Every Local Church On Fire For God

Every Local Church On Fire For God

Is The Goal For Which We Are Striving And We Must Not Stop Short Of It

Every Member A Worker In Some Way

(taken from the WWM SEPTEMBER 9, 1933.)

 It is not enough for a few of the main stay of a local church to be full of zeal and the love of God. We want every member up to the notch in which he belongs for the best interest of the cause we represent, and for the good of the community in which it is situated. We always want to spread out beyond the borders, but one of the best ways to do this is to keep the home fires burning with fervent heat, How the Lord blesses those who serve Him with a full heart and an un elfish spirit. God is indeed a wonderful God and we mu t be a wonderful people because we are serving such a wonderful God.

The church at Jerusalem fired up the whole city. They could not be satisfied without coming in touch with every individual person in the city. They instituted a house to house canvass. They must have been organized for the job in order that none should be missed or passed by without living them the message. The worker were so zealous about it that they never quit until the great work was accomplished. And it was acknowledged by those outside the church that the canvass had been finish d and they had got the message. The workers worked and it seems that every member was a worker. At least this is the inference given by the meager history that has been left us, Read a few verses which show how they did it:

“And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” (Act 5:42)  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,

“And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Act 5:27-29)

These verses give a brief account of work done in that city. And they did it in the face of commands not to do it by those who were supposed to be obeyed. But God was to be obeyed in preference to men. This leaves us a straight command, does it not, to canvas from house to house and carry the beautiful message to every person, even if it does require special efforts and a house to house canvass. I tell you, we have not half caught the spirit of work like we will get it a little later.

I said above that Peter’s statement gives us a straight command to do this kind of work. Well, let us look at it a little. The high priest and his councilmen had commanded them to not carry the message any further. This is evidenced by the following verses in the fourth chapter:

“But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 4:17-18)

Besides these verses the high priest rehearses the matter and calls Peter’s attention to this command and asks the apostles if they had forgotten the command they had previously given them. That is, “Did we not straightly command you that ye should not teach in this name?” And Peter did not deny that they had heard the command, but he went further and indicated that they had another command from One that was superior in authority and power to the high priest and his councilmen. And God’s command was to go on and but the message in every house in the city. And councilmen acknowledges that it had been done. And what was Peter’s answer?

“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Act 5:29)

This is enough to show that God commanded them to fill Jerusalem with their doctrine by making a house to house canvass. Then since He commanded them to make this house to house canvass even against what the councilmen had ordered, does not the same command reach us? Since that was the local church at Jerusalem, does not that call for our local churches to do the same thing in their communities and town and cities? How are we going to find excuses enough to relieve ourselves of this came kind of responsibility'? And surely' that calls for every local church to be on fire for God. They did it against orders they had received from the councilmen. And the councilmen themselves acknowledged that they did it, and, had actually filled Jerusalem with their doctrine. They regarded God's command of far more importance than that of men set up to be councilmen.

To show that the same command comes to us we only need to refer to the statement made by Jesus in His last commission where He told the disciples to go and teach others to observe the very same things He had commanded the disciples to do.

This verse reads:

“Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matt. 28:20)

But someone may object to this analogy because it was Jesus that gave the commission and Peter shows that it was God that commanded them to fill Jerusalem with the doctrine. Yes, but listen again: the word. which Jesus spoke were His Father's words. This then would say that whatever He commanded were God's commands. Isn't this the way to look at it in the light of what Jesus Himself said as shown in the following?

"He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear i, not min e, but the Father's which sent me." (John 15 :24)

After looking into these Scriptures thus and comparing them and weaving them together, does it not look like, it will require every local church to be on fire for God in a similar manner to the church at Jerusalem to be able to do as that local church did? They went into EVERY HOUSE and kept it up till they had FILLED JERUSALEM WITH THEIR DOCTRINE. And they kept up their work DAILY. It was not just a Sunday job, but an everyday job. I tell you, beloved. we must fire up our experience a little hotter and put on more zeal than ever so every place we go we will fire the country. We want to make our work of that fiery, character that the people will readily recognize us when we enter a new field.

It is evident that Paul followed in the wake of the church at Jerusalem. When he dropped in over at Thessalonica nearly the fir.t thing that was said when his coming was known was,

 "These that ha\'e turned the world upside down are come hither also." (Acts 17 :6)

 And to prove further that Paul took up the house to house work practiced by the Jerusalem church he gives a brief account of his experiences and practices in his story about his work at Ephesus. This has been carried to us through the writing' of Luke. A few verses given here will help, I think, to show how every local church should be on fire for God. Read them and ponder:

"Ye know, from the first day that 1 came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, "Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:

"And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house." (Acts 20:1 -20)

Paul commenced to show his fiery zeal the very first day he arrived in that new field. By his saying he served the Lord surely shows that he was serving Him in obedience to His commands. And by his going from house to house in his service indicates that he felt the weight and worth of this house to house canvass. By this method he won and built up a wonderful church at Ephesus. Paul goes further and tells of his perseverance and determination to win. Read again:

 

"Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears." (Acts 20:11) Paul stuck to his job for three years and never stopped for night or day. He was determined to spread out all over that country with Ephesus as a hub from which he could touch all the surrounding country. And Paul give' special instructions for us to follow him as an example. He was so powerful in his work there at Ephesus that it is said that all the people in Asia heard the word of the Lord. It was there that handkerchiefs and aprons were used as a mean to convey the power of God to the sick people who were in need of healing. This was a wonderful time with the church at Ephesus as a center from which to work out in every direction.

Read, some more just as given by Luke:

.. And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greek.

“And God wrought special miracles by the hand of Paul:

“And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.” (Acts 19:10-12

There was a local church on fire for God, and with every member in this place see what the pastor could do. With every member a worker, and every pastor on his job night and day with plenty of tears, the same or similar results had just as well follow today. I fell that it is exceedingly necessary for every local church to be on fire for God, and that this should be the goal toward which to strive, and that we must not stop short of it. Every pastor should aspire to having this kind of a church. Every overseer should not rest satisfied with any local church in his territory below this mark. This is my dep concern all the time. I feel awful bad when I hear of a church below the proper standard, both in work and spirituality. I feel that a forward move must be made at once to get all of the churches stirred up to do their very utmost in striving for this goal. Many of the churches are in good and glorious condition, and both members and pastors are working diligently, but I want all of the other that are not doing so well to come along also.

To be up to the standard, as is my wish, would mean for every member of every local church to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire, trust to God's way for healing without the use of medicine, pay tithes, make offerings, able to pray and testify with a manifestation of victory, and interested in all of the activities of the church. We want every member to make it a rule to attend Sunday school and be a worker in it in proportion to the ability of each one.

Every female member to be a member of the local W.M.B. and a worker in all of the authorized activities thereof; and every young person an active member of the V.L.B.

What can be more beautiful and heavenly than a local church with all of the members living good lives, filled with the Holy Ghost and active workers in the departments to which they belong? In this kind of church the fellowship is sweet, the work is enjoyable and the meetings are pleasant and powerful. This kind of a church is an honor to any community. The members will have the same care one for another. Divine love will flow from breast to breast and souls will be saved in almost every service. The meetings of the young people will be fruitful of much good. If any one does appear to walk in forbidden path the band leader and pastor will go right to work to rescue that one and never stop until he is perfectly restored. When all of the auxiliaries are in good and faithful operation there is not much danger of losing any by the cunning craftiness of the enemy of our souls. All will be kept by the power of God.

A former message laid special emphasis on the importance of every member being baptized with the Holy Ghost. I do not thing this can be stressed too much. I have been afraid that too many of our people are not as wide awake about this experience and its importance as they should be. I earnestly hope the pastors and workers will get under this responsibility and single out all who have not yet attained to this experience and press them into it. Preach it to them under anointing of the Holy Ghost until they will fall over and receive. Have special prayer meetings for the benefits of those who are not yet filled. Never stop till every member talked in tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance. Those who have the Holy Ghost should testify to having the Holy Ghost, sign the Holy Ghost, pray the Holy Ghost, and the pastors should preach the Holy Ghost until all who do not have the experience will feel like they are thousand miles behind and living far beneath their privilege. People usually get the Holy Ghost when this subject is the constant theme in every service.

The years are rushing by every rapidly and some of our people seem to be putting off the tarrying required to receive the Holy Ghost. I have heard some say in an uninterested tone of voice that the Lord would give them the Holy Ghost when He got ready. They seem to think they do not need to put forth any effort whatever. But if a person puts forth no effort whatever to get food he will starve to death. And I’m afraid that those who have not yet received the Holy Ghost many soon staved and lose all the experience they ever did have. I think such people should become frightened and excited for fear they will lose their sanctification and even salvation.

I think that every local church is properly on fire for God will make it mighty hot for those who do not have the Holy Ghost. That is what it means any way to be on fire for God – get others fired up until they will be as hot as anybody else. Every member a real spiritual flame of fire. Then when people come in they will become interested right away and want to same fiery experience. People want something that will make them so happy that they can dance and shout by the power of God. We must get so far along in all our services that the power of God will settle down on the people so thick that they can feel it. They want to feel it. We like to feel it, too. And more of this kind of better. Then more people will turn away from sin and give their hearts to God.

If is the manifestation of the spirit that brings the sinner down. They have heard the singing until they can sit and enjoy it. They have heard the preaching until it is rather stale to many, but the power, the demonstration, the manifestation have the effect that nothing else does.

I was once preaching in Denver Colorado in a hall that opened off from one of the public streets. When I first started I noticed the people could walk right past the open door and scarcely turn their heads to look in. The hall was not filled and really only a small congregation gathered at first. But after two or three days of preaching and praying the power began to fall and the people were operated by the power of God. The manifestation of the Spirit began to show and in rushed the people from the street to see what had happened. They like it and felt it then the revival was on. It was the manifestation of the Spirit through the saints that drew the crowds. Instead of people passing by untouched they turned right in and filled the hall and the sidewalk, and would scarcely leave when the time came to dismiss.

Every local church on fire for God is the goal for which we are striving and we must not stop short of it. And every member must be a worker in some way. This will attract the people and win the lost.