¶ Evangelism Through Service and Music
Service is not exciting . Evangelism is not something that we naturally jump up and down to do . We may have moments right , but typically it's not but , ray , it is service . Evangelism is service . We are serving people by giving them what they most desperately need .
Yeah , we're going to them in humility . In that sense we're forsaking our own pride , humbling ourselves because we know they could mock us . Let me do something that happened just on Sunday . I have said the same words over and over again , like some sort of I don't know parrot . When I go up to strangers I say would you like to go on YouTube ?
It's a channel with 1.5 million subscribers . I ask people if they think there's life after death . And I know when I approach people , especially in the local college , that they're thinking what a weirdo . Who is this guy ?
And when I'm giving them the card that shows the channel , my left hand is going for the in and out card Because I know this is going to change everything in a split second . And so this is what happened on Sunday . I went past this guy on the bike , screeched a hole . I says uh , ever watch YouTube . And he answered just like deathly cold . He was just .
I could feel some sort of anger or something with the guy and it was just . It was very gruff and rude as he took the card and went to walk off and I says ask people if they think there's life after death . And here's a $5 in and out card for lunch and he called out I'm sorry as I rode away . Really , there was so much emotion in his voice , wow .
And what happened was a paradigm shift . He had a complete change of mind about me in a split second because he had extra information . He didn't see me as a weirdo , but someone that really cared about him and loved him .
Welcome to this edition of Songs , songs , songs , songs from the greatest decade of all time , songs from the 1980s . All right , here's what we're going to do , gentlemen . I'm going to start a song and we'll see who can finish it Ready . I'll just give a few words from the chorus . Yeah , no , we didn't start the fire .
It was always burning , since the world was turning .
We didn't start the fire .
It was always burning since the world was turning , we didn't start the fire .
Billy Joel 1989 . There is no . Okay , I just have to say this , and I'm not like , I'll just say this Do you see ? The look on Ray's face Emphatically no , no , no . Emphatically the 1980s was the greatest decade for music period . Sure Right Mark .
Yeah , period , sure , right , mark yeah absolutely . You've just lost 90% of your podcast listeners .
No , the 60s Beatles eh .
Beatles just left everything in the dust .
I'm sorry . No , no , I'm sorry they weren't as catchy .
Oh what , yeah , Is your problem ? Yeah , yeah , yeah for sure .
All right , sweet dreams are made of these who am I to disagree ? To travel the world in the seven seas .
Everybody is looking for something .
I'm exercising patience because I know how much this means to you , because I know how much music means to me from the 60s Smart .
Seriously , is it just nostalgia bro ?
That's it .
¶ Musical Hits and Memories
Oscar , do you know any of these Erythmics ?
yeah , he knows that . Who know any of these Erythmics ? Yeah , he knows that . Who am I to disagree ? Erythmics 1983 .
All right , here we go . Sweet operator , sweet operator . Sade From coast to coast , LA to Chicago .
That's right , sung by Sade Sade . Stop reading my job . I wasn't . I'm joking .
Sade 1984 . Okay , Ray , you have to know this one we are the world , we are the children .
That fixed everything . We are the ones who make a better .
Dan Aykroyd's like in the back as an actor . Have you ever noticed ?
It's like wait a minute . Oh man , that was a massive group , it was .
It was wonderful and brought the whole world together in love .
Yeah right , all right , here's one of my favorites . Just one word , and I know at least Mark will get this Hello .
Dolly , is it me , you're ?
looking for how you're looking for how I wonder where you are . Who was that ? Do you know , oscar ? No .
Lionel Richie , lionel Richie , I was going to say Lionel .
Richie , lionel , richie Close .
Alright one more , no two more . Two more , three more , sixteen more . That's our podcast . What's ? Love got to do , tina Turner Got to do with it . What's love but a secondhand emotion ?
Ray , you know that one , tina Turner .
The only way . I know it is because I've heard you guys sing it so often . Yeah , 1984 .
I like that .
This is the reason why you know these songs is because you stopped listening to music in the 80s .
The reason why you know these songs is because you stopped listening to music in the 80s .
That's kind of true .
All right , this has to be one of the most catchy songs of all time . Here we go , never going to give you up .
Never going to let you down .
Never going to run around and desert you , never going to make you cry , never going to say goodbye , never going to tell a lie and hurt you . I saw you grooving Yale over there , yeah that's right .
Hey , this is legit though .
Easy , just set this whole thing up to Rickroll all of our listeners One big Rickroll Dude that was good have you seen when Rick got Rickrolled .
No , did he really ? It was on Reddit . Was there a video ?
Yeah , I don't know if you're familiar with what it means to be Rickrolled . It's to set somebody up for something and then all of a sudden , right before the answer , the solution comes , the song comes up and it's called being Rickrolled . Well , rick got Rickrolled by somebody on Reddit .
No way the paper trail on it and it says hey , did you guys know that this is what happened to Rick and whatever it was ? And then you go , you click on it and it was him doing his song I've never gotten
¶ Reflections on Music and Service
before before .
Yeah , but man , what music does it Like ? I feel good right now . You know , just reliving those songs .
One person does I agree with you .
Easy Lyrics are in no way endorsed in part and whole by our hosts of Living Waters Podcast . They are merely being referenced for educational purposes .
And no one got hurt . No one got hurt in the singing of those songs except Ray's ears , oh man .
But Ray , you understand , right ?
Oh , absolutely I hear songs . They just do something to you . Yeah , they bring you back to the moment of pleasure when you first heard them .
Yeah , but , you know , this fills my heart with worship , not because of the songs . Honestly , I don't even know all the lyrics , some of them may not be good , but what God does with the heart of man . Like what is music ? Like singing ? It's really weird . When you try to think about what it is , you know it's communication , but in a rhythm .
Do you think Adam and Eve stumbled on music before it got to the rest of humanity ? I would think so .
I would think Adam and Eve stumbled on music before it got to the rest of humanity ? I would think so , so .
Adam's standing and goes da-dum , da-da-ba-da-ba , Eve , get me dinner .
Happy birthday to me . Eve is born . Happy birthday to me , thank you .
Actually , the words that Adam said to Eve are poetic in nature , so he could have sang it to her .
Bow to my bone , flesh to my flesh , you know it's interesting .
You just brought something up that reminded me of this book that I read last year on apologetics , and in the midst of making an argument through mathematics , this particular author also pointed out that music is one of the greatest arguments for the existence of God . Not just a God , but a beautiful God , he said .
In reality , like , music shouldn't make sense unless there was something transcendently beautiful . Like why is it that my keys hitting the floor Ray down the stairs isn't like a number one ? You know , hit on the billboard chops because it doesn't sound good . But music ? There's something about finding the notes .
What's wrong with ?
that I love my case there's something about finding the notes . It's like you know he , he pointed out it's . It's like musicians are reaching into another world and bringing back something beautiful we should get Scotty to talk about music oh yeah seriously he knows all about the intricacies but Ray , you and I , we both cry when we hear that .
I don't know how you say that song , but that yeah , it's beautiful .
I'll never know how to say that song .
But it's that opera song that's just like . It just builds your heart up . It's time to say goodbye is also a beautiful song . Say that song . It's that opera song , that's just like it just builds your heart up . It's time to say goodbye is also a beautiful song .
But you realize there are laws involved in music when someone sings out a key .
Yeah .
What's the ?
saying Everybody should sing , but not everybody should be given a microphone .
That's right On a hill far away .
And the Bible speaks of skilled musicians .
Yeah , yeah easy as Ray looks right at you .
I have my fans .
They write in , I'll keep saying it yeah , he did . Yeah E singular . But the other element of it too , though , is like what happened here right now in terms of the evidence of God's handiwork . Right now , in terms of the evidence of God's handiwork , I said one word , in some cases two , and instantly all this stuff was triggered .
That's all logged in on your brain's hard drive .
Well , when you did that , I thought of Stand by Me , because that's how it begins .
Right , I mean seriously See , if you know this song , thriller , thriller , I don't even know the words , one word , and you guys know it .
Don't you use something similar for scripture memorization ? Easy , isn't there a ? Way to attach it to rhythm or melody .
You use different mnemonic devices and sometimes a pattern , sometimes a tune . It really helps . Alright , friends , we have an exciting announcement . Starting in 2025 , we'll be posting Oscar is better .
Yeah , we have an exciting announcement Starting in 2025 , we'll be posting Oscar is better . Yeah , isn't that better ?
Yeah , we're doing exciting things . You get one episode , a full one , maybe longer , and the other one is just a little bit shorter , but great , packed with meat , and that'll happen on January 7th . That reminded me of a song . All right , exciting stuff , we're done with that Time for a cool , classic comment .
This is from Cody Ackley , writing from Emporia , kansas . Hi , the Living Waters podcast and videos have blessed me very much and I thank God for that . Thank you all too . I just had an idea . It would be fantastic if Living Waters had an animated show for families , slash children with Ray , eze , oscar and Mark as the voice actors .
You all have such colorful personalities and such a wonderful and wonderful senses of humor . I think it would be great . I'm sure this isn't an original idea , but I really thought it was worth sharing . I think something like that would make a lovely addition to your new streaming service .
That'd be wonderful . So if you've got ten million dollars , send it to us , send it our way .
Any hoodles . Thank you for spreading the gospel . I pray you all continue to spread God's beautiful word . I look forward to more podcasts . Your podcasts are God-centered , wholesome , educational and fun to listen to . Thanks for taking the time to read this . God bless Miss Cody .
Ackley , what if instead we did puppets ?
Oh , hey , I got your bongo . There we go , cody Ackley . What if instead we did puppets ? Hey , gerbombo , I got Gerbombo .
There we go , rachel , yeah .
You can use Ray's original outfit .
We'll bring Charlie , oh yeah .
Hey kids , where are you ? I should get him sent over .
Yeah , you should , ray . Who has it ? Is it your brother , phillip , my brother ?
Yeah .
I , is it your brother , my brother ? Yeah , yeah , I'll see if he wants to sell it , cody , thank you so much . That's very encouraging and , yeah , keep these ideas going .
That would kind of be cool it would be nice if we were able to afford it , yeah maybe AI can do something .
Animation is expensive . It's hugely expensive . You know when ?
they talk about , like these big , even Disney or Pixar or whatever , how long it takes cakes or just like a 10-second frame .
That's why I said $10 million , it's just ridiculous .
Yeah , Send it . $10 million Made out to Mils Wayne . All right , friends . And now a radically revolutionary resource . This podcast is brought to you by how to Be Free from the Fear of Death . Ray . Did you dress ?
You know you always talk about how morticians dress death up to look nice , Did you dress that book up Because that's one of the nicest covers it really is nice .
It's a nice book about the fear of death . I wrote it because I saw my neighbor's facial expression once , an elderly Indian lady just walking along . I thought she's just horrified of death .
I can tell by the look on her face . Is that really what prompted you ? That's what prompted me I wrote the booklet , and Amen so check it out , friends , and don't forget the Living Waters Mag , the Evidence Study Bible and Living Waters TV . You just heard about it from our friend Cody , who wrote in All at livingwaterscom .
Ooh , I was trying to be normal , oscar , I know . Sorry , I messed up . Yeah , it's okay . Alright , friends , today we're talking about how to develop a heart for service .
What's that on your shirt ? My shirt no .
Oscar's . Oh , the Illuminati gave it to me .
Oh , now that's started a rumor . See , now there's not even guesswork .
He just came out and said it yeah , what is that ?
Anvil Hittin Anvil Hittin Oscar , why ?
Do you like wearing just stuff .
I like bothering you .
When I go to the store I'm like which one of these sweaters would really get under Easy Skin , I'll take it .
Success for sure .
It's a hammer hitting an anvil and little sparks flying . Does it say something special ? No , it's meaningless . So hit me , completely meaningless . Hit me , hit me .
Alright , guys , how to develop a heart for service . As I was thinking about this , the first passage that came to mind was that's a good one .
It's one of my favorites .
It's one of my favorites . I've memorized that .
You guys remember James and John , sons of Zebedee , had the goal . I never met them to come up to Jesus and say please , lord , in your kingdom , let one of us sit on your right one on your left .
They were the sons of lightning .
Yeah , and you know what ?
No , they weren't . I never thought about this but they what's ? That Sons of thunder .
Whatever ?
right and Ron tried to save me and Ron came . We're just tired of correcting you .
Ray , we have to let some things go on . We just let it go , ray , in our minds .
we're just like oh , how cute yeah .
But you know what's funny is they came up to Jesus and wanted him to put one on the right , one on the left . We know , and I'll read here the disciples started to argue and fight about that .
It was their Jewish mother that caused the problem .
Yeah , their mother was involved in it too , but I can imagine them arguing amongst themselves . I want to be on the right . No , I want to be on the . You know , I mean , that's human nature , isn't it Like vying for what best suits us ?
And it says and when the ten heard it , they began to get greatly displeased with James and John Right , like why , because ?
he wanted to be on the right and the left Sounds like Arabs to me .
Yeah , that's what we do . But Jesus called them to himself and said to them you know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them and their great ones exercise authority over them . Yet it shall not be so among you .
But whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant , and whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all . For even the Son of man did not come to be served , but to serve and give his life a ransom for many .
I thought it was surf .
A surf . That's why you started surfing . Yeah , surf and surf .
¶ Serving Others in Humility
Ray , we are quite familiar with this passage , I think so much so that it's again the John 3.16 syndrome . We just don't really grasp it . But imagine hearing this for the first time in that era that was dominated by that drive for superiority . I mean , this was foreign to them , but the significance of that being a servant .
Jesus came to serve , not to be served .
Yeah , you've titled this how to Develop a Heart for Service , and the word heart and the word love are synonymous in our society today . And my little thought is friends , don't let friends go to hell . Ooh , my little thought is friends , don't let friends go to hell .
And I can't get past the fact that people are going to hell and if we love them , we want to serve them for the gospel sake , to reach them for Christ . Charles Virgin said we must school and train ourselves to deal personally with the unconverted . We must not excuse ourselves , but force ourselves to the irksome task until it becomes easy .
Wow , that is so powerful , I love this word . The irksome task until it becomes easy . Wow , that is so powerful , I love this word . Irksome task . I'd rather be doing anything than reaching out to the lost . I hate rejection .
Yeah , amen , I'd love to meet that guy , if he exists . Spurgeon , yeah , we have his prints now , don't we ? But the guy who really can honestly say , oh , I love serving , oh , I love it , it's exciting , it's my favorite thing . Because I think that's not me . Let me just be honest . We're few and far between .
I'm not saying we can never have glimmers of excitement to do something nice for someone we love . But by and large , like Ray's , talking about service is not exciting . Evangelism is not something that we naturally jump up and down to do . We may have moments right , but typically it's not . But , ray , it is service . Evangelism is service .
We are serving people by giving them what they most desperately need .
Yeah , we're going to them in humility . In that sense , we're forsaking our own pride , humbling ourselves because we know they could mock us . Let me do something that happened just on Sunday . I have said the same words over and over again , like some sort of I don't know parrot . When I go up to strangers I say would you like to go on YouTube ?
It's a channel with 1.5 million subscribers . I ask people if they think there's life after death . And I know when I approach people , especially in the local college , that they're thinking what a weirdo . Who is this guy ?
And when I'm giving them the card that shows the channel , my left hand is going for the In-N-Out card because I know this is going to change everything in a split second . And so this is what happened . On sunday I went past this guy on the bike , screeched a hole . I says uh , ever watch youtube . And he answered just like deathly cold . He was just .
I could feel some sort of anger or something with the guy and it was just . He was very gruff and rude as he took the card and went to walk off . And I says ask people if they think there's life after death . And here's a $5 in and out card for lunch and he called out . I'm sorry , as I wrote away .
It was just .
There was so much emotion in his voice and what happened was a paradigm shift . He had a complete change of mind about me in a split second because he had extra information . He didn't see me as a weirdo , but someone that really cared about him and loved him , and that's what I find so powerful .
About a week ago , I was going down the channel that's got a path for the bike and I saw a girl walking by herself and I thought I just can't , as as a man , alone , with no one around , approach a strange girl , a strange man . But I thought , well , jesus did it with a woman , well , so I'm going to do it . So I just said , well , and I did it .
And she was so open to the gospel , it was her and my . Standing there , I ended up praying with her and she was very repentant and my last words were to her don't talk to strange men , I'm an exception to the rule . I'm an exception to the rule , I am strange , but I'm a nice strange man . Yeah , but we're servants to all .
And another guy once said to me I got him on camera . After we finished the interview he said I didn't want to talk to you . But then I said to myself any guy with a dog wearing sunglasses can't be all that bad . And so that breaks down the ice . But yeah , there's so many weirdos out there .
I don't blame people for having that thought when I approach them , and that's why I'm so excited to take that other card in my hand and dissipate that prejudice and let them know that I really care about them .
Yeah , it is . It's a demonstration of service Mark really care about them . Yeah , it is . It's a demonstration of service Mark . When I think of you , the two words that immediately come to mind frustration .
besides dirt and bag , we just want to thank Ken Ham for helping our vocabulary .
Thank you Ken .
You've expanded your vocabulary . That's good .
But they're the words . They're the words doulos , which I call you , that's my nickname for you , doulos shmulos . It's evolved over the years and huperate Define those words when it comes to service .
Yeah , well , one is a servant right and the other one is a slave right . The huperate is a slave . It would be an under rower , it would be somebody who would be in the lower gallows , like we would see in Ben-Hur , one who would be rowing .
You'd have people up and above the ship , on top of the deck , and they would be enjoying everything that's going on , unaware of the work that's being put into getting the boat to row . That would be the huperates that servant . And then the dulos would just simply be somebody who would be serving . I'm here to serve you , right ?
I wouldn't consider myself to be either one of those . Well , how long were you serving for as a waiter ?
Nine years , nine years , well , there you go a servant .
He still does it on the side from time to time .
I was a janitor that worked the graveyard shift for three and a half years Wow , I was a dishwasher couple years , you know , and that was just because I didn't like being around people , that's a lot of dishes . It's been said , you know kind of a servant you are when somebody treats you like one .
And I heard a pastor once say can you imagine if we all took upon ourselves the responsibility that when we walked into a bathroom , especially a public bathroom not at church , but a public bathroom and you knew that , hey , it is my responsibility to clean up this bathroom , if you knew you were going to get paid $100 million to clean that bathroom , you wouldn't
even put on gloves , you'd just get it done , you'd just get it and I'll move on . But if you had that realization of you know it's my responsibility , ray , we used to have that gospel track not my job , not my job .
Oh , that's what it was An armadillo run over by .
We should revive that , yeah , so it was an armadillo that was run over in the street , but they did .
It was roadkill .
Yeah , it was roadkill flattened out , but the dividing line , you know the yellow dividing line between the two-way road . It went right over the armadillo .
No , it went around it and said not my job . Oh no , I thought it went over it . It went over it .
I'm sorry it went over it , yeah it went over it , so it kept going . So it's like , eh , not my job , I don't care , I don't pick it up . But yeah right , that's how we function as people . That's not my job .
And you hear people say that , yeah , it's not my job , I don't care that . He came not to be served but to serve . And as I think about that reality , it's so hard . Like what words could you use to help someone comprehend Could we comprehend ourselves the reality that God , creator of everything , came to serve ? It doesn't make sense .
However , one of the stories that I think gives me a pinprick glimpse of what that means is Jesus washing feet , and I think it's valuable to recognize . You just used the idea of slave or servant In the New Testament . When we see that word slave servant , bond servant it's important for us to recognize what a bond servant was .
It wasn't the kind of slavery that we experienced and participated in here in the United States . It wasn't race-based chattel slave , where you were simply a possession , less than human Bond servants had rights .
A bond servant was someone who put you know , maybe they got themselves into debt and so they would put themselves in a bond servitude to somebody else and they would do tasks for them , and , after a period of time , a bond servitude to somebody else and they would do tasks for them and after a period of time , they'd be able to buy their freedom again .
It's like they went into debt and then they would work themselves out of debt . And so if you owned a bond servant , you could ask them to raise your kids , educate them . You can ask them to mow your fields . You can ask them to clean the home , represent you in business . One thing you could not get a bond servant to do was to wash your feet .
It was considered below that of a bond servant . A bond servant had the right to say no . It was below them . And yet Jesus , lord of Lords , king of Kings , the one that spoke all things into creation in absolute need of nothing . He wasn't lonely , he wasn't hurting , he was not poor . He came to this earth as a baby .
The first breath he took on smelt like cow manure and he grew up to wash people's feet . It's just the idea of god serving you much less . We haven't even talked about him serving us on the cross yeah , it's blind mind-blowing , and , and I just blind mowing .
It's blind mowing , it's actually blind mowing
¶ Serving as Worship and Relationship
.
It's like mowing a lawn Blind .
And Oscar , when we think of feet right , we always gravitate toward our context right Our nice feet wrapped in clean socks , inside of shoes , on sanitary roads . Basically , You're talking about feet exposed in sandals on dirty , dusty , filthy roads .
Like these .
Share with other animals Right , and he did that , and you know how scripture says that his spirit bears witness with our spirit , that we're children of God . This is one of those things where , like I read an account like this and it's just so divinely evident to my soul that Jesus is the living son of God , no human being would fathom something like this .
You know and convey this sort of otherworldly servant-heartedness to man and then he extends it to us .
He goes this is my kingdom . It's an upside down kingdom . It's a kingdom where the first will be last and the last will be first . It's the kingdom where the rich will be poor and the poor will be rich . He invites us come and be a part of my kingdom . You want to lead , serve . You want to be first , be last , yeah .
And let me read that account for us . John 13 , 12 to 17 says so . When he had washed their feet , taken his garments and sat down again , he said to them do you know what I have done to you ? You call me teacher and Lord and you say well , for so I am .
If I , then your Lord and teacher , have washed your feet , you also ought to wash one another's feet , for I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you . Most assuredly , I say to you a servant is not greater than his master , nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him .
If you know these things , blessed are you if you do them . I mean , I'm just imagining in my mind , like in the midst of a moment where I'm just frustrated with a brother or sister , just upset about something they did or something they said that just rubbed me the wrong way .
So just go up to them , rip their shoes off and wash their feet .
Hey you get down here . But really , though , to imagine that , to get down and to say , wait , wait , jesus told me to wash their feet , how can I , right now , serve them , in my moment of frustration ? How can I serve them ? It may be a confrontation . I may have to confront them .
I need to set aside my personal irritation and ask myself how does what they just did dishonor the Lord , how does it hurt them and their character as a person ? And now , how can I serve them by bringing this to light so that they can be improved and God can be glorified .
You know , we're talking about how to develop a heart for service , and I think one of the first steps here is to recognize that true service is an act of worship , because everybody runs from serving right . I need to move this weekend . Can you give up your weekend and help me go move from this city to this city ?
I'd help you move , Mark where you want to go to , as far away as possible . We'll pay your fare . That's so good , I have no comeback to that .
But it is , it can really be an act of worship . Scripture says in Psalm 100 , verse 2 , serve the . Lord with gladness , come into his presence with singing . Yeah , who is glad ? It's Gladys , gladys , yeah , it must be Gladys . Richard Foster said true service is not an obligation but an act of worship to God . And I remember being at Bible College .
The Bible College that I attended also served as a retreat center and I remember thinking during that time how much God had just touched me and changed me and transformed me . It was my job to set up a table , all the tables , me and a couple other people .
We would set up the plates and the silverware and the cup and everything and I would think through how my parents were not Christians and my brothers were not Christians and I would just weep for their salvation and I would think through this could be an opportunity , right ?
Imagine if I was asked by God to set up the marriage supper of the Lamb , and these are the people that are going to come , and this chair right here . This is where Jesus is going to sit .
I'm not just putting the throw and the forks down and throwing the knives and the spoon , and I remember people would leave and I would still stay there for an elongated period of time , putting the cups and the silver and perfectly , lining them up in the napkins and praying over every person that would ever sit at that chair at the table .
Then I'd move on to the next one and people would come by and just going . What are you doing ? And I remember just as an act of worship , just worshiping the Lord and thanking God for the people who I never met , probably never would meet , and just moving on to the next place , to the next place .
Scripture encourages us and challenges us and commands us to be faithful with the small things Because , truth be told , there is no such thing as a small thing , that small thing in your life is the biggest thing that . God is requiring of you .
So , an act of worship , an act of service Mark you are a weirdo Mark , and let me just say that this is why I love you .
Man , I'm serious . Like on the last episode we talked about how , what you do with your sins and how you type them out , put them in red , delete them . You try to go back Like people don't do this kind of stuff , what you did with the table and all that .
I saw him writing your name and doing the same thing .
But the reason why I love that is because that sort of thing takes us outside of the realm of what we do by rote , takes us outside of the realm of just this autopilot Christianity . This is relationship with God .
Let me throw in something else as well that I haven't heard of anybody else doing , but I absolutely love doing , and that is to write poetry , to not share that poetry with anyone . To write God a poem , put it on a paper , go purchase a helium balloon and send it off how many people sent god a helium balloon with a poem attached to it .
Yes , you know , it's just a dolphin ends up eating it though . Yeah , dolphin , those aluminum balloons , and they get stuck on the course . Yeah , it's a fire flipper eats it side note there are no small things , is what uh ray has written on his mirror I can't reach the mirror but , mark I , I love that bro , I love that about you .
it inspires
¶ Practical Ways of Serving in Faith
me , it makes me pause my own life and and just think differently , outside of like , yeah , I didn't even you know , even today , as I was just communing with the lord , I'm like I don't want my prayer life , which I've been very convicted lately to make extremely consistent and thorough , but I can see , even with that , it can just become what I do .
I want to think , I want to pause . It's thinking outside the box , yeah when I come to prayer I want to pause and remember . I am literally in the presence of the God of the universe . He's listening to me . That changes my mode of communion with Him .
Yeah , it's just a whole other way of living life and obviously what's happening to that balloon , but it doesn't work inside of your heart , right ? It's like going to a coffee shop and purchasing two cups of coffee , right , and having one for the Lord , right . What was it in the Old Testament where they would pour out A drink ?
offering . Like what was it in the Old Testament , where they would pour out A drink offering .
A drink offering right . It's kind of like that mindset of two cups of coffee , one for the Lord , and you're just cognizant of the fact .
Oscar would drink both of them .
He's just pouring it out right in front of some homeless guy .
Oscar's crying On a homeless guy's head .
You guys are terrible , so bad . But just it reminds you of who you are , that you've been redeemed by the Lord . And can that money be given to the poor ? Yeah , of course , but it's just the idea of cognizant that the Lord is here with you , right ?
now I love it . I mean again , whatever people think , oh , that's weird , well , who cares ? That is an act of worship and it's and it's beautiful and it's honoring to the Lord , and we're all different , like some people are like , oh , that's just not me , that's fine .
But whatever it is that causes you to be like fixated on the Lord and your awe toward Him grows , do it you know , and I love that right , the whole thing . There's no small things . I've quoted this again , one of my favorite quotes of all time . I gotta find who it was who originally said it .
But we do the big things as though they were the small things because we do them in God's strength . We do the small things as though they were the big things because we do them in God's name . I love that . Say it again we do the big things as though they were the small things , because we do them in God's power .
So , whatever big things in life , you know like we do them as though they were small because to God they are . He's powerful , he gives us power , but we do the small things that people think are insignificant . You know what's the big deal ? We do them as though they were the big things , we add importance to them because we do them in God's name .
That's correct . You know , let me . I mean practical application more than talking and actually doing . Ray , you are truly such a servant like , not just in sharing the gospel with people , but when we're having meals here , you're the first to pop up and take their dishes .
That's because I'm looking for the lift up . That's true , you don't see him lick the plate now .
But I also see you Sue's here and I see you serve your wife all the time . There's little breaks and you want to go encourage her and spend time with her .
There's a snack or something and you're running over there making sure she gets them , like I always see you serve , and so I bring that up to say , like this isn't just I hope people aren't listening to this podcast and going , oh man , that's so good , but then you know , husbands go home and they don't serve their wives , they don't serve the children .
Like servanthood starts in the home , we should be serving our families in the small things and in the big things . We should be washing , finding ways to practically wash their feet in everyday lives .
Yeah , and Ray , I'm glad Oscar brought that up . That was a question I was going to actually ask you . Give us practicals . How would you encourage the people listening now in terms of having the heart of a servant ? What are practical ways they can serve their wife ? How about foot massages ?
I was actually thinking of that , how we're not embarrassed about our hands . We could all put them on the table , but bare feet , the four of us no thanks . They're beautiful feet .
I know that in God's eyes how do husbands practically serve their wives ?
Well , love your wife as Christ loved the church . That's the ideal . It's hard to do , but we should strive for it . But I'm thinking of 1 Peter , 4 , verse 10 . Guys let me quote it to you . As each of us has received a gift , minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of god .
Let me share something I wrote , and I hope I don't fluff it how will you know if you're a gifted singer if you've never sung ? How will you know if you're a gifted runner if you've never run ? And how will you know if you're a gifted speaker if you've never spoken ?
Begin , Begin sharing the gospel with the lost and in time you'll stand back from yourself and say I didn't know , I knew that , I never thought I could say that . And that's when you'll realize that God has given you a gift and because it's a gift , he'll be glorified in you . Amen . Thank you for that .
AC .
I wasn't listening . I'm glad I wrote it for you . I'm glad I'm your ghost writer on everything .
Yeah , my heart goes back to reaching the lost and how there's so much potential within the church to reach the lost and we get tied up in doing everything else but doing that which we know we should .
Yeah , hudson Taylor , by the way , is the one who said that quote . Was it ?
I just looked it up quote , was it I just ?
looked it up . Oh , I love it . What quote was that ? We do the big things as though they were the small things because we do them in His power . We do the small things as if they are the big things because we do them in His power . Here's a missionary to .
China Hudson Taylor . Yeah , they used to wrap their feet in China .
Yeah .
The women used to wrap their feet really tight To make them smaller , right ?
Yeah , is that what happened , my whole body got ripped .
I thought you said they used to rap to their feet .
Yo , what's up , feet , you're super neat .
You're so cool , but you're so discreet . I keep you in my shoes , keep you in my socks , but I never wanted to get hurt by the rocks . You know what I'm saying , Just like that .
You know another way , speaking of servanthood , is serving your local church To look at the local church not just as a place for you to consume a sermon in 30 to 45 minutes and songs and here and there and then to walk out and leave , but to see that God saved you , to be a member of his body and that God has uniquely gifted you .
And so not only by you not serving your church are you holding something back from yourself , but you're also holding something back from the church , because for you not to serve your church is like for a body to walk around with no arm .
You are a part of the body of God and God has uniquely gifted you for this day to serve him in the context of the local church . And we can serve him through our time , whether that's picking up chairs and putting them away , showing up early , cleaning things up , staying at church late to clean up whatever the case , we can serve him with our time .
We can serve him with our talents , whether we have administrative talents , creative talents , communicative talents . Whatever the case is , we can serve him with our time , our talents and , of course , we can serve .
Him with our time , our talents and , of course , we can serve Him with our treasure to ultimately participate in His kingdom by giving Him back what ultimately belongs to us .
Can you unpack that second point a little bit , I mean real quickly ? How do we serve God with our talent ? What is something practically that somebody can do ? If they have the ability to do something , Give an example . That's a great question .
Yeah . So imagine you're a graphic designer and you've got your nine to five job and you show up to church on Sunday and you leave . Why not go to the pastor or the elders , whatever the case , say , hey , you know what I'm gifted in graphic design . Do you guys ever need anything ? Shoot it my way and on my spare time I'll do that for you .
If you're a musician , to volunteer your time to play worship music for everybody , If you have a great amount of patience for rambunctious five-year-old kids , to volunteer your time to serve the church and children's ministry there are so many different ways where we make ourselves available .
If you're a real estate agent , you can go to your church and say , hey , if you guys are ever looking at if there's anything I can do to help with finance , to help with this area , whatever the case , I'm here . This is how the Lord has gifted me . This is how the Lord has blessed me . How can I bless you , church ?
Well , every pastor should say that to his congregation , because you don't know who's sitting in your congregation . We've got this guy in a congregation Elon Musk or something . He just sits there .
Yeah , and I think , oscar , the key is , and what we're trying to convey to everyone listening today and ourselves , is be the kind of person who has a servant's mindset , which means you're always looking for opportunities to serve . If you're not looking for it , you're not going to find it .
But if that's how you're thinking , that's your disposition , then you're going to find plenty of opportunities .
Just thinking about why I serve my wife like I do . And it's because love services , the evidence of love , that's what it is . Love can't help but serve . It's not passive .
Yeah , it's the whole thing of seeing your brother in need and having the world's goods , but shutting your heart up from him , yeah you know , there's no greater love than this , than one to lay down his life for his friends .
And who's closer to you than your spouse ?
Yeah , the standard right , the standard is death . Anything beneath it's a given . Mark , I want you to get your wheels turning on how we can serve our children while I ask Ray , this , ray , you have so many enemies in this world , many of them in this room .
Seriously , you have spent thousands of dollars over the years buying things , but really elaborate on that with the atheists , with the people that have come against you , even in the body of Christ .
Yeah it stops their mouth . So is the will of God that by your well-doing you put to silence the ignorance of foolish men . And it's such a wonderful thing to see that scripture come to light by doing what it says . By your well-doing , you'll put to silence the ignorance of foolish men . What a slap in the face that is of atheists .
They're ignorant and they're foolish , and you can stop their mouths by showing them kindness .
Yeah , there's this guy on my street and when we first moved in , like we had some really good conversations and all of a sudden he just would not talk to me . I don't know if it's because I shared the gospel with them . I don't know if it's because of my face Like we still to this day . It's my face .
It's been five years and he will not look at me , he will not talk to me . The way I serve this enemy is like , and I feel like such a fool doing it . But every time I see him I smile , I'll say hi , I'll wave at him .
Has that helped .
Every time he just gives me the dirtiest look and turns and walks away .
I'll give you a dozen fresh eggs that you can throw at him .
¶ Serving Neighbors and Children
But the point is what else am I going to do ? I'm not going to give him a dirty look back .
All I can do is serve him with being a kind neighbor , just paint his house or something .
Surprise .
Pink , hot pink .
I had something similar happen with my neighbor , and what broke down that wall was putting a gift basket on his doorstep filled with things .
Yeah , we did that , I found him . Oh , you did .
Yeah , I did Found him through social media , what's his likes and things like that . And then I go , let's put that inside there We've baked them .
Does it ? His wife will talk to my wife ? Does he talk to other neighbors ? Maybe it's just his demeanor . I don't want too much detail here . What's his name , address ? I know he struggles in other areas too . He doesn't talk to a lot of neighbors . I was one of the only neighbors he actually had a relationship with , which is even more sad .
Then he remembered he's not friendly . That's right .
Anyways , in this case , practically speaking , I'm just trying to love on him .
What's his first name ? Can you give it ? No , yeah , I probably shouldn't Give us the letter or the first name .
Third letter of the middle name . It's in the alphabet .
Just give us the first letter so everyone can pray for him .
Oh yeah , J J , Because he has J .
Okay , jason , everybody .
Yeah , pray for Jay and let's see if God does something , and that's what I was going to say .
Another thing we can do in tandem with showing kindness is prayer , Because that works on our own heart and I don't know , it's like we see them and we're like man . I've been talking to God about you and it affects us that way .
One of my neighbors has been cold to me since I backed into his car and gritted twice his house . I was kidding . I backed into his car and gripped twice his house . I was kidding .
So Mark our kids . I just have to say that I was convicted years ago when it just dawned on me . I'm like man , I don't think about it in that way , like practical ways aside from maybe some of the things you may even touch on that we should do as parents , but to proactively serve them and bless them and like a servant .
Mark sends gifts via balloons to them .
If you can catch it . There's a $100 bill on that one . Catch it . Goodbye Boy . There are so many ways to serve the kids . First and foremost , we serve them by modeling what a Christian is for our kids , by loving on our wives , by leading inside the house , by confessing our sins , demonstrating what a Christian is for our kids .
We should be students of our kids and not treat all of our kids exactly the same . There was a gentleman by the name of Michael Pearl who wrote an article called the Folly of Fairness . I don't recommend everything that this guy's ever written . It's really pretty bad actually , but this article was actually really good .
And that is .
Oh boy , I got this really nice candy but it's poison .
But this article is actually tremendous and he talks about not treating all of your kids the same . If you had three kids and you had three toys , that doesn't mean you need to give one toy to each one of the kids , right ?
Because there's a folly that you're setting up for the kids , because when they grow older they're not gonna be able to necessarily get what their neighbor gets . Your neighbor has two cars and there's only one person living there . They're not gonna give you one of the cars . This isn't a a socialistic rule and reign . He said so .
Study your kids and know what and how to pour into your kids individually . So I think serving your kids by knowing your kids and just being there for the kids and having that listening ear is a great way Model Christianity for your kids , because who knows how they're going to react and respond as they get older .
It may be where you need to make their bed one time and make it perfect and say that's the way I want it to be , instead of just harping on them saying your room is dirty , your room is dirty , your room is dirty .
Amen , yeah , and I would say serve them through not provoking them to wrath , serve them through not embarrassing them . My kids tell me that all the time , not because I'm doing something horrific .
They'll do it on the silliest little things . It's time for you to go do the dishes . Don't provoke me to wrath .
Don't provoke me to wrath .
Right .
They know the scriptures .
Right , right . But yeah , there is that way , in a serious way , where we can do it , and we need to be careful not to embarrass them , humiliate them , to serve them with gentleness , tenderness , man , that just touches a child's heart . To ask them hey , can I get you something to eat , what would you like ? I'm going to the fridge to grab a drink .
Would you like something to drink ? When our kids see that again , that's that disruption that takes us out of the realm of just autopilot Like , wow , my dad cares about me . No , ray , you're not talking , go ahead .
There's so many young people in this generation that are wrath-filled their parents , especially their father , and that's because he didn't give them his time . They were neglected in their childhood . Oh , big time . And that's one way you can fill a kid with wrath . Just don't give them time .
Yeah , in their childhood , oh , big time , and that's one way you can fill a kid with wrath , just don't give them time . Yeah , I've seen easy service kids too , as they're carrying him around in his big golden chair . They're like take a 30 second break , child . Yes , that's what I mean , like bless them that way .
Yeah , and look , you know , if you ever really want to enter the realm of true servanthood , do things of true servanthood . Do things for people , without them or anyone else knowing you did those things . Yes , I think that's a huge test for our own heart , because there is oftentimes attached with serving the desire for glory .
We want to be seen as a servant , we want to be seen as selfless , but and again , I'm not saying we can always do everything secretly . We can't , and God will deal with our hearts . We still do it , even if we're tempted to always do everything secretly . We can't , and God will deal with our hearts . We still do it .
Even if we're tempted to seek glory for ourselves , we do it . And then we repent . But to find those opportunities , you hear someone mention a financial need . You don't tell anybody , you go and you just somehow get that money to them without them knowing it . Oh , that's worship , right Between you and the Lord .
And it glorifies God If you find out that they have a need . Right , I have a need of $12,000 , right , I mean , I just whoever Just you know yeah .
I need two Ferraris one for the Lord , like a coffee , and one for me .
I actually heard of a pastor that was teaching at a local church and he knew that there was somebody inside of his congregation that owned washers and dryers . I won't mention , it's a really big name , washer and dryer . And he's all man , yeah , my washer is doing terrible , I feel like my dryer is going to .
And it was shortly thereafter that a brand new washer and dryer was delivered to the church for him . And then the senior pastor came along and said how did you get this ? He's like I don't know , it was just there . Did you mention this in any way , shape or form ? He's like I'll send it back . Give it back to them . We drop these subtle hints .
You know when , in reality , if you know God .
You really don't need to rely on man . He gave it back . Yeah , I like .
Mitch and the chickens .
Chickens , chickens .
KFC Oscar needs to be de-loused . All right I sit next to you , bro . I know . All right friends . That was fun today . I'll leave you with this quote by DL Moody Everything we have is on loan from the Lord , entrusted to you , entrusted us for a while to use in serving him .
Man I botched that .
And that's not DL Moody . That's an unknown person .
Everything we have is on loan from the Lord . She's trusted to us for a while to use in serving him .
But here's DL Moody . A good many are kept out of the service of Christ , deprived of the luxury of working for God , the luxury of working for God , Because they are trying to do something , some great thing . Let us be willing to do little things and let us remember that nothing is small in which God is the source .
That ties in with the quote from earlier , friends , and keep that in mind as you hear this . Don't think about these great . Anything done in the service of Christ out of love for people is honoring to the Lord . So do that . Thank you for joining us , friends . I don't have time for all that other stuff .
We'll see you here next time on the Living Waters podcast . Why did I sing that ? Where did that come from the Living Waters ?
I don't know , Bye .
You have no idea what we're doing .
Oh , we have no idea what we're doing .
¶ Small Acts of Service for God
That's it .