Quenched

When I was a child, I used to reside in Europe. At the end of the school year, the administrators would sponsor some function where all of the students were to participate. My last year in the school, the function was a 10 kilometer walk (6.21 miles). Most of my class thought it to be boring but it was better then sitting in the classroom the whole afternoon. In the beginning of the walk, everyone was pretty talkative. Towards the middle of the event, we took on the scenes of the hot, sunny day so there was plenty of oohing and aahing. At the last few kilometers, no one was saying anything just focusing on getting it over with so we could go home. Being from the United States and again, a child, I had no idea how long a kilometer was. It was a missed opportunity for an enlightening lesson the day before the event. I guess the teachers were looking forward to the end of the school year too. Yet by the end, I felt like I walked at least 30 miles.

Oddly back then, no one had the foresight to carry a canteen of water; no, not one child or educator. So by the time we could see the school's campus, most of us ran, I assumed for the event to be completed. But they saw something I didn't. It was a table with tubs filled with ice and cans of soda. Most of the boys out ran the girls, especially when they saw that there was no limit to how much soda we all could have. I never drank a full can before but that day not only did I drink a full can, I was looking to see if I could have another for the walk home. Before I could get off of the school's grounds, I finished off that can too. I recall not quite 2/3rd's of the way there, when my mouth felt sticky and back to needing something to drink again.

I thought of this again as a grown woman studying the Word and remembering a passage when Jesus was talking to the woman at the well. He told her about herself and what she was doing with her life just after He asked her for a drink of water. He never did get the water from her; what she received from Him was an understated warning that if she knew who she was talking to, she would realize that there is a drink He could give to her that will cause her never to thirst again. She listened but her hearing was superficial. Until she heard Him tell her about herself, she changed her position, put down the water pot, and went to tell of all she heard from Him (John 4:1-42 AMP).

What Jesus gives will cause us never to thirst again. There is no want or need that cannot be met. With God hearing the prayers of the righteous, how can a believer be dissatisfied? When i was in that school event and consumed all of that soda, my thirst was still there moments later. What I was looking for in those tubs was some water. That wasn't supplied, even though it would have been a better option and my thirst would be quenched. Quenched, meaning the thirst would be gone.

The scriptures tell us in the New Testament not to quench the Holy Spirit. I didn't see that verse though it had been preached about in the services I attended. The verse I did heed to was Psalms 51 where the writer asks not to take your Spirit from me. Though it used to be one of my favorite passages, it bothered me to know that the writer believed the Spirit of God would be taken from one who believes. I pacified myself thinking the passage is from the Old Testament and has no bearing on the Christian lifestyle of today. But then I found the verse, not to quench the Holy Spirit as I read the entire chapter of 1 Thessalonians 5. The entire chapter was instruction what to do in the last days. Its funny, how this time, in this manner, I was not bothered by what we are directed to do (verse 19).

You see, in Psalm the writer is asking for God not to cast him out of His presence and to not to take His Spirit from him. Why would there ever be a time that God would do such a thing when He continually tells us that He loves and will never leave nor forsake us? But then the writer tells God what he would like for God to do and then it sounds as if there is a bargain at the end of the verse..."then, I will teach transgressors thy ways and convert sinners over to you (Psalm 51:10-13 AMP)." Is that arrogance?

Saul received gifts from God and was well aware of who God is, yet became jealous of David and resorted to seeking out a psychic (1 Samuel 28:7 AMP). Sampson was well aware of his gifts from God and was given instruction as to what to do and not to do to keep himself strong and powerful. Yet with as much knowledge as he had, he still ate honey from a carcass, gave the unclean product to his parents to eat, and kept company with a woman that did not have the same faith as him. Elimelech knew his family was supposed to stay in the land that God gave them. The whole of Bethlehem was told this, yet he took it upon himself to leave the land because of famine and go into a place with people that knew nothing of Jehovah Jireh (Ruth 1:1-5 AMP). Would not these acts quench the Holy Spirit? Would these acts cause these men to be taken out of the presence of God? In His presence, there is light, peace, and joy. What happened to these men? Answer: They all died.

Granted, that is the Old Testament; nevertheless, there are many that teach from the Old Testament and live according to it. The Word tells us that the man that lives by the law will also die by that law because it is of the old covenant (Galatians 3:10-12 AMP). If we were to put this in the perspective of the new covenant and where it can be applicable for today, it looks like it is the same as God describes Himself: the same, yesterday, today, and forever.

People Love A Good Murder Mystery

I am a writer, amongst other things, and I have been writing since grade school. When my poem was put up on the bulletin board for the whole class to read, I was actually surprised when they went to read it. I think about that now and again to know what to write should be interesting to the masses rather than a handful who like to read or are academically seeking a challenge.

I also remember when talking to a medical therapist, she conveyed to me that many people like a murder mystery. Not having any experience in that genre, I took what she said and placed it on the shelf of my mind until it would be of some use.

About 10-15 years ago, there was a rash of murders that were focused on children. Three of them had stayed on my mind for quite some time, though there were others. Recently, I thought about writing those 3 and when I began 4 more came to mind. So I started outlining all 7 to be a book of short stories. But there was a problem that bothered me about writing this. What purpose would it serve in the body of Christ?

Aside from detectives, police officers, and reporters, what purpose would a believer have to read about murder? We know that it is something we don't do. So why would any of us (excluding the aforementioned) think on such a thing (Philippians 4:8 AMP).

I had already outlined 5 of the 7 when it didn't make sense to write them. We strive to be in right standing with God knowing that temptation could be right around the corner or some test that would either cause us to rise in maturity or fall relying on the "old nature" than the Word. With that in mind, righteousness scriptures were brought to my recollection and it is what I took heed to. For in righteousness there is life and in the pathway thereof there is no death (Proverbs 12:28 AMP).

The effects of righteousness is quietness and assurance forever (Isaiah 32:17 AMP). The murders of those children had disturbed me for a little while. It is probably why I thought to write about it. But if the little that was known and reported bothered me that much, how much more would affect the members in the body of Christ after reading the literary license to fill in what the reporters didn't speak of? It would be what I speculated rather than fact. And with that I recall from the Word, the heart of the righteous studies to answer, the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things (Proverbs 15:28 AMP). That which is hidden will come to light ( 1 Corinthians 4:5 AMP), there is no need for me to write and speculate about such matters. It is a care belonging to the Lord (1 Peter 5:7 AMP).