3/21/2012

John 4:34-35 Jesus said to them “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already ripe for harvest!”

Here the disciples were urging Jesus to eat something, but Jesus was telling them how He is fed doing the work of the Father. What I think is the big picture, though, is that often times, I am too focused in the moment, what I need to do for myself, but here Jesus is telling them not to be caught up in the present looking “down” at yourself, but look up and see all that God wants to do in your life and those around you.

How often do I think, “I am just going to do this right now and later I will follow through with that person….just not now.” But I can’t think that way because the harvest is ready now…why wait?

Application: I need to get my eyes off myself and up into the eyes of the Lord. I want God to be able to direct me with His eyes, and the only way He can do that is if I am looking into them.

3/22/2012

John 4:37-38 “For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ “I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored, others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”

What an important life verses these are. God has given each one a task …one that we were made uniquely for. If my task is sowing, I may never see the reaping but what I am doing is as equivalently important for the kingdom as reaping. In verse 38, it points out that at times we will reap what we have not labored for. Maybe we are that last person to share the Good News with that person before they accept Christ, yet just because we saw the fruit it does not negate the perhaps twenty years a brother or daughter might have poured them. That is why I think it is so important to be secure in what God has called us to do because somebody has to do the sowing and someone the reaping. Don Victor, the PFK cook, shared something very similar a couple weeks ago that even if we do not see the results of our labors in the PFK kids right now, we need to continually be faithful to pour into them.

At the same time, if we are called to be reapers, it is important to realize that God is sovereign. He ultimately is the ONLY ONE who can draw men unto repentance. Nothing is because of what we have done; someone’s salvation is not dependent on how we word something or the vocabulary we use. God can use someone so weak, yet show His power so mightily through that person at the same time.

Application: When I am at PFK helping with the kids, I want to be pouring all of myself out because only God knows the eternal influence that will have on their future lives. God, I pray that you would give me the strength if you are asking me to be the sower and to be faithful even when I don’t see the results, knowing that all good things come You…not from me.

3/23/2012

John 4:39-42 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

Here is a very interesting scene to me because notice where Jesus’ name was first declared in Samaria: through the mouth of this Samaritan woman. Later on, as Jesus stayed with the Samaritans, it was the word of Jesus that sustained their faith. However, because of this woman’s one act of obedience, many were drawn to listen to the words of Jesus. Now if Jesus had wanted to, He could have made all of the Samaritans come out and listen to Him, but He didn’t. Instead, He chose to use this broken woman who probably didn’t feel valued by the society around her, and restored her, allowing her to be a part of His ministry to her city, Samaria.

I think this applies to life in general. When we are broken, we need to look up to Jesus. If we are looking to ourselves, downward, how will we ever give Jesus the opportunity to restore and use us? When we are weak, He is made strong (2 Cor. 13:9). I am so thankful that God is not limited on who He can use but wants to use all. He is our REDEEMER, HEALER, and SAVIOR.

Application: I want to remember how this woman’s one act of obedience caused many to come to Jesus receiving eternal life. I don’t want to ever underestimate what God can do through me or anyone else around me. Please forgive me, God, where I have doubted, and give me the strength and faith to see how you see.