Preaching

A Testimony of Revival – William Bramwell

I had not discoursed long when the congregation melted into tears. This abated for a few minutes, till a little boy about seven or eight years of age cried out exceeding piteously indeed and wept as though his little heart would break. I asked the little boy what he cried for. He answered ‘my sins !’ I then asked him what he wanted. He answered, “Christ!”

Others were so earnest for a discovery of the Lord to their souls that their eager crying obliged me to stop, and I prayed over them, as I saw their agonies and distress increase. Oh, the distress and anguish of their souls! oh, the pains that were upon them!

Many of the assembled were deeply affected, groaning and sobbing; there was a great weeping and mourning.

– William Bramwell –

We Can Do Nothing Without God – Charles Spurgeon

A soul-winner can do nothing without God. He must cast himself on the Invisible, or be a laughing-stock to the devil, who regards with utter disdain all who think to subdue human nature with mere words and arguments. To all who hope to succeed in such a labour by their own strength, we would address the words of the Lord to Job, “Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens? Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more. Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?” Dependence upon God is our strength, and our joy: in that dependence let us go forth, and seek to win souls for Him.

– Charles Spurgeon –

What the Pulpit Needs and Must Have – EM Bounds

The unction, the divine unction, this heavenly anointing, is what the pulpit needs and must have. This divine and heavenly oil put on it by the imposition of God’s hand must soften and lubricate the whole man—heart, head, spirit—until it separates him with a mighty separation from all earthly, secular, worldly, selfish motives and aims, separating him to everything that is pure and Godlike.

– EM Bounds –

How Not to Preach – David Wilkerson

I’m not about to put up a silly skit and preach a 15-minute message on “how to cope” to a multitude of people who are dying and going to hell. I tremble at the thought.

– David Wilkerson –

How You Can Know How Spiritual You Are – Leonard Ravenhill

Not how many meetings you go to.
Not how many gifts you have.
Not how many sermons you preach.
Not how many records you’ve made.
Tell me what time you spend alone with God …
and I’ll tell you how spiritual you are.

– Leonard Ravenhill –

No Hunger for God – Florence Allshorn

We religious leaders need to look very much more deeply. We can so easily have talks with people, and they can say we have helped, write us grateful letters, even stand steady for a time till the juice we have put into them runs out; but, we may have brought them no hunger for God—because that hunger is no ache in our own heart—nor brought them anywhere near to the end of self.

– Florence Allshorn –

Behold How He Loves Us – George Whitefield

Press them to believe on Him immediately, intersperse prayers with your exhortations preacher and thereby call down fire from heaven even the fire of the Holy Ghost, speak every time my dear brother as if it were your last, weep out if possible every argument and as it were compel them to cry “behold how he loveth us”!

– George Whitefield –

Preach the Gospel, Not About the Gospel – Charles Finney

Ministers generally avoid preaching what the people before them will understand as addressed particularly to them. They will preach to them about other people, and the sins of other people, instead of addressing them and saying, “You are guilty of these sins; and, The Lord requires this of you.” They often preach about the Gospel instead of preaching the Gospel. They often preach about sinners instead of preaching to them. They studiously avoid being personal, in the sense of making the impression on anyone present that he is the man. Now I have thought it my duty to pursue a different course; and I always have pursued a different course. I have often said, “Do not think I am talking about anybody else; but I mean you, and you, and you.”

– Charles Finney –