THE FOUNTAIN
Today’s Reading: John 4
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
This photo was taken in Caesarea Philippi, also known as Banias. The water originates from Mount Herman then flows into underground springs. It then makes its way down to the Galilee, into the Jordan River, and eventually to the Dead Sea. The water provided life to ancient Israel and still does today for modern Israel.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.
Key Verse: John 4:14
…but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.
In the last nine verses, Jesus is back in Cana. Jesus said, “Go your way; your son lives,” and a fountain of healing water burst forth on the north shore of Galilee, about 18 miles away. The man’s son was healed. The woman Jesus met at the well in Samaria had been doing her best to quench her spiritual thirst for love and purpose in life. She’d had five husbands and currently was living with a man who was not her husband. When she believed in Jesus, an artisan well bubbled up with such satisfaction and joy that she left her water pot and rushed to tell others about Jesus, bringing many to Him. What began here in Samaria was continued later by Philip. Philip had four daughters who were prophetesses. Revelation 19:10 tells us that “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Philip and his girls were exercising New Testament prophecy, telling everyone about Jesus. Fountains of living water were springing up all over the place! Please read the sequel to Jesus’ visit to Samaria in Acts 8:5-17. Everywhere Philip and his girls testified for Jesus, there was new life. This is the primary ongoing sign of keeping filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter quoted the prophet Joel about this kind of prophecy. It was the birthday of the Church (Acts 2:16-18). Let the living waters erupt. Drink deeply and bring others to the fountain.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, I drink of You. My thirst is quenched. May I not keep this living water to myself. That would be so selfish. May I offer a drink to everyone I meet. Jesus, You are the “Fountain opened in the house of David for sin and uncleanness.” Amen! Thank You, Jesus, for fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 13:1.
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I was 18 years old when I rented a hall for Sundays and began a Sunday School. I realized that I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t do everything I could to give, as I mentioned above, “the testimony of Jesus.” I would deceive myself if I claimed to be filled with God’s Spirit, even though other gifts of the Spirit were evident, if I was not a personal soul winner. That Sunday School has grown to become a fine congregation in the area today. I’ve learned that when the fountain flows in and through me, I have unbounded energy for service. Jesus had been hungry and sent His disciples to buy food. When they returned, He was no longer hungry. The flow of the fountain of God’s Spirit is physically strengthening. As the woman we read about was bringing the people of her community back to the well to see Jesus, He said words I am taking to heart every day. I believe Jesus pointed to those streaming toward Him, and that’s when He said to His disciples, “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest” (John 4:35). I make a new commitment to Jesus now…. as long as I live, I will offer the living water to thirsty souls and work to bring lost souls, the harvest, to Jesus.
Yours for the full, free flow of the Living Water,
David
P.S. Norma-Jean, as a little girl, lived in the village of St. George for a time. She would tell me about the artesian well in the village to which people would come from as far away as Toronto to fill up their containers. When we moved to the area as a family, we often did the same. One day, I came to the well and found it was covered with concrete. Some government official declared it a health hazard. For 150 years people drank from it and no one ever reported illness. Throughout the centuries, religious bureaucrats have shut down the free flow of Jesus’ Fountain. For me, I’m going to keep digging new wells. How about you?
Amen, fine sir, amen! Thank you for your personal stories–they exemplify living a Christian life. Today’s photo is stunning, Reynold! God is so alive!! It is a picture I would love to paint.
He who believes in Me as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. ~Jesus~ John 7:38
We give our hearts to You, oh Lord.
We worship the Father, in the Spirit and truth.
Your living water is a precious gift,
We have eternal life and will never thirst.
Our faith in You conquers all our trials,
We are strengthened by Your Holy Word.
You live and breath in us–oh God!
We share Your gospel with the world!
Beverlee Kay, c. Oct. 2014
God bless ye merry saints!
Beautiful pic. today Reynold. Thank you.
What hope Jesus brought to the lady at the well.
Your dedication to spreading God’s Word is so appreciated Rev. DM.
I pray for all the children in Africa who are orphaned by the dreaded disease Ebola. May God supply them with Christian ‘parents’. They all need our prayers and help in that particular area of Africa.
Blessings dear saints.
Amen
And amen!
Amen David Mainse and fellow saints. Singing “The Lord’s Prayer” at my niece’s wedding was a witness I believe for the Lord Jesus Christ. I also asked for the use of a community hall and taught daily vacation Bible School for ten summers for the glory of God. Prayed your prayer today, David. Love this portion of scripture. Thank you Beverlee for your thoughts.
Oh good and faithful servant, Ger! Amen!
“… For me, I’m going to keep digging new wells. How about you?” Thank you David for asking.
This last Saturday I had an opportunity to gather with most of my first cousins on my mothers’ side. Some I hadn’t seen since I was a child… It was an opportunity to talk about our first nations roots. For I along with my cousins am 1/8 native American Indian. … even experienced a “smudge” for the first time…
It was a positive experience. Was the Holy Spirit present? Not that you would know… There were Christians other than myself present. We know who we are and so the unbelievers also knew who we were…
We have purpose and plan to gather together more frequently in the future. May the Holy Spirit be more present in future gatherings…
Blessings blog friends.
That is awesome, David, about your roots and family reunion! I have had several experiences with smudging. Come Holy Spirit, come. God bless you!
Very interesting, David! Megwetch.
I love to hear and read your personal stories David. Renold your picture looks
like a painting an artist would paint.
David Lowen I want to ask you what is a smudge?
Have a great day everyone.
Lianne Hogg
Thanks for asking Lianne… I googled it and liked this explanation…
A smudge or cleansing smoke is used by the majority of Native North American peoples. It is a ritual cleansing. In our experience on the weekend in Kamloops, BC a small amount of sage was lit and placed in a porcelain bowl and passed to each of us…
As the smoke rises, our prayers rise to the Spirit World where the Grandfathers and our Creator reside. Negative energy, feelings, and emotions are lifted away. It is also used for healing of mind, body and spirit, as well as balancing energies.
Tribal elders teach that all ceremonies must be entered into or begun with good intent. So the smudge is used as a symbolic or ritual cleansing of mind, body, spirit and emotion.
David,I have been so blessed as you have led on this 2 plus years as we live out the life journey of knowing and experiencing God our Father. I am so humbly thankful for His,and your,willingness to walk in this union of friendship…the gift we have because of Jesus! My heart overflowed today as I read the 2nd chapter of John..Our God is SO good to us! The 2 incidents recorded of Jesus-wow to share salvation..it’s already there isn’t it? HE is the new wine(water) come to give and HE is the atoning sacrifice. Jesus IS the answer,how I pray for eyes and ears to be opened to receive Him, and for myself, to be go for the harvest time is now. God bless you and keep you and your family. Thank you.
Thank you Rev. David…I joined with you in prayer…and for sharing your testimony
by it we are uplifted.
let the river of life flow fresh and free daily, that Jesus be Glorified.
Thank you Reynold for the glorious picture..and for explaining the area in which was taken.
Hello,
I have been on a journey to discover God’s word. I appreciate this blog. I have discovered over careful research that I was wrong regarding the issue of Abortion. With me, God’s word settles everything.
Not experiences but God’s word.
Heaven and earth will fall away but not God’s word.
With that in mind I began my journey
In Ps. 139 vs 13 it states that God creates the inner most being…In Jeremiah 1 vs 5 ( my favourite prophet if u r allowed to have one) it states before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee;…and Exodus 20vs 13 Thou shall not kill….Ps 10 vs 8 In the secret place doth he murder the innocent….The “secret place” is the womb of a mother… Ps 127 vs 3; Lo, the children r a heritage of the LORD; and the fruit of the womb is His reward….finally Ps. 139 vs 13-16 is a wonderful description of how wonderfully and fearfully we are made.
With my friends and my mother I have known 4 women who have abortions….some were forced into it by family ( a young girl named Samantha -pls. pray for her)…my mother b/c of health reasons(she died, much later and not b/c of an abortion)….2 g/f during my high school days…in all cases they suffered….I guess that is where my heart is…
to help the suffering…to comfort those who mourn….to speak of God’s mercy and grace and love for us…to share His word b/c the word of God is more powerful than any two edged sword…His word gets to the heart of the matter.
w/o the knowledge of God’s word we do not do what is right but we do what is right in our own eyes.
I was guilty of that….doing what was right in my own eyes….I like the devotion above b/c Jesus tells her that He is the Messiah, the one she has been waiting for…she rejoices….how like Jesus to talk to a Samaritan (the Jews despised them), a woman (no self respecting Jewish male who was a Rabbi would have), how like Jesus…Just one more reason that I love Him…
I love Jesus b/c He first loved me but also b/c of His mercy Micah 7 vs 18
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy
As far as the east is from the west , so far hath he removed our transgressions from us Psalm 103vs 12
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee Is 44 vs 22
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Hebrews 10 vs 17
I pray for Canada and the churches that we can rediscover the word of God…that like the Bereans we can search the word.
Acts 17:11
11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Therefore God’s word settles everything for me.
I have come back to the LORD in 2010…my church and that includes me that I attended before was so full of error in so many ways but as I study God’s word and seek to be pleasing to Him and Him alone He is revealing Himself to me through the studying of His word not through experiences or someone else’s say so but through the study of God’s word…I am very grateful for that…God in His graciousness is teaching me…I can be hard headed but I love Jesus and I want to be pleasing unto Him and Him alone.
I am studying daily and it does take me some time but God is giving me the time to learn…I am thankful for that…
Mellany
Thank you so much for your touthing personel testamony
Like you i seem to have travelled a similar road coming to Christ .
Several years ago while doing bible study with Rev. David Mainse
I was given a beautiful mantel ornament with the scripture :
THE WORD OF GOD IS ALIVE AND ACTIVE…
and the rest is history.
God bless you sister in Christ .
Wow! Mellany! Praise God dear sister-in-Christ, for your voice! Amen! What a witness to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! How I thank you for sharing from the depths of your heart and soul! Praise God through whom all blessings flow!!!!
Welcome aboard, Mellany!