God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24)
Plumbing in our kitchens and bathrooms can experience build up until finally clogs develop, causing the pipes to back up and the water to flow in the wrong direction. Liquid Plumber is the solution. Just pour it in the drain, and let it soak—releasing the clogs so the water can flow.
Every day our lives can accumulate with all types of baggage—emotional, physical, and whatever the enemy decides to throw at us. Sometimes we can find ourselves going in the wrong direction.
Every few months, I spend twenty plus dollars and soak my household drains with Liquid Plumber so that the water can flow freely and never back up. What can we do to release the buildup in our own lives freeing the Spirit to flow within us?
Worship of the Father in genuine desire lets Him flow in His goodness and peace within us. Turn on your favorite Christian music, open your Bible and soak in His Word, talk to Him, and love Him back. Father God does not need our worship to let Him know how great He is. We need worship because He inhabits our praise, creating a two way street in our relationship that frees us from yesterday's mistakes and emotional build up.
Our worship cannot be limited to Sundays, a mid week service, or an occasional Bible study. One cannot find it at the local grocery store, and the cost is expensive—our time. We must cultivate a personal worship with Jesus that soaks within and releases us; allowing the Spirit to flow freely. —Sharon McDill
Thank you, Lord for partnering with us in worship and flowing in peace within us. Amen.
... but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14 NIV)
Picture a large meadow of yellow flowers bowing to a gentle breeze. This golden pond of beauty is densely populated on the outer edges by trees that stand stoic throughout the course of time. The summer sun hangs lazily alone in the afternoon sky against a canvass of aqua blue. The air is punctuated periodically by God’s curious creatures that fly about on cue — assuring the casual observer that life is more than worrying about the next event.
But that’s not all.
The sound of a rushing river nearby captures the essence of energy as it follows its familiar path toward the open sea. All marvel at its ability to remain constant. Nothing stops its flow. Its strength is undeniable. Its will, undeterred. The river beckons those who are thirsty to partake of its power to quench. For the filthy, it calls them to bathe in its capacity to cleanse. For everyone who seeks healing, it invites them to take a leap of faith and jump in. —Robert Valleau
Father, thanks for being the ever-present river of life in our lives. May your rich presence flow from us so that others may see your mercy and grace. May those who feel discouraged or depressed find supernatural strength in your heavenly reservoir of love.
Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them — those who are mistreated — since you yourselves are in the body also. (Hebrews 13:1-3 NKJ)
The book of Hebrews was mainly about the superiority of Jesus Christ over the Old Testament prophets and religious systems. In concluding his message, the writer of the book admonished his audience to let brotherly love continue. The Greek word (filadelfia) translated "brotherly love" in most English translations of the Bible can mean mutual love of brothers (and sisters) or "love for one's fellow believer, affection for a fellow believer." It is in contrast with another Greek word (agapee) also translated "love" which is the unconditional and unparallel love that God has for the mankind. The implication of the admonition was that brotherly love already existed among the Hebrews that the book was addressed to. So, it must continue and the continuation should have no end. The writer of the book went ahead to give two explanations on how to demonstrate brotherly love (Hebrews 13:2-3). One, by entertaining strangers: he inferred to Abraham who unknowingly entertained angels (see Genesis 19). Two, by caring for the less privileged: Jesus Christ alluded to this in one of His parables (see Matthew 25:34-46). There are other ways of making brotherly love continue among us.
It is evident from these two ways of demonstrating brotherly love that the "brother" that one is to love may not necessarily be a sibling or a fellow believer (as a commentator put it) or somebody of common interest, but anyone that one can help at a given time. The Samaritan in the popular parable of the Good Samaritan has been a classic example of demonstration of brotherly love (see Luke 10:25-37).
Many people would say that they love God, and they are ready to do anything for Him. However, do they love their fellow "brother"? Such people are hypocrites! Apostle John said, "If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen" (1 John 4:20 NIV).
A very important reason why one should let brotherly love continue is that one may on one occasion or the other be at the receiving end of such love. The "strange" stranger who leads the love or care may be YOU!
Do you have brotherly love? Be ready to demonstrate it to anyone that comes your way. Let brotherly love continue! —Bayo Afolaranmi
