Hints from an Old Christian
PREACH prayerfully as before God; preach to the conscience and the heart; preach down self, and preach up Christ; preach to all present, but not at any. Be sure you preach God’s truth, and let much of it be in His own words. Back everything with Scripture, God’s word carries authority with it.
Prayer, preaching, patience, and perseverance, are four P’s that should go together in a servant of God.
It is much easier to bring our heads than our hearts to preach. God usually blesses the labors of the man whose heart is set on the conversion of his hearers.
Be simple in your preaching. The Lord Jesus was, Paul was, and all successful preachers have been so.
Never be ashamed of the gospel; its plainness, simplicity and peculiarities are its glory.
Always set forth new birth as the beginning of a course — good works as the result.
Preach with fidelity, as one that must give an account; keep nothing back, but declare the whole counsel of God. Lay the creature low and keep him low.
Preach the truth in love: love to God, the Author; love to Christ, the Center; love to saints; love to sinners; love to the truth itself.
You are to labor for God — that is your duty. You labor with God — that is your honor. The more we labor for God and with God, the more we shall receive from God. “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth.”
Do something for God every day. I mean something definite, something that is likely to tell on the future; seeking to realize the value of the soul, the shortness of time, the nearness of eternity.
Satan is always busy; therefore God’s servants should never be idle. While men sleep the enemy sows tares. Take heed to the napkin — the Lord is at hand. Whatever you do for God throw the whole soul into it.
If the Lord use you, expect Satan to abuse you. You are a soldier of Jesus Christ; expect rough usage and hard fare.
Who is your master? Is it the world? the saints? or Jehovah? Whom do you serve, and seek most to please?