Deuteronomy 4:9, “Only take heed of yourself. and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren.”
Every Sunday morning I receive a text sent from a pastor’s wife that encourages me to preach the word. She and her husband have been very close friends of ours, and when we were traveling and ministering through music, they would invite us to sing at their church just north of New Orleans in Pearl River, Louisiana.
I did not realize the depth of that text until I read about a preacher who held a revival in a large open room that was located on the second floor of a fire station. They put planks across kegs and boxes for people to sit on. From that revival, home groups were established and many accepted Jesus as their personal savior. Later, that same preacher was asked to preach at a ministerial convention and he encouraged his fellow ministers that they, “Preach The Word.” These are, in part, from that sermon which was largely taken from a letter the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy.
2 Timothy 4:2-4, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”
The preacher pointed out that there are scientists, evolutionist, philosophers, and many teachers that are divided over who their savior is, believing that there are many ways to God today. The truth is that there is only one true Godhead and He is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit the three in one! He then asked the ministers at the convention if they were afraid to speak up in what they believe because of public opinion. Do we draw back from public sentiment because we accept Jesus as the Light of the world, and Life among men? If so, we will stand rejected of God, in this life and in the life to come.
Paul, speaking of Jesus said: “But as many as received Him, to them give He power to become the sons of God.”
We can expect transformation through the gospel of Jesus Christ and we must not be ashamed of the gospel that will transform men from a rebel and make them a son of God, of the King Most High.This message is for today and for everyone who professes to be a Christian. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever!
It is interesting that this revival in the second story of a fire station, took place in January 1906 in Washington Court House, Ohio and the Ministers Convention took place in Chillicothe, Ohio. The preacher’s name was O.L. Ferguson and he was the first pastor of Gregg Street Church.
These are the things that build our faith and encourage us in troubled times. We would love for you to join us to study the Word of God at the Gathering Place Sunday mornings at 9:30 and 10:30 and Wednesday evening at 7. We have Youth Group and First Steps Recovery at 6 on Sunday evening.
