Alive and Active Life

Just Add Water

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One of the things we’ve grown used to is the idea of “just add.” We like the idea that you can have something you just add a little something else to . . . and presto! You’ve got something of great value.

Just Add Water

How many products or amenities do you have in your home that say “just add water?” I’m thinking about things like:

  • Instant oatmeal, soup, or any number of yummy drinks.
  • Then there’s those tiny little capsules you can get for little kids to put in the bathtub with them. You just add water (which dissolves the capsule) and out POPS some awesome, fun shape of a sponge . . . an animal, a favorite food, trucks and cars, and so on.
  • What about all the lovely plants in your home or yard. Once you get them in the soil, de-weed, and mulch – all you have to do all season is just add water.
  • Then there’s jello! The kid-fun dessert just needs some boiling water, then some cold water or ice and stirring.
  • You’ve seen dehydrated foods you can take on backpack trips or camping. Open, just add water – and tada – Lunch!
  • I hesitate to mention this one, but I will anyway. What about your dirty vehicle? Just add water. Well, and I guess some soap and a lot of scrubbing. Then rinse it again – with water – and it looks so much better.
  • Here’s a short and simple example. A blow up kid pool. After a lot of blowing, you just add water and you’ve got happy kids for days. Running around on the wet grass and back into the cool pool. Little kid bathing suits and even younger munchkins in a diaper. (Boy! Do those diapers ever look huge after soaking in pool water!)

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    The Idea of “Just Add“

    The idea of “just add” infers something is already in place that is almost complete. It’s ready to go, not lacking in design or capacity. It’s dependable, generally convenient, and likely user-friendly once you “just add.” It also suggests that once you engage it (just add), it’s a “done deal!” You have the completed form – ready to use.

    For the most part, these kinds of “just add” items are easy to market. They would be on the list of more desirable purchases. And most often these “just adds” are more predictable in an increasingly unpredictable world.

    Considering all these ideas, is it not conceivable that there might be some “just add” items connected to godly living? Is it possible there are some simple, dependable, more convenient, “done deal” kinds of concepts a person could apply to their spiritual walk with God and their inner life of character?

    I think the answer is yes.

    Just Add Faith

    The number one concept that “makes or breaks” your walk with God is the idea of – just add faith. It’s so simple – yet can be difficult to implement in some cases, especially when trusting God to meet your needs or to work in a seemingly impossible situation.

    The Bible continually promotes followers of Jesus to just add faith. This is at the very heart of God. Heb. 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” That entire chapter 11 in Hebrews is nicknamed “The Faith Chapter.” It overflows with examples of people throughout history who decided to just add faith.

    The Faith Chapter

    Hebrews 11 starts at the very beginning and develops a case for faith.

    • Verse One defines faith. When you pinpoint what something actually is, then you’ve almost got it. Here’s what verse one says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Interesting definition, don’t you think?
    • Verse Two is a building verse. It says, “This is what the ancients were commended for.” In other words, to just add faith, you will automatically join the “famous ancients” who have been commended for their excellent faith.
    • Verse Three simply lays the claim that God created everything – and that’s where the “faith thing” started. “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” It doesn’t make arguments or complicate things with theories. It just says the facts. You need faith to understand even our beginnings.
    • All The Remaining Verses in Chapter 11 Only starting here do you get to the overflowing list of people throughout history who decided to just add faith. Person after person is listed and commended for how they chose to just add faith. Keep in mind these are the heroes of faith. These were ordinary people like you and me. Folks who didn’t aspire to bend human accomplishments. They didn’t set out to make history, or become impressive. But these people caught God’s attention and became examples to others who followed.

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      Are You Catching Attention?

      If you were to answer the question – are you catching attention – what would you say? Whose attention are you catching? How? Why? Is it for faith? Have you joined the ordinary heroes of faith who just add faith and are labelled “faithful?”

      You can set the pace for others in ordinary circumstances every day.

      • Living your daily life with passion, hope, and conviction.
      • Trusting God to meet all your needs.
      • Serving people God has put in your path.
      • Practicing kindness and caring through sacrifice.
      • Doing the simple work of love.
      • Proving faithfulness by being there when needed.
      • Setting the pace by being forward-thinking and striving to make life better in your community.
      • Simply choosing to enjoy others (and God).
      • And finally, doing the hard thing just because it is the right thing to do.

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        That list is full of “head-turners.” They catch attention – particularly God’s attention.

        Something of Great Value

        Jesus wants you to connect with Himself – His dynamic person – His essence. That is only done when you just add faith. There is no other way to live in God’s purposes with an Alive and Active Life except by faith in Jesus Christ. This includes details of your day – the things you may think are not that important. Often it’s the details that turn heads. Just look at little kids. They love adults who make details of life interesting, energetic, meaningful, and joyful.

        Jesus gave the standard for faith when He said we must become like little children. (Mt. 18:3) Have you noticed how kids often hang onto things important to them? They trust more easily. What happens when we grow up?

        Whatever you need, your true Father compels you to approach Him as a hopeful child. The love of Jesus is the energy needed for every scenario in your life. And He provided an example of what this looks like. Following Jesus’ example, we are to be “one” with our Heavenly Father.

        That means intimacy! It’s safety. It’s love, comfort, guidance, comradery, peace, contentment, joy, and so on. All this is activated when you just add faith.

        Nothing You Can’t Do

        Positive energy from Jesus is actually His holiness. It’s powerful. He shares this with you when you trust Him for eternal life and forgiveness of your sins. When His Spirit comes to literally live inside you, you have everything you need for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3) Your faith in Jesus activates all this! There is nothing you can’t do with Jesus in you because the power of God, His positive energy, His holiness, resides inside you.

        The Lord longs to infuse you with His power, His energy, His holiness, His eternal resources. He strongly desires to fill your heart with peace, joy, and love. God has promised to love you forever. (Jer. 31:3) Then He adds He will never leave or forsake you. (Deut. 31:6) It’s because you are His special treasure. His beloved. His precious. Yes, even His dear children.

        Why not take Him up on this “just add” scenario for the rest of your life? What reasons would you possibly have to cheat yourself out of this life adventure? Do you remember what we already said about “just adds?”

        Quick Review About “Just Adds“
        • Something already in place – almost complete.
        • Ready to go.
        • Not lacking in design.
        • Dependable.
        • Generally convenient.
        • User-friendly.
        • A “done deal!”
        • More desirable.
        • More predictable in an increasingly unpredictable world.

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          If you just add faith to these strong conditions that are already in Scripture, you’ve got amazing spiritual resources!

          Pass It On

          Jesus wants you to just add faith in your life. This starts by prayer. It starts between you and God. After you just add faith, you have something of value to pass on to others.

          So – just add faith to your every life situation!

          Application Thoughts And Questions
          1. Have you defined faith, joined the “famous ancients,” remembered our beginnings, and then chosen to live by faith like the heroes in Hebrews 11? Ordinary people like you – like me.
          2. What is keeping you from just adding faith in practical ways to your daily life?
          3. Why not share God’s power by passing on simple realities that change things? For you, others, your community, the world.
          4. Do you believe there’s nothing you can’t do that God asks you to – if you just add faith?
          5. Are you passing faith in God on to others?
          6. Why not become a “head-turner?”

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            Alive and Active LifeBy Brenda Wolfe
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