Drinking in the Holy Spirit

 

Drinking In the Holy Spirit

Red-Letter Words of Jesus

Day 44

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.” John 4:13-14 (NKJV)

In Jesus’ day, people in Samaria understood thirst. The terrain was barren and the climate hot and dry. Wells and cisterns were vital to the survival of humans and animals alike. Those who lived in the region could relate to “as the deer pants for the water brooks” mentioned in Psalm 42:1. They probably experienced the deep ache of parched mouths and swollen tongues.

Not even in her wildest dreams could the Samaritan woman imagine a fountain of fresh water springing up in her arid surroundings. No wonder the Samaritan woman desired this everlasting water to quench her craving once and for all.

Of course, Jesus didn’t refer to water which she could drink from and never thirst again. This was a metaphor with a deeper meaning. He wanted to her understand the second part of Psalm 42:1 which states, “So pants my soul for You, O God.”

Jesus wanted her to see her dry and thirsty spirit longing for God. He offered her the only means of true satisfaction for her deepest yearnings. Jesus offered her the living water of the Holy Spirit, a gift that could continually refresh her soul.

All those things she desperately longed for…unconditional love, acceptance, forgiveness, mercy, kindness…were hers if she received the Holy Spirit into her life and allowed Him to transform her. He was a fountain she could draw from on an ongoing basis.

Perhaps you’ve seen cartoons on television where a character is lost in the desert. With the sun burning hot, he crawls on his knees across the television screen with sweat pouring off his head and his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Spiritually, that’s what I look like when I don’t spend time drinking from the fountain of living water the Holy Spirit freely offers me.

Father, thank You for showing me (and the Samaritan woman) that the only way to quench my spiritual thirst is with an ongoing drink fest with the Holy Spirit. It’s through Your Spirit that my spirit can be satisfied. When I pant for you, please quench the longing in my soul. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

https://biblehub/commentaries/barnes/John/4.htm

https://biblehub/commentaries//gill/John/4.htm

https://biblehub/commentaries/ellicott/John/4.htm

https://biblehub.commentaries/pulpit/John/4.htm

Jesus Needed to Go Through Samaria

Jesus Needed to Go Through Samaria

The “Red-Letter Words” of Jesus

Day 38

Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples). He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 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.   John 4:1-8 (NKJV)

There’s so much packed between the first verse of John 4 and when He said to the Samaritan woman, “Give Me a drink.” Let’s unpack some of these items before we delve into the interaction between Jesus and this woman.

 1..       He had to leave Judea.

            The Pharisees, although tolerant of John the Baptist, didn’t like his water baptisms and messages of repentance. Many of their faithful followers changed their allegiance to John. They were even more unhappy with Jesus who had a larger following than John. Verses 1-3 give indication Jesus left Judea because of the Pharisees. He didn’t run away in fear of them but out of concern that He would be arrested and crucified before His time.

 2.        The Holy Spirit led Him.

On His way to Galilee, Jesus went the shortest and most direct route He could take - through Samaria. Due to strong animosity between the Jews and Samaritans, many Jewish travelers went out of their way to not go through Samaria. Although Samaritans were somewhat distant relatives, the Jews felt they erred in their religious practices since they didn’t worship God at the temple in Jerusalem.

            Not Jesus.

 

“But He needed to go through Samaria” gives indication God sent Him on a specific mission. To fulfill the mission, it was imperative He go through Samaria. The Spirit compelled Him to go to the well outside of Sychar to meet with a lost and hurting woman. A Samaritan who had value in the eyes of God.

 3.        Jesus faced human limitations.

He walked quite a distance that morning. His feet hurt and He thirsted for water. Jesus completely understands our physical struggles because He experienced them too. He chose to live within the realms of the natural law as a human so He could die for us. And yet, He is God. (It would take volumes to explain what our finite minds struggle to grasp here.) Suffice to say, Jesus is both God and human.

 

Father, thank You for the encouragement we receive in the above verses. You loved the woman of Samaria long before she ever heard about Jesus. You set her up for a great encounter with the Messiah. We have value in Your eyes as well. Your love for us is unconditional. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for drawing us to Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/john/3

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/john/3

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/john/3

My Choice - Light or Darkness

 

My Choice – Light or Darkness

The “Red-Letter Words” of Jesus

Day 35

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he Who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”  John 3:17-21 (NKJV)

During my junior high years (now middle school), I was insecure which probably made me a typical adolescent. I also had a recurring nightmare that my subconscious couldn’t shake.

In my dream, I was invited to hang out with the popular kids from school. It was always at night. Once I got to my destination – whether the beach, hamburger joint, football game, etc. – the kids would turn a spotlight on me. Evidently, I was the only one aware of the fact that I didn’t have any clothes on. I tried to run but I couldn’t. I was stuck in the spotlight, frozen in shame. Then my peers would mock me and call me names. (Please tell me someone else had those dreams in their early teen years.)

I think that’s a good analogy of how I felt when the Holy Spirit dealt with my love of darkness before I gave my life to Jesus. (Darkness gives reference to my life without God.) When the Truth of God’s Word illuminated my evil deeds, it brought shame and condemnation. That’s probably why I preferred the obscurity of blackness. My evil deeds remained hidden in the darkness.

Initially, I hated the light. (Light gives reference to God’s Truth which exposed my sin.) When the spotlight shone on my sinister ways it immobilized me with shame. Sort of like the “deer in the headlights” scenario.

At that point, I had a choice. Slink back into the darkness or allow the Holy Spirit to continue to shine the Truth of His light on my life leading me from condemnation to guilt to repentance to forgiveness to freedom from shame.

Father, thank You for calling me out of darkness into Your marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). Thank You that I am no longer under shame and condemnation because I am forgiven in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). I choose truth and light. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

(For further explanation of my transformed life, click on the page titled, “Salvation.”)

 

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/john/3

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/john/3

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/john/3

 

Jesus Didn't Come to Condemn the World

 Jesus Didn’t Come to Condemn the World

The “Red-Letter Words” of Jesus

Day 34

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16-18 (NKJV)

Robert Wilson was found guilty of murder, kidnapping, and armed robbery in a Georgia courtroom. He received three life sentences, plus seven years, for each crime he committed. Only by the grace of God did he not receive the death penalty.

The jury didn’t condemn Robert nor did the judge who tried the case. His own actions condemned him. It was the judge’s duty to make sure he had a fair trial, and that the resulting guilty verdict was carried out.

Let’s revisit the bronze serpent mentioned in John 3:14, 15. The Israelites were judged by God because of their constant complaining and lack of faith. As a result of their guilt, God sent poisonous snakes to bite the people. Many people died. Once they cried out to God and repented, He gave them an antidote. He had Moses set a bronze snake on a pole. When folks looked up at the snake, they were healed.

God nor Moses condemned the Israelites for their complaining. Like Robert, they condemned themselves by their own actions.

Romans 3:23 tells us, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We’re all guilty of sin. Maybe we didn’t murder someone, but we’re still marked by our sinful nature.

Romans 6:23(a) says, “For the wages of sin is death.” We receive a sentence because of our sin. Robert’s consequence was three life sentences. Poisonous snake bites were the sentence for the Israelites. Eternal death is our sentence.

Thank God for the rest of Romans 6:23, “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world. It was already condemned. Jesus came to rescue humankind from the consequences of their sin by being lifted high on a cross.

Through believing in Him, we are pardoned from spiritual death and receive eternal life. Those who choose not to believe in His name are condemned by their own sin. Sadly, since they refuse to look up to the One lifted high, the guilt can’t be removed from their lives.

Father, Jesus didn’t come to condemn mankind. Like Robert, it’s our sinful actions that condemn us. Thank You that Jesus is our Salvation. When we believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God, we are forgiven and eternal life is ours. More importantly, our relationship with Him is restored. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Robert Wilson was twice pardoned…once by his Savior Jesus Christ while incarcerated and a second time miraculously by the state of Georgia. You can find his incredible story of redemption in his book Beyond Hope. Here is a link to his book. Click on the link for direct access: Beyond Hope - Kindle edition by Wilson, Robert. Self-Help Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

 

 http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/john/3

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/john/3

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/john/3

Nicodemus Understood Religion, Not Spirituality

 Nicodemus Understood Religion, Not Spirituality

The “Red-Letter Words” of Jesus

Day Twenty-Nine

 

Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”  John 3: 9-12 (NKJV)

I’m encouraged by Nicodemus’ question. It seems to me he wanted to push through the confusion he experienced to some type of understanding of what it meant to be born again. He became the humble student instead of the well-renown teacher.

I like what Charles John Ellicott has to say:  The answer to the previous question has spoken of a spiritual birth and a spiritual life and a spiritual kingdom, but all this is in a region of which the Rabbinic schools knew nothing. They were the authorized exponents of Law and Prophets; they knew the precise number of words, and the shape of letters; the form of a phylactery, and the width of a fringe; the tithing of garden herbs, and the manner of washing the hands; but spirit, life, a man’s soul born again!—“how can these things be?”

Nicodemus understood religion all too well. Spirituality, not so much.

Jesus “called him out” since Nicodemus was more than a common teacher…he taught in the Sanhedrin…the governing, religious authority. Nicodemus’ words carried weight and power. It became imperative for him to teach the truth; but, first, he had to understand the truth.

The interpretation of the “We” and “Our” in the above scriptures vary with each Bible scholar I studied. Some say they were plural references to Jesus; others say they referenced the presence of some of the disciples with him; and still, others say they referenced Jesus’ and John the Baptist’s teachings. The one thing they all agree on is Nicodemus didn't accept Jesus' teachings right away. They believe he eventually did, although he remained in darkness that night.

"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it."  John 1:4,5 (NKJV)

Nicodemus lived in darkness and only through rebirth could he understand the truth of Jesus’ words. Being born again brought him into the light and helped him comprehend “heavenly things.” 

That's true for all of us. It wasn’t until I gave my heart to Jesus that I could say, “Ah, now I get it.” It took the Holy Spirit to illuminate my understanding to spiritual truths.

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/john/3.htm

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/john/3.htm

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/3/htm