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By John Beaumont
In the church as in the world, this is a generation of words, noise and endless activity that is mostly quite futile. Surely, if such things as those I have enumerated could bring the church of God to maturity and fullness, and vast multitudes to repentance and faith, we would be there before now. No, no, no! What God declares is that he responds to faith rather than to human effort. Man’s best will never do, even if a myriad of us worked ourselves to death almost. Throughout history, again and again God has shown what he can accomplish in a moment, so to speak, that wonderfully pleases and glorifies him. (pages 35-36) Let the younger generation hear this: “This is a tremendous day for adventure and discovery. Go for it!” I take the counsel of a highly esteemed and deeply loved brother in Christ, Dr. Jack Gray, who is many years my senior. He has wisely and rightly written that “there are many today whom some have described as church-forsakers, but who are actually church-discoverers.” We refuse to blindly follow the traditions of men, choosing rather to seek and find for ourselves exactly what God’s plan is for us at the present time. (Page 37) This brother, who had not heard me speak in a meeting, told me very earnestly that he believed that God wanted me in South Africa at that time. I told him that I would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit in that regard, knowing that, if it was the ‘now’ word of the Lord for me, an inner conviction about it would grow in my heart. We should not accept something as the word of God to us simply because someone declares that it is. In the final analysis, only the Holy Spirit within us can declare that. (Page 119) |
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The idea that the more we do the quicker God’s kingdom is established is a very common point of view, is it not? Earnest believers strive valiantly to do as much as possible for God. Add up all the gatherings, meetings, rallies, crusades, conferences, retreats, seminars, and like events in every church and every city and town throughout any of our countries and throughout the whole year. Include all of the preaching, teaching, prophesying and exhorting plus all of the singing, praising, worshipping, praying and charitable activities that are undertaken.