THE DESERT, THE OCEAN, AND THE RAPTURE
May 18, 2014
Lately I've been feeling pretty dry in a spiritual sense. We all go through through those dreaded drought periods in our lives when we feel like animal hide that's been baking out in the hot desert sun all day, parched and cracking. We reach for our water canteen only to find it empty and dusty.
These are the times when we start to wonder what the LORD is up to in our lives. Did He forget about us? Is He busy elsewhere? The answer is NO. and NO. He's never too busy for His beloved children and He says in His word that He neither leaves us, nor forsakes us. So what is going on here?
The desert times can leave us feeling anxious, numb, vulnerable, and even alone. It is a time when God wants to draw us closer to Him so He can teach us something. If life constantly goes our way, what learning is there in that? What type of appreciation would have for the things He has given us if we never experience need?
Jesus admonishes us to run the race as to win a prize, to endure to the end, to do all we can, and then stand. As with every race, there is always the occasional hurdle to get over, the noisy crowd on the sidelines, distracting us. Why would He tell us to do all we can and then to stand? What does He know that we don't? He knows that Satan is going to throw all he's got as us to get us off track and make us lose our focus. He's going to trick us, trap us, and trample us underfoot unless we're rooted in Jesus like a tree by the water's edge.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Jeremiah 17:8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but it's leaf will be green and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.
We are expected to be rooted in Jesus Christ, Who is our living water, and Who nourishes us in times of drought, protects us from the heat, AND we are expected to still bear fruit during those times. In other words: Don't give up!
With that in mind, I prayed last night about my spiritual dryness, begging God to give me some encouragement. He brought to mind the days when my family used to go to the beach for vacation. I would go out shelling for hours looking for that perfect shell for my collection. With every wave of the ocean, I got excited to see what it brought in, never getting distracted by the people on the be each, or the crashing waves. I didn't even feel the scorching heat of the sun beating down on me. It's the same with life, when we are SO focused on Jesus, we won't be distracted by the roar of the worldly crowd, nor the scorching heat of the devils attacks against us. I was encouraged to keep running the race, to keep my focus on Him and to take that same attitude of endurance because the rapture of the Bride is truly just around the corner.
Lately I've been feeling pretty dry in a spiritual sense. We all go through through those dreaded drought periods in our lives when we feel like animal hide that's been baking out in the hot desert sun all day, parched and cracking. We reach for our water canteen only to find it empty and dusty.
These are the times when we start to wonder what the LORD is up to in our lives. Did He forget about us? Is He busy elsewhere? The answer is NO. and NO. He's never too busy for His beloved children and He says in His word that He neither leaves us, nor forsakes us. So what is going on here?
The desert times can leave us feeling anxious, numb, vulnerable, and even alone. It is a time when God wants to draw us closer to Him so He can teach us something. If life constantly goes our way, what learning is there in that? What type of appreciation would have for the things He has given us if we never experience need?
Jesus admonishes us to run the race as to win a prize, to endure to the end, to do all we can, and then stand. As with every race, there is always the occasional hurdle to get over, the noisy crowd on the sidelines, distracting us. Why would He tell us to do all we can and then to stand? What does He know that we don't? He knows that Satan is going to throw all he's got as us to get us off track and make us lose our focus. He's going to trick us, trap us, and trample us underfoot unless we're rooted in Jesus like a tree by the water's edge.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Jeremiah 17:8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but it's leaf will be green and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.
We are expected to be rooted in Jesus Christ, Who is our living water, and Who nourishes us in times of drought, protects us from the heat, AND we are expected to still bear fruit during those times. In other words: Don't give up!
With that in mind, I prayed last night about my spiritual dryness, begging God to give me some encouragement. He brought to mind the days when my family used to go to the beach for vacation. I would go out shelling for hours looking for that perfect shell for my collection. With every wave of the ocean, I got excited to see what it brought in, never getting distracted by the people on the be each, or the crashing waves. I didn't even feel the scorching heat of the sun beating down on me. It's the same with life, when we are SO focused on Jesus, we won't be distracted by the roar of the worldly crowd, nor the scorching heat of the devils attacks against us. I was encouraged to keep running the race, to keep my focus on Him and to take that same attitude of endurance because the rapture of the Bride is truly just around the corner.
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