springs of living water

31.l. “For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness”

Psalm 107:9 “For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness” (, NKJV).

Isaiah 55:1-3   “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.  Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live;

Jeremiah 31:14   my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, declares the LORD.”

Jeremiah 31:25   For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.”

Matthew 5:6   “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Revelation 7:16-17  They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.  For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Do you ever wonder why there are so many self-help, self-satisfaction, and finding self-purpose books being written, published, marketed, and being sold? There are tens of thousands out there. You would think if there are this many books out there someone would find the solution to these longings in our soul and that these longs are very real.

Billy Graham, said something like this; “There’s a place inside each individual, that if it is continually being filled will satisfy our inner soul. This is a reserved place for God and His Word in our lives. It is a place where true and lasting satisfaction, peace, joy, strength, and purpose find a residence in our hearts and minds. This is the place reserved for God alone in our lives. Many people try to fill this place with wealth, possessions, sex, drugs, alcohol or work, but do so in vain. They long to fill this place/void in their soul. It is the place where purpose, contentment, inner peace, happiness, fulfillment, joy, etc…. are only fully satisfied when we hunger, desire, thirst, and long for God. Only God can fill it and continually refresh it to overflowing abundance.

The problem is, the things of this world (wealth, possessions, sex, drugs, alcohol, or work) are fleeting, they’re broken, and they’ll eventually let you down. Money and possessions can be ripped away from you in a moment. Relationships falter. Drugs and alcohol wear off and leave you right back where you were, or worse.

God is the One who refreshes our soul and dwells in our innermost self, meeting those needs and desires that seem to be so elusive. We hunger for Him, and only He alone can satisfy. There is darkness and void in our soul when anything other than God is being put into it. There is light for the soul when this place is filled and continually refreshed by God.

When God is rejected, put aside, neglected, marginalized, or denied there is no light for our soul. Though He may quietly whisper; “come to Me and I will give you rest”, our ears deafen and our hearts harden to His repeated calls of salvation, redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life. It is in this rejection of His grace, mercy, and love when we turn to something else to fill the void of God in our lives. All the Holy Spirit-filled joy, peace, strength, hope, love, purpose, and true contentment we could have in our lives is discarded for worldly ideas of the same but which will never accomplish.

7. “The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

John 4:14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Jeremiah 2:13 for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Two very different approaches to salvation, 1. believe in, rely on, trust in, devoted to, and acknowledge with acceptance. 2. refuse, reject, turn down, turn away from, and disbelief. For those who believe, Jesus Christ, (the Lamb of God), will become an ever in-dwelling spring of living water that brings a refreshing and renewing to their soul. Some have tasted this water and, for practical terms, have spit it out. Others have heard of it and saw no need for this living water for they were satisfied with something else. These are the ones who made an intentional choice to gather water that will never satisfy or quench the thirst their soul is so desperately searching for. Joh 1:11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

But to those who drink of this Living Water, to them Jesus Christ, (the Lamb of God), John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Do you ever wonder what parts of your life you have kept to yourself and have carved out cisterns of self-reliance and self-satisfaction? When we commit to reading the Word of God with a thirst for it’s Living Water, our lives will ever be growing in humble service, honor, glory, worship, praise, obedience, and reliance on Him who is the only one that can quench the thirst of our soul.

The Great Shepherd

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

“For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Psalms 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Micah 5:4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

1 Peter 2:25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.

Psalms 23 is such a heart confident warming for our soul. He makes me l lie down – He knows the rest our souls need. He restores me – He knows that we have a tendency to deplete our souls over the cares and worries of the day. He comfort us – He knows we need His rod and staff to both protect and direct us. He prepares – He has a plan and purpose for our life. He anoints – He blesses us. He leads us and is the overseer of our soul – He knows we need guidance to keep on the path that brings honor and glory to God. Other scripture tells us He is the good shepherd and that He knows us – We know Him. We follow Him. He hears us. He holds us in His hand and no one can remove us from them. He wipes away our tears. He helps us. He guides us. He never leaves us. He restores us. In Him is eternal life for all who trust in, cling to, and rely on Him alone. Whatever we are facing, God is our strength and comforter in times of trouble. Run to Him. He is the great Shepherd.