“And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.”
(Genesis 26:24-25)
II – TENT - A temporary dwelling. Portable shelter. And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.(Genesis 26:25 ).
Note the words: “and pitched his tent there.” Peter reminds the believers that everything in this life – possessions, accomplishments, people – will eventually fade away and disappear. Only God’s will, God’s Word, and God’s Work are permanent. We are all just merely passing temporarily like pilgrims in this world. “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”(1 Peter 1:24-25).
We must stop grasping the temporary, and focus our time, treasure and energy on the permanent – our eternal life in Christ. "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18 ).
The Christian’s permanent home is where Christ lives. “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:2-3).
This verse gives us a different perspective on our lives here on earth. To let heaven fill your thought means to look at life from God’s perspective. The more we see the life around us as God sees it, the more we live in harmony with Him. We must not too attached to what is only TEMPORARY.
Illustration: “The Only Importance”
Over the triple doorways of the Cathedral of Milan, there are three inscriptions spanning the splendid arches. Over one is carved a beautiful wreath of roses, and underneath is the legend:“ALL THAT WHICH PLEASES IS BUT FOR A MOMENT”.
Over the other is sculptured a cross, and the words: “ALL THAT WHICH TROUBLES US IS BUT FOR A MOMENT”.
But underneath the great central entrance to the main aisles is the inscription: THAT ONLY IS IMPORTANT WHICH IS ETERNAL.”
The more we see the life around us as God sees it, the more we live in harmony with Him. We must not too attached to what is only TEMPORARY.
III – WELL – a pit or hole dug in the earth down to the water table. The level at which the ground us saturated with water.
Notice the words: “Isaac’s servants digged a well.” (Genesis 26:25).
In Old Testament times, water was as precious as gold. If someone dug a well, he was staking a claim to the land. Some wells had locks to keep thieves from stealing the water.Jacob’s well was probably more than 200 ft. deep (John 4:5-7). Wells were almost always located outside the city along the main road. Twice each day, morning and evening, women came to draw water. People had to walk a mile or more for their water.
“Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:6-14).
Many functions of one’s spiritual life parallel the functions of the physical life. As our bodies hunger and thirst, so do our SOULS. Our souls need spiritual food and water. We should not think of depriving our bodies of food and water when they hunger and thirst. Why then should we deprive our souls? Only Jesus Christ can satisfy our hungry and thirsty souls.
“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”(Psalm 42:1-2). As the life of a deer depends upon water, our lives depend upon God. As the Song says:
Note the words: “and pitched his tent there.” Peter reminds the believers that everything in this life – possessions, accomplishments, people – will eventually fade away and disappear. Only God’s will, God’s Word, and God’s Work are permanent. We are all just merely passing temporarily like pilgrims in this world. “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”(1 Peter 1:24-25).
We must stop grasping the temporary, and focus our time, treasure and energy on the permanent – our eternal life in Christ. "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18 ).
The Christian’s permanent home is where Christ lives. “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:2-3).
This verse gives us a different perspective on our lives here on earth. To let heaven fill your thought means to look at life from God’s perspective. The more we see the life around us as God sees it, the more we live in harmony with Him. We must not too attached to what is only TEMPORARY.
Illustration: “The Only Importance”
Over the triple doorways of the Cathedral of Milan, there are three inscriptions spanning the splendid arches. Over one is carved a beautiful wreath of roses, and underneath is the legend:“ALL THAT WHICH PLEASES IS BUT FOR A MOMENT”.
Over the other is sculptured a cross, and the words: “ALL THAT WHICH TROUBLES US IS BUT FOR A MOMENT”.
But underneath the great central entrance to the main aisles is the inscription: THAT ONLY IS IMPORTANT WHICH IS ETERNAL.”
The more we see the life around us as God sees it, the more we live in harmony with Him. We must not too attached to what is only TEMPORARY.
III – WELL – a pit or hole dug in the earth down to the water table. The level at which the ground us saturated with water.
Notice the words: “Isaac’s servants digged a well.” (Genesis 26:25).
In Old Testament times, water was as precious as gold. If someone dug a well, he was staking a claim to the land. Some wells had locks to keep thieves from stealing the water.Jacob’s well was probably more than 200 ft. deep (John 4:5-7). Wells were almost always located outside the city along the main road. Twice each day, morning and evening, women came to draw water. People had to walk a mile or more for their water.
“Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:6-14).
Many functions of one’s spiritual life parallel the functions of the physical life. As our bodies hunger and thirst, so do our SOULS. Our souls need spiritual food and water. We should not think of depriving our bodies of food and water when they hunger and thirst. Why then should we deprive our souls? Only Jesus Christ can satisfy our hungry and thirsty souls.
“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”(Psalm 42:1-2). As the life of a deer depends upon water, our lives depend upon God. As the Song says:
Like a woman at well I was seeking
The things that could not satisfy,
And when I heard the Saviour speaking,
Draw from my well that never shall run dry.
Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up Lord,
Come and quench the thirsting of my soul,
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more,
Fill my cup, fill it up and make we whole.
Do you need to experience God’s love, peace and forgiveness? Drink from His WELL that never shall run dry. “WELL that never shall run dry” means:
Love that can never be fathomed.
Life that can never die.
Peace that can never be understood.
Rest that can never be disturbed.
Happiness that can never be interrupted.
Strength that can never be enfeebled.
Beauty that can never be marred.
Resources that can never be exhausted.
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