Testing
Headfirst
Splashdown!
All In
Wet & Happy
Preened & Clean
Hopeful Calm in the Storm
"We must keep faith, we must keep hope, we must keep courage, we must keep Christ. We would better creep away from the battle field at once if we are not going to be brave. There is no time for the soul to stampede. Keep the skyward look, my soul; keep the skyward look!" ~Streams in the Desert
"For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;" II Corinthians 1:8-10
"When each earthly prop gives under,
And life seems a restless sea,
Are you then a God-kept wonder,
Satisfied and calm and free?"
~Streams in the Desert
Troubles will come. We could not stop them, if we would. They are sent from God to refine us, to strengthen us, to make us more like Him.
Why then should we lose hope in the midst of the trial?
Even when we despair of life, as Paul did in the above verses, we must "trust that he will yet deliver us"!
God is able to bring us through…to bring us out.
Place your trust in that truth and lean confidently, calmly, on Him, as you ride out the storm.
A Hopeful Solution
Negative thoughts get us nowhere.
"We can never see the sun rise by looking unto the west. " ~Japanese proverb, Streams in the Desert
When we keep our minds fixated on the pain, on the hurt, on the problem, we become powerless to see a way out.
We should dwell on the problem just long enough to identify a solution to that problem.
"A discouraged soul is helpless. He can neither resist the wiles of the enemy himself, while in this state, nor can he prevail in prayer for others…The very instant you wholeheartedly turn away from every symptom of distrust and discouragement, the blessed Holy Spirit will quicken your faith and inbreathe divine strength into your soul." ~Streams in the Desert
"For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." Hebrews 4:2
One of my favorite preachers, Bro. Cham McMillan, said it this way:
"God is full of solutions, and he is just looking for people to give them to."
That negative thought pattern in which we are indulging?
There is an answer, a solution, to it.
We will only find that answer when we wrench our thoughts away from the problem and begin to search by faith in God's Word for the solution.
A Dark Hope
"Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow." Isaiah 50:11
"Beloved, do not try to get out of a dark place, except in God's time and in God's way. The time of trouble is meant to teach you lessons that you sorely need…Just commit the whole situation to Him. Be willing to abide in darkness so long as you have His presence." ~from The Still Small Voice, Streams in the Desert
I know it's hard to be in the dark.
It is scary and time passes so slowly there.
But to try to "kindle a fire" so that you might walk yourself out of the darkness will not work. Your toiling and scheming will be counterproductive and your efforts will fail.
If the Lord has something to show you in the darkness, determine to know what it is and commit it to your heart and life. Stand still until He has shown you the part of His character that He wants you to know.
In His time, He will guide you out by His light of understanding and complete reliance upon Him. It will be a blessed time of intimacy with the Saviour.
If you want to know your God more, be still, even in the darkness.
His presence is enough to sustain you even there.
Something for Saturday
"And when they were gone over…" Matthew 14:34a
"Jesus Christ is no secutity against the storms, but He is perfect security in storms.
"He has never promised you an easy passage, only a safe landing." ~Streams in the Desert
Hope for Peace
"Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.Are ye not much better than they?
"…Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Matthew 6:26, 28b,29
Trust
Lord, let me trust You.
You know what is best.
Lord, let me trust You,
Whether blessing or test.
I could demand sunshine
When I need the rain.
I might long for comfort
When my heart needs the pain.
You are my Father
In the day, in the night.
I know I can trust You
To give what is right.
My heart can rest easy,
When I don't see Your hand.
All things work together
As I follow Your plan.
I know I can trust You.
You know what is best.
I know I can trust You,
In Your will I rest.
We must…
Stop fighting. Stop demanding. Stop scheming.
We should…
Start trusting. Start believing. Start relying.
…And peace will follow.
A Sure Hope
Just a-wearying for you,
Jesus, Lord, beloved and true,
Wishing for you, wondering when
You'll be coming back again,
Under all I say and do,
Just a-wearying for you.
Some glad day, all watching past,
You will come for me at last;
Then I'll see you, hear your voice,
Be will you, with you rejoice;
How the sweet hope thrills me through,
Sets me a-wearying for you.
L.B. Cowman, Streams in the Desert
"…if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:17b-18
Some day…soon…soon…we shall see Him face to face.
The day cannot come soon enough for this homesick pilgrim.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Obtaining Mercy 