Have you ever felt the pressure to reach new goals, meet certain objectives, or simply seek to be a better person with God? Although there are probably success stories that we remember, there are moments we feel frustrated to the point of feeling discouraged or disqualified to move forward.

When I find myself in this situation, thoughts of defeat have made me feel disqualified to be used by God. However, I have great news; our past mistakes do not define how God sees us because Jesus died on the cross to redeem us from our sins.

The Bible tells us about Saul, the controversial character who persecuted believers and whom everyone feared. Then, one day, on the road to Damascus, Jesus met him, and his life took a 180° turn. Although he became a new person, many weren’t convinced of Saul’s transformation:

“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name” (Acts 9:13-14).

I’ve often found myself in the role of Ananias, trying to disqualify myself for the mistakes I’ve made, but if God did not disqualify a man as terrible as Saul, He wouldn’t do it with us either.

But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.’ At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 9:15, 20).

It is likely that you will hear voices that will try to discourage you throughout your life, but remember that God created you from the beginning with a great purpose and nothing can bring down or overcome what He says. God has the last word:

To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his. If he holds back the waters, there is drought; if he lets them loose, they devastate the land. To him belong strength and insight; both deceived and deceiver are his (Job 12:13, 15-16).

Dear friend, I can say with certainty when I feel most disqualified, that is when I have experienced the grace of God the most! A year ago, I was so frustrated over not seeing specific goals and dreams fulfilled in my life, but today, I can testify of His great love and care for me, even during one of the lowest valleys of my life. The Lord opened the doors, and I am confident of His great plan for my life! So, whenever you feel disqualified, whenever you think you are not able, keep these words in your heart:

But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Glory to God for His great love for us!

Prayer:
Father, thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for being strong when I am weak. Help me to trust in Your plan and purpose for my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today’s Devotions

When you think of who God used to lead you to Jesus, who comes to mind? When you think of who reflected Jesus to you in how they loved others, who do you picture?

I imagine quite a few that I know would answer with my father’s name. My dad was a hero at spending time with people through home visitations. While pastoring for over two decades, he was known just as much for taking time to visit people as he was for being a pastor. The personal touch came easy to him; he was able to lead several people to Jesus on their deathbeds because he had taken the time to sit with them through the years.

My father reminds me of Philip in Acts 8. Here, God sets up a divine appointment for Philip to share the Gospel with an important eunuch from Ethiopia who oversaw the queen’s treasury. This devout eunuch had just finished a trip to Jerusalem to worship and was a true seeker of God. When Philip approaches him, directed by the Spirit, the eunuch is meditating on a prophetic passage from Isaiah 53. However, he is not aware that the passage is a messianic prophecy that points to Jesus.

Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Acts 8:30-31 (NIV)

Like this Ethiopian eunuch, many today seek to know God but lack the revelation of who He revealed Himself to be in Jesus. As Jesus declared, when you have seen Him, you have seen the Father (John 14:9). The Apostle Paul makes clear that it is our responsibility as believers to proclaim this good news:

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Romans 10:13-14

God was drawing this eunuch to Himself and was willing to chase him down, through Philip. The eunuch invites Philip to sit with him in his chariot and help him understand what he is reading. Sitting with someone involves taking the time to be with them. It’s an invitation to fellowship. Philip accepts the offer and shares the good news of Jesus Christ with him. Historians claim that once this eunuch returned home, he was the first to share about Jesus in Ethiopia.

In your life, who is the Lord leading you to who is searching for Him? Whether it is a divine appointment that is momentary, or someone that you’ve “sat” with through the years, He wants to work through your testimony to fill in the blanks to the questions they have about Him. Like Philip, may you be sensitive to His promptings and recognize these eternal moments.

Today’s Devotions

My sister and I stood knee-deep in restless water at the ocean’s edge, jumping over each incoming wave, squealing and laughing as we held hands and learned the art of not getting knocked down.

As we got older we ventured deeper and instead of jumping the waves, we rode them. The precise timing of wave riding challenged us to be in sync with the rhythm of the ocean. Too far behind the rise of the wave and you go nowhere. Too early ahead of the wave and you get creamed by the churning, white, foamy aftermath, sometimes pummeled to the ocean floor in its harshness. However, when we strategically positioned ourselves just behind the cap of the wave and were propelled by the current’s natural forces; we commandeered a smooth ride to shore.

At times, I feel life is like an ocean. Some waves are pretty rough, then a few gentle waves; and then it seems the waves are trying to drown me.

Have you felt this way at times? That life is determined to beat you up? That it’s difficult to get a moment between the onslaught of waves to catch your breath?

In Job 1, we read that Job suffered tremendous losses all in one day: his property, animals, servants, and all of his children. Talk about feeling like you’re drowning! Yet, this is what Job said,

“I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” (Job 1:21 NLT).

Wait a minute! Job praised the name of the Lord after all that? How can that be? I would say it’s because Job was certain to his core that God is good and worthy of praise and honor, regardless of any circumstance. When we love God and trust Him as the Master of our lives, just as He is the Master of the ocean, we do not drown in despair. He provides the Holy Spirit to give His children courage and strength and to position us as professional wave riders. We can expect the waves of life to keep coming and look for opportunities to ride each wave triumphantly to the shore.

Job endured all of these sorrows without blaming God. He wins the surfer of all-time award! And in the second half of Job’s life, the Lord not only restores what Job lost but gives him twice as much as he had before, as well as seven more sons and three more daughters (Job 42:10-13).

God does not seek to destroy us with rough seas. However, the evil one would like us to think the waves will be our undoing. Satan’s purpose is to have us focus on and fear them. God’s purpose is the opposite.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life (John 10:10).

For all of us who are feeling the effects of rough waves, we can agree together these waves will not overtake us. Almighty God, Jehovah, is the Master of the ocean of our lives and gives us the victory through our faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus, who was sacrificed for our sins and rose again to rule the oceans and the universe with His righteousness.

Today’s Devotions

“Between a rock and a hard place” is a phrase I heard growing up that I never understood. I think of that phrase now a lot when I read Scripture, though; we see time and time again God’s people in seemingly hopeless scenarios—essentially between a rock and a hard place. But His plans are always better than ours. You think, there is no way they’re getting out of this one! But God always makes a way.

In Acts 7, Stephen is before the council, and in response to their questions, he tells account after account of their history of persecuted prophets. He starts with Abraham, works his way to Joseph, and then gets to Moses in verses 20-21.

At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God’s sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father’s house, and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son.

Moses’ story jumps out to me as a rock-and-hard-place situation. First, Pharaoh ordered all the Hebrew baby boys killed. Then, Moses’ mother hides him for three months, puts him in a basket in the river where she knows Pharaoh’s daughter will find him, and then God makes way for his mother to be his “nurse” and ensure his care at the beginning of his life (Exodus 2:1-10). Then, if that wasn’t enough, God continues to rescue Moses from a rock and a hard place, as we see later in Exodus 14.

As the Israelites flee Egypt, they’re standing at the Red Sea and see two options: drown in the Red Sea or go back to Egypt to be enslaved. The ultimate “between a rock and a hard place” scenario! But God made a way that wasn’t even an option. He parted the Red Sea, and the Israelites walked through on dry land.

How often have we been in situations where we felt like all the options were in front of us, and all seemed like hard choices, but God provided a path we didn’t see before? For me, I look back and can count a handful of times where I’ve experienced Moses and the Red Sea moments where God brought help through an avenue I didn’t know existed.

Remember that God is a God of love, kindness, and grace when you find yourself in a seemingly impossible situation. He is full of mercy and wisdom, and He is just. Ask Him to make a way for you to move forward in His will. Ask for guidance, direction, and wisdom. God is often working things out in ways we can’t yet see. So trust Him and lean on Him through these times.

Jesus, thank You for making a way when things seem hopeless. Help us never lose sight that your plans are greater than ours. When we think we’re in a rock-and-a-hard-place situation, bring us comfort and peace as we trust in You. In Your name. Amen.

Today’s Devotions

All people — including Christians — go through moments of disbelief. We even use the common phrase, “I have to see it to believe it,” to express our need to see and understand something tangibly. We may have negative thoughts that separate us from what God wants to do in our lives.

Throughout my work in ministry supporting children, I have heard countless heartbreaking stories where it feels impossible to help improve their situation. However, I receive many good news reports that counteract the negative. God shows me His power and miracles through projects supported by CBN. Every time I encounter a difficult situation that is difficult for my human reasoning, the Lord reminds me:

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2 NIV).

Recently, I discovered a project was ending due to a lack of resources for the children in the program. These children received their only meal thanks to this project. Volunteers joined in prayer to cry out to the Lord for His provision.

God made a way, and His miracles and wonders were on display as Orphan’s Promise was able to continue this program. It was there that God confirmed this teaching,

“The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people” (Acts 5:12).

Think about how many miracles we see daily. For me, it’s a miracle that God has chosen me as His daughter to be a blessing to others and thus be able to see and be a part of His wonders. For you, what miracles do you receive daily?

Think of the blessings God has given you, the battles you have fought, and the miracle of waking up each morning to a new day and the opportunity to see and be a part of God’s wonders. See that being alive is a miracle because God has a great purpose for you in His plans.

Father, thank you for loving me and setting me apart to be your child. Please help me see the wonders and miracles you pour out each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today’s Devotions

As a proud veteran of the United States Marines Corps, my father loves to reminisce about his time in service. It was only fitting that our morning runs together were led with cadence calls. As a teen, I would rise and grab my shoes in eager anticipation of our runs. You see, our running times were something special—time exclusively reserved for him and me as we trod across the country roads. It was a daddy’s-girl dream. While I learned physical discipline, this developed over time into a spiritual discipline. I learned perseverance.

The lesson from our morning runs is one of many biblical lessons that my father has deposited into my heart. As I reflect on my dad this Father’s Day, I recall the many lessons I have learned through him. And whether he realizes it or not, he has shown me a glimpse of what my heavenly Father is like.

In my early years, I learned about the heart of God for orphans and the less fortunate as my dad cared for the children who lived next door to us and whose home was filled with drugs and chaos. Whether it was to the church, the playground, or the music store, he shepherded them alongside me as if they were his own.

On other occasions, I learned that God is to be prioritized first as my dad would honk our car horn and tell us to come outside for church. If we could be on time for work, school, or a hair salon appointment, we could surely be on time for God.

On still other occasions, I learned that God has given us life to glorify Him and enjoy it together as my dad would wake the entire family up on a Saturday morning to go play tennis. I could go on and on.

Fathers play a fundamental role in the lives of their children. They are to protect, provide, nurture and admonish, and point us to the ultimate source of life, our heavenly Father. While not perfect, they are to be an earthly representation of who God is. If our earthly fathers have such an impact on our lives, compare this to the bursting, unconditional love that our heavenly Father has for us:

“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” Matthew 7:11 (NLT)

Consider the many gifts God has given us. He has given us breath for our bodies. He has given us His creation: the beautiful sunset, the pleasure of delicious foods, the warmth of community, and fellowship. Most wonderfully, God has given us His Son:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV)

God does not stop there. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we not only have eternal life but have a rich, personal relationship with Him as Abba Father (Romans 8:15). With all the blessings our heavenly Father has given us, day by day our praises should echo what great love the Father has lavished on us! 1 John 3:1 (NIV)

This Father’s Day, let’s take time to recognize those who have taken on the role of fatherhood in our lives, whether a biological father, church father, etc. Lastly, let’s give thanks to our heavenly Father.

Streams in the Desert – June 19

• 202219 Jun

Grain is crushed, though one certainly does not thresh it forever. The wheel of one’s wagon rolls over it, but his horses do not crush it. (Isa 28:28)

Many of us cannot be used to become food for the world’s hunger until we are broken in Christ’s hands. “Bread corn is bruised.” Christ’s blessing ofttimes means sorrow, but even sorrow is not too great a price to pay for the privilege of touching other lives with benediction. The sweetest things in this world today have come to us through tears and pain.
—J. R. Miller

God has made me bread for His elect, and if it be needful that the bread must be ground in the teeth of the lion to feed His children, blessed be the name of the Lord.
—Ignatius

“We must burn out before we can give out. We cease to bless when we cease to bleed.”

“Poverty, hardship and misfortune have pressed many a life to moral heroism and spiritual greatness. Difficulty challenges energy and perseverance. It calls into activity the strongest qualities of the soul. It was the weights on father’s old clock that kept it going. Many a head wind has been utilized to make port. God has appointed opposition as an incentive to faith and holy activity.

“The most illustrious characters of the Bible were bruised and threshed and ground into bread for the hungry. Abraham’s diploma styles him as ’the father of the faithful.’ That was because he stood at the head of his class in affliction and obedience.

“Jacob suffered severe threshings and grindings. Joseph was bruised and beaten and had to go through Potiphar’s kitchen and Egypt’s prison to get to his throne.

“David, hunted like a partridge on the mountain, bruised, weary and footsore, was ground into bread for a kingdom. Paul never could have been bread for Caesar’s household if he had not endured the bruising, whippings and stonings. He was ground into fine flour for the royal family.”

“Like combat, like victory. If for you He has appointed special trials, be assured that in His heart He has kept for you a special place. A soul sorely bruised is a soul elect.”