Voice of the Nazarene 10-29-23

I'm coming to you from North Central Ohio, we share with you the voice of the Nazarene, a week by week venture into the Word of God sponsored by the Bucyrus, Ohio Church of the Nazarene. We join our Pastor Reverend Ray LaSalle, and the voice of the Nazarene.

We've been talking about the Holy Spirit and trying to look at various angles. Where I believe the Holy Spirit is someone that we need to know about. And here in John chapter one, verse 32, and John bear record saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, like a dove and a bold upon him the spirit, here's the Holy Spirit, descending down from out of heaven, it's a Jesus baptism. And like a dove, he came to Christ. And in verse 33, Johnson and I knew him not, didn't realize who he really was, even though they were related. He did not realize he was the great Messiah. But he that sent me to baptize with water, the same set and to me, upon whom thou shall see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same as he which baptize with the Holy Ghost. The first mention of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, in the Old Testament is Genesis one and two, the Spirit of God moved, the Spirit of God moved. Many translations if not, most said that he brooded upon the water like a bird, he brooded upon the water, the first mention of the Holy Spirit, and the New Testament is portrayed, presented as a dove, and it's my text. And I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, almost 50 times, the dove of Heaven is mentioned in divine rent. The Holy Spirit is portrayed different ways, from different angles, all throughout the divine Word of God. He is portrayed as an oil so you can get a glimpse of all the totality of the Holy Spirit.

There's something about oil that makes things run smooth. That dad, as a boy growing up when he'd be working on something he'd get the oil can and, and you'd hear the chatter and hear the rattle and, and grinding and he'd begin to oil all these parts, and pretty soon, it smoothed out and became quiet and it ran very well, the oil of the Spirit, when the Spirit of God comes into our home, things run a lot smoother. When it comes to church, the church operates more like a family than, than just an organization is smoother. He's portrayed as a wind, the wind of heaven there, the day of Pentecost, there was a mighty rushing wind that filled all the house. I don't know your prayer, but mine is that God would let a wind blow and blow from Heaven across this sanctuary this morning. He's also portrayed as a fire, that cleansing. But in my in my emphasis this morning, I want to deal with the Dove, the dove of heaven. And that's the way he's portrayed here in Luke chapter three, verse 16. Now why, why are the it's a sign of the Holy Spirit, you would not realize if he didn't see that he's portrayed as a dove. Many different traits of fact of the matter, let me just mentioned some, the dove is not a combative creature. He's not combative. He doesn't want to want to fight. And the Holy Spirit produces a lamb like, and a dove like nature in us all the fight. The secret revenge is all taken out God's that's what the Holy Spirit is all about. And the second thing, a dove has central vision, not what we call peripheral vision. He didn't just always look in this way in that way, but he's looking ahead and he's not distracted by things. The dove are not territorial they they will move rather than be challenged and have a fight. Now every every, every year, the there's a pair of dogs that come to our house, and right outside our bedroom door, you can see these dogs and they begin to try to make a nest every year. I always thank God when I see those two doves calm and they follow each other around like they're in love and there's a neatness and a closeness between them and they'll begin to try to Build a little nest in a very small little pine type of a tree.

Then, every year big ol blue J comes in, he'll begin to run them off. And the Robins will come and begin to fight over that nasty Hill father, rather than be combative. And rather than be territorial, they'll quietly fly away and they'll make their nest in a big tree between my house and Dr.

Johnson's. Another thing about his job, it has a purity about it. The only bird permitted for sacrifice in the Old Testament was a dove. Those that had money could bring a bull lock, or they could bring a lamb. But if you were very poor, and you could not afford a lamb, you would not be left out. You can hunt down and find a dive and bring that dove in and for sins that you've committed, you could offer that Dove Pure dove, then also about it of their monogamous bird, they mate for life, there's a loyalty that exists between them. It said that a dog has no Gall, there's no gallbladder.

And there's something about the Holy Spirit. There's no bitterness, about the Spirit of God. no ill will no unforgiveness, no uncharitable, pneus no inordinate affection or unholy ambition. There's no goal. And some naturalist say that's why they have such a sweet disposition. But the thing that I really liked that stood out to me is the homing instinct of a dove that can be released and fly literally hundreds of miles. They know their way back to home. And if that level of Heaven is in your heart, he's honing in on a heaven and trying to find us and get us through the heavens door. Thank God for that leadership of the Holy Spirit the dove of heaven. Do moody said you might as well try to see without eyes and hear without ears and breathe without lungs, as to try to be a Christian without the Holy Spirit. Artie Kendall told the story of a missionary couple from Britain. They were a team, wife and husband. They had gone to Israel, the minister among the Jews. After they'd moved into their house, they noticed that dove had come in and build a nest and was living in the eve of that house. But as he watched that dog, they were amazed to find that every time the door would slam harshly. And every time they'd been getting into an intense argument with each other, that dove would be disturbed and distracted and would fly away and set on a wire and look back at the house with a troubled look. To one day, the wife said to the husband, she said I'm afraid. I'm afraid that that dove may leave and never return and never come back. Then she made this statement. She said either we need to adjust to that dove or that doves going to adjust to us. Either we adjust to the dog, or the dog or adjust us. And I want you to notice something when Jesus was baptized. All four writers Matthew, Mark, Luke and John said that the Holy Spirit descended like a dove. In Luke 322. It mentions that he descended in a bodily shape, like a dove, that you remember the story of Noah and the ark.

And once God shut the door and the animals and the families were on the ark, that for 370 days that ark floated on the 260/4 day know over the winter and centered of out to find whether or not the flood had finally ceased and the waters had receded. Actually, he sent it out three times somebody who said he sent it out for God the Father and then another for godless on another God the Holy Spirit. I don't know. I know he sent it out three times. And when the dove returned returned was something in its beak. It came back with an olive branch.

Now, if you give some body in an olive branch, you're saying I want to make peace. I want to make peace. The scripture says that the dive is how you have peace in your life. If you're here this morning and you don't have the peace of God, may I say that the Holy Spirit like a dove is here. And he's sharing with you the olive branch let's make peace. Don't be at odds with God no Be displeasing God, the Holy Spirit is bringing and offering an olive branch that missionary couple have received that saw as a sign. This was goodwill, and perhaps God's showing us that we're in the right place. And then when I dove begin to leave, they said, We need to be careful. Now I want to point out something. The scripture says the dive is how you have what we call the Spirit of God in our lives. Notice it said it is centered like a duck, but it remained on Jesus wants you to get that the Spirit did not just come but he came to remain on him. And I'm trying to say to you, it's not just enough to have the Holy Spirit in your life. We don't want to lose the spirits, what I'm trying to say Somis David at the 51st Psalm, verse 10. He said, Cast me not away from my presence. Take not that Holy Spirit. For me, don't take your Holy Spirit, don't want to lose the Spirit of God.

Now I want to make three statements. And I want you to listen closely. I believe it's important. First of all, we receive the Holy Spirit at salvation. I'm not talking about the fullness of the Spirit, I'm not talking about him getting all of us, I'm simply saying he comes into our life convinced us of our sins, and he's a part of the conversion. And he said, Be not in the flesh, but in the spirit of Sobey, that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, He's none of His. There must be the spirit in our salvation. The second thing I want to say the Holy Spirit is very sensitive. Remember, the Bible said he descended like a, a dove. And I don't know what you know about those, but they are totally different than than pigeons. Now, let me tell you about the dove. They never fight. Let me tell you about the dove. They're never aggressive.

Let me tell you about the dove.

There, they're never seeking attention. They're always quiet in the background. And let me tell you about the dove. They're very peaceful. And let me say to you about the Holy Spirit. He's like a dove. He's sensitive.

That word gentleman refers to the fact somebody is gentle, and he's gentle. He's not going to force himself. Somebody said, Well, he needs to get over it.

No, he'll never get over being sensitive. You and I may be course we may be crude, we may be rude. We may get hard, but the Holy Spirit is always sensitive. And if he's in you, he'll help you to become sensitive to others. The third thing I want to say the Holy Spirit can be saddened. Now the King James rendition simply says grieved these years for 30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. Now what does it mean to grieve it means feelings can be heard. It means you can be deeply saddened. And listen real close. If you're a Christian, the Holy Spirit is inside you that lives within. And if you're a Christian, I don't know maybe our ask the question, how many of you have done something that wasn't pleasing to God? And as soon as you did it, you realized you had grieved? The Holy Spirit kind of see your hand. You knew you did the wrong thing that was displeasing. May I say to you, the Holy Spirit comes alongside he says, I'll be with you and shall be in you. And when you grieve the spirit guess what the entire Godhead will react when you grieve His Spirit. It is said in First Samuel 1614, that solid grieve God and arrays. Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit came and tormented him.

It grieved away that Holy Spirit. Now, you're saying, preacher, why? Why would I agree with him? Because he's displeased with some things that come into our life. And he's not going to hang around, if we are not welcoming him. Now, let me tell you about an aggrieved life. And aggrieved life is found in that little book of Galatians chapter five, verse 22, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

Against such there's no law that's not wrong. Delivering on grieve live, as long as you've got love and joy and peace and, and that kind of attitude. We don't read the Holy Spirit. And I don't know about you. I need the Holy Spirit, to lead me to guide me, to show me to help me to comfort me. I need him. And I need you to understand this morning, the Holy Spirit, not like an oil, not like the wind, I like the fire. But as the dive can be grieved, and you can grieve the spirit, you can grieve that dove until it can fly away. Ephesians 430 tells us that we can grieve and you say, Well, if we cause the Holy Spirit to fly away the death of heaven, what is it? What caused that? And I want to point out four things found right there in this particular chapter. And I want you to see and one thing that causes the duck to fly away is morality. I'm talking about Ephesians 425 wherefore put away lying speak everyman truth with his neighbor, for members one of another. And our morals have more to do with our Christian life than you will ever dream.

Samson, with all the favor that he had from God, and all that power and strength, when the Spirit would come upon him, thought he could never lose the spirit. But he was immoral and laid in the lap of a harlot. And the Bible said he wished not that the Spirit of God had departed from him. He didn't realize it. Now, I want to give you a little story, it's, there may be some humor, I'm not trying to be humorous. So okay.

You don't even need to respond in any sort of humor. Man was driving down the highway out west. And he saw a sign that said dog for sale. His kids had been wanting a dog. So he thought he would check it out.

He pulled into the drive, ring the doorbell. And he said to the man, the sign said, you've got a dog for sale. He said, I do.

It's in the backyard, go around the house through the gate and you will meet the dog. So the interesting thing about the dog he can talk. So the man went around the house and met the dog and it was a Labrador retriever, beautiful dog. And he said to that dog said, What have you done in your life? And the dog responded said, Well, I helped in the outside, I rescued avalanche victims. He said I also helped in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nowadays, he said I read the the convalescence down there in the nursing home. And he thought, what an amazing dog. So he went and rang the doorbell again. And he said to the man, how much you want for your dog? You said $10?

He said, $10 a talking dog that that's served in the Alps and in the war and, and reached out to people down in the nursing home?

Why are you only selling him for$10? He said, because he's a liar. He's never been to any of those places. And what I'm trying to say, listen closely.

While we're not a dog, we can get on the phone. And you know, we, we say, you know, hey, I'm almost there. No, you're not you just left the other place.

wasn't true at all. You say, Well, I didn't mean to drop you on the phone. No, you did you hung up on him. Or it's so good to see you. Well, you told others you didn't like that person. Kind of like a lion dog.

It's kind of like saying, you know, hey, hi, I'm calling in because I'm sick this morning.

And you're not sick at all. You just take it off. It's kind of like saying, Hey, I remember you. You don't have a clue who that person is. It's kind of like saying to our married partner, I'm fine. And you're not what I'm trying to say to you when we lie when we displease God with our conversations and all of that.

It causes the dove to lift off.

He doesn't want to remain around us when we're not honorable, and living in integrity. Here's the second thing to make the duff lie away not only morality but money. Now in verse 30, said grieved, not the Holy Spirit, back up to verse 28. Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labor working with his hands. What are you saying preacher? I'm saying any able bodied man listen to me man. If you're able bodied and you're not lazy then get to work. You don't need to live off the government if you got health. You need to get to work.

Don't expect to tell me that you've got the Holy Spirit the devil of Heaven in your life, and you're nothing but a lazy you fill out the rest of the year right you get a free trip to Hawaii now. Are you listening to me here? He goes right on to say working with his hands the things which is good, that he may have to give to him that needed $1 Bill is the best yardstick for measuring the character of an individual. When God speaks to us about giving how we respond to that determines whether the dove remains around or is grieved and flies off. Here's the third way we can grieve the death of heaven. It's with our mouth, our mouth. Maybe I'll read to you a little bit about that I will in just a moment. But the best way to communicate is not to make yourself the hero of every story. Some people when you talk to them, they've been the bride in every wedding and the corpse in every funeral. It's always about them. And I'm just simply saying, Be careful what you say.

Jim Cymbala, the pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle church said we can have a revival in America, if the people inside the church will get their mouth committed to Jesus. When people are down, don't take him down further, lift him up. Don't be random. And in verse 31, he says, Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. And a verse 29 Letting not corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace under the here's, I'll give you a last one. That's moods. He said here in verse 26, be angry and sin not let not the sun go down on your wrath. When you're angry, and you're you're vengeful, and you're carrying a grudge and, and people don't want to be around you. You think the devil of Heaven wants to be around you either. He leaves to verse 30, to be your kind, one to another tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. To get the fullness of God in our lives. He is saying you gotta let some things go.

Regular cell you're letting a little bit under skinny and and you need to deal with that Rayleigh cell. You're letting unforgiveness get into your attitude. And you need to work your way through it. You know, you're gonna be a pastor and have a squabble with your companion. You didn't know that, did you? You see, when you got a companion they're hard to live with. You never you never had a problem with your companion.

What a crowd. This radio I don't seem to see anybody. And I've had to get on the phone personally and call and say this is Ray Ray LaSalle. And I'm sorry. And I've had Jan both Jan's, I've had him say, well, it wasn't all your fault would have been nice if they'd said it's not any of your fault. But the but they didn't. And you know, I couldn't get a sermon thought or anything else. But when I made an apology and created a right atmosphere, suddenly the sermon ideas begin to come and flow like a river.

While was it, the dove was grieved and left. And when I made apologies, the atmosphere was cleared up. Now look at the Scripture. It's talking about Steven. And when they heard these things, they were cut with their heart begin to natio on him with their teeth. And he being full of the Holy Ghost looked up steadfastly in heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. That's Acts chapter seven. Stephen was the first martyr of the early church and as his dying now, here's God on the throne. And here's Jesus Christ seated, the Bible said right next to him on his right hand. Suddenly Jesus stands. And he says to the Father, he's dying, and he's dying for the Holy Spirit. I'm gonna give him a standing ovation. I'm not sure I'd get one. But he did. And I love what verse 60 says, that Stephen knelt down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not the sin to their charge. He didn't hold any grudge, let it go. You can't do that unless you're filled with a Holy Spirit. I can't do it on my own and you can either now the awful depression was on I'm from Indiana, and down in southern Indiana. down in the hill country, small farms. And during the Depression, people were struggling to make it. Food was hard to come by. People were living hand to mouth. Jobs had dried up. People couldn't get seed to run their farms. People were losing their farms to the bank and the government because they couldn't even pay taxes on our farm. They already totally had paid off. Tough times. Nomad small farm lived a little lady with six boys. Boys and had hungers and boys are hungry. One evening, she called her boys in and seated him around the living room and, and in the corner, Laura lamp will do just that little bit of light. She said to him, kids, Mama doesn't have enough food for tomorrow. I don't know what we're gonna eat tomorrow. But you know your dog.

Oh, chape we don't have enough food to feed Shepherd anymore.

We're gonna have to get rid of your dog. They said, Who's gonna get the dog leash. She said, nobody's gonna want a dog.

Nobody else has any food either.

But tomorrow, you've got to drive that dog away. We can feeding. They laid awake that night crying thinking about all shed that old dog swamp in the swimming hole with him playing and wrestling with him out in the front yard. Late at their feet. When they were sitting around the front porch caulking.

He guarded the place of night and ran off intruders and kept away snakes and he was like family. And when they got up the next morning, no breakfast, no food. Mama said you've got to get rid of old ship now. They said Mama we don't want to. She said we don't have any choice.

And they said we walked out crying and begin to pick up rocks. Begin to throw them at OSHA and say you need to go. We have no food. You can't stay here anymore. And the dog had a puzzled look and tried to wag its tail but begin to get hit and pelted with those stones begin to whine and begin to back away and valley roll over on his back and put his paws up as if to say I surrender. But they kept throwing the stones.

Finally it ran a little way and turned around and looked at him and they ran toward it throwing more stones tucking its tail between his back legs, drooping his hand, it had a little farther up the road and turn and started to try to come back only to be met with a hail of stones.

till finally it disappeared around the bend and the old gravel road disappeared. A day went by a week went by a month went by No Oh chef anymore.

Things got a little better. One morning when they got up and walked out on the porch. There's good old chef out there all the gravel road looking toward the house. They ran out toward him his tail did not weigh his head was grouped. He just looked at him. They begin to call him and he wouldn't come. They ran toward him and he ran away and turned around and washed them.

And finally old ship turned and started up the road and disappeared and never returned.

never came back. How many times that throw on the rocks at him.

And I thought how many times here's the Spirit of God dealt with many of our hearts. And we said no. And we let the door remain close. Suppose I came to your house this winter. Suppose my heat had gone out and I couldn't pay my bills and times were tough for the pastor. We've been friends and I knock on your door and I can hear you on the inside but nobody's opening the door and I I ring the doorbell and I hear it from the outside.

I can hear it ringing I can hear voices on the inside and I know you're home. And I wonder why.

Why won't they let me in? Why Why don't they want me anymore?

What did I do? Valley I slipped to a wind and Tiki and and I can see you in there in the light. I see you I know you're there. I can hear you and you don't respond and I knock on the door and I say this is the pastor and I'm cold and the wind is chilly and my code is thin and will you let me in? Stand there for a number of minutes banging on the door begging to be allowed in and you don't allow me in. And apparently I leave. And how many times has the Holy Spirit come to our heart? Talk to us about things. ers master opened the door of our lives for him and let him in and we kept him on the outs side, and on the outskirts. We had our sins and we had our involvements. And we weren't interested. The sweet dove of heaven, like all sham turns and flies away into the distance, maybe, maybe, never to return. I don't know how much you know about doves. But there is a dog called the bleeding heart dove. Right in the center of his chest, it's red like blood. And it looks like it's dripping down. I looked at this picture of that. I've never seen one in person. But I looked at the picture on the internet and I couldn't believe it. I thought, I wonder what God was thinking. When he designed that bird on that creation morning.

The dove heaven, a dad with a bleeding heart. Broken Heart.

Now I'm saying to you this morning, the dove of Evans here.

And he's offering you an olive branch, that you can make peace with God. And if you're not where you ought to be spiritually this morning, something on the inside says, God's here, the devil of Heavens here. And he's speaking to hearts across this auditorium.

And if he's speaking to you this morning, they are urged you.

Don't tell him to leave. Don't tell him you're not ready. It's time to open up our heart and let him in this morning father.

Thanks for being a part of the voice of the Nazarene. Visit us every Sunday at 9am with B and C's pastor Ray LaSalle. For more information regarding B and C visit Bucyrus nazarene.org.