Bible League: Living His Word Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink."— John 7:37 ESV Just as people get thirsty for physical water, so they get thirsty for spiritual water. Indeed, apart from the satisfaction of spiritual water, people remain in a permanent state of spiritual thirst. The false religions of the world do not have the right kind of spiritual water. Neither do the secular, atheist alternatives. Anyone who drinks from the water they have will never be satisfied. Just as anyone who drinks physical water will be thirsty again (John 4:13), so anyone who drinks their water will be thirsty again. What does it mean to be spiritually thirsty? It means that the deepest needs of the soul are not being met. It means, for example, that the soul's search for meaning and purpose, its search for love and acceptance, and its search for empowerment and enablement, has not been successful. Although the searching soul may get tired of searching and may stay with whatever putrid form of water it has at its disposal, it doesn't follow that it has found the spiritual water that will actually quench its spiritual thirst. Only the spiritual water of the Holy Spirit can do that. How do you get the spiritual water you need? You have to come to Jesus. You have to believe in him. If you do, then you will receive the Holy Spirit. You will receive, in other words, all the spiritual water that you will ever need. Indeed, you will have so much that it will flow from out of you to those around you. Jesus said, "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." (John 7:38-39). If you're tired of being thirsty, if you're tired of searching, then it's time to come to Jesus. It's time to receive spiritual water and time to share it with the thirsty souls around you. It won't cost you a thing. The Bible says, "let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price." (Revelation 22:17). Come, then, and receive. Come and receive the spiritual water you've been searching for your whole life. You will never be spiritually thirsty again. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJudges 10, 11 Judges 10 -- Tola; Jair; Jephthah; Philistines and Ammonites Oppress Israel NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Judges 11 -- Jephthah's Covenant with the Gileadites NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 9:1-36 Luke 9 -- Jesus Sends out the Twelve, Feeds 5000, Heals a Boy; Transfiguration; Cost of Following Jesus NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion O LORD, what are human beings that you should notice them,mere mortals that you should think about them? For they are like a breath of air; their days are like a passing shadow. Insight Life is short. David reminds us that it is “like a breath” and that our “days are like a passing shadow.” Challenge Because life is short, we should live for God while we have the time. Don't waste your life by selecting an inferior purpose that has no lasting value. Live for God—he alone can make your life worthwhile, purposeful, and meaningful. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon John 19:16 They took Jesus, and led him away.He had been all night in agony, he had spent the early morning at the hall of Caiaphas, he had been hurried from Caiaphas to Pilate, from Pilate to Herod, and from Herod back again to Pilate; he had, therefore, but little strength left, and yet neither refreshment nor rest were permitted him. They were eager for his blood, and therefore led him out to die, loaded with the cross. O dolorous procession! Well may Salem's daughters weep. My soul, do thou weep also. What learn we here as we see our blessed Lord led forth? Do we not perceive that truth which was set forth in shadow by the scapegoat? Did not the high-priest bring the scapegoat, and put both his hands upon its head, confessing the sins of the people, that thus those sins might be laid upon the goat, and cease from the people? Then the goat was led away by a fit man into the wilderness, and it carried away the sins of the people, so that if they were sought for they could not be found. Now we see Jesus brought before the priests and rulers, who pronounce him guilty; God himself imputes our sins to him, "the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all;" "He was made sin for us;" and, as the substitute for our guilt, bearing our sin upon his shoulders, represented by the cross; we see the great Scapegoat led away by the appointed officers of justice. Beloved, can you feel assured that he carried your sin? As you look at the cross upon his shoulders, does it represent your sin? There is one way by which you can tell whether he carried your sin or not. Have you laid your hand upon his head, confessed your sin, and trusted in him? Then your sin lies not on you; it has all been transferred by blessed imputation to Christ, and he bears it on his shoulder as a load heavier than the cross. Let not the picture vanish till you have rejoiced in your own deliverance, and adored the loving Redeemer upon whom your iniquities were laid. Daily Light on the Daily Path 2 Peter 3:8,9 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. • The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.Isaiah 55:8-11 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. • "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. • "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; • So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. Romans 11:32,33 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. • Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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