Preacher and Preaching

A preacher can preach on a sin he hasn’t experienced

because he doesn’t have to eat

the swill to preach

on hogs.

Adrian Rogers

Youth

A young preacher used to preach

“Thou shalt not.”

Then he began to preach

“Thou shalt.”

Finally he began to preach

“Thou.”

Adrian Rogers

Practice and Preach

Jesus didn’t practice

What He preached.

He preached

what He practiced.

Adrian Rogers

FEBRUARY 13 – Discouragement

FEBRUARY 13 – Discouragement

Jer 20:9  Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. 

How many have the problem of discouragement? I certainly do. There are times where I start packing books because I am ready leave. Then I see that the Lord is not done with me here. Yet I still want greener pastures. I want a place where people are eager to go to Church and make that the highlight of their week because we are living in a day and age where the Word is PRECIOUS.

When I say the Word is precious, that means that there are few that are willing to stand for the whole counsel of God. There are too many preachers and saved that are willing to compromise where Jesus did not compromise. I believe that God put every wore in His Bible for us to practice in our life. Isa_28:13  But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

The Old Testament has precepts (principles) for us to practice. If it does not have principles then it is useless for everything except history. The New Testament serves as a guide book for the saved. It is not available for us to pick and choose. There are few want to grow into a mature child of God. They live on mild and pablum, they live on memes and slogans. This is very discouraging for one that has that desire to teach and preach the whole Word of God. We are raising bottle babies because some in the pulpit are not getting into the meat of the Word and some in the pews are not accepting the meat of the Word.

It is high time we got off the bottle, threw away the binky, and started growing in the knowledge of God. Jesus even faced this problem. Some disciples turned and walked away because they would not accept the truth.

Let us GROW UP. May move from the milk stage in flourishing born again children of God.

JANUARY 26 – A HOLY PLACE

JANUARY 26 – A HOLY PLACE

Joshua 5:13 – 15 – And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?

15 And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

You are in the presence of God. This is a Holy Place. Take the shoes off your feet. This is the second time we have heard this. Moses was told the same thing. Why did Joshua fall on his face? He had just challenged God’s messenger. Joshua had a reverential fear of God and thereby Gods messenger. Joshua had served Moses and shown respect for the man that God has chosen as leader of the nation of Israel. Through this relationship he learned to truly reverence God. Some today are so nonchalant about their relationship that they refer to God as the man upstairs. This is disrespectful. I do not believe that people truly understand the Holiness of God.

Joshua was ready for a message. The mere presence of Gods messenger caused Joshua to look forward to a message from God. How often do we come in the presence of God and say preach to me the Word of God. People are the same as they were in years gone by. Study church history and you find that in the 1700s wicked men came to a preaching service with every intent to break it up. They would bring items to throw at the preacher. Rocks, rotten tomatoes and other items were used. If that did not break up the preaching, they would attack the preacher and beat him with fists. They did not want to hear Gods Word. Today, we have those that claim they have been born again, yet do not want to hear Gods Word.

Strong preaching against sin is not popular today. Preachers are not attacked with tomatoes, eggs and fists. Yet the attack is still there with ridicule, character assasination and innuendo. These days preachers are modifying messages to make them appealing. Samuel, under the direction of Eli, told Eli all that God had revealed to him, even the death of his two sons because of their wickedness. Eli replied, it is the Lord: let Him do what seemeth Him good. God spoke and Eli accepted. Services are being changed to make them more appealing.

Let me give you my thought. The gospel preached and sin condemned, and the Holy Spirit convicting is enough so that you could hold the service under a shade tree and that be acceptable. There is a holiness about worship and being in the presence of God. If our worship is acceptable to God, we never have to proclaim, “the Holy Spirit showed up today.” Every service should have the presence of the Holy Spirit if our worship is accepted.

Let us get ready for WORSHIP. Let us make our worship ACCEPTABLE TO GOD and not about our preference. Let us come into His presence with FEAR AND TREMBLING.

299 – Oct 26 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

October 26, 1793 – Lewis Lunsford, at the approximate age of 40 fell asleep in the arms of Jesus. Lunsford’s life was terminated in the prime of his life, leaving a family and a fruitful ministry.

Lewis was born in Stafford County, Virginia around 1753. Early in his life, while attending William Fristoe’s meetings, he was deeply convicted and gloriously saved through the gospel of God’s grace. After being baptized by Fristoe, he began to stand up as an advocate for the gospel. Lunsford’s talents commanded the attention of many and procured for him the appellation of “The Wonderful Boy.”

Wherever he went, there was blessing, but his message also attracted opposition. Once there assembled a congregation at a stage built on the property of a Mr. Stephen Hall near Mundy’s Point. After he had read his text, some who were well armed with staves and pistols drew near to attack him. Some of his followers, not listening to Lunsford’s pleas to the contrary began pulling up fence stakes to defend him. Several with pistols mounted the stage when it collapsed. Lunsford made it to Hall’s house and took refuge in an upper room. One of the armed ruffians asked for the privilege of debating with Lewis which the request was granted. When the man returned his countenance was totally changed, and his response to his friends was, “You had better converse with him yourselves, “Never a man spake like this.”  They answered him, “Are ye also deceived?” This transformed ruffian never saw Lunsford again because of his ill timed death. Apparently pneumonia had set in. He preached his last sermon from Rom. 5:1: “Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Dr. Greg J. Dixon: adapted from: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I: Cummins/Thompson, pp.  444-45.

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277 – Oct. 04 – This Day in Baptist History Past

A barren wilderness produces a fruitful preacher

John Peck’s youngest son Linus Peck died on October 04, 1847 having given himself to the care of an ailing brother in the faith, but contracting the disease, he joined his dear mother who had gone to be with the Lord shortly before. It was some of the many trials that Peck had to endure through a long and successful ministry.  John Peck was born on Oct. 31, 1789, in Stanford, New   York as the fifth son and eighth child of John and Sarah Peck. When he was 15 his father moved into a part of the state that was almost an unbroken wilderness. These primitive conditions demanded constant hard labor of John and his brothers and deprived him of an early education. His mother was a Baptist who taught him to pray and inspired him with a love of the Bible and an eager desire for knowledge. Upon attaining adulthood he purchased a small farm and continued to invest a portion of his time in labor and a systematic course of study. After making a profession of faith, Peck was baptizedAugust 25. 1798, and became a member of the newly found Baptist church at Norwich,N.Y. at 18 years of age.  Shortly he began to preach as a licentiate and was married to Sarah Ferris, a daughter of Deacon Israel Ferris and sister to Elder Jonathan Ferris of the Baptist Church at Norwich. In 1804 John became pastor of the Baptist church at Cazenovia, N.Y., where he saw great revivals and in gatherings of large numbers of converts.  From 1839 to 1847, he reported that he had traveled 26,840 miles, received support for the society (Baptist Home Missions Society), assisted pastors and preached revivals. He was truly conformed to the image of His Savior.

Dr. Greg J. Dixon: From: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I: Cummins/Thompson, pp. 411-12.

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216 – August, 04 – This Day in Baptist History Past

 

As the son of Charles CIay I fear no man

Elder Eleazer Clay was born August 04, 1744, a rugged Virginian, and when just a boy of 14, he enlisted in the army and fought in the French and Indian War. He moved to Chesterfield County and married Miss Jane Apperson. It was here that he came under deep conviction of sin as a result of the preaching of William Webber, Joseph Anthony, and John Weatherford, who preached through the prison grates. Clay made his profession of faith in Christ in Aug. of 1771, and became a member of the Baptist church, and was soon preaching the gospel of Christ. Col. Cary, magistrate of the county said that he left Elder Clay alone and arrested others for preaching because Clay had a livelihood, and he took the others under the “vagrant law.” Clay was probably the richest preacher in Virginia. He used his wealth to help the other preachers in prison and to build a Baptist meetinghouse that he planted as the first Baptist church in Chesterfield, County. He was not without enemies. A man rode into the yard where he was preaching in a private house and said that he had come to “cowhide him.” Clay said, “I am the son of Charles Clay, and I fear no man. If I have to go out after him, I will give him one of the worst whippings of his life.” Obviously the gentleman didn’t accomplish his objective. Clay pastored the church that he planted for over sixty-years. He loved the Word of God and read his New Testament once each month in addition to his O.T. reading. He went to be with the Lord at 92 years of age. His brother John Clay was one of the imprisoned preachers of Virginia and the great Kentucky statesman Henry Clay was his nephew.

Dr. Greg J. Dixon: From: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I: Cummins/Thompson, pp. 319-20.

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153 – June 02 – THIS DAY IN BAPTIST HISTORY PAST

 

Elijah_Craig

From the Plow to the Prison

Elijah Craig was one of the well-known “Craig Brothers.” He came under the preaching of David Thomas, a Regular Baptist, in the year of 1764 and professed his faith in Jesus Christ. The next year he, along with others, was encouraged by Samuel Harriss, the Separate Baptist, to hold meetings in his neighborhood for the encouragement of the young converts and their mutual edification. Craig continued to preach the Word of God from house to house during the week, and on Sunday he used his tobacco barn for their place of assembly. He like his brothers, had a limited education, but he applied himself to personal study and became a fruitful evangelist. He was considered by many to be the most effective preacher of the three brothers.

In the year of 1766, sometime after he had begun his ministry, Craig traveled into North Carolina, where he persuaded James Read to come and baptize the young converts, himself, being one of them. He now devoted himself to preaching with great zeal, was ordained June 2, 1770, and became the first pastor of Blue run and Rapidan churches, which were both constituted December 4, 1769.

Craig was imprisoned four times: twice in Culpeper, and twice in Orange County for preaching the gospel of the grace of God. He was very useful in Virginia and served there until he migrated to Kentucky in 1786 to join his brothers. He bought one thousand acres of land and laid out town on it which was first called Lebanon but after-wards Georgetown.

Dr. Dale R. Hart, from: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I. (E. Wayne Thompson and David L. Cummins) p. 226.

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117 — April 27 – This Day in Baptist History Past

Saved, Baptized, Called to Preach
The power of Holy Spirit conviction

Otis Robinson was asked to open his home for the occasion of having Rev. Eliaphalet Smith to preach in Livermore, Maine. Otis did not stay but later asked his wife what was the Sermon topic: “Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”  Though convicted, it was several weeks of great conviction before Robinson obtained the peace of salvation.
On April 27, 1793 Robinson was baptized by Smith and united with others in forming a Baptist church in Livermore. His growth in grace was rapid, and soon he experienced the call of God upon his heart to preach.  Being licensed by the church, he visited the town of Sanford and preached several Lord’s Days in a Baptist church there. He was called to become their pastor and was ordained on June 7, 1798 the day of his 34th birthday. His ministry was blessed of the Lord in revival, and the work grew as he baptized one hundred and sixty-five there and many others in his itinerant work throughout the area.
Having a heart burdened for missions, Robinson resigned in the fall of 1809 and moved to Salisbury, Hew Hampshire, to establish a church. In the spring of 1810, he had gathered enough converts to begin a church and was settled as pastor. His labors were continued for sixteen years, and he finally resigned the pastorate in 1826. The church had grown to one hundred and thirty members and many more were in attendance.
Dr. Dale R. Hart Adapted from: This Day in Baptist History Vol. I: Cummins Thompson /, pp. 171.
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