LIving a Truly Balanced Life ....series...water

 

Water

 Exercise makes you thirsty and drives you to water. Notice what Jesus said as HE talked about the spiritual life:

 

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth in me, as the scripture have said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive; for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified)

 (John 7:37-39).

 

When Jesus sat down at His Father's right hand, the Holy Spirit stood up and went into action in a new way, as the Comforter whom Jesus had promised. And the Holy Spirit is likened to water in the Scripture. The Holy Spirit brings righteousness. The Holy Spirit is involved in the latter rain- water, refreshing- and the loud cry of Revelation. The Holy Spirit is all through the Christian life, from conversion to the end. But it's exercise, reaching out in service and witness, that drives us to the water. And as we're driven to the water for deeper drafts of the mighty resources of God through the Holy Spirit, we grow in grace. If you want to know the mighty power of the Holy Spirit in your life. I'd like to give you a few steps that will help you to understand it better.

 

1. Accept Jesus again every day as your only hope of salvation (see Galatians 3:2-5).

 

2. Receive the gift of repentance that Jesus has to give, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:37,38. 5:31)

 

3. Obey! But this obedience is primarily continuing service instead of laying down the torch, continuing to reach out towards others (see Acts 5:32).

 

4. Admit that you're thirsty; tell God you're thirsty; accept His promise that at whatever cost, you want to have the Holy Spirit in your life, giving up on all other methods to experience the vibrant Christian life (see John 7:37-39).

 

5. Ask God for it. Ask Him for Him. Sometimes we call the Holy Spirit and 'it." I guess that's all right, but the Holy Spirit is also a Him, and, more important, a Person. Jesus has promised Him, and He said that if we ask, He'll give Him. He's willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask (see Luke 11:13). Why should we not seek for the Holy Spirit, when this great gift brings all other blessings with it?

 

In the next chapter we'll talk about the last four preventive- religion remedies, which are more results of the first four than they are cause themselves. The last four are self- control(or temperance), rest, sunlight(of God's presence), and trust in divine power. But in the meantime I'd like to invite you to break the bread of life every da, to breathe every day- for you can't go long without either one - and to exercise every day in a spiritual sense. This will make you thirsty for the Holy Spirit.

 

Break Thou the bread of life,
Dear Lord, to me,

As Thou didst break the loaves

Beside the sea;

Beyond the sacred page

I seek Thee, Lord;

My spirit pants for Thee,

O living Word.

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See you on Wednesday as we continue to learn about the health laws and how they pertain to our spiritual lives.