07/16/2019 — We are just passing through this life! And if we forget that, we become subject to idolatry. All that is not of God that holds our attention or our finances is an idol.

The world and much of the modern Church have nothing to offer us. While we are here the calling on our lives requires us to love those who are here with us into the Kingdom of God, so their eternal destiny with Jesus in heaven may be assured.

EDUCATION

Psalm 20
“In your day of danger may the Lord answer and deliver you.
May the name of the God of Jacob set you safely on high!
May supernatural help be sent from his sanctuary.
May he support you from Zion’s fortress!
May he remember every gift you have given him
and celebrate every sacrifice of love you have shown him.
May God give you every desire of your heart
and carry out your every plan as you go to battle.
When you succeed, we will celebrate and shout for joy.
Flags will fly when victory is yours!
Yes, God will answer your prayers and we will praise him!
I know God gives me all that I ask for
and brings victory to his anointed king.
My deliverance cry will be heard in his holy heaven.
By his mighty hand miracles will manifest
through his saving strength.
Some find their strength in their weapons and wisdom,
but my miracle deliverance can never be won by men.
Our boast is in the Lord our God,
who makes us strong and gives us victory!
Our enemies will not prevail; they will only collapse and
perish in defeat while we will rise up, full of courage.
Give victory to our king, O God!
The day we call on you, give us your answer!" (TPT).

John 4:1-30
"Soon the news reached the Jewish religious leaders known as the Pharisees that Jesus was drawing greater crowds of followers coming to be baptized than John (Although Jesus didn’t baptize, but had his disciples baptize the people). Jesus heard what was being said and abruptly left Judea and returned to the province of Galilee, and he had to pass through Samaritan territory.
"Jesus arrived at the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son, Joseph, long ago. Wearied by his long journey, he sat on the edge of Jacob’s well. He sent his disciples into the village to buy food, for it was already afternoon.
"Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, 'Give me a drink of water.'
"Surprised, she said, 'Why would a Jewish man ask a Samaritan woman for a drink of water?'
"Jesus replied, 'If you only knew who I am and the gift that God wants to give you–you’d ask me for a drink, and I would give to you living water.'
"The woman replied, 'But sir, you don’t even have a bucket and this well is very deep. So where do you find this "living water?" Do you really think that you are greater than our ancestor Jacob who dug this well and drank from it himself, along with his children and livestock?'
"Jesus answered, 'If you drink from Jacob’s well you’ll be thirsty again and again, but if anyone drinks the living water I give them, they will never thirst again and will be forever satisfied! For when you drink the water I give you it becomes a gushing fountain of the Holy Spirit, springing up and flooding you with endless life!'
"The woman replied, 'Let me drink that water so I’ll never be thirsty again and won’t have to come back here to draw water.'
"Jesus said, 'Go get your husband and bring him back here.'
“'But I’m not married,' the woman answered.
“'That’s true,' Jesus said, 'for you’ve been married five times and now you’re living with a man who is not your husband. You have told the truth.'
"The woman said, 'You must be a prophet! So tell me this: Why do our fathers worship God here on this nearby mountain, but your people teach that Jerusalem is the place where we must worship. Which is right?'
Jesus responded, 'Believe me, dear woman, the time has come when you won’t worship the Father on a mountain nor in Jerusalem, but in your heart. Your people don’t really know the One they worship. We Jews worship out of our experience, for it’s from the Jews that salvation is made available. From here on, worshiping the Father will not be a matter of the right place but with the right heart. For God is a Spirit, and he longs to have sincere worshipers who worship and adore him in the realm of the Spirit and in truth.'
"The woman said, 'This is all so confusing, but I do know that the Anointed One is coming–the true Messiah. And when he comes, he will tell us everything we need to know.'
"Jesus said to her, 'You don’t have to wait any longer, the Anointed One is here speaking with you–I am the One you’re looking for.'
"At that moment the disciples returned and were stunned to see Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman. Yet none of them dared to ask him why or what they were discussing. All at once, the woman dropped her water jar and ran off to her village and told everyone, 'Come and meet a man at the well who told me everything I’ve ever done! He could be the Anointed One we’ve been waiting for.' Hearing this, the people came streaming out of the village to go see Jesus” (TPT).

APPLICATION

• In John 4, Jesus's travels from Judea to his home territory in Galilee required him to go through Samaria (the KJV says He "must needs go through" Samaria). The Jews despised those who lived in Samaria because Samaritans did not recognize any scriptural texts beyond the Pentateuch. And the feeling was mutual.
• Jesus came upon a Samaritan woman at a well and asked her for a drink. Her response indicates that it was rare for Jews and Samaritans to even speak to each other. The woman may have been an outcast even among her people because she was out in the hot midday to draw water at a time when others were not in the area.
• Jesus engaged the woman in conversation, realized He knew her more than she could have guessed, and revealed His divinity to her. He was the Messiah the Samaritans had been anticipating! She ran back to her village to tell the people there what she had experienced.
• Believers in Jesus Christ are not at home on this earth. Even within the modern Church, we are just passing through. We dare not get too comfortable in a place we "must needs" go through. But this world is full of men, women and children who need Jesus, just as we did. It's spiritual malpractice to deny it to them through our inaction.
• If we stay in Samaria, we'll end up worshipping Samaritan idols – giving attention and honor that is due to God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that we're only passing through this life – and the only approach that will let us act with integrity is to use our time and our energy to win souls to give the Lamb who was slain the reward of His suffering.

IMPARTATION

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your Word which tells me that I am only passing through this world! Keep me from idolatry – from being distracted with the things I see and experience here that are not from You.

Purge me of the idols in my life, so there is room only for You in all that I do and say. Order my steps so that I may be a beacon of Your light and Your love to the people I meet. I long to be a soul-winner, Heavenly Father – bring me souls so that I may win them for You!

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ – Jehovah Joshua Messiah – I pray. Amen!