Marietta OK United Methodist Church

Streams in the Desert: 366 Daily Devotional Readings May 10 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord. . . . Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage. (Psalm 27:1314) Do not despair! ... Oh, how great the temptation is to despair at times! Our soul becomes depressed and disheartened, and our faith staggers under the severe trials and testing that come into our lives, especially during times of bereavement and suffering. We may come to the place where we say, I cannot bear this any longer. I am close to despair under these circumstances God has allowed. He tells me not to despair, but what am I supposed to do when I am at this point? What have you done in the past when you felt weak physically? You could not do anything. You ceased from doing. In your weakness, you leaned on the shoulder of a strong loved one. You leaned completely on someone else and rested, becoming still, and trusting in another’s strength. It is the same when you are tempted to despair under spiritual afflictions. Once you have come close to the point of despair, God’s message is not, Be strong and courageous (Josh. 1:6), for He knows that your strength and courage have run away. Instead, He says sweetly, Be still, and know that I am God (Ps. 46:10). That is all God asks of you as His dear child. When you become weak through the fierce fires of affliction, do not try to be strong. Just be still, and know that [He is] God. And know that He will sustain you and bring you through the fire. God reserves His best medicine for our times of deepest despair. Be strong and take heart. Psalm 27:14 Reimann, Jim; Cowman, L. B. E.. Streams in the Desert: 366 Daily Devotional Readings (pp. 188-189). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

From "Why?: Making Sense of God's Will" by Adam Hamilton God's primary way of ruling and acting on our planet is through people. When God wants something done in the world, God calls people to do it. When the poor are going to be fed, God doesn't rain down manna from heaven; God sends people. When the sick are going to be cared for, God sends people. When justice is going to be sought, God sends people to fight for it. When others are discouraged and in need of love, God sen...ds people to offer encouragement and care. In a sense this is how it has always been in the scriptures. When God wanted the Israelites set free from slavery in Egypt, God sent Moses. When God wanted to comfort the Jews living in exile, God prompted Jeremiah to prophesy. When Jesus wanted the gospel to go to the ends of the earth, he sent the apostles. God's primary way of working in the world is through people who are empowered and led by God's Spirit. Hamilton, Adam (2010-10-01). Why?: Making Sense of God's Will (Kindle Locations 170-177). Abingdon Press. Kindle Edition.

Grace for the Moment: Morning & Evening Devotional Journal ~ Max Lucado

Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence ~ Sarah Young

Every day, we must make decisions, all kinds of decisions. Every day, we face temptations. When it is time to make choices, whatever they may be, make those choices based on your faith. You may think you have too little faith or maybe you think I don’t have enough faith. I pray that when we think this, we remember God’s grace and mercy. I pray that we remember that God can do much with little. Pray in the faith you have and give God a chance to show you what He can do wit...h your too little faith. He can do more than we can possibly imagine. Ephesians 3:20 says, Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. AND....Ephesians 5:20 says this: "And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Give it to God and get out of the way....