JOHN 4:24

Man dwells mainly in the physical and emotional realm, but God is a Spirit (1 Samuel 16:7). To have true fellowship with God, we have to relate to God on the spiritual level.

In order to do this, God changed our spirit. At salvation, our spirit became totally new (11 Corinthians 5:17). It is now righteous and truly holy (Ephesians 4:24). It is now exactly the way Jesus is, because our born again spirit is the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 4:17; 1 Corinthians 6:17; Romans 8:9; Galatians 4:6).

In our spirits we are worthy to come before God and worship Him without any fear. Our spirit is the only part of us that is worthy. That's why we must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

When we come to God dwelling on all our failures and problems, we are not coming to Him through our spirit. Our spirit is not our problem. Our born again spirit is perfect.

There is a place for mentioning our problems and failures but He already knows about them. We must always base our relationship with the Father on who we are in our spirit through Christ Jesus.

JOHN 4:4-26

Jesus painted a beautiful picture of salvation here. The salvation Jesus brings is like an artesian spring which doesn't have to be pumped. It bubbles up constantly.

But, not every Christian's experience matches Jesus' description. Many people relate more to an old pump which has to be pumped and pumped. Just as a trickle of water comes, they have to rest. They lose their prime. The water stops. Then they have to start all over again.

Jesus said we would never thirst again. This doesn't mean that one drink satisfies us forever. But, as we continue to avail ourselves of this water of life daily, we will be constantly refreshed. The well of His life is there, but we must do our take part.

The dryness in a Christian's life comes when we substitute other things for the living water that only Jesus can give. Anytime a Christian begins to thirst again, it is not a reflection on the living water that Jesus gives, but rather an indication that we have been drinking from some other source.

"Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3).

JOHN 4:10

Jesus asked this woman for a drink of water, but it wasn't water He was interested in. He wanted to give this woman eternal life.

God is the greatest giver there ever was. He lives to give. When He asks something of us we can be assured that it is only so He can multiply it and give it back to us.

God is not interested in the water we can give Him. We don't have anything to offer God that He doesn't already have. God wants us. And by asking us to give of our time and money or desires, He is really asking us to give ourselves.

Many people have walked away from God sad, like the rich young ruler because all they could think about was what they would have to give up (Mark 10:22). All of our achievements and possessions are nothing compared to what God offers us in exchange.

Just as Jesus turned this woman's attention toward what He had to offer her, we need to focus our attention on what the Lord has given us in Christ. He is no fool who gives up what he can not keep to receive what he cannot lose.

Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14; John 4:1-3

On the surface, it might look like Jesus was running from a fight. Now that John the Baptist was out of the way (he had been imprisoned), it was inevitable that the Pharisees would attack Jesus.

One thing we can be sure of is that there was no fear on our Lord's part. On other occasions He demonstrated that no one could do anything to Him if He didn't allow it (Luke 4:29-30; John 7:30, 44-46; 8:20, 59; 10:39).

We can assume that Jesus left because He knew it was God's will. On another occasion when His half brothers dared Him to go to Jerusalem and confront the Pharisees, He told them that it wasn't time for Him to go yet (John 7:1-6). A lesser man would have been intimidated into showing His superiority.

Jesus was the most selfless person who ever walked the earth. He did not come to earth for Himself, but for us. If He would have defended Himself, we would have never been saved. The humility of Jesus was surely interpreted by some to be weakness, but in truth it was love. Not love for Himself, but love for a dying world of which He was the only hope.

Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14, 17-18; 

Luke 3:19-20; John 4:1-3

John [The Baptist] spent 30 years preparing for a six month ministry, followed by one and a half years in prison before he was beheaded. Many people would not consider his life very successful, yet Jesus said John was the greatest man who was ever born (Matthew 11:11).

John's greatness wasn't in his own success, but in the success of another. John stirred up the hearts of an entire nation expecting their Messiah. The ministry of Jesus owed much of its success to the work of John. John had prepared a people to meet their God.

In our celebrity conscious society, few people want to be the backup singer or the announcer who introduces the main speaker. We have adopted a mentality that unless we are in the limelight we have failed. That's not the way the Lord looks at things.

When the Lord passes out rewards in heaven, we may be shocked to see how He evaluates greatness. Many people who did not receive recognition while on earth will shine like the stars in eternity. The Lord will judge our works on what sort they were and not what size they were (I Corinthians 3:13).

JOHN 3:22-36

John the Baptist had spent 30 years to prepare for his ministry. He didn't enjoy the normal benefits of childhood or his teens and young adulthood. He lived out in the deserts separated unto God instead (Luke 1:80).

For about six months, he enjoyed success in his ministry like no other man ever had. He started preaching in the wilderness. The multitudes flocked to him. He became the most influential man in Israel and even shot the hearts of Roman rulers. Everything was going John's way.

Then he baptized Jesus and proclaimed Him as the long-awaited Messiah (Matthew 3:13-17; John 1:29). From that time on, the multitudes who once followed John began to follow Jesus in huge numbers (John 3:26). His own disciples left him to follow Jesus (John 1:36-37). This would have destroyed most men.

When he was questioned about this very thing, John replied, "He must increase but I must decrease." Surely this is one of the characteristics that made John the Baptist the greatest of all Old Testament prophets (Matthew 11:11). Jesus later revealed that "he that is greatest among you shall be your servant" (Matthew 23:11). John is one of the greatest examples of humility in the Bible. "Before honor is humility" (Proverbs 18:12).

JOHN 3:1-21

Most people focus on the part of this that promises us we won't perish. It's certainly a wonderful promise, but, it's not the focus of the verse. The primary purpose of Jesus' coming to this earth was not forgiveness of sins, but to give us eternal life.

Sin separated us from God so Jesus dealt with sin. His payment for sin was just a step toward His ultiimate purpose of reconciling man to God. If someone believes that Jesus died for their sins but doesn't go on to enter into the close fellowship with God that Jesus made available, then they are missing eternal life.

Eternal life is not a length of life, but rather a quality of life. Eternal life is knowing the Father and Jesus (John 17:3). Many people have been done a disservice in being told that Jesus came to forgive us of our sins "period'. If it had been all that He did, it would have been wonderful--and much more than we deserved--but much less than what He actually accomplished.

We must take full advantage of our salvation and go beyond the basic forgiveness of our sins into really knowing the Almighty God.

JOHN 3:1-21

The Greek word translated "master" here actually means, "an instructor, doctor, teacher". Nicodemus was a very educated man in religious matters, yet he didn't have the slightest idea what Jesus was talking about.

Nicodemus' relationship with God had all been academic. He knew a lot about God, but he didn't know God personally. Jesus had a union with God that was special and Nicodemus was interested. God was Jesus' father. This was strange to Nicodemus.

Jesus had not been educated by man and yet He knew God in a way that the theologians of His day didn't. He shocked Nicodemus when He told him that the only way to truly know God was through an experience of becoming born again.

The number one thing that sets Christianity apart from religion is this born again experience. We don't just have a different doctrine than the others.

We have been born from above. We have Jesus Himself living in our hearts. Christianity is a relationship, not a religion. We truly fellowship with God as our father. A man with a born again experience is never at a loss when confronted by a man with an argument.

JOHN 2:18-25

This was the first time Jesus had ministered in Jerusalem. Multitudes believed on Him when they saw the miracles He performed (v. 23). This looked like a perfect opportunity for Jesus to take these people and use them to spread the news far and wide that He was the Christ. But, Jesus did just the opposite. He didn't want people proclaiming His gospel in their own ability.

This reveals an attitude of Jesus which is lacking among many Christians. Jesus is more concerned with the quality of ministry than the quantity. In contrast, Christians, today, often feel that "the end justifies the means."

We take new converts and place them in leadership--which is directly opposed to the Bible's instructions (1 Timothy 3:6). Many times movie stars or other famous people who have come to the Lord are made spokesmen for the Christian faith. It harms them and the Body of Christ as a whole.

Some of us can't understand why the Lord hasn't used us, but rest assured the Lord is using everyone who is usable. Instead of looking at the need and begging God to be used, take a hard look and ask the Lord to make us usable.

JOHN 2:1-11

God has been represented as a God who is on a tight budget and who disapproves of us asking for anything more than just the necessities. But, this first miracle of Jesus disproves that.

Scholars suggest that a firkin was equal to about nine U.S. gallons. This would mean that six of these water pots would hold 162 gallons of wine. That's a lot of wine!

In a similar instance when Jesus was asked to provide food for the multitude, He once again supplied more than the need (Matthew 14:15-21; Mark 6:33-44; Luke 9:11-17).

These examples show the Lord's willingness to meet our needs with plenty to spare. 

We don't need to limit God to barely meeting your needs. If we have enough, then we should believe for extra so that we can bless others. "Let God be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servants" (Psalm 35:27).

JOHN 2:1-11

The Bible supplies no details of the childhood of Jesus except his trip to Jerusalem at twelve years of age, but it is certain that Mary knew Jesus was no ordinary man. Her request of Jesus to provide the guests with more wine reflects her belief that He could do things others could not.

Her instructions to the servants, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it" shows that she not only knew Jesus could work miracles, but she knew His way of doing things did not always conform to ordinary thought. Sure enough, Jesus told the servants to fill the pots with water and then take it to the governor of the feast.

This defied logic! Everyone there knew the guests wanted more wine, not water. Yet these servants, at Mary's bidding, did exactly what Jesus told them and the results were wonderful. This miracle would not have taken place if the servants had not done what seemed foolish to them.

The Lord's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8). To see His miraculous power in our lives, we must do "whatsoever" He tells us to do regardless of how foolish it may seem. The foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men and the weakness of God is stronger than men (1 Corinthians 1:25). Whatsoever He says unto us, we must do it!

JOHN 1:43-51

Nathanael suffered from a skepticism that afflicts many people.

It is to his credit that he came to the Lord and gave Him a chance to prove who He was.

We can only speculate what it was that Jesus saw Nathanael doing under that fig tree (v. 50), but it is very clear that it was something that proved beyond a doubt that Jesus was the Christ.

Jesus didn't rebuke Nathanael for his doubts, instead he removed them. The Lord has an answer for every doubt that we have. We need to be without deceit before the Lord as Nathanael was (v. 47) and come to Him when we are plagued with doubts instead of running from Him or avoiding Him.

Jesus knows us. He remembers that we are but dust (Psalm 103:14). It is not a sin to doubt, but it becomes sin if we harbor those doubts. We should do as Nathanael did and bring our doubts to the Lord. Let's allow Him to deal with them.

JOHN 1:37-42 

Andrew was the first disciple of Jesus to share his faith and bring another to Christ. And look who it was that he brought.

Peter became one of the greatest apostles of Jesus. He preached on the day of Pentecost and saw 3,000 born again. He healed a lame man at the gate of the temple and 5,000 were born again as a result. He raised Dorcas from the dead. He introduced Christianity to the Gentiles, and wrote two books of the Bible which have ministered to millions of people through the centuries.

Just think of how many millions of people Peter touched, and Andrew was responsible for it all. The accomplishments of Peter far outnumber those of Andrew, and yet without Andrew, Peter would not have known Jesus.

In the eyes of God, what Andrew did was just as important as what Peter did. As the one who introduced Peter to Jesus, Andrew had a part in every Peter did. In the day when we receive our rewards from the Lord, Andrew will share in every reward that Peter receives.

Very few of us will shake our world as Peter did his, but all of us are called to share our faith with others as Andrew did. And who knows, one of those that we reach could be the next Peter.

Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13

Luke 4:13 implies that satan exhausted his temptations on Jesus and then had to leave.

We have mistakenly given satan too much credit. He does not have a limitless number of temptations that he can pull on us. As 1 John 2:16 says, there are three areas where the devil tempts us: (1) the lust of the flesh, (2) the lust of the eyes, and (3) the pride of life. These were the three temptations he used on Jesus.

By attributing limitless temptations and abilities to satan , we have built up an adversary bigger than he really is. 

Satan would like us to think that he is tougher than he really is. One of his greatest weapons is intimidation, but he has been defeated. His teeth have been pulled. Now he can only roar as a lion seeking to devour uninformed souls who don't know their authority in Christ (1 Peter 5:8).

We must realize that whatever satan is fighting us with is only temporary. Don't quit! In due season we will reap, if we faint not (Galatians 6:9).

Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13

Jesus answered every temptation with, "It is written." The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). It is the only spiritual weapon that we have.

Since Jesus was the Word of God (John 1:1), anything he would have spoken would have been the Word. He could have said "scat" and the devil would have had to go. He quoted the written Word three times.

This gives us great assurance that the written Word of God is sufficient for us. Jesus, facing of the greatest temptations that satan had to offer, didn't need to say anything else.

It is likely that when Jesus returns to this earth and destroys His enemies, He will just speak the Word that has already been given. No wonder satan tries to keep us from studying and knowing God's Word. Even our good works will hurt us if they keep us from really knowing the scriptures.

God has given us this mighty weapon, His Word! When we speak the Word in faith, hell shakes. Satan and his demons have already experienced what the Word can do. They know its power. We need to know it, too.

Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13

Two of satan's three temptations began with the words, "If you be the Son of God."

Jesus was God, but he did have a human body that had to grow in the knowledge and wisdom of God (John 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:16; Luke 2:52). It took faith for the physical mind of Jesus to believe the witness of the Spirit within Him that He was the Messiah. Satan was attacking the most basic of His beliefs. This must have been a temptation to Jesus or satan would not have used it.

Satan is very subtle in his temptations. It may have looked like he was trying to get Jesus to perform a miracle, but he was actually trying to make Jesus waiver in His faith of who He was. He tried to get Jesus to draw on the supernatural power of God to confirm it to the devil and Himself.

We sometimes fall for this trick of the devil. We may say that we are arguing for some truth of the gospel, but many times we are hoping to convince ourselves. Someone who really knows who they are and what they believe, doesn't have to prove anything to anyone.

Isaiah 30:15 says, "For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength..." We must let the Lord build our confidence in who we are in Him.

Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-23

John the Baptist was surprised that Jesus was asking to be baptized by him. John had already declared himself unworthy to unloose the latchet of the His shoes, and now Jesus was asking him to baptism Him (Luke 3:16).

We are often surprised by the idea that the Lord could use us. Who are we to proclaim the unsearchable riches of God. It is easy to disqualify ourselves.  Jesus told John that he had to do it to fulfill all righteousness.

As wonderful as it may seem, the Lord has chosen to use us. God's Word could not have been fulfilled without John's cooperation. The Lord works through men.

We can do nothing by ourselves, but the Lord will do nothing by Himself (John 15:5; Ephesians 3:20). A lack of understanding this has caused many people to miss God's blessings. We pray and desire God's best, but wait on Him to move independently. There are things that we must do to fulfill the righteousness of God in our lives.

John was not seeking to exalt himself, but his failure to baptize Jesus would not have been an act of humility. It would have been stupidity. It takes great humility to recognize the call of God on our life and let Him use us.

Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18

These scriptures record the ministry of John the Baptist. He spent thirty years in the deserts of Judaea preparing for this ministry. Then it only lasted about six months before He baptized Jesus and men started following the Messiah. Yet in those brief six months He turned an entire nation to God.

He did not take the normal approach and go where the people were. He was out in the wilderness and the people came to him. He had no advertisements other than the testimonies of those who had heard him. He wasn't a flashy evangelist wearing the latest styles of the day. He didn't do anything the way the religious leaders taught it was supposed to be done. But it worked.

In six months, an entire nation was stirred in anticipation of their Messiah through a man who was not "normal."

One thing that keeps many of us from being used by God is because we are so afraid of what someone else will think. We try to be like everyone else and then we wonder why we are getting the same results as everyone else. That's not smart.

John was completely yielded to the Holy Spirit and he succeeded against all the odds. 

LUKE 2:52

How could it be that Jesus, who was God (John 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:16), and in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, increased in wisdom? (Colossians 2:3)

God is a Spirit (John 4:24). Jesus, as God, had existed as a Spirit forever.

When He came to the earth as Jesus, He was Lord at birth, but that was in His Spirit (Luke 2:11). His Spirit didn't have to grow or increase in wisdom but His physical body did.

The Lord could have done things differently, but He didn't. Jesus came into this world in His physical body exactly as we did. He had to grow and learn.

He became just like us so that we could become just like Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

This is the great exchange. He became like us so that He could bear all our iniquities and become a mercy high priest for us (Hebrews 2:14-18).

Christianity does not produce a changed life but an exchanged life. Christ does not reform us, but He transforms us through His union with us. In the same way that the Eternal Christ could come and inhabit the body of an infant and still keep all His deity, He now inhabits our bodies through the new birth in all His glory and power. Like Jesus, we grow in our wisdom and understanding of who we now are in Christ.

LUKE 2:41-51

This is the only scriptural record of Jesus' childhood. But there is much that we can learn from it.

At twelve years old, Jesus' wisdom astounded the men who had spent a lifetime studying the scriptures (v. 47). Jesus didn't have access to a copy of the scriptures. He had to depend on His visits to the synagogue and the direct revelation knowledge from His Father [in heaven].

He was also asking these scholars questions (v. 46). This is amazing when we realize that in Him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge! (Colossians 2:3) Although He was God, He lived in a physical human body that needed to be educated.

He also had a clear understanding at this young age of who His real Father was and exactly why He had come into the world (v. 49). We can only guess at how this must have influenced His childhood.

We see that Jesus knew His call and purpose even in His early childhood. There is no record of miracles or ministry on His part until after His baptism by John at age thirty.  

Preparing a body for God Almighty to manifest Himself through was no small task. Praise God for His great love that caused Him to sacrifice everything for us.