REVIVAL – THE LIVING WATER (9) – FALLING IN LOVE WITH JESUS – WATERPOT LEFT BEHIND    

Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled Revival – The Living water (9) “Falling in love with Jesus!” Her main text was taken from the Book of John chapter 4:13-42. We are still studying the wonderful revelation of the Living Water offered by the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a symbol of eternal life, salvation, spiritual maturity, being filled with the Spirit, true worship, and revival. The simplest definition of revival is a repeat of the Book of Acts! The Living Water is offered by the Lord to the Woman at the well. The Samaritan woman is a sinner. She is also religious. She is seeking for truth, for meaning in her life. Our Lord directs the conversation to the point of the revelation of Himself. Please notice how He gently ‘increases and purifies’ the vision of salvation in her heart. Initially she sees him as a man, a needy man, a stranger, and a Jew. Then she sees him as a Prophet. Lastly, she sees Him as Christ, her Savior, and her Lord! He tells her about the true worship and then, He reveals Himself to her. “I who speak to you am He” (Jn 4:26). This is the exact moment when saving faith is born in her heart. She instantly believes that Christ is the Messiah. This is the moment when King Grace saves her soul! This is when, for the first time in her life, she drank the Living Water! From this moment in time, she is never the same person again! Halleluiah! As we read these words, we sense the power and the holiness of that moment. There is a wonderful anointing on this encounter. We feel it too as we read the story. Heaven rejoices when a sinner is saved. Our Lord said this: “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Lk 15:7). We join the hosts of heaven and cry: “Worthy is the Lamb!” (Rev 5:12). Glory to God!

WATERPOT LEFT BEHIND – CHRIST AND HIS WORK IS THE NEW PRIORITY

The Samaritan woman has an encounter with the Lord. She is convicted of sin, and she truly repents of her sin. The eyes of her understanding got open, and she becomes saved. She now drinks the Living Water. From that moment, she is a new person. She is now born again, a child of God. She leaves the waterpot at the well and she runs to the city. She calls the people saying: “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” The result was that they went out of the city and came to Him. The woman left the waterpot at the well. Why? She did not become overexcited and forgot about it. The waterpot represents her former life, the life of sin. It also represents her natural life on earth, the work of her hands. She purposely leaves the waterpot at the well. She calls the men in the city: “Come and see a Man…”. She did not tell them: “Go and see a Man…”. No! She intended to go back with them, to bring them to Jesus! Her waterpot was the point of contact for her testimony. She brought many to Jesus, so that they can listen to Him. She came back to her waterpot. She did not abandon it. She will still do her work on earth, but a greater love has taken over her heart. Christ, His work is now her priority! Family, business, all these can wait! The woman has changed completely. She is not the same person. She has lost her shame and fears. In the past, she comes to the well at noon time. Nobody comes to draw water in the heat of the day. But she comes at that inconvenient time because she wants to avoid the people who criticize her. She has been doing that for many years. But now, she is no longer ashamed of her past of sin. Christ has forgiven her sins. Christ has given her a new spirit. She is now a child of God. She has a new freedom and courage to talk to people.

The Samaritan woman left the waterpot behind as a symbol that her heart is still with Jesus. Christianity is a fallen in love with Jesus. The believer becomes Christ obsessed, and Christ focused. From that moment when the Christian drinks the living water, all other things become secondary. For the Samaritan woman, her waterpot was her identity. She hated coming daily to draw water. Nevertheless, the thing she hated the most was her life. Slavery was her identity. For the first time, she leaves her life behind and moves on to find another life. This losing and finding is possible only in Christ Jesus. No other theory, philosophy or religion can help you move from past to the future, from darkness to light. Christ in her now has become an all-consuming passion. She has fallen in love with Jesus! This power inside, this spring of water flowing from her heart, will define her from now on. The way she will look at God, at herself, at the world in general, all these will be different. Christ has now become her defining passion. Christ is now her priority. She will live to please her Christ and to do His will. His Word will satisfy her, and His Spirit will fill her. The waterpot can wait.

The woman leaves her waterpot at the well and goes to the city to tell the people about Jesus. Her action is spontaneous and joyful. Nobody is commanding or forcing her to leave her watersport there and go to evangelize. This is true Christianity. Why does she run to the city calling people to Jesus? Why is she so quick to do the work of God? First, it is because she is a new person. She has discovered the truth about Jesus. He is the Messiah, the Savior! She has had a glimpse of His power, love, and glory! This revelation is extraordinary to her. She feels compelled by love to share the good news to others. In the past, she saw the people as wicked, mocking and judging her because of her past of sin. Now, she sees them differently. She knows that they too are sinners, thirsty for meaning in life. She identifies with them because she has experienced the power of salvation. She has something to give to others. She has a voice and a message. “Come and see a Man”, she says! The reason for her faith and confidence is because she has met with authority. All people desire to meet with true authority. They want to submit and bow and worship someone who knows it all. That Person is Jesus! Our Lord is the ultimate authority in the universe. Some believe Jesus, worship Him and witness to others. But even face to face with Jesus, refuse to believe. “When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen” (Mt 28:17-20). It is only somebody who has experienced genuine salvation, who is filled with the Holy Spirit that has enough compassion for others. That person alone is willing to pay the price to save souls. This is the truth: If you fall in love with somebody, no one will force you to talk about your lover! It is the same in the Spirit’ realm. If you are truly saved, nobody will force you to talk about Jesus! You will tell all people: “Come and see a Man!”  

SALVATION IS A RADICAL CHANGE

What are the lessons? All true born-again Christians are radically changed. Christianity is not an addition or an improvement to your former lifestyle. It is called ‘a new creation’. It is a new life. The same power God used in Genesis 1:1 to create the heavens and the earth, God uses to create a child of God. The word ‘create’ means to produce something out of nothing. Men and devils cannot create anything. Only God creates! “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor 5:17). Nicodemus was a great religious teacher in Israel. Our Lord called him ‘The Teacher of Israel’ (Jn 3:10). But he did not know the basics of a relationship with God. Our Lord told him: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (Jn 3:5, 6). As you can see, religion and pride are obstacles on the road of salvation. The Samaritan woman became saved before the great Nicodemus. This is the mystery of salvation! It is the power of the Holy Spirit!     

This is another lesson: Anytime you see that Christians need to be trained in the Bible school on how to evangelize, something is not right. When Christians need to be begged, or to be manipulated to spread the Word, something is wrong. I am not saying that it is wrong to give some guidelines about evangelism. But if there is human pressure to share the Word about Jesus, that is wrong. This woman discovered that once she became saved, once she drank the Living Water, a new power started working in her. It is the power ‘to will and to do’ God’s pleasure (Phil 2:13). It is that internal power of the Holy Spirit that propels her to evangelize. This is God’s method from the beginning. The Gospel is spread ‘organically’, as man talks to man. God places people around you for this very purpose, that you talk to them about Jesus and His Living Water. That is how Andrew called his brother Peter to Jesus. Andrew “found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus” (Jn 1:41,42). In the same way, Philip brought Nathaniel to Jesus. “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (Jn 1:45, 46). This man-to man method to spread the Gospel was applied throughout the Book of Acts. During the persecution, many believers had to run away from Jerusalem. “Therefore, those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word” (Ac 8:4). The word ‘preaching’ does not mean standing behind a pulpit. It is the spreading of the Gospel as man talks to man. Some commentators described it as ‘gossiping’ the Word. We should not gossip about negative things, but we should gossip the Word of God with others!  Great crusades have their own value but the personal touch among people is still the best method to bring people to Jesus.

THE DANGER OF RELIGION

The evil spirit of religion is the greatest enemy against true salvation. Many Christians believe the scriptures, but they do not press on to have a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus. Many read this encounter between the Samaritan woman and Christ, but they look at it only as a beautiful story in the past. They are not able to believe that we too, those living in these last days, can experience exactly the same miraculous salvation and filling with the Holy Spirit. They admire the story from afar. They refuse to enter into its revelation. This faith in the scriptures that only applies to history, or to the past, is not true living faith. This is one reason why revival is absent in many churches. Our Lord rejected this religious faith that believes in the Bible but is disconnected to the present reality. Our Lord said to the religious leaders: “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life” (Jn 5:39, 40). To have faith in Jesus is not only about the past. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever’ (Heb 13:8). What is the purpose of the scriptures? It is to bring us to the Living Christ, to have an encounter with Him, right now! Faith always works in the present moment! If not, it is not true saving faith! “Now, faith is…” (Heb 11;1).

The evil spirit of religion tells you to go to church, to study the Bible, but you are not able to apply it practically in your life today! Because of that, you cannot experience revival or miracles. Appy this test to yourself: When you read the Bible, do you expect to meet with the Lord Jesus Christ thru His word? Do you expect to hear His voice, to guide and strengthen you, thru His Word? Do you expect His miraculous help now, as you read the Word? Are you able to apply God’s Word to your present circumstances? If not, something is wrong somewhere. Your faith is ‘damaged’. You are either not born-again, or you are backsliding! Therefore, examine your faith, your spiritual foundation! Think of it: what is the purpose of reading this story in John chapter 4 if you cannot apply it to your present life? The Samaritan woman was religious before she met the Lord. But she was still in bondage of sin and thirsty for the living water. The Bible is a religious and historical book. Everything in the Bible is a description of historical facts. But The Bible is more than that! It is the Word of God! Thru its pages, the only Living God speaks to you! The reason you read the scriptures is to connect with the God of the scriptures. If not, you read the Bible in vain. May God open the eyes of your understanding to see the truth and to obey it!

THE LORD JESUS IS ALIVE AND MANIFESTS HIMSELF TO US NOW

Read the Book of Acts. On the day of Pentecost, our Lord sent the Holy Spirit. At that time, the Lord Jesus was not physically present with His disciples. He was with His disciples thru the Holy Spirit. Study the way Peter, John and the others spoke and behaved. They believed that Jesus was with them presently, not like a Man who has died. Faith always believes that Jesus lives and reigns at this present moment! The reason why the Psalmist was not afraid during trials is because he believed that God is with him always. “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Ps 46:1, 2). It is not enough to believe that in the past, God helped David killed Goliath. This faith connected only with the past is not sufficient for me in the midst of a trial. I need to believe that the same God that helped David is with me now, that God is my refuge, my strength, and my very present help in my trouble right now! I must believe that God is the only Living God. He will surely manifest and help me now, in His own special way, in my present trial. The experience of all the believers, in the history of the church is that God is faithful and He indeed manifests and saves them during all trials. Apostle Paul said: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1Cor 10:13). If you have not experienced His faithfulness, His mighty help in each trial of your life, then it means that you are not saved. Examine your spiritual foundation! A Christian believes that Jesus lives and reigns forevermore, and that He is the King of kings right now! A child of God does not live by spiritual memories. The experience you had when you became saved is only the foundation of your faith. You must build on it. You cannot live on past glories! You must grow spiritually! You must continuously drink the free-flowing Living Water!

Read the story of how Stephen died. It should encourage us greatly. Jesus was with him to his last breath. “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Ac 7:55-60). When the religious leaders were stoning Stephen to death, he saw the Lord Jesus. Clearly, the Lord Jesus was the present help in times of his need. It was the will of God for Stephen to die as a martyr for his faith. His death was not in vain. He died as a champion of faith. Jesus did not save him from physical death because he gave him a greater testimony. Stephen saw Jesus as he was dying. It was not a vision. He was not imagining Jesus. He did not try to remember some scriptures he has memorized in the past. No! He was strengthened by seeing Jesus Himself as He is in heaven right now. The prevailing revelation of Jesus is that in heaven, He sits on the throne. But Stephen saw Jesus standing, as a sign of total encouragement towards him. That is why Stephen received the grace to pray for his enemies and to pass gloriously from earth to heaven. What a testimony! Jesus cares! Jesus is with us to the end or our lives and forever! Selah!

Apostle Paul saw the resurrected Christ on the way to Damascus. This is how he became saved, and Spirit filled. The Lord appeared to him to encourage him during his trials. This is Pauls’ testimony how the Lord spoke to him and directed him where to go and what to do. “Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’ So, I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting [b]to his death and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles” (Ac 22:17-21). Later, The Lord Jesus said to him that the people cannot kill him in Jerusalem because he must go to Rome to preach there too. “The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome” (Ac 23:11). The Lord helped Paul when all men either opposed his ministry or they forsook him. “Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also, I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” (2 Tim 4:14-18). You can see that Paul has a personal present intimate relationship with the Risen Christ. Do you have this testimony? If you are a child of God, you should! Paul and the other saints were always conscious of the presence of the Lord with them. Their testimony is the proof that they were drinking the Living Water. The assurance of God’s presence was enough for them. They became bold to preach God’s Word. They became mighty warriors in prayer. They were filled with wisdom, peace, and joy! They were not thirsty for the things of the world anymore. This is the true Christianity.

This is a question people ask: Is it possible to feel the presence of the Lord the way the Samaritan woman experienced it? The answer is yes! This is the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ before He went to heaven. “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him. Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (Jn 14:19-23). All the saints agree that this is one of the greatest promises in the Bible. The Lord Jesus promised that He will personally manifest to His obedient worshippers. When our Lord said that He will ‘manifest’ Himself, He meant that He would make Himself clearly known in a special way. He will become spiritually visible and so close that the child of God will be able to ‘feel’ Him. God the Father and God the Son will come to live in the same house with Their child on earth. This manifestation is much deeper than what we receive when we newly become saved. These are mountain peaks of spiritual experiences. They are not for just some special people, but for all the believers who pay the price for such intimate fellowship with the only Living God. Do you long for a deeper relationship with Christ?   

How can we find the Lord in this special way? How can we always drink the Living Water? How can we pray for revival? The first thing to do is to seek the Lord always. You must become desperate for Christ, obsessed with Him! Seek Christ in His Word. Seek Christ during the Holy Communion. Expect to meet with the Lord always, especially during the preaching of God’s word and during worship. Fast and pray about your desire to have a deeper relationship with Him. Be willing to repent from all religious attitudes that have no life in them. Humble yourself. Make sure that you totally surrender yourself before God! Repent from pride and doubt! Pay the price for spiritual maturity. “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (Jam 4:8). Remember that the Lord desires to meet with you and to reveal Himself to you. He loves you more than you love Him! Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Immediately you sense His presence drawing closer to you, forget all things and stand still, waiting for Him to speak. Cultivate this spiritual sensitivity! Read books about other believers, about revival. They will inspire you to pay the price for spiritual maturity. God will help you! Faithfully serve God in your local church! The Lord will reward you spiritually and materially!

Do you desire a deeper relationship with Jesus? Can you say with the Psalmist that you thirst like the deer in the desert, that your deep calls unto God’s deep? “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?”  Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me” (Psalm 42:1-3, 7). Have you felt this restlessness in His rest, this deep painful longing for the living water brooks of God? Can you live without Christ? Is He your priority? Is He your very life? He only manifests Himself to those He can trust, to the true worshippers who worship Him unconditionally, in spirit and in truth! May we be among the few who pay the price for revival! Worship the Lord!   

There are many books written about the leadership. I read somewhere that there are more than 800 different definitions of what is a leader. It is possible that because of so many words, few people know what a true leader is. There are many leaders in different areas: political, social, business, and religious. We are interested only in spiritual leadership. Leadership is a gift of God. It is given to a believer for the benefit of the Body of Christ and for the glory of God.

A spiritual leader is a believer in Christ who is called by God to lead others to Him. He leads them by the power of the Holy Spirit. He inspires them thru the Word of God and his own behavior. God uses His Christian character as a light to draw people closer to him. The Leader leads the people to God, to His purposes for them. The leader does not bring people to his personal dreams or future plans. He leads them to God. He studies the Word of God to find the plan and the purpose of God so that he can lead people to those. This is the key to spiritual leadership: leading people to God’s purposes. God is not bound to the opinions of men about what leadership is. God is not interested in the physical appearance, but He searches the hearts of men to find faithfulness, humility, and a willingness to learn and obey. Popularity is not leadership. True leaders stay faithful to God and obey Him as they lead men into their destiny.

The people of Israel wanted a king like the other nations. That is how God gave them King Saul, who later proved to be unfitted for the throne. Later, God directed Samuel to choose the next king of Israel, King David. The prophet was an old, experienced man of God at that time. But even Samuel could have been deceived by appearances. David’s elder brothers look more royal than him. But God rejected them from that position. God made His choice based on the heart of David and not by his appearance (1Sam 16:6-13).

LEAD WITH DILIGENCE

“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness” (Rom 12:6-8). The gift of leadership is to be done ‘with diligence’. In Greek, this word means to lead with ‘speed, zeal, and enthusiasm. It means to serve God with all your heart, by taking your responsibility seriously, in leading people to Him. Diligence is a steady, persistent, constant, and energetic effort to accomplish your goal. Simply said, you need to work hard, to try your best to please God by leading men to Him. You press on until you see results. The opposite of diligence is to be careless, passive, irresponsible, idle, sleepy, or spiritually dead.

OUR LORD – THE GREATEST EXAMPLE OF A TRUE LEADER

The greatest model we have in leadership is the Lord Jesus Christ. He did not come to earth to fulfill His plans or personal dreams. He said it again and again that He came sent by the God the Father and to do the will and the work of the Father. The devil tried to make Him do His own will, but Jesus refused and rejected all these temptations. He remained faithful to the Will of God unto His death. “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Lk 2:48-52). We need to grow in knowledge and grace like Jesus! We need to increase in favor with God and men! The Lord Jesus did not come to do His will on earth. His relationship with God the Father was His constant source of strength and wisdom. Listen to what our Lord said:

“Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (Jn 4:34)

“So, Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does” (Jn 5:19)

“I can do nothing on my own initiative or authority. Just as I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just (fair, righteous, unbiased), because I do not seek My own will, but only the will of Him who sent Me” (Jn 5:30; AMP).

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (Jn 6:38).

It should be our deepest desire to be like Jesus! Because Jesus did the will of the Father to the end, the Father raised Him from the dead and made Him Lord of all. Therefore, like Jesus, true leaders are tested and true followers. Like Jesus, the spiritual leader knows God the Father intimately. He waits for God to move, then he joins in His work. During difficult times, true leaders do not run away like the hirelings. They stay with the people until they have achieved their God’s given destinies. Even when the people are rebellious, they still lead them to God. A good example is Moses. Most people rebelled against God and Moses, and they died in the desert. But God still used Moses as their leader until he died. True leaders have a high sense of responsibility towards God. Examine yourselves! Search your hearts! Do you desire to give God all the glory for your lives and ministries? Then God will provide all that you need, spiritually and physically, for the work of the ministry and for His glory! In Jesus’ name, amen!

(From Malia)

REVIVAL – THE LIVING WATER (8) – CONVICTION OF SIN

COME AND SEE A MAN!!!

Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled Revival – The Living water (8) (Conviction of sin). Her main text was taken from the Book of John. “Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?” The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him” (Jn 4:13-30).

We are still studying the wonderful revelation of the Living Water offered by the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a symbol of eternal life, salvation, spiritual maturity, being filled with the Spirit, true worship, and revival. The simplest definition of revival is a repeat of the Book of Acts! The Living Water is offered by the Lord to the Woman at the well. The Samaritan woman is a sinner. She is also religious. She is seeking for truth, for meaning in her life. Our Lord directs the conversation to the point of the revelation of Himself. Please notice how He gently ‘increases and purifies’ the vision of salvation in her heart. Initially she sees him as a man, a needy man, a stranger, and a Jew. Then she sees him as a Prophet. Lastly, she sees Him as Christ, her Savior, and her Lord! He tells her about the true worship and then, He reveals Himself to her. “I who speak to you am He” (Jn 4:26). This is the exact moment when saving faith is born in her heart. She instantly believes that Christ is the Messiah. This is the moment when King Grace saves her soul! This is when she became born again, when she became a true worshipper of the only Living God. This is when, for the first time in her life, she drank the Living Water! From this moment in time, she is never the same person again! Halleluiah! As we read these words, we sense the power and the holiness of that moment. There is a wonderful anointing on this encounter. We feel it too as we read the story. Heaven rejoices when a sinner is saved. Our Lord said this: “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Lk 15:7). We join the hosts of heaven and cry: “Worthy is the Lamb!” (Rev 5:12). In our Christian life and ministry, we all need to come to this holy moment. Eternal life bursts forth when truth is revealed as Love who died for us, that we may live! Glory to God!

SIN – THE HINDRANCE TO THE LIVING WATER

Our Lord guides this woman towards Himself, the only source of Living Water. As a sheep following her shepherd, she trusts, and she follows Him. Slowly, she sees that Jesus offers her a much greater life, much more satisfying than what she has experienced. She sees that He offers her something that no man can give to her. She is making spiritual progress. She comes to the point of faith saying: “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw”. This is a prayer. Talking to Jesus is prayer. At this moment, the Lord reveals to her the hindrance. That hindrance is called sin! She is a sinner. She desires a greater life, but she must repent of her sin. The Living Water comes from the Cross! Her flesh must die so that her spirit can live. This is the Gospel of Christ Crucified and Resurrected, the only hope for mankind. Glory to God!

As you can see, immediately the woman expresses her desire to drink the free-living-water, our Lord suddenly changes the subject. He exposes her sin.  “Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet” (Jn 4:16-19). This is the center of the conversation. We should not be impatient and run over it. Doctor Jesus diagnoses her sickness and the reason why she is not fulfilled in this life. That ‘sickness’ is called sin! She now knows that she sin-sick. For the first time she knows that she needs a Savior who will not judge her for her sin, but who will forgive all her sins. She needs peace with God before she can have peace with men. Later, when she runs to the town to tell her people about Jesus, the first words that come from her lips were these: “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did.” (Jn 4:29). She did not tell them about worship or the living water. What impressed and excited her the most was that Jesus ‘told her all the (sinful) things that she ever did’. What is the meaning of these words?

The woman has experienced what is called ‘conviction of sin’. We should look at this doctrine closely because without the conviction of sin and repentance no one becomes saved. None can drink from the promised Living water of eternal life. What is conviction of sin? It is the deep work done by the Holy Spirit preparing the sinner to become saved. For the first time in his life, the sinner is aware that he is a sinner and that he has offended God. Before now, the sinner feels good about himself. Even if he sins, he justifies himself calling sin a mistake. He does not see himself as an enemy of God who is going to be punished by God. He sees himself as a good person that occasionally may fall. Once the Holy Spirit ‘locates’ a sinner for salvation, He shines God’s light, God’s Truth, upon him. In that holy glorious light, the sinner now sees the truth, that he is guilty before God, condemned and deserving hell. This awakening of the conscience is purely the work of the Holy Spirit. Our Lord said about the Holy Spirit: “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (Jn 16:8-11). Our Lord defines sin primarily as unbelief in Him! People born in Christian homes assume that they ‘believe in Jesus’ just because they know something about Him. The truth is that all are born sinners. We are all born lacking faith in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not aware of this sin until the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin.

The doctrine of ‘conviction of sin’ is hated by all religious unbelievers. It is because of this doctrine that Jesus was hated so much and eventually He was killed by the religious leaders. Read the Gospels and see the opposition our Lord experienced when He was telling the Jews to repent of sin. This is the truth: religion is the greatest enemy to salvation. The religious men are ignorant that they are sinners in need of a Savior. They think that they are already saved by their religious good works. That is a common deception even today!   

FALSE REPENTANCE

The doctrine of sin is hated by many people. Few pastors preach about it. They present Jesus as the solution of all problems in life. They say that Jesus is the Savior, but they avoid preaching the Cross. Without repentance there is no salvation. True repentance is a change of mind and behavior when the Holy Spirit convicts of sin. Without the work of the Holy Spirit, any change of behavior is only religion. The spirit of religion is the greatest hindrance for men to be truly saved. Many people experience a superficial form of repentance of sin. That is why there are many ‘Christians’ who say that they are ‘born again’ but in fact, they are not saved. Many churches have a lot of activities but no power to save souls. What a false conviction of sin is? There is a difference between remorse and repentance. Remorse means to feel sorry that you were caught in sin. Repentance is being sorry that as a sinner you have offended God. Just ‘being sorry’ for your sins in general, is not good enough. For example, Judas had remorse for betraying Jesus, but he was not convicted of sin, and so, he did not repent. He committed suicide. Having a guilty conscience, being ashamed of something you have done, or even fearing that God will punish you, all that is still not conviction of sin. Occasionally, the unbelievers experience a guilty conscience when they commit sin, and they feel sorry for that. They try to atone for their sins with some good works. They try to change their behavior, to become more religious. But all these good works are still rooted in the flesh. The Holy Spirit is absent from these religious works. They profit nothing before God. Cults encourage good works as a form of conversion. Many churches are in fact cults. A cult is a religious gathering that follows a man. The people may look ‘Christian’ but they are not saved. They worship their leader. The people have a religious ‘conversion’ but they are not saved. They go to church, read the Bible, pray, fast, and give offerings. But they are not saved. They have never drunk the Living Water. Their leaders are false prophets who try to enter the sheepfold by an illegal door. Their so called ‘Christianity’ lacks the foundation of true repentance. It gives them false hopes of salvation. That is why cults are dangerous and many are trapped inside. But once they hear the Truth, the Gospel, the Holy Spirit convicts them of sin and many run to Jesus!  

CONVICTION OF SIN – TRUE REPENTANCE  

What then is the true conviction of sin done by the Holy Spirit? First, we need to know the definition of sin. In Greek, there are twelve words translated ‘sin’. For example, sin is called evil, lawlessness, wickedness, deception, slavery, guilt, or hypocrisy. The most common word in Greek is ‘harmatia’. It appears sixty times in the New Testament. This word means ‘to miss the mark’. It is like a man who shuts an arrow but misses the center of the target. The arrow goes astray. Sin is an insult to God! Sin a failure to please God who has a standard of righteousness for all men, how they should stand before Him. His standard is perfect, and it is according to His will. God cannot go down to men’s standard of behavior. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the only Man who pleased God and achieved God’s standard of life. Because of Adam’s fall, all men are born sinners. They cannot please God. Because God is holy, He hates it. Sin is punished with death. That is why Jesus died on the Cross as a substitute for sinners. Sin cannot be atoned except thru the death of Christ. This is the Gospel we preach, Christ crucified and resurrected!  

Sin is a break in God’s relationship with man. Sin separates man from God. “Your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear” (Is 59:2). Sin hinders man to arrive to glory. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23).  God made man for His glory. He made man to be like His Son Jesus Christ. “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Rom 8:29, 30). God designed the plan of salvation before the foundation of the World. From eternity God foreknew, predestined, called, justified, and glorified some people. These are the children of God. Because this process is purely by the Grace of God, all the people whom God foreknew will be glorified. In fact, by faith, they are glorified already.

In Greek, the word ‘conviction’ is ‘elenxei’. It means “to convince someone of the truth; to rebuke, to discipline, to accuse, to show to be guilty, or to cross-examine a witness.” Imagine the court of God. You are the sinner in the box. The devil is your useless lawyer. The Holy Spirit acts as prosecuting attorney in the court. He exposes your sin, how wicked your heart is and how much you hate God. The Holy Spirit destroys all your arguments of self-righteousness and convinces you that you are guilty. You must die and go to hell. This process is spiritually and emotionally fearful. Like a Potter and his clay, the Holy Spirit breaks you. The fear of God is now going deep into your soul. You cannot save yourself! You feel like dying, going down and down. Suddenly, at the exact time, God’s time, you see Jesus crucified for you. You finally trust in Jesus! The Holy Spirit lifts you up from the miry clay of condemnation. You feel God’s mercy and grace lifting you up. You feel God’s love embracing you. The battle over your soul is over! King Grace has won! Jesus always wins! Halleluiah!  

All sinners who got saved remember this conviction of sin as death to self. Some call it ‘the dark night of the soul’. They saw death face to face. They saw themselves condemned and going to hell. They accepted the verdict of the Judge, that they were wicked sinners and enemies to God. Initially, the sinner depends on the devil, his defending lawyer. He assumes that the devil is God. He is ignorant of the truth. He is deceived by the devil who gives him false hopes. But the Holy Spirit bombards the sinner with truth upon truth. He reveals to him that his lawyer, the devil, is a criminal and eternally condemned. As truth shines brighter, the sinner sees that he is lost. He has lost his case. There is no appeal in this court. God’s court is the highest court in the universe. He now totally surrenders to God trusting in the only Savior, Jesus Christ! At this point of saving faith, the Holy Spirit gives peace and joy. A sinner has been set free. A child of God is born into the Kingdom. There is no other way to be saved. There is no other way to drink from the Living Water. You need to be defeated and die at the Cross, for you to trust and appreciate the Lord Jesus Christ. Death first before eternal life! No other religion gives a sinner access to God. It is only thru Jesus! Only Thru Jesus!      

“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter” (2 Cor 7:10, 11). The Holy Spirit convicts of sin bringing you to godly sorrow that leads to repentance and salvation. The fake ‘worldly sorrow’ leads to death. There is no conviction of sin in worldly sorrow, just a form of remorse and regret at being caught in sin. This godly sorrow is also called ‘conviction of sin’. The Holy Spirit leads on from sorrow, to repentance, and to salvation. This is the road leading to eternal life and to the Living Water. God starts the process, and He always ends it. For his glory! Conviction of sin is terribly painful. But it is ‘the injection’ of the Holy Spirit towards the cure from sin. It is the gift of God. Weeping is always before rejoicing! King David said: “Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning” (Ps 30:4, 5). The weeping led by the Holy Spirit always ends in praise! Halleluiah!    

Please observe that the Holy Spirit ‘convicts of sin’ (singular) and not of ‘sins’ (plural). Because of Adam’s fall, we are born sinners. Different sins are the works of the sinful nature. We are sinners not because we commit sins, but because we are born like that. Sin is like a congenital incurable disease. It cripples us, it blinds us, it enslaves us. Because as sinners we do not understand what holiness is, we are ignorant of how much God hates sin. Sin is the root of all our problems. The sins we commit are only branches of a deep root that only God can uproot. At the Cross, when Jesus died, God defeated and destroyed sin. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23). God the Father sent God the Son to die on behalf of sinners, as our Substitute. Nothing else and nobody else can save us from the wrath of God, from death and hell. Only Jesus! Only Jesus! That is why we worship Him! “Worthy is the Lamb!” (Rev 5:12).

GOD’S METHOD TO CONVICT OF SIN

What is the method God uses to convict of sin? Most of the time the Holy Spirit uses anointed preaching of His Word, especially the preaching of the Gospel of Christ Crucified and resurrected. The Word of God is a spiritual sword that penetrates the hearts and convicts of sin. “Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph 6:17). Men can argue with religious arguments, but none can block the Word of God preached under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. There is no shield against the Word of God. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb 4:12, 13). Once the Holy Spirit convicts you of sin, you feel naked and exposed before God. You see God as your Judge. God the Father is the Creator of all and the Judge of all. But because Jesus lived and died as a Man, to save men, God gave the Son the authority to judge all men. He said: “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” (Jn 5:22, 23). Jesus is not only the Savior of men, but He is their Judge!

EXAMPLES OF CONVICTION OF SIN AND TRUE REPENTANCE

People assume that they can repent and become saved anytime they wish. But it is not so. God has His own timing. The Holy Spirit must do this peculiar work of convicting of sin in you before you can be saved. Give Him glory! To be convicted is to feel in your heart the wickedness of sin. This happens when you see God’s beauty, His purity and holiness. When Joseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife to commit adultery, he ran away from her. He saw adultery as a sin not only against Potiphar, his master, but against God! Joseph told his mistress: “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen 39:9). You must be convicted of sin and repent of sin before you appreciate God’s Grace and Mercy and be able to worship Him. After David committed adultery and murder, he repented before God. The Lord used the Prophet Nathan to convict him of sin. Immediately David knew that he committed sin not only against men, but against God. He pleaded for mercy. He asked God to give him a new heart and a new spirit. He said: “Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight, That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge” (Ps 51:1-4). When Isaiah saw God, he immediately saw himself as a sinner living among sinners. He was terrified before God. He said: “Woe to me! . . . I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips . . . and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty” (Is 6:5). Prophet Isaiah was known as a righteous man. But in the light of God, he saw himself as a wretched sinner who needs mercy. This is the work of the Holy Spirit helping a sinner to repent of self-righteousness and pride.   

Read the story of how Peter encountered the Lord. That night they went fishing but caught nothing. Jesus gets into Peter’s boat to preach the Gospel. Later, Jesus tells Peter to go back and fish again. Peter was reluctant to obey knowing that Jesus was not a fisherman. Eventually, Peter obeyed the command. He went back and caught so many fishes that his boat was sinking. Peter’s reaction to this miracle is interesting. “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Lk 5:8). Why did he do that? The Holy Spirit convicted him of sin, especially of unbelief in Jesus. Peter saw the glory of Jesus in his boat! In the light of that glory, Peter saw his sinfulness. This is conviction of sin! It ends in worship and service to Jesus. He and the other disciples forsook all and followed Jesus!  

It is the same with the Apostle Paul. He was a religious man, He hated Jesus and the believers. He tried his best to arrest and kill them. One day, the light of the glory of Jesus shines on him. He was immediately blinded. He was convicted of sin on the spot. “As he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do” (Acts 9:3-6). Apostle Paul was persecuting the Christians seeking to arrest them. But the Resurrected Christ arrested Paul. He tells Paul that ‘he is kicking against the goads.’ That describes a man who is striving with the Holy Spirit. No man can fight God and win! Convicted of sin, the persecutor of the church became the great Apostle Paul, a bondservant to Christ! Praise God!

Read the dramatic story of how the Philippian Jailer got saved (Acts 16:25-34). Paul and Silas delivered a slave girl from a spirit of divination. Her master was making money from her predictions. He got angry and he arrested Paul and Silas as troublemakers. The jailer put them in the inner cell of the prison. Over there, with chains on their feet, in the middle of the night, they prayed and praised God. Suddenly, an earthquake shook the foundation of the prison. All the doors opened, and all the chains got loosed. The jailer assumed that all the prisoners escaped, and he will be killed for that. So, he tried to commit suicide. But Paul stops him. The jailer falls at the feet of Paul and Silas saying: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Ac 16:30). Why did he say that? Paul did not preach to him. But in that moment, he sensed the presence of God. He was convicted of sin. He now sees himself as a sinner fighting God. He suddenly wants to be saved from his sins. He did not ask Paul: “What must I do not to lose my job or my life?’ No! He asked: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved from the wrath of God? I want to be like you, Paul! I want to have the same joy as you, Silas! I want to drink the living water like you people. I believe that Jesus, your God, is the only God who can save me and my household…” The prison became the place for evangelism! Never despise your problems. King Grace can manifest thru them and save many!

The Samaritan woman at the well sat with the Judge of all men. In a moment, she felt convicted of sin. She believed in Him who alone can save her. She drank the Living water. That is why the first words she spoke to the others was “Come and see a Man who told me all the things I ever did”. The nearer you go to Jesus, the greater the conviction of sin and the need for forgiveness. This is the primary work before any revival. The cry of the true worshipper is “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!” (Rev 5:12). The cry of the true evangelist is “Come and see a Man!” (Jn 4:29).  May we surrender to Jesus! May we cooperate with the workings of the Holy Spirit! Worship the Lord!

“For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power (making it active, operative, energizing and effective); it is sharper than any two edged sword, penetrating… between joints and marrow (of the deepest parts of our nature) exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart” (Heb 4: 12, AMP)

Just like the pregnancy, like the hidden power of life within the womb, the Word of God ingested works without interruptions until it pleases God to behold the final masterpiece. There is Holy activity in my spirit. No rest until there is rest. Peace has a crown and smiles like a queen. Truth is a friend, a father and a judge. Like a bird flies away, leaving behind the sad, sad cage, so yesterday is quietly put to rest. Tomorrow is a sketch of hope’s song. Today is my gift, to fill with God’s presence until the overflow expands it to be more than twenty four hours. There is work going on inside of me. None can stop it and none can steal it. I love how God is good to me. His goodness is power that changes me, beholding His glory!

In Christ I declare:

I am a child of God! I am saved by the Blood of the Lamb, by the Grace of the King of Kings! I trust the Word of God! Even when I do not see much ahead, His Word is still the unquenchable light at my feet! I keep my eyes fixed on Jesus! I gaze long on the eternal things of God’s invisible Kingdom! I only glance at the visible things of this world, for they are temporary! I break any addiction with the infatuation with the material things! I love the Word of God! I trust the Word of God! In all circumstances, in Spirit and in Truth, I will worship God! This is my pledge!

In Jesus’ name,

Amen!

“Lord Jesus Christ, I am no longer my own, but Yours. Put me to what You will, rank me with whom You will. Let me be employed by You or laid aside for You, exalted for You or brought low by You. Let me have all things, or let me have nothing. As You wish, Lord! I freely and heartily yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal. Lord, Jesus, You are my Treasure forever! And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You are mine and I am Yours. So be it! In Jesus’ name, AMEN!”

(John Wesley, 1703-1791)

They say: ‘you are what you eat’. Better said: ‘you are what you hear’.

The pulpit is the center of the world.

Preach the Word!!!

REVIVAL – THE LIVING WATER (7)  

Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled Revival – The Living water (7). Her main text was taken from the Book of John. “A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.  Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water” …  Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”  Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?” The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him. In the meantime, His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” Therefore, the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” (Jn 4:7-10; 21-38)

We are still studying the wonderful revelation of the Living Water offered by the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a symbol of eternal life, salvation, spiritual maturity, being filled with the Spirit, true worship, and revival. The Living Water is offered by the Lord to the Woman at the well. The Samaritan woman is a sinner. She is also religious. She is seeking for truth, for meaning in her life. Our Lord directs the conversation to the point of the revelation of Himself. Please notice how He gently ‘increases’ the vision of salvation in her heart. Initially she sees him as a man, a needy man, a stranger, and a Jew. Then she sees him as a Prophet. Lastly, she sees Him as Christ, her Savior, and her Lord! He tells her about the true worship and then, He reveals Himself to her. “I who speak to you am He” (Jn 4:26). This is the exact moment when saving faith is born in her heart. She instantly believes that Christ is the Messiah. This is the moment when King Grace saves her soul! This is when she became born again. This is the moment when she became a true worshipper of the only Living God. This is when, for the first time in her life, she drank the Living Water! From this moment in time, she is never the same person again! Halleluiah! As we read these words, we sense the power and the holiness of that moment. There is a wonderful anointing on this encounter. We feel it too as we read the story. Heaven rejoices when a sinner is saved. Our Lord said this: “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Lk 15:7). We join the hosts of heaven and cry: “Worthy is the Lamb!” (Rev 5:12). In our Christian life and ministry, we all need to come to this holy moment. Eternal life bursts forth when truth is revealed as Love who died for us, that we may live! Glory to God!

TRUE WORSHIP IS ALWAYS CHRIST CENTERED 

How do we drink this Living Water? By going straight to Him who offers it! Go to Jesus! Go to the Cross! Meditate on the Person of Jesus, who He is, what He has done, especially His death on the Cross! This long gaze on the Crucified brings you the Living Water and will enable you to worship Him! The source of the Living Water, of eternal life and all satisfaction, is not in a geographical place. It is a Person! In the whole universe, it is only the Son of the Living God that offers men the Living Water. You need to desire an encounter and a deeper relationship with Him. Then you shall find this Living water.  All teaching and preaching must glorify the Lord Jesus Christ! True worship is always Christ centered. The worshipper’s deepest cry is “Worthy is the Lamb!” (Rev 5:12). The Holy Spirit main’s work is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ! Before going to the Cross, our Lord said this: “He (The Holy Spirit) will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore, I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you” (Jn 16:14, 15). The Holy Spirit does not glorify (advertise) any man, but Jesus! One of the most dangerous temptations we face is to ignore or marginalize the Lord Jesus Christ; to remove Him from the center of His throne! This is not possible in reality, but it can happen in our minds. The evil spirit of religion can corrupt our understanding of what is true worship. This attitude grieves the Holy Spirit. This is a test for all: Any sermon of song that does not make people to draw closer to Jesus, is a waste of time and energy. It is even worse than a waste. It is idolatry. And God punishes idolatry! Be faithful to proclaim the true Gospel, Christ crucified and resurrected! Be faithful to sing songs that glorify the Lord Jesus Christ! This leads to the salvation of sinners and to true worship. It is the holy approved platform for all true work for God! True worship is genuine ministry approved and blessed by the Father!

JESUS IS THE TIME MASTER

Let us go back to the story of the encounter between the Christ and the Samaritan woman. The Lord is totally in charge of the encounter. He chose to pass thru this Samaritan village because He had this sinner in mind.  “He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria” (Jn 4:3, 4). At that time, because of racial discrimination, the Jews do not pass thru Samaria. But our Lord ‘needed to go through Samaria’. The word ‘needed to go’ is also translated as ‘it was necessary for Him to go’ thru Samaria. You can see that the Lord knows who are to be saved and goes to them. The Lord sits and waits for the woman to come so that she will be saved. For her, it was an ordinary day. She did not know that it was her destiny day. Observe that it is the Lord who initiates the conversation. At that time, the disciples did not completely understand Christ, but they were learning who He is as they followed him. As a Man, our Lord was tired from the journey and sat at the well. His disciples went to the town to buy food. Between the time they went to buy food and the time they came back a miracle of salvation has taken place. The Lord saved a soul from the bondage of sin and death! Jesus said that His reason for coming to the earth was to finish the work of the Father, to save souls! “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lk 19:10).

“Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?” (Jn 4:26, 27). Our Lord just revealed to the woman that He is the Christ. This is the greatest revelation any one can receive. The disciples were surprised that He was talking with a woman in public because this was against the law of the Pharisees. According to them “a man should not salute a woman in a public place, not even his own wife”. But our Lord was free from these man-made religious laws.  At the very moment of the revelation that He is the Christ, the disciples came back. We may feel that they ‘disturbed’ the spiritual conversation, but it is not so. The Lord has finished just talking to the woman. He has opened her eyes. She got saved. Not a second was lost. See how the Lord is the Master of time! Not a word He speaks too early or too late. Not a miracle He does too early or too late. Our Lord is the second Person of the Trinity. In heaven He lives outside time. He lives eternally. But once He became man, to live on earth, He lived ‘in time’. But He mastered time! Men are slaves to time. We are either too fast or too slow. We cannot control or stop time. But even as a Man, our Lord mastered time! That is another reason why we worship Him! “Worthy is the Lamb!”

The Lord Jesus always spoke the right words, at the right place, and at the right time. The following are some examples of our Lord Mastering the time and the circumstances, for His glory!   

*Our Lord healed the servant of the Centurion with just a word spoken at the right time. “Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour” (Mt 8:13). Faith believes the Word of God spoken at this particular time! Faith does not postpone believing! “Now, faith is…” (Heb 11:1). Doubt postpones believing! Selah!

*The Lord healed the woman with the issue of Blood. She was sick for twelve years, but she was healed instantly at that very ‘hour’. “Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour” (Mt 9:22).

*Our Lord healed the daughter of a Syrophoenician woman who had faith in Him. The healing also happens at ‘that very hour’. Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour” (Mt 15:28).

*Lazarus was sick. His sisters called Jesus to heal him. But Jesus delayed His coming. He told His disciples: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (Jn 11:4). Lazarus died and was buried. Four days later Jesus comes to see Martha and Mary. They both complained that He was too late to heal their brother. Jesus said to Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world” (Jn 11:25-27). Martha believes just like the woman at the well. At the tomb of Lazarus “Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” (Jn 11:35-37). Martha, Mary, and the people expected Jesus to prevent death by healing Lazarus. But Jesus performed a greater miracle. He did not prevent death, but He defeated it. Lazarus was called forth and he came out of the tomb alive. The Lord delayed His coming to manifest His power over death. This miracle was truly for the glory of God that the Son of Man may be glorified thru it. We need to trust the Lord and His timing. Delay for a miracle is to increase the glory of God thru it!   

MY HOUR – HIS HOUR

Our Lord was always sensitive to time. Every word and every miracle had to happen at a particular time. For example, He gently rebuked His mother for trying to control Him to do a miracle at the wedding at Cana. He told her that each miracle must be done at a particular ‘hour’. Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come” (Jn 2:4). When He addressed His brothers, He made a distinction between them and Himself. This distinction relates to time also. Jesus told them, “Although your time is always at hand, My time has not yet come” (Jn 7:6). Our Lord often said that ‘His hour’ has not yet come to die. “He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts, near the treasury. Yet no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come” (Jn 8:20). Our Lord said that He can only be arrested when the hour of darkness has come. He accepted the sins of humanity upon Himself. He now passively goes to the Cross to die, as a Lamb goes to the slaughter. “When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness. Now they arrested Him and led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance” (Lk 22:53, 54). He did not complain during His trial and crucifixion. In the Old Testament the priests were not supposed to torture the animal before it was killed as a sacrifice. But religious leaders tortured our Lord before they crucified Him. This is to prove how much they hated Him!

“He (God) has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end” (Ecc 3:11). God created all things. Sin has damaged man and creation. But Jesus Christ came to redeem sinners and also His creation. This is a lesson for us all: You have a need. You pray and nothing happens. For a long time, things look the same. It seems like God is sleeping. But God works in mysterious ways. Suddenly, there is a movement of the Holy Spirit. What looks ordinary, now becomes beautiful and glorious. God’s time is revelation time. His Grace reveals the beauty hidden beneath. Blessed are those who acknowledge God’s time and wait for the beauty and perfection promised! Because our Lord created even time, He “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). Please note that the same Jesus who talked to the woman at the well, He is right now in our midst, and also in heaven. When we go to heaven, our memories will go with us. We shall have fellowship with the Lord and with one another, remembering things we did on the earth. This is our Living Hope!

PRACTICAL APPLICATION: GOOD TIME MANAGEMENT

We all have 24 hours in a day. Some people use these hours to achieve great things. Others waste their time and opportunities. We should learn to do the same. Time management is defined as the process of planning and organizing your time between different activities. The benefits of good time management are these: you always finish your task, you work with no anxiety and at the end, you will have great joy. You stay focused, you work patiently and with peace of mind. You pray before making plans. You pray as you work. You give thanks to God as you finish your task. There is no greater joy than to finish your work. Because you finish your task, you can help others who need your assistance. The opposite is that you waste your time and squander your opportunities. Without a good ‘time management’, you become impatient, easily distracted, anxious, and overwhelmed by pressure. You become a busybody. You work more and you achieve less. A poverty mentality sets in that increases your level of anxiety. Another demon that confuses you about doing the right thing is called ‘procrastination’. This is defined as a weakness of the will to start something you need or love to do. Procrastination is not laziness. Lazy people simply don’t do anything and are just fine with it. Procrastinators, on the other hand, have the desire to actually do something but can’t force themselves to start. Procrastination is the same as sin of omission. “Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (Jam 4:17). You need self-discipline, strength and courage by the power of the Holy Spirit!

As a Man, Our Lord used His time wisely. There is no greater joy than to say at the end of your life: “God, I have finished your work. I have finished the race’. Our Lord said: “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (Jn 17:4). Apostle Paul said before he died: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7). You need focus, wisdom, and strength to fulfill destiny on earth. That takes time management. You make plans how long your ‘quiet time’ with the Lord should be in the morning or in the evening. You make plans to study the Word of God and attend church activities. This requires wisdom, faith, and patience. You can do it!         

TRUST AND WORSHIP JESUS EVEN WHEN YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND HIM

“Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?” (Jn 4:26, 27). The disciples were surprised that Jesus was talking to a woman in public. They were even more surprised that He revealed to her deeper things than He revealed to them so far. He was breaking the religious and social etiquette. It is possible that they were embarrassed by that. They wanted to rebuke Him for His freedom to talk, but there was something about Him that humbled them even at that time. They kept silent. That is good. They had to learn to trust Him even when they do not understand Him. This is a lesson for all of us. Jesus is in control of time, events, and circumstances. He leads and we follow. Always! We should learn to keep quiet and pray for spiritual understanding when things seem difficult. Control your tongue like Job! “In spite of everything that had happened, Job did not sin by blaming God” (Job 1:22).

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb 1:1-3). In the past, most of the time, God spoke thru prophets and priests. Since Jesus Christ came to earth, died, and ascended back to heaven, He is the One who speaks to men. God the Father made the worlds thru Jesus Christ who ‘upholds all things by the word of His power’. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the glorious brightness and the express image of God the Father. He is God!

When Jesus spoke, people were amazed. He spoke like no other man. His words had authority and love that could break the hardness of any heart. “When Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Mt 7:28, 29). “When the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!” (Mk 6:2). The soldiers could not arrest Him. They said: “No man ever spoke like this Man!” (Jn 7:46).

We need to learn how to trust Him, His words, and His ways. It is not easy because we are born sinners. But we must accept the truth that He does what He wants because He is God. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts” (Is 55:8,9). King Grace is always in charge of His work. Nothing and nobody can stop His work. He came to Samaria to save this woman. Nobody could stop that! This is a great lesson: Jesus always does surprising things. As the wind cannot be controlled by man, so He is!  He told Nicodemus: “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (Jn 3:7, 8). We worship the Lord because He is Man and God. If Christ is only Man, then we cannot worship Him. If Christ is only God, then He cannot save sinners like me and you. He is God and Man. That is why we worship Him. When He came to earth, He left the robe of glory behind. He came as a poor man, a carpenter. It was His choice to leave the external signs of glory in heaven. But take note: He did not leave His personal glory, because He is always God. But His glory was hidden by human flesh. Even so, from time to time, men saw His glory, like on the Mountain of Transfiguration. May our eyes open to see the Lamb upon the throne and to worship Him forever! “Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous (difficult, unique, great) things!” (Ps 72:18).

We need to come to the place of totally trusting Jesus despite the difficult circumstances. We must say with Job: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him… Even though He kills me; I will hope in Him” (Job 13:15; NKJ; AMP). When you understand God or not, trust and worship Him to your last breath. Jesus is the Hope of your glory! He is the only Hope you have! Worship the Lord!

PRACTICAL APPLICATION – WALK AS JESUS WALKED – MAKE THE BEST OF EACH SECOND

We need to learn how to walk by faith, and not by sight, and led by the Spirit, and not by our flesh. This walk requires training in spiritual sensitivity. It is a walk of wisdom. We walk ‘circumspectly’. The meaning of this word is to be wise, alert, and watchful in the face of danger or risk; to be careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences. Watch a cat when she passes thru a dirty wet place. She watches for clean and safe stones and carefully steps on them. She avoids getting dirty as she passes thru. This is what it means to walk circumspectly. Practically, it means to be prudent in all your decisions, how and when to speak and when to keep silent. “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:15-18). As we walk led by the Spirit, we do not waste time, and we make no mistakes. We do not speak words or make decisions that we regret later. We learn to control our tongues. We avoid dangers and overcome temptations. We make spiritual progress daily.  We become more and more like Jesus! “Whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself” (1 Jn 2:6; AMP). We learn to appreciate our Lord and we worship Him with a grateful heart! Speak only led by the Holy Spirit! Then your speech will heal others and bring joy to your heart! “A man has joy in giving an appropriate answer, And how good and delightful is a word spoken at the right moment—how good it is!” (PV 15:23; AMP). Like our Lord, we need to speak only led by the Holy Spirit. Each word should be ‘in season’ and to encourage the weary. “The Lord GOD has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned” (Is 50:4). Worship the Lord!

“So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from His perspective. Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life” (Col 3:1-3; TM)

My children,

One of the greatest discoveries I have made is to know myself! Next to knowing God, I discovered who I am. I now have an identity that is found in Christ alone. Before I became saved I only knew that there is a ‘me’. I knew I had a name, parents and a sister; I was a medical doctor; I had a husband and three children; I had wonderful dreams of success in this world… But all these ‘external additions’ were not able to explain to me who I really was. I defined myself thru the opinion of others. For example, as a child, I saw myself thru the eyes of my parents. Both of them were my teachers. They were very proud of me and I tried to make them proud in return. I pushed myself very hard to always be first in the class. It was my way of paying them back for their love. After I got married I saw myself thru the eyes of my husband. If he said that I was beautiful that day I was ‘floating in the air’ with happiness. I was ready to quarrel with anyone who saw me ugly. But when my husband was too busy to compliment me, I felt foolish and ugly. After I had children, if they said: ‘Mummy, you are a good mummy…’ I felt proud that I am a good mother. I was ready to ‘compete’ with other mothers for the title ‘the best mother in the world’. But when any of my children emotionally rejected me and loved ‘another mother’ more than me, I will weep, blame myself and feel so sad. It was the same with all my relationships, with family and friends. I depended totally on their words. I gave them too much power over my soul and they used it or misused it.

This situation could have gone on forever if not for the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ. By the grace of God I became born again in 1986. Since then my greatest passion is to know God and to become like His Son Jesus Christ. Thank God for my husband because he too is a child of God. We encourage each other in this holy race. Like I said, one of the greatest discoveries I have made is to know myself! I study the Word of God and I apply it daily to myself and to my circumstances. I see myself now thru the eyes of God. No opinion matters except that of my Lord. I know that I am a sinner saved by grace. No man or devil can condemned me because by faith, I died with Jesus and rose with Jesus. Whatever negative things you may say about ‘me’, you are talking about a dead woman buried long ago and who feels nothing.

I no longer define myself thru my outward appearance. I do not see myself as a fat, short, ugly, wrinkled and old menopausal woman. That is not me at all! It can never be me! I see myself as a child of God, fearfully and wonderfully made. My body is nothing less than the temple of the Holy Spirit! I believe that! He changes me from inside out! I am holy because God my Father is holy. Even if I am a hundred and twenty years old like Moses, my youth can never become ‘old’ for it is ‘renewed like the eagles’. Because holiness is beautiful I am beautiful! As a wife I am precious in the eyes of God. The Holy Spirit will help my husband to see me as precious. As a mother, I am totally fulfilled. I am not a mother in ‘Warri’ but I am ‘a mother in Zion’ (Jdg 5:7). My children, natural and spiritual, are covenant children, special, unique, gifted and wonderful. If the devil likes it or not, they shall serve the Lord who brought them to me!

After I discovered myself in Christ, I developed a relationship with myself. I love myself so that I can love others. I forgive myself as the Lord has forgiving me! I encourage myself thru the Word of God! I prophesy on myself, what I should be according to the Bible. I pray for myself, that my dreams come true! I delight myself in the Lord. Therefore my heart’s desire shall manifest! It is just a matter of time… I truly enjoy my company. I am surprised at the wonderful things God has done in my life. He has made me spiritually strong. He gives me peace and joy. He puts His Words in my mouth to encourage others. My hearts sings… And His work in me continues… With unashamed face I behold Him who saved my soul! Today, I give thanks to God for my life, for what I have become, eternally safe in the Beloved! It is well with my soul….Glory to God!

Love in Christ alone,

Malia”

(I wrote this letter in 2018. The words are still fresh, and Spirit filled. Read, pray and be blessed! My husband took me this picture on the little bridge over the river where God opened the heart of Lydia (Acts 16). This was in Philippy, Greece in one of our travels. My husband is now in heaven. In all things I give thanks to God!)

Satan fears your prayers. He knows that one hour talking to Jesus destroys the stronghold he built for many years. Pray! Pray! Pray! In Jesus’ name!

Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached a sermon titled Revival – Come to the Living water (6). Her main texts were taken from the Books of John and Revelation 4 and Isaiah 55. “A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water…  Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” (Jn 4:7-10; 21-26)

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (Jn 7:37-39)

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them” (Jn 10:1-6)

We are still studying the great subjects of worship and revival. We connect both with the Living Water offered by the Lord to the Woman at the well. The Samaritan woman is a sinner. She is also religious. She is seeking for truth, for life. Our Lord directs the conversation to the point of revelation. Please notice how He ‘increases’ in her heart. Initially she sees him as a needy man, a stranger, and a Jew. Then she sees him as a Prophet. Lastly, she sees Him as Christ, her Savior, and her Lord! He tells her about the true worship and then, He reveals Himself to her. “I who speak to you am He” (Jn 4:26). This is the exact moment when she believed that Christ is the Messiah. This is the moment when King Grace moved in her spirit, and she became saved. This is when she became born again. This is the moment when she became a true worshipper. This is when she drank the Living Water! We sense the holiness of that moment. There is a wonderful anointing on this encounter. We feel it too as we read the story. Glory to God! Heaven rejoices when a sinner is saved. Our Lord said this: “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Lk 15:7). We join the hosts of heaven and cry: “Worthy is the Lamb!” (Rev 5:12). In our Christian life and ministry, we need to come to this holy moment. When truth is revealed as Love who died for us, that we may live!  How do we drink this Living Water? By going straight to Him who offers it! Go to Jesus! Go to the Cross! Mediate on the Person of Jesus, who He is, what He has done, especially His death on the Cross and His resurrection! This long gaze on the Crucified will bring you the Living Water and will enable you to worship Him!

THE THRONE ROOM IN HEAVEN – COME UP HERE! – THE CALL OF CHRIST

“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne” (Rev 4:1, 2)

Worship in heaven is Christ-centered! Christ is the Creator of the Universe! Christ is Conqueror of all powers! Christ is the Controller of the Church! The Church has only one head! It is not a human head. That Head is Christ! Worship starts with the word “Come!”. The Resurrected Christ calls us to come closer to Him. As believers we believe two opposite things: 1-God is far away from His Creation and 2-God is closer than our breathing. This is a paradox. But it is true! If you lose any of these revelations, your faith will be damaged!!! The devil always attacks our faith! If you only believe that God is far away in heaven, then you lose the intimate fellowship of the Holy Spirit. If you become overfamiliar with God, and you lose the sense of wonder, you cannot worship Him in Spirit and in Truth! We need to be balanced in doctrine! This is a wonderful scripture describing God in heaven and at the same time, intimately close to His children. “For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Is 57:15)

Chapters 4 and 5 of the Book of Revelation are among the most important chapters in the Bible. We should study the way worship goes on in heaven so that we can do it on earth.  The voice that sounded like a trumpet calling John to see things in heaven is the voice of the resurrected Christ. He has already talked to John previously. “I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last” (Rev 1:9-11). The Lord dictated seven letters to John to send to the seven churches in Asia Minor. John was already in the Spirit. Now, the Lord calls John to a deeper spiritual level and to come to heaven to see things that ‘must take place’. This is a reminder that the Lord Jesus Christ is God. He oversees the universe and deigns the future.

We see that the Lord Jesus Christ initiates the conversation with the woman at the well, drawing her to Him, to the place or revelation and worship. He says: “Give Me a drink!”. It is the same Christ who calls John to a deeper revelation of worship, saying: “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this”. Our Lord calls both the unbelievers and the believers to come to Him to have an intimate relationship with Him. Worshipping God means to obey His call to come to Him! The holy heavenly call is vertical. Our response to come and worship God is also vertical. We bow before God so that our spirit will rise to meet Him up there in heaven!  

The Lord calls everyone who is tired of sin and oppression. He promises rest for the soul and easy satisfying labor when working for Him. The Lord calls those who hunger and thirst for knowing God. He promises that they shall be filled with peace and eternal satisfaction. The Gospel is the only Word of Hope and satisfaction in the whole world. The people who refuse the call are the religious unbelievers, the proud, and the hypocrites. They pretend not to be tired, hungry, or thirsty. They claim that this world satisfies them. They deceive themselves and others.  

The verb ‘to come’ is defined as moving closer towards the speaker. You leave a place and go to another place, a change of location and status.  God the Father facilitates the seeking and finding the Son.  You must be willing to come to Jesus!

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Mt 11:28-30)

“And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out… Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day” (Jn 6:35-37; 43,44)

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled” (Mt 5:6)

“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life” (Jn 5:39, 40).

I read the biographies of many secular successful people. They all had money and fame. But on their dying bed they confessed that they failed to find rest of mind, peace, satisfaction, and joy! The world is not able to provide these. The Living Water is found in Christ alone!

THE GREAT INVITATION OF KING GRACE (Is 55:1-13)

This is a true story I saw on the internet. Ruby Ibarra was a 15-year-old girl Mexican girl. She wanted to celebrate her birthday party in a village in Mexico. Her parents are not wealthy people, but they love their daughter. To please her, her father made an open invitation on a video clip on Facebook. He said that all people are invited to come to the party. He later said that he intended it to be for the neighbors in his village. But by mistake, he posted it as ‘public’. Immediately, 1,3 million people responded. Thousands promised to come to the party. Ruby became an international ‘star.’ The Mexican airlines made 30% discount for anybody that wants to attend Ruby’s party. People posted fake pictures of fried turkeys and mountain of food and drinks waiting for the visitors. Two live bands came uninvited and raised the stage to play for the people. On that day, their small village was flooded with visitors. 20,000 people came to her party. There was a horse race competition where one man died. Of course, there was no food or entertainment for all. What a story… What a disappointment…

This story is a symbol of what the world promises but cannot satisfy. Men are born with legitimate desires to love and to be loved. That is why they fall in many deceptive traps. Men respond to the empty promises of the world. They go there hungry and thirsty, hoping for fried turkeys, but return home feeling disappointed and cheated. Sin always offers false hopes. Because of these disappointments, men have lost the desire to dream and hope for a better future. All people in the world are restless and depressed. They do not know that true Hope is found in Christ alone. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes (longing fulfilled, a wish come true), it is a tree of life” (PV 13:12). Because of the disappointment of the world’s invitation to pleasure, many have become bitter in their hearts. That is why when they hear the holy call of God, they doubt it and they refuse to obey it.

What is our problem? We do not seek God! Our desires for God are not strong enough. We are too easily satisfied with the temporary pleasures of sin. That is why we do not pay the price to seek the true God and His free offer of Grace. True satisfaction is found only in the Gospel. By Grace and By Faith in Christ, we are saved and satisfied. The word ‘satisfaction’ means the condition of having your desire or need fulfilled. It is the pleasant feeling that you get when you receive something you always wanted, or when you have done something, you always wanted to do. It is also defined as justification, vindication, or compensation for loss or injury. May we hear the call of Jesus and come to Him!

In Isaiah 53 we see Christ as the Lamb to be slain for the sins of the world. In Isaiah 54 we see the benefits of salvation in Christ. In Isaiah 55 we see God’s invitation of Grace towards sinners. Those who mock it, will meet God at the Judgment seat. Those who humble themselves and trust in Jesus Christ come to partake from this wonderful feast. Those who come shall be satisfied. They shall hunger and thirst no more. They shall worship God in spirit and in truth! This is a true invitation and open to all! These are some lessons taken from God’s invitation from Isaiah 55:  

GOD COMMANDS ALL SINNERS TO COME TO HIM! THIS IS THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST CRUCIFIED AND RESURRECTED!

*King Grace’s invites all people to come to Him! The invitation looks too good to be true! The devil is trying to convince you to reject it. This is the truth: Grace is always too beautiful for the sinners. Grace is too Kind and too Generous, ready to welcome all who believe in Jesus. Come!

*This invitation is God’s command! It is not just a fantastic opportunity to ‘enjoy ourselves’. There are 12 commands in the first 7 verses. When God commands a man, he either obeys or he disobeys. Each option has its own consequences. “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Is 1:18-20). After hearing God’s invitation, there are only two ways to respond: repentance or rebellion.  The willing and obedient eat the good of the land. The stubborn and rebellious shall be eaten by the land. The words ‘the good of the land’ mean – material prosperity in the land God has given you. This is an invitation for full forgiveness, free feasting, and prosperity! Only a fool will refuse it!

*Come! The word ‘come’ appears 4 Times! Eat! God offers the Living Water, as Milk and Wine ‘Without money and without price”. Why? Because Jesus has paid the price on the Cross! For us to have a free salvation, Jesus had to die for us! Salvation is free but it is not cheap. When King Grace talks, money is deaf and dumb!

*What is the Condition necessary for the application to this party? Spiritual thirst! Thirst is a powerful force, even stronger than hunger. You can live without food for 40 days. You cannot live without water for 7 days. These are some of the symptoms of thirst: dehydration, dry mouth, no tears when crying, fatigue, dizziness, restlessness, and confusion. “If you thirst!” You need to know your need. If you are satisfied by yourself, you cannot desire the living water. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled” (Mt 5:3-6)

*Sin deceives and destroys us. The rich live by their money and the poor, by their labor. These two lifestyles do not satisfy. “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy?” (Is 55:2).

*To be a true worshipper you must live a crucified life. Come to Jesus as you are! At the Cross, you will share in His death and resurrection. You shall find the Living water! You shall worship God in spirit and in truth! “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (Mk 8:34-38). The word ‘profit’ means to satisfy. Gaining the whole world at the expense of your soul, will never satisfy you! You live in a mansion, but your soul is homeless. You dress with designer clothes, but your soul is naked.

*Listen and ‘eat’ the Word of God! Open your ears and your heart! You will find the glorious joy of salvation!  “Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance” (Is 55:2). The word ‘abundance’ means ashes of sacrifice and fatness! God has accepted your soul as a living sacrifice! God is now ‘free’ to bless you above your imagination!

*THE SURE MERCIES OF DAVID

God calls sinners to Him! He will receive and bless them as He blessed King David, in the covenant of mercy and grace He made with him. David was the king worshipper of Israel, a man after God’s heart. God wants to give you the best of the best. He does not change His mind. The way God blessed David, He will also bless you! God promised David everlasting blessings and a great name. God said that David and his family will be royalty forever! His descendants will always sit on the throne (2 Sam 7:1-29). These promises are for us, the believers in Christ! What are the sure mercies of David? God dealt with Israel by way of mercy and grace. To make that mercy sure to all God took a man whom He had chosen, a man whom He loved, a man whom He intended to use. God made with a covenant with David that He would set him upon the throne. Because of David, God promised to bless all people that belong to him. These are “the sure mercies of David.” In the matter of our salvation, “the sure mercies of David” mean that God has laid blessings upon his Son, Jesus Christ. Because of Christ, God will bless all those who belong to Christ! “He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the sure mercies of David.’ (Ac 13:34). By the death and resurrection of Christ, these sure mercies are guaranteed to us, sinners saved by Grace! God pledges Himself to defeat all our enemies, to bless us eternally, all for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ! He is our ‘Leader and commander’! He conquered all enemies including death! Christ is forever exalted. And we are one with Him! In Christ, salvation is sure and eternal! For Christ’ sake, our family shall be saved too! Our children are children of covenant! “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Ac 16:31)

We trust God for revival based on the sure mercies of David. King Grace blesses the humble people, and they rise to positions of authority in the church and it the city. This shift creates a new atmosphere for the Gospel and to worship God. “When the righteous triumph, there is great glory and celebration; But when the wicked rise [to prominence], men hide themselves” (PV 28:12; AMP). During revival people become bold and they come out from their hiding places. There is rejoicing and celebration, giving all glory to God!  

*The promise of the Gospel is for all the nations. The glory of the Lord Jesus is His authority! There is no other way to go to God but thru Jesus!

*Come, but you must come on God’s terms! You must repent! Repent quickly and completely! God is not always ‘near’. You cannot find Him always. Use the opportunity you have today! No wasting of time! Repentance is more than regret. It is a deep change of heart, mind, will and behavior. It is an unconditional surrender and total submission to Jesus! How will God respond to the true repentant soul? ‘He will have mercy and abundantly pardon!’ (Is 55:7). This is more than forgiveness. It is blessings following the mercy and grace of God!

*King Grace preaches the Gospel. This Gospel is too good to be true. The Gospel also is too good not to be true! Amazing Grace!

King Jesus warns the religious people to come and buy from Him: “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see” (Rev 3:17, 18)

WHY SHOULD WE TRUST GOD’S INVITATION?

*Because of God’s character! He alone is worthy of our trust and worship! Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let the sinner take God’s Way and think God’s thoughts! “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (PV 3:5, 6). Trust God! Listen to His call! Lean on Him! God’s thoughts and ways are higher than our imagination! Humble yourself!

*Because of God’s Word! The rain and the snow change the soil. It produces seed and bread. God is in charge from the beginning to the end, from the Promise to the Performance. ‘My Word goes forth out of My Mouth’ says God! It is not the preacher speaking. It is God using the mouth of the preacher! “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Is 55:11). The word ‘void’ means empty, useless, without result. The word ‘prosper’ means to push forward, to make progress and prosper! His Word that never fails to produce results!

WHAT IS THE RESULT OF COMING TO KING GRACE?

There shall be peace, joy, singing and fruitfulness! There shall be revival! When Adam and Eve sinned, God cursed the ground to produce thorns and thistles. Now, these thorns will become cypress trees. The curse is turned in to blessings! The whole nature rejoices! Bareness becomes fruitfulness! Death dies and life takes over! This change is an everlasting sign that will not be cut off! God does all these things to ‘make a name for Himself’ so that all creation will bow to Him and give Him glory! Worship the Lord!

JUST AS I AM

Just as I am, without one plea,

But that Thy blood was shed for me,

And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee,

O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just as I am, and waiting not

To rid my soul of one dark blot;

To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Just as I am, though tossed about

With many a conflict, many a doubt;

Fightings within, and fears without,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,

Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;

Because Thy promise I believe,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

(By Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871)

“Be strong! God is with you! You will not fall! You will not be moved! God will surely help you early this morning!” (Ps 46:5)

The Word of God is faithful and true! God has already helped me in a special way this early morning. Yesterday I had a problem. Last night I did not know what to do. I prayed before I went to sleep. This morning I woke up with a fresh word of wisdom. I obeyed it. Problem solved! Joy and peace overflow! To God be all the glory!