Why No Revival? Pastors

sermonindex Nov 11, 2003

Malachi 2:7-8 (kjv) - For the priest lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.The tragedy of this late hour is that we have too many dead men in the pulpits giving out too many dead sermons to too many dead people. Oh! the horror of it. There is a strange thing that I have seen 'under the sun,' even in the fundamentalist circles; it is preaching without unction. What is unction? I hardly know. But I know what it is not (or at least I know when it is not upon my own soul). Preaching without unction kills instead of giving life. The unctionless preacher is a savor of death unto death. The Word does not live unless the unction is upon the preacher. Preacher, with all they getting- get unction.-Leonard RavenhillPreaching is a spiritual business. A sermon born in the head reaches the head; a sermon born in the head reaches the head; a sermon born in the heart reaches the heart. Under God, a spiritual preacher will produce spiritually minded people. What church ever asks its candidating ministrs what time they spend in prayer? Yet ministers who do not spend two hours in prayer are not worth a dime a dozen, degrees or no degrees.-Leonard Ravenhill

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Roxi Nov 11, 2003

Leonard Ravenhill also said, "It is one thing to know God's word, but it is quite another thing to know God's word" In other words, anyone can get a pastoral degree and know the word of God because of theology and bible history courses, but it is quite different when one truely knows and lives the word of God. There is a major difference.

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crsschk Nov 12, 2003

Unction(1 John 2:20,27; R.V., "anointing"). Kings, prophets, and priests were anointed, in token of receiving divine grace. All believers are, in a secondary sense, what Christ was in a primary sense, "the Lord's anointed." Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary ----------------4. That quality in language, address, or the like, which excites emotion; especially, strong devotion; religious fervor and tenderness; sometimes, a simulated, factitious, or unnatural fervor. Dictionary.com-------------Better....UNCTIONEXCERPTED FROM, POWER THROUGH PRAYEREDWARD M. BOUNDShttp://www.oldlandmarks.com/unction.htmhttp://www.oldlandmarks.com/index.htm

sermonindex Nov 12, 2003

UnctionUNC'TION, n. [L. unctio, from ungo, to anoint.]1. The act of anointing.2. Unguent; ointment. [Unusual.]3. The act of anointing medically; as mercurial unction.4. Any thing softening or lenitive.5. That which excites piety and devotion.6. Richness of gracious affections.7. Divine or sanctifying grace. 1 John 1.Extreme unction, the rite of anointing in the last hours; or the application of sacred oil to the parts where the five senses reside.-Websters Dictionary-------------More in line with Mr. Ravenhill...?Hmm this is getting more and more intresting. But I think that Leonard Ravenhill was using 'unction' in its biblical meaning? or not? Anointing is interchangable with 'unction.'1 John 2:20 (kjv) - But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.1Jo 2:20 - But ye have an anointing - A chrism; perhaps so termed in opposition to the name of antichrist; an inward teaching from the Holy Ghost, whereby ye know all things - Necessary for your preservation from these seducers, and for your eternal salvation. St. John here but just touches upon the Holy Ghost, of whom he speaks more largely.-Wesley Notes on the BibleAn unction (χρίσμα)The word means that with which the anointing is performed - the unguent or ointment. In the New Testament only here and 1 John 2:27.-Vincents Word StudiesBut ye have an unction. Ye are anointed with the Holy Spirit. Christian means an anointed one; Anti-Christ would mean against the Anointed. Hence John reminds them that they have been anointed by the Holy One. -Peoples New TestamentTracy's note: Unction is the annointing of the Holy Ghost that gives divine power, divine push, divine authority to your words, your mind, your life. Unction gives you great freedom of thought and expression in the things of GodI highly recommend reading those articles by E.M. Bounds that Mike posted. Unction seems to me in the simplist of terms to give us the ability to speak spiritual words in the power of God. Therefore it becomes effectual and the hearers are pricked to their heart, 'what shall we do?'

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crsschk Nov 12, 2003

More in line with Mr. Ravenhill...?I had edited that out after looking at it again.Hmm this is getting more and more intresting. But I think that Leonard Ravenhill was using 'unction' in its biblical meaning? or not? Anointing is interchangable with 'unction.'A lot of meaning poured into this word...Agreed, it is interesting...I think he said "I hardly know what it means"!This might be a little closer:"This unction vitalizes God's revealed truth, makes it living and life-giving. Even God's truth spoken without this unction is light, dead, and deadening. Though abounding in truth, though weighty with thought, though sparkling with rhetoric, though pointed by logic, though powerful by earnestness, without this divine unction it issues in death and not in life. Mr. Spurgeon says: "I wonder how long we might beat our brains before we could plainly put into word what is meant by preaching with unction. Yet he who preaches knows its presence, and he who hears soon detects its absence. Samaria, in famine, typifies a discourse without it. Jerusalem, with her feast of fat things, full of marrow, may represent a sermon enriched with it. Every one knows what the freshness of the morning is when orient pearls abound on every blade of grass, but who can describe it, much less produce it of itself? Such is the mystery of spiritual anointing. We know, but we cannot tell to others what it is. It is as easy as it is foolish, to counterfeit it. Unction is a thing which you cannot manufacture, and its counterfeits are worse than worthless. Yet it is, in itself, priceless, and beyond measure needful if you would edify believers and bring sinners to Christ." Unction seems to me in the simplist of terms to give us the ability to speak spiritual words in the power of God.There you go, that's a great definition!Liked this as well;UNCTION is that indefinable, indescribable something which an old, renowned Scotch preacher describes thus: "There is sometimes somewhat in preaching that cannot be ascribed either to matter or expression, and cannot be described what it is, or from whence it cometh, but with a sweet violence it pierceth into the heart and affections and comes immediately from the Word; but if there be any way to obtain such a thing, it is by the heavenly disposition of the speaker."http://www.oldlandmarks.com/unction.htm