"DIG YOUR WELL BEFORE YOU'RE THIRSTY"
August 13, 2006
Introduction
 
	This morning our thoughts are titled, "Dig your well before you're thirsty."  The thought comes
from the title of a book.  The book is not in my library, but Mark Copeland read the book, and used it as 
a thought that he developed into a sermon.  The thought I took from the title of the book, and his comments
is simply this:  we need to be prepared.
 
	Let's look at what the Bible has to say about being prepared.
 
I.  Solomon addresses the young.
 

(Eccl 12:1 NKJV)  Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them":

 

A.  “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth”  -- It’s a trying time

 

1.      Young people are impressed with their youth and vitality.

2.      The fun of sexual indulgence is displayed in countless ways, appealing to the desires that are especially strong when young.

 

               B.          “Before the difficult days come, Before the difficult days come,”

 

II.    Jesus addressed the need to "DIG YOUR WELL BEFORE YOU'RE THIRSTY"
 

(Mat 7:24-27 NKJV)  ""Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: {25} "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. {26} "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: {27} "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.""

 

  1. “the rain descended, the floods came,”

 

1.      Solomon spoke of “the difficult days” or the “evil days.”

2.      Jesus speaks of the wind and the floods.

3.      These are related, but not necessarily the same.

  1. Jesus speaks of what the winds and the floods can do.

 

1.      “and it fell” – That has the sound of finality – total loss.

2.      Jesus is apparently speaking of being lost eternally.

 

III.   But how do you dig your wells before you’re thirsty?  Before the need?

 

  1. Jesus addressed the issue very simply:  “hear these sayings of Mine, and do them,”

 

1.      Jesus repeatedly emphasized hearing repeatedly.

 

(Mat 13:43 NKJV)  ""Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

 

(Rev 13:9 NKJV)  "If anyone has an ear, let him hear."

 

2.      But in the verse we are considering, there is a second aspect: and does them,

3.       It is the doing in this case, not the hearing that matters:  "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them,

 

  1. James picked up on the doing part as well.

 

(James 1:21-25 NKJV)  "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. {22} But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. {23} For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; {24} for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. {25} But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."

 

1.      The hearing, or the telling, is important, but it’s only the first step.

2.      The blessing the one who does:  “this one will be blessed in what he does."

 

IV.  So how do we dig our wells before we are thirsty?

 

  1. It’s the same idea as the Boy Scouts motto:  Be prepared:

 

1.      It’s what Solomon said when he said:

 

(Eccl 12:1 NKJV)  Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them":

 

a.       Prepare for temptations and problems before they come.

 

2.      It’s Jesus statement and more:

 

(Mat 6:13 NKJV)  "And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."

 

  1. David also spoke of the need of preparing for temptation by studying the word of God.

 

(Psa 119:11 NKJV)  "Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!"

 

  1. When can I let down my guard?  -- Never!

 

(1 Cor 10:7-12 NKJV)  "And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." {8} Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; {9} nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; {10} nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. {11} Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. {12} Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."

 

1.      It was when the wars were all won that David lost the biggest war.

 

Conclusion

 

I.        What are the choices?

 

  1. Dig our wells before we are thirsty—before we are in trouble

  2. If we are unprepared, we place our eternal souls in danger.

 

II.     Is there something you need to make right in a public way so that you can stand for God?  So that your house will withstands the floods and the storms?

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