WEEK 1 THE MISSIONS MANDATE: BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING

Genesis 12: 1-3  Abraham's call to 'Go'

‘I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you.  I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’ 

There is a big division in the bible into two parts. One part is  Genesis 1-11 and the other part is Genesis 12- Revelation 21. Genesis 1-11 is an explanation of man’s problem. God is creator but man has sinned.  Genesis 12- Revelation 21 is God’s response….. and what is God’s response at the  beginning of Genesis 12…. ‘I will’….Our God is a…. ‘willing God’.

This is the creator God of Genesis 1 , who despite man’s sin and wickedness that we read about in Genesis 1-11 is a God who will find a way to redeem the situation. He will keep his promise that he made in Genesis 3:15 ‘he will crush your  head. God will find a way to redeem.  God’s call to Abraham to ‘Go’ is proof that God is faithful even if we are faithless. God will find a way to redeem this situation. God will not abandon us. God has not abandoned us. The blessing in Genesis 11 deals with the curse in Genesis 3 and the result is in Revelation 22:3. No longer will there be any curse . The promise of Genesis 11:1-3, is a promise of blessing. 5 times God says I will bless you. That blessing will spill out and bless the whole earth. God says to Abraham ‘ Go …..(and) ….All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’  We read later in Habbakuk.‘The earth will be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea. 

Our God is a God of covenant and a God of history. He has promised and He will do it . The first words of New Testament are a genealogy. Everyone in the genealogy is a  fulfillment of the  2000 year promise to Abraham. Our faith in the Messiah is deeply rooted in this long list of people. Jesus is the key figure and we are invited to participate in his spiritual lineage. In Hebrews 11we read. ‘It is by faith that we inherit the promise’. Abraham did not see it with his eyes. As he responded to the call to ‘Go,’ he inherited the promise by faith and so do we. Our God is a God of mission. As Abraham’s seed by faith we can step into the promise. God has said  ‘Go.’ God says to you and me ‘Go' Will we respond? 

In Romans 10 we read , ‘How will they hear if someone doesn’t ‘Go’ We need to understand that there is a greater plan in the heart of God . God’s plan for the human race is a for a big family that will fill the earth. Do you and I understand that we are part of that plan?  Going back is not an option. He commands us to ‘Go’. Let’s step into God’s plan. He will accomplish his purposes, There is no going back. What is your response? Will you be part of God’s big plan to bless the whole earth, that’s God’s mission. He has promised and he will do it.  You have a destiny and a purpose and it is all part of this missions mandate: God’s plan is to bless the whole earth. Let’s respond to God’s call and Go! 

LAUNCHING OUT INTO THE DEEP

• ...SO THEY PULLED THEIR BOATS UP ONTO THE SHORE, LEFT EVERYTHING AND FOLLOWED HIM

The late Dallas Willard said in his book 'The Spirit of the Disciplines' that 'Salvation is a life.' He asked the question 'Why is it that we look upon our salvation as a moment when we began our religious life rather than the daily life we receive from God. The church Father Athanasius emphasized the importance of the incarnation over the cross in understanding our salvation, just as he emphasised Christ's person over Christ's work. Dallas Willard encourages us that salvation is a new order of life, not just forgiveness of sins. When Jesus called his disciples to follow him, he called them to a new order of life. Why should we pull up our boats, leave everything and follow Jesus? It is our response to Jesus and his call on our life. He is our life... and our salvation is found in that daily life we receive from Him.

In seeking to grow in Christian discipleship, and to be changed into the image of Christ, I have been inspired recently by the similarity between Eastern Orthodoxy and Classical Pentecostalism. In many ways John Wesley was a bridge from one to the other.In Orthodoxy this transformation is called 'theosis' and for Pentecostals it takes place though baptism in the spirit and prayerful encounter.John Wesley drew inspiration from the Orthodox Christian fathers and he was the spiritual and intellectual father of the modern holiness and Pentecostal movements.

Andrew Walker has written a book this year called 'deep church rising' encouraging retrieval of practices of the Orthodox church including 'Catechesis'. Cambridge House of Prayer seeks to be an Anglican 'new monastic' a fresh expression of church,and stirred by concerns that fresh expressions of church are sometimes quite superficial and in danger of becoming'flights from tradition',we intend to go deeper in discipling believers in a praying evangelistic community. In seeking to follow Christ as his disciples we seek to draw from both ancient and more recent streams of christian spirituality, valuing both old treasure and new.

In Luke 5 Jesus called Peter to launch out into the deep. He said ' Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch.' Even though Peter had laboured all night without success he let down his nets, and he caught so many fish that his nets began to break.Will you join us in the Cambridge House of Prayer as we launch out into the deep this autumn? We are beginning to step out into the deep, stepping out of our comfort zones as an evangelistic community sharing the gospel on the streets using gospel bracelets. see link with title 'Gospel bracelets'

Gospel Bracelets

We are also beginning to step out into the deep as a praying community, adopting a bible reading programme that encourages corporate reading of the psalms on a daily basis and personal reading of the New Testament and Old Testament. We are aiming to read and pray the psalms corporately three times over the next 30 weeks and read the New testament twice and the old Testament once in our personal devotions too.This is the type of balance that the early church fathers adopted we understand it, in their bible reading. This will start on Monday 22 September.

Click on 3-2-1 bible reading plan. This is a 12 page document on the following link.

3-2-1 Bible reading plan

We will also be coming together once a week on Thursday nights beginning to meet more frequently at the Round church in the centre of Cambridge, starting this week.See the following link for when and where we are meeting

Regular gatherings

or contact me at

andrew.taylor7@cantab.net

I will aim to post summaries of the weekly devotionals from our Thursday evening meetings over the next 30 weeks, on this website.

Lets launch out into the deep together this autumn!

FUTURE POSTINGS ON CAMHOP BLOG

TODAY SATURDAY JUNE 14 IS GLOBAL OUTREACH DAY

Please look at the following website to inform your prayers:-

www.globaloutreachday.com

I hope you have found the 30 days of ‘Light the Fire Again’ to be helpful. Click on this link to see webversion of hardcopy:-

http://peter.prescott.ws/footnotes/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Light-The-Fire-Again-1.pdf

If you would like to purchase hardcopies of this devotional, then please send requests by email to andrew.taylor7@cantab.net

Cost is £3 per copy + postage. ( I will be on holiday for 2 weeks, from Tuesday 17 June so there may be a delay in reply)

Over the past 30 days approximately 35-38 people have usually been accessing these devotionals daily . Some people may have just been reading the devotionals on the life of Wesley. The intention has been that these devotionals would inspire prayer for revival AND ideally morning and evening reading and praying of the psalms IN A GROUP. The Christian faith is essentially corporate rather than individual in nature and there has been no one book of scripture more helpful devotionally in all the ages of the church than the book of psalms.

For those eager to grow in their discipleship of the Lord Jesus Christ while a member of a community of people reading and praying the psalms, while praying for revival, a 20 unit discipleship course will hopefully be posted, on this website starting in the autumn, inspired by both Benedicts rule and also inspired by key teachings on the Youth With A Mission Discipleship Training School curriculum. ( Summary of this 20 unit discipleship course below)

Jesus tells us to bring old treasure out of the store house as well as new treasure ( Matthew 13:52)

Alternatively if you do not feel this would be beneficial - please press unsubscribe.

Benedict’s Rule

Benedictine spirituality is distinctive because it was the spirituality that the Lord used to evangelize Europe. At the time that Benedict died his rule was one of the many rules for monastic life, but within two hundred years, Benedict ‘had become the patriarch of western monasticism and the Rule was the most influential in the Latin church’ Benedictine monastic life had a huge influence on every country in Europe during the Middle Ages, and half of the cathedrals in England were under Benedictine rule. Cranmer skillfully shortened the Benedictine monastic offices into the two Anglican prayer book offices, namely Matins and Evensong. Mark Noll argues that Benedict’s rule was one of the key turning points in the history of western civilization. It is now over 1500 years since Benedict wrote his rule which is still adhered to in Benedictine monasteries in the UK today ; it was the basis for the evangelization of Europe, and it has strongly informed institutional Christianity across the world.

The Youth with a Mission Discipleship Training School

Youth with A Mission is a Charismatic evangelical international interdenominational mission agency that was founded by Loren Cunningham in December 1960. The aim of Youth with a Mission (YWAM) is to know God and to make Him known. YWAM is essentially a modern-day monastic movement. Loren Cunningham’s original intention in establishing the Discipleship Training School was to focus on Christian character and missions, while living together in community. YWAM currently operates in over 1000 locations and there are over 15,000 staff, in over 149 countries.

Tentative summary of forthcoming 20 unit discipleship course.

‘LISTEN MY SON’

INTRODUCTION

‘And so we intend to establish a school for the Lord’s service…' Benedict’s rule –Prologue This is a 20 unit discipleship course designed to be used alongside a community of praying people eager to grow in their discipleship of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1.) KNOWING GOD THE FATHER

‘Listen my son to the masters instructions, and take them to heart they are the instructions of a loving father…’ Benedict’s rule - Prologue

2.) THE INVITATION TO FOLLOW CHRIST

‘It is to you, that my words are addressed, if you are ready to take up the powerful and glorious weapons of obedience, renouncing your own will with the intention of fighting for the true king Christ the Lord…. Now at last we must wake up, as scripture rouses us to do when it says “Now is the time for us to rise from sleep” Romans 13:11’ Benedict’s rule - Prologue

3.) LISTENING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

‘Let us open our eyes to the divine light and listen carefully to what the divine voice tells us to do when it cries out each day, ‘If you hear his voice today, do not harden your hearts.’ Ps 95 7-8, and also ‘He who has ears to hear, let him listen to what the spirit says to the churches’ Rev 2:7; see also Matt 11:15’ Benedict’s rule -Prologue

4.) THE FEAR OF GOD

‘And what does he say? Come to me, my children and listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.’ Psalm 34:11 Benedict’s rule - Prologue

5.) SEEKING GOD FIRST

‘First of all, ‘love the Lord God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength’, then love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matt 22:37,39; Mark 12:30-31, Luke 10:27 Benedict’s Rule - Ch 4

6.) SEEKING GOD IN COMMUNITY: STABILITY

‘The workshop where we diligently work at all these tasks is the enclosure of the monastery, in the stability of the community’ Benedict’s Rule - Ch 4

7.) SEEKING GOD IN COMMUNITY: CONVERSION OF YOUR WAY OF LIFE

‘The one who is to be received ….must promise stability, conversion of his way of life and obedience before God and his saints’ Benedict’s Rule - Ch 58

8.) SEEKING GOD IN COMMUNITY: OBEDIENCE

‘‘The first step towards humility is unhesitating obedience, which comes naturally to all who hold Christ dearer than anything else….’ Benedict’s Rule Ch 4

9.) THE WORD OF GOD

‘As we make progress in our way of life and in faith, as our heart expands with the inexpressible sweetness of love, we shall run along the path of God’s commandments…’ Benedict’s rule -Prologue

10.) PRAYER

‘If we wish to ask a favour of a powerful person, we would not dare to do so except with humility and respect. Is it not all the more important for us to pray to the Lord, the God of all, with the utmost humility and purity of devotion Benedict’s Rule Ch 20

11.) THE HOLY SPIRIT

‘As we make progress in our way of life and in faith, as our heart expands with the inexpressible sweetness of love, we shall run along the path of God’s commandments…’ Benedict’s rule -Prologue

12.) SPIRITUAL GIFTS

‘Each person has his own gift from God – one person has one kind of gift and the next person has a different one.’ 1 Corinthians 7:7 Benedict’s Rule Ch 40

13.) HUMILITY AND A TEACHABLE HEART

‘The first step towards humility is unhesitating obedience, which comes naturally to all who hold Christ dearer than anything else.’ Benedict’s rule Ch 5

14.) SERVANTHOOD

Holy Scripture calls us brothers, saying, ‘Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.’ Benedict’s Rule - Ch 7

15.) RELATIONSHIPS

‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37,39, Mark 12:30-31, Luke 10:27 Benedict’s Rule - Ch 4

16.) GENEROSITY

‘God loves a cheerful giver’ 2 Cor 9:7 Benedict’s Rule - Ch 5

17.) HOSPITALITY

‘All guests who arrive should be received as if they were Christ.’ Benedict’s Rule - Ch 53

18.) RESTRAINT OF SPEECH

‘Let us do as the prophet says: I will keep a watch over my ways so that I do not offend with my tongue….’ Benedict’s Rule - Ch 6

19.) THE LEADER AS A SHEPHERD

‘The shepherd will…. think carefully about the account he must give of himself.’ Benedict’s rule - Ch 2

20.) LIFESTYLE MODELLING

‘The …abbot should be chosen for his virtuous way of life and the wisdom of his teaching ….’ Benedict’s Rule - Ch 64

DAY 30

MORNING

PSALMS 144–146

Psalm 144:4 “Man is like a breath his days like a fleeting shadow.”

“Nothing left but a library of books, a clergyman’s gown and the Methodist Church”

Wesley travelled to Leatherhead in a two-horse chaise to what was his last preaching engagement at 7am on Wednesday 23 February, 1791. His health deteriorated afterwards and as he
lay on his bed during his last moments on
 this earth, he once cried out in a remarkably strong voice, “The best of all is, God is with us!” he died at 10 o’clock on Wednesday,
2 March. Memorial services were held in numerous cities and villages across the British Isles.197

On his tombstone in Wesley’s Chapel on City Road, London, the inscription reads.
“Rev John Wesley ... a man in learning and sincere piety scarcely inferior to any in zeal, ministerial labours and extensive usefulness superior perhaps to all men since the days of St Paul. Regardless of fatigue, personal danger and disgrace he went out into the highways and hedges calling sinners to repentance 
and publishing the Gospel of peace. He was the founder of the Methodist societies and 
the chief promoter and patron of the plan of itinerant preaching which extended to Great Britain and Ireland, the West Indies and America with unexampled success. He was born 17 June, 1703 and died 2 March, 1791, in sure and certain hope of eternal life through the atonement and mediation of a crucified Saviour. He was 65 years in the ministry
 and 52 an itinerant preacher. He lived to see, in these kingdoms only, about 300 itinerant and 1000 local preachers raised up in the midst of his own people and 80,000 persons in societies under his care. His name will be ever had in grateful remembrance by all who rejoice in the universal spread of the gospel of Christ.”198

Because of his charitable nature he died poor. It has been said that when John Wesley was carried to his grave, he left behind 
him “a good library of books, a well-worn clergyman’s gown and the Methodist Church”. He had lived up to those challenging words that he had often given to his itinerant preachers: “The church has nothing to do but save souls; therefore spend and be spent in this work.”

Prayer

Lord, you set John Wesley apart to be your vessel to see a national awakening unto revival in the 18th century. We thank you for our godly heritage and all that you did 
in the past, but we call out to you today, “Set your chosen vessels apart for a national awakening today. Do not let the candle go out. Let your Church in this land catch the vision to do nothing but save souls, TO SPEND AND BE SPENT for this work. Restore the Gospel to England ONCE AGAIN we pray!”

197 Pollock, J. Wesley: The Preacher, 257–260.

198 Wesley, J. Volume 5, 45

DAY 30

EVENING

PSALMS 147–150

Psalm 149:4 “He crowns the humble with salvation.”

Kingswood in One Short Year: 1739

In one short year, 1739, much had 
been done among the poor colliers of Kingswood. Wesley wrote in his Journal:

27 November 1739

Few persons have lived long in the west of England, who have not heard of the Colliers of Kingswood; people famous from the beginning hitherto, for neither fearing God nor regarding man: So ignorant of the things of God, that they seemed but one remove from the beasts that perish; and therefore utterly without desire of instruction, as well as without the means of it ... Many last winter used tauntingly to say of 
Mr Whitefield, “If he will convert Heathens, why does he not go to the Colliers of Kingswood? In spring he did so. And as there were thousands who resorted to no place of public worship, he went after them into their own wilderness, “to seek and save that which was lost”. When he was called away, others went into the highways and hedges to compel them to come. And by the grace of God, their labour was not in vain. The scene is already changed. Kingswood does not now as a year ago, resound with cursing and blasphemy. It is no more filled with drunkenness and uncleanness, and the idle diversions that naturally lead thereto. It is no longer full of wars and fightings, of clamour and bitterness, of wrath and envyings. Peace and love are there. Great numbers of the people are mild, gentle and easy to be intreated. They do not cry, neither strive and hardly is their voice heard in the streets.

Years later after Wesley’s death, one secular journal, and The Gentleman’s Magazine a secular magazine that had scorned Wesley, wrote:

“The great point in which his name and mission will be honoured is this: he directed his labours towards those who had no instructor, to the highways and hedges; to 
the miners in Cornwall and the colliers in Kingswood ... by the humane and active endeavours of him and his brother Charles,
a sense of decency, morals and religion was introduced into the lowest classes of mankind; the ignorant were instructed; the wretched relieved; and the abandoned reclaimed. Though his taste was classic and his manners elegant, he sacrificed that society in which 
he was particularly calculated to shine; gave up those preferments, which his abilities
 must have obtained and devoted a long life in practising and enforcing the plainest duties. Instead of being ‘an ornament to literature’, he was a blessing to his fellow creatures; instead of ‘the genius of the age,’ he was the servant of God!”

Prayer

We thank you, Lord, for the huge legacy that John Wesley left, one that was recognised even by his enemies. As you “crowned the humble” Kingswood miners “with salvation” in one short year, the year of 1739, we cry out to you, Lord, DO IT AGAIN. Just as a fire was lit in this land 275 years ago, we pray DO IT AGAIN! Lord, do not let the fire go out! Light the fire AGAIN, we pray!

TOMORROW, SATURDAY JUNE 14 IS GLOBAL OUTREACH DAY

PLEASE LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE TO INFORM YOUR PRAYERS:-

www.globaloutreachday.com

199 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1, 251–252.

200 Pollock, J. Wesley:The preacher, 261.

DAY 29

MORNING

PSALMS 139–140

Psalm 139:9 “... if I settle on the far side of the sea.”

Another Wave to the Ends of the Earth

The Methodist Conference commissioned two lay preachers in 1769 to go to the American colonies. In a sense they would be doing nothing new, as they would be working like itinerant Methodist preachers in Britain. In 1789 another itinerant from the Midlands, Francis Asbury, volunteered and set sail for Philadelphia to join them.193

Asbury is credited for recruiting and organising a band of selfless and radical riders of whom the world was not worthy, that would change America’s future forever. This group of rough yet broken men would travel the frontiers of America for decades, taking the Gospel to the most remote places in America. In a time of American history where it was easier to stay in one place and live in the comfort of the few cities that existed, these men refused comfort and were driven by the ancient dream of Eden to see man and God live in intimate fellowship. They rode on. Over half of them died before reaching the age of 33 and their annual pay, if any, was around 50 dollars. “No family was too poor, no house too filthy, no town too remote, and no people too ignorant to receive the good news that life could be better.”

They did not do it for the love of money, fame nor an affinity towards human comfort. They were marked by the same determination as Asbury that every home in America 
would hear and believe the Gospel. When Asbury arrived in America there were a few hundred Methodist followers and a few dozen preachers, but by the time he died there were over 210,000 followers and over 4,000 preachers. America would never be the same because of these wild-eyed revivalists. Wesley was encouraged that the Gospel
 was spreading in America. Their vision was his vision that if Christians were to live out the Gospel and to live pure and holy lives the message of the Gospel would be irresistible 
to those that had not heard the Good News. Wesley wrote to Asbury: “ (The) God of love will then prepare his messengers and make a way into the polar regions, into the deep recesses of America and into the interior parts of Africa; yea into the heart of China and Japan, with countries adjoining to them. And ‘their sound’ will then ‘go forth into all lands, and their voice to the ends of the earth.’”194
 Asbury and the early American circuit riders are the inspiration for a new youth movement of radical evangelists in the USA at present.195

Prayer

Lord, raise up a new breed of wild-eyed revivalists in our day. We thank you for Francis Asbury and the early Methodist circuit riders and we say, “Lord, do it again”! Unleash another wave of passionate young evangelists with neither love of money nor love of comfort but a passionate desire to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Do it again in our day we pray, Lord!

193 Pollock, J. Wesley: The preacher, 250–251.

194 Wesley. J. Letter to Asbury, 1788.


195 www.thecircuitrider.com/about-us/history

DAY 29

EVENING

PSALMS 141–143

Psalm 141:4 “Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil.”

Deliverance in Kingswood

Wesley wrote in his Journal:196

Tuesday 23 October, 1739

Returning in the evening I was exceedingly pressed to go back to a young woman in Kingswood ... I went. She was 19 or 20 years old, but it seems could not write or read. I found her on the bed, two or three persons holding her. It was a terrible sight. Anguish, horror and despair above all descriptions, appeared in her pale face. The thousand distortions of her whole body showed how the dogs of hell were gnawing her heart. The shrieks intermixed were scarce to be endured. But her stony eyes could not weep. She screamed out as soon as words could find their way, “I am damned, damned lost for ever. Six days ago you might have helped me but it is past. I am the devil’s now.” We interrupted her by calling upon God. On which she sunk down ... and another young woman began to roar as loud as she had done. My brother came in, it being about 9 o’clock. We continued in prayer until past eleven, when God in a moment spoke peace into the soul, first of the first tormented and then the other and they both joined in singing praise to him who had “stilled the enemy and the avenger.”

Saturday 27 October 1739

I was sent for to Kingswood again to one of those who been so ill before. A violent rain began ... when I was come I was quite cold and dead, and fitter for sleep than prayer. She burst out into a horrid laughter, and said “No power, no power, no faith, no faith. She is mine, her soul is mine, and I have and will not let her go.” We begged God to increase our faith. Meanwhile her pangs increased more and more; so that
one would have imagined, by the violence of the throes her body must have been shattered to pieces. We betook ourselves to prayer again, and ceased not again, till she began about 6 o’clock with a clear voice, and a cheerful look, [to sing] “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.”

Prayer

Lord, we pray for those in our country who are trapped in sin, who do not know that there is a free gift of salvation that does not need to be earned, that has been paid for at a price. You are our Deliverer, who rescues us from all our troubles who saves us from all despair. Rescue, save us and deliver us from evil we pray.

196 Wesley. J. Works of John Wesley, Journal, Volume 1, 236, 237.

DAY 28

MORNING

PSALMS 132–135

Psalm 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity.”

Wesley and Whitefield Reconciled

It became clear a few years after the Methodist revival had begun in 1841 
that George Whitefield and John Wesley had differences of opinion on a number of matters. “Wesley knew that Whitefield would never put friendship before principle: he 
was immovable ... wherever his conscience was concerned. Both men were distressed. Whitefield probably showed it more openly, for as (Wesley said) ‘He had a heart susceptible of the most generous and the most tender friendship.’”184

“The heart of Wesley’s annoyance, however was that Whitefield had revealed a private matter. To underline his point that the drawing of a lot might be false guidance, Whitefield had told the public about Wesley’s lot at Deal in February 1738.”185

“All through the summer of 1741 they were estranged. Whitefield toured Scotland, where he preached to great audiences, was bullied by extreme Calvinists who were affronted he would not leave the Church of England. Wesley toured the Midlands, preached before the University of Oxford, and worked in London and Bristol. He made no move towards Whitefield.”186

“In November 17841 their seven-month breach was healed and affection returned, yet the close unity of the early days never was fully restored: the theological divisions which two centuries earlier had weakened the Reformation were dividing their minds though not their hearts, and each believed he was right. ‘I spent an agreeable hour with Mr Whitefield’ wrote Wesley in April 1742. ‘I believe he is sincere in all he says concerning his desire of joining hands with all that love the Lord Jesus Christ. But if (as some would persuade me) he is not, the loss is all on his side. I am just as I was: I go on my way, whether he goes with me or stays behind.’”187 “Together they could have done even more for Britain and America—Whitefield the incomparable preacher, Wesley the patient organizer. Instead the evangelical revival would flow in two channels, although leaders and friends would often support each other. Both Wesley and Whitefield sought a more formal unity from time to time, but their differences were not overcome.”188

At George Whitefield’s funeral, John Wesley gave the address and his final words were: “oh that thou wouldst cause the mantle of
thy prophet, whom thou has taken up, now to fall upon us that remain! ‘Where is the Lord God of Elijah?’ Let his spirit rest upon these thy servants! show thou art the God that answerest by fire! Let the fire of thy love fall on every heart! And because we love thee, let us love one another with a ‘love stronger than death!’ Take away from us ‘all anger and wrath, and bitterness; all clamour and evil- speaking!’ Let thy spirit so rest upon us, that from this hour we may be ‘kind to each other, tenderhearted forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven us.’”189

Prayer

When brothers live together in unity you command a blessing, Lord. Show us where there is an offence in our hearts, Lord. If there is pride in my heart, show me, Lord, and give me the grace to repent and to forgive.

184 Pollock, J Wesley: the Preacher, 149

185 Pollock, J Wesley: the Preacher, 150 186 Pollock, J Wesley: the Preacher, 151

187 Pollock, J Wesley: the Preacher, 153.

188 Pollock, J Wesley: the Preacher, 153. 189 Wesley. J.Journal, Volume 6, 181–2

DAY 28

EVENING

PSALMS 136–138

Psalm 138:3 “You made me bold and stout-hearted.”

Cornwall Transformed

The West Country was testament to the change that Methodism had brought to the country. In his old age, the bishop of Exeter invited him to a meal at his palace. A previous bishop of Exeter had been violently opposed to Wesley and had written pamphlets denouncing him. This meeting was very different. After the meal was over the bishop said, “Mr. Wesley, I hope I may sit at your feet in the kingdom of heaven.” When Wesley was 86 he visited Cornwall for the last time. He wrote in his Journal:190 “The last time I was here, about forty years ago, I was taken prisoner by an immense mob, gaping and roaring like lions; but how is the tide turned. High and low now lined the street from one end of the town to the other, out of stark love and kindness, gaping and staring as if the king were going by. In the evening 
I preached on the smooth top of the hill, at
 a small distance for the sea to the largest congregation I have ever seen in Cornwall, except in or near Redruth ... God moved wonderfully on the hearts of the people, who all seemed to know the day of their visitation.” As Wesley left Cornwall on Friday August 28, 1789, he wrote, “So there is a fair prospect in Cornwall, from Launceston to Land’s End.”191

The final sermon that Wesley preached was in the open air at the age of 87. He was beneath an ash tree at Rye in Kent in a churchyard. Now his voice was very feeble “but his reverend countenance, especially his long white locks, formed a picture never to be forgotten.”192

Prayer

We pray for the turning of the tide in Britain. We pray that the Gospel would be restored to our land, ONCE AGAIN. Raise up bold and stout-hearted evangelists to preach the Gospel in the highways and byways, today. We pray for another day of visitation 
from you Lord—a “planting of the Lord for the display of your splendour.” Radically transform the morality of our nation from the grassroots up and change the spiritual landscape beyond recognition through the powerful proclamation of your word, with signs following.



190 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 4, 468.


191 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 4, 470.

192 Pollock, J. Wesley: the Preacher, 257.

DAY 27

MORNING

PSALMS 120–125

Psalm 122:7 “I lift up my eyes to the hills; where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Kennington Common

From the Lord comes our help. He is our Saviour and Deliverer. The message that Wesley preached at Kennington in September was “believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved.” In his Journal we read how the Lord granted peace and rest to the weary who cried to him to be saved:182

Monday 3 September 1739

Several persons who were then convinced of 
sin came to me to the next morning. One came also, who had been mourning long, and desired earnestly us to pray with her. We had scarce begun, when the enemy began to tear her so that she screamed out as in the pangs of death. But his time was short; for within a quarter of an hour she was full of the “peace that passes all understanding”.

Sunday 9 September 1739

I declared to about ten thousand in Moorfields what they must do to be saved. My mother went and with this about five others to Kennington where were supposed to be twenty thousand people. I again insisted on that foundation of all our hope “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved.”

Tuesday 18 September 1739

A young woman came to us at Islington, in such an agony as I have seldom seen. Her sorrow and fear were too big for utterance; so that after a few words, her strength as well as heart failing, she sunk down to the ground. Only her sighs and her groans showed she was yet alive. We cried out unto God in her behalf. We claimed the promises made to the weary and heavy-laden, and he did not cast out our prayer. She saw the Saviour as it were, crucified before her eyes. She laid hold on him by faith and her spirit revived.

Prayer

Lord, we look to you, we lift our eyes to you. You are the one from whom our help comes. May the Gospel go out to the poor in our nation once again. We pray that the thirsty would come to you and drink. May they believe on you, Lord Jesus, and be saved. We pray for today’s poor — the oppressed, the neglected, the elderly, the fatherless, the single parents and the lonely. Melt their hearts and revive them with your love today, we pray.

182 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1, 225.

DAY 27

EVENING

PSALMS 126–131

Psalm 126:5 “Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.”

Delivered From Distress

Wesley wrote in his Journal:

Thursday 27 September, 1739

I ... at six came to Turner’s Hall; which holds (about) two thousand persons. The press
 both within and without was very great. In the beginning of the expounding, there being a large vault beneath, the main beam which supported the floor broke. The floor immediately sunk, which occasioned much noise and confusion among the people. But two or three days before a man had filled the vault with hogsheads of tobacco. So that the floor after sinking a foot or two rested upon them and I went on without interruption.

Thursday 11 October 1739

One of these showed the agony of her soul by crying aloud to God for help, to the great offence of many, who eagerly “rebuked her that she should hold her peace.” She continued in great torment all night, finding no rest of either of soul or body. But while a few were praying for her in the morning, God delivered her out of her distress.

Wednesday 17 October 1739

The frost was sharper than before. However five or six hundred people stayed, while I explained the nature of that salvation which is through faith, yea faith alone. About noon I came to Usk, where I preached to a small company of poor people, on those words, “The Son of Man is come to save that which was lost.” One grey- headed man wept and trembled exceedingly. When I came to Ponty-Pool in the afternoon, being unable to procure any more convenient place, I stood in the street, and cried aloud to five or six hundred attentive hearers, to “believe in the Lord Jesus,” that they might “be saved.” In the evening I showed his willingness to save all who desire to come unto God through Him. Many were melted into tears. It may be that some will bring forth fruit with patience. 183

Prayer

Lord, teach us how to pray for revival to sweep our land, to sow in prayer that we might reap abundantly. May the word of God take root in receptive hearts and may many believe in the Lord Jesus Christ that they might be saved.

183 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1, 225.

DAY 26

MORNING

PSALM 119:105–144

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet.”

Open-air evangelism unto the Nations

Throughout his lifetime, Wesley travelled up and down the British Isles by horse, by carriage and by foot. Open- air evangelism may have been unfamiliar to his contemporaries in the 18th century, and was resisted by the religious authorities of his day, but pedestrian evangelism in England had many precedents.179

There was no alternative but to preach
ing in the open-air for the church originally. In England the church was probably planted through Roman soldiers but there would 
not have been many buildings. In the fifth century Ninian and Patrick and then in the sixth century Colomba would have preached in the open air. Paulinus and Aidan would have preached in the open in Northumbria when it was converted. In the 13th century the friars also used outdoor preaching, and itinerant preachers brought the truths of the Reformation to our land. They would go to wherever they might be heard and this was more often on the village green or by the road than in the local churches. George Fox and the Quakers used the same approach too. Wesley was in good company. Wesley followed a triangular path, from London to Bristol and to Newcastle, which also was his place of retreat and rest. He also travelled to Wales in 1739 and Scotland in 1751. As he began to travel all over the world, leading people to Christ was his sole desire. He wrote: “wherever I see one or a thousand men running into hell, be it in England, Ireland, or France yea, in Europe, Asia, Africa, or America, I will stop them if I can; as a minister of Christ, I will beseech them in his name to turn back and be reconciled to God. Were I to do otherwise, were I to let any soul drop into the pit, whom I might have saved from everlasting burnings, I am not satisfied God would accept my plea, ‘Lord, he was not of my parish.’”180

Prayer

We pray for our nation, that it would be reconciled to God. Thank you for the history of your word being preached in the open air across our country. Let your word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, as we continue to take the Gospel across the length and breadth of our land. Give us your heart for the lost, that we would have a greater urgency to share our faith, a greater fear of God and a greater desire to carry the flame of the Gospel wherever we go. Do not let the candle go out on our watch, Lord, let it burn even more brightly, we pray.

179 Skevington-Wood, A. The burning heart, 107, 108, 113.

180 Wesley, J. Letters, To John Smith, Vol 2, 137.

DAY 26

EVENING

PSALM 119:145–176

Psalm 119:166 “I wait for your salvation, O Lord.”

Salvation by Faith

Summary of sermon preached by John Wesley181

All the blessings which God has bestowed upon man are undeserved favour. I begin by asking so that we do not fall short of this grace, this undeserved favour ... what is this faith through which we are saved? My answer — IT IS NOT the faith
 of a heathen, IT IS NOT the faith of the devil and IT IS NOT the faith of the apostles when Christ was with them. Christian faith is NOT ONLY an assent to the whole gospel of Christ, BUT ALSO a full reliance on the blood of Christ to trust in the merits of his life, death and resurrection, as given for us and living in us — IT IS our salvation — a present salvation ... from sin ... from the guilt of all past sin ... and consequently you are saved from fear ... and from the power of sin ...

BUT YOU MAY OBJECT...Doesn’t preaching this “salvation by faith” lead men into pride? 
I answer, “we should be cautioned”, but it should not lead to pride, because salvation is a free undeserved gift of God.

BUT YOU SAY ... Doesn’t preaching this “salvation by faith” drive men to despair that they cannot be saved by all that he can do?
 I answer “yes” and “so it ought — despair of being saved by their own works, their own merits or righteousness.”

BUT YOU SAY ... isn’t preaching this “salvation by faith” an uncomfortable doctrine. I say “it is the only comfortable one”. Here is comfort high as heaven, stronger than death. What mercy this is for us all — yes for Zaccheus a public robber, yes for Mary Magdalene a common harlot.

I think I hear you say “... then I even I may hope for mercy”. And so you may afflicted one, whom none has comforted! God has not cast out your prayer. Never was this doctrine more in season than it is today. Nothing but this can prevent the immorality that has overspread the land like a flood. Can you empty the
 great deep drop by drop? You may get rid of particular sins, but the righteousness which 
is by faith will “stay” the proud waves of immorality. Nothing but this can stop the mouths of those that openly deny the Lord. Surely this is the case, salvation by 
faith is a strong and firm foundation of the Christian religion — these objections are completely unfounded — as you stand on this firm foundation though you be as weak and helpless as an infant, the strongman shall not be able to stand before you. You will prevail over him, and subdue him under your feet.

Prayer

Thank you that we have been saved by faith in you, Lord Jesus. We have been saved from the guilt of all past sin and we have been saved from fear and the power of sin. Come and build your house, Lord Jesus, and let this strong and firm foundation not be moved.

181 Wesley. J. Volume 5, 7–16

DAY 25

MORNING

PSALM 119:33–72

Psalm 119:54 “... wherever I lodge.”

Almost Perpetual Motion

Wesley’s biographer writes, “in order to fulfill his mission throughout the land, John Wesley had to resign himself
 to incessant travel. He became the great itinerant. For the sake of the gospel, he was prepared to lead a gypsy life. We have caught something of the energetic momentum of 
the man as we have dipped into his Journal. He was in almost perpetual motion.170 He writes later in his life that while in Oxford he had wondered, ‘how any busy man could be saved ... God taught me better by my own experience.’”171 In 1781, when he was very old, he wrote,
“I must go on; for a dispensation of the gospel is committed to me; and woe is me if I preach not the gospel.”172 In 1777 he said, “I have travelled all roads by day and by night, for these forty years, and never was interrupted yet.”173 At one point he was nearly in a shipwreck, but was saved from disaster when travelling by sea to Guernsey. Throughout his 50 years of itinerant ministry he was preserved from serious accidents. He travelled with John Nelson for a short while. At one point at St Ives, while sleeping on the floor, Wesley was using Nelson’s coat as a pillow and Nelson was using Burkitt’s notes on the New Testament as his pillow. At 3am, one morning after suffering this hard bed for a fortnight, Wesley turned over, dug Nelson in the ribs and joked, “Brother Nelson, let us be of good cheer ... for the skin is off but on one side yet.”174

Duncan Wright tried to accompany Wesley, but it was too gruelling an experience. he could not keep up: “As the exercise was too much I gave it up.”175 In Wesley’s Journal there is an account of the perilous quicksands of the Solway Firth. This may have been too much for Duncan wright, but at this date Wright was just 30 years of age, while Wesley was 63.

Prayer

Thank you for the inspiration and example of our spiritual forefathers. Unleash a new wave of firebrands, of young zealots who have the energy, the perseverance and the tenacity to complete the dispensation of restoring the Gospel to England, to whomsoever they are sent, wherever you call them, whatever the cost.

170 This devotional is drawn from Skevington-Wood, A. The burning heart,115–124.

171 Wesley, J. To Miss March, 10 December 1777, 292.


172 Wesley, J. A Plain Account of Kingswood School, Vol XIII, 267.

173 Wesley, J. 16th December 1777, 177.

174 Telford, J. Wesley’s Veterans, Vol 3, 80–81.

175 Telford, J. Wesley’s Veterans, Vol 2, 39.

DAY 25

EVENING

PSALM 119:73–104

Psalm 119:74–75 “I have put my hope in your word. I know, O Lord, that your laws are righteous.”

Christ Our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption

Wesley was sure of his message and his message was rooted in the bible. He said, “My ground is the bible. Yes, I am a bible bigot. I follow 
it in all things.”176 His advice was “believe nothing they say, unless it is confirmed by plain passages of holy writ.”177 One sermon that Wesley frequently preached had the title ‘Christ our wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption’. He wrote in his Journal:178

Sunday 5 August 1739

Six persons at the New Room were deeply convinced of sin; three of whom were a little comforted by prayer but not yet convinced of righteousness. Having frequently been invited to Wells particularly by (one man) who begged me to make his house my home, on Thursday the ninth I went thither and wrote him word the night before; upon which he presently went to one of his friends, and desired a messenger might be sent to me, and beg me to turn back: “Otherwise,” said he, “we shall lose all our trade.” But this consideration did not weigh with him so that he invited me to his own house, and at 11, I preached in this ground on ‘Christ Our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption’ to about 2000 persons. Some of them mocked at first, whom I reproved before all; and those of them who stayed were more serious. Several spoke to me after, who were, for the present, much affected. O let it not pass away as the morning dew.

Tuesday 14 August 1739

I preach to Bradford to about 3000 on “one thing is needful”. Returning through Bath, I preached at a bridge to a small congregation, on “The just shall live by faith.” Three at the new-room, this evening, were cut to the heart.

Prayer

Lord, we pray that the foundation of the word of God would be firmly established like a rock in our lives, that we might be cut to the heart when we hear it, and that we would be a people who live by faith in you and your word. Help us to hear your word and put it into practice like that wise builder. Let the word of God be preached that you, Lord Jesus, are our “wisdom our righteousness, our sanctification and our redemption” so that your kingdom might come and your Church be built in our nation. Let your word be preached in power across our land once again.

176 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 3, 5 June 1766, 251.

177 Wesley, J. Sermons, Vol XXVII, The sermon on the Mount, 20.

178 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1, 217,8.

DAY 24

MORNING

PSALMS 116–118

Psalm 116:6 “The Lord protects the simple-hearted; when I was in great need he saved me.”

His Mission to the Poor

John Wesley was primarily concerned for the poor. The working classes of
 the 18th century lived barely above subsistence level. An expert on the 18th century writes, “It is difficult today to imagine how low the standard of life of the average worker was ... how brutish, ignorant and violent the poor, especially the urban poor, were ... Conditions made it difficult for
 the mass of the people to live by any strict moral code. overcrowding made every kind
 of sexual laxity almost normal. Extreme poverty made thieving and bullying the only alternatives to starvation ... it was a hard, harsh world for the mass of the English people and one singularly devoid of pity.”164

Wesley believed that his main mission was to the poor, and he clearly had the ear of the working man. He said, “I bear the rich and love the poor ... therefore I spend almost all of my time with them. I love the poor ... in many I find pure, genuine grace, unmixed with paint, folly and affectation.”165 At the time, there was no welfare state or social services, there was nobody to care for this whole segment of society in England. The Church seemed unconcerned for them.

Skevington–Wood says, “They were as sheep without a shepherd. Wesley pressed them to his heart. There, more than anywhere, lies the key to his evangelistic success. That is why he has been called the St Francis of the 18th century. His first concern was for the coal miners of Kingswood. This was his introduction to the plight of the poor. Those grimy faces haunted him. He longed to tell them of one whose hands were hardened with toil before they were pinned to a cross. Conditions in the pits were unbelievably crude and dangerous. Coal was still hewn manually, and the Davy lamp had not be yet been invented to bring a measure of safety. The men themselves were coarse in the extreme, and even the rest of the poor were afraid of them because they were so black and rough. When Wesley was led to offer Christ to the colliers, he was touching the most unlikely group in the kingdom. But they listened, and many of them turned to the Lord. If the Gospel could move them it could move anyone. This initial encounter in April 1739 convinced Wesley that the good news was meant for the outcasts of men.”166

Prayer

Lord, you came to bring Good News to the poor and the outcasts, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. Give us your heart for the poor and outcasts of our day, just as you did for Wesley in his day, so that in their great need they might be saved.

164 Marshall, H. The Eighteenth Century, 243.


165 Wesley,J. Letters to Anne Foard, 29 September 1764, Vol IV, 266.

166 Skevington-Wood, The burning heart 141,142

DAY 24

EVENING

PSALM 119:1–32

Psalm 119:32 “... for you have set my heart free.”

Freedom and Liberty for Many

Both John Wesley and George Whitefield saw outward signs following the preaching of the Gospel that brought freedom and liberty to many people.

Monday 6 July 1739

In the afternoon I was with Mr Whitefield, just come from London, with whom I went to Baptist-Mills, where he preached concerning “the Holy Ghost, which all who believe are to receive”.167

Tuesday 7 July 1739

I had an opportunity to talk with him of those outward signs, which had so often accompanied the inward work of God. I found his objections were chiefly grounded on gross misrepresentations of matter of fact. But the next day he had an opportunity of informing himself better. For no sooner had he begun (in the application of his sermon) to invite
 all sinners to believe in Christ, than four persons sunk down close to him, almost in the same moment. One of them lay without either of sense or motion. A second trembled exceedingly. The third had strong convulsions all over his body but made no noise unless by groans. The fourth, equally convulsed called upon God with strong cries and tears. From this time, I trust, we shall all suffer God to carry on his own work in the way that pleaseth Him.168

Monday 30 July 1739

Two more were in strong pain, both their souls and bodies being well nigh torn asunder. But though we cried unto God, there was no answer; neither did He as yet deliver them all. One of these had been remarkably zealous against those that cried out and made a noise; being sure that any of them might help if they would. And the same opinion she was still in, till the moment she was struck through, as with a sword, and fell trembling to the ground. She then cried aloud though not articulately, her words being swallowed up. In this pain she continued twelve or fourteen hours, and then her soul was set at liberty. But her master (for she was a servant till that time at a gentleman’s in town) forbade her returning to him, saying, he would have none in his house who had received the Holy Ghost.169

Prayer

As we follow the path of your commands, set us free, Lord. Thank you that you give
 rest to the weary and heavy–laden. We desperately cry out to you, Lord, for another outpouring of your Holy Spirit, that sets the captives free, that heals the oppressed, that revives the lowly and feeds the spiritually hungry. Set our hearts alight again, on fire for you, Lord Jesus.

167 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1, 210.

168 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1, 213.

169 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1, 226.

DAY 23

MORNING

PSALMS 110–113

Psalm 110:2 “You will rule in the midst of your enemies.”

Whitefield at Moorfields

While John Wesley was travelling around the country preaching the Gospel, so was George Whitefield, Wesley’s friend and fellow labourer. Every Easter week the London poor gave themselves to fun at Moorfields. Strolling players, bears that were taught to dance using cruelty, clowns and ‘merry-andrews’, and a whole host of conjurers and troupers would converge on the capital. For weeks beforehand in the spring of 1742 George Whitefield had been summoning his courage to “lift up a standard among them in the name of Jesus Christ”.

As he stood up to preach, he felt a tug at his gown and looked down. Elizabeth his wife had her eyes firm upon him. “George,” she called, “play the man for God!” strengthened, encouraged, he felt a surge of compassion for those who would hear. He called out across the fairground: “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.” Whitefield preached for three days over the Easter weekend.
Sometimes he was silenced for a moment when a rotten egg or tomato hit him in
the mouth. If the contemporary account is read between the lines, one man went so
far as to urinate towards the pulpit. Even Whitefield was shaken at such beastly behaviour. The jeering section of the crowd loved it. Whitefield quickly recovered. His voice boomed above the uproar. “Now,” he cried, “Am I wrong when I say ... that man is half a devil and half a beast?” At that, the jeerers quietened. Whitefield followed up his advantage and said: ... “A half devil, half beast must be born again to become wholly a child of God.” As the dusk fell at Moorfields this great mass evangelist preached and pleaded and prayed and men and women listened in silence and knew that another stood there too, and were born again by the Spirit. George Whitefield had won this battle at Moorfields in London at Easter in 1742. He was just 27 years and four months.156

Prayer

Lord, help not us to shrink back out of fear, but to step up to the task of sharing our faith despite the mockery, the disdain and the resistance. Help us to play the man and woman of God today. Give us your courage and your compassion for the lost. Let the candle of the Gospel blaze across our land once again. Let your troops be willing on your day of battle. Rule and reign in the midst of the enemies of the Gospel today in our land, we pray.

156 Pollock, J Whitefield: the Evangelist, summary, 203–209.

DAY 23

EVENING

PSALMS 114–115

Psalm 114:7 “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord.”

The Results of Wesley’s Gospel Preaching

One of the key features of Wesley’s preaching that emerges from a study
 of his Journal is that although he most often finished with an appeal, he did not have a standard way of finishing his messages. The presence of the Holy Spirit was frequently so strong that there was often just silence as he closed.157 About the meeting at Miller’s barn in Rossendale on the 27 August 1748, he wrote, “When I had finished my discourse, and even pronounced the blessing, not one person offered to go away, but every man woman and child stayed just where they were till I myself went away first.”158 He left the results of his preaching to the Lord. At Birstall he said, “I have declared 
the whole counsel of God.”159 At Grimsby, “I spoke as plainly as possibly I could ... but God only can speak to the heart.”160 Wesley was not concerned with externals. He did not jump to conclusions, expecting optimistically that God had spoken through his preaching.
It was a deep work of God that he looked for, and he expected the Lord to take the initiative in evangelism. He wrote from Ireland, “He can work, even among these dry bones.”161 Another time he said, “I believe God applied his word. Some trembled, others wept. Surely some of these shall know there is balm in Gilead.”162

Wesley was surprised when some “dropped down as dead” or “burst into strong cries
and tears”, or “exceedingly trembled and quaked”. These responses did not happen after Whitefield’s preaching. Although Wesley never encouraged these responses, neither did he discourage them, and so when rumours exaggerated these manifestations, Whitefield was concerned until he found out what really happened after Wesley preached.163

Prayer

Lord, we pray that you would restore the honour of your name in our land and with works of sovereign power, and that you would shake the earth again. Rend the heavens and come down. Let your word not return empty. Let it accomplish that which you have purposed. We long for you to come and presence yourself amongst us. Come, Lord Jesus.

157 Skevington-Wood, The burning heart, 160, 161


158 Wesley. J. Journal, Volume 2, 27 August 1748, 113.

159 Wesley. J. Journal, Volume 4, 4 May 1788, 416.


160 Wesley. J. Journal, Volume 4, 1 July 1788, 416.


161 Wesley. J. Journal, Volume 3, 16 June, 1760.


162 Wesley. J. Journal, Volume 3, 27 June, 1760.


163 Pollock, J. Wesley, The Preacher, 120.

DAY 22

MORNING

PSALM 107

Psalm 107:7 “He led them by a straight way.”

A New and Living Way

Throughout June 1739, The Holy Spirit continued to move powerfully as John Wesley preached, as he wrote in his Journal:151

Friday 15 June 1739

In the evening I went to a society at Wapping, weary in body and faint in spirit ... I begged God to direct and (I) opened the book at Hebrews 10:19, “Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest, by the blood of Jesus; by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil that is to say, his flesh, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith; having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”
While I was earnestly inviting all sinners to “enter into the holiest” by this “new and living way”, many of those that heard began to call upon God with strong cries and tears. Some sunk down, and there remained no strength in them; others exceedingly trembled and quaked: Some were torn with a kind of convulsive motion in every part of their bodies, and that so violently, that often five persons could not hold one of them. I have seen many hysterical and many epileptic fits but none of them were like these in many respects. I immediately prayed that God would not suffer those who were weak to be offended. But one woman was offended greatly; being sure they might help it if they would; no-one should persuade her to the contrary; and was got three or four yards when she also dropped down in as violent agony as the rest. Twenty-six of those who had been thus affected (most of whom, during the prayers which were made for them were in a moment filled with peace and joy) promised to call upon me the next day but only eighteen came; by talking closely with whom, I found reason to believe that some of them had gone home to their house justified. The rest seemed to be waiting patiently for it.

Friday 22 June 1739

While I was speaking, one before me dropped down as dead and presently a second and third. Five others sunk down in half an hour, most of whom were in violent agonies. “The pains as of hell came about them: the snares of death overtook them.” In their trouble we called upon the Lord and he gave us an answer of peace. One indeed continued an hour in strong pain; and one or more for three days. But the rest were greatly comforted in that hour and went away rejoicing and praising God.

Prayer

Direct our paths, Lord! you have opened up a new and living way into the Holy of Holies. We would follow hard after you on that narrow way, that straight way unto salvation. Rescue us from that broad way that leads unto destruction. Pour out your Holy Spirit in power and through the conviction of your Spirit-anointed word. Rend the heavens and come down, that we might be saved from hell and saved from a Christless eternity. So help us, God!

151 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1, 172-175, 205–206.

DAY 22

EVENING

PSALMS 108–109

Psalm 109:4 “... but I am a man of prayer.”

Wesley on Prayer

Wesley wrote about prayer in his Journal:

“ Thanksgiving is inseparable from true prayer; it is almost essentially connected with it. One who always prays is ever giving praise, whether in ease or pain, both 
for prosperity and for the greatest adversity. He blesses God for all things, looks on them 
as coming from Him, and receives them for 
His sake — not choosing nor refusing, liking or disliking anything, but only as it is agreeable or disagreeable to His perfect will.”

“The end of your praying is not to inform God, as though he knew of your wants already; but rather to inform yourselves; to fix the sense of those wants more deeply in your hearts, and the sense of your continued dependence on Him who only is able to supply all your wants. It is not so much to move God who is always more ready to give than you to ask, as to move yourselves, that you may be willing and ready to receive the good things he has prepared for you.”

“I continue to dream and pray about a revival of holiness in our day that moves forth in mission and creates authentic community in which each person can be unleashed through the empowerment of the Spirit to fulfill God’s creational intentions.”

“When therefore we pray, that the will of
 God may be done in earth as it is in Heaven, the meaning is, that all the inhabitants of the earth, even the whole race of mankind, may do the will of their Father which is in heaven, as willingly as the holy Angels; that these may do it continually, even as they without any interruption of their willing service; yea and that they may do it perfectly, — that “the God of peace, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, may make them perfect in every good work to do his will and work in them all which is well-pleasing in his sight”. In other words we pray that we and all mankind may do the whole will of God in all things; and nothing else, not the least thing but what is the holy and acceptable will of God: We pray that we may do the whole will of God as 
he willeth, in the manner that pleases him: And lastly, that we may do it because it is his will; that this may be the sole reason and ground, the whole and only motive of whatsoever we think, or whatever we speak or do.”

Prayer

Where my prayer life has been dry and routine and where I have been preoccupied with other things, draw me back to you, Lord. Teach me to pray, to see prayer as the highest part of the work entrusted to me. Cultivate in me that spiritual thirst and hunger that
 I lack. I have been dulled by the power of sin in my life. Wake me up out of my lethargy and draw me back to you, O Lord.

152 Wesley, J How To Pray: The Best of John Wesley on Prayer. http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/4468403-how-to-pray- the-best-of-john-wesley-value-book


153 Wesley. J.Journal , Volume 1, 332.


154 Wesley, J How To Pray.

155 Wesley. J.Journal, Volume 1, 337–8

DAY 21

MORNING

PSALM 105

Psalm 105:1 “Make known among the nations what he has done.”

“I Look Upon All the Whole World as My Parish”

John Wesley described early in the Methodist revival the reason why he preached the Gospel and the nature of his commission:144

11 June 1739

I do not think it hard to justify whatever I do. God in Scripture commands me, according to my power, to instruct the ignorant, reform the wicked, confirm the virtuous. Man forbids me to do this in another’s parish; that is, in effect, to do it at all, seeing I have now no parish of my own, nor probably ever shall. Whom then shall I hear, God or man? ... I look upon all the world as my parish; thus far I mean, that, in whatever part of it I am, I judge it meet, right, and my bounden duty to declare unto all that are willing to hear, the glad tidings of salvation. This is the work which I know God has called me to; and sure I am that His blessing attends it. Great encouragement have I, therefore, to be faithful in fulfilling the work He hath given me to do. His servant I am, and, as such, am employed according to the plain direction of His Word, “As I have opportunity, doing good unto all men”; and His providence clearly concurs with his Word; which has disengaged me from all things else, that I might singly attend on this very thing, “and go about doing good”.

When he was nearly 70 Wesley wrote to John Fletcher. Wesley had expected that Fletcher might be his successor. He wrote, “what an amazing work has God wrought in these kingdoms in less than forty years. And it not only continues but increases throughout England, Scotland and ireland; nay it has lately spread into New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and Carolina.”145 However Fletcher’s health worsened and he died before John Wesley. The Lord would raise up others to further the work.146

Prayer

Thank you for calling us to this task of going into ALL THE WORLD to make disciples. We ask you for the NATIONS. They are your inheritance. Help us according to your power to instruct the ignorant, reform the wicked, confirm the virtuous, to make the glad tidings of salvation known among the NATIONS, to make known what you have done, Lord, IN ALL THE WORLD.

144 Wesley, J. Journal, June 11th 1739, Vol 1, 189, 190.


145 Wesley, J. Letter to John Fletcher January 1773 , Vol 12, 163.

146 Pollock, J. Wesley, 247. DAY 21

EVENING

PSALM 106

Psalm 106:6 “We have sinned, even as our fathers did ... yet he saved them for his name’s sake.”

Classes and Bands

At The Holy Club in Oxford and at the Fetter Lane society in London, practical holiness and openly confessing sin was a strong value for John Wesley. He saw that this practical holiness was the experience 
of the primitive Church. From the very beginnings of Methodism Wesley developed a system of classes and bands, where confession of sin in small groups became a lifestyle.

The classes consisted of a meeting once 
a week in the evening for about an hour. At these meetings the group members would report back to the other group members how they were doing spiritually, tell each other any needs or spiritual problems that they were facing and receive prayer.147 “Advice or reproof was given as need required, quarrels were made up, misunderstandings were removed. And after an hour or two spent in this labour of love they concluded with prayer and thanksgiving.”148

The bands were groups organised according to age, sex and marital status and they were usually smaller than class meetings.149 Wesley described them as follows:

The design of the band meeting is to obey that command of God, “Confess your thoughts one to another, and pray for one another that you may be healed.” To this end, we intend —

1 To meet once a week at least.

2 To come punctually at the hour appointed, without some extraordinary reason.


3 To begin (those of us who are present) exactly at the hour, with singing or prayer.


4 To speak each of us in order, freely and plainly the true state of our souls, with the faults we have committed in thought, word or deed, and the temptations we have felt, since our last meeting.

5 To end every meeting with prayer suited to the state of each person present.

6 To desire some person among us to speak his own state first, and then to ask the rest in order as many and as searching questions as may be, concerning their state, sins and temptations.150

Prayer

I John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us
 our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Lord, I forsake all known sin: IN THOUGHT — convict me of any past sin; IN WORD — I choose to confess this past sin; IN DEED — show me, where appropriate, how I should correct this past sin. Thank you for your forgiveness and your cleansing. I follow you on your highway of holiness.

147 Snyder, H. The Radical Wesley, 55,


148 Wesley, J. Letter to Mr Perronet 1748 , Vol VIII, 253, 254.

149 Snyder, H. The Radical Wesley, 59,

DAY 20

MORNING

PSALMS 102–103

Psalm 103:5 “He satisfies your desires with good things.”

The Danger of Riches

Summary of Sermon preached by John Wesley.141

They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful desires which drown men in destruction and perdition.” 1 Timothy 6:9 
The apostle does not here speak of they that will be rich by evil means, by theft robbery, oppression or extortion; simply they that will be rich. What it is it is to be rich? The preceding verse says, “Having food and raiment (literally coverings: including lodgings as well as clothes) let us be content.” They that will be rich are those who will have more than these, more than the necessaries and conveniences of life, In other words “they that will be rich” are those that endeavour to “lay up treasures on earth”.

In fact is not the laying up of treasures on earth expressly and clearly forbidden by our Lord as either adultery or murder? The text says they that will be rich enter into temptation, a snare of the devil which he purposely put in their way ... Riches either desired or possessed naturally lead to some or other foolish desires, the desire of the eyes, that is seeking happiness in gratifying the imagination, the desire of honour, the desire of ease. All these in the proportion as they prevail, “pierce men through with many sorrows.”

I ask then in the name of God who of 
you desire to be rich? Who of you desires to have more than the plain necessaries and conveniences of life? Stop! Consider! What are you doing? Evil is before you! Will you rush upon the point of a sword! By the grace of God, turn and live! By the same authority I ask of you, “Who of you are endeavouring to be rich?” To procure for yourselves more than the plain necessaries and conveniences of life? Lay each of you, your hand to your heart and inquire seriously “Am I of that number?” May the spirit of God say to everyone whom it concerns “Thou art the man!”

Are not you who have been successful in your endeavours to increase in substance, insensibly sunk into softness of the mind, if not of body too? You no longer rejoice to “endure hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ.” You no longer rush into the kingdom of heaven, and take it by storm. You do not cheerfully and gladly “deny yourselves and take up your cross daily.” You cannot deny yourself the poor pleasure of a little sleep, or a soft bed, in order to hear the word that is able to save your souls! Indeed you “cannot go out so early in the morning; besides it is dark, nay cold, perhaps rainy too. Cold, darkness, rain, all these together I can never think of it.” You did not say so when you were a poor man. It is the change of circumstances which has occasioned this melancholy change in your body and mind: You are but the shadow of what you were! What have riches done for you? But, you say, “It cannot be expected, I should do as I have done, for I am now grown old.” Am not I grown old as well as you? Am not I in my 78th year? Yet by the grace of God, I do not slack my pace yet.

Prayer

All our riches are found in you, and in doing your will, Lord. If we are endeavouring to be rich and to procure more than the plain necessaries of life, show us, Lord, show us our hearts. You, Lord, are the one who satisfies all our desires with good things!

141 Wesley, J. Sermons Volume 7, ‘The danger of riches,’ 1,2.

DAY 20

EVENING

PSALM 104

Psalm 104:30 “When you send your Spirit ... you renew the face of the earth.”

Hearts Touched, Lives Changed

It is abundantly clear from reading the Journal of John Wesley that the Holy Spirit, particularly during the beginning of the Methodist awakening, was moving
 in power. Frequently there were outward manifestations during the delivery of his messages. There would be conviction, convulsions, sighs and sobs, some crying out apparently in agony, until within a short while they were praising God. Frequently individuals would find Wesley after the meeting was over, if they were in spiritual need, but sometimes Wesley had to wait
 till the next day before he knew what had happened as a result of his preaching. Wesley was preaching to a company of soldiers in Athlone and one soldier gave his testimony immediately afterwards: “I was going to a woman last night when one of my comrades met and asked me if I would go to the watch night. Out of curiosity I came; but for half the sermon I minded nothing that was said then God struck me to the heart, so that 
I could not stand, but dropped down to the ground. I slept none last night and came to you [Wesley] in the morning; but I could not speak. I went from you to a few brethren, and they prayed with me till my burden dropped off. And now, by the grace of God we will part no more. I am ready to go with you all over the world.”142

A significant indication that the Lord had really begun a work in the hearts of those who had heard him preach was their presence at the meeting that Wesley frequently organised early the next morning. If those had been spiritually impacted the previous day were sufficiently motivated to come the following day, he felt that this was a good indication that they would find the Lord Jesus, the lover of their souls. on one occasion in Rye he said in his Journal that the next day: “The number of those who came at five in the morning showed that God had touched many hearts.”143 For Wesley it was not enough for hearts to be touched, he wanted to see lives changed too.

Prayer

Send your Spirit, Lord. Renew me by your Spirit and change me. Change me into your image, Lord Jesus Christ. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me. Melt me, mould me, fill me, use me, Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

142 Wesley, J. Journal, July 3, 1750,Vol 3,483.


143 Wesley, J. Journal, October 13,1758, Vol 4, 288 quoted in Skevington-Wood, A. The burning heart, 164, 165.

DAY 19

MORNING

PSALMS 95–97

Psalm 97:10 “He guards the lives of his faithful ones.”

Like Lambs Among Wolves

John Wesley often faced persecution. In 1743, the vicar of Eggington, the curate at Darlaston and the vicar of Walsall spread word among the people that cockfighting, bullbaiting and prize-fights were in danger because of the preaching of the Methodists. As a result Methodists had windows broken and houses, shops and workshops ransacked.125 When Wesley returned to this area and was staying in Wednesbury in Birmingham in October 1743, a mob surrounded the house where he was staying. Wesley could hear the cry, “Bring out the minister. We’ll have the minister.”136 Wesley managed to slip out the back door, but while this mob had calmed down, another mob roared out of Walsall. The determined mob was led by honest Munchin, the prize-fighter, and Wesley found himself cornered in front of a door at the edge of the town.

Wesley stood at the door and asked, Are you willing to hear me speak? Many cried out “No, no knock his brains out; down with him, kill him at once.” Wesley’s strength and his voice returned. He raised his voice and prayed to the Lord, and then the prize-fighter turned to him. “Sir I will spend my life for you; follow me and not one soul shall touch a hair of your head.”137 Some other members of the mob did likewise, following their leader, but although the mob went away, it returned later crying out yet again, that it wanted to kill him. There was one man who had been escorting Wesley whose arm was broken.

The curate of Darlaston sent a message of apology the very next day, when he heard of the courage of Wesley when faced with the mob. When Charles met John in Nottingham shortly afterwards, he wrote ‘“My brother came ... delivered out of the mouth of the lion. He looked like a soldier of Christ. His clothes were torn to tatters.”

Charles Wesley went immediately to Wednesbury (as they had planned) and the young man with the broken arm and the prize-fighter were received into the Methodist society as probationary members ... honest Munchin became a pillar of the Methodists of Wednesbury and Walsall, until his death 46 years later aged 86.138

Prayer

We pray for the raising up of an army of soldiers of Christ, willing to face opposition
for your sake, Lord, and to preach the Gospel regardless of the cost. You send us out 
like lambs among wolves, but you are the Good Shepherd who leads us in paths of righteousness. Give us that peace that the world cannot give, that boldness and courage to share and live out our faith, meekly and humbly even in the face of arrogant hostility. Help us to live more Christlike lives, Lord, and give us a deeper trust in you that you truly do guard the lives of your faithful ones.

135 Pollock, J. Wesley: The Preacher, Kingsway, 176

136 Wesley, J. Journal, October 20, 1743, Vol 2,436.

137Wesley, J. Journal, October 20, 1743, Vol 2,436.

138 Pollock, J. Wesley: The Preacher, 181.

DAY 19

EVENING

PSALMS 98–101

Psalm 100:1 “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.”

Newcastle upon Tyne

The coal-miners of Newcastle upon Tyne, in the far north-east of England, were illiterate, rough and godless. On 27 May 1742 Wesley arrived in Newcastle and was surprised at “so much drunkenness, cursing and swearing (even from the mouths of little children)”.139 Wesley wrote: About seven o’clock I walked down to Sandgate, the poorest and most contemptible part of the town, and standing at the end of the street
with John Taylor, began to sing Psalm 100. Three or four people came out to see what was the matter, who soon increased to four or five hundred ... I applied those words ... He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed ... Observing the people when I had done, to stand gaping and staring upon me, with the most profound astonishment, I told them, “If you desire to know who I am, my name is John Wesley. At five in the evening, with God’s help, I design to preach here again.” At five the hill on which I designed to preach was covered, from the top to the bottom. I never saw so large a number of people together, either at Moorfields, or at Kennington Common. I knew it was not possible for the one half to hear, although my voice was then strong and clear; and I stood so as to have all in view, as they were ranged on the side of a hill ... After preaching, the poor people were ready to tread me underfoot, out of pure love and kindness. It was some time before I could possibly get out of the press. I then went back another way than I came; but several were got to our inn before me; by whom I was vehemently opportuned to stay with them, at least a few days or however, one day more. But I could not consent having given my word to be at Birstall, with God’s leave, on Tuesday night.140

Prayer

Lord, we pray that just as the Good News was preached to the poor in Newcastle in 1742 and the poor were ready to tread Wesley underfoot out of pure love and kindness, we pray for a hunger and thirst for the Good News in our land once again. There is deep need, there are deep unmet longings in the poor and impoverished in our land today. Let the thirsty come and drink, let them come and drink from the waters of life, let them come and be satisfied we pray.

139 Wesley, J. Journal, May 27, 1742,Vol 1,373.


140 Wesley, J. Journal, May 30, 1742,Vol 1,373–374.

DAY18

MORNING

PSALMS 90–92

Psalm 92:4 “For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord.”

White Furrows Down Tear-stained Faces

Charles Wesley was a songwriter,
but he was also a powerful preacher of the gospel. He preached energetically and the gospel burned like a fire in his heart as both he and his brother enthusiastically proclaimed the Good News in open-air services throughout the land.131 Of all 
the places where the power of the Gospel transformed lives, the most striking effect was demonstrated at the colliery in Kingswood.
In Bristol, as thousands of miners listened
to the message of Christ’s redeeming love preached by John Wesley, tears of penitence and gratitude made white furrows down their coal-stained faces.

John Wesley described the change which took place in their lives. “Kingswood does not now, as a year ago, resound with cursing and blasphemy. It is no more filled with drunkenness and uncleanness, and the idle diversions that naturally lead thereto. It is no longer full of wars and fightings, of clamour and bitterness, of wrath and envyings.
Peace and love are there. Great numbers of
 the people are mild, gentle, and easy to be entreated. They ‘do not cry, neither strive,’ and hardly is their ‘voice heard in the streets,’ or, indeed, in their own wood; unless when they are at their usual evening diversion, singing praise unto God their saviour.”132 One hymn that was written by Charles Wesley especially for these Kingswood colliers clearly illustrates this transforming experience which was theirs in Christ:

“Thou only, Lord, the work hast done, And bated Thine arm in all our sight; hast made the reprobates Thine own, And claimed the outcasts as Thy right.”133

Prayer

You have made us glad by all you have done powerfully on our behalf, Lord, rescuing us out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. Just as you stirred those Kingswood colliers over 250 years ago, stir us again. As white furrows streamed down coal-stained faces let tears of penitence and gratitude flow again. Transform our streets from places of drunkenness and uncleanness into places of praise and thankfulness to you, ONCE AGAIN. Open up the wells of salvation we pray, O Lord.

131http://churchsociety.org/issues_new/history/wesleychas/iss_history_wesleychas_Colquhoun-evangelist.asp

132Wesley, J. Journal, November 27, 1739 , Vol 1, 251.


133 The Hymn Book of the Modern Church, 194.

DAY 18

EVENING

PSALMS 93–94

Psalm 94:16 “Who will take a stand for me?”

”Is Not Your Name Nash?”

Well-known rich gentleman, Mr Nash, who lived in the city of bath was strongly opposed to John wesley. In June 1739 the two of them met and had a short conversation, which Wesley relates in his Journal:134

Tuesday 5 June 1739

There was great expectation at Bath of what 
a noted man was to do to me there; and I was much entreated not to preach because no one knew what might happen. By this report I also gained a much larger audience, among whom were many of the rich and great. I told them plainly the Scripture had concluded them all under sin — high and low, rich and poor, one with another. Many of them seemed to be a little surprised and were sinking apace into seriousness, when their champion appeared and, coming close to me, asked by what authority I did these things. I replied, “By the authority of Jesus Christ, conveyed to me by the (now) Archbishop of Canterbury, when he laid hands upon me and said, ‘Take thou authority
to preach the gospel.’” He said, “This is contrary to Act of Parliament: this is a conventicle.” I answered, “Sir, the conventicles mentioned in that Act (as the preamble shows) are seditious meetings; but this is not such; here is no shadow of sedition; therefore it is not contrary to that Act.” He replied, “I say it is: and beside, your preaching frightens people out of their wits.” “Sir, did you ever hear me preach?” “No.” “How, then, can you judge of what you never heard?” “Sir, by common report.” “Common report is not enough. Give me leave, Sir, to ask, is not your name Nash?” “My name is Nash.” “Sir, I dare not judge of you by common report: I think it not enough to judge by.” Here he paused awhile and, having recovered himself, said, “I desire to know what this people comes here for”: on which one replied, “Sir, leave him to me: let an old woman answer him. You, Mr. Nash, take care of your body; we take care of our souls; and for the food of our souls we come here.” He replied not a word, but walked away.

Prayer

Our food is to do your will and to finish your work. Help us, Lord, to put shoulder to the plough and not to look back, to cleave to and yield to your purposes. Show us how and when to take a stand against opposition to the preaching of your Gospel and give us the grace to preach your word in and out of season and to put it into practice in our lives, diligently and devotedly.

134 Wesley, J. Journal, June 5, 1739 ,Vol 1,198.

DAY 17

MORNING

PSALMS 86–88

Psalm 88:1 “The God who saves me.”

Rescued from the Enemy’s Oppression

Wesley saw many individuals come to saving faith and many delivered and set free from deception. He tells the story in his Journal 125 of a weaver who was very sceptical at first, but who was powerfully delivered from the oppression of the enemy.

Tuesday May 2 1739

I did not mention ... a weaver who was at Baldwin-street the night before. He was (I understood) a man of a regular life and conversation, one that constantly attended the public prayers and sacrament, and was zealous for the Church, and against Dissenters of every denomination. Being informed ... that people fell into strange fits at the societies he came to see and judge for himself but he was less satisfied than before insomuch that he went about to his acquaintance one after another, till one in the morning, and laboured above measure to convince them it was a delusion of the devil. We were going home when one met us in the street and informed us that (the weaver) was fallen raving mad. It seems he had sat down to dinner, but had a mind first to end a sermon he had borrowed on “Salvation by faith.” In reading the last page he changed colour, fell off his chair, and began screaming terribly and beating himself against the ground. The neighbours were alarmed, and flocked together to the house. Between one and two I came in, and found him on the floor, the room being full of people, whom his wife would have kept without; but he cried aloud, “No; let them all come; let all the world see the just judgment of God.” Two or three men were holding him as well as they could. He immediately fixed his eyes upon me and, stretching out his hand cried, “Ay, this 
is he who I said was a deceiver of the people. But God has overtaken me. I said, it was all
 a delusion; but this is no delusion.” he then roared out, “O thou devil! Thou cursed devil. Yea thou legion of devils! Thou canst not stay. Christ will cast thee out. I know his work is begun. Tear me to pieces, if thou wilt; but thou canst not hurt me.” He then beat himself against the ground again; his breast having
 at the same time as in the pangs of death and great drops of sweat trickling down his face. We all betook ourselves to prayer. His pangs ceased and both his body and soul was set at liberty.

Prayer

Come and save and deliver me, Lord. Show me where I am bound and set me free. Ignite a revival in England that saves us from sin and selfishness and drives out every bit of darkness in our land. Bring strong conviction of sin. Open up your wells of salvation and deliverance, that the bodies and souls of the oppressed might be set at liberty. Lord, hear our cry!

125 Wesley, J. Journal, Tuesday May 2nd 1739 , Vol 1, 190, 191.

DAY 17

EVENING

PSALM 89

Psalm 89:1 “I will sing of the Lord’s great love for ever.”

Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley, brother of John 
and raised in the same household 
by Susanna, their mother, was overshadowed in many ways by his more well-known and more ‘forward’ brother. While John was attracted to the limelight, Charles retreated from it.126 However it was Charles Wesley who was responsible for the starting of the Holy Club in Oxford and it was Charles who first received the derisive nickname “Methodist” and used it as a badge of honour.127

It was Charles who composed the songs
 of the Methodist awakening and it was the hymns that he wrote that provided the means for the new converts to “express their new-found joy to the Lord ... Charles Wesley wrote an astonishing number of hymns, 400 of which are still used by various Christian groups today. He wrote about 9000 hymns in total and composed a hymn a day every day for nearly 25 years of his adult life. The Methodist hymns were composed of the life experiences of their author’s ministry and they also told of his ministry. The hymns were also aids in Charles personal devotions.”128 One historian has commented that if the bible were lost it might be possible to extract it from Charles Wesley’s hymns. Within his hymns the bible is contained “in solution”. “Charles’ language in poem, pulpit and in everyday speech was both shaped and informed by biblical expressions. His hymns are mosaics of biblical allusions.”129 There have been attempts to excavate the biblical source of the fragments of the bible that are contained in Charles Wesley’s hymns.

For example, if one line were to be analysed: “O for a thousand tongues to sing My great redeemer’s praise,
 The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of his grace.” It is clear that dozens of echoes of scriptural applications lie within just this one line.130

Prayer

We pray for the breaking of a new wave of worship and devotion to you, Lord Jesus, over our land. We will sing of your great love forever, Lord. May the composition of a fresh new wave of songs to you, Lord, expressing the newfound joy of brand new believers,
be one of the hallmarks of the national awakening that sweeps our nation. Come, Lord Jesus, come.

126 Tyson, J.R, Charles Wesley: A reader(1999), 3.


127 Tyson, J.R, Charles Wesley: A reader(1999), 5.


128 Tyson, J.R, Charles Wesley: A reader(1999), 21, 22.


129 http://churchsociety.org/issues_new/history/wesleychas/iss_history_wesleychas_Colquhoun-evangelist.asp

130 Charles Wesley, A reader, 34.

DAY 16

MORNING

PSALMS 79–81

Psalm 80:3 “Restore us, O God, make your face shine upon us; that we may be saved.”

Cut to the Heart

Wesley continued to preach and travel around the country at a breath-taking pace, seeing the Holy Spirit bring conviction of sin and salvation wherever he went, and much rejoicing as a result. Wesley wrote in his Journal:121

Tuesday April 27 1739

All Newgate rang with the cries of those whom the word of God cut to the heart. Two of whom were in a moment filled with joy, to the astonishment of those that beheld them.

Sunday April 29 1739

I declared the free grace of God to about 4000 people ... I then went to Clifton, a mile from Bristol ... and thence returned to a little plain, near Hannam-Mount, where about 3000 were present. After dinner I went to Clifton again. From Clifton we went to Rose Green where were ... near 7000 and thence to Gloucester Lane Society. After which was our first love-feast in Baldwin Street. O how has God renewed my strength who used ten years ago to be so faint and weary with preaching twice in one day?

Tuesday 1 May 1739

Many of those who had been long in darkness, saw the dawn of a great light; and ten persons, I afterwards found, then began to say in faith “My Lord and my God.” A Quaker who stood by ... and was biting his lips and knitting his brows, when he dropped down as thunderstruck. The agony he was in was even terrible to behold. We besought God not to lay folly to his charge. And he soon lifted up his head, and cried aloud, “Now I know thou art a prophet of the Lord.”

Prayer

Pierce our hearts with the cutting edge of your word. May our towns and cities ring with the cries of those whom the word of God has cut to the heart. Shine your face on our land that we may be saved. We pray for a new dawn, a new day to break. Restore us, O God, we pray.

121 Wesley, J. Journal, April 27th - May 1st 1739 , Vol 1, 189, 190.

DAY 16

EVENING

PSALMS 82–85

Psalm 84:5 “Blessed are those whose strength is in you ... who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.”

Incessant Pace

It is difficult to believe, but Wesley was once criticised for taking life too easily. The one who accused him was clearly not in touch with reality. She said that he was “laying up treasures on this earth”. His reply was fitting: “I told her, God knew me better, and if he had sent her, he would have sent her with a more proper message.”122

The main reason for Wesley’s incessant pace he made very apparent. in 1781 when he was still travelling constantly even in his old age, he said, “I must go on; for a dispensation of the gospel is committed to me; and woe is me if I preach not the gospel.”123 He knew that the Lord had commissioned him to preach the Gospel. Revival was sweeping the land 
as he preached, and that the Lord himself was renewing his strength was his powerful testimony.
 John Fletcher, who travelled with John Wesley on many journeys, paid him this tribute that he kept on going “with unwearied diligence through the three kingdoms, calling sinners to repentance and to the healing fountain of Jesus’ blood. Though oppressed with the weight of near 70 years, and the cares of nearly 30,000 souls, he shames still, by his unabated zeal and immense labours, all the young ministers in England, perhaps in Christendom. He has generously blown the gospel trumpet and rode 20 miles before most of the professors who despise his labours have left their downy pillows. As he begins the day, the week, the year, so he concludes them, still intent on extensive services for the glory of the Redeemer and the good of souls.”124

Prayer

My strength is in YOU, Lord, and I have set my heart on pilgrimage. I pray for YOUR resources and YOUR enabling to restore the Gospel to England. I cannot do it in my strength. YOU are mighty to save and to deliver the captives. I look to YOU, Lord. Bring revival to our land, a fresh breath of your Holy Spirit that renews, restores and refreshes and brings revelation from above. My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh cry out to you, Lord, the living God!

122 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol IV, January 1760 , Vol 4, 364.quoted in Skevington-Wood, The burning heart,115.

123 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol XIII, A Plain account of Kingswood School, 1781, Vol 4, 267.


124 MacDonald, F.W, John W. Fletcher, 118. quoted in Skevington-Wood, The burning heart,124.