“ Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty”

INTRODUCTION
1. Our 'tle comes Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty
a. Extolling the value of networking for success in life and business
b. Illustra'ng the importance of prepara'on to succeed and survive

2. The 'tle illustrates a simple yet important fact of life...

a. You cannot wait un'l you are thirsty to begin digging a well
b. If you do, you will likely die of thirst before you get the water you need
[Link] must prepare ahead of 'me, before the need arises

3. As I read the book, parallels to the Chris'an life were clearly evident...
a. There are 'mes of spiritual “thirst”
b. If we wait un'l such 'mes to “dig our wells”, we may be too late
[Link] need to be “digging our wells” now!

[Are you digging your well before you’re thirsty? Maybe it would help to be reminded of ...

I. THE NEED FOR WELLS

A. THE DAY OF JUDGMENT...

1. There is a day of judgment coming
a. In which the world will be judged - Ac 17:30-31
b. In which we will all stand before Christ - Ro 14:10-12; 2 Co 5:10
2. A day of salva'on for some, condemna'on for others
a. Some will hear good news - Mt 25:34
b. Others will hear terrible words - Mt 25:41

-- It will be too late to begin “digging wells” if we are spiritually “thirsty” on that day!

B. THE TIMES OF TEMPTATION...

1. The Chris'an life is fraught with tempta'on
a. Because of our adversary, the devil - 1Pe 5:8
b. Because of our own fleshly desires - Jm 1:14; Mk 7:21-23
2. Tempta'ons should not be taken lightly
a. We can become hardened by the deceiSulness of sin - He 3:12-13
b. We might fall away during the 'me of tempta'on - Lk 8:13
-- Do we have “wells” to quench our spiritual thirst when we are tempted?

C. THE PERIODS OF TRIBULATION...

1. The Chris'an life is not always easy
a. As Jesus warned the apostles - Jn 16:33
b. As Paul warned the disciples - Ac 14:21-22
2. The trials or tribula'ons we may face can be quite diverse
a. Some because we are Chris'ans - 2 Ti 3:12
 b. Others because we share in the frail'es of life: sickness, pain, death; economic
recession, loss of jobs; terrorism, war, natural calami'es
-- We be`er have our “wells” dug in advance if we are survive such “droughts”!
[In the face of such “droughts”, what can we do? Dig your “wells” before you’re thirsty...!]

II. DIGGING OUR WELLS

A. PREPARING FOR JUDGMENT...

1. Remember what God has provided
a. His Son as an atonement for sin - 1 Jn 4:9-10
b. The good news of salva'on to the whole world - Mk 16:15; Co 1:23
2. Realize what we must do
a. Respond to the gospel of His grace - Ac 2:36-39
b. Remain faithful in our devo'on and service - Re 2:10
-- Have you begun digging your wells by obeying the gospel of Christ?
B. PREPARING FOR TEMPTATION...
1. Remember what God has provided
a. His Providence in 'me of tempta'on
1) He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able - 1 Co 10:13
2) Who is able to work all things for our good - Ro 8:28,31-39
b. His Spirit to help us overcome
1) To strengthen the inner man - Ep 3:16; Ro 8:12-14
2) To develop the character necessary - Ga 5:22-23
c. His family to support in our efforts
1) Himself as our Father - 1 Jn 3:1
2) His children as our brothers and sisters - 1 Ti 5:1-2
d. His Son as our Advocate and propi'a'on
1) Who stands ready to assist us when we have sinned - 1 Jn 2:1-2
2) Whose blood will cleanse from all sin as we confess - 1 Jn 1:7-9
2. Realize what we must do
a. Pray that you enter not into tempta'on
1) As Jesus taught on the Sermon on the Mount - Mt 6:13
2) As He told His disciples in Gethsemane - Mt 26:41
b. Be filled with His Spirit by imbibing the Word
1) Singing praises and making melody in our hearts to the Lord - Ep 5:18-19
2) Teaching one another in song, lecng the Word dwell in us richly - Co 3:16
c. Develop and strength our reladonships with the members of our Family
1) Communing with God in prayer - He 4:14-16
2) Exhor'ng one another - He 3:12-14
d. Repent and confess when we sin
1) To God - 1 Jn 1:9
2) To one another - Jm 5:16
-- Are you digging your wells by condnuing steadfastly in prayer, in the Word and in
fellowship with the family of God?

C. PREPARING FOR TRIBULATION...

1. Remember what God has provided
 a. Hope to help us endure
1) A joyful hope that we might be pa'ent in tribula'ons - Rom 12:12; 1Pe 1:3-6
2) An abounding hope empowered by the Spirit of God - Rom 15:13
[Link] that only Christ can offer
1) A peace the world cannot provide - Jn 14:27
2) One that can guard our hearts and minds - Ph 4:6-7
c. Strength found only in Christ
1) That provides us with pa'ence, longsuffering, joy - Co 1:11
2) By which we can do all things in a spirit of contentment - Ph 4:10-13
d. Given us brethren to comfort us in our trials
1) Who comfort us with the comfort they receive from God - 2 Co 1:3-5
2) Who comfort us with words of hope and encouragement - 1 Th 4:18; 5:11,14
2. Realize what we must do
a. Focus our hope
1) Secng our minds on the grace to be revealed - 1Pe 1:13
2) Benefi'ng from the pa'ence and comfort of the Scriptures - Ro 15:4
b. Nurture our peace
1) Through fervent prayer - Ph 4:6-7; cf. Ro 15:13
2) Through following Paul’s admoni'on and example - Ph 4:8-9; cf. 2 Co 13:11
c. Develop our strength
1) Through asking for it, as Paul did for the Ephesians - Ep 3:16
2) By pucng on the armor of God - Ep 6:10-18
d. Build our network of brethren
1) Ministering to one another - He 6:10-12
2) Assembling together, exhor3ng one another, loving one other - He 10:24-25; 13:1

In what condidon are your wells pertaining to your hope, your peace, your strength,
and your brethren?

CONCLUSION

1. If you paid close aeen'on, you will have no'ced the wells have already been dug...
a. The wells of salva'on provided by God - Isa 12:1-3
b. Offering the water of life - e.g., Jn 4:13-14; 7:37-39; Re 22:16-17
God offers the wells necessary to quench our thirst in dmes of spiritual drought!

2. Our task, then, may be similar to that of Isaac’s...

a. The wells of his father Abraham had been stopped up by the Philis'nes - Gen 26:15
b. He had to re-dig the wells for them to be of any use - Gen 26:28

Do we need to “re-dig the wells” of our Heavenly Father?

Have we let the “wells of salva'on” God graciously provides to become stopped up through
our own
spiritual neglect? If so, then be sure to “Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty”...!