The Woman At the Well and Us

11/13/1995

Dear Chosen ones.... please read this with your families and Family.

I was pondering and praying this morning, and feel as if I should pass on a challenge that I believe is from Jesus to us—to GROW into (as opposed to climb upon a white horse and react to : )).

I know that EVERY single person in His Church here is willing and able to speak to anyone that expresses a desire to know about the “unsearchable riches of Christ,” or “the administration” (Eph. 3) of the unsearchable riches of Christ (things about His Ways, His Church, etc.). The following is true of absolutely ANYONE in the Church here now, and *almost* any of those in their teen years, and even down to many of our 5 to 8 year-olds: If someone came up to them and asked them about matters relating to Jesus and His Purposes and Church, a DEEP well of Life would be poured out as the Spirit would permit. In fact, MOST would surprise even themselves at the depth of God’s Love and Counsel that is available within for the pouring out on God-given opportunity. This WellSpring is available to be poured out, from any and all here locally, to any one asking.

It is also readily available for pouring out from any here to any *known* religious person. Some people have somehow acknowledged that they are willing to discuss spiritual matters by the fact that we meet them in a religious building or some other similar circumstance or event. Some people show evidence of some spiritual inclination by bowing to pray before a meal at a restaurant, or by reading a Bible in public, or by their bumper sticker or tee-shirt. If such a person is presumably inclined toward spiritual matters, EVERYONE in the local assembly of Elect here would have the desire and Words to speak to them, Spirit leading. This is marvelous that you have sowed bountifully and can therefore reap a surprisingly rich harvest in such a circumstance, “from the least to the greatest they all know Him.” This pleases the Master, for sure.

There is another area that I believe Jesus wants us to grow in and embolden ourselves in as we learn to love more. As well as TAPPING into our ability to live freely in the above, it is my distinct impression that He wants us to envision the following also: the willingness to speak with honesty, humility and openness to people that we have NO evidence whatsoever that they are inclined toward matters relating to their God and Maker. The waitress, the clerk, the person sitting on the bench at the mall, the postman, the paperboy, the pizza delivery guy, the coworker, and the neighbor. Total strangers, as well as general people that we cross paths with from time to time, as well as those that we see often, but know nothing about.

(Certainly this would be primarily men toward men—though “the woman at the well” is an example of something that *could* happen in a careful way—brothers speaking Life to a waitress or something similar. Women dealing only with women would be, due to God’s order the way to go except in rare instances. We must, of course honor God’s Ways as we seek to follow Him and magnify Him in this fallen planet. I did not wish to mention these things, but it is necessary to foil the enemy, so I must.)

Can you envision...

A simple question to a waiter or waitress, perhaps off to the side where they would not be influenced by the embarrassment of being on display in front of a table full of customers... “Do you ever feel as if your creator, God has been calling to you? Do you ever feel as if He is wanting your life, that you would follow Him and obey Him?”

If he says, “No, not really,” then simply offer him a card with your phone number and the Gospel on it, “in case you ever do think about things that last forever.”

If he says, “Yes, sometimes I lay on my bed at night thinking about that, but I don’t really know what to do,” give him that same card and ask him if he’d like to sit down after work with a couple of really good guys and talk about it. : )

Or perhaps, to a pizza guy or store clerk... “I want to give you this telephone number in case you ever want to know how to give your life to Jesus, full-blast. : ) Call me if you want to get together and play some basketball with some guys or something and talk about it.”

Or, to a person at a store, or a coworker or a relative... “I kinda have the idea that your life would be totally free and changed if you’d face Jesus and have your sins forgiven. Would you be interested in talking about how to have ALL of your sins forgiven? You probably have experienced a “thing” living inside of you that is really ugly at times, and you don’t like it. I’d like to talk to you about having your life ruled by Jesus rather than that “thing.” Would you be interested in sitting down and thinking out loud about that?”

If he or she says, “No. Not interested,” you could say, simply, “Okay. But you know where to get a hold of me if you realize Jesus is trying to get a hold of you.” : ) If he or she says, “Yea. Let’s talk sometime,” you can say, “I’ll pick you up at 7:30 and we’ll meet a friend or two at Ben and Jerry’s. That work for you?”

Trust me. I speak not of “evangelism” here. I speak simply, of a *freedom* from rejection and pain and insecurities of our pasts that hold us back—and of a *freedom* to just talk openly of the world as it really is to those that are trapped on this planet with us. Nothing religious. Just the facts of how things are. The Pacers, the weather, the Creator and your sins; nice sweater; Do you have any ketchup?; Heaven and hell; Do you play golf?; stuff.

May God be with us and help us.

Maybe the “secret”... is love.