Turning Life’s Bitter Waters Sweet

 As we journey through life, we encounter a wide range of experiences and people. Not all of these encounters are pleasant; some have the potential to leave deep marks in the very fabric of our inner being. Words spoken and actions taken by others can shape us in ways we may not realize, even influencing the kind of person we eventually become. It is heart-breaking to see many who allow life’s painful experiences to make them bitter, resentful, and narrowed in their outlook.

I am reminded of the Israelite's in the wilderness when they arrived at the waters of Marah - waters so bitter that they could not drink them, despite their desperate thirst. At that moment, God instructed Moses to cast a piece of wood into the waters, and miraculously, the bitter waters became sweet. This wood points to the crucified Christ, the One who drank the cup of bitterness on our behalf. On the cross, He took into Himself all the poison of sin, all our past, and every trace of bitterness.

So why should we remain in bitterness? What turned the bitter waters sweet? Christ—and Christ alone. He is sweetness itself. Regardless of our past, no matter how we have been wronged or what we have endured, He is able to fill our lives with His sweetness. The more we experience Him and allow Him to infuse Himself into us, the more His sweetness flows in us and through us—issuing a sweet, refreshing supply to others.

Remember this: after the waters were made sweet, there was not just healing but also abundance—a rich supply that fully satisfied their thirst. In Christ, there is an endless supply. No one needs to remain weary or thirsty. Come to the sweet waters and drink. Drink freely, without hesitation. This rich supply is blood-bought and available to all who ask and believe into Him.

Bitterness leaves a person empty, resentful, and constantly seeking affirmation. But the one saturated with Christ’s sweetness needs no human affirmation, for within him flows the living Christ, supplying all that is needed with every divine power for life and godliness.

Marah is bitter and cannot be tasted. But look to the crucified Christ and run to the waters. Enjoy Him, experience Him, delight in Him, and find your satisfaction and joy in Him. Then you will become a vessel through whom His sweet, living waters flow—turning bitterness into sweetness wherever you go, bringing with you a rich supply of the enjoyment of Christ.

Christ - Our Greater Joseph in Times of Famine

I was reminded of a story from the book of Genesis. During a severe famine in Egypt, when there was no food anywhere, the people cried out to Pharaoh for help. His response was simple and profound: “Go to Joseph, and he will give you food.” Children, families, livestock - everything was in distress, yet the supply was found in only one place.

Joseph in the Old Testament is a clear type of Christ who is our all-inclusive supply. Today, across much of Christendom, there is a silent famine - not of physical food, but of hearing the true, living Word of God. Many are spiritually hungry and longing for nourishment. And just like in Egypt, the answer remains wonderfully simple: Go to Jesus! In Him is an inexhaustible storehouse. He ministers the unsearchable riches of the Triune God into our spirit. This Christ is neither distant nor reluctant—He is near, available, and living within us as the life-giving Spirit. He searches the deep things of God and fills us with the abundance of divine life. Who can measure the fullness that is found in Christ?

Yet some continue to hunger—not because the supply is lacking, but because we seek nourishment in the wrong places. We must turn our eyes away from men and fix them on Jesus. Men may disappoint—Jesus never will. Men may be found wanting but Christ is always all-sufficient. He alone can satisfy every longing and meet every need.

Egypt is dry; there is no grain to be found. Why then should we accept spiritual leanness? Let us go to our greater Joseph—Christ Himself. What a rich and overflowing supply awaits those who come to Him, rely on Him, and pour out their hearts before Him. As we receive His divine abundance, we in turn become channels through whom the Lord can dispense His riches into others. In this way, He builds His Church with a people infused with His very element—those who are being metabolically transformed to become like Him in life and in nature. May the Lord grant us greater light and a deeper revelation concerning this matter.

Becoming What We Behold

We are all in the process of becoming. No one remains neutral—every person on this earth is being shaped, either knowingly or unknowingly. Who we are today may not necessarily reflect who we will be tomorrow. Someone who appears successful today may find, years later, that the shine of that success has faded. The same holds true in our relationships—what feels like a deep and vibrant friendship today may cool over time. Our physical bodies tell a similar story; we may be carefree with what we consume, but the effects of our choices inevitably manifest over time. The same principle applies to our minds. What we regularly consume mentally—what we read, watch, or dwell on—begins to shape our worldview and influence how we interpret the events and challenges of life.

This truth has deep implications for the Christian. 2 Corinthians reveals a straightforward truth : "We become what we behold." "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

The transformation Paul speaks of is not instantaneous, but gradual—and it is directly tied to our beholding of Christ. This is not a one-time event but a daily, subjective experience. Each time we choose to draw near to God in the secret place, each time we gaze upon Him in the Word, we are being inwardly transformed. His essence fills our being and His life reshapes our inner man. From one image to another, from glory to glory—we are being conformed to Christ. There’s a parallel here with the saying, "You are what you eat." For the believer, this is spiritually true: the more we eat and drink of Christ—through His Word, through prayer, through worship—the more we are constituted with His very life and nature. We begin to express Christ not just in belief, but in behaviour, in attitude, and in character.

What a glorious destiny awaits the Christian! What a precious reality Christ has secured for us through His death and resurrection—to be conformed to His image, to be saturated with His divine life and nature. This is what we are becoming: Just as He is, in life and in nature.

In this process, we are also brought into an organic union with the Triune God, and He grants us the privilege of expressing who He is through our daily walk on this earth. May this truth stir our hearts to daily behold the Lord of Glory, to feast abundantly on the bread of life, and to drink deeply of the living waters that flow from His Spirit. May we never lose our wonder at the transforming power of beholding Christ, for as we gaze upon Him, we are becoming like Him—expressing His very essence from within.

Enjoying the Resurrected Christ as the Life-Giving Spirit

So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul”; the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:45) 

What does the Resurrection mean for us today? Much is rightly said about how Jesus died for our sins, took upon Himself our punishment, reconciled us to God, and opened the way for us to enjoy eternal life with Him in heaven. All of this is gloriously true. But is there more? What is God’s deeper desire? How does He want His children to live out the reality of Christ’s resurrection?

In John 20, on the evening of the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And then, “He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”

In breathing on His disciples, Jesus was imparting Himself as the Spirit, entering into them in a way far more intimate than ever before—far deeper than even when He walked with them on the earth. He became one with their spirit. He had already said in John 15, “Abide in Me, and I in you.” But how could this be possible without His death, His resurrection, and His coming into them as the Spirit?

The Resurrected Christ initiated this divine union by dispensing Himself into them as the life-giving Spirit. What does it mean to have Christ as the the life-giving Spirit within us? It means that this Spirit imparts to us His life, His nature, all of His communicable attributes, and everything Christ accomplished and obtained for us through His death on the cross.

What a glorious reality this is! To know that the Spirit within us is the life-giving Spirit—filling us, saturating us, permeating us with all that Christ is—causing us to enjoy God in the very depths of our being! This indwelling leads to our transformation, making us like Christ in His life and nature.

Can this be our daily experience? Yes—if we simply exercise our spirit and call upon the name of the Lord, set our heart to feed upon Him through prayer & soaking in His Word, He will surely bring us into the reality of this divine experience. This is the Father’s heart—that we daily experience and enjoy this union.

This was the great longing of the apostle Paul, and it must be ours as well: “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection.” (Philippians 3:10)

As we celebrate the Resurrection today, may the Lord bring us into the living, daily reality of this glorious enjoyment of Christ as the Life-giving Spirit.

Bountiful Supply in a Dark Cell – Paul’s Secret to Joy

“For I know that this will turn out for my salvation through your prayers and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” – Philippians 1:19

When I read Paul’s phrase “bountiful supply” in Philippians, I can’t help but pause and ask—Where exactly was Paul when he wrote this? The expression almost sounds like it came from someone sitting in a palace. But in reality, Paul was writing from a dark, damp Roman prison.

How could someone in such a place speak of abundance? Where did Paul gain the assurance of such a rich supply of the Spirit?

Here is Paul, locked away in a cell under the weight of the Roman empire, and yet fully enjoying and experiencing Christ. While physically isolated and insulated from the world, he receives a profound revelation: “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (1 Corinthians 6:17).

Paul had become increasingly aware that the Lord’s Spirit had been mingled with his own. In this divine union, deep within his regenerated spirit, he discovers the unshakable, overflowing supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. And this supply isn’t just present; it’s active and dynamic. It flowed into every part of his being—his mind, emotions, and will—saturating him with divine life and drawing him into deeper fellowship and enjoyment of Christ.

Dear Christian friend, are you in a place like Paul’s? Imprisoned by circumstance? Isolated, misunderstood, rejected, belittled, or perhaps excluded? Are you surrounded by darkness, discouragement, or despair? Be encouraged! Within you is the same bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The Lord longs for us to turn inward, to exercise our spirit, and to partake of this rich supply—not just for our survival, but for our enjoyment and for the expression of Christ to others.

Are we willing to lay hold of this? Like David, Paul encouraged himself in the Lord. But there was something more significant in Paul's walk with God. He dwelt in the inward parts of Christ (Phil 1:8)  which means he became familiar with Christ’s thoughts, His feelings, and His desires. He developed an intimacy with the indwelling Christ born from deep fellowship and a continuous drawing from the Spirit’s supply.

May the Lord grant us grace to experience the fullness of His person within, and to live each day out of this bountiful supply that never runs dry.

Let’s Linger No Longer!

But he lingered… So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand—the LORD being merciful to him. (Genesis 19:16)

We all know the story of Lot. He chose to live in a city steeped in wickedness, and though God warned him of its impending destruction, he hesitated. He lingered—even when judgment was near. It took the mercy of God for the messengers to literally take him and his family by the hand and lead them out.

Could that be our story too?

How often have we felt a gentle tug in our spirit, urging us to walk away from things that are worldly, harmful, or spiritually draining—but we lingered? How many times have we sensed the Lord calling us into deeper prayer, intimacy, and time in His Word, but remained in a place of passivity or distraction?

There are times when we know what we need to do—to stop conforming to the patterns of the world and allow God to renew our minds and pour out His grace—but still, we delay. And sometimes, delay carries a cost. Lot’s wife looked back—and that one moment of hesitation turned into her undoing. She never got another chance.

Like the father in the story of the prodigal son, our Heavenly Father waits patiently—longing for us to return. Will we continue feeding on the empty "carob pods" of the world, or will we rise up, shake off the dust, and say, “Lord, I’m done lingering. I’m coming home to You”

One phrase in this passage stands out: “the LORD being merciful to him.”

It wasn’t Lot’s wisdom or strength that saved him—it was the sheer mercy of God. And that same mercy is available to us today. He is full of compassion, abounding in patience, and always ready to lift us out of any pit—if we are simply willing.

So let’s not linger any longer. Let’s run to the cross. Let’s return to prayer, return to His Word, and ask Him to restore the joy of our salvation. Let’s fall into the arms of our merciful Savior and make a firm decision to walk away from the distractions of this world and into the fullness of God’s purpose for us.

No more delay. No more hesitation.

Let’s linger no longer.

When Christ Becomes Your Portion in the Wilderness

There is often a profound sense of loneliness that overwhelms the Christian whose heart is set on seeking God and surrendering fully to His purpose. While others bask in the joys of good times and entertainment, this one walks through the shadows of solitude. Before him lies a dark night that his soul must press through, and behind him is the world whose riches no longer entice him.

He longs for understanding but finds none. He seeks assurance from others, but no one is in sight. Christ alone becomes his hope, and on His gentle shoulder, the weary Christian leans. With eyes of faith, he gazes into the darkness, for beyond it, he sees a glorious light that those who walk by sight cannot perceive. The journey is exhausting, and at times, he feels on the verge of giving up. Yet, he is compelled to press on by the tender hand of the Good Shepherd and the watchful eye of his Heavenly Father.

In the barren wilderness, a table is set before him. Here, he begins to experience Christ as his life supply. A rich feast is laid out, and he is encouraged to eat and drink of Christ, who has become his portion in the midst of darkness and desolation. This experience not only empties him of self but also leads him to a deeper enjoyment of Christ as the life-giving Spirit within him. His inner man is strengthened, enabling him to deeply apprehend the immeasurable love of Christ.

Drawn nearer to the Father, who dwells in love and light, he finds that all the Father is and has is being worked into his being. Finally, just as Gideon was instructed to go forth in the strength he had, this believer is also commissioned to strengthen the weak and offer hope to the hopeless. And through it all, he is never truly alone, for the Lord remains his sun and shield, guarding his path and illuminating his way.