THE STORY OF JESUS: John 4:1-15
“Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.” (John 4:14)
Jesus is speaking in riddles, is He trying to confuse her?
We automatically spiritualize what He says, but why would this lady do this?
Of course she thinks about natural water, that is what He is asking for.
If she had sass, she might have said, ‘if you’ve got living water, you don’t need my help.’
I am guessing that Jesus spoke to her about living water for a reason.
He sensed her life struggle, and the thirst of her soul.
As with many women around the world, going to the well for water was a burden.
In time she realizes that Jesus Himself is that living water.
Jesus speaks elsewhere of His Spirit producing streams of water within (John 7:38).
Like this woman, we are often looking for immediate, material satisfaction.
We want food now, healing now, a job now, money now, etc.
Jesus offers something else – something that goes deeper, and lasts longer.
Am I experiencing the living Spirit bubbling with life inside of me?
If I had this experience, would my craving for material things be less?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, my experience of Your Spirit within is not like a stream of living water. Is it possible that I am more focused on the physical, that I am missing the spiritual?

THE STORY OF JESUS: John 3:22-36
“The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.” (John 3:35)
The good news is that Jesus has reclaimed creation for God and us!
God raised up Adam and Eve and placed everything in their hands (Genesis 1:26-28).
God loved them, and their were His much-loved children.
Adam and Eve were God’s first son and daughter of God (Luke 3:38).
But sadly they turned from God and submitted to the dark side.
Humanity, which still rules the world, now rules it in darkness.
God’s kingdom of light became the dominion of darkness (Colossians 1:13).
God finally raises up a new Son, and reassigns all authority to Him.
Like Adam and Eve, Jesus is tempted, but unlike them He does not fail.
Not even suffering and death can beat Jesus; Jesus is exalted over all.
We cannot beat Satan, but if we join Jesus (baptism), we stand with Him.
“He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30)
Less of us and our weakness; more of Jesus and His strength.
The Father loves the Son, and so do I… may He become greater still!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, You have restored me to my identity and purpose as a son of Adam, son of God! May You become greater in my life, so that I may be more and more like You!
Lord,

THE STORY OF JESUS: John 3:16-21
“Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light.” (John 3:21)
I can understand why people hate the church, or religion in general.
But what I wish is that they could just focus on Jesus.
In Jesus we see goodness, love beyond belief, hope, compassion.
Jesus is ‘light’, a metaphor for wonderful, beautiful goodness.
I am convinced that this goodness will be the basis of final judgment.
Those who deep down loved and pursued goodness, will bow before Jesus.
They will see the ‘light’ of Jesus, and move towards the light.
But those who deep down loved themselves more, will hate the light.
The light will expose their selfish, greedy, cruel hearts, and they will turn away.
I am also convinced that we will be surprised to receives or resists the light.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 7:21)
There will be church-goers and leaders who will resist the light in Jesus.
And there will be non-church-goers who will eagerly receive the light.
Do I truly love and pursue the light of Jesus’ goodness, justice, compassion?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, Your goodness is what draws me to You. It is what I desire for myself, but also for others. Help me not just to say ‘Lord, Lord’, but to actually love and pursue what You love and pursue!

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16)

QUIET SPACE (based loosely on Psalm 23)

Lord, You are my Friend and my Helper.
You are all that I need.
You calm me down when I am stressed.
You whisper peace to my troubled mind.
You refresh my soul.
You guide me in the right direction,
to bring me closer to You.
Even when I am in the darkness
of difficulty or despair,
I do not need to be afraid, for You are still with me.
Your Spirit and Your Word strengthen me.
You have prepared this QUIET SPACE for me…
(pause, close your eyes, breathe deep)
…in the middle of all my struggles.
Your Spirit refreshes me from head to toe.
My heart is overflowing.
I am certain that Your goodness and love
will always be there for me, to the very end.
And one day I will enjoy
Your loving presence forever!

THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 108
“Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless.” (Psalm 108:12-13)
The enemies we face today are very different from what David faced.
But we face battles and enemies that are just as real, just as serious.
Behind our troubles and conflicts there is the greatest enemy of all.
Whether we know it or not, we battle “spiritual forces of evil.” (Ephesians 6:12)
I experience this battle often – in my life, and in those around me.
All around me people under emotional, spiritual, relational attack, physical attack.
So many lives are struggling, falling apart; so many are despairing and giving up.
And I face my own demons of selfishness, discouragement and defeat.
Like David, I need to trust in God for aid against the enemy.
“With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.” (Psalm 108:12-13)
I have learned that “human help is worthless” without God’s support.
I am rediscovering the necessity and urgency of battle prayer.
The problems in our world are too big for me, but not for God!
Are you aware of the battle around you, and are you relying on God’s help?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, people I love are under attack – despairing, giving up, thinking they’re better off dead. And I am fighting the demon of discouragement. Help us to refuse Satan’s lies, and keep fighting with Your help!

THE STORY OF JESUS: Ezekiel 10-12
“I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.” (Ezekiel 11:16)
In the midst of these stern words, we find this encouraging reminder.
Those who trust in the Lord find Him to be a sanctuary, even in exile.
As Jesus followers, we are also scattered throughout the nations.
We build our buildings when and where we can, but they are not our sanctuary.
God is our sanctuary, and we are God’s sanctuary.
We have God with us wherever we go, for God’s Spirit is in/with us.
Granted, we are not at home in this world as it is… but we do have a home.
Our home is in God, and God makes His home in us.
As Jesus followers, we are able to relate with the Lord at all times.
When life in this world gets hard, when temptations get strong.
Yet too many christians seem to live as if the Lord were not with them.
Either they do not talk with Him, or they do things as if He wasn’t there.
God’s sanctuary promise is real, He is with and in us!
But are we offering our own hearts to Him, as His sanctuary?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, You have given Yourself to me, but do I give myself to You? May I not close my eyes tom Your glory in, and may Your glory not depart from me because I do not embrace it!

THE STORY OF JESUS: Ezekiel 7-9
“The land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice.” (Ezekiel 9:9)
We need to realize that the detestable ways of the people were really bad.
We read these judgments in the context of our times, but those times were worse.
There were no human rights, and what courts there were served the king, not the law.
Foreigners, slaves, women, children, the elderly, the disabled – all were victims.
God is not just ticked off because He is hyper-sensitive… things were really bad.
And it was being practiced and sanctioned by rulers and religious leaders.
What was happening then would have made your stomach sick.
These judgments were not just an emotional outburst of an angry God.
They came after years and years of appeals and warnings.
As a Jesus follower, I do not take pleasure in these judgment words.
But I do get them; like Jesus I ought to hate such corruption and cruelty.
Like God, I ought to do what I can to help, to warn, to change it.
But in the end, if grace is refused, what else can God do?
Grace and mercy is available for all, but woe to those who refuse it.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I am in no place to judge, my own heart has its own defects. Help me to hate sin, especially in me. And help me to stand with and for the oppressed, the victims of bloodshed and violence.

THE STORY OF JESUS: John 3:1-15
“The wind blows wherever it pleases… So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:3)
What does it mean to be ‘born again’ (or literally, ‘born from above’)?
Jesus goes on to say “unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:5)
The water refers to the outward symbolic act of baptism.
But it is not the water, but the inward spiritual act of baptism that matters.
When we submit to baptism, we open ourselves to spiritual renewal and transformation.
The Spirit is like the wind, and I am like a sale, allowing the wind to catch me.
Both the wind and the sail are necessary.
The sail itself is empty, unless the Spirit connects with our spirit.
Some people go through the outward act, but inwardly they are resist the Spirit.
Unless we surrender to the Spirit (and not just to baptism), nothing will happen.
I’ve been baptized, but am I surrendering to the work of the Spirit in me.
Am I open to hearing, and following, the prompting of Jesus’ Spirit in me?
This is the new life that matters, and I need to let the Spirit work.
The Spirit is living in me, but am I living in the Spirit?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, the indication of new life in me is when I am eagerly seeking it. If I am not surrendering to the Spirit in me, then my spirit is not being reborn.

THE STORY OF JESUS: John 2:13-25
“Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” (John 2:16)
Why does Jesus get so worked up in the temple?
The temple was where God connected with His people in the Jewish faith.
These money-chargers were charging admission, and cheating the people who came.
The building was for the people, the leaders turned made it for the profit.
God’s passion has always been for the people, especially the oppressed.
In Jesus, God steps in to help all people, to rescue them from sin.
His passion reveals God’s passion; His death reveals God’s deep love.
Jesus continues to work against injustice, greed, cruelty, poverty.
But He does this through His followers – you and me.
When we see injustice, do we side with those being treated unfairly?
When we see hunger or poverty or sickness, do we help Jesus (Matthew 25:37-40)?
He has forgiven us, set us free, given us the Spirit’s power, and shown us what to do.
Will we ignore the suffering of others, will we be passive when injustice occurs?
Or will share Jesus’ passion – will you step in with Jesus, like Jesus, for Jesus?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, You stepped in to reconnect us to God. May Your Spirit fan into flame a zeal for You, for Your creation, for Your family, for justice and mercy, love and peace! Help me to share Your passion!