Without a due sense of Predestination, we shall want the surest and the most powerful inducement to patience, resignation, and dependence on God under every spiritual and temporal affliction. How sweet must the following consideration be to a distressed believer!
(1) There most certainly exists an almighty, allwise and infinitely gracious God. (2) He has given me in times past and is giving me at present (if I but had eyes to see it) many signal intimations of His love to me, both in a way of providence and grace. (3) This love of His is immutable; He never repents of it nor withdraws it. (4) Whatever comes to pass in time is the result of His will from everlasting; consequently, (5) my afflictions were a part of His original plan and are all ordered in number, weight, and measure.
(6) The very hairs of my head are everyone counted by Him, nor can a single hair fall to the ground but in consequence of His determination. Hence, (7) my distresses are not the result of chance, accident, or a fortuitous combination of circumstances, but (8) the providential accomplishment of God's purpose and (9) designed to answer some wise and gracious ends; nor (10) shall my afflications continue a moment longer than God sees meet.
(11) He who brought me to it has promised to support me under it and to carry me through it. (12) All shall, most assuredly, work together for His glory and my good: therefore, (13) "The cup which my heavenly Father hath given me to drink, shall I not drink it?" Yes, I will, in the strength He imparts, even rejoice in tribulation; and using the means of possible redress which He hath or may hereafter put into my hands, I will commit myself and the event to Him, whose purpose cannot be overthrown, whose plan cannot be disconcerted, and who, whether I am resigned or not, will still go on to work all things after the counsel of His own Will.
I have just returned from the first Sovereign Grace Bible Conference with Bro. Henry Mahan and his fine church, Pollard Baptist Church, Ashland, Ky. Bro. Rolfe Barnard, Winston-Salem, NC. Bro. B. B. Caldwell, Greenville, Bro. George Fletcher from VA., Bro. Clarence Walker, Lexington, Ky., and Bro. Mahan, the pastor, were the speakers. I don't recall any others at this time.
The theme throughout was "Sovereignty." And there was a unanimous rising vote requesting Bro. Mahan, his church, Bro. Barnard to plan and set up a similar conference next year, the Lord willing.
This is one of the best omens I have seen. Revival of the true body will not come by organization, promotional program, a glorified Hollywood evangelism, spending countless thousands for publicity and advertising! When revival comes you don't have to advertise. You can't advertise. The thing goes so fast, rises so high, and burns so furiously you have to spend all your time gathering up the results and keeping up with the thing. Think about advertising Evan Roberts' revival in Wales! Think about advertising the Jonathan Edwards' revival! Every revival that has ever come to the churches has come as a result of the supreme emphasis on one great basic doctrine that had been ignored, obscured, forgotton, and lost but now brought to the fore. I have been convinced for thirty years that the next revival will come upon the crest of a revival of the great doctrine of Sovereignty.
If every Baptist and Presbyterian preacher in America today would make proper preparation and preach in every pulpit in these two denominations for five Sundays straight through on the "Five Points of Calvinism," I would almost guarantee revivals would roll over at the churches of these two denominations and set the world on fire! As Rolfe Barnard says, "This old world in rebellion needs to learn one more time that God is Boss."