Category Archives: Christian Life

THE GREATEST WAR EVER WAGED

Christian Life, ,

What, do you think, is the greatest war ever waged? Great wars of the past? Napoleonic wars? The two great World Wars? Russia versus Ukraine? The IDF versus Hamas? The war of Armageddon yet to come?

No, not by a long shot! The greatest wars ever fought in the world are the outcome of the greatest war… within.

‭James‬ ‭4:1‭-‬3‬ ‭NLT‬
[1] “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? [2] You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. [3] And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.”

Every war ever fought on earth is the outcome of the war that rages in us, the self against God’s Spirit. Adam’s choice to follow the self lost the war for all mankind from then on. We, until we submit our lives to Jesus through faith in His death, will continue to lose the war.

‭Galatians‬ ‭5:16‭-‬18‬ ‭NLT‬
[16] “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. [17] The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. [18] But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.”

In many streams of the church today, there are subtle ways in which spiritual leaders feed the self in themselves and in us. They elevate themselves by adopting titles, and others, for example, by encouraging competition through spiritual gifts.
They promote discontent by teaching the “prosperity” gospel; they foster doubt when expectations are not met instead of building faith in a faithful God… and much more.

Instead of preaching Jesus, as the all-sufficient Saviour, they focus on experience as the test of true spirituality. Faith becomes “faith for…”
whatever we want rather than “faith in…” a sovereign and faithful Saviour.

And so, the war inside keeps waging and is often lost to our greatest enemies, the world, the flesh and the devil. This world and what it offers is the lure instead of godliness and the world to come.

The discipline of suffering and hardship becomes “the devil is attacking me, stealing from me,” instead of “God is disciplining me so that I may share in His holiness.”

‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:10‭-‬11‬ ‭NLT‬
[10] “For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. [11] No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”

God’s love and sovereignty are traded for a cosmic war, with us as the prize, and no assurance that God will win.

For those who have committed themselves to a faithful Creator who is sovereign in all things and who works, in all things, for our good, the war has already been won.

‭Romans‬ ‭8:37‬ ‭NLT‬
[37] “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”

‭Colossians‬ ‭2:13‭-‬15‬ ‭NLT‬
[13] “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. [14] He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. [15] In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.”

‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭2:14‬ ‭NLT‬
[14]” But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.”

‭1 John‬ ‭5:4‭-‬5‬ ‭NLT‬
[4] “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. [5] And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.”

Victory begins in the deepest recesses of our hearts when we make the choices that initiate our victory against the world, the flesh and the devil.

‭1 John‬ ‭2:15‭-‬17‬ ‭NLT‬
[15]”Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. [16] For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. [17] And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”

So, the Apostle Paul exhorts us to be overcomers through the victory Jesus won for us on the cross. If we do this, we can be sure that we are not part of a warring world that persistently fights to satisfy its own selfish desires.

‭Romans‬ ‭6:4‬ ‭NLT‬
[4] For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives….
[6] We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. [7] For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin….
[10] When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. [11] So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus….
[13] Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.
[16] Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living….
[18] Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

When we submit ourselves to Jesus Christ’s authority and power, we are no longer involved in the wars that are tearing the world apart. We are in the company of Jesus, who won the war to end all wars and is coming again as the Prince of Peace to establish His reign of eternal peace.

‭Isaiah‬ ‭9:6‭-‬7‬ ‭NLT‬
[6] “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!”

“PROMISES ARE LIKE PIE CRUSTS…”

Christian Life, ,

… Made to be broken.” That’s, what my mother used to say.

‭Numbers‬ ‭32:23‬ ‭NLT‬
[23] “But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the Lord, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.”

How often this statement is misread; not “Be sure your sin will be found out,” but “Be sure your sin will FIND YOU OUT.”

In the statement “be sure your sin will find you out” is revealed the mystery of sin. The nature of sin is such that, whether or not others discover your sin, your sin will “discover you.” You cannot run from sin’s consequences. Sin carries within itself the power to pay the sinner back, and sin’s payback is hell. Don’t even think about toying with sin. It cannot be tamed, outrun, or shaken off. No matter how safe you think you are, if you are a sinner, your sin will find you out. Your heart will be exposed for what it is.

‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17:9‭-‬10‬ ‭NLT‬
[9] “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? [10] But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”

Moses’ warning to the tribes of Israel, in our verse, “be sure your sin will find you out,” is echoed by Paul: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:7–8). In the context, when we fail to support those who teach us God’s word, our selfish “flesh” will reap its fruit, like the law of the harvest.

The only way to escape sin’s consequences is to be forgiven by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ (Romans 10:9; 1 John 2:2; Revelation 1:5) and to receive a new heart and a new spirit.

‭Ezekiel‬ ‭36:26‬ ‭NLT‬
[26] “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”

The context of our verse puts a specific sin into perspective. Two tribes, Reuben and Gad, requested territory on the east side of the Jordan River, during their conquest of the Promised Land. Moses interpreted their request as a way of dodging their obligation to fight alongside the rest of the tribes to take possession of their inheritance.

The leaders of these two tribes promised Moses that they would fight once their families were settled in the land they requested.

Reassured by their promise, Moses gave them what they wanted but warned them of the consequences, should they fail to keep their promise. In this context, he said,

“… You may be sure that your sin will find you out.”

Two principles emerge from this warning.

  1. Broken promises expose a sinful heart.
  2. Broken promises are sin against God.

Why is it so important to God that we honour our word? What God says is precious.

‭Psalms‬ ‭19:7‭-‬11‬ ‭NIV‬
[7]”The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. [8] The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. [9] The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. [10] They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. [11] By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”

‭Psalms‬ ‭138:2‬ ‭NLT‬
[2]”I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.”

God’s word is everything to God and to us. He works through His word.

‭Psalms‬ ‭33:6‬ ‭NLT‬
[6] “The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.”

‭2 Peter‬ ‭1:4‬ ‭NLT‬
[4] And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

God Himself came in the person of the Son to be the living Word.

‭John‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭NLT‬
[14] So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

Since God cannot lie and since His word is His bond, we can trust Him to do what He promised.

‭Numbers‬ ‭23:19‬ ‭NLT‬
[19] “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?”

Therefore, when we make promises we have no intention of keeping or for some reason we cannot or do not keep , we are lying. As God’s children, we are to live in keeping with His character and grow in our likeness to our Creator.

‭Colossians‬ ‭3:9‭-‬10‬ ‭NIV‬
[9] “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

So, Jesus said,

Matthew‬ ‭5:37‬ ‭NLT‬
[37] “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.”

We need to be careful of what we say and what promises we make because there is no room in God’s kingdom for liars.

‭Revelation‬ ‭22:14‭-‬15‬ ‭NLT‬
[14] “Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. [15] Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.”

LIFE LESSONS FROM JOSEPH, GOD’S MAN FOR THE HOUR

Christian Life, ,

What deep spiritual lessons we can learn from these men who paved the way for us, too, to participate in God’s great salvation! Although they had none of the resources or the distractions we have to grow strong in their walk with God, they can teach us many lessons about faith, perseverance and integrity because they lived out their encounters with God.

Abraham became a man of great faith. Through many tests and failures, he learned to place his unshakeable trust in the God who called him into an unknown future. So well had he learned his lessons, tenderly supervised and guided by the loving hand of God, that Paul could write of him in his latter years,

‭Romans‬ ‭4:18‭-‬22‬ ‭NLT‬
[18] “Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” [19] And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb. [20] Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. [21] He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. [22] And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.”

What a worthy example to follow!

What have we learned from Jacob? In all his foolish dishonesty and manipulation, one quality in Jacob shines out. He never gave up on what he wanted.

We would have condemned him had he wanted wealth, fame, or success. However, like the Apostle Paul who focused all his energies in everything he did on ONE THING, Jacob, likewise, set his heart on his “one thing”.

‭Genesis‬ ‭32:24‭-‬26‬ ‭NLT‬
[24] “This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. [25] When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. [26] Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

The outcome was name-changing, life-changing, and enduring. From then on, Jacob’s descendants bore the name of that encounter, “children of Israel.” “Children of God’s Prince!” Sadly, though, his descendants did not live up to that name. They betrayed the nature of that change to “Prince with God” by selling their souls to false gods.

Oh that we, God’s children would be worthy spiritual descendants of those who clung to their hope.

Joseph, God’s man for the hour, had a shaky beginning but adversity wrenched him out of his privileged position and set him on a path to a life of integrity and powerful God-awareness that shaped his destiny and the destiny of those who came after him.

Joseph chose to view his suffering from God’s perspective rather than from a narrow, “poor-me” attitude. Sorely tempted by a beautiful, scheming woman, he responded,

‭Genesis‬ ‭39:6‭-‬9‬ ‭NLT‬
[6]”Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, [7] and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded. [8] But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. [9] No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

Joseph’s integrity and God-awareness protected him from the claws of a wicked temptress. How easily he could have lost his way through a moment of stolen pleasure!

But Joseph’s God-awareness was much more than a protection against a moment of weakness. It was a guiding star in his attitude towards life.

How easily Joseph could have used his position to punish his brothers for their cruelty to him. Instead, he recognised that his dreams were being fulfilled by the faithful God he had come to revere.

‭Genesis‬ ‭42:8‭-‬9‬ ‭NLT‬
[8] “Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they didn’t recognize him. [9] And he remembered the dreams he’d had about them many years before. He said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.”

Instead of punishing his brothers for their wickedness, he chose to put them through rigorous testing to see whether their hearts were changed or not. How could he do that? What lay behind the tests?

‭Genesis‬ ‭50:15‬ ‭NLT‬
[15] “But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said….
[18] Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said. [19] But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? [20] You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. [21] No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.”

What shaped Joseph’s attitude towards his brothers? Once again, his God-awareness coupled with his integrity. He was determined to do the right thing.

What a way to view life’s adversities! Joseph discovered, long before Paul wrote the words, “God works in all things for the good of those who love Him, those who are called according to His purpose.”

Put together the hallmarks of these three great Old Testament saints and we have a recipe for a life pleasing to God. Like Abraham’s unshakeable faith in a faithful God, faith puts us in line for great miracles that form part of His great redemption plan.

With stickability like Jacob’s determined purpose to be part of God’s plan, we, too, will lay hold of God and never give up until He bless us. Jacob clung to God’s promises like a drowning man clinging to a lifeline and God blessed him!

Perseverance will get us the promises God has given us.

‭Hebrews‬ ‭6:12‬ ‭NIV‬
[12] “We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”

However, faith and perseverance must be backed by integrity of life and a God-awareness that is willing to look past the present to a future crafted by God for us.

‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:16‭-‬18‬ ‭NIV‬
[16]”Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. [17] For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. [18] So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Only then will the life lessons taught by these men have great value for us beyond reading the stories.

Why Libertarianism is Impractical, but Biblical

Christian Life

Libertarianism is a political and social philosophy that upholds liberty as its core value. In practice, this may look something like “leave me alone to do what I want… I make my own choices”. It’s a wonderful idea if you want to put up solar panels without endless miles of bureaucratic red tape. It’s probably not a wonderful idea if you want raise cattle in your townhouse complex or purchase a battle tank for recreational use.

Murray Rothbard coined the term ‘non-aggression principle’ (NAP) to describe the natural limits of libertarianism. The NAP states that “no man or group of men may aggress against the person or property of anyone else”. In other words, my liberty should not aggress your liberty. Thus, libertarianism only works if you and I accept and respect each other’s liberty. Though I may be free to steal your piano accordion, that would be an aggression against your property.

When God put Adam in charge of the Garden of Eden, He told Adam that he was free to eat any fruit from any tree, except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:15-17 (NIV)
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

The consequence of eating from the forbidden tree? Death. Adam certainly had the freedom to eat from that tree (we know the story…), but the consequence was spiritual death. True freedom, then, is not necessarily ‘free-without-limits’. Human scholars admit this too, as we have seen in the example of the NAP. Rather, true freedom must occur in a particular framework that can sustain it. Freedom left unchecked has every potential to lead to destruction. Add to that a sinful nature and you have a recipe for disaster.

It is important to differentiate between ‘freedom’ and ‘liberty’. Freedom refers to an individual’s ability to act without restraints. In other words, to do what you like, when you like, and how you like, without impediment. Liberty improves this notion by adding certain limits, such as the NAP. Therefore, in the strictest sense, liberty is freedom with appropriate societal limits. Liberty is ‘good’ freedom. Theologically speaking, the most important limit to freedom is God and the most important framework for liberty, or ‘good’ freedom, is God’s moral code. Creation cannot aggress the Creator.

Think of the 10 Commandments: the first half concerns our relationship with God and the second half concerns our relationship with men. Jesus summarizes these in Matthew 22:37-40:

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (ESV)

The greatest framework for true liberty, true ‘good’ freedom, is love. But not just any kind of love. The specific agape love for which God has set the precedent. He loved first and showed us how to love. Without His love, we cannot ever know how to love properly.

1 John 4:7-11 (ESV)
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Nothing good can come from our flesh, our sinful nature. We could aspire to live with liberty as our most fundamental right, but on what grounds do we establish limitations in order for everyone to enjoy liberty? Without God’s moral code, summarized in love, we have nothing sustainable. Who then can say that I am wrong to play loud music at 1 o’clock in the morning? Why should I care about my neighbour? In reality, the world does not know God or His love. The world does not have a framework in which to truly espouse liberty. Libertarianism is impractical for the simple reason that man is governed by his sinful nature and true liberty is not possible without the framework of agape love.

However, as Paul says in Galatians 5:1, Christ has set us free for freedom. The covenant of grace established by our Heavenly King and the law of the Spirit, which now governs our hearts, frees us from requiring justification by works. In Christ, we are no longer bound to our sinful nature and we experience the truest freedom of all: eternal life in the presence of and fellowship with God Almighty. This is true libertarianism: living perfectly free in the confines of God’s magnificent love without any interference from sin, dysfunctional governments, or cantankerous neighbours!

GOD’S RIVER

Christian Life, ,

The Bible has many references to God’s river. The imagery of a river teaches us great lessons about the benefits of God’s living water in our lives. First of all, who or what is this stream?

God often describes Himself as the fountain of living water. To drink from this fountain is to quench our thirst from the source of divine love, out of which flows all His benefits to humans. God Himself is the only source of life. He created us, and He sustains us from the bounty of all that He is. To seek life from any other source will lead to death.

‭Psalms‬ ‭36:7‭-‬9‬ ‭NLT‬
[7] “How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. [8] You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your river of delights. [9] For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.”

God had an issue with His people Israel, because they had dumped Him for sources that could never quench their thirst.

‭Jeremiah‬ ‭2:11‬ ‭NLT‬
[11] “Has any nation ever traded its gods for new ones, even though they are not gods at all? Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols!…
[13] “For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me— the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!”

God dwells in a city through which this river of living water runs, which sustains everything in its path. It flows from its source beneath God’s throne.

‭Psalms‬ ‭46:4‭-‬5‬ ‭NLT‬
[4]”A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High. [5] God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it.”

Ezekiel saw this river…

‭Ezekiel‬ ‭47:1‭-‬7‬ ‭NLT‬
[1]” In my vision, the man brought me back to the entrance of the Temple. There I saw a stream flowing east from beneath the door of the Temple and passing to the right of the altar on its south side. [2] The man brought me outside the wall through the north gateway and led me around to the eastern entrance. There I could see the water flowing out through the south side of the east gateway. [3] Measuring as he went, he took me along the stream for 1,750 feet and then led me across. The water was up to my ankles. [4] He measured off another 1,750 feet and led me across again. This time the water was up to my knees. After another 1,750 feet, it was up to my waist. [5] Then he measured another 1,750 feet, and the river was too deep to walk across. It was deep enough to swim in, but too deep to walk through. [6] He asked me, “Have you been watching, son of man?” Then he led me back along the riverbank. [7] When I returned, I was surprised by the sight of many trees growing on both sides of the river.”

From a trickle only ankle deep, the river gathered momentum until it became a stream too deep to wade. Fruit trees grew along its banks providing sustenance to all in its path.

John saw the same river in his vision of the New Jerusalem.

‭Revelation‬ ‭22:1‭-‬2‬ ‭NLT‬
[1] “Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. [2] It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.”

Who or what, then is this river?

Jesus answers the question for us.

‭John‬ ‭7:37‭-‬39‬ ‭NLT‬
[37]”On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! [38] Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” [39] (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)”

God promised to Israel, on the day when He would change their hearts, that He would also pour in and through them the source of all life, the river of His Holy Spirit,

‭Ezekiel‬ ‭36:26‭-‬27‬ ‭NLT‬
[26]”And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. [27] And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.”

Time and again, He repeated His promise of the gift of His Holy Spirit to His people until the day of Prntecost came.

‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭2:2‭-‬4‬ ‭NLT‬
[2] “Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. [3] Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. [4] And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability…
[14] Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. [15] These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. [16] No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: [17] ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. [18] In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy.”

So, to every believer God gives His Spirit to indwell us, the Spirit of Jesus to be our Companion and Helper, to provide the power to live the life Jesus gave us through His death.

‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12:13‬ ‭NIV‬
[13]”For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”

Perhaps one of the most beautiful stories in the New Testament is the story of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well outside Sychar. Tired as He was after walking in the blistering heat at midday, Jesus was not too tired to recognise this woman’s need.

How tenderly He directed her, step by step, to the source of the water that would quench her thirst forever. He recognised that, deep inside of her, was the yearning to be loved. Her liaisons with men were a glaring clue to her need.

Without a hint of condemnation, Jesus exposed her festering wound, revealed His knowledge of her sordid life, and diagnosed her emotional ill…she was drinking water from a polluted fountain. No religious “correctness”, worshiping God in the right place, would cure her illness.

Her joyful response was a clear indication that she got the message. Gone her shame, gone her polluted source, she gladly, and without embarrassment, shared her newfound faith with her fellow villagers.

There is a perennial fountain of God’s love flowing from His presence through the Holy Spirit.

‭Romans‬ ‭5:5‬ ‭NIV‬
[5] “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

All are invited to drink from this source, but only those who do will live in the abundance of that love.

Those who do, says God’s Word, will be like trees that keep growing and bearing the fruit of that love…

‭Galatians‬ ‭5:22‭-‬23‬ ‭NIV‬
[22] “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

‭Psalms‬ ‭1:1‭-‬3‬ ‭NIV‬
[1] “Blessed is the one… whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. [3] That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.”

‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17:7‭-‬8‬ ‭NIV‬
[7] “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. [8] They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

The invitation is given to anyone who is thirsty.

‭Revelation‬ ‭22:17‬ ‭NIV‬
[17] “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.'”

Paul said that to drink of the Spirit is to allow Him to control our lives.

‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:18‬ ‭NIV‬
[18]”Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,”

When we follow His leading, we are connected to the source of the love which satisfies our needs and out of which flows all the resources, we need to bear good fruit.