Living Water!

John 4: 14

¹⁴ “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

The picture attached, is the new view from my now, new home office.

There’s something soothing about water, so much so, that people will spend a lot of money to live on it or near it.

And yet Jesus said He was the source of living water.

He said that once we drink of it, we would never truly be thirsty again.

As I look upon the water I now live on, it doesn’t look like it would sustain any life.

After Friday night’s rain, it looks anything but drinkable water.

I so thank God for this new view, and for the freshness of new opportunity.

Even as I gaze upon that water’s edge view even now, I’m reminded of God’s great beauty.

What would you pay to live near the source of living water?

What lengths are you going to at this very moment, to be near Him?

Start this new week focusing on the source of eternal life.

Bask in the beauty that can only come from Jesus…the source of the living water welling up.

He’s certainly worth living for, and He’s definitely worth dying for…so be sure to drink of His goodness today…

Book of Life!

Revelation 21: 27

²⁷ But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

When I was a sophomore in High School, a group of underclassmen were given the chance to play for the varsity squad.

We worked our butts off, but when the names of kids who made the grade, were posted in the gym hall way, my name wasn’t on it.

I remember that feeling like it was yesterday.

I didn’t make the grade, and my name wasn’t written on the paper for the varsity roster of 1974.

I felt like the Holy Spirit gave me this verse, right after I heard about the shootings in Virginia of the two young journalists.

As tragic as that was, I wonder if their names were in the book?

An LA police officer died yesterday in the line of duty.

I wonder if his name was in the book?

I’m so blessed that my name appears in the Heavenly roster.

I’m so grateful that my wife, and children’s names are written there too.

One day, I’m praying my grandbabies names will be written in the book.

I pray that too for all of my siblings.

Is your name written in the book?

That’s one thing you want to make very certain of… 

Choices!

Luke 18: 13

¹³ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

Mac Davis used to sing an old Country & Western song with these lyrics:

“O Lord it’s hard to be humble, when you’re perfect in every way. I can’t wait to look in the mirror, cause I get better lookin each day…”

No one I know of, will ever just sneak into Heaven.

A person will never get there by being involved in a good church.

Our Father in Heaven will eye up every person, and He will see either life or death.

He will see darkness or light.

More and more, people are finding it hard to be humble.

That doesn’t bode too well for that kind of person.

A.W. Tozier once said… “If there is an iniquitous, unequal, un-atoned, un-cleansed, unprotected sinner in his/her own sin, there’s only one answer;

“God only sees death and hell, and there’s no way Heaven will ever be able to pull that person up.”

On the other hand friends, the person who beats his/her breast, God only sees life…eternal life.

Make no mistake about it, Hell will never be able to pull that person out of Heaven.

So what will your choice be today? Humility and beating your breast, or self centeredness, like all of the rest?

Punishment

Isaiah 13: 11 ESV

I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant…

I find it amazing the panic that was set off by the initial 1,089 point plunge in the Dow yesterday.

The market was shaken by the large Asian market selloff, and other related factors.

The selloff didn’t begin in China though, it began a long time ago when God was politely asked to remove Himself from public schools and from our culture.

When we lose what’s seemingly more important than anything (our money), it sends shivers down the spines of most Americans.

I can’t say for sure if this is end times prophecy being fulfilled, but God did say punishment was coming.

I’ve had people call me a lunatic when quoting this kind of stuff in my daily devotionals, but you do have to admit, it does make one think at the very least.

Make no mistake about it, this recent fall in the stock market is not at all about America or China.

It’s always been about God, and it’ll always be about God.

Granted, we have been the recipients of His lavish blessings over time, but why should He bless us now?

Can you give me one good reason? Two good reasons?

Is the unsettled stock market, the reason for all this calamity?

Maybe God’s just trying to get our attention.

Could it be that He’s trying to put an end to the pomp of the arrogant?

Time will tell…

Who do you listen to?

Ezekiel 14: 9       (ESV)

⁹ And if the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the Lord, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

When I first read this verse, it was a little frightening to consider.

The God who is truth and Who cannot tell a lie, will actually set up prophets to fail miserably?

Is it possible that God could lead people in a way that fits their wandering hearts?

Maybe that’s why it’s important to really know God.

I happen to believe that we should know a lot about the person that preaches to us week after week.

Better yet, we should know the Bible and the God of the Bible so as not to be deceived.

God was telling His people in this text, to turn from their idols.

That seems to be wise advice.

Do you have any idols in your life?

Maybe those idols actually turn our hearts away from God.

Jesus talked about people who would be deceived by false prophets in Matthew 24.

Could we be that faithless generation?

Are the preachers preaching to you each week, telling you the truth? How can you know?

More importantly, maybe we should know the God of the Bible, a whole lot more than we do…

True Truth!

Ephesians 4: 15 NKJV

¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love…

Speaking the truth in love isn’t an easy thing for a follower of Christ.

For starters, most people think that’s a judgmental thing, but it’s not.

I used to think that this verse meant that if we had something hard to say, it should be done in a tender sort of way.

That’s really not always the case.

Should we use a sober way of rebuking someone? I think that’s fairly obvious.

Followers of Jesus though, should be agents of truth.

Would you say you’re an agent of truth?

The church should speak the truth of the Gospel to one another.

That’s what brings the church strength.

It’s amazing to consider how many churches that steer away from the true, truth.

John Newton, the great hymn writer once wrote… “Love without truth, is cowardly…”

Being truthful might mean you have fewer friends.

Unfortunately, that thought alone, keeps people from being truthful.

And the truth will set us free…

Forget it!

Philippians 3: 13 ESV

¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead…

I can’t speak for you necessarily, but forgetting the past is often very refreshing.

I need daily fresh starts, like my granddaughter needs a change of fresh diapers.

I had a High School teacher that could always help me forget the past, and remind me of what lie ahead.

I remember a time when I was supposed to sing in a school assembly, and I had this giant pimple right at the end of my nose.

Sorry for the gory details, but this is a true story.

She often used these words, when a dilemma came my way… “Daniel, this too shall pass…”

She was right, although I didn’t feel that way at the time.

I’m glad with Jesus, there always seems to be a virtual light at the end of the tunnel.

What are you carrying this morning, that you’d just as soon forget?

Have you thought at all, about giving it over to Jesus?

“Lord God…there have been times when I have felt way overwhelmed. At times I think I have to do it all.

I’m so grateful this morning, that Your in control, and I don’t have to be.

Help me to see my problems as You see them, or as opportunities to draw closer to You.

Help me today to find my net worth and identity in You. Thank You that with You, I can count on a fresh start.

Thank You too, that the really rough patch I went through a while ago…well…this too shall pass, and well, it did. Amen