Rivers of Living Water

One summer, I went white water rafting near Bend, Oregon. The river was crystal clear and bone-chilling cold which was a relief for that hot summer day. At one point, we came to a fork where another river joined ours, and the river got wider and more robust. It made for great rapids to ride. While I enjoyed my time, my heart reflected on today’s passage. Jesus wants rivers of living water to flow from our hearts.

‭‭JOHN‬ ‭7:38

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’

This is one of the verses that should give every believer hope. Jesus promises that rivers of living water will flow from our innermost being if we believe in Him. That makes me think of Ezekiel 47, where water flows out from under the temple and keeps getting deeper as it goes. That living water is more than just life. It brings with it joy, peace, and purpose. Every disciple should be fountains of joy wherever they go.

Dying to Yourself

I must confess that I have a severe sweet tooth. I like sugar in almost all its forms, especially in desserts. It’s hard to pass up a piece of pie or a slice of cake. That has its ramifications. It is evident in my waistline. I definitely need to learn some self-control in that area. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, dying to yourself is a big part of following Jesus. Paul gives us one of the best descriptions of what that looks like in today’s passage.

‭‭PHILIPPIANS‬ ‭3:10‬

“that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;”

Paul knew how to summarize the life of a disciple in short, concise messages. He wanted to know Jesus and the power of the resurrection while at the same time being part of the club when it came to suffering and dying to himself. Even as I type those words, I shudder at the reality of what it means. The life of a disciple is called to a deeper commitment than most people can comprehend. Sure, we want to know Jesus and benefit from the resurrection, but do we want to know its true power while we suffer standing for our faith? That’s a lot.

Faithfully Read

Just a quick program update. I have strived to put out five devotionals a week for the last five years. For the most part, I have accomplished that goal, but going forward, for the foreseeable future, I will only produce 3. They will be put out on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. This will allow me to pursue some other projects and handle the increased workload at the church now that COVID has subsided. Thank you to all that have faithfully read these over the last five years.

‭‭PHILIPPIANS‬ ‭3:2-3

“Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,”

Even in the early church, some people tried to cause problems. Paul refers to them as dogs, evil workers, and fake circumcision. They were disrupting God’s work in the new churches, and it was producing confusion in the saints. If it seems like there has been an increase of these types of people in the church over the last few years, you would be correct. They claim to be Christians (false circumcision) who are spreading false doctrines (evil workers), and they attack anyone who challenges them (dogs).

Greater Than Yourself

The average life expectancy of someone living in the United States is 82.1 years. Did you know that lines up with Scripture? Life expectancy was 70 years, 80 if things went well back in King David’s times. Not much has changed in over 4,000 years. All the technology we have developed and people still live the same time. King David challenges you to live for something greater than yourself.

‭‭PSALMS‬ ‭90:10‬

“As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; For soon it is gone and we fly away.”

What are you going to do with the 70 years appointed to you? Are you going to spend most of it trying to extend it to 80 years, or will you waste it away with purposeless living? David almost sounds like his son Solomon when he says, “Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, For soon it is gone.” People will work their whole life, and it will amount to nothing. David is challenging us to live for something greater than ourselves.

Feed What is Important

Do you ever get confused by all of the diet fads and information out there? Don’t eat carbs, fast sixteen hours a day, eat only clean foods, keto is the only way to go. It can make your head spin trying to figure out. Jesus tells us to feed what is important, our spirit. That is where our life comes from. The flesh profits nothing.

‭‭JOHN‬ ‭6:63‬

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

If you are honest with yourself, you will admit that you spend excessive time and resources on your flesh compared to what you spend on your spirit. The flesh profits you nothing, but in your spirit is life. Jesus spoke to your spirit to breathe in new life. It is essential to spend time each day strengthening what will benefit you the most. Neglect it, and it will start to impact every other area of your life.

Satisfy Your Soul

Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones coined our culture perfectly back in the sixties when they released the song “I Can’tCan’t Get No Satisfaction.” The following decades have proven that people live unsatisfied lives and always think that getting more will make them happy. Jesus provides an alternative by telling you to come to Him, and He will satisfy your soul.

‭‭JOHN‬ ‭6:35‬

“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.”

There are seven “I Am” statements from Jesus in the book of John. Some examples are “I Am the good shepherd” and “I Am the light of the world..” Here He says that He is the bread of life. Anyone who comes to Jesus will no longer hunger and thirst. Jesus fulfills that spiritual longing inside our hearts that only He can fill. There is no need to search any longer because all spiritual sustenance will be provided. He will satisfy your soul.

Stretch Your Faith

It seems like the world is going south real quick. You have a worldwide pandemic, staggering inflation, and countries on the brink of a Third World War. These times will take a measure of faith that hasn’t been seen in centuries. God is presenting the church with a unique opportunity to share the Gospel. Are you ready to stretch your faith? God is calling disciples to step up and be the church.

‭‭JOHN‬ ‭6:13

“So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.”

There is something special about the feeding of the five thousand. There are really no other miracles like this and the feeding of the four thousand. To provide for so many people on such a grand scale boggles the mind. Jesus prayed began breaking the bread, and pretty soon, the disciples were gathering baskets of leftovers. Most miracles were for individuals, but these were for the masses. It shows that God is sovereign and capable of doing what needs to be done when needed.

Important Lessons

I grew up in the church, and I am not ashamed to admit it. That’s not a popular stance to take today, but my childhood is filled with wonderful memories of church. One of those was my grandmother. She loved to sing and had most hymns memorized. She never needed a hymn book and sang with all of her might. Inside those hymns were some of the most important lessons I’ve learned. That’s what you see in today’s passage.

‭‭PHILIPPIANS‬ ‭2:6-7

“who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”

Last week I told you how Paul inserted several creeds and songs that the early church sang. These were there to help teach and preserve essential doctrines. It doesn’t get any more important than the incarnation (Jesus coming to earth as a human) and the atonement (Jesus dying on the cross as our substitute). Jesus was both God and man while he was on earth, but He emptied Himself and became a servant. Those are life-changing doctrines.

Be of the Same Mind

Amazing things can be accomplished when people work together. Tiny armies defending their homeland have overcome large militaries when they are intent on one purpose. Paul calls the church to be of the same mind and come to a Godly unity so that Jesus can accomplish His purposes through His people. Is your heart ready…

Sing of the Lords Lovingkindness

There is nothing better than going to church on Sunday, worshipping the Lord, and being taught His Word. Surrounded by His people and in the presence of the Holy Spirit can make you feel closer to Jesus than any other time. King David knew this from an early age. He experienced the lovingkindness of the Lord out in the fields as a shepherd and the halls of a king’s palace. Sing of the Lord’s lovingkindness.

‭‭PSALMS‬ ‭89:2

“For I have said, “Lovingkindness will be built up forever; In the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness.”

David loved to sing of the Lord’s lovingkindness. Many psalms are expressions of David’s gratefulness. We get some of the Bible’s most descriptive language from his songs. These were all an expression of what was gushing out of his heart. Not bad from one of Israel’s toughest warriors. It shows you can be both strong and heartfelt in serving the Lord.