The Watering Hole

 

[22] But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. [23] For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. [24] You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. [25] But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. James 1:22-25 NLT

After church and a delicious Pastor Appreciation brunch yesterday Cecelia and I drove to Harriman to be part of a unique ministry. A friend of mine, Kasey Stout has a ministry called The Watering Hole. On Sunday afternoons he sets up on the side of Roan State Hwy and the Clinch River and has church. He started it almost a year ago when he said the Lord told him to go to the river and baptize people who came to him. He obeyed. He put it on Facebook that he would be there between 1-3 Sunday afternoons. First couple of weeks not many came, but soon God began to draw people there for salvation, prayer, encouragement and obedience. 

Yesterday was the 43rd Sunday of the Watering Hole and Kasey had invited me to preach. By the time I got there, there were about 30 people who came for the service. Some brought food to feed the people who came. Several people were under a canopy kneeling at a prayer altar that had been set up. Two people were scheduled to be baptized at the end of the service, but Kasey gave the invitation after I preached and two other people came for salvation and another woman came for baptism (she had been saved at home, but drove two hours to be baptized at the Watering Hole). In all two people professed faith in Christ and a total of five were baptized in the river.  It was evident the Spirit of the Lord was there. 

Kasey is a Corrections Officer at the prison where I teach for Carson Newman. We met about a year ago and a friendship started. Kasey is a genuine person and a passionate follower of the Lord. I have seen him witness to and pray with inmates, other CO's, and staff at the prison. I've followed him on Facebook and he is always involved in sharing the gospel and serving others in any way he can. During the recent storms and flooding in our area, on his own time, Kasey gathered people, donations and supplies and delivered them to some of the most hard hit areas. 

When I read the passage in James 1 about not just hearing the word but doing the word, I think of Kasey and The Watering Hole. By faith, he obeyed what God was telling him to do, and God has done some amazing things. Lives have been changed because he and others are there. He has been an inspiration to me of what it looks like when someone hears what God is telling him to do, and does it without knowing what the outcome will be. In reality, Kasey is living the normal Christian life. What would our world look like if the rest of us followers of Jesus listened for what God is telling us to do, and then just did it? I have a feeling it would be a lot better world, and God would be glorified!

Hit the Ground Running

Most Mondays I try to send a men's text group a word of encouragement to start their day and week. here is the encouragament from this past Monday: 

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,  I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:13-14 NLT

There is an African proverb that says:

"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."

The apostle Paul understood the importance of "running" but his goal wasn't to survive, his goal was to attain "the prize", to fulfill the calling God placed on his life, and to draw closer to Jesus.

We are all "running" this race called life, but what (or who)  are you running for? Are you running just to survive, or are you running for the glory of the Lord? Let go of the past and "press" toward Christ.

Praying you have a blessed week as you run the race of your life. 

"But God"

 

2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil... 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) Ephesians 2:2-5 NLT

The semicolon is a period on top of a comma. In writing, the semicolon is used to connect two independent but relatable thoughts. The semicolon represents a decision by the writer to continue the sentence where it could have been ended. 

I have often seen people with semicolon tattoos or wearing shirts or jewelry with a semicolon. When you see a person with a semicolon it often symbolizes that the person has overcome difficult challenges or hardships and is moving forward in their lives. The wearer could have given up and perhaps even ended their lives, but decided to overcome and move forward. The semicolon represents a continuation where an end was likely.

In Ephesians 2 Paul is reminding his readers that their lives were once on a dead end path. They, and all of us, were dead in our trespasses and sins. There was nothing we could do about it; dead people can't change their situation. But God stepped in and changed all of that. The One who is overflowing with mercy, because He loved us so much, stepped into our hopeless, dead end lives and raised us from the dead, giving us life, hope, peace, joy and so much more. The "But God" is God's semicolon; it represents a continuation where and end was likely. 

God has always been a "But God" kind of God. Consider these "But God" Scriptures: 

(Joseph said to his brothers) You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. Genesis 50:20

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26

When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead . . .  Acts 13:29-30

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able . . . 1 Corinthians 10:13

"But God" are two of the best words to hear in a story. If you’re in a season where you are waiting on God, encourage your faith by reading through and meditating on these "But God" Scriptures, and let God continue to write your story. 

Lessons in Prayer

 15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

Ephesians 1:15-16

We are studying Ephesians verse-by-verse on Wednesday evenings at church. We are in week three of chapter one 😄. Chapter one is basically one long prayer that Paul is praying for the believers at Ephesus (in fact, verses 3-14 is one long sentence!) The prayer is in the form of a benediction or words of blessing. Last night we talked about verses 15-18, which is a continuation of the benediction, and three things really struck me: 

1. Paul's prayer is very positive and affirming. Of course he is writing his prayer knowing it is going to be read to the church (or churches), so it would make sense that he would start out on a positive note. But I think that's the way Paul probably prayed all the time - positive and affirming. It made me think about my praying, and honestly much of my praying is grumbling and complaining about things that are bothering me, or things I want the Lord to fix. That needs to change. I don't like it when people complain to me all the time, I can't imagine it is much of a blessing to the Lord when I do it to Him. 

2. Paul's prayer is other-people centered. Again, he's writing a prayer that will be read to a church, so this makes sense. But, as I reflect on my praying, I usually start with me, my needs and wants, and my problems. Later down the line I'll mention others that I am praying for, but it is usually as I am wrapping things up. How different would my prayer life be if I started by praying for others first?

3. Paul's prayer is focused on the spiritual rather than the physical. The first part of his prayer (vs. 3-14) is focused on reminding them who they are and what they have in Christ. He reminds them of the gospel that they had received and how Jesus saved and sealed them in Christ. And then in the second part of his prayer (15-23) he is praying that they would know God at a deeper level, and know all the spiritual blessings they have in Him. He's praying for their spiritual growth. 

Again, when I think about my own praying, it is too often focused on material things, both for myself and the few other people I pray for - physical healing, financial needs met, jobs, relationships. Nothing wrong with praying for those things, but should those physical needs take precedence over the spiritual lives of those I pray for? 

When it comes to prayer (and many other things) I am a work in progress, but thankfully the Lord never gives up on me, and He is always challenging me to grow in my praying ... and He is you too.