Have you ever wondered why the ocean is salty but other bodies of water are not? Simply put, because the salts that get deposited in seas, lakes, rivers, and streams, have an outlet to remove those deposits, namely, a path to the Earth’s oceans. But, the oceans have no outlet, and thus they become the final resting place for the salts that originally got deposited in those smaller bodies of water.

Other than the oceans, most every other body of water has a flow in and a flow out. These waterways are called exorheic, meaning they externally drain through one or more outlets. These waterways get nutrients in, they also send nutrients out. Sadly, pollution too is also passed through the Earth’s waterways much this same way. Though relatively few in number, there are some non-oceanic bodies of water that only have inflow and no outflow. One such body of water is the Dead Sea, which is located between Jordan to the east and Israel to the west.

Despite its name, the Dead Sea is not really a sea at all. (The difference between oceans and seas is both size and proximity to land. Whereas an ocean is a vast body of water, a sea is a comparatively small and partially confined body of water surrounded by land.) The Dead Sea is an endorheic lake, meaning that it retains its water and allows no outflow to other external bodies of water. The Earth’s largest lake, the Caspian Sea, is also an endorheic body of water. Along with the Jordan River that flows into the Dead Sea, both nearby springs and rainwater keep it from totally evaporating. The Dead Sea is a receiver but not a giver.

Many of us are like the Dead Sea. We receive but we do not give. We receive water in, from any number of sources, but no water ever flows from us to others. I believe whether or not you are a Jesus-follower, the purpose of receiving is the same – to bless and enrich us but also to then in turn give away for the blessing and enrichment of others. We get in order to give.

In an encounter with a Samaritan woman at a well, Jesus said this – “Everyone who drinks of this water (well water) will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

Later on, still in John’s Gospel, during the annual Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), the priests draw water from the Pool of Siloam as a remembrance of God’s provision to the thirsty Israelites during their forty years in the wilderness. But this simple drink of well water does not fully satisfy the people, so Jesus makes this appeal – “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:37b-38).

What do I see in those two passages above? I see Jesus telling you and telling me not to be like the Dead Sea; don’t just receive and fail to give. Putting our trust in Jesus, looking to Him to satisfy all that makes us thirsty, will quench our inner thirst forever. But not stopping there, as our thirst, our longing gets quenched, we are to be ever-flowing rivers through which Jesus can quench the thirsts of others, with His spring of water welling up, His endless source of living water.   

Rivers only flow if they send water out. So, I ask you today, are you more like a flowing river or a dead sea?

Note from Dave: Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to read my writings. I will be taking some time off from writing to focus on soul care and self-care. I will be back later this month. In the meantime, if you are so inclined, you can check out my Archives page to find all my past writings.

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Have you ever been tempted? Sure you have. We all have. It could be that urge, that inclination, to do or say something. That urge which causes us to be strongly inclined. All the food tasted so good that you were tempted to go back for seconds. After trying and trying to learn how to play the piano, and trying some more, but with no success, you were tempted to call it quits. Or how about to try something foolishly – like tempting fate. Being tempted might also mean to attract or allure – she was tempted out of retirement after talking to her boss. None of those examples is inherently bad, but temptation can also be our desire to act disobediently. Cheating on our tax return. Calling in sick to work while we drive to the beach. Sneaking in after curfew. Underage drinking. Premarital or extramarital sex.

No matter the context, the temptation of disobedience is really nothing more than an enticement to do wrong with some promise of pleasure or gain. God established protective guardrails in all of life because He knows the dangers of disobedience. The world claims that satisfaction can be found in status, wealth, friends, career, social media influence, ladies who are 36-24-36 or men who look like Adonis. Satan uses the worldly enticements we face every day to turn our affection from God to him and his schemes. He does that through temptation. He makes our rebellion against God, which is the root of all sin look, smell, feel, taste, and sound very attractive.

This rebellion started long ago. It first occurred in what can be said is the most beautiful garden ever known to mankind – the Garden of Eden. God gave the first man permission to enjoy every tree in the garden, except one. Here is what we read – “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Genesis 2:16-17).

But, sadly, we know that that first man and woman stepped outside God’s command and after being tempted by the serpent, ate the forbidden fruit, thus separating them (death) from God (Genesis 3). Because of that fall from grace, we too are born into sin, subject to God’s judgement to death and captive to Satan’s kingdom of darkness. Thus, our need for Jesus Christ as our Messiah and Savior. I have written extensively on that subject. His atoning death on the cross took on our sin, reconciled us to God, and disarmed the demonic powers.

How does Satan tempt us today? Using the same three-pronged strategy he used in the garden. First, he puts doubt in our heads: “Did God actually say?” (Genesis 3:1). He then deceives us by contradicting what God says: “You will surely not die.” (3:4). Oh, that sly serpent, he’s not done. He goes on to romance us: “You will be like God.” (3:5).

So, are we doomed for perpetual sin? Without God’s help, yes. But if we commit our lives to
Jesus and immerse ourselves in Scripture, we will begin to get the power to kick Satan to the curb, and look temptation straight in the eye, and say, “You’re outta here!” And in doing so, we have the power to escape temptation. Let me offer this verse – “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). And thankfully, when we fail (notice I did not say if we fail), God is faithful and just to forgive our sins when we confess them to him (1 John 1:9).  

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Have you ever been so sure of something that you “bet your life on it,” only to soon thereafter find it not to be true? Has there ever been a time that you went from absolutely knowing something is true to only hoping it is so, even after being so sure? Do you struggle with doubts about Jesus amid difficult circumstances? Do you ever find yourself wondering if Jesus really is who He claims to be? If you said yes, you are not alone. We all do at one point or another.

John the Baptist, as he sat in prison, possibly for as long as a year, found himself doubting that very thing. John, the very one who told the crowd of the coming Messiah (Matthew 3:11), found himself questioning in that dark moment. John, the very one who after baptizing Jesus saw the heavens open and the Spirit of God descend and rest on Him, even after hearing a voice say, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17), found himself afflicted with doubt. John, the very one who said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), as he sat in Herod’s prison, questioned whether Jesus was really who He claimed to be. Maybe he was wondering where Jesus was at this critical time of need? Had he possibly misunderstood the ministry of Jesus?

When the heat is on, when life gets tough, real tough, we often find ourselves experiencing deep darkness. Accusing thoughts flood our minds. Here is what we read in Matthew 11 – “When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’” (vv.2-3).

Maybe what John was really asking is, “Why, Jesus, aren’t you doing more?” That seems like a surprising question. John had been so sure that Jesus was the Christ, but now, sitting in that filthy prison, he seemed to be wondering, “What if I had been wrong?” Have you ever found yourself asking that same question?

In vv.4-6 we read how Jesus responded to that question, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me (shall not fall away in me, tripped up, doubt).”

In those three verses I believe Jesus was assuring John that He was in fact the Messiah and his ministry was being fulfilled, just as it had been prophesied in Isaiah 61, while also reminding John that blessed (literally, “happy”) is he who, despite irrefutable proof in the current circumstances, can cast all doubt aside and still have faith.

Yes, it is true that Jesus does not always answer when, or even how we desire, but He always answers our genuine and sincere questions. We are told in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that His grace is all we need; it is sufficient to overcome every obstacle, no matter how big, no matter how long, no matter how difficult.

In the midst of John’s doubt, Jesus sent a promise, a word of hope, a reminder that He is who is claims to be. Do you trust that He will do the same for you? Can you cast aside all doubt?

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