Thursday, December 3, 2015

My Simplistic Mind

John‬ ‭4:14‬ ‭- ...but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.



Today on my walk in my favorite park, I started at the old quarry, like I usually do. It has been made into a lake, Trout Lake. In a couple of small coves the Canadian geese congregate each morning to chat before flying off someplace. And there they were, honking, splashing and congregating. 

I started taking a path through the woods and was alongside a stream. At one part of the stream it opened up to a swampy area and there were more geese just bobbing around in the water or sitting on exposed logs. So I followed the gently flowing, relaxing stream along the path when all of a sudden I realized I was taking picture after picture of the water. I came upon a very small waterfall and it was beautiful. Snap, another picture. Video too. 

Before I knew it my mind went right to the things of God. It dawned on me this water, which was so peaceful to listen to, was like streams of living water that flow from the very throne of God and that Jesus is our living water. If we drink of Him we will never be thirsty. We will be refreshed. I got to thanking and praising Him for the new, eternal life He has given me. 

He provides what we need. He gives us peace. He will, in due time(s), give us the strength we need. If we are truly following Him He will give us the wisdom and discernment for all our situations. 

I thank Him that I can look at what's going on in this world and see it through His eyes. I don’t know how others feel about the world situation or whether they try to figure out what has caused it to happen, but my simple mind just always goes right back to Genesis. 

When God created all things and then created man to enter into this world to subdue it and live in harmony with God and His creation, that was the perfect life He desired for us to have. We all know what went wrong…a serpent entered into their garden, hung by a certain tree, tempting Eve, and changed their world in a heartbeat…by a mere bite of a piece of forbidden fruit. End of paradise. That’s my simple explanation. The rest is history. All pride, hatred, self-centeredness, immorality, killing and so much more, came to be. 

So over 6,000 years later here we are, reaping in even greater measure. None of it has been a surprise to God. He has tried and was able to get His people to be obedient time after time, but He also saw the failures of man. Self-will was just too great. Self! Me this, me that. Gimme, gimme, gimme. These all come from that same serpent from the Garden. And we listen, just like Eve did, like Adam decided to also do. The temptation to do as we wish is so great. 

So what does any of this have to do with my walk and the stream. The living water, of course. I don’t have all the answers for what goes on in the world. But Jesus does. He has called us, as hard as it is sometimes, many times, to love our enemies. How do we do that when they hate us? How do we do that when some hearts are drawn to evil? Even God hated what had happened. We are to forgive because He will avenge some day, like He did in Noah's day when the world was in a similar situation as ours.
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD (Genesis‬ ‭6:5-8‬)

The Book of Revelation shows us that there will be another time like the days of Noah above. We will not be deluged by rain but by fire.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
‭‭(2Peter‬ ‭3:10).  So, how will we fare in the eyes of the Lord on that day?

The Bible tells us that purification is by fire. Israel was tested through affliction. We are definitely experiencing some affliction in this world. When this final fire arrives, God's purification will take place. All evil will be removed and that serpent in his rightful place with a fitting name, the Lake of Fire. And others will be there too. But, if we stand fast on God's Word, trust Him for the future, stand by His truth, believing all He says, we will come through this fire...into a new world, a pure world, with an honest, just, loving ruler, Jesus Christ Himself. We will reign with Him! 

So my simple mind is believing what He says will come to pass. He has given us the signs. If we search scripture we will see and understand by the power of His Spirit what those signs are. I believe we are seeing signs day by day. I do not believe things will ever be back to normal. And how do I feel about that? Come, Lord Jesus! If you do not see this, it is time to acknowledge Him, repent of your sins, turn from them, and follow Him. He will then show you.

My simple mind (come as little children, Jesus says) believes in Jesus as the living water. I drink from those living streams. I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know who is holding me. That's not in the Bible but the concept is there. Who do you trust? Another person, yourself, a job, money, government? Or do you choose to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, who knows the times and the seasons, beginning from the end because He IS the Beginning and the End. He was there in Genesis and He was there at the writing of Revelation, announcing His return, and what we will see prior to that. That time is near (Revelation 1:3, Revelation 22:10) He has told us many times the time is near. Jesus said three times He is coming soon. Do you believe it? He HAS shown us in His Word. It has played out before. Like the Ark's door closed, the next door will close permanently. Jesus is that door. God holds the power to close it. 

Don't be a scoffer and claim you've heard this all before and He hasn't returned yet. His plans have been taking shape. He will. It's been prophesied many times. In our Revelation class this was said: God's judgment on unbelievers is certain, final and inescapable. Remember that fire? Inescapable. We also heard this: We are not experiencing out of control events [in this world]; it is all part of God’s plan. He WILL return. We all need to be ready. 

Isaiah‬ ‭46:8-10,12-13‬ ‭- Remember this, and show yourselves men; recall to mind, O you transgressors. Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure... Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness: I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger...."
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