Saturday, December 29, 2007 "Preaching in the Fields"

Saturday, December 29, 2007

"Preaching in the Fields"

From Julie's Keyboard:

Under the circumstances.....All things considered.....Bottom line is.....
How often do we wade through these venues to get to the point? Just as considering the facts, wading through the circumstances or getting to the bottom of things, are facts of life; there is higher Truth to be found which supercedes our daily servings of living.

I read a thought provoking question in my studies this week.
"How can we know that God is all we need unless He is all we've got?"
One might argue that of course we must take His Word as True and Final authority. This is certainly a fact. Yet, when it comes right down to us, it's just He and us.

Will we take His Word as Truth for us, everyday, in all measures of life? Hopefully, we haven't learned to depend on our numerous blessings instead of our Blessor.
When we see or hear these three words, which sounds more appealing to us? stress...press...or rest?

There's no hesitation with that choice, no brainer, right? Think on this quote by Corrie ten Boom

"If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you'll be at rest!"

Remember, our circumstances are temporary, but our character will last forever.

II Cor. 4:17"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."
Rom. 8:28"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."
Have a blessed week,

Julie

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"Preaching in Fields"

In 1607 the seeds of the Gospel were being sowed in a land that through the course of some 400 years you and I would call our home. By 1620 the Pilgrims and Puritans were using God’s word to build a government in a new land the principles of which would consummate in what we now know as the United States Constitution. Faith and hope had achieved its purpose and a nation was born. But in just over 100 years America had already began to forget her heritage.

By the early 1700's America was growing, prospering economically, and doubling its population with every generation. Prosperity was being achieved by many immigrants within a generation and a growing middle class was emerging. But with the onset of wealth, there was a decline in church growth and attendance.

The Puritan faith was receding and the spiritual vitality of ordinary Americans was declining. From this environment, the Great Awakening of the 1730's and 1740's erupted. Before this spiritual reawakening ended, over half of America's colonists were touched by the preaching of men like George Whitefield, and the foundation was laid for the American Revolution.

Below is excerpts from Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography concerning his acquaintances with Mr. Whitefield. One must wonder if we need preaching in the fields again!

“In 1739 arrived among us from Ireland the Reverend Mr. Whitefield, who had made himself remarkable there as an itinerant preacher. He was at first permitted to preach in some of our churches; but the clergy, taking a dislike to him, soon refus'd him their pulpits, and he was oblig'd to preach in the fields.

The multitudes of all sects and denominations that attended his sermons were enormous, and it was matter of speculation to me, who was one of the number, to observe the extraordinary influence of his oratory on his hearers, and how much they admir'd and respected him, notwithstanding his common abuse of them, by assuring them that they were naturally half beasts and half devils.

It was wonderful to see the change soon made in the manners of our inhabitants. From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it seem'd as if all the world were growing religious, so that one could not walk thro' the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street. . . .”

“Mr. Whitefield, in leaving us, went preaching all the way thro' the colonies to Georgia. The settlement of that province had lately been begun, but, instead of being made with hardy, industrious husbandmen, accustomed to labor, the only people fit for such an enterprise, it was with families of broken shop-keepers and other insolvent debtors, many of indolent and idle habits, taken out of the jails, who, being set down in the woods, unqualified for clearing land, and unable to endure the hardships of a new settlement, perished in numbers, leaving many helpless children unprovided for.

The sight of their miserable situation inspir'd the benevolent heart of Mr. Whitefield with the idea of building an Orphan House there, in which they might be supported and educated. Returning northward, he preach'd up this charity, and made large collections, for his eloquence had a wonderful power over the hearts and purses of his hearers, of which I myself was an instance.

I did not disapprove of the design, but, as Georgia was then destitute of materials and workmen, and it was proposed to send them from Philadelphia at a great expense, I thought it would have been better to have built the house here, and brought the children to it. This I advis'd; but he was resolute in his first project, rejected my counsel, and I therefore refus'd to contribute.

I happened soon after to attend one of his sermons, in the course of which I perceived he intended to finish with a collection, and I silently resolved he should get nothing from me, I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded I began to soften, and concluded to give the coppers. Another stroke of his oratory made me asham'd of that, and determin'd me to give the silver; and he finish'd so admirably, that I empty'd my pocket wholly into the collector's dish, gold and all. . . .”

“He had a loud and clear voice, and articulated his words and sentences so perfectly, that he might be heard and understood at a great distance, especially as his auditories, however numerous, observ'd the most exact silence. He preach'd one evening from the top of the Court-house steps, which are in the middle of Market-street, and on the west side of Second-street, which crosses it at right angles.

Both streets were fill'd with his hearers to a considerable distance. Being among the hindmost in Market-street, I had the curiosity to learn how far he could be heard, by retiring backwards down the street towards the river; and I found his voice distinct till I came near Front-street, when some noise in that street obscur'd it. Imagining then a semi-circle, of which my distance should be the radius, and that it were fill'd with auditors, to each of whom I allow'd two square feet, I computed that he might well be heard by more than thirty thousand.

This reconcil'd me to the newspaper accounts of his having preach'd to twenty-five thousand people in the fields, and to the antient histories of generals haranguing whole armies, of which I had sometimes doubted. . . .”

Do we dare preach in the streets again?

May God bless each of you,

David