Verse for the Day:
John 14:23
KJV: Jesus said, "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him and we will come unto him, and make our abode with Him.
NCV: Jesus answered, "If people love me, they will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
NIV: Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
AMP: Jesus answered, "If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word--obey My teaching; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him.
WE WILL ... MAKE OUR ABODE WITH HIM.
Note: Those who truly love Jesus and obey His words will experience the immediate presence and love of the Father and the Son. The Father and the Son come to believers by means of the Holy Spirit (see v.18 note). It should be noted that the Father's love is conditioned on our loving Jesus and being loyal to His Word.
I WILL COME TO YOU.
John 14:18
KJV: I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. NCV: I will not leave you all alone like orphans; I will come back to you.
Note: Jesus reveals Himself to the obedient believer through the Holy Spirit, who makes known the personal presence of Jesus in and with the one who loves Him (v.21). The Spirit makes us aware of the nearness of Jesus, the reality of His love, His blessing, and his Help. This is one of His primary tasks [first and important works]. Christ's coming to us by the Spirit should result in a response of love, worship and devotion.
[verse 14:21 "Those who know my commands and obey them are the ones who love me, and My Father will love those who love me. I will love them and will show myself to them." NCV]
Dorothy: Fresh Manna From Heaven comes from daily contact with Holy Spirit just as if Jesus and the Father are here altogether, working with me on Fresh Manna. Fresh Manna refresh, revive and energize my soul, spirit, and body. I pray for others to look up in Blogger and be refreshed, be revived and be energized by the Holy Spirit. We obey Holy Spirit Who urges us to look up His Word and urges us to give worship to the Father. Holy Spirit help us to obey Jesus' commands by looking up His Word. The Father will just love us. Jesus is our daily Fresh Manna From Heaven. The song will help us realize who Jesus is.
Song: Jesus is All the World to Me.
Jesus is all the world to me,
my life, my joy, my all.
He gives me strength from day to day
Without Him I would fall.
When I am sad to Him I go
No other one can feel me so
When I am sad.... He makes me glad,
He's... my... friend....
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Philemon 7
Walk in your healing and refresh others.
Philemon 1:7
NKJV: We have great joy and consolation in
your love, because the hearts of the saints
have been refreshed by your brother.
NCV: I have great joy and comfort, my brother,
because the love you have shown to God's people
has refreshed them.
AMP: For I have derived great joy and comfort
and encouragement from your love, because the
hearts of the saints [who are your fellow
Christians] have been cheered and refreshed
through you, [my] brother.
Dorothy: Paul wrote this letter to Philemon during his two-year being in prison in Rome. Philemon was saved under Paul's ministry. Paul wrote about Philemon's love and faith that has blessed him and it brought Paul great joy because Philemon has shown great love toward God's people. The word refresh means to revive, to bring energy. So Philemon's faith and love toward others has revived and brought energy to their spirits. Don't we need to do this toward others? We walk by faith for healing and we pray and love others. It will revive us. It will bring energy to our spirit and body. It will makes us feel good to pray for others so they too may be refreshed, revived and be energized. No wonder Jesus said, "Love one another as I have loved you." Jesus knew that loving one another does refresh us, revive us, and energize our bodies. Love one another also brings healing to our bodies. Doesn't Jesus' love revive us, refresh us, and we feel energized by His love? So walk in your healing and refresh others.
A man came to a big healing meeting because he had problem with his body and he needed healing from the Lord. As he was praying, in front of him, he saw the mother holding the baby on her shoulder. He knew the baby was very sick and he had compassion (felt touch and show mercy) and lay his hand on the baby. Instantly he felt the power of God went into his body and he was healed. So was the baby. The baby was refreshed, revived and energized from the prayer. He was also refreshed, revived, and energized through the healing power of the Lord. He gave his testimony later and that was how I heard his story of how he was healed by praying for the baby.
Let us love one another and pray for one another that we may be healed in Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen
Inspiration Song:
Jesus will lead me night and day,
Jesus will lead me all the way,
He is the truest Friend to me
For I remember Calvary.
Philemon 1:7
NKJV: We have great joy and consolation in
your love, because the hearts of the saints
have been refreshed by your brother.
NCV: I have great joy and comfort, my brother,
because the love you have shown to God's people
has refreshed them.
AMP: For I have derived great joy and comfort
and encouragement from your love, because the
hearts of the saints [who are your fellow
Christians] have been cheered and refreshed
through you, [my] brother.
Dorothy: Paul wrote this letter to Philemon during his two-year being in prison in Rome. Philemon was saved under Paul's ministry. Paul wrote about Philemon's love and faith that has blessed him and it brought Paul great joy because Philemon has shown great love toward God's people. The word refresh means to revive, to bring energy. So Philemon's faith and love toward others has revived and brought energy to their spirits. Don't we need to do this toward others? We walk by faith for healing and we pray and love others. It will revive us. It will bring energy to our spirit and body. It will makes us feel good to pray for others so they too may be refreshed, revived and be energized. No wonder Jesus said, "Love one another as I have loved you." Jesus knew that loving one another does refresh us, revive us, and energize our bodies. Love one another also brings healing to our bodies. Doesn't Jesus' love revive us, refresh us, and we feel energized by His love? So walk in your healing and refresh others.
A man came to a big healing meeting because he had problem with his body and he needed healing from the Lord. As he was praying, in front of him, he saw the mother holding the baby on her shoulder. He knew the baby was very sick and he had compassion (felt touch and show mercy) and lay his hand on the baby. Instantly he felt the power of God went into his body and he was healed. So was the baby. The baby was refreshed, revived and energized from the prayer. He was also refreshed, revived, and energized through the healing power of the Lord. He gave his testimony later and that was how I heard his story of how he was healed by praying for the baby.
Let us love one another and pray for one another that we may be healed in Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen
Inspiration Song:
Jesus will lead me night and day,
Jesus will lead me all the way,
He is the truest Friend to me
For I remember Calvary.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Ask And It Shall be Given
Song:
Ask and it shall be given;
Seek and you will find;
Knock, it shall be opened;
Says the Lord of hosts.
Matthew 7:7-8
NCV: 7 Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. 8 Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.
AMP: 7 Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking (reverently) and the door will be opened to you. 8 For every one who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking it will be opened.
Note: ASK... SEEK... KNOCK.
Jesus encourages perseverance in prayer. The tense of the Greek verbs in v. 8 designates continuous action. This means we must keep on asking, seeking, and knocking. Asking implies consciousness of need and the belief that God hears our prayer. Seeking implies earnest petitioning along with obedience to God's will. Knocking implies perseverance in coming to God when he does not respond quickly. Christ's assurance that those who ask will receive what they ask is based on:
(1) seeking first the kingdom of God (see 6:33,note);
(2) recognizing God's fatherly goodness and love (6:8; 7:11; John 15:16; 16:23, 26f; Col.1:9-12);
(3) praying in accordance with His will (Mark 11:24; John 21:22; 1John 5:14);
(4) maintaining fellowship with Christ (John 15:7); and
(5) obeying Christ (1 John 3:22).
Reading Matthew 7:9-12
Note: YOUR FATHER ... GIVE GOOD THINGS.
Christ promises that the Father in heaven will not disappoint His children. He loves us even more than a good earthly father and wants us to ask Him for whatever we need, promising to give us what is good. He desires to provide solutions for our problems and bread for our daily need. And most of all, He gives the Holy Spirit to His children as their Helper. (Luke 11:13; John 14:16-18).
Prayer: May the Lord open our hearts to hear the Word of Jesus telling us to ask, seek and knock to our Heavenly Father even if we felt like "giving up". Even if we felt like God is not hearing us because our needs are not always met. Let us believe Jesus' Word (Matthew 7:11) that our Father Who is in heaven is willing to give good things to us that ask him. We are at "war" with our flesh who are tempted to doubt that God would do anything. Let the Holy Spirit, the living water, flows inside our inner spirit and speak the languages that God wants to speak through you, to release you, and to set you free from the oppression of Satan. Get in the flow of the Spirit's moving and let the healing flows upon our flesh and be at peace knowing that God has heard our cries and He has heard our prayers. Believe Jesus' Word and be set free from demons' oppression. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
Ask and it shall be given;
Seek and you will find;
Knock, it shall be opened;
Says the Lord of hosts.
Matthew 7:7-8
NCV: 7 Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. 8 Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.
AMP: 7 Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking (reverently) and the door will be opened to you. 8 For every one who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking it will be opened.
Note: ASK... SEEK... KNOCK.
Jesus encourages perseverance in prayer. The tense of the Greek verbs in v. 8 designates continuous action. This means we must keep on asking, seeking, and knocking. Asking implies consciousness of need and the belief that God hears our prayer. Seeking implies earnest petitioning along with obedience to God's will. Knocking implies perseverance in coming to God when he does not respond quickly. Christ's assurance that those who ask will receive what they ask is based on:
(1) seeking first the kingdom of God (see 6:33,note);
(2) recognizing God's fatherly goodness and love (6:8; 7:11; John 15:16; 16:23, 26f; Col.1:9-12);
(3) praying in accordance with His will (Mark 11:24; John 21:22; 1John 5:14);
(4) maintaining fellowship with Christ (John 15:7); and
(5) obeying Christ (1 John 3:22).
Reading Matthew 7:9-12
Note: YOUR FATHER ... GIVE GOOD THINGS.
Christ promises that the Father in heaven will not disappoint His children. He loves us even more than a good earthly father and wants us to ask Him for whatever we need, promising to give us what is good. He desires to provide solutions for our problems and bread for our daily need. And most of all, He gives the Holy Spirit to His children as their Helper. (Luke 11:13; John 14:16-18).
Prayer: May the Lord open our hearts to hear the Word of Jesus telling us to ask, seek and knock to our Heavenly Father even if we felt like "giving up". Even if we felt like God is not hearing us because our needs are not always met. Let us believe Jesus' Word (Matthew 7:11) that our Father Who is in heaven is willing to give good things to us that ask him. We are at "war" with our flesh who are tempted to doubt that God would do anything. Let the Holy Spirit, the living water, flows inside our inner spirit and speak the languages that God wants to speak through you, to release you, and to set you free from the oppression of Satan. Get in the flow of the Spirit's moving and let the healing flows upon our flesh and be at peace knowing that God has heard our cries and He has heard our prayers. Believe Jesus' Word and be set free from demons' oppression. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
Friday, July 4, 2008
God's Grace
Song: Grace Greater Than Our Sin
Chorus:
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
Verse:
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was split.
[Julia Johnston & Daniel Towner]
What the Bible has to say about 'The Grace of God'.
Ephesians 1:5-8a
5 Because of His love, God has already decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. That was what he wanted and what pleased Him, 6 and it brings praise to God because of his wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely, in Christ, the Ones He loves. 7 In Christ we are set free by the blood of his death, and so we have forgiveness of sins. How rich is God's grace, 8a which He has given to us so fully and freely.
What was God's goal to carry out His plan?
Ephesians 1:8b-12
8b God, with full wisdom and understanding, 9 let us know his secret purpose. This was what God wanted, and He planned to do it through Christ. 10 His goal was to carry out his plan, when the right time came, that all things in heaven and on earth would be joined together in Christ as the head. 11 In Christ we were chosen to be God's people, because from the very beginning God had decided this in keeping with his plan. And He is the One who makes everything agree with what He decides and wants. 12 We are the first people who hoped in Christ, and we were chosen so that we would bring praise to God's glory.
The answer: When the right time came, all things in heaven and on earth will be joined together in Christ.
The Scripture says that God put his special mark of ownership on us, what was it?
Ephesians 1:13-14
13 So it is with you, when you heard the true teaching--the Good News about your salvation--you believed in Christ. And in Christ, God put his special mark of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit that he had promised. 14 The Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we will receive what God promised for his people until God gives full freedom to those who are His--to bring praise to God's glory.
The answer was: By giving us the Holy Spirit.
Dorothy: What this means to me? Oh, God's grace that is greater than all our sins. In the days of Noah when he built an ark for 120 years, he kept seeing sins of people every day. But Noah stayed true to God and finally he was taken away from the earth and God send the flood to destroy the earth. Jesus said, "As the in the days of Noah, so shall the Son of Man be." It means He will come to take us away soon from all the trouble that is going on. Let us be at peace and trust Him in all we do. Amen.
Chorus:
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
Verse:
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was split.
[Julia Johnston & Daniel Towner]
What the Bible has to say about 'The Grace of God'.
Ephesians 1:5-8a
5 Because of His love, God has already decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. That was what he wanted and what pleased Him, 6 and it brings praise to God because of his wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely, in Christ, the Ones He loves. 7 In Christ we are set free by the blood of his death, and so we have forgiveness of sins. How rich is God's grace, 8a which He has given to us so fully and freely.
What was God's goal to carry out His plan?
Ephesians 1:8b-12
8b God, with full wisdom and understanding, 9 let us know his secret purpose. This was what God wanted, and He planned to do it through Christ. 10 His goal was to carry out his plan, when the right time came, that all things in heaven and on earth would be joined together in Christ as the head. 11 In Christ we were chosen to be God's people, because from the very beginning God had decided this in keeping with his plan. And He is the One who makes everything agree with what He decides and wants. 12 We are the first people who hoped in Christ, and we were chosen so that we would bring praise to God's glory.
The answer: When the right time came, all things in heaven and on earth will be joined together in Christ.
The Scripture says that God put his special mark of ownership on us, what was it?
Ephesians 1:13-14
13 So it is with you, when you heard the true teaching--the Good News about your salvation--you believed in Christ. And in Christ, God put his special mark of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit that he had promised. 14 The Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we will receive what God promised for his people until God gives full freedom to those who are His--to bring praise to God's glory.
The answer was: By giving us the Holy Spirit.
Dorothy: What this means to me? Oh, God's grace that is greater than all our sins. In the days of Noah when he built an ark for 120 years, he kept seeing sins of people every day. But Noah stayed true to God and finally he was taken away from the earth and God send the flood to destroy the earth. Jesus said, "As the in the days of Noah, so shall the Son of Man be." It means He will come to take us away soon from all the trouble that is going on. Let us be at peace and trust Him in all we do. Amen.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Jesus Breaks Every Chains
Song:
Jesus breaks every fetter (chains),
Jesus breaks every fetter (bondage),
Jesus breaks every fetter (traps),
And He sets me free.
I will rest on His promise,
I will rest (trust) on His promise,
I will rest (lean) on His promise,
Which has given to me.
I will shout "Hallelujah!"
I will shout "Hallelujah!"
I will shout "Hallelujah!"
For He sets me free.
Galatians 5:1a
NCV We have freedom now, because Christ made
us free. So stand strong.
Dorothy:
Mark 5:1-20 was about "A Man with Demons Inside Him". KJV verse 4 says, "he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plunked asunder (broken, separate) by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him." The word fetters means shackle or chains for the feet, anything that keeps him from running. A man broke the chains that tied his hands and his feet broke off the 'fetters'. Still the demons 'chained' inside that man that he was not able to be set freed. He lives in the mountains, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
Until one day, Jesus came and commanded the demons who had bound that man, to come out of him. GOOD NEWS! He was free. He sat down, and he had his clothes on. He had a wonderful peace of mind. Have you ever felt "chains" inside of you? Good news! Jesus breaks every chains inside of us and set us free. So I pray that our inner spirits are set free through the name of Jesus and every demons must bow to the name of Jesus and set us free in Jesus' name. Amen.
Prayer song:
Set my spirit free that I might worship Thee.
Set my spirit free that I might praise Thy name.
Let all bondage go, and let deliverance flow.
Set my spirit free to worship Thee.
Jesus breaks every fetter (chains),
Jesus breaks every fetter (bondage),
Jesus breaks every fetter (traps),
And He sets me free.
I will rest on His promise,
I will rest (trust) on His promise,
I will rest (lean) on His promise,
Which has given to me.
I will shout "Hallelujah!"
I will shout "Hallelujah!"
I will shout "Hallelujah!"
For He sets me free.
Galatians 5:1a
NCV We have freedom now, because Christ made
us free. So stand strong.
Dorothy:
Mark 5:1-20 was about "A Man with Demons Inside Him". KJV verse 4 says, "he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plunked asunder (broken, separate) by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him." The word fetters means shackle or chains for the feet, anything that keeps him from running. A man broke the chains that tied his hands and his feet broke off the 'fetters'. Still the demons 'chained' inside that man that he was not able to be set freed. He lives in the mountains, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
Until one day, Jesus came and commanded the demons who had bound that man, to come out of him. GOOD NEWS! He was free. He sat down, and he had his clothes on. He had a wonderful peace of mind. Have you ever felt "chains" inside of you? Good news! Jesus breaks every chains inside of us and set us free. So I pray that our inner spirits are set free through the name of Jesus and every demons must bow to the name of Jesus and set us free in Jesus' name. Amen.
Prayer song:
Set my spirit free that I might worship Thee.
Set my spirit free that I might praise Thy name.
Let all bondage go, and let deliverance flow.
Set my spirit free to worship Thee.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Stop! And Let Me Tell You
Song:
Stop! And let me tell you
What the good Lord's done for me;
Stop! And let me tell you
How the good Lord set me free,
For He has healed my body & saved my soul,
Baptized me and made me whole;
Stop! And let me tell you
What the good Lord's done for me.
(This song is good when you have someone
walking toward the stage, you get up, follow
the person and tap the shoulder, "Stop" and
go on singing. They would be surprised and
impressed, too.)
Dorothy:
I could think of one story of Jesus who
was walking with many people around Him.
Somebody had touched the border of his
garment and He stopped walking. He said,
Who touched Me? Peter was surprised and
said, "What? There are people all around
touching You." Jesus said, "No, this was
a special touch because I felt the power
went out of me." The woman came to Jesus
and told Him what she did. Jesus was
impressed and said to her, "Go in peace
because it was your faith that made you
whole". She was the one that stopped Jesus
from walking and she received her healing.
This story is found in Luke 8:43-48.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for this story
of hope. And give us strength not to give up
believing in Your Son, Jesus whom we could touch
Him by faith. Thank you for giving us strength to
be like this woman who was determined to be healed.
Holy Spirit, help us to remember God's promises of
healing power that belong to us, in Jesus' name. Amen!
Stop! And let me tell you
What the good Lord's done for me;
Stop! And let me tell you
How the good Lord set me free,
For He has healed my body & saved my soul,
Baptized me and made me whole;
Stop! And let me tell you
What the good Lord's done for me.
(This song is good when you have someone
walking toward the stage, you get up, follow
the person and tap the shoulder, "Stop" and
go on singing. They would be surprised and
impressed, too.)
Dorothy:
I could think of one story of Jesus who
was walking with many people around Him.
Somebody had touched the border of his
garment and He stopped walking. He said,
Who touched Me? Peter was surprised and
said, "What? There are people all around
touching You." Jesus said, "No, this was
a special touch because I felt the power
went out of me." The woman came to Jesus
and told Him what she did. Jesus was
impressed and said to her, "Go in peace
because it was your faith that made you
whole". She was the one that stopped Jesus
from walking and she received her healing.
This story is found in Luke 8:43-48.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for this story
of hope. And give us strength not to give up
believing in Your Son, Jesus whom we could touch
Him by faith. Thank you for giving us strength to
be like this woman who was determined to be healed.
Holy Spirit, help us to remember God's promises of
healing power that belong to us, in Jesus' name. Amen!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
I Need Thee
Song: I Need Thee Every Hour
I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord,
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford;
I need Thee, O I need Thee, every hour I need Thee!
O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee. --Hawks
Philippians 4:19
My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Devotion: "Absolute Needs"
From our first breath until our last, we have few truly essential needs. Without oxygen, we would perish in minutes. We must have food and water. Our bodies, when exhausted, require rest. And in harsh weather, we must seek shelter. So, while we are needy creatures, our basic needs are few.
When it comes to our wants, however, there seems to be no limit. Indeed, the entire advertising industry is devoted to expanding our "needs."
But what about those basic needs we overlook? What about our need for the Bread of Life and the living water of God's truth? What about our need for spiritual fellowship that gives strength, hope, peace, and comfort? The vague dissatisfaction so many people experience is really spiritual malnutrition and thirst.
Jesus told a Samaritan woman about the water that would become "a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14). He had what she truly needed--what Peter later called "the words of eternal life" (6:68).
Have we been ignoring the words of Jesus: "Man shall not live by bread alone"? (Luke 4:4). Have we been failing to nourish our souls while pursuing our wants? "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righeousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matt. 6:33). --Vernon Grounds, RBC Ministries, "Our Daily Bread."
Just as our body needs daily food, so does our spirit.
John 4:7-15 Reading New Century Version
7When a Samaritan woman came to the well to get some water, Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." 8[This happened while Jesus' followers were in town buying some food.] 9The woman said, "I am surprised that you ask me for a drink, since you are a Jewish man and I am a Samaritan woman." [Jewish people are not friends with Samaritans.] 10Jesus said, "If you only knew the free gift of God and who it is that is asking you for water, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." 11The woman said, "Sir, where will you get this living water? The well is very deep, and you have nothing to get water with. 12Are you greater than Jacob, our father, who gave us this well and drank from it himself along with his sons and flocks?" 13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I will give will never be thirsty. The water I give will become a spring of water gushing up inside that person, giving eternal life." 15The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so I will never be thirsty again and will not have to come back here to get more water."
I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord,
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford;
I need Thee, O I need Thee, every hour I need Thee!
O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee. --Hawks
Philippians 4:19
My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Devotion: "Absolute Needs"
From our first breath until our last, we have few truly essential needs. Without oxygen, we would perish in minutes. We must have food and water. Our bodies, when exhausted, require rest. And in harsh weather, we must seek shelter. So, while we are needy creatures, our basic needs are few.
When it comes to our wants, however, there seems to be no limit. Indeed, the entire advertising industry is devoted to expanding our "needs."
But what about those basic needs we overlook? What about our need for the Bread of Life and the living water of God's truth? What about our need for spiritual fellowship that gives strength, hope, peace, and comfort? The vague dissatisfaction so many people experience is really spiritual malnutrition and thirst.
Jesus told a Samaritan woman about the water that would become "a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:14). He had what she truly needed--what Peter later called "the words of eternal life" (6:68).
Have we been ignoring the words of Jesus: "Man shall not live by bread alone"? (Luke 4:4). Have we been failing to nourish our souls while pursuing our wants? "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righeousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matt. 6:33). --Vernon Grounds, RBC Ministries, "Our Daily Bread."
Just as our body needs daily food, so does our spirit.
John 4:7-15 Reading New Century Version
7When a Samaritan woman came to the well to get some water, Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." 8[This happened while Jesus' followers were in town buying some food.] 9The woman said, "I am surprised that you ask me for a drink, since you are a Jewish man and I am a Samaritan woman." [Jewish people are not friends with Samaritans.] 10Jesus said, "If you only knew the free gift of God and who it is that is asking you for water, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." 11The woman said, "Sir, where will you get this living water? The well is very deep, and you have nothing to get water with. 12Are you greater than Jacob, our father, who gave us this well and drank from it himself along with his sons and flocks?" 13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I will give will never be thirsty. The water I give will become a spring of water gushing up inside that person, giving eternal life." 15The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so I will never be thirsty again and will not have to come back here to get more water."
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