We’ve all been very thirsty. An interesting note about the human body…hunger pangs will eventually subside, but thirst will never go away, for our bodies need water to operation and maintain homeostasis, (a stable and normal condition of all systems within the body.) In this Scripture, Jesus is offering the Samaritan woman the kind of water that will not only satisfy immediately, but will become an Artesian well within her. Like a spring rising up with a new and constant supply of fresh water, this living water fills and quenches our thirst unlike anything the world can offer.
Tag: our faith and trust in Jesus
Philippians 1:27-28 ” I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the Gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.”
Declaring the Gospel to those around us can be scary. We’re afraid of rejection…afraid of adversity…afraid of failure, so hence, we say nothing. My favorite excuse is, “Someone else will share the Good News with that person…someone like the Pastor, or someone else more experienced than me.” But there may not be a “someone else” in that person’s life. For you may be the only one that will ever share the Gospel, or ever say the words, “Jesus loves you” to that person. I Corinthians 16:13 says, …” we are to stand firm; be men (and women) of courage; and be strong when contending for the faith.” So how do we overcome the fear of sharing our faith with others? First realize, you can never fail, even if you don’t see immediate results. What you’re doing is planting seed that needs to be watered…maybe by someone else… and maybe an entirely different person will be there to see the harvest. Secondly, it’s not about you and your abilities or lack there of. For your dependence should be on the Lord Jesus Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit to show you the way. So with them in your corner, don’t be afraid, you can do it!
John 3:26 ” They came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan – the one you testified about – well, He is baptizing and everyone is going to Him. ‘ “
John the Baptist had been very plain to his followers that he was not the Messiah, but rather sent ahead to proclaim His coming. But his followers could only see Jesus as competition. As the Ministry of Jesus was just starting up…the Ministry of John the Baptist’s was winding down…and John was content with this, but not his followers. For jealousy had reared its ugly head as they watched their crowds dwindle, and the crowds around Jesus grow larger. I’ll be the first to admit there’s been times when I’ve seen the awesome move of God in a person and a twinge of jealousy will resonate deep inside. “Why can’t that be me, Lord?” I whine pathetically . John the Baptist knew the plan and purpose of his life so he didn’t have to view Jesus as a rival, but rather rejoiced with Him in God’s work being accomplished. The Lord’s work shouldn’t be a contest, where all of us are jockeying for attention and resentful when someone else is used by Him. Rather than being jealous, we should be rejoicing for each other.
Mark 7:14-15 ” Again, Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, ‘Listen to Me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean.’ “
The long-held Jewish Law was being turned upside down by Jesus in this scripture. He was in a way giving the crowd an Anatomy and Physiology lesson in explaining that nothing they could ingest would ever defile their hearts…their inner self. Rather, Jesus explained to them that it was what came out of a man…in word and deed…that degraded and profaned him.
I John 5:12 “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
This scripture doesn’t mince words…you either have eternal life, or you don’t. You either claim Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, or you don’t. In this wishy-washy world where no one wants to commit or take a stand, it’s pretty black and white…you either believe in Jesus and have eternal life, or reject Him and have God’s wrath on you.
Jeremiah 9:6 “You live in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge Me, declares the Lord.”
The world’s deception isn’t blatant…it’s a sly twisting of the truth that may ring true in parts, but in the whole, is false. For the causal listener, it sounds fine…but is it really? The world wants to mislead, trick, and fool us…to lull us into a false sense of security that a loving God would never send people to hell…never judge people who go against His Laws…never pass sentence on those unwilling to recognize Him as Lord. The world’s deception has been a slow and insidious process…like a slow-growing cancer. What was taboo for our Grandparents is now touted openly…what was considered risqué then, is now in everyday commercials. Our minds have been slowly desensitized and deceived over the years by a twisting of what we should believe today as “normal”. But our God will not be mocked and soon all will stand before Him to be judged.
Zechariah 10:1 ” Ask the Lord for rain in the Springtime; it is the Lord who makes the storm clouds. He gives showers of rain to men, and plants of the field to everyone.”
What are you asking the Lord for today? Are you tempering your request based on your limited vision and emotional involvement or by God’s limitless vision and His desire to fulfill your petition according to His will? Ephesians 3:20 tells us, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…” When you ask the Lord for something…don’t limit Him…for we cannot start to mentally grasp all He can do and set into motion at His disposable. Instead, pray His vision into the situation…and then stand back and watch what miracles God will do.
House Rules – If you sleep in it…make it.
Joshua 24:15 reads, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…” Maybe you’ve heard the old saying, You’ve made your bed, now sleep in it. Unfortunately, we all live with the consequences of bad choices we’ve made in the past, for our days are filled with choices…some good, some not so good… but with the Lord’s guidance, He can help us make the best choices for us. Wise and good choices that will have eternal consequences.
Matthew 3:15 ” Jesus replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then John consented.”
Why was Jesus so insistent that John the Baptist baptize Him? Why would the Son of God need to submit to it at all? First for credibility…a sinless Jesus could identify with all sinners by humbling Himself to baptism. Secondly for obedience…Jesus demonstrated His total submission to His Heavenly Father in baptism. Finally for new beginnings…for this was the first step in the start of His public ministry here on earth.
Luke 24:18 ” They stood still, their faces downcast, one of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, ‘Are You only a vistor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?’ “
It was still on the third day that these two followers of Christ were trudging on the road to Emmaus. Disheartened and disillusioned , they had put their hope in this man named Jesus only to see Him die on a Cross. Yes, some crazy women had tried to convince them that He had risen from the dead, but they weren’t believing any of it. Suddenly, a man was walking along side them, asking what they were talking about. Cleopas was incredulous that this stranger didn’t know the events of the last few days. In more modern language, Cleopas might have exclaimed to Him – “Have you been living under a rock?!” And Jesus could have replied, “As a matter of fact, Yes, I have.”
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