Living water

Jeremiah 2:13 ESV

for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

John 4:10 ESV
Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water."

John 7:37-38 ESV
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"

Jesus clearly claimed to be God.  And He is the source of life.  And we can't store water in broken cisterns; we need to be constantly drinking from the living water.

Heavenly Father, please forgive me for trying to satisfy my thirst for you with things of this world.  Please forgive me for worshipping the idol of my career.  Lord, may I drink fresh from you today, and stay faithful to find enjoyment and satisfaction in you alone.  I ask in the name of Jesus Christ, the Living Water.

Genuine fasting

Isaiah 58:4-14 ESV

Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.   Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord ?  "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?  Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?   Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.  Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,   if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.  And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.   And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.   "If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;  then you shall take delight in the Lord , and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken."

Genuinely engage in these (because they are important to God):
- justice
- generosity
- restoration
- sabbath rest

And these will result:
- you will have a close relationship with God
- the LORD will be your delight

Heavenly Father, please purify my heart and deliver me from religion.  Please give me a genuine desire to be an agent of your good will.  And Lord, most of all, I want to delight in you.  I ask in the name of Jesus.

Allegiance

Isaiah 45:21-23 ESV

Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me.  "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.   By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: 'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.'

Philippians 2:5-11 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

If A=B and B=C, then A=C, and Jesus Christ is LORD (Yahweh).

Heavenly Father, I praise you because you are the only God. Lord Jesus, I praise you because you are God, and I confess my allegiance to you. Holy Spirit, I believe that, mysteriously, you exist in harmony with the Father and the Son, and I am thankful for your presence in my spirit.  May you be exalted through my life today, and may your lordship and deity be apparent.  I love you, and I ask in the name of Jesus.

Praise the Lord

Psalms

As I finished up the book of Psalms, I was particularly impressed with the emphasis on the Lord's power, mercy, and love.  I was also impressed with the repetition of the command to "praise the Lord".  It seems that regardless of how much/often/frequently you praise the Lord, it is insufficient. 

Psalm 134:1-3 ESV
Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD!   Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD!  May the LORD bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth!

Heavenly Father, may I be faithful in praising you for who you are and thanking you for what you have done.  You are good and kind; may I be impressed with your goodness and love.  Thank you for your mercy in Christ.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

thankfulness

Psalms

I memorized Psalm 100 (KJV) when I was in primary or elementary school.

1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

I think verses 2 and 4 are especially important: gladness, thanksgiving, and blessing.

A few days ago, Jude came to me and asked me for some juice.  As I was getting him some juice, I was suddenly very impressed with what a privilege it is to be able to provide food for my children.  As I have been reading through the Old Testament, there are many instances where God judged the people's wickedness, and there were famines and starvation.  How terrible it would be to watch your children suffer starvation.  I am so grateful that God has blessed my family with basic provisions. 

We have plenty of food to eat, clean water to drink, and clean air to breathe. We have a wonderful home that keeps us cool in the summer and warm in the winter.  We have a wonderful Christian family and many friends.  Most of all, we have eternal salvation in Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your kindness to me and my family.  Thank you for your love.  May I be continually thankful.  I love you, and I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.

The LORD saves

Psalms

96:2-3 (NLT) Sing to the LORD; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.

It is so easy to take for granted our eternal salvation in Christ.  Reflecting on Romans 8:1, I realize how calloused my heart is to my own depravity, the heinousness of sin, the perfect justice of God, the reality of Hell, and the incredible mercy and grace in Christ.

Heavenly Father, in my mind, I know that your salvation is amazing; I am sorry for being ungrateful.  Holy Spirit, please soften my heart toward you and help me see how amazing salvation is through Christ.  May I be motivated to share your love and salvation with others out of deep, abiding gratefulness.  I love you, and I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.