NOTES:

What is the belief of the skeptic?

How did Pastor Paul respond?

How would you respond?

Prayer Requests
Y Vance Harris (relative of Pastor Paul)
was scheduled to have bypass surgery
this week.
Y Pray for Fon Tse as he starts the most
challenging phase of his life.
Y Leon (Rochelle Carricks uncle) and
family, as his wife Nancy passed away
09/26.
Y Jim (friend of Ginnelle Edgett) started
chemo treatment. Pray for strength.
Y Pray for Paul Edgetts back pain as it
continues to get worse. Pray the care
he receives helps and allows him to
get stronger.
Y Donna (friend of Heather Butterfield)
pray for success and to be healed
following her surgery.
Y Rosie Johnson (Heather Butterfield
friend) has stage 3 cancer (guardian
for a 1st grader). Pray for miracle and
healing.
Y Donald (son of John & Gloria Ivers) who
is dealing with severe depression and
anxiety.
Y Kate H. (friend of Sally Leitch, whose
kids are playmates of Owen & Miles
Leitch) as she enters hospice due to
brain cancer.
Y Dan Johnsons (Jason Blairs bass
player/friend) wife Robyn was
diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in her
Liver.
Y Mike Malinovsky (Joe Malinovskys
brother) is suffering with advanced
cancer.
Y Karen Halloway (friend of Gloria Ivers)
has pancreatic cancer.
Y Scott Berg (relative of Rochelle Carrick)
has cancer.
Y Bill Ward (friend of Pastor Paul) who
was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Y Sandee Landsburg (Pastor Pauls
friend) who suffers with cancer.
Y Pray for Ruthann Coburn as she lives
with health issues.
Y Donna McCullen (wife of Ken McCullen)
as she lives with cancer.

Chain of Lakes Church

10130 Davenport Street NE
Blaine, MN 55449
763-208-8049
www.colpres.org

Weekly Devotion
This past week Pastor Paul preached from
the story of the woman at the well (John
4). This week we have the opportunity to
go deeper into the story. Well read a
portion of it every day this week.
This is a foundational story in the
Scriptures. As you read the story this
week think, reflect and pray how this story
reveals the love of Jesus Christ. And think
about what it teaches us about following
Jesus in a skeptical culture.
Enjoy! Comments about the devotion can
be E-mailed to pastor@colpres.org

Monday, October 12
Read John 4:1-6
The Pharisees discovered that Jesus was
having significant success in baptizing
people and making discipleseven though
Jesus wasnt doing the baptizing. Despite
his success Jesus wanted to leave that
place and travel to a Samaritan place
called Sychar.
In reading this part of the story it seems
that Jesus was not intending to travel to
Sychar, but conditions forced him to do it.
Traveling to Sychar was plan B.

2
When we live out the love of Jesus with
another person, we often have to be ready
for plan B. We can try to have a plan,
but often our plans are disrupted. Whats
important is we are ready to have an
encounter with someone. We never know
when an opportunity will come up for us
to display the love of Jesus. Our task is to
be open and ready for an event that we
cannot even plan ahead of time.
Pray today that you will be open to an
opportunity.

Tuesday, October 13
Read John 4:7-15
The women started out skeptical of Jesus.
Her skepticism mirrors the skepticism of
many people in our culture. Some think
that she came in the middle of the day so
that she wouldnt have to come across
other folks who came to the well earlier in
the day. When the woman first came
across Jesus she didnt understand how he
a Jew would ask her, a Samaritan, for
water.
Jesus didnt care about these barriers. He
was interested in sharing living water.
Everyone who drinks of this [living] water
will be thirsty again, but those who drink
of the water that I will give them will
never be thirsty. The water that I will give
will become in them a spring of water
gushing up to eternal life. (verses 13b14)
When the woman became aware of this
living water she became interested in
Jesus. Just as when people become
aware of Gods love they become more
interested in the church. Our task is not
to talk about the church necessarily, but

instead share Gods love. Even skeptics

are interested in this living water.

with Jesus. She couldnt help but talk

about it.

Wednesday, October 14
Read John 4:16-26

Think about a time in your life when you

experienced the love of God in a very
moving way. These stories are the ones
that were called to share. These stories
are so moving that we cant help but
share them.

When Jesus had the womans attention

they started talking about their beliefs.
Notice they didnt talk about beliefs first
they first talked about living water.
Everyone who we meet has beliefs about
Godeven atheists have beliefs about
God. When we do talk about beliefs our
task is not necessarily to win an argument
for God; instead its to share what we
believe. We dont need to worry that we
might say the wrong thing. Our task is to
share what we believeeven if we are not
comfortable in our own knowledge.
The Samaritans believed the people had
to worship on Mount Gerizim. Jesus
responded by saying that this belief was
so limiting. Once a person experienced
living water it didnt matter where they
worshipped. The experience of living
water would far surpass a persons belief.

Thursday, October 15
Read John 4:27-30
When the disciples came to the well they
were astounded by what they saw. A Jew
was not supposed to talk to a Samaritan;
a man was not supposed to talk to a
woman. Jesus wasnt concerned about
letting these barriers prevent him from
sharing living water.
The womans response gives us a clue to
how we can share faith. She had
experienced something in her encounter

Take a moment to remember some of

these times. Be ready to share them at
appropriate moments.

Friday, October 16
Read John 4:31-38
When the disciples came back they
became concerned about Jesus physical
needs. The disciples had gone to the
village to get some food. They knew that
Jesus hadnt eaten and assumed that he
was very hungry.
Though Jesus was probably hungry, he
was focused on something far different
the food that was going to sustain him.
This food was the way of Abba, father.
Take a moment to reflect on how you are
sustained by the way of Abba. How are
you at being sustained by this love? It is
our Core!

Saturday, October 17
Read John 4:39-42
When the woman went to her village she
shared a story of what God had done for
her. The cliff notes version of this story is
in verse 29 and again in verse 39, He
told me everything I have ever done.

2
Faith is more than a set of doctrines that
we learn in our mind. Faith is knowing our
own story. On Thursday you were
encouraged to reflect on a time when you
experienced the love of God in a very
moving way. Today reflect on a time when
you saw the love of God work in another
persons life in a moving way. Visualize
that experience in your mind. Reflect and
pray over it.