The Only Way to Preach

Referring to the Saul (to be Paul) in the Book of Acts...

"...how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the Name of Jesus. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the Name of the Lord." (Acts 9:27-28; NIV)

The Message translation says it like this, "...how in Damascus itself he had laid his life on the line with his bold preaching in Jesus' Name."

That's the only way to preach!

The Privilege of Preaching: Part II

Richard Wurmbrand continues his story about the "privilege of preaching" from his book, *"Tortured for Christ." Read "Part I" if you have not already.

The following scene happened more times that I can remember. A brother was preaching to the other prisoners when the guards suddenly burst in, surprising him halfway through a phrase. They hauled him down the corridor to their "beating room." After what seemed an endless beating, they brought him back and threw him--bloody and bruised--on the prison floor. Slowly, he picked up his battered body, painfully straightened his clothing and said, "Now, brethren, where did I leave off when I was interrupted? He continued his gospel message!

I have seen beautiful things!

*"Tortured for Christ" by Richard Wurmbrand, page 41

The Privilege of Preaching: Part I

In his book, *"Tortured for Christ", Richard Wurmbrand talks about the privilege of preaching while in prison for loving Jesus:

It was strictly forbidden to preach to other prisoners, as it is in captive nations today. It was understood that whoever was caught doing this received a severe beating. A number of us decided to pay the price for the privilege of preaching, so we accepted their terms. It was a deal: we preach and they beat us. We were happy preaching; they were happy beating us--so everyone was happy.

*"Tortured for Christ" by Richard Wurmbrand, page 41

A Prayer of George Whitefield:

““Yea…that we shall see the great Head of the Church once more . . . raise up unto Himself certain young men whom He may use in this glorious employ. And what manner of men will they be? Men mighty in the Scriptures, their lives dominated by a sense of the greatness, the majesty and holiness of God, and their minds and hearts aglow with the great truths of the doctrines of grace. They will be men who have learned what it is to die to self, to human aims and personal ambitions; men who are willing to be ‘fools for Christ’s sake’, who will bear reproach and falsehood, who will labor and suffer, and whose supreme desire will be, not to gain earth’s accolades, but to win the Master’s approbation when they appear before His awesome judgment seat. They will be men who will preach with broken hearts and tear-filled eyes, and upon whose ministries God will grant an extraordinary effusion of the Holy Spirit, and who will witness ‘signs and wonders following’ in the transformation of multitudes of human lives.”

Thanks to http://preachers.wordpress.com/for the quote!

I must!

God the Father has called me to preach. It is undeniable. I may not be the best preacher of all time. There are certainly others more equipped than me...more creative than me...more intelligent than me. But I can not deny the fact that God, through His Son Jesus Christ and by the anointing of His Great Spirit, has called me to preach. I must preach the Crucified Christ!

I think of Jesus, my obvious preaching Mentor. We don't think about it a lot, but He CAME to earth TO PREACH (Mark 1:38-39)! In Luke's gospel, chapter 1:43, the incredible lips of Jesus said, "I MUST PREACH the GOOD NEWS of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent." Whewwww!

I love that because that is how I feel about preaching the Gospel of Jesus! I "MUST" do it! God the Father called me to preach the Gospel through Jeremiah chapter 1. Look at what God says to Jeremiah in verse7 and compare it to what our Preaching Brother said in Luke's gospel: "YOU MUST go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you."

Now, compare that with what Master Orator says in John 12:49-50: "For I did not speak of My own accord, but the Father who sent Me commanded Me what to say and how to say it. I know that His command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told Me to say."

The Father has told me...commanded me to preach Jesus Christ and Him Crucified
(1 Cor. 2:2! I MUST! Woe to me if I don't (1 Cor. 9:16) FOR CHRIST AND HIS GOSPEL (MARK 8:35)!

1 Timothy Preaching Pearls/Prayer

"Do not neglect your gift...be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them...watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." (1 Timothy 4:14-16;NIV)

Preaching Pearls:

1. Do not neglect your gift that God has given you
2. Be diligent in your preaching
3. Give yourself-everything...heart, mind, body, soul, strength to preaching
4. Watch your life closely
5. Watch your doctrine closely
6. Persevere

Results of Preaching Pearls:

*You and I will save both ourselves and our hearers!

Preaching Prayer:

Father of the Holy One Jesus Christ, the One who saves us and our hearers, give us passion for You and Your word and Your people! I pray we will never neglect the gift of preaching You have given us. May we be diligent in our preparation and in our proclamation. Help us to throw ourselves into the study, into the pulpit, into the sheep, into You! Help us keep watch of our lives and our doctrine. In down times, help us bear the perseverance of Christ our Lord who preached all the way to the Cross, out of the Tomb, and while ascending to You in Heaven! In His Resurrected and Returning Name, AMEN!

Titus preaching prayer

"...and at His appointed season He brought His word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior." (Titus 1:3)

Father of the Incarnate Word Jesus Christ, may this season of preaching be the appointed season that You bring Your word to light to those we proclaim the Gospel to through the preaching You have entrusted pastors around the world with by the command of God our Savior! In the One who came preaching, the Word and the Light Himself, JESUS CHRIST! AMEN!