Because of Jesus, you were made right with God. That means there’s no mess or mistake big enough to keep you from His mercy!

THANK YOU, FATHER.

WE BLESS THE NAME

OF JESUS, AMEN?

I WAS AT THE WORTHAM CENTER,

WATCHING A THEATRICAL PLAY

WITH ABOUT FIVE

OF MY FRIENDS.

WE HAD DECIDED TO GO

KIND OF AT THE LAST MINUTE,

AND OUR SEATS WERE WAY

BACK IN THE BACK.

THEY WEREN’T GOOD SEATS AT

ALL, SO THERE WAS FIVE OF US

IN BAD SEATS WITH ONE PAIR

OF BINOCULARS.

YEAH, THAT’S

REALLY INTERESTING.

ONE PAIR OF BINOCULARS

AMONG FIVE PEOPLE, YEAH.

I CAN REMEMBER WATCHING

THE PLAY, AND I FELT SO

DISCONNECTED FROM THE STORY

BECAUSE I REALLY COULDN’T SEE

THE STAGE WELL ENOUGH,

AND I DON’T KNOW IF YOU’RE

OVER 40 IN HERE TODAY,

BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU

CAN’T SEE, YOU FEEL LIKE

YOU CAN’T HEAR.

SO I WAS WAITING AND WAITING

AND WAITING FOR THOSE

BINOCULARS TO MAKE THEIR WAY

INTO MY HANDS,

AND WHEN THEY FINALLY DID,

I WAS SO EXCITED.

I PULLED THOSE BINOCULARS UP

TO MY FACE AND FOCUSED IN

ON THE STAGE,

AND IT WAS AMAZING.

I COULD SEE THE EXPRESSION

ON THE ACTORS’ FACES.

I COULD HEAR SO WELL.

IN FACT, I FELT LIKE I WAS ON

THE STAGE WITH THEM

AND PART OF THE STORY.

YOU SEE, MY PERSPECTIVE HAD

TOTALLY CHANGED BECAUSE

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN MY SEAT

AND THE STAGE WAS CLOSED.

SEE, ONCE WHICH WAS FAR AWAY

BECAME NEAR TO ME.

EPHESIANS 2:13 SAYS THIS:

“IN CHRIST, YOU WHO

WERE ONCE FAR AWAY

HAVE BEEN BROUGHT NEAR

BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.”

YOU SEE, WE’VE ALL BEEN

FAR AWAY FROM GOD.

WE’VE ALL EXPERIENCED

BAD SEATS, SO TO SPEAK,

BUT CAN I TELL YOU THIS,

THAT THROUGH THE BINOCULARS

OF JESUS CHRIST,

GOD HAS DRAWN US

NEAR TO HIM?

HE HAS CLOSED THE GAP BETWEEN

GOD THE FATHER AND US

THROUGH THE BINOCULARS

OF JESUS CHRIST.

SEE, GOD IS AN UP CLOSE

AND PERSONAL GOD TODAY,

AND HE WANTS TO DRAW

YOU UNTO HIMSELF.

HE WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT

THERE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE

DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU.

HE WANTS YOU TO KNOW TODAY

THAT THERE MAY BE 7 BILLION

PEOPLE ON THIS PLANET,

AND IT’S EASY TO THINK, “GOD,

OUT OF ALL THESE PEOPLE,

HOW DO YOU SEE

LITTLE OLD ME?

YOU’VE HEARD MY PRAYERS, GOD.

I FEEL LIKE THINGS AREN’T

CHANGING QUICK ENOUGH.

I’M STILL IN THIS SITUATION.

GOD, HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN,

OR CAN YOU EVEN SEE ME?”

WE’VE ALL HAD THOSE THOUGHTS.

WE’VE ALL FELT THAT DOUBT,

BUT THAT DOESN’T STOP GOD.

THAT DOESN’T CHASE GOD OFF.

GOD IS RIGHT THERE WITH US.

HE IS IN OUR STORY.

HE IS ON OUR STAGE.

WE’VE JUST GOT TO RECOGNIZE

THAT HE’S AS CLOSE

AS THE VERY BREATH

THAT WE BREATHE,

AND THAT THE DISTANCE

BETWEEN US HAS BEEN CLOSED

THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

YOU SEE, SOME PEOPLE THINK

THAT THEY NEED TO CHANGE

THEIR LIFE BEFORE THEY CAN

DRAW NEAR TO GOD.

THEY NEED TO CLEAN UP

A FEW THINGS.

YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES

JUST THE WAY WE LIVE

OUR LIFE MAKES US FEEL

DISTANT FROM ALMIGHTY GOD,

BUT CAN I TELL YOU TODAY

THAT YOU CAN’T CLEAN

YOUR OWN LIFE UP?

YOU CAN’T BRING

THE CHANGE THAT GOD WANTS

TO BRING IN YOUR LIFE

UNTIL YOU REALIZE

HE’S RIGHT THERE WITH YOU,

AND YOU ACCEPT HIM INTO YOUR

LIFE, AND YOU GO TO HIM DAILY

BECAUSE IT’S GOD WHO WORKS

IN US AND THROUGH US.

YOU SEE, THE GAP

HAS BEEN CLOSED.

THERE IS NOTHING THAT GOD

CANNOT DO FOR YOU

THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

THERE’S NO MESS THAT YOU MADE

THAT HE CAN’T HELP YOU

CLEAN UP.

THERE’S NOTHING ON THE INSIDE

OF YOU THAT WOULD MAKE YOU

DISTANT FROM GOD.

YOU SEE, HE LOVES YOU

JUST THE WAY YOU ARE.

IN FACT, THE BIBLE SAYS,

“WHEN WE WERE STILL SINNERS,

WE WERE FAR AWAY BECAUSE

THAT GAP WAS FULL OF SIN.

HE CAME TO US THROUGH

JESUS CHRIST.”

HE CAME TO US.

WE DIDN’T COME TO HIM.

TODAY, HE’S WITH YOU.

HE’S DRAWING YOU.

DON’T LET ANYTHING STAND

BETWEEN YOU AND GOD

THE FATHER.

HE WANTS A RELATIONSHIP

WITH YOU TODAY.

IT’S AS EASY AS THAT.

EVERY SINGLE DAY, NO MATTER

WHAT WE’RE CARRYING,

NO MATTER WHAT WE FEEL,

NO MATTER WHAT WE DID,

HE STILL WANTS A RELATIONSHIP

WITH YOU.

THERE’S A BEAUTIFUL STORY

IN JOHN 4.

JESUS WAS COMING FROM JUDEA

HEADING TO GALILEE WITH

HIS DISCIPLES.

HE SAID, “I HAVE NEED

TO GO TO SAMARIA.”

NOW, SAMARIA WAS

ON THE WAY TO GALILEE,

BUT JEWISH PEOPLE

NEVER GO THROUGH SAMARIA.

IN FACT, THEY WOULD TAKE

THE LONG WAY AROUND

JUST TO AVOID GOING

THROUGH SAMARIA

BECAUSE JEWS AND SAMARITANS

DIDN’T LIKE EACH OTHER.

THEY DIDN’T MIX,

BUT HE TOLD HIS DISCIPLE,

“I HAVE TO BREAK PROTOCOL.

I HAVE TO BREAK THE RULES.

I NEED TO GO TO SAMARIA.”

HE NEEDED TO GO TO SAMARIA

BECAUSE HE HAD AN APPOINTMENT

WITH A WOMAN AT THE WELL.

THE WOMAN CAME

WITH HER WATERING JAR.

THAT’S WHERE ALL THE WOMEN

CAME TO COLLECT WATER

FOR THEIR DAILY NEEDS.

SHE CAME WITH HER

WATERING JAR.

SHE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST

A NORMAL DAY.

SHE DID NOT REALIZE THAT

SHE HAD AN APPOINTMENT

WITH LIVING WATER.

SHE GOT THERE THAT DAY WITH

AN EARTHLY PERSPECTIVE.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD

AN EARTHLY PERSPECTIVE?

“I’M JUST GOING TO WORK.”

“I’M TAKING MY KIDS

TO SCHOOL.”

“I’M DOING THE DISHES.”

“I’M RUNNING MY ERRANDS.”

SHE CAME THAT DAY WITH

AN EARTHLY PERSPECTIVE.

SHE DIDN’T REALIZE SHE

WAS GOING TO LEAVE WITH

A HEAVENLY PERSPECTIVE.

YOU SEE, JESUS DREW HER

UNTO HIMSELF.

SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS

JUST DRAWING WATER,

SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE

A TEMPORARY FIX FOR

THE DAY, BUT HE OFFERED

HER SOMETHING GREATER

THAN THAT.

HE OFFERED HER LIVING WATER.

SO SHE GOT A LITTLE CLOSER

TO HIM.

NOW, YOU HAVE TO REALIZE,

THIS WOMAN CAME

TO THE WELL AT NOON,

AND THE STORY IS THIS.

SHE WANTED TO AVOID

THE OTHER WOMEN

THAT CAME IN THE MORNING

AT THE COOL OF THE DAY,

SO SHE SAID, “I DON’T CARE

IF IT’S HOT.

I WANT TO GET IN,

AND I WANT TO GET OUT.

I WANT TO AVOID THE WOMEN

AT THE WELL.

I WANT TO STAY TO MYSELF.

I WANT TO STAY ISOLATED.”

YOU SEE, THE ENEMY

WANTS US TO BE ISOLATED,

BUT JESUS SAID,

“YOU DON’T HAVE

TO BE ISOLATED.

I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU

THIS GIFT OF LIVING WATER,”

AND AS THEY BEGIN

TO HAVE A CONVERSATION,

HE SAID TO HER,

“GO GET YOUR HUSBAND.”

SHE PAUSED AND SHE SAID,

“I DON’T HAVE A HUSBAND,”

AND HE SAID,

“THAT’S THE TRUTH.”

HE SAID, “YOU’VE HAD FIVE

HUSBANDS, AND THE MAN

THAT YOU’RE WITH NOW

IS NOT YOUR HUSBAND.”

WELL, THAT REALLY GOT HER

ATTENTION BECAUSE SHE’S

THINKING, “THIS GUY

KNOWS ALL ABOUT ME,

AND HE’S STILL TALKING TO ME.

HEY, THERE’S PEOPLE THAT

THINK A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT

ME, AND THEY WON’T TALK

TO ME, BUT THIS GUY

KNOWS THE TRUTH,

AND HE STILL WANTS TO HAVE

A CONVERSATION WITH ME?

HE STILL WANTS TO GIVE ME

THIS LIVING WATER?”

BECAUSE, SEE, SHE THOUGHT

HE WAS GOING TO SAY, “OH,

YOU DON’T HAVE A HUSBAND?

MM-HMM, I KNOW,

FORGET THE LIVING WATER.

YOU DON’T DESERVE

THE LIVING WATER.

YOU’RE NOT LIVING RIGHT.

ONLY PERFECT PEOPLE DESERVE

THE LIVING WATER.”

BUT JESUS SAID, “WHEN YOU

DRINK FROM THIS WATER,

FROM THIS FOUNTAIN,

YOU’LL NEVER THIRST AGAIN.”

YOU SEE, HE WAS GIVING HER

A HEAVENLY PERSPECTIVE.

SHE DIDN’T UNDERSTAND

ALL OF WHAT HE WAS SAYING,

BUT SHE CERTAINLY

GOT TO KNOW HIM A LITTLE

BETTER AND REALIZE,

“THIS MAN IS DIFFERENT.

THIS MAN IS DRAWING ME

UNTO HIMSELF.

THIS MAN IS

BREAKING PROTOCOL.

THIS MAN IS OFFERING ME

LIVING WATER.”

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I LOVE

ABOUT THIS MAN, JESUS?

WE CAN COME TO HIM

JUST LIKE WE ARE.

YOU SEE, HE HAD A NEED

TO GO TO THIS WOMAN,

AND HE BROKE PROTOCOL

TO GET TO HER.

JESUS HAS A NEED

TO GET TO YOU.

HE IS OFFERING YOU LIVING

WATER, BUT ALL WE HAVE

TO DO IS SAY YES

AND DRINK THAT WATER.

YOU SEE, SHE CAME TO THE

REALIZATION THAT THIS WAS

THE MESSIAH OFFERING

HER SALVATION.

HER PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT

THE MESSIAH FOR YEARS.

SHE LITERALLY LEFT THERE

AND RAN TO THE TOWN SQUARE,

THE PEOPLE SHE WAS TRYING

TO AVOID, GOT RIGHT IN THE

MIDDLE OF THEM, AND STARTED

SAYING, “COME MEET A MAN THAT

KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT ME,

AND HE STILL LIKES ME.

IN FACT, HE LOVES ME.

YOU’VE GOT TO COME SEE

THIS MAN.

MIGHT HE BE THE MESSIAH

BECAUSE HE SURE

ISN’T LIKE YOU?”

YOU SEE, THE BIBLE GOES

ON ABOUT JESUS TALKING

ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WILL BE

WORSHIPERS, WORSHIPERS

IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.

THAT’S WHO GOD IS SEEKING,

AND WHAT I WANT US TO SEE

TODAY, THAT GOD IS LOOKING

AT US THROUGH HIS BINOCULARS

OF JESUS.

THE DISTANCE THAT WAS ONCE

THERE, HE’S BROUGHT US CLOSE.

HE HASN’T BROUGHT US CLOSE

BECAUSE WE’RE PERFECT,

BECAUSE WE DO

EVERYTHING RIGHT.

HE’S LOOKING FOR PEOPLE

WHO WILL WORSHIP HIM

IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.

WHEN SHE SPOKE TRUTH TO HIM,

HE SAID, “THAT’S RIGHT,”

AND THEN SHE CONTINUED

TO WORSHIP HIM.

SHE CONTINUED TO GET CLOSE

TO HIM BECAUSE SHE

DIDN’T FEEL JUDGEMENT.

SHE DIDN’T FEEL CONDEMNED,

AND HE SAID, “THESE ARE

THE PEOPLE I’M LOOKING FOR,

PEOPLE THAT’LL DRAW CLOSE

TO ME IN ALL OF THE TRUTH OF

WHO THEY ARE, PEOPLE WHO WILL

TAKE THIS LIVING WATER

AND LET IT QUENCH THEM

EVERY SINGLE DAY.”

SEE, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT

“WE ARE TO WORK OUT

OUR SALVATION.”

SEE, WHEN YOU SAY YES

TO JESUS, YOU MAY BE SAVED,

BUT YOU’VE GOT SOME JUNK

IN YOU THAT NEEDS

TO BE WORKED OUT,

AND GOD IS SAYING,

“THIS LIVING WATER

IS AVAILABLE TO YOU

EVERY SINGLE DAY.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO RUN

FROM ME.

YOU CAN RUN TO ME.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO TRY

TO QUENCH YOUR THIRST

BY GOING TO OTHER PEOPLE,

BY BAD HABITS,

BY THINGS OF THIS WORLD

HAS TO OFFER.

COME TO ME AND LET

THE LIVING WATER,

WHICH WILL BUBBLE UP

OUT OF YOU BE THE POOL

OF REFRESHING FOR YOU,

FOR YOUR THIRSTY SOUL.”

LISTEN, IF YOU’VE BEEN IN

THIS WORLD LONG ENOUGH,

YOU REALIZE YOU CAN GET

THIRSTY MIGHTY QUICK.

LISTEN, THERE’S A LOT

OF THIRST GOING ON,

BUT JESUS SAID,

“WHEN YOU DRINK

FROM THIS LIVING WATER,

IT WILL BE

A CONTINUAL SPRING.

IT WILL WASH YOU.

IT WILL WASH AWAY THE DESIRES

THAT YOU REALLY DON’T WANT

ANYMORE ANYWAY.”

BUT YOU’VE GOT TO BE

THAT PERSON WHO IS WILLING

TO WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT,

HIS SPIRIT,

AND IN THE TRUTH OF WHO

YOU ARE, THE TRUTH

OF WHO YOU ARE BECOMING.

YOU SEE, WHEN YOU ARE

ONE WITH HIM,

WHICH YOU ARE, THE BIBLE

SAYS THAT “HE MADE

THE TWO OUT OF ONE,”

JESUS AND US BECAME ONE.

HE IS THE BINOCULAR THAT GOD

IS LOOKING AT US THROUGH.

HE DOESN’T SEE YOUR FAILURES.

HE DOESN’T SEE YOUR MISTAKES.

HE SEES YOU IN JESUS CHRIST.

HE SEES YOU AS RIGHTEOUS.

HE SEES YOU AS WHO YOU ARE.

LISTEN, DON’T LET YOUR

EARTHLY PERSPECTIVE KEEP YOU

FROM LETTING THAT REFRESHING

COME TO YOU EVERY DAY,

BECAUSE WITHIN YOU IS

A HEAVENLY PERSPECTIVE.

YOU’VE JUST GOT TO LATCH

ON TO IT.

YOU’VE GOT TO TAKE HOLD OF

IT, AND YOU’VE GOT TO KNOW

THAT GOD IS WORKING IN YOU

TO WILL AND TO DO

HIS GOOD PLEASURE.

LISTEN, YOU DON’T NEED

ANYTHING BUT JESUS CHRIST.

JESUS CHRIST

AND JESUS CHRIST ALONE

IS GOING TO CHANGE

YOUR LIFE.

SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU,

JUST LIKE THAT WOMAN,

YOU NEED TO COME AND DRINK

OF THE LIVING WATER.

DON’T TRY TO CLEAN

YOURSELF UP FIRST.

LET GOD DO THE WORK IN YOU.

LET HIM WORK OUT THOSE THINGS

THAT YOU SO DESPERATELY

WANT TO GET RID OF,

AND YOU WILL ENJOY

THAT HEAVENLY PERSPECTIVE,

AND GOD WILL GET YOU

TO EVERYWHERE THAT YOU

NEED TO BE, AMEN?

HE’S AN AWESOME GOD.