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Thoughts and Meditations

 

Personal comments made by David F. Reagan unless otherwise stated

 

March, 2005

 

 

 

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March 28, 2005

 

Power of the Preacher – “The power of the preacher lies in his power of prayer, in his ability to pray so as to reach God, and bring great results. The power of prayer is rarely tested, its possibilities seldom understood, never exhausted. The pulpit fixed and fired with holy desires on God, with a tireless faith, will be the pulpit of power. Nothing is so feeble, so insipid, so resultless as a little vapid praying. To pray over our sermons like we say grace over our meals does no good. Every step of the sermon should be born of the throes of prayer, its beginning and end should be vocal with the plea and song of prayer. Its delivery should be impassioned and driven by the power of prayer.” –quoted from article by E. M. Bounds written around 1892; taken from E. M. Bounds by Darrel D. King (p.110).

 

Secret Training of God’s Servants – “Like all God’s servants, in all ages, Gideon had to undergo a course of secret training and discipline, ere he was fit to appear in public. The space of time occupied in this training may vary, as may also the character of the discipline; but of this we may rest assured that all who will be used of God in public must be taught of God in private. It is a fatal mistake for any one to rush into prominence without proper equipment, and that equipment can only be attained in the secret of the divine presence. It is in profound and hallowed retirement with God that vessels are filled, and instruments fitted for His work.” –from Miscellaneous Writings by C. H. Mackintosh (p.207).

 

 

March 24, 2005

 

You in Christ; Christ in You – “To be in Christ—that is redemption; but for Christ to be in you—that is sanctification. To be in Christ—that makes you fit for heaven; but for Christ to be in you—that makes you fit for earth! To be in Christ—that changes your destination; but for Christ to be in you—that changes your destiny! The one makes heaven your home—the other makes this world His workshop.” –from The Saving Life of Christ by Major W. Ian Thomas.

 

I Want My Burden Removed – The well-known evangelist Gipsy Smith (1860-1947) grew up in a Gipsy family in England traveling with his family in a wagon. His mother died when he was young and he tells how his father sought peace from his burden of sin. By the providence of God his father met with two of his brothers who were also seeking relief from the burden of sin. “As the brothers talked they felt how sweet it would be to go to God’s house and learn of Him, for they had all got tired of their roaming life. My father was on the way to London, and fully resolved to go to a church and find out what it was his soul needed. The three brothers agreed to go together, and arranged to take in Cambridge by the way. They drove their wagon to the Barnwell end of the town, where there was a beer-shop. The three great big simple men went in and told the landlady how they felt. It is not often, I feel sure, that part of a work of grace is carried on in a beer-shop, and with the landlady thereof as an instrument in this divine work. But God had been dealing with the landlady of this beer-house.

 

“When the brothers spoke to her she began to weep, and said, ‘I am somewhat in your case, and I have a book upstairs that will just suit you, for it makes me cry every time I read it.’ She brought the book down and lent it to the brothers to read. They went into the road to look after their horses. A young man who came out of the public-house offered to read from the book to them. It was The Pilgrim’s Progress. When he got to the point where Pilgrim’s burden drops off as he looks at the cross, Bartholomew rose from his seat by the way-side and excitedly walking up and down, cried: ‘That is what I want, my burden removed. If God does not save me I shall die!’ ” Not many days later, both Bartholomew and Gipsy Smith’s father are saved and they begin to lead others in the Gipsy camp to the Lord. But that is a longer story. –from Gipsy Smith: An Autobiography (p.58-59)

 

 

March 23, 2005

 

Dangers of Doctrinal Controversy – “It seems a laudable service to defend the faith once delivered to the saints; we are commanded to contend earnestly for it, and to convince gainsayers. If ever such defences were seasonable and expedient, they appear to be so in our day, when errors abound on all sides, and every truth of the Gospel is either directly denied, or grossly misrepresented. And yet we find but very few writers of controversy who have not been manifestly hurt by it. Either they grow in a sense of their own importance, or imbibe an angry contentious spirit, or they insensibly withdraw their attention from those things which are the food and immediate support of the life of faith, and spend their time and strength upon matters which at most are but of a secondary value. This shows, that, if the service is honorable, it is dangerous. What will it profit a man if he gains his cause, and silences his adversary, if at the same time he loses that humble, tender frame of spirit in which the Lord delights, and to which the promise of his presence is made!” –from The Works of John Newton: Volume 1 (p.273).

 

The Man Who Just Entered – On one occasion when Charles Spurgeon was preaching, “the people were continually looking around as newcomers entered the chapel. This disturbed Charles, so he said, ‘Now, friends, as it is so very interesting to you to know who comes in, and it disturbs me so very much for you to look around, I will, if you like, describe each one as he comes in, so that you may sit and look at me and keep up at least a show of decency.’ At that moment, a gentleman, a friend of Spurgeon, entered the chapel. Spurgeon went on, ‘A very respectable gentleman who has just taken off his hat has arrived.’ Evidently, he did not need to continue the description of those who came in later.” –from Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers by Lewis Drummond (p.281).

 

 

March 22, 2005

 

Made by God – “Be yourself. Ape no greatness. Be willing to pass for what you are. A good farthing is better than a bad sovereign. Affect no oddness; but dare to be right, though you have to be singular.” –by Samuel Coley (around 1850).

 

Our Shortcomings Revealed – “The higher the temperature the more chilling would it be to pass into an ice-house, and the more our lives are brought into fellowship with the perfect Life, the more we shall feel our own shortcomings.” –from MacLaren’s 1024 Best Illustrations (p.10)

 

You’ll Be Joining Me Soon – In the early 1900’s, evangelist Mordecai Ham used various methods to get the gospel message to unlikely places. “On several occasions the evangelist borrowed an old, horse-drawn hearse in which he would stretch an illuminated skeleton so that it could be seen plainly through the side windows. A loud speaker system, with an announcer hidden inside, would dramatically arrest the attention of onlookers. In one of his Houston, Texas meetings, Mr. Ham’s parade numbered 2,200 cars. ‘I watched the effect upon the sidewalk crowd as the hearse passed,’ he recounts.

 

“ ‘A bunch came out of a tavern to see the sight, and the first object to strike them was our hearse and skeleton; then they heard it talk, “Boys, once I had a big time too, but look where I am now. You’ll be joining me soon; better get right with God.” Some of them were frozen in their tracks and slapped their hands to their heads crying, “Oh, my God!” I noticed that they didn’t go back into the tavern to finish their drinks.’ ”

 

 

March 21, 2005

 

Handle the Objections – Martyn Lloyd-Jones proposed that we use the methods of the Apostle Paul in teaching. “It is part of the business of any teacher to try to forestall difficulties and problems that will arise in the minds of those who are listening to him. It is a very poor teacher who just makes a positive statement and leaves it at that. The test of a good teacher is the number of negatives he uses; and, furthermore, the number of possible objections that he deals with before people have even thought of them.” –from The Sacred Anointing by Tony Sargent (p.119).

 

When God Spoils Our Pictures – “Two painters were employed to fresco the walls of a magnificent cathedral. Both stood on a rude scaffolding constructed for the purpose, some distance from the floor. One, so intent upon his work, forgetting where he was, stepped back slowly, surveying critically the work of his pencil, until he had neared the edge of the plank on which he stood. At this moment his companion, just perceiving his danger, seized a wet brush, flung it against the wall, spattering the picture with unsightly blotches of coloring. The painter flew forward, and turned upon his friend with fierce upbraidings, till made aware of the danger he had escaped; then, with tears of gratitude, he blessed the hand that saved him. Just so, sometimes we get so absorbed with the pictures of the world, unconscious of our peril, when God in mercy dashes out the beautiful images, and draws us, at the time we are complaining of his dealings, into his outstretched arms of love.” –from New Encyclopedia of Prose Illustrations (p.19).

 

Easy-Going Preachers – “Easy-going preachers produce easy-going believers. We have more star preachers than scarred preachers, more expositors than exposers, more who are concerned to ‘get it over’ than to ‘pray it through.’ We have more religious educators than soul emancipators. The pulpiteer of our times is expected to enlighten the mind rather than to enliven the conscience. To many, the width of his head matters more than the depth of his heart.” –from Meat for Men by Leonard Ravenhill (p.77).

 

 

 

March 19, 2005

 

Preach to the Heart – “There is a way of talking about the gospel, and its privileges and duties, in a style which does not come home to the heart at all. I once read the following criticism upon a certain preacher… ‘He preaches as if you had no father or mother, no sister or brother, no wife or child, no human struggles and hopes; as if the great object of preaching was to fill you with Biblical pedantry, and not to make you a better, wiser, stronger man than before… He is far away in Genesis or in Revelation, telling you what the first man did, or the last man will do; giving you, it may be, a creed that is Scriptural and correct, but that does not interest you, for it has neither life, nor love, nor power; it is as well adapted to empty space as to this gigantic Babel of competition, and crime, and wrong, in which we live and move.’ ” –from An All-Round Ministry by C. H. Spurgeon (p.113-114).

 

Pull Them Up From the Pit Whence You Came – In 1877-78, Dwight L. Moody rethought his plan for world evangelism. One strategy that came from his evaluations was “to equip people who were not far removed from the lowest economic level themselves for city mission work. People recently arrived from the farms were best able to reach the farm-to-city migrants. They spoke the same language and understood the background and problems. In the same fashion, recently converted alcoholics, addicts, and prostitutes were the very ones who could win the confidence of people locked in the same bondage, as were recent escapees from the tenement houses and slums most like to bring Christ to the folks living in similar environments. This class of workers needed training. They did not have to go to college, and certainly they did not need seminary. They would not even have to be high school graduates. What they needed was training in evangelism, personal work, the English Bible, and basic doctrine.” –from A Passion for Souls by Lyle W. Dorsett (p.265-266).

 

 

March 17, 2005

 

Run Up the Flag – John Young was one of the courageous Baptist preachers in Virginia during the 18th century who suffered for the freedom to preach according to conscience. He died in a good old age on April 16, 1817. In 1908, one of his granddaughters told this of John Young. “He was converted and began preaching. He, with others, was imprisoned for preaching what he believed to be the truth. His mother, who had care of his motherless children, visited him regularly once a week taking the children with her. Each preacher was in a room to himself. Each room had one small window, placed so high up in the wall that only a patch of sky could be seen, nothing on the earth. The congregations of the different ministers learned, each, which was his pastor’s window. Once a week John Young’s congregation (and I suppose the other’s too), would assemble under his window, and run up a flag, to let him know they were there and he would preach to them. In this way a great many people were converted. The authorities said, ‘These heretics make more converts in jail than they do out.’ ” –quoted in This Day in Baptist History (p.155).

 

I Remember Two Things – John Newton, the former slave-runner and famous author of Amazing Grace, served God faithfully for many years and lived into his eighties. After the last service in which he preached, he was so weak and confused that he had to be helped from the pulpit. He did not even preach the last year of his life. “On 21st December, 1807, John Newton was extremely weak. Totally worn out. Barely able to speak. A friend at his bedside saw that he was struggling to say something. He leaned over to catch it.

 

“ ‘My memory is almost gone, but I remember two things.’ He whispered, feebly. ‘That I am a great sinner…’ He paused to summon up his last breath, before finishing the sentence, ‘…And that Christ is a great Saviour!’ Then he slipped quietly away.” –from How Sweet the Sound by Noel Davidson (p.264-265).

 

 

March 16, 2005

 

Soul For Sale – “Once Lady Ann Erskine saw a crowd and hearing that Rowland Hill [English evangelist who lived from 1744 to 1833] was preaching asked that the coachman drive near. Hill saw her and stopped in his discourse to deliver a quintessential Rowland Hill appeal.

 

“ ‘I have something for sale.’ The astonished listeners wondered of what he was speaking. ‘Yes, I have something for sale…it is the soul of Lady Ann Erskine. Is there anyone that will bid for her soul? Ah, do I hear a bid? Who bids? Satan bids. Satan, what will you give for her soul? “I will give riches, honor and pleasure.” But stop, do I hear another bid? Yes, Jesus Christ bids. Jesus, what will you give for her soul? “I will give eternal life.” Lady Ann Erskine, you have heard the two bids—which will you take?’ Lady Ann Erskine fell down on her knees and cried out, ‘I will have Jesus.’ ” –from The Company of Preachers by David L. Larsen (p.401-402).

 

People Matter – Of all the things in our world, only souls are eternal. Therefore, in the long run, only what we do to minister to others has any eternal value. Though the supreme good is to glorify God, the supreme purpose down below is to minister to people. “The story is told of a young man who faced a judge who reprimanded him in these words: ‘Ought not you to be ashamed of yourself for being before me on such a serious charge—you whose father is a famous and highly respected jurist?’ Bitterly the young man replied: ‘No, I am not ashamed. When I was younger and wanted his companionship and would sometimes seek to get his attention, he would always say: “Go away, boy, I am too busy writing my book, The Law of Trusts.” Now he has his book, The Law of Trusts, and here am I.’ That father forgot that parenthood itself was a trust.” –from The Disciplined Life by Richard S. Taylor (p.47).

 

 

March 15, 2005

 

Breath of Prayer – “What is Prayer? It is the communion of the spiritual life in the soul of man with its Divine Author; it is a breathing back the Divine life into the bosom of God from whence it came; it is holy, spiritual, humble converse with God. That was a beautiful remark of a converted heathen, --‘I open my Bible, and God talks with me; I close my Bible, and then I talk with God.’ Striking definition of true prayer!” –from Personal Declension and Revival of Religion in the Soul  by Octavius Winslow (p.90).

 

Taking Care of God’s Servant – On one occasion, Charles Spurgeon “stood on the platform of the train station waiting for his train to arrive. When it pulled into the station, the conductor announced the boarding instructions. Spurgeon had been in conversation with a fellow minister. The reverend gentleman said to Charles, ‘Well, I am going to the third class section of the train to save the Lord’s money.’ Spurgeon retorted, ‘Well, I am going to the first class section of the train to save the Lord’s servant.’ ” –from Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers by Lewis Drummond (p.280).

 

Thankful That the Conscience Speaks – “Let us be thankful if our consciences speak to us more loudly than they used to do. It is a sign of growing holiness, as the tingling in a frost-bitten limb is of returning life.” –from MacLaren’s 1024 Best Illustrations (p.9-10).

 

 

March 9, 2005

 

Kinds of Affliction – “We may observe in this the difference between Christ and the Tempter. Christ hath his fan in his hand [Matthew 3:12], and he fanneth us: the Devil hath a sieve in his hand [Luke 22:31], and he sifteth us. Now, a fan casteth out the worst, and keepeth in the best; a sieve keepeth in the worst, and casteth out the best. So Christ and his trials purgeth chaff and corruption out of us, and nourisheth his graces in us. Contrariwise, the Devil, what evil soever is in us, he confirmeth it: what faith or good thing soever, he weakeneth.” –quote from John Trapp (1601-1669) in New Encyclopedia of Prose Illustrations (p.17-18).

 

Reject Counsel – “They that will not be counseled, cannot be helped. If you do not hear reason she will rap you on the knuckles. –by Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790).

 

 

March 7, 2005

 

Gospel Cars – In the early 1900’s, Baptist Evangelist Mordecai Ham operated revival campaigns all over the American South. One of his early effective practices “was the running of ‘Gospel Cars’ through the city streets. Especially advantageous were these during the fight against the saloon. Every afternoon the city transportation company would load a car with adults and children; would placard the sides with Ham-meeting banners, and would then tour the city. Down through the main sections of traffic and business the trolley car would roll, stopping, momentarily, at corners on which were saloons so that the children could sing:

 

            ‘If you only loved your children more, you wouldn’t drink your rum,

            You wouldn’t drink your rum, you wouldn’t drink your rum;

            If you only loved your children more, you wouldn’t drink your rum,

            And you’d walk the golden streets on high.’

 

“The evangelist, and other personal workers, followed the ‘car’ on foot and pleaded with the men who staggered out of the saloons to hear the singing and see the ‘rolling’ choir. Mr. Ham relates that in Wilmington, N.C., he led 70 drunks to Christ in this manner. ‘I would collar the drunks as they stumbled out of the saloons and preach to them. Some branded me “sensational” for my methods, but one must remember that wherever the Apostles went they either got souls or stones, and they either had revivals or riots, and sometimes both.’ ”  --from A Biography of M. F. Ham by E. E. Ham (p.53-54).

 

As God Sees Others – “Remember that of many of the best Christians, the worst only is known and seen. Many who keep up precious communion with God do yet oftentimes, by their natural tempers of freedom or passion, not carry so glorious appearances as others who perhaps come short of them in grace and the power of godliness. In respect of their outward conversation it may seem they are scarcely saved, when in respect of their faith and love they may be eminent. They may, as the King’s daughter, be all glorious within, though their clothes be not always of wrought gold.” –from Temptation and Sin by John Owen (p.298).

 

 

 

March 5, 2005

 

Riches in Romans – Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones was known for his lengthy expository studies. He spent eleven years of Friday evenings in his church teachings through Romans. A friend of his once humorously suggested that Paul might be amazed at how much Lloyd-Jones had got out of his letters. “The Doctor recalled the incident sometime after the man’s death.” He “commented: ‘Poor man! Now my friend has discovered that the Apostle Paul is amazed at the little that most people, and I with them, get out of his great Epistles!’ ” –from The Sacred Anointing by Tony Sargent (p.111-112).

 

How Near Do You Want to Be? – “But here is a startling and stirring fact: I can get as near to God as my soul desires. Men cannot deep me from Him unless I let them; the devil cannot keep me from Him, though he may fight every inch of the way as I proceed in prayer. It may be painful and penetrating to know, but the fact is that I am as spiritual as I want to be.” –from Meat for Men by Leonard Ravenhill (p.45-46).

 

 

March 3, 2005

 

Preachers Must Know by Experience What They Preach – “Brethren, a minister who handles the Word of God as one who has tried and proved it, is known at once by his congregation. Even the unconverted recognize the touch of the practiced surgeon of souls.” –from An All-Round Ministry by C. H. Spurgeon (p.113).

 

Gap Men and Women – Around 1878, Evangelist Dwight L. Moody began to reevaluate the work that needed to be done in order to reach the cities for Christ. From a decade of preaching, he observed “that the truly effective work had to be done in the inquiry room—it must be personal work. The problem was that most cities did not have churches with enough spiritually mature and biblically informed people to get the job done well. Moody was willing and able to run brief training sessions for workers, but he increasingly found this to be insufficient. He recognized a great need for ‘gap men,’ as he phrased it—men and women who did not need the extensive training of ordained ministers and clergy, yet were knowledgeable enough about souls, basic doctrine, and the Bible that they could teach the ordinary lay person and also evangelize the unchurched that the laity would not reach and the pastors had no time to gather in. The cities needed a huge army of ‘home missionaries’—people who were willing to live simply, walk by faith, and devote their lives to evangelizing the poorest and most neglected class of urban dwellers.” –from A Passion for Souls by Lyle W. Dorsett (p.264-265).

 

March 2, 2005

 

If You Were in the Casket – W. H. Hicks (1851-1930) served as the pastor of numerous Baptist churches in the northeastern corner of Tennessee. He was known as a “hell and damnation” preachers who always wore a blue denim suit and rode to his appointments on a big bay horse. One funeral director, W. Y. Hill, told of a story of a funeral he was conducting. “Preacher Hicks was in charge of the service. After the sermon the congregation and the family were to file by the casket to view the deceased. The first row began the procession. When Hill came to the second row the people refused to go, as did the others of the congregation.

 

“The confused Mr. Hill asked a deacon, ‘Why don’t the people want to view the deceased?’ The deacon, pointing to the casket, replied, ‘Don’t you see Preacher Hicks standing at the casket? When people go by he tells them “If that were you in the casket, you would be in hell now.” He is scaring them to death!’ ” –from Pilgrims in Paradise: The Story of Baptist Pioneers of Upper East Tennessee by Ernest Edward Carrier (p.67-69).

 

Life is the Time to Serve the Lord – In August of 1772, two Baptist preachers of Virginia, James Greenwood and William Loval, were seized by warrant in King and Queen county and transported to the county jail for preaching without a license. While being transported to the jail, they gave notice that they would preach the next Lord’s Day from the jail windows and they sang the following song:

 

            Life is the time to serve the Lord,

            The time to insure the great reward;

            And while the lamp holds out to burn,

            The vilest sinner may return!

 

            Then what my thoughts design to do,

            My hands, with all your might pursue;

            Since no device or work is found,

            Nor faith, nor hope beneath the ground.

 

--taken from This Day in Baptist History (p.154).

 

 

March 1, 2005

 

O Bear Me, Ye Cherubim, Up – William Cowper (b.1731) worked with John Newton (author of “Amazing Grace”) to publish the Olney Hymns, an influencial hymnbook of the 18th century and beyond. Perhaps his best-known hymn today is “There is a Fountain Filled with Blood.” In addition, he was a nationally known poet in his day. Cowper struggled with depression and doubts his entire life. Yet, he had a strong testimony of salvation and found complete peace when he died on April 25th, 1800. After his death, an unfinished hymn manuscript was discovered. What follows are the four verses he had completed.

 

            To Jesus, the Crown of my Hope,

              My Soul is in haste to be gone;

            O bear me, ye cherubim, up,

              And waft me away to His throne!

 

            My Saviour, whom absent I love,

              Whom, not having seen I adore;

            Whose name is exalted above

              All glory, dominion, and power;

 

            Dissolve thou the bond that detains

              My soul from her portion in Thee,

            And strike off the adamant chains,

              And make me eternally free.

 

            When that happy era begins,

              When arrayed in thy beauty I shine,

            Nor pierce any more, by my sins

              The bosom on which I recline;

 

--from How Sweet the Sound by Noel Davidson (p.260).

 

 

 

 

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