Take Up the Cross

For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
— Job 31:23

For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.
— Jeremiah 20:4

Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
— Acts 19:26-27

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
— 2 Corinthians 4:1-2

For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
— Jonah 3:6-9

And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
— Joel 2:11

For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
— 2 Corinthians 6:2

Evangelical Preaching, by Arthur W. Pink.

The question which is before us for consideration and (attempted) elucidation really concerns the preacher’s efforts to “win souls” (Prov. 11:30), and as to how far the Word warrants him going towards the realization of his longings to see sinners converted under his ministry. And here, it seems to the writer, there are two extremes to be guarded against. On the one hand, we believe those preachers come short of discharging their duties who rest content with simply setting forth in an abstract and impersonal way what are termed “the Doctrines of Grace.” To say,”I have faithfully declared all the counsel of God and now I must leave results with him,” sounds very pious, but it leaves the way open for several serious questions. It is perfectly true that “results” rest entirely with God, for he alone “giveth the increase” (1 Cor. 3:7). But, have we declared all the counsel of God when we have fully expounded the “five points” of Calvinism? We think not. The preacher is something more than a human gramophone, mechanically repeating a scriptural formula.

Of the forerunner of Christ it is said that he was “A burning and a shining light” (John 5:3). He was “the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” No correct but cold formalist was he. Of our Saviour it is recorded that he wept over Jerusalem because her children would not come to him. No heartless fatalist was he. The great apostle to the Gentiles wrote,”Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Cor. 5:11). Do you do this, brother preacher? Query: Were Paul on earth today saying,”We persuade men” would his orthodoxy be suspected? Again; he announced,”Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray (plead) you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). Do these methods characterize our evangelical ministrations? Surely we all have need to pray earnestly for more devotion to Christ, more love for souls, more fervour and power in preaching the gospel.

https://takeupcross.com
takeupcross