Month: December 2020

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Confusion and Refusal

Scriptural Readings:  John 4:5-24

In making decisions, we sometimes have confusion, and this is natural and normal. Advantages and disadvantages are overwhelming. The human laws and principles that we believe and guide us are another thing added to the difficulties in making one conclusion. But then again, we have to make a choice. 

King James Version

John 4 

v.5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

v.6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with [his] journey, sat thus on the well: [and] it was about the sixth hour.

v.7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

v.8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

v.9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

v.10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

New Living Translation

John 4 

v.5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

v.6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.

v.7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.”

v.8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.

v.9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”

v.10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”

“If you only knew …. 

What is happening today for most of us Christians is to miss entirely what our Lord Jesus Christ is telling us. The answer of Jesus “If you only knew… means we have no idea of what we are doing, or we miss entirely what He wants us to know and do. We tend to see His response to us is in a worldly view and manner. Just like the woman, her response is about the relationship between Jews and  Samaritans which refers to her beliefs and norms in life which are natural and can be wrong or right. All of us, one way or the other experienced this. So, what happens, we become confused, frustrated, and later on, refuse or accept the options with uncertainties given to us. Right?

What matters is the spiritual essence! What Jesus is telling the woman obviously is spiritual, but she sees it in a worldly view and its consequences. Most of us Christians see the way the Samaritan lady sees. We have seen the answer as the world sees it, giving us a lot of questions, making our lives more miserable, leaving behind the most important thing the spiritual essence. 

King James Version

v.11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

v.12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

New Living Translation

v.11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?

v.12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”

This is another situation. Still holding on to her worldly views, she asked Jesus if He has some things to get the living water from the very deep well, and even dared to ask Him if He can offer better than their ancestor Jacob? Isn’t that sometimes, we asked for bigger things from God so that we will also share bigger things? Sounds logical? Right? Are there any spiritual essences? Let us not make decisions quickly. Let God be the judge.

King James Version

v.13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

v.14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

New Living Translation

v.13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.

v.14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

Jesus will never stop until we get the whole idea. He will continue until we get it right, and with no doubt. His instructions will flow in our spirit, soul, and body as we continue learning His words and live spiritually. 

King James Version

v.15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

v.16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

v.17  The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

v.18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

v.19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

v.20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

v.21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

v.22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

v.23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

v.24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.

New Living Translation

v.15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”

v.16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.

v.17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband—

v.18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”

v.19 “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet.

v.20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?”

v.21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.

v.22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews.

v.23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.

v.24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Finally, Jesus has to make things for us, as always. For the woman to get the spiritual message, Jesus made her know who she is, and so do we. We have to go to the very core of what life is. Jesus the son of the living God, tells us who we are and what must be done. God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”  Approaching God is not impossible. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit! We can exalt God at any time and in any place. We are not restricted to a place or a time limit to praise and glorify Him. As we pray and worship Him in truth, confusion and uncertainties disappear from us. They will be replaced with truth and confidence. All glory to our God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

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” ….and the word of the Lord came…and that word became flesh”.

Scriptural Readings: Galatians 3:16-29; John 1:1-4; John 3:16

“And the word of the Lord”…. All of us must put the weight on what this phrase means. During the time of the old testament, God conveyed the messages to His people through appointed persons. He had to use other people to reach His message for us. And these persons will start telling the messages with the sentence “and the word of the Lord came to me”.

Our Father always has a message for us. From the very beginning when our first parents were created, humanity was enjoying His company. Words, yes, those same words that came out from His mouth that created the heavens and the earth were enjoyed by our first parents by having a conversation with Almighty God. As we all know, this relationship became difficult for us because of the mistake of choosing what they think was best for them, and as the result, God decided that He will separate us from Him making it impossible to reach Him although he never cut His communication with us.

King James Version

Galatians 3:16-29

v.16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

v.17 And this I say, [that] the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

v.18 For if the inheritance [be] of the law, [it is] no more of promise: but God gave [it] to Abraham by promise.

v.19 Wherefore then [serveth] the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; [and it was] ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

v.20 Now a mediator is not [a mediator] of one, but God is one.

v.21 [Is] the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

v.22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

v.23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

v.24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

v.25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

v.26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

V.27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

v.28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

v.29 And if ye [be] Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

New Living translation

v.16 God gave the promises to Abraham and his child. And notice that the Scripture doesn’t say “to his children,” as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says “to his child”—and that, of course, means Christ.

v.17 This is what I am trying to say: The agreement God made with Abraham could not be canceled 430 years later when God gave the law to Moses. God would be breaking his promise.

v.18 For if the inheritance could be received by keeping the law, then it would not be the result of accepting God’s promise. But God graciously gave it to Abraham as a promise.

v.19 Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people.

v.20 Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham.

v.21 Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it.

v.22 But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.

v.23 Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.

v.24 Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith.

V.25 And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.

v.26 For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

v.27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.

v.28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.

v.29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.

It’s all about the promise that our God will never break. A message that He made sure will reach us. The assurance of our salvation through God Himself and restoring the broken relationship. We cannot pick up the broken pieces and put them all together. We can’t fix our relationship with God. It is the same when one day our microwave oven stops working. We try to fix it by ourselves, and most of the time we failed. Sometimes we can fix it, but we cannot have the guarantee that it would perform better than it was before. The best thing to do is to return it to the manufacturer and let them fix it. We are the creation and He is the Creator, and only God can fix, put things together, and have it in perfect order again. This is the truth!

King James Version

John 1:1-4

v.1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

v.2 The same was in the beginning with God.

v.3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

v.4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

New Living translation

v.1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God and the Word was God.

v.2 He existed in the beginning with God.

v.3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

v.4 The Word gave life to everything that was created and his life brought light to everyone.

The message, who is the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, has been always with us. The message, who is Jesus Himself was there from the beginning. Every time that these appointed people or the prophets receive messages or words from God, it is all about the restoration that will connect us to God once again. And it is all about the Lord Jesus Christ. We are living in darkness. The Lord Jesus gave us a new life and brought light.

King James Version

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

New Living translation

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

And now we know that those words from our God came to us, and this time, not words of instructions appointed to a man, but just one Word, and that Word became flesh. From the throne of grace, God became man, and through His death and resurrection, He reconciled His relationship with us once again. Christmas is a promise from our God in heaven, restoring our broken relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The greatest gift that we can give cannot be bought. It is free. It is God’s grace. God gave His son freely to us, and salvation cannot be bought either earned. It is only through our Lord Jesus Christ that we can truly have peace in this troubled world. The peace that resides in our whole spirit, soul, and body can be shared by declaring the Gospel, the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN!