Actively follow Jesus

5/8/11 2 Kings 23; 2 Chronicles 35; John 7

S: John 7:37-39 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

O: The Holy Spirit is an essential part of the Christian life. Each of us are indwell by the Holy Spirit when we are born again, but we might not be filled with the Holy Spirit or walking in the Spirit. However, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit and walking in the Spirit, we will be like a river in a desert, giving life to those around us.

The New Living Translation translates the "walk in the Spirit" verse (Galatians 5:16) as " So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves." This makes clear what you will get even if you read the verse with its surrounding passages in a more literal translation, e.g. NKJV.

A: We need to actively follow Jesus. We need to daily take up our cross, deny our sinful desires, and follow Jesus. (Luke 9:23) When we do this, when we walk in the Spirit, when we drink deeply of Jesus by spending time meditating on His Word, when we are transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2), then we will be like springs of living water.

P: Father, I cannot be a spring of living water without You. Keep me attached to the Vine as a faithful fruitful branch. In Jesus' name, amen.