Pastor Hurst

THAT SON OF YOURS LOOKS JUST LIKE YOU

Someone just last night told me something I hear often: "That younger son of yours looks and acts just like you-same mannerisms, expressions and all." That's scary. We parents duplicate ourselves. That's the inescapable thing about genetics. You pass your traits on to your children. Sometimes there is more of a blend of both parents' dominant genes. And then there are throwbacks from a more distant ancestor. Yet, our children bear our stamp. The same should be true spiritually. When we are born again as children of God by the Spirit of God, shouldn't we get the spiritual genes of our Father? Shouldn't it be noticeable that we have His likeness, His mannerisms, His expressions? I know that there are things other than genetics. Some things children pick up from the example of their parents. Some things are taught to offspring by their parents. But, genetics play a huge role. Some of his older siblings were teasing the younger son about not really being our child. Some one spoke up and said, "Anybody can tell that isn't true. All you kids look too much like your parents and like each other." When some one claims to be a child of God and bears no likeness to the Father, isn't there great reason to doubt? The word "gene" is rooted in the Greek word for "birth." If we are born of God, we will spiritually bear His genes. We will have His likeness. I don't know if my son will feel complimented or condemned by hearing he bears my likeness. But, it is of great compliment to the believer's life for another to note and comment on the likeness between him and His heavenly Father.

WEEK OF PRAYER AND FASTING

For the preparation of our hearts for the upcoming revival, here at Union Pentecostal Church this week has been set aside as a week of prayer and fasting. In times of peril or spiritual need, leaders in the Bible called the people to such times of concerted seeking God. We are asking that people devote at least thirty minutes each day this week to seek God for revival and that people take one day this week to fast. Both prayer and fasting have been made complicated subjects. In danger of being too simplistic let me describe prayer as "talking to God about it," and fasting as "instead of taking time with things you normally desire, taking that time to seek God." It's probably true that we Christians spend more time talking about prayer than actually praying. This week, let's not just talk, teach, preach, request prayer. Let's pray! Fasting is normally the abstinence from food. In the Bible a normal fast is not eating any food, though water is still drunk, from morning until evening of one day. These normal fasts were often, personally, extended over several days. A partial fast was adopting a special diet of abstaining from certain foods. An absolute fast was one of not eating any food or drinking any liquids including water. We are asking folks to fast a normal fast for a day unless they are led of the Lord otherwise. Since a fast is simply saying, "No" to one's usual desires in order to spend time saying, "Yes" to spiritual desires, one could also fast things other than food. One may choose to fast recreational electronics for the week. One may fast social media or television or radio. Whatever one chooses, fasting isn't about austerity of the body, or, on the other hand, health treatment of the body (and isn't just a way to lose weight). It isn't a way to show great will-power. It is taking the time you usually spend indulging natural and even carnal desires and directing your attention and affection towards God. The time spent eating is to be spent praying and reading the Word. Was there ever a time in Scripture when God didn't respond to sincere prayer and fasting? No. Never! This fact raises a needed ingredient for our prayer and fasting-faith. We should believe that God is going to respond. "You shall seek for me and shall find me." -God

KEEPING THE FLU FROM SPREADING

Everywhere and constantly on the news are reports and commentary about our nation's current flu outbreak. Although the media has probably hyped this story as it does all others, the fact that people have died from this flu outbreak is no hype. It is so very sad. My point is the justified alarm, outcry, and warning given this influenza flare-up. The stories rightfully all include steps at prevention: Three things are constantly stressed: Vaccination-get that shot, avoidance of contamination in social settings, and washing of hands. Get vaccinated: Get that shot. Get inoculated against the flu. Avoid contamination: Sneeze and cough in your elbow. Stand at least six feet from people. That doesn't seem to work in an elevator. Postpone shaking hands until the flu season is over. Wash your hands: This hand washing is the greatest prevention. Everything we touch is so germy. The flu is lurking on every surface. If this article helps you avoid the flu, great. But that wasn't my aim. I was thinking how folks will do all they can to avoid the flu even if it means going to the extremes. Yet, many Christians do so little to avoid being infected and contaminated by this world and sin. What if we Christians would seek to inoculate ourselves with the Word, prayer, Scripture memorization, etc.? What if we did all we could to avoid the contamination; not watching contaminating movies, listening to contaminating music, visiting contaminating places, and hanging with contaminating people? What if we regularly purified our hearts in faith, letting the Spirit move on us and the blood wash us? There would be a lot less outbreak of sin and worldliness in our hearts and churches. I do not minimize the flu, but the world and sin are far more harmful. Many locations are running out of flu shots. Thankfully, there is not, never has been, never will be, a shortage of the cleansing blood of Christ.

GOD IS IN THERE

Yesterday I was reading an e-mail from a preacher friend of mine. It was mostly just small talk about things he was doing in his ministry. Being a friend, I was interested. Suddenly it occurred to me that as I read his words, in my mind's imagination I was hearing the sound of his voice, even the particular way he inflects his words. I was seeing his face, the way he lifted his eyebrows and moved his mouth. Now this wasn't a rare, odd experience, I concluded as I thought about it. Whenever we read a correspondence from someone we know, his/her style and way of writing brings with it his/her very nature and being. It calls to our mind the person. We see and hear them through their words. That is in contrast to getting a letter from someone we don't know. I have never seen God physically nor literally heard His voice. But when I read His Word carefully the same thing happens as with my friend's e-mail. In my heart I hear and see the God behind the words, the One who wrote the Bible I read. His Word reveals Him. He is present in His Word. Bible reading is much more than learning historical facts about Bible times and places. It is more than learning the biographies of holy men, or marveling at their prophesies, poems, and psalms. Bible reading is even more than noting the teachings and doctrines it proclaims. Bible reading is hearing and seeing God. I could not separate my friend from his e-mail. He was in his writing. Likewise, God is present in His Word. A favorite song of many of us in the recent past was the one about the Bible that said, "Look, its in there-Right in the Word of God." True. But also true is, "Look, He's in there, Right in the Word of God."

WAIT UNTIL YOU CAN'T WAIT

"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him." (Psa 62:5) One man said that Pentecost was Christianity on its tip toes. Whatever picture that draws in your mind it implies expectancy. As a young boy I remember that sense of expectancy so well. In particular, there was that feeling that one got to feeling Sunday afternoon. We couldn't hardly wait to get back to church on Sunday night. We really expected God to move mightily by His Spirit. We were uncertain just what would happen, but we knew it would be unusual and exhilarating. We'd get the same sense during revivals. That's why people would come early to pray--not out of duty, but expectancy. Do we have that sense of expectancy? Do I? Do you? If not, how do we regain it? The psalmist knew how: We wait on God looking to Him to imbue us with that expectancy. If we look to the song service alone, we will discover there are no new hymns in the book. They are the same ones there for years. If we look to the preaching alone, we soon realize that it is the same preacher. If we look around to the people, they are the same people. We realize that these are not the sources of expectation. But, if we look to God, and wait on Him, we soon will be expecting much--even from the singing and preaching, etc. One thing is for certain, without prayer there will never be any expectation. Only by waiting on God in prayer will we begin to expect. Let's wait on God for that sense of expectancy. Let's wait (patiently seek) until we can't hardly wait (we are full of expectancy). Wait, until the youth can't hardly wait for youth prayer meeting and the adults for pre-service prayer meeting. Wait until we can't hardly wait for service to start, until we can't wait for the preaching, until we can't wait for altar service, and until we can't wait for the next service. Let's wait on God until we can't wait for God to move.

AN EMPTY BOX

Memories from childhood Christmases never leave. Today I was remembering one from when I was four or five. One grandmother lived in Oregon. She would send a box of wrapped presents to us kids. The gifts would go under the Christmas tree with the rest until Christmas morning. We took turns. It came my turn to open the present from Grandma. I ripped off the wrapping paper. I don't know if it was taped or what, but it took some tugging to get the lid off the box. Suddenly with a jerking release the lid came loose from the bottom of the box. I peered in expecting some delightful gift. Instead, I saw nothing. The box was empty! Tears well upped in my eyes. I cried. I couldn't help it. My young mind was rushing, "What kind of Grandma do I have to play a joke on me by sending me what appeared to be a Christmas present but was nothing but an empty box. Does she dislike me?" My parents and sibling began laughing. That really helped. Then one of my parent's explained. "When you jerked the lid off the box, the present flew out so fast you didn't see it and is buried in the wrapping paper lying around on the floor." Then someone dug into the paper and pulled out a pair of house shoes Grandma had knitted me. Grandma wasn't a cruel prankster after all. No, but the world is. Sins are wrapped in the most promising packages. People grab the pretty package with anticipation of pleasure. But, once they've ripped off the veneer and gotten into the box, there is nothing to it. They are left with only shreds of their torn lives and an aching emptiness in their hearts. Sometimes it isn't that the box of sin is empty but that it is filled with venomous vipers, ticking bombs, corroding acids, and other destructive things. God's Gift, first wrapped in swaddling clothes, was a child who would be Savior. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift!