Uninhibited Worship

This past week as I was continuing in the process of reading the Bible through chronologically one of my favorite passages came about in 2 Samuel.  David was making his second attempt to move the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem.  The first attempt ended in tragedy when the oxen stumbled and Uzzah reached out grabbing the Ark to steady it.  This simple act ended Uzzah’s life because he broke the procedures for handling the holy pieces of God’s temple.  After a period of time David decided attempt a second move of the Ark to Jerusalem.  This time he had consulted God and followed the proper procedures for handling of the significant piece of God’s temple.  As he entered Jerusalem David danced before the Lord in unashamed fashion.   In fact, we read in 2 Samuel 6:14 that “David was dancing with all his might before the Lord.”  Not only was David dancing before the Lord but he, along with the whole house of Israel, were shouting before the Lord and blowing the ram’s horns.  They wanted everyone to know the full presence of the Lord was entering the city of Jerusalem.  They wanted to worship God with reckless abandonment.

After he had entered the city and offered the burnt and fellowship offerings, David sent everyone to their own homes.  Then scripture records that David went to his home where he was met by his wife Michal, the daughter of Saul.  I imagine that David was in a state of emotional and spiritual euphoria from the processional and offerings.  However, he was not met with favor when Michal greeted him.  Instead, she offered sarcastic remarks of “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!” (2 Sam. 6:20 NIV)  Then the king responded to his wife with a cutting tone by saying, “I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.” (2 Sam. 6:22 NIV)

There are three things I glean from this passage which strike me as imperative for worship.  First, David was consumed with the Glory of God.  When we come to the point in our lives where we are more consumed with God than we are anything else or anyone else then we will worship God with reckless abandonment.  David was more consumed with God than he was his exploits, his position as king, or any of his acquired possessions.  What consumes you?  Secondly, David was concentrating of pleasing God more than anyone or anything else.  King David has been attributed as a “Man after God’s own heart.”  This in simple terms means that more than anything else David desired to please God.  While David had his weaknesses and failed at times, he earnestly sought to please God in all he did.  What is your heart’s desire?  Then finally, David was carefree of what others thought.  He did not allow the temptation of being limited in his response to God’s greatness and mercy from fear of human perception.  Too often we struggle with the fear of what others would say if we freely and unashamedly worship God.  David cast off this inhibitor and worshiped God with all his might.  What holds you back from worshipping your great creator with all of your might?

Oh to have the passionate pursuit of God as David regardless of what others say, think, or infer. 

Let’s worship our Lord with all of our might!

Pastor Ric

Psalm 34:19 Adversity and Deliverance

If you have been following along in the ‘Read the Bible through Chronologically’ then you should have read Psalm 34 this past week.  Although this has been a chapter I have read numerous times one verse in particular leapt from the pages as I read it.  That verse was nineteen which reads, “Many adversities come to the one who is righteous, but the Lord delivers him from them all.”  When one reads this passage of scripture much can be interpreted for the phrase.  However, I want to focus on just a couple of thoughts, or words, today.

First when we look at the word adversity most of us immediately conjure up some event or travesty in our lives which we have faced or are facing.  In fact, just the mention of the word can bring back a haunting memory of some past experience.  However, there are some things we must understand about adversity.  I like what Albert Barnes said about this passage in his writings.  He said, “Religion does not exempt the righteous FROM suffering, but it sustains them IN it; it does not deliver them from all trials in this life, but it supports them in their trials, which it teaches them to consider as a preparation for the life to come.”  Adversity has its place in the Christian’s life; the problem is few want to experience the trials and learn the lessons of life.  Someone once said these truths about the problems we face.   

1.      Problems often provide us with greater opportunities

2.      Problems can promote our spiritual maturity (Ps 105:16ff)

3.      Problems can prove our integrity (1 Pt 3:15)

4.      Problems can produce a sense of dependence

5.      Problems can prepare our hearts for ministry (more empathetic)

Source Unknown

As I look at the problems we face I am reminded that they can come from two sources:  internal and external.  A great example of the internal can be gleaned from a story first posted in the March, 1993 edition of Reader's Digest.  The story goes as this.  While assembling their new water bed, Betty and her husband, Everett, realized they would need a hose. Everett dashed to the hardware store and bought one. They attached it to the bed, ran it through the apartment to the kitchen tap and left to wait for the bed to fill. About an hour later they checked on its progress. That's when they discovered Everett had bought a sprinkler hose. His adversity in the day-to-day of life came about by his doing.  Many of us have trekked off in a haste to accomplish a task without fully thinking through and doing a thorough job only to create more of an issue.  If we let this habit carry over into our spiritual life we can create a spiritual mess. 

The other aspect of adversity comes from the external sources.  These trials and difficulties result from life in general to ploys of the arch enemy of our Father.  When facing these we must remember that we are more than conquerors because we fight FROM victory not FOR victory.  However, we too often forget that nugget of gold as well as fail to recognize the source of our adversity.  If we are wise and prudent we will slow to follow the example of Jesus when He was tempted in the dessert for 40 days.  Each of his temptations was overcome by dependency on the Word of God.  As the tempter sought to twist the Word of God for his advantage, Jesus correctly spoke the Word allowing Him victory over temptation and adversity.  In order to become victors we must be students of the Word of God and faithful to call upon the Lord in all things.

In closing let me touch on the other Word mentioned in Psalm 34:19 which intrigued me, delivers.  We are delivered from our adversities not be our might, our wisdom, or our abilities but rather by our Lord.  The scripture reminds us that God is our deliverer in times of difficulties.  He is the one we must call on.  Numerous times the Psalmist reminds us that God is our refuge!  He is our Strong tower! He is our defender!  He is our Rock!  He is our Fortress!  When we call to Him in prayer He is our defender and our deliverer.  While He is our defender take caution lest we demand that He deliver on our time table and in our method.  God is sovereign and will work His divine plan to care for us as He sees best.

Seeking God’s Strength In All Things,

Pastor Ric

P.S.  The Renewal begins this Sunday.  Many have prepared and many have prayed now let’s invite, attend, and see God do His great work.

God Loves Me!

As I was driving back from picking my son up from school recently this song came on the radio that captivated me.  While it is a song which I have heard numerous times, the meaning of the song overwhelmed me.  The name of the song is How He Loves (Us) recorded by the David Crowder Band.

He is jealous for me, Love’s like a hurricane, I am a tree bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.  When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory, and I realize just how beautiful You are, and how great Your affections are for me.

Oh, how He loves us oh, how He loves us, how He loves us all.  Yea That He loves us, oh how He loves us, oh how He loves us, oh how He loves.

So we are His portion and He is our prize, drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes, if grace is an ocean we’re all sinking. So heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss, and my heart turns violently inside of my chest.  I don’t have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way (He loves us.)

The phrase which captured me, aside from “Oh, how He loves us,” was when David sang “If grace is an ocean we’re all sinking.”  The song caused me to started contemplating the love of God for each of us.  Here is what I surmised.  First, God’s love for us is not based on our worth or merit.  We will never be worthy enough to garner God’s love.  In reality, if it were not for the grace of God and redemption through Jesus Christ we would never be worthy enough to receive His grace.  Secondly, we will never be able to earn His love.  Regardless of how much good we do in this world, how many services of worship we attend, or how much we attempt to deny ourselves certain “things,” God’s love cannot be bought. 

The truth of the matter is that God loved us first because that is the nature of God.  In 1 John 4:8 we read that “God is love.”  Therein is the essence of love; God is love.  Regardless of who we are, what we do, or what we do not do, God loves us.  In spite of the fact that I am a sinner; God loves me.  In spite of the fact that truly I do not know how to love God; God loves me.  In spite of the fact that I constantly do things which are against God’s plan; God loves me. 

When I think of how much God loves me, I am in awe!  As we studied recently on a Wednesday evening we will never understand God completely.  In the same way, we will never be able to comprehend why God loves us or how much God loves us.  We can only hold onto the joy of knowing that He does. 

In closing, let me challenge you this week to spend time contemplating this simply complex truth; God loves me.  In fact, say it over and again right now.  God loves me!  God loves me!  God loves me!  Why?  Because God is love! How do I know?  “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”  (Jn 3:16 HSCB)

God loves you,

Pastor Ric

Looking For Jesus

This coming Sunday many people will awake looking for something?  Some will look for what the Easter Bunny left during the night.  They will look for the gifts and the candy.  Some will look for eggs at the proverbial Easter Egg hunts.  Others will look forward to wearing a new frock which they looked for in previous days at countless shops and/or malls.  Some will look forward to spending time with the family doing Easter traditions such as great meals followed by an afternoon of activities.  Some will attend church for the first time in quite a while looking for peace in their souls for the massive void filling their lives.  Others will attend church looking for a great sermon on the resurrection of Christ or a great choir special coupled with wonderful songs of the faith. 

However, scripture tells of a woman by the name of Mary who rose early on Sunday morning hurrying to the tomb where Jesus had been laid looking for her Lord Jesus Christ.  To her disappointment she did not find Jesus where she expected.  In fact, she found an empty tomb to her surprise and dismay.  In addition, she found two angels of the Lord who asked, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?”  These two men of God continued by telling her, “He is not here, but He has been resurrected!” 

Mary longed for and looked for her master only to be disappointed for she was looking in the wrong place.  How many times have we been guilty of looking for Jesus in the wrong place?  In 1 Kings 19 we read where Elijah, while having a pity party, encountered God.  However, Elijah did not find God in the wind, earthquake, or fire.  It wasn’t until Elijah was still and listened to the soft voice or whisper did he find God.

This Easter many of us will be looking for some or all of the above mentioned items to fill our void.  We will long for these “good” things to fill what only God can fill.  Not until we do as Jeremiah wrote in 29:13 when he said, “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.”  Not until we seek God with a whole hearted effort do we find Him.  Half-hearted attempts are futile and only yield us empty results. 

Will you look for Jesus, the Risen Savior Messiah, this Easter?  When you seek Him wholeheartedly you will find Him.

He is Risen!

Pastor Ric

Revival or Revival Services

Jonathon Edwards was instrumental in summoning the First Great Awakening mainly as a result of his concert of prayers.  Edwards felt convicted about the necessity of prayer as the only way to invoke revival so he called on Christians on both sides of the Atlantic to pray sincerely for revival to break forth.  Edwards, along with Andrew Murray and Timothy Smith, contended that for revival to take place and be sustaining five elements must be present.  First, there must be intersession.  God’s people must begin to intercede corporately and individually.  Revival does not just take place because we schedule services, line-up a speaker and musician, and promote the services.  We need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to do a supernatural work in the lives of the people.  Secondly, there must be revelation.  Once God’s people begin to pray earnestly then God will pour out a manifestation of Himself and the trinity.  He reveals himself to his people in a new and fresh way drawing His people to Him.  Next, there is a consecration of God’s people.  His children begin to recognize the necessity of a life completely dedicated to God and His work.  Therefore, God’s people set their lives apart for holy living and holy working.  In addition to being consecrated to God His people consecrate themselves to one another.  We see this in the early church as mentioned in the book of Acts where they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayers.  The early church consecrated themselves to one another but more importantly to God.  Fourthly, there is a revitalization.  Ministries which were once passé are now mainstream and of great importance. Programs which had become ignored now become center stage.  This is not because they have been necessarily overhauled with a new twist but because the Spirit of God has filled His people and they have a renewed sense to become missional in their life.  Finally, when revival takes place there will be an expansion.  Because the church has been renewed, revived, and re-focused the Gospel of Jesus Christ is expanded and spread throughout the city, county, state, nation, and world.  You see when the church becomes focused on God and His mission she begins to have a greater impact on her surrounding culture. 

FBC has a date set aside for revival services to be held April 22-25 with two gifted men to come speak and share message through songs.  We have set in place a group of people to help facilitate with the logistics.  The staff is praying along with the added emphasis of our prayer coordinator, Mary Jim Beck.  However, if we are to see a great revival sweep through FBC and Florence we must heed to the words written in 2 Chronicles 7:14 which state, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, PRAY and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, THEN will I hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land.” 

Church family, I would love to see God begin a revival like we have never seen before.  I would love to see God use this church in ways we have never experienced before.  I would love to see our hearts bent on one thing, wholeheartedly, obediently serving our Great God.  I would love to see revival begin now in our hearts!  Will you join me as we pray for revival to come to FBC. 

Earnestly Praying,

Pastor Ric

Who is Influencing Whom?

Last week God impressed on me a statement that has not only haunted me but also broken my heart.  As I awakened one morning last week that statement came to my mind.  The statement is the world influences the church at a greater rate than the church influences the world.  As I lay there in bed my mind tossed this thought over and again.  Not only did I keep thinking about it, but I wondered why it is and what could be done about it, more importantly what did I need to do to assure the world was not influencing me unduly. 

When statistics show little difference between the behavior of those who attend church and those who do not then there is a great problem in the church.  Peter expressed the words of our God when he said in 1 Peter 15-16 “but as the One who called you is holy you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy because I am holy.”  While the origins of the word holy are from a secular stand point meaning to be set apart for a particular purpose, the Christian version means to be set apart for God’s purpose while being without blemish in that you are striving for purity. 

As I taught youth many years ago they would ask a question which many adults think but do not voice.  Their question was, “How far is too far?”  In other words, how much can I do without calling it sin?  Jesus answered this question very plainly when addressing the issues of adultery and murder.  He said to look on a woman with lust is to commit adultery.  To harbor hatred in your heart against another person is to commit murder.  While the physical act may not have been born out, the reality of the matter is evident from the person’s heart, the wellspring of life.

Too many in the church have fallen into the mentality of wanting to be a child of God but live as close to the world as possible.  God has called us to a life of purity, to be set apart from the world.  If we are going to follow Christ with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength as we are called to do then we must be willing to abandon the desires of the flesh to follow close to the world.  Romans 12:2 commands us to “not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  This is only possible when we decide to forsake the lures of the world or not to allow the world to unduly influence us. 

Instead we must choose to influence the world.  J.O. Sanders writes in Spiritual Leadership that Dr. John Geddie went to Aneityum in 1848 and worked there for God for 24 years. On the tablet erected to his memory these words are inscribed:  When he landed, in 1848, there were no Christians. When he left, in 1872, there were no heathen.  Oh that my life may be such an influence on others that they see Jesus and seek Jesus.

Whatever it Takes,

Pastor Ric

Total Obedience in the Little Things

In our devotional reading for this past week we read where the children of Israel were continuing to complain, seems like this was a habitual thing with them, as they were traveling through the wilderness.  These chronic complainers were griping about everything from the type of food, the lack of provisions from the land, to no water for them to drink.  Even though their complaints were addressed to Moses, they were directed, for all practical purposes toward God.  In Numbers 20:4 they said, “Why have you brought the Lord’s assembly into the wilderness for us and our livestock to die here?”  This statement shows how easily we forget the difficulties of the past when we encounter the difficulties of the present.  The children of Israel quickly forgot the abuse and harsh treatment which the Egyptians offered unto them. 

Because of the complaints Moses and Aaron sought God’s wisdom and direction.  As God spoke to His leaders He offered a simple solution with concrete directions for how Moses could rectify the lack of water problem.  In Numbers 20:7 God said, “Take the staff and assemble the community.  You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will yield water.”  What a simple command from God, with you staff assemble the people and speak to the rock!  However, we see that Moses and Aaron chose a different path, a more familiar path which they had used before when the children of Israel complained for lack of water. (Ex. 17:5-6) How many times do we revert back to the familiar?  How many times do we take God’s commands and adhere to them partially?  How many times do we add our own twist on what God tells us to do? 

In this account of the water from the rock we see God’s servants attempting to do things in their own power.  Numbers 20:10 Moses addresses the children of Israel by saying, “Must WE bring water out of this rock for you?”  Later we see where God corrected Moses and punished him for his lack of obedience and trust.  His chastisement came in the form verse 12 where God said, “You did not trust me…”  How many times have we failed to obey God completely where we just did not trust God?  Oh we may have never said that but our actions spoke loudly!  In the same verse God also punished Moses and Aaron by telling them they would not have the privilege of leading the children of Israel into the Promised Land. 

Too often we allow the small little items to derail us.  We think because we are obeying God partially that we are good.  God expects complete surrender and total obedience out of His children.  If I promised my wife that I would be faithful to her 360 days out of a year but that 5 days were mine to do as I wish, she would correct me in a heartbeat.  Yet we offer God a similar proposal.  We offer God to be faithful on Sundays but want to have the rest of the week to live as we please.  We offer God to carry out His commands in theory but not as He detailed.  God expects more from His children.  This week let’s offer complete surrender and total obedience to God.

May God Bless His Children Who are Fully Committed to His Cause,

Pastor Ric