Don't Look Around; Look At Christ!

"Men's hearts failing them for fear,

and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth..."

- Luke 21:26 -

I was so struck when I read this verse yesterday morning.  It immediately took my mind to the following passage.

"But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.  And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw him, they were troubled; and they cried out for fear.  But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.  And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.  And he said, Come.  And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sin, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?  And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased."

- taken from Matthew 14:22-32 -

When we keep our eyes on the Lord we can walk with strength and confidence through places we could never walk otherwise.  It is when we start looking around at the waves, at all that is happening around us, that our strength fails, we are overcome with fear and our hearts fail and we faint.  It is our lack of faith that causes us to doubt.  Our lack of confidence causes us to waver.  Yes, sometimes the waves are big and we feel the force of the wind around us.  We feel like we are walking only fictitiously on water, but in reality our feet are set solidly on the Rock of our Salvation, Jesus Christ.  Let us keep our eyes steadfastly set on Him!  We don't need to look around.  All we need to see is Him.

"In thy light shall we see light."

- Psalm 36:9b -

"Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.

Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"

- Luke 18:1b,8b -

~Brittany

Waiting with Patience ~ Resting in the Lord

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him (Psalms 37:7).
Have you prayed and prayed and waited and waited, and still there is no manifestation? Are you tired of seeing nothing move? Are you just at the point of giving it all up? Perhaps you have not waited in the right way? This would take you out of the right place the place where He can meet you.
"With patience wait" (Rom. 8:25). Patience takes away worry. He said He would come, and His promise is equal to His presence. Patience takes away your weeping. Why feel sad and despondent? He knows your need better than you do, and His purpose in waiting is to bring more glory out of it all. Patience takes away self-works. The work He desires is that you "believe" (John 6:29), and when you believe, you may then know that all is well. Patience takes away all want. Your desire for the thing you wish is perhaps stronger than your desire for the will of God to be fulfilled in its arrival.
Patience takes away all weakening. Instead of having the delaying time, a time of letting go, know that God is getting a larger supply ready and must get you ready too. Patience takes away all wobbling. "Make me stand upon my standing" (Daniel 8:18, margin). God's foundations are steady; and when His patience is within, we are steady while we wait. Patience gives worship. A praiseful patience sometimes "long-suffering with joyfulness" (Col. 1:11) is the best part of it all. "Let (all these phases of) patience have her perfect work" (James 1:4), while you wait, and you will find great enrichment.
--C. H. P.
Hold steady when the fires burn,
When inner lessons come to learn,
And from this path there seems no turn
"Let patience have her perfect work."
--L.S.P.
~ Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman for February 21st

~Brittany

A few thoughts on waiting...

Waiting means “Steadfastness, that is holding on; patience, that is holding back; expectancy, that is holding the face up; obedience, that is holding one’s self in readiness to go or do; listening, that is holding quiet and still so as to hear.” 

~S. D. Gordon

“I do know that Waiting on God requires

the willingness to bear uncertainty,

to carry within oneself the unanswered question,

lifting the heart to God about it whenever it intrudes upon one’s thoughts.”

~Elisabeth Elliot

~Breanna