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Simple Things for Which We Give Thanks
Last night after a sweet, refreshing storm the fireflies were out over the lawn at dusk. They were a welcome sight to me. They are only with us for what seems like a few, short weeks a year. They never over-stay their welcome and then for only a few hours a day-never at dawn always at dusk. You can’t really capture their unique light.
We thought we could when we were young. We chased them. We caught them. We even gathered them in mason jars and covered them with a lid punctured with small holes so they could breathe. We took them to our room and set them on the dresser to admire them glowing in the darkness… but now that we are older and wiser we are content to see them out over the lawn on a mellow summer’s eve and thank God for the subtle beauty they add to our lives.
Don’t Argue. Obey.
When the Spirit nudges you to do something don’t argue about it. Obey. He will never lead you to a place that isn’t good for you. To obey the voice of the Spirit is to be drawn into the heart of what God is doing. Then your life becomes an adventure.
Years ago Lois and I felt the Spirit prompting us to be more generous. We felt inadequate and under-resourced. We got on our knees in my study and asked God to help us. For the rest of our lives we will be telling the stories that have come out of that time of obedience to God.
2 Corinthians 9:6-10 says; “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness…”
If you think of it pray for me. I am writing a book filled with stories of what happens when you hear from God and obey…
Are You A Follower of Jesus? (Sermon)
Are You A Follower of Jesus?
Pastor Ken Pierpont
Evangel Baptist Church, Taylor, Michigan
July 10, 2016 AM
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What is Your Favorite Sound?; Story Podcast #59
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Empty Pews
The picture above was taken on Easter Sunday the year we set the all-time attendance record for Evangel. Every Sunday hundreds of people worship at Evangel but on all other Sundays except Christmas we have more empty pews then what you see in this picture.
An Epiphany
A few weeks ago I had an epiphany-an enlightenment. It was on a Sunday morning right after eleven a.m. As the morning service started I realized I needed a drink of water. I walked back to the church offices and got a bottle of water from the little fridge in the workroom. When I walked back into the auditorium I stood for a few minutes and listened to the congregation sing. I scanned the crowd that morning and the stories of the people who gathered there began to leap one-by-one into my heart. Suddenly I was aware that there were so many people there–so many stories gathered in one room hundreds of them. In a few minutes I would climb the steps to the platform and it would be my responsibility to point them Godward.
I preached that morning with a special unction. There were so many people there. There were so many stories. There were so many hungry hearts. There were so many needs and hopes and dreams represented by the people gathered there in the pews. I have preached here every week for almost ten years now. You see a lot of living in ten years. People are dealing with grief and guilt, dreams and desires, pain and pleasure. And I am there to point them Godward. I am there to speak of things eternal. I am there to communicate Word of the Living God into their lives.
Most of the pews in the large auditorium were filled with people, but I have a weakness. I tend to notice the empty pews. I think of who is not there. It is a subtle form of idolatry to measure my effectiveness, to weigh my worth, even to gage my spiritual health by the number of people who attend on Sunday morning. It’s wrong and I know it is wrong, but it is a subtile and persistent temptation. I notice the empty pews.
That morning I believe God opened my eyes to the great opportunity and responsibility before me represented by the pews that were occupied. I saw it clearly and it was a meaningful insight. It was as if it came to my heart from the Lord this way; “On Sunday morning don’t think about empty pews. Concentrate on the people who are there, and don’t think about the people who are not there. On Sunday think about the full pews. All next week you can go seek out the people who should have been in the empty pews, but not on Sunday. On Sunday focus on the people who are present.”
On Sunday concentrate on the full pews. During the week think about the empty pews.
Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
July 7, 2016
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