Streams in the Desert

This is my doing. (1 Kings 12:24)

The disappointments of life are simply the hidden appointments of love.
--C.A. Fox

My child, I have a message for you today. Let me whisper it in your ear so any storm clouds that may arise will shine with glory, and the rough places you may have to walk will be made smooth. It is only four words, but let them sink into your inner being, and use them as a pillow to rest your weary head. "This is my doing."

Have you ever realized that whatever concerns you concerns Me too? "For whoever touches you touches the apple of [my] eye" (Zech. 2:8). "You are precious and honored in my sight" (Isa. 43:4). Therefore it is My special delight to teach you.

I want you to learn when temptations attack you, and the enemy comes in "like a pent up flood" (Isa. 59:19)., that "this is my doing" and that your weakness needs My strength, and your safety lies in letting Me fight for you.

Are you in difficult circumstances, surrounded by people who do not understand you, never ask your opinion, and always push you aside? "This is my doing." I am the God of circumstances. You did not come to this place by accident -- you are exactly where I meant for you to be.

Have you not asked Me to make you humble? Then see that I have placed you in the perfect school where this lesson is taught. Your circumstances and the people around you are only being used to accomplish My will.

Are you having problems with money, finding it hard to make ends meet? "This is my doing," for I am the One who keeps your finances, and I want you to learn to depend upon Me. My supply is limitless and I "will meet your needs" (Phil. 4:19). I want you to prove My promises so no one may say, "You did not trust in the Lord your God" (Deut. 1:32).

Are you experiencing a time of sorrow? "This is my doing." I am "a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering" (Isa. 53:3). I have allowed your earthly comforters to fail you, so that by turning to Me you may receive "eternal encouragement and good hope" (2 Thess. 2:16). Have you longed to do some great work for Me but instead have been set aside on a bed of sickness and pain? "This is my doing." You were so busy I could not get your attention, and I wanted to teach you some of My deepest truths. "They also serve who only stand and wait." In fact, some of My greatest workers are those physically unable to serve, but who have learned to wield the powerful weapon of prayer.

Today I place a cup of holy oil in your hands. Use it freely, My child. Anoint with it every new circumstance, every word that hurts you, every interruption that makes you impatient, and every weakness you have. The pain will leave as you learn to see Me in all things.
--Laura A. Barter Snow

"This is from Me," the Savior said,
As bending low He kissed my brow,
"For One who loves you thus has led.
Just rest in Me, be patient now,
Your Father knows you have need of this,
Though, why perhaps you cannot see--
Grieve not for things you've seemed to miss.
The thing I send is best for thee."
Then, looking through my tears, I plead,
"Dear Lord, forgive, I did not know,
It will not be hard since You do tread,
Each path before me here below."
And for my good this thing must be,
His grace sufficient for each test.
So still I'll sing, "Whatever be
God's way for me is always best."

Two Gates, Two Ways..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Two Gates, Two Ways

Dr. Charles Stanley

Matthew 7:13-14

Have you ever been accused of being a narrow-minded Christian? Those who level such accusations against us certainly mean it as an insult. According to Jesus, however, that’s the only way to walk if we want to experience abundant life now and eternal life with Him in heaven. But it will require a deliberate choice on our part, because no one automatically drifts onto this pathway.

The broad way is easy to find. In fact, unless you make a conscious choice to avoid it, you’ll find yourself on it. Most people like this wide path because it encompasses all philosophies and belief systems. Everything is acceptable, and everyone’s “truth” is valid. It even seems like the loving path because no one is left out. There are no restrictions, and freedom is unlimited. Or is it?

What those who travel this road fail to realize is that it’s a downward descent into destruction. All the promises it gives of satisfaction and fulfillment end in disappointment because it’s a path without God. But those who enter by the narrow gate of faith in Christ find the peace and joy of a relationship with Him that satisfies the heart. The gate is small because truth guards the entrance. The way is narrow because the Lord protects us with wise boundaries.

Which path are you traveling? You can’t have one foot on each, because they’re going in opposite directions. When you tolerate everything, you’re headed for destruction. But when you choose the narrow way, your life truly begins. You’ll walk with Christ day by day until He walks you home to heaven.

When Divorce Leaves You Mourning the Death of the Living..... TRACIE MILES

 When Divorce Leaves You Mourning the Death of the Living

TRACIE MILES

“I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears. My vision is blurred by grief; my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies.” Psalm 6:6-7 (NLT)

It was a day I wish I could forget, but never will. Due to circumstances beyond my control, my 25-year marriage abruptly ended, catapulting me into a life of fear and sorrow.

Over the following months, I came to the realization that it’s possible to mourn the death of the living. The death of all you once knew. The death of dreams. The death of an intact family. The death of someone missing from your life but not missing from the world.

I now know what it’s like to be abandoned and wonder if life can ever feel good again. If I could ever feel good about myself and confident again. If I would ever believe I was enough. If my life would ever feel normal and happy. If the problems would ever cease. If I would even survive.

These are common, valid feelings when facing an unexpected or unwanted divorce. Regardless of how many years the marriage existed or what circumstances destroyed it, the end of a marriage is distressing and hard.

During the first couple years of this painful journey, grief was one of my closest companions. But I found comfort in knowing David in the Bible understood this level of grief, even though he was a man of faith. It gave me hope that things would get better one day, and eventually I would be OK.

Albeit David wasn’t enduring the exact scenario of separation and divorce as I was, his emotions and pleas to God were the same. He wrote, “I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears. My vision is blurred by grief; my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies” (Psalm 6:6-7). Sound familiar? It certainly does to me.

Grief is a painful season to endure, regardless of why you are grieving, but it is necessary for the healing process to play out. I once read a quote from the English poet and hymnodist, William Cowper, who said, “Grief is itself a medicine.” It cleanses our souls from anguish and helps us keep moving through the stages of healing our hearts need. Grief is the process God can use to help us arrive at a place of healing, wholeness and happiness.

If you are suffering through the death of a marriage or any long-term relationship, take comfort in knowing God will not only hold you close, but in time, He will rescue you from your grief. He is a God who heals hearts and minds. Sometimes immediately and sometimes over time through a process of growth and learning. It’s not a question of if He will heal you and bandage your wounds, but when.

God is fully capable of comforting us in our grief and giving us a peace we shouldn’t be able to feel in the midst of such turmoil. We are never alone on the journey to mending our hearts and restoring our lives.

The end of a marriage is not the end of life, although it often feels that way. If you are in a similar situation, never forget you have a lot of life left to live and a beautiful future awaits. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, and with God by your side, you’ll soon realize you are on your way to healing, wholeness and happiness.

With grounded faith and a commitment to ourselves to move forward, we can feel and live unbroken once and for all.

Jesus, the wounds my separation and divorce have left are soul-level deep. I long for peace, understanding and hope for the future. I want to smile and love life again, even if it didn’t turn out the way I thought it would. Starting today, I commit to trusting You with my future and embracing joy and peace which can only come from You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Psalm 34:18, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” (NLT)

Psalm 147:3, “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.” (NLT)

What it Means to be “Holy for I Am Holy”..... By Aretha Grant

 What it Means to be “Holy for I Am Holy”

By Aretha Grant

“But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, ‘Be ye holy; for I am holy,’” (1 Peter 1:15-16).

What’s meant by “holy” in 1 Peter 1:15-16? The word translated “holy” means sacred, morally blameless, consecrated, saint (see Strong’s G40 for more). God is looking for some people who are consecrated or set apart for His use. And He knows who those holy ones should be because He chose us (Ephesians 1:4) and called us to be holy for His purpose (2 Timothy 1:9).

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” (Ephesians 1:4).

“He has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.” (2 Timothy 1:9).

The King James Version of 1 Peter 1:15 uses the word “conversation.” The word translated “conversation” means behavior. The verse is saying our manner of life or behavior, should reflect holiness because God is holy.

Our lifestyles should be distinguishable from unbelievers and match our profession of faith. But it’s not easy, is it? In a day and age in which any and everything goes, Christians are constantly facing temptations to live in a manner which isn’t pleasing to God. Although ungodly living is encouraged, embraced, and expected in the world today, God’s Word stands as a beacon of hope, life, and instruction to Christians.

Just because the world says ungodly living is ok doesn’t mean the Lord says it’s ok. The Lord expects us to be holy because He is holy and abides in us.

Jesus Christ is the perfect example of one who walked in holiness. If we look at how He lived and exemplified holiness, we see a life committed to honoring God, showing love, honoring parents, serving others, and keeping the body holy.

Being holy isn’t natural, and it isn’t something we can do under our own strength. Walking in holiness requires the Holy Spirit received when we become “new creations.” When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts, we become new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17). Holiness is only possible when we are put on the new self and live life as the new creatures God ordained us to be. Although holiness isn’t natural to us, we are instructed in Scripture to follow or pursue holiness.

We should look for opportunities to be holy. Being holy may mean:

• Not listening to the same music as our family and friends or watching the same television programs.
• Holiness may involve changing the way we dress, think, or respond to temptations.
• Most certainly, holiness means being set apart for the Master’s use.

Walking in true holiness means being like our Father.

Conforming or Transforming?..... By Meghan Kleppinger

Conforming or Transforming?
By Meghan Kleppinger

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2, NAS

“Character is always lost when a high ideal is sacrificed on the altar of conformity and popularity.”-- Charles Spurgeon

Reading down a top magazine’s list of the 100 best English-language novels published since 1923 made my pulse quicken and my heart sink. As an avid and admittedly often obnoxiously-distracted-in-public reader (I always have a book on me in case the opportunity to read arises – like when I’m waiting for coffee, caught up in traffic, or standing in a line at the department of motor vehicles, to name a few examples), I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

I nearly had a panic attack, not because of any distaste or disagreement over the books chosen, but because of the number of books listed that I haven’t read yet. Quickly, I made my way to both the local library and Amazon.com websites and planned to start building my reserve list and filling my online shopping cart. As I moved my mouse to the search box so I could enter my selection, a little something I like to call “common sense” came over me.

Scolding myself, I whispered with clenched teeth, “Meghan, get a hold of yourself!”

After a few deep breaths, there was a point of rational thinking when I realized that I didn’t even know who wrote the list and that more than half of the books selected would never have been personal choices simply because of my dislike for the authors or the types of literature. I know and read what I like. Occasionally, I’ll try something new or especially challenging just for fun, but mostly I’m loyal to a small circle of favorite authors.

Isn’t easy to get caught up in what everybody is doing? Polls, magazines, television advertisements and movies are constantly telling us how to think, what to wear, who to vote for, what to watch, and in this case, what to read.

As Christians, we need to be especially careful with messages dictating what is “in.” This list of books, for example, had several titles I shouldn’t read simply because I am a Christ-follower. It’s not about whether I can “handle” the content, it’s about living a life that reflects and pleases Christ. When I choose to read a book, I’m making a decision to commit hours and hours engrossed in that story.

As we choose what to wear, listen to, watch, or read, we need to remember what Scripture says about how we spend our time and what we spend our time focusing on.

“…Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

A friend shared with me that a literature teacher at her Christian college was constantly putting down Christian authors and their books, and encouraging the students to read “good” literature instead. Our discussion concluded with a couple of great thoughts.

First, just because something is written well, doesn’t make it “good” or appropriate for Christians. In the same way, just because something is written by a Christian, doesn’t mean it makes for a good read. Most importantly, however, how can we justify spending time on books that don’t glorify God when there are countless wholesome and well-written books available… written by both Christian and non-Christian authors?

In light of eternity, when I face Jesus one day, I don’t think the excuse that I “dwelt” on something that didn’t glorify God was because, “It was an award-winning book or movie,” will fly. Actually, I would be ashamed to say I let popularity or a good story get in the way of my relationship with Him.

Basically, when my time on earth is through, I want it to be clear that transforming into the likeness of Christ was more important to me than conforming to the culture.

Intersecting Faith & Life: As Christians, we need to remember that everything we have belongs to God… and with that in mind, consider how we are spending His time

Further Reading

Psalms 90:12

A Prayer for Consistency of Characte.....r By Meg Bucher

 A Prayer for Consistency of Character

By Meg Bucher

“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” - Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

Ever catch yourself acting differently around one person than another? Some people share our passion for Jesus, but do we talk about Him with as much gusto around those who may be uncomfortable or unfamiliar with Him? What makes us shape-shift like this, to fit ourselves to what we deem is acceptable behavior around specific people, instead of adopting a consistency of character around everyone?

Honesty includes consistency of character. Paul wrote to the Galatians about the fruit of the Spirit, and to the Ephesians about the armor of God. Consistency of character results in a humble submission of our lives to Christ. In putting on the armor of God daily we get to experience the fruit of the Spirit flowing through us in Christ.

“…be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you an take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” - Ephesians 6:10-11 NIV

Each day we wake to live carries a divine purpose, but we can miss it if we neglect to let go and let God. As Christ-followers, we get to pray on His armor, experience His fruit, and participate in His Kingdom! We are God’s family! Christ calls us His friends! The Spirit of God lives in every Christ-follower. We are already enough when we wake up in the morning. Let’s be diligent about reminding ourselves! The next generations are watching to witness Christ’s love through us, just as we did from those before us.

Father,

Your love for us in amazing. Only You know the number of our days, and the purpose You have for us. You teach us in the most amazing ways, through the most unexpected circumstances. Develop a consistency of character is us, an authentic honesty about who and Whose we are evident to those around us.

Spirit of God, thank You for equipping us with gifts You are ever-developing in us. God, protect us with Your armor as we walk through each day. Give us a wisdom to discern the whispering lies and manipulative tactics of our enemies, and take our thoughts captive to You, Author of life!

Jesus, our Savior, thank You for the sacrifice You made on the cross for us. By defeating death, You made it possible for us to experience forgiveness, grace and mercy. You died so we may live our lives to the full, and join You in heaven for eternity. It’s with this daily perspective we wish to walk through our days on earth, with a hope that cannot be crushed or thwarted. Help us embrace the peace we have in You, Jesus. Help us to be consistently bold in speaking of You, no matter what company we are in.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.