Don’t Want No Satisfaction. John 7.37-39; Jeremiah 15.16

One of my passions is gardening—flowers mostly—and roses are my joy!--although I do have blueberries, blackberries and an apricot tree too.  Into my back garden, I delight in inviting birds of all kinds, (though they can be a little destructive to my fruit!).  There are artsy, colorful birdhouses, feeders and baths with which I draw them, and of course, nectar-filled flowers that they enjoy as well, especially my hummingbirds.  Recently, a little sparrow built her nest under the eaves of my patio cover, laid her eggs, and hatched her ‘youngins’.  Through open windows, I could hear those baby birds begging for the food their mama was bringing to them.  Their little chirps grew stronger and louder as they grew bigger and bigger, before setting out on their own.  One morning, as I observed them through a window, I thought, ‘that is how my Father wants me—eager for what he has for me, and always wanting more!’ 

The enemy of more is satisfaction (google it—see what comes up)… Oh, Friends, many of you, when you stop and think about it, become aware that you have been satisfied with your spiritual plateau—where you find yourself currently coasting with the Lord.  (Just like I did several nights ago, when thinking of satisfaction juxtaposed to the “more” God wants to give us as Paul refers to in Ephesians 3.20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…  Satisfaction . . .  ‘Not all bad, just lacks passion!  ‘Not too attractive to anyone else, because it lacks power! 

Our Lord Jesus told us how to be filled to passionate overflowing – Come to Me, he said.  Drink!  (John 7.37-39)  And the Holy Spirit will fill you, then it will spill out, and over … What?  Life!  Jesus said he came to give us an abundant life, not a mediocre one. 

After Jesus ascended into Heaven, the Holy Spirit came with fire to an obedient, desirous, faithful group of believers.  He took up residence within the people of God for the first time ever.  Everything was different for believers, from that day forward …. Oh, how I wish I could have been there that day, recorded in Acts chapter two.  But think of it, Christian—the same Holy Spirit lives in us.  Is that not cause for celebration? 

After that momentous day in Jerusalem, the people grew satisfied . . . no!  They devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, and prayer.  Friends, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, so he will always direct us toward God’s truth—toward his Word.  Note to self:  pray that the Holy Spirit will direct your understanding before you read Scripture.  But by all means: start your day in God’s wisdom, in his Word.  ‘Want to restoke those embers, want to have passionate flames—get into God’s Word!  Print out these Morning Briefings, read the Scripture, read the surrounding Scripture in your Bibles as time permits, or later in the day, and place them in a binder, so you can refer back to them.  Soon you will have the entire Gospel of John studies assembled.  (Past studies are archived on www.pastorwoman.com - use this resource; there are hundreds of inspirational studies on prayer, God’s promises, book studies, etc.) 

Be intentional about your study of God’s Word; it will change you . . . impassion and embolden you.  Get as intentional about feeding on the Word of God as you are about other things in your life . . . heck, you can print out Scripture, and carry it with you; you can read it on www.Biblegateway.com.  Meditate upon it, and you will grow to hunger for it as much as my baby birds did their mama’s feedings.  Jeremiah said, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.”   Jeremiah 15.16. 

As the Holy Spirit points us to the truth, so he points us to the glorious Lord Jesus, and life in him.  It seems as late as though we Christians are content to live with a ‘nice’ version of Jesus, a gentrified version of Christianity, when we are called to a dangerous lifestyle of giving ourselves away … and finding out more on a daily basis of just what that means.  MORE … finding out more, wanting more, seeking more of him, less of ourselves.

Christine

 PastorWoman.com

[This is third in a series:  Passion and Power, http://pastorwoman.com/ReadArchive.aspx?id=949, The Enemy of More is Satisfaction, http://pastorwoman.com/ReadArchive.aspx?id=950 ]