"The Messiah"

"The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he." (John 4:25-26 KJV)

  "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, Their sound went into all the the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. But Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying nation." (Romans 10:17-21 KJV) 

  So then, all of those something wrongs, but nevertheless, all is well, those are the, in spirit and in truth, kind of things we must go by. It is really not a matter of being blessed because we have no trials or hardships, because they will come! Jesus said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21 KJV)

  Before you turn away by thinking I do not know what I am talking about, let me try to explain what it is that I know to be truth. First of all, those things which should shake me, I have experienced to be the things that strengthen my faith and give me greater hope. If I need to be given proof, then I have to go through the fire; if you know what I mean! It is something I expect to happen, not because I deserve it, but because it needs to happen to strengthen my walk. 

 You can say whatever you want to, I can take it; but I know from experience that trials are for building me up, not for tearing me down! James, the brother of Jesus, says, "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." (James 1:2-4 NLT)

 Why is this even relevant? "Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?" (Proverbs 17:16 KJV) Why? and to what purpose? Quite simple, if you ask me! But sense you probably won't, let me tell you want I think it's all about. You really don't need to know anything about anything, if you do not plan to change your mind! If you are not willing to accept the truth, then the truth really does not matter! 

 In case none of that makes any sense, I will speak a little slower: The Messiah cometh, because He comes to this world from above... What things do you really want to talk about... 

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, be was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6 KJV) 

"In Spirit and In Truth" - 2

 "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24 KJV) 

  "As God's partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God's kindness and then ignore it. For God says, "At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you." Indeed, the "right time" is now. Today is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NLT)

 Now is the time for us to stop pretending and start to get real about the power of God in our lives; if we do not, we will be missing out on something we will regret not being part of, in one way or another. I for one don't want to be counted as one that was an unworthy servant; even though I feel most of the time, that's what I am; God is my judge, He will judge rightly! 

 Start praying for those around you which are both saved and unsaved; the saved, that they would be given strength and boldness; the unsaved, that they be reconciled to God! In other words, we cannot do this on our own; it is only by God's Spirit that we can overcome, whether it is overcoming adversity or coming to God, it is always God that is working things out in us, helping us to do the right thing. 

 I really hope that we get that, because without God's help, we are helpless! As a matter of fact, we must never forget that we need His help, in whatever it is that we are involved with or dealing with; even in the simple things that we think are just average daily routines. What a difference even routine things become, when we practice asking God's blessing and guidance in even the little things. 

 This might sound silly, as I sometimes feel it myself; but there is so much I have learned by caring for my wife; little things which we take for granted, like simply changing her and bathing her, which is so routine, but at the same time, such an anointing. On the one hand, it is me changing and washing her, but on the other hand, God is changing and washing me at the same time...

"We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God's power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us imposters. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything." (2 Corinthians 6:3-10 NLT) 

"In Spirit and In Truth"

 "But the hour cometh, and now is, when true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24 KJV)

  "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me know wisdom." (Psalms 51:5-6 KJV)

  If there is one thing that I have learned in all of these last, almost 40 years, it is that God wants me to be real with Him; which means that I don't pretend that He does not know everything there is to know about me and try to hide anything from Him. Doing so is not only useless and foolish, it gives me a false sense of security when I and looking for God's power to overcome trials and circumstances that come into my life. 

 In other words, God will be only as big to you as you make Him; if you don't think He has the ability to see all of your hidden parts of you, then how will you believe that He can see or do that which you need in your trial or your circumstance? You really cannot have one without the other; not that God is limited by your belief in Him, but your faith is limited; which makes you feel less secure and more likely to sin. 

 Anywho; in this potion of Scripture is something that I believe is sometimes easily misunderstood. Not that we don't understand what Jesus is talking about, but that we fail to really understand the reality of the application; because that is what Jesus is trying to say. This is something that we must understand as an application to worship the Father! 

 Maybe it requires a little practice; then again, it really does not! As a matter of fact, making it into a practice, as if it has a routine or a procedure to it, is totally and completely the wrong way to apply what Jesus is trying to say! No one can tell me how I should worship, except that I come to the Father with an open heart and expect that He sees right through me, just as I am, and yet He loves me still! 

  Which ever way you want, standing, kneeling, walking, sitting; these are all just totally unimportant to the way that we worship Him. I have had deep times of worship driving down the highway; I have had exceptional times of worship on long walks at 4 am in the morning; I have had moments of being turned inside-out, when just sitting on my living room floor. The Father is always there and ready to hear me, so I can reach Him anytime, because He never is too far from where I am.

  Understandably, this is something that helps to keep us in line; yet it is also something that we will loose sight of, in the moments, or in the hour, that we loose sight of His presence...

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee." (Psalms 51:7-13 KJV) 

"Set Apart" -Too

"Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews." (John 4:22 KJV)

  "Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." (Psalms 103:1-5 KJV) 

  Not that I know anything; but then again, what I so deeply believe with all my heart, is that God loves me; no matter the fault, no matter the circumstance, no matter how far I stray, He loves me and has redeemed my life from destruction! Does that speak of this life, or that to come? There is the twist, if you want to call it that; because from where I stand, this current life is filled with destruction all around us!

  By the way, speaking of this current life: where are we currently headed, and what if anything can be done about it? Thank goodness we have somewhere else to be, because the current place is going totally and completely bonkers! This is when we need to be looking up and praying to be ready!

  Way back there, somewhere between the Tower of Babel and the Day of Pentecost, there was division in the languages for the one, and a uniting in the languages for the other. On the one hand God pushed the people apart, and on the other He pulled the people together, as one. There is still a continuity between us, whether you can realize it or not, you must understand that it is, and then build upon it! 

  Unlike Cain, who asked God, "Am I my brother's keeper?" as if he had nothing to do with his brother, we are set apart as a people that must care for our brothers, as if they are part of us! If you really want to know what destruction looks like, the tearing down of the bonds we have together is by far the greatest destruction that we have that is worth fighting for: we are Family! 

  Interesting times, to say the least. Did you know, the first killing in the Bible was Cain killing his brother? I'm sure you knew that, so I will not bore you with the details. But did you know that the first war, war being defined as conflict to overcome or defend an opposition, was recorded with Abraham taking back his so-called brother, Lot, who was taken captive along with all of his belongings. 

  There are many different ways to see the battle, if you want to call it that, that is all around us; but the best way is to realize who we are and what it is we are dealing with, is to pray...

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10:3-6 KJV)  

"Set Apart"

 "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews." (John 4:22 KJV)

  "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him." (Romans 12:1 NLT)

  Be that as it may, there are certain things I believe we must pay close attention to; if we are living a life of sin, we had better not feel comfortable and at peace with where we are at! That might not seem like such a big issue, because just about anyone can fall into sin, and is usually is not something that just happens; it is usually a lifestyle that evolves, until you find yourself shipwrecked and totally broken. 

 There is something about the Jews which sets them apart: they are God's chosen people! Does that mean they are able to get away with things more than the rest of us? Absolutely not! They are held accountable and are chastised by God; they have been over and over, time and time again. But, the big difference in them and many other peoples, is that they are always recovered and brought back to grace.

 That is most likely the greatest thing that we must understand: If God has begun a work in you, He will complete it! You have His word on that, no matter hard hard it gets or how far you stray! The big issue of who God is, is that He is not of this world; therefore, if He sets you apart, as His child, then guess what, you also are no longer of this world. 

 I and totally and completely confident that those who are not of this world, meaning God's children, are somehow kept set apart. Don't ask me how, but the stuff of this world does not stick...

"But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you."" (Isaiah 43:1-4 NLT)

   

"Fellowship with God"

"Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father." (John 4:21 KJV) 

  "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrews 10:14-17 KJV) 

  As many of you are aware, our bodies are now temples of God; for if the Holy Spirit dwells within you, He being God, then your body is now a Temple for the Holy Spirit to dwell within. Something to think about next time you want to defile your body, you will defiling God's Temple! 

  Regardless of what we might do, or don't do, if you are born again, you have been re-born of God's Spirit; which basically means, that death which took place in the garden by Adam's sin, has been canceled out by a new covenant, one that gives life; the life of God's Spirit back into our lives. What was once taken away by sin, has now been reconnected by the blood of Jesus Christ! 

  The question keeps coming up again and again: Can what God has done in you be undone? If you walk away from your salvation, will you be damned, or will you still inherit eternal life? Man, I really wish there was something else to talk about; but it keeps nagging at my heart, every time I hear someone say it is not guaranteed! 

  What is not guaranteed is what happens in this life! If you want to be blessed and live a good life, then be blessed and live rightly! If you think that you can do what you want without paying the price, you will be sadly mistaken; there will be a price paid for both good and evil. Just because our sins have been removed and we have life in Christ, does not remove results for our actions. 

  Believe what you want, but those five foolish virgins were Believers; they were just not in fellowship with the Lord because they were too busy doing their own thing. If we want to be ready when He comes, then we need to be ready at all times! Think about how that looks as you plan your day...

"Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lust thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." (Romans 6:9-14 KJV)  

"The Nudge"

 "The woman said unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." (John 4:19-20 KJV)

  "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded." (James 4:8 KJV)

  If there were a way to express conviction, without it seeming too obvious, this might be a pretty good example of what that might look like. One thing is for sure, the woman has now started to move the subject away from the well and onto spiritual matters; so Jesus must have pushed the right button! Notice that she did not object to what was claimed or try to make excuses for the mistakes or sins in her life; just a little something to take note of, because usually people do get offensive when you call them out on their sins. 

  That said, it would appear that she might have become a little bit offended, if that might be the correct definition of what her reaction is with her second statement; because here is where she questions the authority of Jesus, not that He does not have any, but that His authority is not over her. Strange the way we sometimes resort to that, as if you have your way, I have mine, and that is that, so there! 

  Going back to when I first got saved, I recall a very interesting talk I had with a couple of brothers, as we were having a little disagreement over the meaning of, "Casting your pearls before swine." The subject came up as I was trying to win-over a certain inmate that threatened to hit me if I tried to witness to him again; but I had told my two brothers I would not give up, but look for another opening to share with him. That is when they brought up that verse, "Do not case your pearls before swine," Matthew 7:6. 

  To understand what that verses actually means, I believe we need to notice the context of where Jesus was coming from, as He had just left off talking about judging people, especially by being a hypocrite trying to pull a splinter out the eye of someone else, while having a beam in our own eye. In this context I believe the subject is more about discernment than it is about judging what a person my or may not be. 

  That might not be good enough for some, because it my mother always told me, "A leopard cannot change his spots." Please don't misunderstand what I am trying to say, because God is the one who needs to change the human heart; but it is you and I that need to be faithful to do what God calls us to do, sometimes, even when it might not seem like people want to hear it! 

  If you really want to know, Jesus did not judge the woman, He just said what see had done; making her know that He was not just anyone, but someone in touch with God. This is by far the closest point I can make towards what I believe Jesus meant, "Do not cast your pearls before swine," because the pearls are a reference to holiness, but holiness is not to be used to knock someone over the head or try and make them out to be unable to be saved; not when it is not our job to save them...

""God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son." (John 3:17-18 NLT) 

"The Connection" -To

"The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly." (John 4:17-18 KJV)

  "A judge who says to the wicked, "You are innocent," will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations. But it will go well for those who convict the guilty; rich blessings will be showered on them. An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship." (Proverbs 24:24-26 NLT)

  If you missed the point of that Scripture from Ruth, it was about God's ability to work through many generations, bringing everything into His perfect will. There really is more to this life than just making it through, we have so many opportunities to be part of something much bigger than we could ever know. Then again, maybe it will all be known and shown to us once we are all in heaven! 

  There is another connection we need to take notice of, besides judging and making known; it is the matter of the heart, as in, what's the matter with our hearts. Besides being deceitful and desperately wicked, the is a giant hole that needs to be filled, where there once was a connection with our Creator! We spend so much time trying to fill that hole, not realizing that it can only be filled with and by God. 

  Solomon calls it vanity; as it is vain to think we can do anything that must be done by God! Only God can fix this thirst that is longing to be satisfied; yet we continually try to fix ourselves! I'm talking to all, not just those that have not yet been saved. Sometimes, those of us that are already saved are harder to get to change than those that are lost. Call it stubbornness if you want, stiff-necked, or even rebellious; but to be perfectly honest, it really comes down to laziness and doubt. 

  We doubt because we have not made the effort to believe! I know that might sound silly, but there really is effort involved with belief; there is going to something that changes when we take a step of faith: and it is that change we must adjust to that we do not want to face or deal with. Call it what you want, but there are some people that just do not do well with change.

  As it turns out, as a child of God, we can have it the easy way or the hard way; either way, God will get us where He wants us to end up. When He says, We are going to the other side, you must know deep down in your heart, He means what He says...

"So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these earthly bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body." (2 Corinthians 5:6-10 NLT)  

"The Connection"

 "The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband. For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly." (John 4:17-18 KJV) 

  "Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day. And all the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: and let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman." (Ruth 4:10-12 KJV)

  Before you judge me, listen to what I have to say: The way I see this playing out, not only does Jesus know this woman's life, He knows her heart also: He knows her connections with the neighborhood, the things which interest her, the things she dislikes; He even knows that which she believes in her heart, as to who God is and what God might be like. The thing you need to know about God, is that He knows all things past, present, and way far ahead into the future. Absolutely nothing is hidden from His sight! 

  Take a breath, and try to let that sink in for just a moment. Now, if you think that you have gotten away with anything, think again; it is right there, as plain as day and in His sight! Isn't that great? Doesn't that make you feel better about your wonderful life? If you think that I am being facetious, think again; I am being practical about something we cannot ignore, but must be dealt with; while at the same time, being thankful that it has already been dealt with, once and for all! 

  This is the kind of thing that takes us from being in the thick of things, into the place where nothing else really matters! All the things that seemed to be just the ways things are, come into focus, and we stand naked before a Holy and Righteous God! You can do nothing about what has been done: But everything is possible with God!

  Anywho, that is the way I see things; so go ahead and judge me if you like, I really don't mind. I have a Judge that is bigger and more powerful than you, or anyone else; so it's all good. But before you do, just remember something, there is a connection between me and you: If you point your finger at me, there are three fingers pointed back at you...

""Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged."" (Matthew 7:1-2 NLT) 

"The Key"

"Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither." (John 4:16 KJV)

  "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." (Hebrews 4:12-13 KJV)

  Sometimes we fail to respond as we should, so the Lord might need to unlock a little door, to get the main point of what He is trying to say, shall we say, a little deeper into the heart of the matter! You can think of this what you want, because the table is wide open on this one. If however you don't want to believe that Jesus is working to expose her need for salvation, then you have missed most of the points thus far, (no pun intended). 

  I have had several discussions with men about the seriousness of the man's role in marriage; how it is that man's love towards his wife that will ensure for the strong and successful marriage. You can imagine the push-back that I have received; some of which became quite ugly. Sure, I get the point of some, as it is only human for the woman to sin, as well as the man; but this point is weak and has no standing. If you really love your wife as Christ loves the church, if that is even possible, then your marriage will stand! 

  Anywho, this is about a totally different subject; one that involves a woman that needs to be loved. You know, like that song, "I need to know what love is," not the kind of love which is based upon need or being satisfied; but the kind of love that captivates and stands strong, even when everything else falls away. 

  Then again, maybe Jesus just wanted her husband to help explain living water to her; or to have her get her husband so they both could hear what He was saying, and could talk about it together once they were home and had time to let it sink in. Then again, maybe God actually really knows all things...

"Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see? He that chastiseth the heathen, shall he not correct? He that teacheth man knowledge, shall he not know? The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity." (Psalms 94:7-11 KJV)   

"The Quiz"

 "The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw." (John 4:15 KJV)

 "So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have - the ones God has chosen - but the hearts of the rest were hardened. As the Scriptures say, "God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear."" (Hebrews 11:7-8 NLT)

  If you might have ever seen the little quiz of the sketch that shows a face of an old woman, yet hidden within that sketch is a beautiful young woman, then you might get the picture that is being presented here in this illustration. In a way, this woman knows that she needs the water Jesus is speaking of, she just does not yet see what it is for or how it actually works. 

  It is really a lot like the encounter Nicodemus had, as he can wanting to know who Jesus really was; but he left knowing how much he needed Jesus to save him! We really do not know what it is that we need; as it turns out, we think we needed to be kept safe and secure, but safe and secure does not give us freedom. The more we strive to find rest, hoping for rest, and longing for a time to rest, the more we need the rest that we keep striving for and the further away it seems. 

  In the long and short of this conversation, Jesus knows our heart! He knows exactly what it is that we need, because He knows the heart; which means that He knows what makes you tick, what makes you do what you do, and what it will take to get you fixed! Even if we know nothing at all and cannot see the trees through the forest, it only takes a little bit of Light to open up the human heart. 

  I titled this, The Quiz, only because that is the situation going on with in this woman's heart. In this moment, she has a need; as much as anyone can need something, she is feeling it pressing down upon her. I know what this is like, because I have experienced it more than once or twice. The first time was back in 1981, when I heard that voice, feeling there was something I needed to hear, but not knowing what it was or what it was for; just knowing that I needed to hear it.

  From time to time, I have experienced going to church or meetings; knowing full well that I needed to go, but not knowing for what or why, except I needed to hear from the Lord about something. I can recall a special moment at Calvary Chapel San Jose, as I was dealing with some financial problems and issues that were overwhelming. Pastor Damian says to open up the Bible to Ephesian chapter one, and no sooner as I turned there he started reading, "Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." 

  To be perfectly honest, I don't think I have the ability to express the kind of transformation I felt in that moment; but it was as if there was nothing else that mattered but that God's hand was upon my life! If God has His hand upon you, you are loved, you are safe, and you are free: so it is okay to rest...

"The Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT) 

"The Well of Love"

"Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:13-14 KJV)

  "For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. The the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God." (Isaiah 54:5-6 KJV) 

  Maybe it is just me, but there is something I feel is more important in this story than just feeling good and hoping to quench a thirst; at least not the kind of thirst we think about here on this world. This is by far thee most important part of the story: knowing that God loves you! If you are wondering how that is the subject being discussed, well, that is the deepest part of this Story: His-Story! 

  One the of greatest things I discovered as a new believer, was God's love; not just that He loved me, but that He has always loved me, even when I gave Him no respect! That my friend is something we must never ever forget! It is not something we do that makes Him love us, but it is what He has done for us; not when we were doing nothing, but when we were doing wrong, living as though we cared nothing about Him, and hated it when we heard about how much He cared for us. 

  This is not just your average love affair, one that is based upon feelings of passion or desires; this is about coming to the place where love covers all! Where there is nothing left that matters but getting lost in His everlasting love, because His love never quits, it never runs dry; and the best part of all, is that you absolutely know it, because it is springing up inside of you...

"When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:14-19 NLT)  

"Idol Words"

 ""But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket," she said, "and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? And besides, do you think you're greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?"" (John 4:11-12 NLT) 

  "We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts." (1 John 5:19-21 NLT)

  Yes, it is a little strange, and it might be somewhat over the top; but this is sometimes where we find ourselves, as we build upon things which might not be the result that God is after. If you really want to know, God's purposes do not evolve around our desires; and they surely don't result from the things which have been built by mankind. These are things that are worldly and never last; God builds things towards the eternal: the Kingdom of God is eternal! 

  Looking at this from a worldly point of view, there are several points which many people would say were reasonable and easy to understand. One might even suggest that there was truth in some, as if there actually was a way for Jacob to have given anything to the Samaritans; which is not possible, but then again, it's all about what you believe that matters. To be perfectly honest, we brought nothing into this world, and we take nothing out of this world when we leave; how then is it possible to give anything away, that is not yours in the first place? 

  I know that I have not been perfect when it comes to planning out what God should do; as a matter of fact, I think it has just about always turned out to be a total and completely different result than the one that I planned for! That said, it is my experience that God is so full of love and mercy, He allows for us to mess things up, just so He can demonstrate what He can do with us through the messes we make. It is not about anything we have or do not have in this life; it is about how we see God...

"Then Job relied to the LORD: "I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, 'Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?' It is I - and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, 'Listen and I will speak! I have questions for you, and you must answer them.' I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance."" (Job 42:1-6 NLT)  

"The Usual Error" -2

 "The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?" (John 4:11-12 KJV)

  "But Moses pleaded with the LORD, "O Lord, I'm not very good with words. I never have been, and I'm not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled." Then the LORD asked Moses, "Who makes a person's mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say." But Moses again pleaded, "Lord, please! Send anyone else." (Exodus 4:10-13 NLT) 

  To be perfectly clear, the Samaritan woman was not as in error as Moses, so this in not a comparison on that level; but it is bringing to light the issue of understanding what is being said, and by Whom! As Jesus clearly said, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." She clearly did not know who it was she was speaking with; not yet! 

  Moses, on the other hand, clearly did, as he called Him, Lord. The issue with the woman at the well, well, it was more apparent that she did not understand the words that were coming out of His mouth. If she could have maybe memorized what was said, slept on it for a day or two, and maybe even said them out load to herself, maybe then she might have had a change of heart. 

  The closest thing she might have come to vertical truth, was the comment about the well being deep, other than that, she was stuck on the horizontal understanding; much as many of God's people are in this current time period we are living in today! Actually, it has always been that way, so we really don't need to think of ourselves as special. Adam and Eve sinned because focused more upon pleasing themselves, then they did upon pleasing God. 

  Basically that is where we see Moses; not that he was confused about God's power, because he had already seen his staff go from snake to staff again, and his own hand become as white as snow, and then quickly back to normal. This was plain as day, in that Moses was afraid of what man might think, as he complained about what they might say of him. Instead of caring about pleasing God, he concerned himself with the here and now; with worldly comfort and pleasures...

"He burns part of the tree to roast his meat and to keep himself warm. He says, "Ah, that fire feels good." Then he takes what's left and makes his god; a carved idol! He falls down in front of it, worshipping and praying to it. "Rescue me!" he says. "You are my God!" Such stupidity and ignorance! Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see. Their minds are shut, and they cannot think. The person who made the idol never stops to reflect, "Why, it's just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?" The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can't help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, "Is this idol that I'm holding in my hand a lie?"" (Isaiah 44:16-20 NLT) 

"The Usual Error"

"The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us this well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?" (John 4:11-12 KJV) 

  "The LORD says, "I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help. I was ready to be found, but no was looking for me. I said, 'Here I am, here I am!' to a nation that did not call on my name. All day long I opened my arms to a rebellious people. But they follow their own evil paths and their own crooked schemes. All day long they insult me to my face by worshiping idols in their sacred gardens. They burn incense on pagan altars."" (Isaiah 65:1-3 NLT) 

  Some days I just feel like staying in bed and pretending I don't have anything talk about; and then I get up, reluctantly, and get something like this! Having been down some of these roads myself, I can maybe put a little bit of understanding behind what this woman is trying to say; after all, from her point of view, everything she said was right to ask, simple enough to diagnose, and justified some sort of answer. 

  Depending who it is that you are talking to, that might be the case: but God, the One who made the heavens and earth, He can do just about anything, without using anything at all! We on the other hand are stuck on stupid, not even considering the possibilities, we instead bring everything into our knowledge of how things should be or happen, based upon what we think is possible.

  Yea, I know, it just seems so practical and normal, why should we even pay it any mind? Well, if you are looking for answers, then you are in the right place! Seriously! Don't pretend you know anything, as if you need to know what the answers are, as if you don't know a thing; maybe then you might listen...

"He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don't see. They hear, but they don't really listen or understand."" (Matthew 13:11-13 NLT)   

"The Gift of God" -Too

"Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." (John 3:10 KJV) 

  "But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." (Matthew 13:16-17 KJV)

  Now then, if you have had a chance to share the Good News with anyone, then you must know what it does to your own soul when you do; because it makes you realize, in that moment, that you not only have a soul, but that you have surely been blessed with the Holy Spirit. This is the "Living Water" that Jesus is talking about: It is the flow of God's Spirit in and through your life! 

  One of the first things I discovered as a new believer, was that I always felt more energized when I shared Jesus with anyone. It was abundantly clear to me that it was something I needed to do, whether I felt like doing it or not. But, if I did not share to someone that I felt prompted to share with, then I knew right then and there I failed; for several hours, or even on through the night, I would be bothered by the fact that I did not obey God's prompting; for whatever reason, it was just something that felt wrong.

  Yearly on in my walk, I received a teaching about the Dead Sea and why it was dead in the first place; that it was because it not have water flowing in and out of it. Stagnate water becomes dead; and stagnate water that is left that way, will become a home to parasites, that will feed off of living matter. I know that sounds pretty ugly and might even look like it could be a cesspool or something terrible to be around; but I also hope it helps you to see what might happen if you do not let the Living Water flow! 

  Anywho; no matter the matter, if you have truly been Born Again, somehow, someway, there will be a Creature that comes to life! I don't care if you have been living in that cesspool for 30 years or more; if you are God's child, you will be used of God sooner or later, in some form or fashion! That's not a prediction, that is a fact! Heck, you might not even know you did anything, and with your dying breath you felt as if you never did; and then God will use something you left behind, and then make beauty from ashes; if that's what it takes! 

  Besides all of that mumble-jumble, the Real Gift is Jesus Christ! He is the Gift given to the world! It is by His righteousness that we are able to become a child of God; and because we are made God's children through Christ Jesus, we are bought into this wonderful inheritance, something we could have never have earned in thousands of lifetimes. This one little life, it becomes an abundant life, with just One spectacular and amazing Gift!  

  Therefore, we don't really have to do anything: but it sure feels good to do something...

"No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the countless thousands of angels in joyful gatherings. You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Able. Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!" (Hebrews 12:22-25 NLT) 

"The Gift of God"

 "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." (John 4:10 KJV)

  "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV)

  After we get past the differences of what we believe or think things should be, there are a few things that are important for us to all come to terms on and have some sort of agreement. I know that faith without works is dead, not just because James has said so, but because it is what I know to be true: if you are not taking a step, which means that you have some sort of movement, then there is no life demonstrated in your faith, and your faith is basically useless, to you and to those around you. 

  It has been proven time and time again, if believe that God has chosen you for a particular work, then you will by your belief, look for and live out that particular work. Maybe we might not even know we are walking in that work, but it is simply that which we do is, unknowingly and without merit, is the work that God is doing through us. If you study the parable of the sheep and the goats, those that were the goats thought they were doing God's work, and were not; while the sheep did God's work, and didn't even know they were doing it. 

  I had a little chance to listen to a message yesterday, based upon the fact that our lives should live out the Gospel; that preaching the Gospel is less important than actually living it out. Not that is it not essential to share the Good News, because it is vitally important and needs to be said. But that the way we live our lives, what we do and how we do it, it should demonstrate the love of God to the world! 

  Now we have this thing, whatever you want to refer to it as, where we think that loving the world is wrong and that it is not part of what we should be about; something I believe we have missed the point Jesus made, if we have any part in that belief. If we live our lives to be rewarded by this world, then it is wrong; but if we live our lives by giving of ourselves, for Christ sake, then we are on the right track. 

  Strange and mysterious is this thing, whatever you might want to call it; but we get the Gift, and in a weird sort of way, we also become a part of the Gift, the Gift that keeps on giving...

"I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made." (Philippians 3:12-16 NLT)  

"The Woman of Samaria"

 "There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, asketh drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans." (John 4:7-9 KJV) 

"After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst." (John 19:28 KJV)

  How wonderful it might have been to be a fly on the edge of this well, just to witness this brief encounter. As it were, the woman was totally within her rights to ask Jesus what she asked Him; for not only was she a Samaritan, but just the fact that she was a woman, there were other aspects involved in the questionable conversation. 

  As to the point about the hour, John is the only one that does not mention the hour, but all the others, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, do mention the sixth hour, as it was the hour when darkness covered the earth; which many believe to be that time when Jesus took on the sins of all mankind. For a span of three hours, Jesus carried all of the burdens of this world; not only did He need to hold up His own weight, upon that cross, but He took on the weight of all of our sins too! 

  Anyways; here we are, in a very special moment. Not that it really matters, but it seems as though God has something about using certain people for certain things; as if there is something to do with the line of whatever it is that He is working His will through! Maybe it has something to do with spiritual verses physical, or the head verses the body; I just don't know what it could be, but there seems to be some kind of a connection. 

  Any time that we have the opportunity to share Jesus Christ with anyone, it is very important that we do not loose that chance to be blessed! As we shall see, this is not just a casual encounter; this is the Lord taking the time to share very personal information with someone that He knows will be able to make that information known. 

  We never know who it is that we are sharing with, as to what they will do with what they are told; it is really not our place to know; nor should we try to make it our place. We simply share, unashamedly share! Making it count, not that it won't, but because we know that it will; maybe instantly, or maybe later on; it is really not our job to do more than God will ask us to do.

  Some plant, some water, and some will get to harvest; but all are given the same reward. Just do what God wants you to do, and be blessed in so doing...

"Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away. Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that I cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst. I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering. The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by mourning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back." (Isaiah 50:1-5 KJV) 

"Jesus, Being Wearied"

 "Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour." (John 4:5-6 KJV) 

  "But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you."" (Isaiah 43:1-4 NLT)

  As it stands, there are some things that take very little time, and then there are the things that require a multitude of lifetimes; generations upon generations of circumstances and trials, setbacks and victories; even tragedies and overwhelming times of joy. Through it all, there are certain, markers, if you will, which are little symbols of things, which become reminders of times gone past.

  I guess it takes a certain kind of living to really understand that kind of perspective, but if you are willing to consider what John is trying to point out, there are subtle hints John gives with the details; details of times gone by, finished off with, the time of the current day. What time was this? It was that time of the day!  

  Anywho, enough with the drama and suggested references to things we all know nothing about; this is also about the Man, the subjected Son of God, caught up in a world that He created, subject to the toil He did not cause, but no doubt would soon overcome! It really must take a whole lot of love to make this type of journey needful and important enough to take on. But then again, if it is what you are made for, then it is basically, a labor of love...

""But you are my witnesses, O Israel!" says the LORD. "You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God - there never has been, and there never will be. I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no other Savior. First I predicted your rescue, then I saved you and proclaimed it to the world. No foreign god has ever done this. You are witnesses that I am the only God," says the LORD. "From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done."" (Isaiah 43:10-13 NLT)  

"Jesus, Must Go!"

"And he must needs go through Samaria." (John 3:4 KJV)

  "For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight." (Psalms 72:12-14 KJV) 

  As I have said, this was the first study I put together, as I was co-teaching the High School students during Sunday service. It was something I felt God spoke into my heart, as if it needed to be a lesson on what it was like to pay attention to the prompting of the Holy Spirit upon our lives. Whatever you might think of that, that is up to you to figure out; but something I have learned from day one, when He says go, we need to go! 

  There are several points of view here, as it was a short-cut to where they were going, it can be said the need was for the sake of time and convenience. Although, it was also a road many Jews avoided, rather taking the long way was also preferred as the cleanest and safest route, if you were looking to be a good Jew. After all, the Samaritans were not admired much by the Jewish people. 

  That said, I truly believe that Jesus had known what was about to happen; it was well planned and had every indication of being a chance to share with those who were also of the Tribe of Israel; even though many a Jew did not count them as such. For starters, He sent the disciples into the city for food, while He rested by the well; without any means to get any water. 

  Did He or did He not know she was going to be there? What was the point of meeting this woman? Why was this woman special, and what made her so interested in who Jesus was? I couldn't help but think of the woman that touched the hem of His garment; whether or not He was aware of who she was, before she made herself known to Him. 

  Maybe you have a different perspective on this, that is totally fine. But, if you seriously believe that Jesus was who He said that He was, then you need to consider that all things were possible. Not that I have anything special to say about anything; but this much I know to be true: Jesus is, was, and always will be God, and with God, there is no such thing as accidents and coincidences...

"And this is God's plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God's children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 3:6 NLT)      

"Jesus, on the Move"

"When therefore the Lord know how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) he left Judea, and departed again into Galilee." (John 4:1-3 KJV)

  "And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News." (Philippians 1:12 NLT) 

  If I could do anything differently, I think that I would really think hard about what that should be, because one never knows what would be taken away from what; even those stupid mistakes we might think we might want to be erased, could also cancel out something we would never want to see removed. Absolutely amazing how this works, but God is amazing in the way that He works: He takes all of our stupid mistakes, and He makes them become opportunities for His glory to be manifested. 

  These are things that are way over our heads, things that we mostly know nothing about the details of; if we get to see anything, it is mostly just a blur of something we might take part in; even then, we only get to see a very small part of what might become of it. It is believed that John the Baptist has been put into prison at this point, as it has most likely been a few months difference from where we last heard of him speaking about Jesus, the Son of God.

  In the process of time, Jesus has been gaining quite a following; compared to John's, Jesus was starting to begin to be a movement, one that was starting to make the Pharisees begin to be concerned. As Matthew Henry puts it, "When the Pharisees thought they had got rid of John (for he was by this time imprisoned), and were pleasing themselves with that, Jesus appears, who was a greater vexation to them than John had been." 

  Now, just so we might understand this, (as I pretend to be informed,) Jesus was not trying to run away from anything, because it was not something He needed to do; but He did avoid certain things that might have brought attention to Him too soon, or because it was not time yet for something else. In other words, Jesus knew full well what to do and when to do it, as He was led in everything that He did, everything! 

  Don't be fooled by speculation and unbelieving talk about the limits of what Jesus knew or did not know; although He was fully man, He was also fully God! I know that is not something accepted in many circles; but if you study the Gospel of John very carefully, you would discover that John is trying very hard to express that fact, without throwing off all of the doubters. 

  In this is written the Truth, by way of definition, something that cannot be denied. If Jesus was on the move, His move was to complete something, to cause something, or to avoid something; but never to do anything that was not meant to be done! Jesus never had to say, Sorry, He never said Oops, and He never did anything He regretted doing! Just saying: because that is how God moves...

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:5-8 KJV)  

"Jesus and the Samaritan Woman"

 "Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John (though he himself didn't baptize them - his disciples did). So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.

  He had to go through Samaria on the way. Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.

 The woman was surprised, for Jews refused to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?" 

 Jesus replied, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." 

 "Please sir," the woman said, "give me this water! Then I'll never be thirsty again, and I won't have to come here to get water." 

 "Go and get your husband," Jesus told her.

 "I don't have a husband," the woman replied. 

 Jesus said, "You're right! You don't have a husband - for you have had five husbands, and you aren't even married to the man you're living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!" 

 "Sir," the woman said, "you must be a prophet. So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshipped?"

 "Jesus replied, "Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for Salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming - indeed it's here now - when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." 

 The woman said, "I know the Messiah is coming - the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." 

 Then Jesus told her, "I Am the Messiah!" 

 Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none on them had the nerve to ask, "What do you want with her?" or "Why are you talking to her?" The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to her village, telling everyone, "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?" So the people came steaming from the village. 

 Meanwhile the disciples were urging Jesus, "Rabbi, eat something."

 But Jesus replied, "I have a kind of food you know nothing about." 

 "Did someone bring him food while we were gone?" the disciples asked each other.

 Then Jesus explained: "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, 'Four months between planting and harvest.' But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, 'One plants and another harvests.' And it is true. I sent you to harvest where you didn't plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest." (John 4:1-38 NLT)

  Okay, so that was pretty long and complicated; but well worth every minute! This portion of Scripture was my very first teaching that I put together, back in the mid 90's. I was all based upon one simple message about doing what God leads you to do...

  ""Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink - even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk- it's all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food."" (Isaiah 55:1-2 NLT) 

  

"The Easy Choice" -Too

 "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36 KJV) 

  "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away." (Psalms 1:1-4 KJV) 

  Okay, so I am not perfect; no one needs to point that out to me, because I already know it. But, there is a difference between my imperfections and the imperfections of those that are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life: my imperfection do not count, but their imperfections do! Crazy how that works, but I did not right the Book, God did! 

  Not to seem to dive away from the subject, but what is up with this new way of mentioning God's Book? I have heard several different people, lately, that did not say, 'The Bible,' but instead said, 'Bible.' To try and put it in a sentence, if I can, it goes something like this: "I follow Bible," or, "I read Bible." If I did not know any better, it almost sounds as though the book, the Bible, has just become a person, or maybe is now an entity of it's own. 

  I would move cautiously in that direction, not that there is nothing of that, because I believe with all my heart that the Bible is the word of God. But it is also a book, which much like those first Tablets that were broken by Moses; even though God wrote them Himself, Moses had to write the second set on his own. Maybe you don't see the point, but it all comes down to substance! 

  Forgive me for getting ahead of myself, but there is more to this than meets the eye! See what I mean! No, not yet? Well then, if you really want to know; we are always so interested in seeing whatever it is we believe in; as if, if we don't see it, then it does not exist. Well, if you do not believe the Son of God, which is in and of Himself God, then guess what: You do not see life! 

  Now you might be wondering what you might be missing, because life is all around you, and you are feeling pretty sure that you have not been missing out. But this life we see in the world is filled with and ruled by death. Everything you see around you is dying: it is born, grows up, and then passes away; like the circle of life, you are born of the dust, to return to the dust. That is not real life! Just saying...

"Jesus answered and said unto her, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."" (John 4:13-14 KJV) 

"The Easy Choice"

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36 KJV) 

  "For example, there was God's promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying, "I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number." Then Abraham waited patently, and he received what God had promised." (Hebrews 6:13-15 NLT)

  Maybe we don't get to see what we have been given; but the fact that God has promised us eternal life, is enough to give us life in His promise! God does not lie! Abraham passed before the fulfillment of what God said He would do, as he was not here long enough to see descendants beyond number; but he was blessed in knowing that God was going to make it happen; just trusting in God to perform it, that was enough to give him hope and joy for what was to come, regardless of whether or not he was around to see it fulfilled. 

  I hope we see what this means and how it is that we must use this as our quest to make it through to the other side. This is what faith is meant to be, a reason for hope, which is not based upon what we see, but what we believe is going to happen, because God has promised that it would! It is by our believing, that we are given hope; if we do not believe, then there is no hope, just misery and death to look forward to, instead of a chance for something great and wonderful. Who wants to live like that! 

  I guess what I am trying to say, is that there is a great benefit in our belief, even if there might be some chance it does not have the outcome we might hope for; we have the gift of blessings in this life by looking forward towards the next. 'Yes, but what if my life is not blessed, and my life is miserable and filled with pain and suffering?' Something to think about, don't you think? 

  Okay, let's pretend it was so, and you have nothing here that gives you any sort of comfort, at all. You might even have been mortally wounded, physically destroyed, or your life torn apart, beyond the chance of it being put back together again. What is it that could possibly give you hope and make you feel blessed? It could come easily and without much effort...

""The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD'S favor has come."" (Luke 4:18-19 NLT)    

"The Lord of All"

 "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand." (John 3:35 KJV)

  "Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11 NLT) 

  If you are the least bit interested in pleasing God, it should interest you to honor His Son and to give Him the praise that He has earned. Truth be told, you can honor Him now and be blessed in doing so; or, you can honor Him later on, because you will have no other choice put to fall on your knees in humility and anguish. Your choice, no pressure here; just think about it and weigh the cost! 

 The most important thing we can do, as servants of our King, is to make known what it is that He has done for us, all of us! There is not a single person alive on this earth that does not qualify for the gift of God's abundant grace; it is there for the choosing, but it requires that they make the choice. Not all can or will, because it is not something that many can see as a need, let alone feel is important. 

  Well, since it has become such an unimportant item, it should be made known that it is not something that is negotiable. In other words, it is only one way, it can not be transferred, and it cannot be canceled; to those that might think it is not all that important, it is more important and unique than the very air that we breath! If you think that is not so, then you need to think again. 

  As much as I would like to think I know about anything, I find I have mastered nothing; that goes for anything and everything, including sin. Did you know that you are not born free from sin? Just in case you did not know this, there is no need for you to be taught to sin; no one needs to instruct you how to tell a lie; no one needs to show you how to be angry or cry if you don't get your way. These are things that just come naturally and inherently.

  When I first got saved, I remember what it was like to sin; it was not the same as before, because this time I was aware of my sin, that it was sin; sin that had been dealt with on the cross of Christ! Now it was no longer inherent or natural; it was actually something that felt unnatural and inherently wrong! David used the term, "iniquity," to illustrate what this might look like, as he says, "Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." (Psalms 32:2)

  If you are still looking for an answer to what makes you squirm and feel uncomfortable, it is most likely not the atmosphere that is around you, but the sin that is inside of you. Just saying...

"For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of Light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it says, "Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light."" (Ephesians 5:8-14 NLT) 

"The Fullness of God" -2

 "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him." (John 3:34 KJV) 

  "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." (1 John 4:9 KJV)

  Because we sometimes don't listen so well, God needed to demonstrate to us, that which His word has been saying all along, that He loves us! In other words, God used action to not only demonstrate how much He loves us; but the action He used was enough to also get the us redemption and eternal life, in the process! You really have got to admire how God works: He doesn't just make things happen, He makes things completely and thoroughly happen!

  In the process, we are given a chance to be a part of something that is abundantly worthwhile; even at the expense of our own lives, if that might be required. Not to be dogmatic, but if it comes right down to it, we are, in this life, totally expendable, compared to the overall picture. As a matter of fact, there might even be more use for some of us, sooner dead, than alive. (I am referencing myself, in case you are asking.) 

  That said, there is something we need to understand about what this life is compared to that life which is to come: this life is just a wink of an eye, in comparison to eternity with Jesus; so try not to make so much out of what you might do or not do, because there is so much more that is to come. These are the things that I keep reminding myself about, as I am moving into the eighteenth year with my wife in her current condition. 

  Not that I am looking for anyone to feel sorry for me, because it is an honor for me to be entrusted with caring for her all these years. In all these years, she has never yet needed to be taken to the hospital or been in a threat of needing emergency care. There have been a couple of times when we were concerned, maybe even worried; but in those times I have the hired help go home, while I stay and watch to see what God might have me do. 

  Everyone that is in the know, knows that we do not call 911; if there is nothing we can do, then we can do nothing. That is the point I guess that I am trying to make. We are given this time to care for one another, and that is pretty much the bottom line. If you are looking for the fullness of God in your own life, then there is where you will find it, loving and caring for one another...

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." (1 John 4:10-12 KJV) 

"The Fullness of God"

 "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him." (John 3:34 KJV)

  "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power." (Colossians 2:9-10 KJV)

  Before I accepted Jesus into my heart, this was something I would not even try to understand; it would have been something that I could not even have tried to think of, for fear that it would pull me into some sort of corruption of the mind, or take me into some sort spiritual depression, by simply trying to explore the possibilities. No joke; this was the concept I had been raised with and my understanding of how it all worked. 

  The Passage from Isaiah 9:6 is my favorite to share with those that come knocking on my door; it is by far the most announcing Scripture to the power and might of Jesus Christ. Yet, the stupid answer I get in response, I hate to even say it, shows no respect to power and truth of God's written word. Those that will challenge what it says, pretend to believe that it declares that Jesus would simply be called those things, but it did not mean that He would be those things. 

  It is pretty much the same reply you get when you mention the reply Thomas blurted out after putting his finger in the hand, and fist in the side of Jesus, saying, "My Lord and my God!" They try to say that Thomas cursed, as if his astonishment caused him to shout out, 'Oh my God,' type of a response. Which, if you have half a mind to think, you would see that it should have resulted in a totally different response from Jesus.  

  There is no other way that we can begin to understand the truth, than having the Truth within us! If the Spirit of God is not abiding within you, you will not see the connection; you cannot see the connection, because you are not connected yourself to the Truth. Long story short: you are spiritually blind. Don't take that wrong if you fall into this type of understanding of whether or not Jesus is God; it is really not your fault; but it will be your fault if you stay that way! 

  This is mostly the point of what John is trying to say, that Jesus was not just some other prophet or teacher or messenger of God: He was from God and there was no limit to the Spirit of God within Him. Now, I don't know what you have been told about the concept of God's power, but last I checked, the Bible is pretty clear, His power has no limits...

"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." (1 Corinthians 12:1-3 KJV) 

"The Father's Son" -2

"He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that receiveth his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true." (John 3:31-33 KJV)

  "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." (Isaiah 9:6-7 KJV) 

  Whether or not we can understand what everything means, is not really what we should be worried about, because we are not meant to understand everything, only what we know to be true. For some, that is just not enough; if they cannot see the whole, then they cannot receive The Sum! Basically, the only way we can get to that point, is not by trying to figure everything out, but by simply believing God is true! 

  Really, this is something that is between you and God; no one can convince you or persuade you into any kind of belief, because if that were so, then someone else could get you to change your mind. This is a matter of believing within your own heart, making it sure, and then trusting that God fortify your heart. You will know in your heart that it is true; your mind will sometimes wonder, but your heart will know what is true and what is false. 

  Do you know why I know that is so? Because He is living in my heart! It is abundantly clear what is what; and just in case I don't know the answer, I know the Sum, so the particulars are not really my real concern. If you know how it is going to end, you really don't need to worry about the trials or the storms along the way! Just am observation, in case you are wondering...

"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of salvation: in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:11-14 KJV)  

"The Father's Son"

 "He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true." (John 3:31-33 KJV)

  "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (2 Corinthians 3:3-6 KJV) 

  I know I can be a little strange, but I have something to quickly say about yesterday's post, and then I will be able to move on. It is important that we try to understand John's heart in this matter, because if anyone can begin to understand what Jesus was all about, it was John the Baptist. As to the whole point of Abraham's head servant, Eliezer: he was considered to be like Abraham's son; as a matter of fact, before Abraham even had a son, when God told him he would make him abundantly great, Abraham questioned if might be through his head servant, Eliezer of Damascus, seeing how he was childless. (Genesis 15:1-4) 

  This same servant was sent to Abraham's home of origination to find a wife for Isaac. Now, it might seem a little strange, but you must understand Eliezer's heart, as his heart was much like John's. Eliezer was in charge of everything that Abraham possessed, all of his wealth; yet Isaac was Abraham's son, who would inherit all of Abraham's wealth. It is hard to understand the servant's heart of a man in that position, as he had no desire for earthly riches, but only to please his master's; both Abraham, as well as Isaac, Abraham's son. 

  Anywho, it is just an earthly point of view, so pay no it attention. This stuff we are looking at today, it however, is a little more heavenly minded and should make a littler better sense. (Yah, right!) Say for instance that four letter word, "seal," that is a pretty sensible place to start. This is rather interesting to consider, as it was the same thing we see in the illustration above; seeing that a seal is meant to be like a vault! Yes, that's right, a vault or place of security; a place that is a verb, which is quite unusual, but at the same time, it makes perfect sense. 

  The whole idea that is being made, is that of authenticity, whether towards something or of something, the quality of being authentic never changes. The whole world might change around it, life goes on, time passes, but this "seal" is untouchable and cannot be moved, no way, no how, and without a doubt...

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved: in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his great pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him." (Ephesians 1:3-10 KJV) 

  

"Incredible Shrinking Man"

"Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:28-30 KJV) 

  "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2 KJV)

  There are some things we can see very plainly, as they are meant to be out in the open and easy to see; then there are those things which are mostly hidden, which are meant to be looked for, therefore making us dig and search for, thereby allowing us to have a deeper look, by working to see. Interesting as it is, this is not just something that John knew by observation; this was something John lived for, if you will: This was his purpose! 

  It is really hard to describe John's character as it might pertain to a marriage; say, if he might have resembled that of the best man, or the father of the bride; or possibly the maid of honor; or even the one that officiated the ceremony. Oddly enough, I picture him more to be like Eliezer of Damascus, whom hardly anyone might know, yet was instrumental in the making of the story; with a very special and meaningful purpose, but with only joy of achieving his purpose in mind. 

  Oddly enough, Eliezer, according to some records was the son of Nimrod; Nimrod being the one who was instrumental in the building of the Tower of Babel. Don't ask me why, but there are just some things which don't add up, while other things are just way over our heads; but you can bet your bottom dollar, God holds the keys to every mystery! 

  I will rest here for now, as I am feeling thirsty and need water; this journey was hard and I need some maiden to show up and give me a drink; and maybe even for my camels...

"Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory." (Romans 5:1-2 NLT)   

   

"The Right Stuff"

 "John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." (John 3:27 KJV) 

  "So also Christ glorified not himself to be made high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee." (Hebrews 5:5 KJV) 

  Believe it or not, but when God sets something into motion, you better believe that He will see to it that it does what He had intended it to do. We can sometimes loose sight on that, given the amount of time it takes for God to make things all fall into place. Moses was delivered unto the Egyptians as a little baby, only to deliver Israel from the Egypt 80 years later. 

  This was God's plan all along, as He foretold it to Abraham, when He had made Abraham aware of situation his offspring would be in, and then showed Abraham how they would be delivered. (Genesis 15:13-14) It really takes some doing to do what God can do, because God gets things done! He's always working, even when we don't think He's working, He never stops working! 

  That is the message we must get from what John is going to explain, as we are not the doer's in this story, we are simply the vessels used by Him that does! What John did not do, was bend to the level by which his disciples were coming at him with; which is to question the authority and the position of Jesus, since it was John who baptized Him. 

  Matthew Henry puts his integrity in this light: "His disciples expected that he would have resented this matter as they did; but Christ's manifestation to Israel was no surprise to John, but what he looked for; it was not disturbance to him, but what he wished for. He therefore checked to complaint, as Moses, Enviest thou for my sake? and took this occasion to confirm the testimonies he had formerly borne to Christ as superior to him, cheerfully consigning and turning over to him all the interest he had in Israel. In this discourse here, the first minister of the gospel (for so John was) is an excellent pattern to all ministers to humble themselves and to exalt the Lord Jesus." 

 I had the opportunity yesterday to here a little message that confirmed something I felt was true, but is hard to prove or make sense of, considering the opposition that is presented to it being the case. It was something Pastor Richard said about a fellow Pastor friend of his that was struggling with playing around, that God took him out! He mentioned that he expected to see him in heaven, but God took him home due to his infidelity. 

  Much like what I had mentioned before regarding Ananias and Sapphira his wife; that I expected to see them in heaven, because God used them as a testimony to the consequences of lying to God. It is pretty much a promise, if you will: God's judgment starts in His house! Not quite sure yet how that is connected to this story, except that it is all part of God's work, that which He keeps on working...

""Don't let anyone call you 'Rabbi,' for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. And don't address anyone here on earth as 'Father', for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. And don't let anyone call you 'Teacher,' for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."" (Matthew 23:8-12 NLT)