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John 7:37-39 ESV
If any of us thirsts, if any of us desires earnestly and longs for and yearns after what? Maybe we don’t even know what. Maybe it is just that empty feeling or that sense that something is missing or it is that lack of fulfillment and that sense that there is something more to life than what we have experienced. Perhaps it is that sense that we are not complete, that there is a void somewhere that needs to be filled, and nothing has yet satisfied, and so we are searching for meaning to life.
If that is where you are, Jesus is saying to come to him and drink. So, what does that mean? Drink what? Drink from his well of salvation. And what does it mean here to drink? It means to swallow, and to swallow is to accept, to believe, to trust, to have faith in, to take into your life. And biblical faith is of God, it comes from God, it is gifted to us by God, and it is God-persuaded, and it is not of our own doing, not of the flesh nor of the will of man. For it is God-defined and God-determined faith. And faith = obedience.
[Eph 2:8-10; Heb 12:1-2; Jn 6:44; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Acts 5:32; Tit 2:11-14; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Eph 4:17-32; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Lu 9:23-26; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Co 6:19-20; 2 Co 5:15,21; Matt 7:21-23]
So, since our faith comes from God and is gifted to us by God and it is God-persuaded faith, then that faith is going to take on the character of God, and it is going to be according to the will of God, and not according to the will of man. And it is the will of God that we die with him to sin, not just once, but daily, that we deny self, and that we follow him in obedience. And it is God’s will that we walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh and that we honor God with our bodies.
So, to believe in Jesus Christ is not something we can create in our own minds and hearts, especially not for the purpose of making up our own gospel and creating our own salvation message. For by God-given faith in him we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are raised with God to walk in newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. And now we must walk according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh, if we want eternal life with God.
And when we hunger and thirst after the Lord and for his righteousness we will be filled. Out of our hearts will flow rivers of living water. Out of our hearts will flow love for God and for his word, for our lives no longer belong to ourselves, but to God, and now our purpose in life is to serve him and to do his will, and not our own will. Now God will dwell within us in the person of the Holy Spirit, and we will have salvation from sin and eternal life with God, but provided that we continue in those walks of faith and obedience.
And the Scriptures teach us that, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45 ESV). And “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person” (see Matthew 15:17-20). So, our hearts reveal where our true devotion lies and whether or not Christ is truly in our hearts.
And Jesus taught us that, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:21-23 ESV
[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
Seek the Lord
An Original Work / July 20, 2012
Based off Isaiah 55
“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.
Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,
And your soul will delight in richest of fare.
Give ear to Me, and you will live.
I have made an eternal covenant with you.
Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”
Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.
Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.
Freely, God pardons him.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord, our God.
“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.
It will not return to Me unfulfilled.
My word will accomplish all that I desire,
And achieve the goal I intend.
You will go in joy and be led forth in peace.
The mountains will burst into song… before you,
And all of the trees clap their hands.”
“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”’ Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
If any of us thirsts, if any of us desires earnestly and longs for and yearns after what? Maybe we don’t even know what. Maybe it is just that empty feeling or that sense that something is missing or it is that lack of fulfillment and that sense that there is something more to life than what we have experienced. Perhaps it is that sense that we are not complete, that there is a void somewhere that needs to be filled, and nothing has yet satisfied, and so we are searching for meaning to life.
If that is where you are, Jesus is saying to come to him and drink. So, what does that mean? Drink what? Drink from his well of salvation. And what does it mean here to drink? It means to swallow, and to swallow is to accept, to believe, to trust, to have faith in, to take into your life. And biblical faith is of God, it comes from God, it is gifted to us by God, and it is God-persuaded, and it is not of our own doing, not of the flesh nor of the will of man. For it is God-defined and God-determined faith. And faith = obedience.
[Eph 2:8-10; Heb 12:1-2; Jn 6:44; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Acts 5:32; Tit 2:11-14; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Eph 4:17-32; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Lu 9:23-26; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Co 6:19-20; 2 Co 5:15,21; Matt 7:21-23]
So, since our faith comes from God and is gifted to us by God and it is God-persuaded faith, then that faith is going to take on the character of God, and it is going to be according to the will of God, and not according to the will of man. And it is the will of God that we die with him to sin, not just once, but daily, that we deny self, and that we follow him in obedience. And it is God’s will that we walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh and that we honor God with our bodies.
So, to believe in Jesus Christ is not something we can create in our own minds and hearts, especially not for the purpose of making up our own gospel and creating our own salvation message. For by God-given faith in him we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are raised with God to walk in newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. And now we must walk according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh, if we want eternal life with God.
And when we hunger and thirst after the Lord and for his righteousness we will be filled. Out of our hearts will flow rivers of living water. Out of our hearts will flow love for God and for his word, for our lives no longer belong to ourselves, but to God, and now our purpose in life is to serve him and to do his will, and not our own will. Now God will dwell within us in the person of the Holy Spirit, and we will have salvation from sin and eternal life with God, but provided that we continue in those walks of faith and obedience.
And the Scriptures teach us that, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45 ESV). And “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person” (see Matthew 15:17-20). So, our hearts reveal where our true devotion lies and whether or not Christ is truly in our hearts.
And Jesus taught us that, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:21-23 ESV
[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
Seek the Lord
An Original Work / July 20, 2012
Based off Isaiah 55
“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.
Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,
And your soul will delight in richest of fare.
Give ear to Me, and you will live.
I have made an eternal covenant with you.
Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”
Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.
Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.
Freely, God pardons him.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord, our God.
“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.
It will not return to Me unfulfilled.
My word will accomplish all that I desire,
And achieve the goal I intend.
You will go in joy and be led forth in peace.
The mountains will burst into song… before you,
And all of the trees clap their hands.”
