a classic illustration…

an unexpressed faith will cause you to lose your vitality, your passion, your energy for life.  it goes back to that old illustration of the two famous lakes in israel.  in the nation of israel there are two large lakes.  one is in the northern part of israel called the sea of galilee and there’s one in the southern part of israel called the dead sea.  they are as different as night and day. 

the sea of galilee is a fully alive lake.  it literally is teaming with life.  they still do commercial fishing there.  it’s a gorgeous lake and there’s lots of life and it’s alive.

then you go to the dead sea.  the dead sea in the southern part of israel is literally dead.  nothing can live there.  there are no fish in it.  it’s full of salt and brine and chemicals.  it’s so thick that if you try to swim in it, you float on top.  when you get out your skin is crusted with this very bitter kind of stuff.  it’s an ugly, ugly desert dead sea.

what is the difference between the living sea of galilee and the dead sea?  the sea of galilee takes in many, many different tributaries from lebanon and around.  the water flows in, giving it input.  but it also gives out.  there’s a famous river that comes out of the sea of galilee called the jordan river. 

the jordan river drains out of the sea of galilee comes all the way south and empties into the dead sea. the dead sea takes in but it does not give out.  so it’s stagnant.  it stinks.  it is dead. 

and that is a parallel of life.  if you want to be alive you have to take in and you have to give out.  if all you do is take in, take in, take in, you’re going to be a dead sea person.  your life is going to go stagnant.  you were made for more than taking in.  you were made to give out. 

you say, GOD didn’t design me that way.  i say it like this: impression without expression leads to depression.  if you go to church and you learn all the truths but you don’t act on them, you don’t apply them and you don’t pass them on to somebody else, express them to somebody else – you’re going to go stagnant. 

just a thought from the front porch…