By Rob Bailes
Doth a fountain send forth at the same place
sweet water and bitter? James 3:11
In another version this passage is phrased,"Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter?". I call the Word of God the "Living Water" or "True Life" at least ten times a week while in conversation with those seeking for some kind of remedy or hope.
As I read this verse in James last night before retiring, I couldn't help but think about the Living Water that Jesus offered to the lost while here on earth. He was always talking about a fountain that would bring Life without end!
I was camping out in the Blue Ridge Mountains as a young man when I drank from a stream that looked like pure spring water. After all, it was flowing from a beautiful waterfall and there weren't any businesses for miles! Well, it only took about 24 hours to prove me wrong. I'll never forget how sick I got from just a handful of water that had the highly feared bacteria in it.
It is the Abundant Life that our Lord offers that can and will bring us the HOPE we need to survive in this world we live in today! Yes, there are trials and temptations; but we have also been freely given the True Hope that can abound even more than all our troubles.
After the tornados came through the southeastern states, it was strange to me that there were so many large trees laying on the ground. I thought about how many years those trees had grown and should be stronger that the younger tree. As I began to research this further, a gentleman who had spent his life studying science pointed out on interesting fact to me. That very educated man understood what had caused such devastation to such a mature tree. I'll share with you what he told me.
He said, "The tree didn't fall because of the branches or even the wind. It fell because something had ruined the inner core of the roots and trunk which support the branches."
As I went out and looked closely at the trees that were laying on the ground, I could see that the inner part had turned to mush. The trees didn't stand a chance with this condition when a little bit stronger wind came along! Something bad had gotten into it's source and been eating away at the inner core for several years. Then I thought about myself and how I had once been so busy serving the Lord and felt so strong inside, when something little came along and began to eat away at my inner strength, causing the microscopic virus of doubt to take a place in my life. It didn't happen all of a sudden. It was gradual and not even visible from my appearance. Finally when I realized my roots were tapped into a bitter water source, it was impossible for me to change what had happened inside of me. It seemed hopeless! All I could do is cry out to my Lord who offers us the pure, fresh water of Life!
My Lord and Savior came when I called to Him. He had to take me out of the source which was destroying me from the inside out. It's not the easy choice, my friends! You feel the pain as He uproots you and transplants you where the sweet water flows. He also has to do some trimming to get rid of the branches that are bitter so you can begin to produce sweet fruit from this time forward.
And yes! It takes some time for those branches to grow back and the trunk to once again take root deep into the source which gives you Life, so be patient and don't let the bitter enemy trick you into thinking you made a wrong choice. Just remember that it was the bitter water that would have destroyed you sooner or later with just a strong passing wind! Stay put in the Truth daily and grow strong!
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:3-5
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