Author: petebeck3

Pete Beck III ministered as a pastor and Bible teacher in Burlington for over 34 years. He is married to Martha, with whom he has four children, ten beautiful grandchildren, and four amazing great grandchildren. He ministers in his local church as a Bible teacher and counselor. He has published two books - Seeing God's Smile and Promise of the Father - as well as a wide variety of Bible-related articles which he has compiled into books in PDF form.

Don’t Wait Until You’re Ready

 

 

 

 

The Samaritan woman at the well abandoned her water jar to go round up the rest of the village to come meet Jesus.

Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” 28  The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29  “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30  So the people came streaming from the village to see him. John 4:27-30 (NLT)

Principle: Don’t Wait Until You’re Ready

Many new believers imagine that they should wait until that magical day when they finally will be ready and fully equipped to share the gospel. This is partly the fault of the church. We think that sharing the gospel is more to do with having our doctrine right than it is with being “on fire” for Christ. It is partly our fault for buying into the notion that it is better to say nothing at all than risk making a mistake.

The Samaritan woman did not know much, but God used her to bring the entire village to Christ.

And this is not the only time that Jesus commissioned a new convert to be an evangelist. The Gerasene man whom Jesus delivered from many demons was immediately put into service, too.

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. 19  But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” 20  So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them. Mark 5:18-20 (NLT)

Didn’t Jesus realize that it is dangerous to put a new convert into the ministry, especially one who had been so unstable?

By the time we are thoroughly trained to properly share the gospel, we likely have lost contact with many of the people who most need to hear our message. This is because we stop “hanging around” with unbelievers and spend all our time with other Christians at church meetings.

The most opportune time for us to share our faith is when we first come to Christ, before our unbelieving friends relegate us to the “weird Christian” category.

Another reason we should start sharing our faith immediately is that we likely never will be quite so enthusiastic about Christ as when we are first saved. Some call this “first love” or the “honeymoon” period of Christianity. This is not to say it should be this way, but it often is. By the time disciples are thoroughly trained, they often have  picked up plenty of excuses for not be evangelistic and become quite comfortable simply going to church, rather than actively sharing the gospel. I call this Great Commission drift.

Most of the American church is more in love with comfort than with sharing the gospel.

The night I came to Christ, I immediately began telling my friends that I just met Christ and that he is real. That is about all I knew, but it was worth sharing. Over time I have added to my knowledge and understanding of who Christ is and what he did for us, but my fire to share the gospel has never been stronger than it was on the very first night.

Don’t wait until you’re “ready”. Start sharing the gospel and never stop.

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Look for Evidence of the Holy Spirit’s Work

 

 

 

 

After Jesus satisfactorily answered the Samaritan woman’s question about the rift between Jews and Samaritans, she showed that she was one of those who eagerly awaited the coming of the Messiah.

The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26  Then Jesus told her, “I AM the Messiah!” John 4:25-26 (NLT)

Principle: Look for Evidence of the Holy Spirit’s Work

When a disciple of Christ begins a conversation with someone he or she has never met, it is something like opening a long buried treasure chest. What is in it? That is one of the things that makes fishing for people a most interesting occupation.

Going into an encounter, we do not know how God may have already been working in a person’s life, but our hope is that God will lead us to those he has already been preparing to receive the gospel.

It is obvious from the passage above that the Samaritan woman had been thinking about and longing for the coming of the Messiah. She was more than ready to meet and believe in Jesus. She just did not realize at first to whom she was speaking.

When a fisherman leaves home for a day on the water, he or she anticipates catching a big one. We know they are “out there.” That’s what makes it fun. Will God privilege us to meet someone like the woman at the well? I am convinced they are “out there.” We only need to find them, and the Holy Spirit knows exactly who they are. Don’t forget that she was a most unlikely person. We dare not judge people superficially. Only God knows the heart.

We should pray daily for the Spirit to orchestrate encounters like the one Jesus had at the well.

We should also prepare ourselves mentally to be alert when such opportunities present themselves. Jesus could have simply sat there in weariness, but he engaged this woman. We must also be alert to using the gifts of the Spirit. They are not just for church meetings. Lastly, we should prepare far ahead of time by thoroughly familiarizing ourselves with the gospel message. Don’t waste your opportunities!

(Learn more about the gospel by clicking here.)

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Address Root Questions

 

 

 

 

After Jesus fully gained the Samaritan woman’s attention, she addressed the heart of the controversy between Jews and Samaritans.

So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?” 21  Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22  You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23  But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24  For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:20-24 (NLT)

Principle: Address Root Questions

There was no point ignoring the “elephant in the room.” The Samaritan woman re-posed her opening question – “Why are you talking to me?” – in more theological terms. When we converse with people outside the boundaries of “normal” social interaction, these sorts of questions may arise. Rather than skirting the issue, he explained it in terms of the New Covenant, which breaks down the walls separating Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles.

Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well, coupled with his answer to her question, made her realize that God’s plan included her. The gospel bridges cultural, racial, socioeconomic, and political divides. The key is for us to be able to explain how.

Jesus did not go into much detail as to how this would happen. He did not need to do so. He was and is the embodiment of the New Covenant. Since we are not, we must be prepared to give a reason for our hope by explaining the gospel as best we can.

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 1 Peter 3:15 (NLT)

(If you want to learn more about how to share the gospel effectively, click here.)

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Depend on the Holy Spirit

 

 

 

 

After Jesus moved the conversation to a spiritual plane, the woman responded by asking for eternal life, whether she fully understood or not.

“Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” 16  “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. 17  “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18  for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” 19  “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. John 4:15-19 (NLT)

Principle: Depend on the Holy Spirit

When Jesus used the gift of the word of knowledge, a subset of prophecy, to identify the woman’s hidden sin, it changed the entire dynamic of the interaction.

It moved her from curiosity to full attention. It proved to her that Jesus was from God. It showed her that God knew all about her without condemning her. It convinced her that Jesus was someone she could trust and to whom she should listen. All that happened because Jesus shared one thing he could not have known without the Spirit’s help.

This takes us back to the synagogue in Nazareth when Jesus launched his itinerant ministry by reading from Isaiah 61.

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19  and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.” Luke 4:18-19 (NLT)

A big secret of Jesus’ effectiveness was that he ministered under the influence of the Spirit.

Try to imagine how he would have operated without miracles and the gifts of the Spirit. He would have been reduced to how a modern evangelical operates. How sad, for him and us. How tragic that today his disciples act as if the power of the Spirit is no longer available.

We need to return to New Testament methods if we want early church results. We need to depend on the Holy Spirit in a greater way.

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Move the Conversation to Spiritual Matters

 

 

 

 

Using the open door provided by the Samaritan woman’s question, Jesus masterfully moved the conversation to spiritual matters, from a drink of water to eternal life.

“But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12  And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?” 13  Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14  But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” John 4:11-14 (NLT)

Principle: Move the Conversation to Spiritual Matters

It was immediately apparent that this woman was no one’s fool. She wanted to know the practicalities of how Jesus was going to provide a new kind of water in a place where the only source was this well that her forefather Jacob had provided. She wondered just who Jesus thought he was, but her thinking was still on a natural level. She realized that she was speaking to a very interesting person, but might have wondered if he were some sort of “nut job.” She certainly had no clue yet that he was the Messiah.

Instead of immediately responding to her natural question, Jesus offered what seemed to her to be a puzzling reply that moved things toward a spiritual plane entirely. This is an important key to fishing for people the Jesus way.

Certainly our desire is not to come across as “weird;” rather, we should strive to be authentically and spiritually interesting, which requires that we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Probably Jesus had quickly discerned her spiritual hunger and led her down a conversational path to satisfy her deep longings for God. In our case, since we usually cannot so easily “read” people, we may have to be more “experimental” in our approach, offering interesting spiritual conversational tidbits to see if the one with whom we are talking responds positively.

The important thing is to try to move the conversation toward spiritual matters instead of allowing it to focus on the kind of mundane and trivial small talk that the world prefers.

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Remember Whom We Represent

 

 

 

 

After the woman at the well questioned Jesus regarding why he was speaking to a despised Samaritan, he continued.

...“If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” John 4:10 (NLT)

Principle: Remember Whom We Represent

The Bible says that disciples of Christ are ambassadors for God (2 Corinthians 5:20) who carry the most important life-changing message in the universe – the gospel.

Unfortunately, we often forget who we are and act as if we are insignificant with little to offer. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Jesus never forgot his identity, his message, or his mission. He was on point all the time, and so should we be.

But dedicate your lives to Christ as Lord. Always be ready to defend your confidence {in God} when anyone asks you to explain it. However, make your defense with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15 (GW)
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Talk to Unlikely People

 

 

 

 

 

When Jesus engaged the woman at the well in John Chapter Four, he broke the rules.

The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” John 4:9 (NLT)

He was a Jewish rabbi. She was a Samaritan woman. Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans. Rabbis did not talk to women. Jews would not drink from a cup or jar handled by an “unclean” Samaritan. What Jesus did in asking for a drink of water immediately got her attention and prompted her question. When people ask “Why,” it means we have made them curious and gives us an open door to share.

Not only did Jesus break social taboos, he also made himself vulnerable by asking for a favor. We like to present ourselves as self-sufficient, but people generally respond well when we admit that we need their help. She could have rebuffed him, but did not. When we ask for a favor, we open the door for people to be kind to us. Once a person does something for us, it is more likely that they will be more open in general.

Have you recently engaged anyone outside your normal comfort zone or pack of friends? Have you asked a favor from an unlikely person? Are you willing to launch a conversation just to see where it might go? These are all keys to being an effective fisher of men.

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Repentance: Being Honest with God

 

 

 

 

 

Repentance requires us to move from self-justification to admitting that God is right about our sin.

King David perfectly exemplified what it means to be on God’s side when it comes to sin.

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2  Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3  For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4  Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. Psalm 51:1-4 (NLT)

Opposed to this, after choosing to eat the fruit God had forbidden them on the pain of death, Adam and Eve chose to play the blame game instead of honesty acknowledging their sin.

Then the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10  He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” 11  “Who told you that you were naked?” the LORD God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” 12  The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” 13  Then the LORD God asked the woman, “What have you done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.” Genesis 3:9-13 (NLT)

The only proper way to repent is to be straightforward about our sin and to side with God.

The minute we try to evade the truth, deny our responsibility, shift blame, minimize what we did, or otherwise be less than candid, we fail when it comes to repentance.

Paul said it very well in his Letter to the Romans.

...Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.” Romans 3:4 (NLT)

Since God knows all about us, even down to the hidden motivations of the heart, isn’t it reasonable and advisable to be absolutely honest about our sin?

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 13  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. Hebrews 4:12-13 (NLT)

When we chose to repent, the Bible says that we come “into the light.” The act of exposing our sin to the light is part of what is necessary for us to experience God’s freeing forgiveness.

But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8  If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10  If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. 1 John 1:7-10 (NLT)

It is shocking to consider that refusing to admit the truth about our sinfulness is the same as calling God a liar, but that is what it says! The natural propensity of our human nature is to do just that, however. Jesus said it this way.

And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20  All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21  But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” John 3:19-21 (NLT)

Our refusal to be honest about our sins is based on fear.

We are afraid to admit how evil we are because it is so disconcerting to us. We usually imagine that we are far better than we really are. It is also based on the fear that God will reject us because of our sin, but that cannot be true. God chose us in Christ before he created the world. (Ephesians 1:4) He chose us in advance, knowing full well all our faults, weaknesses, and future sins. When Jesus died on the cross, the forgiveness he provided extended back through time to include those who died in faith before his resurrection and forward in time to include all future children of God.

Knowing that God chose us despite everything should give us great confidence to be honest with him. Do we believe he loves us or not?

Being honest about our sins and taking God’s side are marks of genuine repentance and a gateway into freedom. (John 8:31-32)

Prayer

Lord, I am tired of hiding from you and refusing to be honest about my sin. I choose now to admit that I am guilty of (state your particular sins). Thank you loving me and forgiving me. Help me to live “in the light.” Let me experience freedom in this area of my life. Amen.

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Repentance: Mind, Heart, Will, and Faith

 

 

 

 

A Matter of the Heart

Have you ever had someone apologize to you under duress, but you knew they did not mean it? It usually goes something like this: if I hurt you, I am sorry. This sort of thing is forced upon little children by well-meaning parents. We repent because we know we are supposed to do it, but our hearts are not in it.

Repentance that does not come from the heart is fairly worthless.

The basic definition of repentance is a change of mind, but that does not mean it is mere intellectual assent. If it does not extend all the way to the heart, it is not real. It may start with mental comprehension of a wrong done, but it should impact the emotions, too. Paul wrote about the emotional side of repentance when he addressed a sin issue in the church in Corinth. Before his letter, the church members were not sorry for what was happening in the church. They had not chosen to deal with a man who was having sexual relations with his step-mother, a serious offense that even the pagans thought was heinous. Paul rebuked the church by letter, and thankfully they dealt with the situation, expelling the unrepentant sinner. Later he repented and was restored, which was the hope all along. Here is what Paul wrote in the aftermath.

For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. 11  Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right. 2 Corinthians 7:10-11 (NLT)

Engaging the Will

Most of us have encountered people who have some besetting sin to which they have succumbed, such as alcoholism, for example. Plenty of alcoholics, if they are not in denial, will sorrowfully acknowledge they have a problem, while making little or no effort to overcome their addiction. This happens all the time when drunk panhandlers ask people for money. They are sorrowful, but unrepentant. They have not changed their mind about sinning: they simply admit they have a problem.

This is not repentance. It is not from the heart, and it is not a true change of mind because the will has never been engaged.

Real repentance was demonstrated by many people in the Bible. King David was a good example. He sinned against God and one of his most loyal friends when he committed adultery with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, got her pregnant, and deliberately arranged to have Uriah killed in battle to cover it up. He concealed this sin for at least nine months, the opposite of repentance. After the baby was born, Nathan the prophet confronted David about his sin. It was at this point that David broke, repented from the heart, and changed his ways. He chose to make things right as best he could. Here is the psalm he wrote at the time. This was heartfelt repentance that engaged the will.

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2  Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3  For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4  Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. Psalm 51:1-4 (NLT)

Combining Repentance with Faith

David revealed that, despite his sin, he had faith that he still could turn to God.

True repentance has a faith component.

The apostle Peter is another example of real repentance. After he denied the Lord, he wept, exhibiting a strong emotional component. But would he change his ways, too, or simply slink away in shame, never to be heard from again? After Jesus’ resurrection, when Peter saw the Lord, he ran to him to seek forgiveness and be reconciled. Peter’s repentance combined a change of mind, emotional sorrow, a choice to make things right, and it was accompanied by faith, making it real.

Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Jesus to the Jewish leaders, also felt remorse, but he had no faith that he could be forgiven. Instead of running to the Lord, he hung himself. Faith makes the difference. It’s one thing to be sorry for something, but quite another thing to actively seek forgiveness, try to make things right, and turn to God in the belief that we can be forgiven.

Biblical repentance combined with faith leads to forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration.

Perhaps this meditation has made you realize that you need to repent in some area. Don’t delay. Strike while the iron is hot. It is easy to put things off… forever. Tell God you are sorry. Seek to make things right. Ask for and receive forgiveness. Choose to stop sinning, as you rely on the Spirit’s help. We cannot change on our own, but God will transform us from the inside out.

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Repentance Is Loving the Truth

 

 

 

 

 

In his Letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul teaches us that societies degenerate when they deliberately suppress the truth about God.

But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19  They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20  For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. 21  Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22  Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. Romans 1:18-22 (NLT)

What we believe about God affects everything.

Since we were designed by God to live in a vital life-giving dependence upon his Spirit, when we deny this relationship, everything breaks down, even our ability to think.

Today we see this all around us. Those of us who accept the Bible’s testimony look at some of our government leaders, media figures, and even our neighbors and scratch our heads, wondering how they could be so blind and foolish. The answer is simple, they suppressed the truth about God and have become utter fools.

When Jesus walked the earth, the Bible says that “the Word became human.” (John 1:14 NLT) In other words, he was God’s truth in human form. Jesus confirmed this.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NLT)

Satan stands in complete opposition to the truth. He brought down all of humanity and the creation by enticing us to believe a lie about God. Jesus called the Devil the “father of lies,” (John 8:44) who came to kill, steal, and destroy. (John 10:10)

Lies have been the basis of Satan’s attack upon the human race since the Garden of Eden. Believing lies, therefore, is a sinful rejection of God.

Rejecting truth is a form of idolatry that permeates humanity. It is only as we come back into the orbit of God’s truth that we can be saved. Repentance is the process through which God helps us to do this.

Those who humbly embrace the Bible’s true testimony about Jesus will be saved.

Those who refuse pave their own road to hell. The apostle Paul wrote about this, with a specific reference to the end times.

This man [the antichrist] will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10  He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11  So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12  Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (NLT)

None of us knows precisely where we are in the end times, but we do know that each day brings us closer to Christ’s Second Coming. We also plainly see that deception is increasing all around us. The mainstream media has been engaged in mass deception and propaganda for years. Our schools teach little children that humans evolved, thus suppressing the truth about God the Creator. Our government and Hollywood seeks to normalize homosexuality.

The assault on truth is so pervasive that it is hard to know what to believe any more, unless we have the Bible as our anchor.

Truth suppression is the devil’s strategy to take as many people with him into the lake of fire as possible. Repentance and embracing the truth is our only hope.

Prayer

Perhaps you have never surrendered to Jesus, the Truth, or accepted God’s revealed truth in the Bible, but now you want to do that. Here is a sample prayer you might use to take care of business with God right now.

Jesus, I am worn out by trying to live apart from you. I admit that I need you. Today I surrender my life to you. Jesus, I acknowledge and receive you as the Truth, the Lord, and my Savior. I give you my life, my all. Please forgive my many sins. Spirit of God, help me to embrace your truth found in the Bible and help me to yield to your leading in my life from this time forward. Amen!

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