Streams in the Desert.....

 Streams in the Desert

I am jealous over you with God's own jealousy  (2 Corinthians 11:2) Weymouth

How an old harper dotes on his harp! How he fondles and caresses it, as a child resting on his bosom! His life is bound up in it. But, see him tuning it. He grasps it firmly, strikes a chord with a sharp, quick      blow; and while it quivers as if in pain, he leans over intently to catch the first note that rises. The note, as he feared, is false and harsh. He strains the chord with the torturing thumb-screw; and though it seems ready to snap with the tension, he strikes it again, bending down to listen softly as before, till at length you see a smile on his face as the first true tone trembles upward.

So it may be that God is dealing with you. Loving you better than any harper loves his harp, He finds you a mass of jarring discords. He wrings your heartstrings with some torturing anguish; He bends over you tenderly, striking and listening; and, hearing only a harsh murmur, strikes you again, while His heart bleeds for you, anxiously waiting for that strain--"Not my will, but thine be done" -- which is melody sweet to His ear as angels' songs. Nor will He cease to strike until your chastened soul shall blend with all the pure and infinite harmonies of His own being.
--Selected

Oh, the sweetness that dwells in a harp of many strings,
While each, all vocal with love in a tuneful harmony rings!
But, oh, the wail and the discord, when one and another is rent,
Tensionless, broken and lost, from the cherished instrument.
For rapture of love is linked with the pain or fear of loss,
And the hand that takes the crown, must ache with many a cross;
Yet he who hath never a conflict, hath never a victor's palm,
And only the toilers know the sweetness of rest and calm.
Only between the storms can the Alpine traveller know
Transcendent glory of clearness, marvels of gleam and glow;
Had he the brightness unbroken of cloudless summer days,
This had been dimmed by the dust and the veil of a brooding haze.
Who would dare the choice, neither or both to know,
The finest quiver of joy or the agony thrill of woe!
Never the exquisite pain, then never the exquisite bliss,
For the heart that is dull to that can never be strung to this.

Lord of the Living and the Dead

Dr. Charles Stanley

Romans 14:7-12

In the New Testament, Lord is the most frequently used title for Jesus Christ. Although we rarely use this term in our daily lives, we are all quite familiar with another word: boss. That is basically what Lord means—one possessing authority, power, and control. The Word of God describes Jesus as the head of the church, the ruler over all creation, and the Lord of lords and King of kings (Col. 1:15-18; Rev. 3:14; 17:14).

The realm of Christ's reign covers everything that happens in heaven and on the earth. No one—not even those who deny His existence—can be free of His rule or outside His sphere of authority. Although Satan tries to convince us that liberty is found in doing what we want, true freedom is acquired only through submission to Christ's loving lordship.

Even death cannot release anyone from the authority of God's Son. He is Lord of both the living and the dead. All people must decide to either yield or rebel against Him, but they have the opportunity to make this choice only while they are still living. After death, they will acknowledge Christ's lordship through accountability to Him. If we have not bowed the knee to Jesus in life, we will be forced to bend it in the judgment.

Have you submitted to Christ's rule over your life? His authority causes anger or fear in individuals who have not yet yielded to Him, but those who have experienced His lovingkindness, trusted in His goodness, and surrendered to His authority take comfort in knowing Him as the Lord of their lives.

When Our Opinions and Feelings Get Us in Trouble..... LYSA TERKEURST

 When Our Opinions and Feelings Get Us in Trouble

LYSA TERKEURST

“In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.” Judges 21:25 (NIV) 

I’ll never forget the morning I was walking with a friend, and we passed two huge trees that had fallen during a storm. I was sad to see these trees that once stood so tall being cut apart and hauled away. Stopping, I asked the men clearing the trees why those two in particular hadn’t been able to withstand the storm.

An older man who’d been working with trees his whole life explained that the first tree had incredibly shallow roots for such a big tree. Its roots had grown used to getting surface water from the sprinkler system. As a result, the roots didn’t dig down deep to get water from below. Shallow roots can keep a big tree alive but not stable during storms.

The second tree looked big and strong on the outside, but inside was hollow. At some point, an ant had found a weak spot in the tree and started chewing a tiny little tunnel into the tree’s center. Soon other ants found their way in as well. Then water got in the opening and softened the wood. Over time, the tree rotted away internally.

These scenarios with the trees make me think of the condition of God’s people at the end of the book of Judges. The final words of this book provide such a heartbreaking reality check even for us today: “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit” (Judges 21:25). Sadly, the patterns of sin and destruction that felt “right” to them were completely outside what God called right and good.

This is where we discover three things that happen when we follow our opinions and feelings (what’s right in our own eyes) rather than the absolute Truth of God:

1. We mistake opinions as truth.

Just like the tree with shallow roots, if we aren’t digging in deep to seek the source of living water for ourselves, we won’t have the grounding necessary to stand strong when the world’s ways try to pull us down. We must seek and apply God’s Truth every day, so we aren’t easily swayed by opinions that aren’t in line with God’s Truth. Shallow seeking will lead to shallow believing — that dangerous place where we will fall for whatever opinions make us comfortable and make our lives more convenient.

2. We make feelings our false Holy Spirit.

This is like the big tree that was taken down by some small ants. The little ants are like desires that lead to eventual death: “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:15, NIV). When we care more about what feels right than what is right, we open ourselves up to the destruction of sin. Feelings are wonderful indicators that remind us to turn to God and let Him direct our desires with His best provisions. But feelings should never be dictators to get our unmet longings and desires fulfilled however we see fit.

3. We will fall when we try to carry the crushing weight of being our own god.

What happens when the king is absent? There is chaos. The book of Judges shows us this reality one story after another, one judge after another. The people are without leadership and direction, and the result is absolute chaos. It makes me think how different the fate of the trees could have been if the tree man had been on the scene years before to help them grow big and strong instead of shallow and susceptible.

We need rescue. We need a king. But not just any king; we need the righteous ruler who will right all wrongs, direct and protect us and redeem and restore all things. We need King Jesus — the perfect Savior who humbled Himself to take on human form and subjected Himself to the cross for the atonement of sin.

We aren’t kingless, like the people in the time of the judges. We have the assurance of knowing our eternal King. We have absolute Truth. We have the gift of the Holy Spirit. And we have perspective from reading in His Word how dangerous it is when people just do what is right in their own eyes.

Let’s not be people ruled by our feelings. Shallow and susceptible people who merely look confident and capable on the outside. Let’s trust our King. Let’s follow our King. Let’s live by the Truth of His Word and become a people with true strength residing within.

Father God, I want to be a woman with deep roots. A woman firmly anchored to Your Truth and filled by Your Spirit. And so I’m asking You to search my heart. Reveal any areas in my life where I’m pridefully and foolishly choosing to go my own way. I confess today how much I need You to lead me, guide me and be my King. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Proverbs 3:7, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.” (NIV)

The Reason for the Rocks..... Sharon Jaynes

 The Reason for the Rocks

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth
After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. (Judges 2:10 NIV)

Friend to Friend
Several years after the loss of our second child, I found an old Bible tucked in a cedar chest in my mom’s attic. As I flipped through the pages, I stumbled upon a crude chart of our family tree written in my mom’s flourishing hand.

Listed were the names, dates of birth, and dates of death for my maternal and paternal great-grandparents and grandparents. Next, came my parents, my brother, Stewart, then me, and then my sister, Gloria Gale. My mind stopped for a beat. My sister, Gloria Gale? Who’s that?! I never knew I had a sister named Gloria Gale.

But there it was. A date of birth and a date of death. Digging through the old chest, I found pictures of a tiny casket, a child-sized grave, and an engraved tombstone.

I ran downstairs holding the opened Bible in my hand, walked over to my mom, pointed at the entry, and said, “What’s this about? Who is Gloria Gale?”

“I had a baby girl when you were two years old,” she said. “I guess you were too little to remember it. She was premature. She only lived a day.”

“Why have you never told me I had a sister?”

“That was a long time ago,” she said. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

I was dumbstruck. Why didn’t she want to talk about? Why didn’t she tell me? More importantly, why didn’t she share her painful story with me when I went through a similar experience of my own? The story had lain dormant, tucked between my dad’s high school letter jacket and a piece of old cross-stitch, when it could have been a story that gave me hope at a time when I needed to know life would go on.

One of the saddest verses in the Bible is Judges 2:10: “After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel.”

Back in the book of Exodus, God freed the Israelites from Egyptian slavery and sent them on their way to the promised land. But as we know, just because we’ve been set free doesn’t mean that we will walk free. The first generation of slaves set free did not enter the promised land because of their ingratitude, unbelief, and disobedience. So, God waited for a second generation to rise up—a generation who would believe that God is who he says he is and will do what he says he will do.

Forty years after they first stepped foot in the wilderness, Joshua and Caleb led the people into Jericho to take possession of the land God had already given them. But first, the Israelites had to cross the Jordan River, which was at flood stage, the worst possible time to make such a trek. Nevertheless, the people decided to obey God’s command rather than acquiesce to human reason. As soon as the priests leading the people put their feet in the water, the flow stopped twenty miles upstream and stood up in a heap. After the whole nation had crossed the river, God instructed Joshua to have twelve men gather twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan. Big stones. Heavy stones. Once they were on the other side of the river, the stones became a monument to help the people remember what God had done. Joshua said to the people:

"In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” (Joshua 4:6-7)

The Israelites obeyed to a point. Yes, they gathered the rocks. Yes, they set up a memorial. But, no, they did not tell their story. It stopped with that generation. The Bible tells us, "After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel" (Judges 2:10).

Why didn’t the next generation know the story? Because their parents didn’t tell them. They didn’t pass on the stories of how God brought them out of Egypt, through the Jordan, and into the promised land. Their stories died with them. The next generation had no idea.

Oh, friend, your story matters. It matters to the people God brings across your path, and to the generations that follow. Don’t hide your story, no matter how sordid it may be. Nothing is ever wasted as long as we don’t keep it to ourselves. People need to know how God brought you through your own personal Jordan River and onto the other side. Your story may be just the thing God uses to help someone get through theirs.

Let’s Pray
Lord, thank You for getting me through the tough seasons of my life. I pray that You will show me who needs to hear my story and give me the courage to tell it.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn
What are some of the “rocks” in your life…symbols of how God got you through a difficult situation? You might want to consider gathering a few rocks as symbols to remind you of the victories and then be ready to share when someone asks you what those rocks mean.

What's the Pattern of Your Days?..... By: Maggie Meadows Cooper

 What's the Pattern of Your Days?

By: Maggie Meadows Cooper

“Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me - a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus.” - 2 Timothy 1:13

As a kindergarten teacher for many years, one of the activities I did with my children was creating and continuing patterns. With teddy bears: red-green-blue, red-green-blue, red-green-??? With pattern blocks: circle-square-hexagon, circle-square-hexagon, circle-square-??? You get the idea. But at this stage as a mom, it’s the patterns in my own life I am thinking of most. Recently I was reading 2 Timothy and came across this:

“Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me- a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 1:13 NLT

As moms, we have been entrusted with the most awesome responsibility of teaching our children a pattern for life in Jesus. Not only how to create one, but how to continue it. And, I’ll be honest, I fail miserably on many days.

When I think of a life patterned after Jesus, it might go pray-read scripture-share what He’s done, pray-read scripture-share what He’s done. But in my house, a lot of times it seems to go fuss-complain-sigh, fuss-complain-sigh...ever been there? I think we probably all have. So, with high hopes for changing my own pattern, I want to share a few things from 2 Timothy 1:13 we can do to be more like Jesus, than the grouch my children tell me I tend to be some days.

1. Live by faith.

Paul tells us that our pattern should be “shaped by faith.” Faith is defined as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” in Hebrews 11:1. So how do we do that? We look back at what the Lord has already done in our lives. We remember how He has given us strength in the past and believe that He will in the future. Then we rely on Him for that strength. If you haven’t seen Him move in your own life, look at those of your friends or look to the Bible for assurance that God will do what He says He will. When I live with faith at the forefront, my heart is better able to handle the trials of the day with grace and peace and joy, because I know that God is with me.

2. Love like Jesus would.

Next, our pattern should be “shaped...by love.” I consider myself to be a pretty loving person, but there are days I don’t even like those around me, much less feel like loving them. I grudgingly serve them and go through my day with a chip on my shoulder because I know I need to. But, y’all, that’s not at all a picture of Jesus. His love is patient, kind, humble, unselfish, easy-going, rejoices in truth, never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and patiently endures (1 Cor.13:4-6). We have to make the choice to put ourselves aside. To choose to love, not in our own strength, but in His.

3. Remain in Christ Jesus.

Finally, our pattern should be shaped by faith and love “in Christ Jesus.” Y’all, this just confirms that the faith and love we have cannot be of ourselves, but only found in the Savior. I have found that sometimes I trick myself into thinking I am in Christ Jesus...meaning in His presence...when really, I’m hanging around Him...ya’ know, close enough to claim Him, but not close enough for Him to rub off on me. And that won’t get it y’all. If we really want the pattern of our life to reflect Him and all He is, we have to cling to His coattails, kneel at His feet, or ask Him to gather us in His arms and hold us close to His chest as it says in Isaiah 40:11. We need to draw as close as possible...and stay there.

Now, some of you are thinking, this sounds great, Maggie, but it’s harder than it looks. And I know that, y’all. I make no claims that this is easy. But it is worth it.

Look at the pattern of your life. Examine your heart and see if there need to be any changes. And boldly ask Jesus to draw you closer to Him.

I pray that we will all strive to change our pattern from fuss-complain-sigh, or whatever yours may be, to faith-love-Jesus, faith-love-Jesus, so that our children might see our example and learn to continue the pattern themselves. This momming thing is hard, y’all. But don’t give up. His mercies are new every morning. His grace is never ending. And everybody said, Amen!

MERCY..... Rebecca Barlow Jordan

 MERCY

Rebecca Barlow Jordan

But because of his great love for us, God,

who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ

even when we were dead in transgressions.

Ephesians 2:4-5

FROM THE FATHER'S HEART
My child, I know your lifeless condition apart from Me. I've seen you at your worst. Yet My heart yearns for your fellowship. That's why I showed My mercy even when you didn't deserve it. I pardoned your eternal prison sentence when you lived on death row. I love you infinitely more than you are capable of loving Me.

A GRATEFUL RESPONSE
Like the woman at the well or the beggar by the road, I am overwhelmed by Your mercy and goodness. For giving Your love freely, for pardoning completely my selfish nature, for accepting me unconditionally long before I knew You—I thank You, Lord.

SIMPLE TRUTH

We sometimes settle for drops of mercy when God wants to give us showers of blessing.