AN UNKNOWN, UNWANTED WOMAN

AN UNKOWN, UNWANTED WOMAN

Jesus walked through Samaria.  This was not the normal road.  He took a detour.  The disciples must have been uneasy about this.

He sent them into a town; they would be even more uneasy.

 

He was alone.

But a woman came to draw water.

At noon.

When no one would be there.

To shame her.

 

Jesus asked her for a drink.

She reacted, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan, and a woman.

(a shameful, worthless, despised woman).

How can you ask me for a drink?"

 

This unnamed woman! 

Nicodemus, a fine upstanding, educated, well-to-do person.

But this woman!

Unloved, unwanted, unnamed. 
      Worthless. Outcast. 
            Condemned.  Shamed.

 

Jesus! 

What condescension! 

Humility.  Mercy.  Compassion. 
     Kindness.

         Gentleness. 
             Tenderness.

Jesus!

To Jesus she was not the dregs of mankind and society.

This broken, devastated woman was precious to Jesus.

He went out of His way to meet her.

Jesus loved her and violated every law and social custom to speak to her.

This encounter with Jesus and His love for her changed her life for eternity.

I will meet her one day and, right now, I feel ashamed that I would not have loved her and seen the beauty and loveliness Jesus restored to her with His loving grace and goodness.

 

How easy it is for me to "pass by on the other side" to avoid speaking and getting involved with the unclean failures and misfits all around me.

 

Lord Jesus, will You make this old heart of mine tender and compassionate, like Yours, so I can love some one as You loved this one? 
Can I give Your love to someone so they can find new and eternal life in and with You?

CHOSEN

 

 

CHOSEN!



In Him we were also chosen,

having been predestined according to the plan

of Him Who works out everything in conformity with the purposes of His will,

in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ,

might be for the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 1.11-12

 

God has a plan for our life.

This plan uses everything that happens to us.

Nothing is wasted.

 

Everything, good and bad, is used to perfect our lives.
 

 

I am chosen according to the plan You have for verything to work out for Your purposes so that what You do in my life will bring praise to You from those who know and see me--like becoming salt and light.  As You work the Beatitudes into my life, others see the effect of the glory of Your goodness and they express wonder and awe, praise and eventually worship in their own realizations.

  

You have a plan for our lives, for my life.

You use everything in my life to work out Your plans for my life.

You use what You do in my life as an example and as "show and tell" how You work Your plan into the lives of others. 

 

You have used many others along the way to show and tell me how You were working out Your plans for my life through what was happening to me at the time.

 

As Your plans make

 

"all things work together for good"

 

in my life,

 

I can show and tell others how

 

You do it for them.

 

 

Romans 8.28; James 1.2-5; the Beatitudes; Phil. 1.27-2.5, 2.12-13;

Romans 12.1-3

THE EYES OF OUR HEART

THE EYES OF OUR HEART

 

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened

 in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you,

the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,

and His incomparably great power for us who  believe.'

Ephesians 1.18-19

 

The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord;

He directs it like a watercourse where He pleases.

Proverbs 21.1

 

 

When we allow God into our heart, He directs us in the way He want us to go.

 

He says,

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; 

I will counsel you and watch over you."

Psalm 32.8

 

These are astonishing words!!

Our Creator, God!, takes a personal interest in our personal affairs.

He takes responsibility for being our Teacher and Counselor.  

 

Our only work is to prayerfully read Scripture to understand and obey His will.

 

He works within us to desire His will and trust directions and corrections. 

 

The Holy Spirit opens the eyes of our understanding.

A joyful energy springs forth to increase our desire for even more. 

God redirects our heart.

We realize more and more of what He wants for us.  

                  We want to obey the Lord.

Gratitude and humility combine with confidence, hope, commitment and faith.  Love increases, and we desire to share this with someone.

 

Grace empowers us in many ways-- 

Faith, Trust, Teaching Speaking, Truthfulness, Ministry, and Compassion, Kindness, Humility, Gentleness, Patience, forgiveness.

 

When we search the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see great and mighty promises we would never find on our own.

 

 

"Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

Psalm 23.6

 

As we go, the Lord gives us

      Wisdom and Power for each step of our way,

      Courage when those steps are new to us,

      Strength when they are difficult,

      Encouragement when we feel lost,

      Forgiveness when we fail,

      Compassion and Patience for others.

 

Blessed are those whose strength is in You

who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. 

As they pass through the Valley,

they make it a place of springs;

the autumn rains cover it with pools. 

They go from strength to strength ,

till each appears before God in Zion.

Psalm 84.5-7

GOD AND GOD ALONE--EPHESIANS 1.1-5

GOD AND GOD ALONE

EPHESIANS 1.1-10

 

GOD.

 

"I AM WHAT I AM"

 

God is the source, the only source, of the reality of our existence.

Turn to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth;

for I am God and there is no other.

Isaiah 45.22

Theology and philosophy can never realize the truth of the realities of God.

Where is the wise person? 

Where is the teacher of the law?
Where is the philosopher of the age? 

Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

1 Corinthians 1.20

 

God is our Creator.  He created us because He wants pure, holy, blameless, perfect fellowship with us for all eternity.

 

This is what the Lord says--

He Who created you, He Who formed You,

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you,

I have summoned you by name;

You are Mine.

Isaiah 43.1

 

He wants mankind to be holy, pure, blameless, and righteous for ever and ever and to know, enjoy, and love Him for ever and ever. 

This fellowship somehow required God to permit our doubts and resulting sin. 

Doubt breaks the relationship of our trust in God's goodness.

The initial purity of the relationship was lost.

Broken trust excludes us from being with God in the glory of the Garden.

 

You have forsaken Me and served other gods,

so I will no longer save you.

Judges 10.13

 

Broken trust brought pain, suffering, destruction, hardship, grief, sadness, and a host of sins. 





 The wages of sin is death.

Romans 3.23
 

But the unbelief of that moment was taken into account.

Forgiveness and restoration with God are extended based on a restoration of trust and obedience from us. 

 

Take your evil deeds out of My sight; stop doing wrong.

"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. 

"Though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

Though they are red as crimson,

they shall be like wool."

Isaiah 1.16, 18

Forgiveness required "redemption through His blood," which is how we are released from the bondage and suffering of sin. 
 

All are justified freely by His Grace

through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 3.24

Based on our Faith in God, redemption now restores of the riches of God's grace that were removed by doubt and sin.

God wants us to have His lavish riches. 

Jesus called these riches, "The Kingdom of God."

Faith restores these riches.

All the New Testament proclaims that we have the riches of God's gracious fellowship and all its blessings restored to us when we return to Him by faith.

 

In Him you have been enriched in every way.

1 Corinthians 1.5

With wisdom and understanding, God makes His will, grace, and riches known to us.

 

You do not lack any spiritual gift...

He will keep you firm to the end...

God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship

with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1.7,8,9

 

With great pleasure, He reveals how He puts His purpose into effect through Christ.

We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will

through all the wisdom and understanding the Spirit gives,

so that you may life a life worthy of the Lord

and please Him in every way...

Colossians 1.9-10

 

From before Adam and Eve, God has been working out Hisplan for the unity of Grace and Glory for all creation for all Eternity.

 

Glorious grace...

freely given us...

redemption...forgiveness...riches

lavished on us

with all wisdom and understanding...

according to His good pleasure...

to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth

under Christ.

Ephesians 1.6-10

 

COME.

 

FOLLOW ME.

 

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

IS AT HAND.

 

 

 

 

PRAYER--EPHESIANS 1.15-23

PRAYER--EPHESIANS 1.15-23

 

 

Paul's prayer is for us to realize and receive the riches of glory that Jesus wants for us. 

This is to be our prayer. 

 

We are promised these riches when we ask for them.

We are promised these rich treasures when we follow the directions of the mapquest Scripture gives us.

 

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. 

When a man found it, he hid it again,

and then in his joy went and sold all he had

and bought that field.

Again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 

When he found one of great value,

he went away and sold everything he had

and bought it.

Matthew 13.44-46

 

Jesus has His Spirit direct us through the "doors"

that lead to rich treasures of His will .

The purpose of this plan is promised to us in Eph.1.1-14.

The plan is carried by the promise of the Spirit as in Ps. 32.8--

 

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with My loving eye on you

(and watch over you).

Ps.32.8

 

COME.

 

FOLLOW ME.

MY GOAL

 

MY GOAL

 

To understand the purpose and teaching

of the Sermon on the Mount

Jesus' way of discipleship

Qualities of a faithful disciple

Teaching others to be disciples

 

 

"The things you have heard, entrust to reliable men,

who will be able to teach others."

2 Timothy 2.1-2

"Christ's Ambassadors."  2 Corinthians 5.18-20

"As Father..so send I you."  John 20.21

"As I have loved you,…"  John 13.35

"Go and make disciples…and teach them to obey."  Mt. 28.18-20

 

 

To Seek and See "The beauty of the Lord."

 

One thing I ask of the Lord, this only do I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,

to gaze on the beauty of the Lord

and to seek Him in His temple.

Psalm 27.4

"In reading this, you will be able to understand."  Ephesians 3.4

             TO ABIDE IN CHRIST JESUS
                              John 15

 

GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES--MATTHEW 28.18

ISAIAH 50.4 

The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,

to know the word that sustains the weary. 

He wakens me morning by morning,

wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.

 

Romans 15.9-12

It is written:

I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of Your Name.

Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people.

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol Him

The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations;

in Him the Gentiles will hope.

 

2 Corinthians 5.14-20 

For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all,

and therefore all died. 

And He died for all, that those who live

should no longer live for themselves

but for Him Who died for them and was raised again.

 

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. 

Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: 

The old has gone, the new is here!

 

All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ

and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

That God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ,

not counting people's sins against them.

And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors,

as though God were making His appeal through us.

We implore you on Christ's behalf: 

Be reconciled to God. 

 

 John 3.16   

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son

That whosoever believes on Him

Should not perish

But have everlasting life.

 

Isaiah 50.4 promises unlimited provision--"everything we need for a godly life."  2 Peter 1. 2-4
  

Romans 15.9-12 expresses God's purpose in making us into "fishers of men," "salt and light," "witnesses," "makers and teachers of faithful men"--

To bring Gentiles from throughout the entire world

to faith in and faithfulness to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

 

2 Corinthians 5.14-20 tells of the source of energy, authority, and power given by the Holy Spirit to fulfill His purpose in and for our lives is the love of Christ.

John 15.1-17 tells how to receive all that God wants for us, which is exceedingly above, all that we can ask or think--great and mighty beyond anything we can imagine: 

 

"ABIDE IN ME."  JOHN 15.5,7-8

A PURPOSEFUL AND DEDICATED LIFE--ROMANS 12.2-5

The simple act of choosing to spend time

in the presence of Jesus Christ

will open the doors of His love to begin to direct

and redirect our lives into the ways

of peace, joy, and love,

with wisdom, power, healing, growth and development

in the ways of eternal life.

 

 

Do not  conform to the pattern of this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 

Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--

His good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12.2

 

 

Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--

this is your true and proper worship.

Ro.12.1

 

In the place you choose, Jesus will show you the life He wants you to live in His eternal kingdom.

 

You will recognize His purposes as being good, pleasing, and perfectly satisfying in increasing ways for the coming ages.

 

Time with Jesus will give you two very clear, easy things:

 

1. A Goal for every time you are with Him.
2. The Method of reaching those goals.

 

With a goal and a method, He will give you the motivation, wisdom, and ability to reach His eternal goals.

 

As you invest time and thought for God-related goals taking place, you will find your daily life, relationships and responsibilities taking on more and more satisfaction ("good, pleasing, and perfect,"  "goodness and  mercy every day"--Ps 23.6).

 

The Goal of Jesus in your time with Him is simple:  to show you how He sees your life developing and how He sees it could be from His point of view.

The short version is stated in the verse:

 

"renewing your mind and experiencing God's will

as good, pleasing , and perfect'

Romans 12.2  

 

The Method by which this happens simply enough, too.

 

Tell Jesus what you think about 

 

in every experience you go through.

 

 

 

Read Scripture so the Holy Spirit can select verses

 

that will help you see things from God's standpoint.

 

The benefits of this method of seeking "the kingdom of God and His righteousness" is found in the list of life-giving qualities, found in vv.9-21.

 

(These qualities will be considered in a later blog.)

 

 

Meanwhile, take some time today to let the Holy Spirit make a positive difference in your body, soul, and spirit.

 

"…offer your bodies as

 

a living sacrifice…

 

to be transformed

 

by God's good, pleasing, and

 

perfect will."

BECOMING THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD--ROMANS 12.2

 

We are ambassadors
for Christ…

We implore you
on Christ's behalf: 

Be reconciled to God.

2 Cor. 5.18-20

 

 

Jesus said the light of the world is seen in the goodness of God. 

Matthew 5.16

 

The apostle said the light of the glory of God is seen in the face of Jesus. 

2 Cor. 4.6

 

The apostle also said that in seeing light from our glorious God,

we are changed.

2 Cor. 3.18

 

The change takes place within us is good. 

Ephesians 2.l0

 

This ever-changing goodness is recognized by all who know us. 

2 Cor. 4.2

 

 

This is how we become the light of the world:   

The goal is to make real contact with the real God

and bring the effect of that contact into the lives of others.

 

 

We meet with God and He infuses our lives with His realities.

 

We meet with God through Christ.  We follow Christ into the glory of God.

 

We bring this glory to others and lead them to follow Christ.

 

 

This repeating cycle is the plan of God:  meeting with Him, following Him, leading others to meet and follow and lead others to meet, follow, and lead…..Until the end of this age of the world.

 

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses

entrust to reliable people who will also be

qualified to teach others.

2 Timothy 2.1-2

 

Jesus called this,

 "Abide, bear fruit, teach others to abide, bear fruit, and teach others…."

 

One way He said this was,

"Go and make disciples, and teach them to obey all the commands I have taught you," or "Go with My commands, make disciples, and teach them My commands."

 

Or, "As I have loved you, so ought you to love one another,"

And, "As the Father has sent Me, so send I you."

 

 

The plan of God is quite simple:

 

1. Abide, which is to spend time with Jesus.
2. You will bear fruit from each meeting.
3. The fruit of your time with Jesus

will lead others

to come and abide with Him.

 

More simple than this?

 

 

COME. 

FOLLOW ME,

AND I WILL MAKE YOU

FISHERS OF MEN.

MATTHEW 4.19

 

GO.

MAKE DISCIPLES.

TEACH THEM.