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Isaiah 50:4- “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary…”
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    • Waters That Never Fail!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on February 10, 2021

      John 7:38-39 – He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. NKJV

      In my last blog, I briefly wrote on the importance of the well. I was unable to cover all the important aspects of the well, spiritually and naturally, but I can always write another blog in the future!

      My husband was really excited about the well and brought up the point that in third world countries they are not a thing of the past, but are very important in getting clean water to people, even today. Then we started talking about water, which in turn, reminded me of a point I brought up in the last post about living water. In this blog, I will look at the imagery of water in the Word.

      Water is considered a valuable resource in the world today, just as it was in the ancient world. Any historian can validate this truth by pointing out how the great civilizations of the ancient world always formed near a body of water.

      Even when America was founded with the 13 colonies, they were established on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As more land was needed to handle the increase in population, people had to find ways to bring water inland. Wells, cisterns, canals, and tunnels were a few of the ways that water was harnessed to meet the need.

      Just to connect with Black History month, Benjamin Banneker devised an irrigation system that connected the water of the springs near his farm to bring water to his farm. This irrigation system caused his tobacco farm to flourish even in the times of drought. Banneker, known as an inventor, mathematician, and an activist against slavery, learned, at the age of 15, the importance of water to the life of his farm, his family, and thereby, his livelihood.

      An equally important fact about water was the need for a continual supply of it during wartime. Especially when a city was under siege. Hezekiah, when faced with a siege from Sennacherib, had a tunnel built underground to keep the city of Jerusalem with a continuous water supply. I see a spiritual connection with water already!

      Jesus, at the feast, announced that if anyone believed on Him, as the scriptures said, that out of his belly (heart) would flow rivers of living water. This living water was identified as the Holy Spirit, which had not yet been given. But when He came, He became Living Water to all who received Him.

      Zechariah 14:8 – And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

      Zechariah’s prophecy speaks to a time, when Jerusalem will have living waters flowing in the summer and the winter. The disciples were in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended. This Living Water that he saw, was none other, but the Spirit of God! Living waters that are not contingent on the time of year or the season, but on those who believe!

      For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:17 – NKJV

      John speaks of Jesus, our Shepherd, leading His people to living fountains of waters. Isn’t that what He said to the woman in Samaria? He promised that He would give living waters to those who asked. And we see here that He leads us to living waters. This kind of reminds me of Psalm 23, where David spoke of the Shepherd, leading us to still waters. Even in a moving body of water, there are places where the waters seem still, safe for sheep.

      Isaiah wrote this about water:

      Isaiah 44:3 – For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

      The Holy Spirit takes the dryness of a soul and make it a flourishing land, causing thirst to be satisfied. He not only causes the individual, or a place to flourish, but He also pours His Spirit and His blessings upon our children. I like being blessed, but I absolutely love seeing my children blessed! This Living Water that we receive from Jesus is so vital to our lives as believers. He provides for us, and for our children, and children’s children. Blessings that are natural and spiritual!

      Isaiah 58:11 – And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

      This verse speaks to my heart. The Lord shall guide me continually and satisfy me in a drought. When I feel dry, like God isn’t listening, or responding to me, I just need to drink from the source of Living Water to find strength to continue on my journey. He promises that I will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. When I think of a watered garden, I am reminded of well kept garden with healthy, vibrant plants. That’s what living waters produce in our lives! And a spring of water that never dries up?? The imagery is powerful!

      I’ve ministered when I felt like I was in a dry place. But as I would begin, I would sense His Presence and the words would just flow. Why? I had no choice but to trust that rivers of living water would flow from me. Every time, He would give His people what they needed, in spite of how I felt. Waters not failing!

      There is so much more that I can share about water, but the space and time does not allow me to be as thorough as I would be in an in-depth teaching. However, I believe you get the point!

      Maybe you are feeling dry right now. This pandemic may have taken a toll on your spiritual life as you have had to shelter in place and limit your church attendance. Or maybe you have not been to church this entire year. Well, I have great news for you, you can still be a flourishing garden as you wait to re-enter the sanctuary and enjoy the blessings of koinonia. Sometimes, the devil would like to condemn us to keep us from enjoying Him; but living waters flow in the winter and the summer. Good times and bad times! Hard times and easy times.

      Maybe you feel like you are under attack! That’s ok! You have reservoirs you don’t realize you have. Tap into the vast source of Living Waters and allow Him to keep you satisfied and flourishing during the battle. People who live around water are healthier and able to endure longer than those who are without water. This is encouraging to note, because you will outlast your enemy when you allow the rivers of Living Waters to guide you and refresh you!

      And don’t forget! What He provides for you, He wants to provide through you. Don’t just drink and get full! Look for ways to allow rivers of living water to flow out of your belly into someone’s else dry place! Get refreshed and let’s do this! Wonderful Jesus!

      Posted in encouragement, Holy Spirit, Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged Believer, blessings, children, encouragement, God, hard times, Holy Spirit, Jerusalem, Jesus, living waters, pandemic, provision, Sennacherib, Spiritual warfare, water
    • Draw From the Well!

      Posted at 10:00 am by wonderfuljesus8, on February 8, 2021

      Isaiah 12:3 – “Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” NKJV

      draw-from-the-well_.mp3

      I love when I wake up and the Spirit has whispered in my ear. Such was the case this morning when He whispered this verse to me. I have to draw from the well of salvation regularly and it is very refreshing and most encouraging.

      The Bible is quite poetic in much of its make up. Not only that, it is filled with imagery that is easy for every generation of people to identify with, like a well.

      The Hebrew word, “phrear”, means well. In the Lexham Dictionary, a well is defined as:

      A deep man-made reservoir dug or drilled in the ground, often walled with stone or plaster. Used to access groundwater.

      Wells are mentioned throughout scripture and has multiple roles or meanings in the biblical narrative. In Exodus 15, the children of Israel arrive at Elim where they find 12 wells. The wells in this passage of scripture is often times referred to as a place of rest and relaxation. Why? Because they were traveling through a dry land when they arrived at this oasis that had trees for shade, and water for their thirst.

      When a well was placed outside the city, it served as a meeting place for the women, who collected the water, and for strangers. We see this played out in the encounter Jesus had with the Samaritan woman at the well. She wasn’t welcome to visit the well with the women in the town, so she went at a different time. One day, she met Jesus at the well and her life was forever changed. Her natural meeting place became her spiritual meeting place with the Messiah, a divine connection!

      Wells are also used to depict the provision of God. When Moses spoke to the children of Israel before his departure and their entrance to the promised land, he spoke of wells. He told them that God had provided for them wells which they did not have to dig. And when Samson was thirsty after killing the Philistines, he cried out to God who split a hollow place in the land (creating a well of water) that Samson might obtain water to refresh and revive himself.

      Wells were deemed as a vital and economic asset. The Bible makes references to the disputes that were mentioned over the ownership of wells. Abraham rebuked Abimelech because his servants had seized Abraham’s well of water. Enemies could stop up the wells, as the Philistines later did to Abraham’s wells.

      As we can see, wells were pretty important to the people of God for the natural supply of water. God’s word uses the imagery of wells for a spiritual supply of living water. Jesus told the woman at the well that she should have asked Him for a drink and He would have given her living water that she would never thirst again! John 4

      An important point about digging wells. Kings were responsible for digging wells, as we can see in 2 Chronicles where we find that King Uzziah dug many wells, and the enemy (the Philistines) was responsible for stopping them up. Can you see a spiritual correlation here?

      I offer you this point. Salvation through the Blood of Jesus creates within each of us a well. Then Jesus fills that well with Living Water, so that out of our belly can flow that living water. When we are allowing the water, or in this case, His Holy Spirit to flow through us, our well is a place of refreshing, for ourselves and others, and it is a beautiful thing. When we are in disobedience, our wells are dry. Not because the source of our living water has gone dry, but because we have allowed the enemy of our souls to fill the wells up with sin, keeping the water from flowing!

      John 7:37-38 – On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” NKJV

      I read a sermon by George Whitfield, and he had this to say about the living water:

      The festival at which he was now present, was that of the feast of tabernacles, which the Jews observed according to God’s appointment in commemoration of their living in tents. At the last day of this feast, it was customary for many pious people to fetch water from a certain place, and bring it on their heads, singing this anthem out of Isaiah, “And with joy shall they draw water out of the wells of salvation.” Our Lord observing this, and it being his constant practice to spiritualize every thing he met with, cries out, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, (rather than unto that well) and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath spoken, (where it is said, God will make water to spring out of a dry rock, and such-like) out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

      Drawing from the well is simple. When life hits us with challenges, instead of just reacting, cause we all do, we have to draw from the well. All those emotions I have previously written about, can be dealt with as we draw from the well. I was tested this weekend myself. I was lied upon and it made me angry, my initial reaction. But as I drew from the well of my salvation, I received a peace that all would be well.

      This life is not cut and dry, patty cake, and tip toe through the tulips. It’s real, with disappointments, heartaches, and setbacks. But if we will allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us and help us in times of crisis, great joy will be ours. We will also be able to draw peace through tough times, and love when we don’t feel like sharing it. We will draw strength to continue in the journey, and hope for a brighter tomorrow. There is so much available in the well of salvation that is provided through that Living Water. It’s ours for the drawing. And it’s our responsible to do so! So go ahead, and draw from your well of salvation! Wonderful Jesus!

      prayer-for-salvation-1.mp3

      Posted in encouragement, God, God’s Symbols, Holy Spirit, Jesus | 0 Comments | Tagged encouragement, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, living waters, provision, Salvation, wells, woman at the well
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