I was laying there watching the clock, when all of a sudden the machine started making
this really annoying loud beeping sound, then it just stopped! I thought to myself, "It's not
my fault...I didn't touch anything!" A couple of nurses came running; they tried to get
the machine to release the stretcher I was on so that they could get me out, but it wouldn't
let me go! It's a good thing I'm not claustrophobic, because it was an hour before a repair
man could get there and get me out! Even though small spaces don't usually bother me, by
the time I was freed I was getting a little antsy. It's not nice getting stuck!
Have you ever been spiritually stuck? You don't seem to be moving forward and gaining
spiritual ground, you're just...stuck. Your spirit is tired and you seem to be moving under
a cloud of dejection and despair. You've lost the joy of your salvation. May I tell you, that
our Good Shepherd knows when His sheep need to rest.
Psalms 23:1 & 2 "The LORD is my shepherd: I shall not want. He maketh me to
lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He knows when we are tired, and will bring us into a peaceful place to rest a while. Sheep
will not drink from fast flowing water, they need quiet still pools of refreshing water to drink
from. Our Lord knows when we need to be taken aside and made to rest and refresh ourselves
with the "Living Water."
John 4:14 "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."
As a child of God, we have that "well of water springing up into everlasting life," dwelling
inside of us. Sometimes however the things of this world can clog up our "spring" so that
it just resembles a leaky faucet! Is your well clogged up?
1. The cares of this life can cause a clog.
Mark 4:19 "And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the
lusts of other things entering in, choke the Word, and it becometh unfruitful."
It is so easy to become encumbered with the cares of this world, because we live in
it! We have problems to solve, bills to pay, health problems, family problems, some
have no jobs...cares of this world. Yet it is the cares of this world, the deceitfulness
of riches and the lusts of other things that choke out the peace in our lives. They
become all we can see and we lose sight of the promises of God that tell us that He
will care for us like the lilies of the field. Matthew 6:28 - 30 "And why take ye
thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil
not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothed the grass
of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not
much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?"
A few years ago my husband was in the hospital for 13 months before being moved
to a nursing home. During the course of that year, there were times when I was
short on money for food or bills. I never told anyone, just took my need to my
Heavenly Father. One Sunday I came out of church to find an envelope wedged
in the door of my van. Upon opening it, I found $300.00! I never did find out who
put it there...but I know this, my Heavenly Father sent it! Trust God and see what
will happen, He will never let His child down.
2. Pride will put a definite clog in your spring.
1 John 2:16 "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."
It's easy to pick out a proud person. They seem to walk with a swagger, and everything
is centered around them. I, I, I. Pride is a sin. It was pride that was the downfall of the
angel Lucifer!
Isaiah 14:12 - 15 "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the
morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the
sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like
the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit."
When we find ourselves starting to say, "I" more than "God," we are in big trouble!
We find the Apostle Paul warning of this in Romans 12:3 "For I say, through the
grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself
more highly than he ought to think: but to think soberly, according as God
hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." We have to be constantly reminding
ourselves that we are by the grace of God, just sinners, saved by faith. We are
nothing in ourselves. All that we are, all that we have, and all that we will become
and have, is only because of the love and mercy of God. When we elevate God in
our lives to the place of prominence that He is suppose to have, we will fade into
the background, people will see God, not us. John said in John 3:30, "He must
increase, but I must decrease." "I must decrease." Pride is a sin that we must
battle every day. When God is in the proper place in our lives, the clog of pride
will clear from our spring!
3. Depression can seriously clog your spring.
Psalms 6:6 "I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to
swim; I water my couch with my tears."
The mighty warrior, King David had times when he got overwhelmed with life and
got down and depressed. Saul was trying to kill him, he had to run for his life and
hide in caves. He was also burdened with his sin, and knew that before Holy God
he was found wanting. Psalms 13:1 & 2 "How long wilt Thou forget me O LORD?
Forever? How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me? How long shall I take
counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine
enemy be exalted over me?" I have never had to fear for my life, and be on the
run like David, but I know about depression. Especially at this time of year, I
really seem to get down and depressed. Depression can take away your joy and
peace, it can really clog up your spring.
We find the antidote to this problem however in Psalms 16:8, "I have set the LORD
always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." I'll
admit, this is easy to preach but hard to do when your spirit is low and the tears seem
unending.
James 4:7 & 8, 10 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and
he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Humble
yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall life you up."
Notice here that the first thing to do is submit ourselves to God. Resisting the devil
can only be accomplished through the power of God that comes as a result of that
submission. Submit, resist, draw nigh and humble ourselves is the secret to unclogging
our spring.
Is your spring flowing freely in you today? Are you rejoicing in that well of "Living
Water" that comes from Jesus Christ? If it has gotten clogged up with the cares of
this life, pride and depression, get busy unclogging it today. That spring contains
peace and joy for you from the Lord Jesus Christ!
Psalms 66:20 "Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor
His mercy from me."
I thirsted in the barren land of sin and shame,
And nothing satisfying there I found;
But to the blessed cross of Christ one day I came,
Where springs of living water did abound.
How sweet the living water from the hills of God,
It makes me glad and happy all the way;
Now glory, grace and blessing mark the path I've trod.
I'm shouting "Hallelujah" every day.
O sinner, won't you come today to Calvary,
A fountain there is flowing deep and wide;
The Savior now invites you to the water free,
Where thirsting spirits can be satisfied.
Drinking at the springs of living water,
Happy now am I, my soul they satisfy;
Drinking at the springs of living water,
O wonderful and bountiful supply.
John W. Peterson
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