There is a news story out where a woman in Florida had her parents visiting for a week. She was aware of a number of cases of flesh-eating bacteria and though it was a remote possibility....she prepared by applying protective ointments on her father. He became sick about twelve hours after coming out of the water. The older couple immediately left for home a few hundred miles away because the doctors would be more familiar with his history of cancer. There was a new development on the man's back....and the daughter told the hospital staff that it was necrotizing fasciitis....she knew this because she was aware of what it was....but they thought that stories of the flesh-eating disease were overblown. The gentleman died very shortly afterwards.
I bring this up because we are in a self-adulatory age where when you have become what you believe to be an expert....you too often set aside your humility. Pastors too often are particularly susceptible to this. How could it be that people sitting in the pew....who have never seen the inside of a seminary....could possibly spot a problem in their preaching....but they really should have to look no further than the faces of the congregation after the sermon. Do they look like people who were just in the presence of the glory of God....who were humbled and then lifted up in gratitude that transcends the cares and plans for the rest of the day?
'Lord should it be Thy will let tomorrow be the day that Thy servants....our shepherds....humble themselves in their calling....that they plead from the pulpit the mercies that we in America are so desperately in need of....that they preach the cross as if Jesus was returning tomorrow....and that they
warn us that we have adapted to the age we live in....thus losing discernment on the dangers around us. Do this to Thy glory alone Lord....in spite of us....and none more than me....who do not deserve Thy mercies."
Afterthought: Iain Murray gave a conference message that I recommend to pastors. You can Google it easy with....'Iain Murray, conditions for powerful preaching.'
I bring this up because we are in a self-adulatory age where when you have become what you believe to be an expert....you too often set aside your humility. Pastors too often are particularly susceptible to this. How could it be that people sitting in the pew....who have never seen the inside of a seminary....could possibly spot a problem in their preaching....but they really should have to look no further than the faces of the congregation after the sermon. Do they look like people who were just in the presence of the glory of God....who were humbled and then lifted up in gratitude that transcends the cares and plans for the rest of the day?
'Lord should it be Thy will let tomorrow be the day that Thy servants....our shepherds....humble themselves in their calling....that they plead from the pulpit the mercies that we in America are so desperately in need of....that they preach the cross as if Jesus was returning tomorrow....and that they
warn us that we have adapted to the age we live in....thus losing discernment on the dangers around us. Do this to Thy glory alone Lord....in spite of us....and none more than me....who do not deserve Thy mercies."
Afterthought: Iain Murray gave a conference message that I recommend to pastors. You can Google it easy with....'Iain Murray, conditions for powerful preaching.'
