“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water“—John 7:38

David Brainerd, missionary to Native Americans, was a frail young man, sickly and easily depressed. His work in 1743 and 1744 saw little success. On January 3, 1745, Brainerd set aside the entire day for fasting and prayer, pleading for an outpouring of spiritual power. He claimed our Lord’s promise in John 7, that those who believe in Him will experience rivers of living water flowing from within them. Brainerd began preaching from John 7, and the unfolding year proved very fruitful. Though he passed away at the age of 29, “his story moved his generation—Henry Martyn, William Carey, Adoniram Judson—toward missions. His diary became one of the most powerful Christian books in early American history . ”

When we believe in Christ, we experience rivers of living waters—the Holy Spirit—flowing from within us to a dry and parched culture. In His power, we’ll have courage to keep going, to persevere in the work of God, and to stand against the evils of our day.

As you walk by faith in Him today, rivers of living water will flow through you to a waiting world.(Turning Point)

Here am I, send me; send me to the ends of the earth; send me to the rough, the savage pagans of the wilderness . . . to promote Thy kingdom.–David Brainerd

Dealing with the difficulties of today is often aided by considering the deliverance coming tomorrow. That’s why I make it a habit to say, “For the Christian the best is always yet to come!” It is this truth that prompted James Smith way back in 1840 to comfort his congregation with these words:

“This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.”—Psalm 119:50

It is not one of the least benefits of severe affliction, that it shatters our confidence in every other support, and breaks up our hopes from every other quarter–and leads us, in simplicity, to search the Word of God for comfort. Nor is it one of the least recommendations of that precious Book, that its characters become more bright in proportion as all else around us is dark; and that, when all other information becomes insipid or nauseous–its truths are rendered only the more sweet and refreshing by the bitter draught of sorrow.

The Bible cannot be known in its excellence,
nor its truths relished in their sweetness,
nor its promises duly appreciated and enjoyed
–until, by adversity, all other consolation is lost, and all other hopes are destroyed. But then, when we carry it with us into the fiery furnace of affliction, like the aromatic plant which must be burnt before the precious perfume is released–it emits a refreshing fragrance, and is relished in proportion as our sufferings are great.

Glorious peculiarity! Other books may amuse the hours of ease. Other knowledge may suffice to pass the short day of prosperity–but this Book alone is for the hour of sorrow; this knowledge comes to our aid when all other knowledge fails. Like the sweet stars of Heaven, the truths of God shine most brightly in the darkest night of sorrow!–James Buchanan

“ Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”–(Phil 4:6)

No anxiety ought to be found in a believer. Great, many and varied may be our trials, our afflictions, our difficulties, and yet there should be no anxiety under any circumstances, because we have a Father in Heaven who is almighty, who loves His children as He loves His only-begotten Son, and whose very joy and delight it is to succor and help them at all times and under all circumstances. We should attend to the Word, “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

“In everything,” that is not merely when the house is on fire, not merely when the beloved wife and children are on the brink of the grave, but in the smallest matters of life, bring everything before God, the little things, the very little things, what the world calls trifling things—everything—living in holy communion with our Heavenly Father, arid with our precious Lord Jesus all day long. And when we awake at night, by a kind of spiritual instinct again turning to Him, and speaking to Him, bringing our various little matters before Him in the sleepless night, the difficulties in connection with the family, our trade, our profession. Whatever tries us in any way, speak to the Lord about it.

“By prayer and supplication,” taking the place of beggars, with earnestness, with perseverance, going on and waiting, waiting, waiting on God.

“With thanksgiving.” We should at all times lay a good foundation with thanksgiving. If everything else were wanting, this is always present, that He has saved us from hell. Then, that He has given us His Holy Word—His Son, His choicest gift—and the Holy Spirit. Therefore we have abundant reason for thanksgiving. O let us aim at this!

“And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”(Phil. 4:7) And this is so great a blessing, so real a blessing, so precious a blessing, that it must be known experimentally to be entered into, for it passeth understanding. O let us lay these things to heart, and the result will be, if we habitually walk in this spirit, we shall far more abundantly glorify God, than as yet we have done.—George Mueller, in Life of Trust

“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”–Col. 2:10

Contrary to popular opinion, there are no degrees of fitness for heaven. A person is either absolutely fit or he is not fit at all. This goes counter to the common notion that at the top of God’s totem pole are good, clean-living people, at the bottom are the crooks and mobsters, and in between are those with varying degrees of fitness for heaven. It is an enormous mistake. We are either fit or we aren’t. There is nothing in between.

Actually none of us is fit in himself. We are all guilty sinners, deserving eternal punishment. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. We have all gone astray and turned to our own way. We are all unclean, and all our best works are like filthy rags.

Not only are we totally unfit for heaven, but there is nothing we can do by ourselves to make us fit. Our best resolutions and noblest endeavors cannot avail to put away our sins or to provide us with the righteousness that God demands. But the good news is that God’s love provides what His righteousness demands, and He provides it as a free gift. “It is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast,” (Eph. 2:8, 9).

Fitness for heaven is found in Christ. Whenever a sinner is born again, he receives Christ. God no longer sees him as a sinner in the flesh; He sees him in Christ, and accepts him on that basis. God has made Christ to be sin for us, He who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (see 2 Corinthians 5:21).

So what it comes down to is this. Either we have Christ or we don’t. If we have Christ, we are as fit for heaven as God can make us. Christ’s fitness becomes ours. We are as worthy as He is, because we are in Him.

On the other hand, if we don’t have Christ, we are as lost as we can possibly be. To be without Him is the fatal deficiency. Nothing else can ever make up for this crucial lack.

It should be clear then that no believer is any more fit for heaven than another believer. All believers have the same title to glory. That title is Christ. No believer has more of Christ than another. Therefore none is more fit for heaven than another. (William MacDonald)