Preach With Your Sword!

It is the job of all God's men to take the sharp two edged sword of the word of truth and plunge it deep into the heart of man. If man is to die to self before he can be born again, then let us with steady hand, aim straight and with all our loving might, sink in the blade up to the hilt!

Comfortably Afflicted?

A preacher of the Truth has two ministries, that is, to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable! That is all.

Glad, Sad Or Mad?

As you go and as you preach, something must happen if you are the servant of God and anointed with the Spirit of God; you must never leave people the way you found them! Something must happen! When they have finished listening to your message they should be either glad, sad or mad - but not the way you found them!

- Paris Reidhead

The Western Pulpit!

Poor creatures, at that time, how was our English Bethel [House of God] degenerated into a Beth-Aven [House of Nothingness (of Idols)]. What a film of superstition, and profanes was there then grown over one of the eyes of this our Island! Our pulpits turned as it were into stages; and sadly prostituted to froth and jerks at godliness. As for truly learned, soul searching, soul saving preaching, twas that which most of us either knew not, or scorned. The mode of our then sermons was more to please the fancy, than to pierce the heart; to tickle the ear, rather than wound the conscience, or save the precious the immortal soul.

From the forward to the reader in 'Eighteen sermons preached in Oxford'. [Comments Added]

Isn't it amazing! This short discourse written in 1660 and describing the state of the pulpits of the Church of England in Oxfordshire in the early 1600’s reads much like the sad state of the pulpit today!

Around the world, though it would seem more prevalent in the west, “church” leaders are fattening themselves for the day of slaughter on the souls of lost men and women! Peddling cheap grace and easy believe-ism in the name of numerical success and church growth, they crucify yet again the Son of God.

Preacher, you are to spend yourself and be spent in this one thing: preaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified! For in Him is the salvation of all mankind!

If you will not perform this task, if you will not preach the Truth of God – get out of the pulpit for your own sake and the sake of those in your hearing!

Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith Jehovah. Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, against the shepherds that feed my people: Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith Jehovah. (Jeremiah 23:1-2)

Hold That Thought!

“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1Corinthians 2:2

I have to ask the question... what else is there to think of? Seriously! Is there anyone else of greater worth than Christ, or another act of greater importance? Is there anything else worth pursuing on earth or in heaven?

I wish that every pulpit across this country would return soundly to this point! For in Christ and him crucified we see all things!
- We see God's fierce anger towards sin and unrepentant sinners
- We see His Holiness, His Righteousness, His Justice
- We see our wretched and fearful state
- We see our helplessness and utter dependency
- We see the necessity for repentance
- We see His Wisdom, His longsuffering, His Goodness
- We see His Love, His Mercy, His Grace
- We see His Sovereignty and his Power

We have contained therein, the full counsel of God. A clear presentation of the truth! A sound foundation on which to build!

"That this should be the resolution of every minister of the gospel. This is his business. It is not to be a politician; not to engage in the strifes and controversies of people; it is not to be a good farmer, or scholar merely; not to mingle with his people in festive circles and enjoyments; not to be a man of taste and philosophy, and distinguished mainly for refinement of manners; not to be a profound philosopher or metaphysician, but to make Christ crucified the grand object of his attention, and seek always and everywhere to make him known." - Albert Barnes

Folks, this is not just for ministers... this applies to us all. Hold that thought!