Ravenhill presenting Theodore Austin-Sparks

~~[b]~~Ravenhill presenting Theodore Austin-Sparks[/b]
by David Ravenhill

Ask any minister "Where's a good place to eat around here?" and he will quickly list off a plethora of options-from his favorite steak house or Chinese buffet to the best Italian or Mexican restaurant in town.
My late father, Leonard Ravenhill, was not a connoisseur of fine cuisine. He did however have a keen nose for finding the "finest of the wheat" from which to satisfy his spiritual hunger for solid revelation and insight into God's word. When I was a young man on the mission field, my father would send me boxes of books that included a variety of writings from T. Austin Sparks. These are now a cherished part of my own personal library.
After 35 years of ministry, I too can recommend to the next generation, that these writings are a "must" if they are going to effectively "serve the purpose of God in their generation."

Several years ago, my wife and I gazed in awe at one of the greatest art works in history, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. This incredible fresco by Michelangelo had just been painstakingly restored by a process that had taken many years. Prior to this restoration, art historians had declared Michelangelo to be one of the greatest sculptors of all time, but said that he was an artist who "painted with a dark palette." Following its completion in 1509, this incredible masterpiece had suffered the devastating effects of carbon soot that had ascended from the numerous candles and lamps used to light this magnificent chapel. The November 1991 issue of Life magazine carried this headline on its cover: "First pictures of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel as it hasn't been seen in five hundred years - A CLEAR VIEW OF HEAVEN." The restoration, finally completed, revealed for the first time in centuries the blaze of brilliant and vivid colors. Suddenly, this once drab fresco now confounded and embarrassed the experts who had concocted their own theories of its dark look.

Likewise, the writings of T. Austin Sparks strip away the centuries of misunderstanding that have caused us to accept the Church in her present condition. In these spiritual masterpieces, the writer seeks to recover God's original intention for His Church. This, says Sparks, is the true essence of prophetic ministry. What we have in his writings is an insightful look at the true nature of the prophetic - that of "recovering the Lord's testimony in fulness."

How I long for this day of restoration, when once again God reveals His workmanship in all her radiant glory, as the world watches in embarrassment and awe. I pray that the eyes of your understanding will be opened afresh and you will never again be satisfied to make the excuse that God painted "with a dark palette." Reserve for yourself a quiet corner in the "restaurant of the Spirit" and feast at this succulent table of wisdom and revelation. Allow the strength of this meat to sustain, strengthen, and enliven you as you seek to co-labor with Christ in "recovering His testimony in fulness."

My late father, Leonard Ravenhill, was not a connoisseur of fine cuisine. He did however have a keen nose for finding the "finest of the wheat" from which to satisfy his spiritual hunger for solid revelation and insight into God's word. When I was a young man on the mission field, my father would send me boxes of books that included a variety of writings from T. Austin Sparks. These are now a cherished part of my own personal library.

How wonderful to hear this! For lack of a better word, the 'style's' of the Ravenhill's and T. Austin Sparks would seem very dissimilar on the surface, perhaps I am mixing up personalities more than anything.

Likewise, the writings of T. Austin Sparks strip away the centuries of misunderstanding that have caused us to accept the Church in her present condition.

How I long for this day of restoration, when once again God reveals His workmanship in all her radiant glory, as the world watches in embarrassment and awe. I pray that the eyes of your understanding will be opened afresh and you will never again be satisfied to make the excuse that God painted "with a dark palette." Reserve for yourself a quiet corner in the "restaurant of the Spirit" and feast at this succulent table of wisdom and revelation.

~~[i]~~" the centuries of misunderstanding that have caused us to accept the Church in her present condition"[/i]

I don't know of a greater truth than this, even more so now. The misrepresentation and the control, that is thought to be ours ... the Holy Spirit given to do our bidding. I am becoming convinced that the world of religion and Christendom is being largely reproduced and carried about on the wings of imagination and speculation, subverted by the still yet natural man and the self gratifying needs, another spirit has invaded ... Can't help but now wonder if this is in part what the Lord meant about;

1Jo 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
1Jo 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

Reality keeps presenting a completely different picture of how things are, and spiritually not a day goes by that I don't find how completely opposite and contrary the order of Gods way's are ~~[i]~~still[/i] past finding out compared to all that has been recently written, spoken and 'prophetically' uttered ... figured out. The more confounding and perplexing, the more opposite of what is today's Christian thought, the more 'out of control' things seem...

~~[i]~~"I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth--that God Governs the affairs of men.[/i]

Said Ben Franklin and how right he is. I am not sure if I am anywhere close to articulating what I could but wish to. Have just returned from a whirlwind of activity this past week and to just ponder and process everything that went on and to see the Lords hand in so many small, seemingly insignificant details, is just amazing. Maybe what I am attempting to come along side here with is just how well understood some of these past saints like a Sparks or Chambers grasped of knowing that paradox of mystery ... It's as if to say indeed Gods way are past finding out, but to recognize the circumstances and situations one finds about them and see the Lord's imprint behind it, in it and out front of it, especially when every natural and rational or "Christian" construct is militating against it. The more impossible and improbable, the more contrary, the more I am seeing and acknowledging this settled conviction.

1Ki 8:39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, ~~[u]~~even thou only[/u], knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)