Ah, it is a great thing when once the Holy Spirit teaches a soul--that it is power which is lacking from the lifeless preaching of dead professors.
It is power which the renewed soul seeks--a message which has power to search his conscience, to pierce him to the quick, to write it upon his heart; a message which has power to bring him to his knees in broken-hearted confession to God; a message which has power to make him feel that he is "vile"; a message which has power to drive him to Christ, for the binding up of his wounds, for Him to pour in "oil and wine," and send him on his way rejoicing.
Yes, what the renewed soul longs for (though at first he knows it not) is that Divine message which comes to him "not simply with words--but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction!" 1 Thessalonians 1:5. Sooner or later, every Christian comes to value "power," and to count as worthless, whatever lacks it.
It is by Divine power, that he is taught in his own soul, by which he is made to feel acutely his sinnership, his carnality, his beggarliness.
It is Divine power working in his heart--which draws his affections unto things above, and makes his soul pant after God "as the deer pants after the water brooks." Psalm 42:1It is this Divine power working in him--which reveals to his burdened spirit the Throne of Grace, and causes him to implore mercy and to seek grace "to help in time of need."
It is this Divine power working in him--which makes him cry "Make me walk along the path of Your commands--for there I find delight!" Psalm 119:35
Life is too short to waste valuable time on that which does not profit. Ninety-nine out of every hundred of the religious books, booklets, and magazines now being published--are not worth the paper on which they are printed! "Those who live according to the flesh--have their minds set on what the flesh desires," (Romans 8:5). They are charmed with . . . oratorical eloquence, catchy sayings, witty allusions, and amusing illustrations. On just such husks, do the religious swine feed! Take heed to what you read.
A.W. Pink
It is power which the renewed soul seeks--a message which has power to search his conscience, to pierce him to the quick, to write it upon his heart; a message which has power to bring him to his knees in broken-hearted confession to God; a message which has power to make him feel that he is "vile"; a message which has power to drive him to Christ, for the binding up of his wounds, for Him to pour in "oil and wine," and send him on his way rejoicing.
Yes, what the renewed soul longs for (though at first he knows it not) is that Divine message which comes to him "not simply with words--but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction!" 1 Thessalonians 1:5. Sooner or later, every Christian comes to value "power," and to count as worthless, whatever lacks it.
It is by Divine power, that he is taught in his own soul, by which he is made to feel acutely his sinnership, his carnality, his beggarliness.
It is Divine power working in his heart--which draws his affections unto things above, and makes his soul pant after God "as the deer pants after the water brooks." Psalm 42:1It is this Divine power working in him--which reveals to his burdened spirit the Throne of Grace, and causes him to implore mercy and to seek grace "to help in time of need."
It is this Divine power working in him--which makes him cry "Make me walk along the path of Your commands--for there I find delight!" Psalm 119:35
Life is too short to waste valuable time on that which does not profit. Ninety-nine out of every hundred of the religious books, booklets, and magazines now being published--are not worth the paper on which they are printed! "Those who live according to the flesh--have their minds set on what the flesh desires," (Romans 8:5). They are charmed with . . . oratorical eloquence, catchy sayings, witty allusions, and amusing illustrations. On just such husks, do the religious swine feed! Take heed to what you read.
A.W. Pink
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