The Wilderness.

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http://www.dsmedia.org/resources/illustrations/sweet-publishing

I’m reading in 1 Kings now and found many interesting and beautiful things about God. And I learned something new about Elijah, a great prophet of God.

You may know the story of when Elijah was on top of Mount Carmel. It hadn’t rained for three years because the people of Israel were worshipping Baal, an evil god to whom the people would sacrifice their live children by burning them to death.

Elijah told King Ahab to bring the people and the prophets of Baal to Mt. Carmel. They would have a contest between Baal and the Lord God. They would build altars and pray; whichever God answered by fire, he was the true God.

After many hours of praying, Baal did not answer. Elijah prayed and immediately fire came down from heaven consuming the sacrifice and altar. The people said, “The Lord, he is God.”

Elijah thought the nation would change; he thought Ahab would quit worshipping Baal and turn to God, but this did not happen. In fact, his wife Jezebel sent a message to Elijah telling him she would kill him by the end of the day.

Elijah ran. He ran into the desert, the same desert that Israel had to cross to get to the promised land. And this is the part I had forgotten; he wandered in the wilderness for 40 days.

I thought of Jesus and when he went into the wilderness for 40 days. I thought of Israel and how they had wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. God has patterns throughout the Bible and here was another one.

Most commentators of the Bible say Elijah was discouraged by the outcome of his work for God. He probably thought his work was fruitless and wondered why he had risked his life for nothing. He couldn’t see what God was doing or why. His faith in God was tested.

When Israel wandered through the wilderness, their faith was tested also. They came to a day when there was no water. They thought they were going to all die of thirst so they complained and wanted to go back to Egypt. They got angry at their situation. God provided them with water, not just once, but many times. They had no food left and were frightened. They didn’t trust God to feed them. They said, “Can God make a feast in the wilderness?” Yes, he can and he did. These things happened to make their trust in God strong but it didn’t work with that first generation.

For Jesus in the wilderness the test was the same. Did he trust his father? Would he complain about being hungry and save himself? No, he didn’t. He could have made the stones into bread but he knew if you or I were in the wilderness, we could not do that. He came to live a human life, depending on God for everything.

Joyce Meyer talks a lot about Christians going through a wilderness time. Everything around them feels dark and hopeless. They cannot see the way out and wonder why God allowed this to happen to them. We have a choice in these times, to trust and praise God in the midst of them, or to complain and rebel against him.

I found two songs lately that are so inspirational. The words are fitting for this subject.

No one can take away, my hallelujah.

No darkness can contain, my hallelujah.

Your cross has made the way, for my hallelujah.

From the song: My Hallelujah, by Brian and Katie Talwalt.

Give me hope like Moses in the wilderness.

Give me faith like Daniel in the lion’s den.

Give me a heart like David, Lord be my defense.

Then I can fight my giants with confidence.

From the song: Confidence, by Sanctus Real.

“No darkness can contain, my hallelujah.” We must not allow darkness to stop our praise and love towards God. Remember how Jesus and his disciples suffered. No one is immune to suffering; you are not alone. This world of pain is not our home; Jesus walks beside you.

I Can't Believe I Live Here!

"The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you."  Genesis 12:1

A lot of my childhood was spent packing and moving. I was born in a little town called Drumheller, Alberta, Canada. We moved to Calgary for awhile, to Midway, BC, and then to Victoria, Bc.

When I was 6 we toodled off to California. My brother had asthma and the doctors recommended a dry, hot climate. In California we lived in 8 different houses, I think. Where we lived depended on whether my dad had a good job or a bad one.

I loved moving. It was so exciting to live in different houses. Sometimes I had my own bedroom, other times I shared a room with my older sister. I'm sure my poor mom wasn't happy about all the moves.

I thought of this tonight when I was reading about Abraham. God asked him to move from Ur, a major city of the day, and then Haren and go to a land he had never seen, Caanan. God said he would give this land to Abraham and his descendants.

I wonder how hard that was for Abe and Sarah, his wife. Did Sarah complain about losing all her friends? And she probably never saw her family again. But it says they went in faith, believing and trusting in God.

There was one move I went through as an adult that frightened me. My husband and I had lived in small towns and cities after we married. We didn't want to raise our two girls in a big, bad city. But years later one of our daughters lived in one, Vancouver, BC. She had two boys who were very upset about the daycare they had to go to before and after school. We had a chance to move there and we did so I could babysit the boys.

When we got there I looked up at the tall skyscrapers and wondered what I had gotten myself into. A couple of million people lived there and they all seemed to be walking downtown as we drove by. Taxies, buses, bikes, the homeless, beggers and the police were everywhere! To be honest, I felt terrfied. I thought, "I can't believe I'm going to live here!"

We were there for 5 years, and as I've looked back I've realized those were the happiest years of my life. I came to love that city and all the crazy people in it. I loved being with my grandsons. We had so many good times; did so many fun things. We lived two blocks from the ocean and four blocks from Stanley Park, a gorgeous place. I went for long, peaceful walks every day while the boys were in school.

So, what's the point of this looong narrative on moving? Only this, if God asks you to go somewhere and you are scared stiff, go anyway. You won't regret it.

Throw That Problem Into the Sea.

Photo by, Chuck Szmurlo

Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him."  Mark 11:23

When I first read this verse I thought, "How strange. Who would ask that of God, and would he really do it?"  I thought it would be handy for land developers, but I didn't see how that prayer would help me. I was taking what he said literally. 

I knew Jesus spoke in parables and a lot of what he said had a deeper meaning. But this verse didn't seem like that to me. I thought he meant we could actually pray for a mountain to move.

What I like about reading the Bible on Kindle is that I can close the page, go on-line and go to Bible Hub. Any word or verse I don't understand is there. I look up the verse and then go to the Commentary section. I did this with the verse about the mountain.

It turns out that in Jewish literature a mountain stood for the difficulties of life. Aha, the great light dawns. And I can tell you from experience that Jesus was telling the truth. Any difficulty I have had, if I believed God could help me with it, he did. He helped me in a big way. 

There have been times when I didn't know what to do and he has shown me. There have been times when I needed a rest from my family and he showed me where to go. Then there were all the times with little things, like what to cook for dinner. (This is still a big deal for me. Lol)  But God always takes the difficulty I'm experiencing and throws it into the sea. 

I used to have trouble with belief. I knew I couldn't drum up belief from somewhere deep inside me and hand it to him. I finally realized belief is knowing God loves me, he can do anything and I can trust him to only do what is good for me. I ask for something, knowing he knows whether he should grant that request. I trust his answer. I wouldn't want it any other way.

When I was young, I would say, "Oh, please God do this or that."  I don't pray that way any longer. I know he is happy to hear my prayer and happy to grant it if it is for the best. I've only learned this through many years of living and seeing how his way is always the best way.

God is Always With Us.

Who is God?

Someone who is always with us.

Jesus said, "What is the price of five sparrows--two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows."  Luke 12:6

"Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."  Isaiah 41:10

"Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Matt. 28:20

"When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you."  John 14:20

 "For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you."  Hebrews 13:5

Who am I?

My daughter lives an hour and a half away from us. She came to town to do some Christmas shopping for a couple of days and had to leave this afternoon. It had started snowing and she was nervous about the drive home.

I said, "Don't worry. God will be with you." She smiled and said, "I know, Mom."

But I had to add, "That doesn't mean nothing bad will happen, but he will be with you if you crash and as you lay in the snow looking up at the stars." Then we really laughed.

I have no trouble saying that. God has never promised nothing bad will ever happen to us. Although, when you read the Psalms it does seem like David thought that. I believe God is with us every moment, but I trust him to decide what is going to happen to me. He will be with me through it all.

Follow Me.

A pilot truck leads vehicles through the fire zone.

Photo: Oregon Department of Transportation

Who is God?

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them...   When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”  Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”  John 21:20-22

God's advice to us is to keep our eyes on him; he knows if we don't we can get sidetracked and lose our way.

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  Matthew 16:24

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."  John 10:27


Who am I?

Peter was always looking around at other people. I have the same problem.

I think about my family, all the in-laws, those in the news, the people I meet online and in books. I  want everyone to be saved so I start worrying. I pray for these people and then look for signs they have heard the voice of God in their hearts. It is hard for me to leave people's salvation in the mighty hands of God.

When I feel sad about someone I love, I find that looking at Jesus lifts me up. I then feel hope and happiness. It is hard to look at Jesus and feel bad! God keeps reminding me to keep my eyes on Jesus and I'm thankful for this.

If we keep our eyes on Jesus we will learn from him how to live and we will learn how to trust in God the Father as he did.