THE TENT

I am coming off of a big weekend. Currently I am eating Cheetos and drinking Diet Coke for breakfast.  I feel like I have been to Vegas or participated in a week long sporting event.  The excitement is still flowing; however, I can feel a nap coming on!  

My hyped-up vibe is from The Tent.  Belle Johnson, a 9th grader from Fairfield, had a vision from the LORD late in the summer that this town needed a revival.  Her vision was carried out this weekend.  The LORD prompted me to help her, and I take no credit at all!  I had a front row seat though to see it all go down.  This was a movement from God from the beginning until the end.  I learned a few things over the weekend.

Obedience is huge!  Belle was obedient and did what the LORD told her to do!  She did not second guess herself.  She moved forward in faith!  She told her Mom, more about her precious Mom later, and stepped forward in total obedience.  In Luke 11:28, Jesus says “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”  We have to hear the Word of God, but that is not enough!  We have to obey it!  My kids hear me all of the time, but they sadly and honestly do not always obey me.  (Shame on them.)  We can be the same way.

The Tent ended up being huge! I looked out several times in total awe and thought…all of this because one young lady obeyed!  What if we all obeyed and did what the Lord told us to do?  The gospel of Christ would move forward faster than ever!  

Another thing I learned was from watching Belle and her Mom.  They worked so hard. They carried tables together, unloaded ice, visited with people, set up t-shirts, strung lights and unstrung lights.  They even slept in the truck Friday night to stand guard over the musical equipment that was left on the stage for the next day.  It was a wonderful thing to see Misty and Belle doing God’s work together.  

Belle could not have done it all alone.  The City of Fairfield helped her.  Jason Francis, a Fairfield native, and musical genius helped her and musicians from all over the state of Texas came together to donate their time and talents.  Churches cooked, served, donated water, and prayed.  A Bible study group baked cookies.  People volunteered, picked up trash, brought lights, and anything else that we needed.  The Tent was a representation of the Body of Christ like I have never seen. The Bible speaks about many members in the body, but that we are All the Body of Christ.  I saw it at The Tent!  It was powerful.  It was beautiful!  We need more of it.  

At one point Sunday night, I was tired! I felt sick.  I sent out a text to a group for prayer.  I drank a caffeinated drink. I told the devil to leave me alone OUT LOUD, and I got back to The Tent so I could hear the music again.  My burden was immediately lifted! My energy came back.  Prayer, praise, telling the devil to flee, and a good dose of caffeine can fix just about anything.  I experienced it last night more than ever!  

Lastly, The Tent taught me that God’s work is fun!  I have had a lot of FUN in my life.  Some of my fun should have, could have ended with me in jail, the hospital, or dead!  However, the LORD in his grace and mercy saved me. Thankfully, my fun now involves Him.   Join Jesus Christ this week in what HE is doing, in HIS work, in the work of the KINGDOM.  You will be amazed. You will have the time of your life!