"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints... Pray without ceasing"
(Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).

"Every new victory which a soul gains is the effect of a new prayer... In the greatest temptations, a single look to Christ, and the barely pronouncing his name, suffices to overcome the wicked one, so it be done with confidence and calmness of spirit. God's command to 'pray without ceasing' is founded on the necessity we have of his grace to preserve the life of God in the soul, which can no more subsist one moment without it, than the body can without air. Whether we think of; or speak to, God, whether we act or suffer for him, all is prayer, when we have no other object than his love, and the desire of pleasing him. All that a Christian does, even in eating and sleeping, is prayer, when it is done in simplicity, according to the order of God, without either adding to or diminishing from it by his own choice. Prayer continues in the desire of the heart, though the understanding be employed on outward things. In souls filled with love, the desire to please God is a continual prayer." -from "A PLAIN ACCOUNT OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION" ---New Window by John Wesley

"When the petition is so clearly right
that we dare set the name of Jesus to it,
then it must be granted."
- excerpt from "Faith's Checkbook" ---New Window SEE TODAY'S ENTRY ---New Window by C. H. Spurgeon

How To Pray ---New Window by R. A. Torrey (1856-1928) In the 6th chapter of Ephesians in the 18th verse we read words which put the tremendous importance of prayer with startling and overwhelming force: "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." When we stop to weigh the meaning of these words, then note the connection in which they are found, the intelligent child of God is driven to say, "I must pray, pray, pray. I must put all my energy and all my heart into prayer. Whatever else I do, I must pray."

The Power of Persevering Prayer ---New Window by Andrew Murray (1828-1917) "Of all the mysteries of the prayer world, the need of persevering prayer is one of the greatest. That the Lord, who is so loving and longing to bless, should have to be asked, time after time, sometimes year after year, before the answer comes, we cannot easily understand. It is also one of the greatest practical difficulties in the exercise of believing prayer. When, after persevering pleading, our prayer remains unanswered, it is often easiest for our lazy flesh, and it has all the appearance of pious submission, to think that we must now cease praying, because God may have His secret reason for withholding His answer to our request.It is by faith alone that the difficulty is overcome." EXCELLENT!

An Approving Heart-Confidence In Prayer ---New Window by C. G. Finney (1792-1875) excerpt from: "The Way of Salvation" Chapter XXII Let us turn this subject over till we get it fully before our minds. For what is it that our conscience rightly condemns us? Plainly for not obeying God according to the best light we have. Suppose now we turn about and fully obey the dictates of conscience. Then its voice approves and ceases to condemn. Now all just views of the Deity require us to consider the voice of conscience in both cases as only the echo of his own. The God who condemns all disobedience must of necessity approve of obedience; and to conceive of him as disapproving our present state would be, in the conviction of our own minds, to condemn him. It is therefore by no means presumption in us to assume that God accepts those who are conscious of really seeking supremely to please and obey him.

What is the Prayer of Faith? ---New Window "And the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick, and the LORD shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him" (James 5:15). by Katie Stewart "Many times prayer does not yield the desired results we yearn for. 'Hope deferred maketh the heart sick' (Proverbs 13:12). Hope precedes all prayer, but only when the answer comes do we recognize the difference that Faith makes in praying. 'But when the desire cometh, it is a Tree of Life' (13:12). Picture lightning. When God's will makes contact with our hope, Faith is established and grace races down the lightning rod of experience. Faith is the way you use God's grace. It's our part to exercise the Faith God authors, but its God's part to finish it."

All the Promises in Christ Jesus are Yea ---New Window by Katie Stewart "Humanly speaking, we affirm something is true, or is not true, saying that this or that may happen, or may not happen. 'Do I [the Apostle Paul] purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay [yes, yes, and no, no]?' (2Corinthians 1:17). But Spiritually speaking, that is, applying the Principles and Promises of God's Word to any given situation led of the Spirit to address, we must adamantly affirm, 'Yes! Only God states Absolute Truth. This WILL happen!' 'As God is True, our Word toward you was not yea and nay' (1:18). Why? Because Jesus,Who is our 'Yea' and our 'Amen', secures ONLY 'Yea [Yes]' and 'Amen [Verily, Truly]' answers to our faith. '19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, Who was preached among you by us, even by me [Paul] and Silvanus and Timotheus, was NOT yea and nay [yes and no], but in Him was YEA. 20 For ALL the Promises of God in Him are Yea [Yes], and in Him Amen [Verily, Truly], unto the Glory of God by us' (1:19-20). It is this very fact that allows the LORD the liberty to offer freely His Blank Check Promises-- with strings attached, most certainly-- but none the less LIMITLESS."

The Necessity of Prayer ---New Window by E. M. Bounds (1835-1913) "Is faith growing or declining as the years go by? Does faith stand strong and four square, these days, as iniquity abounds and the love of many grows cold? Does faith maintain its hold, as religion tends to become a mere formality and worldliness increasingly prevails? The enquiry of our Lord, may, with great appropriateness, be ours. 'When the Son of Man cometh,' He asks, 'shall He find faith on the earth?' We believe that He will, and it is ours, in this our day, to see to it that the lamp of faith is trimmed and burning, lest He come who shall come, and that right early." --E. M. Bounds

The Weapon of Prayer ---New Window by E. M. Bounds (1835-1913) "It is greatly to feared that much of the work of the Church is being done by those who are perfect strangers to the closet. Small wonder that the work does not succeed. While it may be true that many in the Church say prayers, it is equally true that their praying is of the stereotyped order. Their prayers may be charged with sentiment, but they are tame, timid, and without fire or force... This fact is similar to the crisis which would be created were a country to have to admit in the face of an invading foe that it cannot fight and have no knowledge of the weapons whereby war is to be waged. In all God's plans for human redemption, He proposes that men pray. The men are to pray in every place, in the church, in the closet, in the home, on sacred days and on secular days. All things and everything are dependent on the measure of men's praying. Prayer is the genius and mainspring of life. We pray as we live; we live as we pray. Life will never be finer than the quality of the closet. The mercury of life will rise only by the warmth of the closet. Persistent non-praying eventually will depress life below zero." --E. M. Bounds

Hypocrites Deficient in the Duty of Prayer ---New Window by Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) "I would exhort those who have entertained an hope of their being true converts, and yet since their supposed conversion have left off the duty of secret prayer, and do ordinarily allow themselves in the omission of it, to throw away their hope. If you have left off calling upon God, it is time for you to leave off hoping and flattering yourselves with an imagination that you are the children of God. Probably it will be a very difficult thing for you to do this. It is hard for a man to let go an hope of heaven, on which he hath once allowed himself to lay hold, and which he hath retained for a considerable time. True conversion is a rare thing; but that men are brought off from a false hope of conversion, after they are once settled and established in it, and have continued in it for some time, is much more rare."

The Spirit of Prayer ---New Window An excerpt from: "Revival Lectures" Lecture 6 by C. G. Finney (1792-1875) "One grand design in preaching is to exhibit the truth in such a way as to answer the questions which would naturally arise in the minds of those who read the Bible with attention, and who want to know what it means, so that they can put it in practice. In explaining the text, I propose to show: I. What Spirit is here spoken of: 'The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities.' II. What that Spirit does for us. III. Why He does what the text declares Him to do. IV. How He accomplishes it. V. The degree in which He influences the minds of those who are under His influence. VI. How His influences are to be distinguished from the influences of evil spirits. or from the suggestions of our own minds. VII. How we are to obtain this agency of the Holy Spirit. VIII. Who have a right to expect to enjoy His influences in this matter - or for whom the Spirit does the things spoken of in the text."

Prevailing Prayer ---New Window An excerpt from: "Revival Lectures" Lecture 4 by C. G. Finney (1792-1875) "'The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.' - James 5:16. There are two kinds of means requisite to promote a revival: the one to influence man, the other to influence God. The truth is employed to influence men, and prayer to move God. When I speak of moving God, I do not mean that God's mind is changed by prayer, or that His disposition or character is changed. But prayer produces such a change in us as renders it consistent for God to do as it would not be consistent for Him to do otherwise. When a sinner repents, that state of feeling makes it proper for God to forgive him. God has always been ready to forgive him on that condition, so that when the sinner changes his feelings and repents, it requires no change of feeling in God to pardon him. It is the sinners repentance that renders His forgiveness proper, and is the occasion of God's acting as he does. So when Christians offer effectual prayer, their state of feeling renders it proper for God to answer them. He was never unwilling to bestow the blessing - on the condition that they felt aright, and offered the right kind of prayer. Our subject being Prevailing Prayer, I propose: - I. To show what is effectual or prevailing prayer. II. To state some of the most essential attributes of prevailing prayer. III. To give some reasons why God requires this kind of prayer. IV. To show that such prayer will avail much."

The Prayer of Faith ---New Window An excerpt from: "Revival Lectures" Lecture 5 by C. G. Finney (1792-1875) "'Therefore I say unto you, What things so ever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them .' - Mark 11:24. Our Savior was desirous of giving His disciples instructions respecting the nature and power of prayer, and the necessity of strong faith in God. He therefore stated a very strong case, a miracle - one so great as the removal of a mountain into the sea. And He tells them, that if they exercise a proper faith in God, they might do such things. But His remarks are not to be limited to faith merely in regard to working miracles, for he goes on to say: 'And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses' (25, 26). Does that relate to miracles? When you pray, you must forgive. Is that required only when a man wishes to work a miracle? There are many other promises in the Bible nearly related to this, and speaking nearly the same language, which have been all disposed of in this way, as referring to the faith employed in miracles. Just as if the faith of miracles was something different from faith in God!"

Meetings for Prayer ---New Window An excerpt from: "Revival Lectures" Lecture 8 by C. G. Finney (1792-1875) "I am now to speak of social prayer, or prayer offered in company, where two or more are united in praying. Such meetings have been common from the time of Christ, and it is probable that God's people have always been in the habit of making united supplication, whenever they had the privilege. The propriety of the practice will not be questioned here. I need not dwell now on the duty of social prayer. Nor is it my design to discuss the question, whether any two Christians agreeing to ask any blessing, will be sure to obtain it. My object is to make some remarks on Meetings for Prayer, noting: I. The design of prayer meetings. II. The manner of conducting them. III. Several things that will defeat the design of holding them."

George Mueller "urged definite praying and importunate praying,
and remarked that Satan will not mind
how we labour in prayer for a few days, weeks, or even months,
if he can at last discourage us so that we cease praying,
as though it were of no use."

--from George Mueller of Bristol , chapter 21: "The Church Life and Growth"



Intercession: Standing in the Gap


"And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none"
(Ezekiel 22:30).

Helps to Intercession --New Window by Andrew Murray (1828-1917) "Who is Sufficient for These Things? - "The more we study and try to practice this grace of intercession, the more we become overwhelmed by its greatness and our feebleness. Let every such impression lead us to listen: My grace is sufficient for thee, and to answer truthfully: Our sufficiency is of God. Take courage; it is in the intercession of Christ you are called to take part. The burden and the agony, the triumph and the victory are all His. Learn from Him, yield to His Spirit in you, to know how to pray. He gave Himself a sacrifice to God for men,that He might have the right and power of intercession. 'He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.' Let your faith rest boldly on His finished work. Let your heart wholly identify itself with Him in His death and His life. Like Him, give yourself to God a sacrifice for men; it is your highest nobility; it is your true and full union with Him; it will be to you, as to Him, your power of intercession. Beloved Christian! come and give your whole heart and life to intercession, and you will know its blessedness and its power. God asks nothing less; the world needs nothing less; Christ asks nothing less; let us offer to God nothing less."

Intercession Promises: Casting The Net ---New Window Or, Help in Becoming Fishers of Men by Katie Stewart "And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men" (Mark 1:17). His Promises are the Threads in His Net. Since faith is the only thing that we can do to please God, for "without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6), and since our King Jesus honours His Word above all of His wonderful Name, "for Thou hast magnified Thy WORD above all Thy Name" (Psalm 138:2), then there is no more pleasing thing we can do for Him than to believe in the Absolute Strength of His Promise. And the Absolute Strength of His Promise equals the Absolute Strength that our Net will have as we cast His WORD over the souls of men and He draws them in to Himself. This Omnipotent Net will never break. He will not lose that which is His. If the Promise is Sure, then the Net is Strong, and your confidence Secure. "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us" (1John 5:14). Thus equipped with an Eternally Strong Net, we now ask, "How do we cast this Wonderfully Strong Net?" The souls of men are the reward of His increase. For if Jesus Christ is the Net with which we use to catch men, then they will be truly and eternally caught! Also included: A Vision Of The Lost by William Booth (1829 - 1912), Founder of the Salvation Army "On one of my recent journeys, as I gazed from the coach window, I was led into a train of thought concerning the condition of the multitudes around me. They were living carelessly in the most open and shameless rebellion against God, without a thought for their eternal welfare. As I looked out of the window, I seemed to see them all... millions of people all around me given up to their drink and their pleasure, their dancing and their music, their business and their anxieties, their politics and their troubles. Ignorant- willfully ignorant in many cases- and in other instances knowing all about the truth and not caring at all. But all of them, the whole mass of them, sweeping on and up in their blasphemies and devilries to the Throne of God. While my mind was thus engaged, I had a vision."

Especially For Children

Suffer the Little Children to Come Unto Me ---New Window Or, Of Such is the Kingdom of Heaven by Katie Stewart Laodicean doctrine often directs young Christian parents to believe that small children are not held accountable to God for their sins until they are quite old- between the ages of eight and twelve. This lie of Satan can leave our most cherished responsibilities, our own children, unguarded and open to the whims of the enemy. The Scriptures reveal God's thoughts on the "nurture and admonition" of very small children. Included: advice given by the great servants of God, Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon, and Rev. Charles G. Finney (both from the Philadelphian Church Age ---New Window of the 1800's).

Our Children in the LORD -------New Window compiled by Katie Stewart "For the Promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call." (Acts 2:39) "And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live." (Deuteronomy 30:6) "And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In Righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54:13,14)

Prayer Necessities


"And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the LORD shall raise him up"
(James 5:15).

According to Your Faith ---New Window Or, The Fundamental Rule of Conduct for the Kingdom of God by Tom Stewart "According to your faith be it unto you" (Matthew 9:29). Like a Divine Cycle, faith in the Promises teach us to trust in God, because "all the Promises of God in [Christ Jesus] are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us" (2Corinthians 1:20). Building Christian Confidence is not a humanistic confidence in self, but it is the confidence that God, "that cannot lie" (Titus 1:2), will do as He said. "God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19). The Apostle John wrote in his First Epistle that his purpose in writing, like a Divine Cycle, was to those who had already believed on the LORD Jesus, that they may further understand Him, that they would be encouraged to further trust Him. "These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have Eternal Life, and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God" (1John 5:13)... Faith is inescapably tied to the Promises. "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the Promises" (Hebrews 6:12). The LORD will take us at whatever level of Spiritual development that we possess, and He will give further revelations of Himself, His Word, and His character. "He that hath My Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love Him, and will manifest Myself to Him" (John 14:21).

How to Trust God ---New Window Or, Our Necessities Are Merely Opportunities to Trust God by Tom Stewart Unashamedly, "escape" is a familiar word to those who aspire to "be accounted worthy" to be translated from this world at the Pre- Tribulational Rapture. "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass [ALL the events of the Tribulation Week], and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:36). We are presently staring into the face of the necessity for this desirable event. The Tribulation Week events loom before us. "Deliver me in Thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline Thine ear unto me, and save me" (Psalm 71:2).

Timely Supplies ---New Window excerpt from the autobiography To China... with Love by J. Hudson Taylor (1832-1905) "Not infrequently our God brings His people into difficulties on purpose that they may come to know Him as they could not otherwise do. Then He reveals Himself as 'a very present help in trouble,' and makes the heart glad indeed at each fresh revelation of a Father's faithfulness. We who only see so small a part of the sweet issues of trial often feel that we would not for anything have missed them; how much more shall we bless and magnify His name when all the hidden things are brought to light!"

On the Importance of Being Hopeful ---New Window Or, Hope Does Not Disappoint by Tom Stewart "They shall not be ashamed that wait for Me" (Isaiah 49:23). If we believe that the LORD has disappointed us, we will become embittered about trusting Him any further. "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled" (Hebrews 12:15). It is important that we expose ourselves to God fully, to allow Him to show us that "He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (11:6), Whom we hoped in and believed, though we "have not seen" (John 20:29).

Be Not Discouraged In Prayer... Even For the Impossible! ---New Window by Amanda Collin with excerpt by Dr. Andrew Murray (1828-1917) "Discouragement in prayer comes in many forms. For those of us who have family members who profess Christ and do not bear the fruit of a Christian life, it is not a hard thing to be discouraged that they will ever repent of their backslidings. Sometimes, this seems an impossible prayer. 'I am so helpless,' you think, 'I've said all I know how to say to them. I was even in tears, pleading with them to see the truth and to repent before it's too late. It's impossible!' Here's what Andrew Murray had to say on this subject (excerpt from his book, 'State of the Church'): 'Do we not know that throughout Scripture a chief element of faith in God is a sense of powerlessness and utter helplessness? I want to speak here on the place faith must have if we are to obtain that deep, intense, living vitality which we are longing for. If we are to appropriate the words, 'Fear not, only believe,' as really spoken by our Lord to ourselves, we must note well the attitude of the man to whom they were first given..."

Divine Healing ---New Window A Series of Addresses and a Personal Testimony by Andrew Murray (1828-1917) Scripture Annotated Version "Oh, that we could learn to believe in the promises of God! God has not gone back from His promises; Jesus is still He who heals both soul and body; salvation offers us even now healing and holiness, and the Holy Spirit is always ready to give us some manifestations of His power. Even when we ask why this divine power is not more often seen, He answers us: 'Because of your unbelief.' The more we give ourselves to experience personally sanctification by faith, the more we shall also experience healing by faith. These two doctrines walk abreast. The more the Spirit of God lives and acts in the soul of believers, the more will the miracles multiply by which He works in the body... On the morrow Peter repeated these words before the Sanhedrin, 'By the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth... doth this man stand here before you whole;' and then he added, 'There is none other name under heaven... whereby we must be saved.' This statement of Peter's declares to us that the name of Jesus both heals and saves. We have here a teaching of the highest import for divine healing... I know there are a great many difficulties about this question of holiness; I know that all do not think exactly the same with regard to it. But that would be to me a matter of comparative indifference if I could see that all are honestly longing to be free from every sin. But I am afraid that unconsciously there are in hearts often compromises with the idea: 'We cannot be without sin; we must sin a little every day; we cannot help it.' Oh, that people would actually cry to God: 'Lord, do keep me from sin!' Give yourself utterly to Jesus, and ask Him to do His very utmost for you in keeping you from sin." --by Andrew Murray

From our "Voices From the Church of Philadelphia" section ---New Window 1839-1862 Lectures Index ---New Window Sermons and Lectures by Charles G. Finney, president of Oberlin College
1839 "The Promises" ---New Window I. I shall preface what I have to say upon this subject with several preliminary remarks, with regard to the promises of the Scripture. II. Show the design of the promises. III. Show that they are adequate to that for which they are designed. IV. Show why they are not fulfilled in us.	1847 "The Conditions of Prevailing Prayer" ---New Window Parts 1-3 Text.--Matt. 7:7, 8: "Ask, and it shall be given you." Text.--James 4:3: "Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, to consume it upon your lusts." These passages are chosen as the foundation of several discourses which I design to preach on the condition of prevailing prayer.
1855 "On Prayer" ---New Window I. Why men should pray at all; II. Why men should pray always and not faint; III. Why they do not pray always;--with remarks.
1855 "On Prayer for The Holy Spirit" ---New Window I. The gift of the Holy Ghost comprehends all we need spiritually. II. It is supremely easy to obtain this gift from God. III. Injurious and dishonorable to God are the practical views. IV. How to account for the impression that the Holy Spirit can rarely be obtained in satisfying fullness. V. How can we reconcile this experience with Christ's veracity.	1855 "On Persevering Prayer for Others" ---New Window I. Prayer offered for others, and the encouragement we have for such prayer; II. Why should we pray for others? III. Perseverance in prayer. IV. But why do not men pray more for others?

Exceeding Great and Precious Promises ---New Window Or, How God Has Ingeniously Designed His Promises to Sanctify His People by Tom Stewart Our day-to-day needs have been ordained by God to cause us the necessity of discovering some new aspect of the character of the LORD Jesus that we may lay hold of by means of the Exceeding Great and Precious Promises. "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). and Every One That Is Born of the Spirit ---New Window by Katie Stewart The obedient children of Abba, through intercession, "bloweth where [He] listeth" (John 3:8), have great liberty to go wherever His desires take us.

Prayer Bible Promises compiled by Katie Stewart Patience & Endurance in the LORD ---New Window Confidence in the LORD ---New Window Provision in the LORD ---New Window Guidance in the LORD ---New Window Victory in the LORD ---New Window Power in the LORD ---New Window Unity in the LORD ---New Window Hope in the LORD ---New Window Help in the LORD ---New Window

Rev. C. H. Spurgeon said that
"Prayer should be the key of the day
and the lock of the night."
--from "The Treasury of David" by Spurgeon

-----

"SECRET PRAYER.
Let none expect to have the mastery over his inward corruption in any degree,
without going in his weakness again and again to the Lord for strength.
Nor will prayer with others, or conversing with the brethren,
make up for secret prayer."
--from "George Mueller of Bristol," by A. T. Pierson, Appendix N: "The Wise Sayings of George Mueller"

-----

"God only requires of his adult children,
that their hearts be truly purified,
and that they offer him continually the wishes and vows
that naturally spring from perfect love.
For these desires, being the genuine fruits of love,
are the most perfect prayers that can spring from it."

-from "A PLAIN ACCOUNT OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION" ---New Window by John Wesley

XV. QUENCHING THE SPIRIT. excerpt from: Sermons on Gospel Themes ---New Window C. G. Finney (1792-1875) ...5. When an individual or a people have quenched the Spirit, they are in the utmost danger of being given up to some delusion that will bring them by a short route to destruction. ...8. Many seem not to realize the nature of the Spirit's operations, the possibility always of resisting, and the great danger of quenching that light of God in the soul. How many young men could I name here, once thoughtful, now stupid. Where are those young men who were so serious, and who attended the inquiry meeting so long in our last revival? Alas, have they quenched the Holy Spirit? Is not this the case with you, young man? with you, young woman? Have not you quenched the Spirit until now your mind is darkened and your heart woefully hardened? How long ere the death-knell shall toll over you and your soul go down to hell? How long before you will lose your hold on all truth and the Spirit will have left you utterly? But let me bring this appeal home to the hearts of those who have not yet utterly quenched the light of God in the soul. Do you find that truth still takes hold of your conscience -- that God's word flashes on your mind -- that heaven's light is not yet utterly extinguished, and there is still a quivering of conscience? You hear of a sudden death, like that of the young man the other day, and trembling seizes your soul, for you know that another blow may single out you. Then by all the mercies of God I beseech you take care what you do. Quench not the Holy Ghost, lest your sun go down in everlasting darkness. Just as you may have seen the sun set when it dipped into a dark, terrific, portentous thunder-cloud. So a benighted sinner dies! Have you ever seen such a death? Dying, he seemed to sink into an awful cloud of fire and storm and darkness. The scene was fearful, like a sun-setting of storms, and gathering clouds, and rolling thunders, and forked lightnings. The clouds gather low in the west; the spirit of storm rides on the blast; belching thunders seem as if they would cleave the solid earth; behind such a fearful cloud the sun drops, and all is darkness! So have I seen a sinner give up the ghost and drop into a world of storms, and howling tempests, and flashing fire. O, how unlike the setting sun of a mild summer evening. All nature seems to put on her sweetest smile as she bids the king of day adieu. So dies the saint of God. There may be paleness on his lip and cold sweat on his brow, but there is beauty in that eye and glory in the soul. I think of a woman just converted, when she was taken sick -- brought down to the gates of death -- yet was her soul full of heaven. Her voice was the music of angels; her countenance shone, her eye sparkled as if the forms of heavenly glory were embodied in her dying features. Nature at last sinks -- the moment of death has come; she stretches out her dying hands and hails the waiting spirit-throng. "Glory to God!" she cries; "I am coming! I am coming!" Not going -- observe -- she did not say, "I am going," but, "I am coming!" But right over against this, look at the sinner dying. A frightful glare is on his countenance as if he saw ten thousand demons! As if the setting sun should go down into an ocean of storms -- to be lost in a world charged with tornadoes, storms, and death! Young man, you will die just so if you quench the Spirit of God. Jesus Himself has said, "If ye will not believe, ye shall die in your sins." Beyond such a death, there is an awful hell. {Bold emphasis by WStS}

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Section Index for Promises