Sunday Morning in Humboldt

I awoke early on Sunday morning. In some ways I kept my same routine. The major adjustment I faced was being fifteen hundred miles from Seminole. It snowed over night leaving a light dusting on the ground and roofs of houses. We saw freezing rain and snow off and on all day Saturday. Over the past three years I have preached and taught the FBC Humboldt at least a dozen other times. It was not until Saturday morning the Lord gave me a clear direction about what to preach.

The attendance has never been great on previous trips and with the bad weather I expected the same. Everybody on the team played a part in the service. Mile welcomed everyone and helped me serve the Lord’s Supper. Jase led the Lord’s Supper. Beverly played the piano while Michelle, Shalea, and Stephanie all sang.

There is something special about worshipping in Humboldt. I guess what really sticks with me is the simplicity of it all. There are few people who show up. Their were only six in attendance from Humboldt and seven of us from Texas; making a grand total of thirteen.

Before the service began our team gathered to pray for God’s presence and blessing. Afterward some distributed hymnals, others greeted the few who braved the elements that morning. Once we actually began the service I lost all track of the attendance. I busied myself praying for the message and singing to my King. The acoustics in that building are special. The sounds reverberate off the hard wood floors as well as the walls to touch the soul.

I have never taken communion with this special little flock. It was sweet to my soul to celebrate the sacrifice of m Lord. I preached from Mark 11:23-24 about God moving mountains. We identified five mountains that only God can move.

First, there is the mountain of the church never having had a pastor. In five years they have limped along with different men coming to preach to them. Very seldom have they known the blessing of having the same man preach four Sundays in a row. All attempts to secure a pastor have come up empty. I believe God will put His call on someone to go and shepherd that group of believers. I am sure I am not the man because I asked the Lord again if it was me while in Humboldt. Once again the Lord told me my calling was in the States and more specifically the FBC of Seminole.

The second mountain we identified dealt with the attitude of the townspeople and the resistance to the gospel. Only God can break up the fallow ground which is exactly what must happen for souls to be saved. Some resent the intrusion from the Texans coming to down. Most are very polite but when spiritual matters come up they shut down and walls of defenses come up. Only God make the gospel attractive for them.

We identified the third mountain as the church needing a pianist. They do not get to enjoy live music. Week after week they sing from a cassette player (yeah a cassette player) from a tape with prerecorded music. This greatly limits the variety of songs that can be sung as well as spontaneity of God’s Spirit moving. Imagine how you would feel if week after week the only music in your church was from a music from a cassette tape. Would you not grow tired of singing the same songs week after week. This is not a hard mountain for God to move.

The fact that Satan opposes this work marked the four mountain. Satan blinds the lost and hardens their hearts. Though the truth is preached the seed does not germinate in the hearts of the people. Even though many people claim to be Catholics that does not mean they are practicing. Catholicism is a clever cloak to hide behind to keep from having to listen to the truth. Satan is a deceiver. We actually heart the story about a lady attending church for the social aspect. She got involved teaching a class and actually made the comment that she did not even believe the Bible. Satan is a master of deception and many have been duped into thinking they are in a right relationship with the Lord when they are not.

We identified the fifth mountain as being the fatigue and discouragement of the few church members. I know they are tempted to give up and it would be the path of least resistance of throw in the towel. More than one person has recommended it. Still they press on with the ever fragile hope that God will step in and save the day.

When I finished preaching I had a person pray for God to move each of those five mountains . Two prayed from our church and three prayed from Humboldt. Their was passion, desperation, and the hope that maybe those prayers would finally move God to do the impossible.

We worshipped in simplicity but we met with the Lord. We take so much granted in the Seminole. We have at least six ladies who can play the piano at our church back home. What a shame that we have ladies who cannot even get in the rotation and Humboldt cannot find one. We take our hundreds for granted who gather each Sunday to sing, to give, and hear God’s words. How long would the membership hang in if we only had six.

I will not soon forget our Sunday morning in Humboldt. My heart rejoiced to see our people experience what I have experienced and to bond with those wonderful people. I am not sure when the Lord will allow me to travel back there but I know I always treasure Sunday mornings in Humboldt.