Streams in the Desert.....

 Streams in the Desert

I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth (Isaiah 58:14).

Those who fly through the air in airships tell us that one of the first rules they learn is to turn their ship toward the wind, and fly against it. The wind lifts the ship up to higher heights. Where did they learn that? They learned it from the birds. If a bird is flying for pleasure, it goes with the wind. But if the bird meets danger, it turns right around and faces the wind, in order that it may rise higher; and it flies away towards the very sun.

Sufferings are God's winds, His contrary winds, sometimes His strong winds. They are God's hurricanes, but, they take human life and lift it to higher levels and toward God's heavens.

You have seen in the summer time a day when the atmosphere was so oppressive that you could hardly breathe? But a cloud appeared on the western horizon and that cloud grew larger and threw out rich blessing for the world. The storm rose, lightning flashed and thunder pealed. The storm covered the world, and the atmosphere was cleansed; new life was in the air, and the world was changed.

Human life is worked out according to exactly the same principle. When the storm breaks the atmosphere is changed, clarified, filled with new life; and a part of heaven is brought down to earth.
--Selected

Obstacles ought to set us singing. The wind finds voice, not when rushing across the open sea, but when hindered by the outstretched arms of the pine trees, or broken by the fine strings of an Aeolian harp. Then it has songs of power and beauty. Set your freed soul sweeping across the obstacles of life, through grim forests of pain, against even the tiny hindrances and frets that love uses, and it, too, will find its singing voice.
--Selected

Be like a bird that, halting in its flight,
Rests on a bough too slight.
And feeling it give way beneath him sings,
Knowing he hath wings.

Developing a Tender Heart..... Dr. Charles Stanley

 Developing a Tender Heart

Dr. Charles Stanley

 

Ezekiel 36:25-28

The Lord wants to give each of us a "heart of flesh" so that we will be pliable and responsive to Him. When touched by the finger of God, a tender heart yields to the pressure and assumes the form He desires, much like a lump of clay that allows the potter to determine the shape of the vessel.

To aid in this process, God has sent the Holy Spirit to indwell each believer and awaken responsiveness in him or her. By yielding to the Spirit's promptings with ready obedience, the heart becomes increasingly tender and sensitive to His leading. The Lord is able to impart greater understanding of His Word to a soft heart because it has faithfully accepted and obeyed previous teachings.

Any resistance to God will result in hardening. But those who are accustomed to intimacy with Christ—which is the result of submission to Him—will be quick to deal with sin and return to the place of obedience and blessing.

People with tender hearts stay closely connected to the body of Christ, seeking to build up and encourage others in their walk of faith. Such individuals are not only receptive to what God wants to tell them; they are also teachable, in that they are willing to listen and be corrected by others.

This week when you read your Bible and pray, let your heart be soft toward the words of God. As He pokes His finger into each hard area, listen to His instructions, and rely on the Spirit's power to help you yield and obey. Let Him shape you into a beautiful and useful vessel.

Why You Don’t Have to Live in Fear..... LYSA TERKEURST

 Why You Don’t Have to Live in Fear

LYSA TERKEURST

“‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’” 2 Kings 6:16 (NIV) 

Do you ever look around at all that is happening in our world today and feel fear grip your heart?

It’s something that can feel especially difficult as parents. We wonder if we’re teaching our children enough to stand strong as Christians in today’s culture. We worry about whether or not we’re equipping them well for the battles they’ll surely face.

We crave safety and certainty and simplicity as we raise our families, serve God and live out our Christian beliefs. But so many things feel threatening to those desires.

How do we navigate both our fears and our faith?

There’s a wonderful truth I turn to time and again when I get afraid. It’s in 2 Kings Chapter 6 verse 16, “‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’”

The prophet Elisha spoke this treasured truth to his servant. The servant was breathless with fear because he looked and saw a massive enemy army surrounding them. His desperation is so clearly heard in verse 15b: “‘Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?’ the servant asked.”

Their circumstances were horrible and hopeless when examined through human eyes.

But Elisha doesn’t look at circumstances with human eyes. He sees there are always two realities to everything we face: a physical reality but also a spiritual reality. Elisha clearly saw the frightening military leaders surrounding his city who thought they were in control. But he also saw an angel army sent by God who was far stronger, far greater and far more in control than any human eye could see.

I love what Elisha prays for his servant.

Elisha prays his spiritual eyes will be opened so his faith will be increased. He doesn’t pray for his servant’s fear to be eased. He doesn’t pray the enemy army turns and runs away. He doesn’t pray a new king will swoop onto the scene and change the cultural climate of that day. He doesn’t pray his circumstances will change at all. He simply prays his servant can see with spiritual eyes that God is in control.

“‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:16-17, NIV). An angel army sent by God was there with a divine assignment.

His fear was then silenced as he saw the protection and provision of God.

And that’s how we can quiet our fears as well. Psalm 34:7 reminds us of this same truth, “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them” (NIV).

That was true for Elisha’s fearful servant, and it is true for us, too. The Matthew Henry commentary says, “As angels are God’s messengers, so they are his soldiers, his hosts (Genesis 32:2), his legions, or regiments, (Matthew 26:53), for the good of his people.” And probably most comforting to my mom’s heart is Matthew 18:10, which says, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven” (NIV). 

Angels are not mystical or mythological, nor are they supposed to be the object of our worship. They are biblical realities on assignment from God. They point me to recognize God’s presence and see God’s power. I need to remember this truth.

No matter what the nightly news says about current circumstances, God’s good news is my ultimate reality. The enemy is vicious, but he is not victorious. Therefore, I can sometimes feel afraid, but I don’t have to live afraid. Not for myself or for my children. And I believe with all of my heart that the lyrics of Chris Tomlin’s beautiful praise song are true: The God of angel armies is now and forever by our side.

Lord, thank You for Your careful concern for me and my family. We never have to feel alone or powerless because You are always with us. We are Your guarded and treasured children. Quiet all of my fears and keep reminding me that You are making all things right and good. I know Your love will reign supreme. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Psalm 91:11, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” (ESV)

Patience in the Waiting (Acts 9:8-9)..... By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

 Patience in the Waiting (Acts 9:8-9)

By: Betsy St. Amant Haddox

Today’s Bible Verse - Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. - Acts 9:8-9 (ESV)

We live in what some have dubbed a “microwave culture,” expecting everything right now. How many times have we tapped our feet and sighed while waiting for a frozen pizza to microwave for three minutes? Guilty!

As believers, we often tend to project that impatience onto the bigger callings in our life, too. We’re not only impatient for the microwave to beep, we’re also impatient for God to come through on His promises. We assume if God gives us instructions, they must come to pass immediately, or the instructions weren’t real. Or we assume that if God calls us, He’ll make the path easy from there on.

It didn’t quite work that way for Abraham and Sarah, though, did it?

In that same vein, I can’t help but think of Saul in Acts 9. He encountered something miraculous on the road to Damascus—a bright light and a commanding, holy voice. His mission of destruction was interrupted and intercepted by Christ Himself. After announcing Who He was, Jesus gave Saul instructions. Acts 9:6 “But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do”. But Acts 8-9 shows us that Saul remained blind for three days.

I can’t imagine what was going through Saul’s mind during those three days. He was obviously distraught—he didn’t eat or drink. Maybe he was sorting through the guilt of all he had done to Christians and all he had done against the Lord. Maybe he was startled—in some sort of physical shock from the encounter with the Divine. He might have been terrified still.

Regardless, Saul had no way of knowing that off scene, Ananias was being prompted to enter—stage left.

There’s always more to the story, my friend. Whether you’re waiting for test results, for healing, for restoration of relationships, or for answers—there’s always more happening than what you know. As believers, we get to rest on the glorious promise of Romans 8:28. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

If Saul remained true in that moment to what we know of his later character as Paul, I would guess he was probably impatient to get the show on the road. How could he obey the Lord when the Lord wasn’t providing the next step? Did he doubt that he heard correctly? Did he wonder if it was all a big cosmic joke? Or was he trusting, if not a little impatiently, that God would bring forth what he promised?

Where are you right now, during your own personal “three days”? Are you trusting, believing God’s Will is best and perfect even when it looks a little bleak and shadowy? Or are you impatiently trying to run ahead and force things to happen on your timetable?

Here’s the best part—Ananias obeyed next. He followed his instructions, despite being afraid for his life, and went to Saul. The scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see. He had clarity of mind and mission. The rest of Acts 9 tells us after Saul regained his sight, he was baptized, ate, and got his strength back.

Now he was ready for the next step. But without those three days in the dark, would the transformation of Saul’s heart have been complete?

Nothing is ever wasted, dear reader. If you’re wondering if you heard the Lord correctly today…if you’re doubting that you understood the mission or the calling…if the door the Lord opened suddenly closed in your face…just wait. Be patient. Trust. Immerse yourself in the Scriptures and see what He brings next.

You just might be waiting on Ananias.

A Song for the Snow..... by Katherine Britton

 A Song for the Snow

by Katherine Britton

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry… He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord." - Psalm 40:1,3

I have previously written of the hilarity that ensues when Virginia wakes up to a blanket of snow. It's true that I have not had much experience getting stuck in the stuff myself. My idea of roughing it has included a snowsuit, an hour of playfulness, and then an afternoon of curling up by the fire with a good book in my own house. After this weekend, however, I can count myself among the woeful victims of southern incompetence in the snow.

"Woeful" is perhaps an exaggeration, as my weekend still involved a warm house after an hour of playfulness. It's just that the house was three hours from my own, and I was supposed to be home, not stuck in the mountains. But the roads' lack of guardrails and our lack of four-wheel-drive extended this whimsical getaway beyond the expected.

My fellow snow-day partakers included a delightful mix of thoughtful, hilarious, and gracious women, but the mood visibly fell when we realized it would be another 24 hours until we could escape each other's company. All of us thought of the husbands, kids, family, and ordinary comforts awaiting us back in Richmond. The trials of waiting an extra day - and potentially burning vacation time with people I liked! - had me calling home with a voice that, I confess, had a little quaver.

Granted, if we had left when we had planned to leave, I would have never faced down the growling pit bull (true story). Several irreplaceable memories and inside jokes would have waited for another time, if they happened at all. I would not have had to readjust my attitude because everything would have gone my way. I would have missed the blinding sunshine and quiet contentment of a snowy country road with beautiful friends.

God's grace shines so much more clearly in hindsight, doesn't it?

As we road tripped back home, I thought of my teary phone call with some humor. The Lord really had put a "new song" in my mouth for that extra day, and made me slow down long enough to hear it. The desires of my impatient heart could not outlast that.

Intersecting Faith & Life: True joy finds its source and inspiration in God. Too often, I want God to sing my own song, to follow along with my own plans, rather than replace it with a "new song." And yet, some of my best memories are from times when I was clearly not in charge of a situation. Are you willing to sit quietly and wait for this new theme?

A Prayer for When You are in the Desert..... By: Jennifer Kennedy Dean

 A Prayer for When You are in the Desert

By: Jennifer Kennedy Dean

The LORD your God has blessed you in everything you have done. He has watched your every step through this great wilderness. During these forty years, the LORD your God has been with you, and you have lacked nothing. - Deuteronomy 2:7

As we see in this verse, God shows us who He is by what He does. We see His promises worked out in the lives of His people and know that the same God is working in our lives.

When we are in the middle of a desert trek, God’s hand seems absent, blinded as we are by the glaring circumstances. But when we emerge from that leg of the journey, we can look back and see that God has watched over our every step. The journey was hard and went on longer than we thought we could bear. But here we stand. All the way through the desert, just when we thought we couldn’t last another day, God’s mercy met us in some observable way: a kind word, an unexpected provision, or a “chance” encounter. The assurance of His presence always came.

The desert has things to teach us. We learn things there that we can’t learn anywhere else. We see the careful provision of our Father in a different light. His love stands out in stark relief against the background of the desert’s barren landscape. In the wilderness, we come to the end of ourselves. We learn in new and deeper ways to cling to Him and wait for Him. When we come out of the desert, the desert lessons stay with us. We take them with us into the next stretch. We remember the God who led us through the desert, and we know that He is with us still.

Desert times are fruitful times. Though they seem barren, lush fruit is being produced in our lives when we walk through the desert. The Lord will sanctify your desert times and make them to be fruitful in your life.

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, I know that wherever I am, You are with me—guiding, protecting, providing. You make a mountain into a way; You make streams flow in the desert; You cause a root to grow out of dry ground. Thank You for giving me the opportunity to see You work when all hope seems lost.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.