One Year Bible Reading Plan and Devotional
Today’s Bible Reading: May 20
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Clicking on the Scripture links above will open a new window where you can read the scripture from the Holman Christian Standard Bible at Biblegateway.com or choose the Bible version you prefer to read. Check back each day to get the Scripture to read in the One Year Bible Reading Plan.
Streams of Living Water
When talking to the woman at the well, Jesus says he is the living water. Then in chapter 7, Jesus says that if we are thirsty we are to come to him. But just what does it mean? Jesus isn’t taking about physical thirst, but spiritual thirst. And when we are spiritually thirsty, we need to come to Jesus, who is the living water.
In order to understand John 7:38, we need to look at the verses before and after it. In verse 37, we find that it is the last day of a feast and Jesus stood up and cried out to the people, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” At times, God brings seasons of spiritual hunger and thirst as a way to draw us closer to Him. Just as when we are physically hungry or thirsty, we seek out food and water, if we are spiritually hungry and thirsty, we should seek out Jesus.
Experiencing spiritual thirst
Certainly, when we neglect to spend time in prayer, Bible study, and worship, we will experience a spiritual hunger and thirst. Other times, we might be reading out Bible every day, praying, and going to church every week, but we still feel some spiritual hunger and thirst. In some ways, the spiritual thirst for Christ should never really be quenched while we are living on earth.
When we experience spiritual hunger and thirst, we come to Jesus with a desire to know Him more. The more we know Him, the more we understand His deep, unfailing, unending, reckless love for us – a love that cost Him His life. The more we understand His love for us, the more we love Him. And the more we love Him, the more we want to get to know Him – and the cycle continues. So if you are experiencing a spiritual thirst, come to Jesus and He will give you living water.
Finding Rivers of Living Water
In verse 38, Jesus continues speaking to the people and says, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” If we are to believe in Jesus as the Scripture said, there are some questions we must ask ourselves and determine how we will answer them. We will look at how the Bible answers these questions, but each one of us must determine how we will answer them.
Who is Jesus?
Jesus is fully God and He was fully man. In John 10:30, Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” In John 8:58, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!” In the Old Testament (Exodus 3:14), Moses asked God, “Who should I say sent me?” God replied, “Tell them I AM sent you.” So in John 8:58, when Jesus said, “I am” He was saying He was God. John 1:1 says, “the Word was God” and in John 1:14, it says, “the Word became flesh.” This indicates that Jesus was God…in the flesh.
Jesus came to earth as a baby, born to the virgin Mary, grew into a man and lived here on earth just as any of us do, but without any sin. Jesus felt hunger, thirst, anger, sadness, pain, compassion. He had friends, family, and enemies. Jesus is also the Son of God. In Matthew 3:17, God, speaking out of heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” Even the demons that encounter Jesus understood that Jesus was God’s son. In Mark 5:7, a demon said to Jesus: “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” In Mark 8:29, Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered that Jesus was Christ, the Messiah. Today, Jesus is asking you, “Who do you say that I am?”
In Mark 8:29, Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered that Jesus was Christ, the Messiah. Today, Jesus is asking you, “Who do you say that I am?”
What was the need for Jesus to come to earth?
From the very first sin committed by Eve in the Garden of Eden, sin entered the world and every human other than Jesus has sinned. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” While God created humans to have a relationship with Him, sin keeps us separated from a righteous, holy God. Isaiah 59:2 says, “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you.”
Not only does sin separate us from God, but there is a penalty for sin. Romans 6:23 says that the wages we earned for our sin is death. It was because of our sin that Jesus needed to come to earth. He was sent here to pay the penalty in our place for our sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
How did Jesus meet this need?
Hebrews 9:22 tells us that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” If the wages of sin is death, then it was Jesus’ blood shed on the cross that cleanses us from sin. 1 John 1:7 tells us that “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” Because Jesus lived a sinless life, He was the only one who could provide the payment for our sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 1 Peter 2:24 says, “He Himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.” Jesus met the sin debt of our sin by his sacrificial death on the cross and then conquered death through His resurrection.
Where is Jesus today?
If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then his sacrificial death would not be enough. If he was still in tomb then he would be no different than Mohammad or Buddha. Luke 24:50-51 says, “Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands He blessed them. And while He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven. Today, Jesus sits at the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:12 tell us, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,”
Why did Jesus do this for me?
There is only one reason that Jesus would sacrificially give His life in my place as payment for my sin – Love. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” 1 John 4:10 says, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Love is the only reason that Jesus offered His life in my place to pay my sin debt. When you think about it, before God created Adam and Eve, He knew they would sin and Jesus would have to pay their debt. Before He created you or me, He knew we would sin and Jesus would have to pay our debt. But he created us anyway. Why? Because God is love. And He loves you and me.
When did I realize I am a sinner?
In order to receive the living water that Jesus offered, we all must come to the realization that we are sinners, lost without Jesus, and have a need for Him to save us form our sins.
What must I do to receive living water?
First we must admit that we are sinners and need a Savior. Second we must believe in our heart by faith that Jesus is the Son of God, that He lives a sinless life, died on the cross, was buried for three days, and then rose again. Third, we must confess our sin to God, asking Him to forgive us. Then we receive the free gift of God’s salvation by faith as we ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.” There is absolutely nothing you can do on your own to be saved. You can’t earn it. You can’t live “good enough.” You can’t buy you way into heaven. It is only by faith in Jesus that you receive God’s gracious and free gift of salvation.
Only the Children on God can receive Living Water
Only as children of God are we able to receive the streams of living water that flows from deep within that Jesus mentioned in John 7:38. And in verse 39, we find that the living water Jesus was talking about is the Holy Spirit. Once we accept Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, teaching us, guiding us, correcting us, encouraging us, and drawing us ever closer to God as we live our lives.
Are you spiritually thirsty today? Come to the well that never runs dry. Jesus is waiting. You can come just as you are.
Now you can enhance your Bible Reading with the Verse Mapping Template
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Week 20: May 16-22, 2022
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Romans 8:37 says, “No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.” Our victories come when we are on our knees praying.
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Ephesians 4:32 says, “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Kindness never goes out of style. Scatter some wherever you go.
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