Moving on with more on the Guidance that comes from GOD to those who cry out for HIS help. As has become my normal means of entry into the chosen subject I will again draw from Pastor Hoekstra's writings on Grace and the Holy Spirit as our means of receiving GODS help. I will do this again by making use of the ESV translation and will as lead by the LORD freely edit things under HIS watchful eye.
"Another Picture of the Fullness of the Spirit"
"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 this He spoke concerning the Spirit." (John 7:37-39)
"These words from Jesus provide another picture of what the fullness of the Spirit is all about, as well as how to walk in Spiritual Abundance. His remarks are addressed to those who are thirsty: "If anyone thirsts." In this spiritual context, thirst can speak of the painful dryness that often accompanies need or lack. Pressures, responsibilities, busyness, disappointments, and preoccupation with earthly matters can dry out the soul of man. Corresponding to this need, thirst can refer to the eager yearning after those heavenly blessings that refresh and restore our inner Life. Such thirsty conditions apply to all of us at various times. This also has a direct link to our need of Spiritual Guidance in all matters relating to this life.
Jesus tells us exactly how to remedy such thirst. "Come to Me and drink." We are to bring these needs to the LORD Christ Jesus. In the New Covenant of Grace we drink in Christ and drink of Him. So often, we attempt to satisfy such thirsts by drinking at other wells. Thirsty people around the world attempt to find relief through education, work, religion, politics, entertainment, money, drugs, and more. They all encounter the Truth, the Spirit Christ which we have seen is Truth. That our LORD revealed to the Samaritan woman at the well. "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again" (John 4:13). We must take our spiritual thirsts to a person, to "the Person," the LORD Christ Jesus.
Yet, how do we drink of the thirst-quenching resources of Jesus? He indicated the means in the next phrase: "He who believes in Me." When we bring our dry, thirsty needs to Christ in Jesus and believe that He can meet those needs, we are drinking from what the LORD Christ alone can offer. We drink of Christ's resources by faith. Jesus included this insight earlier in His discourse on the bread of Life. "He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst" (John 6:35).
Unquestionably, Christ Jesus will always satisfy legitimate thirsts that are brought to Him. Yet, there is more available here. The Spiritual water that Christ provides also works within the thirsty soul. "The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting Life" (John 4:14). This Holy Spirit supply develops Abundant Life within the trusting heart. Ultimately, this fountain that grows within flows outward to others. "Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." Dry, thirsty hearts that come to Christ Jesus in faith, not only find Satisfaction for the thirst, but eventually pour out Life in the Spirit to others."
I asked the LORD last evening about a matter that my wife and I had just learned about dealing with a man and his ministry which is associated with a false religious group. What the LORD showed me was that he and this group were inept in the work of their claimed ministry. Sadly this is the situation far and wide in all of mans many religions and religious group as none of them have paid their just dues by due diligence for entry into GODS spiritual kingdom, now while we remain of this earth realm.
Manifested by the Disciples in Seeking Instruction, Instruction Sought:
Matthew 13:36-43 "Then Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man Will send His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear."
Mark 4:10-12 "When Jesus was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parables. And He said to them, "To you has been given the secret (Deuteronomy 29:29) of the kingdom of GOD, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that "they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven."
Mark 7:14-23 "Jesus called the people to Him again and said to them, "Hear Me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him." When He had entered the house and left the people, His disciples asked Him about the parable. To this He said to them, "Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?" (Thus He declared all foods clean.) And He said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."
Mark 9:9-13, 14-29 "As they were coming down the mountain, He charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. They asked Him, "Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?" He said to them, "Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that He should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him."
When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw Him, were greatly amazed and ran up to Him and greeted Him. And He asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?" And someone from the crowd answered Him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." He answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to Me." And they brought the boy to Him. And when the spirit saw Him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "'If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when He had entered the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And He said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.""
Mark 10:10-12 "In the house the disciples asked Him again about this matter. And He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."
Mark 13:1-8 "As He came out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." As He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Him privately, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?" And Jesus began to say to them, "See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in My name, saying, 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains."
Luke 3:10-14 "The crowds asked Him, "What then shall we do?" He answered them, "Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise." Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to Him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" To this He said to them, "Collect no more than you are authorized to do." Soldiers also asked Him, "And we, what shall we do?" And He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.""
Luke 11:1-4 "Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.""
Luke 18:18-27 "A ruler asked Him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.'" And he said, "All these I have kept from my youth." When Jesus heard this, He said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, "How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the (spiritual) kingdom of GOD! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the (spiritual) kingdom of GOD." Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?" To this He said, "What is impossible with man is possible with GOD."
John 6:26-34, 35-40 "Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to Eternal Life, which the Son of Man Will give to you. For on Him GOD the Father has set His seal." Then they said to Him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of GOD?" Jesus answered them, "This is the work of GOD, that you believe Him Whom HE has sent." So they said to Him, "Then what sign do You do, that we may see and believe You? What work do You perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'HE gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of GOD is He Who comes down from heaven and gives Life to the world." They said to Him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
John 6:35-40 "Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of Life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me Will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I Will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will but the Will of HIM Who sent Me. And this is the Will of HIM Who sent Me, that I should lose nothing of all that HE has given Me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the Will of My Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have Eternal Life, and I Will raise him up on the last day."
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