Preacher Spurs

By Lamont H. Fuchs Ed.D.

The inspiration of God to teach daily or preach weekly is a blessing and a burden. It is a blessing to have the week-after-week encouragement to preach your sermons with your original topics. However, for some, it is a burden because there is a Sunday morning sermon expected, and the inspiration to provide a message to preach God's Word must be roused, researched, and gathered into a logical presentation.

Tag. You're it. Sometimes, it's just not there. You know Sunday is coming, and sometimes the stimulus or impetus is not. I empathize. These are the reasons I authored this book.

The truth is, some preachers are good enough to not only preach on Sunday morning, but also follow that sermon with another on Sunday night and Wednesday night or another day of the week. They are always, always ready in season or out of season to preach the Gospel. But there are times in the career of every pastor when they struggle when the inspiration to create sermons fades after months and years of multiple weekly presentations. Especially during periods of life when events and tribulations require time and dedication to other pressing matters.

Others might say, "It's their job. That is what they do." They get paid to read and study and make a forty-minute sermon each time they stand behind the pulpit. Not true. You and I know that. Most pastors/preachers do so much more than preach. They have families, a flock to attend to, and administrative duties that take much of their week. Some of you--bless your heart--are bi-vocational and work a forty-hour week as well. Not an easy job even for the called who are in love to do all they can in Jesus's name and for His glory. This book of Preacher Spurs is for them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 27, 2022
• ISBN: 9798886853513

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Preacher Spurs

Lamont H. Fuchs, Ed.D.

ISBN 979-8-88685-350-6 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88685-351-3 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by Lamont H. Fuchs, Ed.D.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction

A Close Call

A Soldier's Perspective

An Old African Proverb

Appointing Your Days

Are You Saved?

Be the Light

Better Teachers

Change of Address

Compelling Devotion

Control Yourself

Discipline

Division

Don't Be Fooled

Easy Peasy

Faith Living

Friends

GPS (God's Piloting Spirit)

Have You Ever Overcome Sin?

Hens and Chicks

I'm Not Responsible

Immortal Combat

Integrity Is…

It Might Be the Devil

It's Hell Without Jesus

Leadership

Leap of Faith

Move Your Feet

No Whining!

Nothing to Prove

Posers

Prayer Lesson

Put Me in Coach

Repent for the Kingdom Is at Hand

Reserved Seating

Rock Bottom

Sacrifices That Please God

Seasons

Seek God's Will

Smell that Smell?

Test Yourself

The Devil Made Me Do It

The New Covenant

The Proper Response

To Hell With That

Too Bad

Tough Choice

Walk Like a Man

Wash, Rinse, Repeat

Weakness

What's an Hour?

Where Does Love Fit?

Works

Worship Giving

You Get What You Deserve

Bibliography

About the Author

To Glorify God for He alone is good

and to my devoted wife, Joyce, who keeps me level.

Introduction

The inspiration of God to teach daily or preach weekly is a blessing and a burden. It is a blessing to have the week-after-week encouragement to preach your sermons with your original topics. However, for some, it is a burden because there is a Sunday morning sermon expected, and the inspiration to provide a message to preach God's word must be roused, researched, and gathered into a logical presentation.

Tag. You're it. Sometimes, it's just not there. I am not a judge, and I pray not to search for why God withholds His divine inspiration from us or whether we are not right with Him at times to receive it, but I know Sunday is coming, and sometimes the stimulus or impetus is not. I empathize. These are the reasons I authored this book.

In my years of being a faithful layman and occasional preacher, I have seen and can relate to those pastors and preachers who bring forth a solid sermon week in and week out. God inspires them; they are gifted with talent by God and inspired with the subject matter or applicable scripture to preach. If you are reading this book, that is not saying that you are not. I wish not to offend. Many pastors resort to notes taken, books read, or scripture studied as resources as Spurs or stems to make a spiritual sermon.

But the truth is, some preachers are good enough to not only preach on Sunday morning, but also follow that sermon with another on Sunday night and Wednesday night or another day of the week. They are always, always ready in season or out of season to preach the Gospel.

To the amazement of some and others who take it for granted, I have witnessed many excellent preachers who can preach a sermon at a moment's notice and do it flawlessly. I have prayed for that blessed gift many times, but that does not seem what God has in His will for me. No doubt those other folks have a genius and talent that is God-breathed and yielded to His will.

Others might say, It's their job. That is what they do. They get paid to read and study and make a forty-minute sermon each time they stand behind the pulpit. Not true. You and I know that. Most pastors/preachers do so much more than preach. They have families, a flock to attend to, and administrative duties that take much of their week. Some of you—bless your heart—are bi-vocational and work a forty-hour week as well. Not an easy job even for the called that are in love to do all they can in Jesus's name and for His glory.

There are times in the career of every pastor when they struggle when the inspiration to create sermons fades after months and years of multiple weekly presentations. Especially during periods of life when events and tribulations require time and dedication to other pressing matters. This book is for them. There are other books, websites, and prepackaged discourses available that can be purchased to assist the preacher in making sermons. Some include a series of addresses to preach on the book of Romans or Revelation or Isaiah. Still, if you have purchased this book, you already know of the others available.

An old pastor friend of mine told me that occasionally when he was in a tight spot to speak and did not have a sermon to warm up like an old biscuit, he would search content in books available to him to read or hear someone else's discourse from someone he admired. Then, he said he would take that sermon, much like my wife takes a brand-name jar or can of spaghetti sauce off the shelf and make it her own. She will add some meat, mushrooms, onions, and other seasonings to make it better, but it is really…not from scratch. He then gave a soft and gentle warning. Somehow, people know when it is not your own. It is hard to plant another man's field is how he referenced it. You are always better and more comfortable when you hear the voice of God inspire you to make your sermon from scratch. These Spurs are only to get those creative juices flowing. Each Spur outlined in this book has been preached on, prayed over, and designed with the concept of preaching the Gospel. I am a firm believer in Isaiah 55:11. "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Preach God's word. How can you go wrong?

God made us. He molded us. He is the potter, and we are the clay. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:10, better known as the Popeye Speech, "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." That is a good sermon stem right there. But what I get from that is this. I had no choice in the most significant things in my life that made me who I am. God chose those things. He designated the most important things for me before time began. He ordained when I was born, where I was born, who my parents were, what color I am, where I grew up, my sex, my looks, and you can list a dozen more. After that, I was out of control of many other things that made marks on my life through the experiences He controlled. The church I grew up in, the influence of the teachers I had, the bosses I had, the relatives and acquaintances that were just a part of daily life. All these were appointed to me by God for my life flavoring, learning, and experience. If psychologists and psychiatrists of today can espouse that we are a product of our environment, I believe them, but none of it was fate. God is in control, past, present, and future. I don't want to go all Calvin on you, but I take no power away from God. He has it all and always has.

Furthermore, I know without a doubt that the surroundings that molded me created my pillars of belief, social behavior, and personality, and the experiential foundations in my life are the result of God's will…handmade and mastered for me. God's plan was etched in stone for my life and yours before the creation of this earth. You are the result of the environment He created. God is the artist, and you are the clay (present tense) because I assure you, He is not done yet. But, after saying all that, this book isn't about me. It's to glorify God through His calling of you. You likely are framed similarly to the form I just described.

His purpose, to me, is a no-brainer—are you a preacher? Were you called to preach? Then preach from what you know, who you are, and where you came from. God gave you all that life experience for a reason, before He called you to preach, why? So, you could share it. I believe this statement is true if you are eighteen or eighty-eight. Each day, you need to look forward to the next experience and what God reveals to you while you are in it. Whether it is a blessing or a tribulation, there is a reason you are there.

I know you're saying, Who is this guy to tell me this common-sense stuff? I know this. I do not mean to insult your intelligence or judge whether you know it or not; I am telling you to make your sermons by grabbing one of these Spurs and trusting in the experiences that God has given you throughout your life. You will have more than just forty minutes of content to preach. Someone asked Billy Graham how long it took to prepare a sermon. He answered, A lifetime (Phelps, 2013).

At this time, I feel the need to write a confession, apologize, or provide compassion for those who reached for this book and removed it off the shelf, hoping it will make them better preachers. That is an assumption I do not want you to make. My prayers and goals are to provide Spurs for you to study and think about while bringing together your sermon. I invite you to use each Spur or stem to evoke your own experiences and your unique bent on the subjects provided. Ask God to speak through you and the life He gave you and make it His sermon. To reach those who are lost, the ones He has invited today. That is another of my prayers over these Spurs and for you.

Many preachers and speakers concern themselves iterating other preachers, speakers, and writers. No one wishes to be a plagiarist, and to do so is theft of another's intellectual talent. Intellectual rights are protected and should be. The Christian community is usually much freer to allow borrowing another's concepts and literation when promoting the Word of God. It is not always true, but if one gives the respect of annotating the credit of the origin or if they even mention where their inspiration came from, most Christian authors permit to use their work in another work.

As for which Bible translation I used throughout this text, I have chosen the American Standard Version—public domain for the ease of referencing and free use. This version may distract you as a user if you read a familiar passage from another translation and find the ones used here differently. As the verses will be referred to by book, chapter, and verse, I am confident you will use the translation you prefer. The meanings and interpretations should not be affected.

There is a difference when authoring a book or article for remuneration; authors might be more protective. However, public speaking, especially within a sermon within the confines of a church sanctuary, is a freer use environment. Most pastors give credit when quoting a famous author (it provides an authoritative) or passing on an illustration. Some will tell their congregation that they are expanding on a sermon they heard or read from another pastor. But, sometimes, you just cannot say it better than the person who received their inspiration from God in the first place.

I am okay with it and even flattered that someone would use these words, ideas, and stories in their preaching or teaching. I give credit to these Spurs as I received inspiration. No credit to me or this writing is required. Humbly, I seek no glory but to God. I intend for you to read these Spurs and use them woven into your sermons and teaching. They are hardly standalone as complete sermons but only snippets of ideas for you to expound upon. I have nothing to brag about but my Lord and Savior, Jesus, and someday when I qualify to meet my Lord, I pray it is then I will receive my rewards, if any are due. We should all look forward to hearing our Lord say our name with the words of being a good and faithful servant as He welcomes us to our eternal home.

Care to begin? After reading this first explanation, continue to use this book by the Table of Contents. Reference it when you need it. These Spurs are an aid, not a crutch. Do not preconceive or judge the typical subject of the Spur by its title. Some titles misdirect, and others are spot on. Some of these Spurs can be combined to steer the direction of the message God has for His purpose. Many are single concepts, and others are multifaceted.

Again, I pray these Spurs will give you many sermons and that with those sermons, God's Spirit will invite many souls to know Him through Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

Hebrews 10:24–25 ²⁴And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. NIV (Haynes et al., 1983)

A Close Call

Scripture Base:

Psalm 118:17—¹⁷I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of Jehovah.

1 Timothy 2:3–4—³This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; ⁴who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.

Luke 15:7—⁷I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance.

Concept(s): Too often, people choose to forget their mortality and how fragile our lives are. We forget that all of that can change very quickly, and we need to prepare for the unexpected and the eventual.

Purpose: It is seldom you will hear a sermon preached like this. People don't like to face their mortality, and many do not enjoy the possibility of death on Sunday morning. They should. Not every Sunday, just on the Sunday, they might meet their maker at the next green light on their way home.

(Background) The experience related to this Spur is personal. I worked for years in a motorcycle ministry that catered exclusively to motorcycle accident victims in my home area. We had so many casualties and deaths in our area it was hard to keep up with at times. Our goal was to visit, pray over, witness, and aid financially within our ability. We garnered prayer from devoted prayer warriors all over the country via the internet. The ministry is called BikerDownLiftedUp.org, and it is a ministry of prayer. Use it as an example of this author or substitute it with your own experience.

Spur:

A close call—Faced with death.

The author writes:

Before and since I met my wife, I was a motorcycle enthusiast for fifty-some years. Back then, that is what you would have called me unless you saw me riding on the street with my colors, and then you would probably call me a biker.

For fourteen years, until as recently as 2018, I was a Christian biker, and I belonged to a group called Heaven's Saints Motorcycle Ministry. I am no longer a biker. I have quit riding, and though I still desire to ride, I cannot ride safely for reasons resulting from a motorcycle accident I sustained in 2005 and my age.

One week, while studying the book of James for Sunday school, I became convicted by God's Holy Spirit. As a teacher in Sunday school, the blessing is learning more than your students because you must be prepared to teach and answer questions. All teachers and preachers know this. James and the Holy Spirit inspired me, and I felt the call to go out on faith to work as a home missionary to a lost world of bikers. I felt then, as I do now, that we are all called as Christians to go out as written in Matthew 28:19 and spread the gospel.

I felt drawn to the motorcycle biker ministry because most of those sinners do not come looking for Jesus or seeking Him in buildings or sanctuaries like most of our churches, and I lived closely in that circle of bikers. Bikers have a code that is lived by and understood only by other bikers. It is a code I knew well and respected.

Luke 14:23 says those He invites are found out there on the highways and the hedges, and we must compel them to come in so God's house might be filled.

Heavens Saints is a thirty-five-plus year motorcycle ministry founded by a former Hells Angel, Barry Mason. Because of a praying mother and his trials and tribulations, he became a new man when Jesus came into his life (Mayson & Marco, 1982). As a result, he founded a motorcycle ministry, and it is this organization I joined those many years ago that ordained me as a minister. Since then, I have actively served alongside other Christian biker organizations, sharing our faith in Jesus with those who will not set their foot in a church to hear His Word.

Ten years ago (at the time of this writing), I was called to another ministry named BikerDownLiftedUp.org BDLU is a 501c3—nonprofit organization. The mission of BikerDownLiftedUp is dedicated to prayer, ministry, and financial support of motorcycle accident victims and their families.

Psalm 118:17–29 ¹⁷I shall not die, but live,

And declare the works of Jehovah.

¹⁸Jehovah hath chastened me sore;

But he hath not given me over unto death.

¹⁹Open to me the gates of righteousness:

I will enter into them, I will give thanks unto Jehovah.

²⁰This is the gate of Jehovah;

The righteous shall enter into it.

²¹I will give thanks unto thee; for thou hast answered me,

And art become my salvation.

²²The stone which the builders rejected

Is become the head of the corner.

²³This is Jehovah's doing;

It is marvellous in our eyes.

²⁴This is the day which Jehovah hath made;

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

²⁵Save now, we beseech thee, O Jehovah:

O Jehovah, we beseech thee, send now prosperity.

²⁶Blessed be he that cometh in the name of Jehovah:

We have blessed you out of the house of Jehovah.

²⁷Jehovah is God, and he hath given us light:

Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

²⁸Thou art my God, and I will give thanks unto thee:

Thou art my God, I will exalt thee.

²⁹Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good;

For his lovingkindness endureth for ever.

After someone has survived a severe motorcycle accident, visiting them allows me to witness to the victims and sometimes to family members who have just experienced a close call.

I, too, have had motorcycle accidents, and though none have been as severe as the victims I visited in the hospital, each accident I endured was, no doubt, also a close call.

Many people we meet in our lives have had close calls. Have you ever said or heard others make statements like…if only I had been…a minute earlier, or a second later, or if we had gone left instead of right…if it had come a half an inch closer. If I had taken that ride or got on that boat. If I had not looked that split second in that direction, or if, if, if… I know we all have if stories like that. At the end of the story, if we have a mind to think of it, we amaze ourselves and wonder, by the grace of God, that person could have been me, or God kept me from the worst of what it could have been. If you are not thinking and thanking God like that, you should.

He saved you!

Everyone can identify and know what you are talking about with these statements. These examples are universal life experiences.

I can assure you, I heard many of those stories after being in a ministry for downed bikers for several years. So many reports include statements like if that nurse had not been there driving along the same road on vacation, or if I had crashed ten more feet down the road, or if we would have left just one minute before. If I had not looked in my rearview mirror at that very moment…if, if, if…and I believe every word from those survivors. Some stories I can explain as God's providence, but others were absolute miracles. I see miracles all the time, and I never take away from God what no one can explain.

Western North Carolina is a type of Mecca for motorcycle riders from all over the United States. Being so popular, it is also called Accident Central. Mission Memorial Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, is one of the South East's biggest and best trauma centers. The reason there are so many accidents in Western North Carolina is simple. The area is some of the most beautiful country in the world. Because of all the beautiful mountains and twisty roads, people come from around the United States to challenge their skills. They ride Deal's Gap and the Dragons Tail, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Rattler, Rabbit Skin, Cherohala Skyway, and many other named stretches of road that bikers love to ride and test their skills, or sadly search their limits. Usually, nine guys come to the area from some flat land country called Florida or Pennsylvania. Eight go back home to work and family. The other rider is laid up in Mission Hospital, wondering that big question. Why me?

Far too many people have looked up at the ceiling in pain with that question on their minds. Fortunately, they are the ones who did not suffer the worst. A minister never wants to become morbid about it, but instead, they must stay compassionate for those who are hurt. Never become numb with continually being amid those who are faced with tribulation and need to call on a Savior that can help with His divine grace and mercy. The mission of BikerDownLiftedUp is to lead them to Jesus and His strength, His comfort, and His healing, both physically and spiritually. Sometimes, God provides an opportunity to help them answer that ultimate question they all ask eventually. Why me? Ask them if they think they have had…a close call when they ask that.

Have you ever had a close call?

Have you have ever had a close call with death?

That is what a close call means to many of us. But, has the angel of death ever knocked on your door sometime in your life and nearly called you away?

There are many ways we face death. Again, I do not mean to get all doom and gloom. It is not a favorite topic for most people. But we see it all the time, don't we? We do not like talking about it much. We even take it for granted sometimes. We cheapen what death is.

Like on TV or the movies, we see people getting killed or murdered and amuse ourselves with the story, the drama…even comedy. We make jokes when we see the hero kill hundreds of bad guys and save the world.

How many kills did you count? Do you know what movie has the most kills in it? Someone has kept count. The actor, writer, producer, and director, Mel Gibson, is best known for the number of ways a director can film, in complete detail, a person being killed in battle or by nature.

We get all enthralled by the plot, the means, and the impact on the lives of those in the story. Sometimes it excites us, and sometimes it brings a tear to our eye. Sometimes it is very unpleasant.

Have you ever watched those crime drama documentaries about the murder of someone or overdosed or become enthralled with the autopsy of some celebrity and how they died? The mystery of their last hours. I have heard more passion from a backyard mechanic working on their truck.

Do those shows bring you to face death? Or were you bored with the details or disgusted with how people just threw away their lives on dangerous living, drugs, vanity, or lust? Amusing, isn't it how we can watch sin so unfazed these days?

I heard a quote the other day that rings true. What was once shunned and hidden in the dark alleys is now openly displayed in our living rooms and broad daylight on Main Street.

Dramas and movies about the tragedies of war and catastrophes of nature are sometimes entertaining; they might even be accurate and historically relevant, but rarely does it draw us face to face with our mortality.

Let us talk about real life and death that are relevant to us. Personally. Tragic deaths and tragic stories of death. The ones we read about—Are you moved by the deaths you hear about on the news? The car accidents, shootings, murders, tree fallings, drownings—I mean even with all the deaths from hurricanes or tornadoes, floods—or those who lost their lives in the California fires. What about all those who died of COVID-19? Did any of those deaths come close to you? Did or do you know any of the victims? Do you have family or friends, or even a friend of a friend who was affected by one of those kinds of tragedies?