Author: Kyle Fuller

I love Jesus. I desire to encourage and equip the body of Christ and preach the gospel to those who don't know Him.

Ziklag

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

“And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.” (I Samuel 30:6)

David knew that God had promised that one day he would be king, but now, on the run from King Saul; he and his men were living like bandits. They had left their town of Ziklag, and had gone to try and join the Philistine army (go figure) in battle. When the Philistines refused them, they made their way home only to find that the Amalekites had raided them and taken away everyone in town. Their wives and kids had all been taken captive, and the people considered killing David. You have to admit, that would be enough to at least bum you out a little. “But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.”

People may not be thinking about stoning you right now, but you may be going through something that has you demoralized and ready to give up. Perhaps you had been cruising along, enjoying victory after victory in Jesus, when BAM!! You wake up to find your whole world has changed. Or maybe, it’s just a series of things that has you bewildered, unsure of what to do or where to go, and you’ve gotten really depressed. I know I’ve been there, and I still go there too. I think there’s something we can learn from David. “But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.”

I don’t think David got all psyched up doing some kind of positive confession mumbo-jumbo, telling himself that he was the head and not the tail, blessed and highly favored, above and not beneath  or anything like that. Notice, the Bible says he strengthened himself in the Lord. David didn’t try to pump himself up by telling himself how awesome he was, I believe that he began to recall how awesome God is. I think David remembered the faithfulness that God had shown him throughout his life. He recalled the victories and the hardships of the past, remembering that his faithful Shepherd had not once abandoned him, even in the valley of the shadow of death. Perhaps he even pulled out his “guitar” and worshiped the Lord, singing of His beauty and steadfast love. And as David waited before God, and allowed the Spirit of God to restore him and cause his faith to rise; he was strengthened in the Lord. He was able to believe that God was still with him, and able to deliver him out of his trouble. And that same God is able to deliver you my friend! In times of trial, the enemy wants you to give up or find consolation in a bottle or drugs or whatever, but your strength lies in the Lord my dear brother and sister. No matter what loss you have suffered, no matter how dark it is around you right now, no matter if those closest to you have begun to doubt you; God will give you strength.

In I Samuel 30, David strengthened himself in the Lord (v6), and then inquired of God as to how he should respond to the situation (vv7-9). The Lord did not disappoint! David and his men were able to rescue their families and return home safely. Don’t give up or give in my friend. Instead go, strengthen yourself in the Lord. I know it’s hard, but get up right now and go pray! Go and seek the face of God, for you are dear to Him.

Imago Dei

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

In Exodus 20, Moses commanded the people that they were not to “make an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.” The people were to know that there is nothing that they could create that would adequately reflect who God is. God is holy, all together different from anything or any one in all creation. The second commandment explicitly forbade man from trying to make an image of God. But did you know that God himself did make something that would reflect his image? Yep, he created it from the dust of the earth, breathed the breath of life into it, made it a living soul, put it in a garden, and called it Man. Have you ever really taken the time to consider what God meant when he said, “Let Us create man in Our own image.”?

Most of the time, when you talk with folks about being created in the image of God, it always comes down to, “Well, we are spirit, soul, and body, and that’s kind of how God is a Trinity.” Well, I think that’s a good start, a legitimate point, and we’re headed in the right direction, but I believe there is a lot more to it than that. Let’s dig a little deeper. Who is God? What is his essence, his nature? I think we need to look into this in order to understand just how we were created in his image.

First, I have to say that the words I am going to use to try and explain my point will fall way short. Honestly, how do you describe the holy indescribable? But, words are all we have, so here goes. The One God is Triune. He is Father, Son, and Spirit. He exists as three “Persons,” while at the same time; He is One. Within the Trinity there is love and communion, worship if you will. Theologians call this Perichoresis, complete and perfect unity without absorption. This is the perfect, holy God. And we are created to reflect this perichoretic image! Although, man is not God, and never will be God (this is a shock to some of us I’m sure), we are created to exist in a similar form of perichoresis through our union with Jesus. This is what Dr. Jim Gifford refers to as perichoretic salvation. Yes sir, a kind of mutual indwelling without absorption, thereby reflecting the image of God. I believe that’s what being created in the image of God means. In some wonderful, mysterious way; we partake in the eternal Trinitarian life of God. Hallelujah!!

Consider the words Jesus prayed in John 17: “[I ask] that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us…I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one.” We, as believers, are in God and he is in us. There is so much more to being a Christian than talking about sin all of the time. Yes, we know that prior to being born again; we are dead in our sins and separated from God. We must repent and turn from our sin. But when will we understand that salvation is about more than sin and death? Your sin has been dealt with on the cross; it’s time to get busy living my friend! “[O]r have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.”(Romans 6) We have new “perichoretic” lives that partake of the life of God, and reflect the very image of He who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

“We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” (I John 1)

Jesus came not only to die for our sins, but to extend to us the very life of God whereby we may have fellowship with him, the kind of fellowship that has eternally existed in the Triune God. You have been invited to experience this life. You were created to reflect this glorious image.

 

 

 

Wax on Wax off

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

Maybe I’m a little touched as they say, but riding down I-85 this afternoon, I began to see similarities between the relationship of Mr. Miyagi and Daniel-Son in the “Karate Kid,” and the way God’s Spirit works in the life of the believer as He conforms him to the image of Christ.

Remember how Daniel came to Mr. Miyagi? He came as a broken, bullied kid, believing that Mr. Miyagi would show him the secrets of martial arts. Daniel was thrilled to have this wonderful teacher, this savior who would show him how to defend himself. It seemed like Daniel figured that it wouldn’t take long and he’d be a master. He had preconceived ideas as to what the teacher student relationship looked like, and the methods the teacher should use to bring him along. Not so fast Daniel –Son!

The so-called lessons begin and Mr. Miyagi makes Daniel wash and wax his cars, paint his fence, and “sand the floor!” Daniel was a good kid, he did as he was told, but after a while; it all seemed like such a waste of time. He had been promised that he would be taught karate, that he would become a fighter, not be some old man’s personal slave.

 Mr. Miyagi: “You in karate training.”
Daniel: “I’m what? I’m being your [expletive] slave is what I’m being, man. Now, we made a deal here.”
Mr. Miyagi: “So.”
Daniel: “So, so, you’re supposed to teach and I’m supposed to learn, remember? For four days I’ve been bustin’ my [expletive] and haven’t learned a [expletive] thing!”
Mr. Miyagi: “You learn plenty.”
Daniel: “I learn plenty! I learned how to sand your decks maybe. I learned how to wash a car, paint your house, and paint your fence. I’ve learned plenty. Right.”
Mr. Miyagi: “Not everything is as it seems.”

Daniel couldn’t see that Mr. Miyagi was indeed keeping his end of the bargain. He had no idea what was being done to him, how he was being changed. So often, we respond to the Spirit’s teaching the way Daniel responded to Mr. Miyagi.

We come to the Lord, and we have all these preconceived, Westernized, Hollywood ideas about the Christian walk. We figure it won’t take long and we will have arrived.  When we encounter the valleys, the hard times, and suffering, we look to the Lord and say, “You promised to teach me!  You said I’d be like you; now all I’m doing is sanding Your floors and waxing Your cars! Why are you allowing this to happen to me?” Like Daniel-Son, we don’t comprehend what is being done in and to us. We balk at the hardship, not understanding that it is the trials themselves that are producing in us an “eternal weight of glory!” God’s Spirit is at work in us, transforming us into the image of the Son. He knows that the way to do this involves our sanding some floors, painting some fences, and waxing some cars. “I promise teach karate. That’s my pact. You promise learn. I say, you do. No question. That your pact.”

In the end, Daniel-Son did become that great fighter. (He also got a really cool vintage car as a gift from Mr. Miyagi.) What lies in store for you is beyond comparison:

“There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.” (I Peter 1:6-9)

 

Work It

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

Any one that knows me or has heard my testimony knows that I’m all about grace and mercy. I will never understand why a holy God would extend to me this awesome love. I know that it is by his grace, through the faith that he gives us as a gift, that we have been and are being saved. However, we have to understand that being in relationship with God also involves (I’m gonna say it) WORKS.

Check out what the Apostle James has to say:  “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?  Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: ‘Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.’ He was even called the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.”

This portion of scripture troubles a lot of people as they see it in opposition to being saved by grace through faith. I believe that in this passage James is showing us what real faith looks like. True saving faith involves more than just an acknowledgement of the gospel’s claims concerning Jesus. Even the foulest demon of hell believes that Jesus is the Son of God. What a travesty it is that America is filled with folks who believe that they are in Christ because they were sprinkled as babies or 20 years ago walked some aisle and shook a preachers hand and said, “I believe.”  Their relationship with sin has never changed, they look and act no different from the world, and yet they believe that all is well. We have done a great injustice for which we will be held accountable if we do not seek to correct this faulty understanding of saving faith. Faith that is real is faith in action. When you truly believe, there will be corresponding works that attest to the validity of your faith. Authentic belief (faith) is always accompanied by a tangible response (works).

James points out the fact that Abraham’s faith was proven to be real by the things he did. He did not merely profess belief in God; he obeyed him by not withholding Isaac. Rahab the prostitute demonstrated her belief in God by her actions. The truth is that we can say anything, but who we are is ultimately revealed by what we do. If a man tells his wife that he loves her, but doesn’t speak to her, hold her, kiss her, protect her, or in any way demonstrate his professed love; would she be inclined to believe that his love for her is real? Even so, if we say we have faith in God, but live the same way we did before we came to faith, if we never speak to him, serve him, or in any way demonstrate the faith we say we have; is there any reason to believe we truly have faith?

We are saved by God’s grace, apart from anything we could ever do. Our salvation is a result of a loving God extending faith, grace, and mercy to us in Jesus. We can’t do anything to deserve God’s grace and the faith we have is given to us by God. But James reminds us that the one who possesses the real deal will be one whose life demonstrates its reality by the things he does.

Another like the Other

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

As the cross came nearer and the hour of his departure was at hand, Jesus promised the disciples that he would ask the Father, and he would send them another [H]elper who would remain with them, and then later, reside in them. It’s interesting the word John uses when he writes another [H]elper. The word in the Greek is ἄλλον / allon. The use of this particular word is important because it signifies that he is talking about another like himself, another of the same kind- Another like the Other! In fact, many theologians will use this word in discussions on the Trinity and the deity of the Holy Spirit. I really don’t want to get into a bunch of academic theology (and you’re glad I know); I just want to use this word to communicate something I think will help us in our daily lives. Walk with me.

Jesus was a Rabbi and taught using tried and true rabbinic methods during his earthly ministry. The rabbis would speak in ways so as to conceal a truth within “surface” words. They would seek to make their disciples dig for the wisdom and truth. They would say things, all the while hoping that their followers would perceive the deeper spiritual lessons they were really trying to communicate. Remember when Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up on the third day.”? Well, we know that he wasn’t talking about the physical temple that stood at the time. He was talking about his death and resurrection. How about the time he told his disciples, “Watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees.” The guys thought he was mad at them because they had forgotten to bring along bread on their journey. But again, Jesus desired to teach them spiritual truths. What about Philip and the feeding of the 5,000? Jesus asked Philip how they could feed so many when he knew beforehand what he planned to do. And the woman at the well, with whom he spoke of living water? Once more, he was trying to direct her into deeper, spiritual considerations. Jesus was always teaching. Everything he did and said was designed to communicate the heart of the Father. Every situation he exposed the disciples to was designed to teach them. That’s how a rabbi did it. His followers ate with him, slept with him, worked with him, lived with him, and sought to emulate him in every way. Life was the classroom. So, if in the person of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was sending us Another Helper just like himself; why would his teaching methods be any different?

Here’s my point. With the Holy Spirit as your teacher, your whole life is the classroom. So often we complain about this or that, and we fail to realize that each situation we find ourselves in can be another learning opportunity. Our first impulse is to ask God why we are going through a particular thing, when perhaps our question should be what are you trying to teach me. If we come to an understanding that the Father desires to reproduce in us the image of his Son, it will affect the way we respond to life. Now, let’s not get crazy and look for the secret meaning of the two birds that just flew overhead. Chances are, it was just two birds flying overhead. But we should pray that we discern what it is the Holy Spirit is teaching us as we find ourselves in different life scenarios. As a disciple of Jesus, God is at work in you by the presence of his Spirit to bring about that which is pleasing to him and eternally good for you, i.e. , you looking like Jesus! This happens not just by Bible study and prayer, but within the context of your everyday life.

You have received Another just like the Other, just like the Rabbi that taught his disciples in Jerusalem over 2,000 years ago.  Because we are children of God, “God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,” and he wants to make us like Jesus. Let us walk in the Spirit, and be taught by him. With God’s Spirit as our teacher, may we move past the obvious “knee-jerk” responses to life, and search for the treasures God has hidden within even the most trying of times. Let our prayers be not “Why Lord?” but “What Lord, what are you teaching me?” I pray that you follow so close behind your Rabbi that you are covered with his dust.

The Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast 1/21/2013 Guest Speaker Jonathan Cahn

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

I realize I’m probably a day late and a dollar short because most of you have probably seen this video; however, I wanted to pass it along in case some of you have missed it.

Jonathan Cahn delivers what I truly believe is a “word from the Lord” at the 2013 Inaugural Prayer Breakfast. There is no political bias represented in this video; both the left and the right will probably be equally offended. I pray you will watch and listen with all spiritual discernment.

Rejects

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

Have you ever been rejected? Chances are, if you’ve lived long enough to enter grade school; you’ve felt the hurt of rejection in one form or another. We are promised love from so may who come into our lives, promises of unfailing love with the, “I’ll never leave you or hurt you.” thrown in. You know by now that so often this doesn’t work out, and for one reason or another we reject or are rejected. The irony of it all is that each of us continues to search for that forever. I’ve got great news.

There is One who promises that he will never reject you. Check this out: “…those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.”(John 6:37) I really like it when Jesus talks like that! I have to be honest, there have been times in my life when I was not that loveable and can honestly understand why some of the rejection occurred. I mean really, some folks didn’t reject and leave me; they simply escaped! (I would’ve left me too, but I kept showing up everywhere I went!) The love of man is finite, and even with the best of intentions can sometimes reach a limit. What’s so cool is that when Jesus says he won’t reject us, we’re not only dealing with the Son of Man; we’re talking about the Son of God. And his love is eternal.

One more thing, our security in Christ is not based so much on us as it is his own faithfulness. “For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:38-40) Don’t misunderstand me; I’m not saying that we can sin with impunity. The scriptures plainly teach that those who truly believe most definitely do not habitually practice sin as a lifestyle. What I am saying is that despite our propensity to wander and screw up, as we are enabled by God to continually turn from sin and towards God; Jesus is faithful to maintain a firm grip on us because he his doing what the Father wants him to do- save us! It is God who is at work in you and Jesus promised, “If you come to me; I won’t lose you.”

In this world, the love of many waxes cold and rejection is common place. We can be so cruel. We love as long as the objects of our love are making us feel good about ourselves and doing what we want them to do. Then, when they let us down or step out of line; we throw them away and get a new one. Jesus isn’t like that. I don’t care what you’ve done or how many times you’ve stumbled; come to him and he will not disappoint you. He is in it with you for the long haul. He promised he would never reject you; so tell me, how can you reject a love like that?

 

Splinters

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

I don’t know about you but sometimes I struggle. Yeah, I sincerely love Jesus and have given myself to him, trusting him, seeking him, consistent in fellowship, service, prayer and bible study; but, I still have areas in my life in which I struggle. If you’re like me; it starts with a thought. The “splinter” enters the mind, and there are times when I let it fester to the point that it brings about the disgusting pus of sin. BUT all praise be to God, as I walk with him, I am experiencing the truth that Jesus not only forgives sin, but is perfectly willing to share with us his victory over sin!

The reality is that as believers in Christ, God has declared us justified. Positionally so to speak, we are in Jesus, holy and blameless. Experientially, we are being conformed to the image of the Son as the Holy Spirit works within us on a daily basis. We exist in the tension between what God has done for us in Christ, what he is doing in us as we grow in him, and what he is going to do on the day salvation is fully realized.  As we grow in grace, we find that we no longer live a lifestyle of habitually practicing sin; but, we are still very much capable of sinning. Because we have been born again by God’s Spirit and given a new nature, we are grieved by our sin as we sincerely long to be perfect, complete, and mature as he has called us to be. I haven’t got there yet, but I’ve learned a few things and I’d like to share one of them with you now.

Regarding that “splinter in the mind,” the Bible tells us, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14, 15 ESV) You can see the progression: temptation, sin, and ultimately death. I believe it’s usually at the point of that first thought (temptation) that the battle’s won or lost. The verses on our victory over sin are too numerous to cite here (google ‘em), but it is evident within scripture that, because of Jesus, we are/can be victorious. The thing is, when that first temptation comes we have all kind of twisted, pseudo-religious ways by which we respond. When tempted, have you ever offered up some kind of half-hearted token prayer like, “Lord please help me.” when you know you plan on giving in? Have you ever purposely hardened your heart to the voice of the Spirit, knowing you could escape temptation, but turned a deaf ear to the call to prayer because really you wanted to give in and didn’t want him to stop you? Sadly, I have to answer yes to both of those questions. “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”

When temptation comes, you must understand that you have been given victory in Christ. At the first thought, as soon as you feel that “splinter” enter your mind; call upon the Lord in sincere prayer. Take to him the temptation that has beset you! By the grace that he has given so freely to you, BE WILLING to let him give you victory. Our problem is that sometimes we simply aren’t willing for him to do it. Cry out to him understanding that “God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.” The only prayer you may be able to muster is, “Lord, I’m willing to be made willing.” but willing he will make you! As you come to him in the hour of temptation, he will fill you freshly with his Spirit through whom “you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature.” My friend, we are victorious in Christ!

I remember being a kid and getting splinters from time to time. I knew Mom could get them out. She would heat the needle until it glowed and then carefully, lovingly extract the thing that was causing me so much pain. You know, I remember there were times I wouldn’t go to her, even though I knew she could help, because I was afraid. Looking back now, that seems really foolish, but don’t we do the same thing regarding the splinters of temptation that are in us. We know Jesus is more than able to help, but for whatever reason; we don’t allow him to. Foolish, huh?  I’ll leave you with this:

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

Cut & Paste

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

Have you ever heard of the term epistemology? Well, in case you haven’t; epistemology is the means by which we come to know truth. In our postmodern society or post post modern society if you will, the “new” thing is to question our epistemology. How do you know the truth? Can you know the truth? Are you sure you know the truth? There are no absolute truths. Actually, this is nothing new. It’s been going on since the beginning.

In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, He instructed man as to how he was to understand the world in which he found himself. The Creator was clear (“crystal”) as he provided man with the truth as to his position in creation. It wasn’t long though before man was questioned about his epistemology. Remember? ““Did God say? Did God really say? You surely will not die!” (Genesis 3:3, 4) Man began to wonder if God was being straight with him. “Perhaps God is holding out on us because He doesn’t want us to be like Him. Do I really need God to provide me with my world view? I don’t need you God; I can be you!” Then it happened, the first “cut & paste” in history. The serpent provided man with a world view we aspired to; so voila, cut & paste and we called it our own.

Our new cut & paste reality insisted that the eating of the fruit would result in enlightenment. We began to think that maybe God didn’t provide us with all we need to function at our optimum level. Our new world view ensured us the means by which we could see and know more. Today, we still opt for “the apple”: religion, spirituality philosophy, drugs, and the list goes on. The world view we have adopted plays upon man’s innate longing to know the spiritual. Man was created to glorify God and enjoy the presence of his creator; but, our adopted world view perverted the way we seek to comprehend spiritual matters. Our “truth” places man in the position of God, with his eyes opened and knowing good from evil where there is no supernatural answer to be sought. Man is the solution; therefore, there is no reason to covet relationship with God.

Here’s the skinny: If you want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; come to Jesus. Jesus said, “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life.” Eternal life, enlightenment, optimum functionality, and a proper world view are to be found in Jesus. There’s no need to “cut & paste” because in Christ, you can actually “interface” with God as His Spirit takes residence within you. Jesus is the Original “thought.” He is the eternal Word (Logos) of God. You were created to know God, to glorify him, and thoroughly enjoy His presence forever. Don’t settle for a cut & paste world view. Come to Jesus and know reality.

“Don’t Give Me No Lines and Keep Your Hands to Yourself”

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

Back in ancient Palestine, gathering around the well had been a place where it was not unusual for a future wife to be found. It was not lost upon the Jew of the day that it was at a well where Isaac’s wife –to-be (Rebekah) had been approached. So, while any self-respecting Jew of Jesus’ day normally wouldn’t publicly fraternize with a member of the opposite sex, he would have definitely avoided the “water-hole scene,” and he absolutely would not have been caught with a Samaritan woman at the popular “pick up spot.” So, it is not beyond the realm of speculation to imagine that the Samaritan woman who met a frazzled, worn out Jewish man on a hot afternoon beside  Jacob’s Well may have been thinking, “Don’t hand me no lines, and keep your hands to yourself.”

The day Jesus met the Samaritan woman, he was risking a lot. He risked being seen as unclean, flirtatious, unorthodox, and frankly, as a low life. But to our Lord, how he was perceived was not the concern. He was about the Father’s business, and doing God’s will sometimes puts you at odds with the status quo. In the Samaritan woman, Jesus met someone who believed in the scriptures (at least the first five books of the OT), expected Messiah, and had at least some knowledge of worship, yet was broken and misled. She had been drinking from a well which could never quench her thirst and needed the living water that only he could provide. And for her to get it, he had to put himself out there. She didn’t know what she thought she knew, and the only way for her to be made whole was to meet the Lord. Sound familiar?

All around us are people who need to meet Jesus, and that will only happen if we take Him to them. Too often, we are afraid of “getting dirty,” being misunderstood or loosing or reputation in the church if we are seen out amongst the “riff raff” of the world. We go to church and go through the motions all the while remaining motionless. The Bible says that Jesus had to go through Samaria. Well (no pun intended), he could have taken a much longer alternative route that would have steered him clear of those dirty Samaritans, but he had to go because that was why he had come. He came to reveal God to the world and reconcile fallen man with the Father. And Paul tells us that we have been given this same ministry of reconciliation.

“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So gowe are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”(II Corinthians 5:18-20)

Okay, now for a big DUH question. How can we reconcile people we won’t go to? Listen, if we are not moved to reach out to the world with the gospel, all of our religious experiences must be called into question. Jesus said that we would receive power TO BE HIS WITNESSES when the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our lives, and sometimes; being a witness leads you to people and places you would not normally frequent. A true witness has to tell the truth about what he has seen no matter the cost.

You don’t have to hand people a bunch of lines, you’re not selling them a used car. You don’t have to be manipulative; just tell them what you have seen and heard regarding Jesus. And for goodness sake, don’t keep your hands to yourself. We are His hands and feet. Go, be intentional, reach out and touch those around you with the love of God.