My prayer this Saturday evening.....my prayer every Saturday evening.....for years....has been that pastors....as they turn out the lights and go to bed....that the Holy Spirit will cause them to toss and turn....as if they were having a caffeine fit....only it is the uneasy feeling of sudden discernment....on what needs to be said from their pulpits....that when they open the notebook the next morning....and look at their prepared sermon notes....they will crumple them and ask the Lord for new words....and the courage to preach them.
I know that if they saw the enemy surrounding us here in America....that they would also see the angels protecting us....not from disaster....but from shame. As it stands....they can see neither....for there is a marching band passing by obstructing the view....and then parade floats....and fire engines....and jets above breaking the sound barrier. Even if there were no parade the crowd is too thick to see over....and even if they could turn around and climb a grassy knoll to see over the crowd....it is a hazy day.
My prayer is also that the Lord....as he scatters the parade crowd with threats of a storm....would blow away the haze....and then apply a balm along with discernment....for otherwise when these pastors see what is before them that they have missed....it might be too much of a burden.
May God if it be in His perfect will have mercy upon them...and thus have mercy upon us in the pews....who never asked of any of them....sermons that would mortify us....but more sermons that would indulge us. And when He does....and they do....may we thank Him for mercies and a longsuffering that has given us time to prepare ourselves....and to have oil for our lamps....and flasks of oil for the journey.
Afterthought: The following message by Martyn-Lloyd Jones may come from a Lord's Day sermon.....or a Thursday evening message.....or some other day. The topic as you see is....the Armor of God. You may say that you have heard dozens of messages on that over the years....but try if you will to hear how the Doctor.....as he was lovingly called....views the armor....and see if it doesn't stir things in you where you may have never been stirred.
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