Christ’s Transforming Power - Stressing the Rails - October 24, 2023, Stressing the Rails with Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr. - Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church with Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr.

Christ’s Transforming Power - Stressing the Rails - October 24, 2023

October 24, 2023

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FROM PASTOR WESLEY October 24, 2023

Christ’s Transforming Power

Those who have a personal encounter with Christ are permanently and radically changed.

There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, ``Give Me a drink." Therefore, the Samaritan woman said to Him, ``How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman? Jesus answered and said to her, ``If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, `Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." She said to Him, ``Sir, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? Jesus answered and said to her, ``Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." The woman said to Him, ``Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw." He said to her, ``Go, call your husband and come here." The woman answered and said, ``I have no husband." Jesus said to her, ``You have correctly said, `I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly." The woman said to Him, ``Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. ``Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Jesus said to her, ``Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. ``You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. ``But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. ``God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to Him, ``I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us." Jesus said to her, ``I who speak to you am He. " At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, ``What do You seek?" or, ``Why do You speak with her?" So, the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men, ``Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?" They went out of the city, and were coming to Him. John 4:7-30

Ephesians 2:1-2 says that before salvation, we all are spiritually dead. But when a person places faith in Christ, he or she becomes a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Nowhere is this more evident than in the life of the woman at the well, recorded for us in today’s passage.

Before Jesus came to Sychar, the Samaritan woman’s life was challenging, to say the least. She was not fully welcome in her community, as evidenced by the fact she was going to draw water during the hottest part of the day, long after others had done so. It’s easy to imagine her walking with her head down and eyes averted, hoping to get what she needed without calling attention to herself.

However, she and Jesus spoke directly—a surprising departure from cultural norms of the time—and what He revealed changed everything. After learning of the living water Christ offered, she no longer ran away from others. Instead, she went right to them to share the amazing news (vv. 28-30). What a transformation! Salvation came to her in a moment when she least expected it, and the same can be true for people in our day.

Listen to Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr. on OnePlace.com
Watch Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr. on LightSource.com

Featured Offer

Sooo You Want To Be Married?

This is Dr. Michael Wesley, Sr.'s latest book on the subject of marriage. As a Pastor he has counseled many couples before, during, and after marriage so this has given him keen insight into the marital relationship. He himself has been married to the same woman for over 40 years so he has a wealth of knowledge on this subject. In this book Dr. Wesley covers that marriage comes from God, the keys to compatibility, the keys to staying in love, and even what to do if you feel you have married the wrong person. This is an excellent read if you are considering marriage in the future or even if you are currently married.

About Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr.

Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr. is a native of Birmingham, Alabama where he was educated in the public school system. He graduated from Tennessee State University, Nashville,Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education. He received a Master’s Degree in Music Education; a Class A certification in School Principal ship and the Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. In addition, Dr. Wesley received a Bible Diploma and Bible Certification from Birmingham Baptist Bible College. He completed the Beeson Institute for Advanced Church Leadership Program from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. Dr. Wesley earned the Doctor of Ministry Degree from Louisiana Baptist University and Theological Seminary in Shreveport, Louisiana May 2006.

Dr. Wesley retired in 2003 after a brilliant 26-year career as an educator in the Birmingham Public Schools. He served as a teacher, assistant principal and principal of three different schools (Powderly Elementary; Arrington Middle and was the first African American principal of Woodlawn High School). He served on the Central Office staff as Extended Day Principal and Coordinator of Safe and Drug Free Schools.

Dr. Wesley is regularly sought after to speak in both schools and churches. He has had the privilege of speaking across the nation and in several foreign countries. His spiritual gifts of teaching and preaching are well documented. He is a member of many organizations. His civic and professional associations are too numerous to mention.

Most recent is the evidence of his leadership, occurred with the completion of a multimillion dollar edifice and education facility located in the heart of the West End community.

Dr. Wesley is currently the pastor of the Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in the West End community where he has given thirty years of service. He has a great love for people and for learning.

He is married to the former Venita Burkes, and is the father of two sons, Rev. Michael Wesley Jr. and James Edward, one grandson and two granddaughters.

Dr. Wesley is the author of three books, When God Changes A Church, Everybody Deserves A Good Funeral and Reaching the Unchurched_Pathway to Church Growth.

Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church

Dr. Michael W. Wesley Sr.