Outpour Magazine - January 2021 Issue by Outpour Magazine

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OUTPOUR MAGAZINE FOUNDER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Krystion Nelson COPY EDITOR Bryndle Bottoms CONTENT EDITOR Joy Shamberger CREATIVE DESIGN EDITOR Donald Currie, 12/24 Media FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHER Ty Francis, Ty Francis Media FEATURE MAKEUP ARTISTRY Tavia Jackson, Tavia J Beauty

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THEOLOGY EDITOR Ronald Obie SOCIAL MEDIA GRAPHICS Justice Zimmerman Jan. 2021 CONTRIBUTORS Darrell Burston Sheila McIntyre DeVona Reese Melissa Tate-Scruse Ronald Obie Published by Issuu Inc. Cover/Article pictures: Envato Elements/Canva CONTACT info@outpourmagazine.com Outpour Magazine, Jan. 2021 (c) All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible.

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Letter from Editor Krystion Nelson Founder & Editorial Director

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!! If you are reading this, that means you’ve made it to see 2021! Hallelujah! That alone is enough to give God praise! But I know it hasn’t been easy - for anyone. We are still in the midst of a pandemic vaccine or not. And people are just plain tired - of losing loved ones, of sitting at home, of wearing masks, of losing jobs, or of virtual school. I’m right there with you. But let’s not take this moment for granted the ushering in of a brand new year. Think of what that means and all the possibilities that lie ahead. The scriptures from Isaiah 43:18-21 NIV charge us to think about what God can do: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.” Praise be to the God of our salvation for making a way and meeting us in 2021! In this month’s issue, we invite you to meet a beautiful, God-fearing and loving family (page 16); understand God’s agape love (page 10); and find peace even in a pandemic (page 14). Also learn how to refuel your faith (page 23), overcome fear (page 31), and how faith is the substance of things hoped for (page 32). And lastly, meet Pastors Sean and Ruth Waters of New Healing Place in Concord, NC (page 25).

This year we hope you reconnect and grow more and more in love with Jesus! And please don’t forget to subscribe to our FREE magazine at outpourmagazine. com and share as a free gift with your family and friends - what a way to usher in the New Year! And we’d love to hear from you! What are some of your 2021 Goals? Contact us and send us prayer requests at info@outpourmagazine.com. We love you and are praying for you! God Bless!

*Follow us on IG @outpourmag for more daily encouragement and inspiration!

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Contributors

Darrell B u rst o n Darrell invites readers to understand how to embrace the Love of God in order to love the Father and others. He lives with his wife and daughter in Nashville, TN.

D eVo n a Reese DeVona shows us what we can do when our faith may be running low, and how we can refuel and refocus on God and not our circumstances. She lives in Charlotte, NC and attends Transformation Church.

Trusting God and Walking by Faith Meet the Writers of this Issue

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Meli s s a Tat e -Scru se

Melissa shows us how we can have and maintain Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s peace, even when the pandemic has placed everything on pause. She lives with her family in Charlotte, NC and attends Have Life Church.

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Ro n ald Ob ie Ronald reminds us that faith is the substance of things hoped for, and to walk by faith is to walk by the Word of God. He lives in High Point, NC and is an Associate Minister at Prospect Hill Missionary Baptist Church.

S hei l a Mc In t yre Sheila helps us understand that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ever have to live in fear but are equipped by God with love, power and a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7). She attends Realife Church and lives in Jamestown, NY.

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Contents 23

REFUELING YOUR FAITH

In Every Issue: FAMILY FEATURE STORY P A G E

PASTOR SPOTLIGHT THE CHRISTIAN BOOKSHELF

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LOVE GOD, LOVE PEOPLE

EDITOR’S LETTER

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Pastor Spotlight

Meet Pastors Sean and Ruth Waters of New Healing Place in Concord, NC.

Pursuing God’s Peace during the Pandemic

Learn how we can rest in the peace of God, even in times of uncertainly. Pursue God’s Peace this year!

Family Feature: Cooper Family

Meet John, Ashley and their two beautiful kids. They sat down with us to talk about their faith in God, serving in ministry and how they model loving God and others every day. SUBSCRIBE AT OUTPOURMAGAZINE.COM

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By Darrell Burston To the person reading this I want you to know I love you. Even though I do not know who you are, I love you. How is that possible? Why is it strange to love someone we do not know? Why is it strange to esteem others more than yourself? What does love even mean? The seed of love is in all of us. God put it there when He made us in His image. The question is how do we embrace that love? How do we water it so that it will grow into a greater love for God, a greater love for self and a greater love for people? In today’s climate I find myself asking where is the love for our fellow man? Not just our family or people we know, but for our neighbor down the street that we’ve never met, or for the family sitting across from us at a restaurant. Scriptures address several types of love: Eros (romantic), Phileo (love towards friends or companions), and Storge (love between family members). Then, you have Agape (the love of God that He extends to everyone). When it comes to loving God and loving people I want to focus on agape love. God’s love, agape love, is not emotional, but a command given by God in Mark 12:30 NIV which says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Agape is not a feeling. It is something we are called to do. Agape is how we love someone we may not like or someone that may have wronged us. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 addresses four

characteristics of agape love: as patient, kind, selfless, and forgiving: • Love is Patient: Jesus is extremely patient with us. He waits on us no matter how long it takes. John 13:1 NIV says, “He loved them to the end.” Even when it hurts for extended periods of time, we must be more patient with one another. • Love is Kind: When we are rude and mean to one another, it divides us. As believers, it is imperative that we focus on ways to come together and be of service to one another. Displaying kindness to others shows them you care and provides an opportunity to develop a deeper connection with them. • Love does not seek its own benefit: Philippian 2:3 NASB says, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves.” When we stop thinking solely about self and our rights but rather seek to be a blessing, it is then we will start to see our world change for the better.

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“...the more time I stay connected to the vine Jesus Christ - the stronger my agape love grows.”

My challenge for you today comes from Matthew 5:46-47 NASB, “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors, do they not do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Even the Gentiles, do they not do the same?” Instead, stay connected to God so you can continue to have the capacity to love people the way He intended, even those who the world would say are not deserving. I hope this waters the seed of love in your heart and that it grows according to God’s will. Be encouraged this day. With God and love, anything is possible. Godspeed!

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• Love does not keep account of a wrong suffered: Being a Christian can make one feel vulnerable a lot of times. It was once said “hurt people, hurt people.” While this may be a fact it does not have to be your truth. Unforgiveness can be very heavy on the heart and become a hindrance in our lives. It is critical to forgive so that we can be free to love again as God has commanded us. You may be wondering how one can show agape love to others on a continuous basis without growing weary. We cannot rely on our own strength to do so. We must rely on God’s power. John 15:5 NIV says “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” One thing I know to be true in my life is that the more time I stay connected to the vine - Jesus Christ - the stronger my agape love grows. As believers it is critical to prioritize and set time aside each day to immerse ourselves in God’s presence. This includes reading His Word, engaging in praise and worship, and most importantly praying. As we spend more time with God, we get to know Him. His presence fills our heart with love and joy. He gives us new desires. And one of those desires is to love others unconditionally.

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Darrell Burston is owner & president of BTW Logistics, LLC Trucking Company. He is also the Operations Manager of Custom Logistics of TX as well as a licensed life insurance broker. He is a graduate of The Florida State University where he played defensive end under Bobby Bowden. He currently resides in Nashville, TN with his wife Alda and daughter Avery. You can follow him on IG: @dinka_nole92 and Twitter: @dinkaseminole92

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“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 ESV

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Pursuing God’s Peace in the 2020 Pandemic Pause

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by Dr. Melissa Tate-Scruse “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 NIV

The year 2020 has dealt us a wealth of experiences to ponder. From the multisystemic impact of the global pandemic to the emotional exhaustion of racial injustices and political tensions, it makes perfect sense for your current normal to feel quite abnormal. And although this is the time to begin declaring and making strides towards our New Year resolutions for 2021, we are still in the midst of the 2020 Pandemic. This pandemic and all its social and political issues have caused us to pause. Some of us have our finances on pause. Our typical coming-and-going has been on pause. Many school systems, churches, and various workplaces have been closed indefinitely or placed on some type of pause. It has prompted a significant shift in how we interact with each other and function on a regular basis. Adjusting our daily lives to virtual conversations and schedules has been an inconvenient challenge, to say the least. The collective pandemic pauses have brought us into an uncertain and confusing

time in our lives, in our homes, and in our local communities. No one would blame you for feeling stuck, unsure, embittered, and confused as you are wondering “when is this pandemic going to end?” This further puts our mood, motivations, resolutions, and personal goals on pause. I remember having a similar feeling after college graduation. I had been going through my own personal pandemic as a 22-year-old mother of a newborn child in an emotionally draining and abusive marriage. My husband of less than a year at the time was often moody and temperamental. The relationship was one of “uncertainty and confusion” as there was constantly a mental tug-of-war at hand. My mind was toiling in conflict, my heart was heavy, and my spirit was not at peace. One afternoon, as my husband walked out the front door for work, I was able to reach the marriage counselor by phone and ask him one simple question: How do you forget and move on from something when it’s still happening? He said, “You don’t.” In that moment of clarity and confirmation, I remembered “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (1 Cor. 14:33 NKJV). With my peace of mind in constant confusion and jeopardy, I was in a

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and laughter and they are a part of the daily peace that allows me to experience my house as a home. Despite the inconveniences of the pandemic pause outside of my home, we yield to the presence of God inside our home. God wants you to be joyful, to grow in maturity, and to live in harmony and peace (2 Cor. 13:11 NLT). The present circumstance of this pandemic is not meant to be your permanent circumstance. Allow your mind to be governed by the Spirit to find an abundant life and peace (Romans 8:6), even in the midst of this pandemic. His Word perpetually declares plans to prosper you and plans to give you hope and a future (Jer. 29:11 NKJV). Despite the uncertainty of things, God is a sure thing! Submit to Him in all your ways and He will direct your path— within, throughout, and beyond the 2020 Pandemic Pause. Seek God’s Word and Pursue peace.

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state of disorder. I was not following God’s will for peace. I had to remove myself from an uncertain and confusing situation. I eventually left that abusive marriage. And to this day, I still have a keen ambition to follow the desires of my heart, and to always search for a sense of peace that never fails to put things in perspective. Similarly, we are still plagued with the 2020 Pandemic Pause while the 2021 New Year is here. Regardless of the pandemic or any other state of uncertainty and confusion, your peace should be nonnegotiable. Your job is to seek God’s Word and pursue peace. You might be wondering the same as I: how do you forget the pandemic when it’s still happening? I would give the same answer as my counselor: You don’t. The pandemic is still happening and will be for the unforeseeable future. The various pauses at school, church, and work are still happening in some capacity. You cannot control the uncontrollable and you cannot forget these things; but one thing you ought not to forget as well is that God is still present in the pause. The Spirit of the Lord resides inside of you, and wherever the Spirit is, there is also freedom (2 Cor. 3:17 NLT). He is sitting with you in the pause, so there is still freedom in the pandemic! God did not author the sense of confusion in your mind, nor the heaviness in your heart. John 14:27 says, “my peace I give you… do not let your hearts be troubled.” Pursue the peace He gifted you. The Book of Proverbs tells us it is your heart that determines the course of your life (Proverbs 4:23 NLT). That resonates heavily with me as I recall being that young wife and mother in an uncertain and confusing situation. The desires of my heart were to have a loving, fulfilling marriage and family, which I took to the altar before God. I trusted and believed that He sat with me in that position of pause and heard my prayers. He brought me out of that pandemic-like situation, and today, I am a happily remarried woman of God with a blended family of seven and a beautiful grandson. My family brings me a wealth of joy

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Dr. Melissa Tate-Scruse is a wife and mother of 7 and one grandson in a blended marriage. She has been a licensed mental health professional for over 15 years, helping individuals navigate their personal journey to better health and wellness in all areas of their lives. Through all of life’s twists and turns, God has been the ultimate Lord over her life. She is the author of “Blessed Passenger,” “Blind Passenger” and short film director and producer of “Thony.” She also serves as Elder at Have Life Church in Charlotte, NC. You can find more information about Dr. Melissa Tate-Scruse and her work here: www.drmetate. com and follow her on IG @drmetate.

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MUA: Tavia J Beauty Photographer: Ty Francis Media

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PHOTOGRAPHER: DONALD CURRIE, 12/24 MEDIA; MUA: TAVIA J BEAUTY

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City, State: Charlotte, NC Area Church: Transformation Church Favorite Family Vacation? Utah or Arizona Favorite Family Activity? Any Outside Activity Describe this season for your family? Enduring, Pruning and Growth SUBSCRIBE AT OUTPOURMAGAZINE.COM

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Meet the Coopers: John, Ashley, and their two kids. day. They sat down with us to talk about their faith in OM: Why is raising your children in a Godly, God, serving in ministry and how they model loving Christian home so important to you both? God and loving others each and every day.

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Outpour Magazine: Tell us a little bit about your family: Who are the Coopers? John Cooper: We are four humans and three dogs (laughs). We are a family that appreciates the time we spend together; we enjoy each other’s company and playing together and doing fun stuff. We love having our meals together and making sure we spend time together. We make sure we are sharing and being good examples for our kids as best as we can. Our goal is to get them fired up and understand what their mission is. Hopefully that’s some of the things we try to achieve. But overall we like to stay on the move and be active; don’t like to be cooped up. And we are a lively bunch sometimes! Ashley Cooper: A word that came to mind while John was talking was we’re a family that goes hard. We love hard, we are constantly on the go, very active. Our kids love hard and fight hard - it’s like wrestle mania in our house (laughs). And it’s really like growing and figuring out life together and what the Lord has for us. We’re teaching the kids what it looks like to be known by and to know God, while we are still learning that ourselves. Lots of grace [and] lots of forgiveness is passed around our house often because we are all still learning and growing. We are a family that enjoys being together [and] we enjoy being with our kids. I think our kids really enjoy being with us. And when the four of us are together and we unplug - like John doesn’t have to work and I don’t have things going on - we really enjoy each other and soak it up. We have so many moments together, like playing hide and seek with the kids or wrestling on the couch or walking in our neighborhood. And one of my favorite times is dinner - because we didn’t have family dinners a lot when I was a kid and if we did there was lots of fighting and yelling. But for us, it’s talking about our day or doing bible studies at dinner or what was the high of your day and what was the low the connecting around the table at the end of the

JC: It’s not just important, it’s pretty critical. When you can look back and understand ways that you personally grew through a lot of things - where for me my mother was more of that influence - but to know how important it is to have parents on the same page. [And] who doesn’t want to live in a world of grace? Who doesn’t want to live in a world of forgiveness? Why do you want this hardened heart? And for our kids to be free like that is priceless. I don’t see any other way to raise them. AC: For me it’s reframing the question a little bit. It’s important to raise our kids in a Christian home but it’s truly based on the gospel. Because unfortunately there are many homes in America that are Christian homes - I grew up in one of them - that are not Christian homes at all and actually I think does more damage. So, it’s important that we truly focus our family on the gospel and what the gospel really means. Looking back, there are so many times in my life that I truly don’t know how I would have gotten through them if I didn’t know God. Because at the end of the day, I still have hope. It doesn’t matter what we are going through or the seasons of struggle that we’re going through, we still have hope because our hope is in God. So for our kids - having that freedom, that we don’t have to fret about all these things, because God’s got us and nothing can steal us from His hands. And it’s the framework for all of life. What we’re doing right now - they are essentially in this bubble of our household and we’re preparing them to eventually send them out into the world to be disciples. It changes how they interact with people and treat people. And that’s how the world is a better place. OM: What has been the most difficult season in your life? How did God help your family get through it? JC: Child number two - and we’re all still alive (laughs). AC: Yeah, it really was when I got pregnant with Luke. I was really sick - actually I was really sick

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AC: We are big on name meanings. Ellie’s name means “the light that purifies.” John picked out the name Luke when I was pregnant with Ellie. We SUBSCRIBE AT OUTPOURMAGAZINE.COM

OM: How did you decide on the names of your children?

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too - you can’t watch the baby the entire night. Then eight months later, Ellie was hospitalized for a week. And the sickness last winter was really bad from two surgeries to fevers every other week and a horrible rash that covered Luke’s body, then RSV, the flu and then a seizure. All these things. And how did we get through all of that? First of all, we had each other. God brought us together and John has strengths that I don’t have and vice versa. There were times - and I remember specifically when [Luke] was not breathing - when we got to the hospital, I was a mess. Then when they rushed us to the resuscitation room, he was a mess. But at that point I was strong. [We] leaned on each other and allowed the Lord to use our strengths to get through together. And having faith - knowing that God is in control, even when it’s hard. Just trusting that, no matter what happened, even if we weren’t bringing our son home, and [knowing] that God is still good. And we can still have hope in Him. There were times, at least for me, where I wasn’t sure we were bringing Luke home. Through all of it, I have grown. I learned through all of that to trust God. I can say now, that my hope is secure - no matter what. And I was able to allow the Lord to address the anger in my heart that I had towards Him through my pregnancy and know that He is good. So when all the stuff hit this [past] winter - I mean I had my moments - but still knowing God is good and He will sustain me.

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with both of our kids. I actually lost weight when I was pregnant; I didn’t gain anything until the third trimester. With Luke I threw up until 36 weeks. When I was eight to ten weeks, I was at the park and started bleeding. I called John at work panicking and crying because I thought I was having a miscarriage. I drove to the doctor with my daughter and walked inside covered in blood. They take me to the back and tell me it’s a “threatened miscarriage” and we are just going to have to wait and see. Time goes on and I stay pregnant but I bleed for 33 weeks. One time it was really bad and I had to go to the hospital and have ultrasounds. And the whole time for me was like, am I ever going to meet this baby? That was a huge struggle for me internally and honestly I had a lot of anger. And I kept that anger in. Christians [feel] like they can’t be angry at God. I feel like that’s not true but the church tells us that. Instead, if we take our anger to God, God can deal with our hearts. There are so many instances in the bible where people groaned to the Lord, asking Him to change their situation. Luke was born three and a half weeks early. I was in labor for two whole days. Then at six days old, Luke stopped breathing. That was really scary. I was nursing [when it happened] and John picked him up and took him outside where he started breathing again. We called the doctor and they thought it was reflux, saying to let them know if it happened again. Well it did and we took him to the ER where he stopped breathing six times. They rushed us to a resuscitation room; all these nurses and doctors were around. We stayed in the hospital for six days and finally they decided that it’s positional - we need to be careful how we position him. Which was stressful because we had to sleep

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at the core, starting with the leadership. So that’s always been important to our family. So when we decided we wanted to stay at Transformation, we knew we needed community. [We] prayed about [becoming leaders] and felt like God was saying yes. So even though we still have to drive 45 minutes on Sundays, we still have community around us.

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OM: What have been some great moments in leading this group? What have been some challenges?

didn’t find out the gender of our children [ahead of time]. And I hated the name Luke. When I got pregnant again, John brought the name Luke up again and he finally sent me the name meaning and I was like ok, I like that name. His name is Luke Christopher and it means “bearing the light of Christ.” I truly believe there is a calling on Luke’s life - on both of my children’s lives. However, with all the things - as soon as I got pregnant with him it was like hit after hit after hit. And I do believe that there is spiritual warfare, that Satan attacks us and tries to derail God’s plan. I truly believe that there is something that God has planned for Luke that Satan does not want to happen. But God always wins - we know that no weapon formed against us will prevail (Is. 54:17).

JC: People came - we didn’t know if anyone would show up (laughs). AC: And week after week people continue to come. I have no idea what I am doing - I don’t know why these people trust me. I totally feel not equipped for this; however when God calls you to something, He provides the way. Some of the highs have been getting to know people, especially people who are different from us. Even though we go to this church, we haven’t had relationships with people who are different from us. [LifeGroup] has opened a door and we have learned a ton. We have grown in our faith and knowledge and [are] able to walk with people who are different from us, and are able to learn from each other.

JC: Some of the lows? It is time intensive, trying to get the kids to bed and knowing they are going OM: You both serve as LifeGroup Leaders at to be coming down the stairs and interrupting is a your church. Can you tell us a little bit about this challenge. Also, soaking in the [previous week’s] ministry and how God led you to be involved in message and having something to say every week can be a challenge. this area? AC: I am the main leader but John supports me. JC: I am the tech guy (laughs). AC: Yes, because sometimes the [virtual] stuff is kind of hard. But he supports me which is big - like helping get the kids in bed or sending out the calendar invitations. But honestly how it got started - we go to Transformation Church which is 45 minutes from where we currently live. We moved from Rock Hill, SC a year ago. When we decided to move we knew we wanted to stay at Transformation Church. We personally feel that there are not that many churches in the area that are multiethnic, multicultural and multigenerational. And it truly is

AC: I prepare a lot. I read commentaries; I do whatever I can to ensure that we have good conversation. I don’t just listen to the message or just read the scripture. I am digging into those scriptures. It does take me a long time to prepare but I don’t necessarily see that as a low because I am also learning and growing. For me the low would be when LifeGroup is like crickets and nobody talks (laughs). Because then I feel like I am the only one talking and it’s hard. And I think part of that is because we’re virtual; I never felt that way when we were in person. I think it’s easier to not talk when there’s a computer screen.

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OM: What advice would you give other leaders looking to serve in a similar capacity?

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created.

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JC: It’s being servant leaders; it’s being kind and appreciating creation. It’s being grateful and thankful for what God has provided and

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OM: And finally, how are you both modeling loving God and loving others, even for your children?

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AC: And it’s in the everyday moments. Not this one JC: Remember that you are there to serve other big moment; it’s small little by little everyday. It’s my people. And don’t pressure yourself. It is a lot [of children coming downstairs and they see my bible work] and yes you do need to read and study, and open and I’m reading it; it’s praying with Ellie on the that’s all good; but if it’s at the detriment of how you way to school or blessing our meals or if we pass treat your family and how you respond to things a wreck on the side of the road, praying for those and it makes you grumpy, just let the conversation involved. Even when we mess up in our parenting go. And [try to] enjoy it, enjoy the time together. because we are not perfect, we do make mistakes. It’s showing them those mistakes and asking for AC: Even though you are a leader, be real. We’re their forgiveness and apologizing. It’s in how we all on the same playing field. It doesn’t matter live and how we model how we treat others. When if you are a pastor or a child; we’re all God’s we are driving in the car, are we screaming at other children. And we are all sinners in need of God’s drivers while our children are in the backseat? Or grace and redemption. Showing your mistakes when we see a homeless person on the street, are and showing you are not perfect makes you more we giving them food? Their faith or desire to know relatable. I remember our first LifeGroup session God doesn’t develop out of this big [event]; it’s the - I was a hot mess. It was taking a while to get everyday moments of us planting seeds and the everything set up and figured out. And I laid it out Lord cultivating those seeds. And remembering there and I felt it was one of the best LifeGroups that we aren’t in control of our children’s faith. We we had because we were being real about what are just here as ambassadors, planting the seeds was going on, rather than being like “we’re great, and allowing the Lord to grow them. - OM everything is great.” Often Christians do that but that is not what is shown in the bible - this mask that everything is great. When you can take that mask off and be real, you have more authentic conversations.

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B Y D E V ONA R EESE “Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief” (Ps. 143:1 NIV).

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I love searching for vintage photos to help me with finding inspiration to write. So, as I was searching for pictures, I came across an old gas pump. I began to think about all the times that I ride around in my car “pushing it to the limit” with my gas. Even when the light has come on and I have been warned that I am running low on fuel, I continue to go. How do you take on life when your gas or faith has run low? Do you give up? Do you lose hope? Do you doubt God? Do you lose faith? In Psalm 143:3-4 NIV David is experiencing the enemy in the worst way. “The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in the darkness like those long dead. So, my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed.” And yet his faith never failed him. For in the next few verses he recalls “I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land” (Psalm 143:5-6 NIV). I think we can all take a hard lesson from David about having faith. His heart is hurting, yet he is keeping his faith and crying out to God. David wrote many psalms during the time that he fled from Saul and his own son Absalom. When he wrote this psalm, he was crying out to

God to be heard. If we really read into the first verse, David wanted to be heard, but he also wanted God to answer. “LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief” (Psalm 143:1 NIV). David has been through a lot, most of which none of us could even imagine. But, his faith in God was not running on empty. He knew who God was and he knew the promises of God. It’s hard to believe for something that you do not see, but that’s what faith is. We want to have faith, big faith. But what do you do when your faith is not so big? Have you ever been in a situation that no matter how hard you wanted to believe, your faith was diminished or became nonexistent? What did you do to refuel your faith? I recall a time when I was praying to God for direction and guidance about my career and where I needed to go. It did not seem that God was listening because I wasn’t getting any answers. I wanted change to happen on my time, and I began to get frustrated and anxious. I fell into a state Photo provided by D. Reese of fear and depression, only because I didn’t have faith that God was working in my favor. So, I began to fast and pray; I focused on God’s Word; and got away from any distraction. I had my sisters in Christ fast with me, and I stopped trying to work outside of His will. I wrote this verse down and meditated on it day and night: “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Matthew 21:21-22 NIV). A few weeks after I finished fasting, God answered my prayers. When I look back on the situation, I realized that God was working things out for me the whole time; I just needed to be patient and have faith.

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One thing we must remember is that God does love us, and He will never leave us, nor will He forsake us (Deut. 31:6, Ps. 37:28). God was with David, who knew the power of God, as it is written, “I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done” (Psalms 143:5 NIV). Let’s pause for a minute and think about that. Do you ever just stop and meditate on God’s Word and began to recollect all He has done? I think about all He has done not only for me, but for others. I get emotional; some are happy emotions, and some are sad. I am happy because I think about His love for me, and sad when I forget sometimes where my faith comes from, or that I do not deserve His grace. However, David was standing there with his arms wide open waiting to receive what God had for him. “I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land” (Ps. 143:6 NIV). This also reminds me of Habakkuk as he was standing and waiting for God to answer. “I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what He will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint” (Habakkuk 2:1 NIV). These two were in different circumstances, but they were praying, trusting, and waiting on God for an answer. We must remember whose we are and not forget His promises. When your “faith-o-meter” runs low, pray, trust, open your arms, and be ready to receive. Meditate on these verses and put your focus on God, not your circumstances: •

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Heb. 11:1 NIV).

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“So that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power” (1 Cor. 2:5 NIV).

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“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13 NIV).

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“For we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7 NIV).

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“Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham” (Gal. 3:7).

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“We must remember whose we are and not forget His promises. When your “faitho-meter” runs low, pray, trust, open your arms, and be ready to receive.” Prayer: God I thank you for your Word, your grace and mercy. I know my faith can become low at times, but I’m so thankful that I can meditate on your Word and refuel my faith.

DeVona Reese attends Transformation Church in Indian Land, SC and serves as an X-Team Member and Small Group Leader. She works at St. Jude Affiliate Clinic at Novant Health as a Clinical Research Associate. You can follow her on Facebook at DeVona Reese and IG @rubywisdom31

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We sat down with Pastor Sean Waters and his wife, Pastor Ruth Waters of New Healing Place in Concord, NC. They talk about planting their new ministry, the transformative power of God, and why prayer is still essential in the life of every believer.

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Outpour Magazine: Tell us a little bit about yourselves and your journey of following God’s call to plant a church in Concord, NC in January 2021. Very exciting and a big task, all at the same time! Pastor Sean Waters: So a little bit about myself. I am originally from NC. I was born and raised in Goldsboro, NC. I was raised in holiness (laughs) - Pentecostal Holiness, in the Tabernacle of Prayer for all People. And my pastor, who has gone on to be with the Lord, Apostle Lawrence Bogier - he was a major influence in my life early on. I revered him almost as another father figure in my life, who I looked up to in ministry. He operated very strongly in deliverance and the prophetic and he was one of those people that if he said it, you can take it to the bank. And he was a man of integrity, and was known for that. I gave my heart to the Lord at ten years old under a tent at a tent revival. We would have tent revivals in the summertime for two weeks. A few months later, I received the [baptism] of the Holy Spirit and my life was really transformed by that experience, where I really knew that God was real. I always knew that I would preach the gospel - not necessarily to pastor but to preach, for God to use my life in some type of way. At 14, the Lord spoke to me about my call to preach. I wrestled with it for a little bit because I was so young, a teenager and worried about what people might think, that people were not going to listen to me. But I could not shake it and I knew that was what God was saying. And the Lord spoke to my dad simultaneously. My dad was outside cutting grass in blazing heat [one day] and I went to tell him what the Lord had spoken to me concerning ministry. And before I could tell him, he told me that the Lord told him that I was to preach the gospel. It was literally affirmation and confirmation. We talked to my pastor at the time and he said, “I was waiting on you.” So at 15, 16 I was preaching [at] revivals. But by 18, I was burned out. I went off to college at North Carolina Central University and I was ok being a worship leader and singing. I would still preach but I was ok with just singing. I graduated from college and wanted to do my own thing; still went to church, but wanted to do my own thing. So I went to the military and was stationed in San Antonio for about a year and ran smack into ministry. I couldn’t run from it, even in Texas. Then I came back to the east coast, I went to the Rock Church in

Virginia Beach, VA - where I met Ruth who was a young adult leader and over intercessory prayer. We started dating and I was engulfed in ministry there. I didn’t want to leave Virginia - I was so connected to that church. It was a great church, with great leaders. I was putting in paperwork to get out of the military, and something would happen with the paperwork and it would never work out. And I remember getting frustrated and a man of God prophesied to me and said that I was going to have to start seeing through “Son” glasses. That my desire for ministry, God will fulfill that, but it may not look like what I was picturing right now. My wife was praying one day and said “babe, the Lord said that we’re going to North Carolina and it’s going to be good.” I had no orders for NC, did not want to come back to NC because that was home. And in the next couple of months, my command was you’re going to NC. So we came and got stuck in Havelock, NC. That was a season of being literally in the middle of nowhere. We were newly married and were able to cleave to one another, learn each other and also learn the voice of God for ourselves. While there we served as young adult leaders and the pastor of our church, Pastor John Wofford, an amazing man of God, prayed for me because I was at a pivotal point - do I stay in the military, do we stay in Havelock, what were we going to do? [We needed] the Lord [to] reveal to me and Ruth the next step. That night I had a dream - the Lord speaks very vividly in my dreams - that we were going to move and that we were to plant a church. Of course we didn’t know where, how or when so we just prayed that the Lord would reveal the timing and place. OM: How did you decide where to plant the church? SW: God really put it on my heart for the Charlotte, NC area. Again, I am from NC but I never had a desire for this area. Never wanted to move here, nothing looked really appealing to me. But also I could not shake it. The Lord just kept putting that on my heart. So we started praying about it and the Lord really started speaking to us about coming to this area. There were leaders that tried to talk us out of this area, but the Lord was like no, this was where you were supposed to go. So me and my wife loaded up with a Penske truck and our daughter in the snow

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and we moved here. When we came here, it was literally a faith move - we didn’t have a job initially - I got a job a few weeks before we came here [and had] no place to live, that was affordable. Ruth Waters: And no family members...

OM: Talk to us about waiting on the Lord before moving forward in ministry. SW: The Lord had been dealing with my heart but my wife is not interested in doing this ministry thing until God speaks. God started dealing with my heart at age 29. God spoke to me and said that 30 would be your transitional year. And He started dealing with me about planting this church. And I was like, “Ok God, I need you to speak this to my wife. Because if my wife is not on board, then I can’t do it, it’s not going to work. But I don’t want to say anything to her. You are going to have to speak to her.” My wife came down the stairs one day and said “the Lord has been speaking to me about you turning 30 - I think 30 is going to be your transition year, the year God is going to bring you into this ministry and plant this church in the area.” And I also knew the Lord had been dealing with me to start bible study out of our home in June.

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OM: How did God reveal the name of your ministry? SW: Just like it was a journey to accept the call to pastor, it was a journey for the name. God gave me the name for the church at the same time we were planting the church. Again I saw it in a dream - where the Lord said this would be New Healing Place. I woke up and told my wife, the Lord said “New Healing Place.” She said, “what does that mean?” And I said, “I have no idea” (laughs). I didn’t know what this meant, what this looked like, but knew that God said it. And to be honest, I went through a season of being discouraged with the name because I didn’t like it. Because to me it didn’t sound catchy, relevant or what everybody else was doing.

SW: That has been one important thing, that we operate out of one heart, one mind. And we started having those bible studies out of our home. And since then we have been laying the foundation for this new ministry called “New Healing Place.”

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RW: He was coming down the stairs and I was relaxing, on the couch watching TV and I saw the month “June” written out in front of me - which is sometimes how the Lord speaks to me, allowing me to see certain words. And my husband then asks “what do you think about starting bible study in the month of June?” And I said let’s do it because the Lord just spoke to me.

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SW: When we came here I remember I had to preach in Louisiana. We had a thousand dollars in our hand and we talked to the Lord and said, “we don’t know where we are going to live, where we are going to stay or if we can even afford it.” And we asked God to lock every door that is supposed to be locked and open every door that is supposed to be opened. When we came back from Louisiana, we were looking for places to stay - which was a Tuesday and we had to be out [of our current residence] that Friday. We went around the city and the realtor literally could not unlock the door of any place. And finally we found this two bedroom apartment and moved in January of that year. That March, I had a dream that I lost my job. Told my wife and she said, well the Lord brought us here so He will take care of us. And I lost my job on my birthday, April 19th of that year. So I’m asking “God, did you send us here or what’s going on? I don’t know what to do.” The Lord spoke to my heart and said get up and go to this job fair that is going to be in Charlotte. I have a job for you there. It was a substitute teaching position and then I started working in a bible outlet as an Assistant Manager, making $10/hour. And we were like, “ok God, did you bring us here or what?” We were thinking when we first got here that we were just going to go and [immediately] plant this church. But that season was really a season of developing us and maturing in our faith - really being able to trust God at His Word. So we were doing that, barely getting by and my wife was pregnant again. And I will never forget, I was working one night in the bible outlet and there was a Hispanic lady who was asking for a bible. And she began speaking in tongues and prophesied to me saying “the Lord brought you to this area and the Lord will keep you here. The Lord brought you here to release His glory. And don’t look for your next job. God said He will provide the job for you.” Two months later I got a call about a job that I did not apply for. And God provided for me to go into the next job and sustained us to where we had roots in the ground.

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So, there was a time when I was trying to change the name. And what sold me was when we were worshiping at the church where we were at and in a song, they got to the part that said “healing is coming.” And the power of God was just so strong at that moment and I was a wreck, on my knees weeping and crying. And the Lord brought me to the scripture where John the Baptist was named. And how everyone else told his father, well no one else has been called that name in your family. You should name him this; you should name him that. And the bible says that he wrote on the tablet that his name would be John. And when he did that, his mouth was opened up (see Luke 1:57-64). The Lord told me this, that if I called [the church] anything outside of what [He] called it, you won’t have your voice. So I was like ok, God we understand. And then the pandemic happened. And it was really prophetic because on the other side of all of this was “New Healing Place.” We believe that God desired this ministry to be birthed in the midst of everything that is going on in the nation right now, because people really do need to start over again; they need healing, deliverance and breakthrough. Now I love the name (laughs). But God really had to cultivate that in me. The name of the church is from Ezekiel 47 when the prophet Ezekiel saw the stream of water that began to flow underneath the temple. The bible says that the water went up to his ankles and eventually went up to his waist and then overtook him until he was consumed by it, he was flowing in it. And the bible says it began to meet in a place and began to bring fresh new life. So we know the heart of the church is to bring fresh new life, to bring people to experience Christ like they never have before. In Genesis 1:2 it says that the Spirit of God rested upon the water. A lot of times water is a representation of God’s spirit. We know that’s what God desires to do, not just with us but [with] those that are connected to the body - to release His glory, to bring healing and restoration to the people. OM: Pastor Sean, you’ve mentioned that “God is desiring to release His glory in a new way….that will bring fresh life.” Can you talk more about this, as it pertains to ministry inside and outside of the church? SW: Jesus was not constrained to the synagogue or just to His immediate family. Jesus went out and said “follow me and

I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19). He was able to walk with people in a way and meet them where they were. And began to transform their lives so they could be healed, delivered and set free. That’s why Peter was able to answer when [Jesus] asked him “who do men say that I am?” (Matt. 16:13-20). He was able to know who Jesus was by experience [and revelation knowledge]; not from what someone else said. The character of something can be lost when you get it from another person. But when you encounter and experience that person directly firsthand, then you realize that this thing is legit. That’s why the bible says “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). So that is the heart of what we want. We want to find ways, that is not just having church; but to bring that transformation, that renewal even outside of the four walls of the church. The pandemic in a way is causing the church to think outside the norm. Normally we are used to people coming to us. But now we are having to get on Facebook live and do all these creative things to bring healing, deliverance and breakthrough to people outside what is normal to us. And I think it’s a beautiful thing in my opinion. RW: When the Lord releases His Word, it’s not going to hit the ground. It’s going to prosper, it will happen. I have served in different ministries [over the years], like prayer and intercession, nursery and teaching bible lessons for our children’s ministry, youth ministry, outreach and evangelism. And I didn’t just do the things that were in church, but exposed myself to different events. Because I knew at the time that I was called to the ministry but I honestly didn’t know what that looked like. But I am thankful that I exposed myself to different types of ministry because now with New Healing Place I am able to say, ok, this is how a ministry flows behind the scenes. These are the do’s and don’ts for ministry. It’s given me different ideas and [shown me] how to deal with different people. It’s great to know the Word but you also have to know the practical side of ministry. OM: Talk a bit about prayer. Why is prayer still essential in the life of every believer? SW: Prayer is connected to the heartbeat of the church. Without prayer, there is no heartbeat - we can’t operate; we can’t function. Before Jesus transitioned to make decisions, the bible says that even in the

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“We have to get back to the heart of prayer. The responsibility of prayer is not on the pastor; it’s not on the mothers of the church or the intercessors. Where there is not a culture of prayer, you will not see the hand of God moving. Prayer positions us for faith to actively move. We need to learn how to pray, to really press into the heartbeat of God - to sense what God is saying.”

SW: And we pray for those that cannot pray for themselves as well. There are some people so far in despair or whatever they are in, that the realities of a God is far from them. And so a lot of times they can’t pray. My brother was really out there in the streets and my mom and dad would pray for him constantly, interceding that God protect him, shield him, don’t let the hand of the enemy touch him. One day my brother came home and literally his entire car was shot up.

OM: And lastly, what is the role of the church and the pastor in today’s society? SW: Jeremiah talks about that “I would give you shepherds after my own heart” (Jeremiah 3:15). The role of the church and the pastor is to point people to Jesus. It’s that simple. Whether we are serving our community through food, whether we are giving you a hug, preaching the gospel or prophesying, all of that has to point to Jesus. So people will know [the meaning of ] John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” -OM

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RW: Years ago, when I was a teenager, I remember praying and the Lord saying “Ruth, when you pray you are saving people.” Praying is standing in the gap for others. And you can save people from situations that are so overwhelming because when you are praying it lifts off of them. I remember when my husband was in a car accident. And when he called me, I knew it could have been worse. But the moment that he was on his way to work, the Lord gave me a strong impression on my heart to pray for him, to pray for his protection. That car accident could have been worse, but because of prayer….prayer is important, it builds a hedge of protection where the enemy has no access.

Not one bullet hit him. Literally one of the bullets went through the steering wheel. Not one bullet hit him. We truly believe it was because of the “prayers of the righteous” (James 5:16) that was standing in the gap. That’s why as a church, we have to cultivate prayer. The responsibility of prayer is heavy, but it’s a requirement.

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garden getting ready to go to the cross, He was struggling with the idea of what was about to happen; but He was praying. Then He was able to submit unto the process of His Father, saying “not my will but thine be done” (Luke 22:42). And even after Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples went to pray. And out of that praying, the heartbeat of the church was released. Now Peter, who once denied and was unable to stand firm in his faith, now is boldly prophesying to all these people and the church was added to daily (Acts 2:47). When you begin to see a lack of miracles or of faith, or the [lack of ] teaching and preaching of the gospel, it’s because there is a lack of prayer. We have to get back to the heart of prayer. The responsibility of prayer is not on the pastor; it’s not on the mothers of the church or the intercessors. Where there is not a culture of prayer, you will not see the hand of God moving. Prayer positions us for faith to actively move. We need to learn how to pray, to really press into the heartbeat of God - to sense what God is saying. My desire is, whether you are ten years old or one hundred, that you know how to pray and intercede.

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Overcoming Fear: A Devotional By Sheila McIntyre “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” ~2 Timothy 1:7 KJV Not. Prepared. At. All. Hearing the word MRSA made the bottom of my stomach drop out—I literally felt sick. I was at the hospital and my mum had been moved to a room of her own. Curious as to why, I asked and the medical staff told me it was because she had MRSA. While I was familiar with what it meant in general (and all the thoughts ran in the direction of bad…very bad), fear gripped me as I wondered if I had it or, if not, what I could do to prevent it.

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Sheila is completely sold out for the Lord Jesus Christ. She accepted Him as her Savior as a teenager and has been walking with Him trying to be obedient in His strength. Her goal is to fulfill His calling for her life and live a life that glorifies Him and His Father in all that she does, says, and thinks by the leading of the Holy Spirit. Sheila is a public high school business/computers teacher, attends Realife Church and lives in Jamestown, NY.

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Prayer: Dear Lord, things often seem frightening in this world. Bad circumstances, viruses, sicknesses, war, unemployment, and the list goes on. I know You would not have me be fearful because all is in Your hands. If Your eye is on the sparrow, I know it is on me. While often I don’t understand all that goes on in the world, I know that whatever You allow You will give me the strength and grace for. Help me to always keep my focus on You and not on all these external things for You are the One in control of it all. The world might be fearful, but You have made Your children to be different, to be set apart, to give hope to the world. Help me to not be fearful and to be a light to others so that they would not be paralyzed by fear. Help me to lead others to You and Your Son by the leading of the Holy Ghost. Thank You so much for loving me and leading me out of the fear. In the mighty Name of Jesus Christ, my Savior, I pray! Amen!

Point to ponder: Often our seemingly benign world is anything but, and we are overwhelmed with fear. Is there knowledge from God’s Word that will help you overcome your fear? Ask the Lord for His grace to sustain you through these difficult times.

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I am reminded of 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” I know God gives us the grace to sustain us through hard and fearful times. And therefore we can “be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deut. 31:6 NIV). Trust Him and know that He is there, no matter what.

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The next 24 hours were filled with tears, paralyzing anxiety, fear, and confusion. Could I not kiss my mum anymore or touch her? Would I be guilty of passing it on to others? Armed with my computer, I looked intensely for answers and often came away thinking my life had just become a prison. Tearfully, I argued with my husband about what to do. With him being diabetic, he was worried that I would compromise his immune system. Feeling there was no hope, I felt lost and alone. As the day wore on, I began to be comforted, as the LORD had promised in His Word, by the Holy Spirit, and by friends called alongside to help. Slowly, the fear subsided, and I was able to focus more clearly. As I talked to the doctor later that evening many of my fears were allayed. While there were still risks, I realized things were not as scary as they seemed at first.

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B Y R ONALD O BIE In our November Issue of Outpour Magazine, Associate Minister Ronald Obie wrote “Blessed” explaining that we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings and how we can receive these blessings. This article serves as a follow up to the previous piece to encourage the body of Christ.

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FĆĎęč ĎĘ ęčĊ SĚćĘęĆēĈĊ Ĕċ TčĎēČĘ HĔĕĊĉ FĔė

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Hebrews 11:1-3 KJV)

Faith gives substance to hope. Without hope, one will give up and fall into despair; but one must move beyond hope – to faith. Faith is substance; faith is evidence. That is, faith is tangible. My natural eye might not be able to see it, but yet I have tangible evidence because of faith. If I have faith for the thing, I have the thing, even if I cannot see it with the natural eye. It is by faith that we are able to see into the eternal realm. “(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” (2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV). To walk by faith is to walk by the Word of God. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that

believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47 KJV). Here, Jesus equates believing to having! Not going to have, not going to get, but has, now, present tense! It is by faith that we possess what the Bible says belongs to us. It is by faith that the blessings in heavenly places in Christ are brought into the physical realm where they become manifest in our everyday lives. Spiritual blessings are brought out of the heavenly realm into the natural realm by faith. Hebrews 11:2 tells us that the Elders are commended by God because through their faith they were living testimonies or living witnesses. We might say that they pleased God because of their faith and thus met the requisite to hear the words “...well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21 KJV). This is what we all want to hear, but without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). We are not speaking here of faith towards God, but faith that causes us to bear witness of who He is; faith that begins to pull things out of the heavenly realm into the natural realm! Now, let’s look at Hebrews 11:3 KJV: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Hebrews 11:3 lets us know that things which we see were not made of things which do appear – were not made of natural things that we can see. In other words, the spoken Word of God caused the temporal to spring out of the eternal. That which is unseen, created that which is seen. Thus again, we see that the eternal is greater than the natural! How did God create what is seen from that which is unseen? By faith. Romans chapter 4 and Mark chapter 11 give further insight into this God kind of faith, the faith that calls those things which are not into being. First, let’s look at Romans chapter 4. Here, God is giving His own account of His dealings with Abraham. “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were” (Romans 4:17 KJV). Notice this portion of the text: “even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” God not only makes vibrant that which is impotent, but He speaks of those things which do not exist yet

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God. We are to exemplify the faith of God. Note Galatians 2:20 KJV: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (emphasis added). You may be asking, if I am to exemplify the faith of God, if I am to walk and live by the faith of God, how do I get this faith? Do I pray for it? Does it come by piousness? Does it come by righteous works? Are there just some people who are favorites whom God has endowed with His faith? The answer is none of these. This faith comes from God Himself, and every born again child of God has been given a measure of it: “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Rom. 12:3 KJV). “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8 KJV).

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Both the faith for salvation and salvation itself, are gifts of God.

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in the natural as being. You see, He said to Abraham, “I have made thee a father of many nations”, not, I am going to make thee… Abraham, in the natural, did not even have one child yet by Sarah, but still God said “I have made thee...” God calleth those things that be not as being! “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:22-24 KJV). The context of this text is that Jesus had spoken to a fig tree, saying in an audible voice, “No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever” (Mark 11:14 KJV). Approximately 24 hours after speaking to the tree, the disciples “saw the fig tree dried up from the roots” (Mark 11:20 KJV). It was then that Jesus answered them with the words of Mark 11:22-24, saying, God-like faith is that faith that says (speaks), and believes it receives when it prays; not that it is going to receive, but receives, now. In verse 22, he uses the transitive verb form “ to have” Strong’s G2192 – echo, which can mean to have, to own, to possess, to be in possession of, or to possess or contain as a constituent part (Strong’s Lexicon, and American Heritage Dictionary). Although the Kings James version uses the phrase “in God,” the Greek does not indicate the word “in” as being present, such that the phrase is written simply as “God”. The understood subject of the sentence is “you.” We are exhorted to be in possession of God-like faith; and God-like faith speaks, and believes it receives (Mark 11:23 and 24). Godlike faith calls those things that be not as though they were. God-like faith does not look at things which are seen, but looks at those things which are not seen (those things that have been spoken by the Word of God). Like Abraham, God-like faith does not consider its own reasoning, but believes according to that which is spoken. “Who [Abraham] against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be” (Rom. 4:18 KJV, emphasis added). We are to walk and live by the faith of

Ronald Obie is a native of Roxboro, NC and currently resides in High Point, NC. He is an Associate Minister at Prospect Hill Missionary Baptist Church serving under Pastor George Harris, Jr. and is ordained in the Cedar Grove Missionary Baptist Association. He and his wife Vanessa have been married 40 years and are the parents of three adult children and five grandchildren. He is Founder and CEO of Wood Coatings Research Group, Inc., an independent research and development materials science laboratory.

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