Streams in the Desert.....

 Streams in the Desert

And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness (Mark 1:12).

It seemed a strange proof of Divine favor. "Immediately." Immediately after what? After the opened heavens and the dove-like peace and the voice of the Father's blessing, "Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." It is no abnormal experience.

Thou, too, hast passed through it, O my soul. Are not the times of thy deepest depression just the moments that follow thy loftiest flight? Yesterday thou wert soaring far in the firmament, and singing in the radiance of the morn; today thy wings are folded and thy song silent. At noon thou wert basking in the sunshine of a Father's smile; at eve thou art saying in the wilderness, "My way is hid from the Lord."

Nay, but, my soul, the very suddenness of the change is a proof that it is not revolutionary. Hast thou weighed the comfort of that word "immediately"? Why does it come so soon after the blessing? Just to show that it is the sequel to the blessing. God shines on thee to make thee fit for life's desert-places--for  its Gethsemanes, for its Calvaries. He lifts thee up that He may give thee strength to go further down; He illuminates thee that He may send thee into the night, that He may make thee a help to the helpless.

Not at all times art thou worthy of the wilderness; thou art only worthy of the wilderness after the splendors of Jordan. Nothing but the Son's vision can fit thee for the Spirit's burden; only the glory of the baptism can support the hunger of the desert.
--George Matheson

After benediction comes battle.

The time of testing that marks and mightily enriches a soul's spiritual career is no ordinary one, but a period when all hell seems let loose, a period when we realize our souls are brought into a net, when we know that God is permitting us to be in the devil's hand. But it is a period which always ends in certain triumph for those who have committed the keeping of their souls to Him, a period of marvelous "nevertheless afterward" of abundant usefulness, the sixty-fold that surely follows.
--Aphra White

The Effectiveness of God's Way..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Effectiveness of God's Way

Dr. Charles Stanley

Exodus 3

Yesterday we observed the ineffectiveness of Moses' attempt to liberate his people from Egyptian slavery, but today we see him given a second chance to do it God's way. If we could learn the lessons Moses learned about the dangers of self-reliance and the advantages of depending on the Lord, we would save ourselves much hardship. 

When we choose to cooperate with God and submit to His way, He will do amazing things in and through us. Despite Moses' past failure, the Lord still used him to accomplish the divine plan, but only after he became usable—that is, humbled and broken of self-will. Just consider what God achieved when Moses did it His way.  

• He showed what great things He could do through one yielded, dependent person. 

 • He got more done in less time, and with fewer resources. There was no insurrection or long, drawn-out war—just a dramatic display of His power.

 • He proved the superiority of His way by freeing over two million people without the loss of a single Hebrew life. 

 • He sent impoverished slaves out of bondage with their captors' riches (Ex. 3:21-22). 

• He proved to both the Israelites and the Egyptians that He alone is the God of heaven and earth. 

• He received all the glory.  

Our past failures never prevent God's willingness or ability to use us. In fact, our weakness is a great opportunity for the display of His glory. In our own strength, we are totally ineffective. But when we submit to the Lord's authority, we can experience His victory in whatever He calls us to do.

The Fairytale Ending Our Hearts Actually Need..... MEREDITH HOUSTON CARR

The Fairytale Ending Our Hearts Actually Need
MEREDITH HOUSTON CARR

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” 1 Corinthians 13:7-8a (ESV)

I’ve always been a sucker for celebrating romantic holidays and milestones. Be it Valentine’s Day or an anniversary, give me all the roses, chocolates and dreamy dinners filled with soft lighting and delicious food.

But on our fourth wedding anniversary, my husband and I found ourselves separated after reaching a breaking point. Our “celebration” looked like me sitting alone in our 1950s fixer-upper while he bunked with a buddy, college style. But this wasn’t college.

As I cried into my pint of ice cream, mentally replaying the previous years, I felt shell-shocked by grief. This wasn’t the “happily ever after” fairytale-ending I anticipated when we said “I do.” No, our love story looked nothing like what I’d envisioned.

Heartache occupied the spaces where happiness was supposed to be. Marriage wasn’t turning out as I’d expected it to. Life wasn’t turning out as I’d expected it to.

The dissonance left me exhausted, discouraged and wondering: How did I end up here?

Our wedding, like many weddings, included a reading from 1 Corinthians 13, the famous “love chapter.” Today’s key verse, 1 Corinthians 13:7-8a tells us, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”

When we’re standing at the altar, feeling like the princess in our own fairytale, living out the words of this passage seems inevitable, perhaps even easy. But what about when real life rears up in our relationships?

When the addiction manifests.
When the financial strain crushes.
When the affair surfaces.
When the collective weight of stress squashes you flat.
When you can no longer bear, believe, hope or endure … continuing to love feels like too big of an ask.

We often toss around the word love like it’s nothing, simultaneously “loving” chocolate and our families. But perhaps therein lies the problem, for the love Paul refers to in this passage goes beyond our fickle, fragile definition.

Paul uses the Greek word agape — three syllables that carry the weight of love’s highest and most holy form. Agape is the love God graciously pours out on us: pure, unconditional and given for our greatest good. Indeed, God is the very source of agape love. 1 John 4:7 tells us, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God” (ESV).

On our best days, we’re not naturally capable of showering this kind of love on others. Be it for a spouse, child, friend or coworker, our flimsy, feelings-based love fails us. The fairytale falls apart.

Even in our own strength, with all our summoned-up willpower and white knuckles, living out the love of 1 Corinthians 13 truly is impossible. But Jesus died that we might receive the steadfast, unabashedly faithful love our human hearts crave. Not from another human, but from Jesus Himself.

And as His agape love pours out on us, He in turn gives us the strength to pour it out in our difficult marriages, friendships and family relationships.

By God’s grace, my husband and I have celebrated many more anniversaries since that painful year when “happily ever after” came crashing down. Through the years, we’ve learned that the fairytale ending we actually need looks like two imperfect people, letting the Father’s perfect love flow to and through them — one grace-filled day at a time.

I realize, though, this is not everyone’s story. Maybe your story looks like the separation I experienced … and then a finalized divorce. Maybe your story looks like a spouse who abandoned you or was taken from you and this earth far too soon. Or quite possibly, there was never a spouse to begin with, and you fear it’s too late for the fairytale you long for.

But dear one, where our fairytales end, God’s redemption story begins.

Will you let the love of Jesus seep in through the cracks of your heart and the cracks of your relationships? In the light of His agape, what looks like an ending may very well be a new beginning.

Dear Jesus, You know how I struggle to extend love in my difficult relationships. Thank You for covering me with the perfect love my heart so desires. No matter what my fairytale looks like, please fill me with Your agape love, and grant me the strength to extend it to others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Ephesians 4:2, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (NIV)

1 Peter 4:8, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” (ESV)

How to Prepare for Your Future..... by Lynette Kittle

How to Prepare for Your Future
by Lynette Kittle

“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? - John 14:2

Are you worried about your future? If so, you’re not alone.

Cultural climate feeds on fear. The fear of missing out, of being left behind, of having nothing.

Yet, Jesus encourages you to “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1).

You can take comfort in Jesus’ reassuring words of, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26)

God doesn’t want you to be living in fear, worried about tomorrow. Jesus said, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them” (Matthew 6:31, 32).

Riches, positions, and possessions on earth are temporary, so accumulating stuff does not secure your future. The way to prepare for your future is explained in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Scripture explains how there will be a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13), and to look forward to it.

Jesus said, “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2).

Not only is Jesus preparing your place, He’s also coming back to pick you up stating, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:3).

So even when things on earth pass away (Revelation 21:1) you will have a home.

Revelation 21:3 describes all you have to look forward in your future, stating, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God’” (Revelation 21:3).

The Apostle John describes your new residence in Revelation 21:2, “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”

Take comfort in knowing your future is already settled. So rather than letting earthly fear consume you, 1 Peter 3:14 encourages you to look forward to all God has for you by making every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him (1 Peter 3:14).

I Just Don't Understand... by Sarah Phillips

I Just Don't Understand...
by Sarah Phillips

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.
Proverbs 3:5-7

Proverbs 3: 5- 7 are often the first words that rise out of my memory bank in dark moments. The reason this scripture resonates so much with me has to do with these six words: lean not on your own understanding.

At Salem Web Network, managers give new employees a book called Strength Finder 2.0. The book is designed to help you identify and maximize your top 5 strengths in the workplace. I scored highest in something called “Intellection.” A person who scores highly in this category loves to think – so much that he or she finds reasons to think just for the joy of thinking.

I chuckled at these results. Friends and family have described me as “cerebral” on more than one occasion. Thanks to this strength, I’m really good at thinking through complex issues. I get energy from analyzing many aspects of life. Others come to me when they want a thorough, thoughtful perspective.

Why am I so drawn to thinking? Ultimately, it’s because I want to understand. I am like an adult version of my four-year-old nephew, always asking “why?” and “how?” -- especially on matters I feel have eternal significance.

Unfortunately, this drive to understand can easily morph from my greatest strength into my Achilles’ heel. Why? Because there are some things in life that even the greatest minds cannot understand.

I was on a forum recently where, in response to recent headlines, someone asked, “How can a man kill his wife, kids, and then commit suicide?” People debated back and forth. But no answer seemed to satisfy.

I had a friend call me recently, devastated over his girlfriend’s unexpected decision to break up with him. He wanted to know why. She never gave him an answer. And I couldn’t either.

On some level, we all want to understand, don’t we? Daily, I receive emails from hurting readers that go like this:

“I am so unhappy with my spouse. Help me understand her!”

“I don’t understand why my child does these things. What have I done wrong?”

“I can’t seem to get a job. I just don’t understand God’s will for my life.”

When I encounter things that are really difficult to understand, my first instinct is to rev up my God-given gift for thinking to try to figure it out. This is when things start to go bad. I think if I can understand it, I will be okay. I ruminate on the issue, mentally chewing on it over and over again, losing sleep in an attempt to find peace through understanding.

But when the mental gymnastics don’t produce results, my irrational emotions kick in. I melt into a puddle of tears (flowing from eyes with dark circles thanks to too many sleepless nights). It’s a lovely sight, and one that may be familiar to you.

That’s usually about the time my brain is empty enough to hear a still, small voice whisper:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

You see, contrary to popular belief, our peace doesn’t really flow from our understanding, and in fact, God never promises we will always understand. Instead, our peace flows from a God whose thoughts are not our thoughts and whose ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55: 8).

Accepting that we won't always understand may feel frustrating at first, but ultimately, it offers you and me relief. We may not understand, but God does, and He will not abandon us. Look at the promise that accompanies this verse, should we surrender our lives fully to Him: and he will make your paths straight.

What a blessing. I don’t have to have it all figured out. I don’t have to obtain all the answers. I don’t have to lie awake sorting out every last detail. I can trust God, my Heavenly Father, to take care of the stuff that doesn’t make any sense to me.

This is the beauty of being Christian. We aren’t the biggest, most intelligent beings out there. God, the original Genius, is.

At the end of time, we will understand – clearly – because God will show us. And there will, no doubt, be some surprises. Until that time, we have a God smart enough to handle the most confounding problem, loving enough to earn our heartfelt devotion, and trustworthy enough to offer us genuine hope for our futures.

So if there’s something about your life right now that you just don’t understand, that’s causing you pain and fueling your fears, meditate on Proverbs 3: 5- 7. Turn it around in your mind. Memorize it. And sleep well tonight.

Further Reading:

Job 11:7-9

A Prayer for Our Purpose..... By Meg Bucher

 A Prayer for Our Purpose

By Meg Bucher

“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Job 42:2 ESV

God created humanity in His image. He knit each of us in our mother’s womb, and has given each of us a specific purpose. There is no one exactly like another. And yet, we often stretch our necks to compare what others are doing or dreaming of doing with their lives. We have to remember this truth: someone else’s calling doesn’t strip any value from our own.

The Voice paraphrase translates Job 42:2 as, “I know You can do everything; nothing You can do can be foiled or frustrated.”

The NIV Study Bible Notes explain, “Job finally sees that God and His purposes are supreme.”

God called us to take care of each other, the earth, and all of the wildlife in it. That takes a lot of jobs, not just a direct call to ministry as a pastor, speaker, missionary, etc. Our Father in heaven works through all types of professions and callings to minister to the human heart with His Love.

We are capable of nothing good without God, through Christ Jesus. Once we bump into Christ on the road of our lives, it’s hard not to drop everything and follow Him… and when we do, we find true satisfaction in His will for our lives.

Father,

Jesus, our Savior, may the moment we met You remain on the top of our minds. Soften our hearts to Your call more each day. Grow us in Your wisdom, and teach us to adopt Your perspective. Help us to submit our worries, comparison, jealousy, bitterness, and envy to You each and every day in exchange for a fresh vision of Your will for our lives.

Day by day, you are making us new. We struggle so much to live day by day! We want to know how the story ends, and if we will achieve what we set out to. Increase our trust in You, Christ Jesus, to lead us each day, giving us what we need to be prepared to love the other people You have placed in our lives.

Make us noticers of Your handiwork, God, of Your creation. Bless those called to care for the earth, working to protect and care for plants and protecting forests and grasslands.

Bless the ones You purpose to care for the seas and the life teaming in those waters. Every creature You have put on earth matters deeply to You, but none more than us. It’s hard to believe, sometimes, we have been created in Your image!

Thank You for the opportunity to live our lives within the love of Christ, where we wake each day to a fresh blessing of grace and forgiveness. Amplify Your voice above all others, God. We pray Your will over our lives …over what we want to be when we grow up. Let Your will reign paramount in our plans, today and always.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.