Day 4 (Nov. 12)- Let Physical and Spiritual Rivers of Living Water flow through you.
Christians primarily view Scripture through SPIRITUAL lenses. Jews most often interpret God’s Word from a PHYSICAL standpoint. Both can learn from each other; however, there are only a small number of Bridge Builders upon the earth today bringing Christians and Jews together. I met with eleven such builders on my Israel trip, and they taught me some powerful lessons!
What to Learn from the Jews? They think literally and physically about God and His Word. (Read Deut. 6 and see how you interpret it). Jews interpret it physically and Christians spiritually. We think more symbolically and spiritually about the Land, Commandments, Teaching our Kids, Egypt, Other gods, the Anger of God, Our Enemies, and Righteousness. The Jews have determined to follow God’s Word exactly and literally. Christians tend to obey Scripture casually and conveniently. We need to think more physically and obey exactly!
What to Learn from Christians? We believe God speaks directly to us because He has placed His Spirit within us. Jews pray daily for the Temple to be rebuilt so the presence of God will be among them. We believe God’s presence is already among us because His Spirit dwells in us. We are the Temple of the Living God (2 Cor. 6). Jews do not believe God speaks Individually to them. I believe God speaks directly to me every day in a real relationship.
Challenge: Both Jews and Christians have been given different divine pieces of God. We need them and they need us to have a complete understanding of God. Arrogance and fear have kept us away from one another for 2000 years, but I believe God is bringing us back together for such as time as this! I choose to be a Bridge Builder. I choose to be quick to listen and slow to speak. I choose to believe God is doing a work among the Jews today that I don’t fully understand, but I am willing to be humble, watch, and learn. God has not rejected the Jews as many Christians believe. I have not rejected them either.
I challenge you to make a stand and pick a side because God is moving all over the earth to see who is seeking Him with all of their heart. Choose this day who you will serve. Christians I challenge you to physically and exactly obey God and His Word. In so doing, rivers of living water (spiritual and physical) will flow through you like the Jordan River in this picture.
Zechariah 14:8-9 (ESV) On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter. And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.
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