The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-26
A PICTURE FROM PROPHET MICAH
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IL IL uuA ueM uSl I'M Mlkuu
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must no. even lean towards the world.
he must stand up straight 70 be filled
with God. Oh brethren OF the ministry,
We are strsightened in ourselves. The
Spirit OF the Lord Is not Strengthened,
let us 60 into our studies, shu. the Soar
and fall down before God VOW Dg that
wa will no. preach an, her sermon till
He fila US With the Holy Spirit, who
alone can make US brave. true and fai.h
iul, and save us from being css.sWsys.
Alas! What fall from the pulpit to the
bostomless pit. See the condition Of the
church portrayed In this awful picture
Of the prophet. "If q man walking in
the spirit and falsehood do lio, saying,
1 will prophesy unto thee of wine and Of
strong drink; he shall even be the
prophet Of this people, said an eminent
and faithful minister oil New York; 8
worldly and intellectual people want
preacher won't do. Christ Himself would
NOT be acceptable. A 9 there not many
pastors who for fear of being displaced,
are ''prophesyipg of wine and strong
drink" instead of teaching that no man
should expect to be q com municant OF
the church who is engaged in toe whole
sale or retail liquor business, who rents
his buildings for such business, or who
takes his glass of strong drink as bev-
erage? No man can, at the same time,
be engaged in the saving and destruc-
ton Of his fellowmen.
BUILDING UP ZION WITH BLOOD.
Alas! too often the words of the
prophet are fulfilled. "they build up
Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with
iniquity. Let US look at this vivid con-
trast drawn by the prophet: Therefore
night shall BIS unto you, that ye shall
not have vision, and the sun shall 20
down over the prophets. Then shall
the seers be ashamed and the OWNERS
confounded; yea, they shall cover their
lips. for there is no answer of God"
This picture Is only too true, and as sor-
rowful as 1t Is true. but let US learn by
way of contrast, words that God waits to
put upon the lips Of His prophets. In
the next verse we read: but truly am
full Of power by the Spirit OF the Lord
and of judgment and Of might, TO de-
clare unto Jacob his transgression, and
to Israel his SIM" Oh beloved brethren,
be IL tar from me TO speak word against
the Lords Anointed. but may ask,
Have we received the Holy Spirit full of
power since we believed? Are we truly
Spirit born. Spiris.taught. Spirit-led,
Sptrit-cleansed, Spirit-inspired and Spir-
it-hlled? II not let each one of US go
snd tarry at our Jerusalem till we are
endued with this power from on high
power for service. power for success.
Since the Lord OF Hosts has cautioned
us that "it ia not by might nor by power,
but by His Spirit" that we are to con-
quer. Conquering power comes only
-from the indwelling Of the Holy Ghost.
In this message for our times God com
plains that "the priests teach for hire"
the prophets divine for money. and yet
say they will lean upon the Lord and
none evil can come upon them" A min
lister Of New York city who is of good
report for godliness. told me he knew of
number OF ministers that had grown
rich and worldly, lost the power OF the
Holy Ghost and were now worthless.
G ID says to such OF His watchmen,
Therefore, for your sake shall Zion be
plowed as field, and Jerusalem shall
become heaps" II our land In all it's
greatness be cast down, the gospel min
tssry ahall be held responsible If the
priests lips keep knowledge, and they
seek the law at the mouth of the Lord
OF hosts" they can yet sAve our bsloved
land. Nor will 1t be an easy task, one
free from persecution. We must 20 to
this wicked and perverse generation, as
did the prophets with the burden of the
Lord. Should man VINO would grow
strong enough TO BIO pillar in the
temple of God" always ask of his Lord
On easy and pleasant thing?
A REMNANT TO BE SAVED
Did you ever notice how often the
Bible speaks of "a remnant being
saved?" What Is remnant? Only q
little piece of cloth that Is left when the
rest is sold. So the great m ass Of those
for whom Christ died are sold into sin.
But what this remnant lacks In numbers
1t makes up in power. God says that
"they shall be In the mids. of msny
people, as dew from the Lord, az
showers upon the grass, that tsrrieth
not for man nor waiteth for the sons of
men, like lion among she beasts Of the
forest from whom none can deliver"
Conscious righteousness before God
inspires true courage. His word declares
1.-The righteous are bold as lione." The
rank and file Of our churches need more
OF the spiris of Him who WAS a lamb
for gentleness and lion for strength
and courage. How we'll these words of
Micah anO,V n Tho rh tbo a.ooo-.