...My family has the excellent intention of walking every morning. I say "intention" because it doesn't always happen. We walk to a park nearly a mile and a half away from our house, play for a few minutes, and walk back. If we get out early enough its still cool when we are walking back, but regardless of the temperature everyone wants water.
...Water is a basic need of life. Who has not felt the intense satisfaction which comes with a cool drink slipping down their throat after a hot run? Similarly Jesus Christ is our fountain of living water, he who drinks of that well will never be spiritually thirsty. But what happens when we sample other wells?
What happens when we drink from fountains polluted with the worlds filth, and how do we keep our water clean? Here is a humorous little story to illustrate.
...A couple weeks ago my family was actually up in time to go on our early morning walk. This time I was not to accompany them, and later had reason to be thankful for it. I watched as Mother and the five youngest donned their shoes, gathered their things (ie... snacks...), and headed out the door. Five minutes later my eleven year old brother Daniel burst back in. "What's the matter?" I called after him as he ran by me to the kitchen. "We forgot water, and now I can't find the jug to bring it in!" he called back. More siblings trickled through the front door, no one was going anywhere without water. So I got up and helped search for the lost jug.
...Eventually the jug was found in the car, but by this time the Texas sun had rose high in the sky and Mother was impatient to go. Daniel came in carrying the empty jug and was about to go fill it in the kitchen (a slow filter process) when he spied a full distilled water container on the floor. "Wow, what luck" he must have been thinking as he seized it and hurried outside. "Daniel, I'm not sure about that water!" I cried after him. "Its fine" he yelled back reassuringly. The others seemed to think so too and I watched from the window as they poured it into their jug while walking down the street. Things like this happen all the time in large families, so I promptly forgot the whole thing and returned to my Latin exercises.
...That evening the family gathered for devotions. Father was reading aloud when a noise outside made him pause. Breathlessly, we listened. Jay went outside to check on our fish pond and came running back in half a minute, "The water is drained and the fish are dying!" Instantly the room burst into action as each person ran to the rescue. Father was rummaging through his things, crawling around on all fours near the front door, and finally cried "Where is that jug of distilled water I had by the front door?" We all paused, you could have heard a pin drop as one awful thought entered each of our heads at the same second. " Why do you need it dear?" my Mother asked a bit hesitatingly. "It has fish pond water in it for emergency's like this" Dad said. (To see why you need fish pond water not regular water for pond emergency's click here...)
...The dying fish were forgotten for a moment and I saw several faces become green. "I think I'm going to be sick" a couple kids said racing for the one downstairs bathroom. Even my Mom looked ill, she sat down and mopped her forehead. "What's the matter?" Father exclaimed, still worried about the fish. We explained the aweful truth.
... Fortunately for the fish my Dad had another stash of pond water for emergency's somewhere else. Later that evening we gathered once more for devotions, and got all the facts straight. It turns out that very little of the pond water had been swallowed by my unfortunate family members. After a few sips someone had decided it tasted "funny" and the water was discarded. But the thought of the little that had been digested was enough to make everyone pretty ill.
...We learned several valuable lessons. One, never use distilled water when the seal is broken. Two, make sure the water jug is found well before the walk begins. And thirdly, if it is important for our physical bodies to drink pure water - what about our souls?
...There is only one source of pure water spiritually, Jesus Christ.
Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13-14
..If it is revolting to think of drinking water from a little 2X3 ft. pond, inhabited by ten fish; why should it be any less disgusting to us as Christians when we sip from the worlds muddy pond spiritually? Maybe your only sampling a partially polluted stream, the water's only a little green. Maybe it's even a fellow Christians writings, music or idea that has compromised the pure gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. Does this make it any better for your spiritual growth?
The worlds water grows weeds, chaff which will burn when the harvest comes. But the fountain of Jesus Christ will grow trees which bear fruit for eternity.
...Let us turn from every source of spiritual pollution. Questionable books, immoral movies, ungodly friends, immodest clothing, unhealthy music...the list goes on and on. In a world so full of pond scum it is easy to despair - how do you know what is good to drink? Relax, there is an answer. God has given us two safeguards, two sure companions and guides to keep us spiritually healthy. The Holy Spirit and His Word.
...
When in doubt, pray and read. He will make the answer clear in time. Often when you feel unsure about something it is the Holy Spirit saying "Don't drink that!" or "Spit it out!" It is always better to be safe than sorry. don't drink from a well just because the water arrives in a familiar cup. Test it, be sure it is the pure water of Jesus Christ.
...Lauren Ashley
...My family has the excellent intention of walking every morning. I say "intention" because it doesn't always happen. We walk to a park nearly a mile and a half away from our house, play for a few minutes, and walk back. If we get out early enough its still cool when we are walking back, but regardless of the temperature everyone wants water.
...Water is a basic need of life. Who has not felt the intense satisfaction which comes with a cool drink slipping down their throat after a hot run? Similarly Jesus Christ is our fountain of living water, he who drinks of that well will never be spiritually thirsty. But what happens when we sample other wells? What happens when we drink from fountains polluted with the worlds filth, and how do we keep our water clean? Here is a humorous little story to illustrate.
...A couple weeks ago my family was actually up in time to go on our early morning walk. This time I was not to accompany them, and later had reason to be thankful for it. I watched as Mother and the five youngest donned their shoes, gathered their things (ie... snacks...), and headed out the door. Five minutes later my eleven year old brother Daniel burst back in. "What's the matter?" I called after him as he ran by me to the kitchen. "We forgot water, and now I can't find the jug to bring it in!" he called back. More siblings trickled through the front door, no one was going anywhere without water. So I got up and helped search for the lost jug.
...Eventually the jug was found in the car, but by this time the Texas sun had rose high in the sky and Mother was impatient to go. Daniel came in carrying the empty jug and was about to go fill it in the kitchen (a slow filter process) when he spied a full distilled water container on the floor. "Wow, what luck" he must have been thinking as he seized it and hurried outside. "Daniel, I'm not sure about that water!" I cried after him. "Its fine" he yelled back reassuringly. The others seemed to think so too and I watched from the window as they poured it into their jug while walking down the street. Things like this happen all the time in large families, so I promptly forgot the whole thing and returned to my Latin exercises.
...That evening the family gathered for devotions. Father was reading aloud when a noise outside made him pause. Breathlessly, we listened. Jay went outside to check on our fish pond and came running back in half a minute, "The water is drained and the fish are dying!" Instantly the room burst into action as each person ran to the rescue. Father was rummaging through his things, crawling around on all fours near the front door, and finally cried "Where is that jug of distilled water I had by the front door?" We all paused, you could have heard a pin drop as one awful thought entered each of our heads at the same second. " Why do you need it dear?" my Mother asked a bit hesitatingly. "It has fish pond water in it for emergency's like this" Dad said. (To see why you need fish pond water not regular water for pond emergency's click here...)
...The dying fish were forgotten for a moment and I saw several faces become green. "I think I'm going to be sick" a couple kids said racing for the one downstairs bathroom. Even my Mom looked ill, she sat down and mopped her forehead. "What's the matter?" Father exclaimed, still worried about the fish. We explained the aweful truth.
... Fortunately for the fish my Dad had another stash of pond water for emergency's somewhere else. Later that evening we gathered once more for devotions, and got all the facts straight. It turns out that very little of the pond water had been swallowed by my unfortunate family members. After a few sips someone had decided it tasted "funny" and the water was discarded. But the thought of the little that had been digested was enough to make everyone pretty ill.
...We learned several valuable lessons. One, never use distilled water when the seal is broken. Two, make sure the water jug is found well before the walk begins. And thirdly, if it is important for our physical bodies to drink pure water - what about our souls?
...There is only one source of pure water spiritually, Jesus Christ.
Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13-14
..If it is revolting to think of drinking water from a little 2X3 ft. pond, inhabited by ten fish; why should it be any less disgusting to us as Christians when we sip from the worlds muddy pond spiritually? Maybe your only sampling a partially polluted stream, the water's only a little green. Maybe it's even a fellow Christians writings, music or idea that has compromised the pure gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. Does this make it any better for your spiritual growth? The worlds water grows weeds, chaff which will burn when the harvest comes. But the fountain of Jesus Christ will grow trees which bear fruit for eternity.
...Let us turn from every source of spiritual pollution. Questionable books, immoral movies, ungodly friends, immodest clothing, unhealthy music...the list goes on and on. In a world so full of pond scum it is easy to despair - how do you know what is good to drink? Relax, there is an answer. God has given us two safeguards, two sure companions and guides to keep us spiritually healthy. The Holy Spirit and His Word.
...When in doubt, pray and read. He will make the answer clear in time. Often when you feel unsure about something it is the Holy Spirit saying "Don't drink that!" or "Spit it out!" It is always better to be safe than sorry. don't drink from a well just because the water arrives in a familiar cup. Test it, be sure it is the pure water of Jesus Christ.
...Lauren Ashley
