INTO THE PATIENT WAITING...

"They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb . . . and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Rev. 12:11). When James and John came to Christ with their mother, asking Him to give them the best place in the kingdom, He did not refuse their request, but told them it would be given to them if they could do His work, drink His cup, and be baptized with His baptism. Do we want the competition? The greatest things are always hedged about by the hardest things, and we, too, shall find mountains and forests and chariots of iron. Hardship is the price of coronation. Triumphal arches are not woven out of rose blossoms and silken cords, but of hard blows and bloody scars. The very hardships that you are enduring in your life today are given by the Master for the explicit purpose of enabling you to win your crown. Do not wait for some ideal situation, some romantic difficulty, some far-away emergency; but rise to meet the actual conditions which the Providence...

Ever read Streams in the Desert? If you haven't, you'll be challenged and drawn closer to Christ by the devotions that this woman has put together over years of hardship and suffering. April 29th's devotional was a balm to my weary heart when I read it because my faith has been tested so much the past 8 weeks. My faith in man, the church and "good things" has failed. Faith in those items will not last and will eventually crumble. However, faith in God will never crumble and my faith in Jesus Christ has only gotten stronger. And this post - my friend - is why. Streams in the Desert: April 29th Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. James 5:17 Thank God for that! He got under a juniper tree, as you and I have often done; he complained and murmured, as we have often done; was unbelieving, as we have often been. But that was not the case whe...

May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy! He that goes forth weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126:5-6 This article was recently posted on Instagram and it was an immense encouragement to my heart this morning. Why? Because there are some seasons of life where tears just seem to be never-ending. Tears of all sorts but tears nonetheless. And yet, the work remains the same in each season despite the tears. May these thoughts on tears be an encouragement to your heart as they were to me. - There is nothing sad about sowing seed. It takes no more work than reaping. The days can be beautiful. There can be great hope of harvest. Yet the psalm speaks of “sowing in tears.” It says that someone “goes forth weeping, bearing the seed for sowing.” So why are they weeping? I think the reason is not that sowing is sad, or that sowing is hard. I think the reason has nothing to do...

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. Romans 8:14 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:6 I will instruct you in the way you should go; I will guide you with my eye. Psalm 32:8 And so the question must be asked: who is leading? As you get up each morning and make plans for the day, who is leading? As you have another conversation with your husband about future plans, who is leading? As you sit down with coffee in hand to read the Bible, who is leading? All too often, I am the one leading and I am the one guiding my own footsteps. But it shouldn't be that way at all - it should be my Savior leading and guiding. My friends, let us let God and His Holy Spirit do what they want to do - lead us! They crave to lead us and show us the way we should go. Let's crave to let God lead and let's desire to be...

Bless the LORD, O my soul! All that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; who forgives all your iniquities (amen!) , who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction (amen!) , who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. Psalm 103:1-5 - - -  Those of you who know me well, know that I can be a "forgetful" person (which is why I need coffee to help me remember things! Isn't that what coffee is for?!?).  The Lord has reminded me the past few days that even though I do forget some things,   He has written in His Word that I am not to forget all that He has done for me. We get so distracted     with life and we get "wrapped-up" in ourselves to the point that we can only see what this world has to offer rather than what God has offered in His Son Jesus Christ - LIFE!  - ...

This morning, I started to read a little booklet about the terms of commission   for a follower of Jesus Christ.  Our Lord and Savior has set terms that His disciples must follower.  It is convicting to ask oneself,  "Am I following His terms? Or am I following my terms?" Quotes from the booklet: 1. The Sovereignty of our Master "ALL authority is given unto me." Rejected, slain by man, He is now enthroned at God's right hand and made "both Lord and Christ," invested with absolute authority in every sphere. How will He use that authority? He will use it with sovereign grace for the blessing of the nations. Therefore He gathered His servants around Him and gave them their marching orders. 2. The Scope of Our Ministry "Make disciples of ALL the nations." His grace, because it is sovereign, leaps over the narrow confines of Israel, and the message of His blessing for man is carried to the nations and broadcast amongst the Ge...

This is the AMPLIFIED version of John 15:7-15. However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment: About sin, because they do not believe in Me [trust in, rely on, and adhere to Me]; About righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God), because I go to My Father, and you will see Me no longer; About judgment, because the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world [Satan] is judged and condemned and sentence already is passed upon him. I hav...