"CHAPTER 7"
"VERS.  1 - 10.  And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick & ready to die."
"...the grace of God is well-nigh irresistible, it triumphs against desperate odds."
"A heathen soldier mixing with men whose actions, however brave they might be, were always cruel & hard, living amongst companions coarse & low, where passion was unbridled, pity unknown:  a man sent to serve in despised Galilee, amongst a nation utterly degraded, hopelessly vile; his headquarters one of the most corrupt cities of that land of darkness; how could circumstances be apparently more against him?"
"The centurion's faith..."
"...GREAT SPIRITUAL ADVANTAGES ARE NOT ALWAYS NECESSARY TO GREAT FAITH."
​"It is faith in sowing that brings the harvest of faith (Ecclesiastes 11:6)."
"...GREAT FAITH HERE, AS ALWAYS, IS ACCOMPANIED BY A SENSE OF GREAT NEED."
"...GREAT FAITH IS ACCOMPANIED ALSO BY GREAT HUMILITY."
"Faith is not blind...  It sees!"
"It sees more, not less.  It sees with new light & new powers."
"The principal thing is to have some faith, though it be little."
"What is faith?"
"...it is the laying open of the whole being to the influence of God."
​"...DEEP HUMILIATION OF SOUL - 'I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof.'"
"However deep our humility, however conscious we may be of our own undeservingness, WE SHOULD NEVER DIMINISH OUR FAITH IN GOD."
"The more the glories of God strike your eyes, the humbler you will lie in conscious abasement, but yet the higher you will rise in importunate prayer."
"Whatever thy desire may be, only believe, & it shall be granted unto thee if it be a desire in accordance with His will, & in accordance with the promises of His Word; or else God's Word is not true.  Be humble about it, but do not be doubtful about it.  (C. H. Spurgeon.)"
"Let no man think that because of his position in society he cannot excel in virtue.  It is not the place which is to blame, but the man."
"Deep as was this man's contrition, overwhelming as was his sense of utter worthlessness, he did not doubt for a moment either the power of the willingness of Christ."
"His faith was extraordinary."
"We ought all of us to believe as well in Christ as this soldier did."
"THE FRUITS OF HUMILITY.  ...Humility attracts Divine grace (James 4:6)."
​"There are 3 separate spectators of every man's life - himself, his neighbours, & his God."
"WHAT HIS NEIGHBOURS THOUGHT OF HIM - that he was worthy.  1. They formed their opinion of his character from his conduct - 'He loveth,' etc.  They judged of his worth, not by his words but by his works.  2. Their estimate of his character was singularly just."
"WHAT HE THOUGHT OF HIMSELF - 'I am not worthy.'"
"A truly good man is conscious of numerous imperfections which other men do not perceive."
"WHAT THE SAVIOUR THOUGHT OF HIM - 'I have not found so great faith,' etc.  1. Christ estimates a man's character according to the amount of his faith.  2. All true faith prompts to corresponding activity in doing good.  (W. Kirkman.)"
​"True faith never fails to enlist Christ's sympathy & help."
"Truth prospers often where we least expect it."
"Contact with Christ reveals the true condition of the soul:  (a) Faith in the heart of the centurion; (b) Unbelief in that of the Jews."
"Man's work is ever in proportion to his faith."
"Man's influence with Heaven is ever in proportion to the strength of his faith."
"'He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.'"
"He had a 'servant that was dear to him'; & when that servant 'was sick, & ready to die,' the tenderest sympathies of the master were awakened."
​"The faith of the centurion was not a blind & presumptuous confidence."
"THE NATURE OF HIS FAITH.  It was a firm persuasion that all power & authority was eminently in Christ, & that He could do what He pleased."
"God's word is enough to a believer."
​"True humility is a flower which will adorn any garden."
"Whether it be prayer or praise, whether it be work or suffering, the salt of humility cannot be used in excess.  (C. H. Spurgeon.)"
"For he loveth our nation, & hath built us a synagogue."
"...IT BECOMES ALL MEN TO SEEK THE GENERAL GOOD OF SOCIETY."
​"A lover of his country has an affection for the Church of God, & a concern to promote its credit & interest."
"Love to our country will express itself in prayers for her prosperity."
"Vers. 11 - 17.  And it came to pass the day after that He went into a city called Nain."
"Fix your gaze to-night upon Him who is the Resurrection & the Life."
"People often have a very poor appreciation of the Word.  They care not to hear it.  Many only despise it.  Christ's words are spirit, & they are life."
"Human agency & volition must, after all, cooperate with Divine grace."
​"Thank God, the Christian's is a stingless death.  Since the guilt of those we mourn was cleansed in the blood of Christ, & their pardon sealed by the Holy Ghost, death did not come to them as an officer of justice, but as an angel of peace."
"...THE SPIRITUALLY DEAD CAUSE GREAT GRIEF TO THEIR GRACIOUS FRIENDS."
"We also mourn because of the future of men dead in sin."
"...JESUS IS ABLE TO WORK THE MIRACLE OF LIFE-GIVING."
"Even so, you, O sinner, cannot save yourself, neither can any of us, or all of us, save you.  Your help must come from above."
"(1) Arise from the death of unbelief."
"When you become a saved man, it is as though a corpse were quickened into life."
"(2) Arise from the bondage of sin.  You cannot afford to be lost."
"Won't yo yield, & say, 'Yes, Lord, at Thy bidding I arise, to live from this day for Thee'?"
"(3) Arise from the apathy of indolence.  The great mass of nominal Christians are asleep."
"'Young man, I say unto the, Arise.'  Arise from the slumber of lethargy & come & grapple with the foe.  (J. Thain Davidson, D. D.)"
"When Christ then, says, 'Weep not,' He does not mean to forbid tears, or to make us ashamed of them; but to give us a reason, a sufficient cause for drying our tears."
The Biblical Illustrator​, Baker, pgs. 665 - 685.

"CHAPTER  ONE - A NEW PAGAN GENERATION"
"THE RISE OF THE OTHER RELIGIONS"
"The woman, who goes by 'Thorn,' is a TikTok influencer with a quarter of a million followers who refers to herself as a 'sorcerer' & a 'man-hating Satanic lesbian.'"
"Making up a large portion of these new Pagan converts are Millennials & Gen Zers (Zoomers), who are trading cross necklaces, Bible studies, & youth groups for crystals, tarot cards, & seances."
"...the 'Harry Potter Generation,'"
"...are no strangers to wizardry & witchcraft"
"Additionally, fueling the significant growth in American Paganism, especially among the next generation, are websites like Outschool.com, which boasts more than 10 interactive 'Online Witchcraft Classes for Teens,' as well as, WiccaAcademy.com, which offers courses in 'tarot card readings,' 'spellcrafting,' & 'basic magick' advertised to help you 'become the witch who you were meant to be.'"
"...supermodel Gisele Bundchen, who was reported to use 'an altar,' 'healing stones,' & 'mantras' to help her former husband & NFL great Tom Brady win 7 Super Bowl victories, & pop icon Lana del Rey, who 'urged her fans to take part in a group hexing of President Donald Trump' for 3 consecutive months 'in alignment with the waning moon.'"
"Tinseltown has displayed no restraint in producing programs glorifying Pagan practices such as rituals & ceremonies, magic, witchcraft, nature worship, deity worship, indigenous traditions, & shamanism."
"...to confront this spiritual adversary & win over an expanding Pagan generation for Christ, then we must first 'demolish arguments & every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God' & 'take every thought captive to obey Christ.'"
"PAGANISM DEFINED"
'Once considered obsolete, 'Paganism' is a blanket term used to describe those who have abandoned mainstream forms of religion for esoteric practices, often rooted in polytheism, ancient rituals, worship of nature, spell-casting, sexual acts, & altered states of consciousness (with or without psychedelic substances)."
"...Wicca, druidism, occult, Heathenism, witchcraft, Neo-Pagan, Shamanism, Thelema, Theosophy, New Age, New Thought, Baltic, Celtic, Hellenistic, Norse Recontructionism, eclectic Paganism, & more."
​"TYPES OF MODERN PAGANISM"
"Druidism - Primarily a modern invention, neo-Druidism emerged at the end of the 18th century Romantic Era from renewed interest in Celtic culture & spirituality.  Today, Druid practitioners seek to reimagine, albeit with limited historical & archaeological evidence, the religious paths & rituals of the ancient Druid priestly class, with an added emphasis on nature, cycles of the seasons, & the sacredness of the land."
"Wicca - Wicca is a modern Pagan religious movement that emerged in the mid-20th century, drawing upon ancient Pagan & esoteric traditions.  It emphasizes reverence for nature, worship of the divine in both feminine & masculine forms (often referred to as the Goddess & the God), & the practice of magic.  Wiccans typically celebrate seasonal festivals, known as Sabbats, & conduct rituals that involve casting circles, invoking deities, & spellcraft."
"Heathenism - Modern Heathenism, also known as contemporary Heathenry or Heathenry Revivalism, refers to a modern Pagan religious movement that seeks to revive & reconstruct the religious beliefs, practices, & cultural traditions of the ancient Germanic peoples, particularly those of pre-Christian Northern Europe.  It encompasses a diverse range of polytheistic beliefs & practices, drawing inspiration from historical sources such as mythology, sagas, folklore, & archaeological findings.  Practitioners of Modern Heathenism often engage in rituals, ceremonies & seasonal devotional practices & ancestor veneration that emphasize cultural heritage, folk traditions, & a deep connection to the land & natural world."
"Thelema - Thelema (they-LEE-mah) is a blended spiritual & philosophical system developed by Aleister Crowley in the early 20th century, rooted in his personal study of hermeticism, eastern mysticism, & ceremonial magic.  The term 'Thelema' is derived from the Greek word for will or desire, & the central tenet of Thelema is 'Do what thou wilt.'  Key practices in Thelema include ceremonial magic, meditation, yoga & ritual work.  Crowley developed a system of magical practices & rituals, known as 'Thelemic magick,' which are designed to help practitioners awaken their true will, attain spiritual enlightenment, & commune with higher spirit guides or entities known as 'Holy Guardian Angels.'  Central to Crowley's teachings are a belief in the inherent divinity of every individual & the idea that each person has the potential to achieve spiritual liberation & self-realization."
"Shamanism - Shamanism is a spiritual & cultural practice found in various indigenous societies around the world.  Shamanic principles typically involve rituals, ceremonies, & journeys into altered states of consciousness induced through techniques such as drumming, chanting, dancing or the use of psychoactive substances.  During these journeys, shamans claim encounters with spirits, ancestors, or animal guides, seeking guidance, healing powers, or insight for themselves or others."
"Witchcraft - Witchcraft is a multifaceted spiritual & magical practice that encompasses a wide range of beliefs, rituals, & traditions.  At its core, witchcraft involves the harnessing & manipulation of natural energies to effect change in the physical world or in oneself.  Practitioners of witchcraft, known as 'witches,' may draw upon various sources such as folklore, mythology, herbalism, astrology, dark magic, & divination to deepen their understanding & enhance their magical workings."
"Occultism - The term 'occult' comes from the Latin word ocultus, meaning 'hidden' or 'secret'.  Through the practice of magic, mysticism, alchemy, astrology, divination, & spiritualism, occultists seek to uncover hidden truths about the nature of reality, the universe, & the human experience through various means, often involving rituals, symbolism, & the exploration of altered states of consciousness.  Historically, occultism has been associated with mystery schools, secret societies, & esoteric traditions dating back to ancient times.  However, it experienced a resurgence in the late Middle Ages & Renaissance periods with the revival of Hermeticism, alchemy, & Kabbalah."
"Secular Paganism - Secular Paganism involves engaging with Pagan traditions & folklore from a cultural or philosophical perspective, without necessarily incorporating belief in supernatural beings or deities.  Secular Paganism offers a way to engage with Pagan heritage & practices while maintaining a more atheistic or agnostic religious framework."
"Theosophy - Theosophy is an esoteric spiritual & philosophical movement that emerged in the late 19th century, founded by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Henry Steel Olcott, & others.  The term 'Theosophy' is derived from the Greek words theos (god) & sophia (wisdom) & carries with it the meaning of divine wisdom or knowledge of the divine.  Central themes within Theosophy include the unity of all existence, the interconnectedness of all life forms, the doctrine of karma (the law of cause & effect), reincarnation, the idea of spiritual evolution & self-transformation, & the existence of a spiritual hierarchy of enlightened beings who guide human evolution.  The Theosophical Society, founded in 1875, serves as a central organization for the dissemination of Theosophical teachings & the exploration of spiritual & philosophical ideas."
"New Age - New Age religion refers to a broad & eclectic spiritual movement that emerged in the latter half of the 20th century, characterized by an emphasis on personal growth, holistic healing, & the exploration of metaphysical & esoteric concepts.  New Age practitioners often engage in practices such as meditation, yoga, energy or crystal healing, astrology, & channeling, seeking to align with higher consciousness & tap into inner wisdom.  Central to New Age spirituality is the belief in the existence of a universal energy or life force that permeates the cosmos, often referred to as 'Spirit,' 'Source,' or 'the Divine.'  While New Age religion is diverse & decentralized, with no central authority or dogma, it has had a significant influence on contemporary spirituality, wellness, & popular culture."
"New Thought - New Thought emerged primarily in the 19th century United States & is based on the teachings of figure like Phineas Quimby & Mary Baker Eddy.  It emphasizes the power of positive thinking, the creative power of the mind, & the use of spiritual practices such as visualization & affirmation to improve one's life & well-being.  New Thought often has a more explicitly Christian orientation, although it incorporates elements from various religious & philosophical traditions."
"Baltic, Celtic, Hellenistic, or Norse Reconstructionism - Baltic, Celtic, Hellenistic & Norse Paganism are geographic polytheistic reconstructions rooted in the historical practices of ancient people groups & the various pantheons they venerated.  Each of these traditions seeks to revive the spiritual customs, deities, & cultural heritage of their respective regions, drawing from archaeological findings, historical texts, & mythology to reconstruct religious rituals & beliefs.  For instance, Hellenistic Reconstructionists study the philosophical & religious traditions of ancient Greece, celebrating the Olympian gods & engaging in rites inspired by ancient Greek rituals, while Norse Reconstructionists revere the Norse pantheon, including gods like Odin, Thor, & Freyja, through ceremonies & practices assembled by historical sources."
"Eclectic Paganism - Elclectic Paganism is a 'choose-your-own-adventure' spiritual approach that draws from various Pagan traditions, beliefs, & practices, creating a personalized & syncretic path tailored to individual preferences & spiritual needs.  For example, an Eclectic Pagan may worship a Norse deity, cast Wiccan spells, & reconnect with nature through Druidry, all without any need to verify or validate their unique practice through history or ancient religious texts."
"Everything Is Sacred - Detached from the precepts of traditional faith, modern Pagans, no matter their identification, redefine Judeo-Christian morality as they seek to reconnect with the 'ancient ways.'  Senior editor at The Federalist & author of Pagan America John Daniel Davidson explains that this redefinition of morality allows Pagans to see truth as 'relative,' leaving practitioners 'free to ascribe sacred or divine status to the here & now, to things or activities, even to human beings' as they see fit."
"...'a moral relativism in which power alone determines right.'"
"...Planned Parenthood contributor Rae Guerra-Lorenzo  ...'Abortion is sacred.  And the Supreme Court can't take that away from us.'"
"According to her indigenous beliefs, when lives aren't valued, they are easily disposed of through abortion."
"...Harvard University's The Pluralism Project   ...'Many women are drawn to the way Paganism helps them put spiritual ideals into practice & how Goddess imagery in particular can be used for both spiritual & social liberation.'"
​"...The Christian Left:  How Liberal Thought has Hijacked the Church  ...'Much like the infamous tactical device of the Ancient Greeks, the devil has 'gifted' our modern-day society with Trojan horses too:  ideologies that appear to be valuable contributions to our faith but are instead full of morally subversive stratagems designed to unravel the very theological framework of the church."
"...'the Christian Left' - a growing constituency of 'Christians' who have adopted (either knowingly or unknowingly) leftist, socialist, & communistic thinking, ideals, values, & innovations.'"
"In the church, Wokeism's days are numbered, as the more you push into the biblical text, the more Marxist & Woke ideology are self-refuted."
"Paganism warmly welcomes Woke thought, such as gender ideology & Critical Race Theory, without complaint."
​"WITCHCRAFT:  THE NEW MARXIST PRAXIS"
"'It is well known that Paganism & witchcraft have been pushed to the sidelines & marginalized since Christianity began its stronghold.  So has queerness,' writes Cassandra Snow, author of Queering Your Craft:  Witchcraft from the Margins."
"For Snow, who teaches 'tarot from a radically queer & intersectional perspective,' Paganism & progressivist activism go together & join in rebellion against the ultimate oppressor:  Christianity."
"...'If we are to be witches, with a duty to humankind & the Earth itself, & to serve social justice, we cannot always be polite & harm-free.'"
"...'In a politically difficult & tense world, witchcraft is a secret weapon.'"
"...specific hexes & spells"
"A Spell to Slow Down the Effects of Climate Change"
"A Spell to Protect Our Community from Legislative Harm"
"A Spell to Attract Sex Partners"
"Hexing the White Supremacist Patriarchy"
"A Spell for Comfort Over Religious Trauma Syndrome"
"A Spell to Protect Activists"
"A Spell of Protection Against the Patriarchy"
"A Hex on Those Who Rail Against Queer Rights"
​"...'It's about the power to create outcomes & wield change  ...And, it's about the power it takes to make that happen.  Because of that, witchcraft has always been something marginalized groups can & should wield.'"
"Finding solidarity in the fringes, Pagans, queers, & Critical Race Theorists can unite because they perceive a common oppressor - Christianity.  Viewed as a 2,000 year-old white patriarchal power structure, the Christian faith is blamed for enslaving the masses & oppressing minorities, heathens, witches, & the sexually non-conforming."
"CHRIST AS OPPRESSOR"
"...Sam Harris  ...has become a poster child for New Atheism, references everything from the Crusades to the Salem witch trials as evidence Christianity is a negative force in society."
"For most of the last 2,000 years, Christianity has been celebrated as good news, liberating the captives & being a light in the darkness."
"...Luke 4, the body of Christ has served the world by declaring 'good news to the poor,' 'release to the captives,' 'sight to the blind,' freedom to the 'oppressed,' & 'favor' upon all of God's people."
"...Christianity's contributions to innovation.  Influencing both the Enlightenment & the Industrial Revolution, Christian thinkers like Johannes Gutenberg, Alexander Graham Bell, Louis Pasteur, Samuel Morse, George Washington Carver, & Thomas Edison collectively shaped the modern world."
"Christianity served as a unifying foundation that inspired these individuals to apply their talents & insights toward advancing human knowledge & improving society."
"Simultaneously forgotten are the historical sins of Pagan peoples, including the Diocletian Persecution, Viking raids on Christian monasteries, & the atrocities committed during the Holocaust, where over 6 million Jews were slaughtered under the occultic ideology of the 3rd Reich."
"...Pagan-inspired abortion industry  ...responsible for the deaths of over 62 million children since Roe v. Wade ​became law in 1973."
"...Chaz Bufe, author of The Heretics Guide to the Bible & Listen, Anarchist,  ...Christianity 'breeds authoritarianism,' is 'misogynistic,' homophobic,' 'extremely egocentric,' & 'based on dishonesty,' & 'encourages acceptance of real evils."
"John 15 - If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own.  However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.  Remember the word I spoke to you:  'A servant is not greater than his master.'  If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.  If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.  But they will do all these things to you on account of my name..."
​"Christ is viewed as a tyrant..."
"Failing to grasp His boundless compassion, those who oppose Him lash out, hurl insults, persecute prophets, build towers, seek power, & wage war against His name."
"...no matter what the Pagan threat against Christians looks like, one thing is certain:  If Christ is the oppressor, eventually Satan will be viewed as the Liberator."
Pagan Threat, by Lucas Miles, pgs. 1 - 22.

"INTRODUCTION"
"The encroachment of Woke ideology was just the precursor to a more profound & unsettling threat:  the resurgence of Paganism."
"The connection between Woke ideology & Paganism is not merely a coincidence but a natural progression.  Behind the emphasis on identity politics, intersectionality, & radical inclusivity within Wokeism lies centuries-old ancient Pagan ideologies."
"Just as the pagans of old were devoted to their gods & rituals, today's Woke adherents are fervent in their devotion to the new dogmas of gender identity, Critical Race Theory, & Earth worship."
"Those who refuse to bow to the idols of this neo-Paganistic worldview are excommunicated from the public square, much like heretics of old were cast out from their communities."
"Aligning together in this effort are Marxists, radical environmentalists, technocratic scientists, LGBTQ+ activists, so-called racial justice activists, eugenicists, witches, traditional Pagans, neo-Pagans, & theosophical elites.  Together, they have infiltrated major nonprofit organizations, entertainment agencies & studios, research labs, religious institutions, educational centers, & countless government agencies.  Through this collective influence, they have successfully transformed the global spiritual consciousness away from Christianity toward a neo-Pagan resurgence."
"Through the introduction of the Enneagram, the acceptance of immoral sexual practices, the embrace of New Age concepts such as energy healing & visualization exercises that blur the lines between Christian faith & occult practices, the promotion of Christian universalism, astral projection, & sage cleansing rituals, the church has been quietly flooded with pseudo-Christian Pagan ideologies that threaten the orthodox foundations of Christianity in America."
​"Their deconstructionist approach often involves dismantling the authority of Scripture, recasting it as a flawed human document rather than the divinely inspired Word of God.  By doing so, they strip away the Bible's moral & theological absolutes, replacing them with a more fluid & subjective interpretation that aligns with modern cultural trends."
​"The trend is deeply troubling, not just because it leads individuals away from the truth of the Gospel, but because it weakens the church's ability to stand as a countercultural witness in an increasingly Pagan society.  When the church loses its distinctiveness - when it begins to mirror the values & beliefs of the surrounding culture rather than challenge them - it ceases to be the transformative force it was meant to be."
​"Christians are now branded as barriers to justice, as purveyors of harm, & even as threats to inclusivity & collective advancement.  The church is portrayed as a dam to progress rather than a wellspring of hope & truth."
"In this environment, the church's role as a moral compass is under siege, & its voice is increasingly marginalized in public discourse."
"As the cultural frontlines grow more hostile, Christians must brace themselves for escalating tensions & increasing opposition - politically & spiritually."
"To navigate this challenging era, Christians must renew their commitment to biblical truth while engaging the culture with grace & conviction."
"A true 3rd Great Awakening, characterized by a widespread return to heartfelt faith & transformative revival, could also counteract this growing tide.  Such an awakening would not only rejuvenate the church but restore its role as a beacon of hope & moral clarity."
"It cannot be forgotten that any successful spiritual defense against a modern Pagan resurgence must also include the active presence & welcomed operation of the Holy Spirit.  As we face an era of unprecedented spiritual conflict, the Holy Spirit remains our guide, comforter, & source of divine power, equipping us to both proclaim & demonstrate our witness.  Embracing the Holy Spirit's work in our lives & the church will be crucial to reclaiming the narrative & advancing God's Kingdom in these trying times."
"Furthermore, we must cultivate a deep & vibrant spiritual life that goes beyond mere church attendance, intellectual assent, & doctrinal statements.  We need a renewal of genuine Christian discipleship, where believers are not only taught the truths of the faith but are also formed in the likeness of Christ through the practices of prayer, worship, & intimacy with God.  Only by embodying the Gospel in this way can we hope to withstand the onslaught of Pagan ideologies & be a light in dark places."
"...being discerning about the books we read, the speakers we listen to, & the movements we align ourselves with."
"...having the courage to confront error when we see it, whether it comes from a popular preacher, a well-intentioned friend, or our own hearts.  The stakes are too high for us to be complacent.  The future of the church - & indeed, the soul of our nation - depends on our willingness to stand firm in the faith once delivered to the saints."
"Together, let us seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, embrace the transformative power of revival, & stand resolute against the encroaching darkness.  The future of the church & our great nation depends on our collective faithfulness to the truth & our unwavering commitment to the Kingdom of God."
Pagan Threat, by Lucas Miles, pgs. ix - xv.

"Vers. 43, 44.  For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither a corrupt tree bringeth forth good fruit."
"We cannot perform any good works, unless we are created unto them in Christ Jesus"
"Until the tree be made good, the fruit will not be good."
"Reformation must begin at the heart..."
"We must be reformed within, with a spirit of fire & a spirit of burning, to purge us from the dross & corruption of our hearts, & refine us as gold & silver, & then we shall be reformed truly, & not before.  (R. Cudworth, D.D.)"
​"If we would know whether we are being led by the Holy Spirit, we must see if we are bringing forth fruits of the Spirit."
"There is no better evidence that we have received the nature as well as the name of Christ than an anxious wish to save lost souls, & a sympathy with the joy of angels over every sinner that is converted.  (T. Guthrie, D.D.)"
​"'Every plant which My heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up.'"
"...the converted man who has been united by living faith to Jesus:  by union to his Saviour his moral virtues become Christian graces.  There is the same brain, the same heart, in their material properties, but all the thoughts, feelings, & desires which they originate flow through a renewed nature, & become changed in principle & action.  Even the very passions which expended themselves in vice & lust, now flowing through the pure channel of a sanctified mind & will, breathe the fragrance & assume the loveliness of heaven-born virtues."
"In spiritual things, we know that it is by our union to Christ that the life of faith & the fruits of righteousness are produced, through the agency of the Holy Spirit."
"It is a great injustice to Christianity if one views it only as being an escape from hell hereafter to a heaven also beyond."
​"Ver. 45.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart."
"Prepared heart treasures: - Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh..."
"...when we speak we make, as it were, a dissection of our own hearts"
"...when our words are swords, our hearts are a slaughter-house"
"The heart is the shop & workhouse of all evil (Proverbs 4:23, 24; Matthew 15:19) (A. Farindon.)"
"Ver. 46.  And why call ye Me Lord, Lord, & do not the things which I say?"
"HEARING BUT NOT DOING IS LIKE BUILDING ON THE SAND."
"We hear the Word of God, but knowingly neglect to do it."
​"There are who call Christ their Lord, owning His authority over them, & looking for benefit by Him, who yet make not conscience of doing the things which He as a Lord says to them & requires of them."
"'What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, & have not works?  can faith save him?'  (James 2:14)  'As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also'  (James 2:26)."
"'Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you'  (John 15:14)."
"'Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they might have right to the tree of life, & may enter in through the gates into the city'  (Revelation 22:14)."
"'They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him,' (Titus 1:16)."
"Christ is highly displeased with the disobedience of those that call Him Lord, who will not do what He says (Psalms 1:16-22)."
"There is a great evil in calling Christ Lord, & not doing what He says"
"'What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?  & what communion hath light with darkness?  & what concord hath Christ with Belial?'  (II Corinthians 6:14, 15)."
"...OUTWARD OBEDIENCE IS THE NECESSARY FRUIT, & THE ABSOLUTE TEST OF INWARD LIFE."
"The word 'doeth' does not mean intention, profession, or promise, but action in those practical details of actual life"
"...'we are God's workmanship.'"
"We are none the better for knowing the will of God; we must obey it.  We must do the will of God."
"Christ does not say that the man who resolves to do the will of God will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the man who does it"
"The folly of a fruitless profession..."
"Let our lives be consistent with our professions."
"Vers. 47 - 49.  Whosoever cometh to Me, & heareth My sayings, & doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like."
"1. The doctrine of faith & repentance.  2. The doctrine of regeneration.  3. The doctrine of self-denial."
"...urging a holy life"
"To hear His sayings & holy doctrine, as it is His word, not as the word of man, but as it is indeed the Word of God."
"The wise hearer hears Christ's sayings & retains them, he is not a forgetful hearer"
"To do Christ's sayings is to yield ready & hearty obedience to the precepts He hath given forth in the gospel"
"'Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, but the that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven'  (Matthew 7:21)."
"'Ye are My friends if ye do whatsoever I say'  (John 15:14)."
"WHAT IS MEANT BY THE ROCK."
"'The Lord is my rock & my fortress' (Psalms 18:2).  'Who is a rock save our God?'  (Psalms 18:13).  'O Lord, my rock, be not silent' (Psalms 28:1).  'Upon this rock will I build My Church' (Matthew 16:18; I Corinthians 10:4)."
"A rock is a firm & immovable thing, therefore good for a foundation"
"...He is the same yesterday, to-day, & for ever; hence He is called the Rock of Ages."
"The wise & the foolish hearers: - The contrast intended is not that between 2 men deliberately selecting different foundations on which to build, but that between 2 men, 1 of whom makes the foundation a matter of deliberate consideration, while the other never takes a moment's thought about a foundation, but proceeds to build at hap-hazard, on the surface, anywhere, just where he happens to be - on the loose sands of the banks, or even in the bed of a river dried up by severe drought & scorching heat of summer, as rivers are so apt to be in the East."
"(1) The wise builder has a prudent regard to the future.  (2) The wise builder does not look merely to appearance."
"Foundations: - 1. All men are building.  2. All builders have a choice of foundations.  3. All foundations will be tried.  4. Only 1 foundation will stand.  (W. W. Wythe.)"
"Hearers & doers...  THE DISTINCTION OF CHARACTER.  ...THE CONTRAST IN THE HOPES OF THESE 2 CHARACTERS."
​"He only is a Christian who does what Christ bids him..."
"So many of us hear, so few are manifestly doing, His words (James 1:22)  (J. Oswald Dykes, D.D.)"
"...only that which God the Holy Ghost builds upon the foundation of Christ's finished work will stand the test of time & eternity.  (C. H. Spurgeon.)"
​"May the Holy Ghost make you true to the core."
"...the flood beat upon the wise man's house 'it could not shake it.'"
"I see the man; he lost his money & became poor, but he did not give up his faith - 'It could not shake it.'  He was ridiculed & slandered, & many of his former friends gave him the cold shoulder, but 'It could not shake it.'  He went to Jesus under his great trial, & he was sustained - 'It could not shake it.'  He was very sick, & his spirit was depressed within him, but still he held his confidence in Christ - 'It could not shake it.'  He was near to die; he knew that he must soon depart out of this world, but all the pains of death & the certainty of dissolution could not shake him.  He died as he lived, firm as a rock, rejoicing as much as ever, nay, rejoicing more, because he was nearer to the kingdom & to the fruition of all his hopes.  'It could not shake it.'  It is a grand thing to have a faith which cannot be shaken."
"God will set His own people's feet on a rock, & will establish their goings.  (James Foote, M.A.)"
"...'He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him until that day.'"
"When we take HIs inspired Word for our guide, embrace Christ as our Saviour, rest on His atonement for pardon & His grace for support, then are we 'founded on a rock.'"
​"...get to the root-truths that are in Christ, nay, get to Christ Himself, the root-truth, & your life shall be full of energy, freedom, brightness, fruitfulness, blessing, & you shall bloom for ever in the paradise of God.  (W. L. Watkinson.)"
"...the wise builder 'digged deep,'"
"...God is not to be found on the surface.  (Gregory.)"
The Biblical Illustrator​, Baker, pgs. 635 - 664.

"CHAPTER TWELVE"
"A. A. ALLEN - 'The Miracle Man'"
"A LITTLE MILK, A LOT OF WHISKEY"
"Asa Alonza Allen was born on a stormy Easter morning, March 27, 1911."
"Asa Alonzo would arise from out of their little known region of Sulphur Springs, Arkansas, to become one of the most sensational revivalists of modern time."
"...he was totally denounced for his personal habits."
"...those who criticized Allen were far less productive in the ministry than was Allen."
"...his parents were drunkards & raised the children in total poverty."
"Allen's parents also made home brew liquor behind their shack.  His mother drank heavily while she was pregnant with Allen."
"Allen's mother repeatedly filled his bottle with liquor to keep him from crying, & he would go to bed nightly with a baby bottle filled with the home brew."
"Allen learned to smoke before he was old enough to go to school.  He always took a few puffs of his mother's cigarettes when he lit them for her."
"He stepped into the entertainment world at an early age, & it seemed he was born for it."
​"A BUCKET OF BEER 'N' TROUBLE"
"Allen's parents were always fighting, throwing furniture, & threatening one another with weapons.  Finally, when he was 4 years old, his mother left his father.  She took the children with her to Carthage, Missouri."
"Soon after his mother left, she married again, but the turmoil was the same."
"By the time Allen was 6 years old, he was carrying tin buckets of beer home from the saloon to his stepfather."
"Allen recalled:  'Every one of us grew up with a taste for liquor.  I had only 2 brothers.  One of them died when I was just a tiny lad.  I hardly remember him at all.  But my oldest brother died a drunkard.  My father filled a drunkard's grave.  My mother quit drinking before I was grown, but my 4 sisters & I were well started on the road to a drunkard's hell.'"
"At 11 years old, Allen ran away from home, determined to go back to Arkansas & find his father."
"...the weather turned bad, so he returned home to his mother."
"When he was 14, Allen was as large as a grown man, so he ran away again."
"While traveling with several other vagabond friends, he picked cotton, worked on gins, & dug ditches; & he still ended up in jail for stealing corn."
"RUN HIM OUT OR KILL HIM!"
"Everywhere he went, Allen was known as the life of the party.  He had a beautiful tenor voice & a great sense of rhythm.  He was always singing, dancing, drinking & smoking."
​"By the time he was 21 years old, Allen was a nervous wreck."
"...by the early prime of his life, Asa Alanzo Allen was dying."
"With nowhere else to turn, Allen went home to his mother.  Thinking that farm life & regular meals would be good for him, he hoped for the return of his health."
"In their rugged, country setting, Allen & his mother built a bootleg still to make their own liquor.  In addition to the still, they turned their place into a dance hall every Saturday night"
"Brother Hunter...  he decided to form a church"
"'God, close up that Allen dance hall!  Save him if you can.  But if he won't yield to God, either run him out of the neighborhood or kill him.  But close down that dance hall, one way or another!'"
"Well, thank God, a portion of their prayer was graced!"
"THE LADY IN THE WHITE DRESS"
"...they passed by a country Methodist church."
"The preacher was a woman, dressed in white, & as she talked, Allen thought she must be an angel."
"For the first time in his life, conviction seized him.  But before the altar call was made, he & his friend quietly slipped out."
"...he went back to the service the following night."
"...Allen listened carefully to every song & testimony.  The sermon was about the blood of Jesus & how it washed away every sin, & as soon as the call for salvation was given, his hand shot straight up!"
"She asked those standing to come down to the front, if they were really series, & Allen was the first one down the aisle."
"...the lady asked him, 'Do you really want to be saved?'
'Certainly, that what I came down here for,' Allen said."
"To her great surprise, he fell to his knees & asked Jesus to be the Lord of his life.  From that moment on, there was a new A. A. Allen.  No more dances.  No more bootlegging.  His old friends laughed, but that didn't change Allen back to his old ways.  He was a new creation."
​"THEY'RE OF THE DEVIL!"
"...it seemed he just couldn't read enough of the Bible."
"The morning after he attended the Pentecostal meeting, he visited with a Methodist pastor who warned him to say away from the Pentecostals saying they were of the devil because they spoke in tongues."
"'After that, I just couldn't wait to go back,' Allen said, 'I was curious to hear them talk in tongues!'"
"A few services later, the gift of tongues & interpretation operated in one of the meetings, & as Allen sat & listened, he could tell that this was from God.  Now he really wanted what these people had."
"The next day, he met with the Methodist pastor again.  ...The pastor declared, 'You can't have it!  No one is getting that kind of an experience today!'"
"'Well, I'm going to have it,' answered Allen.  'And Pastor, that is just what you need.'"
"The pastor left in a rage, & Allen severed ties with the Methodist church."
"...He received & spoke in tongues at a Pentecostal camp meeting in Oklahoma that he & his sister attended together."
"All Allen wanted was God..."
"COLORADO & LEXIE = LOVE"
"Drought hit Missouri hard in 1934, & there was no work anywhere.  Then one day, Allen received a letter from an old friend who invited him to Colorado to work on a ranch."
"Though he was going to a new place to work, he was concerned there would be no Christians who shared his new belief."
"Allen introduced himself to Lexie Scriven..."
"The 2 quickly became friends, studying the Bible together daily, searching Scripture & seeking answers to questions."
"Soon, Allen returned to Missouri to help his mother move her belongings to her new home in Idaho.  Lexie left to attend Central Bible Institute in Springfield, Missouri, but every day, the letters came from Allen.  They both began to realize they were in love with each other.  So he wrote to her, proposed, & the couple married on September 19, 1936, in Colorado.  Their marriage was later blessed with 3 boys & 1 girl."
​"THE THANKSGIVING OPOSSUM"
"They save what money they could to enroll at Central Bible Institute that September & then left Colorado, heading for Missouri, with plans to stop & visit his mother.  But they found her very sick, with no income & no one to care for her.  So immediately, the couple bought her food & necessities, cared for her home, & paid the bills.  Soon, they found their money was gone & so was their hope to enter Bible college."
"...the couple began chopping wood & selling it during the day.  The money they made bought gasoline for their preaching trips.  For 2 weeks, they chopped & hauled wood, stopping only to write down thoughts God would give them for preaching that evening."
"Allen's heroes were Dwight L. Moody & Charles Finney."
"At their first Thanksgiving dinner, instead of turkey, they ate opossum, which they gladly accepted from the congregation."
"BEANS & BACKWOODS"
"...a 2-room cabin"
"...for weeks, they lived on beans & cornbread, relying totally on the Lord to supply their needs."
"During these meetings, the Allens learned the power of prayer."
"LIKE A WHIRLWIND, I HEARD HIS VOICE"
"In the late 1930s, just weeks after their first son was born, Allen accepted a pastorate with the Tower Memorial Assembly of God, in Holly, Colorado.  While there, Allen was licensed by the Assemblies of God."
"Determined to find the secret of God's power, Allen began to fast & pray & seek the Lord.  Fasting was new to him & so he encountered considerable trouble."
"'...I began to realize that the light that was filling my prayer closet was God's glory!  ...The presence of God was so real & powerful that I felt I would die right there on my knees...  Then, like a whirlwind, I heard His voice.  It was God!  He was speaking to me!  This was the glorious answer that I had sought so diligently & for which I had waited since my conversion at the age of 23... It seemed faster than any human could possibly speak, faster than I could follow mentally, God was talking to me...  God was giving me a list of the things which stood between me & the power of God.  After each new requirement was added to the list in my mind, there followed a brief explanation, or sermonette, explaining that requirement & its importance...  As God spoke to me, I wrote them down.'"
​"THE PRICE TAG FOR MIRACLES"
"'...When you have placed on the altar of consecration & obedience the last thing on your list, you shall not only heal the sick, but in My Name shall you cast out devils, you shall see mighty miracles as in My Name you preach the Word, for behold, I give you power over all the power of the enemy.'"
"Here are the 13 things A. A. Allen said the Lord told him.  He would see the miracle-working power of God, if he understood & did these things:
1. He must realize he couldn't do greater quality miracles than Jesus.
2. He could walk as Jesus walked.
3. He must be blameless like God Himself.
4. He must measure himself to Jesus alone.
5. He must deny his fleshly desires with fasting.
6. After self-denial, he must follow Jesus 7 days a week.
7. Without God, he could do nothing!
8. He must do away with sin in his body.
9. He must not continue in shallow, pointless discussions.
10. He must give his body wholly to God forever.
11. He must believe all of God's promises.
The remaining 2 guidelines were 'pet sins' that God had pointed out by name.  Allen never felt he could share them with anyone."
"HEAVEN'S VISIT - THE FIRST MIRACLE"
"Shortly after that visitation from God, the Allens resigned from their church, feeling called to the evangelistic field & so, by invitation, set out for Missouri.  It was there that the Allens saw their first miracle service."
"An old coal miner who was totally blind as a result of a mine explosion years earlier began attending the services.  Night after night, he sat & listened to the Word of God, & finally, in response to an altar call, came forward for healing."
"Suddenly, Allen called for everyone who had faith for the healing of this blind man to come up & pray with them.  Then he said, 'There is unbelief in this room.  I can feel it!​'  And with that , a man got up & stomped out the door."
"God answered their prayer.  When the prayer was finished, the blind man could name the color of Allen's tie & point to objects around the room!"
"WOMAN - THE COAT OF MANY COLORS"
"For the next 4 1/2 years, Allen traveled as an Assemblies of God revivalist."
"Lexie stayed at home to care for the young babies.  Allen was away sometimes for 3 consecutive months at a time."
"HEAVEN ON EARTH - TEXAS!"
"Then, in 1947, Lexie received a phone call from Allen, telling her to get ready to move to Corpus Christi, Texas.  He had been asked to pastor one of the largest Assemblies of God churches in the area, & was very excited, thinking of the stability this would provide his family."
"A DEADLY BLOW"
"...he began to lay plans for an effective radio ministry & even attended a radio seminar in Springfield, Missouri."
The church board said "no".
"Allen had tried to compromise his heavenly call for earthly security, which is understandable, because he wanted to be a dad to his children."
"BLACKNESS, TORMENT, HELL, THE BREAKDOWN"
"...Allen was suffering from an emotional breakdown.  The church thought he was overworked, but his wife aware of his strength & his zeal, knew that wasn't possible.  She knew the breakdown came from a broken heart.  A portion of his being was held captive, & he thought he had lost it forever."
​"COME OUT OF HIM!"
"The call & purpose for A. A. Allen was just as it had always been!  When she finally realized that Satan had taken advantage of his deep hurt, she began to pray against the attack."
"He realized he was being attacked by a tormenting spirit."
"While driving back to Texas, Allen pulled the car to the side of the road & asked his wife to lay hands on him.  According to Allen, the second Lexie said, 'Come out of him, I command you to GO,' the evil spirit left him, & they rejoiced together as he actually felt a physical release & lightness replace the heaviness he had felt."
"He slept like a baby for 3 days straight, & when he woke up, he was fully recovered."
"YOU FAILED TO PAY THE PRICE"
"One day, a friend gave Allen a copy of The Voice of Healing publication.  After reading it, Allen said, 'As I read its pages, I laughed in ridicule.  Fanatics, I thought, as I closed the magazine & laid it away in my study.'"
​"...you can become so backslidden in your calling that the things you once held as precious & attainable, are now a distant memory."
"...some minister friends persuaded Allen to go to Dallas & attend an Oral Roberts tent revival."
"As he approached Dallas, he became more & more aware that there he would witness the very thing God had called him to do.  'But I had never paid the price for God's miracle-working power in my life,' he added."
"Miracle after miracle took place as he watched, but it wasn't fanaticism; it was God's miracle-working power."
"As he sat watching the prayer line, he again heard the voice of God say:  'My son, 11 years ago you sought My face... 11 years ago I called you into the same ministry... But you failed to pay the price & to make the consecration.  Therefore, you have failed to do this thing which I have called you to do.'  With tears streaming down his face, Allen lifted his hands & cried out, 'Lord, I'll do it!'"
"GOING, GOING... GONE!"
"2 Sundays later, he resigned his pastorate."
"The Allens kept the Corpus Christi church as their home base & traveled out from there."
"They moved all their possessions into a house trailer, & in less than 3 months after his 'breakdown,' A. A. Allen was on the revival trail."
​"In May of 1950, Allen sent his first report to The Voice of Healing magazine, the result of a great campaign in Oakland, California.  Of the meeting he writes:  'Many say this is the greatest revival in the history of Oakland... Night after night, the waves of Divine Glory so sweep over the congregation that many testify of being healed while sitting in their seats.'"
"He heard of a tent for sale, equipped with lighting, seats, a platform, & a public address system, all for $8,500!"
"On July 4, 1951, the A. A. Allen Revival Tent went up for the first campaign in Yakima, Washington."
"FINALLY  - RADIO!"
"In November of 1953, Allen finally saw his dream come true, when he began the nationally known radio broadcast, Allen Revival Hour, on 9 stations & 2 superpowered stations.  By 1955, Allen was on 17 Latin American stations & 18 American ones."
"He began conducting yearly services in Cuba & Mexico.  Many responded to the altar calls by denouncing witchcraft & destroying their idols on the platform.  These revivals continued from 1955 until 1959 when Castro took power."
​"He was an 'old time religion' preacher, complete with foot-stomping, shrieks, sobs, cries of 'Glory to God!' loud tongues, & wild dramatic dancing."
"He didn't mince words when he preached, & he seemed to always turn adversity into his advantage.  He said what he thought, & that is what the people came to hear."
"HARD KNOCKS IN KNOXVILLE"
"In 1955, accusations began surfacing, each one more serious than the previous one, each affecting Allen greatly."
"The charge that Allen drank abusively always seemed to follow his ministry."
"Some never believed that he was able to overcome the excessive abuse of alcohol that was so much a part of his youth."
"But his greatest crisis came in the fall of 1955 while conducting a revival in Knoxville, Tennessee.  Allen was arrested for drunken driving, but the case never came to trial because Allen failed to appear in court, so he forfeited his $1,000 bail & left the state."
"WITHDRAW?  NO WAY!"
"In 1956, upon hearing of the charges & the controversy, Ralph M. Riggs, superintendent of the General Council of the Assemblies of God, sent Allen a letter asking him to withdraw from public meetings until things cleared up."
"...'a withdrawal from public ministry at this time would ruin my ministry, for it would have the appearance of an admission of guilt.'"
"The accusation also caused great problems in the Voice of Healing association."
"...so Allen resigned from that group as well."
"R. W. SCHAMBACH SPEAKS"
"Schambach told me how he joined the A. A. Allen revival team the night before the Knoxville incident.  Then, he made a startling statement, contrary to every other written account of A. A. Allen."
​"Schambach said that Allen wasn't drunk.  'I know,' he stated, 'because I was with him in the car!'  He said the entire incident was a conspiracy to ruin Allen's ministry, & after the Knoxville trouble, he saw the extreme persecution that Allen suffered."
"'He never did 1 thing contrary to the Word.  He was a man of prayer & a man of miracles.  That's how I knew him.'"
"Schambach humorously compared Allen's clothes & personality to a 'cross between James Cagney & Spike Jones.'"
"Schambach left A. A. Allen to begin his own ministry in 1961."
"If there is anyone who operates similar to the ministry of A. A. Allen, it is the great evangelist, R. W. Schambach."
"FORWARD!  FOR A WHILE"
"Evangelistic revivalists are fast, wild, dramatic & have the strength of an ox.  If a pastor understands the call of an evangelist, the 2 can work well together, but if the pastor tries to control an evangelist to fit within needs of the local church, there will be trouble."
"...Allen progressed forward by starting his own publication, Miracle Magazine.  It consisted of his messages on healing & deliverance & featured many healing testimonies.  By the end of 1956, it had a paid subscription list of over 200,000 people."
"By the fall, Allen had started the Miracle Revival Fellowship, an independent organization to license ministers & to support missions.  He firmly denied any charges that it was 'denominationally minded.'  Allen reported 500 ministers in its first ordination."
"SENSATIONALISM, CONTROVERSY, & MIRACLES"
"After the Knoxville incident, Allen became an extremely controversial figure, & the media followed him everywhere hoping for a story."
​"It did seem that whenever persecution would attack him, he would retaliate with some unusual miracle or occurrence, going to the extreme in an attempt to prove his call."
"He was also criticized for selling a recording that captured the sounds of a demon-possessed woman, & he also sold a booklet that contained 18 drawings of demons, drawn by a demon-possessed, insane person."
"In the mid-fifties, he unleashed an all out attack on denominationalism & 'man-formed religion.'"
"When he tried to open lines of communication again with the Assemblies of God headquarters, according to Allen, they banished him & urged others to ignore him as well.  While the General Council denied his charge, they did state that his ministry 'threw a shadow.'  In other words, if someone associated with Allen, that person's own character would be in question."
"MIRACLES FROM THE VALLEY"
"...he began the International Miracle Revival Training Camp for ministers.  Here, he taught the ministers the principles of prosperity, healing, casting out demons, & various other topics."
"And in January of 1958, while holding a revival in Phoenix, Arizona, God impressed him to build a Bible school there.  That same morning, 1250 acres of land a few miles from Tombstone, Arizona, were given to him.  He called the land 'Miracle Valley,' & began building his headquarters & training center.  He doubled the acreage, & many Native American tribe members were born again as a result of his ministry.  Christians in the area were fervently revived, & the area became a thriving city by the 1960s."
​"...most everything he taught connected in some way with financial prosperity."
"But in 1960, during the heat of racial tension, the Ku Klux Klan threatened to disrupt an Allen meeting where white & black people were present.  They succeeded in blowing up a nearby bridge with dynamite hoping to scare Allen & his group, but both the worship service & the baptismal service continued without a hint of fear."
"It was also in 1960 that Allen built a church in Miracle Valley that seated 4,000 people.  He had great plans for this city & wanted to build private homes, recreational facilities, & media centers."
"A TRAGIC ENDING"
"Something happened during the last few years of Allen's life & ministry.  Though the details are sketchy, Allen was sued for $300,000 in back taxes.  And in 1967, Allen & his wife, Lexie, separated."
"In 1969, Allen was a sick man suffering from a severe arthritic condition in his knee."
"But the arthritic condition soon worsened, so Allen submitted to surgery on his left knee.  He suffered from so much pain that Don Steward, a young man, full of zeal, began to fill in during the crusades."
"On June 11, 1970, Allen traveled to San Francisco & checked into the Jack Tar Hotel (now named the Cathedral Hills Quality Hotel).  He checked in at 12:56 P.M.  He was scheduled the next day for a 9:00 A.M. doctor's appointment at the University of California Medical Center in San Francisco, to discuss whether a second surgery needed to be performed on his knees."
"Sometime before 9:00 P.M. the same evening, Allen made a phone call to his close friend, Bernard Schwartz.  The exact conversation is unknown, but Schwartz was alarmed & proceeded to the hotel.  When Schwartz arrived at Allen's room, the door was locked & he didn't answer.  Schwartz told the assistant manager of the problem & Allen's door was opened with a pass key."
"At 9:15 P.M., Allen was found dead by Schwartz & the assistant manager.  The Coroner's Report states Allen was sitting in a chair in front of his television.  He was officially pronounced dead at 11:23 P.M. on June 11, 1970.  A. A. Allen was 59 years old."
"WHAT HAPPENED?  THE CORONER'S REPORT"
"...he was suffering from a severe arthritic condition."
"...his personal physician, Dr. Seymour Farber, prescribed Percodan, Seconal, & Valium to ease the pain & for insomnia brought on by the severity of the pain."
"...The Coroner's Report, Case #1151 for Asa Alonzo Allen recorded the blood alcohol concentration in Allen's body measured .036 percent - a very high & concentrated level of alcohol in the blood system.  The cause of death on the coroner's report was stated as 'acute alcoholism & fatty infiltration of the liver.'"
"HOLD ON!  LET'S INVESTIGATE"
"When Allen's blood scan was performed & reported by a laboratory toxicology department, there was no trace of drugs found in his system, though there were plenty of prescribed pills at the death scene."
"His closest personal friends say that Allen detested, even hated prescribed medications."
"...the coroner's report stated that Allen died of 'acute' alcoholism, not 'chronic' alcoholism.  There is a distinct difference in the medical verbiage."
"'Acute' means rapid onset or sudden, but 'chronic' means ongoing; or in other words, an alcoholic.  The coroner's report said Allen died of a sudden onset of alcohol..."
​"It is my opinion that on the night of his death, Allen was in excruciating pain."
"...it is my opinion that on this particular evening of June 11, 1970, in a desperate attempt to stop the pain, Allen literally drank himself to death."
"THE VALLEY OF SHADOWS"
"...the ministry of A. A. Allen ended sadly, much like the ministry of John Alexander Dowie."
"Today, Miracle Valley is just 1250 acres of land.  Recently, I was informed that a farmer had purchased the acreage with plans to cultivate it.  The buildings have all been torn down or rented."
"LET'S GO FURTHER"
​"We must go further than Allen did to succeed."
"What does it take?  It seems like a broken record, but I will say it again:  Stay in your call.  Don't venture out to satisfy a suggestion of someone else or the personal desire of your own & don't allow persecution & criticism to push you into a corner."
"Guard your heart; let God lead you with His Word until there is no trace of withdrawal or self-propulsion within you, & soon, the persecution in that area of your life will not even affect you."
"Be daily filled with the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Allow Him to impart the oil of joy & gladness into your life.  HIs joy is what gives you the strength to succeed."
"Don't try to stand alone, but keep yourself surrounded with people who know your call & are filled with the strength of the Word & the Spirit.  If you don't have this operating in your life & ministry, then ask God to bring you those divine connections & relationships."
"Don't search the Scriptures to find retaliation against your accusers.  If you do that, you will have a harsh & embittered ministry."
"...God is the One who vindicates His own!  So let God do His thing, & you do yours.  Search the Scriptures for yourself first.  And when God's Word heals you, you build an immunity through the Word, & are daily filled with the Holy Spirit, then you can take on the next level of ministry.  But if you stop to point fingers, you will remain there."
"...learn from their lives"
"It takes spiritual strength to fulfill the will of God.  Determine that your life & ministry will be a spiritual success in heaven & in the earth, to the glory of God!"
God's Generals:  Volume One, Roberts Liardon, pgs. 379 - 413

"Ver. 37.  Judge not, & ye shall not be judged."
"To form judgments of men, as far as their superficial qualities are concerned, requires but little; but to form judgments of their character & disposition is one of the most elaborate & difficult things possible.  (H.W. Beecher.)."
"God will bring us into judgment for all our unkind & unfair judgments of our fellow-men.  (H. S. Brown.)"
"I. WE HAVE NOT SUFFICIENT DATA."
"II. WE CAN NEVER SEE WHAT GOES ON IN ANOTHER'S HEART.  III. EVEN IF WE WERE ACQUAINTED WITH THE FACTS, WE SHOULD BE INCAPABLE OF ESTIMATING CORRECTLY THEIR MORAL SIGNIFICANCE."
"We are apt to plume ourselves even on our defects, & condemn those who differ from us merely because they differ.  (A. W. Momerie, M. A., D.Sc.)"
​"It is no charity to call evil good, or to refrain, out of a misplaced tenderness, from calling evil evil.  Only let us remember what we ourselves are, & were - sinners living amid temptations; & let us, therefore, speak in humility, in sincerity, & in truth."
"God has reserved 3 prerogatives royal to Himself - vengeance, glory, & judgment.  As it is not safe for us, then, to encroach upon God's royalties in either of the other 2 - glory or vengeance - so neither in this, of judgment."
"He will not be conscious of the beam that is in his own eye, yet he will imagine that he is quite capable of pulling out the mote in his brother's eye."
"...conjecture, suspicion, or invention of 1 person, grows up to be the belief of the multitude, & is raised, in their opinion, into certainty & fact."
"Nothing can be more unjust or uncharitable than this."
​"...righteous judgment, not partial or false judgment.  There is nothing in Christian teaching to sanction tolerance towards sin.  It is not every kind of judgment which Christ condemns."
"Forgive, & ye shall be forgiven."
"I. FORGIVENESS IS POSSIBLE."
"II. FORGIVENESS IS NECESSARY."
"III. FORGIVENESS IS LAUDABLE & MERITORIOUS."
"Ver. 38.  Give, & it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down."
"'It is more blessed to give than to receive...'"
"The duty of giving: - I. WHY SHOULD WE GIVE?  It is our duty.  It is for God's glory.  It is more blessed to give than to receive.  II. WHAT SHOULD WE GIVE?  1. Ourselves.  ...2. Our time.  3. Our influence.  4. Our money.  We are but stewards of all that we possess.  III. HOW MUCH ARE WE TO GIVE?  ...We must not offer to the Lord that which doth cost us nothing.  V. WHEN ARE WE TO GIVE?  When cases of need, objects of compassion, or means of advancing the honour of God or the good of our fellow-men come before us."
"VII. WHO IS TO GIVE?  The answer is 'every man'"
"'Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.'  (F. O. Morris, B. A.)"
"The reward of the giver...  'Ye shall be the children of the Highest.'"
​"...to get, we must give;"
"...to accumulate, we must scatter;  (C. H. Spurgeon.)"
"Ver. 39.  Can the blind lead the blind?  Shall they not both fall into the ditch?"
"Blind-led blind..."
"'They sought & they could find
No refuge - 'twas the blind who led the blind.'"
​"All men by nature are in a state of spiritual blindness."
"THE CASTASTROPHE PREDICTED."
"The blind who are led, & the blind leaders by whom they are led, it is much to be feared will share one common doom.  They will fall into sentimental errors - they will fall into practical immoralities - they will fall into final perdition - unless the grace & mercy of the Most High prevent."
"There is One whom you may follow implicitly, & one only - the Man Christ Jesus, the Son of God."
"...our Great Teacher has a spirit with Him, a mighty Spirit, God Himself, the Holy Ghost, & when He teaches He teaches not with words alone, but with a power which goes beyond the ear into the heart itself."
​"'If ye had been blind, ye had not had sin, but now ye say, We see:  therefore your sin remaineth.'"
"A dwelling upon some parts of truth to the exclusion of all the rest, as the Pharisees did..."
"Ver. 40.  The disciple is not above his Master:  but every one that is perfect shall be as his Master."
"What is our aim then?  What should it be?"
"'Man's chief end is to glorify God, & to enjoy Him for ever.'"
"...WE SHOULD PRESENT A TRUE IDEAL OF LIFE TO OTHERS."
"...we shall seek to be good for the sake of others as well as for our own sake."
"...we should seek & strive for grace to set them a good example, that our influence may be stimulating & helpful to them.  Above all, we should try so to follow Christ as that we may lead them to the Perfect Example, & make them disciples of the only Master who can never mislead them.  (S. Cox, D. D.)"
​"Ver. 41, 42.  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"
"In truth, all genuine Christians, rightly viewed, are reformers.  'Ye are the salt of the earth,' to rectify its putrescencies.  'Ye are the light of the world,' to disperse its shades of darkness.  But every genuine good thing amongst men has also its counterfeit.  The grand forger & fabricator of all such hollow, delusive imitations of the exterior of excellence, is the devil."
"...the distinction between the true & the false reformer"
"The 1 begins by reforming his neighbours; the other, by reforming himself.  The 1 begins by looking around; the other, by looking within; the 1, by sweeping the streets of the city; the other, by cleaning the rooms of his own house:  the 1, by attempting to remodel society; the other, by seeking a change in his own character.  The 1 sees first what is amiss abroad; the other, what is amiss at home.  'First cast out the beam out of thine own eye, & then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.'"
"The sham reformer hides the real nature of objects, or deceitfully exaggerates their dimensions."
"The man has a beam in his eye.  He is dismally blinded.  His whole soul is in darkness.  His mind is bewitched by the sorceries of sin & Satan.  A dreadful spell has bound his spirit:  a moral madness has distracted his heart."
"The 1 rejoices inwardly in the truth, the other in iniquity.  The 1 means to amend, the other to cavil & find fault."
"The mote & the beam..."
"Men are generally most ready to mark the sins of others, when they are insensible of their own."
"In order to be prepared for the office of a reformer, a man must be reformed himself."
"It is the duty of those who are reformed, to try to reform others.  (James Foote, M. A.)"
"Self-examination will make our judgments charitable."
"We are to be kind because God is kind; ready to forgive because God is merciful; slow to judge because we have a Judge whose dealings with us will be regulated by our dealings with others."
"The Lord Jesus says that we are hypocrites, if, with a beam jutting out from our own eye, we say to our brother, 'Let me pull out the splinter from thine eye.'"
"Archbishop Whately...  'Never is the mind less fitted for self-examination than when most occupied in detecting the faults of others.'"
​"...how pride has made you stone-blind"
"...the conceit of a fault-finder  (J. O. Dykes, D. D.)"
"Why will you search another man's wound while your own is bleeding?"
The Biblical Illustrator​, Baker, pgs. 610 - 635.

"Ver. 26.  Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you. - The dangers of praise"
"Men are fallible judges of one another's real character."
"The praise of men has a direct tendency to attach us to earth, & to make us forget heaven.  'They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.'"
"Vers. 27 - 30.  But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies."
​"We must pray for our enemies."
"...we cannot expect to be benefited by our Saviour, as a full sacrifice for sin, unless we imitate Him, as a complete model of virtue; & this we cannot do without forgiving & loving our enemies."
​"The last & crowning instance of our love to our enemies is to pray for them."
"'...pray for them rather than curse them, for we are created for blessing rather than cursing.'"
"1. Heart-enemies, who in their hearts are set against us, burning with grudge, malice & rancour at us.  The text is plain as to our duty in that case, 'Do good to them that hate you.'  2. Tongue-enemies, who employ their tongues against us like swords, arrows, fire, & scourges.  'Bless them that curse you.'"
"3. Hand-enemies, who in their actions & deed are enemies to us; not only in their hearts wishing us ill, & with their tongues speaking ill of us, but to their power, & as they have occasion, doing ill to us - 'Pray for them that despitefully use you, & persecute you.'"
"'Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it'  (Proverbs 3:27)."
"Good, by the simple & lovely strength of its own goodness, does in the end overcome evil'"
"God's own good, not our selfish or shallow or one-sided notions of it."
"It is the glory of the blessed God to forgive us, who have been enemies to Him; & it is our highest dignity to be conformed to His holy image."
​"Ver. 31.  And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise."
"If I am to do to others as I would that they should do to me, then I am to love them as I love myself;"
"It is impossible not to see in every page of the Scriptures the necessity of a fitness for heaven which consists in the subjugation of selfish to benevolent principles..."
​"Vers. 32 - 34.  For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye?"
"Our duty is not merely to love those who love us, but to love them that hate & despitefully entreat us."
"Evil for good is devil-like, evil for evil is beast-like, good for good is man-like, good for evil is God-like.  Rise you to that God-like point."
"The rich man finds his wealth in his bursting barns, but the believer finds his treasure in the all-sufficiency of his God."
​"Every Christian man must be left very much to the guidance of the Spirit in these high matters."
"Selfishness the essence of moral depravity..."
"The selfish love of sinners has no moral goodness in it, because it is no obedience to the Divine law.  This law requires them to love God with all the heart, & to love their fellow-men as themselves."
"All the wickedness of Satan consists in his selfishness."
"Ver. 35.  And ye shall be the children of the Highest."
"THE CHRISTIAN AIM is this - to be perfect.  'Be ye therefore perfect.'"
​"'Even as your father which is in Heaven is perfect.'"
"The boundless, endless, infinite void in the soul of man can be satisfied with nothing but God."
"Man cannot be satisfied with his own performances."
"...consider the CHRISTIAN MOTIVE - 'Even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.'"
"Do right, because it is Godlike & right so to do."
"We must not obscure or blemish the Divine nature with the least shadow or blot of imperfection."
"...no creature can ever be so perfectly good as God is"
"The way to excel in any kind is to propose the highest & most perfect examples to our imitation."
"...continually aspiring after a near resemblance to God."
"Ver. 36.  Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful."
"Every act of loving-kindness comes back to us with abundant interest."
"Our goodness, therefore, must be void of selfish & earthly motives."
"Let us, like God, be 'not weary in well-doing.'"
"Mercy is in the air we breathe, the daily light which shines upon us, the gracious rain of God's inheritance.  It is the public spring for all the thirsty, the common hospital for all the needy."
"I. FORBEAR...  II. FORGIVE...  III. GIVE..."
"When we are merciful, we come nearest to the Divine perfection.  (W. R. Clark, M. A.)"
"Mercy: - I. ITS ACTS.  1. Consideration.  2. Compassion.  3. Prayer.  4. Helpfulness, according to the need of the object."
"Acts of mercy are to be performed - 1. With readiness & forwardness of mind (2 Corinthians 9:7).  2. With modesty & humility (Matthew 6:1).  3. From a kind & merciful, not from a selfish & mercenary temper (Luke 6:32).  4. Without delay (Proverbs 4:28).  5. Bountifully (I Timothy 6:18).  6. With minds full of gratitude to God (I Chronicles 29:13, 17).  7. As to Christ Himself (Matthew 10:42)"
"IV. THE BLESSING PROMISED TO THE MERCIFUL."
"1. Deliverance out of trouble (Isaiah 58:10; Psalms 41:1).  2. God's blessing on his labours & undertakings (Deuteronomy 15:7-10).  3. The staying off of his trouble, & the lengthening of his tranquility (Daniel 4:27).  4. Plenty (Proverbs 19:17; 3:9).  5. Honour (Psalm 112:9).  6. Deliverance from enemies (Psalm 41:2).  7. God's comforts in his sickness (Psalm 51:3).  8. A blessing on his posterity (Psalm 37:26).  (J. Blair, D. D.)"
"1. True mercifulness is a characteristic of those who hunger & thirst after righteousness..."
"2. True mercifulness is always guided by meekness."
"3. True mercifulness can only be felt by those who have learned to mourn their sin, & in repentance turned to God..."
"4. True mercifulness has, as its earliest beginning, poverty of spirit, for only those who in humility know themselves aright will never despair of others, or tire of showing mercy to the undeserving.  (C. J. Ridgeway, M. A.)"
"The mercifulness of God as seen in Christ..."
"Time does not wear it out, nor years weaken it."
​"Let the mercy of God to us be highly valued.  We need it daily.  Only one channel for its communication - through Christ."
"The unmerciful shall have judgment without mercy.  (J. Burns, D. D.)"
The Biblical Illustrator, Baker, pgs. 582 - 610.

"In this kingdom Christ undertakes to subdue all the enemies that are against thy spiritual & eternal good."
"In this kingdom are spiritual riches that may countervail to the full, & are infinitely good beyond all outward riches."
"...God would not leave man in his self-wrought misery."
"...Jesus came to take away the curse of sin, & to bless mankind."
"It is a blessedness to be found in God alone."
"...true blessedness is in God,, in God known & realized;"
"Blessedness can never be selfish."
"EVERYTHING THAT IS GOOD & BEAUTIFUL IN THIS WORLD IS GOOD & BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE IT DERIVES ITS GOOD & BEAUTY FROM GOD."
"What is perfect & enduring is in God alone.  (S. Baring-Gould, M. A.)"
​"Not what a man has, but what he is, is the ground of his blessedness.  (J. Oswald Dukes, D. D.)"
"...unless we be poor in spirit, we are not even able to understand His doctrine."
"Ver. 21.  Blessed are ye that hunger now; for ye shall be filled."
​"...shall not a soul that hungers after righteousness, & the image of God, & the grace of the Spirit of God, shall it not be satisfied?"
"Blessed are ye that weep now:  for ye shall laugh. - The blessedness of tears & mourning"
"There is need of sorrow to bring us back to Him (Psalms 119:67)."
"There is a spiritual mourning, when a man mourns in a spiritual manner, for spiritual things, upon spiritual motives..."
"'Blessed are the mourners, for they shall be comforted.'"
"The comforts of God are beyond all the miseries & sorrows that a man can endure in this life"
"Spiritual mourning works repentance..."
"...it works reformation & amendment; it sets a man further from his sin, & brings him nearer to God & nearer to goodness."
​"Carnal sorrow leaves a man worse than it finds him.  It makes him more sick & weak than it finds him.  Spiritual sorrow leaves him better."
"...all our godly sorrow shall end in true comfort."
"...the sorrow of the wicked is a tempestuous, a boisterous, a furious kind of mourning & lamenting."
"Godly sorrow, it doth a man good.  It humbles him..."
"It drives him...  from all practice of sin; it makes him resolute against sin."
​"'The joy of the Lord is your strength' (Nehemiah 8:10).  A strong thing is spiritual joy, & therefore it will overmatch, & overcome, & drink up, as it were, all our sorrows & fears in due time, as the sun overcomes the darkness of the night, & the fogginess of the mist in the morning."
"Spiritual joy & spiritual mourning, they come from the same fountain, from the same Spirit."
"...the more a man mourns spiritually, the more he prays; & therefore the more he is filled with true joy."
"...worldly sorrow causes death."
​"Ver. 22, 23.  Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, & when they shall separate you from their company, & shall reproach you, & cast out your name as evil"
"Why persecution is to be accounted a blessing..."
"A necessary factor in the spiritual life.  No cross, no crown.  (C. J. Ridgeway, M. A.)"
"...it is a great deal better to suffer for Christ than to suffer for sin."
"THE SUPERIORITY OF HEAVENLY TO EARTHLY REWARDS.  1. The rewards of heaven are certain.  2. They are satisfying.  3. They are eternal.  (R. Hall, A. M.)"
​'"They that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution'  (2 Timothy 3:12)."
"It is for the truths of Christ, the doctrine owned, preached, & recommended by Him, that they thus deal with us."
"It is for the purity of His worship, because we would serve God according to His own will, & not according to their will-worship, that they thus abhor us."
"It is for His authority's sake, because we dare not take the government from off His shoulders (Isaiah 9:6)."
"Ver. 24.  But woe unto you that are rich!  for ye have received your consolation. - The danger of riches"
"The most obvious danger which worldly possessions present to our spiritual welfare is that they become practically a substitute in our hearts for that one object to which our supreme devotion is due."
"The more we 'trust in uncertain riches' the less we trust in God (I Timothy 6:17)."
The Biblical Illustrator, Baker, pgs. 559 - 581.

"VERS. 1, 2.  And it came to pass on the 2nd Sabbath after the 1st, that He went through the corn-fields."
"...make up your minds early what you are going to be in God's field, wheat or poppies; whether you are going to yield grain or blossom; whether you will be profitable or ornamental."
​"Ver. 5.  That the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath."
"Win the mind of Christ - be like Him - & then in the reality of rest in God, the Sabbath form of rest will be superseded."
"Nothing can make us free from the law but the Spirit.  (F. W. Robertson, M. A.)"
"Vers. 6-11.  And there was a man whose right hand was withered. - The ability of Christ to heal the withered energies of the human soul"
"THE BEST ENERGIES OF THE SOUL ARE IN A WITHERED CONDITION.  1. Man's intellectual nature withered, & cannot attain to the inner meaning of Divine truth.  2. Man's moral nature withered, & cannot attain to the rich blessings of the gospel.  3. Man's compassionate sympathy withered, & not deeply sensitive to the woe occasioned by moral evil."
"...the best energies of man are withered, he cannot render to God the service due to Him."
"THE WITHERED ENERGIES OF THE HUMAN SOUL ARE CAPABLE OF EFFECTIVE RESTORATION BY CHRIST."
"THERE ARE MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BUT LITTLE SYMPATHY WITH CHRIST IN HIS WORK OF SOUL-RESTORATION."
"Giving ourselves to Christ is not a matter of understanding what we are doing, but a matter of doing"
"God's commands stand out of all relation to human power to grasp the problems, moral or theological, associated with obedience to those commands."
"It is from Him that cometh down every good & perfect gift.  We are His beneficiaries in everything."
​"WHAT CHRIST REQUIRES US TO DO, IN ORDER TO THE REMOVAL OF THIS INFIRMITY."
"...God demands exertion & energy on our parts before He will consent to put forth that healing power, which alone can recover us from our soul's infirmity."
"The Lord only can restore me.  Shall I not apply to Him for restoration?  (Dean Goulburn.)"
"Ver. 7.  And the scribes & Pharisees watched Him."
"THEIR GREAT DESIRE IS TO SLANDER THOSE WHOM THEY WATCH"
"Ver. 12.  And continued all night in prayer to God."
"True prayer is the soul's mounting up to God..."
​"The best answer to the slanders of the ungodly is to be more constant in communion with God.  (C. H. Spurgeon.)"
"OUR LORD PRAYED WHEN ABOUT TO ENGAGE IN MORE THAN USUALLY IMPORTANT & SERIOUS BUSINESS."
"ANOTHER SEASON FOR PRAYER IS A SEASON OF EXCEEDING ENJOYMENT OR HONOUR (Luke 9:28, 29)."
"ANOTHER SEASON FOR SPECIAL PRAYER IS WHEN WE SEE OUR FRIENDS IN PECULIAR DANGER OR SORROW (Luke 22:32; John 17)."
"...A SEASON OF SUPPLICATION - WHEN TROUBLE IS ON US OR EXPECTED TO COME (Luke 22:44).  Severe affliction is the season of all others, for prayer.  (Charles Bradley, M. A.)"
"...doubtless, it was more soothing & refreshing than sleep for Him to talk to His Father.  Jesus praying & the Father listening; that was a harmony more entrancing than the songs of angels."
"...THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER"
"...THE NECESSITY FOR PRAYER"
"...THE MANNER OF PRAYER"
"We should give ourselves to special prayer when we are about to make any important changes in life  (B. Wilkinson, F. G. S.)"
"Prayer calms & strengthens the soul."
"Pray as you feel drawn in prayer - or, in other words, as the Spirit of God in you leads & dictates."
"Vers. 13-16.  And when it was day, He called unto Him His disciples; & of them He chose 12, whom also He named apostles."
"He chose 12, to indicate that these men were about to form upon earth the true people of God, the spiritual Israel of which the first was but a type.  He chose them, poor, ignorant, weak, in order to show that the power by which they were to conquer the world came not of them, but descended from above."
"...apostle  ...MESSENGER.  The 12 were to be the 1st missionaries of the gospel."
"...WITNESSES of Jesus Christ"
"Every prayer is a renunciation of independence.  Every prayer says, 'We can do nothing without Thee.'"
"He calls them apostles.  They are to be sent forth."
​"Apostle means missionary."
"The 12 apostles  ...What were these qualifications?  1. They were good men.  2. They were men of sensitive mind, ready for Divine calls, open to Divine impulses.  3. They were men of simple, child-like heart - men who had great capacity for faith.  (J. Foster.)"
"Simon, whom He also named Peter, & Andrew his brother, James & John.  Brotherhood in Christ: - 2 pairs of brothers."
"Christ has chosen & called us, that we may be with Him, & preach His gospel, that we may bear witness to Him by a life which reflects His own; & if we are true to His call, we shall also be with Him where He now is, seeing & sharing His everlasting & indisturbable peace.  (T. T. Lynch.)"
"The traitor among the 12..."
"A MOST AWFUL WARNING TO ALL WHO PROFESS TO BE THE DISCIPLE OF CHRIST, TO BEWARE LEST THEY FALL IN A SIMILAR WAY.  (James Foote, M. A.​)"
"Let us beware of a zeal for lifting up ourselves.  Zeal must be pure - fire off the altar."
"THE TRUE CHRISTIAN ZEALOT.  1. How his zeal manifests itself (1) In his private dealings with God."
"The Christian zealot, when he is alone with God, throws his whole heart into His service.  (2) In his prayers.  He prays like a man who means it, & will take no denial.  (3) In his jealousy for God's honour."
"Up with truth, & down with falsehood."
"(4) In the abundance of his labours & gifts.  Zeal labours for Christ."
"(5) By the anguish which his soul feels when his labours for Christ are not succesful."
"(6) In a vehement love & attachment to the person of the Saviour."
"What attachment can there be equal to that which binds a Christian to his Lord?"
"...zeal is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, & genuine zeal draws its life & vital force from the continued operations of the Holy Ghost in the soul."
"Zeal for God feeds itself upon the thought of the eternal future."
"...zeal for God feeds itself on love to Christ.  Lady Powerscourt says somewhere, 'If we want to be thoroughly hot with zeal, we must go near to the furnace of the Saviour's love.'"
"Vers. 17, 19.  And the whole multitude sought to touch Him:  for there went virtue out of Him, & healed them all. - Christ the fountain of health"
"...THE MEANS BY WHICH THE HEALING VIRTUE WHICH RESIDES IN CHRIST, IS APPROPRIATED TO MAN."
​"...there is no sin so great that Christ cannot cleanse; no weakness so inherent which He will not strengthen.  Neither time nor distance can set bounds to those health-giving streams which flow from Him.  (Bishop Woodford.)"
"...'all that believe are justified freely' by God's grace - & since it is also unfailing in its efficacy, for 'the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin'"
"...that remedy being the blood of Christ applied by the prayer of faith, or, if you will, the prayer against unbelief."
"'As many as touched Him,'...  'were made whole'"
"CHRIST'S POWER TO HEAL THE SOUL IS IN HIMSELF ALONE."
"...Christ, & Christ alone, is the source of all healing."
"CHRIST'S POWER TO HEAL IS NOT EXERCISED INDISCRIMINATELY, BUT ONLY UPON THOSE WHO GO TO HIM."
"Not the accidental touch, but the touch on purpose; not the touch which may be put forth out of curiosity, nor to escape the evil consequences of your sin; but the touch of the soul that wants to be healed.  III. CHRIST'S POWER IS EXERCISED TO HEAL ALL WHO TOUCH HIM.  None were disappointed.  None were too ill, too diseased.  (H. W. Butcher.​)"
"Ver. 20.  Blessed be ye poor:  for yours in the kingdom of God."
"...the morality of mankind  ...Blessed they who do not mourn.  Blessed are the high-minded.  Blessed they who hunger & thirst after the selfish gain.  Blessed they who need no mercy.  Blessed the cunning & cold of heart.  Blessed they who win the battle of life.  Blessed they who are prudent enough to escape persecution."
​"...those that are truly poor in spirit, they are content to wait at God's gates, knowing that there is no other door that they can have their alms only at the gates of God."
"Promises to the poor in spirit: - 1. The first is this, that God loves to honour those that are willing to debase themselves.  2. That blessedness doth not consist in any worldly thing - 'Blessed are the poor.'  There is nothing in this world can make them blessed; it is the kingdom of heaven that must make them blessed.  If you would be happy, you must look beyond the world."
"...theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
"...heaven is now to the saints.  There is comfort indeed!"
"Why is it called the kingdom of heaven?  1. It is called the kingdom of heaven because Christ is from heaven, who is the King thereof.  2. In distinction & opposition from or unto the kingdoms of the world.  3. Because that Christ His seat is now at the present in heaven.  4. Because that the way of His government it is spiritual & heavenly, not in an outward way.  5. Because it will certainly bring both soul & body to heaven at last."
The Biblical Illustrator​, Baker, pgs. 538 - 559.

"The gospel of Divine forgiveness we must put first; our benevolences second.  Sin is 1st to be mastered; then suffering is more easily healed.  (Newman Smyth, D. D.)"
"1. A strong faith will overcome difficulties.  2. The readiness of Christ to welcome the needy, & to reward faith.  3. The enmity & opposition of the human heart.  4. The superiority of spiritual to temporal blessings.  5. Testimony given to the Divinity of Christ by His (1) forgiving sin; (2) searching the heart; (3) healing the body."
"...the gospel of forgiveness preached to the poor."
"THE BLESSING IT BESTOWS.  1. Forgiveness.  ...2. Manner of bestowment.  (1) Immediate.  (2) Free.  (3) Complete.  (4) Authoritative.  (5) Effectual."
"Faith's reward: - The hand of faith never knocked in vain at the door of heaven."
​"...the order in which the devil's works are destroyed by the Holy One of God - not first pain & sorrow, & then sin; but first sin, & then the pain, sorrow, death that sin has wrought.  (Leonard W. Bacon.)"
​"He had just come from the wilderness, where He had been engaged in earnest prayer with the Father, no doubt for the salvation of a lost world"
"God's way of salvation is very simple, & the person who has been brought to exercise a believing act will learn more in a few hours than he could by years of study previous to its exercise.  (J. M'Lean.)"
​"It is only men of faith who can truly do good to others."
"Life never grows stale to a companion of Jesus."
"It is right to say of the Lord's doing, 'It is marvellous in our eyes.'"
"Faith accounts all things possible with God"
Vers. 27, 28.  And saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom."
"...those tolls & dues were paid, not into the Jewish treasury, but into the purses of the Roman knights."
​"How do we identify ourselves with Christ?"
"What are we doing to bring others to Christ?  (W. W. Patton, D. D.)"
"The call of Matthew:  - I. CHRIST CALLS."
"Whatsoever is inconsistent with a close earnest following of Him must be abandoned.  II. MATTHEW  OBEYS."
"III. THE REALITY  OF HIS ADHESION TO CHRIST."
"THE HONOURS OF ST. MATTHEW AFTER HIS CONVERSION.  1. He became an apostle.  2. An evangelist.  3. A martyr."
"It is not only to ministers that Christ says, 'Follow Me.'  Others also are called to self-sacrifice."
"It is possible that God calls one & another to make some sacrifice of apparent opportunities of making money, in order that there may be more time for spiritual service.  (T. Gascoigne, B. A.)"
"WE ARE TO LEAVE ALL OUR EVIL PRACTICES THAT WE MAY FOLLOW CHRIST."
"You must surrender yourselves entirely to Christ."
​"You must follow Him wholly.  You must follow Him alone."
"WE MUST RENOUNCE, FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST, ALL OUR EVIL INCLINATIONS."
"We, like St. Matthew, ARE TO RENOUNCE PRIVATE INTEREST, WHENEVER IT INTERFERES WITH OUR OBEDIENCE TO JESUS CHRIST."
"He does not honour his Saviour with his lips only."
"We are to renounce our own righteousness; TO CAST AWAY ALL RELIANCE ON MERIT OF OUR OWN FOR ACCEPTANCE WITH GOD."
"We must, in the last place, FOLLOW OUR REDEEMER UNTO THE END."
"...in the face of danger & death, he persevered until the end of his days in preaching the gospel of his Lord."
"...the work of the Spirit leads us at once to exercise confidence in Christ.  ...the right which Christ has to the obedience of us all, is simply this:  He has created us, & we are bound to serve Him; He has preserved us, & we are bound to honour Him; He has redeemed us, & we are bound to love Him."
"Vers. 29, 30.  And Levi made Him a great feast in his own house."
​"JESUS BEHOLDING SINNERS."
"His eyes behold all classes."
"JESUS CALLING SINNERS."
"JESUS HONOURED BY SINNERS."
"He, therefore, made for Jesus 'a great feast,' 'in his own house.'"
"THE BLESSINGS IMPARTED BY THE GOSPEL."
​"Ver. 30.  But the scribes & Pharisees murmur."
"'The Friend of sinners' is one of our Lord's most glorious titles."
"The glory of His work - 'To call sinners to repentance.'"
"Ver. 31.  They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. - The soul's malady & cure"
"...sin is a soul-disease"
"Sickness is of a spreading nature, it spreads all over the body, it works into every part, the head, stomach, it disorders the whole body:  so sin doth not rest in 1 part, but spreads into all the faculties of the soul, & members of the body - 'The whole head is sick, the whole heart is faint.'"
"The will is diseased"
"The affections are sick"
"...a sick man desires that which is hurtful for him"
"...he desires poison, he desires to take his fill of sin, he loves death"
"Sickness doth debilitate & weaken the body"
"...so this sickness of sin weakens the soul - 'When we were without strength, Christ died.'"
"...sin is a soul-sickness, it hath eclipsed the glory & splendour of the soul"
​"Sin hath turned beauty into deformity"
"...SIN IS THE WORST SICKNESS."
"...this disease of sin, if not cured, separates from the society of God & angels."
"...Jesus Christ is a soul-physician.  Ministers...  are physicians whom Christ doth in His name delegate & send abroad into the world."
"'I am the Lord that healeth thee.'"
"...4 things in Christ that are healing.  1. His word is healing - 'He sent His word, & healed them.'  2. Christ's wounds are healing; 'with His stripes we are healed.'"
"Christ's Spirit is healing; the blood of Christ heals the guilt of sin; the Spirit of Christ heals the pollution of sin."
"He is the most skilful physician"
"'Who healeth all thy diseases.'"
"The sick need the physician: - I. CHRIST IS MORE CONCERNED WITH THOSE WHO NEED HIM MOST.  II. SICKNESS OF SOUL IS THE NEED WHICH CALLS FOR CHRIST AS THE GOOD PHYSICIAN.  III. IT IS NECESSARY FOR A MAN TO CONFESS HIS SICKNESS OF SOUL BEFORE HE CAN BE HEALED BY CHRIST.  (W. F. Adeney, M. A.)"
"THERE IS A MORAL DISEASE IN THE HEART & CHARACTER OF MAN."
"THE REMEDY PROPOSED FOR HEALING THIS DISEASE; the healing medicine of the gospel.  1. Universally adapted.  2. Absolutely free.  3. Infallibly efficacious.  (W. Urwick.)"
​"...it is so difficult to persuade impenitent men to accept the salvation of the gospel.  It is because they do not feel their need of such a salvation.  (J. Hawes, D. D.)"
"As a skilful Physician He prescribeth the fittest remedies."
​'"By His stripes we are healed'"
"Psalm 147:3, 'He heals those that are broken in heart, & binds up their sores.'  For the means whereby the cure is applied, it is faith; we must bring faith to be healed."
"Not to be tampering with our own medicines, nor the medicines of Egypt, merits, pilgrimages, penance, or the like"
"...only such as we find prescribed in the Word of God, by our great Doctor."
"To keep our health, we must keep good diet, both for soul & body."
"...the Word  ...reading & meditating on it"
"To preserve our health, we must strive to live in a good & wholesome air."
"To preserve health, physicians prescribe the use of good exercises."
"...hearing & reading of God's Word; pray also, & meditate when thou art alone;  (T. Taylor, D. D.)"
​"Ver. 32.  I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
"One of the most wonderful doctrines was the declaration of Christ that a man might be born again"
"We must have the Spirit of Christ, or we are none of His."
"'I am the chief of sinners,' said holy Paul, & that is sure to be the feeling of the man who is truly penitent."
"...so long as a man is self-righteous he is not saveable, he cannot hear & obey the call of Christ.  Christ's errand is to the needy & the sinful.  Let the self-righteous become conscious of his unrighteousness & sinfulness, & he becomes at once one of those whom Christ came to call."
"He will have all men to be saved & to come to a knowledge of the truth.  (J. R. Bailey.)"
"Vers. 33, 34.  And they said unto Him, Why do the disciples of John fast often & make prayers?"
"Ver. 35.  But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them."
"Undoubtedly, as a Christian grows in grace he grows fitted for sacrifices, privations, & endurances, which would have quite overcome him if demanded at an earlier point of his career as a believer;  (H. Melvill, B. D.)"
"Vers. 36 - 38.  No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old."
"Theology must tally with experience"
"No patch-work morality: - You say, & say honestly no doubt, that you want to be right & to do right, but you can accept the gospel only in part.  Christ's moral code is all very well, but the doctrine of the new birth you cannot accept.  So you go to cutting patches again."
"You will keep Christ's precepts without being a new creature.  You will sew the new code upon the old nature."
"That moral code was meant for a new man, & nothing but a birth from above, nothing but an impulse generated & maintained by God Himself, will ever enable you to live it."
"...patching pieces of the gospel on the old nature; a temperance piece, & a Bible-reading piece, & a church-going piece, upon a nature which, in its very quality & essence, is estranged from God."
"The coming of a new revelation meant the repeal of old observances, & Christ refused to sew His new faith like a patch-work upon ancient institutions, of which it would only complete the ruin."
"The similitude of the new wine seems to have reference to the inner life & spirit - the very life & soul of the Christians dispensation which could not be restrained within the trammels of the worldly sanctuary of Judaism."
"The more excellent way which our Lord pursued, & which it is our wisdom to pursue, is to take the old garment & to transform it, as by a renewing power from within, thread by thread, till the old things are passed away & all things are become new.  (Dean Plumptre.)"
​"...to remain unrenewed under the preaching of the gospel"
"...for an audience accustomed to hear the gospel, but to hear it only with the understanding whilst they shut up the heart!"
"...another warning neglected, another effort on God's part resisted (H. Melvill, B. D.)"
The Biblical Illustrator, Baker, pgs. 508 - 538.