Spiritual Discernment

When we read John 7, we tend to criticize the Jews and Pharisees for their unbelief.  However, if we lived during the ministry of Jesus would we have recognized Him for who He is?  In order to distinguish spiritual truths we must be versed in the language of the One imparting them.  But how does one acquire this skill?

An Important Lesson Learned from God's Chosen People Israel

In Romans 10, Paul quotes Isaiah when he wrote,  “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”  

Who is God?

Today many teens and young adults struggle with issues surrounding identity such as who am I, why am I here, what am I to do with my life, where am I going, etc.  These are questions that all must face at some point in life; whether it happens during our teen years or in our forties as a mid-life crisis, we all possess a need to find answers for these fundamental questions.  However, on our quest for personal identity we need be careful to look to the correct sources for our answers. 

God's Dynamite

“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”    - II Corinthians 12:10

Streams in the Desert records A. P. Simpson’s literal translation of this verse as “Therefore I take pleasure in being without strength, in insults, in being pinched, in being chased about, in being cooped up in a corner for Christ’s sake; for when I am without strength, then am I dynamite.” 

Movable Type

“These pains and trouble here are like the type which the printers set; as they look now, we have to read them backwards, and they seem to have no sense or meaning in them; but up yonder, when the Lord God prints us off in the life to come, we shall find they make brave reading.”      
-Martin Luther

Luther penned these words on his death bed, amidst the pain and torment of his final illness. The Lord is the mastermind of our lives, choosing the text with extra care, for every word has divine purpose.

A Heart Truly Waiting for the Lord

Singleness can be such a lonely, discontented period for many young women. However, it doesn’t have to be that way! An attitude of discontentment is an inward problem of the heart. Instead of looking outward for things that will change our circumstances, we must look inward and change the condition of our hearts. Our Heavenly Father wants us to rejoice always, in all circumstances, and through all trials that get thrown our way. We don’t have the “right” to pick and choose, we must rejoice in all things in order to follow in the footsteps of our Savior.

Tools in the Master's Hand

"But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand"   - Isaiah 64:8

Like a gigantic puzzle with all its pieces strewn about, so also situations in life can look like the aftermath of a hurricane. However, it is from the chaos of the scattered pieces that we come to truly appreciate the beauty of the completed work. Many times, though, we don’t get to see the finished product or the purpose behind the chaos.

The Fragility of Life

“For the LORD is NEAR to the broken hearted, 
and SAVES those crushed in spirit.” 

- Psalm 34:18

Life is so fragile, and the world is utterly brutal; like a delicate flower exposed to the harsh elements. However, we have a tender, loving Gardner who knows the limit of each uniquely created flower, and He will not let it be exposed to more that it can handle. His desire is that every single creation He has intentionally placed in His garden would become beautiful, fruitful, and strong; secure in the knowledge that its faithful Creator will provide for all its needs and fully trusting through the painful moments that the Divine Pruner knows what He’s doing.