Monday, August 14, 2006

Dial Daily Bread

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread":

It always comes afterward—when I have thought I’ve done my duty and represented the Lord Jesus aright before the people (maybe, preached a sermon before them!), then when I get home and can settle down and think a bit I see where again self has entered in and marred my day.

 

The people may not have noticed it; but when I can pause and pray “in secret” to “Our Father which art in heaven,” alone with Him, I know He saw it.

 

I can only beg forgiveness, and ask Him to give me that victory over self next time. “Pardon” isn’t good enough. He can go on pardoning me for a thousand years while I go on failing; what my soul yearns for is victory over the love of self. Lord, give me grace to preach ONE sermon where self does not mar the presentation!

 

There are some sermons in the Bible where self did not get in to spoil the work. For example, Jesus’ “sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7). The night after, Jesus could lie down to sleep in genuine gratitude to His heavenly Father for blessing. No one could ever convict Him of the sin of self-glory (John 8:56).

 

Then there was Stephen’s sermon before the Sanhedrim, the highest council of the Jewish nation three and a half years after when Jesus had prayed for them all, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34; Acts 6:15-7:60).  But that was Stephen’s last sermon—the benediction he pronounced was in his dying. We have the sermon recorded; no self got in.

 

No “prophet of Baal” could preach such a sermon, nor can proclaim to the world that message of Revelation 18 that “lightens the earth with glory” and prepares a people to meet Jesus when He comes.

Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.

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