Princeville Baptist Church

The Power that Sets Us Apart

God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God. Psalm 62:11

In today’s churches, we have gotten to the place where we are so used to our routines and practices that we have learned how to “have church” without the One who gave His life for the church. We know how to dress, how to act , and what Bible to carry. We know the right words to say when talking to each other. We know when to say, “Amen.” We can do it all by ourselves. Many Christians have a “form of godliness” but there is no power in their lives.
Out here in the Midwest, where we go soul winning in a lot of small towns, some having only one church, what would make some people not go to that church out of convenience and decide to go to another church in another town?
In a town where there are a few churches, what would draw a person to one particular church that stands out above the rest?
In a city where there are many churches, what would cause one church to seem to be set apart from the others?
The answer is the power of God. It is the power of God that draws people to a particular church. The power of God is the “x-factor.” It is the invisible drawing force that causes people to desire to be a part of a particular body of believers.
If you are reading this, you may be thinking of different reasons why you, or anyone else, might be attracted to any particular church. You might choose any given church because of their programs, or their facilites. Maybe they have exciting things for your children. It is also true that the power of God does intimidate some people. This would be one reason why someone may not choose a church with God’s power. They want to be in a church where they can “disappear.” They are only there to soothe their conscience. However, if a person would pray about seeking a church and would depend upon discernment from God, they will find themselves being attracted to a church that is full of God’s power.
The Bible speaks much of God’s power. Our text teaches us that power belongs to God. It is His to give or to keep. Acts 1:8 teaches us that God gives power away.
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

II Timothy 1:7 tells us that power is one of the alternatives of fear.
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Ephesians 3:20 tells us that His power works within us.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
As we consider this truth, we may ask ourselves the question, “How can our church obtain this kind of power from God?” The question we really need to ask ourselves is, “How can I obtain this kind of power?” In Acts 1:8, God’s power was endowed upon individuals. A church is made up of individuals.
Since this is true, what do I need to do to obtain such a power?

I. Praise

Psalm 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

The Lord is going to dwell where He is praised. Do you praise God regularly? Do you find things for which to praise God?
It is natural for us to spend more time complaining than we do praising. We must learn to praise Him at every opportunity. Praise Him for every answered prayer, no matter how small or how big. Praise Him for every blessing. Praise God for for every opportunity of service. Praise Him for the good things and the bad things. God rejoices and inhabits the places where He is praised.
There are times when life does get tough, and Jesus knows it. He lived our life. He knows every day is not easy. He understands that there are times when life stinks. No matter what, learn to praise Him and He will inhabit that praise. When this happens, His presence is there and His power will start to be evident in your life.

II. Purity

We know that Ps 66:18 tells us, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” One of the aspects of the apostles was purity. They were able to preach great messages with power. They were able to perform miracles. They could heal people.
One of the reasons this was possible was because the apostles led a pure life. Unfortunately, from time to time we hear about preachers who fall from grace. Whether it is adultery, stealing, pornography or other areas, whatever the sin may be, God does not empower them or their ministry. The Bible does not tell us about these types of scandals amongst them. They were given over to studying the Scriptures and spending time with God.
We are not just talking about physical purity, which is what we normally use in this context. We tend to think that the message of purity is only for teenagers. While it is good to encourage teens to stay pure, this is a good message for adults. We do not need to entangle ourselves with the things of this world. It is not pleasing to the Lord, and furthermore, it is very damaging to our lives. The Devil will use these things to destroy our lives, our families, and our ministries and churches. God desires for us to strive for purity of life in every area.

III. Pursuit

Ps 63:1-2
O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

A pursuit after God brings power. Do you see the picture in our text? The Psalmist is illustrating for us a desire to know God just as there is a desire for a cool drink of water when there is heavy thirst. Do you pursue God in such a way that you desire Him more than physical nourishment? more than the next breath you take?
Everyone in life is in pursuit of something. Some are pursuing money and other physical wants. Others are pursuing happiness through relationships or even alcohol and other worldly devices. However, if we want God’s power, we must pursue Him. Paul said, “That I may KNOW Him…” Paul knew that would mean being identified with Christ’s suffering as well as His resurrection.
Also, consider this. In a pursuit, things are left behind. When a runner runs a race, he is trying to leave the rest of the runners behind. He is trying to get out in front and pursue the finish line. This is the way we need to be with God. We should be running toward Him leaving the things of the world behind us. Too many Christians cannot pursue God because they are too busy pursuing the world. Please listen to this preacher. The world has nothing to offer you but heartache, misery, and destruction. The things the Devil has to offer you will never fulfill your life. Pursue Christ!

IV. Prayer

Acts 4:31
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

In this verse, the room was shaken because of the power of God, but notice what they were doing. They were praying. I am convinced that the average Christian today does not have a prayer life. They may pray, but their life is not one that truly prays to God. We are often guilty of only praying when we are in crisis and need God to do something immediately. However, that is not what God designed prayer to be. Prayer is what God has given us so that we can speak to Him.
The Bible tells us of an account when the apostles tried to cast out a demon, but could not. They were empowered by God to perfrom miracles, but they failed at this task. Yet, Jesus was able to cast the demon out of the possessed individual. They asked Jesus why they were not able to do it. Jesus told His disciples that a demon could not be cast out without prayer and fasting. This indicates that some things we do for God takes more of God’s power working in our lives. Yet, how much power do we really think God will bestow upon us without prayer. My friend, He can’t.

Obtaining the power of God requires sacrifice on our part. We are going to have to deny ourselves, take up His cross, and follow Him. Hopefully, this will help you to start to do the things necessary to see God’s power come through your life.

I want to see the power of God fall upon our church, upon every home, upon every life of every Christian. But we are going to have to be willing to do what it takes to make that happen.

Let me conclude by saying this: The only thing that stops the power of God upon your life is you. If we will obey the Word of God in these four areas, our lives will have the distinction of God’s power. His power will set us apart.

Yesterday was a tremendous day at Princeville Baptist Chruch. The Lord led Bro. Smallwood to preach a message entitled “Constrained by Calvary.” It was powerful. God truly met with His people during our service. Last night, We were challenged concerning our relationship with the Word of God an Bible preaching.
Bro. Smallwood has shared with me his concern that many people in churches today, even independent Baptist churches, are lost. His perspective is not to try to get people to doubt their salvation; however, I share his concern that many people may have made some kind of profession or prayed a prayer and yet are not truly born again. There was no repentance in their heart and life.
Personally, I have been concerned for some time about the apathy I see in God’s people. While I am certain that many of God’s people are indifferent, much of that truth could be attributed to churches full of lost people. Pray with me that lost people in churches will trust Christ.
Hope to see you at the revival this week.

These are some notes from a message I preached last year. I truly believe it is imperative for every Christian to spend time with the Lord daily. One of the main reasons why we do not have power in our pulpits, our Sunday school classes, our choirs and other places of service. God’s people have forgotten the author and finisher of their salvation. If it were not for Him, we would not have a gospel to preach and there would be no Biblical principles to teach. There would be no songs of praise to sing. We would not have any help in leading our homes. We owe our lives an existence to Him, yet we do not spend any time with Him.
Hopefully, these principles will help you spend time with the Lord. If you already spend time with God regularly, perhaps some of these thoughts might enhance your walk with Him.
Mark 14:37-40
And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?
Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.
And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.
I believe Fanny Crosby knew something about spending time with God. It is evident in one of the verses of the great hymn “Draw Me Nearer.” The song says, “Oh the pure delight of a single hour when before thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer and with thee, My God, I commune as friend with friend.”

One hour may seem like a long time. There are many different ways you can find to spend an hour with the Lord. Here are some suggestions that will help you enhance your time with God:

1. Make your setting right
The setting of your time with the Lord is very important. The first thing to do would be to remove all distractions. When there are distractions around you, it is difficult to stay focused on the Lord. It is difficult for the Word of God to grasp your attention when it is upon other things.
Secondly, make sure you are rested. For me personally, early in the morning is the best time to spend time with God. However, often we are not alert enough to make our time with Him effective. If I spend time with the Lord, yet remember nothing I have read and barely stay awake enough to pray, my time is not effective. I am reminded of the truth we find in James 5:16, which teaches us, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” I cant be effectual or fervent if I am too sleepy. Thirdly, background music is a good idea. I would suggest something soft, probably strictly instrumental. Godly music with words will cause us to sing the words and not focus on the Word of God before us. Music effects every person, and Godly, worshipful music can really help set the tone for your devotional time.
2. Spend Time in the Word
The Word of God is our most precious tangible resource. Thank God for His infallible, inspired, and preserved Word. Let me give you some ideas that may help you in spending time in God’s Word.
Read it through- Simply reading four chapters each day will enable you to read the Bible through in one year’s time.
Read by topic-There are many resources that will give you passages by Bible topics. Take a topic such as the blood of Christ, the grace of God, or financial giving and read every passage listed on that given topic. You will develop a greater knowledge of what the Bible says on that subject.
Use a devotional book- A good devotional book is a great aid in Bible reading and can be a great devotional tool.
Work on Scripture memory- It is vital to hide God’s Word in our hearts so that we will not sin against God. I would encourage you to memorize passages that will help you to be victorious in the areas of your life where you struggle against sin.
3. Time of prayer
Luke 18:1 encourages us that men ought always to pray and not to faint. Perhaps you have heard of the ACTS approach to prayer.
A. Adoration- Praise Him! Tell Him how wonderful He is.
B. Confession- True confession is saying the same thing about my sin that God says about it.
C. Thanksgiving- Thank Him for all He has done for you.
D. Supplication- Make your requests known to God.
Pray for your family. Pray for your church. Pray for your nation. Pray for revival. Pray for the needs of others. Pray for missionaries. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Ask God for wisdom.
4. Read a Godly book
When consdering purchasing a book, here are a few things to look for. Find something that will help you grow spiritually. It may be wise to find a book that will help you in a problem area of your life. There are good books that deal with prophecy, world events, and other heavier truths. I would encourage you to read those books at other times. Keep your books at devotional time geared to spiritual growth.
This will strengthen your walk with God.
This will draw you closer to Him.
Your faith in the Lord will grow stronger.

I Chronicles 10:13-14

We often misunderstand what it means to be BACKSLIDDEN. Typically, our mind runs to someone who used to be in church, faithfully serving the Lord; but now they are a drunk, or they are divorced, or for some reason they have totally quit on God.

What does it mean? Think about the word…backslidden- to slide backwards. If I have moved backwards from where I was with God, I am backslidden. If I was closer to God than I am now, I am backslidden.
This reality takes place in the Christian life. It happened to many great people in the Bible. Here are some examples:
• David was backslidden when he committed adultery
• Peter was backslidden when he denied Christ
• Thomas was backslidden when he doubted the resurrection
• Jonah was backslidden because God did not destroy Nineveh

In our text, we see the end of Saul’s life and if we compare it the beginning of his reign over Isreal, we can plainly see that he was a backslidden man. We get backslidden from time to time when:
• We miss our time of Bible reading and prayer
• When we fall into sin
• When we find ourselves out of touch with God
• When we commit “small” sins
o Gossip
o Lie
o Express an unkind gesture

When Saul was chasing David, Saul was in a backslidden state.
He was previously closer to the Lord. His backsliding started when he disobeyed God and did not utterly destroy the Amalekites. Saul made the mistake of not getting back into fellowship with God.

Always remember, God wants to renew fellowship with you. He desires to commune with you EVEN AFTER you have sinned and fallen away.

What must we do?

I. Be honest with yourself

Saul was not honest with himself.
• He lied and told Samuel he had wholly followed the Lord
• In I Samuel 23:5-9 (READ), Saul was not honest with himself or his men

Saul’s problem was that he wanted to commune with God on his terms. He wanted communion with God without destroying the Amalekites’ sheep and their king. Saul wanted to stay in fellowship with God and at the same time seek to destroy God’s anointed king (David).

As foolish as that sounds, that is what we do. We want to have a little of God and the world at the same time. When we attempt this, we are in the same place Saul was, and he displeased God.
However, we are reminded the impossibility of that task in Matthew 6:24, which states, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

II. Realize your sinful condition

This is the same thing we must do for salvation. We must realize we are sinners and need to be saved. If you are reading this and have never trusted Christ as Saviour, then we need to stop here and I want to ask you to aceept Christ. Stop reading this blog and click on the word “ETERNITY” at the top of our home page. If you read this and decide to trust Christ or have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us.
Now, back to Saul. After returning from the battle with the Amalekites, he did realize he had sinned.- I Samuel 15:22-24
Realizing our sinful condition is as simple as comparing our hearts to Christ. If we compare ourselves to each other, we don’t notice our backslidden condition. When Saul was held up and compared to God’s command, He was guilty and realized he was guilty. The absence of a comparison to God keeps me from confronting my own sinful condition. Therefore, the same reason many people do not get saved is the same reason many Christians stay in their backslidden condition.

III. Listen to God

Realizing your condition is not enough. You must do something about it. Samuel was God’s messenger. The complete Bible was not written yet. Therefore, prophets were sent by God. God’s Word was in them. Samuel delivered God’s message and Saul continued to beg for God’s approval. He did not listen. From that point on, Saul was on his own as king.
Now that we realize our sinful condition and our backslidden state, we must listen to God. Understand this, you can hear with your ears, but you listen with your heart. God is a being that deals with the heart of man. We have a tendency to deal with only the tangible. God looks upon the heart. Every time you find Jesus winning a soul, He does not get involved in the frivolity and emptiness of a conversation. He always cut right to the need of the heart.
THERE IS A NECESSARY INGREDIENT WE NEED WHEN WE COME TO THIS PLACE IN OUR LIVES…HUMILITY! We must humble ourselves to listen to what God has to say about our condition.
Up until now, all we have done is acknowledged and received. Now, there will be a call to action. We have come to the most difficult part.

IV. Repent

To truly repent is to turn your back upon something; to go the opposite direction. It is great to be honest about your spiritual condition, to realize you are backslidden, and to listen to God; but we can do all three of these things and never repent. True repentance is saying the same thing about my sin that God says about my sin.
The right thing for Saul to do would have been to obey. Since he didn’t do that, the next right thing for him to do would have been to repent. Perhaps God would have allowed him to sit on the throne longer.
What area of your life is pulling you away from God. I want to encourage you, while we are still early in this new year, to evaluate your life. Are you backslidden?
I Samuel 13:13-14, “And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.”
At the end of your life, what will be your testimony? Will it be like Saul’s? As you stand face to face with God, will He be pleased?
I hope you will find these four truths helpful to draw you closer to the Lord in 2011.

Hebrews 11:4
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

A more excellent sacrifice-
Pli-own is the original Hebrew word for “excellent.” It is the same root word from which we drive our suffix “ply” and our word “plural.” It simply means that Abel’s sacrifice was made more in quantity. We know the quality of worship was there, but it was also that Abel consistently offered to the Lord.
The shedding of blood indicates that this was a sin offering. God had set the tone for sin offerings when He killed animals to make coats of skin for Adam and Eve after they had sinned and discovered their nakedness.
The offering of the fruit of the ground would be shown as acceptable by God for an offering of thanksgiving. However, it was Cain’s attitude that cannot be seen by man that was the problem. When an animal is born, we can feed it, nurture it, do our best to keep it from disease, but it’s growing and maturing process is by the Creator. When we put seed in the ground, we can keep it free of bugs and disease, we can give it the right ingredients it needs for growth, but the maturation of it is by the process that God created. It is my opinion that Cain gloried in his work while Abel brought the first of his flocks. There is also no indication that Cain brought his first harvest.

Cain’s mistakes:
1. His thanksgiving offering was more about him than about God. We must be careful not to allow our thanksgiving to be about us. “Lord, thank you for what you have done for me. Thank you for what you have given me.” It can’t be all about me.
2. It seems that Cain did not bring his first harvest to the Lord. God deserves our first and our best. Here is an avenue where faith enters the scene. Cain was afraid if he gave God his best, he would not have his best for himself. If I give God my best, He will give me His best.
3. In not giving “the more excellent” sacrifice as His brother did, he was trying to come to God his way instead of God’s way. Although the fruit of the ground was part of the thanksgiving offering, it was only a part of it. He made worship what he wanted it to be instead of what God had prescribed it to be.
4. Cain presented his offering as an entry at the county fair. “Look what I did.” We need to learn no matter what we offer God, it is nothing we should be bragging about. Isaiah 64:6 teaches us, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
5. The most prominent teaching from this passage is also true. Cain’s sacrifice shows no picture of the blood atonement of Jesus Christ. This is the primary truth we must observe. When God shed blood to make coats of skin for Adam and Eve, the standard was set. Whether God demonstrated for Adam or simply taught the truths or led Adam by the Spirit of God to learn how to sacrifice, we are not certain. In any case, they learned something about offering to the Lord. A study of Hebrew offerings as prescribed by the law will indicate that it all pointed to Christ and His atonement. Cain’s sacrifice did not.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Our Christmas trip to Georgia has been very interesting. Our drive was great-only 2 stops: Paducah, KY and North Georgia. It was great! We had a little shopping to do, then it all fell apart. Everyone except for Jacob has been sick. The other four kids have strep throat. It has been an adventure. We are having to write down what medicines we give them so we dont get confused! Finally, today, we are starting to get well. It has been a wirlwind of coughing, tissues, and sneezing. Hopefully we will be well by the time we pack up and leave.
We still managed to enjoy our families through it all. Praise God for His blessings!

Christmas at Princeville Baptist Church was a very speical blessing. We wasted no time and started early, and I am glad we did. We had our annual Christmas Calling and Caroling on December 4. After a nice lunch together, we held our last rehearsal for our cantata. The next morning, our choir presented 1777: A Colonial Christmas. Everyone did a great job! That night, we had our annual gift exchange and Christmas fellowship. As usual, it was a great time. God truly blessed!
I am glad we completed all of our Christmas festivities early this year because snow and blizzard conditions really hit central Illinois hard the very next Sunday. We were able to hold services, but the crowds were pretty small. Thankfully, God provided safety for everyone.
The Ladies had their Christmas fellowship on the 16th and had a great time there. They made Christmas scenes out of bubble gum, enjoyed delicious food, and spent some time around the Word of God.
Christ was the central threme of the month. It was good to see visitors during our services. What a blessing. I am looking forward to the New Year!

Psalm 199:4 challenges us to “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving…” When you approach God in prayer, do you take time to thank Him? Or do you hurry through your prayer making sure to give God His “to do list” for the day?

Take time to thank Him. He has given you the eyes you have to read this message and the brain you have to consider what it says. He has given you arms, fingers, muscles, etc to type a response (hint, hint). He has given you life. God gave you your family. Of course, far more importantly, He has given you salvation and a home in Heaven if you have trusted Him as Saviour.
Dont get so caught up in the dinner, the football, and planning the next day’s shopping that you forget to thank God for His goodness.

You can see even more changes to our site. I want to use this blog to post encouraging devotiions, messages, and other tools to help Christians in their walk with the Lord.
For now, let me leave you with this: “If I obey Christ in the seemingly random circumstances of life, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God.” Oswald Chambers

Our website has a different look now. I want to thank Vernon Peppers of ProComp Comuter Services in Atlanta for his time and services. There soon will be a Statement of Faith page, as well as a page that will have audio recordings of our services. What a blessing! Please continue check back!