God Has Exalted His Name and Word

God Has Exalted His Name and Word:
by Jon Bloom"

'You have exalted above all things your name and your word.' (Ps. 138:2)

In the beginning was the Word
And the Word was with God and the Word was God
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory,
Glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Though he was in the form of God
He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
But made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant,
Being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form,
He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him
And bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow
In heaven and on earth and under the earth,
And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
To the glory of God the Father.

John 1:1, 14; Philippians 2:6-11

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O Come All Ye Faithful

O Come All Ye Faithful: "

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O Holy Night

O Holy Night: "

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Questions and Answers with Jerry Bridges, Part 1 - Desiring God

Questions and Answers with Jerry Bridges, Part 1: "
Jerry Bridges was in the area earlier this Fall to speak at Faith Community Church in Hudson, Wisconsin. He gave a Saturday seminar on 'Respectable Sins,' and then preached the Sunday service on 'The Gospel in Everyday Life.'

As one DG staffer recently referred to him, Jerry is a 'gospel statesman,' a man who has persevered in and earned a name for teaching, defending and living by the beautifully basic and ever-applicable message of Christ's love for sinners.

During his visit, Jerry graciously agreed to a quick video interview with us about the gospel (and a couple other things). This is the first of three posts featuring his answers.


How would you state the gospel in 30 seconds or less?










What would you tell someone who feels too familiar with the gospel?








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God Answers Prayer.pdf

On Biblical Exegesis

In his small pamphlet on Biblical Exegesis, John Piper - Pastor of preaching at Bethlehem Baptist Church says:

"Thus, we need three things to be careful interpreters of the Word of God. First, we must admit we need help and that we will die without it. Left to ourselves, and our own unaided human reason, we are hopeless. We need revelation from above. Our eternal life hangs on this! Secondly, we need faith in the sovereign goodness of the Author. This faith not only frees us to go where the Bible leads us, but it impels us to go where the Bible leads us. It is, as Wesley said, "the Book of God!" Thirdly, we need to learn how toread with the kind of care that corresponds to the preciousness of the Book."

As Jeremiah says in Lamentations 3:40.  We cannot rely on our own faculties to search and examine ourselves but must rely on God' reliable, unchanging, timeless principles of His Word! So "Left to ourselves, and our unaided human reason, we are hopeless." That Word of God will provide that standard by which we will search out and examine our ways with.

Pst Onesmus Kibera

Mt. Kenya Baptist Church

PO Box 483, Nanyuki, 10400

Kenya

+254733600213, +254724626720

www.okibera.blogspot.com

Of The Holy Spirit In Biblical Exegesis

It is precisely at this point that I believe the Holy Spirit performs a crucial role in the
exegetical process for the reliant believer. He does not whisper in our ears the meaning of
a text. He cares about the text which he inspired and does not short circuit the study of it.
The primary work of the Holy Spirit in exegesis is to abolish the pride and arrogance that
keep us from being open to the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit makes us teachable because
he makes us humble. He causes us to rely wholly on the mercy of God in Christ for our
happiness so that we are not threatened if one of our views is found to be wrong. The
person who knows himself finite and unworthy, and who thus rejoices in the mercy of
God, has nothing to lose when his ego is threatened. - John Piper
Biblical Exegesis: Discovering the Original Meaning of Scriptural Texts

The First Indispensable Quality (Kevin De Young)

The First Indispensable Quality (Kevin De Young): "

What is the first indispensable requisite for gospel ministry? I’ll let Spurgeon lead off:

That a teacher of the gospel should first be a partaker of it is a simple truth, but at the same time a rule of the most weighty importance. We are not among those who accept the apostolic succession of young men simply because they assume it; if their college experience has been rather vivacious than spiritual, if their honours have been connected with athletic exercises than with labours for Christ, we demand evidence of another kind than they are able to present to us. No amount of fees paid to learned doctors, and no amount of classics received in return, appear to us to be evidences of a call from above. True and genuine piety is necessary as the first indispensable requisite; whatever “call” a man may pretend to have, if he has not been called to holiness, he certainly has not been called to the ministry.

Bang on Chuck! The call to ministry begins with the call to holiness. Even if you have taken your classes, earned your degree, memorized your paradigms, and logged your internship hours, you may not be ready to teach the gospel. School loans and paper work a pastor does not make.

Spurgeon is absolutely correct: the first indispensable quality for pastoral ministry is Christlikeness. I’ve always loved that line from Robert Murray M’Cheyne: “What my people need from me most is my own personal holiness.” I believe this with all my heart. I don’t live it like I want, but I believe it. 2 Peter 1:8 promises that if we are increasing in godly virtues we will not be “ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” As Spurgeon put it: “Sanctity in ministers is a loud call to sinners to repent, and when allied with holy cheerfulness it becomes wonderfully attractive.”

All this means I need to be with God more than I need to be with it. I need to be godly more than I need to be gifted. No matter how much I may stumble—and we all stumble—I, as the pastor (and anyone engaged in ministry really), must strive to “set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12). I must keep a close watch on myself on my teaching (1 Tim. 4:16). When it comes to ministry effectiveness, piety is praxis.

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Are You Ready to Be a Leader? - Kevin De Young

Are You Ready to Be a Leader?: - Kevin De Young"
There are too many books on leadership, but the ones that are good can be really good. In that latter category is Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders. I try to read it every few years.

In Chapter 5 Sanders offers a series of questions–a kind of leadership audit–for leaders and potential leaders. I’ve included some of the questions below and numbered them for ease of reference.

1. Have you ever broken yourself of a bad habit? To lead others, one must be master of oneself.

2. Do you retain control of yourself when things go wrong? The leader who loses self-control in testing circumstances forfeits respect and loses influence. He must be calm in crisis and resilient in adversity and disappointment.

3. Do you think independently? While using to the full the thought of others, the leader cannot afford to let others do his thinking or make his decisions for him.

4. Can you handle criticism objectively and remain unmoved under it? Do you turn it to good account? The humble man can derive benefit from petty and even malicious criticism.

5. Do you possess the ability to secure discipline without having to resort to a show of authority? True leadership is an internal quality of the spirit and requires no external show of force.

6. Have you qualified for the beatitude pronounced on the peacemaker? It is much easier to keep the peace than to make peace where it has been shattered. An important function in leadership is conciliation—the ability to discover common ground between opposing viewpoints and then induce both parties to accept it.

7. Can you induce people to do happily some legitimate thing that they would not normally wish to do?

8. Can you accept opposition to your viewpoint or decision without considering it a personal affront and reacting accordingly? Leaders must expect opposition and should not be offended by it.

9. Do you find it easy to make and keep friends? Your circle of loyal friends is an index of the quality and extent of your leadership.

10. Are you unduly dependent on the praise or approval of others? Can you hold a steady course in the face of disapproval and even temporary loss of confidence?

11. Do your subordinates appear at ease in your presence? A leader should give an impression of sympathetic understanding and friendliness that will put others at ease.

12. Are you really interested in people? In people of all types and all races? Or do you entertain respect of persons? Is there hidden racial prejudice? An antisocial person is unlikely to make a good leader.

13. Do you possess tact? Can you anticipate the likely effect of a statement before you make it?

14. Do you nurse resentments, or do you readily forgive injuries done to you?

15. Are you reasonably optimistic? Pessimism is no asset to a leader.

16. Do you welcome responsibility?

17. Do other people’s failures annoy us or challenge us?

18. Do you direct people or develop people?

19. Do you criticize or encourage?

20. Do you shun the problem person or seek him out?

What do you think? I find 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, and 20 particularly insightful questions. Actually, on second thought, they are all pretty insightful.


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4 Puritan Family Lessons

4 Puritan Family Lessons: "

Family worship was one of the hallmarks of the Puritan era and one of their greatest legacies for us.

The Puritan pastor and theologian Richard Baxter wrote,

We must have a special eye upon families, to see that they are well ordered, and the duties of each relation performed. The life of religion, and the welfare and glory of both the Church and the State, depend much on family government and duty. If we suffer the neglect of this, we shall undo all…. I beseech you, therefore, if you desire the reformation and welfare of your people, do all you can to promote family religion.

Family Church

The Puritans believed and taught that your family is your church. Every man has a responsibility to pastor his wife and his children. Jonathan Edwards said, “Every Christian family ought to be as it were a little church, consecrated to Christ, and wholly influenced and governed by his rules. And family education and order are some of the chief means of grace.” George Whitefield said, “A man ought to look upon himself as obliged to act in three capacities: as a prophet, to instruct; as a priest, to pray for and with; as a king, to govern, direct, and provide for them.”

Family Discipleship

Puritans believed that the home was the primary place of learning the Bible and moral instruction. They also believed that it was a parent’s spiritual responsibility to disciple and teach their children about faith. The Bible instructs us, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). It is important for children to begin learning about God and the Bible at home.

Thomas Doolittle said, “Masters of families ought to read the Scripture to their families and instruct their children and servants in the matters and doctrines of salvation. Therefore, they are to pray in and with their families.”

Family Sabbath

For the Puritans that day off was synonymous with family time. Many church planters fail to take a day off and justify it with their great ministry need. We are not leading our family well unless we take time to be together without work lingering in the background. This is a common sin that ministers—in fact, all of us—need to repent of.

Spiritual burnout occurs when we don’t give ourselves time to rest from our daily routine. Puritans were a great example for spiritual rest because they had a rhythm of work and rest and service and worship.

Family Stewardship

Puritans taught the gravity of the responsibility of shepherding your family. We are stewards of our families. Let us not sin in this area. Let us repent for not leading well. Thomas Doolittle said, “If God be the Founder, Owner, Governor, and Benefactor of families, then families are jointly to worship God and pray unto Him.”

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It’s Okay to Pass This Test

It’s Okay to Pass This Test: - By Kevin De Young"
You may have heard these words in a sermon. Maybe you’ve handed them off to others. Perhaps they’ve rung a spiritual alarm in your heart. They come from the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 13:5: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.”

This exhortation is often used to motivate careful self-examination–to see if we really believe in Christ, to see if we are actually walking with the Lord, to test if we are genuine disciples or phony hypocrites.

And there is a time for this kind of self-examination. The Sermon on the Mount (the end of chapter 7 especially), the woes on the Pharisees (Matt. 23), and the seven letters of Revelation (Rev. 2-3) come to mind. But self-examination becomes a problem when we don’t believe were allowed to pass the exam. Some Christians turn introspection into annihilation. And some of our heroes don’t always help. There is a strand in some Puritan divines–and I love those dead guys as much as anyone –that so delineates all the sins on our sinny sin sins that we scarcely feel it possible to call ourselves Christian. Pound away with the law, but don’t hammer out the faith.

The thing we often miss with 2 Corinthians 13:5 is that Paul expects the Corinthians to pass the test. He is writing to defend his apostleship, and the chief ground for his defense is the Corinthians themselves. They want proof that Christ is speaking through weak little Paul (v. 3). He offers their lives as proof. The Corinthians ought to test themselves to see whether they are in the faith because Paul knows Jesus Christ is them, so they will not fail the test (v. 5b). Consequently, Paul will not fail their test (v. 6).

So go ahead and encourage one another to examine the heart. Let’s be honest and see if we are in the faith. Let’s test whether or not Christ is in us. But as we put our “in-Christness” to the test let’s not forget it’s okay to give ourselves a passing grade. To God be the glory."

 

Thinking for the Sake of Global Faithfulness: Confronting Islam with the Mind of Christ Desiring God 2010 National Conference Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God - Desiring God

Thinking for the Sake of Global Faithfulness: Confronting Islam with the Mind of Christ Desiring God 2010 National Conference Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God - Desiring God

The Puritans

 

It is amazing the humble beginning of faithful men who did not choose to run away from their problems that challenged them then.  Instead of running away from their situations they were willing to face the status quo with Biblical faith!
The Puritans was their name! from the very beginning the Puritans were out to make changes in the world around them. They soon would encounter resistance from the religious hierarchy of their day in the land.  They did not have a Pilgrim Separatist position. They wanted to stay within the system and change it.  The Puritans wanted to reform and purify the church of England.  This is where they came to be called Puritans.  In the 1500s the Church of England was under King Henry. (Exerpted from here.)

From Generation to Generation

From Generation to Generation: "

One generation of believers transferring the truth of God to the next generation is a theme that can be found throughout Scripture. Take just a handful of biblical passages and the lessons we can learn from them:

• The older generation is called to proclaim to a younger generation the glorious deeds of God: his deliverance, faithfulness, and righteousness (Psalms 71:18, 78:4, 145:4)
• To some degree the faithfulness of one generation can be traced back to the faithfulness of a previous generation (Psalm 78:5–8)
• In contrast, the faithlessness of a generation can often be traced to a generational distance from faithful believers (Judges 2:10–11)
• Believers in an older generation can hope for long life in order to carry out this stewardship (Psalm 71:18)
• This heritage is often passed on in the home, from parents to children (Deuteronomy 6:6–9)
• A vision for this heritage extends to a generation that is yet unborn (Psalms 22:30, 78:6, 102:18)
• Fundamentally, this heritage is rooted in the unchanging faithfulness of God to every generation (Genesis 9:12–13, 17:9, Deuteronomy 7:9, Psalms 33:11, 89:1)

This succession from one generation to another is also reflected in New Testament pastoral ministry. Pastors are called to identify and train their successors, following Paul’s model: he trained Timothy and expected him to train a generation of teachers that Paul himself could not see (2 Timothy 1:13–14, 2:2).

This stewardship of the gospel requires that churches and pastors think seriously about transitions. This heritage is a priority in Sovereign Grace, and a topic that recently caught the attention of journalist Collin Hansen in his article "Gospel Integrity and Pastoral Succession." In the end, Colin writes, “Succession isn’t simple. It isn’t smooth. It’s not often successful. Yet it’s a matter of gospel integrity.” You can read Collin’s full article here.

Posted by Tony Reinke

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A Secondary School In Milimani

This morning I went through memory lane! I remembered those days as a preacher-boy riding the small blue phoenix bicycle to Milimani an hour away from Mt. Kenya Baptist Church.  I went to lead in a prayer meeting cum bible study.
One thing was for sure I did not know what the future had for me HOWEVER I knew that God had a plan for me for good and not evil, to have a hope and a future - Jeremiah 29:11.  One of the favorite songs that came to my mind as I shared with Moses our youth director was "Go Out With Joy" by Maranatha Singers. "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." Isaiah 55:12

The Lord has been faithful these many years! Not that I am am so old, I am still young and need more of God more than when I was just a young preacher-boy!

It was a joy to serve and share the Gospel this morning with the about 300 teenagers in Kalalu secondary school in the Millimani area.  The theme was on the Distinction Between Being Interested and being Committed!  In Luke 9:62, our Lord gives us the example of one who has put their hand to the plow.  Our Lord instructs us to be committed to our work as His disciples - IT WILL COST YOU! We are not just to be interested about being disciples of Christ but committed not looking back but keeping the focus of the upward call! Paul said, pressing toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God.  It calls for a commitment not just an interest!

Ken Blanchard says in his small book "The heart of a leader" that trying is just a noisy way of not doing something.  He further says that, "When you are "interested" in doing something, you only do it when it's convenient, but when you are "committed", you follow through not matter what - no excuses!

Are you trying to be a disciple or are you committed to be a disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ!

♫ "How Deep The Fathers Love For Us" - Stuart Townend ♫

The love of our heavenly Father is great, unfathomable, overwhelming.  For God so loved us that today we should be called children of God and that is who we are! Enjoy this blessed song!

A Prayer Of Understanding

Jeremiah was the kinsman redeemer of Hanameel his uncle's son.  Hanameel came to him and told Jeremiah, " Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself." Jeremiah 32:8.  This is happening in the backdrop of a politically dangerous time, Israel is in imminent overthrow.  The Babylonian army has besieged Jerusalem.  Jeremiah is arrested in the court of the prison.  Jeremiah is at odds with King Zedekiah - He had prophesied that Israel and Judah would be taken captive and has even given him these instructions in writing - Jeremiah 29:3.

Do you buy land when there is political unrest? When there is uncertanity?  When you are in prison do  you even have rights? The time was not the best to purchase land; yet God for a purpose instructs Jeremiah to redeem this land, to purchase this land in Anathoth.  This is a sign of a God's big picture for Israel - They would return many years from this time! The time of their captivity would be a long one - Jeremiah 29:28


Jeremiah resorts to a prayer for understanding. It is a great prayer. I love this verses, listen:

"Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name, Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings" Jeremiah 32:17-19

Nothing is too hard for our Lord GOD! He is the creator, He has great power.  In God's dealing with man He shows unfathomable loving-kindness to man.  God has great counsel and is mighty! His ways are way above ours -  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. - Isaiah 55:8,9

As much as it looked out of place to purchase land, God was showing Israel that the thoughts He had for Israel was for peace and not of evil, to give them a future and hope. Jeremiah 29:11 As God had a big picture for Israel even so today He has one for you and I and we need to seek His understanding when we have a dilemma in decision-making.

Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices

Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices: "
And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” (Revelation 12:10-11).

Satan is an accuser and a deceiver. In both cases his weapons are words, which is why we must overcome him with the word of our testimony.

In other words, it is through our belief in the gospel and our confidence in the power of Jesus Christ that we can stand secure in the face of Satan’s lies and accusations. And it is by the truth of the word of God–believed on and hoped in even unto death–that we can expose and destroy the deceptions of the Deceiver. This is how we do battle, with the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.

So when Satan whispers, “Can God really forgive you? Can your sins be washed away?” you can answer confidently: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Rom. 8:1-2).

When the Devil says your situation is hopeless, when he calls you an addict and says you can’t change, you can reply: “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” (Rom. 8:8-9).

And when Satan suggests that it must not matter then how we live, that grace and freedom are an excuse for license, we must answer: “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom. 8:13).

And when our Enemy points to our suffering and says, “Look, God cannot be trusted. Surely, there is no use in serving this Master” we will inform him that we “consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18).

And if Satan should tempt us to believe that God is singling us out for pain, we will remind him that “the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now” (Rom. 8:22).

If he spreads the lie that our trials will be the end of us, that God can no longer help us, we will declare, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good” (Rom. 8:28).

And when he shows us our weakness, when he points to the failures of the church, when he accuses us of having let God down and makes us doubt the power of the gospel and the ultimate triumph of the saints, when he comes at us with words and all the weapons of the world, we will stand our ground with a defiant shout: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:37-39).

Satan is hell bent on destroying the church. He breathes fiery accusations like a dragon and hisses deception like a serpent. He is in pursuit of the woman and her children. But the salvation and the power and the kingdom belong to God and to Christ our King. And we shall overcome the devil, by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.


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Two great men

Pst Carl Boonstra and Pst Jerry Daniels.

Why Do People Accumulate Wealth?

Tomorrow's Financial Management Seminar at MKBC has prompted me to share with you some thoughts from Larry Burketts's  book Your Finances In Changing Times.  To answer the question Larry mentions that some people accumulate wealth for the following reasons:

1. Others Advice It - Simply because someone else advices them to do so. They do not have any clear personal plans or goals. They neither have short-term or long-term plans. - Proverbs 15:22;18:15
2. Envy Of Others - These fall in the trap of, "Keeping up with the Joneses" Advertising promotes this attitude, but God doesn't - Luke 12:15
3. Game of Money- Many people accumulate money as a game; they match themselves against others relentlessly.
4. Self-esteem - Those who accumulate money for self-esteem do so that others might envy them.  This is a worldly motive, yet it characterizes many Christians.
5. The Love of Money - Those who love money and wouldn't part with it for anything - not even for esteem. Their lives are characterized by hoarding and abasement. Luke 9:25
6. Protection - People accumulate money for protection. On the surface this sounds proper; certainly we need to protect ourselves, don't we? 
7. A Spiritual Gift - The is only one reason that God supplies a surplus of wealth to a Christian - so he will have enough to provide for the needs of others. 2 Corinthians 9:11; Proverbs 30:8-9

Packer’s 6 Questions For Bible Study

Packer’s 6 Questions For Bible Study: "

J.I. Packer suggests that we ask 6 questions of any bibilcal text. I’ve found these most helpful:

(1) What do these words actually mean?

(2) What light do other scriptures throw on this text? Where and how does it fit in to the total biblical revelation?

(3) What truths does it teach about God, and about man in relation to God?

(4) How are these truths related to the saving work of Christ, and what light does the gospel of Christ throw upon them?

(5) What experiences do these truths delineate, or explain, or seek to create or cure? For what practical purpose do they stand in Scripture?

(6) How do I apply them to myself and others in our own actual situation? To what present human condition do they speak, and what are they telling us to believe and do?

J.I.Packer, Among God’s Giants: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life, p138.

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A Church In The Endana Settlement

It is a memorable day of rejoicing at the bush settlement. The Church building was finally up. The pastor of this church Kiopire had worked with the church members in the preparations and structure. The work was accomplished in 3weeks. Aug 1, 2010 was the dedication day. Ten churches in our fellowship sent representatives. It was a day of praise and thanks to God. The put some decorations in the building for the joy the had. They appreciate very much the funding of this building by Pst Ron Williams and Palmetto Ave Baptist Church. Deacon Washington from Kwahuku Baptist Church gave a testimony of how Palmetto was a blessing to them in Mission Possible 2002.  This church has built over 33 churches since then in their obedience to the great commission (Matthew 28:19,20).  Enjoy more pictures of this memorable occasion here.
   Pst Daniel Kalasinga brought a message from Ephesians 6. We had many church choirs that sung.
   Glory be to God.

Peace Like A River

Preacher Power

Preacher Power: "

The following quote first subdues my pride (‘my preaching cannot save a single soul’) but then lifts me from despair (‘God’s Spirit can’!):

“The gospel is preached in the ears of all men; it only comes with power to some. The power that is in the gospel does not lie in the eloquence of the preacher otherwise men would be converters of souls. Nor does it lie in the preacher’s learning; otherwise it could consists of the wisdom of men. We might preach till our tongues rotted, till we should exhaust our lungs and die, but never a soul would be converted unless there were mysterious power going with it – the Holy Ghost changing the will of man. O Sirs! We might as well preach to stone walls as preach to humanity unless the Holy Ghost be with the word, to give it power to convert the soul.” (Charles Spurgeon, quoted in Stott, I Believe in Preaching, 335)

Or as Paul put it:

“…our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.” (1 Thessalonians 1:5)

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