wilderness Archives – Sonshine's Journal

October 3, 2023October 3, 2023

Enter the Wilderness…

Luke 3 Are you in the wilderness? What is it like? It is a quiet place apart from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It may be a place for wild animals to hunt and be hunted. But it is also a place where God comes to speak to our hearts as He did with Hagar. It was there that God gave her the assurance that He had heard and He would provide. It was there that she met God and called Him: “The God who sees me.” Centuries later, the gospel writer Luke speaks of another person, a child born to the unbelieving muted Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth, and they would call him John. At his birth, Zacharias’ tongue was loosed, and he prophesied about him “you will go on before the Lord to prepare his way,” thus fulfilling the words of Isaiah the prophet: [Is 40:3]

Years later, it was in the wilderness that the word of God came to John so that he would fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah to be the voice in the wilderness to prepare the way for Jesus. [Is 40:3-5, Mal 3:1, John 1:23]

Do you want the Lord to speak to you? Could it be that God is using your wilderness to speak to your heart? Although the wilderness is a stark place, it is there that God speaks, and the distractions of life are pushed to the background. It is there that He will reveal His plans just as He did to Hagar and John. Are you ready to step into his wilderness?

June 26, 2018

What do Balaam, Donkeys, Bluebonnets and the Wilderness have to do with Trials?

bluebonnets James 1: Count It All Joy!

Donkeys that talk are out of the ordinary and we giggle at Balaam’s response but oftentimes we act just like him when God is trying to get our attention. We are a stubborn people when we are in a trial just like Balaam. But, James, God’s servant, is not talking about these “in your face” trials but rather the everyday ordinary ones such as a computer that is fried, as I am facing, or a simple water leak as in our bathroom.

As Creator, God has given us a myriad of word pictures so we understand His plan and the way He works in our lives. Sometimes He uses donkeys that talk, bears that scare or sometimes it is the innocent and beautiful wildflowers like the Texas Bluebonnet that grow in the meadow in spring. They cover the farmland, the roadsides, and the yards so that we will stop and ponder their beauty. But, just as we are enjoying them, the heat comes and they wither and pass off not to be seen again until the following spring. That is like the trials we face. Know this whatever He has chosen you can know that it has a purpose to get our attention.

As God’s servant, James wants us to learn how to face and handle trials that we face. Trials teach us about our mindset and how we respond to them just as the bluebonnets. Just as a bluebonnet faces the test of heat, God tests our faith. Peter reminds us that we should not be surprised when life seems to be beautiful and then SMACK! summer heat arrives in the form of a trial. God uses each trial to reveal how we look to Him, how we are responding or how we are going to weather it. We want it to just go away but God is saying I am teaching you about character building and this is my way of doing that. We say, I just don’t understand it. God is saying then why don’t you ask me for wisdom to understand it? But, like Balaam and the donkey story, in the heat of the trial, we reveal that we are a stubborn people who think we can find our own solutions and our own answers. Like the wildflower that sprouts in spring with its beauty, at first we face it head on but when the heat comes we fade. We look in God’s mirror and walk away because we don’t like the image we see. However, if we do choose to look and then respond in humility God’s grace is sufficient and the beauty of the bluebonnet is a reminder that we passed with flying colors. But, sometimes we see and then walk away and don’t respond correctly. It is then that we may have to do, as the Israelites, another lap around the wilderness until we learn how to respond properly.

You can be a Balaam, an Israelite or a Bluebonnet that bursts forth with beauty in spring. It is up to you.

July 22, 2015

Laboring in the Vineyard or Sitting on the Hillside with Jonah?

Just as there are two sides to a coin there are two sides to every story. Note vs 1 of Proverbs 18: “One who has isolated himself seeks his own desires;he rejects all sound judgment.” (NET). Note this is self-imposed not God imposed as in the case of Moses (Ex 3:1), the plain for Ezekiel (Ezek 3:22), the wilderness for John (Luke 1:80), Arabia for Paul (Gal 1:17) and the wilderness for His Blessed Son (Mark 1). And that is where we find the two sides to every story.

There are those who seek isolation due to a need or desire to grow closer to God but vs 1 clearly indicates that this is not the case. These are people who have a “Jonah complex.” They fail to see the ramifications of their isolation and God’s plan and purpose for their life. Jonah really did not want the sailors to know his God, nor did he want the Ninevites to be saved. That is the problem with the self-isolationist and we would be wise to beware of this for God has given us the gift of the gospel message that we might reach the world for Christ. Perhaps this is why the author of Hebrews reminded us to not abandon “meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.” [Heb 10:25]

The question before us is: do we too have a “Jonah complex” or do we see that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Are we laboring in the vineyard or sitting on the hillside with Jonah?

March 10, 2015

Follow Me!

A simple old fashioned chorus has these words: “The Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I need to do is follow.” The psalmist in chapter 25 is essentially saying those words but he knows that he needs a trail guide through that wilderness and the Lord is his for he is trustworthy. He is confident that he will not be led astray yet he fears that he will bring shame upon the name of Yahweh. Thus he prays for direction, for counsel, for instruction. In vs 4 he asks much like Moses “Show me your glory.” [Exo 33:18] When we step out from our comfort zone that is what we need; to see God’s glory and all of his holiness so that we yearn more and more for our hearts to be entwined with his. We need to be taught, to know the path that we are to take, to be instructed in His ways being confident of this truth: “Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight.”[ Pro 3:6]

Is there some place you feel that you need his direction? Seek His face; seek His glory, pray that the Holy Spirit be your instructor to lead you in paths of righteousness as we journey through a world that is fraught with dangers, toils and snares. Beloved, the Lord knows the way; all we need to do is follow knowing that the words of Isaiah are as relevant today as then: “You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying, “This is the correct way, walk in it,”” [Isa 30:21 ]

January 4, 2014

Fruitful or Barren…Which are you???

In the cold dark of winter here in the northern hemisphere one rarely thinks of fruit bearing for the ground is hard and the trees are barren. Psalm 1 uses the imagery of a tree to refer to a person that is blessed, lush and fruit bearing. The condition for the person to be fruitful is meditation on God’s commands day and night and it does not depend on seasons but on the person’s planting in the vine, by the river that flows continuously without freezing! [Ps1]

Dr. Luke shares with us that John the Baptist was now ready to be a fruit bearer and the word of God called him to leave his home in the dry and thirsty land of the wilderness. Both John’s call and God’s calendar timing were aligned perfectly. Think back to your childhood and see if you can recall your parents recounting something extraordinary regarding your birth and what they hoped for you as you grew and matured. Mine was that Mother went into labor at a New Year’s Eve party and thus the rest is history. You can guess how many times I heard that story! John was probably no different. Yes, he was “weird” because he didn’t dress like the rest of the kids, he probably didn’t play the same games nor join the same youth group. He was a loner by choice and design. He also most likely had listened to his father recount the angelic prophecy regarding his destiny and he rolled his eyes but took it all in and pondered what it all meant. When he left home he didn’t go and get married nor take on an occupation. He was after all a priest’s son and most likely read and studied the Torah like a pro! When did he decide to retreat to the wilderness is anybody’s guess.

What did he do there in the wilderness? He had become an expert it seems in catching locusts and finding the beehives from which he could extract the wild honey ..without getting stung! We would say he was a real backwoodsman! But he also had spent time meditating upon the Word of God and at the appointed time, God called and John without reservation obeyed. God turned him into a one man teacher who was “different.” He was not ashamed of the gospel. He preached as if there were no tomorrow’s and for him that literally came true when he spoke out against Herod’s illicit relationship with Herodias. He preached the message of repentance for the forgiveness of sin as he prepared the way of our Lord, the Lamb of God.

Do you find yourself in a wilderness and feel like God has yet to call you? Take heart, it is in this wilderness John was being prepared for his mission and it is in the wilderness that God is training you. He wants you and I to be “different” from the world and ready to storm it with his message of love, repentance and forgiveness. In God’s training camp we are able to meditate upon his Word and hide it within our hearts and when we are ready and God’s calendar has our name penciled in, he calls us to go forth and bear fruit. God’s call is as important as the timing. John came out of the wilderness at God’s appointed “season” to prepare the people for the entrance of the Lamb of God.

John challenged his listeners to produce fruit that proved their repentance which was to be a picture to others of their spiritual realignment. “John is not unreasonable in demanding good fruit. True repentance will always have fruit – and the basic fruit of the Christian life is love (Galatians 5:22 and 1 Corinthians 13:1-3).” [Guzik] Jesus taught the same in John 15. To be fruit bearers Jesus said one must abide in him because apart from him we can do nothing. We cannot bear fruit because we are not rooted in the vine nor are we planted by the rivers of water being immersed in the Word and being washed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Hearing his message the crowd asked John: “What then should we do?” John told his audience the basics of fruit that everyone should bear; the everyday ordinaries such as being a person of integrity, being honest, being generous, being faithful, being content. Perhaps you are still asking “what should I do?” God is saying fulfill all of these even to the least of these. Go and be my witnesses. Go and share the gospel through love and kindness. Go and bear the Fruit of the Spirit. Have you thought that you are not yet prepared to be a fruit bearer? Beloved, if we fulfill even just these simple ordinary tasks to our fellow man, to the Samaritans in our midst we ARE being a fruit bearer.

Beloved, think back; what did you do today or what will you do tomorrow to be a fruit bearer for Christ to demonstrate your call?

November 15, 2013

Today’s Devotional: From One Wilderness to Another….

One thought grabbed my attention in preparing the summary reading for today. We remember that Jesus began his public ministry after being in the wilderness for 40 days being tempted by the evil one, Satan himself. After 11 chapters of John’s observations of what transpired after that moment in time we find that the evil one is once again “ on the prowl looking for someone to devour.” [1Pet 5:8]. This time it is Jesus himself. Satan wants to destroy the very Son of God and will use the blind unbelieving Pharisees as his instruments to carry out his will, but before the Savior is brought to the cross, Jesus is once again seeking the wilderness where he can be nourished by the ones nearest and dearest to him, the disciples and His Father.

Where do you/I seek nourishment when we know a trial is ahead? With whom do we receive refreshment?

We seem to busy ourselves but not so our Lord. He is being refreshed there for his heart is heavy. Some saw the miracle of the raising of Lazarus and gave God glory but some returned to tell the Pharisees. Why did they go? Was it purely unbelief? We may never know the true heart reason but we do then read of the prophecy given by the high priest Caiaphas: “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is more to your advantage to have one man die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.” Later in chapter 12 we find that the religious leaders compounded their sinful intentions by planning to kill the risen Lazarus as well.

“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when we first practice to deceive” [Sir. W. Scott] This is the setting in Chapter 12 as we see the web being woven to entrap and murder the miracle worker, Son of David, Son of God as well as Lazarus. In the midst of this we hear the Savior say: ““The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Although Jesus had performed and offered many signs to authenticate Himself, they still refused to believe in him. Isaiah wrote about these unbelievers saying that God has blinded their eyes, hardened their heart so that they would not see, understand with their heart, and turn to God for healing. “Jesus said in John 3:18, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” The unbelief of Israel is a guilty unbelief. Our unbelief is a guilty unbelief.” [Piper]

After this John notes: 12:42/43 “Nevertheless, even among the rulers many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they would not confess Jesus to be the Christ, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue. For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.”

Beloved Reader, There are several unanswered questions before us: (1) Where do we find ourselves in the time of trial? Do we retreat to the wilderness to be refreshed? (2) What about our decision to follow? Is it in a closet for fear of men or do you openly proclaim? (3)Where do we find our heart today? Are we like those who saw and believed or like the blind Pharisees and other unbelieving Jews?

July 24, 2013

What Lap Are You On?

We all know that when the Lord teaches us a lesson and we oft forget it, He sends us around the wilderness, so to speak, to re-learn it. Some of us “get it” and others are still out there wandering like the Pharisees and Sadducees who are blind and leading the blind into the pit. Maybe that is why they are “sad you see.” They came seeking a sign, but this time they wanted a sign from heaven. It is hardly any different today as I can readily attest as I have spent the last 4 yrs discussing biblical truth with an atheist or a family member who says I will read the Bible when I find the true one. Like the Pharisees, they are seeking a heavenly sign when it is right in front of their noses! Friend, these are traps set by the enemy. Jesus rightly pronounced that it is a wicked and adulterous generation that seeks for a heavenly sign.

Moving on, Matthew now gives us a glimpse into the disciples thinking and Jesus irritation with them. Imagine His frustration with them. It is as if Jesus, after listening to their arguing, finally says to them “Hello!! Where have you been? You have such little faith! You saw the miracles and yet you are bickering about bread?” And then came the “aha” moment when the light bulb came on and they “got it.” How often are we like that as well. We hear the truth, we see the truth, but we get caught up in the nitpicky mundane extras rather than seeing the jewel of truth before us. Or how often have we experienced God’s truth only to forget it when we face a similar experience or read and then re-read and then finally it dawns on us what He is saying. No wonder we have to do laps!

It is time now for Jesus to see what is really within the disciples thinking. Who is He to the crowds? Who is he to them? He is asking us the same question. Who am I to you? Am I just a prophet like Elijah or Jeremiah? Am I just a man who was a good teacher as the rich young ruler said? Or am I the Son of God? Peter rightly answered You are the Son of the living God. Where are you in your thinking? The Father in heaven will reveal Jesus to you if you do not know—just ask. He is who He said He was.

Go and read the entire Matt 16 chapter to get the context.

July 6, 2013

Authentication and Proving Required

So far in the book of Matthew, we have walked through the first three chapters and seen that as a superior researcher and writer, Matthew has given us three areas to prove that Jesus was the Messiah. First was the genealogical record, second his birth, thirdly, the world’s reception, and now in chapter 4 we will see his power over temptation.

Job may have been God’s “s”ervant who proved to be blameless but Jesus is the “S”ervant who not only proved blameless but left us with the truth of how to face the arch enemy of our souls.

The Holy Spirit anointed Jesus and led him into the wilderness. The Israelites were proven to be faithless but Jesus will prove His faithfulness. Sometimes we too are led into the wilderness to be proven. It is in these times of barrenness that we either rely upon God and His trustworthiness or succumb to the enemy’s bait.

We say Satan doesn’t get it, but in reality he does get it. He is persistent and his one aim is to destroy and change the plans of God. Allen Ross wrote: The temptation episode was God’s way of showing that Jesus was the perfect man, that He could resist sin, that he could defeat Satan. He has conquered and therefore can intercede for us. [Heb 4:14-16].

And so the temptations begin with Satan dangling his bait just as he did in the garden, in the wilderness, did with Peter and does with us today. Jesus was discerning and so we should be as well. Hebrews reminds us to be feeding upon the meat of the Word, memorizing it so when he comes calling, disguised as an angel of light or otherwise, we can discern him for what he is: a liar and a thief. We are told by Paul to put on our armor for we will be wrestling not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of darkness.

A truth we can count on: Satan sees only one side of God’s coin, he is not omniscient! Satan saw a garden destroyed but Jesus saw a wilderness–that is you and I, ready to be redeemed. Satan saw an earthly pinnacle but Jesus saw heaven’s portal – I am the Way, the Truth, the Life [ John 14:6]. Satan sought temporary worship of warring conflicting kingdoms but Jesus sought to bring men into God’s eternal kingdom exhibiting peace. Through it all, Jesus proved He was Conqueror and Victor, because He knew the right choice of scripture better than his tempter and He would not be deterred to be removed from God’s eternal plan for mankind. He was steadfast and immoveable [1Cor 15:58].

Upon the completion of the temptation angels came and ministered to Jesus. So when we have found our way of escape from the tempter’s grasp [ICor 10:13], we will be fed the manna of heaven or angel’s food as Irving Jensen called it.

While I or you face these temptations how will we be sustained? By the Word or by the flesh? Do we face the path of least resistance or are we ready with our sword and shield of faith etc. When the storm is passed how do we revel, in God’s glory or our own? Thoughts to consider.

But while we face these proving trials we must ask: What is it that sustains us in these times? When tempted and tried are we joyful and seek wisdom? [James 1]. Can we resist with scripture so the enemy must flee? [James 4:7]. Do we give God the glory when the storm has passed and we see His rainbow calling us to His work?

May 30, 2013

“The Father’s Soul Surgery” Ps 51-53

King David wrote all three of these psalms at different times in his life. One truth jumps off the page and onto our radar screen: When we sin it does not just affect us but it affects everyone. In fact, as David reveals to us; when we sin we are sinning, despising, rebelling, and are walking independently against The Lord God Almighty. Just as David had allowed his affection to turn inward, we do the same more often than we would like to admit. He had fallen: lust of the eyes led to adultery and then to murder of an innocent man. For a year he had been silent but then when continually unrepentant, God used the prophet Nathan to confront him. Hearing he was “the” man David confessed his sin and opened his heart gate to God. These psalms reflect his thinking and his actions. May we learn from him so we do not have to “do another lap around the wilderness.”

One truth comes forth from David’s repentant heart: 51:4 Against you – you above all – I have sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. So you are just when you confront me; you are right when you condemn me. Notice David recognized where he was spiritually and that is key for us as well and that God was just in His confrontation through Nathan. David’s heart was soft to hear the words of God. Are our hearts the same?

Secondly, David sought cleansing and a renewed heart which is key to restoration: 51:10 Create for me a pure heart, O God! Renew a resolute spirit within me! Do we pray and ask God to change our heart?

Thirdly, David sought help from God: 51:12 Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey! How often do we admit our sin, seek cleansing but fail to implement this third step?

Fourthly, when we are restored, God does not want us to waste this experience but to teach others, to testify: 51:13 Then I will teach rebels your merciful ways, and that is what God wants for us. Do you have a story of restoration that you can share to encourage others who are going through these steps?

A practical side benefit to this psalm is that if we are open to walk through these steps, God can and will use us in His service to carry forth His message of love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace.