{"id":2672,"date":"2014-06-09T12:07:17","date_gmt":"2014-06-09T16:07:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/?p=2672"},"modified":"2014-06-09T12:07:17","modified_gmt":"2014-06-09T16:07:17","slug":"thirsty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/thirsty\/","title":{"rendered":"Thirsty"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"drylakebed\"<\/a><\/p>\n

One of the problems I have had throughout my life is that I often don\u2019t realize I\u2019m thirsty until I\u2019m bordering on dehydration. \u00a0I seem to get parched quickly and, before I know it, a headache sets in. By that time, it\u2019s too late to avoid the pain, though it is essential that I begin the re-hydration process so I don\u2019t perpetuate it!<\/span><\/p>\n

I have realized another thing: I have the exact same problem with my spiritual life! \u00a0I often get so busy or so distracted that I develop tunnel vision. \u00a0I fail to drink regularly from my source of strength (the Word of God) and to be poured into from men of God who preach the Word faithfully (through podcasts, books, etc.) and before I know it, I\u2019m bordering on spiritual dehydration.<\/span><\/p>\n

When that happens, everything suffers: my family, my interaction with God (prayer becomes minimal), my preaching and my other relationships. \u00a0Everything <\/i>suffers!<\/span><\/p>\n

Turns out, that\u2019s where I\u2019ve been lately\u2026spiritually dehydrated. \u00a0My message yesterday was a confession of this and a challenge to all of us to pause and take a spiritual inventory of whether or not we\u2019re drinking in things that are less than satisfactory at the expense of drinking in that which fully satisfies.<\/span><\/p>\n

In John 7<\/a>, Jesus stood up at the end of the Feast and cried out, \u201cIf anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. <\/span>\u00a0<\/sup><\/span>Whoever believes in me, as<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the Scripture has said, \u2018Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In one sense, this is speaking to those who have never received Christ and have been made aware of their condition without Him. \u00a0What about for those of us: those who have <\/i>trusted in Christ, but go through times of drought? \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Come and drink!<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

The problem for someone like me is that we don\u2019t always realize we\u2019re thirsty! \u00a0How can we deal with a problem we don\u2019t realize we have? \u00a0The solution is quite easy. \u00a0Actually, it\u2019s the same solution that we would use for physical conditioning: \u00a0Stay <\/i>hydrated!<\/span><\/p>\n

Really, that\u2019s it. \u00a0The way to know that I\u2019m always physically hydrated is to develop a lifestyle of drinking water throughout the day\u2026every <\/i>day. \u00a0So, for a man, that\u2019s about 3 liters a day<\/a>. \u00a0For me, that\u2019s a lot of water, but if I want to stay healthy, I need to do it or deal with the consequences.<\/span><\/p>\n

Practically, for my spiritual health, I have to do the same thing. \u00a0I have to be in the Word every single morning, develop a lifestyle of regular prayer and ask people close to me to keep me in check. \u00a0In other words, “the basics”. \u00a0The problem for people who have been disciples for long periods of time is that we sometimes feel as though we\u2019re OK if we miss a day or two. \u00a0The result is that even though it might not have a huge effect immediately<\/i>, it begins an erosion process. \u00a0We quickly lose focus and direction. \u00a0Excuses come easy and often and the damage slowly begins to show. \u00a0We can\u2019t let it happen and the only way to prevent that is consistency<\/i>!<\/span><\/p>\n

So, are you thirsty? \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Maybe like me, you need to stop running long enough to find out. \u00a0How are your relationships going? \u00a0How long has it been since you spent time reading Scripture (that wasn\u2019t to prepare a sermon or to teach a Bible class)? \u00a0How\u2019s your prayer life? \u00a0These are all indicators of your level of hydration. \u00a0Check it out before you start really hurting. \u00a0For me, it\u2019s manifested itself in feeling burned out. \u00a0For someone who wants to spend the rest of their life pouring into others for the sake of the Kingdom of God, that\u2019s the worst feeling I can have. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re in the race together.<\/span><\/p>\n

That being the case, let\u2019s decide to protect each other from this unhealthy state and take seriously the instruction of Hebrews 10:19-25:<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, brothers,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, <\/span>20\u00a0<\/sup><\/span>by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, <\/span>21\u00a0<\/sup><\/span>and since we have a great priest over the house of God, <\/span>22\u00a0<\/sup><\/span>let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. <\/span>23\u00a0<\/sup><\/span>Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. <\/span>24\u00a0<\/sup><\/span>And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, <\/span>25\u00a0<\/sup><\/span>not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Make sure you stay hydrated so that your healthy enough to finish the race as strongly as you\u2019ve begun!<\/span><\/p>\n

Soli Deo Gloria!<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tTweet<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the problems I have had throughout my life is that I often don\u2019t realize I\u2019m thirsty until I\u2019m bordering on dehydration. \u00a0I seem to get parched quickly and, before I know it, a headache sets in. By that time, it\u2019s too late to avoid the pain, though it is essential that I begin…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_publicize_message":"Thirsty (davidcprice.com)","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[4],"tags":[684,203,633,632],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s3jKZO-thirsty","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2989,"url":"http:\/\/davidcprice.com\/the-truth-of-the-moment-recovering-from-a-spiritual-slump\/","url_meta":{"origin":2672,"position":0},"title":"The Truth of the Moment: Recovering from a Spiritual Slump","date":"May 15, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"If you've ever been in a play or any kind of production where you were required to recite memorized lines, you know the most terrifying thing to happen is to forget your lines. 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