Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - The Great Opportunity in Present World Conditions. The Rev. Gustaf F. Johnson - Strange Things
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
Rev, Gustaf F. Johnson 63
interested, after Paul had seen that vision, that he joined with him
in soul and heart, and says "we." We often meet people in our
churches who stand on the outskirts and look on when any great
undertaking for the Lord is launched, and say: "What are ’they’
going to do now?"
If the undertaking is successful they will shout: "We have suc-
ceeded!" Better come into the love-bound "we"-circle, brother, while
the fight is on. Luke came into the "we" when the venture of faith
was launched, when he was most needed. When victory is won there
will be plenty of shouters. What we want is men who will join the
"we" when the world looks on in disapproval.
"After we had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go."
"Loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course." Gospel se-
quence in gospel work! "Vision—immediately—straight course." Not
much about committees or boards or endowments. And so the Gospel
goes into Macedonia and the first Gospel meeting in Europe is held
by four foreign preachers, poor immigrants.
Now, I want you to notice that the Lord sometimes does
Strange Things
The Lord does not run His trains according to our schedules. He
usually works contrary to preconceived notions. He carries on His
work frequently in entirely different manner than we had planned.
We stand sometimes and look for the Lord at the front door—and He
comes in through the kitchen! And because He comes in an un-
expected way, and in an unlooked-for manner, we fail to recognize
Him!
How often have we not heard Christians, good old people, pray:
"Lord, send us a revival!" And the Lord would send them some
little preacher that did not look the way they thought an evangelist
ought to look, and they would say: "We want an evangelist, not this
man." The Lord wanted to set the community on fire by this man,
but the good old deacons wanted a "regular" preacher. Many a church
wants a revival all right; they want to be set on fire for God, but it
must be done in the conventional way. Should the fire start in a dif-
ferent way than they expected, they may do as the colored brother
said: "Brethren, if there is a spark of grace in your hearts, water
it, water it!"
I do not care what way the Lord comes, just so He comes. Through
front door or kitchen, through expected or unexpected avenues, let
Him only come! You remember how some personal workers brought
a fellow to the Lord in a peculiar way once upon a time. They had to
go through the roof. I can imagine the Pharisees looking up, rubbing
the dust out of their eyes, and saying: "This is very unconventional."
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
