I listened to three teachings on “Rivers of Living Water” from John 7:38 this Sunday, just random teachers but within their message, that thread kept cropping up. You all probably remember well the story of Saul, the blasphemer, and persecutor of Jesus. He was knocked off his high horse on the road to Damascus when he was on the way to continue his work there. He was blinded by the marvelous light which was Jesus who confronted him, I love the part where once Jesus told him who He was said, “Lord what do you want me to do”. Once Jesus revealed the mission his now mute friends led him into Damascus and to a house on Straight Street. My dad once said that I needed to straighten up and fly right. Jesus converted Paul and immediately put him on a path called Straight!!!! Many times I think churches get the order wrong, some of them teach that you must clean up your life (live by their rules) in order to be saved. I think God wants us to change our position to that of a child of God which will change our desires and consequently change our actions. When God sent Ananias to Paul to heal his sight he also baptized him with The Holy Spirit and set him on a Straight path. Isn’t that cool. After this Paul went into seminary (God forbid) in that he went into disciple mode and learned from Jesus Himself about the Kingdom of God. The rest of the story as Paul Harvey used to say may be found in the 13 books of the New Testament which Paul wrote. Among many themes in these books, one stands out everywhere, out of him flows rivers of living water!!! Which brings up a few questions for us.
- Have you had your Straight street experience? Meaning, have you been baptized in The Holy Spirit and filled with His power?
- Have you spent time (much) in God’s word as His disciple?
- Why were you saved? Sanctified? And filled?
Scripture makes it clear that we were called out and saved for His purpose which of course is to spread the Gospel worldwide. What are we doing today that is more important than that? Let’s all of us get on the straight and narrow and become rivers of living water for a dying world. May God bless you and keep you. Jim
LIFE does not meet tonight but we will gather at our house on the 15th (in person) for our completion of Hebrews. And I am still looking for ideas for a gathering on the 5th Tuesday which is the 29th.