Perpetuating Our Heritage

It has been a long and arduous journey from the bondage and slavery of Egypt to this point in the life of meek leader Moses.

It has been a long and arduous journey from the bondage and slavery of Egypt to this point in the life of meek leader Moses. It has come down to the end of the line of this great man. Time has run out. He is giving a reminder to the people. In fact, that is what the book of Deuteronomy is all about - it is the book of remembrance.

It has come down to the end of the line of this great man.

Time has run out.

He is giving a reminder to the people. That is what the book of Deuteronomy is all about - it is the book of remembrance.

In this section, Moses gives us some key principles for perpetuating their heritage to future generations of Israelites.

I think you can sum it up simply by saying - this perpetuation will not be accomplished by;

intellectualism,

ingenuity,

or intuitiveness.

It will be by the Word of God. That is what Moses reminds them in “...that he might make thee know that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord...”

This is an astounding statement and acute observation.

It says - we cannot make it on our own. If we are striving in the flesh it is a beating the air.

It is a pointless exercise. But if we have God - this is the key.

God says I don’t need you to dream up things on your own - what I need you to do is pay attention to the revelation you have already received.

I have preached for years that what we need to perpetuate the message of the Bible Holiness Church is a fresh move of God. I still believe this - but I am beginning to see in Scripture that we treat the moves of God far too superstitiously. Like a thing of chance - rather than something that is caused by obedience to His already revealed Word. This is the message that Moses reiterates to the children of Israel in this book of remembrance.

We are given three principles of perpetuity that I see applicable to us today.

Observe

Remember

Live, Multiply, and Possess

In this section, Moses gives us some key principles for perpetuating their heritage to future generations of Israelites.

When I think of our English word, “observe,” I think of looking at something.

In the Scientific Method, there is a part of “observing” to watch, take note over some time and collect data from that.

But the word that is translated “observe” is not defined that way -

it is translated differently in . There is translated “keeping”

Observe is a behavioral word and in the sense, it is used in this passage it means “to conform”

God is saying, “If you want to live, possess the land, multiply, you better conform to my commandments.” These commandments comprise all of God’s revealed word up to this point.

I think you can sum it up simply by saying - this perpetuation will not be accomplished by;

intellectualism,

In the back flyleaf of his Bible, Bro. Harold Schmul, one of the founders and leaders of the IHC, had written, “Rooted in our past, reaching to the future.” [Seen in V. Quesenberry’s Biography]

ingenuity,

or intuitiveness.

It will be by the Word of God. That is what Moses reminds them in “...that he might make thee know that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord...” This is an astounding statement and acute observation.

It says - we cannot make it on our own. If we are striving in the flesh it is a beating the air. It is a pointless exercise.

Remembering is sometimes a struggle the older we get.

Recently we were going through our old photo albums. Oh the memories that flooded my mind. Events, moments, gatherings, people all of which, I never thought I would struggle to remember. But I would look at a picture and suddenly I remembered things I hadn’t thought about for years.

But if we have God - this is the key. God says I don’t need you to dream up things on your own - what I need you to do is pay attention to the revelation you have already received.

Moses is cautioning the Children of Isreal lest they forget some important things.

While we can’t live in the past - we need to be rooted in it. To remember where we came from - Some things Moses wanted them to remember: Wanted them to be rooted in:

What God Did

How God led them

How God fed them

How God clothed them

What God was Doing

Bringing thee into a good land -

A warning

Don’t forget (The opposite of remembering)

Don’t forget God (Nor keeping his commandments, judgments, and his statutes.)

Don’t forget the good

Don’t forget the WORD (Man liveth by every Word that proceeds )

It’s this being rooted in the past the allows us to pass on the future. Allows us to possess the land, to multiply.

I have preached for years that what we need to perpetuate the message of the Bible Holiness Church is a fresh move of God. I still believe this - but I am beginning to see in Scripture that we treat the moves of God far too superstitiously. Like a thing of chance - rather than something that is caused by obedience to His already revealed Word.

Their multiplication hinged upon their obedience

Their survival (perpetuation) hinged upon their obedience

This is the message that Moses reiterates to the children of Israel in this book of remembrance.

Their possession hinged upon their obedience

I hope you are getting the point - If we are going to survive as a Church as a part of the Church known as Wichita Bible Holiness - it is going to be by obedience

It will be genuine - Remembering, Observing, Multiplying

Some ways I want to work on these principles this year - Part of what I sense to be God’s vision for me:

I want to take an intentional approach to remember what God has done right here on this spot that some have affectionately called “the Bebe Church”

We are given three principles of perpetuity that I see applicable to us today.

Sis. Mae Seaton and Sis. Gertie Shaw would meet on a park bench and pray for the Lord to send a conservative Holiness church to Wichita, KS. They would stay there until they prayed through. At one time while walking home, they stopped in front of a church. While sitting on the steps talking and praying, the Lord came and blessed them. When they started shouting, someone from inside the church came and made them leave.

The first service was held in the fall of 1953 in a small efficiency apartment of Sis. Seaton's, with a congregation of Sis. Seaton, Bro. Loyd Kimmel and daughter Sue, and Sis. Shaw. After the first few services, the congregation rented an upstairs apartment on Nims Street. Bobby & Geri Hazelwood moved to Wichita to help get the church established. Renters complained of the noise, so they rented a building at 21st and Rosental which was behind a tavern. Opposition came again, this time in the form of objects being thrown through a window of the back room where the evangelists were staying. There were several revivals, and the church grew at this location.

Observe

The congregation bought property at Third and Bebe, and services were held in the house. Bro. Wayne Rogers held a tent revival on the corner of the lot. More than one night, Bro. Rogers and Bro. Hazelwood spent the night in the tent to protect it from the storms and vandalism.

Remember

Live, Multiply, and Possess

We will have to conform to God’s revealed Word. To God’s standard. To do this you have to know what God’s commands for us are.

Part of the success of the Children of Israel depended on them realizing and remembering all they had been given.

When I think of our English word, “observe,” I think of looking at something. In the Scientific Method, there is a part of “observing” to watch, to take note over a period of time and collect data from that.

But the word that is translated “observe” is not defined that way - it is actually translated differently in . There is translated “keeping”

Observe is a behavioral word and in the sense, it is used in this passage it means “to conform”

In the back flyleaf of his Bible, Bro. Harold Schmul, one of the founders and leaders of the IHC, had written, “Rooted in our past, reaching to the future.” [Seen in V. Quesenberry’s Biography]

Recognize your potential and blessings and utilize them for God’s glory.

Remembering is sometimes a struggle the older we get. Here recently we were going through our old photo albums. Oh the memories that flooded my mind. Events, moments, gatherings, people all of which, I never thought I would struggle to remember. But I would look at a picture and suddenly I remembered things I hadn’t thought about for years.

God is saying, “If you want to live, possess the land, multiply, you better conform to my commandments.”

Moses is cautioning the Children of Isreal lest they forget some important things. While we can’t live in the past - we need to be rooted in it. To Remember where we came from -

Dodrill makes the claim and successfully practices - that for a church to grow there has to be at least 20 touches a week.

Some things Moses wanted them to remember: Wanted them to be rooted in:

What God Did

How God led them

How God fed them

These commandments comprise all of God’s revealed word up to this point.

How God clothed them

I would like to see us make a goal as a church to try to reach at least 20 people a week.

What God was Doing

Bringing thee into a good land -

A warning

Don’t forget (The opposite of remember)

Don’t forget God

Don’t forget the good

Don’t forget the WORD

It’s this being rooted in the past the allows us to pass on the future.

Touches - (Not exhaustive list, but a start)

Church, Bible Study, Kids Church invites

Prayer and acts of service,

Most important - least practiced =relationship building.

Illustration from Saxon’s book on Lower Lights”

In the back flyleaf of his Bible, Bro. Harold Schmul, one of the founders and leaders of the IHC, had written, “Rooted in our past, reaching to the future.” [Seen in V. Quesenberry’s Biography]

Remembering is sometimes a struggle the older we get.

Recently we were going through our old photo albums. Oh the memories that flooded my mind. Events, moments, gatherings, people all of which, I never thought I would struggle to remember. But I would look at a picture and suddenly I remembered things I hadn’t thought about for years.

Moses is cautioning the Children of Isreal lest they forget some important things. While we can’t live in the past - we need to be rooted in it. To remember where we came from -

Some things Moses wanted them to remember: Wanted them to be rooted in:

What God Did

How God led them

How God fed them

How God clothed them

What God was Doing

Bringing thee into a good land -

A warning

Don’t forget (The opposite of remembering)

Don’t forget God (Nor keeping his commandments, judgments, and his statutes.)

Don’t forget the good

Don’t forget the WORD (Man liveth by every Word that proceeds )

It’s this being rooted in the past the allows us to pass on the future. Allows us to possess the land, to multiply.

When I think of our English word, “observe,” I think of looking at something. In the Scientific Method there is a part of “observing” to watch, to take note over a period of time and collect data from that.

But the word that is translated “observe” is not defined that way - it is actually translated differenlty in . There is is translated “keeping”

Observe is a behavioral word and in the sense it is used in this passage it means “to conform”

Ruth Saxon shares in her book Flares in the Night an interesting story that happened in the small village of Gasparillo in Trinidad back several decades ago.

God is saying, “If you want to live, possess the land, multiply, you better conform to my commandments.”

These commandments comprise all of God’s revealed word up to this point.

The missionaries working there had been unsuccessful at building a church. They started a Sunday School in a grage in 1954 but it just really hadn't accomplished much.

Their multiplication hinged upon their obedience

They worked and worked but didn't see much growth. They prayed that God would give them just one soul who would live the life.

Their survival (perpetuation) hinged upon their obedience

Then they received the news that Miss Chen was laid up with a bad foot.

Their possession hinged upon their obedience

Miss. Chen had been a beautiful, wealthy and educated woman, and was proposed to by a young suitor. She refused and in his frustration and anger, vowed that no one else would ever have her either. He wrote her a letter with a curse in it. After reading the letter, she noticed a pimple on her nose; it grew and grew until it took away the whole nose and upper lip. While many in the village thought it was the curse, it may have been a case of leprosy.

I hope you are getting the point - If we are going to survive as a Church as a part of the Church known as Wichita Bible Holiness - it is going to be by obedience

Relatives who came to nurse her in her illness helped themselves to her things and left her poor.

It will be a genuine -

The missionary armed with bucket and medicines went to Miss. Chen's house and was going to soak the foot. But when they arrived it was in much worse shape than previously thought so they took her to the hospital.

Remembering, Observing, Multiplying

Their kindness so affected Miss. Chen that on the way to the hospital she allowed them to share the gospel with her, and she prayed and aksed Jesus into her heart.

She couldn't speak real well, but her smile told them everything Jesus had come into her heart.

Some ways I want to work on these principles this year - Part of what I sense to be God’s vision for me:

Miss. Chen was a light and influence for righteousness in that little community - all because of a touch of kindness.

What might you do - that could make all the difference in this world and the world to come.

I want to take an intentional approach to remember what God has done right here on this spot that some have affectionately called “the Bebe Church”

Frequently Encounter GodBy unequivocal answers to prayerBy Unusual Moving’s of GodBy understanding the source of blessing As we go from here today I want you to think about your role in perpetuating our heritage. Where do you fit in - what has God spoken to you about - maybe it’s something I didn’t even touch on - Surrender to HIm.

Sis. Mae Seaton and Sis. Gertie Shaw would meet on a park bench and pray for the Lord to send a conservative Holiness church to Wichita, KS. They would stay there until they prayed through. At one time while walking home, they stopped in front of a church. While sitting on the steps talking and praying, the Lord came and blessed them. When they started shouting, someone from inside the church came and made them leave.

The first service was held in the fall of 1953 in a small efficiency apartment of Sis. Seaton's, with a congregation of Sis. Seaton, Bro. Loyd Kimmel and daughter Sue, and Sis. Shaw. After the first few services, the congregation rented an upstairs apartment on Nims Street. Bobby & Geri Hazelwood moved to Wichita to help get the church established. Renters complained of the noise, so they rented a building at 21st and Rosental which was behind a tavern. Opposition came again, this time in the form of objects being thrown through a window of the back room where the evangelists were staying. There were several revivals, and the church grew at this location.

The congregation bought property at Third and Bebe, and services were held in the house. Bro. Wayne Rogers held a tent revival on the corner of the lot. More than one night, Bro. Rogers and Bro. Hazelwood spent the night in the tent to protect it from the storms and vandalism.

Hazelwood spent the night in the tent to protect it from the storms and vandalism.

Remember Him, Observe (conform) to what He has said, Possess the land He has for you. Let’s perpetuate the Heritage of the Wichita Bible Holiness Church and in doing so do our part to help build the Kingdom of God.

We will have to conform to God’s revealed Word. To God’s standard.

To do this you have to know what God’s commands for us are.

Part of the success of the Children of Israel depended on them realizing and remembering all they had been given.

Recognize your potential and blessings and utilize them for God’s glory.

Dodrill makes the claim and successfully practices - that for a church to grow there has to be at least 20 touches a week. I would like to see us make a goal as a church to try to reach at least 20 people a week.