Author Topic: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well  (Read 16752 times)

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Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #40 on: March 17, 2019, 07:48:57 AM »
Amen, Brothers Beacon and Richard!

Beholding the grace of Christ has miraculous power to change the most dissolute sinner into a renewed saint! The same God who can make a glorious man (Adam) from the dust can do a greater miracle--He can take the dust of our humanity that has been degenerated by thousands of years of sin and still transform such beings as us into converted saints who reveal His divine nature when Christ abides in the heart, thus revealing all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing! Our little part in this is yielding the whole heart to Him, cooperating with Him at each step as His gracious hands mold and fashion us into His image to reveal from glory to glory more of His grace!!

As I contemplate Jesus' experience at the well where He met the woman who became a near instant missionary to Samaria, I am reminded of how in our own experience of character building we find victory over the clamors of our weak, fallen nature. How Jesus was lifted above the "everyday" human needs gives us insight into how we can be lifted above the degenerate pull of our fallen nature. "Strength to resist evil is best gained by aggressive service." {The Acts of the Apostles, page 105, paragraph 2}. In light of this, I am moved by Jesus' experience:

  "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 feed the divine nature (like Jesus experienced in ministering to a soul desiring truth) we find power to overcome hereditary and cultivated tendencies that would make our physical life (personal life, food, water, sleep, etc.) more absorbing than the spiritual life of winning souls, which is the highest and purest joy this side of heaven!! What a joy to behold our divine-human Savior and to find strength and grace from Him to have an experience like His!!
"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Dorine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #41 on: March 17, 2019, 09:21:23 AM »
"Jesus did not convey the idea that merely one draft of the water of life would suffice the receiver. He who tastes of the love of Christ will continually long for more; but he seeks for nothing else. The riches, honors, and pleasures of the world do not attract him. The constant cry of his heart is, More of Thee. And He who reveals to the soul its necessity is waiting to satisfy its hunger and thirst. Every human resource and dependence will fail. The cisterns will be emptied, the pools become dry; but our Redeemer is an inexhaustible fountain. We may drink, and drink again, and ever find a fresh supply. He in whom Christ dwells has within himself the fountain of blessing,--"a well of water springing up into everlasting life." From this source he may draw strength and grace sufficient for all his needs."

And we know this to be true as we submit our lives to Jesus, spend time in study and prayer each day, sharing what Jesus has done for us. Then others like the woman at at the well will find the same to be true for them.
This living water is free to all but so many are dying of thirst. Some by choice but many because no one has introduced them to the Source of life. They are waiting to be found. Like needles in a hay stack we are through the guidance of the Holy Spirit to search until they are found.

It may be a family member, a church member, a neighbour. We may not be able to go to foreign lands but we can give our liberal offerings to send those that can go. There are so many ways we can be missionaries for Jesus. He is our perfect example.
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press  toward the mark. Phil. 3:13,14

Beacon

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #42 on: June 11, 2019, 06:06:05 PM »
"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." 

Many years ago I worked as a health care administrator. I found myself living in a small rural town with a population of under 5,000.  After settling into my new facility I became impressed that it would be good to see if there would be any spiritual interest in that community. There was one other family who attended the nearest SDA church, which was in another community, that lived very close to us. So we invited them home for supper and I shared my conviction that we should offer some type of spiritual guidance to the people of our own community but I would need their help. The husband of this couple owned a music store and also did piano tuning and he knew a lot of the local people and he offered to be the greeter.

So we prayed about it, set a date, and they agreed to help us by designing a simple brochure which was mailed to all the postal area of our community  Our home had a large finished basement with a very large table which could comfortably seat 12-14 people and lots of room for parking. So we sent out invitations and used their name as the one's to contact. After that the wife of this couple took me aside and said,. " I just want you to know that my husband is not a member of our SDA church but he attends church with me and plays the organ and piano for church services. It was a surprise but I told her it would be no problem.

As the date for the meetings drew near we had zero response from community. The four of us had been meeting and praying together for the Holy Spirit to convict the open hearts in our community but everybody remained silent.  One night just before "opening night"  we gathered again to pray and after the prayers I felt convicted to say to this cordial music man..." Listen...If no one comes, I think it would still be good for us to go ahead with our Bible Study as planned...what do you two think about that? They readily agreed. To make a long story short. When we were finished with our studies I asked this very talented and friendly man "How would you feel about taking your stand for Jesus and officially become a member of God's remnant church? Without hesitation he said. YES!! I was hoping you would ask!! It was very happy day at their baptism to see them united in the Lord.

It seemed like a small harvest but I want to tell you that he and his wife became involved with Maranatha International and were involved in many mission trips to many parts of the world taking God's message of love, hope and salvation to those with special needs and today they are still faithful attending and supporting their local home church. Some day it will be so wonderful to see how God used what seemed to be a failure and how many people around the world might be in heaven because of their commitment. To God be the Glory.
Look up and listen for the shout.

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #43 on: June 12, 2019, 02:05:46 AM »
Amen, Brother Beacon! One soul is worth more than worlds, and we are never to become discouraged as we faithfully share the message! I just was on a mission trip in the Iron River area of Michigan, and while only one man from the community came, one precious soul who already was active in that church realized the Lord was calling for her rebaptism! As I rebaptized her on June 6, 2019, there was such joy in her heart, and another young person of only 12 years of age again confirmed that he wanted to be baptized. Often the "souls" we are seeking to reach are RIGHT AROUND US (maybe even in our family, or already attending our local church, or on the mission trip we are experiencing!). We know Jesus wants to reach all, and thus the gospel is to go to the ones both near and afar!!

The gospel is to go to the world. Everyone is to have the opportunity not only to have access to the words of Scripture, but to see the gospel wrought out in the life of those who know and live the character of God. Christ came to Samaria because it was God's will. The gospel produced fruit there because the woman that He met at the well sensed her need, and Jesus could readily supply the need of her soul because she was open to what He wanted to impart to her and willing to turn from her sin to have something infinitely better. So it is with us. We are in a continual need of Jesus. Only by surrendering the whole heart to Him and letting Christ lead in all aspects of our lives are we enabled to overcome the world, the flesh and the devil that so readily seek to cause us to turn from Jesus. We can rejoice in how Jesus' ministry produced fruit in the lives of the Samaritans because of how He ministered to them, and as we follow His method of mingling with people as one who desires their good, ministering to their needs, showing sympathy for them, winning their confidence, and then bidding them to follow Jesus, we also will see Christ work to bring many sons and daughters to glory!

"The gospel invitation is not to be narrowed down, and presented only to a select few, who, we suppose, will do us honor if they accept it. The message is to be given to all. Wherever hearts are open to receive the truth, Christ is ready to instruct them. He reveals to them the Father, and the worship acceptable to Him who reads the heart. For such He uses no parables. To them, as to the woman at the well, He says, 'I that speak unto thee am He.'" {The Desire of Ages, page 194, paragraph 2}   
     "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}       


God sees the possibilities of every soul in ways we cannot even imagine. Each of us was uniquely created by God to glorify His name. Sin has marred that revelation, but like trying to put water in a gas tank in a car, sin does not empower the life to go forward, but causes ruin and stalling, leading to the ultimate destruction. As we learn that only the fuel of unselfish love--the grace of God that we may receive by faith--is the way by which we are to live, we will have strength to overcome, and the evidence that Christ does have our whole heart will be very evident: all of the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives, and not one will be missing as we gladly follow every ray of light of truth revealed from God's law of love and go wherever His Spirit leads!! Hallelujah!!!
"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Dorine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #44 on: June 12, 2019, 06:00:58 AM »
"Not by seeking a holy mountain or a sacred temple are men brought into communion with heaven. Religion is not to be confined to external forms and ceremonies. 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"

What a profound revelation for those who are struggling with sin and searching for something better. And for those who have accepted Christ and are renewing their relationship every day they will grow in God's love and grace and be beacons of light to those that do not know Him. God's mercy has a mighty drawing power to bring hope to the hopeless. It doesn't matter where you have been or what you have done He is waiting for you to reach out to Him. He wants to make you His sons and daughters. Oh the mercy of God is beyond our reasoning but I'm so very thankful for it.
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press  toward the mark. Phil. 3:13,14

Beacon

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #45 on: September 04, 2019, 06:44:50 PM »
"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. 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 Bible tells us that  when the two disciples who were walking and talking with Jesus on the road to Emmaus realized that it had been Jesus with whom they were speaking..." THEIR HEARTS BURNED WITH-IN THEM " ...they turned around and made their way with haste back to the other disciples to "SHARE THE GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS WAS ALIVE." i want that experience to be mine everyday at home, at church or in the marketplace.!! How about You??
Look up and listen for the shout.

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #46 on: September 05, 2019, 08:31:45 AM »
Let us give the message to all who are open to receive it--the message of the loveliness of Jesus and His grace that transforms sinners into saints! By beholding Him day by day in that beautiful "thoughtful hour" meditating on His life point by point, we are experiencing a transformation as we yield unreservedly to Him! As we, like the woman at the well, come to drink of the grace of Christ by a personal experience, we can invite others to receive the living water that refreshes and invigorates the soul!!

"The gospel invitation is not to be narrowed down, and presented only to a select few, who, we suppose, will do us honor if they accept it. The message is to be given to all. Wherever hearts are open to receive the truth, Christ is ready to instruct them. He reveals to them the Father, and the worship acceptable to Him who reads the heart. For such He uses no parables. To them, as to the woman at the well, He says, 'I that speak unto thee am He.'" {The Desire of Ages, page 194, paragraph 2}

Jesus reads the hearts of everyone in the world. May we be willing to give the message to anyone God brings to us--just as Jesus was willing to minister to the woman at the well who may have outwardly seemed "uninterested." But God knows what the soul needs, and He prepares us to have divine appointments to bless others. May Christ's experience be ours today, for He lived to bless others! 
"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #47 on: September 05, 2019, 08:43:51 AM »
Amen Pastor Sean and Brother Beacon!  What a privilege we have to share this good news with the world! Like the woman at the well we ought to be as excited about knowing God, His Son, and the gospel message. What is missing in the church, the church which is modern day Israel? The "living water" is not drunk by too many including ministers. The heart has not been purified. We are surrounded by grace as thick as the air we breathe.  But, if we do not spend time with Jesus, if we do not spend a thoughtful hour a day beholding God's grace, it does us no good.

   He who seeks to quench his thirst at the fountains of this world will drink only to thirst again. Everywhere men are unsatisfied. They long for something to supply the need of the soul. Only One can meet that want. The need of the world, "The Desire of all nations," is Christ. The divine grace which He alone can impart, is as living water, purifying, refreshing, and invigorating the soul. 

We are saved by grace. Jesus longs to impart that grace to us each and every day.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Beacon

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #48 on: November 29, 2019, 07:59:29 PM »
"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."

To the early Christian church the death of Stephen seemed like a monumental loss of leadership, But from the shed blood of Stephen, witnessed by Saul of Tarsus, there arose a born again Christian who's name became " PAUL " Who after meeting Jesus on the road to Tarsus became one of the most powerful witnesses for Jesus and who's writings make up a large share of our New Testament.  We should never underestimate the value and potential influence of ONE SOUL who having accepted the Forgiving Redeeming Blood of Jesus becomes an active witness in behalf of the King of Kings. Remember that Jesus would have come and sacrificed His Life if only one soul could be saved!

We belong to a church with over 20 million members. Just think what would happen if each members would bring even ONE soul to Jesus every year....How quickly the work would be finished and we could go to our eternal home to be with Jesus forever!
Look up and listen for the shout.

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #49 on: November 30, 2019, 04:09:09 AM »
Praise the Lord, Brother Beacon! One soul is worth more than worlds! We are to see each person with the potential Jesus sees in them--each as one for whom He gave His life and has gone to prepare a place for them in heaven! Let us look for souls and believe that God is working to save ALL!

"The gospel invitation is not to be narrowed down, and presented only to a select few, who, we suppose, will do us honor if they accept it. The message is to be given to all. Wherever hearts are open to receive the truth, Christ is ready to instruct them. He reveals to them the Father, and the worship acceptable to Him who reads the heart. For such He uses no parables. To them, as to the woman at the well, He says, 'I that speak unto thee am He.'" {The Desire of Ages, page 194, paragraph 2}

We are to share Jesus wherever He opens the opportunity! And we are to believe that there are souls who will respond with the whole heart and be converted, becoming fruitful Christians who manifest in the life all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing! Jesus loves us so much that He draws us with His love, so we, having experienced His love, may invite others to "Come and see" Jesus! 
"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Dorine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #50 on: November 30, 2019, 06:52:47 AM »
  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 contrast between the results Jesus had with the Jewish nation with that of the testimony of one lone infamous woman we are reminded of the tremendous power and influence of just one persons personal tesitmony. This is such an inspiring story to keep before us as we come in contact with all sorts of unfavorable people and situations. Let's see all people through Jesus' eyes; potential kings and queens for the kingdom. Jesus is with us today no less then He was when He walked the earth. We need to remember that we do not walk by sight but by faith.
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press  toward the mark. Phil. 3:13,14

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #51 on: November 30, 2019, 08:41:03 AM »
Amen dear Sister!  The lessons here are for us today. We are entrusted with the sacred oracles of God, just as were the Jews. Have we done any better than they? Do we truly love and pity out enemies? The example we see in today's reading is for us to follow. But, we cannot unless we are born of the Spirit. After the woman at the well discovered her Savior, she loved Him whom Samaritans hated.

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


If we want to glorify God, then we need to born of the Spirit. And when we love Jesus supremely because we know Him and trust Him with all we are and all we have, then the heart will be purified and the carnal mind renewed. We will gladly obey all we know to be the requirements of God. When does this happen, at the end of our experience with God, or at the beginning, when truly converted? So very many fail to understand what it means to be converted, born of the Spirit. They believe that when converted they begin a process that one day will give them victory over sin. But, here they err. It is a long protracted process of wooing by the Spirit that leads to a true conversion where the heart is wholly given to Christ and the sinner becomes a saint living in fallen flesh. We become partakers of the divine nature because it is God who sits on the throne of the heart. Then we shall not be tempted beyond what we can bear.

There are pastors in God's church who are starting to understand they have not come to the point of teaching that one known sin reveals a separation between man and God. Until they believe this with the whole heart, they hold back teaching the simple truth of the power of grace to transform the life at the beginning of our conversion. So many are trying to do right, but do not know they have not yet arrived. They have not yet given their whole heart to Christ because they are unwilling to trust Him with all they are and all they have. Why? Because they do not spend a thoughtful hour a day wanting to know Him. They do not love Him with all the heart, mind, soul, and strength, because they have not experienced His love and power. When they do love Him supremely it is because they have seen that He first loved us.

Many read here in this forum. We pray that as you come to understand our need to behold Jesus daily, that you will join with us in reading of His love for us daily and share with us what Jesus is revealing to you. We know that before Jesus comes there will be many who will increase our numbers greatly. Jesus is coming soon, so we know this will be happening very soon!
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Beacon

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #52 on: February 25, 2020, 06:22:14 AM »
"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."      

What a great lesson this is...showing the importance of not letting rejection and disappointment cause one to cease looking for opportunities to share God's love, but blossom and grew wherever we are planted and to press on in the proclamation of the Good News. We will often experience similar things in our activities of dally living and also perhaps even within our own church fellowship. But if we follow the example of Jesus and continue to be aware of the limitless possibilities around us we can blossom and grow where ever our life's path takes us.    
Look up and listen for the shout.

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #53 on: February 25, 2020, 07:27:56 AM »
Amen Brother Beacon!  What lessons we learn from the life of Christ. The disciples later remembered how Jesus dealt with those who they perceived of little value. I like the closing of this chapter.

     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.

Notice that when we are truly born again (converted) we do not have to try to be an evangelist, we are born a missionary. How can this be? We are filled with "living water" that wells up to refresh others who are "eager to drink of the water of life." We do not have to be pressured or persuaded to be an evangelist, we are already wanting to share the grace of Christ with anyone who is open to being saved. If you have lost that first love, then being pressured to work for Christ will not work, we must drink again from the fountain of life. God does not give grace for tomorrow. Each day we must drink anew. Each day we must feed upon the Bread of Life, the Manna from Heaven. It would be well to spend a thoughtful hour a day contemplating the life of Christ. For that is where we find this "living water." It is where we behold the grace of God. It is by beholding the stripes that He took that belonged to us that we are healed.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #54 on: February 25, 2020, 09:20:44 AM »
Amen, Brother Beacon and Brother Richard!!

What a blessing to find strength in the same way Jesus found it--by receiving life from God to impart to others! As we behold Jesus in His infinite loveliness, we find joy in imparting the grace we have received! We cannot be silent for our Savior lives in us!

"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}

In a complete surrender of the whole heart to Christ we experience the love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance that are the fruits of the divine nature welling up in our souls! We love to bless others as Jesus did, for it is Him living out His life in us that makes the life a truly attractive witness for Him!
"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Beacon

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #55 on: May 21, 2020, 06:54:33 PM »
"The gospel invitation is not to be narrowed down, and presented only to a select few, who, we suppose, will do us honor if they accept it. The message is to be given to all. Wherever hearts are open to receive the truth, Christ is ready to instruct them. He reveals to them the Father, and the worship acceptable to Him who reads the heart. For such He uses no parables. To them, as to the woman at the well, He says, 'I that speak unto thee am He.'"

"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."

DO WE REALLY REALIZE WHAT AN HONOR AND SACRED TRUST IS EXTENDED TO EACH OF US - TO BE ON GOD'S TEAM OF MESSENGERS?
Look up and listen for the shout.

Dorine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #56 on: May 22, 2020, 05:22:04 AM »
He who seeks to quench his thirst at the fountains of this world will drink only to thirst again. Everywhere men are unsatisfied. They long for something to supply the need of the soul. Only One can meet that want. The need of the world, "The Desire of all nations," is Christ. The divine grace which He alone can impart, is as living water, purifying, refreshing, and invigorating the soul.

Those who have given their hearts to Christ know from experience that this is truth. Those who do not know Christ have a continual hunger and thirst for something they can not find; peace and contentment through all circumstances. It's with rejoicing that I start my day with Jesus. It's spiritually exciting to walk with Him all day, to watch Him at work in my own heart and through the ways in which He brings good out of difficult situations. He loves us beyond our imagination.
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press  toward the mark. Phil. 3:13,14

Pastor Sean Brizendine

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #57 on: May 22, 2020, 05:26:12 AM »
Praise the Lord, Brother Beacon, for the privilege we have of being laborers together with God!! And what unity we see here! The very same paragraph I was blessed by this morning, you also are sharing, Sister Dorine!! Praise the Lord for the truly satisfying relationship we may have with Christ!! Amen!!

When we come to the point of realizing that nothing in this life will satisfy us, we have the privilege of going to Jesus in our absolute need, and we then have the freedom to stop seeking the unsatisfying, earthly things. We leave our waterpot like the woman at the well. We have found "something better"!! We stop wasting our time on things that are temporary and unfulfilling, and we experience by the power of the grace of God a new heart and a new mind imbued with all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing! We gladly obey God's commandments because they are our delight! When we have this genuine experience, even the blessings that God gives us in life will not absorb our attention and focus to detract from the rightful focus and worship of the Giver--the Savior, the Living Water who alone can purify and renew our souls and give us lasting, eternal satisfaction in His presence where we find fullness of joy forevermore!!!

"He who seeks to quench his thirst at the fountains of this world will drink only to thirst again. Everywhere men are unsatisfied. They long for something to supply the need of the soul. Only One can meet that want. The need of the world, 'The Desire of all nations,' is Christ. The divine grace which He alone can impart, is as living water, purifying, refreshing, and invigorating the soul." {The Desire of Ages, page 187, paragraph 2}

Do you desire to drink of the Living Water? Come each day and spend a thoughtful hour upon the life of Christ, letting your imagination really grasp and appreciate what Christ has done for you. Think upon His sacrifice on Calvary, contemplate His infinite love, and you may find that not only does Christ quench the longing of your soul, but He expands your soul to desire EVEN MORE of Him! As we drink of the genuine experience Christ offers us, we will long to drink more of His love, and the more we drink, the more we will receive to impart to bless others!!
"When we live by faith on the Son of God, the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives; not one will be missing." {The Desire of Ages, 676.4}

Richard Myers

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #58 on: May 22, 2020, 07:48:39 AM »
Amen Pastor Sean and Sister Dorine!  And this water Jesus pours out upon us is not a one day affair. Once we taste of His grace, we shall want more and more. And, it is a good thing we will want more, for we must die to self daily.

     Jesus did not convey the idea that merely one draft of the water of life would suffice the receiver. He who tastes of the love of Christ will continually long for more; but he seeks for nothing else. The riches, honors, and pleasures of the world do not attract him. The constant cry of his heart is, More of Thee. And He who reveals to the soul its necessity is waiting to satisfy its hunger and thirst. Every human resource and dependence will fail. The cisterns will be emptied, the pools become dry; but our Redeemer is an inexhaustible fountain. We may drink, and drink again, and ever find a fresh supply. He in whom Christ dwells has within himself the fountain of blessing,--"a well of water springing up into everlasting life." From this source he may draw strength and grace sufficient for all his needs.[/color

Amen Brother Beacon! I too was impressed with this truth:  "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."

We will have to continue to lived in fallen flesh, but it is not an excuse for sin. The Holy Spirit reveals God's grace to us each day as we behold the life of Christ. It purifies the heart and renews the mind that we will be witnesses of the power of God to transform sinners into saints. It is indeed the work of the Holy Spirit!
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Beacon

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Re: The Desire of Ages--19--At Jacob's Well
« Reply #59 on: August 16, 2020, 12:04:16 PM »
"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."

MAY OUR HEARTS BE OPEN TO THE CALL OF OUR LORD AND MAY WE WILLING TO MINISTER TO ALL THOSE WHOM THE HOLY SPIRIT BRINGS US IN CONTACT WITH -- ALWAYS REMEMBERING THAT JESUS CAME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE "ALL" THAT WERE LOST.

Hymn 573 SDA Hymnal ---I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go.

V1. "It may not be on the mountain height,Or over the stormy sea, It may not be at the battle’s front My Lord will have need of me. But if, by a still, small voice he calls To paths that I do not know,I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine:I’ll go where you want me to go."

[Chorus]

I’ll go where you want me to go dear Lord,Over mountain or plain or sea;I’ll say what you want me to say, dear Lord;I’ll be what you want me to be.

V2. Perhaps today there are loving words, Which Jesus would have me speak;There may be now in the paths of sin, Some wand’rer whom I should seek. O Savior, if thou wilt be my guide,Tho dark and rugged the way,My voice shall echo the message sweet:I’ll say what you want me. to say.

V3. There’s surely somewhere a lowly place In earth’s harvest fields so wide, Where I may labor through life’s short day, For Jesus, the Crucified. So trusting my all to thy tender care, And knowing thou lovest me, I’ll do thy will with a heart sincere:I’ll be what you want me to be.

Text: Mary Brown, 1856–1918

Music: Carrie E. Rounsefell, 1861–1930
Look up and listen for the shout.