I thank God for the men and women who have preached the uncompromised Word Of God to me.
Because they never sent me away weak and hungry.
In a war you might not get to eat three square natural meals a day so you have to be full in your spirit man.
When Jesus sent His 12 disciples out two by two He gave them authority over every evil spirit and He gave them instructions.
He said, Take nothing for the journey except a staff- no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.
So what did they have when they went out besides authority?
The Word Of God from God.
There are two accounts that I meditate in the bible that give me an example and model of how our Lord's ministry worked.
One is the encounter that Jesus had with the Samaritan woman at Jacobs well in John chapter 4 the other is when the Lord fed the four thousand plus in Mark 6 and Matthew 15.
Jesus didn't enter into either place bearing natural food but spiritual food.
And if you examine a mans life you will see that if they are in a state of unhappiness and lack it isn't based purely on not being fed in the natural, it stems from being starved spiritually.
I know this as fact because it was me who was in a place of desperation, fear and lack before I heard words that fed my soul and sent me away with strength.
I could have been temporarily helped with a huge cash gift and there is a place for that ministry but a thirsty man or a hungry woman will only be temporarily satisfied being fed in the natural.
But if you teach a man how to fish and show him how to get to the well that never runs dry you have done him, the community and God a service.
No man reaches rock bottom and stays there when he is being spiritually fed.
When I look at the woman at the well I see relationships with men as her issue.
This was her thirst, she was always parched in this area, never satisfied or full.
And everyone has had or is at that place right now where they can't quite get full.
Where they are void in an area.
They are hungry for something but they don't know what.
And when you are hungry you grow weak and you can't think right or function properly and you make poor decisions because you are starved.
You have to eat to grow.
To grow spiritually you have to eat spiritually.
My food is this word, My sleep is this word.
It's easy to simply give a sandwich, you can hand that off and be about your way quickly and that may be your ministry because God has assigned people to do just that.
But there are also people who will go before the sandwich and behind the sandwich with just a Word.
Jesus didn't say to the woman at the well, 'I have just the man for you, you can stop running in circles with these men because I have a disciple who is perfect for you.'
He didn't say that.
Although a good man may have met her need temporarily.
What the Lord told her was that He had something to quench what she really thirsts for.
It never really is the material thing or the desire to have what other folks have that causes the hunger pangs, it's being detached from your identity in God.
The umbilical cord that links us to the Father should never be cut and that cord is the Holy Spirit and through it flows that living water.
A living water.
Jesus was going to wash the Samaritan in the water of the Word.
Why?
That He might present her to himself without spot or blemish.
She knew of the Messiah and had been counting on all of her troubles being cleared up when the Messiah showed up.
But up until he shows up, she said, "I have this well(job) and I have my current man(he a buster and won't make me his bride) but at least I can draw from them."
Jesus said "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.
Indeed, the water that I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
The living water "WORD" will always be the link to natural water.
You can build a man a house.
You can buy a man a new car.
You can give a man 1 million dollars.
You can give a man your body and 5 kids.
And in less than 12 months they can show up with nothing.
You have given them everything but access to strength in God.
When I meditate the account of the five thousand plus that Jesus fed, I see that first of all they sat out doors for three whole days and two nights just listening to Him teach the gospel.
There was no buffet set up for them when they arrived, all they had to munch on and snack on was the Word.
Well the disciples wanted to send the folks away but Jesus said, you feed them.
If you are not giving the Word of truth you should be out shopping for meat at the market.
The disciples were out shopping for meat while Jesus was at the well feeding the woman.
Jesus stood and preached the way while the disciples ushered the crowd, that was their assignment while He walked the earth.
The Lord had set an example for them to follow once he left and He spoke to His disciples in a different manner than He would a stranger or a baby In Christ.
He didn't pet the real ones because He knew He had to prepare them for the task to come when He would return to the Father.
When Peter didn't understand Jesus asked Peter, "Are you still so dull that you don't get it? You have been with me all of this time and hearing my Word and you still can't understand?"
Peter didn't whine, He listened and made the adjustment, this is why the Lord was able to take Peter and use him to establish His church.
There is a distinct difference between talking to a disciple and talking to a church member.
The real ones can always take correction and move forward fulfilling the promise and purpose on their lives.
They were not sent out with food but armed with the Word of God and power.
The Lord told them, 'Do not send the people away weak and hungry, you feed them.'
Remember, a spiritually fed man will always be fed in the natural.
Don't misunderstand what I am saying, there are some set in the church with the charge to serve tables and then there are some set to study, pray and teach.
Know what God told you to do and then do it.
Don't send the folks away weak and hungry.
John 4:1-42; Mark 8:1-21; Matthew 15:29-38
LOVE
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