Part Two - He Must Needs Go Through Samaria

There are two things on the not too distant horizon for Planet Earth - harvest and judgment. Glory and trouble both are ahead. For the 21rst Century Church (especially the church here in America) to see the full fruit of what the Lord has planned for the end times, we must get a vision for our cities instead of remaining closed minded and seeing only "our church." What is coming is bigger than our denomination. It's bigger than any movement. It's a world-wide outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon ALL FLESH - including a tremendous move of God among Jewish people who will come to know Jesus as Messiah. This gospel we preach is not a "gentile" gospel. It's a gospel that has its roots in the olive tree of Romans 11 - Israel. We'd do wise to remember that. This story of the Samaritan woman is a foreshadowing of things to come. But to see this type salvation experience we must remember that the Lord is about to do His greatest work not among the elite of our society but in the cities across America of liars and drunkards.

By Chris McDonald

John 4:4-5  - And he must needs go through Samaria. [5] Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. [7] There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

        Jesus starts the conversation with the woman and says, "give me to drink." HE ALWAYS COMES SEEKING US, not the other way around. There has never been a person whom God has revealed Himself to that was "seeking" God. Friend, people are hungry for God. They don't understand the void they fill in their lives but it takes a "drawing out" of the Holy Spirit to get them to pursue God. Salvation is OF THE LORD! It starts with HIM and FINISHES with HIM.

        As we stated before, God is not just in a church. He is asking us as the 21rst Century Church a question right now - "Do we want to be a part of the coming harvest?" That needs to sink in. Eternity is real and this is not a game or a promotional thing from heaven. This is over the souls of men. Every time God has dealt with men face-to-face He always asked them a question:

• With Jacob He asked "What is your name?"

• With Peter He asked, "Who do YOU say that I am."

• With the Blind man - "What do YOU want me to do for you?"

• With Adam, "Where are YOU?"

• With Cain and later Jonah, "Why are you so Angry?"

        These are but a few examples but the Bible is full of instances where God asks those He deals with a question. And He's asking us a question today. He already knows the answer. Like Jack Deere says, "an omnipresent being does not ask a question of mortal flesh because He don't have the answer." The question is not for God - it's for US! And when Jesus asked this woman for a drink of water, yes He was physically thirsty, but His intentions were higher than just quenching a fleshly need - He was after He soul! And at high noon, the eternal dialogue between the Son of God and the Samaritan woman took place in the city of liars of drunkards.

If You Knew The Gift Of God...

John 4:8-14  - (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) [9] Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, ask drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. [10] Jesus answered and said unto her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to thee, Give me to drink; you would have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. [11] The woman says unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? [12] Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? [13] Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: [14] But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.


    It is interesting to note that in the previous chapter, Jesus told Niccodemus, a very moral person and a teacher of Israel, the exact same thing He told this immoral woman regarding salvation. He didn't change the plan of salvation for either one. Man's redemption depending on man drinking of the living water, being born again and knowing the gift of God - the living water of Jesus. Niccodemus, nor the Samaritan woman, understood this. Neither do many today. Salvation is the same for ALL. The rich, the poor, the sinful, the moral, the preacher, the janitor, the President of the United States, the drug addict on Fifth Street - MUST ALL COME THROUGH THE CROSS OF CALVARY TO RECEIVE THE LIVING WATER OF JESUS! There is no other way to receive it. Call us narrow minded but the plan of salvation is not a wide path - it's one that must be walked through repentance and confession of sin, faith in the blood of Jesus and asking the Lord Jesus to come live inside us through the power of the Holy Spirit. It's not a complicated issue. But the enemy has made it complicated and deceived millions into thinking they are saved while in reality they are lost!

John 3:1-8  - There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: [2] The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. [3] Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. [4] Nicodemus said unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? [5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. [8] The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
 

        Our cities are filled with people, just like this Samaritan woman, who think they are saved, but have never truly known the Gift of God - the living water of Jesus Christ. Many have shook a preacher's hand, gone to church all their lives, paid their taxes, been upright and moral citizens and have never encountered Jesus. Within the Pentecostal realm of the church many have attended churches where we speak in tongues, prophesy and do all sorts of other things in the name of Jesus. But unless we have met Jesus for ourselves then we will forever be like this woman - THIRSTY. Jesus didn't say He "had" life to give - HE IS THE LIFE. There is no other mediator between God and man except Jesus Christ. No priest, no preacher, no denomination, no experience, no religious act or ceremony can substitute for the shed blood of the Lord Jesus in the covering of sins for fallen humanity. This immoral woman was no worse off than Niccodemus - they both were lost and without God! Jesus knew this. He drew her out into this even more with the dialogue at the well:

John 4:9-10  - Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. [10] Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.


        He told her that is she KNEW who it was that was speaking to her she would have asked HIM to give her living water instead of Him asking her for natural water. His response was to her first religious question concerning His statement. She let Jesus know up front that first of all it was strange for any Jewish people to even ask a Samaritan for anything - "for the Jews have no dealings with Samaritans."

        If we are to participate in the coming harvest this must stop in the Body of Christ. The Baptists are going to have to stop having "no dealings" with Pentecostals. Gentiles are going to have to stop having "no dealings" with Jews. Protestants are going to have to stop having "no dealings" with Catholics. Christians are going to have to stop being so self-righteous and smug and refuse to interact with people they think are immoral and sinful. No, God has not called us to participate in their works or fruit of darkness. He has told us to be separate. But being separate from the world does not mean being a bigot or obnoxious. Jesus was separate from sinners but He identified with sinners. He was not threatened by this woman at the well. Her five husbands did not disturb Him because He knew He had the answer to all her past problems. THE CHURCH HAS THE ANSWER TO THE WORLD'S PROBLEM TODAY AND ITS JESUS CHRIST. We are NOT the answer but we HAVE the answer! The world's answer is not our programs, our activities, our music concerts, our promotion, our Sunday school lessons, our woman's bazaars or our softball teams. The only power in the universe that can change society is the HEAD OF THE CHURCH, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Rose of Sharon, the Fairest of 10,000, the Bright and the Morning Star, the Hope of Israel, the Righteous Branch, Shiloh, The Prophet Unto Moses, The Baptizer In The Holy Ghost - THE LORD OF GLORY - THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! Glory to God!

        We have no choice any longer. We're going to have to come into the real world and see there are real people here. There are real issues that the church has failed to address for so long that the people we interact with in our walk of life blow us away with their problems. It's like we've had our heads in the sand or been in an underground bunker for 30 years. There are broken homes we've never had to deal with like we do now. There are deeper sexual issues people are dealing with today than they did 30 years ago. There are abused people among us in our congregations. We are finding out that our husbands and wives were molested when they were children and the torments they are dealing with now are a result of things that happened in the past. We as the church can take a smug arrogant stance and say 'well we're thankful we're not like that' if we want but we are going to miss the harvest if we do!

The Well Is Deep...

John 4:11- The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

        This is the world's spiritual state. ALL OF HUMANITY thirsts for God. Some don't know it's God who they are thirsty for but there is a vacuum in all of us that only God can fill. Friend, we in the church can ignore the world's lack of enthusiasm over wanting to be a part of our churches but we had better wake up. We may not care about the fact that 99% of most churches are a turn OFF to people instead of turn on but it's a serious issue we need to face and face quick! People are not interested in our churches because they come to Church expecting to find someone to fill the void in their heart - the Lord Jesus - and we give them everything else! People - ALL PEOPLE - are hungry for God. If they were not hungry for God they would not be calling 900 numbers to have a demonic psychic try and tell them the future. If they were not hungry for God we would not have a billion-dollar porn industry that feeds a need in men AND women for illicit sex and perversion. If they were not hungry for God the drug industry would not be a billion dollar market today.

        "You have nothing to draw with....so where is this living water you speak of," the woman asks Jesus. In the natural she didn't see any possible way Jesus could provide her with living water. AND MAN DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING BIG ENOUGH TO DRAW INTO THE DEPTHS OF HIS SOUL EITHER OUTSIDE CHRIST! The world's method for drawing water out of the well will never work. Jesus is not that interested in our wells we tend to dig in our churches to solve the ills of man. Psychology is a sad trade-off for the real living water that only Jesus can give. We give people buckets and tell them to draw their own water but friend, "THE WELL IS DEEP." They can't draw water themselves and neither can we! We must have a visitation and habitation from heaven and allow the living water of Jesus to course through our minds, bodies and spirits if we are to be free. At high noon, in the city of liars and drunkards, God was using His own method of psychology.

  Art Thou Greater Than Our Father Jacob?

John 4:12-14  - Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: [14] But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

        As the dialogue continues the woman begins asking Jesus deeper questions. The Samaritans recognized Abraham, Isaac and JACOB as their spiritual father. They had read the stories of the patriarchs in the Pentateuch. Jacob had built and drank from the well during his sojourn in Shechem and was honored among the Samaritans. She knew a "restorer" was coming. I can't help but feel God was unlocking her understanding as she spoke to the Man from Galilee.

        Her arguments just fell on deaf ears with Jesus. He totally ignored her. It was not out of callousness He ignored her - it was out of love. Had Jesus argued with the woman the dialogue this day in the city of liars and drunkards would have been just another religious argument. No, Jesus was more concerned about her heart and soul than He was she understood everything about everything about everything concerning Samaria's religious heritage.

        The issues are the same today.  The world chokes to death on our religious "arguments" in the church. That's what religion is - an argument. Islam has a deep rooted argument with Christianity. Christianity has had a deep rooted argument with Judaism and Catholicism. All the other religions of the world think they are right and hold the key to reaching God. But friend, there is only ONE WAY TO GOD and that is through the LORD JESUS CHRIST and through the shed blood of the cross. We can say those words over and over again without ever understanding it - but it's simple child like faith in the BLOOD that saves us. The blood cleanses us from sin and makes us worthy vessels of the living water of Jesus - THE HOLY SPIRIT. This woman's ill-fated past was not even the issue this day. The only issue was living water. She was offering Jesus water that would make those who drank it temporarily satisfied. The water Jesus was offering was water that would quench even the deepest of thirsts - FOREVER! Hear me drug addict. Hear me alcoholic. Hear me child molester. Hear me religious church member. Hear me backslidden preacher. Hear me church. All of our pitiful efforts to produce revival will never satisfy the thirst for humanity. They are crying out for more than just another softball program or musical entertainment event. They are crying out for the one thing that will set them free and that is the living water of the Lord Jesus Christ. OH, YOU WHO ARE THIRSTY "COME." And you who are hungry  "COME." Come, come, come, without money, without price. He'll pour water upon your thirsty, parched heart. He'll satisfy you more than every joint the largest drug dealer can provide. He can remove that craving sir for pornography and replace it with a craving for HIM. He can remove that craving ma'am for those cigarettes and that vain need to be seen as "beautiful" by others with a desire and craving for HIM. Young lady, if you think that illicit sex will satisfy your need to feel wanted by that boyfriend you're wrong. You're desire to be wanted and appreciated is really a deep craving for God and the only thing that will quench that thirst is a life IN Jesus Christ. He can set you free. He bids us come to these waters just as He bid the Samaritan woman so long ago:

Isaiah 55:1   - Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
 

        The greatest hindrance to us receiving this living water is religion and a religious spirit. And as one who grew up in a pastor's home all my life being "around" the things of God, I can say without flinching that it is sometimes harder for preacher's kids and those of us who have been in the ministry to see our need for God than those who are and were not "around" religious things all the time. I love my father and mother both and thank God we had a home where at least they made us go to church. But as I have gotten older I realize now having a home that is religious is much different than having a truly Godly one. Our kids today need God. Our kids today need the Holy Spirit. Our kids today need the living water. Our kids today need to see mom and dad on their face before God crying out for repentance and cleansing of their own sins first and then interceding for the sins of others. Our kids need to hear mom and dad moaning and groaning in the Spirit over their children and homes. They need to see mom and dad worshipping God - not just on Sunday - but seven days a week - instead of seeing a form of godliness on Sunday and hell on earth during the week.  Our kids need to see that mom and dad are not ashamed of Jesus Christ and not ashamed to bow their head in prayer in a public restaurant or any where for that matter. Our kids need to see a mom and dad separated from the world - not so consumed with the leisurely habits of a fallen society - but seeking a Kingdom that cannot be shaken when the coming judgment falls. They need to see a home FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST - FULL OF THE POWER OF GOD - FULL OF THE GLORY OF GOD - FULL OF THE WORD OF GOD!

        They need to know mom and dad are filled with the Holy Ghost and when the Spirit leads them they will lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. They will SPEAK with new tongues and shall cast out devils. Dear God help this generation of young people. Forgive us Lord as parents who have made You just a part of the weekly schedule on Sunday along with the our soccer games and baseball games and proms as well as all our other events. God forgive us for making money an idol in our homes in America! Oh, Neighbor, do you hear what I am saying to you? The harvest is coming and we must get our houses in order if we truly want to be a part of what is about to happen in God's prophetic plan.

        Religion has sent more people to hell than any sin in this universe. Religion blinds man to his real need to repent before God and humble himself at the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. The drunk or drug addict on the street corner has a better chance of inheriting the Kingdom of God than a religious man. The local cab driver we talk with every day has a better understanding of God's love than we do at times. The world looks at sin and says "UGH!" while the church laughs at it and makes excuses for it. The sinner man out there in the morass of their hell are quicker to respond to God than those who have sit in churches (especially Pentecostal ones) all their lives. WHY? Because sinners such as drunks and drug addicts know their condition is one that needs God. Many who are bound by these sins are actually sincere people who want out of their sinful state but need deliverance. The religious man enjoys the state he's in never feeling the need to change or repent. He is at total ease from Sunday to Sunday never sensing a need to repent of his sins and become sincere in his love and affection FOR GOD. This always leads us to lukewarmness. We are neither hot or cold. We can sit in a church service on Sunday and Amen the preacher loudly, even raise our hands and maybe even speak in tongues a little, but never have a true encounter with the One who will give us living water for our stale religious experience and routine.  That's the attitude that will cause Jesus to vomit us out of His mouth on the day of Judgment.

         Jesus told this woman that the water He would give her would bring her LIFE. That is what we need - LIFE. Religion doesn't give anyone life. It just leaves us dry and thirsty. Jesus gives us water than quenches our thirst.
 

Jesus Deals With This Woman's Sin

        John 4:16-19  - Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. [17] The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: [18] For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. [19] The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

        Jesus dealt with her sin before He went any further into this dialogue. He asks her to go get her husband even though Jesus already through the Spirit of God known her condition. (This was actually a word of wisdom operating in Jesus' life here) Before He could deal with her and eternal life, He had to deal with her sin. Hear this friend. YOU CANNOT BE SAVED UNTIL THE SIN QUESTION IS DEALT WITH:

Luke 13:1-3  - There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. [2] And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? [3] I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Matthew 4:17  - From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.


        Salvation both imparts something TO US and it TAKES away something FROM US. Repentance is not an option when accepting Jesus. Salvation is the POWER OF GOD unto repentance. His goodness leads us to repentance. The power of God has been given to us through the Holy Spirit that we may overcome sin:

1 Peter 4:1  - Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

Romans 6:14  - For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 1:16  - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

        When one is born again sin no longer has dominion over them. Does it mean we'll never fail God and sin? No. It does mean that our attitude toward sin will change. We will stop seeking ways TO sin but seek ways to REPENT of sin and flee from it. I remember what John Bevere said several years ago and I'll never forget it. He said the number one reason most Christians are not used by God MORE in their walk with Him is that we have never come to "HATE SIN" like Jesus hated it:

Hebrews 1:8-9 -  But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom. [9] Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

        We tolerate sin in our lives. We don't judge ourselves like we need to be judged. Our hearts are so deceitful we cannot understand or comprehend it. That's why we need to cry out for the judgments of God on our lives so we can come to a place where we will hate sin like Jesus hated sin. Hating sin and loving righteousness is the FEAR OF THE LORD. The fear of the Lord will bring us great wisdom and vice versa. If we are truly walking in supernatural wisdom then we are walking in the FEAR OF THE LORD. When John wrote the great portion of his first epistle where he assures us as believers we have an advocate in heaven - he did not write that passage with the idea that after we got saved and born again we'd continue in our sinful ways and habits. NO! God forbid.

        The promise of forgiveness if we confess our sins is contingent TOTALLY ON JESUS. However, this promise is not a promise to those who willfully sin time and time again without any remorse or regret but are only wanting forgiveness instead of deliverance:

1 John 2:1-8  - My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: [2] And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. [3] And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. [4] He that saith, I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. [5] But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. [6] He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

        He wrote to us that we SIN NOT. Old things will pass away when we meet Jesus. ALL THINGS will be come new. Old thought patterns, old habits, old worldly desires, sin tendencies and all desire to disobey God will no longer exist. Again, don't get me wrong. Getting saved does not produce instant grit Christians. Some issues we bring into our Christian walk after salvation didn't happen overnight and they will not be totally overcome overnight. God's grace is more than sufficient to cover us during our time of learning.

        Coming to Jesus does not mean a "grand and glorious" life per say like some present it. Coming to Jesus means the CROSS. It means DEATH to our old life and a NEWNESS OF LIFE that can only be found IN HIM. We cannot be truly born again without this experience. This is what truly being born again is all about. GOD DOES NOT SAVE YOU IN YOUR SIN AND ALLOW YOU TO CONTINUE IN THAT SIN. HE GRANTS FREEDOM THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT TO LIVE A HOLY, CONSECRATED LIFE FOR HIM AND UNTO HIM IN OUR WORSHIP AND ADORATION OF HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST.

        There is no such thing as a "sinning" salvation. Sin will destroy us - CHRISTIAN and non-CHRISTIAN alike. There are none of us who will sin and get by in this life or in the next. Unrepented sin will send you to hell friend. Don't be deceived. Don't be a fool and think just because you have had an experience with God that you can live to yourself still. Our lives do not belong to us any longer. We are not our own. We were bought with a price.

        Before Jesus could address the woman's salvation, He had to address the sin. If you notice He did not have a condemning word about her condition. No, no, no, He did not have to say a word. She already knew the life she had lived. All Jesus did was let her know that HE KNEW what she was and who she was and she didn't have to pretend around Him. And we do not have to pretend around Him either. He sees our hearts! He knows our motives. He sees the inward workings of our soul. He is HIGHER than any other. He is higher than our greatest schemes or efforts to build His kingdom. He's not interested in what we're doing FOR HIM - He's interested in what He's doing IN US! As Jesus talked with this woman He knew that He would soon pay the debt for all her failures. He would soon pay the price for those failed marriages. He would soon pay the price for the immorality, sexual sin of adultery and fornication this woman was in. He knew as He talked with her that nothing she could have done or had done in her past was bigger than the GRACE He was about to bestow not only on her - but the entire WORLD. His love was passionate for her even in her sinful state as He sat at the well talking with her. His love was what had brought Him to Sychar to begin with. His love would soon set her free!

        That is message for those coming in through the harvest. Jesus has died for sin. He has paid the price so man can go free. Man does not have to remain condemned before God. He can be set free through the power of the blood. We don't have to judge the sinner. The sinner is already judged and condemned outside of Jesus Christ. Our job is to point the sinner to the source of living water - the Messiah and let the sinner know there is grace, mercy, love and fellowship with a loving God awaiting him if he will but turn from his sin and repent and ask Jesus into his heart and life.

You Don't Know What You Worship

 John 4:20-21  - Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. [21] Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

        We have sacrificed the truth of God's word and His character for image, appearances and hype. Revival is not birthed through emotional fads and experiences. What we seek we will find. If we are seeking HIM and worshipping HIM we will find HIM and the fullness of HIS GRACE will be bestowed upon us. If our pursuit is that of revival or a bigger church or a bigger ministry then that is what we will find as well. The coming revival and harvest will be birthed in the HEARTS of God's people who have allowed God to do more than just "touch" them for service. He will be allowed to "kill" them and change their hearts. Tommy Tenney wrote in his famous book, "The God Chasers," that death attracts the presence of God.

        When we apply the blood of Jesus through repentance to our lives and renounce everything we are in light of HIM and FOR HIM - then we are bringing on the presence of God in our lives and in our cities. The Samaritan woman had spent all her life worshipping in a "place." Jesus was blunt. He told her she did not know what she worshipped and told her the hour was coming when it would not matter WHERE she worshipped but WHOM!

        Friend, that hour is NOW! I mean, I can worship God in Dairy Queen's parking lot. I can worship God underneath a tree in my back yard. I travel all over the country with my job and my little car has become the greatest church I've ever attended in my life. There are times when the presence of God is so strong I think I may need to pull off and stop the car. It's not important WHERE YOU WORSHIP - it matters WHO YOU WORSHIP and HOW YOU WORSHIP HIM! True worship is not found in singing choruses over hymns in church. God help us. Pentecostals smirk at the Baptists and Methodists and brag saying "well we're arrived because they sing from the hymnbook and we sing choruses." Friend, it's not the choruses - it's the MASTER! True worship is found in a submitted heart and flesh that has been KILLED by the SPIRIT OF GOD. Worship is centered in death. True worship is found when we REPENT of our carnality, our goodness and tendency to lean on ourselves!

        The woman at the well was an instrument that would soon be used to bring worship to Sychar. The city of liars and drunkards was destined to be a habitation of worship. AND OUR CITIES ARE DESTINED TO BE HABITATIONS OF WORSHIP AS WELL. Every city has pockets of new age humanism, secularism and perversion, yet God holds the keys that open every city to the gospel. This woman was the key to Sychar. A five-time divorcee adulteress became the town's worship leader. Is that not God or what?? A prophetic dialogue with the world's Messiah changed a woman's heart and then in turn changed a city.

        That's how the harvest will be brought in. It will start with individual people first - then CITIES. The problem today is that our methods of evangelism lack conviction and anointing. They are done without the power of the Holy Spirit. The Baptists want to preach the cross without the Holy Spirit and the Pentecostals want to preach the Holy Spirit without the cross. The Spirit of God points the CHURCH TO THE POWER OF THE CROSS! The more removed our preaching of the Cross is from a church, the more men  must depend upon their own methods, talents, abilities to draw people and keep them. If we have to use gimmicks and entertainment to reach them we will have to have entertainment and gimmicks to keep them. ONLY THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST WILL BOTH BRING THEM IN AND KEEP THEM!!!!!!!!!!

Come See A Man.....In The City Of Liars and Drunkards

John 4:25-42  - The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. [26] Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. [28] The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, [29] Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? [30] Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.  [39] And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. [40] So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. [41] And many more believed because of his own word; [42] And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.


        No other method but Calvary's prescription of death to ourselves will do! The Samaritans were looking for a Messiah just as the Jews were. He tells her that HE IS THE MESSIAH. It's then that she becomes so excited she leaves her water pot and runs to the city to tell the men to "come see a MAN." It's interesting that Jesus Himself never physically went into Sychar. But HE WENT INTO SYCHAR! Did you just get that? HE WENT INTO SYCHAR THROUGH THIS FIVE-TIME DIVORCEE EVANGELIST! Oh Glory to God I feel the anointing of the Holy Ghost all over me as I write this. He was IN HER and was speaking to those in the city to "COME SEE A MAN." GLORY TO GOD.

        Some of you reading this have had so many failures you have forgotten just how many times you've blown it. But I have good news for you. Your destiny does not lie on the back seat of a church pew. GET OUT OF THE CHURCH you're in if you have to and take this mighty gospel to the four corners of the earth. You don't have to be qualified to tell the world about Jesus. My God, if a five-time divorcee/immoral woman can shake a city for God - YOU CAN! And I can! This should give us all hope that Jesus Christ does not view our failures as man does sometime. He's looking for vessels not robots. He's looking for vessels not Pharisees. He's not looking at how much you know - He's looking at how LITTLE YOU know but how much you are willing to depend on HIM to bring forth HIS LIFE THROUGH YOU! Praise God! I'm about to come out of this seat I'm typing from on this! Do you hear what I am saying to you?

        The church at large today would have laughed this woman out the door had she come to them for "credentials" to evangelize. My Lord, Jesus didn't ask her for credentials when He sent her in. No no no. He just gave her living water to drink and the HOLY GHOST did the rest. You not getting it. Hear me preacher. Hear me preacher. Hear me preacher. The call of God on your life is NOT, is NOT contingent on what man thinks about you. Some of you reading this have paid a terrible price for your sin, just as I have. By my own choosing I disobeyed God in areas of my life in the past that brought great hardship and peril. But once His blood has set you free, I encourage you to pick up that Bible once again and open its dusty pages and step out and say, "THUS SAITH THE LORD!"  WOE is me, Paul said, if I preach not the gospel. WOE to you preacher if you don't preach. Woe to you if you are sitting on the sideline because of a past failure. The blood of Jesus is the only credential God is looking for.

        First The Woman, Then The CITY

        Friend, hear me good. North America has seen a few mercy drops of revival in certain places - Smithton, Brownsville and Toronto, Ontario, Canada. These were "CITIES." More than half of the world's population live in large cities. At least 42 cities maybe more, have populations exceeding four MILLION people. God has a VISION FOR THE CITIES of this world. His plan began in the Garden of Eden, but it ends in a CITY - the New Jerusalem.

Rev. 21:10-17  - And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, [11] Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; [12] And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: [13] On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. [14] And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. [15] And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. [16] And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. [17] And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

        Cities were meant to be dwelling places for the presence of God where His ways are known and His word is a dominant influence. We can love the city we're in and HATE the sin. Every city may have one or more local visible assemblies with bishops, deacons and saints. When Christ looks at a city, He does not see the church's different denominations. We may all have a unique label, philosophy or vision - but JESUS SEES ONE CHURCH! comprised of every person in the city who is a repentant, blood-washed sinner. Every congregation is on a city-wide team with other congregations praying and working TOGETHER to REAP THE COMING HARVEST. A single church will NEVER BE GIVEN the entire harvest in any one city.

        The Lord's Voice Cries Unto The City

Micah 6:9  - The Lord's voice cries unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
 

        There is a cry that comes FROM the cities we live in and a cry that comes TO the cities we live in from God. The cry FROM the city comes from the dissatisfied wealthy, the youth without a father or mother, the homosexual who hates his life, the alcoholic contemplating suicide and the AIDS mother who was violated through rape  and is now dying. God sees the hurt and cries and doesn't turn a deaf ear. Not only is there a cry FROM the city but there is a cry TO and OVER a city from GOD.

        Jesus wept over Jerusalem with great compassion. He was moved to tears because the city missed its destiny and hour of heavenly visitation:

Luke 19:41-44  - And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, [42] Saying, If you had known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. [43] For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, [44] And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

        America is teetering on the brink of the same destruction Jerusalem faced. Our cities - especially New York City and Los Angeles - are languishing under the weight of sin and destruction as the church sits quietly by without even a moan or groan of intercession. WE MUST HAVE THE SAME COMPASSION FOR OUR CITIES AS JESUS HAD. What happened in New York City and Washington, D.C. on September 11th was a real tragedy. But the greater tragedy was and still is that New York City has been blessed by God to the point it is one of the leading economic centers in the entire world. Not any more. Her strength was crushed in one swift blow on September 11th by terrorist-hijacked planes. When a city dishonors God and misses the hour of her visitation, judgment falls.

        God's desire for our cities though is not judgment, but REVIVAL! The greater move that is coming will not be isolated in three churches in three cities. No, the harvest that is coming will be so great that revival fires will be burning in ALL CHURCHES in every CITY! When you speak of the "revival" in Atlanta or the "revival" in Knoxville and ask "where is it?" they will answer you "IT'S EVERYWHERE - ALL THE CHURCHES ARE EXPERIENCING IT TAKE YOUR PICK!" Oh, Glory to God I feel the anointing of the Holy Ghost on that one.

        The harvest of the earth that is coming will be geared to those who have never experienced Jesus. It will NOT be a recycling of church members who shift church to church. Those who have built their lives and ministries on quarrels and strife will be pushed aside. This move will not be hindered by backslidden saints. There will be no backslidden saints in this revival. Those who are in will be IN! Those who are out will be out. The days of lukewarmness and fence-straddling are over. We will be required to chose whom we will serve and whom we will lay our life down for - either our LORD JESUS or the god of money and wealth and leisure that so many have made an idol of today.

The Hour Is Coming And Now IS

John 4:23-24  - But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him. [24] God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
 

        We are living in an unprecedented time in human history. Jesus tells the woman that the hour is coming and NOW IS when true worshippers will worship God in SPIRIT and in TRUTH. He said the Father seeketh "SUCH" to worship Him. This woman's past did not disqualify her from worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth! I want you to get that and let it sink into your spirit. When you find Jesus, you lose the consciousness of your past sin. His blood covers the past, no matter how ugly or black it may be.

        Sadly, the church has lost view of the power of Christ's blood. We judge people on the merits and basis of their past. We don't trust certain people in our fellowships because they have failed in their past. But when it comes to the Father, HE SEEKS SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM! The reason God is seeking sinners is He's looking for WORSHIPPERS. Sinners make great worshippers. Have you ever noticed in the gospels the type people Jesus was allowed to heal and touch? It was sinners! It was people who were the outcasts of society. Believe me, this Samaritan woman would NOT have received a ministerial certificate from ANY denomination- not just SOME, ANY! With five husbands and a live-in- uh, I believe we can safely say that this would have made for great fodder among the boards of many churches. BUT JESUS CHOSE TO REVEAL TO HER THE REVELATION OF WORSHIP for eternity! And as a result of this revelation, she became the world's first woman evangelist!

        Fallen and Hurting People Are The Such God Is Seeking

        The Father is seeking SUCH to worship Him! Who are the such? It's those of us who are not ashamed of our Father and have embraced His love for us and our lives. God's love and judgment are intertwined. Even in His judgment, He is always showing His love. Love without chastisement is not love. God will delay chastisement for as long as He can on a child of His. His first avenue to draw us to repentance is His GOODNESS. Paul said in Romans HIS GOODNESS leads us to Repentance. When we refuse His goodness then He must deal us with chastisement. But even in His chastisement - His purposes are higher than revenge and retribution. He's wanting us to become VESSELS OF HONOR! Sometimes that process can take on some painful turns. Sometimes it can put us in places where we start doubting the Lord's love for us even. Satan is a master deceiver and accuser. He is always busy accusing God to us and making us feel the Lord has somehow abandoned us and the things we are experiencing are things God is happy to be doing to us. That's A LIE!

        God has a master plan for the human race. And for those who come to Him through Jesus Christ become His children. If He didn't deal with us about our sins and failures, He wouldn't love us. If He never chastised us as children then as His word says - we are probably NOT HIS CHILDREN - WE'RE BASTARDS! Strong language there but it's what Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. If we never feel conviction when we do wrong - we're LOST! It's when we feel the Lord dealing with us about our lives that we know we are the SUCH He is seeking! The woman at the well was the "SUCH" He was seeking and as a result the entire city of liars and drunkards was changed by the GLORY OF GOD.

        God Is Not Seeking The Proud

        The only exception to this which I'm writing is the proud. God RESISTS the proud but He gives grace to the HUMBLE. Self-righteous people are blinded to the purposes of God. Self-righteousness causes us to exalt ourselves higher than others and judge others' lives by the standard of our own - INSTEAD OF THE ONLY TRUE STANDARD - JESUS CHRIST. One may say, well, that's a HIGHER STANDARD! Yes it is, but the truth is NO ONE CAN MEET THAT STANDARD! That's why we must be cognizance of the fact that without God's GRACE on our own lives we won't meet that standard either. For that reason, we should NEVER judge anyone else in relation to their own failures and problems. 

        Mercy always triumphs over judgment. They who live by the law DIE by the LAW! They who live by the SWORD DIE BY THE SWORD! When things happen to us in life the enemy wants us to pick up a sword - the Lord wants us to WORSHIP! He is seeking SUCH! He will not seek us out if we think we are "good." He will not seek us out if we think we have arrived spiritually and we don't need Him or His instruction through His word and Spirit. He will not seek us if we are self-righteous and proud and feel we have no faults or sins in our life. He will not seek us out if we have hardened our heart and are no longer sensitive to His Spirit. He's seeking those who recognize they are LOST and need HIM! He's seeking those who want to WORSHIP HIM in Spirit and in TRUTH!

        The church hurts people instead of helping them. So many of the "SUCH" the Father looks far never make it into a normal church family because they feel so condemned by their past mistakes and many in the church make sure they don't EVER forget those mistakes! But the WORST SINNERS usually make the BEST WORSHIPPERS! Why? Because they who have been forgiven the most - usually wind up LOVING and FORGIVING MUCH! That's the type of people the Father seeks -  LOVERS and WORSHIPPERS! People who love Jesus with all their heart and soul and people who love others without an ounce of judgment and condemnation. The Father is seeking SUCH!

        And one day long ago at high noon in the city of liars and drunkards He found a thirsty woman and He asked her for a drink of water. And in the course of the dialogue between heaven and earth - a city was changed by the glory of God. A city of liars and drunkards became a city "SOUGHT OUT" and "not forsaken."

Isaiah 62:12  - And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou shall be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.
 

        There's a harvest coming friend. I don't know about you but I want to a part of it - no matter how small or great the Lord may decide to use me. I pray that every day "Lord, let me be a part of the coming harvest." Is that your prayer? Are there people around you that the Lord has destined for you to "draw out" by your kindness and mercy to them? Is there a place in your heart to allow His WORSHIP to envelope you so others may see you have more than just a dead form of godliness? Those are the questions we must answer and answer quick.

        I'll leave you with the words of Jesus. We must work while it is day, for the night is coming when no man can work any more. I can't help but believe that we are beginning to see the Sun start to set on this act of history. We need to be busy and preparing ourselves for the coming harvest in the CITIES OF LIARS AND DRUNKARDS........God bless.
 

City of Liars And Drunkards, Part One