Indeed, He's the Living Water, when we drink it, we never thirst anymore. Today, people try to compare religions, some are even urging us to unite with other religions. Hey, how many of you know that if you don't particularly fancy a woman you don't marry her? Gone are the days of arranged marriages.

Jesus simply does have no equals. In Revelation, John tells us that when He beheld the face of Jesus he lay down flat because his eyes couldn't stand the radiance emanating from the face of the Lord of the universe. Hey, angels bow down before Him, Heaven and Earth adore Him. In Philippians 2, Paul tells us that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord of ALL.

Hey, I don't know about you but this is something to boast about. Jesus has no equals. Mohammed didn't create the world, Buddha didn't tell people that he's God. In fact in Buddhism, there's no God, one's mind is one's god and all of us are gods.

How many of you know how weak we really are? We may have our strengths and talents but how many of us know that we were created a little lower than angels and can never be gods, even with a small d?

Wowee, Jesus is the One and Only. The Father has given Him everything because He loves Him so much. Some of us are married and know what it means to love our kids. I saw Dale hug his son, Tre, last Sunday. The guy loves his boy and I bet he'd do anything and everything for him. That's how much God the Father loves Jesus, that He has decided to give Him everything that's His. Wow!

So whereas mortal people deride and misuse the name, Jesus, we will forever exalt it. Lord, we lift your name on high. We love to praise Him for what He is and what He has done.

We should be mad about this name. How many of us know that when you love someone, especially for the first time, you're all smiles and all you want to do is be with this girl. When you look into her eyes, you see heaven. Some people think I'm crazy, but I guess you've been in love too and you know what I mean.

If we are truly in love with Jesus, there will be no struggle with sin, mediocrity, pride or self-pity. Instead, we'd radiate His light and the exuberance would be known to all. When we desire the fullness of His majesty and we sincerely ask the Holy Spirit to baptize us with that amazing love, we can't be anything else but victorious soldiers of Christ. We get excited and we want to tell everyone about this Great Friend of ours. In fact, the radiance that exudes from within us and is manifested in the smiles on our faces will tell it all. People would wonder why we are always over the moon. They would wonder. What an opportunity! What a witness!

I know because I have been there. I remember the first time I felt real love, and boy! have I been in love several times! But I remember the first time I was really in love. It was when Jesus invaded my heart in the fullness of His awesome love. You can read my testimony at this web site.  I couldn't help but shine with His love. I couldn't shut my mouth: I simply had to smile. I became like a baby and everything good was pleasant to me. I just had to tell someone. And one day, when I was filled [i.e. baptized] with the Holy Spirit, I felt the power of His awesome glory; His love in its greatest display. I just couldn't sin. All I wanted to do was to please Him and to help others around me. You know what I mean, don't you? My pains and my sorrow were replaced with His joy, peace and royalty. I could feel Him hold my hand, as it were, and walk with me. I had songs in my head and on my lips and peace that passes human understanding.

Through the years, I have failed Him, and not retained that joy and peace all the time. But that's the most exciting thing about our Lord. In Romans 8, we read that He'll never leave us, and certainly He's vowed NEVER to forsake us. This is exciting. This AMAZING GRACE. How sweet it sounds. People are looking for assurances. This is the ULTIMATE stuff, people. This is IT!.

When Peter denied Jesus, He never condemned him. He had chosen Peter and He'd stay closer to Peter than even Peter's mother, father or brother. That much He promised. We read in Romans that there's no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Yeah!!!

I'm excited. So even though I have sinned and fallen short of the glory I knew on several occasions, the glory is still there for me to excel in; the Livings Waters, the Spring is still there for me to draw from and drink. Eternal life in Heaven and abundant life on earth are mine. Mine forever.

Très Dias provided me with that opportunity to sit back and revisit the days of my first love and the Author of it. I'm so glad for all those who organized this great event and for Dave's invitation. I'm glad for all those who gave so sacrificially, for Denny who hugged and hugged, for Pastor Tim and Brother Jun of Daniel: the man who vehemently resolved to be faithful EVEN in a foreign land; for Paul N [how do you spell your surname, Paul?] who's sold out for the Master; for all the speakers at the event; the shepherds, helpers, cooks, flowergirls & boys, the comics and for all of you for coming and sharing yourself and your joie de vivre.