EN HAKKORE – THE CALLER'S SPRING

Time with Jesus - 18 Sept 2013

Hi all,

Several of my school friends were passionately interested in Motor cars (automobiles). They could look at the cars passing in the street and could not only identify them, but come up with a list of other information with which I was totally unfamiliar. They had more enthusiasm about cars than me. They probably knew this far better than I did. 

1940 Plymouth

Most of the motor car manufacturers during the war had been instructed to provide war related equipment. So they had switched to something else. Then, after the war, when they returned to manufacturing cars, they found that their designs were not really up to date. 

No doubt some of us will remember the old style cars were a bit like a bubble. Not exactly round. More like a “sausage” is perhaps a better way to put it. Then, in the 1950’s, the change was toward a long sleek car with fins at the back; not terribly practical, but more appealing to the eye. Add to this chrome bumpers, stripes on the sides of the car and whitewall tyres, you get something like the era of the cars driven by James Dean in “Rebel Without a Cause”. The cars in the movie were an odd mixture of both.

In a way, James Dean and Samson were similar. James Dean was one of the up and coming “Giants” of Hollywood’s movie industries. It’s possible that he might have become exactly that, if he hadn’t died tragically in a motor car accident. 

Samson is what might be called the “super-hero”, the “Giant” of the book of Judges. Strangely, he wasn’t a muscle-bound Charles Atlas. He looked very ordinary. His strength didn’t come from his own muscles. It came from the Spirit of God. In this regard, if the Spirit of the Lord came upon any man woman or child to give them strength, the achievements of Samson might be regarded as rather ordinary. 

The Fall of Dagon's Temple
Courtesy Samson empowered
by the Holy Spirit

Samson also died tragically albeit at his own request. He prayed and asked God to strengthen him one last time. In God’s strength, he brought down the temple of Dagon and died doing so. Was this God honouring? Yes! Sadly, it also ended Samson’s life. Who knows what might have happened if Samson and James Dean had lived longer?

As Christians, we often tend to forget that The Holy Spirit is also God; a member of the Holy Trinity. Certain “Christian Sects” don’t believe this. They say He is a hugely powerful force. Certainly He is powerful. Actually He is infinitely powerful. Please don’t think I’m being irreverent if I suggest He's the “engine” in the Trinity.

However, it’s difficult to find anything in creation to illustrate His unique and special role in the Godhead. Speaking with Nicodemus in John 3, Jesus commented about the Holy Spirit, ⁸ You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it's headed next. That's the way it is with everyone 'born from above' by the wind of God, the Spirit of God." John 3:8 MSG

Later, speaking to the woman at the well in John 4 He said, ¹⁴ Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst-not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life." John 4:14 MSG

From this we see that although He has and is power, He is so much more! In fact using any illustration to help us with our understanding of God, is not always helpful. In this respect, trying to get a better understanding of God is something like a man born blind, trying to describe a beautiful sunset, to someone who has also always been blind.

To return to the topic of motor cars and the Lord again, the Christian life could be considered similar to the proper running of a four cylinder engine. By this I mean that for the car to run properly, it needs to be firing on all four cylinders. An engine can run on three cylinders only, but it doesn’t go very well. It may operate on two cylinders. To operate on one – forget it.

In this regard there are four initial steps required to get the Christian life (the car) going. These are:

1)     Repent toward God. i.e. To get off the broad road and onto the narrow road.

2)     Believe in Jesus by trusting Him to do what He says He will do and committing yourself to obey Him.

3)         Be baptised in water as a burial of our old life which we now consider as dead. Something like a bath to get clean for the new life ahead. (Dead to the old and alive to the new)

4)         Receive the Holy Spirit by consciously being filled to overflowing, usually through the mouth.

Based on David Pawson’s Book, “The Normal Christian Life”

Ideally the sequence should be as described above. However, provided you have taken all these steps, you will be firing on all four cylinders. There are those who would disagree with all these steps. They are free to do so. 

What I can say from 50 years’ experience is that those who have been through all four steps are usually the Christians who are the most enthusiastic about Jesus Christ. To be frank, there is no other way to live. Without all four steps, I doubt if Phyllida and I would still be on “The Way”.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

The Caller's Spring
A Well that Never Runs Dry

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 18 Sept. 2013			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
©	These devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it is for non-commercial Christian purposes					©
	INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	EN HAKKORE – THE CALLER'S SPRING
How good are you at languages? My English is fairly good. My Afrikaans is tolerable. That’s where it ends. A couple of French words, a word or two of Arabic. No African language other than Afrikaans. On the other hand we find that our black brothers and sisters speak many languages. Rev Joe Mpanza, the Methodist Church Circuit Superintendent in Worcester, was fairly fluent in seven languages. He spoke English very well and could get by in Afrikaans. The other five languages were all African languages. He was an amazing man and both of us loved him. Many of our illiterate black people in South Africa can converse in more than one language. In some regards, we envy them. I’m ashamed to say that although I’ve lived in RSA for some 64 years, I’ve never learned anything other than English and Afrikaans. Phyllida is likewise challenged in African indigenous languages. As a man who loves the Bible, I deeply regret not having learned Hebrew and Greek. This means I’m dependent on Bible translations for understanding the content. Fortunately, I’ve got “Strong’s numbers” on my computer. It’s a big help, but can never be as good as being able to read the word in Hebrew and Greek. I understand that in the past, people would insist on reading the Greek New Testament and the Hebrew Old Testament. That doesn’t seem to be the case today. It may well have something to do with the fact that up until the mid-1960’s, we only had the KJV in UK. The American Standard version and the American Revised Version were not found all that often in UK. I cut my teeth on the KJV. Is this a limitation? I don’t think so. Most later translations are based on unreliable manuscripts. In the Old Testament, we are often given the name of the place, the meaning of the name and the reason why that name was given. Strong tells us the name En-Hakkore should be pronounced, “ane hak-ko-ray” meaning “The Fountain Of One Calling”; Poetic license allows me to pronounce it “en ha-core” for rhyming purposes. It is the story of a desperate Samson, crying out and asking God for water in his battle with the Philistines. God gave him a spring from a split rock. A spring that to this day still flows. In today’s meditation, I’ve used this as a type and shadow of Jesus promising the Holy Spirit to all who ask. In particular I used the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. In it I’ve tried to compare the one event with the other. There are remarkable similarities. Samson cried out to the living God for water for his thirst. God “split the rock” and gave him an “everlasting supply of natural water”. Today Jesus splits our hardened hearts of rock. He gives us a heart of flesh and causes the Spirit to flow from us in an everlasting stream. It’s a fascinating comparison. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			19 So God split open the rock basin in Lehi; water gushed out and Samson drank. His spirit revived--he was alive again! That's why it's called En Hakkore (Caller's Spring). It's still there at Lehi today. Judges 15:19 MSG	“En Hakkore” – the Caller's spring – The rock the Lord God split. The basin there In “Lehi” was changed a little bit. Water started gushing out; and Samson drank his fill. He’d called to God; God answered, spring water is there still! God answers those who call on Him when they are parched and dry. But He gives living water, from Jesus Christ Most High. It isn’t just a little bit; it’s far more than we need. The Holy Spirit comes on us and we are “filled” indeed. This miracle for Samson, He’ll do for me and you. The Holy Spirit comes on us and fills us through and through. He is the “living water” Who flows from deep inside. He “splits” our hardened hearts of rock so that they “open wide”! A softened, lovely “heart of flesh” is put into its place; And people may now walk with Him, through Jesus and His grace. The woman from Samaria just couldn’t comprehend, That “water” was available which only He could send. Not just a little trickle, to only whet her taste. But Living Water Rivers, the Holy Spirit placed; And caused to live within her. She would be “dry” no more. She’d have the very “Life of God’; an everlasting store, Flowing from the spirit to all who would believe. She’d only have to ask the Lord and surely, she’d receive. She’d be a bit like Samson; the well at “En Hakkore”, Gave the needed water that he was desperate for. That water was still flowing; that rock was split in twain. And those who come to “En Hakkore” need never thirst again. But here we have a difference. What if your spirit’s dry? You only have to call on Him. His Spirit would supply, Enough to last a lifetime; a never ending store, Of “water” from His Spirit and you will “thirst” no more! None of this could happen before the Spirit came. But still this precious lady has earned eternal fame. In spite of limitations, the town was won for Christ. Her meeting with the Saviour, we understand sufficed. The people went to meet Him. That’s all we need to do. Tell them of His Spirit, Who lives inside of you. They can be adopted into God’s family. Cry out “Father, “Papa God”, Lord come and rescue me. Like Samson I am dying. I call upon your name. Father, please forgive my sin. I’ll never be the same. Come and be my En Hakkore, A well that’s never dry. Filled with Your Holy Spirit, until the day I die. Jim Strickland Written 18th Sept. 2012.
			10 Jesus replied, "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
			37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to Me! 38 Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" 39 (When He said "living water," He was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in Him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into His glory.) John 7:37-39 NLT
			10 Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple. Test me in this and see if I don't open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams. Malachi 3:10 MSG
			13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11:13 TNIV
			9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; those who seek find; and to those who knock, the door will be opened. Luke 11:9-10 TNIV
			6 You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, "Papa! Father!" Galatians 4:6 MSG
			15 You haven't received the spirit of slaves that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the spirit of God's adopted children by which we call out, "Abba! Father!" Romans 8:15 GW