Spiritual Overflow
Standing at over 85 feet high and over 65 feet wide, Rome’s Trevi Fountain is one of the most famous and glorious water fountains in the world. Each statue stands as its own work of art, painstakingly crafted with opulent detail and placed on a rock foundation brilliantly hewn to accent their beauty. But, as beautiful as this masterpiece is, its brilliance and glory is only fully realized when crystal clear water cascades freely in, around, and over it.
The beauty of a fountain is its overflow of water. A fountain without water is not nearly as glorious.
Like that fountain, you were created to overflow. God designed and crafted you with great detail. In fact, you were made in the very image of God! But, apart from God you cannot reach your potential and purpose. The life-giving flow of the Holy Spirit is what brings out the best in you. Your true identity emerges when your humanity overflows with divinity.
The imagery of water is very strong in Scripture, and often repeated. From Noah’s flood, to Moses’ Red Sea, to Joshua’s Jordan River, to Jesus’ baptism – water is often a picture of breakthrough into a new season.
Less visible, but equally recognizable is the flow of spiritual water in a person’s life. Your decision to allow the flow of God’s Spirit in, around, and over your life will bring you into a new season of purpose and destiny!
There are three sources of water available to every person. Scripture refers to them as “baptisms”:
- Baptism into Christ. The water of life comes from the well of salvation – Jesus Christ. Putting your faith and trust In Jesus begins the flow of God’s Spirit in your life. Your salvation is the moment that the waters of His Spirit flow IN to your life.
- Baptism in water. Water baptism is such a practical and simple step of faith that many people underestimate its profound impact and value. Your decision to be immersed in the physical waters of baptism releases spiritual waters to flow all the more in your life. Water baptism allows the physical and spiritual waters of God’s Spirit to flow AROUND your life.
- Baptism with the Holy Spirit. There are six mentions of John the Baptist’s interaction with Jesus at the Jordan River, where John says, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but One coming after me (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!” Being baptized with the Holy Spirit is simply asking Jesus to fill you to overflowing with the waters of His Spirit, so that the flow of your life, the flow of your words, and even the flow of your thoughts increasingly reflects those of Jesus. Being baptized with the Holy Spirit allows the waters of the Spirit to flow OVER your life and refresh others.
The beauty and brilliance of your life can only be realized through the flow of God’s Spirit in you, around, you and overflowing from you to refresh others. People all around you are dry and thirsty. The overflow of God’s Spirit cascading from your life is what will refresh their souls and satisfy their spiritual thirst.
You were created to overflow with the refreshing waters of the Spirit! Come to the spiritual waters today!
Smarter Than God
Is it possible that we are educating ourselves into imbecility?
I’ve heard Ravi Zacharias quote this phrase many times, and it still gives me pause.
Paul foretold such foolishness when he wrote to Timothy:
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,”1 Timothy 4:1 ESV
The irony cannot be ignored:
- People who deny the existence of demons are, in fact, most vulnerable to their control.
- People who turn away from God and become more “enlightened” are actually walking in deep darkness.
- People who prioritize human education over divine revelation have educated themselves into imbecility.
The songs of demonic deception are played on the strings of human pride.
Truth, by definition, is a standard. It is immovable. It does not change with the circumstances of life.
Truth does not come from within us; it is embodied in a Person – one Man – Jesus, the Son of God, who said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
Those who are comfortable living in the darkness of deception despise the light of truth. They resist it. They reject it. Committed to the lie, they redefine truth.
Painting a bullseye around an arrow does not make someone a sharp shooter.
For the person living in lies the question is, “What if you’re wrong?”
But fools never considers that possibility.
Enjoy Life with Your Wife!
“Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.”Ecclesiastes 9:9 ESV
If Solomon’s quill represented his view of life, he seemed to write with the jaded ink of bitterness of soul when he wrote Ecclesiastes. Still, deep wisdom can be found tangled among his cynicism.
For example, although he seems to view life as meaningless, his encouragement to “enjoy life with the wife whom you love” is rich with wisdom.
This week I celebrate twenty five years of marriage to my wife. Wow! I thought only old people had silver anniversaries, but apparently not!
As pastors and leaders who constantly invest our lives into people, Carrie and I are often reminded that, although we sincerely love people and want to lay our lives down for them, our relationship with one another is the one we must prioritize above all others.
If we don’t get our marriage relationship right, every other relationship will suffer.
My plan, as I approach the next twenty five years and more, is to enjoy life with my wife whom I love more than any other on earth.
Unity Among Diversity
“In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”Ephesians 2:22 ESV
This morning I received a letter and gift card from a pastor/friend in my community, celebrating my upcoming wedding anniversary.
This afternoon I texted a minister/friend from California just to encourage him on how well he is balancing family and ministry.
Tonight I was on my way to Life Group and passed by a church pastored by a friend of mine. I inwardly prayed God’s blessing over him and his family.
In a society that is often divided by economic, racial, and cultural lines it is imperative that believers not have a reputation of disunity or division.
I love the relationships I have with other pastors, leaders, and believers throughout the body of Christ, especially within my own community.
Jesus said that we should be known by our love for one another.
Diversity among denominations can be celebrated, but there is no room for judgemental division and unhealthy competition in the body of Christ.
I recently had someone tell me that, on his first visit to our church, what impacted him the most was that I prayed for other churches.
This week I encourage you to pray for every church you pass by. Pray for God to bless them and make His presence known among the people who gather there. Even when we come across places and people whose beliefs are clearly not in alignment with God’s word, prayer is still an appropriate and powerful response.
None of us has it all figured out. We can learn from those different than us. God uses our uniquenesses to express His glory, and He is building us into a dwelling place for His presence!
Pastor Dale Jenkins 