Wells of Eternal Worth

Wells of Eternal Worth

Wells of Eternal Worth

Revealing 12 well-driven principles worth pursuing when we have purpose in our hearts to live a life of eternal worth.

Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy will you draw water from the wells of salvation

Kevin Rensburg

Copyright © 2018 Kevin Rensburg

Published by Kevin Rensburg Publishing at Smashwords

First edition 2018

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without permission from the copyright holder.

The Author has made every effort to trace and acknowledge sources/resources/individuals. In the event that any images/information have been incorrectly attributed or credited, the Author will be pleased to rectify these omissions at the earliest opportunity.

All scriptures are from New King James version (NKJV)

of the Bible unless otherwise indicated.

Kevin Rensburg

kevin.rensburg@outlook.com

Dedicated to my family, friends and fellow believers in Christ Jesus who made my spiritual journey worthwhile.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Part 1 Discover the Wells of Eternal Worth

Introduction to the Wells of Eternal Worth

1. Eternal Glory, the Key to Our Eternal Worth

2. Eternal Worth Found in the Joy of Salvation

3. Eternal Worth in the Midst of Troubled Waters

Part 2 Eternal Worth Restored

4. Eternal Worth Restored

4.1 Eternal worth restored @ the Well of Low Self-worth: Samaritan woman and the Spirit of Inferiority

4.2 Eternal worth restored @ the Well of Despising: Sarai and Hagar and the Spirit of Inferiority

4.3 Eternal worth restored @ the Well of Mocking: Sarah and Isaac, and the Spirit of Inferiority

4.4 Eternal worth restored @ the Well of Comparison: Leah and the Spirit of Inferiority

4.5 Eternal worth restored @ the Well of Rejection: Moses and the Spirit of Inferiority

Part 3 12 Well-Driven Principles Worth Pursuing When We Have Purpose in Our Heart to Live a Life of Eternal Worth

Commit to Live a Life of Eternal Worth

Well-Driven Principle #1 Make a Deep-Rooted Commitment to Live an Eternal Life

Well-Driven Principle #2 Make a Christ-Centered Commitment to the Vision of Life

Well-Driven Principle #3 Make a Life-Long Commitment to Your Love Life

Connect to Your Source of Eternal Worth

Well-Driven Principle #4 Connect to Your Source of Provision

Well-Driven Principle #5 Connect to Your Source of Providence

Well-Driven Principle #6 Connect to Your Source of Protection

Create Eternal Worth

Well-Driven Principle #7 Create a Healthy Prayer Life

Well-Driven Principle #8 Create a Healthy Character

Well-Driven Principle #9 Create a Healthy Lifestyle

Cultivate a Lifestyle Worthy of Eternal Worth

Well-Driven Principle #10 Cultivate a Lifestyle Worthy of Serving

Well-Driven Principle #11 Cultivate a Lifestyle Worthy of Fruitfulness

Well-Driven Principle #12 Cultivate a Lifestyle Worthy of the Blessing

Conclusion

Well Learning Points

Resource List

About the Author

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Kevin Rensburg is my cousin, as my late father was his late mother’s eldest sibling. I was humbled and honoured, having regarded it as a privilege to write this foreword from a family perspective. Reading through this book brought me to so many realisations that pertained not only to my personal life, but also with specific regard to my spiritual life.

In reading Kevin’s book, I was reminded of his ancestry on both sides of his lineage. Both the Rensburg and Oosthuizen families were well known in Bethelsdorp, Port Elizabeth, where Kevin and I were born and raised. Both sets of grandparents were God fearing, hardworking and humble people who set good examples for us as their descendants and because of this, Kevin was exposed to the wells of humility, of faith, of loyalty and commitment growing up in these two families.

As a family we are immensely proud of Kevin and the strides that he has made, both in his personal life as well as on his spiritual journey. His book serves as a reminder that God is our source of provision, our source of providence and our source of protection. However, in engaging with his analogies of the different kinds of wells, I was amazed at how often we are scarred both physically and emotionally by those we are in daily contact with. I can only thank God that He uses Kevin to remind us of the fact that in God we have eternal worth, a fact which nullifies the hurts and rejection of the past.

Reading this book made me ponder on the wells I am drinking from in my life. It made me do some introspection and soul searching about my own spiritual path. It set me thinking of how as a family we should boost one another’s worth instead of inflicting hurt and causing emotional damage.

Thank you, Kevin, for allowing God to use you in this magnificent way to alert us to the importance of drinking from the fountain of life. May God continue to use you as His vessel to bring His flock closer to the realisation of their worth in Him. May every person who reads this book be renewed by the knowledge that by drinking from the proper wells, they will never be lost, but instead will have everlasting life.

May God bless you and your family as you stay steadfast in your faith and in serving Him. Congratulations on writing your first book. You are divinely blessed.

Dr Lizette Oosthuizen

Part 1

Discover the Wells of Eternal Worth

Introduction to the Wells of Eternal Worth

Do you know that your worth and my worth is determined by the wells that we draw from each day?

Many Bible characters found their worth and blessings besides wells of water. God - even in our daily lives places life-giving wells in our paths for our benefit that we can draw from. Without these wells in our lives we will not experience life in its fullness. Jesus says in John chapter ten verse ten:

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly".

The problem however is that too many people do not choose to live an abundant life which is the worthiest decision any person can make to live a life of eternal worth. They are rather prepared to draw from empty wells which are of no benefit to them and are not worth living for. There is however a life-giving well that we can freely draw from every day. This is the well of salvation that never runs dry.

Isaiah 12:3 says, Therefore with joy will you draw water from the wells of salvation

When you and I drink from the water of this well, it will be known to family, friends and communities as well as nations what God has done. Those who have witnessed the life that you have lived before and the life you are living after you drank from the wells of salvation, will testify and say, Look what the Lord has done. Every time when someone’s life is changed to conform to the glorious life in Jesus, God’s name will be exalted. Our salvation is of such great worth that there will be rejoicing in heaven over one soul that is saved. Even on the earth there will be rejoicing as we sing for joy unto the Lord as witnesses of the glorious and marvellous work He has done. This is because you are enjoying the life-giving water from the wells of salvation and experience change in your life that only Jesus Christ can bring.

Why are wells so important?

When we search the scriptures, we will discover that wells played a significant role in ancient Israel. We learn that successful digging and maintaining of wells could in those days provide people enough drinking water to sustain life. However, its spiritual significance goes far beyond just the supply of water. One has to go beyond the surface and dig deep to find the truths that lurk beneath. There is a Greek proverb which says that, Truth lies at the bottom of the well. Every day I am inspired to dig deeper and deeper to search for the true worth of things in life. When I began to study the wells in the Word of God, I discovered how much worth the natural wells was to the Israelites. They dug many wells to supply water for their households and their cattle. (2 Chronicles 26:10)

The patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were all involved in digging wells. The stories about their lives and the wells of water have set the scene for revealing the well-driven principles revealed through the wells of eternal worth covered in this book. Apart from building altars when travelling from one location to another, Abraham also dug wells for his household and his cattle. The worth of owning these wells was of such great importance that one of Abraham’s wells was forcibly taken away by the servants of Abimelech, King of Gerar. When Abraham expressed his disapproval of Abimelech’s actions, they made a covenant to witness that the well had been dug by Abraham. (Genesis 21:30) Abraham gave seven ewe lambs for these wells.

Many successful agreements of ownership were celebrated at the wells of water. The possession of wells gave people a right to ownership. They registered the well by giving it a name which also became their title deed. The name of the well and the name of the place in many occasions became one and the same. The question you and I need to ask ourselves is:

What are the names of the wells of life that influence our lives today? Are they wells of blessing or wells of shame? Are they wells of lack or wells of abundance?

We read in Genesis chapter 26 about Isaac who followed his father’s footsteps and also dug many wells. The digging of the wells that Isaac dug, was associated with a lot of strive. He went from one location to the other to open up wells that the enemy, the Philistines, stocked up and filled with earth. (Genesis 26:15, 20, 21)

In John chapter 4 verse 12, Jacob is also said to have dug a well at the Samaritan city of Sychar. Jesus met a woman of Samaria at Jacob’s well, and spoke to her about living water, which is a key message preached about the gospel of salvation. Jesus said to the woman:

"…but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:14)

When you have an encounter with this well, it will be an experience that will last a lifetime, because this well can never run dry and guarantee us eternal worth. Your thirst will be quenched forever by Jesus, the well of living waters.

Wouldn’t it be worth drinking from this well?

This book is divided into three parts. Part one of the book is written with the purpose that we should discover the eternal worth that is found in Jesus Christ alone and which is living within us. Once you have discovered your worth you have to treasure it. You and I need to treasure this worth which is reflected from the cross of Jesus Christ. On many occasions people measure their worth by comparing themselves with others. The need to be accepted and appreciated by others is deeply rooted in their nature. They look at what others do and what others possess and view themselves as of lesser value or worth if they do not measure up to them. In Corinthians Paul wrote that, you are not wise if you compare yourself with yourself or with others.

(2 Cor. 10:12, 18)

There is an eternal treasure of great worth to be discovered only in a life lived in Jesus Christ by which we also should measure ourselves. There are others who are unable to live with themselves due to inferiority and even worthlessness.

Part two of the book deals with people who have suffered due to a spirit of inferiority and it is worth noticing how their eternal worth was restored besides wells of water. These are people who found comfort at a well of water, a well experience which was of eternal worth to them. It deals with the emotional experiences people had with others besides wells of water. The encounters they had with others beside the wells led them to be restored of their worth.

I have only realized at a late stage in my life that I personally have suffered from an inferiority complex. Throughout my childhood, the devil has used this spirit of inferiority to rob me of my joy and peace. This led further to excessive fear or anxiety when I was exposed to social situations. I feared that I would act in a way (or show anxiety symptoms) that is humiliating or embarrassing. This caused me to avoid any social gatherings that would cause me unnecessary distress. This inferiority developed into a serious inward struggle of trying to fight this fear whenever I am among others. It is now known to me that I have suffered not just from an inferiority complex, but social anxiety disorder, or what is known as social phobia. This is a disability that is not visible or easy to recognise by others and yet so many people around the world suffer from it daily. To overcome these things that haunted me as a child, it was important for God to reveal unto me the hidden life treasures of eternal worth only found in Him.

Today I am overjoyed that I have been restored from that spirit of inferiority. This is because I came to the knowledge that I am already worthy because God say so. How do I know that? The key to understanding of my worth was to see my worth in the light of what God has done for me through His Son, Jesus Christ.

I want you to know that, who you are, can be estimated only by the light reflected from the cross of Jesus.

So, what contributes to my worth?

• The love God has for me, makes me worthy. (John 3:16)

• Being a child of God, makes me worthy. (John 1:12)

• Choosing me as His treasured possession makes me worthy.

(1 Peter 2:9-10)

• To be blessed by God and not man, makes me worthy. (Eph. 1:3-4)

• Being created in the image of God, makes me worthy (Gen. 1: 26)

• To be an heir of Abraham makes me worthy. (Gal. 3:14)

I want it to be revealed unto every reader that your worth and my worth is determined by our relationship with our God, through His Son, Jesus Christ. The Word of God declares that we are a chosen generation and it is worth believing and confessing that we are His treasured possession. In His love he predestined us unto the adoption as sons. (Ephesians 1: 4-5). Even our election is an act of God’s grace. Over and above that, it is worth rejoicing even more when we receive the revelation that God has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing. It is time that we begin to see ourselves as God sees us, believe in what He said about us and live a worthy life in Christ Jesus.

God, and only God, has the ultimate and final say about our lives:

• who we are,

• what we are worth and

• what we are to become.

Declare today: I believe what God says: Who I am, what I am worth, and who I am to become

Don’t let any devil lie to you by saying that you are not worthy, because you are precious and worthy in God’s sight. I want to invite you to continue this journey with me and share in the revelation of the twelve well-driven principles that are worth pursuing when we have purpose in our heart to live a life of eternal worth. These principles are revealed in Part three of the book.

The spiritual life is a journey which will require us to dig deep to live a worthy lifestyle. Many Christians are used to living only on the surface of their spiritual journey. They do not dig deep enough to discover the wealth that is stored beneath for them in God’s Word and to take possession of the kingdom treasures that they are worthy of possessing. The majority are just prepared to attend church on a Sunday and live like people whose God does not exist for the rest of the week. The question you should ask yourself:

"Am I digging deep enough to live worthily?" Am I digging deep enough to live a worthy lifestyle driven from the well within me?

In picking up this book you have shown interest to discover what these wells of eternal worth are, and I believe that you will decide to drink from these wells of eternal worth as it becomes revelation to you. Yes, you are reading this book now and the question may arise as to what and how this can benefit you. Well, as you continue to read, it is my sincere desire that you will not only learn from the encounters men and women have had at the wells of water in the Bible, but that you will be transformed to live a true life of eternal worth. My challenge to you is to dig deeper and experience the well of eternal worth, which is Christ in us, the hope of glory (Col.1:27) and the joy of our salvation. Without this well, we will not experience times of refreshing which comes from the presence of the Lord. (Acts 3:19) At the end of this journey we should not just become spiritually refreshed, but also emotionally strong and mentally prepared to take hold of the worthy treasures that God has stored up for us.

Helen Keller once said: There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. Therefore, my encouragement to you is to continue reading until you finish this book. It will certainly be worth it in the end.

Chapter 1

Eternal Glory, the Key to Our Eternal Worth

Scriptures well worth reading: 1 Peter 5: 8-10

Key Scripture: 1 Peter 5:10

"But the God of all grace, who called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you".

About seventeen years ago I developed a passion to learn from the encounters that men and women had at wells of water in God’s Word. This started when I was inspired by a scripture in Exodus 15:27 during a prayer meeting which reads as follows:

"And they came at Elim and there were twelve wells and seventy palm trees, and there they camped".

In my search for divine revelation and in seeking for a deeper meaning and understanding of the wells of water (also referred to as springs) and the palm trees, a personal vision was derived from it for my life. During that season of my spiritual journey I found it worth believing that I and other believers as well, would flourish like a palm tree. (Psalms 92:12-14)

Just as in the case of the people of Israel who depended on wells for the supply of water, I was determined to dig business wells, draw from it and in the end become prosperous. The Holy Spirit inspired me, and I determined in my heart that these wells would become a source of blessing to me. Not just would I be blessed and become prosperous, but there was a greater purpose closely connected to it. It was to become like a well, a source of blessing to my family and people around me whom I have encounters with daily. To put everything into perspective and gain a deeper understanding of the spiritual significance of the revelation of the wells of water and how it impacted my life and live for a worthy course, it is important to first define what a well is.

What is a well?

A well is a natural source of water, or a supply of water. In fact, every source is a well of some sorts. Wells are referred to as springs, a place where water issues from. It is also called a fountain, as the eye of the landscape, the natural burst of living water, flowing all year or drying up at certain seasons. Deuteronomy 8:7 says:

"For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs that flow out of valleys and hills".

Wells are also described as water reserves that lay hidden beneath the earth which could only be reached by digging deep enough. They are structures created in the ground by digging, boring or drilling to access ground water in underground aquifers.

Do you know that even though water is available in the earth, that you cannot access it, unless you dig a well?

The same applies to many things that are available in the earth, and which we desire. Unless we decide to dig deep, we won’t be able to access its hidden treasures. Digging deep sometimes require you to break up some ground and remove some earth, and not just to scratch the surface. In life you and I also need to dig deep as we look within ourselves and make every effort to reach within to enjoy life’ s worthy treasures.

Wells in God’s Word became the pivotal location where people met, and around which cities were built. When a well was dug it was an indication that people plan to stay at that location for some time. It is said that the ownership of wells in the desert country of Palestine was also a sign of wealth and independence. It is significant to note that the drawing of water from wells was an important task assigned to young women. These young women supplied water to their family household. They were shepherdess going to the wells, to water flocks of sheep.

Here are some examples:

• Abraham’s servant stopped at the well and met Rebekah, who became the wife of Isaac (Gen. 24:10-27)

• Jacob, on his way to find his uncle Laban, met Rachel at a well where she came to water her father’s flock of sheep, and fell in love with her. (Gen. 29:1-11)

• Moses met the seven daughters of Reuel at a well where they came to water their father’s flocks and one of them became his bride. (Exodus 2:15-19)

• When Saul was searching for some of his father’s assess that had gone astray, he came across young women who were on their way to draw water. (1 Sam. 9:3-12)

Wells was of such great importance that Achsah, petitioned her father to bless her with springs of water in her inheritance and he gave her the upper springs as well as the lower springs. (Joshua 15:19) As we now have a better understanding what a well is, it is also important in the context of this book to have a revelation of the key to our eternal worth.

Eternal Glory, the key to our Eternal Worth

Before one can determine a person’s eternal worth, it is firstly important to understand what it means to be worthy. The dictionaries define "worth" as having adequate or great merit, character or value and being deserving. When one would therefore describe a person as worthy, it would refer to a person of eminent worth or value and one distinguished for useful and estimable qualities. The first person that comes to