Good Morning All,
I trust you all had a good weekend.
Most people in modern day society are dealing with issues that are unseen by the outside world. There are souls that deal with drunkenness, smoking, profanity, pornography, wandering eyes, angry thoughts (and words at times) etc. While others are dealing with depressions and discouragement in simply dealing with this present world. I am convinced, what Satan could not accomplish in America through problems and poverty, he is succeeding through promotion and prosperity. Many are so caught up with striving for personal goals or attaining the promise of gold they forget about Who and What the Lord is…namely what He did for them. Again, I say that many people are dealing with issues that are unseen by man’s eyes, but remember “…the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”(1 Samuel 16:7). The Lord knows your situation, He knows your joy and He knows your struggles. We must not be ignorant of Satan’s devices and understand that if he can keep you discouraged, depressed and just simply down and out then to him it is accepted as a victory.
We need to be awakened to that fact and understand, that no one is too good that they need not be saved, nor is anyone ever too bad that they cannot be saved. Yesterday, I closed the morning sermon with a story of man in Wales and would like to share it with you today. It may be lengthy, but I ask you to read on and share it with others, it will by all means touch your heart.
Years ago, in a little Welsh mining town, there was an evangelist whose name was Henry Moorehouse. Henry Moorehouse preached primarily the love of God, and his text was John 3:16. Everywhere he went, he preached John 3:16.
There was a man in that little Welsh mining town who was a drunkard, a brawler, a profane and ungodly man. A gambler who consorted with prostitutes, who abused and had beaten his wife and children. His name was Ike Miller. When Ike Miller heard that Henry Moorehouse was there, holding revival, Ike Miller said, "If that preacher, preaches tonight in this town, I'm going to come to that meeting and I'm going to pistol whip him out of town".
The people knew Ike Miller, and they said to Henry Moorehouse, "Brother Moorehouse, don't preach tonight, go somewhere else, don't let this man abuse you this way." Henry Moorehouse said, " No, I'll be there tonight, and I'll trust God to take care of me, but I'll preach." That night the little church was full, when this man of God stood up, and entered the pulpit, and everybody heard the back door slam. In walked this hulk of a man, with a pistol in his hand. He sat down and folded his arms, and looked at the preacher as if to say, "You do your stuff, and then I'm going to do mine."
Henry Moorehouse began to preach. He took his text from John 3:16, and he preached: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." He poured his heart out and he preached the love of God. At the close of the service, this hulk of man stood up, and everybody said, " Oh no, it's about to start." But rather than coming forward after the preacher, he turned around and went out the door, slamming the door behind him. And he began to walk down the street of that little mining town. The girls from the upper window said, "Come on, Ike, let's have a good time!" But he paid no mind. Some of the men in the Saloon said, " Hey, Ike, come in, let's have a drink!" He gave them no attention. He went down the main street of that little town, till he came to a little side street, and he turned down that dusty side street, till he came to a little weather boarded shack. With his fist, he through the door open of that shack. Inside was his wife, who had been beaten and abused so many times, and little children.
When the little children saw their father come home, they thought he had come home in a drunken stupor. And the little children, like squirrels, scurried under the bed. His wife spread her skirt out, backed up, to hide the children, under the bed. He looked at her and said, "Woman, you don't have to be afraid, get the kids out from under the bed, and we're going to pray." She said, "What?" He said, "You heard me woman, get the kids! we're going to pray!" So she got the kids out, and Ike Miller kneeled down by the bed, and he tried to pray. He didn't know how to pray. He said, " Oh, God!" But no prayer came. "Lord!" but no prayer came. Then he remembered a prayer, that his mother had taught him, when he was a little boy. This is what he prayed:"Gentle Jesus, Meek and MildLook upon a little childForgive my simplicityAnd suffer me to come to thee"And Ike Miller was saved. He's the one who recorded this story that we can share.
Do you know what it was that changed Ike Miller's life? People came to Henry Moorehouse and said, "Why didn't you preach the wrath of God! Why didn't you scold him! Why didn't you preach against sin! He said, "Because that man needed love. He needed the love of Jesus."
Friends that's what our world needs. The God that saved Ike Miller, is the God that either saved or will save you today. Your life style may not have been the life style of Ike Miller, but, there's nobody so good they don't need to be saved, and nobody so bad they cannot be saved, if they trust Jesus.Would you pray? No issue is so good or so bad that the Lord cannot or will not answer… just a simple and humbly pray a little prayer; placing your faith and trust in the risen Savior this day…"Gentle Jesus, Meek and MildLook upon a little childForgive my simplicityAnd suffer me to come to thee"
Have a wonderful day and thank you for reading… You are all in my prayers today.
Til the Shout,
Dr. B.J. Stagner Jr.
Pastor
New Testament Baptist Church
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