River of Life

At camp we used to sing, “I have a river of life flowing out of me”. I have taken this devotion from Amir’s Bible Bites to share with you because it is so true and explains truth concerning the river of Life so clearly.

“The Dead Sea will one day be made alive by the river of life flowing from the throne of GOD.”

You too can be made alive by faith in the One from whom living water flows.

People who do not accept JESUS are dead in sin and will be cast into the everlasting lake of fire at the White Throne Judgment, just before GOD makes the new heavens and earth.

The Bible also tells us that the dead in hell will see, the dead can feel, and the dead can understand what is happening to them.

But once you’re dead it’s too late to do anything about your circumstance, because then you can only see and feel and understand. What you cannot do is change anything.

So while you’re still alive, believe in HIM (JESUS) and allow that river of living water that will completely change who you are to flow out of you (John 7:38-39).

And just as the Dead Sea is going to become a living lake with living creatures in it, your heart can be transformed from stone into flesh. Your soul can be revived. Your life can change, and you can have eternal life. But only if you trust in HIM, in Yeshua (JESUS), our salvation.

“if you confess with your mouth JESUS is LORD (Ruler/ Master), and believe in your heart that GOD raised HIM from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation…For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Romans 10:9-10, 13).

As JESUS said, If you only believe in Me, from your bellies rivers of living water will flow” (John 7:38-39) /from Amir’s Bible Bites /Amir Tsarfati

Why did HE come?

You tell me, why did JESUS come to earth in a human body?

Hebrews 2:16 “For surely it is not angels HE helps, but Abraham’s descendants.’  

Romans 4:16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

Why did JESUS put aside HIS glory and position of equal status with GOD our FATHER and the HOLY SPIRIT in heaven and humble HIMSELF and take on a human body and then die for our sins?

In my last post I mentioned 3 reasons JESUS came. 1) to do the will of GOD the FATHER (Hebrews 10:7) 2) to save us (humans) from our sins (Matthew 1:21), and 3) to destroy the work of the devil.

1 John 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of GOD was manifested, that HE might destroy the works of the devil.

In this post I would like to show another reason JESUS came to earth as a human person.  JESUS spoke of this reason at HIS trial before the Romans.

 John 18:37-38 “…JESUS answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the TRUTH. Everyone on the side of TRUTH listens to me. Pilate said unto HIM, What is TRUTH?”

Another reason JESUS came to earth was to testify to the TRUTH.

Several of us gather together to answer Pilate’s question – What is TRUTH?

In our discussions, some asking questions and others answering them and the basis for most of us is the Bible.  We choose to use the Bible as our source because it is impossible for GOD to lie (Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18) for HE is a GOD of TRUTH (Deuteronomy 32:4). Therefore, HIS word (dictated to men by the GOD the HOLY SPIRIT also named the SPIRIT of TRUTH (2 Peter 1:21, John 16:13) is TRUTH and changes those who are willing to receive it and apply it to their lives.

John 17:17  Sanctify them through YOUR truth: YOUR word is TRUTH.

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of GOD is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Sometimes it is hard to understand why GOD does and says the things HE does and says.  That is because HIS perception and ways are infinitely higher than the heavens above our human reasonings and our human ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).  That is because HE knows all things-Past, present and future.

Being we are limited in our understanding, we are told the just shall live by faith.

Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.”

Romans 1:17 “For in it the righteousness of GOD is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Hebrews 11:1 “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.”

Romans 10:17  “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of GOD”.

John 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld HIS glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and TRUTH.

John 8:31-32 Then said JESUS to those … which believed on HIM, If you continue in MY Word, then are you MY disciples indeed; And you shall know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH shall make you free.

John 14:6  JESUS said, I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by ME.

JESUS  “who being the brightness of HIS (GOD the FATHER’s) glory and the express image of HIS person, (Hebrews 1:3) we see they share the same nature.  We have seen that evidenced in seeing that GOD the FATHER, GOD the SON and GOD the SPIRIT are all TRUTH.  That TRUTH is revealed to us through GOD’s Word.  That’s why we read and study our Bible.

When we learn of GOD the FATHER, our LORD JESUS CHRIST and even the HOLY SPIRIT we learn the TRUTH.

How do you think that I, as the teacher in these gatherings react when I hear someone say, “I know the Bible says that but I don’t think it is so.  Note: the bible says the teacher will be judged with greater strictness by GOD (James 3:1).  Does it not stand in reason that I must speak out?

Lamentations 3:40 “Let us search (GOD’s Word) and try our ways and turn again to the LORD”.

Hugs

Sharon

How to apply

Applying what GOD tells us to do is so important.

The Word of GOD creates faith if received, but sometimes knowing how a command found in the Word of GOD is to be enacted is difficult, so we have to dig a bit to find out.  Often by finding out the meaning of the words in their original language helps me know how to apply the Word to my life.  And anyone can do that by looking them up in a Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance or any Bible ‘word-study’ book.

With my daughter in the hospital, one great-grandson with 2 strains of flu and facing heart surgery plus multiple other serious problems with other family members I was excited this morning when looking up the Hebrew of be still in Psalm 46:20 to learn the meaning of that command.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth (Psalm 46:10).

The original Hebrew in this verse for ‘Be still’ means ‘desist and let go.’ In other words, ‘stop trying to control’ 

So, as we bring our concerns to GOD in prayer, we are to release them completely to GOD in faith knowing/trusting that GOD knows what to do and really cares.

Hugs,

Sharon