Dependence in the Wilderness

by Jeff Newman

Ousted by his son, mocked and chased by his enemies, King David fled to the wilderness. But instead of wallowing in self-pity and despair, David wrote Psalm 63, a song of dependence on God. Christ, too, sang a song of dependence throughout His wilderness journey and as He made Himself the final sacrifice for sin. Christ and David were not alone; subsequent pilgrims lived out praise to their glorious God on their way to their glorious Home. Psalm 63 reveals David's three pursuits in the wilderness. These were Christ's pursuits as well. Study these three pursuits in depth, learning to apply them to your own life so that you, too, can experience hope and direction in the wilderness.

205 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Jeff Newman (DMin, Westminster Theological Seminary) is a professor of Bible and Biblical counseling at Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Sherry, have two children.

Reviews

[Ben DeFord · Rating 5 out of 5]

When tough things happen in life it's tempting to start thinking, "if only I had [fill in the blank]" or "I just need [fill in the blank] and everything would be ok." Generally our number one goal during those times is to relieve the pain or problems as quickly as possible so we can move on with an easy life. And while relief from problems is certainly a good thing, we often fail to learn what God wants to teach us through our difficulties. Dr. Newman's book, Dependence in the Wilderness, is a practical guide to help believers see their suffering from a biblical perspective and respond in humble submission to the Lord's priorities.
Using Psalm 63 and Christ's life as two patterns of biblical responses to suffering, Dr. Newman recounts the modern stories of lives that have been changed by responding to challenges in a Christ-like way. Nearly every chapter begins with a true story of suffering -- from experiences of betrayal and financial loss, to chronic physical ailments or the death of loved ones. Dr. Newman uses Scripture to direct our focus back to God, while helping to expose thoughts and desires that have become idols in our "wilderness." Practical personal growth questions at the end of each chapter help us map onto our lives the truths exposed from Scripture, making this book much more of a personal devotional guide than a theological dissertation on suffering.
Because all of us will experience totally different challenges, this book will apply differently to each reader, but the truths are universal.

[Rick Shrader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeff Newman is professor of Biblical Counseling at Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary. This book is for those who are going through deep waters and need to know how to find encouragement in God during those times. Dr. Newman takes the reader through many personal stories and experiences and finds the solutions in David’s life as he wrote Psalm 63, and also by the example of Jesus Christ as He displayed those principles in His own life. Throughout the book he gives the reader assignments and graphic helps that allow him to write down important information as he reads through the book.
The important benefit of this book is that it directs a hurting believer to the Scripture and to the example of Christ for answers and comfort. It does not use therapeutic formulas that simply sooth the conscience, but makes the reader face the real issues of sin, trust, obedience, and faith. This will be a help for any reader, whether as a hurting individual or a counseling friend, and it is a perfect recommendation for those in need. This is the kind of counseling book we need.

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