The Well

In Exodus 20: 3-5, God warns against having other idols or gods before Him: “You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God.” In this week’s message, Dr. Swanson teaches how this statement reveals God’s deep love for His people. Worship will never be genuine until we understand whom we are worshipping. Have you pursued getting to know God? Start by reading his word daily, and pray that He will reveal Himself to you. In this quest, you’ll discover God’s nature and glory, and the key to finding true worship in God alone.

Are you going through a particularly difficult season of life? Are your circumstances less than ideal? Maybe you are stuck in a dead-end job or maybe you’ve lost your home to foreclosure. Whatever the case may be, Christ calls us to be content. In Philippians 4:10-14, Paul reveals; “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” In our culture, it is all too easy to fall into a self-sufficient way of life. And it is through our self-sufficiency that discontentment runs rampant. Let us turn our eyes toward God and find our sufficiency in Him so that we too can possess the secret and peace of being content.

In John 13, Jesus washes the feet of the disciples. Although Christ sets an example for all believers to serve others, it is important not to overlook the primary message. We first must receive the cleansing power of Christ in our lives before we can truly serve others. We can only become clean through the blood of Christ, and not by our own works. The kingdom of God cannot be exhibited through you, until it is born in you. Then, you can become the agents of God’s grace and help others understand the cleansing blood of Christ.

An idol draws us away from worshipping the one true God. In Exodus 20:4, God tells his people, “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” In chapter 32, the Israelites created and worshipped a golden calf because they grew impatient with the amount of time Moses was on Mount Sinai talking to God. But how does this golden calf relate to us today? Out of the impatience of God working in their lives, the people turned to the dominant cultural idol of their time. In our fast paced world, patience is hard characteristic to sustain; however, sometimes it is in the waiting that God teaches us and molds us. Is there an “idol” that you are turning to due to God not working how you think he should or as fast as you think he should? Friends, instead of running to competing idols during times of waiting, I encourage you to run to the word of God for your strength.

What are you making a priority in your life? There are plenty of things begging for your attention, but what are you pursuing? Our culture puts a lot of stock in what you do, how you look and whom you’re with. Many pursue wealth, fame, success and all that the world has to offer. But have you considered why you are here and what your purpose is? In your life, is faith a priority? Christ calls us to live a selfless life that requires sacrifice and isn’t always appealing. In Matthew 6:19-20, he says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven …” Friends, where are you storing your treasures? At the end of your life, will you be satisfied with these priorities?

Do you know how you got here? What is your purpose? These types of questions are relevant to everyone and there are competing theories for the answers. What do you think about a Creator? How about the Christian faith? Some may doubt the resurrection of Christ; however, most do not investigate this unbelief. And if the resurrection of Christ proved to be true, wouldn’t that affect your life? Friends, come investigate the evidence that Christ died for you and me and rose again. If you still have questions after watching this video, please email me directly at david@drinkfromthewell.com.

Do you believe in miracles? There are a lot of claims of miraculous happenings such as being healed from cancer, but is it true and is it from God? In Acts 9, Peter raises Tabitha, a disciple of Christ, from the dead. Peter did not proclaim this was by his power, but through the miracle pointed others to Christ. We do know that Peter lived in the manner of Christ and that God intervened. But miracles don’t always happen, do they? Miracles are rather a mystery and there is no way to formulate or try to make them happen. They are simply a gift from God. Regardless of what your circumstances may be, remember that the greatest miracle has already happened. God has redeemed our lives and given us the hope and promise of eternity. Friends, how are you responding to the best miracle of all?

Reid Henson was diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia and was given an estimate of two months to live. Although Reid did not pray much prior to his illness, he turned to Christ and started praying for a miracle. He started to reflect not only on his relationship with God but also his strained relationship with his earthly father. Through counseling, he realized that his earthly father did love him and began understanding his relationship with Christ on a deeper level. Although the medical community had given him no hope of survival, Reid was completely healed. He has taken his miraculous second chance at life to point others to Christ.

Everyone has been labeled from race to gender to job titles. It’s a way of defining and compartmentalizing those around us. Some labels are out of our control, but other labels are governed by our behavior, which is shaped by our beliefs. Man-made barriers should not separate the body of Christ as the hope of the gospel is for everyone.

In Acts 11, the good news of Jesus was shared with a people who were diverse in the city of Antioch. These people turned to the Lord and received instruction, encouragement and accountability from the disciples. They also served together to meet others needs. It was at the Church of Antioch that the disciples were first labeled Christians. May we too get labeled “Christian” because we live in the model and manner of Jesus. Let’s examine our hearts:

• - What labels have you given others around you that hinders the message that the gospel is for everyone?
• - Are you living the label of Christian in every aspect of your life through your words and actions?
• - Are you receiving instruction and accountability from other believers so that your core belief that Jesus is savior can be deepened?

Kristin Tremba struggled with gender identity and same sex attraction throughout the early years of her life. She experienced emotional intimacy with a good friend during college and through those feelings she concluded that she was gay. However, she didn’t want to take on that gay identity and kept her struggles silent.

In her late 20’s, she began to fear that she would never marry a man and have a family. She lacked the trust that God would provide for her future and fell into an emotionally dependent relationship with a woman who pursued her. Although she acted out on these feelings, she still desired the label of Christian; however, she could not reconcile both labels. She chose the label Christian and surrendered to God’s will for her life. Her identity in Christ is not based on feelings, but rather on truth. We must choose whether we will be marked by our conformity to culture or by our obedience to Christ.