Speaker 1: 0:01

Hi and welcome to our podcast, revelation Within On the Go. I'm Heidi Wiles-Mapperson, one of your hosts and the owner and lead coach of the RevelationWithinorg ministry.

Speaker 2: 0:14

And I'm Christina Motley, your other host, also a Revelation Within coach and Heidi's partner in all things Revelation Within. We're so happy to invite you to join us for this episode of Revelation Within On the Go.

Speaker 1: 0:37

All right. In this series, this three podcast series, we're looking at the real freedom Jesus offers and how easy it is to settle for something that almost feels like peace but leaves us empty, and today's episode is called the danger of almost. We're going to talk about counterfeit comforts, soul thirst and how Jesus offers us what our hearts are really craving.

Speaker 2: 1:08

Yeah, wow, that sounds like quite a topic, heidi. Yeah, actually, it's quite an agenda, isn't?

Speaker 1: 1:15

it, it is.

Speaker 2: 1:16

It's so good, I'm so glad we're doing this one today. So let's begin by inviting the Holy Spirit in Lord Jesus. So often we run after things that almost feel like you. We're looking for you, we're longing for you, but we reach for almost everything else around us. Lord, will you help us, please, to see clearly today. Help us to trade the almost for the real thing in Jesus name Amen.

Speaker 1: 1:46

Well, we've all reached for something that numbs but doesn't nourish. A second helping, maybe a scroll through social media that goes on for hours. A little shopping spree, maybe a rigid eating plan a mental checklist of what doing it right will look like.

Speaker 2: 2:08

So these are what we're calling almosts. They feel like relief, but they can't satisfy, they don't last, they don't stick. There's really nothing there, but in the moment we grab for those. Jeremiah 2, verse 13 puts it this way God says my people have committed two sins they have forsaken me the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. So actually what we're doing is leaving the spring for a cracked pot. That's what we're doing. So. Many of you know that. I live in Colorado Springs, in Colorado, so of course you can tell by the name that we're known for natural mineral springs. We have them all over the place. They're in the mountains, there's hot springs, there's cold springs, there's cold springs, there's springs that don't taste very good, there's bubbly springs. And we have this adorable little town close to us. It's like an old mining town it's really next door called Manitou Springs, and this town is famous for eight mineral springs. Oh wow.

Speaker 1: 3:25

Just eight in that tiny little town.

Speaker 2: 3:27

Yes, each with a unique taste and effervescence. Bubbly, I like bubbles. Yeah, you know, you can walk through downtown and they have little, old, old structures built around the springs so you can easily bring your own bottle and fill them up, and they encourage you to do that. And they don't stop, they just go and go. And I know I've always thought how can they possibly not run out? You know, manitou Springs was even nicknamed Saratoga of the West due to its mineral springs and scenic location right at the base of Pikes Peak. It is amazing, that little place, and my daughter and her friend both work there, so we get to go often and visit them. How fun.

Speaker 2: 4:16

So when you have this idea of a spring, it's a spring, it's something that doesn't stop. You don't have to wonder well, I'm going to bring my bottle, is there going to be water? Today? It just flows continually. And then in the winter the structures, they all freeze, but the water still trickles out. There's ice everywhere. It's fascinating really. And then now in the spring it's ready to go. And that's fascinating really. And then now in the spring, you know it's ready to go and it is. That's so interesting.

Speaker 1: 4:49

Yeah. What else is interesting is that you know it's like here in this example, in scripture I can't imagine them naming something for a broken cistern.

Speaker 2: 4:59

So like Manitou, broken cistern, no, probably not Colorado broken cisterns that's where I live.

Speaker 1: 5:08

Yes, exactly. And so springs definitely bring with them a sense of life, because you know there's going to be life around the spring. There really is, and we have living water. In John 4, verses 13 and 14. That's where I'm going next. John 4, verses 13 and 14. That's where I'm going next. Jesus tells the woman at the well everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst. Well, let's take a minute and look at what living water even means.

Speaker 2: 5:40

Yes, good idea, I'm a.

Speaker 1: 5:42

Greek geek. I love this. The Greek word here actually words is zoe and hudor, and again, I'm probably pronouncing it all wrong. But life giving water, zoe means vital, full, true life, and it's the same root as in the phrase eternal life. Jesus isn't offering hydration, though. He's not like bring your bottle and fill it up. No, it's so much more than that he's offering soul satisfaction.

Speaker 2: 6:14

Oh, wow, that is beautiful. You know what else what I'm thinking of as you're talking. Yesterday I was on a drive with my husband and we were talking about something very serious and worrisome and very emotional for both of us. And we looked up and there was a rainbow in the sky, and rainbows, of course, come from water. You can't have a rainbow without water and sunshine, and it has to be this perfect combination. And, of course, in the Bible, the rainbow was also used as a symbol of peace, and so I just had to kind of bring that in, because it goes along with that living water.

Speaker 1: 6:59

There's a promise there, hmm, so here's a question for us to consider what have you and I been drinking from that doesn't actually quench, it doesn't slake our thirst. And here's a deeper still question why do we keep going back to it?

Speaker 2: 7:21

Yes, well, and you know, it's just almost there, it almost works. We think that we're so close, we think, if I only had this thing, if I only did this, if I only reached this, or whatever it is. It gives us this little moment of peace, a spike of control, a sense of relief, but then so quickly it crashes and we're still thirsty. So we usually go to the next thing.

Speaker 1: 7:53

I don't know about those listening. I have a feeling that many people can relate to this. I have, over the years, often had a pattern of turning to food at night specifically. I can have a full day where I'm eating, between hunger and satisfaction, and delighting in that. But night times have historically been challenging and the eating I've done at night during those times has not been because I was hungry, but more often than not it was because of other things. It could have been a heartache, it could be tiredness, it could be overwhelmed, it could be loneliness and it's like that scoop of something cold and sweet which is not ice cream. So we won't pretend it is.

Speaker 1: 8:45

You know, it just felt like comfort or it felt like the answer.

Speaker 1: 8:50

Right, but so often it wasn't just one scoop, it was a bowl and then a second bowl and with it was served up a hefty portion of guilt and shame. And still no rest for my aching heart. That is a really good example for me of turning to a broken cistern instead of living water. Thankfully, god has shown me ways to nurture that ache in my soul in such a way that it fills it with his presence More and more. Over the years I've done that. I've been able to turn to him instead of going to food late at night.

Speaker 2: 9:30

Yeah, that's such a great example.

Speaker 2: 9:33

And I know we can all relate to that. I certainly can. So here's another example that kind of goes in a different direction. When my kids were school age, you know, we they had these best friends and their moms became my best friends and we all hung out together almost every day. We carpooled, we did all kinds of things together really often. I mean, I saw these ladies like every day and I know that many of you can relate with coworkers or you know, if your kids are in school or whatever. It's kind of a season of relationships, you know, and then it changes as they get older. But I remember this so well. I remember walking into their homes, these, these you know families, these moms, and the whole time I was comparing with myself, with my own home, with my own style, with my own schedule, walking in and comparing, and then when they came to my house, the same thing, thinking do I measure up? You know, am I enough?

Speaker 1: 10:35

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 10:35

Yeah, just really, and I love these ladies, I love them and we had a fantastic time together, amazing friendship. But I feel, I look back and I think, boy, I really wasted time in comparison and I really caused myself misery and caused myself to require more comfort, because when they left I thought, oh, you know what, the back bathroom was so dirty. Why didn't I have that clean? Things that don't really matter. So it was performance, it was busyness, it was if I could just do more, lead more, organize more, look a different way, make my house look a different way. I felt temporarily enough when I worked on all those things and it was fragile and it was exhausting.

Speaker 2: 11:30

And I wish at the time. I wish that I could have let that go. I didn't know so many of the things that I know now. It was never Jesus, it was temporary, it was counterfeit. We have another breath prayer to share with you today. There's actually a couple parts to it. We think you're going to really enjoy it. Remember that breath prayers are just breathing with truth along with saying truth. That's all it is. So it's calming our bodies and renewing our minds, and renewing our minds at the same time and we love breath prayers they're awesome. So let's try this one together to kind of help us to go in the direction of going to the true source rather than the counterfeit. Let's take a deep breath together and say you are my living water.

Speaker 1: 12:29

You are my living water.

Speaker 2: 12:33

Breathe out and say and I am thirsty for you, Breathe in and say no more almosts.

Speaker 1: 12:56

Breathe out and say only you Lord. One more time Breathe in, you are my living water. Breathe out and breathe out only you, lord, I like that one. I like it too, sure For sure. Thanks for sharing that. Okay, so let's go even deeper?

Speaker 2: 13:39

I don't know.

Speaker 1: 13:39

I think we've gone pretty deep so far. There is a powerful passage in Isaiah 44 that shows us what it looks like from God's perspective to depend on something that feels like it will help but it doesn't. So in verses 12 to 20 of Isaiah 44, isaiah describes a man who cuts down a tree. He uses half of it to cook his food so he's burning it right and the other half to carve it into an idol. And then he bows to that half and says save me, you are my God. What it doesn't compute. It's really tragic, but think with us about it for a moment. It's kind of familiar.

Speaker 2: 14:24

Yes.

Speaker 1: 14:25

And this is what Isaiah 44, verse 20, says he feeds on ashes. A deluded heart misleads him. He cannot save himself or say is not this thing in my right hand? A lie is not this thing in my right hand a lie. So the word translated ashes, and I can't say I'm a greek geek in this one, because it's hebrew. In hebrew it's the word effort. It literally means the residue left after a fire has consumed everything.

Speaker 1: 15:00

That's a pretty big thing to for little word effort. But anyway, ashes can't nourish us. Of course, ashes don't satisfy. Can you just imagine chewing on ashes? And so they are what's left behind after something has been burned out, destroyed completely, brought to the ground.

Speaker 2: 15:18

Yeah. So I mean really, how many times have we turned to something already burned out, already proven empty, and we're still expecting it to save us? Wow, I mean that verse it hits hard. Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?

Speaker 1: 15:38

Yeah, and that just takes me back to those seasons when I was on the food plan thing, hoping that I would find peace with the structure and the control like we were talking about previously. But the control I was holding in my right hand, it was a lie. It didn't deliver. It couldn't deliver because I tell you what it might last for a season and then it's gone. And Colossians, chapter two, verses 20 to 23, tells us that it does nothing to control or restrain the sensual indulgences of my heart. The plans, the control, all of that it really is a lie. It's a lie. It's ashes, it's feeding on ashes.

Speaker 2: 16:28

Yeah, and for me, as I was describing, it was achievement. It was looking a certain way, it was being a certain style, a certain size comparison, trying to earn my worth through performance. I thought it was the right thing, I thought it was holy, I thought it was good, but it left me hungry, it left me unsatisfied. Okay so let's return to prayer together. Let's do another breath prayer. Let's breathe in. Let's breathe in. I've tasted the ashes. I've tasted the ashes. Breathe out. I'm ready for living water I'm ready for living water breathe in.

Speaker 2: 17:16

Almost isn't enough. Almost isn't enough. Breathe out. I want you Jesus. I want you Jesus, let's do it again Breathe in. I've tasted the ashes. Breathe out, I'm ready for living water.

Speaker 1: 17:43

I'm ready for living water.

Speaker 2: 17:46

Breathe in Almost isn't enough. Almost isn't enough. Breathe out.

Speaker 1: 17:57

I want you, jesus, I want you Jesus, I want you Jesus. Wow, that's a good one too that's a good one, so good all right.

Speaker 1: 18:07

so we have some questions for you to reflect on today. What listener is in your right hand? What have you called comfort, control or even God that can't save? And then ask God, lord, is not this thing in my right hand a lie? Oh, and you know what Our God is kind and loving? Oh, and you know what Our God is kind and loving he's going to show us, but he doesn't do it by wagging his finger in our face. And you know, I want to really encourage all of us when we imagine how Lord are you responding to me?

Speaker 1: 18:56

You know he wants us to know how he was but if we haven't looked at the word to see what he is really like, we may attribute to God attitudes and actions and behaviors and all of that, that are more like people on this planet that have disappointed us, who have been authority thinkers. We want to know what he is really like, and I tell you what he is good and he's righteous and he's kind and he's compassionate. And so when we ask these questions, is not this thing in my right hand a lie, Lord?

Speaker 2: 19:36

He will show us and he will do it with kindness. You know, sometimes I look at my life and I think how much of this craziness am I creating on my own?

Speaker 1: 19:40

how much of this craziness am I creating on my own? I've known people who definitely do, and and I've wondered the same about me. Well, I think we all do. Sometimes I've heard myself say to Daniel, my son he was 32 or 30. How old is he? Anyway, he's old and saying oh no, I don't want to do that, I don't want to create more drama for myself.

Speaker 2: 20:00

Oh no, I don't want to do that, I don't want to create more drama for myself, but I just think, you know there's there's so much that we cling to, there's so much that I cling to and I think this is it. This is what I need to do. Hang on to pull myself up, whatever it is, and it's like I get to choose miserable. I get to choose that, right. I mean I get to choose miserable. I get to choose that Right. I mean it helps me to actually say that to myself Am I choosing miserable in this situation? What am I choosing? I get to choose my thoughts, my actions, not always my circumstances.

Speaker 1: 20:34

No.

Speaker 2: 20:35

I get to choose my responses. I get to choose those things. And from where am I coming from? Am I coming from a place of resting in the Lord? Am I coming from a place of, you know, clinging to his word? Am I coming from a place of peace? Or am I coming from my own homemade chaos? Anyway, okay, we have some gentle steps to take from here for you, um, the first one is called name it, and this is a journaling prompt. But you could. You could journal, you could also have a conversation with the lord in your prayer time. What have I been turning to? That almost works but doesn't satisfy, always falls flat, it's never enough. What is it? What have I been turning to?

Speaker 2: 21:33

Okay, the second one is pray it, jesus, I've been thirsty for you. Fill in the blank I want to trade it for you. Jesus, I've been thirsty for maybe it's acceptance, maybe it's love, maybe it's rest, maybe it's forgiveness. I want to trade it for you. And then the last one is again writing something that you could write out. Lord, I fed on ashes when I was really craving you. I'm ready to trade what's burned out for what is alive. I'm going to read that again, lord, I have fed on ashes when I was really craving you.

Speaker 1: 22:34

I'm ready to trade what's burned out for what is alive. You were never meant to live on, almosts, I was never meant to live on almosts. No, you were made for living water.

Speaker 2: 22:45

Yes, yes, yes, so true, and if you're ready to be known and walk this out with others, we've got a space for that. We have a private online community where this kind of transformation is happening all the time.

Speaker 1: 23:00

Yay. And you know what, if you want to try it, you can do that for free for a month. A month, Fantastic. So wwwrevelationwithinorg gives you all kinds of details. We change the name every month and try to always make sure it's got something engaging and lifting for you, yes, and there's no pressure, just presence.

Speaker 2: 23:25

We're all about the presence of God, just people walking with Jesus together.

Speaker 1: 23:30

I love that. I love our community.

Speaker 2: 23:33

Yeah, me too. They're the best.

Speaker 1: 23:35

Let me take a minute and close in prayer. Jesus, thank you for showing us the difference between almost and abundance. Wow, yes, lord, thank you for being our living water. Help us drop our ashes, the ashes that we've been clinging to, and instead cling to you In your name, lord, amen.

Speaker 2: 23:59

Amen. So next time we're going to wrap up our series with the holy disruption of Jesus Whoa, how he lovingly interrupts our plans to invite us into something real.

Speaker 1: 24:17

Until then, friend, release the almost come to the springs. Yes, and remember, you were almost come to the Springs. Yes, remember you were made for the real thing.

Speaker 2: 24:26

Oh, I love that, thank you for being here and join us next time for our podcast Revelation within. Oh go, we'll see you then. Bye.