God's Spirit Is Living Water

Good afternoon, everyone! It's good to be with you. Did you have a good morning? A good lunch? Oh, thank you. Sure appreciated the choir! That was really wonderful! We had something to pep us up this afternoon before I put you to sleep. Well, no, before we continue to keep you awake here this afternoon. I hope you're doing really well. We bring greetings from the home office in Cincinnati. We are in the area this time because our nephew got married yesterday, and so we're down in the Granite area. And so we celebrated with my wife's sister's oldest got married yesterday. So we had a nice family get together and had an opportunity to help celebrate their wedding. So we're here without any horses for a change. So how do you like that? So that was really nice. So hopefully you're doing great. Things are really moving along back in Cincinnati. We just finished our Ambassador Bible Center school year, and so last Sunday they had their graduation. So we graduated 25 students from the Ambassador Bible Center. So that was an exciting time. It was a big occasion. We had a couple of students that were from the area. One of them was Charles Wilson, graduated from Ambassador Bible Center. And of course, his mom and dad are here today from the Tulsa area. So that was exciting. We sure appreciated him being out there. Added some zest and zeal to our class. And so that was really a lot of fun. We had a lot of students from all over. We had international students as well. Students from as far away as the Netherlands and Columbia as well. So it was quite a diverse class and one that we're really going to miss. It got kind of quiet this last week around the office a little bit with the students heading their various ways. But it was an exciting time as well. Now we're looking forward to the next class coming in. I think we've got about 22 students that are signed up at the moment, hopefully projecting about 30-plus students that will be there in the fall. So we're looking forward to that. Of course, you may wonder, what in the world am I doing in Cincinnati?

I do pastor the AM and the PM congregations there in Cincinnati as well. So we started that in August. So we've only been there since August full time and still sorting through things, trying to finally ultimately get situated there. So we're looking forward to that. Enjoying being in Cincinnati is quite different from where we were in Minnesota. It feels a little bit different. The layout's a little bit different in the land as well.

So we're still sorting through some of those kinds of things, but really enjoying being there as well. Kind of interesting, we've been also working with the Beyond Today program. And sometimes, especially as Mr. Welch was mentioning in some of his comments a little bit earlier this morning, sometimes you forget what God can do. He can do some pretty amazing things, things that you don't really expect sometimes. We were sitting at the wedding and we were talking to my brother-in-law.

And he doesn't have much to do with religion at all. Not really a religious kind of guy, one that you wouldn't strike that way at all. And he said, yeah, I was going through my TV remote the other day and I saw you on TV.

I said, oh, what did you do? Just keep going? He said, no, no, I actually stopped and watched. And so we talked about it a little bit. Come to find out he's actually watching the program. And he said, now you're not on there all the time. He said, I missed you when you weren't on there. He said, well, there's three of us, you know, we kind of share things a little bit. He said, yeah, but I am watching. And just took me back a little bit because I hadn't really expected my brother-in-law. We've never talked religion. And so it was just a little surprising that that would come up. And then sure enough, later in the day, I was talking to an ex-brother-in-law who was also at the wedding. And so we got to talking a little bit and he's a school principal. As we were talking a little bit, he said, oh, by the way, you know, how are things going? I said, well, you know, but it wasn't sure exactly where he was going with the conversation. Well, it was going pretty well. He said, no, I mean, with your ministry. I said, well, we're just getting situated in Cincinnati. And he said, no, wait a second. You guys have an amazing website. And so I was kind of surprised by that. And then he said, you also have a big TV ministry. Those were his words. Not exactly the words that I would use, but words that he used. And I was surprised by that. And we talked about that for a little bit then. And he had actually watched some of the programs as well. And so those were two people that I'm kind of related to that I had no idea that were and weren't watching because of me. They just came across the program and started watching. And so I think it was an amazing reminder for me that God can do some tremendous things. And sometimes we forget the power that God can use through His Spirit to draw people. And people that maybe you wouldn't expect and maybe things over time that God can do some powerful things. And so I think that's something I'd really encourage you to pray about if you would, that God would move through His Spirit and have that gospel message preached. That people would listen. Because we're having some opportunities now, I think, that we've really never had in the past. We do have an amazing website, and it is really a powerful website. We've got some technical people that work at the home office that are phenomenal. They can even make us look good. And they are amazing! We have some technical people that work on the program that have tremendous ideas. And we've got a long way to go. There are so many possibilities of things that we can do, and we can do them so much better. And yet we have people who are talented and have some amazing insight that are able to do things in a way that really are interesting. And ways that can preach the gospel in some ways that we've never really had an opportunity to do in the past. And so I think that's something we can pray about, that God could use all of those. And not only people at the home office, but all of us. I mean, opportunities that each of us as members have to preach the gospel and be that shining light. And oftentimes it might be just a word to say that, you know, have you ever thought about this? Because our examples really set an example, and they're a shining light to the world around us. And so don't ever underestimate what God can do through your life, because He can do some powerful things.

And so it's not just people in Cincinnati doing these things. It's you and I as well. All of us together. We're the body of Christ. And as a body, God can use every single one of us to preach a powerful lesson. So don't ever sell God short with what He can do through each one of us. And so I certainly encourage you to pray that God would use you in a way to call people, in a way to open people's minds, in a way that I can't do it. Because you know people that I don't know. So who are they going to listen to? You or me? They're going to listen to you, because you work where you work. I can't come into your job and say hi and get to know these people the way that you can. So you're that example. You're the light that is in your area. So those are important things that every one of us can do. Yeah, once people are interested, well, then there's literature, there's websites, there's programs, there's all kinds of different things that can appeal to them and can help in the process. But it might just be your example, that is that initial tool that God uses to call people. One of the other things I might ask you to pray about as well, we've been doing this daily video blog that we've been doing. We've had some interesting opportunities now, especially since we're in an election year here in the United States. The candidates seem to be saying all kinds of different things that are giving us opportunities to speak out on some things in a way that we haven't had an opportunity to speak out on. So one good example. Of course, the president came out about two weeks ago in favor of gay marriage. And then, of course, his opponent decided, no, I'm against gay marriage. Then a couple of days later, they were digging up video that the president used to be against gay marriage, and Mitt Romney used to be for gay marriage. So they're going back and forth on these things. So we had an opportunity on these daily blogs to say, you know, God doesn't flip-flop. He says one thing, and he's been consistent all the way through. And so we've been able to make a stand, sometimes a pretty strong stand, against these things. So we certainly do ask for your prayers, because we don't want to come off political. The word of God isn't a political message. It's a spiritual message. And so we're not against gay marriage, because we're conservative Republicans. You know, we're not Republicans. We are Christians. And so we want to come off with the message of God, His kingdom, not our message, not a political message. And so we certainly could use your prayers in that regard, that we would preach the word, and that we'd be doing it in season and out of season, in the way that it needs to be. And so we're having those opportunities to say things. And it is a unique message, really, when you think about it.

When you think about most religion out there, if they're going to come out against gays or against gay marriage, they're going to condemn them to the fires of hell forever. But that's not what the Bible teaches. The Bible listed in 1 Corinthians 6, it tells you very plainly that there were covetors, and there were idolaters, and there were thieves, and there were homosexuals that were in the church at Corinth.

Now, they weren't practicing thieves, and they weren't practicing sodomites. They became converted. And so that's a message of hope. That's a message that's totally different than the world out there, that God wants all to come to repentance. And so we're not just condemning people, that we're hopefully getting a message out there that there is hope for repentance. And if they turn to God, they can change. And so that's a totally unique message. That God loves the sinner, but He hates the sin. And so we really want to try to focus on that and throw the seed out there and see what God will do with that seed. Hopefully, people's minds will be opened and hearts will be changed, and people can come to the truth, because there is hope out there, and God does offer hope. So really do appreciate your prayers for all of those things. And of course, here we are, the Day of Pentecost. That's a day of hope, isn't it? The Day of Pentecost is an amazing day of hope. When you think back to the original church, as the church of God got its start, it's always easy to remember where that actually happens. If you go to the book of Acts, maybe we could just look at a couple of passages there, right at the very beginning of the book of Acts, as the New Testament church began.

In Acts 1, Christ is giving some instructions to His people. And if you notice, right at the very beginning of the book, Chapter 1, we see in verse 4, the group was assembled together. Christ was there with them, and He gives them a command. Now, this is before the Spirit was poured out, but right before this. Here we're about 10 days before that Pentecost, when God would pour out His Spirit. Christ had not ascended to the Father permanently at this point. He had been among them for 40 days after the crucifixion. And here they are assembled together, it says in verse 4, and Christ commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father. I love the way that's worded. That worded in an interesting way. The promise of the Father. Remember, Christ had to go to the Father in order for the Spirit to be sent. So this was an Old Testament promise, you could say, right? It was pre-New Testament Church of God. It was promised by the Father. And then Christ says, verse 5, for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. And so, just a few days from then, God would fulfill His promise to the people. He would fulfill that promise that He gave all the way back in the book of Joel. In fact, I think just a couple of verses later, see if we could pick this up. Where is it now that I thought of it? Oh, it's in chapter 2. Chapter 2, verse 17, here we're quoting the prophet Joel. Joel 2.28 is where this quote comes from. And Peter's explaining what's happened as God's Spirit was poured out, and they're speaking in different languages, they're hearing in other languages their own dialects. And Peter explains this prophecy that Joel spoke, verse 17, that should come to pass in the last days, says God. I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy. Your young men shall see visions. Your old men shall dream dreams. He goes on to explain how God's Spirit was poured out like water on all of those that He was calling. And so we have this amazing prophecy being fulfilled as the New Testament church began. And I think He makes an interesting connection here, both with what Christ said and what Peter explained, as He makes this comparison of God's Spirit and water. I don't know if you noticed this, but there is this connection, not only here in the book of Acts, but throughout the Bible, how God's Spirit is oftentimes represented by water. Now, if you like to take notes, I just wrote down in my notes. This is a highly scientific equation here. I wrote down H2O equals HS.

So I remember, okay, the Holy Spirit oftentimes is represented by water, right? H2O, water, is representative of God's Spirit. Now, we probably remember different times in the Bible where we have those connections with water. Especially, I felt that this afternoon as we were eating our lunch, they didn't have water glasses for all of us. And after eating a little bit of the food, it was like getting a little parched here.

They could use a little bit of water. They finally brought some over. And you think of quenching your thirst. Boy, when you're thirsty, there is nothing like a nice, cool glass of water. I know the other day when we had gotten to Altus, get ready for the wedding, I thought, boy, I could really go for a glass of water. I went over to the faucet and got this nice, cool water and took a drink.

Oh, it was terrible! No, you're laughing. You've been to Altus, I guess. I don't know if all the water was like that or if it was just the hotel water. But it wasn't exactly quenching your thirst. It had an interesting flavor to it, to say the least. But, you think about God's Spirit. Does it quench our thirst?

It quenches a spiritual thirst. Especially if you've ever had that sensation that, I've got to have a drink. I mean, we've all had that feeling, haven't we? We've just got to have a drink and you long for a nice, cool drink of water. Maybe it's hot in the summertime. Maybe a day like today. Or maybe you've been working out. You work outside in the sun. You start perspiring a little bit. Nothing like getting some fluids going, right? Replenish those bodily fluids with a nice, cool drink of water. Of course, probably not too many of us have ever been stranded in the desert, though. Anybody ever been stranded in the desert? Okay, I haven't either. But can you imagine what that would be like? To the point of really seriously being dehydrated. Life-threatening dehydration. Not too many of us have known that kind of... Well, maybe on the Day of Atonement. But other than that, have we ever felt that kind of a life-threatening dehydration? That would be a real craving for water. And it is interesting, as you look through the Bible, how many times this idea of thirst and water and God's Spirit are all interconnected in the Bible. Water is used hundreds of times. Over 700 times you'll find this representation of water throughout the Bible. And in fact, Jesus Christ Himself used an amazing example. It's over in John 7, verse 37. If you want to look over there. The Gospel of John, John 7, verse 37. Now, this was on a different feast day. This wasn't on the Feast of Pentecost. But this was on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles when Christ spoke this. But notice the connection here that Christ makes with God's Spirit in water. John 7, verse 37. It says, On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out. Here's what He said, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But, He says in verse 39, This He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Yet that's what we picture today, isn't it? We picture that giving of the Holy Spirit. As baptized members of the body of Christ, God has given us His Spirit. And He says, we're supposed to have not just a little dribble of water flowing out of us.

How does He describe it here? He says, out of us are supposed to flow rivers of water. That as God's people, it's supposed to be obvious. We are so filled with God's Spirit, it is just flowing right out of us. That's a pretty amazing analogy that Christ Himself used.

I suppose we could say that's kind of a Pentecost analogy in this way. That we're supposed to have the water that quenches people's thirst. If we have God's Spirit, Christ is making that point, isn't He? That we should be able to quench the thirst as Christ works through us. That water of God's Spirit flows out of us. And so Christ begins to make that point that God's Spirit is like water in that way. This world that we live is a desert, isn't it?

It is a desert out there. They don't know God's way. They don't understand God's way. Nothing spiritual is really growing out there. But in our little corner of the world, where God's placed us, we're supposed to be an oasis, aren't we? And as people notice, wow, there's something growing here. There's something beautiful here. There's something refreshing here. Hopefully they're going to come, and we'll be able to help. And we'll be able to shine that example of God's Spirit living in us.

In fact, there's an interesting example of this all the way back in the book of Isaiah. I'm going to turn over to Isaiah 44. There's a couple of Old Testament prophecies here at Isaiah that pertain to God's Holy Spirit. And here we can notice that this idea of a physical thirst, a physical longing to have that need and that desire quenched, has a connection spiritually as well.

That's just like that liquid water that helps relieve that need that we have, helps keep us from being dehydrated physically, can really contribute to a spiritual hydration. Because it's going to refresh, it's going to support, it's going to strengthen us as we respond to God's Spirit. Let's notice here, Isaiah 44, right at the very beginning of that chapter, it says, Now listen, O Jacob, my servant Israel, whom I've chosen.

This is what the Lord says. He who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you, do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, just you run, whom I've chosen. Why shouldn't they be afraid? Well, notice here, he says, For I will pour water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground.

I will pour out my spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. One will say, I belong to the Lord, another will call himself by the name of Jacob. Still another will write on his hand, the Lord's, and will take the name Israel. So here, this amazing prophecy is looking forward to that outpouring of the Spirit of God. You see, that's not... I mean, some might read this and say, well, that's maybe a millennial prophecy that, you know, the deserts are going to bloom.

And while there may be a connection here, boy, it seems to fit a whole lot better when you connect that with God's Holy Spirit. And that Spirit being poured out on a dry and thirsty people, because people need God's Spirit. This world needs God's Spirit. There is this deep-seated loss out there that they don't even understand that there's a loss.

They don't understand they're missing God's Spirit. And yet, they're dehydrated. They're lacking what is needed most. They need God's Spirit. And so, just a couple of chapters later here, in chapter 55. Chapter 55, verse 1. Imagine Isaiah, the prophet, crying out, where he says, Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters, and you who have no money, come, buy, and eat. Well, if you don't have any money, how can you buy?

Well, you don't need any money, in other words. You know, as God calls and people respond, they can have that need, that desire, that thirst quenched.

And of course, we follow this whole section through. We see it points to Jesus Christ, ultimately to our Savior. And following this, it points to the Kingdom of God, ultimately being established on earth. And so, what we find here in the Old Testament is we see that man has a need. We have a need. We need God's Spirit. And what it points to is we don't have any means of quenching our own thirst.

We can't do it ourselves. We need God to pour His Spirit out on us. So, we don't have the ability to fulfill our own thirst. We can't. We've got to look to God. So, we've got to repent. We've got to believe. We've got to follow God's way. We've got to come, and we've got to drink that water, as God opens our minds to His truth.

It reminded me of a little advertisement I saw a while back. It was an old army magazine, and it was one of these magazines they used to give to the soldiers in World War II. It had a very interesting set of pictures in this magazine. It was actually on two sides, two big pictures, full-page pictures. And on one side, they had this giant tank.

And next to this tank, just about ready to be run over, was this itty-bitty little soldier. And he was about to be crushed by this tank. Now, as you looked across the page, it was kind of interesting, because it was actually reversed. So, here was this tank that seemed a little bit smaller than this big soldier.

And when I first looked at it, I thought, that's kind of strange. What's the difference in these two pictures? Well, as I looked a little bit closer, I did have to look that close, but a little bit closer, the soldier had this big bazooka on his shoulder that was one of these tank busters in World War II. And it kind of evened out the odds a little bit. And I looked at that picture, it just reminded me. Are we carrying a spiritual bazooka?

You know, as an everyday, ordinary human being, outside of God's way, we're about to be run over. We're about to be run over with the ways of this world. But you know, with God's Holy Spirit, that evens up the odds a little bit, doesn't it? Can we overcome sin through the Holy Spirit? Can we see things and live and choose to repent? Can we deny our own selves and look to God?

Live by His way, by His law? Absolutely. Absolutely. So God's given us that water of life, hasn't He? And it's an amazing way that God has done that. And so He's called us to that way of life. You know, if we look through these passages, not too far away here from Isaiah, it talks about God's people coming out of Israel. And as they came out of Israel, we know the story.

He part of the Red Seas. In fact, it talks about the fact the Red Sea was made like a desert, so that land was perfectly dry. Now, fast forward to where we are today. I think in a way we can reverse it, can't we? You see, not only do we have a desert in the sea, but we have an oasis in the desert. We're supposed to be that through the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit, that dry and thirsty ground that we live on can have life.

It can have its thirst quenched. And so that's an important thing to begin to think about. How oftentimes in Scripture, God's Holy Spirit is associated with water. Of course, one of the biggest waters that we find here in the United States is over in Niagara. Has anyone ever been to Niagara Falls?

You've seen Niagara Falls, okay? Great. That's a lot of water, isn't it? Now, I did hear a story one time about Niagara Falls. There was supposed to be this tall Texan and his buddy were visiting Niagara Falls. And the guy from New York said, Hey, look at this. You've got nothing bigger, nothing better than this big drip that we've got here in New York.

And of course, that tall Texan looked at Niagara Falls and he said, Oh, yeah, we've got a plumber that can fix that. Well, not sure it's a true story, but God's water is like Niagara. His Spirit has poured out on it, and we're supposed to be that. And I think it's an important thing to think of. Do we realize how much God can satisfy that spiritual thirst that we have? Let's think about that for a second. How can you have that spiritual thirst satisfied? Well, the book of Revelation speaks quite a bit about this.

I'm going to flip to the end of your Bible. Go back to chapter 7 in the book of Revelation. Because there's a connection that the Apostle John was inspired to write about. Chapter 7, verse 16. Here we have that thirst that we as people have this great desire for, and how God can satisfy that thirst.

Let's notice it. Revelation 7, verse 16 is where we'll begin. And of course, here we're having a description of what's going to happen in the future. Let's see how this is going to be brought about. So in chapter 7, verse 16, we begin to see that it says, "...they shall neither hunger anymore, nor thirst anymore.

The sun shall not strike them, nor any heat." So here we're looking forward to that time when God will give us protection. Verse 17, why is that going to happen? Why won't they hunger? Why won't they thirst? Why won't there be problems with the sun or the heat or any of those kinds of things? Well, verse 17, it says, "...for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of water." Or some translations say springs of water.

Natural springs that flow from God. It says, "...and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Well, would that be a description of us? I don't know if you ever thought about this way. It says, why aren't they hungry? Why aren't they thirsty? Why doesn't the heat affect them? Why don't the ways of this world affect them? Why aren't we being influenced by those things?

Well, ultimately, in the Kingdom, it's because of the presence of God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Lamb. But did you notice where that Lamb is? It says, "...the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne." I got to thinking about this the other day. You know, in a way, every one of us is in charge of our own lives.

We have decisions to make, and we choose ways in this life, don't we? Well, in a way, we're ruler of our life. We get to decide. God's given us free moral agency. We can choose what we do. We can choose what we believe in. We can choose whether we follow God's way or not. We can choose whether we bear fruit. And so, who is it that's sitting on the throne of our life? You know, is Christ the King of our life? You know, is the Lamb in the midst of our life? You see, that's what Pentecost is about, isn't it? That we have God's Spirit in us, and it is helping guide us, and we're responding to that Spirit.

And we're allowing God's Spirit to lead us and help us make godly choices in our life. Because the Lamb is on the throne of our life. And if that's the case, then it can't help, it says, but not thirst anymore. It can't help but to lead us, it says, to living fountains of water. And so, our life then can be a representation of God's way. That's how that thirst can be satisfied, by Christ in us.

In fact, a few pages later, describes it just a little bit differently. Chapter 21, getting near the end here, Chapter 21, verse 6. Here we have the new heaven and new earth coming down from the Father. And in verse 6, it says, Christ said to me, or He said to me, it is done, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

What's going to happen?

I will give the fountain of the water of life freely to Him who thirsts. So as we desire God's way, we want His character, we want to be like Christ. We want to put on the mind and the attitude of Jesus Christ. He says, what is He going to do? He says, He's going to give us that water as we're thirsting for it.

He who overcomes shall inherit all things. I'll be his God and he shall be my child. And so Pentecost is a reminder of that. God offers us the water of life. Now, it is maybe a little bit like a horse. You know the old saying about the horse and water. You lead a horse to water. Okay, right? But you can't make him drink. And in a way, I think God's saying that here, isn't He? Does He force us? He's going to make us do these things? Or does He offer it? And we have to choose that. We have to desire that. We have to make that choice in our life. God can lead us, but we've got to choose it, don't we? And so here in chapter 22, look at first verse here in chapter 22. It says, He showed me a pure river of water, a pure river of water, of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. What would that be representative of? It says, In the middle of its streets, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And so we have God's Spirit healing the nations. And the tree of life, its roots are sunk deep into the Spirit of God. Isn't that amazing representation? And just a little bit later, we see, look at verse 17. Verse 17, In the Spirit and the bride say, Come, and let him who hears say, Come, and let him who thirsts, come, whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. And so we see, God gives us a free gift. He gives us His grace. He gives us His mercy. He gives us His Spirit. But we've got to choose to take it, don't we? We've got to choose to accept that gift. And so as we come to baptism, we make that choice. And He gives us that opportunity to have our thirst quenched. But it's not something that you just drink once and it's over with, is it? It's something that we continually have to drink of. Because, just like physically, we've got to drink. It can't last too long if you don't drink much. How long can you live if you don't have any water?

You don't have any fluids. They say maybe a week. You don't drink. You don't eat. It can't last very long. It depends how healthy you are to start out with. You might make it a few more days than that, but you don't last very long. And so they tell you, every day you have to take that thirst quenching water. And of course, this water that we're talking about is that water that leads to eternal life.

Christ was so specific about that, wasn't He? Because without water, can there be life? Without our Savior, without Jesus Christ, there can't be any eternal life either. Because they're so intertwined. They're so connected. And as such a reminder, that's what we must do. If we're going to satisfy that thirst, we've got to drink. We've got to drink it in. Drink in all of that water. We heard a little bit about it this morning in the special music. Remember the song that Mr. Griffith sang? Talk about, as the deer? Maybe we could look at that passage in the Psalms. It's all the way over in Psalm 42. So to Psalm 42, this is where that hymn is taken from. Psalm 42, right at the very beginning of that chapter, verse 1, it talks about that thirsty deer.

Psalm 42, right at the very beginning of the chapter. You see, as that deer or horse or whatever it is brought to the water, it's got to drink. It's got to drink.

Psalm 42, verse 1, it says, As the deer pants for the water, brooks, So my soul pants for thee, O God, My soul thirst for God, for the living God, When shall I come and appear before God? You see, this deer has to have the waters that are flowing in that stream. Do we have that same sense? Imagine the scene here.

Maybe hunters have been chasing this deer all over the countryside. Of course, if it's been chasing it around Palestine, there's not too many spots where there is any water. So that deer has got to have water if it's going to survive. And it wants that water so badly, got to have it in order to survive. And so it's searching for that water through the rocks and through that arid land. It needs that water.

And so here we have this song pointing to that example. Are we like that deer? That's what the connection is here. We're supposed to be like that deer. Pentecost is a reminder. We need God's Spirit. We need the water that only God can provide that will quench that thirst that we have. And once we drink, we're going to get thirsty again. And so we've got to have more of that water.

We want to be more like God. We want to put on more of His Spirit, more of His character. Be more Christ-like in everything that we do. And so it says here in verse 2, I thirst for God, for the living God. I think in many ways humanity is created that way, aren't we? Aren't we in a way created to have a relationship with God? We need a relationship with God. We've got to have fellowship with God the Father and Jesus Christ. It's built into us in a way. Now, of course, a lot of people ignore that. A lot of people ignore the fact that we need something spiritual in our lives.

And so they try to fill that need with all kinds of things. They try to fill it with things. So we buy stuff. We buy new cars or new houses or clothes or whatever it is, because we've got to fill this need, this desire, this vacuum that's in us.

It has to be filled with something. So a lot of times that's what people do. They find other things out there. Some people go through relationships because they need something. They can't figure out what it is. So they go through relationship after relationship and just cannot find the right relationship that fills that need, that longing, that desire, really that thirst that they really don't understand what it is. But it's like that deer. And what happens is they just got to get on a treadmill and they're running, running, running like the little hamster on the wheel. But they can never get anywhere because they don't understand God's way.

They don't have that knowledge of God. They don't have that daily contact with God. But it's certainly a reminder for us. We can't get on that treadmill. Pentecost is a reminder. Do we get caught up trying to fill that need that we have for God with things that are out there? God says, don't get caught in that trap. That's not the kind of treadmill. None of that is going to bring the kind of satisfaction.

None of that is going to fill the thirst that needs to be fulfilled by God. And so what this passage continues to remind us of is, boy, this psalmist was longing for a relationship with God. Just like that deer needed that water. And it's also interesting that there is this connection as well to Jerusalem. When you read through this whole section, where was the temple? Well, in order to have a relationship with God, back then you had to go to the temple. That's where God was worshiped. That's where He was honored.

And so there was also that connection there that I have to be with God's people. Because God's people is where God is as well. And so there's this connection to fellowship with God and fellowship with His people as well. So God calls us together as His body. So shouldn't there be a longing then as well? As the psalmist here is separated from thirst-quenching water, He was also separated from God, who was separated from His people in Jerusalem as well.

And so He was very sensitive to that fact, how He was longing for it, longing for a relationship with God, longing to be together with people of like mind. And so what about us? Do we have that desire? Do we have that need? Are we sensitive to that? That we can't be alone or Christians. It just doesn't work that way. How can we be the body of Christ?

If we're all separated, it's not possible, is it? And so we're reminded here, God can quench that thirst, that desire that we have. In fact, if we notice just a couple of verses later, look at verse 5.

We see a discouragement that set in and made the perspective of the writer here, really kind of a downer here when you notice what he says here in verse 5. In chapter 42, verse 5, he says, Why am I discouraged? Why am I discouraged? Why do I feel this way? Why am I cast down? Why is he feeling it? Why is he so sad? He says, Why am I cast down myself? Why are you disquieted within me? Well, where's the answer? He says, For I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. You see, even though he was deeply discouraged. Now, we're not sure if David wrote this Psalm or not. But if it was, he was so deeply discouraged. But what was going to change his perspective? What was going to be the difference maker in his life? What was the hope in God? Hope in God! For I shall yet praise him. So that's where that thirst-clenching water was going to come from. It was going to come from God. God could change his entire perspective as he submits to his Holy Spirit. And so he goes through this whole example. Verse 7, Deep calls unto deep at the noise of your waterfalls. All of your waves and billows have gone over me. The Lord will command his loving kindness in the daytime and in the night. His song shall be with me. A prayer to God, to the God of my life. I love the way that's worded there. A prayer to the God of my life. So this is a personal thing. That God can send that relief. He can give us the proper perspective. Even when we're down, even when we're discouraged, even though life seems to be washing us away like a flood. Through the Spirit of God, we can have just the right amount of water. Not the kind of water that's going to drown us, but the kind of water that can give us the relief that we need to take that despair away. And so we see that this despair was something that separated him from God, separated him from his people. And so I think it can't help it as we read these passages, to think about our own lives. To think about where we're at in our life. Have you ever felt this way? Maybe we fell down. Maybe we felt discouraged. Have we ever felt the need to really drink in of everything that God is? Have we ever felt like that deer that's represented here? That is just panting. It is so exhausted, it's got to have water to survive. See, that's when we've got to turn to God, because nothing else is going to quench that thirst. Nothing else can give us the satisfaction that we need. That's a good reminder not to try to quench our thirst anywhere else, because it's that kind of water that cleanses us. It's that kind of water that can heal us. That's the kind of water that brings blessings from God. It's refreshing. It's hopeful. It's fruitful. In fact, if you want to look up all the different examples that God's Spirit is connected to water, those are some of the ways that it's represented throughout the Bible. It does cleanse us. Are we washed by the water of the Word? Absolutely. And so God's Word cleanses us through the power of His Holy Spirit. Are we refreshed? Absolutely. How does that happen? Well, through God's inspiration by His Spirit.

And we have hope, because we've been given the earnest of eternal life. We've been given that promise of the Father. Does that give us hope? That this life isn't what it's all about. We can look forward to the Kingdom of God. And so we can look forward to that. We can look forward to the miraculous intervention of God in this world.

And all of those things happen through the power of God's Holy Spirit. And so we can be different. We can have that thirst quenched. So I think maybe Pentecost is that yearly reminder that we can maybe step back for a moment. Look at our lives. How has God's Spirit changed us? It probably changes us quite a bit if we really think about it.

We have the same values we used to have? Probably different than what they used to be. What about our priorities? Hopefully our priorities have changed in our life as well. And that change then changes what we pursue in life. All of those things, as a result, are different. And so in a way, we're asked through the Psalm, How thirsty are you?

How much more do we want to be like Christ? How much more do we want to put on His character? How much more do we want to have that thirst filled? You see, without that kind of a deep relationship with God, without the kind of dependence that we need, what happens to us?

We don't depend on God for everything in our life. If we don't continue to pray and have a close relationship with Him, what happens to us? It starts to dry out, doesn't it? If you don't water something, it starts to dry out pretty quick. And so we've got to keep watering our lives, don't we? We've got to keep filling that need for thirst, the refreshing waters. You see, because it only comes from the source, doesn't it? It only comes from the source. And it's talked about a little bit over in 2 Peter. You look at the beginning of the letter of 2 Peter, 2 Peter 1.

Peter writes about this because as he talks about the connection between God's Spirit and water, he makes this connection that we've got to have that spiritual thirst satisfied. He talks about the fact we've got to drink it in. We have got to drink it all in as God provides it to us. And so 2 Peter speaks to this in 2 Peter 1. And we'll pick it up right at the...well, let's go right from the very beginning. Right at the very beginning of the letter here. As he writes it, verse 2, he starts, "'Peace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord.' He says, "'As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.'" So what is real life?

What is real God? Everything that really matters, anything that matters, anything spiritual, God provides for it. It's not something that we generate ourselves. It's not water that's flowing out of us. It's got to originate from the source. It's got to be from His source, from God's well, from His spring, His divine power. He's given us, right? And then verse 4, he says, "'By which we've been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that's in the world through lust.' And so we begin to see God's given it to us.

We have His Spirit. We've received that precious promise that was described back in the beginning of the book of Acts. We have that promise. And so we can be participants. We can be partakers, it says, of the divine nature. You see, that's only possible as we're having that thirst quenched, that our nature, our human nature, is being put behind. And we're drinking in more and more of the character of God. That's what we've got to be doing. And so Peter writes about this. And so he says, drink it in.

You see the kind of water that we're supposed to be drinking in? Look at verse 5. Here's some of those things that we're supposed to be refreshed with. It's not just electrolytes. It's not just these nutrients that we're supposed to be drinking in. But if we're drinking in of God's Spirit, look at what we're going to be having here. It says, verse 5, give all diligence, add to your faith virtue.

So how virtuous am I? He says, to virtue, add knowledge. So we can ask ourselves, how much have I drunk in of these traits of the Spirit of God? He says, to knowledge, self-control. To self-control, perseverance. To perseverance, godliness. Isn't that interesting? How much are we supposed to drink in of these things? Did you catch that all the way at the beginning of verse 5? He says, give all diligence.

Some of the translations say, make every effort. So we've got to give our entire self to drinking in of these traits. We're supposed to add brotherly kindness, right? And it says, add love to that. It says in verse 8, if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We won't be barren because, boy, that field is going to be watered. And things are going to have an opportunity to grow because we've made that effort.

We've made that conscious choice to have that spiritual thirst quenched. So make every effort. Give all diligence. And of course, Pentecost is that reminder to be more diligent. It's an opportunity that we can recommit ourselves to take advantage of God's mercy and His grace and apply that even that much more in our lives today. And so He tells us to do that very thing. And so what is it that quenches that thirst?

What is it that can add knowledge and virtue and self-confidence? It's the Spirit of God. It's the Spirit of God. And so He tells us, make every effort. Make every effort to add these things. I heard an interesting story about this the other day. It was about a young man, kind of lost his way. He ends up going back home, kind of like the story of the prodigal son. And he was asking his father, you know, I know I should love God. I just can't seem to find Him. I just don't know where to start.

And the father took him to a nearby river. And they started walking into the river. And they got about up to their chins. And right about that time, the father grabbed the son, and he put him under the water. And he was holding him there. This was a big man. He was just holding him down under that water. And after a while, the son is just flailing because he can't breathe. He's going to drown. And he's holding him down, and he's holding him down.

And then at the very last second, he pulls him up out of the water. He takes his big breath. And what are you trying to do? You're trying to kill me. What's going on? I can't understand. What does this have to do with anything with finding God? I don't understand any of this. And the dad quietly said, All right, when you were under the water, what did you want more than anything else? He said, air! I wanted to breathe! He says, that's it.

He says, when you want God, as much as you wanted air, you'll find Him. You'll find Him. As I thought about that story, pretty remarkable. How much do we really want God? Do we want God in our lives just on the Holy Days? Or do we want God in our lives only on the Sabbath?

Or only when we need Him? Or do we want Him just like the Son wanted air? See, that's how much we should want God. We don't want to put Him in a little compartment and keep Him there only for the times that we want or we need. God wants a relationship with us all the time. We're to worship the Father in spirit and in truth, because God is spirit.

And so we're reminded of that. Just like we need water to survive, we need a relationship with God. And so what a great reminder we're given every year at Pentecost, because that living water that can only come through God the Father and Jesus Christ, He is giving to us. And so let's take advantage of that. And hopefully we are quenching that thirst. A while back we were driving on this country road, and off in the distance, I thought this man was pumping one of these little wells they have on the side of the road sometimes.

This was up north. And it looked like he was just pumping and all this water was flowing out of this little hydrant. As we got closer and closer, I realized that it wasn't a man to begin with. It was just one of these little cut-out kind of mechanical little things. And he had a little arm thing that was just going and going and going, like, and all this water was pouring out.

And as we got closer, I noticed the man wasn't pumping the water. It was an artesian well, and the water was just flowing out of that, going right over this little creation. And the water was causing this arm to move, and it just looked like it was pumping all the water. It was just going like crazy, pumping, pumping. And it was actually the water that was doing the pumping. And so I was like, oh, that was kind of cute, the way they had set that thing up.

And I thought about that the other day when I was putting the sermon together. I thought, you know, that is a great example. You know, what is it that's moving us? You know, are we trying to manipulate God, or are we allowing God to move us? Because really, it's God's Spirit that should be working in us, hopefully, you know, our own life, our own character. Our own thoughts are getting farther and farther behind us as we're pumping out water by the Spirit of God as it moves through us, like those living waters that we're supposed to have flowing out of us. And so we're called to that, aren't we? We're called to allow God's Spirit to move in our lives, less dependent on ourselves and more dependent on God. So let's think about these things. Pentecost is a great reminder. Let's have that desire, that deep-seated desire to have our thirst quenched, and that can only happen through God's Spirit. God's Spirit is like a water, and let's let that water flow through us and have our thirst satisfied. I didn't really commit that much more to following God. And as we do that, He promises us that He will always be with us, and that living water, then, can always flow in us and through us by the power of God's Holy Spirit.