Hearing God Through the Gospel of John

 A funny thing. Our house church study on the Woman at the Well got postponed again, so I will need to prepare for it a third time next week.  I'm thankful, though, because these verses continue to open my eyes to what God may be speaking to me about it. While I was meditiating on it a few days ago, a new idea popped into my head.  When we help someone see who God is, we're not just helping them. We are actually a part of releasing their entire Christian ministry! If Priscilla didn't make the bold move to tell me about Jesus, then my family life would look completely different - I probably wouldn't have this many kids if I was't a Christian. But you could also argue that if Priscilla didn't have the conversation with me, then maybe God would've sent someone else. Either way, whoever the bold person is, THEY get to participate in unlocking and releasing someone. They are potentially affecting generations to come. When they asked me in the Zoe course if I had ...

 John 4:48 "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe." Jesus says that right before he performed his second miracle, which was the healing of a sick boy. It seems a bit of a harsh accusation. Or maybe this is just the straight truth. That it really is this hard for people to believe in Jesus without a supernatural sign. God, what do you want to say to me this morning about this verse?  Are you wanting me to be open to your signs and wonders again? Is this another breadcrumb .... something you need me to understand so that I can represent your love and truth in the places that don't know you? You know that my heart associates signs and wonders with a time when there was also manipulation and deception in our church. Lord, heal my heart. Take away the hardness that I have developed over the years. Help me to be open to your miracles again. In Jesus name, Amen.

 John 4:34 "'My food,' said Jesus, 'is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.'" This week, I've been watching my chin grow and it reminds me how much I love eating. I love the taste, the texture and that feeling of being full. When I first read this verse, it stuck out to me because how could anything be better than eating?! What could replace that wonderful experience? As I ponder Jesus' words, it struck me how satisfying it is to help someone. And how important purpose and meaning are to a person's life. Regardless of your faith - it's just the way we were created. We long for purpose and to be part of a greater cause. Lately, I feel like God is leaving me little breadcrumbs so that I will follow the path he has for me. It's gently and ever so slowly bringing me out of my comfort zone and introducing me to the idea that he has more for me to do. Specifically with non-Christians. There is something about my life that he ...

Because of my ups and downs, I often want to quit things. I have trouble staying the course. I wonder if that is why I've been called to have 5 kids and homeschool them as my 'job'. I can't quit. I am permanently a mom and they are permanently my kids. Today, I am feeling overwhelmed and I am feeling the need to quit. Or, I should rephrase that. There is a part of me that is feeling overwhelmed and wants to quit. There is a part of me that feels completely unqualified and incompetent.  I feel another voice come up and says "By whose standards are you failing?? You don't need to comply with the government standards. I am God and I say that you are doing very well. More than very well. You are doing exceedingly well and you are exactly where I want you to be. Don't use worldly standards to measure your success. You are not part of the world. You are mine. You are of the Kingdom of Heaven. We operate by different rules. You can tell the sad part of you that ev...

I'm a sucker for history. I love hearing the back story. It gives such depth and richness to the situation at hand. The more I learn about the past, the more I appreciate the current situation. In this passage, Jesus has a conversation with a Samaritan woman. Why is this so strange? Because Jews and Samaritans despise each other. They do not associate with each other whenever possible. How did this happen?  After King Solomon's rule, the nation of Isreal was split politically. In the northern kingdom of Isreal, King Omri (1 Kin 16:24) named the capital "Samara". In 722 BC, Assyria took this area captive and led most Isrealites of the ten northern tribes away. The Isrealites who stayed, intermingled with the non-Jews who were transported in and together, they formed a mixed race. (Today, this area is Northern Iraq.)  When the Jews returned to captivity, there was tension! The Samaritans had stopped worshipping Yahweh in Jeruselum and instead, took their worship to Mt G...

 v5-7 "Jesus answered, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' v18 "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." We are born of the Spirit. That sounds so powerful. Like a magnificent awakening. Imagine ... being dead, then alive. What a contrast to be born again! I see why its important for a young person, even though they are raised a Christian, to make the decision to follow Jesus. That spiritual birth is a result of choosing to believe.  A good resource: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/you-must-be-born-again So if I am a Christian who is born again - of water and Spirit, then it is good to acknowledge the difference between someon...

 After turning water into wine, John records Jesus' next big act as showing his anger at the temple. He overturned tables and said "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!" This, I have read many times. But there is a part at the end of the section that I haven't seen before and i wonder if God is highlighting this to me.  v23-25 "Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name.  But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man." Perhaps this marks the beginning of the tensions that will lead to Jesus's death. But also the same tensions we have today. The sin in men - misrepresenting and dishonoring God.  Maybe he knew that they were easily impressed by miracles, but that the wonder would fade and their faith was shallow.  In the same way, he see...