Tag Archives: John 1

If Anyone Thirsts – Pastor Mike Spaulding

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Many readers and others who follow The Transforming Word Ministries know that for the year 2020 Kathy and I have been using CH Spurgeon’s devotional Morning and Evening Devotions. The spiritual wisdom Spurgeon was given by our Heavenly Father is the reason why his works have so long endured and been part of the encouragement and education of millions of believers.

Today’s reading focused on John 7:37 which says: “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.” As part of his commentary Spurgeon said:

The sinner must come to Jesus, not to works, ordinances, or doctrines, but to a personal Redeemer, who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree. The bleeding, dying, rising Savior, is the only star of hope to a sinner. Oh, for grace to come now and drink, ere the sun sets upon the year’s last day!

No waiting or preparation is so much as hinted at. Drinking represents a reception for which no fitness is required. A fool, a thief, a harlot can drink; and so sinfulness of character is no bar to the invitation to believe in Jesus. We want no golden cup, no bejeweled chalice, in which to convey the water to the thirsty; the mouth of poverty is welcome to stoop down and quaff the flowing flood. Blistered, leprous, filthy lips may touch the stream of divine love; they cannot pollute it, but shall themselves be purified. Jesus is the fount of hope. Dear, reader, hear the dear Redeemer’s loving voice as He cries to each one of us, “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink.

Jesus is the fount of hope!

 

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Matthew 3:13 – 4:11

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matthew-study

I remember reading a story last year during the annual fires that seem to rage uncontrolled through the forests out west.

One national magazine sent a photographer to take some pictures of the devastation. He was told to go to a certain small airport where a plane would be waiting for him.

When the photographer arrived at the airport he found a plane with engine idling waiting for him on the runway as promised. Hopping into the front seat of the two-seated plane the photographer told the pilot, “Ok, let’s go.”

Once they were airborne the photographer told the pilot, “Now, I want you to fly over the north front of the fire and make 3-4 low-level passes.”

The pilot looked at the photographer and asked “why?”

To which the photographer responded “because I want to get some close-up shots of the fire.”

With a “deer-in-the-headlights look” the man in the pilot’s seat said “you mean you’re not the instructor?”

Assumptions can be very dangerous!

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Our One Inalienable Right

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But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13

Here’s a news flash for our rights-obsessed American culture – rights must be rooted in an objective law that transcends individuals, ethnic groups, nations, and civilizations. Without an objective standard that transcends us all, we are left with roughly 330 million opinions.

The Bible tells us many things, not the least of which is not to think too highly of ourselves. I think a primary reason why we have so many aggrieved people in America today is pride. People do in fact think way too highly of themselves. That’s to be expected though when a theology of self-esteem rules the day.

When we become haughty we can miss out on what God wants to do in us and through us, thinking that a task is below us. How many people have you heard say they wanted to help around the church until they found out that the help needed was cleaning the restrooms or working in the nursery. I actually had a man tell me once that he didn’t want to do something because it wasn’t worth his time. This was a man who aspired to be a “leader.” He didn’t last very long at our church because he had no idea what a servant leader looked like.

The apostle John tells us that the primary right Christians must consider is the right to be called God’s children. When Christians make this right their focus, then pride evaporates and in its place arises a sense of humbleness and eagerness to serve our great God in any way He sees fit.

Friends that is a transforming truth.