THE MIRACLE OF WATER
Lake Mead, Nevada
“He turns a wilderness into a pool of water,
And a dry land into springs of water;
And He has the hungry live there,
So that they may establish an inhabited city…”
— Psalm 107:35–36, NASB
Hi Men:
I pray that Jesus has occupied much of your heart and mind this past week. After all, He lives “in” you. Or… has the Enemy been successful in keeping you occupied with everything else?
Last week we touched on C.S. Lewis, “The Screwtape Letters.” A dear brother in Tennessee sent me the following Screwtape quote. Boy, does it hit home. Read it slowly and ask yourself: Could Screwtape be writing about me?
Well, is he?
PHOTO ABOVE
The dramatic “bathtub ring” at Lake Mead is a vivid reminder of something we rarely think about until water becomes scarce: without water, communities—and life itself—cannot exist. Yet this familiar substance we drink every day may be one of the most remarkable creations God has placed on Earth. I’ve wanted to put the properties of water in my Friday Letter for some time. Well, here it is…… The more I researched it, the harder it was to know where to begin. So here are just a few jaw-droppers…
THE MIRACLE OF WATER
Water freezes backwards! Most substances become denser when they freeze and sink. Water does the opposite. It reaches its greatest density at about 39°F, then expands as it freezes… about 9%… so ice floats. That floating ice forms an insulating blanket over lakes and ponds, allowing liquid water and aquatic life to survive below.
For such a tiny molecule, water should amaze us. Water is just H₂O… two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom… yet because its molecules form hydrogen bonds, it remains liquid over the temperature range where life thrives. A chemically similar molecule, H₂S… two hydrogen atoms and one sulfur atom, is a gas at room temperature. Those same hydrogen bonds are behind many of water’s remarkable properties.
Water is one of creation’s great temperature stabilizers. It takes about 10 times more heat to warm water than the same weight of iron. Oceans therefore absorb enormous quantities of heat without rapidly changing temperature, helping moderate Earth’s climate. The same property helps stabilize the temperature of our water-filled bodies.
Water carries the chemistry of life. Water dissolves more substances than any other liquid, allowing it to transport minerals, nutrients and wastes through soil, plants and our bodies. An adult human body is about 60% water; the lungs are roughly 83% water, and the brain and heart about 73%.
Water can literally climb against gravity. Because water molecules cling both to each other and to other surfaces, water moves upward through plants. An acre of corn can release 3,000–4,000 gallons of water into the atmosphere every day, while one large oak can transpire around 40,000 gallons in a year.
Look up—the water above your head can weigh millions of pounds. An ordinary one-cubic-kilometer cumulus cloud can contain about 1.1 million pounds of water droplets and still float overhead. Meteorologists still scratch their head on that one. And consider the scale when the water cycle really gets moving: Hurricane Harvey dumped roughly 27 TRILLION gallons of rain on Texas and Louisiana.
And here may be the real miracle…
It isn’t just one extraordinary property of water—it is the combination of them all. Water’s unusual polarity gives it tremendous solvent power. Its hydrogen bonds help keep it liquid, give it enormous heat capacity, create surface tension and allow water molecules to cling together. Its unique structure when frozen makes ice float instead of sink. Together these properties make possible cells, blood circulation, plant life, lakes, weather, climate and the entire water cycle
Water is extraordinarily “just right” for life……
Men, the deeper we look at something as common as a glass of water, the harder it becomes not to see the fingerprints of its Creator.
Stop 🛑 and reflect on the following verse. It may just be the biggest jaw-dropper of all..
“All things came into being through Him (Jesus), and apart from Him (Jesus) nothing came into being that has come into being” (John 1:3)
One last thing……
Since there was so much great information on water, I took some of the research and asked AI to put it in a “Dad & Kid” discovery guide. So, if interested:
Explore THE MIRICLE OF WATER With Your Kids HERE
IN YOU OWN BACKYARD
[As you pray for your neighbors, things will happen!]
Meet my neighbor Daniel…
I recently ran into him while he was out exercising his big hunting dogs. We have talked previously and waved to each other, but this time, what began as a casual neighborhood conversation turned into something much deeper. He shared the heartbreak of losing his father in an ATV accident, and we ended up having a warm, meaningful conversation about the brevity of life. Before we parted, he handed me his business card, gave me his cell number and told me to call him anytime for anything. Daniel is an extremely successful arms dealer and very involved with the Jewish community.
I’ve been praying that God will orchestrate the next conversation and excited to see where it leads.
Men, never underestimate what can happen when you begin praying for your neighbors by name. Ask God to open doors, give you courage, and create opportunities to point them toward the only truly Good News there is—the saving work of Jesus Christ.
Dying to Live,
Dan
Zion Boot Camp
December 4-6, 2026
Register Here
“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity,
but of power and love and discipline.”
2 Tim 1:7
Men:
When I read Wednesday’s devotional in the BLUE BOOK, I was convicted that we all need to re-read it and reflect on it.
In the true story of Nik and Ruth Ripken, the 2-1/2 min trailer begins with:
“90% born in the church, raised in the church, saved in the church, married and buried in the church, will NEVER share Jesus with another person.”
[Watch the full 1hr 30min movie HERE]
Being Ashamed – Day 246 Blue Book
The purpose of these devotionals is to help you think Biblically
Solomon said, “As a man thinks, so is he”
Definitely send this to your buddies to discuss: PDF
DALLAS CONFERENCE 2026
Men, make some time this weekend to listen to Jerry’s message, “Men & War.”
Here are 5 thoughts that grabbed me:
- Satan is waging war against you. Are you waging war back? Jerry’s challenge is that much of the Church has forgotten that we are in a real spiritual war.
- Christ is both Lion and Lamb—and so must we be. Courage, strength and conviction on one side; sacrifice, humility and love on the other. The challenge is knowing when to be which—and in what measure.
- “The first duty of the lion is to become a godly man.” Before we lead our wives, children or anyone else, we must first allow Christ to change us.
- Your most important service to your family is spiritual leadership. Helping with chores is important—but it can never substitute for preparing your family to know Christ, obey Him and ultimately stand before Him.
- Fear God. Jerry called this indispensable to both the Christian life and marriage.
There is much more in Jerry’s message than these five thoughts. I think you’ll find it convicting, challenging, and a powerful reminder that we are in a spiritual war—and that every man has a part to play.
Listen to Jerry’s Message Here
A Time to Smile
My wife & I have some dear Pakistani friends serving in Pakistan. David Ibraham (alias due to persecution) just sent us a bunch of photos. These Christian families work in the brick kilns (a life we can’t imagine!). Their children have no school clothes, shoes, books, school bags, etc. As you can see, they just received from a private donor what they had been praying for (about 40 families). This was such an encouragement from the Lord.
We all saw the devastating Himalayan floods
Men:
You will want to see this short 3 min video by Ray Comfort.
Watch it till the end where he quotes Penn Jillette.
If you want to read the whole quote by Penn Jillette click on this earlier Friday letter and scroll down E2Vegas.org/Friday-Mens-Group-3-3-23/
REVISITING PILGRIM’S PROGRESS
John Bunyan – Pilgrim’s Progress (1st Edition Published February 18, 1678 – 348 years ago!). Bunyan wrote most of the book while in prison. It was second only to the Bible in popularity. It is the most famous Christian allegory still in print! Our Friday Men’s Group did a study with that book over 25 years ago. It was a fantastic study! It appears our study book is now available in PDF format
Charles H. Spurgeon said of Bunyan’s work:
“Next to the Bible, the book I value most is John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. I believe I have read it through at least a hundred times. It is a volume of which I never seem to tire; and the secret of its freshness is that it is so largely compiled from the Scriptures. It is really Biblical teaching put into the form of a simple yet very striking allegory.”
On Christian’s journey to the Celestial City, he enters the town Vanity Fair. What is the allegorical significance of the town of Vanity Fair in Christian’s spiritual journey? Like LAS VEGAS, Vanity Fair stands for the spirit of materialism and possessions in this age and how strongly that worldly spirit takes our eyes off the eternal…..
(1 John 2:15)
In the 2018 Britbox series, Vanity Fair, they open each episode with the follow quote:
“A world where everyone is striving for what is not worth having.”
William Makepeace Thackeray – Vanity Fair
My wife and I enjoy the British programs on Britbox, etc. If you haven’t seen Vanity Fair, we just watched it for the second time. I think you would like it.
Amazon.com/…Britbox
Check out this short message by Joni Eareckson Tada
YouTube Short (1 Min)
“Do not be afraid or discouraged….. for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
2 Chronicles 20:15
ARE YOU DOING THE WILL OF THE FATHER?
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:21-24
The statement below was made over 20 years ago…… what is it today?
James Kennedy 1930 – 2007