Dead Things Come Alive!

“The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds”  (Numbers 17:8 NIV).

In an effort to settle a leadership dispute among the tribes of Israel, God gave Moses an unusual assignment. He was asked to collect walking sticks from each of the twelve tribes and place them before the Ark of the Covenant in the tabernacle. The contention was against Moses and Aaron, as representatives of the tribe of Levi. Other stronger tribes and more forceful leaders felt they should have been given more authority over the affairs of the people. 

This test was a dramatic overnight miracle to show, without a doubt, that Moses and Aaron has been selected and appointed as God’s representatives to lead all the tribes of Israel. Moses did not know what God had planned. He just obeyed what God asked him to do. All of the staffs were dead and dry sticks that had been used for a long time to walk rough trails in the wilderness and perhaps ward off varmints that might seek to attack a lone traveler walking through the desert. None of the sticks had a sign of life and no one knew what was about to happen. 

The next morning when Moses went to retrieve the sticks, he was as surprised as anyone else that the staff of Aaron had sprouted, produced buds, blooms, and mature, ripened almonds! No one could explain or deny this incredible miracle. A dry staff had produced fruit overnight in the presence of the Almighty God. 

This is the first of many lessons demonstrating that nothing is too hard for God. He is well able to bring life to dead things. What began early in the Scriptures became a theme, God is the source of life. The one who spoke every living thing into existence holds the power of life and death in His hand. 

We may draw courage from this truth, when God speaks dead things come to life. In His presence there is resurrection and restoration. Dead things come to life under His authority! 



Theme passage:
“For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives” (Romans 6:4 NLT).

Renewal in a Dry Place!

“There will be a highway of holiness called the Sacred Way. The impure will not be permitted on this road, but it will be accessible to God’s people” (Isaiah 35:8 TPT).

The miraculous events associated with the coming Messiah would include springs of water in parched places, and rivers in the desert. As a result there would be fruitful abundance from previously barren ground, and wonderful produce from what had been a wasteland. Finally, the Prophet Isaiah predicted the construction of a great road providing access throughout the land, and he named it the Highway of Holiness, the sacred way! 

This roadway brought new possibilities to a secluded region and made easy access for the abundance of provision coming from this radical renewal of a dry place. What seemed like a physical description of the desert region of their country became a metaphor for the spiritual renewal that would spring to life when the Promised One appeared, bringing transformation to the wasteland and rivers of life to the deserted. 

In another passage, the timing of this natural and spiritual phenomenon would be announced by a messenger, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God’” (Isaiah 40:3 NKJ). This roadway would straighten the dangerous curves, and level the mountains and valleys to make sure everyone can have access to the Glory of God. 

Though the Glory of the Lord was made visible to all, access to this Sacred Way was limited to those who came through the proper lanes. It has limited access. It is a pure path, a dedicated passage into the realm of all that God has promised. The access to the Way is not to keep anyone out, but to assure that all who enter come through the door. Jesus said, “I am the door” (John 10:9 NKJ). There is no other access into eternal life. There is no other way. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6 NKJ).

This Sacred Way is a highway of holiness. It is separation from the world, and dedication to God. It brings life and hope to those who once lived in the dry parched places of spiritual deprivation. Come, enter through Jesus, into this Sacred Way!

Theme passage:
“… Gushing water will spring up in the wilderness and streams will flow through the desert. The burning sand will become a refreshing oasis, the parched ground bubbling springs …” (Isaiah 35:6-7 TPT).

Renewal in a Dry Place!

Terry R. Baughman
“Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland. The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land.
Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived” (Isaiah 35:6-7 NLT).

Barrenness is associated with the desert terrain. There are few signs of life and little to sustain an existence in the wilderness. Vegetation is limited to cacti, wispy trees, and scrub brush, clinging to survival with every drop of water they can retain. 

The vast deserts may be identified as a wasteland, lacking value when it comes to productivity or fruitfulness. However, when springs break through the parched ground and flow into dry places the wasteland bursts forth with life. Streams flow down toward the valleys and pool in lower places, feeding the germination of seeds that were once thought dead, dry, and done. One never knows the potential of growth in what appears to be a wasteland. 

Isaiah saw a future transformation. He prophesied and described how the desert bloomed and the barren wasteland became filled with reeds and rushes, the vegetation of a well-watered place. The desert was no longer barren and fruitfulness returned to the vacant landscape. What was once appeared to be sand dunes and worthless dirt became an oasis, a place of refreshing and rest. 

Water is essential to life. It has the power to bring resurrection to a dry seed, and the ability to produce life in a new believer. The universal availability of water provides a promise that all may find a stream for refreshing. No doubt, that is why Jesus used water as the substance and symbol of the washing away of our sins. 

One night, Jesus met with Nicodemus and responded to his questions, “No one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5 NIV). Our faith and spiritual experience is demonstrated in the water! 

Much like the river in a desert brings resurrection of life to the dry places, water baptism signifies new life in every believer. By faith in the name of Jesus, and through His blood that was shed for our sins, baptism provides a cleansing, a refreshing, and the promise that we may rise to walk in a new life! (See Acts 2:38.) Regardless of our past mistakes, how far we have traveled from His presence, or how barren and hopeless our surroundings appear, we can be assured there is new life coming where the water flows. 

On the final day of the feast in Jerusalem, Jesus called to all who were thirsty, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:37-38 NIV).  The gift of the Spirit will produce life in every believer. The dead comes back to life, and resurrection power is working in our veins. The water of the Spirit will bring life to the wasteland of unfulfilled promises. We can live again! 

    
Theme passage:
“… Gushing water will spring up in the wilderness and streams will flow through the desert. The burning sand will become a refreshing oasis, the parched ground bubbling springs …” (Isaiah 35:6-7 TPT).

Renewal in a Dry Place!

“…He is coming to save you. And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!” (Isaiah 35:4-6 NLT).

When Messiah comes, everything changes. Most visible, the desert topography is altered to become a lush and fertile scene. Flowers and produce are found in abundance, and water springs up in unexpected places, long dried and cracked from drought. With the rivers and springs comes life and an abundance of flora blossom with fragrant blooms. 

The prophet Isaiah prophesied the arrival of the One who would fulfill every prediction. The implication of His arrival would bring spiritual renewal, restoration, and salvation for all humanity. The influence of His spiritual victory would impact the natural world as all of creation cries for redemption. (See Romans 8:19-22.) 

When He comes miracles occur. Blinded eyes are opened. The deaf rejoice with new sounds and the mute celebrate with song. Those unable to walk run and leap with great joy. This was the sign long anticipated and was the evidence John the Baptist needed for confirmation. Jesus told the messengers to simply report the witness of miracles to the prophet in prison to confirm His ministry. Messiah had come! 

​So today, we can expect the same when He comes. Jesus steps into impossible situations and changes the expected outcome. Springs of renewal burst forth in dry places that have waited without hope. Rivers of revival flow into the desert bringing restoration and life. We can expect miracles when He comes. Deliverance and transformation are instantaneous when He comes! Salvation is present and possible for every lost one, when He comes!


Theme passage:
“… Gushing water will spring up in the wilderness and streams will flow through the desert. The burning sand will become a refreshing oasis, the parched ground bubbling springs …” (Isaiah 35:6-7 TPT).

Renewal in a Dry Place!

“The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, Even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, The excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, The excellency of our God” (Isaiah 35:1-2 NLT).

Lush vegetation and radiant flowers are unexpected in a desert wasteland. Even their geographic monikers indicate the expectation of desolation: deserted comes from desert, and wasteland is considered just that … wasted land. No value is associated with the terrain. There is no agricultural value, no produce expected, and very little signs of life. It’s not much of a place for celebration. 

The prophet Isaiah was inspired by the wilderness to predict a miraculous future expectation. A change is coming. Something new is going to happen, and streams of water will course through the dry places causing an amazing renewal of life. Against the backdrop of fruitless desert sands comes the blessing of provision and the beauty of bountiful blooms. A land where others struggled to survive becomes a place for a party, rejoicing, singing, and joyful dancing. 

The barren brush blooms with new life, flowers sprout up unexpectedly, and new growth brings fresh vision and new color to the landscape. The difference is in the water. Springs bubbling up through the parched ground, streams flowing and coursing through dry washes produce the necessary hydration for germination. Buried seeds long dormant beneath the surface drink in the needed moisture to ignite growth and the impetus to bring forth new life. Where the river flows there is life. 

Whenever the Spirit moves into a dry place there is renewal. The stream of God’s presence provides the power for resurrection, transformation, and fruitfulness, from a life that once looked wasted and hopeless. Jesus proclaimed the promise, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38 NKJ). The Holy Spirit, which He promised is that well of living water, the river of His Spirit that brings hope, new life, and rejoicing in the desert!



Theme passage:
“… Gushing water will spring up in the wilderness and streams will flow through the desert. The burning sand will become a refreshing oasis, the parched ground bubbling springs …” (Isaiah 35:6-7 TPT).

accelerate… Something New is Coming!

“… For I supply streams of water in the desert and rivers in the wilderness to satisfy the thirst of my people, my chosen ones, so that you, whom I have shaped and formed for myself, will proclaim my praise” (Isaiah 43:20-21 TPT).

Who would expect to find a fresh flowing stream of water flowing out of a spring in the desert? All around is sand, scrub brush, a few cacti, and plenty of sun. Heat is expected. Coyotes, maybe. Roadrunners and rattlesnakes, definitely. But, streams of water? Never, would we expect a fresh supply of running water in such a typically dry place. 

God, who is the source of the miraculous, is the only one who delights in providing the unexpected. The dead do not live again … normally. Handicapped people: blind, lame, disfigured, debilitated … normally don’t recover with time, but typically grow worse. But, God is not typical, or predictable, or unable to do the most unexpected, life-transforming miracles. 

One thing we should come to expect … the unexpected! God is a specialist with difficult situations, overwhelming obstacles, and impossible outcomes. Nothing is too hard or impossible for Him. Actually, it is when everyone says, “there’s no hope,” “that’s it,” “too late,” is exactly when it is most likely that God steps in and does what is totally unexpected. 

Whatever the situation, however impossible, it becomes an opportunity for God to show His infinite care and creative purpose. Our trust in Him is not contingent on His performance of a miracle of our design, but rather a belief in His omnipotence and ability to do something beyond our ability to imagine. Paul said, He is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20 NIV).

​Let us begin to expect the unexpected. Look for flowing waters of miraculous provision in the desert places of impossible prediction. Nothing is impossible with God!


Theme passage:
"I am doing something brand new, something unheard of. Even now it sprouts and grows and matures. Don’t you perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and open up flowing streams  in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19 TPT).

accelerate… Something New is Coming!

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV).

The Prophet Isaiah promised a way in the wilderness, access through an uncharted trail, a pathway into His promise. This way would be the beginning of something greater than any could imagine. The reality is now beginning to be revealed. 

Early explorers and prospectors came West seeking a way through the wilderness landscape. They charted passages through virgin territory, following game trails and markers left behind by indigenous people. Eventually, those meandering paths became roads for covered wagons, horses, mules, and the stage coach. They made a way in the wilderness.

As we pursue God’s promise in the new year, and in this new season, be confident that He has already been down this path and He has prepared the way. He is the One who makes a way in the wilderness. Seek His way. Find His path. There we will find the flowing streams in the desert, life-giving spiritual awakening, that the prophet promised! Jesus said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:37-38 NIV).

Jesus is still the way-maker, the one who provides access. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Seek His Way! Come to Him and live!


Theme passage:
"I am doing something brand new, something unheard of. Even now it sprouts and grows and matures. Don’t you perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and open up flowing streams  in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19 TPT).

accelerate… Something New is Coming!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJ).

One thing you can be sure of, things are going to change. We are dynamic, ever-changing, and so is the world around us. We may cherish consistency, stability, and routine, but whatever our structure is around us, there is also an inevitability of change coming. With each day we age, muscles adjust to our level of activity, or inactivity. Time has a way of sapping our energy or testing our resolve. Everything will change in time. 

Our optimal choice is to recognize the challenges and changes around us, and adapt our outlook to seek the possibilities that come through these alterations. Those who embrace change find an opportunity to grow, to expand influence, and to move forward in faith. From our New Birth experience to now, we have undergone many changes. It is God’s purpose to transform us into His image, to become more like Christ with every change. (See Romans 12:2.)
​
John Maxwell said, “If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living.” In the new year and any time of the year, let us embrace change, and purpose to grow during this new season. The prophet’s prediction was God’s promise, “I am doing something brand new, something unheard of. … I will make a way in the wilderness and open up flowing streams in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19 TPT).

This can be our greatest hour as we respond to God’s initiative for the future. We can embrace change and be ready for the greatest harvest imaginable. God is about to do something we’ve never imagined! 



Theme passage:
"I am doing something brand new, something unheard of. Even now it sprouts and grows and matures. Don’t you perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and open up flowing streams  in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19 TPT).

accelerate… Something New is Coming!

“I run with passion into his abundance so that I may reach the purpose for which Christ Jesus laid hold of me to make me his own. I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead” (Philippians 3:12-13 TPT).

The end of the calendar year is often an opportunity for reflection on the past few months, both for achievements and failures. Some past reflection may be helpful as we set new goals and consider resolutions for the coming year. However, the past can be a detriment to our future progress. 

Past mistakes can be a hinderance to fresh attempts. We may have a negative mindset preventing us from trying something again after a previous failure. Even successes may provide a demotivation to attempt greater things, due to the fact we have already accomplished something similar. Paul’s recommendation was to forget all the past, which may imply failures and successes. He said, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” (Philippians 3:13 NIV). Forget what is behind, Paul wrote, and strain toward the future. It’s goodbye yesterday, as we embrace the challenges of a new day and a new year! 

The prophet Isaiah voiced the same admonition, “Stop dwelling on the past. Don’t even remember these former things” (Isaiah 43:18 TPT). We can learn from the past, even be encouraged by former successes, but we must move on to the future. Gain wisdom from yesterday, but refuse to dwell there. Leave the past in the past and reach for a new goal, a greater opportunity, and the promises God has given. 


Theme passage:
"I am doing something brand new, something unheard of. Even now it sprouts and grows and matures. Don’t you perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and open up flowing streams  in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19 TPT).

GIVE AGAIN!
Terry R. Baughman

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” (John 14:12 NKJ).

A year begins with such great hope and promise, but often ends with disappointments and regrets. What began with a clean slate and a fresh start, concludes wondering where the time has gone and why we were unable to accomplish more that is meaningful and productive. Rather than face another year of regrets, some choose to avoid reflection at year’s end, and refuse to make any new resolutions at the dawn of another year. 

Regrets and disappointment are understandable; they are often a consequence of life and unexpected challenges that arise. No one knows the future or what tomorrow may bring. While we may hide behind yesterday’s failures, new opportunities may be given just beyond the problems of the past. 

Jesus assured His followers that greater works would be accomplished through them. He enables believers to do more than ever thought possible because He is working through us by the power of His Holy Spirit. Regardless of the setbacks, be assured that greater things are in store for those who believe in Him.

In the New Year or at the beginning of any new season, know that there will be both challenges and opportunities. We will never know what is possible until we step out in faith and look to Jesus for wisdom and guidance along the way. With God, “… nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20 NKJ).

Change is inevitable. Nothing is static. New opportunities will be presented in the coming year. There may be negative events, challenging setbacks, and unexpected problems, but there will also be dynamic new opportunities exceeding what we ever thought possible. 

Accept the challenge to change, knowing God is with us, and, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4 NKJ). In this new season let’s give again of ourselves to the great cause of His Kingdom. 


Theme passage:
“… how much greater will God’s grace and his gracious gift of acceptance overflow to many because of what one man, Jesus, the Messiah, did for us!” (Roman 5:15 TPT).