Saturday, May 31, 2014

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.

Friday, May 30, 2014

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.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

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.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

DAY 15

MORNING

PSALMS 75–77

Psalm 77:14 “You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among peoples.”

A More Excellent Way

Summary of sermon preached by John Wesley117

1 Corinthians 12:31 says “Covet earnestly the best gifts; And yet I show unto you
 a more excellent way.” In the previous verses, St Paul has been speaking of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit: such as healing the sick; prophesying in the proper sense of the word, that is foretelling things to come; speaking with strange tongues, such
 as the speaker had never learned; and the miraculous interpretation of tongues. These gifts the apostle allows to be desirable; yeah he exhorts the Corinthians, at least the teachers among them to covet them earnestly, that they might be qualified to be more useful either to Christians or Heathens. “And yet,” says he, “I show unto you a more excellent way;” far more desirable than all these put together.

It does not appear that these extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were common in the Church for more than two or three centuries. We seldom hear of them after that fatal period when the Emperor Constantine called himself a Christian; and from a vain imagination of promoting the Christian cause and heaped riches and power and honour upon the Christians in general but in particular upon the Christian clergy. From this time they almost totally ceased; very few instances of the kind were found. The real cause why the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were no longer to be found in the Christian church was because the Christians were turned Heathens again, and had only a dead form left.

Tuttle, a historian, comments regarding Wesley and spiritual gifts:118 “some argue that Wesley sounded somewhat ambivalent at times with regard to some of the more ‘extraordinary’ gifts as they surfaced within the 18th century Evangelical Revival (no doubt concerned about the charges of ‘enthusiasm’ against the people called Methodist). However, on at least one occasion Wesley defended the gifts of the spirit. In a letter to Conyers Middleton,119 Wesley defined, described, and defended a whole host of spiritual gifts, including casting out demons, speaking with new tongues, healing the sick, prophecy, visions, divine dreams and discerning of spirits.”

Prayer

Lord, help us to make love our aim and to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, particularly the gift of prophesy (1 Corinthians 14:39). Help us to fan into a flame the gift of God within, we pray. If vain imagination riches and power side-lined the church in the past, rescue us today from the same fate. Breathe your breath on us again. Breathe on the dry bones and call forth your Church into that more excellent way, that it might accomplish your purposes in the power of your Holy Spirit.

117 Wesley, J. Sermons Volume 7, ‘The more excellent way’, 26,27.

118 Tuttle, R.G John Wesley and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.


119 Wesley, J. Sermons Volume 10, 1–79.

DAY 15

EVENING

PSALM 78

Psalm 78:4 “We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord.”

Youth Awakening

As the awakening began to gather momentum in April 1739, many 
more people responded to Wesley’s preaching with signs following. Wesley wrote in his journal entries how some young people were impacted:120

Tuesday 21 April 1739

... a young man was suddenly seized with a violent trembling all over and in a few minutes, the sorrows of his heart being enlarged, sunk down to the ground. But we ceased not calling upon God, till he raised him up full of “peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” On Easter-day it being a thorough rain, I could only preach at Newgate at eight in the morning and two in the afternoon; in a house near Hannah Mount at eleven, and in one near Rose-Green at five. At the society in the evening many were cut to the heart and many comforted.

Tuesday 23 April 1739

... In the evening at Baldwin Street, a young man, after a sharp (though short) agony but both of body and mind, found his soul filled with peace, knowing in whom he had believed.

April 25 1739

To above 2000 at Baptist Mills I explained that glorious scripture (describing the state of every true believer in Christ — everyone who by faith is born of God) Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again unto fear, but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry “Abba, Father.”

April 26 1739

While I was preaching at Newgate on these words, “He that believeth hath everlasting life,” I was insensibly led, without any previous design, to declare strongly and explicitly, that God willeth “all men to be” thus “saved” and to pray that “if this were not the truth of God, he would not suffer the blind to go out of the way; but 
if it were, he would bear witness to his word.” Immediately one and another, and another 
sunk to the earth: They dropped on every side as thunderstruck. One of them cried aloud.
We besought God in her behalf, and he turned her heaviness into joy. A second being in same agony, we called upon God for her also, and he spoke peace into her soul. In the evening I was again pressed in spirit to declare that “Christ gave himself a ransom for all.” And almost before we called upon him to set his seal, he answered. One was so wounded by the word 
of the Spirit, that you would have imagined she could not live a moment. But immediately his abundant kindness was showed, and she loudly sang of his righteousness.

Prayer

Lord, we pray for the youth and the students in our land—the next generation. Let them hear the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord. violently apprehend them with your deep and enduring love. Show them tangible evidence of your abundant kindness. Set them free from bondage, adopt them into your family, the family of God, that they might receive a spirit of adoption, crying “Abba, Father.” You did it in the Methodist awakening. Do it again, we pray!

120 Wesley, J. Journal, April 21-26th 1739 , Vol 1, 187–189.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

DAY 14

DAY 14

MORNING

PSALMS 71–72

Psalm 72:12 “He will deliver the needy who cry out.”

Signs Following

Wesley continued to preach to the poor, and God continued to confirm his word with signs following, as Wesley relates in his Journal:115

Tuesday 17 April 1739

At five in the afternoon I was at a little society
in the Back Lane. The room in which we were was propped beneath, but the weight of people made the floor give way; so that in the beginning of expounding, the post which propped it fell down with a great noise. But the floor sank no farther; so that, after a little surprise at first, they quietly attended to the things that were spoken. Thence I went to Baldwin Street and expounded, as it came in course, the fourth chapter of the Acts. We then called upon God to confirm his word. Immediately one that stood by (to our no small surprise) cried out loud with the utmost vehemence, even as in the agonies of death. But we continued in prayer till “a new song was put in her mouth, a thanksgiving unto our God.” Soon after, two other persons (well known in this place, as labouring to live in all good conscience towards all men) were seized with strong pain, and constrained to roar for the disquietness of their heart. But it was not long before they likewise burst forth into praise to God their Saviour. The last who called upon God as out of the belly of hell, was a stranger in Bristol. And in a short space he was overwhelmed with joy and love, knowing that God had healed his backslidings. So many living witnesses hath God that his hand is still “stretched out to heal,” and that “signs and wonders are even now wrought by his holy child Jesus.”

Wednesday 18 April 1739

In the evening ... A Quaker and a few others were admitted into the society. .. But (another) was scarcely able either to speak or look up ... The sorrows of death compassed her and the pains of hell got hold upon her. We poured out our complaints before God, and showed him of her trouble. And he soon showed he is a God “that heareth prayer”. She felt in herself that being justified freely, she had peace with God, through Jesus Christ. She rejoiced in hope of the glory of God, and “the love of God was shed abroad in her heart.”

Prayer

Thank you for your promise, Lord, that you will deliver the needy who cry out, and that you do hear our prayers. Lord, bring to birth another spiritual awakening in our land. Confirm your word with signs following as you have done before, as we see so clearly in the book of Acts and as you did in England in the Methodist revival of 1739. Deliver the needy who cry out. Let there be a bursting forth of praise to God on their lips. We pray for salvation and deliverance! Open up deep wells of salvation in our land ONCE AGAIN!

115 Wesley, J. Journal, April 8th 1739 , Vol 1, 187.

DAY 14 EVENING PSALMS 73–74

Psalm 73:20 “As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.”

Human Life: A Dream

Summary of Sermon preached by John Wesley (on Psalm 73:20)116

Anyone that considers these verses (in Psalm 73), will easily observe that the Psalmist is speaking directly of the wicked that prosper in their wickedness. It is very common for these utterly to forget that they are creatures of a day; to live as if they were never to die; as if their present state was to endure forever ... how miserable a mistake is this ... ... but I would at present carry this thought further. I would show how near a resemblance there is between human life and a dream. What is a dream? It is a series of persons and things presented to our mind which have no being but in our imagination. It seems to be an echo of what was said or done when we were awake... a fragment of life, broken off at both ends, having no connexion with the real things which either precede it or follow it.

Let us illustrate rather than prove the resemblance between transient dreams and the dream of life. Suppose we have before us someone who has just passed into the world
 of spirits. We talk to this person, before us
and we say to them “You have been living on earth for 40, 50 or 60 years.” God has just spoken and said to you, “Awake you who have been sleeping.” Look around you. What is the difference? Where is your body. Where are your limbs, your hands, your feet, your head. They lie cold, insensible. How different now you are thoroughly awake, are the objects around you? Where are the houses and gardens and fields and cities which you lately saw?

Now suppose this to be the case with any of you and that you are now present before God. It may be so tomorrow; perhaps tonight. Perhaps this night your soul “may be required of you;” the dream of life may end and you may wake into broad eternity.

See there lies the poor inanimate carcass shortly to be sown in corruption and dishonour. But where is the immortal incorruptible spirit? There it stands, naked before the eyes of God! What profit have you reaped of all your labour and care? Does your money follow you? Do your clothes follow you? Where is the honour, the pomp, the applause that surrounded you? All are gone; all are vanished away, “like as a shadow they depart.”

See on the other hand, the mansions which were prepared for you before the foundations
 of the world! O what a difference between the dream that is past and the real scene that is
now before you! Look up! See Jesus! Look down! What a prison is there, its inhabitants gnashing their teeth at Him! We might wish that we had
a friend with us always whispering in our ear, “Wake up O sleeper rise from the dead and Christ will shine on you.” Soon you will awake into real life. You will stand a naked spirit, in the world of spirits, before the face of the great God! See that now you hold fast to that “eternal life which he has given you in his Son”.

Prayer

Lord, we know that this world of shadows will pass away. Open our eyes, Lord. Where so many in our celebrity-focused, consumerist nation today are lost in temporal fantasies and have no thought of the age to come, Lord Jesus, wake us up out of our slumber. We long for your appearing, Lord. Rend the heavens and come down.

116 Wesley, J. Sermons Volume 3, addresses, 325.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

DAY 13

MORNING

PSALM 68

Psalm 68:7 “You went out before your people, O God.”

An Open-air Evangelist

Wesley’s biographer, Skevington- Wood, says, “It was an unpredictable providence which led John Wesley
 to become an open-air evangelist. Field preaching was not congenial to him. Some men might have felt themselves to be in their element as they stood beneath the canopy of heaven. Not so Wesley. To him this seemed a strange way indeed. It was certainly not his own choice. He endured it only because God called him to adopt such a means of approach to the people. There is something ironical 
that such a man as Wesley should expose himself to the four winds like this. Nor did he shrink from the uncouth mob, which always surrounded him with filth and foul odours and often with heckling and violence. Wesley was a dapper little don. He was finical about his personal appearance. In company he was always as neat as a tailor’s model. He was 
so very particular that he could not bear the slightest speck of dirt on his clerical attire.
He hated noise and disturbance. He was accustomed to the academic calm of Oxford
 or a country rectory. That he should venture into the highways and byways and face the great unwashed is nothing short of a miracle. Only grace could have turned Wesley into a missioner to the common people.” 111

God went ahead of Wesley and chose
 him for this task and the next week, on the following Sunday after his first experience of open–air preaching he tried it another time. In his journal, John Wesley wrote:112

Sunday, 8 April

At seven in the morning I preached to about a thousand persons at Bristol, and afterward to about fifteen hundred on the top of Hannam Mount in Kingswood. I called to them, in the words of the evangelical prophet, “Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; ... come, and buy wine and milk without money and without price” [Isa. 55:1]. About five thousand were in the afternoon at Rose Green (on the other side of Kingswood); among whom I stood and cried in the name of the Lord, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” [John 7:38]

Prayer

We live in a desperate generation that still thirsts for life. By grace you led Wesley to preach in the highways and byways. You turned him into a missionary to the masses. Show us your strength, Lord, as you have done before. GO BEFORE US and choose men and women to be your vessels ONCE AGAIN in our day to preach your Gospel to the lost in our nation, that many in their thousands would come to the waters and come and buy wine and milk without money and without price.

111 Skevington-Wood, A. The burning heart, 94.

112 Wesley, J. Journal, April 8th 1739 , Vol 1, 186.

DAY 13

EVENING

PSALMS 69–70

Psalm 69:9 “Zeal for your house consumes me.”

An Enthusiast

Many of Wesley’s contemporaries saw him as a fanatic. He was frequently called in a mocking way, ‘an enthusiast’. Howard Snyder suggests that although Wesley never left the Church of England and he was strongly committed to the institutional church, his approach and values were in almost every respect those of what he calls a “Radical protestant”. These are some
 of the hallmarks of Radical protestants, as Snyder defines them:113

1 Voluntary adult membership based on a covenant-commitment to Jesus Christ, emphasising obedience to Jesus as a necessary evidence of faith in him.

2 A community or brotherhood of discipline, edification, correction and mutual aid, in conscious separation from the world, as the primary visible expression of the church.

3 A life of good works, service and witness as an expression of Christian love and obedience expected of all believers.

4 The spirit and the word as comprising the sole basis of authority implying a de-emphasis on or rejection of church tradition and creeds.


5 Primitivism and restitutionism.


6 A pragmatic functional approach to church order and structure.


7 A belief in the universal church as the body of Christ, of which the particular visible believing community is but a part.

The first hallmark, “Voluntary adult membership”, was very important to Wesley. Often adult baptism and a rejection of infant baptism has been considered the key feature that identifies a “Radical Protestant”. However ‘volunteerism’ is really the issue. Wesley knew that a conscious adult commitment and obedience to the Gospel was what mattered and in his preaching this was paramount. Wesley demonstrated how important it was 
to him, by building a committed community of discipline and edification. Although the Methodist classes and bands were effectively a sub-community within the Church of England, they never became a distinct or separate sect.114

Prayer

Set us on fire, Lord, with a burning passion for you and your house, we pray. We pray for another awakening in our nation with many flames going up and down our land, lighting such candles as by God’s grace would never be put out. Remove the ‘dread asbestos of other things’ that would distract us from the ‘one thing’ that is needful—lives laid down, devoted to you, Lord Jesus.

113 Snyder, H. The Radical Wesley, 113–114.

114 Snyder, H. The Radical Wesley, 116–117.

DAY 12

MORNING

PSALMS 62–64

Psalm 63:2 “I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.”

A Surprising Instance of His Power

The Lord continued to move powerfully through Wesley’s preaching, but also through direct answer to prayer. In March 1739 when he found strong resistance to his message he prayed and saw the Lord immediately soften the heart of one who was initially so resistant. Wesley wrote in his Journal:106

Friday 2 March

One of the most surprising instances of his power which I ever remember to have seen was on the Tuesday following; when I was visiting one who was above measure enraged at this new way, and zealous in opposing it. Finding arguments to be of no other effect, than to inflame her more and more, I broke off the dispute and desired we might join in prayer, which she so far consented to as to kneel down.

In a few minutes she fell into an extreme agony, both of body and soul; and soon after cried out with the utmost earnestness, “Now I know that I am forgiven for Christ’s sake.” Many other words she uttered to the same effect, witnessing a hope full of immortality. And from that hour God has set her face as a flint to declare the faith which before she persecuted.

Thursday 8 March

I entered directly into a controversy touching both the cause and the fruits of justification. In the midst of the dispute one who sat at a small distance felt as it were the piercing of a sword, and before she could be brought to another house, wither I was going, could not avoid crying out aloud even in the street. But no sooner had we made our request known to God, than he sent help from his holy place.107

Prayer

Lord, we earnestly seek you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Lord, we pray that you would move in power as you have done before. This land we live in has seen you move in power in the past. We pray for a restoration of the cutting edge of the Gospel in our nation, that it would go forth like a two-edged sword once again.

106 Wesley, J. Journal , Vol 1, 174–5.

107 Wesley, J. Journal , Vol 1, 175.

DAY 12

EVENING

PSALMS 65–67

Psalm 65:12 “You brought us to a place of abundance.”

“This Strange Way of Preaching in the Fields ...”

George Whitefeld had returned from America and was now hoping that the churches would be open for him to preach in Bristol, but he was not given permission. He would not allow the delay 
to stop him. He was aware that there were colliers in Bristol who needed to hear his message. One Saturday afternoon he walked to a village, climbed a hill, and preached to 200 colliers. In his Journal he wrote, “Blessed be God that I have now broken the ice!”108 A few weeks later he was preaching to 20,000. He wrote, “The fire is kindled in the land and I know all the devils in hell shall not be able to quench it.”109 Wesley wrote in his Journal how he was invited by Whitefield to join him in Bristol:110

Saturday 15 March

During my stay [in London] ... I had no thought of leaving London, when I received, after several others, a letter from Mr Whitefield and another from Mr Seward entreating me, in the most pressing manner, to come to Bristol without delay. This I was not at all forward to do ... we at length all agreed to decide it by lot. And by this it was determined I should go.

Thursday 29 March

In the evening I reached Bristol and met Mr Whitefield there. I could scarcely reconcile myself at first to this strange way of preaching in the fields, of which he set me an example on Sunday; I had been all my life (till very lately) so tenacious of every point relating to decency and order that I should have thought the saving of souls almost a sin if it had not been done in a church.

Sunday 1 April

In the evening (Mr Whitefield being gone) I began expounding our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount (one pretty remarkable precedent of field-preaching, though I suppose there were churches at that time also), to a little society that was accustomed to meet once or twice a week in Nicholas Street.

Monday 2 April

At four in the afternoon, I submitted to be more vile and proclaimed in the highways the glad tidings of salvation, speaking from a little eminence in a ground adjoining to the city, to about three thousand people. The Scripture on which I spoke was this (is it possible anyone should be ignorant that it is fulfilled in every true minister of Christ?): “The Spirit of the
 Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed
me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” [see Isa. 61:1, 2; Luke 4:18, 19].

Prayer

Wesley stepped out of HIS comfort zone to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation and 3,000 gathered to hear him. Bring US to that place of abundance, Lord. Open up a spacious place for us to preach the Gospel here in England today. Help us to yield every bit of fear and reticence and to step out of our comfort zones to proclaim the Gospel in our day, however strange and embarrassing it may feel at first. Kindle the fire of your Gospel in us, and use us, even us, we pray.

108 George Whitefield’s Journals ed Iain Murray 216, 17 Feb 1739

109 George Whitefield’s Journals 216, March 1739.


110 Wesley, J. Journal , Vol 1, 176.

Friday, May 23, 2014

DAY 11

MORNING

PSALMS 56–58

Psalm 56:13 “You have delivered me from death.”

“We Were Surprised ...”

Just a few weeks after the power of God had come mightily upon Wesley and his friends as they were continuing instant
 in prayer at three o’clock in the morning, Wesley was surprised at the response of a well-dressed woman during his exposition, on a Sunday in February 1739. He told the story in his Journal:

Sunday 21 February

We were surprised in the evening, while I was expounding in the Minories. A well-dressed, middle-aged woman suddenly cried out as 
in the agonies of death. She continued so to 
do for some time, with all the signs of the sharpest anguish of spirit. When she was a little recovered, I desired her to call upon me the next day. She then told me that about three years before, she was under strong convictions of sin, and in such terror of mind, that she had no comfort in any thing nor any rest, day or night: that she sent for the Minister of her parish, and told him the distress she was in: Upon which 
he told her husband, she was stark mad, and advised him to send for a Physician immediately. A Physician was sent for accordingly, who ordered her to be blooded, blistered, and so on. But this did not heal her wounded spirit. So that she continued much as she was before: Till the last night, He whose word she at first found to be ‘sharper than any two-edged sword,’ gave her a faint hope, that He would undertake her cause and healed the soul which had sinned against him.’103 Wesley does not give undue importance
 to these manifestations, but he does relate throughout his Journal (particularly in the early years when the conviction of sin was very strong following his preaching), the anguish that listeners felt when individuals were ‘cut to the heart’ through his preaching.

Prayer

Lord, we pray that you would raise up anointed evangelists across our land who would preach the Gospel with power and signs following. We pray that you would begin by convicting us of our sin. Begin with us, Lord. Deliver me from my sin. Show me where I have neglected to share my faith, show me where I need to repent, show me where I have neglected the discipline of prayer. Come and have your way in me.

103 Wesley, J. Journal , Vol 1, 172.

DAY 11

EVENING

PSALMS 59–61

Psalm 61:2 ‘Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.’

Wesley’s View of the Church

Jesus said, “You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.” (Matthew 16:18). Psalm 61 reminds us that Christ alone is our rock and refuge. While focusing on John Wesley and his mission to re- evangelise England, it is helpful to investigate the understanding of ‘church’ that was at stake in his reforming ‘mission’.

Frank Baker, an expert on Wesleyan Methodism, says, “Throughout his adult life Wesley responded with varying degrees of enthusiasm to 2 fundamentally different views of the church. One was that of an historical institution, organically linked to the apostolic church by a succession of bishops and inherited customs, served by a priestly caste who duly expounded the bible and administered the sacraments in such a way as to preserve the ancient traditions on behalf of all who were made members by baptism. According to the other view, the church
 was a fellowship of believers who shared 
both the apostolic experience of God’s living presence and also a desire to bring others into this same personal experience by whatever methods of worship and evangelism seemed most promising to those among whom the Holy Spirit had endowed with special gifts of prophecy and leadership. The first view saw the church in essence as an ancient institution to be preserved, the second as a faithful few with a mission to the world: the first was a traditional rule, the second a living relationship.”104

Wesley’s perspective of the Church of England was that although the structures and liturgy were still indicative that it was
 in a formal sense a true church, the spirit
 of the true church was essentially the small groups within the Anglican church of faithful believers. He seems to have viewed the Methodist societies as being the true visible church within Anglicanism. Later he realised that even many Methodists were not true believers.105

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, that you are building your church, that your kingdom is coming more fully. Breathe upon us your life-giving Holy Spirit. We pray that you would lead us by your Spirit and show us the part you would have us play. You are our rock and fortress. Lord Jesus, when our challenges and difficulties seem insurmountable, lead us back to yourself — lead us to “the rock that is higher than I”.

104 Baker, F. John Wesley and the Church of England, Nashville Abingdon, 1970, 137 quoted in Snyder, H. The Radical Wesley, 71.

105 Snyder, H. The Radical Wesley, 76.

DAY 10

MORNING

PSALMS 50–52

Psalm 50:5 “Gather to me my consecrated ones.”

The Methodist Pentecost

In December 1738 the news that George Whitefield had returned from America reached Wesley. These friends who had both been part of the Holy Club in Oxford met together on 12 December. Whitefield had been the main instrument the Lord had begun to use in a spiritual revival in England. However, Whitefield was Wesley’s junior and he was still in awe of him.95 It was a wonderful reunion and they were overjoyed that in London there seemed (as Whitefield said) “to be a great pouring out of the spirit, and many who were awakened by my preaching a year ago are now grown strong men in Christ,
by the ministrations of my dear friends and fellow-labourers John and Charles Wesley.”

In an upper room belonging to Mrs West they spent much time together praying and singing and discussing. On 31 December Wesley preached to a large congregation at Whitechapel and George Whitefield preached at Spitalfields. Wesley describes what happened when he and Charles Wesley and George Whitefield gathered together on Monday 1 January 1739. “Mr Hall, Kinchin, Ingham, Whitefield Hutchins, and my brother Charles were present at our love-feast in Fetter-Lane with about 60 of our brethren. About three in
 the morning, as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy and many fell to the ground.
As soon as we were recovered a little from that awe and amazement at the presence of his Majesty we broke out with one voice, ‘We praise thee; O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.’”96

If 24 May 1738 was the day at Aldersgate when Wesley was born again by the spirit of God, then 1 January 1739 certainly seemed to be something very similar to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This seems to have been a time of separation unto the Lord for those God was to use in the Methodist awakening that was about to break out across England and North America. John Wesley 
and George Whitefield had still not ventured to preach outdoors. The Lord was gathering his consecrated ones and he poured out his spirit on them in power. As the brethren dwelt in unity the Lord commanded a powerful blessing.

Prayer

Lord, gather together your consecrated ones, for another outpouring of your Spirit.
We long to see this country turn back to you. Pour out your Spirit again as you did at Fetter Lane. We pray for the servants you are preparing. Send your fire down on those altars, Lord. Ignite them with a fresh baptism in your Holy Spirit. Fan the flames of your Gospel. By your grace let that candle never go out, let it burn brightly up and down our land ONCE AGAIN!

95 Pollock, J. The preacher, 108–109.

96 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1, 170.

DAY 10

EVENING

PSALMS 53–55

Psalm 53:2 “God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.”

A Desperate Place

In 1738 in the time of the evangelical awakening, immorality and indecency
 was everywhere. One historian
 said that Britain was one large casino. Gambling dominated and violence filled the streets. Every sixth house was a pub. In a contemporary satire,97 George Crabbe, a poet,98 described the effects of drunkenness on every class of society. He refers to the “staggering peer”, the “humble pensioner”, the “slow- tongued bishop”, the “easy chaplain” and the “convivial vicar”.

One historian says, “a religious languor fell over England”.99 Vibrant Christianity was hardly seen. “Some of the population continued to perform what the philosopher, Immanuel Kant called the court-duties 
of religion, but comparatively few had experienced the glowing reality of personal communion with Christ.”100 Rationalism was strong and revelation was given no place; the clergy were ineffective as a result.101 Vital Christianity had been side-lined.

This was the context that John Wesley found himself in 1739 as he travelled around churches engaging in itinerant evangelism. Another historian says “Wesley did not waste his time deploring the evils of his day, he attacked them; and he attacked them by preaching repentance and conversion. He knew that the only hope of the corrupt heart was a new birth.”102

Prayer

Lord, we pray that as you look down from heaven you would have mercy on us in England today. We are in a desperate place. We pray that salvation would come to our nation again in our day. Give us the courage to preach repentance and conversion in our day. Open the eyes of those who do not know, those who do not understand. Give us the perseverance and tenacity to call out to you, to seek your face until your salvation comes. Listen to our prayer, O God, do not ignore our plea, hear us and answer us. Lord, have mercy on us, today.

97 Skevington-Wood, The burning heart,10.


98 Crabbe, G. The poetical works of George Crabbe ed A.J. and R.M. Carlyle(1908) Inebriety 3,4.

99 Lecky, W.E.H. A history of England in the eighteenth Century, Vol 1.,479, 481. 
100 Skevington-Wood,12.


101 Skevington-Wood,15.


102 Pyke, R. John Wesley Came This Way, 19

Thursday, May 22, 2014

DAY 9

MORNING

PSALMS 44–46

Psalm 44:13 “You have made us a reproach to our neighbours.”

Excluded from the Churches

The following Sunday after his Aldersgate experience, John Wesley says that he was “roughly attacked in 
a large company as an enthusiast, a seducer and a setter-forth of new doctrines.”83 Mrs Hutton was very offended and she said, “If you were not a Christian ever since I knew you, you were a great hypocrite for you made us all believe you were one.”84 This attitude of his friends did not deter him at all. Dr Plumb says that following his conversion he had “a burning determination to bring to others what he himself had felt.”85 One biographer says, “It was the warmed heart that made Wesley an evangelist. The fire could only be spread as first of all it was kindled. The flame was lit in Aldersgate street. Then Dr Bett said ‘There came to him a spiritual energy, an evangelical zeal, an unction of the holy one that he had never before possessed.’”86

Earlier Wesley had been concerned for what he could do for God. Now at a stroke
 all the strain had gone. All was now grace through faith. In all his earlier disciplined life of holiness and the good works to which he set his hand writes Edwards, “his primary concern was on what he could do for God. But after that Aldersgate street heartwarming he asked only what God could do for him and through him. Thus at a stroke the old sense of strain and effort had gone. The ecclesiastical of Georgia could now become the evangelist of the open road.”87 However church after church now excluded Wesley because he preached evangelical doctrines. This exclusion had already begun even before Aldersgate. He had begun to preach justification earlier in the year and it was justification by faith that was the doctrine that caused such offence. On 5 February 1738, at St John the Evangelist, Westminster, he preached on those strong words “if any man be in Christ he is a new creature.” “I was afterwards informed, many of the best in the parish were so offended
that I was not to preach there any more.”88 He didn’t preach there again. On 26 February he preached three times — at St Lawrence Jewry, St Catherine Cree, and St John Wapping. “I believe it pleased God to bless the first sermon most,” he wrote, “Because it gave most offence.”89 Then after Aldersgate yet more churches refused Wesley to preach in their pulpits. Again and again he was excluded.

Prayer

Lord, we pray for the raising up of another wave of evangelists with the spiritual energy and the evangelical zeal and the unction of the Holy Spirit that was on John Wesley. Although the preaching of the Gospel be a ‘sign spoken against’ and ‘a reproach to our neighbours’, give us the courage and fiery determination to keep going. Set a fire deep down in our soul. We want more of you, Lord, more passion to preach the Good News of grace to a lost and dying world.

83 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1,476, May 24, 1738.


84 Benham, D. The memoirs of James Hutton, 34.


85 Plumb, England in the Eighteenth Century, 92.


86 Bett, H. The Spirit of Methodism, 33 quoted in Skevington- Wood, A. The burning heart, 73–74.

87 Edwards, M. A history of the Methodist church in Great Britain, Vol 1, 51.


88 Wesley, J. Journal, Volume 1, 5th February, 1738.


89 Wesley, J. Journal, Volume 1, 126th February, 1738.

DAY 9 EVENING PSALMS 47–49

Psalm 48:12 “Walk about Zion, go round her ...”

Travel to Herrnhut

After Wesley’s Aldersgate experience he made a trip to Herrnhut. It was
 an ‘intentional study tour of pietist centres’ 90 in Germany. He did not want
to learn about Moravianism 91 but he was concerned “to recapture the life of faith of
 the primitive Christian community ... it was the koinonia, the spirit, the message and the sense of mission of that community” 92 that Wesley sought, and he returned to England from Herrnhut with his vision renewed by what he had seen.

Some weeks after Wesley returned from Herrnhut he expressed his appreciation for the Moravians. He said, “We are endeavouring here also, by the grace which is given us, to be followers of you, as ye are of Christ. Fourteen were added to us since our return, so that we have now eight bands of men, consisting of fifty-six persons (at Fetter-Lane); all of whom seek for salvation, only in the blood of Christ ... Though my brother and I are not permitted to preach in most of the churches in London, yet (thanks be to God!) there are others left wherein we have the liberty to speak the truth as it is in Jesus.”93

Now that Wesley had seen Herrnhut he had certainly been impressed and appreciated Moravian faith and piety. However, he did not like what he called their ‘quietism’. There was a tendency toward spiritual contemplation, and he felt that there was something approaching a ‘personality cult’ around Count von Zinzendorf. Wesley now gave all his energies to be a travelling evangelist and caring for those that were converted in and around London.94

Prayer

Lord, open our eyes to see what you are doing in our day. We long for a fresh visitation today Lord. Thank you for the example of the Early Church. As you stirred Wesley to consecrate himself to you, as you gave him vision and faith for a restoration of early Christianity in his day, do it on ours, Lord. Do not pass us by. Come Lord Jesus.

90 Stoeffler, Tradition and renewal in the ecclesiology of John Wesley, 305

91 Snyder, H. The Radical Wesley, 29,30.


92 Stoeffler, Tradition and renewal, 305.

93 John Wesley, Works X11, 55.

94 Snyder, H. The Radical Wesley, 29, 30.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

DAY 8

MORNING

PSALMS 38–40

Psalm 40:2 “He ... gave me a firm place to stand.”

A Foundation of Repentance

The change in John Wesley’s preaching after his conversion in 1738 was very clear. Wesley summarized his preaching, explaining how firm foundations were only laid when his preaching started to emphasize “justification by faith”:74

1 From the year 1725 to 1729 I preached but saw no fruit for my labour. Indeed it could not be that I should; for I neither laid the foundation of repentance nor of believing the gospel; taking it for granted, that all to whom I preached were believers, and that many of them ‘needed no repentance’.

2 From the year 1729 to 1734 laying a deeper foundation of repentance I saw a little fruit ... but it was only a little ...

3 From 1734 to 1738, speaking more faith in Christ I saw more fruit of my preaching and visiting from house-to-house, than ever I had done before; though I know not if any of those who were outwardly reformed were inwardly and thoroughly converted to God.

4 From 1738 to this time speaking continually of Jesus Christ, laying Him only for the foundation of the whole building, making Him all in all, the first and the last; preaching only on this plan, ’the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye and believe the gospel; the ‘word of God ran’ as fire among the stubble; it was glorified more and more; multitudes crying out ‘what must we do to be saved?’ and afterwards witnessing ‘By Grace are we saved through faith.’”

Wesley had been encouraged before his conversion by the Moravian Peter Böhler to “preach faith before he had it in order that he would then preach faith because he had it”. What Böhler had hoped had been achieved. Immediately after Aldersgate, Wesley had then wanted to tell the Fetter Lane society what had happened. As he says in his Journal ”I testified openly to all there what I now first felt in my heart.”75

Prayer

We thank you, Lord, that you have given us a firm place to stand, we thank you for the truth that “ALL are JUSTIFIED freely by his grace through the redemption that came
 by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:24). Lord, we pray for the Church in our land today, that 
it would have confidence to stand on that firm foundation, that the cutting edge of the Gospel would be restored again in our day, the challenge to repent and believe would be restored again and the Word of God would run again as fire among the stubble. Thank you, Lord, that you have given us a firm place to stand!

74 Wesley, J. Vol 8, 468–9, The principles of a Methodist father explained, Skevington-Wood, A. The burning heart, 71–73.

75 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1, 476, Skevington-Wood, The burning heart, 71-73.

DAY 8

EVENING

PSALMS 41–43

Psalm 42:7 “My tears have been my food day and night ... Deep calls to deep.”

Inspired by the Church Fathers

In his diary entry for July 30, 1736, John Wesley wrote: “I read Macarius and 
sang.”76 Wesley’s affinity for Macarius becomes understandable when you discover the ancient saint’s concern for the work of the Holy Spirit, which imparts grace and brings about entire sanctification, holiness of heart, in obedient believers. Macarius said, “Thus the soul is completely illumined, with the unspeakable beauty of the glory of the light of the face of Christ and is perfectly made a participator of the Holy Spirit.”77 It is interesting that the Early Church Fathers saw the gift of tears as an important part of the work of transformation that God works by his spirit. The Desert Fathers, along with Macarius, were convinced that this weeping kept them from sinning and that this was the only way to true salvation, to the true life, whereby God would come and dwell within them. Evagrius the solitary said,78 “First pray for the gift of tears, so that through sorrowing you may tame what is savage in your soul. And having confessed your transgressions to the Lord you will obtain forgiveness. pray with tears, and all you ask will be heard. For the Lord rejoices greatly when you pray with tears.” Cassian said, “It is one thing for tears to run down when our heart stirred by the thorn of our sins overflows ... It is another thing when the shedding of tears springs from the contemplation of the goods of eternity and from the longing for its coming glory.”79

Anglicanism is rooted in a Benedictine spirituality and Benedict also frequently emphasized the importance of praying with tears in his Rule. He said, “Pray frequently. Confess your past sins to God each day in prayer with tears and sighs.”80 He also said, “We must be aware that he will only listen to us if we pray not so much at length but with purity of heart and tears of compunction.”81 Yet again he said, “... we can achieve this if we refrain from all sin and put all our effort into prayer accompanied by tears, into reading, compunction of heart and abstinence.”82

Prayer

Your word says, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and seek my face, I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal the land.” Lord, transform me by the work of your Holy Spirit. I need the sanctifying work of your Holy Spirit in my life. Come and have your way in my life. I stand in the gap for my nation, and I repent on behalf of the land. Lord, have mercy! Come and heal, come and forgive, I pray.

76 Wesley, J. Journal, Vol 1, July 30, 1736.

77 Pseudo-Macarius, Homilies 1, 38.


78 The Philokalia, Volume 1, 58.


79 Cassian, Conference 9, 118–119.

80 The Rule, Benedict, 18, chapter 4.

81 The Rule, Benedict, 41 chapter 20.

82 The Rule, Benedict, 74 chapter 49.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

DAY 7

MORNING

PSALMS 35–36

Psalm 36:8 “You give them drink from your river of delights.”

“My Heart was Strangely Warmed”

John Wesley had written in his Journal on the day of his conversion “I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation: And an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”64 This Reformation truth that by grace we are saved through faith had deeply impacted John Wesley’s heart. Some call it Wesley’s evangelical conversion, others see in it a complete turning-point in
 his life, experientially, psychologically and theologically.65 One biographer devotes a chapter of almost one hundred pages to what he calls “the conversion”, in which “theory had become fact, expectation had become fulfilment, desire had become possession”.66 Dean Carpenter considers it “One of the three most momentous conversions in Christian history,67 along with those of Paul and Augustine.”

Before Wesley could preach the Good News of the Gospel to England he needed to receive it himself, and this had now happened. He preached a gospel of grace. Scores of entries in his Journal are simply a variation on
 that theme. “I offered the grace of God ... I offered the redemption that is in Christ Jesus ... I proclaimed the name of the Lord ... I proclaimed Christ crucified ... I proclaimed the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ ... I proclaimed free salvation ... I declared the free grace of God ... I exhorted the wicked to forsake his way ... I began to call sinners to repentance ... I invited all guilty helpless sinners.”68 Wesley’s preaching to the poor in England was a river of grace. Wesley had felt the grace of God himself and later it was his desire that his audience would not just hear it, but feel it too. His biographer says, “It was his burning preoccupation”. After preaching in Edinburgh many years later Wesley said “I am amazed at this people ... use the most cutting words, and apply them in the most pointed manner, still they hear, but feel no more than the seats they sit on.”69

Prayer

Lord, we pray for a new spiritual thirst and a new spiritual hunger in our land. Have mercy on the lost, those who are completely unchurched. Lord, let them drink from your river of delights. Pour out a river of grace on our land. Just as John Wesley felt the depths of YOUR love in the depths of HIS heart and went on to preach a gospel of grace to the minds and the hearts of a poor and needy nation, do it again Lord.

64 Wesley, J. Journal, 103.


65 Davies, R. Methodism, 57–60.


66 Schmidt, M, John Wesley: a theological Biography, Vol 1, 263.


67 Carpenter, S.C. Eighteenth Century Church and People, 197.


68 Wesley, J. Journal 174 4th April, 1739, vol III 429, 15th September, 1749, 444, 24th October 1749, vol IV, 202, 17th April 1757, vol III, 281, 24th February, 1747, vol 11, 185, 29th April 1739, vol IV, 56, 28th March, 1753, vol III, 334, 21st February, 1748, 88 30th September, 1783.


69 Skevington-Wood, A. The burning heart, 150.

DAY 7

EVENING

PSALM 37

Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourselves in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Inspired by the Primitive Church

The term ‘Early Church’ meant the church of the first three or four centuries for Anglicans in the 18th century. The term ‘primitive Church’ for Anglicans meant the Church of the New Testament period. Following Aldersgate, Wesley focused more and more upon 'the primitive Church'.70 In Wesley’s sermon ‘The Mystery of iniquity’71 he said:

Persecution never did, never could give any lasting wound to genuine Christianity. But the greatest it ever received, the grand blow which was struck at the very root of that humble, gentle, patient love, which is the fulfilling of the Christian law was struck in the fourth century by Constantine the Great, when he called himself a Christian and poured in a flood of riches, honour and power upon the Christians more especially upon the clergy ... Just so, when the fear of persecution was removed and wealth and honour attended the Christian profession, the Christians did not gradually sink but rushed headlong into all manner of vices ... and this is the event, which most Christian expositors mention with such triumph! ... Rather it was the coming of Satan and all his legions from the bottomless pit: seeing from that very time he hath set up his throne over the face of the whole earth, and reigned over the Christian as well as the pagan world with hardly any control! ... Such has been the deplorable state of the Christian church from the time of Constantine to the Reformation. A Christian nation, a Christian city (according to the scriptural model) was nowhere to be seen; but every city and country a few individuals excepted, was plunged in all manner of wickedness.72 Wesley believed the Church of England as 
he knew it was as fallen as was Christianity generally.73 His dream was of the restoration of primitive Christianity. In larger measure he saw many elements of new Christianity restored: anointed preaching of the Gospel, the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, large numbers coming to faith and many healed and restored from the oppression of the enemy.

Prayer

Lord, we cry out to you that you would come and do a new thing in our land today. We thank you for changing the spiritual landscape in the 18th century England through a life laid down for you, Lord Jesus. We pray for anointed preaching, the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, healing and deliverance AGAIN. We delight in you, Lord Jesus. We yield to your sovereign purpose for our nation today and say come and renew us by your Spirit. Pour out your Spirit on us, today!

70 Snyder, H. The Radical Wesley, 80-81.


71 Wesley, J. Mystery of Iniquity, LX1, 253.

72 Wesley, J. Volume VI, 246–247.


73 Snyder, H. The Radical Wesley, 81.

Monday, May 19, 2014

DAY 6

MORNING

PSALMS 29–31

Psalm 30:1 “You lifted me out of the depths.”

Aldersgate Experience

John Wesley’s quest for spiritual reality and his preparation for his work as an evangelist came to a climax on 24 May 1738. Of the years of his life, 1738 was the most decisive year. Of all the days in his life, 24th May 1738 was the most decisive, as
 this was the day that he was converted. His experience at Aldersgate street was the crisis and turning point of his career. Wesley came into a place of saving faith on 24 May 1738 and it was this that released him into his true vocation as an evangelist.57 He wrote in his Journal:

“In the afternoon I was asked to go to St Paul’s. The anthem was De Profundis,58 was based on Psalm 130:1–8

1 Out of the depths, I cry to you Lord;

2 O Lord hear my voice. Let your ears be 
attentive to my cry for mercy.

3 If you O Lord kept a record of sins, O Lord who 
could stand?

4 But with you there is forgiveness, therefore 
you are feared.

5 I wait for the Lord my soul waits, and in his 
word I put my hope.

6 My soul waits for the Lord more than 
watchmen wait for the morning, more than 
watchmen wait for the morning.

7 O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.


8 He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.”

The music and the words deeply touched John Wesley and a seed was planted. Later that day, in the evening, he met with a group of friends who were reading from the book of Romans. While meeting with these friends he heard Luther’s “preface to Romans”, which reads, “God judges what is in the depths of the heart. Therefore his law also makes demands on the depths of the heart and doesn’t let the heart rest content in works; rather it punishes as hypocrisy and lies all works done apart from the depths of the heart.”59 Wesley suddenly saw for the very first time the extent of his sin despite having been to church, despite having been a missionary. He realised the extent to which God by grace and by grace alone saves us ‘out of the depths’.

Wesley famously says in his Journal, “in the evening, I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate-street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed.”

Prayer

Lord, you were attentive to John Wesley’s cry for mercy, you heard his cry, you saved him out of the depths. I cry to you from the depths of my heart, save me and save my nation. Be attentive to my cry for mercy. I wait for you, Lord. I put my hope in you, Lord, for with you there is unfailing love, with you there is full redemption. Lord, hear my cry!

57 Skevington-Wood, A. The burning heart, 59.


58 Wesley, J. Journal, 103.


59 Luther, M. Preface to Romans. http://www.ccel.org/l/luther/romans/pref_romans.html

DAY 6 EVENING PSALMS 32–34

Psalm 32:1 “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.”

Fetter Lane Society

The Fetter Lane society was Wesley’s support group now that he had come
to faith. Some of the members of the group were John and Charles Wesley, James Hutton, and Peter Böhler. They and a couple of others met (at the suggestion of Böhler) a few weeks before on the evening of May 1st. The rules of the society were later printed with the title “orders of a religious society, meeting in Fetter-Lane; in obedience to the command of God by St James,60 and by advice of Peter Böhler, 1738: ‘Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another that ye may be healed.’”61 “The Fetter Lane society’s rules included weekly meetings for prayer and confession, division into bands of 5 to 10 persons each, the right and duty of each person to speak freely, procedures for admitting new members, and provision for a monthly love feast from 7 to 10 pM.”62

The restoration of early Christianity within the Church of England had been John Wesley’s dream. This society became the context, now that Wesley had come to Christ for Wesley to pursue this dream.63 Attendance of the Fetter Lane society was a vehicle for believers to
live out their faith and they could do that by confessing their faults to one another, and praying for one another that they be healed.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, that you are faithful and just and if we confess our sins you will forgive us and cleanse us from all our unrighteousness. Lord, we pray for the new wine and new wineskins for the revival that you are bringing to our land. Thank you, Lord, for the principles from scripture of “confessing our faults to one another” that you have given us. Show us how we can put them into practice in our day, as Wesley did in his.

60 James 5:16


61 Simon, John Wesley and the Religious Societies, 196–200. Snyder, H. The Radical Wesley and patterns for Church Renewal, 27.

62 Wesley, J. Journal 1, 458–459.
63 Snyder, The Radical Wesley, 28.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

DAY 5

M0RNING

PSALMS 24–26

Psalm 25:4 “Show me your ways, O Lord teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour.”

Zinzendorf and Herrnhut

John Wesley was impressed not only by the Moravians’ piety and good works but by their calm assurance of faith during storms at sea, something he lacked. In Wesley’s day Moravianism was a new movement with ancient roots. In 1722 a
small group of Moravians had settled on Count von Zinzendorf’s estate at what was called Herrnhut. Zinzendorf saw these new Moravian communities as a way to extend dramatically the ‘ecclesiolae in ecclesia’ or ‘little churches within the church’ approach to church renewal. The Moravians on board The Simonds were travelling from Germany to the Americas.

Wesley remained in contact with the Moravians during his two years in Georgia, including August Spangenberg, who was
a missionary. While in Georgia, Wesley experimented with some changes, such as hymn-singing and using lay men and women in parish work. What he saw as genuine attempts to recover early Christianity by the Moravians he put into practice himself. Wesley had a zeal for holiness which in turn became “a passionate desire to bring a new vitality to church” and build “a modern Christian community” in one Anglican parish. 51

However, although there was genuine 
zeal in Wesley and a strong desire for early Christianity to be restored, the energy
and motivation was largely his own. As a missionary for the society for the propagation of the Gospel, which detailed strict rules for its missionaries, Wesley did much in an effort to obey the instructions of the society. Wesley was very strict in his discipline and much of his work in Georgia was driven by his own efforts, and not by a confidence in the grace of God.

Prayer

Lord, show me your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth. Lord, you guide the humble in what is right. Show me where I am proud and confident in my own strength and abilities. I yield to you, Lord. I yield my dreams, my goals and my aspirations to you, Lord, and I take them to the cross. Come and have your way in me, Lord. Be my teacher, Lord, for you are my God and my Saviour.

51 Snyder, H. The Radical Wesley and patterns for Church Renewal, 18, 19, 21.

DAY 5

EVENING

PSALMS 27–28

Psalm 27:5 “For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe.”

Leaving Georgia

Wesley did not hide the main
reason for his mission to Georgia
in America, which was for his own personal spiritual growth. “My chief motive, to which all the rest are subordinate,” he 
said, “is the hope of saving my own soul.”52 
He wrote in a letter, “I hope to learn the true sense of the Gospel of Christ by preaching it to the heathen ... They have no comments 
to construe away the text. They are as little children, humble, willing to learn, and eager to do the will of God; and consequently they shall know of every doctrine I preach whether it be of God. By these therefore I hope to 
learn the purity of the faith which was once delivered to the saints.”53 However, life in Georgia was very different from all that he anticipated and it was no long before his illusions were dashed.54

Although Wesley did not actually resign from his position in Georgia, he effectively ran away from a situation that had become, largely because of his clumsiness, completely impossible. As a result of repelling Sophy Williamson, a member of his congregation, from Holy Communion, legal proceedings were taken up against him. before her marriage he had been romantically involved with her, and this exacerbated the situation considerably. Wesley was angry and fed up and left Georgia in disgust. In the official list of early settlers there is a record of Wesley’s departure, with a short entry “run away”.
On his arrival back in England, Wesley reached a critical point in his life and ministry. He had come to see how futile his whole spiritual journey had been. It had been simply a refined way of trusting in his own works. He now saw at last the futility of this course. What could he do next? He did not know. However God had it all in hand.55

This was the end of a chapter for John Wesley. He had to face the fact that all his attempts to earn salvation had resulted in despair. Realising that his ecclesiastical rigour had been fruitless was the main thing that he had gained from the Georgia experience. His ecclesiastical rigour had led him to a dead end and he knew it. Another positive result from his missionary endeavour was his encounter with the Moravians and the importance that they attached to the doctrines of “justification by faith” and “personal conversion”.56

Prayer

Lord, we pray for those who are living lives of quiet desperation, and who do not know that there is a free gift of salvation that does not need to be earned but 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 us and save us. We pray for the end of one chapter and the beginning of the new. Turn the page, Lord, and do a new thing in our land!

52 Wesley, J. Letters, Volume 1, 188 to John Burton, 10 October 1735.

53 Wesley, J. Letters, Volume 1, 188 to John Burton, 10 October 1735.

54 Skevington-Wood, The burning heart, 51.


55 Skevington-Wood, The burning heart, 56, 57.

56 Skevington-Wood, The burning heart, 57, 58.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

DAY 4

MORNING

PSALMS 19–21

Psalm 19:7 “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.”

A Serious Call

At Oxford John Wesley was introduced to the writings of the early Church Fathers and William Law’s new book 'A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life' which powerfully influenced him. Wesley was particularly inspired at the thought of reaching Christian perfection. Law’s book, 'A Serious Call', together with Law’s earlier book 'Christian Perfection', made a big impact on Wesley. He says that these books, “convinced me more than ever the exceeding height and breadth and depth of the law of God. The light floated in so mightily upon my soul that everything appeared in a new view. I cried to God for help, and resolved not to prolong the time of obeying him as I had never done before ... and by 
my continued endeavour to keep his whole law, inward and outward to the utmost of
 my power, I was persuaded that I should be accepted of him, and that I was even then in a state of salvation.”42

John Wesley himself acknowledged that 'A Serious Call' sowed the seed of Methodism,43 and contributed much to the spread of evangelicalism. It made the deepest impression on Wesley himself; he preached 44
after its model; he used it as a text-book for the highest class at Kingswood school (which Wesley founded); and, a few months before his death, he spoke of it as “a treatise which will hardly be excelled, if it be equalled, in the English tongue, either for beauty of expression or for justice and depth of thought.”45

John Wesley was also inspired by the patristic fathers and one church father in particular interested him, Macarius the Egyptian. Macarius‘ description of ‘perfection’ as the goal of the Christian in this life fascinated John Wesley. Macarius’ homilies are written with a warmth of feeling, an affection and enthusiasm that are instantly attractive. In his 18th homily, Macarius says “everyone should push himself to beg the Lord to make him worthy to receive and find the heavenly treasure of the spirit in order to be able to easily and to promptly fulfil all the commandments of the Lord without blame and with perfection.”46

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, that the law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. I thank you for your Word and I thank you for the length and depth and breadth of your love. Open my eyes to see the treasures that are found in you, Lord Jesus, and your precious Holy Spirit. Revive me with a fresh call to live a holy and devoted life for you Lord Jesus.

42 Wesley, J. Volume 1, 24th May 1738, 99


43 Wesley, J. Note 31. Sermon CVII, , 11th ed., 1856, vol. VII.


44 Letter to Law of 1738, quoted by Overton, 33.


45 Bartleby online William Law and the mystics http://www.bartleby.com/219/1206.html

46 Pseudo-Macarius, Homily 18,142.

DAY 4

EVENING

PSALMS 22–23

Psalm 23:4 “I will fear no evil.”

Travelling With the Moravians

After training as an Anglican clergyman and obtaining a Fellowship at Oxford, John Wesley set out on 
a mission, crossing the Atlantic ocean to Georgia in North America, to convert the native American Indians. It was Saturday, January 17, 1736, and John and Charles Wesley and Colonel Oglethorpe were sitting with others in the state cabin of 'The Simonds', a ship in the middle of the Atlantic. The weather was bad and had been getting worse throughout the day. Then a wave suddenly burst in the state cabin “with a noise and shock almost like that of a cannon.” Although Wesley had been sheltered by a bureau he was alarmed to discover that he had been and still was “afraid to die”. Later, as the clock turned midnight, Wesley noted in his diary: “stormy still, and afraid!” John Wesley, as chaplain on board the ship, had met a group of 26 German Moravian travellers on board and their response during the storm was very different from his own, and this made a deep impression on him.47

These German Moravians always had a positive disposition and were keen to undertake mundane tasks with a servant heart and
 a cheerful attitude. They were willing to serve, accomplishing tasks that the English passengers were either too lazy or proud to consider.48 If other crewmen or passengers mistreated them, they turned the other cheek. The Moravian hymns that they sung were beautiful, a huge contrast to the laboured Church of England metrical psalms. John and Charles Wesley had continued their commitment to continue the strict disciplines of the Holy Club, a system of prayers, readings, fasts and good works. This did not impress the Moravians who realised that the intent of this discipline was to acquire merit before God. The Moravians were motivated 
by “a more excellent way”, “justification by faith”, the doctrine of the Reformation. Wesley admitted that he did not understand it, and he continued to trust in his own righteousness. When another storm hit 'The Simonds' a few days later, although he was unhurt, he was shocked again by his own fear. He said to himself, “how is it that thou hast no faith? being still unwilling to die.”49 50

Prayer

Thank you that through the cross and your resurrection from the dead we can be born again by the Spirit. You did NOT give us a spirit that makes us a SLAVE AGAIN TO FEAR but a spirit of SONSHIP. Thank you, Lord, that even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we need fear no evil.

47 Pollock, J. Wesley, The Preacher, 67 quoted in Wesley, Journal Vol 1, 17, 17th October 1735.

48 Wesley, Vol 1 Journal, 25th January 1736.


49 Pollock, J. Wesley: The Preacher, 68.


50 Wesley, Journal, 23rd January 1736.

Friday, May 16, 2014

DAY 3

MORNING

PSALMS 15–17

Psalm 15:1 “Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?”

The Holy Club

After being raised by his highly disciplined mother, John Wesley went to school at Charterhouse. He attended chapel and continued to say his prayers morning and evening and to read his bible, but in this season he was no longer subject to his mother’s strict discipline.30

He went to university to read Classics and later became a clergyman and an Oxford
 don. while preparing for holy orders, his mother urged him to “enter now upon serious examination of yourself that you may know whether you have a serious hope of salvation by Jesus Christ.”31 John Wesley started writing in an old red notebook, which had been his grandfather’s, keeping a record of his temptations using shorthand.32

in August 1730, John Wesley, Charles Wesley and William Morgan started “a little society” daily visiting prisoners (of whom there were some debtors) and twice a week reading prayers. This was the beginnings of what came to be known as the “Holy Club”. “During John Wesley’s teaching days at Oxford University the Holy Club observed a strict discipline which John devised himself but which followed closely the pattern of other similar societies.” Charitable work, including the visiting of prisoners and helping the poor, was a key part of the pattern of his life. “The members of the club spent an hour, morning and evening, in private prayer. At nine, twelve and three o’clock they recited a collect and at all times they examined themselves closely, watching for signs of grace and trying to preserve a high degree of religious fervour. They noted in cipher [that is, coded] diaries all the particulars of their daily employment. one hour each day was set apart for meditation. They fasted twice a week, observed all the feasts of the Church and received the sacraments every sunday. before going into company they prepared their conversation, so that words might not be spoken without purpose. The primitive Church, insofar as they had knowledge of it, was to be taken as their pattern.”33

There were a number of nicknames 
that Wesley and his friends received.
They were derisively called “Methodists”, “Sacramentarians”, “Enthusiasts”,
“Bible Moths”, the “Reforming club” and “Supererogation men’. Of all these, the name “Holy Club” was the most popular one among Oxford students. Although they were called Methodists, this was still ten years before the Methodist revival began.34

Prayer

Lord, I pray for a revival of holiness in me today. Create in me a pure heart, O God. Show me where there is an offensive way in me, where there is slander on my tongue and where I do not keep my word. I turn away from these things Lord and I turn to you and receive your cleansing, Lord. How wonderful is your dwelling place, O Lord God Almighty. I long to live on your holy hill.

30 Pollock, Wesley: The Preacher, 25.


31 Pollock, Wesley: The Preacher, 33.


32 Pollock, Wesley: The Preacher, 33.


33 Vulliamy,C.E. John Wesley, Epworth Press, 55 quoted in Snyder, H. The Radical Wesley and patterns for Church Renewal, 18.

34 Snyder, The Radical Wesley, 18, 19.

DAY 3

EVENING

PSALM 18

Psalm 18:28 “You, O Lord. keep my lamp burning.”

A Candle That Shall Not Be Put Out

In 1730, John Wesley preached once a month in Oxford at the Castle and at Bocardo, the prison where most debtors were. over 150 years earlier, Archbishop Cranmer and bishops Ridley and Latimer had lain there at that very same prison, before they were burned at the stake for their faith in 1555.35 Some of Wesley’s biographers link his life to the prayers of Latimer and Ridley.

Latimer prayed in the Tower of London while he waited for his execution, “‘that
God of his mercy would restore his Gospel
to England ONCE AGAIN’; and these words ‘once again’ he did so beat into the ears of the Lord God, as though he had seen God before him, and spoken to him face to face.”36 Just under two centuries later, the Lord moved powerfully, bringing revival to England through John Wesley and the Methodist awakening. one biographer saw John Wesley’s life as a direct answer to that prayer of Hugh Latimer in the Tower of London. Once again the Gospel was restored to our land.

Ridley’s words to Latimer as they were being burnt at the stake, on 16 october 1555, had been “be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace in England, as I trust shall never be put out.”37 One historian suggests that John Wesley’s life in the eighteenth century was like a blazing fire, as he travelled around the country on horseback proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.38

As a boy, John Wesley had nearly died in
a fire at his father’s rectory in Epworth. He referred to himself in the words of scripture as “a brand plucked out of the fire”(Zechariah 3:2). Many years later John Wesley’s heart was “strangely warmed”39 at a quarter to nine at Aldersgate on 24 May 1738, when
he heard Luther’s preface to Romans being read aloud. wesley’s evangelistic zeal then led him to travel on horseback a quarter of a million miles, and the Gospel was preached in England once again. Skevington-wood says, “The symbolism of fire links the upper room in Aldersgate street with the blazing parsonage at Epworth. The brand plucked from the burning had now found his destiny. Henceforth the flame within would carry him throughout the land to ignite the tinder of revival.”40

“Guarding the holy fire; that was what 
he was doing,” writes Prof Bonamy Dobree. “He was himself a flame going up and down the land, lighting such candles as by God’s grace would never be put out; and as one reads [Wesley’s] colossal journal one gets the impression of this flame, never waning, never smoky, darting from point to point, lighting up the whole kingdom, till in due course it burnt out the body it inhabited.”41

Prayer

Lord, you reached down from on high and took hold of John Wesley and set him apart to be your vessel to see a national awakening unto revival in the 18th century. Do it again, Lord! Do not let the legacy of Wesley burn out ... do not let the candle of your Gospel burn out. Let it go up and down the land again, Lord. Let it burn brightly across this land ONCE AGAIN.

35 Pollock, Wesley: The Preacher, 49


36 Foxe, J. Book of Martyrs, Whitaker, 278.


37 Foxe, Martyrs, 309.


38 Dobree, J. Wesley. 96–97, quoted in Skevington-Wood, The burning heart, 68.


39 Wesley, J The Complete Works of John Wesley, Volume 1, 24th May 1738, 103.


40 Skevington-Wood, A. The burning heart. John Wesley: Evangelist, 67.


41 Dobree, J. Wesley. 96–97, quoted in Skevington-Wood, The burning heart, 68.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

DAY 2

MORNING

PSALMS 9–11

Psalm 9:13 “Lift me up from the gates of death.”

A Brand Plucked Out of the Fire

It was on the night of 9th February 1709 that the Epworth Rectory was destroyed by fire. Henry Perlee Parker painted a picture of the dramatic scene of John Wesley’s rescue. The old buildings were alight and young John Wesley was trapped inside, looking through the curtains, and a brave villager, balanced on another villager’s shoulders, pulled him out of the building seconds before the roof caved in.18 Samuel Wesley invited all who were present to pray: “Come, neighbours. Let us give thanks to God. He has given me all my eight children. Let the house go, I am rich enough.”19 Although Wesley was very young (he had not yet reached six years of age), this event left a big impression on his memory. He believed that God had spared him for a purpose. He said of himself that he was “a brand plucked out of the fire”. (Zechariah 3:2)

John Wesley would regularly observe the anniversary of that night. On one occasion he said it was “the strongest impression I had till I was 23 or 24 years old”. It is significant, too, that after Wesley was converted, he saw that he was spiritually “a brand plucked from the fire”. His rescue at Epworth was preparation for the very specific mission that the Lord had for his life. Later in his life when he was sitting for a portrait, he chose to be painted with a house in flames in the background, with the words beneath, “Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?”20

The overriding emphasis throughout Wesley’s life became ‘personal salvation’.
He saw that personal salvation was what Britain needed, and many historians
 believe that Wesley saved the whole English nation from revolution. Many European nations underwent terrible suffering during revolutions in the 18th and 19th centuries, but England did not. Not only did a third of the nation become Methodist some years after Wesley’s death, and did thousands respond 
to the message of personal salvation, but the national attitude and character of the nation was also changed fundamentally. Towards the end of his life he summarised his vision with these words: “The church has nothing to do but save souls; therefore spend and be spent in this work.”21

Prayer

Lord, you lifted up John Wesley from the gates of death, as a brand plucked from the fire. You had mercy on him, and you had mercy on our nation. Lord, have mercy on us today. You are our God — you came to seek and save the lost. Come and seek and save us today, Jesus. Without you sovereignly intervening we are destined for destruction. Lord, have mercy on us and our nation, and lift us up from the gates of death today.

18 Skevington-Wood, The Burning Heart, 29.


19 Skevington-Wood, The Burning Heart, 29.


20 Skevington-Wood, The Burning Heart, 29, 30.


21 Minutes of Conference, 29 June 1744, revised 1745.

DAY 2 EVENING PSALMS 12–14

Psalm 12:1 “Help, Lord, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.”

A Period of Moral Disorder

The moral standards in England before the Methodist revival began in 1738 were very low. Sir Robert Walpole, the prime Minister from 1722–1742, lived in an adulterous relationship with Maria Skellett, “who lived in his house the old Lodge at Richmond park.”22

Alcohol and gambling were the popular pastimes of this time. Gin-drinking had reached almost epidemic proportions
and violent crime had become so bad and hangings so frequent that “Dr. Johnson ironically expressed his fear that the navy might run short of ropes.”23 Harold Nicolson describes England in the first part of the 18th century as being “in a period of moral disorder.”24 The low moral standards had resulted from a prevalent indifference to the Christian faith. Thomas Secker, the Bishop of Oxford, said, “an open and professed disregard of religion is become, through a variety of unhappy causes, the distinguishing character of the age.”25 Goldsmith said that sermons from
 the pulpit were “generally dry, methodical and unaffecting; delivered with the most insipid calmness, so that should the peaceful preacher lift his head over the cushion, he might discover his audience, instead of being awakened to remorse, actually sleeping over his mechanical and laboured composition.”26

Today we, too, are in a period of moral disorder. Every day in Britain at least
 507 babies are aborted, 190 women are 
raped, there are 322 divorces and 85 
teenage pregnancies.27 Drug addiction and alcoholism are rampant and pornography is
 a multibillion-pound industry which some have described as a plague among our young people. As a nation we have drifted a very long way from our strong Christian heritage. In a recent newspaper article28 it was reported that the texts that once every school pupil knew by heart such as the Lord’s prayer and Ten Commandments are so unfamiliar that the Church of England is introducing a course to teach the basic tenets of Christianity, ‘The pilgrim Course’29. Britain needs waking up again.

Lord, as a nation we have abandoned our Christian heritage. Wake us up! You moved powerfully in the 18th century through Wesley attacking those same evils of licence and moral decay, through the preaching of repentance and conversion. Help us today, Lord, for the godly are no more and the faithful have vanished from among men. Rebuke the evils of our day, Lord. Awake the church out of its lethargy. Send another revival to our nation, Lord. Breathe on us again, we pray!

22 Skevington-Wood, The Burning Heart, 9.


23 Skevington-Wood, The Burning Heart,11.


24 Nicolson,H. The Age of Reason, 1700–1789, 369, Skevington-Wood, The Burning Heart, 9.


25 B. Porteus and G. Stinton, The works of Thomas Secker, Vol 5. 292. Skevington-Wood, The Burning Heart,12.

26 Friedman, A The collected works of Oliver Goldsmith. Vol 3, 151, Skevington-Wood, The Burning Heart,12.

27 www.gov.uk/ government Department of Health abortion statistics, 2012.
28 Daily Telegraph, 2nd October 2013.


29 www.pilgrimcourse.org/the-course