Then the woman of Samaria sad 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. …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?” (John 4:9, 27 NKJV)

Have you ever wanted to add a footnote to “Love your neighbor as yourself”?

Yes, of course we are to love others, but:

• If they’ve formerly cheated on a spouse, they only get partial love and zero trust.
• If they’re mean to you, God has clearly called a different Christian to love them.
• If they’ve verbally attacked your family, it’s OK to get a little personal payback.
• If they’ve disagreed with you on a theological belief, you don’t have to do ministry together.
• If their political view is xxxxx, you can smile in church, but go ahead and invest in someone else for fellowship.

John tells us a story of Jesus making a point to travel through Samaria (John 4:3-42). Back then Jews generally had no dealings with Samaritans. Some despised the Samaritans even more than Gentiles, as they were considered half-breeds and practitioners of a perversion of the true Jewish faith.

It’s here Jesus meets a woman gathering water while his disciples are off getting food. Women would typically gather water in the morning when it was cool. This woman had come at noon, alone. We don’t know a lot about her, but we find out she had gone through five husbands and the man she was currently with was not her husband. Is this why she chose to avoid gathering water in the morning? To endure the gaze of the hot sun rather than the gaze of the other women? Perhaps.

Jesus starts a conversation. If passing through Samaria wasn’t bad enough, now Jesus is alone with a less than reputable Samaritan woman drinking from her cup at a public well. Not the best image for a Jewish Rabbi.

The woman marvels: “Why would this Jewish man approach a Samaritan woman like me in the heat of the day?”

The disciples return and marvel: “Why would the master approach a Samaritan woman like that at any time of day?”

Though culturally and religiously in opposition, both groups are in agreement here. “Jesus is not behaving the way we expect religious Jews to behave.”

Loving others was not a new concept for the disciples. They would have known the scripture:

“…you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” Leviticus 19:18a.

Yet the way Jesus loved revealed their (and perhaps sometimes our own) shallow view on what it looks like to love others.

Jesus shows us a love that is not convenient. He shows us a love that is extended without expectation of reciprocation. Jesus shows us a love that intentionally seeks out those who society—and sometimes religion— have deemed unlovable.

And we marvel. We marvel because it’s a love not of this world. It’s unnatural, undeserved, and often unrequited.

But this is what separates Christian love from the love of the world:

But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. Luke 6:32-33 NKJV

There will be moments in our lives when we have the opportunity to love sacrificially: to approach the person nobody else will approach, to return compassion for hatred, to give with no thought of return. Today and every day, let us be on the lookout for such opportunities. They may first appear as problems, obstacles, or inconveniences. But it is this type of love that will cause the world to marvel and acknowledge the work of God in our lives.

What can we do in the midst of the battle? First, we should rejoice—because the victory has already been won! This fuels our prayers and fixes our perspective.

Why have we won? Jesus tells us,

“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)

The greatness of the victory is determined by the depth of the struggle. God has called us to preach the Gospel to the world, and Satan knows his time is short. He is in the business of stealing people’s blessing and tricking them out of their destiny.

The serpent told Adam and Eve that eating the forbidden fruit would make them like gods—when they should have realized, “We are already in the image of God. You are telling us to disobey Him.”

In John 10:10, Jesus reveals the stark contrast between Satan’s mission and His own:

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

To be victorious, we must put on the whole armor of God, which is described by Paul in Ephesians 6:11-18 and concludes,

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…

Similarly, Paul writes in 1 Timothy 2:1,

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.

He is not just saying, “Pray for everyone.” He is saying, “You’ve got to have supplications. You’ve got to have prayers. You’ve got to have intercessions, along with giving thanks. Why?

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (vv. 3-4)

God’s desire is for everyone to be saved. That is why He has commanded us to go into all the world and preach the Good News. And as Revelation 12:11 promises, we will overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.

So, we give God thanks because that’s the pathway to victory—and we praise Him for the triumph to come. God bless you.

The term “God Adventure” sounds kind of intriguing and exciting, doesn’t it? Even a little mysterious! If you have an adventuresome spirit, just those words may make you want to explore what a God adventure is – learn more about it!

A “God Adventure” could be following God’s leading to take a new job. It could be a missions trip or a move to a new city. Maybe you’re actually going to commit to leading a Bible study at your church or reach out to a needy family in your area. How about working on reconciling a broken relationship with a family member or friend?

Not all God adventures are so positive or encouraging. Sometimes a God adventure comes your way uninvited and unexpected. It can come in circumstances that involve loss, unfair treatment, illness, or broken relationships. These are the wilderness places that God uses to shape, refine, and carve character into us, if we’ll let Him. The process is so painful, but the result is pure gold.

Some dear friends of mine, a married couple, have been through this recently. A cancer diagnosis brought surgery, radiation, doctors, doctors, and more doctors. Pain, loss, rehabilitation, fear and uncertainty.

Who’d sign up for that? But, now let me tell you what I saw this “wilderness” produce in their lives …a sense of God’s presence that over-rode all the circumstances, a trust in God’s goodness and faithfulness (which is never really fully experienced until you find yourself in the furnace of affliction); a deeper love and appreciation for each other as a couple; and peace, real peace, in the midst of the storm.

They were not delivered from the experience, they were lifted above it and carried through it. Isaiah 40:31 outlines the promise of God to those who are walking through trials.

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (NKJV)

The Bible is filled with the stories of great men and women of faith, and almost all of them had one or more defining wilderness experiences that God used to prepare them for even greater use. My favorite is the story of Joseph. Sold into slavery by his brothers, wrongly accused by the wife of his employer, thrown into jail for something he didn’t do, and seemingly forgotten by those he had helped. In all of this, a span of 13 years, the Bible never once records that Joseph complained or railed against the Lord. Read this amazing story yourself – Genesis 37 through 47. Through his years in the wilderness, Joseph learned humility, obedience, patience, and responsibility. In God’s perfect timing, he became ruler over all of Egypt delivering the Egyptians and his own family from the famine in the land.

How can you turn your wilderness into a God adventure? For starters let this scripture sink deeply into your heart and mind – Romans 8:28

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (NKJV)

ALL things – even your trials and afflictions.

Give them to God with a sense of anticipation. You are being refined – prepared for something. Look for the lessons.

Surrender your “rights,” your arguments, and your confusion to Him. God never makes mistakes.

Rest in Him – climb up into his lap and let Him refresh you with His strength.

Trust His timing – He’s got it all together. Jeremiah 29:11 says this,

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)

Stay close to Him and watch your wilderness become a God adventure!

Coming and going through my neighborhood, I’ve never noticed this particular tree. But this day — Wow! The afternoon sun shone the right amount of light, at the perfect angle, to bring this red maple from ordinary to stunning. I slowed down and admired its beauty.

The splendor of God’s creation could be seen in each slight variation as the distinct red shades of crimson, scarlet, and burgundy radiated in the sunlight.

It made me think of references to Jesus as light and His followers as those who have light to keep them from the darkness.

Then Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 NLT)

Just as an ordinary tree becomes magnificent when the sunlight hits it a certain way, ordinary human beings become filled with the light of life through Christ. God gives us hope and it makes us confident.

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. (Ephesians 1:18 NLT)

“And this hope does not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.” (Romans 5:5 NLT)

As God’s children, the hope living within us is the Holy Spirit and has the power to bring hope to others. It is the Light. We bring light in a dark world when we follow the ways of Jesus Christ. We extend love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control — the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The evil in the world offers the opposite: hate, despair, chaos, impatience, ill will, cruelty, disloyalty, harshness, and instability.

Our Creator provides all we need to let the light of His redeeming love bring out the best in us – so we can stand out in this world and cause others to slow down to notice Him, His ways, His beauty.

On my commute the next day, I looked for the red maple. Couldn’t find it. The sky was overcast and it was back to blending in with the other trees. I was disappointed but not surprised. When the light is muted, so is the beauty of my neighborhood … and our society.

Lord, help us surrender our pride and any other sin blocking Your light from shining brightly through us. You give us the power to be positive and holy examples. Help us shine each day and refuse to be satisfied with blending in. We cannot do it on our own and ask You to fill us anew with Your light. We agree to trust You and obey You. Please use us, Lord, to magnify Your beauty and cause others to slow down and see what You are all about. Build your Kingdom, oh Lord, with new hearts who are attracted to You — the Light of the world.

Loving the Unloving

What if today, right out of the clear blue sky, or tonight, out under the stars, God placed before you a clear-cut opportunity for an adventure in faith with Him? Are you ready? Ready to lace up your shoes, step through that door, and follow Him?

Why do we shy away from open doors, from the prospect of new adventures in faith? Why do we let opportunity after opportunity pass us by, even though we feel a stirring of desire and a tug on our hearts to respond? What holds us back?

I think many of us are simply too weighed down and tangled up by our past to step into God’s purpose today. How sad. We lose “today” because of “yesterday.” Life flows on by, and age creeps up on us while we remain mired in doubts, fears, and hesitations.

Have you ever met some older person, now physically unable to work or travel, who could only look back on life with regrets? It’s not a happy story. Some older man will say, “Years ago I had the opportunity to serve the Lord overseas—and deep down, I really wanted to go. But I had a good job, and I was climbing the ladder. So I held back. Then the opportunity passed me by—and it never came again.”

Or some older lady saying, “My husband and I couldn’t have children. He wanted to adopt a baby girl from China, but I was afraid, I kept stalling the decision, and we never did. Now my husband’s gone, and here I am with no one in my life. It would be so wonderful to have a daughter.”

Life is too short to live with regrets! Life is too precious to turn away from promising opportunities to serve the King in His kingdom.

The psalmist said,

“I run in the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free.” (Psalm 119:32 WEB)

That’s what we want. To just run and run and run into His will and the paths of His purpose. With a light heart, a clear eye, and hope rushing bank-high through the channels of our heart.

But we can’t run if we have huge packs on our backs or ropes tangling up our feet that keep us from embracing God Adventures. Be open when God calls, even out of the blue.

Streams in the Desert – January 14

• 202214 Jan

He putteth forth his own sheep (John 10:4).

Oh, this is bitter work for Him and us — bitter for us to go, but equally bitter for Him to cause us pain; yet it must be done. It would not be conducive to our true welfare to stay always in one happy and comfortable lot. He therefore puts us forth. The fold is deserted, that the sheep may wander over the bracing mountain slope. The laborers must be thrust out into the harvest, else the golden grain would spoil.

Take heart! it could not be better to stay when He determines otherwise; and if the loving hand of our Lord puts us forth, it must be well. On, in His name, to green pastures and still waters and mountain heights! He goeth before thee. Whatever awaits us is encountered first by Him. Faith’s eye can always discern His majestic presence in front; and when that cannot be seen, it is dangerous to move forward. Bind this comfort to your heart, that the Savior has tried for Himself all the experiences through which He asks you to pass; and He would not ask you to pass through them unless He was sure that they were not too difficult for your feet, or too trying for your strength.

This is the Blessed Life — not anxious to see far in front, nor careful about the next step, not eager to choose the path, nor weighted with the heavy responsibilities of the future, but quietly following behind the Shepherd, one step at a time.

My godly mother, who prayed me into the kingdom, frequently used to say she was “worried sick” about this or that.

But here’s the plain truth: worry is a sin! Over and over, the Bible commands, “Do not worry!” It doesn’t do a bit of good, but it can certainly do harm — like causing ulcers.

Jesus bluntly challenged His followers:

“Don’t worry about everyday life — whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not. You have so little faith!” (Matthew 6:25b, 27, 30b)

To illustrate His point, Jesus said,

“Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest … because your heavenly Father feeds them” (Matt. 6:26a)

Have you ever seen a bird having a nervous breakdown? They don’t worry because they know God will feed them. And remember,

“You are far more valuable to Him than they are” (Matt. 6:26b)

Many worries stem from worldly desires. But trust is depending on God to provide.

Jesus said:

“Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern” (Matt. 6:33-34)

When we walk closely with Jesus day by day, we find rest. But inner peace doesn’t come if we run here and there, wasting time and chasing worldly things. The world can corrupt us with its troubles, making us scared. After all, good news doesn’t sell newspapers! The devil wants to keep us on a treadmill with our nose to the grindstone, worrying about everything. But God says, “Fear not!”

As you face each day, don’t miss the blessing — it’s Him! God loves you and knows your true needs, whether they be physical, social or financial. So come to Him in faith, give Him your burdens, seek His face, praise His name … and He will supply!

Today’s Devotions

Cheering words and solemn warnings

By: Charles Spurgeon

‘Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.’ Isaiah 3:10

Suggested Further Reading: Psalm 37:16–40

‘Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him,’ from the beginning of the year to the end of the year, from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, from the first gatherings of evening shadows until the day-star shines. It shall be well with him when, like Samuel, God calls him from the bed of his childhood; it shall be well with him when, like David in his old age, he is stayed up in the bed to conclude his life with a song of praise; it shall be well with him if, like Solomon, he shall abound in wealth, and well with him if like Lazarus he shall lie upon a dunghill and the dogs shall lick his sores; it shall be well with him, if like Job he washes his feet with oil and his steps with butter, if the princes are before him bowing their heads, and the great ones of the earth do him obeisance; but it shall be equally well with him if, like Job in his trial, he sits down to scrape himself with a potsherd, his children gone, his wife bidding him curse his God, his friends become miserable comforters to him, and himself left alone; it shall be well, always well. The text evidently means that it is well with the righteous at all times alike, and never otherwise than well; because no time is mentioned, no season is excluded, and all time is intended.

For meditation: We become righteous only as the result of trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and what he has done for us (Romans 5:19). It is bound to be well with the righteous at all times and in all circumstances because ‘He hath done all things well’ (Mark 7:37).

The Jewish calendar has a period of time called Teshuvah, meaning “to turn,” in the last month of the year, Elul, which means “search.” The purpose is for people to turn to God and search their hearts in preparation for the Day of Atonement, when they ask themselves, “Am I ready to die?”

This is reflected in their clothing for the day. Every married Jewish male wears a kittel, a white linen robe that eventually serves as their burial shroud. The robe has no pockets, symbolizing that nothing can be taken along on that journey. It’s a dress rehearsal for death.

Keep in mind that Jesus is Jewish, and He prepared Himself to die. The good news is that when Jesus wore His burial shroud, He left it in a tomb and is raised forevermore.

And we have this wonderful promise in Colossians 2:12:

“You also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”

Are we ready to walk into the goodness and provision of God? Sometimes it’s easy to allow bitterness, complaining and anxiety to build up, robbing us of our joy. The more we are asleep to our disobedience, the more we drift away from God without even realizing it.

We need to wake up into the newness of life He has for us. That’s why it is important to examine ourselves to see where we fall short, to ask God to forgive us and set us free. He is merciful and gracious, and He wants to bring us into the Promised Land.

Start by remembering that He loves you. Song of Solomon 6:3 says,

“I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.”

You don’t have to beg Him; He wants you to succeed, and He is in your corner.

Meditate on God’s attributes in Exodus 34:6-7:

“The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.”

Then search your heart for anything that is keeping you from wholeheartedly pursuing the promises God has for you.

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise (Psalm 51:16-17).

We need to guard against complacency by asking ourselves, “Am I right with God? Am I ready to meet Him? Am I fully appreciating the salvation that Jesus paid that price for?” This brings a whole new appreciation of what Jesus did for us in the Garden of Gethsemane, on the cross, and in the resurrection.

You get a different perspective on life when facing death. I experienced that first-hand when I nearly died of cerebral malaria in Manila. In that time, the things you used to think were important don’t matter at all. It’s just you and God.

In 2 Corinthians 1:8-9, Paul shared what he learned while facing death:

We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead (NLT).

He expected to die—and as a result, he learned to rely on God, for He will raise us, too.

When we go through hardships, our reaction should be, “This is great because it means God is going to be glorious. He will see me through this and I am going to learn how great He is.”

Jesus came to give you abundant life. In Him, we have new life. No matter what we go through, we can rely on Him. Our hope is in the One who raises the dead. God bless you.

A cure for care

‘Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ 1 Peter 5:7

Suggested Further Reading: Jonah 4:6–11

Believe in a universal providence; the Lord cares for ants and angels, for worms and for worlds; he cares for cherubim and for sparrows, for seraphim and for insects. Cast your care on him, he that calls the stars by their names, and leads them out by numbers, by their hosts. ‘Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and thinkest O Israel, my way is passed over from God and he has utterly forgotten me?’ Let his universal providence cheer you. Think next of his particular providence over all the saints. ‘Precious shall their blood be in his sight.’ ‘Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.’ ‘We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ While he is the Saviour of all men, he is specially the Saviour of them that believe. Let that cheer and comfort you, that special providence which watches over the chosen. ‘The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him.’ And then, let the thought of his special love to you be the very essence of your comfort. ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.’ God says that as much to you, as he said it to any saint of old. ‘Fear not, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.’ O I would beloved, that the Holy Spirit would make you feel the promise as being spoken to you; out of this vast assembly forget the rest and only think of yourself, for the promises are unto you, meant for you. O grasp them. It is ill to get into a way of reading Scripture for the whole church, read it for yourselves, and specially hear the Master say to you, ‘Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.’

For meditation: While we should not be so preoccupied with ourselves that we are unable to see the wood for the trees, there is also the danger of neglect or ingratitude resulting from a failure to see the trees for the wood. ‘They made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.’ (Song of Solomon 1:6). Never forget how personal the Saviour is—‘who loved me, and gave himself for me’ (Galatians 2:20).

Streams in the Desert – January 12

Reckon it nothing but joy… whenever you find yourself hedged in by the various trials, be assured that the testing of your faith leads to power of endurance (James 1:2-3) Weymouth

God hedges in His own that He may preserve them, but oftentimes they only see the wrong side of the hedge, and so misunderstand His dealings. It was so with Job (Job 3:23). Ah, but Satan knew the value of that hedge! See his testimony in Job 1:10.

Through the leaves of every trial there are chinks of  light to shine through. Thorns do not prick you unless you lean against them, and not one touches without His knowledge. The words that hurt you, the letter which gave you pain, the cruel wound of your dearest friend, shortness of money — are all known to Him, who sympathizes as none else can and watches to see, if, through all, you will dare to trust Him wholly.

Bringing my Neighbor to Jesus