,” according to Luke 2:17. How could they keep quiet, having seen what they had seen? How can I keep quiet, having been redeemed by Christ?

If you, like me, ever feel unqualified or unworthy to share the Gospel, remember the shepherds. They were the most unlikely messengers of the Messiah’s birth – rough, poor, dirty; outcasts of society. God could have sent the angels to proclaim the news to anyone, but he chose the shepherds. He used them as the first-ever preachers of the Gospel.

Just as the shepherds could not keep quiet about what they saw when they found Jesus, so it should be for us. This Christmas season, share the good news – not just of Jesus as the baby in the manger, but of Jesus who came to save us from our sin.

Intersecting Faith & Life: With whom can you share the good news of Jesus?

Further Reading
Luke 2
Mark 16:15
Ephesians 6:19-20

A Prayer for Those Who Feel Weary and Burdened this Christmas..... By Debbie McDaniel

 A Prayer for Those Who Feel Weary and Burdened this Christmas

By Debbie McDaniel

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

We rub shoulders every day with people who are hurting, lonely, or desperate. Sometimes we notice, but many times we don’t. Maybe we’re often too busy, preoccupied, or overwhelmed ourselves.

And to be honest, many days, “we” are those people: the hurting, the lonely, the desperate. Just needing someone to notice. To slow down. To take time.

Sometimes in the rush of the holiday season, it seems that more people appear stressed, on edge, weary and worn, tempers are short. What's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year can often feel more like madness - in the traffic - in the crowds - in the shopping frenzy.

We’re busy. We’re pressed for time. Running full sprint, straight through the holidays.

For many of us, being busy comes naturally – active, moving, going – it’s what we’re all about. We’re rewarded for how much we accomplish, especially in short amounts of time. We live in a culture that places value on the busy. We tend to get impatient with those who are too slow about anything.

And nothing wrong with being “on the go.” Or being active. Except this one thing.

We often never stop.

We’re too busy to stop. We even forget what it feels like. So much so, that when we finally do, we feel like we’re wasting time. We feel guilty for being “lazy.” Slowing down takes work. Stopping and just breathing deep…takes practice.

But God is not so interested in whether we "get it all done" with a few days to spare before Christmas. He's interested in "us," in our hearts, in our lives.

Jesus came many years ago, right into the midst of chaos and weariness. And to a dark world, He brought peace and great hope.

He still brings it today. He lifts our burdens and heavy spirits and promises rest for our souls.

May God help us to reflect that same heart of peace and grace to our world today. Giving a simple gift, a smile, a kind word, a meal, or just taking the time to listen to a friend who’s hurting, or letting someone in through a long line of holiday traffic. Just the little things can be more meaningful than we could ever know, to another who feels weary or burdened.

Breathing in His grace today. And taking time to notice those around me.

Hope you are too.

Dear God, 

Thank you that your yoke is easy and your burden is light.  Thank you that you promise to give to us, those who feel worried, hurried, pressured, and stressed; deep rest and peace for our souls - if we'll just come before you. Thank you for your reminder that we don't have to carry it all. Forgive us for the times we try to be self-sufficient, for not taking time to rest. Thank you for the refreshing that comes from your Spirit, filling us with joy, covering us with your shield of favor and blessing, leading us forward with hope.  Equip us to be those who notice the lonely, the hurting. Help us to slow down, to take time, to point others to you.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

HOW TO FIND HOPE ON A LONG SILENT NIGHT..... by Alicia Bruxvoort

 HOW TO FIND HOPE ON A LONG SILENT NIGHT

by Alicia Bruxvoort

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them.” Luke 2:8-9a (NLT)

I sit alone near the window at the end of a long December day, my weary frame wrapped in a wordless sigh and a plush red blanket. The wintry woods beyond the glass are as quiet as my children who sleep down the hall.

Moonbeams mingle with the twinkling lights of our Christmas tree, and starlight waltzes with the shadows on the floor.

I take a deep breath and seek solace in the silence. But my heart refuses to rest in the hallowed hush.

For years, when my wee ones filled the nights with wails, I dreamed of a quiet like this.

But what I didn’t know then — when my midnight hours thrummed to the rhythm of sniffling sighs and colicky cries — is that children aren’t the only ones who can fill the night with clamor.

Sometimes the quiet quakes noisy, too.

Doubts drowned out by the drone of the day can resurrect with a ruckus in the lull of night. Fear can run wild when our feet finally slow. And worry can howl reckless in the hush.

It’s in the quiet where we often come face-to-face with our questions:

Do I really believe that God is good?
Does He truly see my needs and hear my prayers?
Do I trust Him enough to obey when it doesn’t make sense?
Will His promises hold firm even if my hope falls short?

It’s in the quiet where we learn to fight for faith.

So, I shift my eyes from that twinkling tree to the Bible on my lap. And I read aloud from those treasured pages.

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:8-12, NLT).

God’s Word dangles in the air like the velvet stockings hanging hopeful on my mantle. I close my eyes and try to listen to the truth of Scripture rather than the squall of my own soul.

I imagine the Hope of Heaven landing on the dust of earth … the squeals of fright and the blaze of light. The angel’s declaration and the shepherds’ consternation.

And I ask Jesus to show me something new in this familiar account of the very first Christmas.

Then all at once, I see it through a haze of grateful tears:

The message the angels proclaimed on that Bethlehem hillside long ago didn’t just change the course of one bygone silent night.

The good news of great joy changed the course of every silent night to come. Because we don’t have a God who merely pierces our darkness. We have a Savior who lingers beside us on our long silent nights (Isaiah 9:2-7).

The prophets foretold it (Isaiah 7:14). The angel repeated it. And His name confirms it (Matthew 1:23). God is with us.

And in His presence, we can find everything we need when the quiet quakes noisy.

Dear Jesus, thank You for sticking with me whether I’m full of hope or full of fear. I’m glad my doubts don’t diminish Your love and my qualms don’t offend Your faithfulness. Teach me how to rest in Your presence when my heart is unsettled. I want to trust You more. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Luke 1:78-79, “Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” (NLT)

Matthew 1:23, “‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us).” (ESV)