Dying of Thirst

This modern world is a dry, hot desert and our fellow humans are dying all around us, even though Authentic Christians contain the water that they need to give them life and enable them to live victoriously on this earth.

Yet, we often withhold from them the very information they need in order to find the endless well of God's life-giving water. We fail to tell them about our loving Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent (John 17:3).

As we seek to follow God's Spirit each moment of the day, they will see His fruit in us, which is the divine nature of Christ, who lives in us (2 Peter 1:4). The living water in us can also nourish fellow Christians going through a dry spell (1 Corinthians 16:18; 2 Corinthians 7:13).

Our source of water never leaves or forsakes us. He cares for every issue which we cast on His shoulders (Hebrews 13:5; 1 Peter 5:7). As we share the living water within, we never run dry.

Rivers of living water satisfy the longing of our soul (Psalm 107:9) and overflow to those around us who need His special touch in their lives as well. If the flow is a mere dribble, then we have some work to do.

We start by taking our focus off what we want from life and concentrate instead on what God wants from our life. We walk in the Spirit and we do not fulfill the carnal desires of our flesh (Galatians 5:15-25).

When Jesus walked on the earth, many recognized Him as the boy from Nazareth (John 5:23). Therefore, they did not believe He was the Messiah. They did not know God and did not recognize Jesus for who He truly is (John 5:42-43).

Yet, others recognized His Godly nature and believed in His divine calling in their midst (John 8:19). We too can recognize our need for Christ in our life and allow Him to flow from us into the lives of those all around us (John 5:37-38).

We choose to live in God's will for us - not to seek our own glory, but to seek God's glory instead (John 7:17-18). We willingly share the living water within us with whomever chooses to come and drink from our well.

Prayer:

Father God, You offer for us to come and drink, because You desire that not one person perish in the eternal flames of hell. You provide Your free gift of salvation to the entire world (Matthew 23:37; John 2:16-18); but many are caught up in their own plans or in the devil's lies and are sidetracked from any pursuit to follow You. They use counterfeit methods to attempt to quench their thirsty soul.

Remind us that we are more than our mortal body. We are also a never-dying soul - emotions, thoughts and choices - as well as a spirit (Luke 16:19-31). Help us to take advantage of Your great wisdom, power, goodness, justice, love, peace, joy and holiness. Remind us to feast on Your Word and to drink from Your wellsprings of living water (John 4:14, 6:35). Draw us close to You and never, ever let us go.

Thought for the Day:

The ache in our heart and the thirst in our soul are only filled by coming to Christ for His salvation and fulfillment. 

- John 1:12

The Divine Life

The divine nature of Christ was not changed when the Word became flesh (John 1:14). He was fully human and still fully divine.

All the fullness of the triune God resides within Christ, and Christ dwells within the spirit of every Born Again Believer (Colossians 2:9). We are the temple of God’s Holy Spirit, which resides within each of us (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Therefore, all the fullness of the triune God dwells within each authentic Christian. We often struggle with our human and spiritual natures, which war against one another.

However, we learn obedience through the things that we suffer, just as Jesus did (Hebrews 5:8). Even though we dwell in a mortal body, we are buried with Christ in baptism and raised to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

We are transformed by God's Holy Spirit who renews our mind until we have the mind of Christ, and who enables us to absorb the truth of the Word of God (Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5, 4:8).

Through regeneration we come to identify, understand and seek after the things of God. We live a fulfilled life of faith, love and complete holiness, absorbed in the presence of God.

We have the divine nature of Christ within us (Colossians 3:3). As our life decreases, His divine nature in us increases (John 3:30; Acts 17:28). This makes a huge difference in how we face life and what we accomplish in it.

We have more faith, because of God's faithfulness to us. We have more power because we cease living in our own efforts. We enjoy God's divine presence within us, because we know that without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

Prayer:

Father God, never let us feel superior or prideful because You dwell within us. Humble us in Christ's humility and remind us that it is only through Christ that we can accomplish anything good (Romans 7:18). You are the Vine and we are the branches, and You cut off any branch that does not bear the fruit of Your Spirit (John 15:2-5).

We cling to You with our whole being, knowing that this world holds nothing for us without You. You are our motivation, our success and our whole life (Colossians 3:4). We meditate on Your Word day and night, and we find our only source of life within the verses on each page.

Thought for the Day:

As Believers we grow to enjoy the divine nature of Christ, free from the passion of sin and loving only what He loves.

- Romans 6:6; 1 John 4:4; Galatians 5:22

God's Involvement in Our Life

Jesus died to pay the penalty of our sins and to reconcile us to God (2 Corinthians 5:18). He desires intimate union with each of His Saints, both now and throughout eternity. This cherished bond with our Daddy God and Jesus Christ His Son, as well as His Holy Spirit is what it means to have eternal life (John 17:3).

Knowing the Trinity intimately provides us with cherished fellowship and their involvement in our life on a daily basis. Authentic Christians, who walk in the Spirit, greet each new morning under the direction, encouragement and protection of the Trinity (Galatians 1:10). They are always with us, throughout our entire lifetime, even until the end of this world (Matthew 28:20).

Since Christ dwells within us by His Spirit, we do not make our plans and invite God to join us. We join Him in doing what He already planned for our day prior to our birth (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:10). We no longer dwell only in an earthly time frame, but we make our choices by considering eternal consequences and the leading of God’s Spirit.

God looks deeply within our soul and knows all about us. His Spirit, rather than our self-effort, accomplishes the sanctifying changes occurring in our life (2 Corinthians 3:18). Our burden of negative attitudes and emotions are gradually replaced by His fruit, which continually infiltrate our thoughts, choices and emotions (Galatians 5:22-23). God’s hand protects and cares for our every need (Psalm 139:1-12).

Prayer:

Father God, we have liberty through Your Spirit, but not freedom to sin (2 Corinthians 3:17). As You sanctify us, we gradually lose our desire to fulfill the lusts of the flesh, which used to control our life. You call us to be separate, and the world hates us for it, because this causes conviction in their heart (2 Corinthians 6:17).

However, Your laws, from which humanity seeks freedom, are actually protecting rather than restricting. The counterfeit freedom of the world is actually bondage to sin, and we want no part of that any more (Galatians 5:1). Thank You for giving us the daily opportunity to walk in Your promises and to put on Your divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).

Thought for the Day:

Authored by God, our works will last for eternity, because they are not devised by the human will or accomplished by personal effort.