Articles
|
|
Greg Gordon - Hell Fire Preachers Needed |
|
|
|
|
Open Air Preaching Articles
|
Hell-Fire Preachers Needed
A urgent message to a sleepy church and dying world
HOLY FIRE OR HELL FIRE
Either people have Holy Ghost fire or hell-fire. There are no other options in the economy of God. The way is narrow that leads to life but the way broad that leads to destruction. Never before in the history of the Church has their seemed to be “so few” on this narrow way. The way most Christians are living shows no reverence for a Holy God. It is either God’s holy habitation or hell as our habitation. Never has there been so much sinning against grace. If there is no alarm for converted sinners going to hell fire then they will perish. Christ was a city shaking, trumpet blasting hell fire preacher. He warned day and night of hell, judgement and the world to come. The life that is living in righteousness is an utter contradiction to sinners. Christ himself was a contradiction to a whole generation that was untoward, perverse and pleasure seeking.
Hell, the refuse dump, the mad house of the universe. Nothing is more terrible, nothing more fierce. Nothing can stop its terrible torments and fury. A Christ-less, God-less eternity eagerly awaits those that walk contrary to God, to His commandments. Oh Christian will you not think and meditate on this awful fact; millions are heading on this broad road as we speak. Hell yawns its mouth greedily to swallow this pleasure seeking, hedonist generation.
THE SAVIOURS CRY
The warnings of Christ are many! He does not relent in his crying out of the sober truth of judgement and hell. Will we stop our own ears to hear of these things? Will we heap to ourselves books, teachers and churches that will tickle our ears of good things when it is an hour of urgency? It is a crisis hour! This world is going to have Holy Ghost revival fire or Hell fire judgement. Hear the weight of the testimony of God in the gospel of Matthew the apostle of Christ. He records Christ’s warnings and indictments to obstinate sinners, religious legalists, and sleepy believers. May our Bible’s become tear soaked as we recount many of Christ’s impassioned plea’s about a hell that is eternal and a judgement that is absolute!
“For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of God.” -Matthew 5:20
“...but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire.” -Matthew 5:22
“Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” -Matthew 7:14
“Every tree that beareth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” -Matthew 7:19
“But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” -Matthew 8:12
“He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” -Matthew 10:39
“Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not.” -Matthew 11:20
“And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell.” -Matthew 11:23
“But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gommorah in the day of judgement, then for thee.” -Matthew 11:24
“He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad.” -Matthew 12:30
“But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement.” -Matthew 12:36
“...evil and adulterous generation.” -Matthew 12:39
“Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” -Matthew 12:45
“And shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” -Matthew 13:42
“And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” -Matthew 13:50
“Ye hypocrites...” -Matthew 15:7
“...wicked and adulterous generation.” -Matthew 16:4
“For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” -Matthew 16:26
“O faithless and perverse generation.” -Matthew 17:17
“...ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” -Matthew 18:3
“...it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” -Matthew 18:8
“...be cast into hell fire.” -Matthew 18:9
“...a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.” -Matthew 19:23
“...for many are called but few chosen.” -Matthew 20:16
“...the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” -Matthew 21:31
“Cast him into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” -Matthew 22:13
“...but few are chosen.” -Matthew 22:14
“...Ye do err, not knowing not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” -Matthew 22:29
“For ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.” -Matthew 23:13
“Ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” -Matthew 23:15
“Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” -Matthew 23:33
“...there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” -Matthew 24:51
“...I know you not.” -Matthew 25:12
“And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” -Matthew 25:30
“Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” -Matthew 25:41
“...into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” -Matthew 25:46
SIT AT EASE IN ZION?
Dear reader, after the weight, gravity and truth of these statements we should be on our knees, frothing with utter horror at the reality of it. Either we are of those that believe with all our heart and flee from the wrath to come or we find ourselves stripping him, mocking him, spit upon him, crucified him, and reviling him. Consider this statement from Leonard Ravenhill: “Could a mariner sit idle if he heard the drowning cry? could a doctor sit in a comfort and just let his patients die? could a fireman site idle, let men burn and give no hand? Can you sit at ease in Zion with the world around you DAMNED?”
Hell is filling by the minute as we idly stand by. If our praying and preaching is not marked by tears in these last days something is wrong with our hearts. This generation of believers is responsible for this generation of unbelievers. We need hell-fire preachers! burning, impassioned men that will cry out and spare not. In light of eternity is it not a shame the way we are living? will we get to the judgement seat of Christ and hear God say “my son, you were too spiritual minded, you cared too much about eternity?” No! we will look back and see all the riches of Jesus Christ and realize we have come to the judgement seat a pauper. “One life to live will soon be past, only what is done for Christ will last, and when I am dying how glad I will be, when the lamp of my life has been burnt out for Thee.”
So what do we do in response? Let us hear the words of Ravenhill on the matter: “Brethren, we have only one mission- to save souls; and yet they perish! Oh! Think of them! millions, hundreds of millions, maybe one thousand million eternal souls, need Christ. Without eternal life they perish! Oh! the shame of it! the horror of it! the tragedy of it! Christ was not willing that any should perish!” Let the world say what it will, let the church say what it will. We need hell-fire preachers. Oh Lord send them.
MY FRIEND
My Friend, I stand in Judgment now, and feel that you're to blame somehow. On earth, I walked with you day by day, and never did you point the way. You knew the Lord in truth and glory, but never did you tell the story. My knowledge then was very dim, you could have led me safe to Him.
Though we lived together on the earth, you never told me of the second birth. And now I stand this day condemned, because you failed to mention Him. You taught me many things, that's true, I called you "friend" and trusted you. But I learn now that it's too late, you could have kept me from this fate.
We walked by day and talked by night, and yet you showed me not the Light. You let me live, and love, and die, you knew I'd never live on high. Yes, I called you a "friend" in life, and trusted you through joy and strife. And yet on coming to the end, I cannot, now, call you "My Friend." |
|
|
Greg Gordon - Evangelism Is Sorely Needed |
|
|
|
|
Street Ministry Articles
|
Evangelism Is Sorely Needed
A exhortation to press forward in the work of evangelism
THE WORLD IS DESPERATELY LOST!
Evangelism in Webster dictionary is generically defined as: “zealous advocacy of a cause.” Oh that the “cause” of Christ be proclaimed from the roof-tops of the world. James A. Stewart said: “Evangelism is still the life of the Church. Evangelism if the Spirit of Christ.” The Scriptures state: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.” The world is lost, desperately lost! Lost without a goal or guide. The world is so lost that they don’t even realize they are lost. Deceived, Ignorant, Dead, Enemies of the Cross of Christ, Given over to Sin, these are just some of the traits of the lost who we once found our conversation in those things that we are not ashamed of!
Thomas Boston an old puritan writes of the lost condition of the world in his book: “Human Nature in its Fourfold State.” May we receive a burden for these poor dying souls as we read this excerpt: “The unrenewed man's affections are wholly corrupted, disordered and distempered. Man's heart naturally is a mother of abominations! "For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.” It says in the Gospel of John that "Men loved darkness." The natural man's affections are wretchedly misplaced. He is a spiritual monster! His heart is where his feet should be--fixed on the earth. His heels are lifted up against heaven--which his heart should be set on. His face is towards hell; his back is towards heaven. He loves what he should hate; and hates what he should love. He joys in what he ought to mourn for; and mourns for what he should rejoice in. He abhors what he should desire; and desires what he should abhor. "Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God."
Lost! Lost! Lost! Dear reader will you not catch the burden which is the burden of God to see sinners come to Christ? The world is lost without God and needs to hear impassioned pleading of the “Good News” of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ came to free man from his bondage to sin and iniquity. He came to set us free! What a glorious gospel that saves not just from the guilt of sin but the bondage and reality of sin in one’s life!
THE GIFT THAT PLEADS WITH MEN
John Bunyan defined the role of evangelist in these words: “A man, who had his eyes up to heaven, the best of books was in his hand, the law of truth was written upon his lips, and he stood as if he pleaded with men.” Oh how we need this pleading with men from those that are saturated with truth and have eyes blazing with the reality of heavenly communion with God. The world knows the difference between those that have met with God and those that merely talk with God. May we be those evangelists that speak from a inward reality and experience rather then a mere intellectual assertion of Scriptural truth that will damn people faster then their sins. Evangelism is a “high calling” for it requires you to speak forth the very words of God unto men. Evangelism is a “holy calling” for it requires you to be set apart for the Master’s purposes alone. Evangelism is a “hard calling” for it requires you to leave friends, families and fun! For the propagation of the cross of Christ. The calling of evangelist is not a subsidiary “calling” but rather a very worthy and important ministry. We see in Scriptures it says: “And he gave some, apostles: and some, prophets: and some, evangelists: and some, pastors and teachers: for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” We find the calling of evangelist along side “apostles” and “prophets.” There is a strong misconception that “evangelists” are a lower sort of calling in the Church but rather Scripture shows it to be of utmost importance possibly just as important as “apostleship.”
Think of some men that were used as evangelists in Church history; James A. Stewart shared these examples: “Do not forget that George Whitefield and John Wesley were traveling evangelists until the day they died. John Wesley covered the British Isles on horseback year after year, preaching from five o’clock each morning till near midnight, day after day until he was well over eighty years of age.” Multitudes of pastors and laity have been forgotten under the annuals of time but these two firebrands: Whitefield and Wesley burn on as living epistles. Oh for more evangelists of the stature as these men! They did not fear man nor priestcraft. The evangelist must look to God and God alone for his directions. He is not a denominational man but a free man. He is the gift to the Church and serves the “Lord of the Harvest.”
THE DANGERS ARE MANY
This office of “pleading” to the lost is glorious but dangerous also. James A. Stewart gives some very practical warning against dry, mechanical, formulation of the living, vibrant gift of evangelism: “All true evangelists know that the work of an evangelist is physically and spiritually the hardest job on earth. The evangelist must be careful not to allow anybody or anything to crowd out the one master passion from his life, which is the winning of the lost to Christ. How easy it is to become cold, professional, and mechanical in evangelistic work, preaching the same old sermons over and over again, without the fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. If one continues long enough in a groove it will soon become his grave!” The scripture states: “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” How many evangelists who one day were preaching life now preach death? The evangelist finds himself on the front lines of the battle with the enemy of our souls who will be more then happy to promote a evangelist that has no “anointing.”
Lionel B. Fletcher, a late British evangelists gives us more careful words of warning: “The evangelist, above everything else, must, guard his life with jealous care. He is engaged in the most delicate work. He is making almost audacious claims. He is leading a frontal attack on the citadel of sin. He is entrusted with the most arduous position in the line of battle. There are foes against him, and there are enemies within his own camp. It is perhaps true that the eyes of the whole world are upon him, more than any other Christian worker.” In light of this dear reader do consider if God has truly called you to this somber work of a evangelist. Consider the serious words of the puritan John Owen: “A minister may fill his pews, his communion roll, the mouths of the public, but what that minister is on his knees in secret before God Almighty, that he is and no more.” Consider also the words of great evangelist George Whitefield as he cried out: “I have prayed a thousand times, till the sweat dropped from my face like rain, that God, of His infinite mercy would not let me enter the Church as a minister, until He called me and thrust me to the work.” Hear perhaps the most sober of all warnings from Holy Scripture: “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”
LABOR ON!
Horatius Bonar wrote a hymn that has been a inspiration to countless thousands over time and may it encourage you to press on in your “gift” that the Lord commands you to “stir up!”
Go, labor on: spend, and be spent,
Thy joy to do the Father’s will:
It is the way the Master went;
Should not the servant tread it still?
Go, labor on! ’tis not for naught
Thine earthly loss is heavenly gain;
Men heed thee, love thee, praise thee not;
The Master praises: what are men?
Go, labor on! enough, while here,
If He shall praise thee, if He deign
The willing heart to mark and cheer:
No toil for Him shall be in vain.
Go, labor on! Your hands are weak,
Your knees are faint, your soul cast down;
Yet falter not; the prize you seek
Is near—a kingdom and a crown.
Go, labor on while it is day:
The world’s dark night is hastening on;
Speed, speed thy work, cast sloth away;
It is not thus that souls are won.
Toil on, faint not, keep watch and pray,
Be wise the erring soul to win;
Go forth into the world’s highway,
Compel the wanderer to come in.
Toil on, and in thy toil rejoice!
For toil comes rest, for exile home;
Soon shalt thou hear the Bridegroom’s voice,
The midnight peal, “Behold, I come!” |
|
|
Greg Gordon - Confession Of A Proud Church |
|
|
|
|
General Articles
|
|
Confessions Of A Proud Church By: Greg Gordon
A confessional of the church age that “needs nothing”
THE GREATEST DANGER
Do we have a broken heart for the state for the Church? There are so many dangers in a Church age that is content, prosperous, fat, and “having need of nothing!” Christ’s last words to the Church was “repent” in the letters of Revelation because he said “I know thy works.” Christ knows your works nothing is hid from His eyes. Many Christians are living in utter sinful lifestyles that grieve the heart of God. Francis Frangipane said: "The greatest danger facing the Church today is exhaustion because God is resisting us as a proud Church." The scriptures say plainly: “God resists the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” If you do not humble yourselves now then there will be a “day” of humbling to come. We must relent and humble ourselves while it is still called “today.” The time is short. Leonard Ravenhill stated it is “either Pentecost or Holocaust.” These are our choices! We must either humble ourselves and allow God to revive His Church or continue in our proud self-confident Christianity and send the multitudes to hell.
14 “WE HAVE” CONFESSIONS...
Hear the heart searching words of Horatius Bonar as he openly confesses to the ministers of his day the short-comings of the Church of Jesus Christ and calls for a introspection of our hearts:
1. We have been unfaithful. The fear of man and the love of his applause have often made us afraid. We have been unfaithful to our own souls, to our flocks, and to our brethren; unfaithful in the pulpit, in visiting, in discipline, in the church.
2. We have been carnal and unspiritual. The tone of our life has been low and earthly. Associating too much and too intimately with the world, we have in a great measure become accustomed to its ways.
3. We have been selfish. We have shrunk from toil, difficulty and endurance, counting not only our lives dear unto us, but even our temporal ease and comfort. We have sought to please ourselves, instead of obeying Romans 15:2: "Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification."
4. We have been slothful. We have been sparing of our toil. We have not endured hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. Even when we have been instant in season, we have not been so out of season; neither have we sought to gather up the fragments of our time, that not a moment might be thrown idly or unprofitably away.
5. We have been cold. Even when diligent, how little warmth and glow! The whole soul is not poured into the duty, and hence it wears too often the repulsive air of routine and form. We do not speak and act like men in earnest.
6. We have been timid. Fear has often led us to smooth down or generalize truths which if broadly stated must have brought hatred and reproach upon us. We have thus often failed to declare to our people the whole counsel of God.
7. We have been wanting in solemnity. How deeply ought we to be abased at our levity, frivolity, flippancy, vain mirth, foolish talking and jesting, by which grievous injury has been done to souls, the progress of the saints retarded, and the world countenanced in its wretched vanities.
8. We have preached ourselves, not Christ. We have sought applause, courted honor, been avaricious of fame and jealous of our reputation. We have preached too often so as to exalt our-selves instead of magnifying Christ, so as to draw men's eyes to ourselves instead of fixing them on Him and His cross.
9. We have used words of man's wisdom. We have forgotten Paul's resolution to avoid the enticing words of man's wisdom, lest he should make the cross of Christ of none effect. Thus, by avoiding the offense of the cross and the foolishness of preaching we have had to labor in vain, and mourn over an unblest, unfruitful ministry.
10. We have not fully preached a free gospel. It is only a free gospel that can bring peace, and it is only a free gospel that can make men holy.
11. We have not duly studied and honored the Word of God. We have given a greater prominence to man's writings, man's opinions, man's systems in our studies than to the Word. We have drunk more out of human cisterns than divine. We have held more communion with man than God.
12. We have not been men of prayer. The spirit of prayer has slumbered amongst us. The closet has been too little frequented and delighted in. We have allowed business, study or active labor to interfere with our closet-hours.
13. We have not honored the Spirit of God. It may be that in words we have recognized His agency, but we have not kept this continually before our eyes, and the eyes of the people. We have not given Him the glory that is due unto His name. We have not sought His teaching, His anointing-the "unction from the Holy One, [whereby] ye know all things" (1 John 2:20).
14. We have had little of the mind of Christ. We have come far short of the example of the apostles, much more of Christ; we are far behind the servants, much farther behind the Master. We have had little of the grace, the compassion, the meekness, the lowliness, the love of God's eternal Son. His weeping over Jerusalem is a feeling in which we have but little heartfelt sympathy.
MORE CONFESSIONS...
We are full of presumption.
We exalt our group and personal doctrines.
We are self-sufficient.
We are unwilling to pray.
We are too proud to truly ask for help.
We have a critical spirit.
We do Kingdom business by the world's standards.
We do not tremble at the Word of the Lord.
We are full of hypocrisy.
We have dethroned Jesus and enthroned ourselves.
We are trapped in self consciousness.
We are ensnared by the love of money.
We have gone to bed with the world.
We promote personalities rather than principles.
We do not know how to humble ourselves.
We are full of excuses - refuse to take responsibility.
We are competitive with one another.
We are carnal in our leadership.
We have a controlling spirit.
We are self-seeking.
We deny the Lordship of Christ.
We purport to repent without repenting, giving God's spiritualese.
We do not have the fear of the Lord.
We do not trust God's grace or mercy.
We have confused obedience and grace.
We are adulterers and fornicators.
We have refused to preach and teach the whole truth.
We have pleased men rather then God.
We have exchanged righteousness for self righteousness.
We have evangelized but have not discipled.
We have sinned so that grace may abound.
We do not know what manner of spirit we are.
We have turned the ‘sermon on the mount’ to mourning of the sermon.
We refuse admittance, confession, heart ward repentance.
We do not truly believe that;
We are wretched, poor, naked, blind, miserable.
We hate correction.
We despise shame.
We will not suffer.
We prophecy lies and have no shame nor trembling.
We refuse to contemplate.
We do not hate our lives in this world.
We have the plank of an I in the eye.
We will forever be learning without coming to the truth.
We will not weep over our condition.
We will miss the very help that contrition brings.
We will read all these things and cast them aside.
We will let this all slip right on by. |
|
| | << Start < Prev 11 12 13 14 Next > End >>
| | Results 144 - 156 of 171 |
|
Once
Monthly
