Patiently enduring in prayer
Category: Prayer
Key Passage: Hebrews 13:15
Speaker: Paul Chisgar
Date: June 7, 2024
Turn your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 13. Hebrews chapter 13. Praise God for great folks in our church, involved in the music department and ushers, and Ms. Barb’s here early, often practicing, and just so many people. It’s a blessing. Praise God for a great church family, and I’m so thankful for it.
We this year have had a verse for every month. It’s been on our church calendar. Typically, the last Wednesday of the month, we focused on that verse. And I apologize, by the way. I had said Wednesday that I’d have a reward for you if you had this verse memorized. I just thought about it. I do not. I apologize for that.
But we are going to focus on this verse. It’s on our church calendar for the month. Since our last service, the midweek service will be Tuesday, and it’ll be a Thanksgiving service. So Hebrews 13 is where we’re at. We’re going to start a couple of verses before, verse number 12, and then we’ll end up on our text verse, verse number 15. By the way, good to see Jerry Hunter back there. He hasn’t been well, him and Miss Betty, but good to see him tonight on Sunday night. That’s a blessing. That’s a blessing. That’s a blessing.
Hebrews 13, verse number 12. If you’re there, would you please stand if you’re able, just out of respect to the Word of God? Hebrews 13 and verse number 12 of God’s Word. And the Bible says, “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth, therefore, unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.”
Now let’s just stop for a second before we go down. We like to be popular. We just like to fit in. But Jesus, He went outside the camp, if you will. He didn’t fit in with this old world system. Someone said, “If I fit in too much down here in the world, I might not fit in real good in heaven.” And we’re to follow Jesus and go outside the camp. There’s a lot of meaning to that.
The Bible says, “Yea, and all that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” If you’re truly living a godly life, there’s going to be some shame to bear there, some reproach. They’re going to say, “Oh, you’re backward, you’re old-fashioned, you’re fuddy-duddy.” Yeah, if you follow Jesus, that’s part of it. And I’m not going to be able to talk and act and go to the same places, and do this and talk the same way, and I have to dress a little different. There’s going to be some reproach to bear. I’m going to follow Jesus outside the camp. You understand? Let’s keep going. Let’s keep going.
Verse number 14. He says, “For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.” I got it in my Sunday school lesson, but, you know, for someone that’s not really living for the Lord, maybe not saved, whatnot, the older they get, the more empty life becomes. It’s a sad thing. But if I’m saved, I’m living for the Lord, the older I get, the sweeter heaven gets. Amen. I’ve learned over the years if I want to get good with the seniors of our church, just preach on heaven for a little bit. They love that subject, because it’s more dear to them, see. And He says, we’re not wrapped up down here. We’re looking for another city to come. See, that’s what He’s talking about.
Now our text verse, verse number 15. He says, “By him”—that’s Jesus—“therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually; that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.” Now, let’s just focus on that verse a little bit tonight.
Would you pray and ask the Lord with your heart? As I ask the same: Father, Lord, we come. Lord, I don’t know that it’s a good job preaching on this verse. I don’t ask for that, Lord. Would You do work in our hearts? That’s what we need, Lord. And Father, just kind of push aside the messenger. And Father, I pray You to take the message and penetrate it deep in our hearts. Father, help us to truly glean from Your Word tonight, this verse, what You’d have for every individual here tonight. And Lord, we thank You and praise You for what You do. In Jesus’ name, we ask.
Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.
Have you ever just got in the mood to praise the Lord? For me, it’s typically when I’m riding in my truck. I might have some good music on, some godly Christian music. I’ve got my windows up so nobody can hear me. It helps if I’m driving out somewhere. That helps me, you know. And sometimes, boy, just the mood comes over. Man, God’s been so good to me. And you just praise Him and you thank Him and you love on Him for a while. If nobody’s looking, you might even shout, raise your hands a little bit, amen. You’ve got to keep your hands on the wheel a little bit, but sometimes, you know, God’s been so good, man. Better than I deserve. Now, I love it when it’s like that, amen. I like that when that mood comes.
But can I say this verse is talking about much, much, much, much more than that. That may be 5%. Did you notice that word? And I don’t mean to quench it. I like it when that comes. Amen, I like it. But did you notice the verse here, verse 15? He says, “By him, therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God.” What’s that next word? Continually. So that means when I’m in the mood, yes, but that means when I’m not in the mood. Because if I only praise God on Sunday morning or when the mood comes, that’s not going to be very often. And God’s Word says continually.
It doesn’t matter. It ought not matter. Now, I’m flesh. I mean, it does unfortunately matter, but it should be whether I’m in the mood or I’m not in the mood, I’m giving thanks to His name continually. That’s what He’s saying. Now, let me ask you: Does it matter if the refrigerator is working or not? Do you still give thanks to the Lord? If the washing machine is working great or leaking all over the floor, broke down, do you still give Him thanks? I mean, it’s the car—when you turn the key, does it crank, or does it won’t and doesn’t crank? Do you still give Him thanks? None of us are there totally, but that’s what the verse is saying. I’m to give thanks to His name continually, whether the baby’s healthy or the baby’s screaming.
I enjoyed holding that little baby this morning for just a brief moment. I’ll thank God she didn’t cry. I mean, she looked out and saw Brother Warren, and she still didn’t cry. I was very thankful for that. And that’s a good thing. And I don’t think he heard me. That might be a good thing too, you know. His hearing aids are getting worse, so long. I understand. But I enjoyed holding that baby when she didn’t cry. But after service, I said, she wasn’t so—well, she is still sweet—but she was just crying, letting us have it, you know, after service was over. And my thought is, I’m to give thanks whether that baby is sweet and wonderful, or that baby’s letting everybody know about it, you know. And that’s what He’s saying here. I’m having to give thanks to His name continually.
My mind goes to Paul and Silas, just having been beaten in jail for preaching the name of Christ. And they sang praises to God at midnight. I think they were practicing. I wish I practiced it more. They were practicing that verse continually. Amazing. That’s what He’s saying.
Thanksgiving week, praise the Lord, and I love our focus more intentionally going towards Thanksgiving. You’ve heard it said, really we ought to live Thanksgiving all year long. That’s what it says there: continually, all the time.
Now, there are a couple more things about this verse here. Notice what he says on down in the verse. He says, “By him”—that’s Jesus—“therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually; that is, very interesting how God worded it, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.” Somebody says, “I don’t mention it very often, but I have a heart of gratitude right there.” Listen, God’s not talking necessarily about just being inside. He’s talking about you talking about it.
Hey, if I ask your brother or your sister, how often do they give thanks and how often do they complain? What would they say? If I ask your spouse? Man, preacher, you’re meddling now! I mean, come on, this ain’t fair now, you know. You didn’t have to confess in front of everybody. What would they say? I got to get my composure after that one, brother. Hey, but our lips—what would my spouse say? I mean, our lips: do I give thanks or am I complaining? That’s what we’re talking about. If I ask my coworkers, well, do they spend about four hours complaining about the boss or this, that, or the other, or do they say, “Hey, I tell you what, man, they just spend their time giving thanks with their lips”? That’s what it’s talking about there. Hey, listen, if it’s in your heart, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. And the heart—would just be people known—I always like to work with someone when I work a secular job, but they’re just busy, just on the positive side, and they’re thankful people. I love that. And other people like to be around Christians, you and I, when our words, our tongues are just giving thanks.
What would your friends say comes out of your mouth? Your lips. That’s what you’re speaking up there. Now, it’s very interesting how He worded it: “fruit of our lips.” He could just say “lips,” but He said “fruit.” Now, He’s talking about sacrifice, and then He used that term, “the fruit of our lips.” We think of sacrifices; typically we think of a lamb or a turtle dove, different types of ram, different types of sacrifice, but sometimes it was a meal offering. Or Leviticus talks about it, sometimes it was the first fruits of harvest. It could be a wheat or a meal offering, an oblation sometimes called. And they’re offering these sacrifices. That was the fruit. Now you’re saying, “the fruit of your lips”—the sacrifice of praise. Hey.
Would you truly have a sacrifice to offer to the Lord? Would you come where the Old Testament priest would offer up a sacrifice, and would you have a sacrifice to give to the Lord? Fruit of your lips? Or would the priest have to say, “Man, we need a little bit more than just about three or four grains. We need some sacrifice to offer up”? What would it be in my life? That’s what we’re talking about—the fruit of our lips. See? Thanks to His name. It’s continually the lips.
Then that last part there in that verse right there, verse number 15—we’re just hurrying along through this verse here tonight—the last part He says, “the fruit of our lips giving thanks”—very interesting—“giving thanks to His name.” We’ve pointed out many times over the years, but often He doesn’t necessarily say to be thankful for everything. That would be pretty close, pretty near, as they say, pretty near impossible, you know. But He does say in everything be thankful. Then 1 Thessalonians 5:18: He said, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” There’s a difference in giving thanks. So often my heart’s not there.
Can I be a touch honest with you this afternoon? My heart wasn’t there. I was going to preach on the message, and the Holy Spirit said, “Bud, what in the world are you doing? You’re about to preach on the message, and you’re not thankful in your heart.” And so I’ll tell you what it is: I started giving thanks though I didn’t feel it. I wasn’t in the mood. And I looked out to the senior buses and said, “Thank You, God, for giving us those buses.” And I’ve seen the property, and I said, “Thank You, Lord.” I saw Building O.B. over there, and I said, “Thank You, Lord.” I remember when we were able to purchase that building and put it over there. And I said, look, I saw the building—hey, does anyone remember? They gave that building to us, but when it came in, it had like a hole in the side of it and a lot of issues. And some of our people said, “Man, what in the world did the preacher get? Man, that thing’s God!” Anybody remember that building when we first got it? Some of you—some of you that probably worked on it—you remember it. Yeah, but I just, everywhere I looked, I began to give thanks though my heart wasn’t there, but the more I gave thanks, the more my heart got on board. See, we’re to guide our heart, see.
And I went over to Building A back here, and praise the Lord, Sunday night before church—you’ll be very thankful for this—I go back there typically and I brush my teeth. I know you don’t believe it, but I do. And I put a little of that smell-good stuff on and all that good stuff, you know. And we’ve had plumbing problems back there before, and I was in the restroom. My mind still—my heart quite wasn’t there fully yet. And I wanted my mind to drift back to the fact of repairing plumbing and that and all that. I said, “No, no, no, thank You, Lord. We’ve had a building back here to repair.” And more and more again, just give thanks, give thanks, give thanks. First of all, my heart was there. And also it was a blessing when men came to my office for prayer meeting—his prayer meeting—they were thankful. Brother Marlin started it off tonight, and it began to just thank God. And I needed that. And hanging around other people that give thanks helps too. But see, He says giving thanks. And the more you own purpose continually, see, when you’re in the mood and when you’re not in the mood, you give thanks, the more you give thanks, the more your heart begins to get into where it ought to be.
By the way, I quoted that verse, “In everything, give thanks.” Notice it doesn’t say after everything, like we want to do, but in everything, give thanks. Right in the middle of it, when you can’t see the answer to it, you give thanks—that’s what it’s talking about. And the more I give thanks right in the middle of a bad situation, the more God keeps my heart right in the middle of a bad situation. But in everything, give thanks. That’s what it’s talking about here. There’s a fruit of my lips, giving thanks continually.
Then He says this—those last couple words of the verse there—He says, “to His name.” Now here’s what we do: “Oh, I thank the Lord.” And maybe we do thank the Lord, I don’t know, ten minutes in the morning, I don’t know, half an hour in the morning, whatever it is. And then for the next seven hours at work, we complain about the boss. Brother Marlin, this is good because he’s a boss, amen. I’ve got your back covered tonight, you know, amen. Here’s the thing: You say, “Well, I’m giving thanks to His name.” But wait a second, who allowed you to have that boss? Who was it? I appreciate you; I give thanks to the Lord, but I’m complaining about my old knee. Well, who gave you that knee? And I’m talking about me, Ms. Barb, not you. I’m talking about me, Ms. Barb, not you. I’m talking about preaching myself on that one there. Now, here’s what I’m saying: Eventually, eventually, even some things—God’s… it’s not God’s will for some things to happen, but God is ultimately, His kingdom rules overall. God allows that.
And when I say, “Well, I’m giving thanks to the Lord,” about this weather—listen, friend, God ultimately is in control of the weather. And I’m saying everything goes back to the Lord. So when I’m complaining about the boss, God says, “So you’re not happy with the boss I let you have.” And when you complain about your health and you just complain about it, God says, “So you’re not happy about that which I’ve allowed in your life?” And you know the Bible says, “Give thanks to His name continually.” Amen. And I’m not there. I’ll be honest with you. And I get convicted when I’m not there because that’s what it’s talking about. Oh, the godly Christians that give thanks to His name, the fruit of their lips, and they do it continually—I want to be there. I’m shooting for that, not there, but I like to be there.
Now, one last thought—this thought has been a blessing to me here recently. This is really the title of the message, and I—“The Sacrifice of Praise.” Would you look back at verse number 15 right there? Let’s just get this last thought, and we’re done for tonight. Hebrews 13:15: “By Him”—Jesus—“let us offer the sacrifice of praise.” A sacrifice, we’ve already talked about it a touch, but…
They would bring that lamb—the Day of Atonement—it would be a lamb, one-year-old, a male lamb, spotless lamb, so on. Different types of offerings. They would bring an animal often, and its life would be given—turtle doves and different things we’ve mentioned there. If it was a meal offering, they would bring that, the first fruits of the harvest, whatever it was, and they would give it up.
Here’s what God spoke to my heart recently, and it’s been good for me: the sacrifice of praise. Now here’s the thing: my old flesh—something happens. Maybe somebody truly did me wrong. And humanly speaking, in the world’s view, I have the right to complain. But my right to complain about the situation, I bring that right down, and I sacrifice that. My sacrifice to complain about the boss, or my right to spend my days complaining—it’s my life, and things haven’t been good to me, and people didn’t mean wrong, and maybe they’re having all those things—and you say, “Lord, my flesh and my desire to do that, and my human right to do that, I’m going to sacrifice that.” Now I want to give You the sacrifice of praise. Am I right to spend my life thinking about all the negative, bad things and the horrible things? I’m going to bring that, and I’m going to sacrifice that to You. And I want to spend my days and my minutes and my hours praising You. I want to offer You the sacrifice of praise. My right to worry and to fear and to doubt and spend my days just fearing everything—I’m going to bring that down here, and I’m going to lay that on the altar, and I want to offer You the sacrifice of praise. See, because all of us want to complain. All of us spend our time—if we just let our mind and our flesh, we put it neutral, it’s going to go towards the bad. You say, “I’m going to bring my flesh and my fleshly rights down to the altar. I’m going to sacrifice, and I’m going to offer up the sacrifice of praise.”
Oh, you say, “But preacher, you don’t know what all happened to me.” No, I don’t, but God does. And like you, I like to have pity parties too, man. Sometimes you just want to go over the corner and have your own pity party. And I say, “I’m going to put that on the altar. I’m going to give this sacrifice of praise.” Matthew Henry wrote a commentary that’s very much used. How many have ever used a Matthew Henry’s commentary? It’s a great commentary. I use it quite often. Matthew Henry was mugged years ago. And it took his money, took everything he had, and after it was over, someone asked him about it. Matthew Henry said this: He said, “Let me be thankful first of all.” Did you notice that? Thankful, first of all. He’s just been mugged. So, first of all, because I’ve never been robbed before, it’s my first time. He said, “Second of all, let me be thankful because although they took my money and my wallet”—actually, his wording in that day and time, it’s actually worded that took my purse, but he didn’t have a man purse, okay, that was back in the day. That’s why I was changing his words a little bit. He said, “Although they took my money, my wallet, they didn’t take my life.” Let me be thankful because I was never robbed before; although they took my money, they didn’t take my life. Number three, he said, “Because although they took my oil, it wasn’t much.” And I like the last one the best. He said, “Let me be thankful because it was I who was robbed, not I who was robbing.” Now, he was offering up the sacrifice of praise continually. That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
Would you bow your heads, please? Heads bowed, eyes closed.
I’m not where I ought to be. I like to be there. But you say, “Preacher, I like to offer up the sacrifice of praise to the Lord. I need to work at this thing continually, just opening up the sacrifice of giving thanks to His name.” God spoke to my heart about that. If that’s you—not, you slip your head—“Preacher, that’s me. That’s me.” Hands up, hands up. Oh, let’s work at this thing. God bless you. God is pleased with those sacrifices. I promise it would be a whole lot better for you too. Thank you so much. You can put your hands down.
Maybe you’re here tonight. You said, “Preacher, there’s some things that are going to die too.” My flesh says, “I’ve got the right to complain. I’ve got the right to this. I’ve got the right to think of this.” I’m not saying you don’t deal with problems. You do. But spending your life… And there’s some things I’m going to bring down to the altar to offer up a sacrifice. I’m just going to give up the right to have a pity party. I’m going to give up the right to spend my days, my life, just all in the flesh. I’ll throw up a sacrifice. I’m going to die—I don’t know. I asked all that: give Him a sacrifice of praise. God spoke to me about some things you need to put on the altar and turn around and give Him a sacrifice of praise. God spoke to my heart about that. Maybe that’s you, and I just lift your hand: “Preacher, that’s me. That’s me.” God bless you. God bless you, me too. They do. Thank you so much, and put your hands down.
Maybe here tonight you say, “Preacher, I don’t know that I’m a born-again Christian.” Jesus, He went outside the camp, and He shed His blood, and He purchased your salvation. He loves you. “Preacher, I don’t know that I’m a born-again Christian; I don’t know that heaven’s my home.” We would love to be a help in that. I’d love to pray for you. “Preacher, I don’t know. I don’t know that heaven’s my home. I’m way to heaven. I’m not sure of that.” If there is anybody like that, won’t call your name or anything, just want to pray for you. I don’t know that I’m a born-again Christian. Anybody like that? Just look up. Hey, Christian, let’s offer up to Him the sacrifice of praise. Would you stand, please? Would you stand? We’ll have a word of prayer, then we’ll sing hymn number 286, “Just As I Am,” without a plea. Let’s just come off of the sacrifice of praise to Him tonight. Let’s just thank Him and love on Him, and He has been so good. Just give thanks. You say, “I don’t feel like it.” That’s when you need to do it more than ever. Just give Him thanks. Let’s just worship Him and praise Him and thank Him for His goodness tonight. Would you do so? Beating to the Lord: Father, thank You so much for the wisdom of Your Word. Lord, help us to continually—Lord, help us at least grow at it—to continually offer You the sacrifice of praise. Lord, help the fruit of our lips be giving thanks to Your name. Bless our people tonight. We thank You, Lord, for what You do. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Would you be obedient? Would you come as we sing?
Would you bow your heads for just a moment? Would you—there in your heart, your mind—if the Lord’s leading this way, would you just determine, say, “I want to be giving thanks to His name. I want my coworkers to see a Christian giving thanks to His name. I want my children to see that. I want my spouse to see that.” I like for those around me to say, “I like to be around them; they’re giving thanks.” I’m going to determine, by the grace of God, you’re going to grow in this area, going to improve in this area. This week—yes, it would be a good week for us just to restart this area, Thanksgiving—but all the time I’m going to grow in this area. Give Him thanks. I’m going to sacrifice my right to complain. I’m going to determine just to praise Him more. Would you do that in your heart? Let’s sing another verse. Let’s just let the Lord know that if you would. The last verse, unless someone comes…
Here’s a good thought. I was just thinking about that verse. You know those Old Testament sacrifices, those pleased God. Now they pictured the coming Messiah, but they pleased Him. He was satisfied with that. And when I come and I offer up my sacrifice of praise through Christ, by Him, the Father’s pleased. And you’re having a rough day and you don’t feel like it, but just say, “I’m going to give thanks.” And God looks down from heaven, if you will, and He smiles. He’s pleased with that. That’s what we’re about: pleasing the Lord and that sacrifice of praise. I’ve got to quit, but some of you heard me tell this story. It’s story number 78. Remember that one? But I think my freshman year of Bible College, I was leaving for church from the college to go to the church, and there was a family. They had, it seemed like, about 400 boys and children, I’m talking about. I think it was only about six or seven, but they were some pretty rowdy boys. And they had—back in the day they had a station wagon. Remember those old station wagons? And they were leaving the college campus to go to church. And I guess the car wouldn’t crank. I don’t know. I was green; I was just brand new at the college. And the hood was open. The man was—the husband was out underneath the hood working on the car. All the kids were hanging out the window screaming, you know. The wife was in there trying to crank it. “Try it again,” you know. And I couldn’t hear her. I don’t know what she was saying, but I still remembered. That’s been too long ago. And I remember the guy, he leaned over the hood, and I remember he said, “Honey, let’s just praise the Lord anyhow.” And I thought, man, I’m probably in the right place here. And that good still sticks in my head. He didn’t know I was coming, and it’s a good testimony. And that’s what it’s talking about: just continually giving thanks to His name, the sacrifice and praise.
Original File: Patiently Enduring in Prayer - Pastor Paul Chisgar Sunday PM 113019