Dig Your Well Before You Are Thirsty

Isaiah 12:1-3

 

This morning I have entitled the sermon: Dig Your Well Before You Are Thirsty. Those who are successful in life are usually those who prepare ahead of time.

There are some who may excel later in school who did not apply themselves when they were much younger, but I would suspect that the majority of those who excel later on in their schooling or college are those who prepared themselves much earlier when they were younger. They built a good foundation. There are some who may be successful at starting a business who may not have prepared themselves when they were younger to run a business. Once again, I would suspect that the majority of those who are successful in business today are owners who prepared themselves many years prior to become a successful businessman or woman. Some prepare and succeed, and some don't prepare, and they may still succeed.

In life, depending on the road that you travel, a lack of preparation could be fatal for you. When men began to explore this world, I imagine that they learned very quickly to dig wells before they got thirsty. In some parts of the world, of course, like in the great lake regions which is where we find ourselves, there is abundance of water.

We have the lakes themselves. We have rivers and contributories that fills the lakes, so there's plenty of water. In other parts of the world, water is scarce. It's not as abundant as it is here. Therefore, any experienced explorer would have not waited until their water ran out before they dug a well or before they made some type of preparation to have water sometime later on during their journey.

If a man waits until he drinks his last cup of water to go try to dig a well to get more water, he might die of thirst digging for that well. If we think about it, the same idea applies to us in our spiritual lives.

There are times we are spiritually thirsty, or we need to be filled spiritually. If we wait until such a time to dig our well, we may find it to be too late. Therefore, we need to be digging our wells now, as children of God. Whether you are a younger person or you're well up in years, we need to be digging our well.

We read in Acts chapter 17:30-31 because he hath appointed a day into which he will judge the world in a righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, wherefore he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Once again, Acts, chapter 17, verses 30 to 31. The day of judgment is coming. The entire accountable world will find themselves being judged. That means, of course, you and me.

Every person that can understand the Gospel will be there, and no one will be able to escape that judgment. The Bible says but why doest thou judge thy brother? Why does thou set at naught thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

For it is written, as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. Then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Romans 14:10 through twelve.

In Second Corinthians five and ten, it says for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every man may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Second Corinthians 5:10

Everyone will stand one day before the judgment seat of God, and every knee shall bow.

Of course, some people are willing to bow to Christ now. I imagine that's many of us here today. Unfortunately, most people in the world are not willing to bow to Christ, but there will be a day when they will not have a choice but to bow and every tongue shall confess. Some refuse to confess Christ today, but on that day, people will not have a choice but to confess.

Finally, before God or before Christ, we shall all give account for whatever we have done in the body, whether it be bad or whether it be good. For some it will be a day of judgment, of salvation. For others, it will be a day of condemnation, which is very sad to consider. The Scripture says then shall the king say unto them on the right hand, come, ye blessed of the Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Matthew 25 and verse 34 says then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, ye cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

In Matthew 25 verse 41 those on the right hand will be those blessed of the Father, and who will inherit the kingdom that was prepared for them before the foundation of the world. On the other hand, those who will be found on the left hand will be cursed and shall have to depart into everlasting fire, a place that was prepared for Satan and his angels. To wait until the judgment, of course, will be too late for anybody to dig their well. If we find ourselves spiritually thirsty or empty on that day, it will be too late.

Next, in times of Temptation the Bible says, be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. That's First Peter five and eight.

Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. James one verse 14.

For from within, out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murder, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, lasciviousness. An evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile the man. That's mark seven, verses 21 and 23.

The Christian life, I think we can all agree, is peppered with what we would call temptations.

There are those temptations that come from without. The Bible tells us that Satan is our adversary. We often can be tempted in one way or another by those who are servants of Satan. That can be personal contacts that we have. Of course, we have media such as television, radio, movies, and now the Internet. The list goes on and on.

There are those temptations that come from within. Our own lusts or desires that come from deep down within. Therefore, temptation should not be taken lightly. No temptation should be taken lightly. Well, why?

Temptation can lead us into sin. Sin, of course, is deadly. We all should understand, as the Bible tells us in Hebrews, chapter three, verses 13 and 14, sin can deceive, and the heart can be hardened. We do not want our hearts to become hardened.

Therefore, do we have a well to quench our spiritual thirst when we are tempted? Do we have such a well?

Then there's a period of tribulation, or period of pressure or persecution or troubles. The Bible says these things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace in the world, ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. John 16 and verse 33.

Acts chapter 14:21 and 22, it says and when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Listra and to Iconium and to Antioch, confirming the soul of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God. Acts chapter 14:21 and 22.

As we know, the Christian life is not always easy. Jesus himself warned the apostles. He says, in the world, you shall have tribulation. It's like a promise, and Paul said he warned the disciples. He said to them that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. Of course, trials or tribulations that we may face can come in various or diverse forms. They're not all the same.

The Bible says, yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. A person simply following Christ, that person can suffer because for that. Other suffering come because we share in the frailty of life. What do I mean by that? Sometimes we get sick. There's sickness in this life. There is pain, and sadly there's death.

There are economic pressures such as recessions or a loss of job. Then there are sufferings that come from other individuals, like terrorism, wars, and then there's of course, like natural calamities like we have had across the country, such as floods and so forth. Therefore, we need to be prepared for the drought. In other words, we need our wells to be dug ahead of time before such tribulations or problems occur.

The Bible says in Isaiah, chapter twelve, verses one through three, in that day thou shalt say, o Lord, I will praise Thee, thou, though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me. Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song, and he also has become my salvation. Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. Isaiah chapter twelve, verses one through three.

Let’s go next to digging our wills.

We find in First John four nine through ten. And this was manifest the love of God toward us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him.

Herein is love. Not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. First John four nine through ten.

He said unto them, go ye into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15.

Then we have Colossians one and 23 if ye continue in the faith, grounded, and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye have heard and which we preach to every creature which is under heaven, wherefore I, Paul am a minister. Colossians 1:23.

The well for judgment. First, we must focus on what God has done. We need to focus on what God has done. What did God do? God loved us.

No one deserved the love that Christ or that God has given unto us. Neither you nor I deserve that love. God sent Jesus, of course, Jesus being his only begotten son, he sent Jesus that we might live through him and through him only. Jesus became the propitiation for our sins. After Jesus paid for our sins, of course, God sent the good news, the gospel.

The Gospel is to be preached. The Bible tells us to preach it to every creature, to every ethnic background, to every person we see. The Gospel needs to be preached. By this Gospel there is hope is brought into the world.

By this Gospel there is hope. Notice these words therefore let all the house of Israel know but surely that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. When he they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins. And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Acts two, verses 36 through 39.

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days. But be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. That's Revelations, chapter two and verse ten.

God has given the Gospel, which gives hope. Therefore, we must focus on what we must do. We must hear the Gospel, and of course, we must listen to what we hear.

We must let it prick our heart. We must allow it to touch our heart, to move our heart. Closing our minds to what we hear, closing our heart to what we hear will not help us. Therefore, we must obey the Gospel. And having obeyed the Gospel, we need to have dug a well for the judgment by doing so.

We must remain faithful. We need to remain faithful if we don't want our well to go dry. Now a question have you dug your well for the judgment? Does it still have water?

The Scripture says that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man. That's Ephesians, chapter three, and verse 16.

We can find in Galatians chapter five and verse 22 and 23, it says but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness godliness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such things there is no law.

The well for temptation.

First, we need to focus on what God has done. God has given His Spirit to help man overcome. He gave His Spirit to strengthen us within our inner man, and He gave His Spirit that man might develop Christian character. That is the fruit of the Spirit.

Also, God gives us the family to support us. He is first the loving Father, First John three and one. He gives His children brothers and sisters, First Timothy five, one and two. Of course, he gives us Jesus to support us, our supporter and advocate. The Bible says be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. That's Ephesians 5:18 and 19.

We read in Colossians three and 16, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual psalms, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. Once again, Colossians three and 16.

God sent his Spirit and placed us in his family, but what must we do?

The Bible tells us that we must be filled with the Spirit. How are we to be filled with the Spirit? We are filled with the Spirit by allowing God's Word to dwell in us richly. That's how we are filled with the Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit and letting God's Word dwell in us are one and the same. That's something we should understand. Compare, if you will, Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians five and 18. They're talking about the same thing.

Next, we need to develop and strengthen our relationship with members of God's family. The Bible says, seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God.

Let us hold fast our profession, for we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities but was at all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in times of need. That's Hebrews, chapter four, verses 14 through 16.

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief parting you from the living God, but exhort one another daily while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. That's Hebrews 3:12-14.

We have First John, one and nine. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That's First John 1:9. We need to commune with our heavenly Father in prayer. That's part of developing our relationship in good times and bad times. We should learn to pray, like the Bible says in First Thessalonians five and 17, pray without ceasing.

We should pray when things are going well, and we should pray when things are going bad, especially in times of need. We are to come boldly, (the Bible tells us) before the throne of grace that we may obtain the mercy that we need in the times of need.

We also need to commune with one another. The Bible encourages us to exhort others. It encourages us to be exhorted.

Finally, we need to repent and to confess our sins. If we have sinned in private, that is something we need to deal with in private, but if we sin in a public manner, we also need to acknowledge that sin in a public manner, before God and before his people.

The question now is how we continue to dig our wells? By staying in God's word and in fellowship. The Bible tells us rejoice in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer. That's Romans twelve and 14.

Then we have blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundance mercy, have begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled. And that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time wherein ye are great, ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations. That's First Peter one verses three through six.

In Romans 15:13 now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, and believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit).

In Second Corinthians one verses three through five, bless be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforted us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the suffering of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ. Second Corinthians one verses three through five.

A few more verses, wherefore comfort one another with these words First Thessalonians 4:18.

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, edifying one another even as also ye do First Thessalonians five and eleven.

We exhort you, brethren. Warn them that are unruly. Comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. First Thessalonians 5:14.

The well for tribulation. First focus on what God has done for us. Once again God has given to us hope that gives joy that can exist even during our tribulation. That's what God has given us, a joy that can exist during problems, during troubles. This hope is not limited. We can abound in this hope.

God has given us, brethren, that can comfort us. Brethren are to comfort the feeble minded and to support the weak. First Peter, one and 13.

Go to Romans 15 and four, it says for whatsoever things were written, afore times were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope. Romans 15 and four.

Then there's Hebrews 6:10-12. It says, for God is not unrighteous to forget your works and labor and love which ye have showed toward his name, and that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to fulfill assurance of hope until the end, that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherited the promise. That’s Hebrews 6:10-12.

Hebrews 10:24 and 25. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another. And so much the more as ye see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25.

Finally, Hebrews 13 and one, let brotherly love continue.

God has given us hope and brethren. But what must we do? First, we must nurture and strengthen our hope. Basically, we nurture our hope by staying in God's word.

The hope that we have, we nurture it by staying in God's word, not when we get the time to do it, not every now and then. I would suggest the Bible would encourage us to be in God's word daily. Read Joshua, chapter one, verse eight, and Psalms, chapter one. We need to be in God's word daily to buoy our hope.

We can prepare for the tribulation by our troubles or afflictions, by nurturing and strengthening our brothers and our sisters, how well we minister to them, we help them in times of need, we support them in time of need, and we assemble together.

We exhort one another, we encourage one another, and let us remember God's law. God's law says in Galatians six and verse seven, ye shall reap what you sow. In other words, I believe when we encourage and exhort other people, that same type of encouragement is more than likely to come back to us when we find ourselves needing encouragement, or hope. What conditions are your wells in today? That's the question.

If you were to face the judgment today, how would you fare? If you were to face temptations today, would you overcome those temptations? If you were to face tribulations pressures, persecutions, trials, whatever, would you endure them today? If you would stand faithful in the judgment, will you be the one to overcome your temptations? If you are one to endure your tribulations or your trials or the pressures of life, keep doing what you're doing, but if you would not stand in a judgment, if you are not able to overcome your temptations, if you're not one that's able to endure the tribulations that come or the troubles or the pressures that come in your life, you need to come back to the Father. If you are a member of the church, you need to repent, you need to confess and make sure your well is not dry.

I can’t say if there is anyone here today who is not a member of the church. If there's anyone here today who find themselves in need to respond to the invitation this morning, I would encourage you to come forward as we stand at this time to sing this song of invitation.