It's in the Water

 “who {God of Jacob} turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water " – Psalm 114:8

70 – percent of the earth’s surface covered by water
100 – percent of life forms require water for sustenance
97 – percent of all water is contained in the oceans
55 to 78 – percent of the human body is comprised of water (based on size & age)
326 million cubic miles - total volume of water in the earth’s hydrosphere (water on, under and over the surface of the earth)

“Daddy, where do we get water from?”
“God”
“No, I mean, who makes it?”
“God”
“Uggg…Dad…I mean who makes the water we drink?”
“God”
“You just don’t get it, Dad.”

This was the conversation at dinner between my 7 year old and me a few years back.  He was finishing off his glass of water and the question just popped into his head.  I knew he wanted to know what companies or people made water in bottles and specifically where the water in the kitchen came from; but I thought it would be a good teachable moment.
 

  Genesis 1:2 tells us “…the Spirit of God hovered over the waters.”  Water is and always has been.  It is a sustaining source of every known life form on earth and represents nearly 78% of the human body of a newborn baby, 60% of the adult male and 55% of the adult female.  It is the formation of the two most prevalent elements in the universe – Hydrogen (2 parts) and Oxygen (1 part).  There is evidence across the Milky Way of the existence of water, ice or water vapor; and believed to exist in other galaxies as well.

God created the waters, parted the waters, water came from rocks to nourish God’s people, God flooded the earth for a new start (from the waters), God communicated to Gideon at a pool, God brought peace and rest to Elijah, God healed the lame in the waters of the Bethesda pool, Jesus is baptized in the water, Jesus turned water to wine, Christ washes the disciples feet with water, Jesus walks on water, Peter walk on water and Jesus gives water to the woman at the well.  These are just examples of biblical references to the water of the earth.  As an element of God’s creation, it is recreated and reborn through the water cycle daily.  We see in 2 Peter 3:5, “But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.”

Water has always demonstrated the purity, cleanliness, refreshing/filling, and life changing element that God brought to all people.  It is one of the key resources that man does not create.  You cannot survive without it, and people are dying all over the globe because they cannot get access to it.  So the next time you lift a glass or bottle of water to your lips, pause and think about who made the water you are partaking of.  Not whose name is on the bottle, or which water utility service is in your local community, who actually made the water.  It can only be made by the hand of the God just for you because He loves you so much.

PRAYER:
Lord Almighty,
Thank you for your magnificence and awesome wonder through your creation.  You created the heavens and the earth, and separated the waters.  You have brought each of us into this world through the miracle of birth from the amniotic waters and sustained our lives through the consumption of fresh water.  We acknowledge your gift to us every time we lift our glass we know that you have provided for us.  In Your name we pray. - Amen
             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2010
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The Word is Truth

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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” – John 1:1

The sky was grey and overcast as he came up over the hill.  The wind was in his face and it was bitter as it cut through his scarf covering his nose and cheeks.  He turned to walk backward, so the sleet would hit him in the back rather than the face and this helped a little.  When he left 

that morning for work, he should have been more conscientious of the gas-gauge and perhaps he wouldn’t have run out.  After all, he passed 3 gas stations on his drive in this morning.   After the nights snow fall the sidewalks were covered and the roads were covered in a thin sheet of ice as he walked along the side, near the mound of snow piled along the curb.  He knew the gas station was only another mile or so up the road, he just had to make it there, get some coffee and fill up a gas can before walking back to his car.

The wind bit into the back of his neck and caused his entire body to shake with the frigidness.  Still walking backwards, he saw the lights coming toward him.  He stood still, waiting for the car to pass, then he saw it start to fish tail.  The back was swaying left and right on the icy road, and as the driver tried to get control, he saw the car spin completely around and then head backward down the hill right towards him.  In an instant he felt himself tumbling backward into the snow bank along the side of the road, as his feet tripped on the icy surface.  He tried to scramble and inch his way up the snow bank, but didn’t get far before the car was crashing into the snow bank.  He cried out to a God he didn’t know, and had never prayed to before.  His words, “Oh my God, help me” echoed through the morning darkness, as he covered his eyes with his arm and braced for the crushing blow.  He heard the crunching snow as the car cut through the snow bank, but there was no collision.  And then it was quiet.  He opened his eyes to see the license plate of the car only inches from his face, the rear bumper had pushed the snow onto his lap, but never actually made contact.  His feet were under the car, but an inch or two of clearance allowed him to slide out from under the spinning tires.  He had been spared by mere inches. 

What caused this man to cry out to God in his moment of desperation, and fear?  He had never stepped foot in a church, raised in a family that abhorred religion and had spent his life building his career and success through unethical and sometimes illegal means.  Here in the fear of death, he calls out to a God that he had denied existed only two days earlier in a bar with his friends. Inherent in each of us is the knowledge of God’s presence.  From the moment He created you in your mother’s womb, He knew you and you knew Him.  You can spend your entire life running away from accepting His existence, but deep inside of your cells and brain matter, there is an awareness and hidden longing for His presence.   For you see, you are His creation, you exist because He first chose for you to be created.  You could not create yourself, and your parents could not mandate conception.  When life is created in the womb, it is because God has so chosen for it to happen.

Before God created the heavens and the earth, He was.  This same God, in the form of a human, came to the earth as a baby and lived amongst mankind to be sacrificed for their sins.  He is truth, He is wisdom, He is forgiveness and grace, He is the Creator and He is the Word.  The word made flesh, the Messiah, the King of Kings, dwelt amongst us.  By His Word, He has brought salvation to all mankind, who are willing to accept this truth. One day, every knee will bow and we will all be reconciled to the God who created us.  In that moment, it will be evidenced to all present that God indeed was manifest through His Son – Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit to be present in each of us.  Are you waiting for the edge of death to decide?  I hope it doesn’t come to that.  Blessings upon you today and each day forward.   

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012 
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All Who are Thirsty

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He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.”  - Revelations 21:6

There is something about a tall glass of ice water on a hot day.  As you lift the glass to your lips, you can almost feel the coolness before it passes over the threshold.  Your mind is already realizing the impact that the water will have on your body simply by observing the condensation that has formed on the outside of the glass.  Then it becomes reality as it enters your body and begins to quench the thirst that is inside.  It has no taste, it has no color and no artificial sweeteners, yet it surpasses all other beverages as the most healthy thing to drink on a daily basis.

In Genesis we read of God’s creation:
“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” (Gen 1:2)

When God cleansed the world of sin and unrighteousness, He brought the floods:
“The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.” (Gen 7:24)

God parted the sea through Moses  obedience, and delivered the Israelites from Egypt:
“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided” (Exodus 14:21)

God brought water from the stone to quench the thirst of the Israelites:
“I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.” (Exodus 17:6)

Job, despite his pain and agony, recognizes the authority and power of God Almighty:
““Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water?” (Job38:34)

Jesus, was baptized in the waters of the Jordon:
“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.” (Matthew 3:16)

Jesus turned water to wine: (John 2:1)
Jesus calmed the waters: (Luke 8:24)
Jesus walked on the water: (Matthew 14:22)
Jesus gives the water of life to the woman at the well: (John 4:10-15)
Jesus thirsts on the cross: (John 19:28)

We are all born through the water (amniotic fluid) and require it for survival throughout our lives.  God created from the waters in the beginning and will sustain us through eternity from the spring of water of life.  The connection between God, life and water is evidenced throughout all of scripture (over 620 references) and when God tells us He is the Alpha and Omega, He is telling us that though water is essential for life, He is even more so for He is before the water and will be above the water in the end. 

There is no cost for this water of life, it is given freely by our Lord and Savior – Jesus Christ; for all to partake of.  So drink up my friend, there is nothing more satisfying or fulfilling than drinking from the cup offered to you by God Almighty.  Soon we will never thirst again.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For an archive of Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com

God is God

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⁽¹⁹⁾“What is the way to the abode of light?

And where does darkness reside?

. . .

⁽²⁸⁾Does the rain have a father?

Who fathers the drops of dew?” – Job 38

Think, don’t react, just think for a moment about everything around you.  Take a look at the trees, the bark on the trees, the heartwood and sapwood inside of the tree, the budding flowers as new leaves are formed, the roots stretching far underground and of course the leaves on the trees.  It draws nutrients from the soil, water from earth and from the sky, carbon dioxide from the air and distributes all of this throughout the entire ecosystem of it’s structure so that every part gets exactly what it needs to survive.  It’s branches grow toward the light, it’s roots extend in every direction to provide strength and support, it’s leaves fall off and are recreated and each one is unique in it’s design.  Tell me who designed this infrastructure and ecosystem so perfectly.  Was it Pascal, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Aristotle, Socrates  . . . . .   You get my point, right? 

We know the formula for water, but can we create it?  Can you tell me how to create a single grain of sand or dirt?  Where do I go to learn how to create wood? 

There is a Creator of everything that makes up this incredible sphere called earth, and the universe around us.  He spoke it into being.  There was nothing but an expanse, He spoke and it began.  He is the only one who has created water, soil and air.  He formed the trees, the rocks, the mountains and the depths of the oceans.  He created light from nothing, to shine through the darkness.  The perfection of everything around could not just happen in such intricate detail to sustain itself in perfect harmony. 

Why do we continue to believe that we are here simply by happenchance?  We were created by God with unbelievable, intricate detail as well.  There is nothing about you that is not known by Him.  He has created to do amazing things.  It’s time to recognize that God is God, He made you perfectly, and He doesn’t make mistakes.  Today is your day to make use of everything He has given you.  Ready, Set, Go !

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
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Drink Up

“Now the earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep. God's Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters” – Genesis 1:2

It’s creation is unrecorded, yet it has always been
It’s frozen, it’s solid and it’s gas
Is there more today, than there was yesterday
Can more be created, or is it finite
Some will kill for it, others die without it
Every single one of us carry it with us everywhere we go
The big blue, the great abyss – how deep we may never know

In Genesis 1:2 God hovered above the waters.  Isn’t it strange that Genesis 1 doesn’t mention the creation of water – only heaven and earth.

In Genesis 6:17 God tells Noah that water will once again cover the entire earth and kill all living things

In Revelation 16:4 God turns all flowing water to blood in the last days

What is water?  From where does it flow?  It is a molecule that consists of 2 Hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom, neither of which can be created by man, but exist in plentiful supply all around us.  It is an essential for life to exist.  The earth is made up of 70.9% water, the human body is made up of an average of 55% - 60% water (for an adult) based on the person’s size and weight.  Space exploration have discovered ice and water on other planets and even the moon.  In July, 2011; they discovered a gigantic cloud of water vapor, 12 billion light years away, with a volumetric size of 140 trillion times the combined water’s of all the oceans on Earth.  The natural water cycle moves water from solid to liquid to gas and back to liquid and solid again through evaporation, rain, snow and humidity.

It was, before the heavens and Earth were created.  On day 2 – God created space between two layers of waters – that in heaven from that on earth.  On day 3 – God created land to separate the waters on the earth.  There is a finite amount of water in the universe and only God knows that amount.  The next time you pour a glass of water, or drink from a water bottle, you need to realize you are taking in a supply of God’s original creation. 

Heavenly Father,
I am in awe of Your creation.  Your perfect plan for how life should be sustained through water, oxygen, heat and love.  These basic principles have always been, and will always be, all come from You and You alone.  Thank You for making me as Your masterpiece in such intricate detailed composition.  Help me to respect and not take for granted that which only You can provide in life.  In Your name I pray. Amen

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© Sondove Enterprises, 2011

Negotiating with God

“Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?”  He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”  
                                                                                                                   – Genesis 18:32

We are always negotiating in life.  Daily I am on the phone with suppliers and business associates trying to convince them to give me the best possible deal and to go that extra mile.  It’s part of what I do for a living, but it’s also part of what we all do in life.  There are a plethora of books and instructional tapes or videos on “The Art of Negotiating”.  But I propose it is less of an art and more of a passion.  When is the last time you negotiated for something you didn’t want?  That’s just it, we don’t.  The only time we are negotiating is when we are convinced that our desire, our need is worth the requested action.  It is often for something that we are passionate about. 

As a father of 5, I have heard my fare share of negotiating tactics in my life.  Four of my children are beautiful young ladies and they have acquired the art of pouting with big baby eyes in order to soften this old man’s heart.  It all started with my oldest, who now has 2 beautiful girls of her own, and she has personally saw to training the others on how to convince Dad to get their way.  I now have my youngest, age 3, batting her eyes and pouting to get her way on things as simple as not having to take a nap, or getting to watch Barney or Elmo.  I’ve thought about this from the perspective of negotiating and often wondered why do I give in to their requests?  I can debate all day long at the office over cost savings and project deliverables, and most of the time walk away from the table the better for it.  Yet, at my own house, I give in to the ones around me without much of a fight.  It’s because I love them and have a bigger perspective on the outcome of their suggestions.  There is no way I would give in if I knew that they would be harmed by the outcome.

The first example we have from the scriptures of a man negotiating with God comes from Genesis 18.  This entails the story of Abraham negotiating over the souls of the righteous in Sodom and Gomorrah.  If you recall, the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah had turned against the Lord in their sinful ways, and He was ready to destroy them entirely because of this.  Abraham negotiated with the Lord to spare the city if only 50 righteous were found therein.  When the Lord agreed, he then negotiated to 45, 40, 30, 20 and finally settled on if only 10 righteous were found in the city, that the city be spared.  You know the story though, in Genesis 19:29 we find that the Lord reigned down sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness.  For not even 10 righteous people could be found within the city.

So, can we negotiate with God?  Certainly.  The  Lord is compassionate, loving and understanding.  But, rest assured He knows all things, and has a plan that is beyond our comprehension that will be executed upon.  There are many paths to the end point of His plan and we will make choices throughout our life that will result in taking one path or another.  He allows for this, because He loves us.  He is in control of everything, but has chosen to give us the freedom to love and trust Him or not.  Just as in the case with Sodom, Abraham’s compassion for the righteous people in the city was the motivation for his negotiating tactics.  He did not know everything the Lord knew about these people.  God knew the wickedness of their hearts and because of His omnipotence, knew the result would not be changed through Abraham’s negotiations.

When God tells you to do something, it’s for a reason that is part of His plan.  You have to make the choice of whether you want to negotiate with Him or accept His plan.  For example: if He is leading you to reach out to those in your community by working in a food bank or homeless shelter, you can negotiate with Him based on logic and all of the other things going on in your life.  You might say something like, “I really want to do this, as soon as I free up some time or finish this project.”  The Lord’s desire for your working in the food bank is not going to go away, because it is part of His plan for you.  What you don’t see is the people that you could impact immediately by following His direction.  By making excuses and delaying your action, there may be others that are impacted but you’ll never know.  God doesn’t introduce these opportunities into your life unless He has a purpose for it.  Put away the excuses and negotiating tactics, humble yourself to follow the Lord and be willing to trust Him when He calls.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
You are omnipotent and ever present in our lives.  We humble ourselves in Your presence and seek You in our actions.  Fill us today with Your Holy Spirit that we might see the desire of Your heart in our walk.  Convict us to realize that You are in control and that we can trust in Your calling.  Help us to see the world through Your eyes that we might bless others in our actions today.  In Your name we pray – Amen

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©Sondove Enterprises, 2011