Drink deep and never thirst again

John 7 v 30 - Then they sought to take Jesus - but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

Such an amazing truth - Jesus came to lay down his life - No-one took his life - He freely and willingly laid down his life.  He was completely obedient to the plan of the Father and suffered to the point of death in order to redeem us back into relationship with the Father.

This is a foundation truth of Salvation, there was no other way to redeem man back to God - BUT Jesus is The Way, The Truth and The Life.  Jesus made a way for us to come to God our creator.

God created man - the first man Adam - who had fellowship with God in the garden of Eden.  The serpent deceived Eve into eating the fruit and Eve gave it to Adam - But Adam sinned and was disobedient because he ate of the fruit knowing that God had said, you can eat the fruit of any tree but not of this one tree - the tree of Knowledge of good and evil.  God said if you eat of this tree you will die - but we know that Adam and Eve did not die physically, but they did die - because at that moment their fellowship and relationship with the Father of Creation- the Living God - was cut of - they died spiritually.

The Father of Creation - the God of every man - is the Life Giver - he is the one from whom all life flows - We are all born into this world - we all have a spirit and a soul (which is eternal) and we are born into a physical body (which is only temporary).  Because of Adam - sin entered the earth - so everyone is born in this sinful state - spiritually dead and cut of from the Father of Creation - the Life Giver.  We are dead because we are separated from the source of life.  This is why Jesus had to come to the earth as a man, and die such a cruel death on the cross - He was sinless, he was without blame, but he became the perfect sacrifice to die in our place.  He is the Saviour the Redeemer the Christ - the Lamb of God - The only way to the Father.  So this is why Jesus said you must be born again - in other words - made alive again by his sacrifice, by his blood - Redeemed back into fellowship with God our Father.

This is the greatest miracle of all - when we accept Jesus as our Saviour and by his grace he causes us to be born again - or made anew - a new creation - washing us clean from all sin and making us acceptable to come into the presence of God.

When we know that he has written our name in the Lambs book of life - we have a reason to greatly rejoice.  We were once lost but now we are found, we were once dead in sin but now made alive in Jesus to live eternally with him.  No more fear of death.  No more fear of hell.

Later in John 7 in verse 37 Jesus says "If any man thirst let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive;  for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified.

Did you ever try to drink a glass of water when you weren't thirsty?  It is not easy.  Most people do not drink enough water, they drink tea and coffee and sugar drinks, but are still de-hydrated because they do not drink enough water. 

But when you are truly thirsty you can't get enough clean water.  When you are really thirsty it is easy to drink the water.

This is what Jesus is saying - IF ANY MAN - Thirst - Let him come unto me.  You see there are many who are not thirsty.  Because they are satisfied to drink from other 'fountains' - they drink from religion and fleshly and worldly desires or they have never heard that there is a more excellent way.  But these other 'fountains' are like drinking tea and coffee - they stain our lives - they de-hydrate - they only fill us up so we can't receive what is good for us.

The bible also says "How will they hear unless someone tells them" so we see that if we don't know about the Living Water that Jesus has provided for us how will we thirst for it, and if we don't thirst for it how can we come to Jesus.  So first we must hear about Jesus and how much he loves us and what he did for us on the cross.

When we hear about his love and his grace, and when we consider what he suffered on the cross in our place, when we go beyond just the "Easter" story to realise that this isn't just a story - but that it was an actual event in history, it wasn't just another man dying on a cross - BUT it was the Son of God who died for us.  He was beaten and marred beyond recognition.  The stripes on his back were for healing from every sickness and disease - the crown of thorns that was pierced into his head was for our mental healing and peace - he was nailed to the cross and stripped naked for all our sin and  shame. So great was his love that he suffered in silence - it tells us that He could have called angels to come to his rescue - but he suffered in silence for you and for me.  No-one took his life - He laid down his life for us.

I am going to share with you this song called 'Drink Deeply'  I wrote it a few years ago and it reminds me of the price that Jesus paid for me and what it means to me.

Drink deeply from this cup - the costly measure of my love -
  you see Salvation is a free gift to us but it cost Jesus everything
My blood will wash away your sin -
   Nothing but the blood of Jesus can cleanse us from sin
Drink deep and never thirst again -
  to drink means to accept him and let him fill you

Seated at your table Lord I feel so unworthy -  when we accept him, he adopts us into his family
But when you speak my name and call me friend 
and give me a robe so clean
I hear you speak these words to me 

Drink deeply from this cup - the costly measure of my love
My blood will wash away your sin
Drink deep and never thirst again

The purest water on the earth could never quench this thirst
No banquet table ever spread so abundant and free - at his table is everything we need
I hear you speak these words to me

I pray that these words will spark a thirst inside of you to find out more about Jesus and his plan and his love for you.  That you will never be satisfied with less than the truth.

If you have not accepted Jesus as you Saviour - I pray that you will hear these words today - Jesus loves you. Jesus died for you.  If you call on his name he will not turn you away.

If you need healing in your body or mind - I pray that you will see that on the cross Jesus took all sickness and pain so that you could be healed.   Praise Him today that HE IS YOUR HEALER.  Knowing that as we seek the Healer - then healing comes - for in his presence healing flows freely.

If you desire for rivers of living water to flow out of you to touch others I pray that you will thirst after the Living Word and the Holy Spirit more and more.  That you will drink deeply from the fountain of life and that you will be filled and overflowing with the Holy Spirit and Fire.

This is like no Easter time we have ever experienced before -  usually it is a time to get out and about in the warm weather, spending time with friends and family etc - but this year as we are confined to our homes I pray you will really take the time to contemplate what 'fountain' you have been drinking from.  I urge you to take the time to talk to Jesus and ask him to help you understand his plan and his love for you.  Tell him what is on your mind.  But most of all Thank Him for dying in your place.

 xx Audrey