Dried Fruit

 

The cells in our body are miraculous little creations.  Each is like a manufacturing plant; taking in raw materials and producing an essential product that sustains a high quality of life.  Cells run primarily on water.  Water powers, cleans and drives the primary throughput of these amazing little manufacturing plants. 

If you weigh 160 pounds, you need to drink 80 ounces of water each day.  When you sleep, you can lose almost 2 pounds of water weight.  When you wake up, it is essential to drink 16 to 20 ounces of water, (pure water - not coffee, not orange juice, not tea and certainly not a soft drink).

The Bible relates God's Word to water.  It is essential to read His Word EVERY DAY.  When you wake up and drink water, you can feel the morning life flow into you as your body absorbs exactly what it needs.  When you are dragging at mid-afternoon and your energy is spent, there's nothing like knocking down a big glass of water to bring you back.  His mercies are new every morning.  There's nothing better than to spend time absorbing His eternal Word.  When you are having a day full of defeat and disappointment, there's nothing like drinking in a healthy dose of His Word.

You know the world and it's influence is EXACTLY like being in a hot desert.  Don't turn into dried fruit.

Confidence (4)

 

Believe [in Him and you will be righteous] *
Remember [that He has helped you this far] ** 
Wait [for His plan concerning you to develop] ***
...and the Lord will perfect that which concerns you.****

*      Ref. Acts 16:31..."Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."
**    Ref. 1 Samuel 17:12..."Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." and
        Psalm 106: 13a..."But they hastily forgot His works..."
***  Ref. Psalm 106:13b...They did not [earnestly] wait for His plans [to develop] regarding them,"
****Ref. Psalm 138:8a..."The Lord will perfect that which concerns me;"

Snatching Defeat, (From the Jaws of Victory)

 

Since we are human; we have an innate ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory: 

A well-loved young man with a young family had many certain years of triumph in Christ ahead of him.  He was used of the Lord to lead younger men to stay on the path that the Lord had for them.  They are thankful and will never forget.  Some years later, as a husband and father, caught in despair and in the throes of some difficulty, he commits suicide.  Those that knew him are shocked.  His family is devastated.  He was a precious brother in the Lord.

A Christ-like young lady, beautiful inside and out, because of the love of Christ pouring out of her heart and life decides, (because of the pressures of the world, the flesh and Satan), that she needs to take matters into her own hands and step ahead of the Lord's plan.  She contemplates bringing tragedy on herself and her family.

Two stories out of hundreds of thousands.  We would reach out and cling to defeat, stabbing ourselves in the back when our Savior had our back the whole way and we could have triumphed in Christ.  The strength of the urge to self destruct is tied directly to how close you are to triumphing in Christ.  When you feel that evil urge, that tractor-beam pull of the world, know in your heart that you are close to another victory and let it motivate you to turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Read your Bible.  Pray every day.  Cling to Him.  BELIEVE. Have 100% total confidence that He will perfect that which concerns you at exactly the correct time.