Tag: desert

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Are You A Witness Or A Spectator?

In court, witnesses are more than just spectators. They are active participants who help determine the outcome of a case. The same is true of the Christian’s witness of Christ. We are to be active participants in a matter of absolute importance— sharing the truth of Christ life, death, and resurrection.

John the Baptist was the ultimate witness of Jesus. He shared all he could about Jesus, the light of the world. John’s disciples recorded the events, testifying of his experiences with Jesus: “We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth”.

Today, all Christians have been summoned before the courtroom of this world not to be mere spectators but active witnesses. We must tell the world the truth about Jesus’s life, death and resurrection. Like John the Baptist, the voice crying in the desert, our voices should be heard in our workplace, neighbourhood, church, and among our family and friends. We must be active witnesses, telling all about the reality of Christ who lives in our lives.

[John] came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. (John 1:7).

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, thank you for giving me the boldness to be an active witness for you. Father, I thank you and glorify you for all the testimonies and experiences you have guided me through, so I can share everywhere I go. Lord, please don’t let the devil silence my witness about you in Christ’s name, Amen.

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Compromise Does Not Pay ?

young annoyed female freelancer using laptop at home

Abraham became a father, as God promised, but the pause between God’s promise and its fulfilment, spanned decades, causing Abraham to question the accuracy of God’s prediction. Like us, Abraham sought to reshape God’s promise into an idol he could touch, see, and understand. “Compromise was his answer,” he said. “I will sleep with the maidservant for this is what God meant no matter what His word says.” 

Abraham forgot this simple formula, God’s plan + God’s timing + Godly trust = Godly fruit. When this equation is broken, that’s when we stumble and fall.  If we do stumble, fall or fail like Abraham, it doesn’t mean it’s all over. Get up and get back to the formula, remembering always that God keeps His promises. The question that must be answered is: “Can I trust God enough to see me through to the other side even when I can’t see the edge or the end?”, and that is the question that haunts us even today as we face life’s challenges.

Today, we fear falling, failure and defeat in all their finality. We reach for the dream and recoil when our fingers find nothing but emptiness. We wonder if there is hope for us, covered in a desert mess. The problem with Christians is, too many of us are afraid of failure. God rarely makes our fear disappear – instead, He asks us to be strong and take courage. Claim the plans God has planted in your heart. Hold God’s hand and give birth to your dream. You won’t find the edge if you don’t lean and reach for it. So lean on Him and look across the wasteland, your promise is still there. 

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” – Matthew 14:27 (NLT) 

Let’s Pray 

Yahweh, have mercy on me. Many times, I have stumbled and fallen. From time to time, I am stuck in life’s wilderness, afraid and discouraged and ready to compromise.  Today I ask You to help me not make my fear despair. God, I thank You for not making my failure the final act in my life. Father, I embrace Your abundant life and I answer the hard question, “can I trust you when things get tuff ?” and I will answer “yes I can and I will” in Jesus’s name. Amen.

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A Better Provision

Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd, finds joy in seeing His diseased sheep progress toward healing.

Jehovah Jireh means “God will provide.” Hallelujah! When the children of Israel were in the desert on the way to the Promised Land, God provided them with manna to eat. That was good. It sustained them for a while, but it wasn’t a permanent solution. Eventually, the manna stopped coming. The people had to move forward, and then God allowed them to have quail. They were so excited. That fed them for a while, but it was also temporary.

God gave the Israelites temporary provision on the way to the Promised Land where they would have permanent provision. The fact that God had something much greater in store for their future is what kept them moving forward. God could have sustained them with manna or quail, but God is a God of increase, a God of better and best. He works in seasons, and He always has something better in store for us.

Today, don’t get stuck in a rut and think that your current situation is going to last forever. Instead, stay open and be willing to change, adjust, make corrections, or try something new as God provides for you. If the “manna” stops coming, as it did for the children of Israel, don’t get upset or disheartened. Remember, God is Jehovah Jireh, He will provide. Just keep moving forward and trusting. Be on the lookout for the new provision God has in store for you!

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 4:19, NKJV)

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, You alone are the just and faithful God! Father, thank You for always providing for me. Thank You for leading and guiding me. God, I trust that You have better and greater things in store for my future. I will choose to keep my eyes on You, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.

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I Felt Like Giving Up

This morning I felt like giving up. Felt tired emotional and physically. Then I remembered this story. Back in the 1800’s some explorers were going across the desert and didn’t bring enough water. They got tired and very thirsty so they started digging at different spots underneath the surface about a foot or two, trying to find water so they could get refreshed. Tired and thirsty they lost their lives in the desert because of a lack of water and fatigue. Many years later, it was discovered that there was water right there where they had lost their lives about three feet under the ground. If they would have just dug down a little bit further, they would have found the water and saved their lives.

The same principle is true when you’re in a dry tired season of life, and not getting any good breaks, business is slow, or you’re struggling with relationships. It’s easy to think, “ I’m too tired, I can’t go on, things will never change. I’m not going to see my dreams come true. I’m an emotional and spiritual wreck”. Don’t give up and die like those early explorers, water is there. You’re a foot away from that blessing, provision and increase. 

Today, you just have to hang on in there, dig down a little deeper. If you will shake off tiredness, shake off the self-pity, shake off what didn’t work out, shake off the complacency and turn up your faith and praise, you’ll soon tap in to the blessing and provision God has prepared for every area of you life! Hallelujah! 

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9, NLT)

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, thank You for Your provision and blessing in my life. Father, I’m tired. Emotionally I’m through, I don’t want to think no more, physically I’m hurting and spiritually I’m sick and tired of falling short of Your expectations. I know that You are making a way in my desert even when I don’t see a way. God, help me to stand strong in You so that I may see the harvest of blessing You have prepared for me. Please Lord, give me the power to keep digging till I reach my god given purpose in Jesus’ name. Amen

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It’s A New Season!

Renewal, Of People Of God - Knowing Jesus

Last Monday was officially the beginning of summer and a change of season. Today God wants to take you into a new season – from a season of drought into a season of abundance. Are you going through a situation that seems beyond your control? I want to encourage you today that even though you we can’t see it, God is working behind the scenes. He is doing a new thing. He is making a way for you even when there seems to be no way.  

God wants to lead you out of that dry, desolate place into a place of safety and abundance. Just trust Him, and switch over from an attitude of fear and doubt to an attitude of faith. How do you change your attitude? Start by changing what comes out of your mouth. Instead of constantly speaking about your negative situation, speak about your positive situations.  

Today and every day declare, “this is the day that the Lord has made. God, is taking me into seasons of increase. I’m moving forward with strength through the joy of the Lord!” When you start speaking like that, soon your mind and heart will grab hold of the truth, and it won’t be long before you’re walking in the increase and the new season God has for you! 

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19, NIV) 

Let’s Pray 

Yahweh, I receive Your new seasons of increase and positivity in my life by faith. Father, I choose to stand and declare Your promises, because I know You have new things in store for me. God, I bless You and thank You for another day to sing Your praises, in Christ’s Name! Amen. 

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It’s All About Your Perspective

Is it a Blessing or a Curse?

After one of the biggest revivals in Preston and many people giving their heart to the Lord, I find myself focused on what’s wrong in life, what I don’t have, and how big my obstacles are. If we’re not careful, we’ll lose sight of all the good things God has done. We’ll take for granted our family, friends, health and the opportunities God has blessed us with. We’ll get so busy and stressed out that we won’t appreciate our blessings. What’s happened? Our perspective has gotten off track.

It’s all about how we see a situation. There’s power in your perspective because you draw into your life what you constantly meditate on. Business may be slow. The economy may be down. The wrong perspective is, “I’ll never make it. It’s just too much.” The right perspective is, “God is supplying all of my needs. He said He would prosper me even in a desert.”

Today, I encourage you to evaluate your perspective. Choose to lift your eyes to God no matter what is happening in your circumstances. Remember, as you set your perspective in the right direction, your life will follow. When you keep an attitude of faith and expectancy, you open the door for His blessings in every area of your life!

“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (Psalm 34:1, NKJV)

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, I choose to bless You at all times. I declare that You are faithful! Father, I lift my eyes to You because You are the source of my help. Please give me the right perspective in my thoughts and my life. God, I need more strength and joy today. Thank You for leading and guiding me, in Jesus’ name! Amen.

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Fear Not

Fear Not

“Fear not . . .”  Isaiah 43:1

“Fear not” – words that make us stand a little straighter and feel a little stronger.  “Fear not,” (and words of a similar context) are found in the Bible more than a hundred times.[1]  We’re taught that fear and faith cannot coexist.  A fearful saint is not a faithful saint. But if you – like me – find yourself in a tumultuous situation, that contrast between the two extremes is a very real and present tension.  Like the father in Mark 9, we find ourselves pleading – “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (v. 24).  Over and over I pray: “God, I know You’ve got this.  I know you are faithful.  I know You will never leave me nor forsake me.  But I’m scared God.  I don’t want to be.  I’m trying not to be.  But I am.”  And He understands.  He doesn’t chide or rebuke me – He just gives me reasons not to fear.

Fear not . . . for God has heard (Gen. 21:18)

Fear not for I am with you (Gen. 26:24) (My favorite)

Do not be afraid, the Lord will fight for you (Deut. 3:22)

Do not be afraid . . . for the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you (Deut. 31:6)

Fear not; I will help you (Isa. 41:13)

Today, at the suggestion of my sister-in-love, I’ve been meditating in Isaiah 43 and found some incredible words of hope that fit my life perfectly:

“This is what the Lord says – He who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters” (v. 16); “I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (v. 19).

At this moment I am both drowning in the sea and wandering through a desert.  Seems as odd as faith mingled with fear but let me explain.  My emotions seem like an overflowing river, thoughts rushing this way and that, pulling me under and threatening to take my very breath.  For a split second I come up for air – “I believe!”  In the next the waves crash over my head again – “But I am afraid!”  God promises to make a way – a path through the waters of fearful thoughts and discouragement that threaten to drown me.  He promises dry ground to cross over to the other side.

Yet I am in the desert where nothing grows and all seems lost – walking through a season of drought.  Health issues.  Disability.  Unemployment.   Multiple applications with no nibbles.  Interviews with “no thank you.”  Watching the funds dwindle as the provisions dry up.  The reality of what we’re facing beats down like the scorching sun as we wander looking for an oasis.  God promises to make a way here too – to provide streams in this wasteland .  Mind you not to drown us like the sea, but to refresh and restore us.

He meets our needs for rescue and refreshing.  He gives us dry ground and cool springs.  He never fails to notice us wherever we are – even when we’re in two places at once.  Oh, my drowning, wandering friend – let me throw you a lifeline of hope.  You don’t have to fear because God hears you, He is with you, He fights for you, He will never leave nor forsake you, and He promises to help you.  He knows where you are right now, and He knows what you need right here.  He will make a way.

 

[1] The NIV records some 110 references; other translations will have a slightly different word count.  Despite how good is sounds, there are actually not 365 “Fear not” verses.

 

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