Samuel Robert Cassius: “I Had Rather Preach the Gospel for What I Can Eat”

"I had rather preach the gospel for what I can eat..."

Samuel Robert Cassius (1853-1931) was an African-American preacher and part of what is known as the Restoration Movement. He spent most of his years preaching in Oklahoma. During this time, he often struggled to support his family and, of necessity, engaged in other work than just preaching to provide for them. The following excerpt from the book, To Save My Race from Abuse, contains an appeal he made for others to support his work.

In 1907, Cassius disclosed a plan to wipe out his monetary debts so that he could ‘devote all my time to the ministry’ the following year. ‘This is my earnest desire. Not that I am not willing to work, but because I love to preach.’ Giving his most articulate expression about his passion for preaching, he continued, ‘I had rather preach the gospel for what I can eat, than to live in plenty at anything else. God has raised me up for this very work, and I am not happy or contented at anything else’” (To Save My Race From Abuse, p. 86).

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What Would Jesus Do?

Jesus and the moneychangers

What would Jesus do? This is a question that many religious people ask themselves when they attempt to decide if a particular decision or activity is right. Their intentions might be good – trying to focus on Jesus and please Him. However, this question is the wrong question!

Why is this the wrong question? It is too subjective. It turns our responsibility into nothing more than what we think Jesus would do in a given situation. Instead of asking a subjective question like this (What would Jesus do?), let us consider some other questions to ask – questions for which we can find objective and definitive answers from the Scriptures.
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How One’s Heart Becomes Hardened

Pharaoh - Plague of Flies

Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:12-13).

The Hebrew writer warned about brethren developing an unbelieving heart that had been hardened by sin. This came in the middle of two warnings against following the poor example of the Israelites: “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me” (Hebrews 3:7-8, 15).

The example of the Israelites hardening their hearts is a warning for us. However, the Israelites also had an example from whom they should have learned – Pharaoh. In this article, we will focus on the example of Pharaoh and how his heart became hardened. In considering this, we will hopefully recognize what we can do to prevent our hearts from hardening as well.
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The Root of the Problem (Part 3): We Fail to See Sin for What It Is

The Root of the Problem: Why We Sin & How We Can Overcome

The world in which we live has a distorted perception of sin. In our society, sin is mocked, disregarded, ignored, and even glorified. But the word of God presents a very different perspective. Sin is likened to darkness (John 3:19-20) and cancer (2 Timothy 2:17). Sin enslaves us (Romans 6:17,20). We are told very plainly that God hates sin (Proverbs 6:16-19).

If we do not appreciate what the Scriptures teach about sin, then it is not likely that we will want to give it up. One of the first steps to overcoming sin is realizing just how bad sin really is. To begin, we need to know what the Bible means when it talks about sin.
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“He Has Denied the Faith”

Couch potato

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8).

The inspired apostle Paul delivered some harsh condemnation for those who refuse to provide for their own. But why is it that God likens this to one denying the faith? It is because the refusal to provide for one’s own is contrary to several fundamental characteristics that one must have in order to be a disciple of Christ.
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The Shepherd and the Sheep

Shepherd

Jesus described Himself as “the good shepherd [who] lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). A shepherd provides guidance, sustenance, and protection for the flock. No one is able to provide the same care for us as Jesus. He willingly sacrificed Himself for us (John 10:17-18). Therefore, it is vitally important that we have Christ as our shepherd.

How do we become one of His sheep? And how do we remain in His fold? Notice what Jesus said:

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).

Let us briefly examine this phrase to see how we can take advantage of the care provided by the Good Shepherd.
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Introducing Jesus

Jesus – Sermon on the Mount

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

The gospel of John was written to teach people about Jesus. The first chapter introduces Jesus to us. We learn of Him through the various words and phrases used to describe the Lord, some of which are found in the verses above. The opening chapter of John is a good place to go to learn, be reminded, or teach others about Jesus. Let us briefly consider some of the ways in which Jesus is described in these verses.
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