John 4 tells the story of the Samaritan woman and Jesus’ ministry to her. I still have notes in the margin of my Bible that point out all the barriers that Jesus crossed in order to bring living water to this one thirsty soul. Let’s look at the barriers that Jesus dared to cross.

The National Barrier- “Now he had to go through Samaria” John 4:4. Jews often would avoid traveling through Samaria. Samaritans were not thought of highly and were considered to be beneath them. Many can’t cross the street let alone cross a border.

The Gender Barrier- “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman” John 4: 9. Women in Jesus’ time were not thought of very highly either. Have we really come a long way? I recently went to a Human Trafficking Awareness event. Women, children and men are still being used and abused. They have become a commodity for labor, sex and military slavery. Today, regardless of gender, evil still exists against mankind.

The Ethnic Barrier- “For Jews do not associate with Samaritans” John 4:9. Is this barrier prevalent in our day? Before all that has been done to breakdown this barrier in our country, Jesus already was tearing down this wall.

The Sin Barrier- “The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband” John 4:18. Jesus did not consider this woman’s sin worse than others but don’t we tend to think the sin of others is somehow worse than our own? Considering the event I attended last week, it is easy to feel for the victim. Yet, is there grace and mercy for the pimp, the abuser, the one who is just as lost in sin but happens to be on the other side of the equation?

The Religious Barrier- “You Samaritans worship what you do not know, we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews” John 4:22. Those who are deceived by false religions are those whom Christ died for. His heart is for all who are lost. Whatever the “ism”, Jesus is still the Way and the Truth.

Jesus is still crossing these barriers today. Perhaps some of these barriers were crossed to bring you to Him? Aren’t you glad that He reached across to you and offered you living water?

Blessings,
Kathy Withers

Kathy’s on staff at America’s KESWICK in the Development Department. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 26 years. They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local Church and has previously served as a Teaching Director for Community Bible Study. Her passion is to encourage women to deepen their walk with Jesus Christ by finding and living out the truths of God’s Word.

Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds.  But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him.  And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”


 So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die!  And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”


 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” 2 Samuel 12: 1-7 (NKJV)

Quick. David was quick to be judge, jury and in this case, executioner. I can just imagine the expression on his face when Nathan told him he was the man in the story. Righteous indignation quickly became recognition of guilt.

Have you ever been the woman in the story? Quick to make a judgment only to realize you are or have been in fact guilty yourself?

Two men went up into the temple [enclosure] to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee took his stand ostentatiously and began to pray thus before and with himself: God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men-extortioners (robbers), swindlers [unrighteous in heart and life], adulterers-or even like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I gain. But the tax collector, [merely] standing at a distance, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his breast, saying, O God, be favorable (be gracious, be merciful) to me, the especially wicked sinner that I am!  I tell you, this man went down to his home justified (forgiven and made upright and in right standing with God), rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted. Luke 18:9-14 (AMP)

David, Bathsheba and their baby all suffered painful consequences. But even in that, God is good. He would cease to be good if He were not also just. Amen?

There but for the grace of God go any one of us. Be careful. God judges, but He is also merciful.

Dina Seaton
Marketing Assistant, Staff Writer

Ezekiel 36:21 But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they came.

I wrote in the margin of my Bible: “Lord, do you have concern for Your Name in my life?”

As others look on, your family, your friends, your co-workers and your neighbors, does the Lord have any concern for His Name in your life?

Do we represent Him well? Do we magnify and reflect His reputation well or do we tarnish it in the eyes of others?

How about among strangers? When someone cuts you off on the expressway or is rude to you at the store or whispers behind your back, do you give God reason to be concerned for His holy Name?

I hope you understand what I am saying and what I am NOT saying. I am NOT saying God is up in heaven wringing His hands, worrying about what to do. I am NOT saying that our areas of failure do not fall under the cleansing blood of our Savior. THEY DO.

If those around you were to describe your God, how close would they be to the truth?

Ezekiel 39:7 And my holy name I will make known in the midst of my people Israel, and I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. And the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.

Ezekiel 39:25 …I will be jealous for my holy name.

My simple point is …

Do you represent the Savior well? Is His name beautiful and wonderful and glorious in your life?

Blessings,
Diane

Would you take a moment and read Luke 13:23-35? This scripture gives us some thoughts to ponder regarding salvation. So I thought that Warren Wiersbe’s comments might shed some light on this passage and also help us to pray for those who have yet to come to Jesus. For the sake of space and to be brief I have condensed his thoughts a bit.

“Many …will seek to enter in, and shall not be able” (Luke 13:24). Why? The parable tells us why, and it focuses primarily on the Jewish people of the day. However, it has a personal application to all of us today. I hope each of you have responded to the call of Christ and have been saved. Yet, many who were invited to the great feast (kingdom) waited too long to respond, and, when they arrived at the banquet hall, it was too late and the door was shut.

But why did they wait so long? The parable suggests several reasons:

1. Salvation is not easy – the sinner must enter a narrow gate and walk a narrow way;
2. They have a false sense of security;
3. Pride – they do not humble themselves before the Lord;
4. They depend on religion.
5. But the major reason is found in verse 34- Jesus said “you were not willing.”

As you and I pray for those who have yet to give their hearts and lives to Jesus, we can us these points to pray. We can pray for the Holy Spirit to draw our loved ones from the ways of this world and give them the desire to make the hard choice of giving ALL to follow Christ. Pray that whatever they may find security in will come to nothing and they will know that only in Christ will they truly be secure. Pray that they would be humbled. We need to pray for God to work in His ways to break their pride. It’s not an easy prayer but we are talking about eternity with or without Christ- so whatever it takes! Pray that our loved ones will not depend on religion – not just a denomination but also the worship and religion of self, which brings us back to #3. And let’s pray that hearts would be softened and receptive to the Spirit’s working and that they would be willing and able to hear, that scales would fall from eyes so they could see and knees would bow in humble and simple faith!

Blessings,
Kathy Withers

Kathy’s on staff at America’s KESWICK in the Development Department. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 26 years. They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local Church and has previously served as a Teaching Director for Community Bible Study. Her passion is to encourage women to deepen their walk with Jesus Christ by finding and living out the truths of God’s Word.

Have you ever been involved in such a complex situation that you didn’t even know exactly how to pray about it? Have you ever felt so grieved in your spirit that you felt like you couldn’t pray? Have you ever prayed for something for so long that you felt like you just couldn’t pray about it anymore?

We have probably all felt this way at one time or another during this journey called life. When I have felt this way, there are a few verses that the Lord used to encourage and comfort me.

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” Romans 8:26-27

“Therefore He (Jesus) is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)

“But I (Jesus) have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.” (Luke 22:32)

The Holy Spirit AND Jesus both intercede for us before the Father! How amazing is that!

There have been times when I felt I didn’t know what or how to pray, or that I just didn’t even have the strength to pray. In those times, the Lord showed me to ask the Holy Spirit and Jesus to intercede for me. And then, as He has promised, His peace which transcends all understanding, would guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:7)

Sisters, I encourage you – in those times when you feel you cannot pray, don’t turn away from Him. But rather, press in closer, and ask your perfect, holy Advocates to pray and intercede for you. As you do this, even though your answer may not come right away, it will come, in His perfect timing, and you will have His perfect peace in the meantime.

Stacey Poplawski
WOC Graduate

Psalm 18:1  “I will love you, LORD. In you I am strong.”

Many of you know that I run the grief groups at Keswick. Currently we are studying some of the Psalms in the second level group. Often we can avoid reading a Psalm because it may seem beyond our “understanding”. I love what Phillip Yancey* wrote about the Psalms, when he said:

“The book of Psalms comprises a sampling of spiritual journals, much like personal letters to God… I must read them as an ‘over the shoulder’ reader since the intended audience was not other people, but God.”

Psalm 18 is a special psalm in that it is also found in 2 Samuel 22, and is believed to be one of the last psalms written by David. It is about David’s reflection on his life, as he is looking back on his life and describing all the ways in which God has faithfully been present in his life. It is the story of God’s deliverance and work in David’s life. Check out this basic outline of Psalm 18:

Part 1: Who God is to David (vs. 1-3)

Part 2: David needed God’s help and God heard him (vs. 4-6)

Part 3: God’s Answer (vs. 7-19)

Part 4: David reviews what he has learned about who God helps and why (vs. 20-27)

Part 5: David remembers that everything he has came from God alone (vs. 28-42)

Part 6: David knows that only God could have made Him King (vs. 43-50)

Read Psalm 18 and then reflect on my questions to you.

1. Do you love God, in the deepest sense of the word? Who has God been to you?

2. When you are overwhelmed, lost, feeling like a victim, do you cry out to God, or do you try to face life on your own?

3. How has God led you out of your storms?

4. How does your life stand before God’s rules? Are you righteous before God?

5. What have you received from God? Can you make a list?

6. What has God done for you that no one else could – even you? What can God still do in your life?

The Psalms were meant to be sung… Maybe you know this song – sing it now to the Lord.

I will call upon the Lord,
who is worthy to be praised;
so shall I be saved from my enemies…
The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock;
and let the God of my salvation be exalted. (Psalm 18:3, 46 KJV)

Lynne Jahns
Christian Counselor
Director, KESWICK Institute of Biblical Studies

*Phillip Yancey, The Bible Jesus Read (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999), 112.

Years ago a Pastor who I knew and had great respect for fell into sin. Once that sin became exposed he and his family went through a great deal of pain. This was a man who knew the Word, was an excellent teacher and cared very deeply for the flock God had given him to shepherd. The shock of what happened went very deep. Although his marriage was preserved, they lost so much. Pastor lost the respect of his flock and his family. He lost his ministry and his home. It was as if a fire of pain spread quickly throughout the entire body of believers. The enemy of God had his way. I remember feeling incredibly convicted about the need to pray, as Jesus directs us, for leaders and those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1-2).

Since that time I have read many sad statistics about pastors who fall into sin. Could it be that God’s people are not praying for their pastor?? I can’t even begin to imagine the temptation that presents itself to ministers of the gospel on a daily basis. I am sure the Lord is faithful to make a way of escape (1 Cor.10:13).

I am also certain that there is likely no man or woman who has always taken that way of escape. We must remember that a person may have a calling to be a pastor but he or she is still carrying around the same flesh we carry. We are all sinners who fall short of the glory of God.(Rom. 3:23). God knew that and I believe it is why He calls us to pray for our leaders. They need a faithful prayer shield round about them.

There are two helpful guides written by Terry Teykl titled “Scripture-Based Prayers to Pray for your Pastor”. I would encourage you to consider going on line and copy the one prayer guide at: http://www.bethanygardner.org/vsItemDisplay.dsp&objectID=B2ACF92E-C979-4BBC-BA1795135CA21CD6&method=display. You could also go to: http://www.navpress.com and purchase the other guide in a package of 50 prayer cards for less than $8.00.

Below are five suggested prayers you can use this week to pray for your pastor plus one more. You can take one each day and begin to bring your pastor before the throne of grace.

1. Jesus, I pray that my pastor will daily put on the full armor of God that he/she may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.(Ephesians 6:11).

2. Lord, I pray that my pastor will be blessed with a passion to worship You in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:24).

3. Jesus, I pray that my pastor will delight himself/herself in Your Word and upon Your Word he/she will meditate day and night. I thank you that he/she will then be as a tree firmly planted by streams of water which yield fruit and will not wither; and in whatever he/she does, he/she will prosper ( Psalm 1:2-3).

4. Jesus, I pray that my pastor will live with his/her spouse as you have directed, husband loving his wife as Christ loves the church, wife honoring her husband all the days of her life (Ephesians 5:25-33).

5. Jesus, I pray that you would create in my pastor a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit in him/her. Do not cast him/her away from your presence, and do not take Thy Holy Spirit from him/her. Restore to him/her the joy of Thy salvation and sustain him/her with a willing spirit. Then I know he/she will teach transgressors Your ways, oh Lord, and sinners will be converted to Thee (Psalm 51:10-13).

Holy Spirit, teach me how to honor and pray effectively for my pastor and his/her family (James 5:16 b); Raise up a faithful prayer shield round about him/her.

Patricia L. Wenzel
WOC Graduate

There is a children’s song that says “Input Output, our mind is a computer whose Input/Output daily we must choose.” Our minds are computers and what we put into them, is what will come out in our attitude and our actions.

When I was pregnant with my son Carter 4 years ago, I was getting extra care due to the fact that I was
considered “AMA” ( Advanced Maternal Age). The nurse took my blood pressure during one office visit and it was a little high, so they wanted to take it again. They told me to relax, and of course, you can’t because now I’m anxious about my blood pressure being too high. I sat there and tried to think of a scripture verse to meditate on or a scripture song. Out of the archives of my brain up popped a happy, Jewish style song:

“My God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in glory; he will give his angels charge of me, Jehovah Jirah Cares for Me, for Me, for Me, Jehovah Jirah Cares for me.”

I thought, “This up-beat tune is not going to relax me, I should think of something else.” But nothing else would come, and so I sang it again in my head. It worked, my blood pressure went down. Through that simple little song, God gave me verses from Phil 4:19 My God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in Glory and Psalm 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 91:11: He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go.” By putting into my brain Christian music, and Scripture memory, my brain can call to mind just what I needed when I needed it.

Lamentations 3:21 “This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease. For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, Great is Your faithfulness. The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, therefore I have hope in Him.” NASB

Philippians 4:8,9 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. NASB

Joyce Hayes
Artist-in-residence at America’s Keswick

Mark 11:2-6 Go your way into the village that is over against you: and straightway as ye enter into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon no man ever yet sat; loose him, and bring him. And if any one say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye, The Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him back hither.  And they went away, and found a colt tied at the door without in the open street; and they loose him. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? And they said unto them even as Jesus had said: and they let them go.

Now can you imagine that you saw someone untying a colt, at least setting it loose, perhaps even stealing it? What would you do? I think I would yell, “Hey what are you doing?” And then when I got the answer, “The Lord has need of Him,” I would probably respond by asking, “Do you have a release form or some way you can prove it?” I am so intrigued by the people who let the Lord’s men take the animal. Did they have some ‘in’ to God or were they simply obedient?

My personal opinion is that they lived close enough to the Lord to hear His voice. They obviously had received word previously AND they responded to it. They expected something to happen!

I am reminded of the long-awaited pregnancy of our daughter; she was married 7 years, and no baby. A pastor visited my daughter and son-in-law and promised to pray that my daughter would have a child. Each time the pastor saw my daughter, he asked if she had any news! He expected something to happen. He was like the farmer who prayed for rain and carried an umbrella. I don’t think the pastor was surprised when my daughter told him she was pregnant. Pleased…yes. Surprised…no. My grandson is now 22 years old!

How about you? Are you surprised when God keeps His Word. Are you walking close enough to Him that you prepare for the answer the minute you speak the request or when He gives you directions, you start following them immediately?

Isa 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Marilyn Willett Heavilin

Marilyn is a wife and mother, author, and international conference and retreat speaker. She and her husband Glen serve as Counselors-in-Residence at America’s KESWICK during the summer months.

When we get to know our Savior, we learn His attributes, and we know we can count on Him and this gives us Hope in Hopeless circumstances. God will cause us to blossom like a rose in the dessert.

Gloria Gaither wrote in “Because He Lives” the story behind the song, that in the early years of their ministry, they had a pavement driveway put in up to their offices. This was exciting and a big deal, and as they watched with anticipation as the graders came and prepared the driveway and layers of sand and gravel were brought in. Finally, on top of everything, a layer of asphalt was poured. How exciting! The next spring Gloria looked out of the window and saw a tiny blade of grass coming through a small crack in the asphalt. How could it be that tiny blade of grass pushed through all of those layers?

Laura Story wrote a song, “Blessings” about her journey through her husband’s brain tumor surgery and recovery. People identify with what she has learned because we all have our “story” of the hard things that weigh us down and threaten to crush our faith. But because there is a deep-rooted faith, our weak little blade of grass or flower stem pushes through the dry earth and the cracks in the asphalt of life and a somehow a flower blossoms.

Isaiah 35:1,2 Wilderness and desert will sing joyously, the badlands will celebrate and flower-
Like the crocus in spring, bursting into blossom, a symphony of song and color.
Mountain glories of Lebanon-a gift. Awesome Carmel, stunning Sharon-gifts.
GOD’s resplendent glory, fully on display GOD awesome, GOD majestic.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote in his Morning and Evening Devotional:

…”Knowest thou not that day follows night, that flood comes after ebb, that spring and summer succeed winter? Hope thou then! Hope thou ever! For God fails thee not. Dost thou not know that thy God loves thee in the midst of all this? Mountains, when in darkness hidden, are as real as in day, and God’s love is as true to thee now as it was in thy brightest moments. No father chastens always: thy Lord hates the rod as much as thou dost; he only cares to use it for that reason which should make thee willing to receive it, namely, that it works thy lasting good. Thou shalt yet climb Jacob’s ladder with the angels, and behold him who sits at the top of it-thy covenant God. Thou shalt yet, amidst the splendours of eternity, forget the trials of time, or only remember them to bless the God who led thee through them, and wrought thy lasting good by them. Come, sing in the midst of tribulation. Rejoice even while passing through the furnace. Make the wilderness to blossom like the rose! Cause the desert to ring with thine exulting joys, for these light afflictions will soon be over, and then “forever with the Lord,” thy bliss shall never wane” Spurgeon, C. H. (2006). Morning and evening : Daily readings Evening, July 21

“Faint not nor fear, his arms are near, He changeth not, and thou art dear;
Only believe and thou shalt see, That Christ is all in all to thee.”

Joyce Hayes
Artist-in-residence at America’s Keswick