FAIR SUNSHINE

Again: we have not enough self-denial; and that is one reason why we do not prosper. Far be it from me to say aught against the self-denial of those worthy brethren who have left their country to cross the stormy deep to preach the Word. We hold them to be men who are to be had in honor; but still, I ask, Where is the self-denial of the apostles now-a-days?  I think one of the greatest disgraces that ever was cast upon the church in those days was that last mission to Ireland. Men went over to Ireland; but, like men who have valor's better part, brave, bold men,—they came back again, which is about all we can say of the matter. Why do they not go there again?  Why, they say the Irish "booed" them. Now, don't you think you see Paul taking a microscope out of his pocket, and looking at a little man who should say to him, "I shall not go there to preach, because the Irish booed me!"  "What!" he says, "is this a preacher? What a small edition of...

We have known men who believed Calvinistic doctrines, but who preached Calvinism in the morning and Arminianism in the evening, because they were afraid God's gospel would not convert sinners, so they would manufacture one of their own.  I hold that a man who does not believe his gospel to be able to save men's souls, does not believe it at all. If God's truth will not save men's souls, man's lies cannot. If God's truth will not turn men to repentance, I am sure there is nothing in this world that can.  When we believe the gospel to be powerful, then we shall see it is powerful.  If I walk into this pulpit, and say, "I know what I preach is true," the world says I am an egotist; "The young man is dogmatical." Aye, and the young man means to be; he glories in it; be keeps it to himself as one of his peculiar titles, for he does most firmly believe what he preaches.  God forbid that I should ever come tottering up the pulpit-stairs to teach a...

We have no eyes now like the eyes of the Saviour, which could weep over Jerusalem: we have few voices like that earnest, impassioned voice, which seemed perpetually to cry,  "Come unto me, and I will give you rest."   "O Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have gathered thee as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not."   If ministers of the gospel were more hearty in their work of preaching; if, instead of giving lectures, and devoting a large part of their time to literary and political pursuits, they would preach the Word of God, and preach it as if they were pleading for their own lives, ah! Then, my brethren, we might expect great success; but we cannot expect it while we go about our work in a half-hearted way, and have not that zeal, that earnestness, that deep purpose, which characterized those men of old.  Then again, I take it, we have not men in our days who can preach like Paul—as to their faith, What did Paul do? He went to Phi...

In the first place, we have not men with Apostolic zeal.  Converted in a most singular way, by a direct interposition from heaven, Paul, from that time forward, became an earnest man. He had always been earnest, in his sin and in his persecutions; but after he heard that voice from heaven, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?" and had received the mighty office of an apostle, and had been sent forth a chosen vessel to the Gentiles, you can scarcely conceive the deep, the awful earnestness which he manifested.  Whether he did eat, or drink, or whatsoever be did, he did all for the glory of his God; he never wasted an hour: he was employing his time either in ministering with his own hands unto his necessities, or else lifting up those hands in the synagogue, on Mars Hill, or anywhere where he could command the attention of the multitude.  His zeal was so earnest, and so burning, that he could not (as we unfortunately do) restrain himself within a little sphere; but he p...

King Solomon levied 150,000 workers (2 Chr 2:17) , enlisting 3,300 overseers (1 Kings 5:16)  and 300 commanders over all (2 Chr 2:18) for the building of the temple. Such a monumental undertaking that required careful preparation and careful attention to detail in order to mobilize a large number of men. The task of the ministers of God should be to prepare the people to partake in the advancement of the greater kingdom that is Christ's as He did bid His followers: "Engage in business till I come"   (Lk 19:13). The same business He mentioned when Joseph and Mary found Him amidst teachers in the temple (Lk 2:49) : "to do the will of Him who sent Me"   (Jn 4:34) . What will? "To give His life a ransom for many"   (Mat 20:28) . To what end? " That they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3) . Knowing God opens the gates to gospel action - to its proclamation, just as YHWH was the motivation behind...

Take heed to yourselves lest you should be void of that saving grace of God which you offer to others, and be strangers to the effectual working of that gospel which you preach; and lest, while you proclaim the necessity of a Saviour to the world, your hearts should neglect him, and you should miss of an interest in him and his saving benefits. Take heed to yourselves, lest you perish while you call upon others to take heed of perishing, and lest you famish yourselves while you prepare their food. Though there be a promise of shining as stars to those that turn many to righteousness (Daniel 12:3) , this is but on supposition that they be first turned to it themselves: such promises are made ceteris paribus, et suppositis supponendis. Their own sincerity in the faith is the condition of their glory simply considered, though their great ministerial labours may be a condition of the promise of their greater glory. Many men have warned others that they come not to that place of torment, ...

To emphasize the standard is not to be mean-spirited, nor should it be viewed as censorious. We exercise the same judgement when trusting our health to the diagnosis of a qualified physician, or place ourselves under the knife of a qualified surgeon. But the ministerial office is qualified by God Himself. Theological schooling is very important. But how do you measure education when in our day, every school claims to be truthful while contradicting each other on doctrinal interpretation? And even so, to be proficient theologically, or to confess to a creed, does not necessarily mean one is spiritually born again. When this requirement is set aside, everyone is ministry is legitimately correct, and the line between mere human knowledge and heaven-sent unction is blurred. *************** We are not among those who accept the apostolical succession of young men simply because they assume it; if their college experience has been rather vivacious than spiritual, if their honours have been c...

For years have I sat under emotional and academic yet lifeless preaching about repeated affirmations of basic truths. It merely stunted my growth. But I believed I had to sit through it because it was the program, and I convinced others to do the same. The glaring truth stared me in my face the whole time yet I closed my eyes because the system was set up as such, that I had to be bodily present, never mind if my spirit remained unfed. It was assumed that the Spirit was always present in the external exercises, but the lives of those who sat with me told differently as they remained lethargic and uninterested. In our first church, it was about the grandeur of gifts, achievements and humanism. In our second, comfort, richness, and identity. With our third, which professed to be reformed in doctrine but definitely not in deed, it was timidity and dead religion. There was rampant gossiping, backbiting, and taking sides. The pastor was then in a secret relationship with the youth leader wh...