Tuesday September 7, 2010

Read John 4:1-26

I read the story of a Bedouin Arab who, having spent his life wandering and living in the desert, had opportunity to spend time in a western hotel for the first time in his life. This man was particularly taken by the taps and faucets - turn a tap and water comes out of the spout. After he had left the hotel it was discovered that he had taken a tap and spout, no doubt, expecting to be able to turn them on in the desert to get fresh cool, life giving water!!!!

How I wish that all Christians, myself included, were as attractive to non believers as that tap and spout were to the Bedouin. How I pray that all believers are overflowing springs of living water to the non believers around us - that they see in us a life giving source that they have no access to. How I dream of non Christians flowing into our churches seeking to find the source of that life, that abundance, that generosity, that joy, that exhilaration and other Christ centeredness that they see in us Christians.

How  I ache for the Christians across the land and the entire world to unite, to stand together and to worship together with Jesus in His love, rather than the hatred, bickering and gossip that fills our churches and denominations.

Please let me suggest some ways that you and I can become abundant wells of life giving water:-

1. Develop your own relationship with our Lord. If you are wandering through a desert no one is going to want to follow you. Even though they are time worn and common, the best way to grow in your walk with the Lord is through regular time in the Bible, regular time in prayer and regular time with other passionate, godly Christians. If you’re hanging out with half hearted Christians with a ‘who cares’ attitude maybe it is time to move on!

2. Learn to love God with your entire being - heart, soul, mind and strength. Consider each of these areas and jot down what loving God in each area looks like. Change what you need to change so that every department of your life is glorifying to God.

3. Deliberately work at removing disobedience in your life. When non Christians see us being disobedient they are immediately convinced that we are simply hypocrites and that their initial assessment of us was right.

4. Start living with passion and zeal for the Lord. Christians with heavy feet and frowns aren’t very attractive. Please don’t hear me negate pain, suffering or tough times. I don’t, and never have, advocated a “pretend all is well” approach to life. But even in these hard situations we can and should praise God and live with an expectancy that God will do something great in and through us.

Prayer:-

Pray that God would bring revival and healing to the believers at church, at your church. Pray that there will be a growing passion and desire to worship with our entire lives, a desire to be holy in all things and a desire to spread the Word everywhere.

Get Into It!

Take time to ask God to make your life a well of abundant living water. Jot down what He puts on your heart.