【启示之河】

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启示之河

只是你们要行道，不要单单听道，自己欺哄自己（雅各1:22）  

亲爱的弟兄姊妹们，你是否经历过，每当打开圣经就会得到来自上帝江河般的启示？而最近你的启示之河好像干涸了？如果是的话，我强烈建议你，追想上帝最后给你的启示是什么。回顾这些启示，看看你是否遵照而行了，是否按照上帝显示给你的去做了。如果你没有，你就要重新探究这些启示，直到你在生命中实实在在地行出来。然后，很快你就会发现，新的启示又开始涌流了。

你看，当你行出上帝的话语时，启示会极为丰盛，我是在一次又一次的亲身经历中懂得的。当我越按照上帝的话语而行时，就越能深入看明这一点。这就是为何，雅各1:22里告诉我们，“不要单单听道，还要实在地行出来”。

可能看起来上帝显示给你的启示是无关紧要，甚至你的人性思维认为毫无意义。但不管怎样，你还是遵照而行！如果你从灵命的领域来洞悉，就会明白这些启示远比你想象的重要。

今天就重新打开上帝的话语。来到上帝跟前，期盼一个新鲜的圣经启示，并将生命降服于上帝，以服从来追随祂的启示而行。不是单单听道，而是作上帝的启示的行动者，那么你的启示之河将永不会干涸。

研经：雅各1:22-27
1:22 只是你们要行道，不要单单听道，自己欺哄自己。  
1:23 因为听道而不行道的，就像人对着镜子看自己本来的面目。  
1:24 看见，走后随即忘了他的相貌如何。  
1:25 惟有详细察看那全备使人自由之律法的，并且时常如此，这人既不是听了就忘，乃是实在行出来，就在他所行的事上必然得福。  
1:26 若有人自以为虔诚，却不勒住他的舌头，反欺哄自己的心，这人的虔诚是虚的。  
1:27 在 神我们的父面前，那清洁没有玷污的虔诚，就是看顾在患难中的孤儿寡妇，并且保守自己不沾染世俗。
  
River of Revelation

“22 Do not merely listen to the WORD, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."(James 1:22)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Have you ever been in the position in the past where every time you opened the Bible you received a river of revelation? Does it seem lately that the river's run dry? If so, I strongly suggest that you backtrack to the last revelation GOD gave you. Back up and see if you acted on it, if you did what GOD showed you to do. If you didn't, start again, digging into that revelation and then putting it into action in your life. You'll soon find new revelations are beginning to flow.

You see, revelation is most prolific when you are acting on the WORD. I've discovered that for myself again and again. The more I act on the WORD, the more I see into it. That's why James 1:22 tells us to not only hears GOD's Word but to DO IT!

It may seem that the things GOD has revealed to you are very insignificant. They may not even make good sense to your natural mind. But do them anyway! If you had insight into the spirit realm, you'd see they're far more important than you think.

Open GOD's WORD anew today. Come before HIM expecting a fresh revelation of the Scripture and commit to HIM to follow it up with obedience. Be a doer of GOD's revelations and not a hearer only and your river will never run dry.

Scripture Study: James 1:

22 Do not merely listen to the WORD, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

26 Those that consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that GOD our FATHER accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

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不要只是坐在那，站起来！

在城门那里有四个长大麻风的人，他们彼此说：“我们为何坐在这里等死呢？”于是他们就起来（列王纪下7:3，5）。  

亲爱的弟兄姊妹们，无论你今天面对多难的难题、陷在多深的困境中，24小时之内你就能重占上风。

可能你会说：“哦，维德弟兄，这是不可能的！”

在列王纪下7章里，撒玛利亚人也跟你有同样的想法。当时，他们的土地有饥荒，而敌军又聚集围困他们，并且切断了他们的所有供给，以致他们中母亲为了存活，吃掉了自己的孩子。

但是，正是在这等危机中，上帝告诉先知以利沙，24小时之内整个局势将扭转，面粉和大麦只值一舍客勒银子，会充足地供给他们。

上帝是用什么扭转了局势呢？

是四个长大麻风的人！当时，这四个人不是坐在城门伤心等死，而是决定站起来，去敌军的营地寻一线生机。当他们到了那里，竟发现敌军弃营而逃了，所有的军兵都被上帝的使者吓跑了，还丢下了充足的粮食，足够补给整个撒玛利亚的。

有的时候，你和我都会像这个事件里的以色列军官，只会专注难题，而没有将上帝的话语作为生命的中心。我们让自己被世界的喧嚣重重包围，使得胜的展望推出了我的视野。

当这样的事情发生时，信心和力量便开始减弱，生命开始从各个方面塌陷。

如果这正是你面对的，你就要停止哭泣、停止专注你的难题、停止伤心难过，因为这些做法并不能使任何事情改变！

上帝像对以利沙所做的，也同样给了你祂的话语。上帝承诺你会胜利，祂会使你成为得胜者。

所以，不要坐在那等死、不要接受失败，你要靠着对上帝有行动的信心站起来，坚立在上帝的话语上，为生而战。你要怒向撒旦，奋勇赶逐他。你要勇敢地面对疾病。你要积极地面对贫穷，并开始慷慨助人（上帝的教导）

站起来，接受上帝的解救！

研经：列王纪下6:24-33,7:1-20

6:24 此后，亚兰王便哈达聚集他的全军，上来围困撒玛利亚。  

6:25 于是撒玛利亚被围困，有饥荒，甚至一个驴头值银八十舍客勒，二升鸽子粪值银五舍客勒。  

6:26 一日，以色列王在城上经过，有一个妇人向他呼叫说：“我主、我王阿，求你帮助。”  

6:27 王说：“耶和华不帮助你，我从何处帮助你？是从禾场，是从酒醡呢？”  

6:28 王问妇人说：“你有甚么苦处？”她回答说：“这妇人对我说‘将你的儿子取来，我们今日可以吃，明日可以吃我的儿子’，  

6:29 我们就煮了我的儿子吃了。次日我对她说‘要将你的儿子取来，我们可以吃’，她却将她的儿子藏起来了。”  

6:30 王听见妇人的话，就撕裂衣服，（王在城上经过)百姓看见王贴身穿着麻衣。  

6:31 王说：“我今日若容沙法的儿子以利沙的头仍在他项上，愿 神重重的降罚与我。”  

6:32 那时以利沙正坐在家中，长老也与他同坐。王打发一个伺候他的人去。他还没有到。以利沙对长老说：“你们看这凶手之子，打发人来斩我的头。你们看着使者来到，就关上门，用门将他推出去，在他后头不是有他主人脚步的响声么。”  

6:33 正说话的时候，使者来到，王也到了，说：“这灾祸是从耶和华那里来的，我何必再仰望耶和华呢？”

7:1 以利沙说：“你们要听耶和华的话。耶和华如此说’明日约到这时候，在撒玛利亚城门口，一细亚细面要卖银一舍客勒，二细亚大麦也要卖银一舍客勒。’”  

7:2 有一个搀扶王的军长，对神人说：“即便耶和华使天开了窗户，也不能有这事。”以利沙说：“你必亲眼看见，却不得吃。”  

7:3 在城门那里有四个长大痲疯的人，他们彼此说：“我们为何坐在这里等死呢？  

7:4 我们若说进城去吧，城里有饥荒，必死在那里；若在这里坐着不动，也必是死。来吧，我们去投降亚兰人的军队，他们若留我们的活命，就活着；若杀我们，就死了吧。”  

7:5 黄昏的时候，他们起来往亚兰人的营盘去。到了营边，不见一人在那里。  

7:6 因为主使亚兰人的军队听见车马的声音，是大军的声音，他们就彼此说“这必是以色列王贿买赫人的诸王和埃及人的诸王来攻击我们。”  

7:7 所以在黄昏的时候他们起来逃跑，撇下帐棚、马、驴、营盘照旧，只顾逃命。  

7:8 那些长大痲疯的到了营边，进了帐棚，吃了、喝了，且从其中拿出金银和衣服来去收藏了。回来，又进了一座帐棚，从其中拿出财物来去收藏了。  

7:9 那时他们彼此说：“我们所作的不好，今日是有好信息的日子，我们竟不作声，若等到天亮，罪必临到我们。来吧，我们与王家报信去。”  

7:10 他们就去叫守城门的，告诉他们说我们到了亚兰人的营，不见一人在那里，也无人声，只有拴着的马和驴、帐棚都照旧。  

7:11 守城门的叫了众守门的人来，他们就进去，与王家报信。  

7:12 王夜间起来，对臣仆说：“我告诉你们亚兰人向我们如何行。他们知道我们饥饿，所以离营，埋伏在田野，说‘以色列人出城的时候，我们就活捉他们，得以进城’”。  

7:13 有一个臣仆对王说：“我们不如用城里剩下之马中的五匹马，（马和城里剩下的以色列人都是一样，快要灭绝)打发人去窥探。”  

7:14 于是取了两辆车和马，王差人去追寻亚兰军，说：“你们去窥探窥探”。  

7:15 他们就追寻到约但河，看见满道上都是亚兰人急跑时丢弃的衣服器具。使者就回来报告王。  

7:16 众人就出去，掳掠亚兰人的营盘。于是一细亚细面卖银一舍客勒、二细亚大麦也卖银一舍客勒，正如耶和华所说的。  

7:17 王派搀扶他的那军长，在城门口弹压。众人在那里将他践踏，他就死了，正如神人在王下来见他的时候所说的。  

7:18 神人曾对王说：“明日约到这时候，在撒玛利亚城门口，二细亚大麦要卖银一舍客勒、一细亚细面也要卖银一舍客勒。”  

7:19 那军长对神人说：“即便耶和华使天开了窗户，也不能有这事。”神人说：“你必亲眼看见，却不得吃。”  

7:20 这话果然应验在他身上，因为众人在城门口将他践踏，他就死了。  

Don't Just Sit  There...Arise!

"Now four men who were lepers were at  the entrance of the city's gate; and they said to one another, Why do we sit  here until we die.... So they arose."

(2 Kings  7:3,5)

Dear Brothers and  Sisters,

No matter how bad the problem is you  may be facing today, no matter how far under the circumstances you may be, in 24  hours you can be back on top!

You may say, "Oh, Brother Victor that  would be impossible!"

That's what the Samaritans thought in  2 Kings 7. Their land was being ravaged by famine. Enemy troops had surrounded  them and cut off all source of supply. Mothers were eating their own children  just to survive.

But right in the middle of that, the  LORD told the prophet Elisha that in 24 hours the whole situation would change.  Flour and barley would sell for just a few pennies and there would be abundance  for all.

What did GOD use to turn that  situation around?

Four lepers! Four lepers who, instead  of sitting around feeling sorry for themselves and waiting to die, decided to  arise and take their chances in the enemy camp. When they got there, they found  it abandoned. All the warriors had been frightened away by the angels of God,  and they'd left enough food behind to feed all of Samaria!  

Sometimes you and I are like the  officials in that story. We get problem-centred instead of WORD of GOD centred.  We let ourselves be so surrounded with the loud voice of the world that the  vision of our victory is pushed out of sight.

When that happens, faith and power  begin to subside and life caves in on us from every side.  

If that's happened to you, stop  crying about it. Stop looking at your problem and feeling sorry for yourself.  That won't change anything!

Just like HE did for Elisha, GOD's  given you a WORD. HE's promised you victory. HE's promised to make you an  overcomer.

So don't just sit there till you die.  Don't accept defeat. Rise up in faith. Stand up on GOD's Word and fight for your  life. Get mad at Satan. Cast him out. Get mad at that sickness. Get angry with  poverty and start giving.

Rise up and receive the deliverance  of the LORD!

Scripture Study:  2 Kings 6:24-33 ; 2 Kings  7:1-20

2 Kings  6:24-33

Famine in Besieged  Samaria

24 Sometime later, Ben-Hadad king of  Aram mobilized his entire army and marched up and laid siege to Samaria. 25  There was a great famine in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey’s  head sold for eighty shekels [about 920 grams] of silver, and a quarter of a cab  [about 100 grams] of seed pods for five shekels [about 58 grams of  silver].

26 As the king of Israel was passing  by on the wall, a woman cried to him, “Help me, my lord the  king!”

27 The king replied, “If the LORD  does not help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor? From  the winepress?” 28 Then he asked her, “What’s the  matter?”

She answered, “This woman said to me,  ‘Give up your son so we may eat him today, and tomorrow we’ll eat my son.’ 29 So  we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son so  we may eat him,’ but she had hidden him.”

30 When the king heard the woman’s  words, he tore his robes. As he went along the wall, the people looked, and they  saw that, under his robes, he had sackcloth on his body. 31 He said, “May GOD  deal with me, be it ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat  remains on his shoulders today!”

32 Now Elisha was sitting in his  house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead,  but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Don’t you see how this  murderer is sending someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes,  shut the door and hold it shut against him. Is not the sound of his master’s  footsteps behind him?” 33 While he was still talking to them, the messenger came  down to him.

The king said, “This disaster is from  the Lord. Why should I wait for the LORD any  longer?”

2 Kings  7:1-20

7 Elisha replied, “Hear the word of  the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, a seah [about  5.5 kilograms] of the finest flour will sell for a shekel [about 12 grams of  silver] and two seahs [about 9 kilograms] of barley for a shekel [about 12  grams] at the gate of Samaria.”

2 The officer on whose arm the king  was leaning said to the man of GOD, “Look, even if the LORD should open the  floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?”

“You will see it with your  own eyes,” answered Elisha, “but you will not eat any of  it!”

The Siege  Lifted

3 Now there were four men with  leprosy[d] at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay  here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there,  and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp  of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then  we die.”

5 At dusk they got up and went to the  camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there,  6 for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses  and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel  has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!” 7 So they got up and  fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They  left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.

8 The men who had leprosy reached the  edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took  silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered  another tent and took some things from it and hid them  also.

9 Then they said to each other, “What  we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to  ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at  once and report this to the royal palace.”

10 So they went and called out to the  city gatekeepers and told them, “We went into the Aramean camp and no one was  there—not a sound of anyone—only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents left  just as they were.” 11 The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported  within the palace.

12 The king got up in the night and  said to his officers, “I will tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They  know we are starving; so they have left the camp to hide in the countryside,  thinking, ‘They will surely come out, and then we will take them alive and get  into the city.’”

13 One of his officers answered,  “Have some men take five of the horses that are left in the city. Their plight  will be like that of all the Israelites left here—yes, they will only be like  all these Israelites who are doomed. So let us send them to find out what  happened.”

14 So they selected two chariots with  their horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army. He commanded the  drivers, “Go and find out what has happened.” 15 They followed them as far as  the Jordan, and they found the whole road strewn with the clothing and equipment  the Arameans had thrown away in their headlong flight. So the messengers  returned and reported to the king. 16 Then the people went out and plundered the  camp of the Arameans. So a seah of the finest flour sold for a shekel, and two  seahs of barley sold for a shekel, as the Lord had  said.

17 Now the king had put the officer  on whose arm he leaned in charge of the gate, and the people trampled him in the  gateway, and he died, just as the man of God had foretold when the king came  down to his house. 18 It happened as the man of God had said to the king: “About  this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two  seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of  Samaria.”

19 The officer had said to the man of  God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could  this happen?” The man of God had replied, “You will see it with your own eyes,  but you will not eat any of it!” 20 And that is exactly what happened to him,  for the people trampled him in the gateway, and he  died.

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不要忘了喜乐

你们要靠主常常喜乐，我再说，你们要喜乐（腓立比4:4）

亲爱的弟兄姊妹们，多年前我下定决心，事事都要服从上帝的话语。我告诉上帝，我的一切只让祂的话语来作最终的决定，无论怎样，我的余生只认定祂的话语。这是我作过的最重要的决定。

没过多久，我再立志：无论发生什么、无论我感觉喜欢或不喜欢，我都凭仁爱而行。因为圣经明确地说：透过仁爱的信心才有功效（加拉太5:6 原来在基督耶稣里，受割礼不受割礼全无功效，惟独使人生发仁爱的信心，才有功效），除此之外，其他任何方法都不会有功效。

这两个决志（靠信心服从上帝的话语和以仁爱而行），是我生命中作过的最重要的决志。

不过，最近上帝指示我，有些事被我遗漏了，就是喜乐的力量。祂告诉我，我没有正确地以信心和仁爱而行，只因遗忘了喜乐，使它长眠于我的灵里。这太重要了！当上帝教导我时，我很快就认识到，喜乐是一个得胜生命的基本部分。如果我没有靠喜乐而行，那么欢欣只能偶然而得，并且也无法维持，很快它就会溜走了。

你知道的，喜乐能够在情况变得艰难时，给你力量来保持坚定（尼希米8:10 又对他们说：“你们去吃肥美的、喝甘甜的。有不能预备的，就分给他，因为今日是我们主的圣日。你们不要忧愁，因靠耶和华而得的喜乐是你们的力量）。喜乐能够在魔鬼设法击打你的信心时，给你能力来笑对他。喜乐能够给你忍耐力，使你一次又一次地成为胜利者。

所以，向上帝作出承诺：你不仅要靠着信心和仁爱而行，也要靠着喜乐而行。特别要引起注意的是，要靠主常常喜乐，那么魔鬼就无法利用任何事或任何话来从你偷走你的胜利！

研经：诗篇84:1-7
84:1 万军之耶和华阿，你的居所何等可爱。  
84:2 我羡慕渴想耶和华的院宇，我的心肠、我的肉体，向永生 神呼吁。〔或作欢呼〕  
84:3 万军之耶和华我的王、我的 神阿，在你祭坛那里，麻雀为自己找着房屋、燕子为自己找着菢雏之窝。  
84:4 如此住在你殿中的，便为有福，他们仍要赞美你。  
84:5 靠你有力量、心中想往锡安大道的，这人便为有福。  
84:6 他们经过流泪谷，叫这谷变为泉源之地，并有秋雨之福，盖满了全谷。  
84:7 他们行走，力上加力，各人到锡安朝见 神。  

Don't Forget the Joy

"Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." (Philippians 4:4)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Years ago, I decided I was going to walk by the WORD of GOD. I told GOD that, as far as I was concerned, HIS WORD was final and I'd confess it the rest of my life no matter what. That was the most important decision I've ever made.

Not too long after that, I decided that no matter what happened, whether I felt like it or not, I'd walk in love. Because the Bible clearly says "faith worketh by love." (Galatians 5:6 For in CHRIST JESUS neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.) It won't work any other way.

Those two decisions--to operate by faith in the WORD of GOD and to walk in love--are the two most important decisions I've ever made in my life.

Recently, though, GOD pointed out to me that there was something I'd been leaving out. The force of joy. HE told me I have no right to walk by faith and love and just leave joy dormant in my spirit. It's too important. As HE taught me about it, I soon came to realize that joy is an essential part of a life of victory. Without it, I might have an occasional triumph now and then, but I wouldn't be able to sustain them. They'd quickly slip away.

You see, joy is what gives you the strength (Neh. 8:10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our LORD. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”) to hold steady when the circumstances get rough. Joy gives you the ability to laugh in the devil's face when he starts trying to knock you off your faith. Joy gives you a kind of staying power that will make you a winner again and again.

So make a commitment to GOD that you're going to walk, not only in faith and in love but in joy as well. Make it a point to rejoice in the LORD always...and there won't be anything the devil can do or say to steal your victory from you!


Scripture Study: Psalm 84:

1 How lovely is YOUR dwelling place,
    LORD ALMIGHTY!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
    for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
    for the living GOD.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
    LORD ALMIGHTY, my KING and my GOD.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in YOUR house;
    they are ever praising YOU.

5 Blessed are those whose strength is in YOU,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;
    the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength,
    till each appears before GOD in Zion.

sky5107

难以摆脱的不满足感

你们一切干渴的都当就近水来，没有银钱的也可以来，你们都来，买了吃，不用银钱、不用价值，也来买酒和奶。你们为何花钱买那不足为食物的，用劳碌得来的买那不使人饱足的呢？你们要留意听我的话，就能吃那美物，得享肥甘，心中喜乐（以赛亚55:1-2）  

亲爱的弟兄姊妹们，你曾经有没有打开冰箱，想要找些东西来填满一种莫名的空虚或不满足感？其实你并不是在寻找任何一种特殊的东西，你明白，你是想满足你的渴望。可是，无论你选择什么都无法欺骗自己，因为你知道，你空虚的不是胃，而是灵魂。

不论是食物、事业、财产，还是人际关系，我们不断地想要从中得到灵魂的满足。然而，属世的任何事物，却都无法填满我们的空虚。因为我们的受造是与上帝关联，上帝造我们时，在我们的内心深处放置了对祂的渴慕。尽管我们可能没有认识到这一点，但是每个人都知道那种难以满足的感觉，随时都会渗入我们的灵魂。无论何时，只要我们用属世的替代品来获得满足，那么沮丧和绝望就必会接踵而来。

有两种选择，能够满足我们灵魂的空虚。一个选择就是撒旦，他提供的条件又多又充满诱惑，而且看起来像是有满足和喜乐的保证：人际关系、出名、被认同、富有、赞扬……但是，无论他提供的生命看起来有多好、多能使人满足，都只是虚谎而已。而另一个选择是上帝，上帝提供的列项很少，事实上只有一项，就是主耶稣。因为惟有主耶稣，才能真正填满我们的空虚。

你的生命追求是什么？你所寻求的得到了满足，还是总是感觉灵魂上有一种莫名的空虚呢？如果你把你的生命献给主耶稣，用专注和充裕的时间来与祂在一起（祷告、读经、服从祂的教导而生活……），祂就会使你获得真正的满足，是其他任何事物都无法做到的。

That Nagging Sense of Dissatisfaction

Isaiah 55: 1“Come, all you who are thirsty,
    come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labour on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
    and you will delight in the richest of fare.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Have you ever found yourself standing in front of the refrigerator, trying to find something to satisfy a vague sense of emptiness or discontent? You aren’t looking for anything specific, but you know you want to fill a longing. Whatever you choose will probably not do the trick, because the empty spot is not in your stomach but in your soul.

Whether the substance is food, career, possessions, or relationships, our souls are continually trying to find satisfaction. But nothing in this world will fill the void. Since we were created for relationship with GOD, HE placed deep within us a yearning for HIM. Though we may not recognize it as such, everyone knows the feeling of dissatisfaction that at time seeps into our souls. Whenever we attempt to find fulfilment with worldly substitutes, disappointment and disillusionment are sure to follow.

There are two possible menus from which we can choose to fill our empty souls. Satan’s menu is long and full of enticing things that seem to promise fulfilment and pleasure. These could include relationships, prominence, acceptance, riches, or recognition. Whatever he offers looks like the good life that will bring contentment, but it’s a deception. But GOD’s menu is quite small. In fact, it lists just one “item”—JESUS. HE is the only one who can fill the void.

What are you pursuing in life? Have you found the satisfaction you seek, or is there always a vague sense of discontent in your soul? If you’ll give JESUS a bigger place in your life and spend focused, unhurried time with HIM, HE will satisfy you as nothing else can.