Aug 23 2010

More Difficult Than We Think

Posted by Anthony Crumley

Sermon by Joe Clark on Sunday, August 22, 2010.


Aug 16 2010

Who Are You Living For, Really?

Posted by Anthony Crumley

Sermon by Joe Clark on Sunday, August 15, 2010.


Aug 8 2010

Where Your Treasure Is

Posted by Anthony Crumley

Sermon by Joe Clark on Sunday, August 8, 2010.


Aug 5 2010

The Church Operates in the Spirit

Posted by Anthony Crumley

It seems that the Church has forgotten how it should operate.  The common mode of operation appears to be by human effort, human talent and human ideas.  Churches that operate this way may be pleasing to people but they are displeasing to God.

Many seem to believe they can work for God without getting mixed up in this Holy Spirit business.  Yet, unless the Holy Spirit is involved in our work for God then we are not involved in the work of God.  Everything the Holy Spirit produces through us is gold, silver and precious stones. Everything we do on our own is wood, hay and stubble. Only the former will pass the judgment of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1-17).

The Church operates on spiritual gifts, not on talents.  God’s work is done by Holy Spirit filled people using their spiritual gifts.  Paul chastised the Galatians, calling them foolish, for trying to do by human effort what can only be done by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:1-3).  When a Church is operating on talent, the Holy Spirit is not involved in what they are doing.

Nothing can be done properly in the Church unless the Holy Spirit is in control.  Neglecting the Holy Spirit in the operation of the Church is a tremendous sin.  All the real work, done by the Church, is actually done by the Holy Spirit.  Only a Church that is operating in the power of the Holy Spirit will be pleasing to God.

Some workings of the Holy Spirit in and through the Church are as follows.  He reveals Christ to unbelievers during evangelism (John 16:7-11) and to believers as they grow in Him (John 16:14).  He provides spiritual power to the Church (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5-8). He gives spiritual understanding (1 Corinthians 2:6-16). He leads us according to the will of God (Romans 8:14). He gives us spiritual gifts and causes them to operate in our lives (1 Corinthians 12:1-11). He produces spiritual fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23)

Why is the Church today not filled with the Spirit?

First, we don’t realize we aren’t filled. “There are many people in our churches who would like to think that they are filled with the Holy Spirit–even though they don’t know it.  This is a most shocking thing, and I am sure that this is one of the attitudes through which Satan opposes the doctrine of the genuine Spirit-filled life…  Let me say that I do not find in the Old Testament or in the New Testament, neither in Christian biography, in Church history or in personal Christian testimonies, the experience of any person who was ever filled with the Holy Spirit and didn’t know it!”  (The Counselor, pg. 72, A. W. Tozer)

Second, we have been scared away from the Spirit by wrong teaching and/or improper acting. For us to be afraid of the Holy Spirit is the most ridiculous thing in the world. He is intended to be our comforter not something that is scary. Satan has done a masterful job of making us afraid of God’s comforter. The Holy Spirit is a gift to us from God the Father and the Son. God’s gifts are always good. He does not give stones, snakes or scorpions. (Luke 11:11-13) Yet, talk about the Holy Spirit performing supernatural works in your life and most Christians will recoil as if you showed them a snake or a scorpion. This should not be so.

In order for us to be filled with the Spirit, we must believe that He will actually fill us (Galatians 3:2). Believing this, we must ask the Father for the Spirit (Luke 11:11-13). Receiving Him, we must be obedient, lest we grieve and quench Him in our lives (Acts 5:32; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19)


Aug 4 2010

Examples

Posted by Anthony Crumley

Sermon by Joe Clark on Sunday, August 1, 2010.