Water Shortage

"Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" (John 7:38)

    As I write this we are without water, both at our home and at the church.  Apparently there is a problem with a waterline and fire hydrant nearby and the water needs to be shut off until they fix it.  Although inconvenient, I can't complain we didn't have fair warning this would happen.  Several days ago we received a notice that the water would be shut off form 8:00 Am until 2:00PM in order to work on this problem.   

  So while inconvenienced I'm holding onto the small good things in the midst of this.  Since I knew it would happen and when I could get ready early in the morning and not have to worry about that.  There is an end time so we won't be sitting around wondering if and when the water will be turned back on.  

  But while holding onto the "small blessings" there is no doubt that it's an inconvenience.  It's amazing how quickly, once we are denied something, we miss it.  The moment the water was turned off, I quickly realized how dependent I am on water. I became much more cognizant of my thirst (which was probably imagined) I couldn't use the sink to wash my hands, turn on the water to put on a put of coffee.  I couldn't even, if I needed to brush my teeth without going to the bottled water we've stored.  

    But we aren't just talking water. It's a part of the human condition that we miss what we are denied. Be told you can't eat and you automatically become hungry. There is no quicker way to create a desire to share secrets then to be told "You can't tell anyone."  It's just how we are. We crave what we don't have. 

   There are times we don't even know what we are craving. We just know there is something missing from our lives and we want it.  We are unable to put a name on it, we just know there is something we are missing. Something that completes our lives. Call it purpose, power, satisfaction or joy.  All we know is there is something missing we we need it.

    Most of us have known people who spend their looking for that elusive "one thing" that will make sense of it all .  That missing piece to the jigsaw puzzle of our lives. We try to fill it with good times and laughter, relationships work position and popularity. Some come close but nothing ever truly fits.

  Even as Christians we often have this struggle.  Some of us grow up in crush and our faith are as much a part of our DNA as the color of our eyes. Some of us came to faith in youth group or in church.  For some it was a slow realization that Jesus is Lord. For some of us we can point to the day and time when we accepted Jesus into our hearts.

   Regardless of how it happens ( and they are all legitimate) for most Christians there comes a time wen we say, "Is that it?"  is this all the Christian life has to offer me? I gave my life to Jesus , I had that  one moment and that's it?  Is this the Christan life? For many of us if we were to take an honest assessment of how we live, think, and behave the only difference between ourselves and the rest of the world is where we spend and hour or two  on Sunday morning. 

  And we know, we know deep down that this can't be all there is to our faith.  There seems to be a missing piece to our faith and  we crave it.  We don't know what it is but surely there has to be more to this life than what we have right now.  We know its real because we see other Christians who live a life far different than we do. There is a power, a peace a presence that seems denied to us.

  Look again at the words of Jesus at the top of the page.  Jesus tells us our problem is we have a water shortage.  Look at what Jesus says: "Anyone who believes in me" Jesus is talking to believers. They know who Jesus is. But Jesus says knowledge, perhaps even just faith isn't enough. At some point we must come and drink.  Jesus sees The Holy Spirit as a flowing river and we must come and drink. And the only way to drink is to stop holding Jesus at arms length.  We must embrace Him fully and completely and drink of the Holy Spirit. 

  It's a call to intimacy.  You can't drink something without it becoming a part of you.  But once we let down our guard and seek intimacy with Jesus invite the Holy Spirit to enter us, We begin to see just how thirsty we have become. We see how dry our lives become without our ever noticing.  We begin to understand this is what has been missing from our lives. We experience the power purpose and presence of the Spirit of Christ in our lives.

  But be careful. Never underestimate the over abundance of God.  Jesus says if you drink my water will flow though your life. Jesus promises to give you so much of Himself that you won't be able to hide or continue it.  It will flow out of, drench everything you do. Why does God do this? A part of it is simply the gracious nature of His Spirit. God always over gives of His blessings.  A part of  it is because he wants you to experience the joy of having a life completely drenched in his presence and spirit. 

  But its also because there are a lot of history people in the world. You live with them, work with them.  They are your neighbors and the faceless people you pas every day. Their lives are missing something.  They have a thirst that only Jesus can fulfill. And He wants to use you to drench their lives in grace and love. 

  The throne of Jesus suffers no water shortage. We can come and drink right now.   So plunge in.  Allow Jesus to drench your life, and the lives around you.

In Christ,

Rev. Dr. Brian Jones <><

Flooding The Church

"Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions." (Joel 2:28)

  "Oh by the way the basement is flooded." This is never the phrase you want to hear from one of your children, especially at 6:30 in the morning after a monsoon like rain.  "What do you mean eh basement is flooded?  I was just down there.", "Oh yeah there is like six inches of water."

  I started to get up, dreading what I would find while mentally calling our insurance agent.  But as my son continued, I realized it wasn't our home but the church basement that was under water. While this is still bad, knowing that we have mostly tile down there, and we had a custodian on duty and a great a business manager who is on top of these things, I breathed easier.  Odds are the problem was already being tended to.

  And it is. It will be cleaned up, although as our business manger said, it's a mess down there.  One of the problems you have with a flood is how indiscriminate it is. I suppose if the water would satisfy itself and stay contained to one area it would be easier to manage.  Maybe even ignore.

  But hat's not what floods do. When the water rises it goes everywhere. We once levied near an area that flooded easily.  Trust me it goes everywhere. Your yard house, basement bedroom. Flood waters are no respecters of person they don't' care how  attached you are to something it 's going to get wet and perhaps be damaged.

     Back in the summer we used this passage of Scripture in one of our worship services.  I've prayed  this promise of God would come true for us at Trinity. I've been praying  daily that God would pour out His Spirit on us.  And at the same time wondering why we don't see it more often.  We know God is a great finisher of promises. He never makes a promise that He does not keep.  Here He promises the Holy Spirit will be poured out on His people.  If that's true, where is it? Where is the out pouring of the Holy Spirit.

  The problem lies in the gap between what we ask for, and what we really want.  Most people who pray that the Holy Spirit would fall on them or their congregation are sincere about it. But what we envision is God turning on the tap. We envision just enough of God's spirit to quench our thirst. At least enough to get us through the week until we find ourselves at the well next Sunday. That would be optimum.  Satisfy me so I don't have to concern myself until we get together again.  We want the experience with the Holy Spirit to be satisfying, cool, refreshing and thirst quenching.  In fact to make it easier, we are even happy to be the one who control the tap.  I don't want too much of God lest He spill over into the rest of my life.

  But hat's not what God promises is it? Go back and read the Scripture again.  What God wants is to flood our lives with His Spirit. Look at how indiscriminate he is. It is poured out on men and women, young and old.  It's not just for the church leaders or the professional clergy. God's promises He will unleash a deluge of His Spirit on the church, on each of us individually.

  But like any flood it can't be contained. God doesn't just want to flood your worship time. he wants to flood our marriage, your work space, your friendships. There is literally no areas of your life He doesn't wish to flood with His Spirit. 

  The Holy Spirit is no respecter of your traditions. You may have a way do looking at life, a prejudice or a world view you have always held. When the Holy Spirit floods your life that all changes. You can't be touched by the Holy Spirit and leave untouched. 

  For most of us, that type of experience with God's presence is daunting.  We might lose control. We might be changed.  We have a sense it goes beyond simply feeling good on Sunday to having a life changing experience.  But it might not be worth it? Haven't you ever longed for something greater than you are right now.  have you never head the whisper that your life was meant for more then it is right now? That you were meant to experience something greater than you are right now? 

  Then let me encourage you to open yourself up to God's promise. Ask Him to flood your life with the Holy Spirit. Be drenched in His presence today. Let the flood come let us be swept away by God's love and Holiness. The flood's are coming, let us pray we don't isms it.

In Christ,
Rev. Dr. Brian Jones <><