The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well

[Richard Myers]

Amen, Pastor Sean. I noticed this also this morning. How important that our brothers and sisters understand the heart must be purified before we have eternal life. Some think and teach that the heart of the converted may still retain pride or other sins that are unknown. Such excuses for pride and sin are not accepted into heaven. The heart must be purified from pride and sin. And, it is when we make a full surrender of it to Christ.

     The religion that comes from God is the only religion that will lead to God. In order to serve Him aright, we must be born of the divine Spirit. This will purify the heart and renew the mind, giving us a new capacity for knowing and loving God. It will give us a willing obedience to all His requirements. This is true worship. It is the fruit of the working of the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit every sincere prayer is indited, and such prayer is acceptable to God. Wherever a soul reaches out after God, there the Spirit's working is manifest, and God will reveal Himself to that soul. For such worshipers He is seeking. He waits to receive them, and to make them His sons and daughters.

This is conversion, this is eternal life. Jesus will give this to all who come to Him, who learn of Him, who love Him with the whole heart, not 99% of it. The woman at the well  represents the working of a practical faith in Christ. Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver. The grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert, welling up to refresh all, and making those who are ready to perish eager to drink of the water of life.

Notice carefully what it is that transforms the life, the character, the very nature of man. It is the grace of Christ that is taken into the soul that turns sinners into saints.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Richard! Jesus Christ's grace alone has power to transform our hearts from being sinful and polluted, to become pure and holy, renewed with the divine nature to love and serve Him wholeheartedly! I am so thankful that Jesus seeks souls who are in sin so He can make them His channels of grace. We can be thankful that Jesus sought us, personally, and this inspires us to go forth to seek others--no matter how sinful they may be!

   When Jesus sat down to rest at Jacob's well, He had come from Judea, where His ministry had produced little fruit. He had been rejected by the priests and rabbis, and even the people who professed to be His disciples had failed of perceiving His divine character. He was faint and weary; yet He did not neglect the opportunity of speaking to one woman, though she was a stranger, an alien from Israel, and living in open sin. {The Desire of Ages, page 194, paragraph 3}

Let us not grow weary in sharing the good news with others as we allow Christ to work in and through us today!

[Richard Myers]

Amen. Even when tired, Jesus was always seeking ways to reach out to poor sinful humanity. So it ought to be with us. We must have wisdom from on high to know how to reach a particular individual. In today's reading we see divine wisdom in how Jesus blessed and reproved the woman at the well. He did not just want to save her, but for her to be an evangelist. Not, years down the road, but an immediate evangelist.

He achieved the desired goal. Filled with "living water" her heart could not help but share what she had found.

     The woman had been filled with joy as she listened to Christ's words. The wonderful revelation was almost overpowering. Leaving her waterpot, she returned to the city, to carry the message to others. Jesus knew why she had gone. Leaving her waterpot spoke unmistakably as to the effect of His words. It was the earnest desire of her soul to obtain the living water; and she forgot her errand to the well, she forgot the Saviour's thirst, which she had purposed to supply. With heart overflowing with gladness, she hastened on her way, to impart to others the precious light she had received
     "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did," she said to the men of the city. "Is not this the Christ?" Her words touched their hearts. There was a new expression on her face, a change in her whole appearance. They were interested to see Jesus. "Then they went out of the city, and came unto Him." 

Have we found the same truth? Do our hearts burn within that we want to share such a wonderful message? If not, then keep reading from this most wonderful revelation of God your heart will be overfilled with the grace of Christ. You will be transformed in character, the character of our God.

[Dorine]

My heart is thrilled as I read this story and watch Jesus move through this conversation with this Samaritan woman. What tact, patience and love He portrays. He read the secrets of her heart yet she felt that He was her friend.


If Satan tempts me with feelings of condemnation of the past, this story dispels all fear. Jesus longs to be my friend. It matters not where we have been He is yearning for our hearts and wants to bestow His grace to us and save us if we will just surrender our whole hearts to Him. The problem comes when we want Him and the world at the same time. It does not work.


"The religion that comes from God is the only religion that will lead to God. In order to serve Him aright, we must be born of the divine Spirit. This will purify the heart and renew the mind, giving us a new capacity for knowing and loving God. It will give us a willing obedience to all His requirements. This is true worship It is the fruit of the working of the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit every sincere prayer is indited, and such prayer is acceptable to God. Wherever a soul reaches out after God, there the Spirit's working is manifest, and God will reveal Himself to that soul. For such worshipers He is seeking. He waits to receive them and to make them His sons and daughter."


May we always be faithful, willing to worship Him in spirit and in truth, letting Him work through us to bring lost souls to Him with tact, patience and love.

[Richard Myers]

Amen, dear Sister!  He will purify the heart of all who love Him supremely!

Look at the woman at the well. I love this story. She was indeed a sinner, but when she heard the gospel truth, she was transformed. The past was gone. She was a new creature in Christ. Her conversion led to her being a better evangelist than His disciples, no matter what she had been a few hours before!

     As soon as she had found the Saviour the Samaritan woman brought others to Him. She proved herself a more effective missionary than His own disciples. The disciples saw nothing in Samaria to indicate that it was an encouraging field. Their thoughts were fixed upon a great work to be done in the future. They did not see that right around them was a harvest to be gathered. But through the woman whom they despised, a whole cityful were brought to hear the Saviour. She carried the light at once to her countrymen.
     This woman represents the working of a practical faith in Christ. Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver. The grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert, welling up to refresh all, and making those who are ready to perish eager to drink of the water of life. 

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Sister Dorine and Richard!

God is faithful to make us missionaries as soon as we have tasted of the love of Christ, and drunk of the living water that refreshes and renews the soul into His image. Without Jesus in the heart, we are in need of a missionary to come to us--but as soon as Christ imputes and imparts His righteousness to us, we will reveal His divine presence within us--all of the fruits of His Spirit will be revealed, and not one will be missing. This is the true missionary spirit, and that is what transformed the forlorn and lost woman at the well into a converted daughter of God, adopted into His family, born again of His Spirit!

"This woman represents the working of a practical faith in Christ. Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver. The grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert, welling up to refresh all, and making those who are ready to perish eager to drink of the water of life." {The Desire of Ages, page 195, paragraph 2} 

Let us go forth to impart of the grace of Christ we have received!!

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

“The disciples wondered who could have brought Him food; but He explained, ‘My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to accomplish His work.’ John 4:34, R. V. As His words to the woman had aroused her conscience, Jesus rejoiced. He saw her drinking of the water of life, and His own hunger and thirst were satisfied. The accomplishment of the mission which He had left heaven to perform strengthened the Saviour for His labor, and lifted Him above the necessities of humanity. To minister to a soul hungering and thirsting for the truth was more grateful to Him than eating or drinking. It was a comfort, a refreshment, to Him. Benevolence was the life of His soul.” – {The Desire of Ages, page 190, paragraph 5}

As we surrender fully to Christ like Jesus did continually to His Father, we will experience the true food God gives—unselfish love flowing in and through us to refresh all around us. Today as I travel, Lord willing, from Philadelphia to Berrien Springs, Michigan with my friends Victoria Mandigo, Moriah Mandigo, Jessica Mandigo, and Michael Troyanosky III, I’m praying for Christ’s experience to be ours in blessing many souls like Jesus did with divine appointments to impart living water!!!

[JimB]

Amen pastor Sean! your thoughts are line in what I noticed this morning.

As soon as she had found the Saviour the Samaritan woman brought others to Him. She proved herself a more effective missionary than His own disciples. The disciples saw nothing in Samaria to indicate that it was an encouraging field. Their thoughts were fixed upon a great work to be done in the future. They did not see that right around them was a harvest to be gathered. But through the woman whom they despised, a whole cityful were brought to hear the Saviour. She carried the light at once to her countrymen.

When we know Christ and His beauty we will desire that others experience it also and will share what "little" or "much" that we do know about Him.

[Richard Myers]

Amen Jim. We see this same principle working in our lives as in Jesus and the woman at the well.

“To minister to a soul hungering and thirsting for the truth was more grateful to Him than eating or drinking.

As we surrender fully to Christ like Jesus did continually to His Father, we will experience the true food God gives—unselfish love flowing in and through us to refresh all around us.

The woman at the well was so excited she had to share the truth immediately. I enjoy her excitement, especially the fact that she forgot her water that she had drawn from the well.   

     The woman had been filled with joy as she listened to Christ's words. The wonderful revelation was almost overpowering. Leaving her waterpot, she returned to the city, to carry the message to others. Jesus knew why she had gone. Leaving her waterpot spoke unmistakably as to the effect of His words. It was the earnest desire of her soul to obtain the living water; and she forgot her errand to the well, she forgot the Saviour's thirst, which she had purposed to supply. With heart overflowing with gladness, she hastened on her way, to impart to others the precious light she had received

So it is with all who receive spiritual truth, Living Water, it must be taken to others seeking truth about God.

     The plain statement made by Christ to this woman could not have been made to the self-righteous Jews. Christ was far more reserved when He spoke to them. That which had been withheld from the Jews, and which the disciples were afterward enjoined to keep secret, was revealed to her. Jesus saw that she would make use of her knowledge in bringing others to share His grace. 

So few wanting to know of God that they may give to others! The harvest is white. let us pray the Lord send workers into His village.

[Dorine]

I love the heart of Jesus. Hardly mindful of His own needs; He joyfully gives of Himself for all humanity but few appreciate or accept it.

What lessons the disciples were observing but not comprehending; at least not until after Pentecost. I can only imagine the joy in Jesus' heart when He saw the crowd from Samaria coming to find Him.

We may never know on this earth the results of sharing Jesus with just one person. What joy awaits us to see those we have never met but are there because of that some one we shared Jesus with.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Jesus loves to draw sinful souls to Himself. You may feel too sinful to come to Christ, but remember that it was sinners for whom He died. He waits not for us to seek Him--He seeks us! When we behold His matchless love, the sight of Him attracts, and we respond to His invitation as did the woman at the well. No matter what your current situation, no matter how many faults and failures you may have, you can come to Christ just as you are, depending upon His divine grace to renew and purify your soul, and you will become a partaker of His divine nature, which He pours forth as living water--a sweet water full of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance! All of the fruits of the Spirit (not one will be missing when there is a full surrender!) make the draft of living water just what we need--and we shall continually long for more of Christ who imparts His grace to us moment-by-moment!

"The Saviour is still carrying forward the same work as when He proffered the water of life to the woman of Samaria. Those who call themselves His followers may despise and shun the outcast ones; but no circumstance of birth or nationality, no condition of life, can turn away His love from the children of men. To every soul, however sinful, Jesus says, If thou hadst asked of Me, I would have given thee living water." {The Desire of Ages, page 194, paragraph 1}   

[Richard Myers]

Amen, Pastor Sean!  And the theme continues, the great joy in life is not just receiving the Living Water of Life, but in giving it to others. What did the woman at the well do that she forgot her water pot?

   The woman had been filled with joy as she listened to Christ's words. The wonderful revelation was almost overpowering. Leaving her waterpot, she returned to the city, to carry the message to others. Jesus knew why she had gone. Leaving her waterpot spoke unmistakably as to the effect of His words. It was the earnest desire of her soul to obtain the living water; and she forgot her errand to the well, she forgot the Saviour's thirst, which she had purposed to supply. With heart overflowing with gladness, she hastened on her way, to impart to others the precious light she had received

Do we today have this same zeal to impart to others this Living Water? We do if we have been drinking from the Well. If we are feeding upon Jesus, drinking His blood and eating His flesh, then we are filled with the Spirit and there is a well within that we cannot hold back!

He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver. The grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert, welling up to refresh all, and making those who are ready to perish eager to drink of the water of life.

Amen!!

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

I love Jesus, and I love that He is our perfect Savior, and He offers us in ministry and life His perfect example. When we learn of Him, and have a new heart and a new mind because we drink of His divine grace that brings us into harmony with the divine nature, imbuing us with all of the fruits of the Spirit so that not one is missing (the inevitable and spontaneous result full surrender to Him in conversion), we will gladly follow Jesus' example of ministry to the souls all around us!

"The stay of Jesus in Samaria was designed to be a blessing to His disciples, who were still under the influence of Jewish bigotry. They felt that loyalty to their own nation required them to cherish enmity toward the Samaritans. They wondered at the conduct of Jesus. They could not refuse to follow His example, and during the two days in Samaria, fidelity to Him kept their prejudices under control; yet in heart they were unreconciled. They were slow to learn that their contempt and hatred must give place to pity and sympathy. But after the Lord's ascension, His lessons came back to them with a new meaning. After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they recalled the Saviour's look, His words, the respect and tenderness of His bearing toward these despised strangers. When Peter went to preach in Samaria, he brought the same spirit into his own work. When John was called to Ephesus and Smyrna, he remembered the experience at Shechem, and was filled with gratitude to the divine Teacher, who, foreseeing the difficulties they must meet, had given them help in His own example." {The Desire of Ages, page 193, paragraph 4}

May we be filled with pity and sympathy for those around us, no matter what their station in life. The most sinful souls can, through full surrender to Christ, become powerful missionaries, because "every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary." {The Desire of Ages, page 195, paragraph 2} May it be our prayer, "Here I am Lord, send me!"

[Dorine]

"Our Redeemer thirsts for recognition. He hungers for the sympathy and love of those whom He has purchased with His own blood. He longs with inexpressible desire that they should come to Him and have life. As the mother watches for the smile of recognition from her little child, which tells of the dawning of intelligence, so does Christ watch for the expression of grateful love, which shows that spiritual life is begun in the soul."

As I read the above quote this morning it touched a tender chord in my heart. He wants to use me today to reach someone for Him. What an awesome thought that we can play a part in relieving Jesus' hunger and thirst by introducing someone to Him. We are His hands, His mouth, His feet to do the work He did while on earth.

"This woman represents the working of a practical faith in Christ. Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver. The grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert, welling up to refresh all, and making those who are ready to perish eager  to drink of the water of life."

[JimB]

Amen and Amen!  Your post Dorine, reminded me of this text...

Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

[JimB]

The worker for Christ should not feel that he cannot speak with the same earnestness to a few hearers as to a larger company. There may be only one to hear the message; but who can tell how far-reaching will be its influence? It seemed a small matter, even to His disciples, for the Saviour to spend His time upon a woman of Samaria. But He reasoned more earnestly and eloquently with her than with kings, councilors, or high priests. The lessons He gave to that woman have been repeated to the earth's remotest bounds. 

This is good new for those who feel more comfortable dealing with people one on one or in small groups. Not everyone is called to be a preacher or an evangelist but who knows that maybe the next person you interact with might become a great evangelist or even so lead others to Christ. The ripple effect has no bounds. I also find it interesting that it seems like when a woman in the key figure in the story (at least in the gospels) there is special significance in what they've done or said is especially commented on in a very positive way by Christ himself or SOP. I think of the window who gave her last two mites. I think of Mary who lavished the perfume on Christs feet both of which whose influence has been good for who knows how many people and generations. I think of the touch of faith of the woman who touched Christ's hem, the Samaritan woman with a demon possessed daughter. And today the woman at the well. Where would be without these events in the gospels?

[Dorine]

Jim, I appreciate your thoughts and observations from today's reading. What a lesson for us. A couple of paragraphs before your quote also spoke plainly to me.....

"The Saviour is still carrying forward the same work as when He proffered the water of life to the woman of Samaria. Those who call themselves His followers may despise and shun the outcast ones; but no circumstance of birth or nationality, no condition of life, can turn away His love from the children of men. To every soul, however sinful, Jesus says, If thou hast asked of Me, I would have given thee living water."

What a message of hope we have to offer the world. There are even professed Christians that do not grasp this. There are still Pharisees among us that believe if you are friendly to a sinner you are condoning their sin. I wonder what they do with this chapter. May God cleanse our hearts from any form of discrimination. By God's grace we are to live in the world but not of the world.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Jim and Doreen! I am so thankful for Jesus and how He renews our hearts and minds by His grace. He loved the woman of Samaria, and it is being like Jesus for us to reach out a loving interaction to those in sin--to offer them hope, grace, and healing. Jesus loves to give us a new beginning and to encourage us heavenward. And that is what happened for the woman of Samaria. She became a missionary because she realized who Jesus was--the Messiah who came not to condemn her sin, but to save her from it!

"Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver. The grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert, welling up to refresh all, and making those who are ready to perish eager to drink of the water of life." {The Desire of Ages, page 195, paragraph 2}

[Beacon]

"As the woman talked with Jesus, she was impressed with His words. Never had she heard such sentiments from the priests of her own people or from the Jews. As the past of her life had been spread out before her, she had been made sensible of her great want. She realized her soul thirst, which the waters of the well of Sychar could never satisfy. Nothing that had hitherto come in contact with her had so awakened her to a higher need. Jesus had convinced her that He read the secrets of her life; yet she felt that He was her friend, pitying and loving her. While the very purity of His presence condemned her sin, He had spoken no word of denunciation, but had told her of His grace, that could renew the soul. She began to have some conviction of His character. The question arose in her mind, Might not this be the long-looked-for Messiah? She said to Him, "I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when He is come, He will tell us all things." Jesus answered, "I that speak unto thee am He." As the woman heard these words, faith sprang up in her heart. She accepted the wonderful announcement from the lips of the divine Teacher. The water of life, the spiritual life which Christ gives to every thirsty soul, had begun to spring up in her heart. The Spirit of the Lord was working with her."

What a great example of tender compassionate love to someone who felt soo unworthy and because of this non condemning approach to one whom the Jews despised, He awakened great hope and desire. We need to be filled with this same spirit and be open to sharing the Good News with all of God's children, even when in need of food and water

"When the disciples returned from their errand, they were surprised to find their Master speaking with the Samaritan woman. He had not taken the refreshing draught that He desired, and He did not stop to eat the food His disciples had brought. When the woman had gone, the disciples entreated Him to eat. They saw Him silent, absorbed, as in rapt meditation. His face was beaming with light

In Luke 10:2  Jesus said to His disciples..."The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth laborers into His harvest." That invitation is to all whom claim to be His disciples today. When Jesus comes again I want to be able to hear His voice say..." Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of your Lord."  Don't You??

[Richard Myers]

Amen brother Beacon! Grace has power to transform the character ! "While the very purity of His presence condemned her sin, He had spoken no word of denunciation, but had told her of His grace, that could renew the soul."

Who was this woman at the well? She was a Samaritan. Samaria is spoken of in the Old Testament. Samaria was in Israel. Ahab was the king. But, because of their unrepented sins, God ceased to protect them from their enemies. Their religion was infected with the beliefs of their conquerors. But, many still believed in the God of heaven. in today's reading this is clarified.

 Patiently Jesus permitted her to lead the conversation whither she would. Meanwhile He watched for the opportunity of again bringing the truth home to her heart. "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain," she said, "and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Just in sight was Mount Gerizim. Its temple was demolished, and only the altar remained. The place of worship had been a subject of contention between the Jews and the Samaritans. Some of the ancestors of the latter people had once belonged to Israel; but because of their sins, the Lord suffered them to be overcome by an idolatrous nation. For many generations they were intermingled with idolaters, whose religion gradually contaminated their own. It is true they held that their idols were only to remind them of the living God, the Ruler of the universe; nevertheless the people were led to reverence their graven images. 

She was the child of Israel. What did she believe? It is interesting her people rejected much of what Israel then taught. Amazing! In this respect they understood more than the Jews did regarding the work of their Messiah.

  The Samaritans believed that the Messiah was to come as the Redeemer, not only of the Jews, but of the world. The Holy Spirit through Moses had foretold Him as a prophet sent from God. Through Jacob it had been declared that unto Him should the gathering of the people be; and through Abraham, that in Him all the nations of the earth should be blessed. On these scriptures the people of Samaria based their faith in the Messiah. The fact that the Jews had misinterpreted the later prophets, attributing to the first advent the glory of Christ's second coming, had led the Samaritans to discard all the sacred writings except those given through Moses. But as the Saviour swept away these false interpretations, many accepted the later prophecies and the words of Christ Himself in regard to the kingdom of God.

Over many years, what has become of the children of Israel who lived in the northern kingdom? Are not some of them warring against apostate Juda (Israel)? In the end, there will be only two groups of people left in the world. Those who love Jesus supremely, and those who do not. It is our privilege to find those who still can be grafted back into the vine from which they were broken.