During songs of worship after the sermon in church this morning, I reflected upon how drinking and being filled with the Holy Spirit are voluntary. Suddenly I had the picture in my mind of a gridiron player standing on the sideline and an attendant raising a water bottle. If the player is thirsty, all he need do is open his mouth and will be given a drink. It would be rather silly for a thirsty player to keep his mouth shut but open it later to complain of thirst. I was reminded of God's promise: "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it." All who are thirsty are invited to come to Christ and drink. It is not complicated and no ritual is required, but it will take humility which does not come naturally. Those who admit their dryness, crying out in prayer and opening their mouths in praise of God will receive God's refreshment. Those who desire the baptism with the Spirit only need open their mouth in faith, and God will make such an overflowing fountain of Living Water.
I decided to look up the passage God prompted me to consider found in Psalm 81:7-10: "You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah 8 Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me! 9 There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god. 10 I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it." God brought the children of Israel out of bondage and gave them safe passage through dry wilderness. God caused water to flow from the rock in Horeb which Moses later called Meribah. God tested the faith of His thirsty people and proved His power to them miraculously. He also tests us today with the filling of the Holy Spirit who is the Living Water Jesus spoke of. God says, "Open your mouth wide and I will fill you."
I love when God sends me on these unexpected biblical excursions! Thinking of drink bottles led to "Open your mouth wide..." to a connection in Meribah. So I went to Exodus 17:3-7 to read the account of Moses and the children of Israel: "And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, "Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" 4 So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!" 5 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" Moses struck the rock upon which he stood in Horeb at the word of the LORD, and God caused water to flow from it. Because there was no water where God led them, people doubted if God was with them or not. The water from the rock proved again God's presence and abundant provision.
Moses struck the rock and water flowed out, and Jesus promised Living Water would flow from those who are born again. The Holy Spirit has been given without measure to all those who are born again, and the fullness of the Spirit is available to all who open their mouths wide in faith. It is ironic the waters of Meribah seemed to ease tensions, but the baptism and subsequent fillings with the Holy Spirit can be a point of contention among Christians. I have no desire to be contentious, and I do not believe Paul was when upon first meeting believers in Ephesus he asked them, "Have you received the Holy Spirit when you believed?" (Acts 19:2) Here is the point: the presence of the Holy Spirit within a person can be known. If a home is being lived in, there will be evidence. Lights will be on in the rooms at night. A car may be parked in the driveway or people will be seen moving around through windows. If a heart is truly Christ's home, there will be evidence of His presence in that life. The fruit of the Spirit will be evident in our lives. Spiritual gifts are also granted by God according to His will.
Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? You can! Consider the word of God: "You called in trouble, and I delivered you...I am the LORD your God...open you mouth wide, and I will fill it." Those who drank from the rock in Horeb were thirsty again, yet Jesus promised in John 4:14: "...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." Jesus bids us to come to Him and drink. John 7:37-39 says, "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 39 But 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." Jesus has been glorified, and the Holy Spirit has been given. This promise is for you, your children, to all who are afar off, as many as our LORD will call.
I decided to look up the passage God prompted me to consider found in Psalm 81:7-10: "You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah 8 Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you! O Israel, if you will listen to Me! 9 There shall be no foreign god among you; nor shall you worship any foreign god. 10 I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it." God brought the children of Israel out of bondage and gave them safe passage through dry wilderness. God caused water to flow from the rock in Horeb which Moses later called Meribah. God tested the faith of His thirsty people and proved His power to them miraculously. He also tests us today with the filling of the Holy Spirit who is the Living Water Jesus spoke of. God says, "Open your mouth wide and I will fill you."
I love when God sends me on these unexpected biblical excursions! Thinking of drink bottles led to "Open your mouth wide..." to a connection in Meribah. So I went to Exodus 17:3-7 to read the account of Moses and the children of Israel: "And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, "Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" 4 So Moses cried out to the LORD, saying, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!" 5 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" Moses struck the rock upon which he stood in Horeb at the word of the LORD, and God caused water to flow from it. Because there was no water where God led them, people doubted if God was with them or not. The water from the rock proved again God's presence and abundant provision.
Moses struck the rock and water flowed out, and Jesus promised Living Water would flow from those who are born again. The Holy Spirit has been given without measure to all those who are born again, and the fullness of the Spirit is available to all who open their mouths wide in faith. It is ironic the waters of Meribah seemed to ease tensions, but the baptism and subsequent fillings with the Holy Spirit can be a point of contention among Christians. I have no desire to be contentious, and I do not believe Paul was when upon first meeting believers in Ephesus he asked them, "Have you received the Holy Spirit when you believed?" (Acts 19:2) Here is the point: the presence of the Holy Spirit within a person can be known. If a home is being lived in, there will be evidence. Lights will be on in the rooms at night. A car may be parked in the driveway or people will be seen moving around through windows. If a heart is truly Christ's home, there will be evidence of His presence in that life. The fruit of the Spirit will be evident in our lives. Spiritual gifts are also granted by God according to His will.
Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? You can! Consider the word of God: "You called in trouble, and I delivered you...I am the LORD your God...open you mouth wide, and I will fill it." Those who drank from the rock in Horeb were thirsty again, yet Jesus promised in John 4:14: "...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." Jesus bids us to come to Him and drink. John 7:37-39 says, "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 39 But 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." Jesus has been glorified, and the Holy Spirit has been given. This promise is for you, your children, to all who are afar off, as many as our LORD will call.
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