Samaritan Encounters

And he had to pass through Samaria...A woman from 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.) The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) John 4:4,7-9
I came across another subject that is quite familiar to believers and non-believers--the Samaritan. Many people are well acquainted with the story of the Good Samaritan, but what about the bad Samaritan? Jesus encountered a "bad Samaritan" and reached out to her. The good Samaritan is someone that we all should strive to be like as Jesus clearly instructs us he says: Jesus said to the lawyer that he was telling the parable to, "You go, and do likewise." (Luke 10:37)
The Samaritan woman was not exactly a role-model. The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true." (John 4:17,18)
This got me thinking and wondering who exactly these Samaritans are. I always just assumed that they were simply some heathen people that nobody liked but it turns out that they were actually descendants of the Northern tribes of Israel. They were actually quite religious and some articles even say that they were more Orthodox than the Jews and they had their own version of the Pentateuch. Even the Samaritan woman says: "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship."
So it seems that the Jews didn't associate with the Samaritans because they didn't worship God in the same way. This is so prevalent in our society today! So many groups believe that they are superior to others in the way that they worship God and won't even associate with those that disagree.
There are so many groups that are despised for one reason or another and we feel justified in our stances. Who do you despise? Is it smokers? Is it "trailer-trash"? Is it another ethnic group? Whatever group it is, God hasn't called us to judge as He says in Luke 6:37 (another familiar and often misinterpreted verse)

Born from Above

There are so many verses in the Bible that many have become so familiar with that they lose their meaning in our minds. These verses may be branded into our thoughts but we need to really meditate on them for a fresh understanding. I realized that this morning while I was reading John 3. Nicodemus approached Jesus saying "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him" Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." How many of us can spit that verse out without giving it another thought? Or if we do give it another thought do we have the correct understanding of it's meaning?
The term "born-again" has certain connotations, even to non-believers--it can mean anything from being a "Jesus Freak" to turning over a new leaf or someone "pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps"
In my opinion I believe that some words in the Bible have been poorly translated and thus lose their meaning somewhat. Jesus actually said something more to the effect of being "born from above" not just being "born again. Being born from above is much more powerful than being born again--being born from above gives ALL credit to God in heaven. Anyone can turn over a new leaf or pull themselves up by their bootstraps to get a new lease on life but no one can give life from above to someone.
Jesus also said "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
If we rely on ourselves for any part of our spiritual life it will produce nothing of eternal value and from what Jesus said, will not bring us into the kingdom of God.
I need the kind of life that only comes from God.

Under Surveillance

I was looking in the App Store for an app for my iPad so I could watch my dog while she is alone in the house and figure out how she finds her way into my purse and the trash. I ran across some apps where you can view surveillance videos from all over the world. There are cameras in offices, warehouses, parking lots and above freeways. I was thinking to myself, there's really less and less places in the world that don't have some kind of video surveillance. The strange thing is, the people watching these videos aren't a security guard in a dingy office somewhere, it's anybody who has this app on their iPad or computer!
"Coincidentally", I opened my Bible this morning to Psalm 139...
"O Lord, you examine me and know. You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives. You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; you are aware of everything I do. Certainly my tongue does not frame a word without you, O Lord, being thoroughly aware of it. You squeeze me in from behind and in front; you place your hand on me. Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension; it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it. Where can I go to escape your Spirit: Where can I flee to escape Your presence?" (Psalm 139:1-7)
God isn't some bored voyeur sitting in front of his computer or a security guard making sure nobody is trying to steal something...He is a loving God who is very aware of us and desires a close, loving relationship with us!

No Dumb Questions

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:5-8

I am in awe of God's attitude towards us! Even though He is all-knowing, with wisdom way beyond our comprehension, He doesn't despise us when we don't know what to do in a situation and we stop to ask Him for help.

How many times have you gone to someone for help who knows more a lot more than you do and you get a cocky, condescending response with perhaps no help at all? God isn't like that!

The only questions that He has a hard time with are those that are filled with doubt.

No Condemnation

"And the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?" (John 8:3-5)
With no response from Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees persisted and Jesus stood up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And when they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman in the midst. And straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?" And she said "No one, Lord". And Jesus said, "NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU; GO YOUR WAY. FROM NOW ON SIN NO MORE." (John 8:7b-11)

The silence of Jesus during this whole ordeal was very intriguing to me. When the accusers can't shut up Jesus is silent. He is the ONLY one who could have rightfully condemned this woman (and myself) but He was silent.

Don't listen to the words of your accusers, listen to the peace and pardon of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of like in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1,2)

He took my SINS....

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
(I PETER 2:24,25)


Nothing but awe and wonder when I see that Jesus bore MY SINS in HIS BODY on the tree!!
Why did he do that?
To set me in a pew and give me a judgmental heart for all the poor sinners in the world?
To make sure that my life would be full of all kinds of busyness and distractions even in the name of ministry?
NO.....IT WAS PURE LOVE...and a committment to bring us out of the bondage of our sin and give us a new life of righteousness.
And a holy desire to bring us back to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. WOW!

PATIENCE!!!

You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.9Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.10As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.11Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. James 5:9-11

So many of the prophets had to endure hardships and were patient in them not just looking for a light at the end of the tunnel but looking for the Lord. What a blessing to find that God is compassionate...He is genuinely moved by our situations and hardships and He is merciful....He is not looking to punish us for our mistakes but shows mercy.