Streams in the Desert....

 Streams in the Desert

Why art thou cast down, O my soul (Ps. 43:5).

Is there ever any ground to be cast down? There are two reasons, but only two. If we are as yet unconverted, we have ground to be cast down; or if we have been converted and live in sin, then we are rightly cast down.

But except for these two things there is no ground to be cast down, for all else may be brought before God in prayer with supplication and thanksgiving. And regarding all our necessities, all our difficulties, all our trials, we may exercise faith in the power of God, and in the love of God.

"Hope thou in God." Oh, remember this: There is never a time when we may not hope in God. Whatever our necessities, however great our difficulties, and though to all appearance help is impossible, yet our business is to hope in God, and it will be found that it is not in vain. In the Lord's own time help will come.

Oh, the hundreds, yea, the thousands of times that I have found it thus within the past seventy years and four months! When it seemed impossible that help could come, help did come; for God has His own resources. He is not confined. In ten thousand different ways, and at ten thousand different times God may help us.

Our business is to spread our cases before the Lord, in childlike simplicity to pour out all our heart before God, saying, "I do not deserve that Thou shouldst hear me and answer my requests, but for the sake of my precious Lord Jesus; for His sake answer my prayer, and give me grace quietly to wait till it please Thee to answer my prayer. For I believe Thou wilt do it in Thine own time and way."

"For I shall yet praise him." More prayer, more exercise of faith, more patient waiting, and the result will be blessing, abundant blessing. Thus I have found it many hundreds of times, and therefore I continually say to myself, "Hope thou in God."
--George Mueller

The Loud Voice Like a Trumpet (Revelation 1:10-11)..... By: Cara Meredith

 The Loud Voice Like a Trumpet (Revelation 1:10-11)

By: Cara Meredith

On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.” - Revelation 1:10-11

A couple of weeks ago, I stole into the forest for a few hours to hike. There weren’t very many people on the trail, as nearby parks have intermittently been closed throughout the global pandemic. But as another woman approached me on the trail, I felt my heart race. Shivers, like goosebumps, scaled up my arms. A niggling voice that wasn’t audible as much as it was pressing, breathed into my soul and into those deep places that can’t always be put into words.

It was like she and I were supposed to talk to one another on the trail that day, for ours was a kind of Holy Spirit encounter, perhaps not unlike the one John speaks of in the book of Revelation. Because when we stopped, said hello and looked at one another in the eyes (six feet apart, of course), I knew I was leaning into physical prompting that came straight from God down to me – our encounter most divine.

Sometimes, when I dive into the book of Revelation, I can’t help but wonder what John the writer heard that prompted him to write a letter to the seven churches in the province of Asia. He writes that he was in the Spirit, when he heard behind him a “loud voice like a trumpet” (10). Some theologians say that John was in the most holy of trances, while others (including many of the early church fathers, such as Ignatius, Justin Martyr and Clement of Alexandria), state that “the Lord’s Day” referred not to tribulation, per say, but to the first day of the week.

Regardless, this was a loud, horn-like sound. While we don’t know if musical notes blasted from heavenly skies, if an audible voice actually sounded, or if the physical presence within John’s body merely felt like the brassy tones of a trumpet, all we know for sure is that the notes on that day’s holy music score were clear.

For me, as someone who doesn’t tend to meet God in the noise as much as in the quiet of forests and darkened cathedrals, I am encouraged perhaps now more than ever before. That day on the trail, I didn’t so much hear the vibrant blast of a trumpet on the trail as much as I felt it rumble and roll around within me – but I can be certain that the blast was the Lord’s. And you and me both can know that this blast will continue to make its way known, extending to “Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea” (11), and ultimately, beyond.

So, tell me, what does the trumpet sound like in your life? Even if the sound in your heart feels rather muted compared to some of your brothers and sisters, it’s the sound of the Lord, nonetheless – this voice an invitation to lean into the holy music of God, whether on forest trails, in coffee shops or under archaic cathedral ceilings alike.

After all, the trumpeting Spirit of God beckons speak to us all.

Worry-phobia..... by Meghan Kleppinger

 Worry-phobia

by Meghan Kleppinger

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” - Romans 8:15

The word “phobia” comes from the Greek word for fear, phobos. One of my college psychology professors explained a phobia as an irrational fear of something that can potentially be harmful. Arachnophobia, the fear of spiders, for example, is an abnormal fear of spiders. Spider bites can be deadly, but most spiders are harmless and if a person gets bit by one, the chances of it being a lethal bite are minimal

Still, a person who suffers from this phobia, like me, can’t be told to “not worry” when they see one of those eight-legged monsters. When I see a spider, the blood drains from my face, I can’t move… actually, all I can do is scream until someone comes to rescue me. I’m not kidding. I, a grown adult, have been known to stand on top of a table and scream until my mother, yes, my mother, comes and gets rid of the disgusting arachnid.

I am very, very, very afraid of spiders… but truthfully, my phobia issues don’t end there. Everyone has their “issue.” My issue, my vice, my weakness, and my greatest struggle, can all be summed up in one word: “fear.”

Out of curiosity, I recently decided to see if there was a phobia for a generalized fear of everything. There is. It’s called panphobia (or pantaphobia), and is simply defined as a fear of everything.

As I researched panphobia, I learned that this is more than the every day worrywart sort of fear. It’s a medical condition that is persistent, debilitating, and very difficult to treat. It’s related to the paranoia typically found in Schizophrenics. After discovering this, I quickly decided that I don’t have panphobia

I realized that I’m not necessarily afraid of everything, I just worry about everything – and in case you’re wondering, the definition for the Greek word for worry (merimnao) has more to do with an anxious concern than a debilitating fear.

I’m one of those people who worry even more if there isn’t anything to worry about. I guess that would be called something like “Worry-phobia” – a fear of having nothing to worry about. Yes, I worry about those people I love, but I also worry about the starving parentless children on other side of the globe that I will never meet. I get worried when it rains one day too many or if too many days pass without a drop

Okay, I’m exaggerating… a bit, but you get my point. The thing is God doesn’t call worry panphobia or worry-phobia, He calls it sin.

For me it is about control, and when I don’t feel like I have control, I worry. It is certainly something God is continually and persistently working on in my life. He has been teaching me to trust Him through some painful and scary circumstances lately.

I know I’m not alone in the journey toward freedom from worry, so I’m going to share some helpful scripture with you. The following verses declare that His truth is greater than any worse-case-scenario or real-life-circumstance we can encounter.

Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you.” (Deuteronomy 3:22)

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

“Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)

“Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:8b)

“Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:6b)

“Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” (Revelation 1: 17b, 18

Isn’t it great that God doesn’t tell us to do something without equipping us to do it first! Through His Word, He encourages and prepares us to face the world, which is after all, can be pretty scary place… especially with all of those blasted spiders!

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

Intersecting Faith & Life: Hudson Taylor, A British missionary to China in the late 1800s, gave this advice – “The branch of the vine does not worry, and toil, and rush here to seek for sunshine, and there to find rain. No; it rests in union and communion with the vine; and at the right time, and in the right way, is the right fruit found on it. Let us so abide in the Lord Jesus.”

A Prayer to Value Friendship over Disagreements..... By Janet Thompson

 A Prayer to Value Friendship over Disagreements

By Janet Thompson

“A friend loves at all times.” -  Proverbs 17:17

Sadly, during this presidential election, we’ve witnessed adult meltdowns among friends and relatives who found it difficult, even impossible, to disagree politically and remain friends. Many tell stories of family members disowning them. Political disagreements turned personal.

And it isn't just political disagreements that can lead to divisiveness. I have family members who keep their distance because I’m a Christian. You probably do too.

We all have a right to our beliefs, but it shouldn’t end our relationship, our friendship, or our family ties.

Friendships should be a safe place to disagree. If you have a variety of friends, you’re going to have a variety of differing opinions. You can learn from each other.

In our couples’ small group, we get into some heavy exchanges of opinions, but we always know at the end of group we’ll pray, have dessert and coffee together, and leave as friends. After one evening of especially heated discussion, one person prayed that they were grateful we respected each other enough that we could express our thoughts openly, but still maintain our friendships. We’re still friends in Christ, even though we disagree on some spiritual issues.

We get into disagreements because we want the other person to acknowledge we’re right. Sometimes we care more about being right, than “our truth” helping the other person.

My granddaughter was trying to share Jesus with two friends of a different faith, and they ended up in a disagreement. I asked my granddaughter whether her motivation was compassion for her friend’s salvation or wanting to be right. If it was their salvation, she should speak with passion about how much she loved Jesus and He loves her. If she just wanted to be right, she probably focused more on how wrong their faith was and that made them mad. She agreed she would be far more effective showing them Jesus’s love than trying to win an argument.

Our friends and family will know the love of our Jesus through the love we show them.

Please pray with me:

Lord,

Satan is trying with all his might to divide your house and your people. We pray Lord with all our might that we would not let that happen. That we would remember that a house divided cannot stand. Help us to be the peacemaker in our relationships, friendships, and families, without bending or compromising on the Truth. And Lord, if it must be that there are those who choose to no longer be our friends or in relationship with us, guard us against a bitter heart and remind us to pray for a softening of their heart.

In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.