On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “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.” Now, this He said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:37-39
What is it that is flowing out of your heart at this time? What is the condition of your heart? Is it full of the Spirit of the Lord and goodness, or is it full of sinful things? Is it in a state of feasting on the goodness of the Lord or famine? Is your heart lacking proof of God living within?
The Lord has given His people many days, seasons of celebration and opportunities to worship the Lord. That they may continually turn their attention and hearts to Him, He has commanded all those on earth to follow and obey His Word and commands. But for what reason? For what purpose?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:7-8
Actions are essential, but it is not just going through the motions that God desires. It is the motivation that comes from the heart. It is in the spirit by which you are worshipping that matters to Him.
Multitudes in this world do good works, celebrate holy days, and have great knowledge of what is in the Word of God has to say. Yet, they claim righteousness by the works of their hands instead of through the condition of their heart. Many praise God in multiple ways, but behind all their actions, words, and deeds, their heart is still in a state of famine. They celebrate in vain because they do not give credit where credit is due. They deceive themselves by their actions, forgetting God sees through everything they do, right to the heart of the matter.
The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9
Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. Make them bear their guilt, O God; Psalm 5:8-10
You must be changed from the inside out, not the other way around. You can not force your inward heart and soul to be good when it is evil, just as you can not force someone to stop an obsession they can not control.
You may have accomplished many good things in your life. But if you do not humble yourself before God, cry out in desperation for Him to forgive you and change your heart. You will remain sinful and disobedient. A rebellious heart will always draw the rest of your body back into sin.
The truth is, as much as you may want to change yourself by your own will and determination. By mere observance of God’s commands, it is impossible to please God. Faith in Jesus Christ and humble repentance of sins prompt God to save your soul and change you from within and only by the power of God.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD. Jeremiah 29:12-14
Just as a bad tree can not produce good fruit, a heart still rotten from the beginning can not produce what is good and healthy. You see, it is not a matter of just doing what God commands, wanting to be good, or making that change yourself. You can not take a rotten apple core and make it fresh. A good apple must replace it. The only one that can heal man’s heart is God Himself, by the blood of Jesus Christ and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses and from all your idols; I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. Ezekiel 36:25-27
You must now make an effort to come to Him in repentance, giving it all to Him and asking Him to change your heart. Examine yourself to see if you truly walk in His ways and turn from all sin. It is not about religion but being born again into His Spirit. To be made anew from the inside out.
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. John 6:63
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.” John 14:6-7
Search your own heart to see if you are bearing good fruit. Inspect your ways, thoughts, and motivations. If you find signs of rottenness, seek the Lord about it. Repent and turn away from your sinful ways. Cry out to Jesus Christ for forgiveness and ask His Holy Spirit to change your heart from a state of famine to feasting in the Spirit of the Lord.
You must be steadfast and unmovable in your faith and trust in Jesus. His people will love Him, His commands, and others. They will walk with Him to the end by faith, and He will save them and give great rewards to those who follow Him by faith.
I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.
And when He(the Holy Spirit) comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears, He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take what is mine and declare it to you. John 16:1-3, 8-11, 13-14
The Soul Sower 