Today’s Post is by Special Guest, Pastor Ian Dizon, Worship Pastor, Calvary Aurora

Instagram: @ianisoverated
Twitter: @ianisoverrated

“Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” – John 4:39

My wife and I recently got invited to go to the rodeo. The evening at the rodeo was dedicated to the military, so they had some military themed events. At the end of the evening they had a video dedicated to the men and women who had lost their lives while serving oversees. It brought back to memory my friend David who had past away in 2008 while he was serving in army oversees. I never thought I would be spending an evening at the rodeo, definitely not an evening at the rodeo crying. But there I was, grieving the loss of my friend, but also crying because as I thought about David I remember that he was someone that God used in my life to bring change.

David became my friend when I was a part of different youth camps and gatherings. He was a bit younger than me so I didn’t really think we would become friends, but he became my friend nonetheless. He was someone that would always talk to me about Jesus, what Jesus was teaching him, the faithfulness of Jesus in his own life. I didn’t really share the same passion for Jesus as he did at the time.

In my teenage years I didn’t have relationship with Jesus. I knew who Jesus was because my parents taught me about Jesus, but I didn’t have a relationship with him. As I got to know David, every chance he had, he always talked to me about the Love of Jesus.

[Tweet ” I knew who Jesus was because my parents taught me, but I didn’t have a relationship with Him.”]

I ended up moving to the Philippines when I was 16, and actually gave my life to Jesus while I lived there. David and I remained friends and I was actually able to see him as he visited the Philippines on a mission trip.

In 2008, David was tragically killed while serving in the military. It was difficult news to hear. I know that he had an impact on every person’s life that was around him. He definitely had a huge impact on my life.

When I think about John 4, and the woman at the well, I always think about my friend David. As you read through this passage you see that Jesus needed to go through Samaria because He had business to do with the woman who would be there. He needed to tell her about “Living Water”, the water that He could give that would make her thirst no more. He would tell her about everything she was trying to hide about her life. He would tell her about himself, that He was the Messiah. Jesus would also share to his disciples that the harvest was ready, that many needed to know about this salvation that the Messiah would bring. The verse that really stand out to me personally is verse 39, it says that “Many believed” because of the word of this woman.

[Tweet “Jesus needed to go through Samaria because He had business to do with the woman.”]

My friend David had a huge impact on my life. But his impact doesn’t just end with me. He has now had a huge impact on my life, and my wife’s life, because David was someone God used to talk to me about the love of Jesus that transforms. David not only had an impact on my life, but also my son’s life because of the work Jesus is doing in my life.

[Tweet “My friend David had a huge impact on my life.”]

Just by his passion for Jesus, David has had an impact on my family, and in reality, everyone that I have the privilege of knowing and meeting because he was used to introduce me to Jesus.

Be passionate about Jesus. God will use you to see an entire generation changed because of His work. You never know how God can use you to impact someone’s life and those in their lives, like how God used my friend David in my life.

[Tweet “God will use you to see an entire generation changed because of His work.”]