From Our Lips to Our Lives

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name.”  Hebrews 13:15

There are two aspects of worship mentioned in Hebrews 13:15 – lips and service. They are both important as we look at living out worship in every aspect of life. Our lips are to praise the Lord – but “the fruit of lips that confess His name” will be lives that are continually lived for God’s glory in a “sacrifice of praise.” It is not an “either/or” but a “both/and.”  Let me explain.

Our lips delight in praising the Lord as we come together and worship. We corporately come together on a Sunday morning and lift up the name of Jesus. It is a dynamic time of expressing how much God is worth to us. One of the early signs of revival is a worship that comes alive in the church. When the King makes his presence known, it’s only natural that his people will want to praise him. According to our services, we are in the middle of revival.

I enjoy coming and worshipping with our Church. Our services are an inspiration and we are truly in the presence of the Lord. I always look forward to what the Lord is going to do with our time together. Even in the midst of a pastor’s feeble attempt to describe the history of the church and get his words twisted up, there is a spirit of excitement when we laugh together. I remind you often how real I am in the mistakes I make. Lord help me!... and He truly does.

There is also personal worship when you get caught up in a song or the presence of God when you are alone or with a couple of friends. No one can duplicate the sweet spirit of God that falls down on you when you least expect it.

There is also a dynamic that takes place when we serve each and every day. There is an element of putting fruit to what we say and bringing glory to the name of Jesus. It is in the expression of our worship that serving opportunities arise. There are some times when they drop in our lap and they seem so natural. There are other times when it is a difficult thing to do. All in all, our service is the overflow of our worship.

What better time to put fruit to our lips than Thanksgiving. We should always be a thankful people but especially when we gather with friends and family, around the table, sharing the many blessings God brings to our lives. What a great day to express the Lord’s goodness.

This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. Our theme is “Bright Christmas.” Our sanctuary and church are looking great. Many thanks for the people who came out last Sunday night to decorate our church. My prayer is that the Lord will fill our church with the hope and love that will be life changing this Christmas. Invite a friend and let the Church be the Church.

Joy in Jesus!

Pastor Mike

www.findlayfirstnaz.org

Crowding God Out

Last Sunday I finished my series on the book of Jude. I mentioned that it is a mirror of 2 Peter 2. Peter and Jude were talking about how false teachers can distract people of faith and get them to run a course they were not prepared to run. When someone turns from their faith and begins to walk in another direction it is called backsliding. Peter says in 2 Peter 2:22, that it is like, “A dog returning to its vomit and a sow that is washed and goes back to wallow in the mud hole again.” Not a pleasant thing to think about but it happens. The backslider begins to see his or her sin as attractive and desirable. But God doesn’t. It is not just a problem of human weakness. It is the sin of crowding God out by filling your life with self. Peter also says in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” After experiencing revival as a church and seeing God move in our lives, the enemy is not going to let up. Verse 9 continues and says, “Resist the devil, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering.” Yes, turning from God is as disgusting as a dog returning to his vomit.

Let me encourage you today to keep current with your relationship with Jesus. Keep the revival fires burning in your heart. There is a great hymn called “Search me, O God” written by J. Edwin Orr. It talks about the cure for backsliding or a sure remedy to keep a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. Meditate on the words today as you seek the Lord and also pray this for others you come in contact with.

Search me, O God, and know my heart today,
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray;
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free.

I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy word and make me pure within;
Fill me with fire, where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire to magnify Thy name.

Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine;
Take all my will, my passion, self and pride;
I now surrender, Lord, in me abide.

O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee;
Send a revival, start the work in me;
Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need;
For blessings now, O Lord, I humbly plead.

This Sunday we will be celebrating 75 years as a congregation called, “Back to the Future.” Come and celebrate a great heritage as well as a great future God has laid out before us.

Joy in Jesus!

Pastor Mike

Just Another Ordinary Day

In Luke 24:13-35 we see Jesus encounter two men who were caught up with the events that had just taken place. Jesus had died, was buried, and was believed to have been raised from the dead. These two men were so engrossed in the moment that they did not realize that Jesus Himself was walking and talking with them. Jesus even poured Himself out to these men and explained what all the Prophets had said concerning the events that just took place. They probably understood it clearer than they ever had before because it came from the One whom it was about. Their hearts were burning within themselves because the King of kings was speaking to them. It was just another ordinary day and they were going through the motions as they normally did. They were not even open to the fact that they were with Jesus until Jesus broke bread and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they saw things for what they were.

We can’t be too critical of these men because we too have been so preoccupied with things happening in our life that we missed a real encounter with Jesus. He is actually in more places today through His Holy Spirit than He was in this story. I have found myself wishing that I was one of the men on the road to Emmaus. I think to myself, “I would have recognized Jesus from the very first word.” Then I quickly am humbled when I think of the times I have really missed seeing His hand at work through His Holy Spirit because of being preoccupied. As a matter of fact, the disciples learned that it was much better to have Jesus living in them than for Him to be physically present. The realization of Jesus living inside of us takes every ordinary day and turns it into extra-ordinary.

During our revival services with Stephen Manley, our attention was drawn to the fact that Pentecost happened so we could live like Jesus. Revival takes place when one person lives in the reality that Jesus is living inside of them and they are able to walk in the light. Soon, the revived begins to walk in the light with another person, horizontally as well as vertically. This other person is probably going to be someone close. It could be a spouse, a brother or sister, or a close friend. It is amazing what happens when we allow God to turn our normal days into something extra-normal. I look at it this way, I am either going to return back to what I was before revival by allowing others to dictate the end result, or I can let God make a change in others by using me to change those around me and determine the outcome. I think I like the latter plan better. That is when revival breaks out wherever I go. It has nothing to do with me, it has all to do with Jesus. I am just called to “be” faithful in all I do.

Wasn’t it an honor to have over 24 veterans in our service on Sunday? I didn’t realize we had so many attending our church. We are a blessed church because of their willingness to serve. This Sunday I will be finishing up the book of Jude. Jude points out that the people who are dividing the church are trying to live in their natural instincts and not in the Spirit. It is an interesting thing to ponder as we think of maintaining a spirit of revival in our lives.

On Sunday we will also have several babies being dedicated. It gives the church an opportunity to support the parents of these little ones and pray for them as they raise them in the Lord. What a special time of worship we will have when we recognize God as the miracle giver of our children. Every life matters at every stage of life because they matter to God.

So tell me about your everyday ordinary day. What is God doing around you?

Joy in Jesus!

Pastor Mike

Face to Face

One day Jesus was traveling through Jericho and the crowds were starting to gather wherever He went. A man named Zacchaeus was wanting to see Him. Being short, he had to climb up a tree just to lay eyes on Him. In the story, it was as if Jesus already knew He was going to go to his house. Zacchaeus is a great example of what happens when you encounter the living Christ. He came face to face with the One truly worth following and put everything on the line to be His disciple. You can look at the story in Luke 19:1-10.

In 1971, the Palmers, who wrote the book, The Winds of God Are Blowing, left Nebraska to visit Canada to see for themselves a revival that was breaking out. The Holy Spirit was moving in the western provinces. One account they wrote about was in Saskatoon where a farmer who sold cars during the slow season felt compelled to tell the congregation what God was doing in his life. He explained why he had arrived at the service late: “I must tell you where I’ve been. God has been speaking to me the last week or so about some of the sharp deals I’ve made. This morning I decided I could resist Him no longer. I’ve driven five hundred miles since leaving home, visiting people I’ve knowingly cheated. I told each one of them what had happened to me and why I was there, and we worked out a fair financial settlement in each case. It made a big dent in my bank account but, praise God, I can stand here tonight with clean hands!”

When you come face to face with Jesus, it demands a cleansing of your hands and your heart. Jesus doesn’t make you do it, you want to do it. You want to set right past wrongs and allow Him to fill you with a new Spirit. An encounter with the Living God strips down all inhibitions and makes you openly transparent with the attitude that "whatever it takes to get closer to You, that is what I am willing to do." Whether you are a new Christian or a longtime believer, this kind of encounter fills you with great joy and excitement in your faith. That’s what revival is all about. That is where we are as a church. We have been praying for God’s Spirit to move and He is answering our prayer.

For the next couple of Sundays I will be speaking from the book of Jude. Come and expect God to speak to us as we seek Him with all of our heart. There will be a special recognition of our veterans in our service this Sunday. We are blessed to live in a free country where men and women risk their lives for us to experience that freedom.

On Sunday night at 5:30 p.m. we will have our annual Harvest Dinner. You will enjoy good food as well as music from the Tacketts. What a day it is going to be…

Joy in Jesus!
 
Pastor Mike