Pastoral Address
For more than half a century I
have preached standing behind a pulpit. But my sermons are not based on
scripts.
But that
does not mean that whenever I stand behind the pulpit, I babble aimlessly,
speaking whatever comes to my mind like the so called “direct revelations” that
some people claim. I have preached throughout my entire life based on what I
know and have prepared.
I am not
saying that I am a genius. I do not memorize full sermons or large passages of
scripture. But this is an age when everyone treats everyone else with disdain,
and hence no matter how much I try to explain the power of sermons, nobody
tries to understand.
I do not
preach because I am a genius. I preach by the inspiration God has given me.
That is
the same with all the many books I have written.
Do you
think that I have written so many books because I am a genius?
Since the
beginning there is no rest for the stream of water that springs from the Rock
as it is written in the words of the Bible. Why don’t some people believe these
words?
The Bible
records how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and
how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the
devil because God was with Him (Acts 10:38). God has also anointed me, a poor
country boy, with the Holy Spirit and power and given me the same kind of
inspiration.
But are
they really willing to deny the promise of God just because they want to hate
and reject an individual?
Why can’t
people accept the promise that whoever believes in Jesus will do the works that
Jesus did and he will do greater things than these? (John 14:12)
I have
lived my whole life by the inspiration that God has given me.
Whether
it was preaching, ministry, writing books, constructing buildings, or some
other urgent issue, I do not get lost in confusion or panic, but pray and seek
the inspiration that God gives me.
If that
inspiration in me is blown out in the way that a rubber balloon blows out its
air, all that is left of me will be the empty shell of a person.
I am
severely lacking in knowledge and social experience, and even though I may have
some, my limitations can emerge at any time.
Nevertheless,
if I were to live another two hundred years I would still live as a preacher
and writer.
Even
then, I will continue my work only by the inspiration of God, so that there
will be no overlap in my sermons; though it may seem at times that there are
some repetitions, that is like the taste of yesterday’s water being the same as
the taste of today’s water. I am simply delivering fresh water that I drank
today from the Rock, which is different from the water I will draw tomorrow, even
though they both taste the same.
Just as a
homeowner can clearly and accurately describe the contents of his house
including details about each room and even pets without the need of a script,
God reveals all these things to me because I am in Him (John 8:31) and He is in
me. Please believe the inspiration. I have received inspiration.
By Semuon
Comments
Post a Comment