Starving for the Bread of Life
A godly woman once made the remark, “O that we could hear the pure gospel as it used to be preached from the pulpit! Our minister is a good man, but he does not realize the spiritual needs of the people. He clothes the cross of Calvary with beautiful flowers, which hide all the shame, conceal all the reproach. My soul is starving for the bread of life. How refreshing it would be to hundreds of poor souls like me, to listen to something simple, plain, and scriptural, that would nourish our hearts!”GW 32.3
There is need of men of faith, who will not only preach, but will minister to the people. Men are needed who walk daily with God, who have a living connection with heaven, whose words have power to bring conviction to hearts. Not that they may make a display of their talents and intelligence, are ministers to labor, but that the truth may cut its way to the soul as an arrow from the Almighty.GW 33.1
A minister, after preaching a Bible discourse which brought deep conviction to one of his hearers, was accosted with the question, “Do you really believe what you have preached?”GW 33.2
“Certainly,” he answered.GW 33.3
“But is it really so?” asked the anxious questioner.GW 33.4
“Certainly,” said the minister, as he reached for his Bible.GW 33.5
Then the man broke out, “O, if this is the truth, what shall we do?”GW 33.6
“What shall we do?” thought the minister—“we”? What could the man mean? But the question forced its way to his soul. He went away to plead with God to tell him what to do. And as he prayed, there came to him with overwhelming force the thought that he had the solemn realities of eternity to present to a dying world. For three weeks his place in the desk was vacant. He was seeking an answer to the question, “What shall we do?”GW 33.7
The minister returned to his charge with an unction from the Holy One. He realized that his past preaching had made little impression on his hearers. Now he felt upon him the terrible weight of souls. As he came to his desk, he was not alone. There was a great work to be done, but he knew that God would not fail him. Before his hearers he exalted the Saviour and His matchless love. There was a revelation of the Son of God, and a revival began that spread through the churches of the surrounding districts.GW 33.8