God is Trustworthy

Today I was surprised by what the Bible didn't say.  I love how God is not like us, nor does He think as we do.  Our life following Jesus is filled with our need to change and grow in understanding of who God is and what pleases Him.

Psalm 115:9-11 says, "O Israel, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. ¹⁰ O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield. ¹¹ You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield."  The psalmists exhorted Israel, God's ministers, and all who fear the LORD to trust in Him.  The recurring phrase following is spoken as a matter of fact:  "He is their help and shield."  I was intrigued at the lack of a connecting word like "because" or "for" instead of a semicolon.  The implication is God is trustworthy.  He helps and shields us whether we trust in Him or not.  Isn't this true for all people?  He is our help and shield, and we ought to trust Him.

How sad it is when our lives before God are driven by what we gain from God.  To reduce prayer or faith to the level of a "deal" or business transaction is awful.  We should not trust God so He will help and shield us - though He does - but because He is worthy of being trusted.  He is not like a man we are obliged to show loyalty towards (though we owe Him our lives), nor do we embark on this relationship based upon what we offer God.  All we have is sin and wretchedness condemned before our holy Maker!  We ought to trust the One who is our help and shield, the God who has made a covenant with sinners signed with His blood.  God has established the terms and He is faithful to honour them.

This covenant is not a crude exchange of goods for services, a contract crafted to protect our interests:  it is all of grace established on what God has done.  We are required to respond to it by repentance and receiving Christ in faith, but He is worthy in Himself without a covenant being offered.  We have been provided salvation when we repent of sin and place our trust in Christ, even though we do not deserve the freedom and privilege to do so.  We were in bondage and dead in sins, senseless as heavy sleepers, blind as stones, and God helped and protected us.  Since He has done all this, isn't He worthy of trust?

Trembling Before God

"Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, ⁸ Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters."

Psalm 114:7-8

There are many fearsome things on this planet, things like tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, lightning, and volcanoes.  These powerful, earth shaking and changing events are only the edges of His ways (Job 26:14).  There are things people are afraid of for whatever reason, and many suffer from debilitating phobias.  Though there is much on earth which people fear, and the earth fears the Almighty God!  The psalmist bid the earth to tremble before its Maker who does marvellous things.

I don't know physical trembling for people is an everyday occurrence, and trembling due to fear does not have a positive connotation for me.  But if there are things on this earth which make us tremble from nervousness, fear, or excitement, then we should definitely tremble before the God who created them.  Think of it:  if you are afraid of heights, shouldn't you tremble before the God whose presence dwells above them?  If you are afraid to swim in the oceans, shouldn't you fear the God who inhabits the depths and created all living things who dwell therein?

Psalm 114:3-4 says at the presence of God "The sea saw it and fled; Jordan turned back. ⁴  The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs."  The psalmist personified the sea as one who fled, and the mountains and hills skipping and scattering like rams and lambs.  The creation knows and fears God our Maker, yet man can stand proud and resolute against God.  If this great earth trembles like a leaf before God, only ignorance, conceit or folly can be reasonable answers why men do not tremble also.  The irony is God has given man unique abilities among all He has created to observe, reason, and understand - and so our pride before God is most unreasonable.

Let us remember our great God and His wondrous works, worshipping Him in humility.  He can turn the rock into pools of water and flint into a fountain.  Praise the LORD from these once proud hearts of stone He can cause Living Water to spring forth and provide salvation through Jesus!

Waiting and Working

Waiting is a regular part of life, and something that is often not our first preference.  That may be putting it lightly:  I'm not sure anyone finds waiting wonderful in itself.  We wait out of necessity or because of beneficial end results.  When shopping we survey our options based on which lane will save the most time.  If the lines to pay are very long and the self-serve area is open, we might choose that option to save time.  If waiting wasn't an issue, we wouldn't regret our choice if our lane took the longest.

I have discovered recently I often view waiting as wasting time.  This is a perspective I believe God wants to change in me.  I recognise waiting is inevitable, but sometimes I am annoyed at what appears to be unnecessary delays.  On the golf course I aim to be as efficient as possible, approaching golf as an aerobic exercise rather than a leisurely stroll.  When there are players in front of me who are overly social and have no sense of urgency to clear the green, feelings of impatience begin to mount.  These feelings can spring upon us suddenly:  whilst driving behind a slow moving vehicle, when you have been placed "on hold" on the phone, or when the garage door button needs to be pressed and held for the door to open.

The Bible reveals waiting times are always working times.  God is always working, and in ways which He sovereignly has ordained to take time.  Think about planting seeds or the gestation of a child in the womb.  Without proper time to develop, plants nor people can survive.  It takes time for the sun to rise and set.  Cities are not built overnight, nor can nations form in an instant.  Skills at mathematics or sports are developed over many years and through much training.  We do not question any of these things.  But when we are suffering or struggling, we wonder why comfort and respite seem so far away.  We wonder why God doesn't do something.  But God is doing many excellent things, whether we recognise them or not.

We find perseverance to joyfully endure with unfailing hope when our gaze is fixed on our LORD Jesus Christ, the One who will never leave or forsake us.  God has given us exceedingly great and precious promises we ought always to lay to heart.  The scripture is full of examples of people who waited a long time and were blessed to see the LORD fulfil His Word.  And even when they were not able to see with their eyes the salvation of the LORD, it has been recorded for our benefit that we might believe.  We can gladly entrust our souls to our Maker, for our times are in His hands.  He is not ignorant of our struggles, nor is He easily overwhelmed as we are.  He rules over all and is able to do miraculously, marvellously, and great wonders for the glory of His name and our good.

God does not waste time but He works, and this is for our benefit.  Paul wrote in Romans 8:28-29, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."  All the circumstances of our lives are able to be utilised and leveraged to conform us into the image of Jesus Christ as members of His eternal family.  Can anything be better than this end result?

God's Chosen Fast

"Hunger strikes" can be employed as non-violent protests to raise awareness of perceived injustice or as a means to achieve a desired purpose.  Youth at our church have participated in World Vision's "40-hour Famine" to raise funds for the hungry or displaced refugees.  Those who deny themselves food or the convenience of furniture or technology for 40 hours receive funds from willing supporters to pass on to people in need.  It is good to bring awareness to the needs of others, but we too can have pressing needs which seem unmet - despite or best efforts or sacrifices.

Based upon Isaiah 58, it seems the children of Israel made fasting and wearing sackcloth a practice as they sought God.  They thrived on seeking after God by observing His ordinances.  But after afflicting themselves - kind of like people on a hunger strike - it didn't seem like God was listening to their prayers.  They weren't receiving the response or reward they felt their sacrifices warranted.  So they ramped up the duration and intensity of their fasts, almost like the prophets of Ba'al who cried out louder the longer their god remained silent.  Then suddenly, above the din of man's misguided expectations and zeal, the God of heaven spoke to His people:

"Is it a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? ⁶ "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? ⁷ Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? ⁸ Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. ⁹ Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' "If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, ¹⁰ if you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. ¹¹ The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." (Isaiah 58:5-11)

God questioned the people concerning their self-imposed fasts.  They fasted from eating food He had provided them when they would have been better served fasting from their sin.  What were they doing with the food they weren't eating?  What about the clothes they had laid aside to wear scratchy sackcloth?  Were they giving their extra food and clothes to people in need or just hoarding it for themselves?  They put themselves under bondage to fast and afflict themselves to gain God's favour when they should have released the oppressed and broken the heavy yoke of slavery.  God saw everything His people did and said and He saw the motives of their heart.  If they would put as much effort into speaking truth and extending grace to others rather than accusing fingers as they did in their observance of traditions and law, they would be better served - because then they would actually be serving God, not themselves.

See the promises and gracious rewards God gladly offered to those who trust and obey Him, not looking to their own works to justify them before God!  Light would shine in their darkness and healing would come speedily.  Righteousness would go before them and God's glory would be their rear guard.  God would answer their cry - not because of their self-imposed affliction - but because they honoured Him by doing good.  They would be guided, guarded, and satisfied with good things even in difficult and dry times.  God has Living Water for all who repent and trust in Jesus.  He has promises for us by grace which are far greater than the Law could ever supply.  Let us remember the fast God has chosen:  to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo heavy burdens, to release the oppressed, and break every yoke.

Lose the Labels!

Though God has created people to be unique individuals, He also created us for community.  The way human reproduction works it takes a man and a woman to start a family.  As we grow we begin to identify ourselves arbitrarily according to personal views shaped by a number of factors:  our parents, church, society, interests, etc.  We can view ourselves as being a "morning person" or a "night owl," and "introvert" or an "extrovert."  These labels often provide insight more on our personal preferences than our physical needs.  It may be one person can operate well on less sleep than another person, and that is an obvious fact.  But I believe it is possible to bind ourselves to a particular label to justify our decisions, lack of discipline, or even disobedience to God.

Allow me to illustrate:  I am sure Moses was one of those people (along with Elijah and Jesus) who enjoyed regular meals.  But a key lesson God taught the children of Israel was spelled out in Deuteronomy 8:2-3:  "And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. ³ So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD."  God knows people need to eat for health and physical strength, but He allowed His people to feel the pinch of hunger.  He fed them with manna they had never seen before, and based upon the biblical account before very long some wished they had never seen it!  God supplied His people with bread daily so they might learn that man doesn't live by food only but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God.  Moses on two occasions went over a month without food as he went before the LORD to receive the Testimony.  Moses was a man who ate like the rest of us, but through faith in God and obedience to His will found himself miraculously sustained.

As a parent, it bothered me when my children said they "couldn't" or "I can't!" when they could but simply didn't want to.  It was a matter of preference, not ability.  I wonder if it bothers God when His children say "I can't!" when we can actually do all things through Christ who strengthens us!  I don't care if you identify as a "people person" or an "introvert":  I believe God has ministry He intends to accomplish which will bless and impact others through your willing obedience.  Through Jesus frightened disciples were able to cross a troubled sea made calm; through Jesus a great number of people were fed with scant resources.  The Israelites plundered slain enemies for days they did not lift sword or spear against because God fought for them.  If Jesus can still the wind and waves with a word, can't He tame the preferences or demands of our flesh?  This morning I read in Psalm 107:17-21:  "Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted. ¹⁸ Their soul abhorred all manner of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. ¹⁹ Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. ²⁰ He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. ²¹ Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!

We ought to praise God for His goodness and wonderful works, for we have tasted and seen the LORD is good.  The children of Israel ate manna and were sustained for years in the wilderness, but we have received the Bread of Life Jesus Christ who has provided us eternal life!  As much as God has called us to do, however, let us be sure we cannot accomplish His work through the strength of our flesh.  We need to humbly rely upon His sustaining grace.  I read a quote in a Sports Illustrated article about Orioles slugger Chris Davis concerning the Gospel:  "One of the biggest misconceptions of the gospel, in my mind, is that you have to be perfect,” he says now. “That is the complete opposite of the truth. Christ paid for our sins on the cross knowing that we would never be able to measure up."  Christianity is a game of failure, too, he says. The idea is to fall short, then wake up the next day and try again."  I believe I understand what is meant by Christianity being a "game of failure," pointing out the obvious fact all have sinned before God.  Faith in Christ is no claim to perfection but our ongoing need of sanctification.  But I would contend with the conclusion suggested by the author, that having fallen short the next day we are to try again - and the implications are to fail again.

No, the glory of the Gospel is not our ability to do, nor in the opportunity to try again:  it is who Jesus is and all He has done.  When Jesus died on Calvary, He said "It is finished!"  It is no longer about me trying to measure up to God's impossible standard, but having been made free from sin to walk righteously in the power of the Holy Spirit through faith.  There is no room for boasting, even if we are able to walk uprightly without sin because Jesus has washed us clean.  He has made us new creations for His glory.  It is not about our continual failure but Christ's victory; it is not about measuring up but responding joyfully and righteously to the great love God has demonstrated for us.  Before God there are no "introverts" or "extroverts," just treasured souls graciously redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.  God is not limited by our failures, nor impressed with our devotion.  But He is pleased when we live uprightly led by the Spirit, do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God whatever the circumstances.  We are not perfect, but whatever God tells us to do through Him we can do it - regardless of arbitrary labels - because it is through Him our strength comes.

The Stench of Flattery

Motive of the speaker is the primary difference between a genuine compliment and flattery.  A compliment is a polite way to acknowledge quality efforts and accomplishments of others, but flattery is false praise with the aim of gaining advantage for self.  Those who flatter can say the exact same words as the one giving a compliment, but for them those words are sin.  Words of flattery are an indication of a perverse and wicked heart.  Because we do not even know the depths of depravity natural in human hearts, we may not even realise how commonly we employ nuances of flattery.  God knows, and praise the LORD He is gracious to shine His truth to expose our need to repent and guides us in the way of truth.

People in positions of power are often targets of flattery, and King David was no exception.  He wrote in Psalm 5:8-9, "Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before my face. ⁹ For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is destruction; their throat is an open tomb; they flatter with their tongue."  Not all of David's enemies hurled spears of insults at him, but frequented his courts with smiles, gifts, and kind words.  They were sprinkled amongst his countrymen and those who offered counsel.  Spoken words are indicators of the condition of the heart, and David was not ignorant or immune to flattery.  Because these verbal bribes posed a danger to upholding righteous judgment, David was on his guard against receiving flattery.

As a man after God's own heart, David was one who valued integrity.  He sought advisers who were faithful to God and honest with men.  In Psalm 5 David described his enemies as without faithfulness and full of destruction or calamity.  They spoke smooth, sweet words but David was savvy to their flattery, for he compared their breath to an open tomb full of rotting corpses.  If they only suffered from halitosis it would be a small issue compared to their perverse motives and lies.  Those who spoke flattery only pretended to be loyal and faithful friends, and by the grace and wisdom of God David was wise to it.

It is good for us to recognise flattery so that we will resist the subtle temptations to use it ourselves.  Felix hoped for a monetary bribe from Paul, and as money greases the palm so flattery strokes our pride.  God is good to free us from the sins of pride and flattery (along with all manner of wickedness), makes us increasingly sensitive to recognise it in ourselves, and provides power to refuse to use it.  Our call is to edify and encourage others in truth, not to gain advantage for self through insincerity.  I am glad God does not flatter men, for if He did we would still be bound in sins and heading for hell.  Even the compliments we receive work humility in us, for all that is praiseworthy in us exists only by God's grace.

Blessed Contrasts

Every life is full of contrasts which add to the richness of life.  Many things we deem negative are in light of the positive we once enjoyed.  For instance, we start life young.  It is only as we grow older and experience the effects of age we look back to aspects of youth with longing.  Sickness reminds us of how it once felt to be healthy and well.  Painful joints and injuries are reminders of a time when we never thought about joints, anti-inflammatory medication, or scar tissue.  The negative feelings we have can be useful triggers to remind us of many things we have taken for granted:  we had been richly blessed by God with youthful vigour and health and didn't even notice.

My grandpa recently told me because of his physical ailments and compounding limitations a few classic words of wisdom:  "Don't get old!"  The beauty of growing older and even creaking joints is not discovered in supplements, therapy, or miracle cures, but in realising the future for followers of Jesus is eternal glory free from the need of any such things.  For us the future is not a return to youth with its folly but glorification and immortality in the presence of God.  We have so much to look forward to, for the things we enjoy so much on earth will fade away because they cannot be compared in light of eternal life with our Saviour.  It is not so much what God removes from our experiences but what we gain.  Since our knowledge is limited by our experience, however, God is gracious to paint a picture we can understand dimly through blessed contrasts.

Revelation 21:1-5 says, "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. ² Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." ⁵ Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."

If we had never wept in sadness or personally experienced pain, sorrow, and the finality of death, we would not appreciate the future God has prepared for those who trust and love Him.  It seems the more we experience sorrow and pain in this life, the more we have to look forward to.  We know what it is to have new things, and also to know what it feels like to grow old.  Old creaky joints and brittle bones cry out for deliverance, and in His time God will answer gloriously.  God will make all things new and perpetually so in a place where only righteousness dwells.  We who have only known wickedness and corruption will one day have a King dwelling in our midst who is infinitely more than benevolent or kind:  He is loving, just, compassionate, merciful, and altogether good.  The concept of "heavenly upgrade" just doesn't do God's glorious plan justice.

The Ordinary Christian

In Australia we recently had a change in Prime Minister.  Being relatively new to Australian politics, occasionally I will make inquiries with Autralians because they have a wealth of knowledge - especially from a historical perspective I do not possess.  On the ABC website the other day I read an article which seemed to match what I have observed:  leaders in parliament go to great lengths to show they are everyday, ordinary people.  Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke makes an annual appearance at the SCG to scull a beer, and whilst in office Tony Abbott was seen jogging with lifesavers or volunteering with the Fire Brigade.  Malcolm Turnbull would wear an Akubra hat when visiting rural areas.  The new Prime Minister Scott Morrison was pictured in the article tending a BBQ covered with fried eggs.  The title of the article was, "Just a regular Joe (or Bill or ScoMo): How our leaders work hard at being 'ordinary.'"

The article took a bizarre turn as it took aim at the Prime Minister and his open Christianity.  Frank Bongiorno in his opinion piece at the ABC remarked:

Like Mr Keating, the very Sydney-ish Mr Morrison is looking south for an AFL club, and he has cultivated what journalist Phillip Coorey calls a "daggy ordinariness". But his everyman act is already running up against his evangelical Christianity. The classic Australian plain man is not an evangelical.

Russel Ward sketched the "the typical Australian" most influentially in The Australian Legend 60 years ago. He is, Ward writes, "sceptical about the value of religion and of intellectual and cultural pursuits generally". The latter certainly fits Mr Morrison, but not the former.

I found it difficult to follow the logic of the article which went something like this:  Australian politicians work hard to appear normal and be everyday people, but Scott Morrison cannot be considered an "everyday" man because he is an evangelical.  In the article there was virtually no description provided of ScoMo's faith, and the sledge about the Prime Minister's scepticism of "intellectual and cultural pursuits" did not go unnoticed.  I was left to wonder exactly what Mr. Bongiorno meant when he wrote "evangelical," as it was not fleshed out in the article.  Frying eggs and wearing footy jumpers is deemed an "act," but it seems being an "evangelical" is not something an Australian leader should wear on their sleeve.

There is no shortage of religion in the world, and many religions could be aligned with intellectual and cultural pursuits.  Be that as it may, I find it strange any person (except for ignorance) could deny the positive implications of the description provided in James 1:27 for religion:  "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."  Christianity is unlike all other "religions" because we serve a living Saviour borne out of His love for us.  In loving God and others as He loves us, followers of Jesus ought to be numbered among the most useful, kind, generous, and gracious citizens, neighbours, and friends.  An atheist Matthew Parris years ago shared how he observed faith in Jesus made a positive difference in the world.  I don't believe the world is anti-religion, as religion is prolific in all nations:  I believe people are vehemently opposed to evangelicals in particular because they openly share their faith in Jesus Christ.

Maybe what is needed in the halls of Parliament and in State Government is more people who are willing to make a stand for righteousness and the truth of scripture, who wield their God-given authority in a way which honours and glorifies Him regardless of the contrary cultural tide.  Would to God being an "evangelical" would become an ordinary lifestyle in this great land, that our plain purpose in life would be out of God's love for us to love Him and others, humbly serving as our LORD Jesus did during his brief pilgrimage on His way to Calvary to die for lost sinners so they could be saved.  We cannot outdo Him, nor should Christianity be an act to appeal to constituents.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and those who follow Jesus are fit for service in politics or any arena because God gives us a Spirit of love, of power, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

The Way Speaks

On the blank pages in the back of my Bible I keep a running list of key verses which emphasise the deity of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and verses which confirm the Trinity.  Though the Bible does not employ the word "trinity," throughout scripture the doctrine of the Triune Godhead shines forth.  I recently came across a couple of great verses which I added to the list from the book of Isaiah.

Through the prophet Isaiah, the God who spoke from the beginning addressed the children of Israel.  Isaiah 48:16-17 reads, "Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord GOD and His Spirit have sent Me." ¹⁷ Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go."  It is evident the prophet Isaiah is not speaking for himself, for he could not claim to be "from the beginning," nor was he the promised "Redeemer."

Speaking of the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us, Jesus Christ, the apostle wrote in John 1:1-2, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God."  In Isaiah 48:16, the Speaker identifies Himself as being separate from the "Lord GOD" and His "Spirit."  Based upon this and other places in scripture, it is clear the One speaking is none other than the self-existent and preincarnate Christ, the Son of man and Son of God.  Jesus was sent by the Father to be the Saviour of the world (1 John 4:14).  Jesus is the Holy One of Israel and also the Redeemer (1 Corinthians 1:30-31; Ephesians 1:7).

What the LORD says here is telling as well:  "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go."  Jesus prayed the Father to send the Holy Spirit who would guide all Christ's followers into truth (John 16:13).  All Jesus tells the Holy Spirit He is faithful to proclaim.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).  He also calls Himself the "Good Shepherd" who lays down His life for His sheep and even for sheep not of His fold which He has called - both Jew and Gentile.  Jesus leads us in the way we should go, setting an example of love, humility, obedience, service, and meekness all His disciples ought to follow.

Jesus said, "Come near to Me" in Isaiah, and He said in John 6:35-38, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. ³⁶ But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. ³⁷ All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me."  Jesus cried out similar words in John 7:37-38:  "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."  Do you believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God?  The Way still speaks and saves all who believe!