Death in the Pot, by Aimee Semple-McPherson
“And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and see the pottage for the sons of the prophets. And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not. So they poured out for the men to eat: and it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is DEATH IN THE POT. And they could not eat thereof. But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot.” —2 Kings 4:38-41.
“Elisha came to Gilgal and there was a dearth in the land” — There had not always been a dearth in Gilgal:
Gilgal had once been wondrously blessed of God. Blessing and bounty had walked its streets hand in hand. Had they not echoed and resounded with shouting and rejoicing and the marching feet of four thousand men of war, as the priests, led by Joshua, had borne the ark of the covenant of the Lord thither?
After they had pitched camp and set up their twelve stones as a monument of Jordan’s parted waters (Jos. 4:3 and 20), and kept the Passover, had they not eaten of the old corn of the land and the fruit of the land of Canaan? The long-looked for promised land had been reached. No more need for wilderness wanderings, “and the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more, but they did eat the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.” (Jos. 5:11, 12.)
Was it not at Gilgal that, after the Lord had appeared as Captain of the host (Jos. 5:14), and Joshua had fallen on his face to the earth, the Lord said unto him:
“Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy?”
And after Samuel had anointed Saul, did he not send him unto Gilgal to “tarry until” the “Spirit of the Lord” should “come upon” him with “signs” following, that should give him “another heart” and turn him “into a new man?” (Read I Sam. 10:6-9.) What a wonderful type of Pentecost! Later Samuel said to the people:
“Come, let us go to GILGAL and renew the kingdom there” even as the early apostles had returned to Jerusalem for fresh anointings of the Spirit.
“A DEARTH IN THE LAND.”
But behold, now, something has happened. The children of the Lord have become cold, lukewarm, backslidden. Such a great dearth has come to Gilgal and the surrounding countries that they have “cleanness of teeth and want of bread” (Amos 4:6.) “Transgressions have been multiplied ” but in Hosea 4:16, the Lord promises Israel (who, in her iniquity, He has likened to a backsliding heifer and forbidden to enter Gilgal), that if they will follow Him He will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
During the former rain outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which began on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4), the ark containing the glory of the Lord (spiritually speaking), rested in Jerusalem as in Gilgal of old. Even as Saul had been sent to Gilgal to tarry till the Spirit of the Lord was come upon him and till the signs came to pass, so the hundred and twenty had been commanded to tarry in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit should come upon them with signs following.
The long-looked-for, long-prophesied (Isaiah 28:11, 2:13; Joel 2:23 and 28; Zech. 10:1; Matt. 3:11; Luke 24:49; John 14, 15, 16; Acts 1:5 and 8) promised land had been reached. True, God had kept them whilst in the wilderness, and manna had come upon them, as the inspired words fell from the mouths of the holy prophets of old as they were moved by the Holy Spirit — true, the words of Jesus had been as manna from heaven, whilst He walked this earth in the fleshly body, but now — now — the Holy Spirit had come — N-O-W — they had entered Canaan’s land, and instead of the manna which had been taken away, and fell no more upon them (Jesus being returned to the Father and His voice being heard no more), they had corn and oil and wine (Joel 2:19), as the Spirit spoke through them of Jesus and His coming kingdom. “And they did eat the old CORN of the land’ (Joshua 5:11-12) “neither had they manna any more, but they did eat the fruit of the land of Canaan.” (See fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5:22.)
Jerusalem (as Gilgal of old) rang with the praises of the Lord, and with the marching feet of new converts, new men of war, who went forth to follow the Captain of the host. On the day of Pentecost three thousand souls were added to the church; with pure hearts overflowing with joy, and with unshod feet, His people walked softly before Him and fell upon their faces in adoration. Just as the twelve tribes erected their monument of twelve stones, so the twelve disciples stood as a monument of the mighty power of the great and holy One who had parted the waters of the Red Sea — “Salvation” — and parted the waters of Jordan to bring them to Canaan’s land — “The Baptism of the Holy Ghost.” Each time did the Lord Himself have to part the waters before His children could cross over into the new experience.
Humanity could neither swim nor ford the Red Sea — The Lord Himself miraculously opened, through His blood, a path — salvation — which meant at once deliverance and Life to repentant believers — and Death to unrepentant unbelievers.
Mankind could not cross the judgment of old Jordan’s waves, nor make themselves worthy to enter Canaan and, again through parted waters (His GRACE and His WORTHINESS, which towered on either side) He led His people forth to the promised land, and filled them with the Spirit. Here are two experiences — Salvation and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit — which we could not have brought ourselves into, therefore did He part the waters each time. Bless His name.
“ELISHA CAME AGAIN TO GILGAL.”
After the disciples and apostles had fallen asleep in the Lord, and the many years of blessing wherein the power and glory of the Holy Spirit had been manifested, came the gradual falling away of the spirituality of the church. The apostacy and dark ages followed, but holy, inspired prophecy had said:
“He who sent the former rain moderately shall send you the rain, both the former and the latter rain together in one month,” and “It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh,” etc.
“AND ELISHA CAME AGAIN TO GILGAL,” Hallelujah! The time for the latter rain outpouring of the Spirit which was to take place in the last days had come, and Elisha (who stands for the visual manifestation of the power of God in signs and wonders) came AGAIN to Gilgal.
And when he came he found that “THERE WAS A GREAT DEARTH IN THE LAND.”
Ah, yes! What a dearth there was in the land! What a crying out for food, and pottage, and bread and lentils in and just prior to the years 1905 and 1906.
How many churches and saints cried to Heaven:
“Oh, for the old-time power! Oh for another Pentecost!” The Methodist church, the Salvation Army, the Holiness church, and many others sang and prayed these words over and over (but Oh, how few really recognized the answer when it came, “wrapped in swaddling clothes and in a manger”) . Nevertheless the Word of God said:
When you call upon Me I will answer, and in the day that you seek Me with your whole heart I will be found of you; turn unto the Lord with weeping and mourning, and … “He will return and repent and leave a blessing behind Him, even a meat offering and a drink offering.”
“SET ON THE GREAT POT.”
Therefore, when Elisha came again to Gilgal, that is when the Holy Spirit, at the specified time for the latter rain, found the hungry saints sitting before Him with one accord and one desire, even as the hundred and twenty had sat in waiting expectation of old, “He said unto his servant:
“Set on the great pot and seethe the pottage for the sons of the prophets.” “Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst, for they shall be filled.”
Oh, glory to Jesus! I can just close my eyes as I write, here before my open Bible tonight, and see the great Pentecostal pot (the entire Pentecostal movement), being brought out and set upon the fire — the Holy Spirit is, of course, the fire — our prayer, and praises are the WOOD (and Oh, it takes good dry wood, full of pitch, to make a real red hot fire water-soaked, rotten wood of worldliness and unbelief will only smoke and smudge and hinder).
Once suspended over the fire of the Holy Spirit, the Pentecostal pot soon began to boil and simmer, as hungry saints came together, each bringing a contribution of carefully tilled vegetables in their hands as an offering.
What a mixture, what a conglomeration came together in that pot!
Perhaps there is not another movement on earth made up of such a varied assortment of teachings, creeds and organizations, yet all melt and blend into one when put into the WATER of the Word, and boiled over the fire of the Holy Spirit.
It was as though myriad streams, coming from myriad fountain-heads, had met and mingled together, and NOW flowed on in ONE great stream as though they had never been divided.
Its fire was as that of a great burning pile of WOOD, hewn and gathered from many sources — from varied kinds of trees — from widely separated forests, now leaping heavenward in one great flame of love and devotion.
It was as many VEGETABLES, planted, watered, cultivated, tilled and brought from many fields, put into one pot, and now forming, with the strong meat of the Word, and the water of the Spirit of life, a rich, nourishing food, whose appetizing and inviting fragrance was wafted to all about upon the vapor of praise and testimony which arises from the dancing, joyful mixture within.
With lightning rapidity the Pentecostal revival has encircled the world; thousands and thousands of hungry souls have been filled with the Spirit.
Wait a moment! You who are investigating, or gazing curiously into the lively, bubbling, dancing Pentecostal pot. Let us halt and examine some of, the people — the endless procession of people who are coming to contribute some edible to the movement. Let us begin with this man hurrying along toward the pot, laden with vegetables and bread of the first fruits, and see what he has to say.
THE METHODIST.
Q. “Halt! Who goes there? From whence do you come?”
A. “I am a METHODIST. I come from a church founded upon the sound doctrines of Justification and Faith in the present Power of God, as revealed to John Wesley — a church where the power of the Holy Spirit used to fall in bygone years, until saints shouted, and sinners wept, and the joyful danced before the Lord.”
Q. “O? And what bring you in your hand?”
A. “I bring with me carefully tilled vegetables and bread of the first fruits, from a grand old field — a little sparsely ‘sprinkled,’ and — well — a little ‘short of water’ — nevertheless, diligently cultivated by watchfulness and the Word of God.”
“Our harvests come from various gardens and are tilled by different gardeners, some of which are known as “The Epworth League,” “The Free Methodists,” “The Ranters,” “The Shaking Methodists,” etc., yet ’tis the same sun of righteousness which, from the lofty heavens, shines upon one and all.”
“Coming out from the parent field I bring with me an appetite whetted by the cherished memories of how God once did work in the old-time Methodist church; for, alas! Dearth and formality came into our field, and many therein were a-hungered.”
“Kindly excuse me, and allow me to pass, for in these last days (Acts 2:17) the great pot of blessing has been set upon the fire of the Spirit, and thither do I hasten that I may find this old-time power increased an hundred fold.”
(There! He is gone! I would that I could have detained and conversed with him a little longer. Let not our hearts be troubled, however, for lo, one goeth, and behold, another cometh.)
THE BAPTIST.
Q. “Halt! Who goes there? And whence come you?”
A. “I am a BAPTIST. I come from a garden whose original plan of gardening (as recorded in our book of instructions) was patterned by the Word of God, the planting and springing up of the seeds required Justification and a Change of Heart. The young plants were well watered, too — in fact ‘completely immersed’ in the beginning of their growth, but as the plants grew and developed, and had need of the wind of the Spirit and the falling of the latter rain for developing the harvest. Alas! between the high, well-guarded fence of ‘close communion’ and the heavy overhead trellis of theology and forms and ceremonies, neither wind nor rain could reach the garden.”
“Consequently, many of our gardeners, realizing that the fruit of their labors was exceedingly ‘hard shelled,’ and that some life and breaking of the dry stiffness was needed, tried an artificial irrigation process of worldiness and structural magnificence. Lectures, concerts and amusements were recommended, and tried as fertilizers. The spiritual life of the plants, however, did not thrive well under this method, and many withered and pined away, and there was a dearth in the land.”
“Coming forth from behind our ‘close communion’ fence, I am hastening toward yonder brightly burning fire, for I do both ‘see and hear’ that the great pot has been set upon the flame. Hark! Can you not hear its dancing and bubbling, and see the vapors of praise rising, even from here?”
Q. “And what bring you in your hand to contribute to the Pentecostal pot?”
A. “I bring with me, as bread of the first fruits, the knowledge of the scriptures, sound doctrine, and a firm stand on Water Baptism as set forth by our forefathers. I bring with me a hunger for the real, tangible power of God.”
“But, Ah! I catch the fragrant odors rising from yonder steaming caldron.”
“Please allow me to pass, that I may receive my portion from the great pot.”
THE SALVATIONIST.
Q. “Halt! Who goes there? From whence come you, and why do you come?”
A. I come from the SALVATION ARMY, that, in obedience to the call of God, marched fearlessly beneath their banner of ‘Blood and Fire,’ into the very heart of the enemy’s territory, taking captives and making love-prisoners for King Jesus.”
“I come from a people who in their extensive gardening found labor for both the ‘servant and the maid,’ a body of people who were once deeply spiritual and prayerful, and entirely separated from the world and its earthly lore.”
“True, amidst persecution and trial, they sowed the seed and gathered the harvest — not behind fenced enclosures, but in the streets and marketplace, the slums and the hovels.”
“I come from a people that used to stand for the manifestation of the Spirit, and many there were among them who shouted and danced, and fell prostrate under the power, and saw visions of the glory of God.”
“Why do I leave? Why, because there is a dearth in our land — the old-time power is sadly lacking today, times and business are so pressing, pressing, popularity — our war work in the great world contest — never-ending financial needs — new barns for the extended harvest fields — have been as quick-growing weeds that have sadly choked and crowded out the old spirituality and whole-hearted abandonment and humble dependence upon God.”
“Seeking and hungry for the old-time power, I come for food to the great pot which has been set over the fire of this Holy Ghost movement.”
Q. “And what bring you in your hand?”
A. “I bring with me the first fruits of our labors. Our field of vegetables had a wonderful beginning; the planting was beyond criticism, and if our field had been watered according to the instructions of Chief Gardener Jesus, none should have excelled it. Our under gardeners, however, felt neither the prescribed water baptism nor the latter rain outpouring (The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, as recorded in Acts 2:4) to be necessary.
“Our vegetables were not even sprinkled. Nevertheless they contain a real zeal for souls and a courage to go after them. I bring in my hands the old ‘Amen Corner’ and the ringing Hallelujahs, singing and music, and a faith and perseverance that sow beside all waters.”
On and on they come!
They are flocking in from every direction, each bringing some contribution to the Pentecostal Pot. Here comes the staunch PRESBYTERIAN — the old Scotch COVENANTER — the HUGENOT, and the staid EPISCOPALIAN follows after — pride and formality forgotten.
One breath from the fragrant, boiling Revival on the fire brings back a rush of memories that recall the Faith and Power which rested in their midst in days of yore, when steadfast, persecuted forefathers fell upon their knees in caves and dens and dungeons, where plush and padded prayer-cushions were unknown — memories of old-time power and glorious blessing that followed in the days when “they who lived godly suffered persecution” — memories of long nights spent in prayer — the sincere unaffected heart’s devotion of the Saviour and His love.
Ah, no! Neither gilded dome, nor frescoed arch, nor rolling tones that throb and thunder in the organ loft, nor surpliced choir, nor e’en the college-moulded, eloquent ‘divine’ (?) who speaks in modulated tones from flower-embowered canopy, can still the longing for the old-time power that glorified the sacrifice, surrender, prayer and faith of the Pilgrim Fathers’ day.
Devoted saints come from the HOLINESS church, bringing the message of Heart-Purity and the Coming of the Lord, and wonderfully blessed of God, as fruitage needing but one thing — the latter rain.
The ADVENTIST adds his teachings on the Coming of the Lord, deep study of the Prophetic Word, teachings of Holiness and Freedom from Worldiness.
The QUAKER hastens up — deep wells of joyous recollections rising in his soul — eyes alight, beneath his broad-brimmed hat, with the memories of how HIS church, once shaken and controlled by the Spirit’s power (before the dearth), had walked so close to God. Glowing coals within his heart, long banked and smouldering, now burst forth in flames again as he hastens to the Holy Spirit’s fire and the great Pentecostal pot suspended thereupon. He adds the fruitage from his field ‘sterling qualities of truth,’ ‘unswerving faith’ and ‘yieldedness to the mornings of the Spirit.’
And, would you believe it, here comes the ROMAN CATHOLIC — not one, but many of them, leaving the old church, many have come to the Saviour, have been redeemed, filled with the Spirit, and bring with them a Holy Reverence and Obedience and deep appreciation of this newfound reality and life in Jesus to add to the happy mixture bubbling in the pot.
So many come from every quarter that it is impossible to halt and question them all. Then comes —
THE SINNER — Yes, what lines and lines of them. Attracted by the reality and the mighty moving of the Spirit, they bring with them the Fruits of Repentance and First Love.
And Elisha said:
“SET ON THE GREAT POT, AND SEE THE POTTAGE FOR THE SONS OF THE PROPHETS.”
Oh, what a glorious feast we are going to have! What wonderful pottage!
Lift up the cover and peep in at the dancing, joyous mixture. See how, when boiled over the great FIRE OR THE SPIRIT and with the WATER OF LIFE, with the MEAT OF THE WORD and the SALT which has never lost its savor, a great, change comes to all the viands within the pot; the fruits of the fields, the vegetables and the barley, lose their “hard shells,” slip out of their wails of differences, creeds and forms — forget they came from widely separated gardens and were tilled by gardeners who never could agree as to methods, and soon they burst with praise as their innermost hearts flow forth in love.
Then, as the fire burns on, they melt — and melt — and M-E-L-T until the pottage is but one united, savory mixture. Outside walls crumble and fall away, for vegetables must be peeled before entering the pot (that is barriers of organizations and differences must be left outside; peelings do not make good pottage). Then, as the fire still continues to burn and the pot to boil, each vegetable and fruit, in melting, has lost its own identity and has so united and merged itself into the other broken, melting hearts round about it, that ’tis hard to realize they ever were divided.
THE MAN WITH THE LAPFUL OF GOURDS.
Many eyes and many footsteps were turned eagerly toward this Pentecostal movement; brethren patted each other on the back and said:
“No more need of hunger or separation or dearth. Here is unity everlasting with nothing to mar.”
Hungrily, servants and handmaidens alike drew near with clean plates and shining spoons. “What a wonderful feast we are going to have,” they said.
But stop! Who is that man, slipping in so stealthily behind the others, carrying something in his garment? Let us question him.
Q. Halt! Who goes there? From whence do Y-O-U come?
A. “Me? Oh I come from no particular garden. I am the ‘ONE WHO WENT OUT IN THE FIELD TO GATHER HERBS.’ ”
Q. “And what sort of vegetables do you bring in your lap?”
A. “Why — er — that is, I — It is not vegetables I bring. Vegetables must be most carefully planted in prepared ground, tilled and cultivated (study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed). Whilst wandering yonder I found a wild vine full of nice, fat gourds, no trouble to till them at all. They were there already, and all I had to do was to pluck the wild gourds in passing. See? I have a good big lapful here. Fine looking specimens, are they not?”
Q. “Good specimens of ‘gourds,’ yes, but I am not so sure of their being good to eat, or being a desirable addition to yonder feast. I fear that they are poisonous?”
A. “Oh, no, they are not poisonous, I assure you.”
Q. “Well, what are the names of these different gourds?”
A. “Why — a — This one is called ‘False Teaching;’ this one is called ‘Error’: whilst this prickly one is known as ‘Doctrinal Issues.’ This puffy fat one is ‘Lover of Power and Recognition.’ Then there is ‘Self-Righteousness,’ ‘Formality,’ ‘Preconceived Ideas and Teaching,’ ‘Fear of Manifestations,’ ‘Flesh,’ and ‘Fanaticism.’ There are many other gourds, and amongst their number are ‘Lack of Brotherly Love,’ ‘False Reports,’ ‘Harsh Criticism’ and ‘Tale Bearing.’
Q. “Why, Man! You would never think of bringing such things into the midst of a Pentecostal gathering!
You are wrong, and the gourds are poisonous. They will destroy unity and curdle love and make endless confusion and trouble. Surely you do not realize what you are doing?”
A. “Oh, yes I do. The Lord (?) revealed this thing to me and I know this new idea is the only right one. I know these gourds are perfectly all right and you can’t teach me anything about them. Kindly allow me to pass.”
Q. “Wait, wait, come back. There, he is gone — he worms his way into the inner circle, gets close to the pot, lifts his lapful of gourds, and in they go, the whole lot of them, into the pottage. On-lookers innocently allowed the gourds at first to pass them, and even —
Shred them into the pot of pottage, “for they knew them not.” So they poured out for men to eat; and it came to pass as they were eating of the pottage that they cried out and said:
OH, THOU MAN OF GOD, THERE IS DEATH IN THE POT,
and they could not eat thereof.”
Amidst the many who come with good contributions to the pot, here and there steals up a man or woman with a lapful of gourds, which they have plucked from some wild vine as they journeyed, and they are thrown, sometimes ignorantly, sometimes knowingly, into the great pot upon the fire.
“Oh, what a distressingly large lapful of poisonous gourds!” exclaims the on-looker who had been approaching with his empty dish and spoon, ready to dine, and who now draws back in fear.
“Horrors — the whole thing is spoiled!”
There is false teaching and error in that movement, and I am afraid to have anything to do with it.
There is “So and So,” who did “such and such” a thing and if that’s Pentecost, or if that’s the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, I for one, don’t want it. There’s Mr. “So and So” in our assembly, and there’s that one who professed to be a Holy Ghost preacher — did you hear what he did?
Did you hear of the gourd that he brought and dumped into Pentecost?
No, Sir! The whole pot is contaminated and poisoned. I tell you there’s DEATH in the pot,” and they are in a straight between two, whether to try to overturn the whole pot or to walk away and leave it, warning others as they go.
Some say, “Come on, let’s fight this movement. Let’s write some tracts against it and do what we can to overturn the whole thing.” Others who walk away, warn everyone they meet by saying:
“Did you hear the news about that Pentecostal movement down there? Why, ‘So and So’ has just brought the most distressing lapful of gourds and dropped them into Pentecost; unity is disrupted; love is curdled, the people are made sick at their very hearts. Don’t you go near that place.”
Perplexity and confusion falls upon many an onlooker, some stay to criticise; others to wring their hands and weep.
What shall YOU and I do? We know that the movement is ninety-nine percent pure, but Oh that lapful of gourds has brought so much trouble! Of course we know that “WHEN THE SONS OF GOD CAME TOGETHER THE DEVIL CAME ALSO,” and that there never was a movement but where someone came in to bring reproach, and that even amongst the twelve disciples one was a Judas. We also know how one who does not measure up to the standard is singled out from the ninety-nine others and enlarged upon until the “ninety and nine just ones” are forgotten in pointing to and discussing him who went astray.
“Well, we know the thing is not right anyway, as it is, and I guess we better go away. Too bad, isn’t it?”
“But wait a moment —
“Who is this so swiftly approaching with a well-filled sack clasped tightly in his arms?”
Q. “Who goes there, and what do you bring in your hands?”
A. “I am the man with the sack of meal. The meal is the Word of God. I go to cast it into the pot. This meal will simmer down to the bottom of the whole affair and settle all disturbances. It shall cry aloud:
“‘What saith the scriptures? Bring forth the plumb line. Let God be true and every man a liar. Prove all things. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.'”
This word is quick and powerful and shall not fail, if cast into the pot, to purify and bring order out of confusion.
BRING THE MEAL THE WORD OF GOD.
“And Elisha said, bring meal, and he cast it into the pot; and he said, pour out for the people that they may eat, and there was no harm in the pot.”
Oh hallelujah! The Word of God is being poured into this movement and His Word is accomplishing that whereunto it has been sent. The Holy Spirit today is calling as did Elisha of old:
“POUR OUT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT THEY MAY EAT.”
I can seem to see the surrounding circle of empty plates and see the hungry faces of the dear ones as they are partaking themselves and calling to others to come, “taste and see that the Lord is good.”
“POUR OUT TO THE PEOPLE THAT THEY MAY EAT.” Oh, yes, that is the greatest mission of the hour. Give unto the people that they may eat.
If you have discovered something somewhere in your vicinity or in the movement at large, which looks to you like a gourd, instead of turning your back and your judgment and wholesale condemnation upon the whole thing, go bring the meal (II Kings 4:41), get the Word of God and find out what saith the scriptures. “If this work be of men it will come to naught; but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.” (Acts 5:38-39.)
Get out the meal — if you see this Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the Bible evidence, speaking in tongues, in the WORD, with the accompanying gifts and fruits of the Spirit, believe God and come boldly to receive this Bible experience even though every one round about you seems to be in error or falls below the standard.
INSTEAD OF BEING THE ONE WHO CRIES “THERE IS DEATH IN THE POT,” BE AN ELISHA WITH A SACK OF MEAL;
Receive YE the Holy Ghost; let God make YOU to measure up to the Word. All your criticising or scolding or telling where the trouble is or even trying to fix it, can never help. The Meal of the Word will alone avail.
Pour out for the people that they may eat. Dear worker, what are you feeding your hungry people on? Are you telling them and repeating over, meeting after meeting, every story and incident that has come to your knowledge where gourds have been put into the pot? If so you are guilty and putting gourds of doubts and discouragement in the pot yourself.
When you set the table for your guests that hunger all about you, do not frighten people away by bringing up from your cellar the poorest potatoes or the mouldy preserves, or the mildewed bread from your larder — THEY DO NOT WANT TO HEAR ABOUT MAN’S WORST; THEY WANT TO HEAR ABOUT GOD’S BEST. What are you feeding your people on? Relating the worst things you ever heard of man doing or the best things you ever heard of God doing? The former makes poor fighting food the latter makes firm spiritual muscles and makes strong, developed, matured men and women who grow quickly under such teaching “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:13.)
Remember that by relating past wrongs, etc., you are as guilty as those who committed them, and are only frightening people away by crying: “There’s death in the pot.” Go bring the meal: preach the Word. Lift up the pure standard and God will vindicate and honor His Word.
Does it seem sometimes that you have very little to set before the people and do you feel your own lack and insufficiency? Remember that the servant felt it that day, too, when he said:
(II. Kings 4:43) “What, should I set this before an hundred men?” And Elisha said: “Give the people that they may eat; for thus saith the Lord, they shall eat, and shall leave thereof. So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the Lord.”
The Word of God rights every wrong, dispels all darkness, removes all impurities, settles all misunderstandings, and whether it dissolves or eliminates all the gourds or just what becomes of them I cannot exactly say, but at any rate I know that after the meal was cast into the midst “THERE WAS NO HARM IN THE POT.”
If you have been standing afar off in doubt and are an hungered, hesitate no longer but bring your meal with you and come and dine, for there is no harm in the pot.
With all the gourds (and indeed they are comparatively few in number, considering that this movement has enveloped the entire globe, and into it have come streams of people from every creed and clime and color), this great pot set upon the fire, this Holy Spirit movement is the best thing in the world and contains the best food on earth.
This comes from a collection of sermons found in Sister Aimee’s book, “This is That,” which we have available at the following locations: