The faith for desperate days!

The Bible is full of such days!!
Its record is made up of them!
Its songs are inspired by them!
Its prophecy is concerned with them!

And its revelation has come through them.

The desperate days are the stepping-stones in the path of light!
They seem to have been God’s opportunity and man’s school of wisdom.

There is a story of an Old Testament love feast in Psalm 107.
And in every story of deliverance the point of desperation gave God His chance.

The “wit’s end” of desperation was the beginning of the power of God!
Recall the promise of seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sands of the sea, to a couple as good as dead.

Read again the story of the Red Sea and its deliverance, and of Jordan with its ark standing mid-stream.

Study once more the prayers of Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah, when they were sore pressed and knew not what to do.

Go over the history of Nehemiah, Daniel, Hosea, and Habakkuk.
Stand with awe in the darkness of Gethsemane, and linger by the grave in Joseph’s garden through those terrible days.

Call the witnesses of the early Church, and ask the apostles the story of their desperate days.
Desperation is better than despair!

Faith did not make our desperate days.
Its work is to sustain and solve them.

The only alternative to a desperate faith is despair, and faith holds on and prevails.

There is no more heroic example of desperate faith than that of the three Hebrew children.

The situation was desperate, but they answered bravely, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace; and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up (Dan 3:16-18).

I like that: “but if not !”
I have only space to mention Gethsemane.

Ponder deeply its “Nevertheless.”
” If it is possible…nevertheless!” (Matt 26:39).

Deep darkness had settled upon the soul of our Lord.
Trust meant anguish unto blood and darkness to the descent of hell–

Nevertheless! Nevertheless!!
Now get your hymn book and sing your favourite hymn of desperate faith.
“When obstacles and trials seem like prison walls to be,
I do the little I can do and leave the rest to Thee.
And when there seems no chance, no change, from grief can set me free,
Hope finds its strength in helplessness, and calmly waits for Thee.”

(PR)

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God is not only interested in the big things that concern you; He is interested in the little things too. Sometimes we may think, “This problem is too small to bother God with. God is only interested in big things.”

But God really is interested in the little things that trouble us.

He is paying attention!

The Bible says that He knows about the little sparrow that falls to the ground (Matthew 10:29). He knows how many hairs we have on our heads.

“You number my wanderings; put my tears into Your bottle; are they not in Your book?” (Psalm 56:8).

God knows every tear you shed. God knows what is troubling you right now.

He cares about the prayers of the smallest children as much as He cares about the prayers of their parents or their grandparents.

That is why the Bible says, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

He is praying for you!!

Many times when we are going through times of trial or times of hardship, we can’t see God. Nor can we feel God.

But God sees us. Proverbs 15:3 reminds us, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” The Bible also tells us that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:26, 34).

He is planning for you!!!

You may be at your wit’s end. You cannot think or act because you are perplexed and overwhelmed by your own problem(s). But He is working out the details of your deliverance!

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

Are you praising Him now?

(PR)

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Please read the trilogy of the Psalms – Psalms 22, 23, and 24.

Psalm 23 is perched between –

Psalm 22, which tells about the crucifixion of Jesus!

And Psalm 24, which talks about the coronation of Jesus!!

It is a beautiful trilogy about –
– the Savior’s cross,
– the Shepherd’s crook,
– and the Sovereign’s crown.

Psalm 23 is the valley between –

The blood-drenched slopes of Mount Calvary! And the sunlit peaks of Mount Zion!!

Thank God for every valley, because there must be a mountain!

If you are in the valley today –
Remember that you wouldn’t be there had there not been mountains to cross.

There is –
– vision in the valley!
– And hope in the hills! “I will lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).

(PR)

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“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:7-12).

Have you ever tried to run away from God? Don’t try! You can’t!!

Have you ever tried to run away from God? Don’t try! You can’t!!No matter where we go in the will of God, He is there! Why should we flee from Him?

“If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall fall on me,’ even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You” (v 11,12).

Sometimes I’ve found myself in dark places and have wondered, “Does God know?” He indeed knows! If we sin, we go out into the darkness, but God sees us. And sometimes when we are walking with the Lord, we still find ourselves in darkness. But that darkness is as light to God.

God is everywhere! And sees everything!! Rather than flee from Him, we should flee to Him. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps 46:1).

Nothing can separate us from the love of God – neither height nor depth, east nor west, darkness nor light (Rom 8:38, 39).
God promises to “never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb 13:5).

The next time you go through dark days-
– remember that God knows your problems and needs. You may take refuge in Him. He will see you through!

(PR)

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“And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered” (Joel 2:32). 

Why do not I call on His name? Why do I run to this man and that one when God is so near and will hear my faintest call?

Why do I sit down and devise schemes and invent plans? Why not at once roll myself and my burden upon the Lord?

Why do not I run at once to the living God? In vain- shall I look for “deliverance anywhere else; – but with God I shall find it!”

I need not ask whether I may call on Him or not, -for that word “Whosoever” is a very wide and comprehensive one.

Whosoever means me, for it means anybody and everybody who calls upon God. I will therefore follow the leading of the text! And at once call upon the glorious Lord who has made so large a promise.

My case is urgent!
And I do not see how I am to be delivered! But this is no business of mine!!

The LORD will fight for me; I need only to be still (Exodus 14:14).

He who makes the promise will find ways and means of keeping it. It is mine to obey His commands; it is not mine to direct His counsels. I am His servant, not

His solicitor! I call upon Him, and He shall deliver!!

(PR)

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“Behold, he that keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4).

God is “the Keeper of Israel!”
And He is the Keeper of His Church!!

No form of unconsciousness ever steals over Him-
– neither the deeper slumber nor the slighter sleep!

He never fails to watch the house and the heart of His people.
This is a sufficient reason for our resting in perfect peace.

Alexander said that he slept well-
– because his friend Parmenio watched.

Much more may we sleep!
Because-
Our God is our guard!

“Behold” is here set up to call our attention to the cheering truth.
Israel, when he had a stone for his pillow, fell asleep.

But His God was awake and came in vision to His servant.
When we lie defenseless-
God Himself will cover us!

The Lord keeps His people-
– as a rich man keeps his treasure,
– as a captain keeps a city with a garrison,
– as a sentry keeps watch over his sovereign.

None can harm those-
– who are in such keeping!

(PR)

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“And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” (Psalm 50:15).

Here is an urgent occasion!
– “the day of trouble.”

It is dark at noon on such a day.
Every hour seems blacker than the one which came before it.

Then is this promise in season:
It is written for the cloudy day.

Here is an upholding advice!!
– “Call upon Me.”

We ought not to need the exhortation:
It should be our constant habit all the day and every day.

What a mercy to have liberty to call upon God!
What wisdom to make good use of it!

How foolish to go running about to men!
The Lord invites us to lay our case before Him.

And surely we will not hesitate to do so.
Here is an undoubtful promise!!!
– “I will deliver you!”

Whatever the trouble may be-
– the Lord makes no exceptions but promises full, sure, happy deliverance.

He will Himself work out our deliverance by His own hand.
We believe it, and the Lord honours faith.

Here is an ultimate result!
– “You shall glorify Me.”

When He has delivered us-
– we will loudly praise Him.

As He is sure to do it-
Let us begin to glorify Him at once!

(PR)

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“I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls; which I have made” (Isaiah 57:16).

Our heavenly Father seeks-
– our instruction!
– not our destruction!!

His contention with us-
– has a kind intention toward us.

He will not be-
– always in arms against us!

He will hold us-
– always in His arms!

We think the Lord is long in His chastisements.
But that is because we are short in our patience.

His compassion endures forever.
– but not His contention.

The night may drag its weary length along.
But it must in the end give place to cheerful day.

As contention is only for a season-
– so the wrath which leads to it is only for a small moment.

If He were to deal with us always as He does sometimes-
– we should faint outright and go down hopelessly to the gates of death.

The Lord will soon end His chiding.
Bear up!
– for the Lord will bear you up,
– and bear you through!

He who made you knows how frail you are and how little you can bear.
He will handle tenderly that which He has fashioned so delicately.

Therefore-
– be not afraid because of the painful present,
– for it hastens to a prosperous future!

He that smote you shall heal you!
His small anger shall be followed by His great affection!
His little wrath shall be followed by His lavish wonders!

(PR)

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“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14)

Do you know the story of Joshua?
And how the wall of Jericho fell down after the Israelites marched around it once a day for six days, then seven times on the seventh day?

Why not just walk around Jericho one time?
I think it was because God was testing their faith.

God was teaching them that-
“Waiting time is not a wasted time!”

Isaiah 28:16 says, “he that believes shall not make haste.”
God is never in a hurry like we are.

We get upset when we miss a section in a revolving door!
God is also never late.

He knows what He is doing.
Do you know what our problem is?

We’ve been around Jericho six times and we’re ready to quit.

Say with the psalmist:
“My soul, wait you only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.” Psalm 62:5.

Are you single?
Or lonely?

Take comfort in knowing God knows your heart’s desire.
Take courage in knowing God’s best is your purity.

Though it may be hard to wait-
God will honor your obedience!

(PR)

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“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

The question often comes – “Why didn’t He help me sooner?”

It is not His order. He must first adjust you to the trouble and cause you to learn your lesson from it. His promise is, “I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.”

He must be with you in the trouble first all day and all night. Then He will take you out of it. This will not come till you have stopped being restless and fretful about it and become calm and quiet. Then He will say, “It is enough.”

God uses trouble to teach His children precious lessons! They are intended to educate us. When their good work is done, a glorious recompense will come to us through them.

There is a sweet joy and a real value in them. He does not regard them as difficulties but as opportunities.

When God tests you, it is a good time for you to test Him by putting His promises to the proof, and claiming from Him just as much as your trials have rendered necessary.

There are two ways of getting out of a trial. One is to simply try to get rid of the trial, and be thankful when it is over.

The other is to recognize the trial as a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing than we have ever had, and to hail it with delight as an opportunity of obtaining a larger measure of Divine grace. Thus even- The adversary becomes an auxiliary!

And the things that seem to be against us turn out to be for us. Surely, this is to be more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Trust me, trouble teaches!

(PR)

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