Experiential Knowledge

"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as^[c] the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.
John 7:37-39

This morning I was listening to Dr. David Jeremiah. I am sure I didn't catch the quote exactly, but what I wrote down to remember was the following: God will not put us in a situation where He cannot sustain you. He will show Himself strong. He will give you experiential knowledge that will show you that you can do anything with His help.

As the verses from John 7 tell us, Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to equip us and sustain us in our daily living. The Holy Spirit gives us streams of living water. Often in my humanness, I look for streams of water in other places - in hobbies, in other people, in stuff, in activities. Yet, the Lord has designed us to draw from His living water. Sometimes in order for us to draw from His streams of living water, He allows circumstances that brings us into valleys, where we can thirst for the Lord instead of the longing for drinks that don't fully satisfy.

I heard the below song today on the radio - waves of thankfulness rushed through my body - tears streamed down my eyes. I am honestly thankful for the valleys which I've gone through - especially those valleys of our four losses. Without those losses, I would not have experienced so much joy in ministering to others and in cherishing the blessings God has given to me. God has truly taken me from the valley and brought me to rivers of joy.

And now that I've had the experiential knowledge of seeing how God takes the valleys and brings rivers of joy, I find that I can draw from his strength and look to Him with greater hope than before. The combination of seeing how God has worked in the past in the lives of those in the Bible combined with my experience, grows my faith.

I pray that today you are looking to Him for encouragement. Drink deeply from His Word and look to Him for that river of joy. You may find anxious thoughts creeping in your mind - take that thought captive and replace it with God's Word - that He has a hope and a future for you (Jeremiah 29:11). Find scripture to drink from today - don't let the anxieties of our humanness take away your joy today.

I am praying for you, your precious baby, and for the rest of your family.


I pray the song below blesses you.


Dear God,

Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit - thank You that I can drink deeply from Your Word. Help me to remember that your allowing me through any valleys is to equip me for this journey of life - to give You the glory - to find that river of joy that only comes from You. I pray for my baby and for the rest of my family that we would all find that river of joy. In Jesus' name. Amen.






Valley Song by Jars of Clay

You have led me to the sadness
I have carried this pain
On a back bruised, nearly broken
I'm crying out to you

Chorus
I will sing of Your mercy
That leads me through valleys of sorrow
To rivers of joy

When death like a Gypsy
Comes to steal what I love
I will still look to the heavens
I will still seek your face

But I fear you aren't listening
Because there are no words
Just the stillness and the hunger
For a faith that assures

Chorus x2

Alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia

While we wait for rescue
With our eyes tightly shut
Face to the ground using our hands
To cover the fatal cut

And though the pain is an ocean
Tossing us around, around, around
You have calmed greater waters
Higher mountains have come down

Chorus

Yeah

Alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia

Alleluia, alleluia alleluia, alleluia
Alleluia, alleluia alleluia, alleluia

Chorus (4 Xs)

Oh, Lord sing of Your mercy,
Mercy
Your mercy