water  [waw-ter, wot-er]

noun

1. flowing water, or water moving in waves

2. the surface of a stream, river, lake, ocean,

3. to furnish water to (a region), as by streams; supply (land) with water, as by irrigation

In Jesus’ time, it was hard to underestimate the importance of water. Wells were a gathering point for a village or community as the people came to draw water for the day’s cooking, cleaning, eating, and watering of the livestock and crops. Cisterns were used to collect every drop of water possible.

Consequently, when Jesus said He would give “the fountain of the water of life freely to Him who thirsts,” He was using words that resonated deeply with the people on many levels. First of all, the word freely is important. The people could have as much of this living water as they wanted and needed. No drought would effect it, nor would the supply be limited by what they could carry or who owned the well.

The phrase him who thirsts  is also pivotal. Everyone gets thirsty, so everyone is eligible to receive living water if they want it, not just a privileged few.

For greater insight, we must also consider John 4:1-26. In this passage, Jesus delves deep into the hearts of the people with a lesson about Living Water. Jesus meets and talks to a Samaritan woman who is at a well drawing water. This was unusual for two reasons. First, Samaritans and Jews had a longstanding dislike and distrust of each other, and secondly, men usually did not address women in public unless they were family members.

But Jesus breaks with that convention for an important reason: He gives her an opportunity to change her life. He tells her in verses 13 and 14 that the water He gives is different; it will become “a spring of water welling up to eternal life, and those who drink it will never be thirsty again” — truly a revolutionary idea that her spiritual thirst could be eternally satisfied.

These scripture passages are just as relevant to us today as they were to the people thousands of years ago. Although many of us have easy access to water, we are still a spiritually thirsty people. Only Jesus can quench that thirst, and He does that by offering His well of eternal life that will never run dry.

point to ponder

Do you draw deeply from your well of eternal life as you go about your days? We can never plumb the depths of what Jesus has for us. This should not be a “one and done.” Give your life to Jesus, and then spend the rest of it drinking deeply, growing and learning and sharing this gift of eternal life with others.

prayer

Lord,

We thank you for quenching our thirst for redemption with Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. May we draw deeply from this well each day, living our lives in Your power, finding our callings and contentment in You. In Jesus’ name.

Amen.

previous posts

word [wurd]

noun

1. news; tidings; information

2. an authoritative utterance, or command

3. Also called the Word, the Word of God.

1. the Scriptures; the Bible.
2. the Logos.
3. the message of the gospel of Christ

The word of life is the key to living a life of purpose and fulfillment. What will bring great joy to your life this Easter season? Holding fast the word of life. There is no everlasting joy apart from God and His holy word.

In the original Greek, holding fast means the following: to have, to apply, to stop, to present. Let’s apply each of these definitions of holding fast to our spiritual life.

To have: One definition of to have is to hold in the hand, as in the sense of wearing. How can you wear the word of life? By putting on the armor of God; the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation etc. Don’t forget your robe of righteousness. To have also refers to possession of the mind. We will experience great joy as we use God’s word of life to control our thoughts, and fight our battles against sin, Satan, and our own flesh.

To apply: God’s word is an authoritative utterance that I must apply to my life. Just as it is not enough to simply believe in God (even the demons do, and tremble), it is not enough to simply read the word of life —  I must obey and apply it to my life, and heart. I do this through prayer, meditation, and memorization. Like ointment to a wound, I must liberally slather the word of life on the broken places of my soul. May His word become my words.

To stop: The word of life enables me to stop … stop whining, stop sinning, stop worrying, stop complaining. By speaking the word of life, I can stop speaking death into my relationships, dreams, goals and challenges. In Deuteronomy Gods presents His people with a choice. “I lay before you this day … blessing or curses, life or death. Choose life that you may live.” It sounds so simple. Must God have to persuade us to choose life? Yet how often do I catch myself speaking words of death instead of words of life? During Easter, the season of life, let’s purposefully choose to stop speaking death and instead speak the word of life so we may rejoice in God’s goodness.

 To present: Holding fast the word of life does not mean we keep it to ourselves. As Christians we have been entrusted with the word of life, the gospel. We hold tightly to the word of life  in one hand as we present it with the other to the lost of the world. What better time to present the word of life then during the Easter season.

point to ponder

Into what area of your life does God want you to speak the word of life?

prayer

Dear Father,

Please help me to commit myself to wearing your Word. Each morning before I dress my physical body, may I remember to dress my spirit by studying your Word. I dress myself in your Word for a reason — so I may apply it. Applying your word to my life, relationships, and problems ensures they will work for my good and Your glory. Help me choose to speak life into my life. Words of death are for Good Friday, not Easter Sunday. As I speak the word of life into my cares and concerns, may I also speak it to others who are in great need of salvation.

In Jesus Holy Name,

Amen

book [boo k]

noun

1. the Book, the Bible.

2. anything that serves for the recording of facts or events

3. a set of rules, conventions, or standard

4. to reserve or make a reservation for

5. to register one’s name

For as long as I can remember, books have been a source of joy to me. When my sisters and I were just preschoolers, our mom would take us to the library and check out a big stack of books. Every afternoon or evening, we crowded around her to hear a new story. As I got older, I couldn’t wait to make my own selections at the library. Once I started receiving an allowance, I saved up my money and then walked downtown to Majerek’s Book Store each week to buy the latest book in my favorite mystery series. To this day I love books; my favorite one is the Bible.

In today’s scripture, we see an important book mentioned: the Book of Life. The Book of Life is kept in heaven, and it is filled with the names of those who trust in Jesus. If you have committed your life to Jesus and have asked him to forgive your sins, then just like definition #4 above says, God “makes a reservation” for you in heaven and writes your name in the Book of Life. 

Typically, when authors write a book, they write several drafts, adding new information and deleting parts they no longer want. In contrast, scripture tells us that the Author of the Book of Life will never delete any names that are written in it. This is evident by the way the verse is written in Greek. The Greek words for  I will not blot out are a double negative, ou me, that literally mean not not or not never. It is impossible that once a name is written in the Book of Life that it will ever be deleted. It is there forever. You do not need to fear that you will mess up so much that God is going to write you out of His story. It just can’t happen. The enemy will try to convince you otherwise, but do not fall for his deception. Rather, settle your heart on the truth of God’s word.

point to ponder

As we enter into Holy Week, meditate on the security that you have in Christ.

day [dey]

noun

1. the portion of a day allotted to work

2. a day on which something occurs

3. a day assigned to a particular purpose or observance

24 hours. One day. In Hebrew yowm, which means  a working day, a days journey, today, yesterday, tomorrow. In English: the portion of the day allotted to work.  We are all given the same amount of time each day to do the work God planned for us before He laid the foundations of the earth. Our tasks are to make disciples of all nations, edify the church, and bring glory to God. How we accomplish these three tasks depends on the gifts, talents, and resources God has blessed us with.

If our days are given to us to accomplish good works, and we are to read God’s word all the days of our life, God’s work and God’s word must be inextricably connected. Our good works will not be accomplished apart from the Word of God.

Please read the verbs from Deuteronomy 17:19 out loud. Each day we need to read, learn, and observe the word of God. God’s word is for all the days of our life … good days, hard days, challenging days, holy-days and holidays.

point to ponder:

How can I apply God’s word to my life today?

prayer

Dearest Father,

You have given me Your word for every day of my life, for my yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows. If You have commended me to read, learn and apply Your word each day, it must be because Your word will affect everything I do, every day of my life. In order to apply Your word, I must know Your word.  Help me to commit Your word to memory and to listen for Your word as I live each day of my life.

In Jesus Holy Name,

Amen.

previous posts

Day 1 : Breath of Life

Day 2: The Life

Day 3. Eternal Life

Day 4. The Life Which I Now Live

day. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/day (accessed: February 23, 2015).

live¹[liv]

verb

1. to feed or subsist (usually followed by on or upon):

2. to dwell or reside (usually followed by in, at, etc.)

3. to pass life in a specified manner

As we consider the verb live in the passage above, we see that as followers of Jesus, we don’t have to live out our lives on earth in our own strength. Rather, it is Christ who actually lives in us. The Greek word for live is zao. Exploring its meaning gives us amazing insight into what kind of life Jesus means for us to have. According to the Blue Letter Bible, zao means, “active, blessed, endless in the kingdom of God.” It also means “living water, having vital power in itself and exerting the same upon the soul.”

During a recent vacation in Florida, I was riding with a cycling tour group. I could feel the sweat trickling down my head as I huffed and puffed my way to the next stop. Not accustomed to the heat and humidity, I felt my energy slipping away with each pedal. I finally made it to the break area and guzzled a bottle of cold, fresh water. My energy and vitality and desire to make it to the finish ramped back up, and I hit the trail again.

Too many of us are trying to live our lives without our spring of Living Water. We are huffing and puffing our way through jobs, callings, and relationships without tapping into our spiritual source of strength. Everyone has times of tiredness, but if we are not experiencing any active, powerful, blessed times of  walking with God, then we need a fresh drink of Living Water. Perhaps we are quenching the Spirit through sin, or we are just forgetting to ask God to fill us with a fresh breath of His Spirit. When we live by faith in the Son of God, He gives us strength and power for the journey.

point to ponder

Are you living in God’s strength or your own?

prayer 

Lord, we pray for your Living Water to infuse us with strength. Help us to live our lives being filled with your  Spirit and equipped for service. Grow our faith in You as we walk together. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

previous posts

Day 1 : Breath of Life

Day 2: The Life

Day 3. Eternal Life

eternal [ih-tur-nl]

adjective

1. without beginning or end; lasting forever; always existing (opposed to temporal )

2. perpetual; ceaseless; endless:

3. existing outside all relations of time; not subject to change

4. timeless, immortal, deathless, undying, imperishable, indestructible.

What is eternal life? According to the dictionary definition, eternal life is ceaseless, endless, and perpetual. According to our verse, eternal life is knowing God and Jesus Christ. Eternal life doesn’t just originate with God, it is God.

The Greek word for know used in this passage of scripture is ginosko. Ginosko means, “to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of, to know by observance and experience, the knowledge viewed as the result of prolonged practice.” Knowing God isn’t synonymous with just knowing about God; even the demons believe and tremble. In order to truly know Him, we must accept Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for our sins. Once we have accepted Christ, the way is made for us to truly know God, by closely observing and experiencing Him as He walks with us day by day for all eternity .

Since God is infinite, we will continuously know God. We will forever discover new facets of His character and nature. With each discovery, we will glorify His name and rejoice in His holiness and goodness.

While waiting for God’s eternal kingdom, we will either live for self (the temporary), or for God (the Eternal). We will either store up treasures on earth (temporary-they will not last) or we store up treasures in heaven (eternal– they will not end). One will leave us empty, the other will fill us to overflowing.

How can you begin your eternal relationship with the only true God? By asking Him to be your Savior. What better time to become a child of God than the Easter season. We pray you will make this crucial decision today.

For step by step instructions on how to accept Christ as your Savior, please click on one of  the following links:

The Way to God

Becoming a Christian

Point to Ponder:

To whom can I extend God’s invitation of eternal life?

 Prayer:

Dearest Holy Father,

I thank you that You are the only True God and You have made  the way for us to know You through Jesus. I  have hope eternal for my challenges and concerns, because You are eternal. Nothing or no one is ever beyond Your ability to mend, forgive, or resurrect. Right now, I pray You would help me use my gifts and talents to bring eternal life to those who are in desperate need of a Savior. Thank You for Your grace, love, and salvation that will last for all eternity.

In Jesus Holy Name,

Amen

Previous Posts

Day 1 : Breath of Life

Day 2: The Life