Surviving Dry Places - J.C Matthew

Surviving Dry Places

But He answered and said, "It is written, Man Shall not live

by bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the

mouth of God ". Matthew 4:4

What does Deuteronomy 8:3 and Matthew 4:4 have in common

outside of them being almost identical in wording? Of course,

they are both found in the Bible. The answer is: They were

both spoken in a wilderness or a dry place. Moses and Jesus

both were concluding extended stays in a wilderness and came

to the same conclusion. Their conclusion was: "Man does not

live by bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of

the mouth of God."

You may have never spent any period of time in an actual

wilderness. However, at some point in your life you will

find yourselves in some very dry places. Your dry place might

be emotional, financial, physical, spiritual, relational or

some other form of deficiency or you have in your life. Each

person's wilderness is just as real as the other's. These dry

places and times in our lives are not designed to kill or stop

us, but to grow us in our relationship and understanding of God.

They are places of decision and learning where the flesh is

tried and our spiritual man (or woman) is matured

The wilderness is not always a bad place. The purpose for the

wilderness in our lives is three fold. These purposes are to:

(1) try us - physically, mentally and spiritually, (2) reveal

ourselves to ourselves, (3) bring us to a place of total

surrender to God. We must come to a place where we no longer

seek fulfillment, meaning and sufficiency in others or our own

efforts - but in God. Until we learn to trust God's Word in

every situation we cannot enjoy the promises He has spoken

over our lives.

I don't know what your particular wilderness is, but I can tell

you that the test and the lesson is the same. God does not

deny that you have needs. However, He does say that your primary

means of meeting these needs should be found within His Word.

If you are currently in a "dry place" in your life ask yourself,

"What is it that God is trying to teach me here?" "Have I been

depending on His Word or something or someone else?" The answer

to these questions may determine how long you'll be there. The

children of Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness before they

entered into their promise because they continually failed the

test. Jesus passed His test the first time and left His

wilderness experience in 40 days. The way to shorten your time

in these dry places of life is to learn the lessons taught

while there.

God's Opportunities - by Dr J.C Matthews

God's Opportunities

"Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him."And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians. So Asa rested with his fathers; he died in the forty-first year of his reign".2 Chronicles 16:7-9, 12-13 (NKJV)

Have you been robbing God of the opportunity to be glorified in your life? Much of the frustration we face in life is really our denying God the opportunity to demonstrate Himself able to handle the problems that are too great for us. When we place our confidence in men and turn to others for help, instead of God, we deny Him the opportunity to be glorified. Our problems are really open invitations for God's participation in our lives. Everyday, people suffer unnecessarily because they deny God the opportunity to get involved in their lives and thereby be glorified.

King Asa made a similar mistake when he placed his confidence in man, instead of God. God gave King Asa not only victory, but also unusual peace, despite the fact he was surrounded by hostile nations. The Bible records because King Asa became sick he and once again placed his confidence and his life in the hands of men instead of calling upon God for his healing. As a result, he not only lost God's blessing over his life, but his life itself.

How often, do we decide to turn from God, who has already proven Himself faithful, able and willing to see us through our struggles? It was God who has kept us from being totally destroyed by our enemies - seen and unseen. He has hid us and not allowed our adversaries to know when we are weak, nor has he exposed our hidden faults.

What is it in your life that God is waiting for you to turn over to Him and give Him the opportunity to show Himself strong? Your impossibilities are really God's opportunities. When you deprive Him the opportunity to demonstrate His sovereignty you also deprive Him of glory that is due Him. When you need help, don't look around - but look up! David, facing a seemingly impossible situation, asked himself a question and came to the right conclusion. David said, "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth" (Psalms 121:1-2, NASB). Remember, the impossibility you are facing might actually be an opportunity for God to show Himself strong!

Music we listen to..

OK...its sharing time again ! haha...just sharing with you all what i've read on other ppl's blog..
think about the pointers he stated...worth pondering...erm..at least to me?? :D

I started out by saying God gave us music as a gift to direct our attention to him. In the Bible, music is connected with worship, weddings, funerals, work, play, and war. The basic elements of rhythm, melody, and harmony aren’t inherently evil or sinful. Non-Christians can write beautiful songs that are good for us. Christians can write terrible songs that are bad for us.

So how can something so good become something bad? Two reasons. First, there’s a sinful world outside us. Music, like any gift, can be abused, misused, and used wrongly. Those who make music - artists, record companies, marketers - aren’t primarily interested in caring for our souls or helping us avoid worldliness. They want us to buy their music.

Second, there are sinful desires inside us. Just as people can write music to communicate sin, we can listen to music to feed sin. And music amplifies the deceptive voices of the world. Listening to music is never neutral, because our sinful hearts are involved (James 1:14-15).

Listening to music without discernment and godly intent reveals a heart willing to flirt with the world. We get into trouble when we don’t THINK about the music we listen to.
I ended by offering six handles to help us think more concretely and biblically about the music we listen to.

1. Submission (Prov. 19:20)If you’re living at home, that means submission to your parents. If you’re an adult, that means submission to those who are spiritually mature and know you best. Listening to music is not a right. It’s a privilege to be earned.

2. Content (Phil. 4:8)If we listen regularly to ungodly lyrics, it’s only a matter of time until we become dull to sin or drawn by sin. Some Christians say they don’t know what songs are saying. If we don’t listen to what’s being said, why don’t we find out? Christians, more than anyone, should know what the songs we listen to are saying (James 3:8-10).

3. Associations (Prov. 22:3)Because music can’t be held, touched, or seen, it always associates itself with the things that surround it: friends, concerts, clubs, radio stations, videos, websites, other artists. A “neutral” song can lead us to a variety of temptations.

4. Time (Prov. 13:20)The more time you spend listening to music, the more it becomes a friend that will affect you. Is your music a wise friend or a fool?

5. Fruit (Prov. 14:14)We should be aware of the kinds of emotions the music we listen to produces in us. How does it affect our relationships with others? What effect does it have on our attitudes, perspectives, and appearance? Is there any desire to deceive others about the music we listen to?

6. Conversion (2 Cor. 13:5)An ongoing struggle with music and its effects could reveal that an individual has never been regenerated. Only a true worshiper of Jesus can appreciate music the way God intended it to be appreciated – not as an idol, but as a gift.

Read on a web-Words of Wisdom :)

Someone shared this with me on my twitter.. :) So share with u ALL.... :)

"Islands and Mountaintops"

When people feel like they are all alone, they often say that they feel as if they are on an island. The truth maybe that you have simply come to a place in your walk that your companions are unable to ascend to. The reality is that you are not on an island at all, but standing on top of a mountain surrounded by water.

Let me explain. Life is lived on levels. Everyone will not be able to obtain certain levels in life because they lack the ability to handle what awaits them at the next level, or they may simply refuse to make the necessary changes to go to the next level.

For those that God has called to do a special work in life, isolation and loneliness are inevitable. You must realize that you cannot take everyone with you. They cannot handle the altitude that you are being called to. You will begin to notice, as you continue to ascend in the will of God, that the number of people who have the ability to share your perspective of life are few and far between.

Therefore, your feeling of separation and isolation are not indications that something is wrong. It simply means that you have risen above the sea of mediocrity and ascended to a place that few others are able to witness.Your perspective is everything. Change your perspective of your situation and don't allow the enemy to cause you to despise what God is doing in your life. You are not stranded on an island, but standing on the top of a mountain!

Pastor J.C. Matthews

Peace - A Weapon to use

Juz sharing... =)

Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me." - Psalm 23:4a KJV

In the battles of the workplace, your peace is actually a weapon. The workplace creates many opportunities to rob us of our peace. Cash flow concerns, deadlines, relationships - all create stress on us. Your confidence in the God of peace declares that you are not falling for the lies of the devil. You see the first step toward having spiritual authority over the adversary is having peace in spite of our circumstances. When Jesus confronted the devil, he did not confront satan with His emotions or in fear. Knowing that the devil was a liar, He simply refused to be influenced by any voice other than God's. His peace overwhelmed satan; His authority then shattered the lie, which sent demons fleeing.

There is a place of walking with God where you simply fear no evil. David faced a lion, a bear, and a giant. In this Psalm he stood in the "shadow of death" itself, yet he "feared no evil." David's trust was in the Lord. He said, "...for Thou art with me." Because God is with you, every adversity you face will unfold in victory as you maintain your faith in God! David continued, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies" (Psalm 23:5a). The battle you are in will soon become a meal for you, an experience that will nourish and build you up spiritually. Only God's peace will quell your fleshly reactions in battle. The source of God's peace is God Himself. If fear has been knocking at your door, begin to face that fear with God's peace. It is God's secret weapon to destroy fear.

Before The Throne of God above

Before the throne of God above,
I have a strong, a perfect plea,
A great High Priest whose name is "Love,"
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Saviour died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there! The risen Lamb,
My perfect, spotless Righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace!
One with Himself I cannot die,
My soul is purchased by His blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Saviour and my God
With Christ, my Saviour and my God

Sharing a post by Reverend David Wilkerson

Monday, May 4, 2009

WE EXALT THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!
Somebody reading this needs a touch from Jesus. When the Lord ministered here on earth, he went about healing and restoring the afflicted by simply touching them. When Jesus touched Peter’s mother, “the fever left her.” He touched the box casket of a dead child, and the boy came to life. He touched the eyes of blind people, and they could see. He touched the ear of a deaf man, who could suddenly hear. Parents brought their children to Jesus “that he should touch them.” His gentle touch changed everything. Multitudes brought their sick and infirm, and Jesus took the time to reach out and touch them all, healing them.

If you truly know the Lord intimately, you have known and felt the touch of the hand of Jesus. In times of loneliness, times of discouragement, times of confusion, times so painful and uncertain, you cried out from the depth of your soul: “Lord Jesus, I need your touch. I need to feel your presence. Come, Jesus, and touch my thirsting soul.”

Some need a touch of Jesus upon their mind. Satan has come with his wicked principalities to harass and overburden the mind with thoughts that are hellish – unbelieving thoughts, unChristlike thoughts, fearful thoughts, thoughts of unworthiness, thoughts of God’s displeasure. Honest believers will tell you they have experienced these attacks on their mind. Satan is determined to destroy our faith and dependence on the Lord.

In Scripture, the touch of Jesus came in answer to a cry. There is no evidence he ever ignored or rejected such a cry. And he will not turn away from your cry, but will mercifully respond to your need. In Matthew 8 we read of a leper coming to him, saying, “Lord, if thou will, thou canst make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”

Find a place alone with Jesus today, and say to him what the leper said: “Lord, you are able. Make me clean.” Then expect that he who is no respecter of persons will touch and heal you, in mind, body, soul and spirit. The arm of the Lord is outstretched to you, but he waits for that cry of need, the cry for help that is also a cry of expectancy.

“And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage; and when we cried unto the Lord God of our father, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: and the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders: and he that brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey” (Deuteronomy 26:6-9).

Posted by David Wilkerson ( On his blog)