LTM Podcast

In the natural world, as you travel through a desert, there are many perils to avoid. The same is true of wilderness experiences in the spiritual world. When you do not understand what is going on in your life--when you feel alone and confused about which direction to go--there are many perils to which you may fall victim. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. From the example of Israel and their w...

Water. This is the greatest need in the wilderness. Barren, dry, hot--and without water, you will perish. The same is true in the spiritual deserts of life. While navigating through times of difficulty, we often think we will die of spiritual thirst. But the psalmist declared: "He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wicke...

It was in the barren wilderness that Israel learned to trust God for supernatural provision. Whether it was the initial wilderness journey preparing them to enter the promised land, or the forty year trek experienced as chastisement for their rebellion--God provided for them. The Word records that their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet outgrow their shoes during all those years (Deuter...

Moses warned the children of Israel not to forget...."the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions" (Deuteronomy 8:14-15). There are several analogies that can be drawn from snakes and scorpions and applied spiritually.

The remainder of the Israelites stood in the door of their tents and watched them. God wants to reveal Himself to you in the midst of your wilderness. Will you enter into that revelation or simply worship from afar? The greatest revelation God wants to give you is of Himself. Coming to know Him more intimately is a major purpose of the wilderness experience. That I may know him , and the power of...

He just couldn’t take it anymore. Moses saw an Egyptian beating an Israelite and it was literally the last straw. When he witnessed this violent scene, he responded in anger and killed the Egyptian taskmaster. Then, knowing his life was in danger, Moses fled to the backside of the desert. As you learned in series 5 devotions, for forty long years Moses lived with the memory of an aborted destiny....

It began in a waterless pit in the wilderness. A young man named Joseph--who was to be a father of the nation of Israel--was cast into the pit by his own brothers because of their jealousy (Genesis 37:22-24). Even though Joseph cried out to them appealing for help, they would not listen (Genesis 42:21). Have you ever been in a wilderness pit like that spiritually? You are crying out, but no one se...

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The story records how God supernaturally intervened, revealing that this was a test of Abraham's faith and obedience: "And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me" (Genesis 22:12). All of the promises of God rested in Isaac, yet Abraham was willing to sacrifice...

One of the first references to a profound spiritual experience in the wilderness is recorded in Genesis chapter 16. It happened to a young girl named Hagar who was a handmaiden to Sarai, Abram's wife. Because Abram and Sarai were unable to bear children, they decided for Abram to bear a child by Hagar. This was an acceptable custom of the day, but not acceptable to God. When Hagar learned she was...

God is a God of purpose. He does nothing and allows nothing to happen in your life without divine purpose: This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? (Isaiah 14:26-27) We are called according to G...

In a trackless desert, there are no road signs. There are no footprints to follow. There is only emptiness and silence. A harsh environment. But where you are right now is essential to where you are going. The howling wind blows across the hot desert floor, so strongly at times that it can pit vehicle windshields and take the paint right off the body of a car. But do not let the blowing sand get i...

Because of disobedience, the nation of Israel was turned back from the border of their promised land to wander in the desert for forty years. The emphasis in this sad account is usually on those who missed their destiny and died in the wilderness--those who had murmured, complained, and rebelled against God. But someone else walked through the wilderness for those forty years, and that was the new...