It has come to my mind what Paul said: “I am happy to be able to speak for myself king Agrippa…” I am happy that I am able to speak a little and I know I am a privileged person. I had great privileges when I listened to the gospel. They did not let us into the Kingdom easily. They did not get me to profess quickly in a mission and they did not talk much. I wanted them to talk to me! One night they did and I was happy, they stopped and talked to me. Just that little notice they took of me, put a little courage and strength in me. Another way before I went into the work. I have had so many privileges too. I thought of some of the first companions I had and the great lesson they were to me. Alec Pearce, Willie Gill, Jack Forbes, George Humphreys. They all helped and their examples was a help. In those days as workers we had to learn to patch our own clothes and darn. I learnt a lot from George Humphreys and learned from Alec Pearce how to make boots. I am glad for all those things I learned from them. When I was with Willie Gill, we were having a mission together and we always prayed together, morning and night. I used to value that. When we would read, sometimes he would say; “How would you sum that up?” and it helped me. When you read chapters you should try to sum them up. Strive to become useful in God’s way. I remember one night after I had spoken in a meeting, Willie said; “You spoke about two subjects.” It was as good as to say; “It is good to speak about two things.” We were in a wooden hall sometimes and sometimes a wooden roof. While I was scrubbing the floor inside, Willie was cleaning our bicycles outside. I wondered: “Why would he clean my bicycle?” I was always willing to work. Scrubbing floors and doing those things in the kitchen too. I am not sorry. When with Wilson Reid we used to help others we lived in with, to look for diamonds. Good if young workers went through that still. It is not what we say but what we are that counts. If we can be upright and sincere and true. That is what can speak in meetings. I wonder how many chapters you go over in one meeting. May we learn from now on how to be effective. The things that come real to myself, that is what I like to speak about in a meeting. I was reading in John’s Gospel; “He came unto his own and they received Him not… but to as many as received Him, to them He has given power to become sons and daughters…. I want to serve God amongst all the unsaved persons I have to work amongst. I used to make time for prayer. I am glad that I felt the need to do that. Be always ready to pray and always ready to speak but know when to stop. Another thing we used to be taught – when you take part in the meeting, first make it easy for the person who have to follow afterwards. You should not give an elder too much concern. Another thing we’ve got to watch, don’t tire the children. Some children tire quickly. There are many things that we should become more effective in. Isaiah said God had given him a tongue of the learned. He was able to speak a word to some that are weary. We used to be taught; look at the people you are going to speak to and try and help them. Some people learn easily. Noah was a just man he walked with God. He was a married man and he had three sons. They were also married and Noah built an ark for his household. He lived in an age just as we are living in now. A time like it is now,l; building and planting etc. But he was a just man, a perfect man and he walked with God. In this difficult time we can live like that. Poor old Lot, he looked at the well water plains of Jordan. The herdsman have been quarreling. Abraham said; “Let there be no strife among us because we are brethren.” Members of a little church can be like that. Be loyal to workers and consider the Kingdom. Or are you moving from house to house and from place to place? Lot was not a man like Abraham and Noah. He moved to the well-watered plains of Jordan. Peter said of him, his righteous soul was vexed because of all the wrongs. He did move in the wrong direction. He did not love the fellowship of the true people. Be careful about those do’s at weddings. It is better for your children to give their lives to God. Those that get married will have troubles in the flesh. God will give grace under every circumstance. Keep out of Sodom. Don’t pitch your tent to be near Sodom. I am glad for the people that have stayed here this last day. If we don’t care for these things we are definitely going to drift. You try to have in meetings, the same fellowship and spirit that we have in these meetings. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. We appreciate those people that labour to get something for a meeting. We enjoy it when they speak. A lot of people sometimes in the way of God, but not much good. When you see that don’t be discouraged about it. If you have failed, go away and don’t fail again. Attend to those little meetings that God have arranged for us to attend. We should be like people that are hungry for spiritual food like we are hungry for natural food. It is the presence of God in a meeting that counts. The past conventions have been a tonic to me. Brought a stillness in my heart and God moving my own heart. If you don’t know about it, try to get it into your life. It steadies us and helps us to be a blessing. Great to be a person that can pour out living waters and pouring out living bread. Brothers and sisters can be a feeder of people. We pray God can raise up people like that. You should read what Paul says in the sixth chapter of Ephesians. You read it – Aim to put on that armour because we are going out to face the enemy. Don’t speak about others to other people, rather go to your Father. I think Joseph was a person like that. He took the evil reports to his Father. Don’t let it affect us but keep true and steady. Do your best for the unsaved people. Have a little word to say sometimes out of the Word of God. Willie Gill and I was cycling to a meeting and we saw a woman who seemed to have trouble with her bicycle. When we stopped to enquire whether we could help, she said; “Please lower the saddle for me.” He did it, but he did something else too. He had a little word about God to that women. If we can make people think spiritual things and live that they can ask questions, we would be ready to give an answer of the hope that we have. Always ready to speak about these things. Ready to get people to come to meetings and be prayerful people. We are living in an age when it was like in Noah’s time. We can all walk like that. Don’t be discouraged when men seek their own. Am I seeking my own or am I seeking the Kingdom of God? Is that my chief consideration? May God help us that we get the blessing at these meetings that we need and may we be further exhorted in these meetings to put in our best. (Hymn 76 in English)
Truth Archive 