The story is told of the night that the First Baptist Church of Anytown, GA burned. It was late on a cold winter night and by the time the fire was discovered quite a bit of damage had been done. The whole town turned out to help contain the blaze. When the fire was finally completely extinguished the building was a mere shell. Everything had been lost in the flames. The next day the pastor went to the fire station to commend the firefighters for their efforts. He remarked to the chief, “This is the first time I’ve seen such a spirit of cooperation. The first time almost everyone in town came to the church.” “That’s because it’s the first time the church has been on fire!” was the chief’s reply.
While we want to laugh at this little story, it should also make us want to cry. Why aren’t our churches on fire anymore? We’re going to look at some ways to start a fire in the preacher and the church to produce some Holy Smoke after we pray together.
PRAYER
I. (John 5:35) John was a lamp that burned and gave light!
He was a man sent from God. John 1:6 says, “There was a man sent from God whose name was John.” John the Baptist was not an educated man. He didn’t have a Ph.D. or DD behind his name. Some churches won’t even talk to a man without his doctorate! John’s credentials were much higher than that. He was sent from God. A man with the call of God on his life doesn’t have to be timid or soft in proclaiming the Word of God.
Sometimes I think we become confused about who calls a preacher, God, or the church. Instead of being timid with God’s Word, the preacher ought to yell out the message of God. Isaiah 58:1 says, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins!” Some folks get really mad at the preacher when he tells them about their sin. That’s his job, his call from God.
John the Baptist had a message from God and he believed it with such power that Jesus called him a burning lamp that gave light. Oh that Jesus could say that about more preachers! Because preachers have the call of God, they are sometimes very alone. Even when it seems that the fire all around us has gone out, we must keep burning. Sometimes we must go out soul-winning all alone. But Jesus is with us. The Holy Spirit will keep us burning. There was a 77-year-old man in Indiana who went out putting tracts in the doors of homes every single day. When it was hot, when it was cold, when it was raining, when it was snowing he went out. He had a fire burning in his soul. What we need today is men and women with bond fires in their souls.
II. John was a burning, shining light because he had been close to the Light of the world.
In verses 32 and 33 Jesus says that John’s message is valid. He was testifying about Jesus. The closer you get to a fire, the hotter you become. How can we get on fire for the Lord? Draw close to God. Moses got close to God and his face shown with the glory of God. We need to get as close to our Lord as possible. He wants us to spend lots of time with Him in prayer.
We need to draw close to the Word of God. Love it, read it, memorize it, quote it and live it. When we get close to the Word of God, our hearts will burn within us. (Read Luke 24:32). Sounds like they were on fire for the Lord to me.
We should also draw close to the work of God. I really love my job. At first, I didn’t want to consider becoming an Associational Missionary. God changed my mind and I’m excited to be in this place of service. God also has a place of service for all of His children. What are you doing for Jesus? Are you excited about it? By the way, work does not include church attendance. If that’s all you’re doing then you are not working for Him. I hear folks say they get burned out all the time. I don’t understand that when most of them weren’t on fire to begin with.
It’s my prayer that people will be able to say about me, “He got burned up for the Lord, not burned out.” We should not want to be just an ordinary monotone, dull, dry, dusty preacher. I want to be like a branding iron pulled from the fire of God that leaves His mark on people’s lives forever. I want people to be able to say of me, “Holy Smoke! The Preacher’s On Fire!” Not because I’m loud or even exciting, but because I preach the word of God.
III. John preached the truth with fire.
Verse 33 says that he testified to the truth. When a person is on fire for God he or she has to proclaim the truth, the truth that Jesus is the Son of God. That was John’s only message. There is no other Savior!
We need to proclaim the truth that God is the creator of the world. Our schools are teaching the WRONG big bang theory. Some folks teach that in some remote place in ancient times there was a big bang and the world came into existence. I believe in a different big bang theory. The truth is that God said let there be and – BANG – there was.
We must proclaim loudly that Jesus is coming soon. Every prophesy that has to be fulfilled before His return has been fulfilled. The time is right, but so many people are wrong. Without you and me telling them the truth, they stand a good chance of being lost forever. God needs some preachers that are on fire for Him. But not only preachers, Sunday School Teachers, deacons, WMU directors, clerks, treasurers, VBS directors, Men’s Ministry directors, musicians, and so on.
IV. It is the responsibility of every child of God to get on fire for Him!
Ask God what you can do for Him. When He asks you to do something, be excited about it. Be on fire for Him. Do you want your pastor to be on fire? Help him. Pray for him daily. Encourage him whenever you can. Ask him what you can do to help him be more effective. Don’t make him lock and unlock the doors, turn on and off lights, set thermostats, etc. You volunteer for those jobs. Give him time to draw near to God’s word. It takes time to prepare a sermon. It takes time to listen to God’s voice. Help your pastor have that time. Make sure you take care of him financially so that he doesn’t have stress about money matters. Take care of him and you can say of him, “Holy Smoke! The Preacher’s On Fire!” (1 Tim. 5:17-21)
V. Someone has said that as the preacher goes, so goes the church.
Actually, that may or may not be true, but we must realize that the work in the church is the responsibility of the people, not the preacher. What has God called you to do? Now there are some things that don’t need a call because there is a command. Christ commanded us to be His witnesses, to read His Word, and to pray for one another. We must do a better job of the basics. We must be on fire as a church. When that happens, everybody in town will want to come out and see what all the excitement is about. Finally, We can all produce some holy smoke if we get the church on fire!!!!
We are here to make the World a Better Place. And while hopes and prayers are effective; nothing beats true Resources applied to the Hopes and Prayers. CONTACT US for more details and to become a larger part of the “Pay It Forward” Online Community that we are all about.
