Now What? - 3 Ways to Persevere

Water of Life

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse.” Revelation 22:1-3

I’ve heard much despair from folks over the last week about America’s moral, economic, and spiritual condition. What do we do in the face of such despair? Give up?

Certainly not! This country was founded on the premise of perseverance.

So what does perseverance mean to Christians as we move forward?

“Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” Genesis 6:22

Keep building. Noah built the ark while warning those around him of their impending doom. Much like today, folks didn’t want to hear about society’s moral decline. No one listened to Noah, but it didn’t deter him from fulfilling the directive God gave him. Whatever your ministry is, keep working. God has a plan for its success and those touched by your work.

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Keep praying. In order to bring spiritual revival to this nation, believers must stay on their knees. Lift up the President, Congress, and local leaders, whether on city or county councils or school boards. Ask God to soften their hearts toward His message as it relates to both their professional and personal lives. Pray for your fellow citizens that all may “come to a knowledge of the truth.”

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 3:1-2

Keep speaking. Whether your ministry is written or verbal, continue to spread the message God has given you. Our country needs spiritual awakening and not just among the lost. Christians should seek to discern God’s message through prayer and His written word. For those who think the Christian’s character should morph with societal changes, God’s character hasn’t changed from day one. That’s our model. As you read through the Bible, God’s nature is consistent from Genesis to Revelation.

America has been blessed abundantly by God’s mercy and grace. We mustn’t be lulled into complacency and believe there’s no end to His patience for moral and spiritual decline while evil flourishes around us. The great city of Nineveh is a good example that this isn’t so. They repented after Jonah preached to them. God forgave their sin and continued to bless them. Less than two hundred years later, Nineveh returned to its sinful ways, and God destroyed them.

The LORD has given a command concerning you, Nineveh: “You will have no descendants to bear your name. I will destroy the images and idols that are in the temple of your gods. I will prepare your grave, for you are vile.” Nahum 1:14

God kept his word. He always does. And I praise Him that we can count on His consistency.

According to the NIV Student Bible, “The greatest city in the world became a pile of rubble overgrown with grass. Both Alexander the Great and Napoleon camped near it but had no idea a city had ever been there.” (p. 966)

God is a fair and just God, but every nation and individual has a finite number of chances to repent and change their ways.

If you’re one of those in despair, I encourage you to have hope. As believers, we’ve read to the end of The Book. The Story starts and ends the same—in a beautiful garden. What lies in between is the path that leads to God’s mercy and grace.

Regardless of what happens in the immediate or long-range future of this country, God is on His throne. Now, more than ever, perseverance is imperative.

I still believe in your faithfulness

I still believe in your truth

I still believe in your Holy Word

Even when I don’t see

I still believe

A permanent prayer list is above along with updates on Sgt. Jesse McCart, the American soldier we are praying for. If you haven’t done so, would you consider sending him or another soldier a postcard encouraging them? Addresses are listed on the page, also. If you have a prayer need, please list in the comment section below so others can pray, or email me confidential requests. I'd love to hear from you!

Update/New Request:

Courtney, a young mother who has battled a cancerous brain tumor, will have her two-month repeat MRI this month. Her last two MRIs have been clear. She will continue chemo and MRIs for a year.

Pastor Benarji Kumar of True Light Ministry – There has been flooding in his region of India. He’s working to get clean water and supplies to people in great need. His own health hasn’t been good. Pray that God’s hand will be upon him as he ministers to others.

Would you take a moment to offer a word of prayer for these needs?

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I will be launching a new blog in addition to this one on November 26. I will post more information soon about the content and mission of “Count The Costs.”

Shalom,

Laura

© Laura Hodges Poole

Photo courtesy of Microsoft.com free clip art.

Powerful Truths of Desert Dwelling

Desert Dwelling

Who wants to live in the desert? I doubt any of you raised your hands. Last week we discussed leaving our comfort zone, sometimes not by choice, and residing in the desert or wilderness. Why is this necessary in a Christian’s life?

Despite the fact many trials are a byproduct of living in a fallen world, God can and does use trials, and yes, sometimes even orchestrates them, for our spiritual growth.

Throughout my spiritual journey (and believe me, I’m not there yet), I’ve discovered some powerful truths about the desert, as well as why it’s imperative for spiritual growth.

Sometimes your mission/calling is discovered in the desert. The desert can also prepare you for your calling.

Moses spent one-third of his life in Pharaoh’s palace and the other two-thirds in the wilderness and desert. John the Baptist chose to live in the desert. The Bible doesn’t explain why, but perhaps he found the trappings of the good life a threat to his calling. Before he was king, David spent time hiding in caves to elude death by King Saul. David’s wilderness experience surely brought him spiritual maturity and wisdom to be the next ruler of Israel.

Desert experiences often follow mountaintop experiences.

Mountaintop experiences alone don’t bring spiritual growth.

Other than his resurrection, Jesus’ most joyous moment was probably his baptism. Yet, afterwards he spent forty days in the desert (Matthew 4:1-10).

Moses had mountaintop experiences with God while in the desert, but upon leaving the mountain, he found the human condition more deteriorated each time.

Seeking only the “why” and “how” or someone to blame impedes learning the purpose of the experience.

“Do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness.” Hebrews 3:8

I recently finished reading His Desire Is For Me by Bob Emery, which underscores how pain and loss can be used by God in “order to capture some stray part of our lives that has not yet fully come under his control.” Furthermore, our journeys into wilderness are a process in which to get to know God, for “it is not in our comforts, but in our lack of them, that we are pressed to discover who he really is.”

The enemy will attack.

You-know-who will whisper in your ear that this is not your fault, you don’t deserve the trial, God has forsaken you, yada yada yada. Don’t listen. He knows what his ultimate fate is and will try to take as many souls with him as possible. He will tempt you with power, prestige, and yes, even good works. Jesus stood firm against the enemy, and in Matthew 4:11, the Bible says, “Then the devil left him…”

You’re not alone! God dwells with you there! He protects you, meets your physical and spiritual needs, and replenishes you.

The other half of Matthew 4:11 says, “and the angels came and attended him.”

God fellowshipped with Moses throughout his leadership of the Israelites. God’s counsel is recorded in several places. In Numbers 3:14: “The Lord said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai…”

“They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow for them from the rock.” Isaiah 48:21a

“David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.” 1 Samuel 23:14

“He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the seas.” Psalm 78:15

Jesus often dwelled in the desert—by choice and by calling.

Dwelling in the desert means quiet time with God. Jesus understood the necessity of lonely and barren places for spiritual maturity.

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16

“At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness.” Mark 1:12

The cross was the loneliest place on earth. Jesus prayed to avoid it and, even as he was dying, cried out, “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?”

God has the power to intercede.

“Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob. God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” Genesis 21:14-18

No matter how bad the situation, God is still on his throne. He has not forgotten you. Trust Him for a solution in His perfect time.

Some deserts are worse than others.

Comparing our degree of hardships with others or trying to assignment fairness to our trials is futile. We live in a fallen world. Bad stuff happens—to good and bad people. This weekend here in Anderson, a local 25-year-old man was run over by a drunk driver. His younger 15-year-old brother died in a car accident last month. His father died of cancer in June. How fair does this feel to the mother? I can’t possibly imagine. Some deserts have no explanation or reason in our human minds.

Sometimes the hard work is up to you.

Don’t hear me say something I’m not. I’m not saying take the reins from God’s hands and try to solve your situation alone. But often you can do things like returning to school to retrain if you’ve lost a job and have little hope of finding another one in your field. Perhaps you’ll have to work at a lesser paying job while you do so. But battles, whether physical or spiritual, require joining forces with the Holy Spirit to overcome.

God restores!

“He turned the desert into pools of water

    and the parched ground into flowing springs.” Psalm 107:35

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 5:10-11

What a great promise!

And right now, in the good times and bad

You are on Your throne, You are God alone.

What is your desert? If you’d like prayer, please email me or leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.

Please remember our permanent prayer list, as well as Sgt. Jesse’s McCart’s updates above. Contact information for sending postcards to him and other soldiers is listed on his page. We have several folks battling cancer. Would you take a moment to lift them up in prayer?

God bless,

Laura

 © Laura Hodges Poole

A Prayer For You

“Anything large enough for a wish to light upon, is large enough to hang a prayer upon.” George MacDonald (Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister)

I’m traveling this week, but my heart is with all of you as well as your prayer needs today.

The Bible overflows with wonderful prayers. The book of Psalms holds both sorrowful and praise-filled prayers. Often perceived as a sad book, Lamentations contains beautiful exaltations. The New Testament shares Jesus’ and the apostles’ prayers. 

One of my favorites is Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians. As we join together to pray for each other’s needs today, would you take a moment to meditate on this prayer as a precursor to your own? Although originally intended for the Ephesians, Paul’s prayer is for all Christians.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21

Please add your prayer requests in the comments section below so others can pray for you. Feel free to email me confidential requests. My contact info is above. Remember the folks who have requested prayer in past weeks. I pray for safe celebrations of Independence Day and for the spiritual revival of this great nation!

Enjoy this song by Third Day, “God of Wonders,” as we lift our hands to the One who has granted us eternal freedom through Him.  

God bless,

Laura