| Quenching the thirst:
3. He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. 4. And he must needs go through Samaria. ( Remember most Jews would not even go thru Samaria for it was what we might call the ghetto of the world, Jews hated the Samaritans who were half breeds, Jews would rather go around that city than thru it, but thanks be to God that Jesus goes where others dare not, where others fear, others hesitate, there was something or someone there that got Gods attention and sent his mercy and compassion to Samaria! could it have been this lowly umarried woman? who some called an adulturess, who had already had 5 husbands which left her with no offspring and no support but plenty of pain and shame, hurt and despair, and it was this woman who got the attention of God ah but you see he feels after our hurts and troubles and he cares! thats why he must needs go thru your Samaria) 6. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: 7. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 9. Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10. 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. 11. 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? 13. Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14. 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. 15. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. 19. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 26. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. 31. In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. 32. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 34. Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. ( our purpose and our fulfillment, our meat so to speak, does not always come from the physical things in life but from doing the will and word of our Father! " obedience is better than sacrifice") 41. And many more believed because of his own word; 37. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) John chpt. 5 1. After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. ( You see the troubled waters of your life are not coincedence or chance, and when ur life's waters are troubled all you need do is step in to it not away from it, there is hope, healing and wholeness! even in our troubled situations and circumstances) 5. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? ( Jesus see's what we or others dont see? he cares not a day of our misery passes his attention) 7. The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. ( Isn't that like life and some folks when you need help or you are hopeless, and the waters of your life have beeen troubled and just when it seems like your healing or answer is in the making? somebody else steps in and claims ur blessing! oh thanks be to God that he'll come to you if need be but you'll have to reach up for him, call on him, trust in him ) 8. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. ( no it doesnt always take God forever to bring healing or results and answers to our problems and needs) 10. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. ( Isn't that like some so called religous folks they always want to refuse even outlaw God's work in peoples lives they always have away of finding excuses to justify rejecting his word and his healing power! not only for themselves but for others also) 14. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. (Now look at that! Jesus not only wants to heal us but also to make us whole, he delights in restoring, giving back what was taken, he doesn more than just forgive he revives) 15. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. The thought or theme: Notice Jesus said if any man thirst? come unto me! For the Living water he spoke of was the precious presence of his Holy Spirit! Yes Jesus will go out of his way to reach for us, he'll go the less traveled road, but realize tough and difficult times will come " for it rains on the just and the unjust" and it will be our choice to either let them make us better or bitter? to draw us closer or further from his presence? to either build our character or point out our character flaws, to show our allegence to him or our independence from him " In the world you shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world .. and greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world" sometimes we will have to lay our own ideas, independence, mis-conceptions, bitterness and resentments all aside, let go of them, sometimes we use them as a crutch, an excuse, a banner? sometimes they simply blind us to a deeper walk with him, to his wonderous ways and plans for us, his will? sometimes more often than not pain and misery, hurt and disappoinment hinder and blind us, holding us back from great things in God! but we must learn to go to the well of living water ( Jesus) remember he said " out of your belly shall flow rivers of living waters ( joy) " " therefor with joy shall ye draw water from the wells of salvation" which Paul said was " Christ in you the hope of glory Joy unspeakable and full of glory" " what he meant was that we'll never get real Joy or satisfaction from just the routine and tradition of things, from just going thru the motions, or quoting the scripture verses, from casual prayers, or just believing without any demonstration of our faith! no Joy without applying the bible to our hearts & lives, but it will come from his indweling presence and abiding in him & him in us! its time to proclaim his Lordship! he is the mighty God in Jesus! " is any thing to hard for God" its time to drink, drink and drink more, take to the fullest measure! A prayer: Dearest Father! Help me today to realize that you have all the answers to my questions and troubles, doubts and fears, I pray for your Spirit to grant me ur divine wisdom and understanding, help me to discern right from wrong, the wise from the foolish, the biblical from the unbiblical, the truth from the lies, please Daddy when I walk thru the dry and dusty valley of despair and disppointment, when my soul is famish, my heart empty, my mind frustrated, my body broken, weary, and thirsting for hope & comfort! be our Rock! our Living water, our bread of life, please keep me from the traditions of man, from the deception of the enemy whether it be friends, family or foe, from the counsel of the unbiblical, you are Lord! stay that way, you are our hope! we acknowledge you as a loving, kind, caring and forgiving father and God! oh blessed be the name of the Lord! we praise you even in this difficult time, you are still worthy, still able! still glorious! direct us to ur wells of living water, give us comfort in place of confusion, hope in place of hurt, faith in place of fear! forgive us our sins daddy, love in place of doubt, glorify your name thru our ministry and lives, help us to step into the troubled waters in faith, and I thank you my dear Lord for taking the time to hear me and to answer me, for giving me life and hope.. AMEN Prepared by : George R. Nava 2170 E. Market St. Stockton, Ca phone -46-59731 |