George Carlin (1937-2008) was a comedian with a very unique sense of humor. However, sometimes his observations hit home. For example, “We have multiplied our possessions but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life, but not life to years.” Another saying is a hope that I have for everyone, “May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.” (all emphasis mine)

I would be the first to give everyone caution that Carlin’s humor was not all “family-oriented.” He used very crude language in many of his skits, and some of his descriptive terms were straight from the dark side. However, what seemed ridiculous at the time is happening in this world today.

When Ezekiel named the main members of a coalition that would someday attack Israel as modern-day Russia, Turkey and Iran, it was thought to be far-fetched. These nations had never before been friendly toward each other until about a decade ago. Now, all three have financial issues, and there sits tiny Israel with enough wealth that would solve all three’s problems. At least that’s what they believe.

As Ezekiel 38:4 states, God Himself will bring them out and “put hooks” into their jaws to convince them that Israel would be easy to defeat. And to be perfectly honest, without the Lord God Jehovah, Israel would not be able to withstand such an attack and would not even be here today because of the massive attack against them on May 14, 1948, without the Father. When the time comes, God will be the One who actually defeats the coalition, and in a way that will be obvious to Israel as to whom their “Champion” is.

Speaking of May 14, 1948, for anyone who may be skeptical about the future prophecy, how about the attack against Israel that took place right after they announced they were a sovereign nation again after being absent for about 2,000 years? To be able to withstand such an attack from all their surrounding nations and to successfully drive them back was absolutely miraculous.

How about the June 5-10, 1967 conflict called the “6-day war”? Once again, outside forces thought they could conquer that small nation yet were soundly defeated. Since then, there have been other skirmishes, but today, Israel is a small but mighty force to reckon with. Amos 9:15 is not taken seriously by the world; “I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them, says the Lord your God.”

There is coming a time when Israel will be “disciplined” for not accepting God’s Son as their true Messiah. Today, it’s reported that only about 1% – 2% of the current 15.2 million Jews worldwide are Messianic and accept Jesus as their Savior. The main “religion” of the Jewish people is Judaism, which is from the Torah, or first 5 books of the Bible. Jesus is not included in that document.

As Romans 11:25 states, “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers; a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”

That “fullness” will happen when Jesus calls all His true believers up from this earth to meet Him in the air to be kept from the Tribulation period. This will include every person on this earth who has received and accepted the gift of forgiveness and eternal Salvation that our Savior paid for with His precious blood. Though we would like to believe that this would be a large percentage of today’s world population, it will actually be between 12% – 15% worldwide. The Messianic Jews of today will be included with all those who are raptured.

God will allow the remaining population to go through “discipline,” and by the end of the tribulation, 2/3 of the population will perish. Ultimately, Philippians 2:10-11 will happen; “So that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in Heaven and on earth and under the earth; and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”

Today, we are seeing end-time prophecy being fulfilled with 100% accuracy. Jesus said His followers would be hated by the world, but not to worry as “He overcame the world” (John 16:33).

In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul spoke of attitudes that will be here “in the last days.” We have seen every one of them develop and thrive within the past decade. Not only are they all here at once, but they are also gaining in intensity. Our “Freedom of Religion” is being challenged by a large number of people who are demanding “Freedom from Religion.” Their excuse is that all Christians are “haters.”

Going through Paul’s list, “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self; lovers of money; proud; arrogant; abusive; disobedient to their parents; ungrateful; unholy; heartless; unappeasable; slanderous; without self-control; brutal; not loving good; treacherous; reckless; swollen with conceit; lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.”

Prior to this past decade, who would have ever thought that so-called pastors would stand in evangelical pulpits and declare that God’s abominations no longer apply? How about, All religions are basically the same, and we all worship the same God. False prophets are proclaiming the “good news” as ear-tickling messages without any mention of the consequences of sin. Through Satan’s influence, they are leading multitudes away from the Gospel – the real “good news” – and into man’s own definition of how we can live.

Sadly, we are seeing a distinctive division between those on the straight and narrow path leading to eternal life and those on the broad path leading to eternal damnation (Matthew 7:13-14). Jesus Himself stated that more would choose this earth and its so-called pleasures than would choose Him and gain eternal Heavenly life. Satan knows what buttons to push, and he and his followers are pulling multiple souls away from the Christ.

No person or deity other than Jesus the Christ ever provided a way of salvation that our one and only Creator, the Lord God Jehovah, Our Heavenly Father, could accept as complete payment for us. Unlike man-made religions, we do not have any mysterious ceremonies, numerous and continuous works, and special “fees” to be paid in order to go into paradise. Also, no one in them ever knows if they’ve done enough works to actually qualify them for their paradise.

God purposely gave us a single pathway, which “religious leaders” refuse to accept. The Pharisees, Sadducees and other major religious leaders of Jesus’ day made up more and more “regulations and requirements” as time passed for people to try and follow. The biggest problem then as today is that they used their own words rather than God’s true word. What God actually gave as the “Law” or 10 Commandments was changed so much by the time Jesus was here that it was almost unrecognizable.

We have reached the Luke 12:26 prophecy, “people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the Powers of the heavens will be shaken.” Everything has gone downhill just over the past few years, and Luke 21:28 was started in that time frame. “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

Every day is a testimony in itself that all believers are but a breath away from going Home. Rather than be filled with fear, as those with no hope are, we should be anticipating our Shepherd’s call. To become a member of His flock, it’s as plain as ABC.

A – Admit we’re sinners, as everyone on earth is. Confess this to the Savior, and ask to be forgiven.

B – Believe Jesus is the true Son of God and that the only way that we can reach the Father is through Him. That He died for our sins and was raised from the dead to conquer sin and death once and for all. Our eternal Salvation is a gift that cannot be bought or gained by works.

C – Call on the name of the Lord, and you will be saved.

Scriptures that cover this are John 3:16-18; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 10:9-13; and 1 John 5:10-12. For the forgiveness passages, 1 John 1:8-10. Another very important verse is Romans 8:1, which plainly states, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Time is drawing near to the next major event on the prophecy calendar – The Rapture. God promised that all who call on the name of His Son will be saved. To take your last breath here without Jesus is an automatic reservation at the Great White Throne of Revelation 20:11-15.

If you wish to gamble, get a lottery ticket or go to a casino. Your soul is too valuable to take lightly and to gamble that God’s word is not absolutely true.

Call on the Savior today. Make sure you’re ready for the trip up to meet Him in the air when He calls.

Ahava B’Shem Yeshua! (Love in the name of the Lord)

huebshman46@gmail.com

 

 

Summary: The Lord Jesus went out of His way to bring the Gospel to an anonymous woman. Her life was one of sin and isolation from others. Despite her attitude and resistance, she was won over to the grace and mercy of God. We are to follow His example.

No one is to be neglected or avoided when it comes to presenting the Good News of salvation found only in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 John 2:1-2).

As we read through the fourth chapter of John’s Gospel, we see how Jesus went out of His way to give this offer of redemption to someone who came from a nationality and religious practice seen by the Jews as corrupt and not worthy of contact or compassion. Jesus looked past her nationality, culture, attitude, and other potential barriers to present to her the offer of the compassion, saving grace, and mercy that the Great Shepherd gives to all His flock (Matthew 9:36, 11:28-30; Luke 15:1-7; John 10:28-30).

During the time Jesus spent with this woman (John 4:9-12), they talked about several things. By doing so, Jesus gradually led this woman to the place of salvation. He began by asking her for a drink, not having any means to draw any water for Himself. She responded with amazement that a Jew would even ask a Samaritan, especially a woman, for such a request. It was considered inappropriate for a Rabbi to speak to a woman in public. He did not go by man-made custom or tradition, however. The value of this soul overrode anything that prejudice and attitude had conceived. Jesus offered her a drink of “living water.” She, not understanding what He had just said, confused the physical with the spiritual.

Salvation is not a transaction that can be explained in human terms. It is a spiritual transaction. At this point, she was not ready for such a process to happen in her life as she responded with a touch of sarcasm. Jesus did not respond to it but continued to lead her in the direction of redemption.

The conversation then turned to the issue of water (vv. 13-15). Jesus told her that she could drink from the well of the patriarch Jacob every day and still experience thirst. People will continue to drink the pleasures of this world, like this woman, and will still try to find more ways to satisfy themselves. But one trip to the well of living water Jesus gives will satisfy the thirsty soul for eternity.

The woman was still confusing the physical with the spiritual and showed something of a defiant viewpoint as Jesus dealt with her. He would make her face the sins that had brought her to this point in her life. This silenced her and also tore down the other objection she tried to use, that of religious practices. He did not allow her to continue with these objections. He touched the sore spot in her life by pointing out her specific sins (vv.17-18). Her hidden guilt and inner turmoil were about to be exposed, and like all people who desire to keep their behaviors and thoughts under wrap, He did not allow her nor anyone else with whom He would encounter to live in such a situation. When He cleans our spiritual house, everything has to go.

Nobody will ever come to Jesus for salvation until they are first awakened to their own personal need. Until the sinner knows he is lost, he will never desire to be found. Thus, conviction is of vital importance. Without it, no one can be saved (John 6:44; Ephesians 2:1). God is not afraid to reveal your sins as you are of having them revealed. He will do whatever it takes to bring you to repentance.

Jesus had done this with the woman, who tries to change the subject by going to the topic of religion (vv.20-24) and showed Him that she was knowledgeable in that area. She tried to initiate an argument about the proper place to worship. Jesus ignored this attempted detraction and told her that true worship is never found in places, rituals and substitutions for God but could only be found in spiritual worship of the LORD, that is, worship that comes from His indwelling Spirit. The barriers and objections she had tried to put before the LORD had been futile, and she was now open to His words (vv.25-26) and truly concerned about her salvation and the things of God. Jesus simply revealed Himself as the Promised Messiah.

This is what He does for every one of us. He does not come to you as a judge to condemn you. He did not do so with the woman. He comes as the Way, the Truth, and the Life and offers Himself to you as the only way in which you may be saved. He does not twist your arm and force you to come to Him. His offer of salvation is for all, but you cannot afford to reject it in terms of eternity (2 Corinthians 6:2). Once death comes for you (Luke 12:13-21; James 4:13-17), it will be too late. Without the saving grace of Christ in your life, you will be judged by Him at the end of time along with everyone else who turned away from His offer of redemption, found guilty, and sentenced to an eternity in hell, which includes the devil and his angels as well (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:11-15).

Like it or not, this is the truth of eternal matters, and as a minister of the Gospel, I will never water down the message of God’s Word in order to make you feel better or more comfortable in your iniquity. Unlike what you might see on TV or other media, I have never been in the group of the “Colgate Boy” false teachers who will pat you on the back, tell you that this is your best life now, or some other form of verbal garbage, and allow you to think all is right when, in reality, your soul is in danger of heading to a real place of eternal torment if you don’t swallow your pride, get off the throne of “King Me,” knock down the altars you have made for yourself, and surrender your life to Jesus Christ, period.

The conclusion of the story is one of conversion on the part of this woman. It was immediate (v.28a). As soon as Jesus revealed Himself to her, she responded in faith, and her salvation was instantaneous. She simply trusted Him and was saved. In her excitement over her new life (v.28b), she ran right off and forgot why she even went to the well. She left her water jar behind and ran to the city (vv.28c-29) to tell the others about the Man she had just met. She felt compelled to tell others about her salvation.

Jesus and His disciples stayed another three days in the village, sharing the Good News with them (vv.30-42). They all believed that Jesus was the Savior of the world, not only because of the woman’s testimony but their own encounter with the saving message of the Gospel.

His love and compassion for us knows no bounds, overcomes all excuses and objections, and overpowers the voices of the world, the flesh, and the devil to give you the Good News of salvation, redemption, and the promise of life everlasting with Him (Revelation 21:1-7), forever free from the bondage of sin, condemnation, and the burdens of this world. He makes all things new, both the condition of your soul and the coming new heaven and Earth. Why would you want to turn away from His love and mercy? As He left the glory of heaven to come to Earth and live among us, so He came to this anonymous village to turn the life of a sinful woman from guilt and sorrow to a new life.

He came to seek and save that which was lost. That includes you, friend. What will you do with Jesus this day?

donaldwhitchard@gmail.com

www.realitycityreverend.com

My YouTube broadcasts titled “The Reality City Review” will be posted on Facebook, GETTR, Parler, and on my website when completed. My main area of discussion will be on the basics of the Christian faith but will also deal with prophetic issues and other topics as the Lord impresses upon me to handle.