Power To Serve (book review)

Smith Wigglesworth: funny-sounding name, but he spoke such powerful, confronting words. Power To Serve was not actually written by Wigglesworth, but spoken by him. This book—like most books that bear his name—is a series of sermons transcribed for us.

I liked the feel of this book. Instead of the fine polished writing of an accomplished author, these words feel like they are coming right from the mouth of this fiery Pentecostal preacher. Wigglesworth is an expositor of God’s Word with few peers. He takes a passage of Scripture and finds the many facets of life in which to bring its holy application.

This book (as its title suggests) challenged me to think about leadership in terms of servanthood. The greatest of leaders are the greatest of servants. And the best servants are those who serve like Jesus.

This is not a book I could speed-read, but had to digest it slowly as I thought about the application to my own life. Here’s a quote which sums up the head-on, no-holds-barred challenges that these words bring to me:

“The Bible is the plumb line of everything. And unless we are lined right up with the Word of God, we will fail in the measure in which we are not righteous. And so, may God the Holy Spirit bring us into that blessed ministry of righteousness.”

I’m trying to line up to God’s Word. These sermons are a great reminder of just how far I still have to go.

Challenged

During my daily devotional time, I’m reading a book by Smith Wigglesworth called Power To Serve. And I’m really being challenged by it. Sometimes a certain book crosses my life at just the right time, and it really begins to stir something in me. Just thought I’d share a couple of quotes from the book, and how I’m trying to process/apply it to my life:

  • “Prayer is a time during which God wants you to be strengthened, and He wants you to remember that He is with you. …People come with their needs, they ask, and then they leave with their need because they do not faithfully wait to receive what God has promised them.”
    • So true for me! I’m such a hurry-up-and-get-it guy. I’m trying to learn to wait in God’s presence, and not take my need back with me.
  • “Today is a day of inspiration and divine intuition, a day in which God is enrapturing your heart, breaking all shorelines, getting my heart to the place where it is responsive only to His cry, where I live and move honoring and glorifying God in the Spirit.”
    • Wow, I’d love to be in the place where my heart is responsive only to His cry. Too many times I’m too responsive to other voices clamoring for my attention. Be still, my heart, listen for your Master.
  • “You never lose as much as when you lose your peace. …Possess patience to such an extent that you can suffer anything for the church, for your friends, for your neighbors, or for anyone. Remember this: we build character in others as our character is built.”
    • I want to live my life with the same confidence that the Apostle Paul did when he wrote, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” May my life be a blessing to others.
  • “O God, give us such a holy, intense, divine acquaintance with You that we would rather die than grieve You! Oh, for inward character that will make us say, ‘A thousand deaths rather than sinning once.’”
    • I want to be at this place. Amen!

What are you reading/listening to that’s challenging you to live differently?