by Tim Cameron | Jul 10, 2015 | Sin
“The whole history of the church is one long story of this tendency to settle down on this earth and to become conformed to this world, to find acceptance and popularity here and to eliminate the element of conflict and of pilgrimage. That is the trend and the tendency of everything. Therefore, outwardly, as well as inwardly, pioneering is a costly thing.” T. Austin Sparks
T Austin-Sparks worked with Jessie Penn-Lewis and her publication and speaking ministry, The Overcomer Testimony. In 1926, he established a conference and training center at Honor Oak in southeast London and Kilcreggan House in Scotland. From the Christian Fellowship Centre, Austin-Sparks and his co-workers ran a publishing operation that printed a bi-monthly magazine, A Witness and a Testimony. This magazine was printed from 1923 until Austin-Sparks’ death in 1971. Austin-Sparks also published books he had written or edited from transcripts of his recorded messages. Among the many books written by Austin-Sparks, the most well-known include The School of Christ, The Centrality and Supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ and We Beheld His Glory. Austin-Sparks’ speaking ministry took him around Europe, North America and Asia holding conferences in the United Kingdom, the United States, Switzerland, Taiwan, the Philippines, and elsewhere
His work at the Christian Fellowship Centre was international in scope. Many trained under his ministry became missionaries and Christian teachers. This enabled him to work closely with several well-known Christian leaders in the UK and other countries, including Bakht Singh of India, Watchman Nee of China, Roger Forster of Forest Hill, Stephen Kaung of Richmond, Virginia and Lance Lambert of Israel.
The World
One of the great marks of a disciple is that he is little a part of the world. The disciples had become united in the cross and Resurrection with Jesus; they belonged to another world, the kingdom of heaven.
It is no wonder that Jesus took pains to make clear to His disciples the impassable gulf between Him and the world and also between them and the world (John 16:16-21). He went as far to say that the world not even be able to recognize the Spirit of God when it came. “the world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him” (John 14:17).
Why is there such a “power outage” and faith is practiced so little today? We are too worldly. The world rules in the lives of Christians. The world offers the lust for physical pleasures, the lust for everything we see, and the pride in our possessions—all of these things rob the heart of its desire for that true self-denial that is necessary for receiving the Holy Spirit and power.
by Tim Cameron | Jul 9, 2015 | Intercession
Dr. Oswald Jeffrey Smith (November 8, 1889 – January 25, 1986) was a Canadian pastor, author, and missions advocate. He founded The People’s Church in Toronto in 1928. He was a leading force in Fundamentalism in Canada. He traveled the world to recruit missionaries. Over the course of eighty years he preached more than 12,000 sermons in 80 countries, wrote thirty-five books (with translations into 128 languages), as well as 1,200 poems, of which 100 have been set to music.
Smith said “intercessory prayer is not only the highest form of Christian service, but also the hardest kind of work.” He believed in having a regular time and place for prayer and paced as he prayed to prevent distractions. Every decision of his life was guided by prayer. More than anything he wanted to be used of God. He prayed, “Lord, use me…” “What must I do?” He prayed to be a victorious, Spirit-filled man of prayer, a surrendered man of the word, and of one purpose. As a youth he was troubled with poor health, which prevented him from doing his heart’s desire, serve on the mission field. From the Bible, Smith found the qualifications that he lists in his book “The Man God Uses.” Prayer was a major component. In the book Smith says, “Prevailing prayer, prayer of travail such as Jesus knew, will lead to God being glorified in you.”
No Substitute
Intercessory Prayer is the Christian’s most effective weapon. Nothing can withstand its power. It will do things when all else has failed. And the marvel is that we turn to other agencies in order to accomplish what only prayer can bring to pass. God has placed this mighty weapon in our hands, and He expects us to use it. How disappointed He must be when we lay it a side and substitute naturel means for supernatural work.
In this twentieth century we are, more and more, turning from the God-appointed means of intercessory prayer and adopting, instead, merely natural agencies for the carrying on of His work. Everywhere we look it is the same, both in evangelism and ordinary church work. Intercessory prayer has been shelved. For some reason it is out of date. Our methods, we say, are better, and our plans more successful ad so we adopt natural means to bring to pass the supernatural.
My brethren, it can never be done. We may appear to be successful; the crowds may come; the altar may be full night after night. Reported results may be broadcasted everywhere. Whole cities ma be stirred and mightily moved! Yet when it is all over and two or three years have passed, how little will be found to be genuine! And why? Simply because we have been satisfied with superficial, specular work, brought to pass by natural means. Consequently the truly supernatural has been largely lacking. Oh let us get back to intercessory prayer, the highest form of Christian’s service, and give God no rest until we have a spiritual outcome.
by Tim Cameron | Jul 4, 2015 | A. B. Simpson, prayer
Prayer is the link that connects us to God. It is the bridge that spans every gulf and bears us over every abyss of danger or of need.
How significant the picture of the apostolic church: Peter in prison, the Jews triumphant, Herod supreme, the arenas of martyrdom awaiting the dawn of the morning to drink up the apostle’s blood—everything against the church.
But prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for Peter. And what was the sequel? The prison open, the apostle free, Jews baffled, the wicked king eaten of worms—a spectacle of hideous retribution—and the Word of God rolling on in greater victory.
Do we know the power of our supernatural weapon? Holy Spirit empowered prayer.
Do we dare to use it with the authority of faith that commands as well as asks? May God baptize us with the Holy Spirit and audacity and divine confidence. He does not want great men and women, but He is wanting men and women who will dare to prove the greatness of their God in prayer.
But God! But Prayer!
There is a lost standard in the church today. The church has lost possession of its secret—the awareness that it is only by living in the power of the Holy Spirit that the gospel can be preached in power. Because of this there is a lot of preaching and working with few spiritual results. There is little prayer that brings down the power of God.
Albert Benjamin Simpson was born on December 15, 1843, to parents of Scottish descent. He grew to be one of the most respected and important Christian figures in American evangelicalism. A much sought after speaker and pastor, Simpson founded a major evangelical denomination and the Christian and Missionary Alliance, which sent thousands of missionaries around the world. He published over 70 books, edited a weekly magazine for nearly 40 years, and wrote many gospel songs and poems. He devoted his entire life to the spread of the gospel.
by Tim Cameron | Jul 3, 2015 | Francis Frangipane
Our Heavenly Judge will not delay long over His elect, but He will delay. In fact, God’s definition of “speedily” and ours are not always synonymous. The Lord incorporates delays into His overall plan: Delays work perseverance in us. So Crucial is endurance to our character development that God is willing to delay even important answers to prayer to facilitate our transformation.
Thus, we should not interpret divine delays as a sign of divine reluctance. Delays are tools to perfect our faith. Christ is looking to find a tenacity in our faith that prevails in spite of delays and setbacks. He seeks to create a perseverance within us that outlasts the test of time, a resolve that actually grows stronger during delays. When the Father see this quality of persistence in our faith, it so touches His heart that He grants “legal protection” to His people.
by Tim Cameron | Jul 1, 2015 | Francis Frangipane
God’s Help Through Prayer
The qualifications for spiritual leadership today include almost everything but devotion to God’s word and prayer. Leaders are expected to be organizers, counselors, and individuals with winning personalities whose charm alone can draw people. In Luke 18, Jesus challenges our modern traditions. He asks, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (v.8). His question is a warning to Christians who would limit the power of God at the end of the age. Jesus is calling us to resist the downward pull of our traditions. He is asking us individually, “Will I find faith in you?”
Before we respond, let us note that Jesus associates faith with “day and night” prayer (Luke 18:7). He is not asking, “Will I find correct doctrines in you?” the Lord’s question does not so much concern itself with right knowledge as with right faith. What we believe is important, but how we believe is vital in securing the help of God.
Indeed, procuring the supernatural help of God is exactly the point of Jesus’ parable in Luke 18. His intent was to show that “at all times” we ought to pray and not to lose heart” (Luke 18). To illustrate the quality of faith He seeks, He followed His admonition with a parable about a certain widow who petitioned a hardened judge for “legal protection” (v.3). Although the judge was initially unwilling, yet by her “continually coming” (v.5) she gained what was legally hers.
Jesus concluded by asking: “If an unrighteous judge will respond to a widow’s persistence, shall not God avenge quickly His elect, who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?” Jesus said, “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily.” Francis Frangipane
