January 24th

January 24th

We often don’t experience the benefits of Jesus because we don’t tap into them, or make time for them, or are too distracted to notice. Some benefits are only experienced by those who are surrendered and in the thick of being a Christ follower. Yes, our salvation is purely by grace through faith. But the other benefits of our relationship with Christ that are meant to be enjoyed and experienced here are often missed because of our lack of commitment. We believe but are we Christ followers? You can believe but then not spend time with Jesus and you will miss out on all that He wants you to experience in His presence. You will miss out on the wisdom that He wants to impart to you. Some things will only be experienced in the midst of a storm and most are dependent on obedience. If we are not where we are supposed to be, we miss out.

Some things depend on us being sold out for Jesus, denying ourselves and taking up our cross daily. That refuge and peace we read about yesterday? -We have to position ourselves to experience it. We have to seek it. And we can hardly witness miracles if we are not out there being a part of the miraculous. So although He may be calling us to a difficult journey, He is also calling us to a journey rich with countless benefits of walking closely with Jesus. When we are close to Him, we will see repercussions of it in our lives, but we will also reap the benefits. When we walk in obedience to Him no matter what the cost, we will be showered with blessings that we can’t experience any other way. He is our motivation. His love is where we fix our eyes and hearts. We have to decide what we want, the stuff of the world, or blessings from heaven.

There is a stream, a fountain, of grace, mercy, love, peace, and everything else we need that is pouring forth from God. We just need to jump in to the middle of it. Once we experience the presence of God in that way, we have no reason to wander out of that fountain no matter how rough things get. Jesus is the source of life, He is the source that will more than satisfy us forever. He said if we drink from Him we would never thirst again. Have you put yourself in that stream and are you drinking deeply?

John 4:14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

Have you gone beyond salvation and taken the step to become a disciple? A Christ follower not just a believer? Have you left your nets and your safe life to walk in faith on a path that yes, will stretch you and cost you, but will also be filled with peace that you can’t explain and love that you can’t imagine?

The call to follow Him can be hard at least by worldly standards, but it is also filled with blessings beyond what we can fathom. Let’s dive in to that fountain of blessings and give up the world’s empty promises. Jesus promises to give us the strength we need to walk in the rough terrain ahead of us and He promises to be with us. There is no better place to be!

Isaiah 40:28-31 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

And as we choose to follow Him on the rough terrain, we must remember that He does not expect us to do it with our own strength, we must learn to rely on HIS strength! Too often we get in the middle of tough things and we try to reason or figure it out ourselves. We end up a stressed, exhausted, mess. We have to remember it is THROUGH HIM that we get our strength!

Philippians 4:13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Jesus, thank you for the fountain that fills me with everything that I need and so much more. Help me to remember to stay right there with you. Help me to remember not to rely on my own strength or reasoning but to seek you and your strength and wisdom. I want all that you have for me, I want to stay filled up with your living water. Help me to stay surrounded by you and surrendered to you. Thank you that you have peace that I can’t explain available to me. Thank you for wanting more from me that just simple belief that you exist. Thank you for wanting a relationship.