Let Them Enjoy It

John 5:8-11 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ”

It amazes me that even today, many Christians still struggle with what it means to be truly free. In Christ, we have been set free from the bondage of sin and fear; but we must also remember that we have been set free from the Law. When I say we are set free from the Law, I mean the ceremonial part of the Law (the religious rituals). We are still accountable to the moral part of the Law (the thou shalt not part). However, Jesus made it clear that the Law is fulfilled when we love God and love our neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40). The Apostle Paul put it this way in Galatians 5:14, "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this:'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" The Jews cared more about keeping a ritual than they did the wellbeing of this man who helplessly suffered for so many years. Sadly, that has not changed much today. Far too often we are more concerned about keeping some religious ritual or holding someone hostage with our personal convictions, rather than sincerely caring about what is the real need in someone's life. Those who are legalistic in their approach to Christianity do great harm to the cause of Christ by overlooking the one command that Jesus Himself said was one of the greatest commandments, "Love your neighbor as yourself." We all have liberty in Jesus, but keep in mind that the Bible makes it clear that we are not to use our liberty as an occasion to sin. So, the next time we see someone who is not sinning, but has a different conviction than we do, and is simply enjoying their freedom and liberty in Christ; do not judge them, but instead rejoice that they too have been set free in Jesus.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).

Take Them By The Hand

John 5:6-7 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

What a helpless state of being. This man suffered for 38 years of his life with no cure, and no one to help him. Those who surrounded him were in the same state of helplessness. Yet, it seems like there were plenty who were well enough to reach the healing waters before him, leaving him, once again, in his pitiful state. We have here another example of how man seeks relief from physical suffering, when the real need is spiritual healing. Although we are not told what this man suffered from, later in this chapter Jesus tells the man in verse 14, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” Jesus' warning to this man seems to indicate that his sickness was the result of sin in his life. Today, we are surrounded by so many who are suffering physically and spiritually, because of sin. We, who have been healed and are on our way to Heaven, have the answer and ultimate cure for the one thing that is destroying this world. Yet, we are like the ones who rushed past this man to seek our own relief, and enjoy the hope we have been given. Today, we have the ability, and opportunity, to reach out to someone who is hurting, who has no one who cares for them and the state of their broken life. We have the answer and the cure for their soul. We possess the one thing that will give them hope and help them to better deal with their physical and emotional suffering. We have salvation in Christ Jesus, and the ability to share the Good News that someone else shared with us. This man waited for years for someone to help him reach the healing waters that would make him physically whole. We have access to the One who will give Living Water and make one spiritually whole, with a promise to one day be made physically whole, when we are finally with Him. Today, rather than pass by another whose life is broken and helpless, who may be quietly suffering, or may even be crying out, because they have no one to help bring them to the Living Water; why not stop and take them by the hand? Why not stop and lead them to the One who will give them the Living Water that will not only heal their soul, but also give them hope and purpose? Take them by the hand and lead them to Jesus.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).

Eyes of Faith and Hope

John 4:50-51 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!”

We can learn a great lesson from the response of this nobleman to Jesus' words that his son was healed. Responding in belief gave him the peace that passes all understanding. It is one thing to bring our cares and concerns to the Lord, it is another to bring those cares and concerns with faith and trust. Unbelief is a killer. It kills our peace, our joy, and puts us in a position to fall short of pleasing the Lord; for we know that without faith we cannot please Him. The man, although very much concerned about his son's wellbeing, focused instead on the words and promise Jesus made. Today, rather than focusing on all the "bad news" and circumstances the world, and the enemy, keeps putting before our eyes, in order to keep us in a state of fear, worry, and panic; let us instead focus our attention on God's Word and His promises. However, in order to truly experience the peace and joy the Lord promises we can have in Him, we must read His Word and see His promises through eyes of faith and hope. The nobleman continued his journey home, believing and with hope; a hope that did not disappoint, when he finally heard the words, "Your son lives!" We also have hope. That hope is our Living Hope, because God's Son, our Savior and Lord, lives!

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).

There Are Still Some Who Will Believe

John 4:43-45 Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.

Sometimes it does not matter how much evidence is seen, in respect to who Jesus is and what He can do, some people will just not believe or give Jesus the honor He deserves. It was in Cana of Galilee that Jesus turned water into wine. The Galileans had likely seen much of what Jesus did in Jerusalem; yet, they refused to recognize Him for who He was. We must not be surprised when those closest to us refuse to acknowledge the change that takes place in our lives after we come to know the Lord. God will begin to change us from the inside out, by the working of the Spirit in us and through us. Yet, many of our family members and friends will mock us and persecute us, rather than accept our witness. That is perfectly fine. For all the lack of honor toward Jesus, and disbelief by the Galileans, there were still some who believed, even an entire household (4:46-54). So when we feel like no one is listening, just remain faithful. The more people we tell and the more consistent our testimony, the more likely we will reach some. We have to live for Jesus, open our mouths, and leave the outcome to Him. There are still those out there who will believe.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).

The Power of HIS Word

John 4:39-42 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

What a valuable lesson we see here in these verses. The testimony of the Samaritan woman drew others to Jesus, but it was Jesus' own words that ultimately caused the people to believe. Although God can use our testimony, regardless of how small or great, the most important thing we can share is God's Word. It is a beautiful thing when we see God change lives. We can be grateful and excited about how God has worked in, and changed, our lives; but we must not forget that it was the Holy Spirit working to convict us, using God's Word, that drew us to Jesus, resulting in our salvation. Isaiah put it best in chapter 55 and verse 11, "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." For this reason it is of utmost importance that we realize and acknowledge that the most important thing to share, when we share our testimony, is the Word of God. Salvation is only found in Jesus, and this is why the lost must hear from Jesus Himself. How will they hear from Jesus if all we ever do is share our words. We are not the ones who save or even have the power to save. There is only One who saves, and His Name is Jesus; so share His Words so that people will have a personal meeting with the only One who has the power to save.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).

We Are Losing the Easiest Blessings

John 4:35-38 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.”

One of the most available blessings that we pass up is the blessing of knowing that a reward is set for us when we tell others about Jesus. Note that I did not say, "When we win someone to Christ." I say this because when we witness to someone, we do not know if they are hearing the Gospel for the first or the fiftieth time. We may be the first one to plant a seed or the one who waters or even the one who reaps the blessing of actually leading them to Jesus. Regardless of whatever role we play in that person coming to know Jesus, we receive reward. Jesus made that clear in today's verses, as He explained this truth to His disciples. The Apostle Paul also explained this same truth to the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 3:8 which reads, "Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor." Our hesitation to speak up is costing us more than we think. We are losing the easiest heavenly blessings and rewards we can gain by choosing the things of this world, and preferring our own desires, over simply doing what God has called us to do...tell others about Jesus and what He did for us.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).

What Is Our Excuse?

John 4:35 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!

What's our excuse? You know... The one that keeps us from carrying out the command to preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15); or the one that clearly tells us to go out and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to observe all the things that Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:18-20). Far too often we convince ourselves that no one will listen to us or that the timing was not right, when in reality we were simply intimidated and afraid of being rejected. We allow the enemy to convince us that "now is not the time". If now is not the time, then when is the right time? God's Word reminds us in 2 Corinthians that now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. The sad truth is that every single day that we are out and about, we encounter people who need Jesus. Some of those people are actually searching for something in life that will give them meaning and give their life purpose. We have the answer. We have what they need. Yet, we pass them by and never open our mouths. The truth of the matter is that there are many who are ready to receive the message we have been commanded to bring to a lost and dying world. The problem is that we are not being diligent enough to bring it. We have allowed the enemy to discourage us, and we have allowed our own personal ambitions and desires to override our true purpose and mission for being here. How long will we wait to share the wonderful message about Jesus and what He did for us? Jesus clearly told his disciple that now was the time. So, what is our excuse for not telling someone today?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).

Undernourished Christians

John 4:31-34 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.

In a country where there is still much to eat, we have a lot of us Christians that are walking around suffering from starvation and malnutrition. Observing the outer appearance is very deceiving; as many of us look healthy enough and even look like we could stand to feed ourselves a little, if not a lot, less. However, that is not what I speak of today. Many of us outwardly portray something that is not true. Many of us look well nourished, but on the inside we are far from healthy. The disciples were concerned, like many of us, with satisfying what they thought was the most important thing, physical hunger. Now, do not get me wrong. If we are not careful about what we feed ourselves physically, we can certainly cause great damage to our bodies. However, what the disciples did not understand, and many of us do not understand, is that spiritual food is far more necessary than physical food. When I say spiritual food, many will counter and tell me how much they read and study their Bibles and how much they pray and spend quiet time with Jesus. These things are all good and definitely things we do to feed ourselves spiritually; but when Jesus spoke of spiritual food, He spoke of doing, not receiving. In other words, when we read this passage carefully, Jesus' food was doing the Father's will. It was telling others about salvation and receiving the Bread of Life Himself and receiving the Living Water only He can give. Jesus' spiritual food was serving others and making them aware of the fact that they could receive the free gift that God offered, in Him. Far too many of us are doing the things that help feed us, such as reading and studying God's Word, and praying, but we are still undernourished because we are not witnessing or serving. If we are in any way confused about this, or doubt it, then let us simply reread Jesus' own words, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work."

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).

Be Unashamed

John 4:28-30 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.

What an amazing response to realizing who Jesus was. Here was a woman who, in her initial encounter with Jesus, sought to receive from Him that which would relieve the physical burdens she carried. Yet, once she had a better understanding of who Jesus was, she dropped her burdens, put her shame aside, and immediately went to, of all people, the men in her city. Stop and consider that for a moment. As men, if we were to see a woman with a reputation as she likely had, hearing her speak of spiritual things would be the last thing we would expect. However, she had a life changing experience that made her unashamed to speak of the One she now suspected was the coming Messiah. Even more amazing is the fact that her past did not disqualify her from being used by the Lord to draw men unto Himself. Has the Lord changed our life enough for us to be so grateful that we put our past aside and do all we can to tell others? Are we unashamed of the Gospel message and our Lord to the extent that we care not what others think if we mention the Name of Jesus? Today, let us go forward, as this woman did, and seek out who we can tell about Jesus. Let us do it without being ashamed of the great gift we have been given in Christ Jesus.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).

Is It Really Worship?

John 4:23-24 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.”

If we stop and look around carefully, we will see Christians "worshipping" in many different ways. Sadly, what is missing in much of it is "truth". We also have far too many who are "worshipping" in emotions and feelings, and not in "spirit". Far too many Christians have isolated worship to times when we gather together, sing some songs, and call it worship. Some have created rituals that must be followed and performed and call it worship. First, and foremost, worship is not isolated to one moment or one act. Worship is how we live life. One commentator wrote, "To worship in spirit means you are concerned with spiritual realities." "To worship in truth means you worship according to the whole counsel of God's Word... It also means that you come to God in truth, not in pretense or a mere display of spirituality." To worship God in spirit and truth is to live a life of sacrifice, taking up our cross daily, and living in obedience to the Word of God. It means that we offer up the sacrifices of praise to God continually, not because of our circumstances, but simply because He is God and deserves our praise. We are to offer up the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name. (Hebrews 13:15) Again, not because of our circumstances, but simply because in Jesus we have all that we need, and we have much to be grateful for; even in the worst of circumstances. To worship God as we should, means to do good, by faith, and be willing to sacrifice, in obedience to the Lord, trusting that He will take care of us in every way. To worship Him in spirit and truth is to live by His Word, expecting nothing in return. Why? Because He already gave us more than we deserve when He gave us eternal life in Jesus.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).

Do Not Cheapen the Message!

John 4:16-18 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.”

What Jesus did with the Samaritan woman is a great example of how we should be witnessing to the lost. We have a wonderful, life-changing, message to share with the world, yet we oftentimes take it upon ourselves to try and make it palatable by avoiding the subject of repentance. We speak of Jesus' sacrifice and why He did it, but we fail to bring the person to the place where they realize that part of accepting Jesus' offer of salvation is coming to Him with repentance. Without that aspect of our witness, we cheapen the message. It gives the person permission, in their mind, to make a superficial commitment, and continue living the way they are living. They use Jesus as "fire insurance" rather than truly accepting Him as Savior and Lord. Peter wrote a great truth in 1 Peter 1:18-19 where he pointed out that we were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold. We were redeemed with the precious Blood of God Himself, the Blood of the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. When we share the Gospel with others, let us always remember that the message we have been called to carry to the world is set on a very precious Foundation. Do Not Cheapen the Message!

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).

Don't Miss the Real Blessings

John 4:10-15 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.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” 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.”

In today's verses we see something that is still quite common today. Whether saved or unsaved, people have a tendency to seek from God what they believe is their greatest need, which usually ends up being a physical want or desire. When our country experiences a huge tragedy, we suddenly become a God seeking nation. Everywhere we turn we see signs reading, "God bless America!" Outside of those instances, America has no real use for God. Many unsaved people will ask for prayers and plead with God when tragedy or serious illness comes crashing into their lives. Sadly, we have far too many born again Christians who often have the same mindset. It is a mindset that treats God like He is a "genie in a bottle" who answers to our every "beck and call". Well, that's not how God works, and His greatest desire is to give us that which we truly need. Contrary to what the Samaritan woman was thinking, and what we often think today, our greatest need is always in the spiritual realm. The greatest need of the unsaved is salvation by way of a personal relationship with Jesus. For us, the born again followers of Jesus, our greatest need is to have a truly intimate relationship with Jesus, where we seek Him in prayer and the study of His Word. Our greatest need is to be connected to Him daily for the purpose of getting to know Him, and the Father, as the Spirit works in us. He already promised to meet our physical needs if we first seek His kingdom. Let us not be so focused on the physical that we miss out on the real blessings, the spiritual ones.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Romans 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Romans 10:13).

Calvary Chapel Morning Service: "What Does God See?"

https://youtu.be/AiDdD5o1oYY