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It has been good to hear your testimonies. There is always that need of being honest before God. Honesty is something that cannot be bought and it is precious. To be honest with ourselves in all we do and say, it is quite a thing. When we look into it and look into the life of Jesus, He is righteousness. In all that He did and said before His Father, He was honest before the world and before His Father and He is our example.

I enjoyed so much what Peter was telling us yesterday, the very thoughts I had in my own mind from Corinthians, about the matter of taking the bread and wine worthily, as he explained. In all our meetings, no matter how big or small, we should approach with the same reverence, no matter what the size of the meetings are. I am always glad to see our Friends gathering with such reverence. Some gathered half an hour before the meeting with their children. The children learned to be still. It is good training for the children. It was the joy they had in their heart, on the Sunday and at the weeknight meeting, too. It was always touching to see them so early and quiet. It is something that is well-pleasing to God.

Psalm 116:12-15, “What shall I render unto the LORD for all His benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all His people. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.” “What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits …?” What can I do more? The efforts we have put into doing what we know to be right, we can do more and more. We will never get to the place where we are satisfied we have done all we can do.

Verse 13, “I will pay my vows…” “I will be willing for all it means to do what is right in the sight of God, whatever it means to have this hope of salvation.” We are going to have to call upon the Lord for His help. We are not saved yet, we have this hope of salvation. We need to hold fast and make sure nothing will rob us of this hope of salvation. We have vowed to be true and if we are not being true, the first ones to notice will be our brethren. Others can see more quickly than we. We want to be honest before God. That is what it means to worship God.

This matter of being righteous is not any matter of ability, but being true to Him in all we do and say. Remember that He is listening and He is looking upon all. It is not a matter of praying a little and reading the Bible and forgetting. What we do to begin the day helps us in our worship. We go forth to put it into practice.

When I started to serve God, I found work boring, but then I found, “I can take pleasure in it, because I am doing it unto the Lord,” and then I could do it better. If we do what we do as unto the Lord, we will be diligent. That is what makes us lights of the world because we are doing all things to the best of our ability. This is something that attracts others to want to know why we are like that, and they can also see that we have a faith.

Verse 15, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.” Jesus emptied Himself to do the Father’s will and we need to empty ourselves to do the Father’s will, and that is death to this old human nature and all its desires.“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.” Dying in faith is precious in His sight.

When He looks out on His people emptying themselves every day, it is “Precious in the sight of the LORD.” Precious are His people, willing to die to self and all its wants and desires.

It is very important how we come into the meeting, more than our words. If we come, having something against a Brother or Sister, there is not the Spirit in the words we speak; there is something lacking. If we have anything against a Brother, it says, leave thy gift and go out and make it right before the Sister or Brother. Set each other free. All we would say is not going to be right unless we have set each other free. The Lord won’t bless it.

One person in a meeting prayed a long time, seven minutes. In public our prayer should be short. Long prayers are for the secret place. It is like we are praying to be heard of men. If we are praying to be heard of God, our prayers will be short and mean something. We must remember God will come for our words. We must practice what we preach. That helps us all to be very careful in what we do and say. It is before the Lord.

John 13:1-2 and 4-5, “Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him; He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded.”

That meeting should have been, and would have been, a very searching meeting as time went on. There was one in that meeting who was not, and did not, search himself at that time, and at the time of that supper there was a searching.

Jesus said, “One of you shall betray Me.” The disciples said, “Is it I?” Judas spoke up and said, “Is it I?” copying the others. He knew he was going to betray Him. If Peter had known Judas was going to betray his Master, he had a sword. Have you ever prayed for the Lord to save you from yourself? Sometimes, the devil is wrongly accused. Sometimes it’s the old man. We have to be very busy to empty ourselves so the new man can take over. When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, He was giving them a lesson; it humbled those whose feet were being washed. It humbles us all.

Peter said, “Dost Thou wash my feet?” Verses 7-8, “Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.’ Peter saith unto him, ‘Thou shalt never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.’” If it was pride holding him back, it didn’t take long for him to empty himself, humble himself and do whatever the Lord said. Peter knew who He was and now, here He was, taking the form of a servant, washing his feet.

He didn’t take long to allow this to be done. John 13:9, “Simon Peter saith unto him, ‘Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.’” “I will be willing for anything that I would have part in thee.” John the Baptist said, “I have need to be baptized of Thee.” He emptied himself. Sometimes, it is very difficult for us to accept what has been done for us when we think of our unworthiness. Every lesson was well learnt by Peter.

John 13:15-17, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, ‘The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.’” Also, He was teaching them, “There is one here amongst you who is not clean, Judas.” There was something in his heart that was defiling Judas. Jesus was teaching His disciples to wash each other’s feet, to forgive each other, to set each other free. Humble yourselves because, “I have given you an example.”

One time Paul rebuked Peter for something he had done or was doing. He did it before all, a rebuke that would not have been easy to take. Peter was humbled. There was not one little thing in his heart against Paul for that rebuke. How do we take correction? Peter was an example in that. He was corrected by Paul and took it all. We read it in his letters. Jesus emptied Himself. Philippians 2:7, “But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” He is a good example to look to, because He looked to the Father.

If it has been made clear to us we have been doing something not right in the sight of God, it will have been a good Convention. If we go out with a quickened conscience, a conscience made more alive, so when we say things that are wrong, instantly, we will know. A God-given conscience can be made more and more alive to what is right and what is wrong, or we can ignore it and become unaware of things that really matter. What value do we put on a good conscience? A lawyer was asked to take the part of a murderer. He said. “I have to live with my conscience. There is not enough money in the whole world for me to take that case. I have to live with my conscience.”
We have to look to Jesus as the example of what and how we should be. Parents have a great responsibility that children would be moulded along the right lines. I am afraid that we would be doing things now that are not to be done on a Sunday. We never lose when we put God first. Sunday is God’s day. We can suffer loss spiritually. It is far better to suffer loss naturally than spiritually. We can ask, “Is this going to profit me spiritually? Am I going to suffer loss for doing this on Sunday?” We need our hearts and minds directed to Jesus more than ever. Search ourselves as we partake of these emblems. Keep our eyes on Him and seek to do all we ought to do to be worthy of this high calling.

In Luke 4, we read about Jesus being led into the wilderness and being tempted by Satan and we have three of those temptations recorded. It has been good for me to think about them. I can’t say that I enjoyed it but it has been good for me to think about those temptations and how Jesus dealt with them and that they are very common temptations for us today. You have the same Father here as we do in America but we also face the same enemy. The same Satan and he is great, he is mighty but I am thankful that God is greater and God is mightier and God is very anxious to help us as we face the enemy of our soul.

Jesus used God’s word as a sword against the enemy. He did not use a carnal weapon against the enemy of His soul. He did not use His own thinking or human reasoning against the enemy of His soul because they would not work. Every time, it tells us that His response was, “It is written.” So God’s word was like a sword to the enemy. We have that in Hebrews where it tells us that the word of God is quick, powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword and I am so thankful that we can use the word of God against the enemy of our soul.

The first temptation recorded here is when Satan said, “If Thou be the Son of God, command these stones that they may be bread.” Jesus answered him saying, “It is written that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God.” Satan still likes to use the temptation of what we feed on, he likes to use that because what we feed on makes just so much difference. He knew that Jesus could, that He had the power, to turn that stone into bread but Jesus understood that there was no strength in abusing power. There are a lot of things we can feed on but they don’t give us any strength. We can feed on a lot of things in this world and maybe they won’t take away our spiritual life but some things that we can feed on will take away our spiritual life. There are some things that won’t take away our spiritual life but neither will they give us any spiritual strength. We can feed on selfish thoughts but they are not going to give us any strength. We can feed on problems, mistakes that our brethren have made, but they will not give us any strength. But every time we feed on the word of God, that word will strengthen us and that word will enable us to grow spiritually. In Numbers 11, the children of Israel, were feeding on what they had left behind. It says that they wept and said, “Who shall give us any flesh to eat? We remember the flesh that we did eat in Egypt freely, the melons, the cucumbers, the leeks, and the garlic but now there is nothing beside this manna before our eyes.” God’s provision was the manna. God’s provision was complete. God’s provision was sweet and God’s provision was fresh each day but they were thinking about what they had left behind. They were thinking about those things and there was no strength in that. There was all the strength they needed in the manna, there was everything they needed in the manna but they thought about what they had left behind. It seems like they forgot the bondage that they had left behind, they forgot God’s great and wonderful deliverance. There is no strength in feeding on the past but there is strength in feeding on how God has delivered us and helped us and will keep us. Then further on, we read about them feeding on the greatness of the enemy and that just left them feeling overwhelmed. Yes, we need to be real about our enemy because our enemy is great, he is greater than us. We want to and we MUST feed on the strength of God because God IS greater and God IS able. That is what Joshua and Caleb tried to tell the people, “We can go in and we can possess the land because God is greater and God will help us.” We need to be careful what we are feeding on because what we are feeding on can either strengthen us or weaken us, as far as our souls are concerned.

The second temptation in Luke 4 is about what we look at. It tells us that Satan took Him up into a high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time and he said he would give it all to Him and that it was delivered unto Him to give it to whoever He will. That all would be His if He would worship him. The Lord said, “Get thee behind me, Satan, for it is written, ‘Thou shalt worship God and Him only shalt thou serve.’” What we look at. Satan tried to get Jesus to focus on that, maybe, there was advancement in this world. He took Him up into a high mountain and from that viewpoint, things are beautiful. From that viewpoint, you don’t see the garbage and you don’t see the little things. From the mountain, it all looks beautiful. Satan would like us to look at things in a wrong way and to not see the reality of things. He took Jesus up the mountain and in a moment, in a moment of time, he showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. It is going to take all the countless ages of eternity for God to show us His Kingdom, His riches, His glory, and His power. Jesus came from that, Jesus left that behind when He came to this earth and Jesus knew that what Satan showed Him in a moment of time He would leave behind on this earth and we need to remember that. Sometimes Satan gets us to look at things of this earth, things of this time and gives us a distorted view. Gets us to think that this is important but that which is most important is that which is from God, that which is eternal and that which we can enjoy throughout all eternity. I appreciated what we heard about faith and Lot and Abraham and I have also been thinking about them. Lot looked and he chose and what he chose looked good but it was not good for his soul. Abraham allowed God to lift up his eyes and so often we just choose that which will satisfy our flesh but that is not for the good of our soul and Satan would like us to look at that and choose that but God would like us to lift our eyes. To allow Him to lift our eyes, to show us that which is good and profitable for our souls. Achan, in the book of Joshua, took what they had been told not to take, he said, “I saw, I coveted, I took, and I hid.” It all began when he saw and it led to coveting something that was wrong. That led to him taking something that was wrong, that led to him hiding something that was wrong and that led to his death. We need to be careful because Satan knows that if he can get us to look at something that is wrong then, pretty soon, we will be coveting it. We will want it and we will take it and he knows that it can lead to our spiritual death. So may we rather be like Jesus and just realise that we need to feed on God’s word and allow God to lift our eyes. It is always safe to allow God to lift our eyes and it is always safe to look at God and it is always safe to look at God’s word.

Then the last temptation recorded is when he took Jesus to the pinnacle of the Temple and said that if He was the Son of God then to cast Himself down from there for it is written that He will give Him angels to bear Him up lest at any time He should dash His foot against a stone. Jesus told him that it is said that thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Satan was working with what Jesus believed, he was telling Him, “You can do this, you can do whatever you want and God will save you.” Isn’t that a common lie that Satan tempts us with today? It doesn’t matter what you believe, all that matters is that you love God. It doesn’t matter what you do, all that matters is that you love God. It doesn’t matter how you live, all that matters is that you love God. Satan loves to tell us that, tempting us with what we believe. If we really loved God as God wants us to love Him, we are going to believe what Jesus lived and what He taught and we are really going to believe God’s word and if we really believe it, it is going to affect how we live, we are going to do it. It DOES matter what we believe, it DOES matter how we live, it DOES matter what we do. It MUST be in line with what Jesus taught. I am so aware that the enemy of our soul is just as great as when Jesus faced him but I am also thankful that the help of God is just as great. May we be those that would be looking to God, feeding on His word and getting the strength to say yes to God and the strength to say no to the enemy.

Mark 4:34 – end, when I was reading this chapter and reading of Jesus teaching the disciples, He was expounding so much to them and it must have been so rich. You can imagine how much it meant to them to help them understand the kingdom of heaven. Jesus’ life was made up of days. He obviously loved spending His days with the apostles, multitudes, and disciples. He was anxious to use that day to help every person He came in contact with there. It is so easy to take a day for granted. We are pretty casual about the days God has given us. Jesus understood every day was very, very precious and He knew He had a lot to do, what God had given to Him. He had a big day, but then He told his disciples, “Let’s go to the other side of the sea.” When they left with Jesus they took Him as He was into their ship. Have we taken Jesus just as He is into our little ship so He can help us? We are in the process of going from this life into eternal life. They took Jesus as He was. This is so important. It is very easy for us to just take the part of Him that we like. We can’t do that. We enjoy the meetings and enjoy life and life seems good. We have accepted Jesus into our lives and He is guiding our lives and we feel good about it, but then a storm arose.

Have you ever been aware how fast a storm can come? When living in a sea coast city (Pusan) on the 5th floor of an apartment building they felt secure even though a storm was coming. The storm tossed cars around and threw them into the lobby rooms. All the windows broke. We thought we were in a safe place because we were up above, but there was chaos for us, too. Storms come. I don’t have power against it. We don’t know how a storm will hit and which direction it will hit us.

This was a storm of storms. This sea was not new to these men in that ship. They recognised we are powerless against this storm, even though they had Jesus with them and were secure with that, but Jesus was asleep on a pillow. They had known the care and protection and love of Jesus and there had been storms of different situations they had faced, but this was different. Jesus was asleep. He knew the One that was in control of the storm so He could rest. Imagine having that kind of confidence! They went to Him and poured out their heart, feeling so helpless. Can you imagine the depth of fear and insecurity they were feeling? In the midst of a storm, you may feel no one understands what I am feeling. Other little ships were in the sea at that time. That is such a feeling that no one has faced a storm like this one that I am feeling.

A couple with two children – the 3 year old boy had diabetes. They couldn’t understand what was wrong with him. This was a terrible storm in that couple’s life trying to find what was the matter. Each of those parents was carrying a load that was far too heavy for them, and they got a feeling they were carrying that load alone. They were feeling, “Don’t you care where I am in this storm?” It was separating them. It is a fearful thing. Storms can do that. When that couple understood what was taking place, they began to pull back together again.

We get the feeling that nobody cares. Imagine feeling that way about Jesus and yet the storm caused them to doubt Jesus. In a storm, there is one who understands. Jesus is trusting the One who controls the storm so completely, so why shouldn’t I trust in Him also? With each storm we might be in Jesus is not very far away. Just for them to understand that Jesus does care and He is in control. First of all, He stopped the wind, and then said to the sea, “Peace be still.” It responded so completely. I love times in the midst of a storm. I could just feel there is no where else to look, but up. It is amazing how quick that storm can still down. It is because you have peace in your heart.

Jesus said, “How is it that ye have no faith?” Storms can teach us a lot about ourselves. Do you have faith in Me?  Do you trust Me that I can get you across the sea safely? But in the midst of a storm that is what is really shown what is in our heart. This is a time when our faith can begin to grow. I am going to trust Him more. When you begin to trust Him, then you feel whatever comes I am still a winner because if we go down in a sea and the storm takes us, I am still with Jesus, but if He chooses to still the storm I am still with Him. There is no losing if we are with Him.

Fear destroys our peace. We fear fear itself. We will fear something that we don’t hardly know what we are fearing, but we are afraid. I have felt this. It is simple because my faith is needing to grow. God allows the experience. He is faithful in helping us and teaching us. Then after that of what Jesus did they feared exceedingly. They had been with Him for days. They felt they knew His heart, but in the midst of the storm, and He could show His power over the storm, they saw this was a power they didn’t know He had.

Who am I following? On this journey of life and all of the storms that come…they will come and go, and then one of these days, we will come to the other side. It will be a wonderful experience to have realized we are there and Jesus was there with them. He had helped them in all of that journey. He was asleep at that time, but He was right there when they called Him. We could go along and sailing is smooth and maybe Jesus is sleeping, but as soon as we need Him, just call out and He will be there. We can look forward to the day when we get to the other side and get there safely. Just take Jesus into our lives and keep Him there, and don’t toss Him overboard. Just keep Him in the ship as He is and be willing for whatever He teaches us, and we will know a peace that passes all understanding, and we will know a joy that cannot be taken from us. Sometimes we get taken up with our little ship, but remember we are on the same sea facing similar storms and we can be an encouragement and a help as we continue to journey.

Our study of Timothy has been a good one. We first read of him in Acts 16 as a certain disciple, of a professing mother, but his father was a Greek. He was well reported of by the brethren who knew him, a good testimony.

From [II Tim 1:5] we read of the unfeigned faith that dwelt first in his grandmother, Lois, and also in his mother, Eunice, and this had a good influence on young Timothy, for Paul was persuaded this same faith dwelt in him also. This shows the helpful influence of professing parents and also grandparents. Even in our day, we cherish those youth amongst us who had a goodly heritage in such forefathers. In Timothy’s case, it was in his maternal background, and for sure, good mothers and grandmothers have a definite bearing on their children. (We are presently proclaiming the Gospel to a granddaughter of a good professing grandmother, this noble soul is gone, but her influence remains.)

Acts 16:3 tells of Timothy going into the work, and from this verse, it would seem that Paul chose him to go. But I Tim 4:14 mentions the gift that was given him by prophecy – which would suggest that a gift of prophecy was his, something of God, a revelation that was not motivated by man, but by God. Yes, he did accompany Paul on his second journey, and what a journey it was. Acts 16:4-5 show them going on a special meeting rounds, and am sure that meant much to young Timothy. They had an important message to deliver to the various Churches, and am sure the friends involved cherished this young man who was by Paul’s side. But then Acts 16:6-9 tell of wanderings over much terrain, with no recorded interest. Timothy was getting a taste of the afflictions of the Gospel, but he did not turn back, but plodded on by his noble companion. They had a good mission at Philippi, saw a Church established. Then they went on to Thessalonica, where another Church was formed, but again he experienced the adverse afflictions of the Gospel, went on to Berea, where they found some noble souls, another Church formed, but again more persecution. Because of the trouble, Paul had to leave and go to Athens, and Timothy and Silas stayed behind, and helped those loyal friends keep true. It seems then that Paul sent for Silas and Timothy to come to Athens, then later they went back to Macedonia (Acts 18:5).

Again in I Cor 4:17 Paul sent Timothy to Corinth. In I Tim 1:3, he was at Ephesus. In Phil 1:1, he was with Paul while he was in prison in Rome. Col 1:1 gives the same picture. Also, Philem 1:1 tells the same.

In II Tim 4:9, Timothy is urged by Paul to come to him shortly, likely Paul’s time was limited, and he wanted the fellowship of this faithful brother and companion. I am not sure about the precise order of all Timothy’s experiences, but for sure he had them, they were real. Heb 13:23 tells of his release from prison.

Yes, he had a long and useful career. Rom 16:21, he is termed Paul’s workfellow, which would suggest Timothy did not turn back from facing any condition, good or bad. In I Cor 16:10, he worked the work of the Lord, and perhaps the most endearing expression is in 1 Tim 1:2, where Paul calls him his own son in the faith. Paul never had legal sons, but he did have those like Timothy and Titus whom he could feel towards as his own sons, dear to his heart, and especially so as he neared the end of his journey.

I Tim 6:20 is touching: “Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust.” This exhortation would have stayed with Timothy all his life, spurring him on towards his finish in life. It has been a help to me, as the noble life of Timothy has been to many a worker since his day.

Isaiah 55:8-10, “’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways, My ways,’ saith the Lord, ‘… for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Man’s solution to hard ground is bigger machinery, but God’s solution is a gentle rain.

Man’s solution to a better life is to build bigger and higher but God’s solution is bending lower and digging deeper. Genesis 49:22, “Joseph is a fruitful bow, whose branches go over the wall.” Joseph knew how it was to bend lower and dig deeper; and because of this, he became a fruitful bow.

Man’s thought of a successful life is what we do but God’s thought is what we are. Daniel 6:3, “This Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit was in him.” God’s work will always show us what we can be. Daniel was approved because of what he was, not what he had done. Life gives us limitations but we can always have a right spirit; we can always be thankful; we can always pray.

Man’s solution to victory is to fight, but God’s solution to victory is to submit to His Will. John 18:36, “My Kingdom is not of this world; If My Kingdom were of this world then would My servants fight.” Jesus was always victorious because He was always submitted to His Father’s will. We will always have an enemy to fight, including our own human nature, but we can be victorious when we just submit to the will of God.

Man’s solution to a fulfilled life is to keep busy. Man has many toys and things to occupy our time. Psalm 46:10, God’s solution is to be still and know that I am the Lord. We have to learn to be still. It is not in us by nature.

Man’s solution for his wrongs is to hide or justify it, II Samuel 11:27, “When the morning was past, David went and fetched her to his house and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.” David tried to hide it. After he had taken Bathsheba for his wife, he tried to just go as if nothing had happened. He could be so thankful that Nathan the prophet, went to him and told him a story about a man with 100 sheep taking from another man his one little lamb, and told him, “Thou art the man.” David was honest about his sin, repented, and asked the Lord for forgiveness. Even though he was forgiven, there still would have been a reminder about what he had done every time he saw the grave of the son that died. Genesis 3:12, Adam tried to justify their sin saying, “The woman Thou gavest to be with me, gave me of the tree and I did eat.” God’s solution for our wrong is to repent and ask for forgiveness.

Man’s solution for Jesus was to put him on the cross. God’s solution for Jesus is for us to take up our cross and follow Him.v

Deuteronomy 2:9-10, 19-21, “There were also giants in the land of Moab and the land of Ammon but the Lord forbade the children of Israel to meddle with them because they were descendants of Lot. He, the Lord, wouldn’t give to the children of Israel their land for an inheritance. Moab and Ammon had their giants, also …” Everyone has had their giants to deal with. Joshua 14:10-12, Caleb was anxious to take on the land of the giants. Caleb said, “I am as strong this day as the day as when Moses sent me. As my strength was then, so is my strength now.” This is only possible because forty years before, his strength was in the Lord and that strength was still sustaining him.

I Samuel 17:23, the descendants of the giants had joined up with the Philistines and during Saul’s reign, one of the giants named Goliath was defying the armies of the Lord. David brought sustenance to his brothers, who were in Saul’s army. He heard Goliath’s taunting and asked, “What shall be done to the man that killed this Philistine?” Verse 26, Eliab heard David’s comment. His anger was kindled against David and he railed on him. David didn’t take offense, just let it ago… these were just words and not to get upset about…the giant to fight that day was Goliath. There are some things that are not worth getting upset about…not a giant, but some things we need to stand up and fight.

II Samuel 21:15-22, the Philistines made war with Israel again and David waxed faint. Another giant, Ishibenob, whose spear weighed 300 shekels of brass, being girded with a new sword thought to kill David, but Abishai, son of Zeruiah, smote the Philistine and killed him, but David’s men said, “Thou shalt go no more out to battle with us lest thou quench the light of Israel.” There was another generation that grew up to face the giants, they were the sons of some of his mighty men. Jonathan, David’s nephew, slew another great giant. Four of the sons of the giant were killed by David’s men in this episode. We appreciate seeing our older brothers and sisters putting forth a great effort to go on…also our younger brothers and sisters taking up the gap and helping to fight the giants.

Ephesians 6:12, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” I Corinthians 9:26, “I therefore so run not as uncertainly, so fight I, not as one that beateth the air; but I keep under my body to bring it into subjection, lest by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself, should be a castaway.” Me, Myself, and I is an unholy trinity that must be overcome. Our human nature is our greatest giant.

Luke 22:42, Jesus’ giant attacked Him on His last night on earth. He prayed three times to take this cup from Him but He then prayed that God’s will be done. Jesus prayed until not only His spirit was willing, but His flesh was willing, also.

Philippians 3:13, “I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” There are times that we fear the future because of the past. A child has no past so does not worry about the future. It just assumes that he will be taken care of. Paul had a lot of past to forget so he could have let that hinder him but he just left the past in the Lord’s hands.

Faith is of God and doubts are of Satan… Doubts can be a giant, fear can be a giant, self pity can be a giant, even our health can be a giant. John 9:25, the blind man that Jesus healed had no doubts…his comment when asked who healed him, “One thing I know, once I was blind but now I can see!” Romans 8:16 “The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.” No need to fear or doubt…recipe that works: “DON’T FEED THE GIANTS.”

**Not verbatim

I’ll read some verses from Hebrews 11 and also from Hebrews 12, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; who, for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

These last three chapters of Hebrews – I somehow hardly ever read them individually because they seem to be so closely connected. The first one tells us of what faith is and it tells us of what men and women did by faith. Then it speaks of them as the cloud of witnesses in the 12th chapter. It says, “Let us therefore run the race with patience.” Then it speaks about what it is leading us to and what we are receiving by faith.

Then the last chapter starts with, “Let brotherly love continue and be not forgetful to entertain strangers.” It also speaks there of Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever. It helps us to understand what is accomplished by faith in our lives and that it is eternal because it is God’s work. Also that the trying of our faith which worketh patience is God’s work. It is wonderful to see resignation in a yielded life and it is wonderful to see contentment in God’s people in spite of their circumstances. It is the evidence of the Lord’s work. I realise more and more that faith is God’s work. In the false, nominal Christian religions, it is often said that you must just believe but my friends, faith is not just believing. Faith is the work of God. It is God’s work.

When Paul wrote to the Romans he spoke about faith being accomplished in our lives by the preaching of the Gospel. The Gospel message brings faith. Faith comes by the Gospel, it is not man’s work but it is God’s work. I am very grateful for that as I think of my own experience as a teenager. I have often told this and I don’t mind repeating it. I will never forget sitting in that simple little meeting and there was just a handful of people in that meeting. But I remember that night when we drove back to the farm and I was looking out into the darkness of the night and for the first time in my life I had a need to pray. I had often said my prayers before that but that night when my brothers and sisters went to bed and it was quiet, I knelt beside my bed and I prayed that God would give me a desire to serve Him. Looking back at that time, I realised that it was the first little bit of faith that God had put in my heart and it caused me to go down onto my knees. God put that into my heart and it was as a result of that meeting, the result of something of God’s Spirit, it was God’s work.

It tells us here that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen and it tells us that by it the elders obtained a good report. We realise that, even as it says in this chapter, that without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to Him must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. My friends, I think that we all realise that the writing is on the wall as we look at the world, our country, at conditions as you look at the newspaper we can see that the writing is on the wall and we know that the prospects of days ahead are probably not what people would like them to be. They are not but we have something better, we have faith and we have trust in God.

That hymn says, “When storms of life are round me beating.” It says there, “Within my closed door retreating, I love to be alone with God.” In the day of distress we have the privilege of drawing near to God in confidence, remembering that we are drawing to the greatest source of help that there is and often our faith may be shaken if it doesn’t work out OUR way. The fulfillment of faith in our lives is not the accomplishment of our own desires, of our own will, but it is the accomplishment of God’s purpose, of God’s will. That is faith, when I draw near to God in prayer. Sometimes we pray about things and sometimes we want things to turn out a certain way. It could be a business deal and it could be our natural circumstances. It could be things we are distressed about and there may be every reason for that but when we draw near to God in the place of prayer, our thoughts may be along our natural interests and the Lord just giving us our way but it doesn’t work that way. That is why Paul wrote to the Romans and said that we don’t always know what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit makes intercession with groanings that cannot be uttered and it tells us in the context of that that it is according to the will of God. What does it say then? It says that we know that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. I have often asked myself the question “Do I know that? Do I believe that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose?” If we are trusting God and if we are praying with faith in our hearts and accepting God’s guidance, accepting God’s direction, for some of us it might mean deeper suffering. For some of us it might mean greater loss. We don’t know but it might mean that. I say this respectfully and with fear in my heart but I have seen it and in a measure experienced it, that sometimes God allows that. He allowed it in the life of Job and he allowed it in the lives of others. He has even allowed it in the lives of some in our day, where every earthly hope has been shattered because God has something better in mind. God wants to give us something with eternity in mind. God wants us to understand that He is the most important one in our lives and that our spiritual prosperity is the thing that matters. We can have the best that the world holds and we can still have nothing but we can find joy and we can find peace and we can find quality of life when we find the presence of God and when we have the help of God in our lives.

For myself, I would like to be satisfied with what it means what God would allow in my life. I hardly want to say this but I can tell you that some situations that have been my portion and some responsibilities or privileges that come our way, it hasn’t been my choosing and it is not really what I would like and it really doesn’t suit me but one would like to accept what God decides, what God chooses because He knows what He is doing. He knows the end from the beginning and He knows what He can do with my life and He knows what He can allow in my life. I feel grateful today for that, for a deeper tranquility and for a deeper acceptance of what God allows. It is costly.

It says here that without faith it is impossible to please God and it says that by it the elders obtained a good report. Two Wednesdays before last, we had those chapters in Genesis. The one chapter where Jacob was wrestling with the angel all night and he wouldn’t let him go. Then in last Wednesday night’s chapter, it tells us that it was the Lord. He wouldn’t let Him go until he had the blessing and we know that he was facing his brother Esau and it was imperative for Him to have the blessing. It might be some of the greatest struggles in life when we come face to face with our natural adversary and our spiritual adversary. He had to face Esau, he had to face his brother and he couldn’t do it without the Lord’s blessing. The most important thing for any one of us today is still the Lord’s blessing, there is nothing more important. The most important thing is for me to be right with God as I begin the day.

The most important thing for me as I face the day is drawing near to God in the place of prayer. It is the most important thing and my friends we cannot stress this enough. When hardness and when differences come between us as God’s people, it is IMPERATIVE, it is absolutely important that that be put right immediately. It affects our liberty and it actually affects our salvation. It affects our relationship with God and we cannot get away from that. Jacob faced Esau with faith in his heart, not in himself and not even with his brother but with faith in God. As a prince, he had prevailed and God could change his name.

There is a wonderful parallel in what took place in those two chapters, with the life of Jesus. We were reading those verses in Hebrews Wherefore being compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus. I don’t know what is in your mind when you think of looking unto Jesus but it is not a physical looking with the natural eye but it is a yielding in our hearts to the will of God. It is obedience and it is as Paul wrote to the Philippians when he wrote Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus who thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made Himself of no reputation and took upon Himself the form of a servant and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross. Then it says God hath exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name.  Looking unto Jesus means that, it means having the mind of Christ. It means humbling myself and it means being obedient.

That night when Jacob wrestled with the angel, we know there was a night in the garden of Gethsemane when Jesus prayed three times that God would remove this cup from Him but nevertheless not My will but Thine be done. Then it says that God sent an angel to strengthen Him. It says that He prayed more earnestly until His sweat became as drops of blood. Then Jesus went to the cross of Calvary and took upon Himself your sin and my sin. He took the blame. He suffered innocently and that is the example and that is what Jacob saw that night when he went to his brother. It tells us that he bowed down seven times. He left it in God’s hands. It didn’t matter what anybody thought. It didn’t matter what his wives and his children thought. It didn’t matter what his servants thought but that day as he faced his brother he bowed seven times. Sometimes people have spoken to us because of difficulties that have arisen, difficulties in the church, difficulties among brethren. Sometimes it has been said that all that could be done was done but it just couldn’t come right and some of my co-workers have uttered these words “Have you bowed seven times?” Jesus set the example when He reconciled us to God by taking the blame. It should be a small thing for you and me to just be willing to take the blame.

We have heard that God will avenge His own elect. If we are being disadvantaged and if we are suffering wrongly, it is to our advantage. We can trust in God as we think of that. There is something else that was beautiful to me. When Esau asked him about the gifts he presented, he said, “I have enough, I don’t need it.” Jacob insisted that he would accept the gift and that he would take it. It is just such a beautiful picture of Jesus when He shed His blood on the cross of Calvary and entered into heaven with His blood. It is there continually, in the presence of God. Jacob said to his brother that day that he looked into his face as the face of God and he wanted that gift to remain in his presence. Whenever Esau had looked upon what Jacob had given him he would have remembered the day of reconciliation and today we are grateful as we think of the gift of Christ, of His precious blood that was shed and that He is in the presence of God where He intercedes for us continually. It is there in the presence of God and He looks at us through the blood of Christ and His heart is touched. It tells us earlier in Hebrews that we don’t have a High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmity. He is moved with compassion and was tempted in all points as we are yet without sin.

We have heard already of the things that touch the heart of God and something that I appreciate so much is what we read in Luke 15 when that prodigal son came back. It touched his father’s heart, when he humbled himself. Repentance touches the heart of God. A whole lot of definitions can be given to what repentance is, like changing direction but I just appreciated the simplicity of what Jesus said, “Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” If only we’ll come, come with faith in the place of prayer. Remember that it is the greatest source of help that there is.

Anyway in this 12th chapter it says “Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses.” Those who had walked in faith and those who had conquered in faith and those who had made choices in faith, It says, “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith,” It has been said that your patience is always tested when you have to wait. I realise more and more that here in the context it means endurance, running with endurance. Convention time I had to make a phone call to South African Airways because of a booking and that old electronic voice came up, “Please be patient and your call will be answered” and it continued for 20 minutes. We were working on the grounds and I had a mobile phone which I just hung around my neck and it was more than an hour before someone answered the phone. So when he answered I said to the man, “I have a lot of patience, I have been waiting for an hour.” I realised that I didn’t actually have patience. Patience is God’s work and when God does it then it is perfect. Sometimes we are praying about something and it is not changing but if we are trusting God we can wait and we can endure because we know that He is working and that He is holding out something better for us.

I love this 12th chapter of Hebrews and I’ll tell you why. It tells us later on in this chapter, in the 18th verse “For ye are not come unto the mount that might not be touched and that burned with fire. But you have come unto mount Zion and to the city of the living God. To the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels and the general assembly and church of the Firstborn.” Then later on it speaks of receiving a Kingdom that  cannot be moved. We have something that is immovable, it’s not tangible with the human hand but it is eternal. It is of God and we have been sharing it today, these eternal things. If I can try and put it in a nutshell, somebody once made this comparison that if someone asked you what church you belong to, if you could give a ready answer then it means that you can put your finger on it. If people ask me what church I belong to I kind of feel glad because it is an opportunity to explain something that you can’t put your finger on. If I told them that I belonged to this church or that church, then I could put my finger on it, but I have to explain to them about God’s work in my life. I can tell them about the workers going out two and two and I can tell them about the church in the home. I can tell them all that and it is right and it is good in its place but I have to explain something about God’s work in my life. I have to give them something of my testimony. You can’t just put your finger on it because it is spiritual and it is eternal and it is immovable because no man can touch it with his hand.

Sometimes we ask ourselves the question. A young couple gets married, have a wonderful wedding day and go off on their honeymoon and some people will say, “Reality will still hit them.” You know that old story. Anyway I don’t know anything about that….yet and hopefully never. We sometimes speak of reality as the things you can touch and you can look out there and see it is a beautiful day, that is reality. When you look at your wife or your husband sitting next to you, it is reality. When you think of the things you have accomplished in life, it is reality. It is actually not reality because the time will come when this body will return to the dust and it slips from your hand. A dead hand can hold nothing, it is not reality. My friends, what has touched our hearts today and what God gives us, that is reality. The joy of salvation, that is reality. The peace of God in our hearts, that is reality. This living by faith that we have been trying to speak a little about, that is reality. This relationship with God, that is reality. As we think of the work of God in the world, that is a reality.

A man of about 40 years old professed two weeks ago and we were traveling back from a meeting on Wednesday morning and he was telling me of someone in the place of worship he went to and was seemingly trying to lecture him because he had made his choice to serve God in this way. This man was evidently speaking about the old law and the Sabbath day and those things of the Old Testament and he just said, “I can’t say anything against what you say now but what I can tell you is what I have been missing all my life, now I have got it.” That was like music to my ears, that is reality. You can’t put your finger on it and you can’t show it physically but it is reality because it is the work of God. It speaks here of a kingdom that cannot be moved, it is a reality, you can’t put your finger on it. No man’s hand can touch it, it is a reality, it is real. It is God’s work in our lives.

It says, “Receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and with Godly fear.” We are grateful for these meetings today, grateful for God’s people and grateful for God’s fellow servants in our midst. Grateful for the prospects in God’s Kingdom. This country north of our borders things are pretty grim. What you read in the papers is terrible but I can tell you that there is something else in that country. There are probably about +/- 400 Christians and we are going to have Special Meetings there soon. Well we hope that we can have the Special Meetings and if we are going to have the Special Meetings, I can tell you one thing, that they are ALL going to be there and it is not because it is comfortable to get there. But I have no doubt in my mind that they will all be there. Last year, we were at those meetings and there was also no transport but they were ALL there. There was one young woman who came there, it was 9 degrees and it was raining all day. She left home at 5 that morning with a baby on her back and she walked barefoot for 55 kilometres to the Special Meeting place. There was another group of more than 20 who walked 62 kilometres to be at those meetings. They were all there and it was wonderful to see that. There is a lot of doom and gloom in the country but there is something beautiful, something wonderful about God’s people because they have something that is better and they have faith and confidence in God. Even though every earthly hope is shattered, there is confidence in the future because they have a better Kingdom, a better country and a kingdom that cannot be moved because no man can touch it. No circumstance can quench it because it is God’s work. God’s work in the human life.

We are thankful as we think of our workers there, having encouraging missions and they are happy to be there. I just mention that and hope that we can face the days ahead with confidence. Not in ourselves and maybe not in the circumstances but we have something better to live for. We have better things to speak about. We can be feeding on all the negative things out there and it is not going to help us or anybody else. We can feed on Christ and as it says here, we can look to Jesus and we can run with patience the race that is set before us.

Earlier in the book of Hebrews it speaks of Him as the Forerunner who has entered within the veil, He is already there, He has already finished the race and we can also say that He has won the race, if you want to put it that way. It is wonderful to think that we are actually running on the winning side. We are actually fighting on the battlefield of victory because the victory was purchased on Calvary’s cross for thee. May God help us that our own little personal difficulties and our own personal battles won’t cause us to be a ‘casualty on the battlefield of victory.’

New life within. Jesus will never ever force Himself in. We begin to open our heart and let Jesus in.

Jesus was the most balanced person that anyone could ever be.

Matthew 9:35, Jesus taught in all cities and villages. but…..

verse 36, Jesus did all the healing and preaching and there was still something missing. The people needed a Shepherd.

verse 37, Jesus prayed to send forth laborers, not a Shepherd (Jesus is the Shepherd).

In Matthew 14, when John had just been beheaded, Jesus went out and wanted some space. However, when the multitude saw Jesus, they followed Him. Jesus’ heart was moved with compassion and reached out to the people. Jesus gave and gave. Instead of saying, ‘I want space’ (even though He would have liked to), Jesus was moved with compassion and healed the multitude.

Jesus is the rock and the one we can firmly put our feet on. He put aside His own grief and His own weariness and He continued to be the rock.

He was ‘rock solid.’

Jesus was interested in saving everyone.

He prayed on the cross to God ‘Father, forgive them.’ He had compassion. The other thief on the cross heard Jesus’ compassion and listed to Him. When Jesus said to the thief that He would be with him in Paradise, Jesus knew the thief had a listening ear.

You aren’t prepared for a storm unless you prepare before the storm. It might be a little disturbance in the atmosphere or it might be a bluster, but the storm will come.

Psalm 55:4, “My heart is sore pained within me and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.” David had more than one storm in his life. We feel like that when a disturbance comes into our life. We need to remember that, even if our storm is like Noah’s storm, there is nothing we can do about it. But if our storm is self-inflicted, like Jonah’s, there is something we can do and that is to put self into the sea of forgetfulness. Most inward storms are because self is running things and is in the front of the picture, but self can be put in its place.

When there is a storm, our response is like David’s. Verse 6, “And I said, ‘Oh that I had wings like a dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest.’” If we try to hasten our escape from the storms of life, we will hasten our spiritual death. But if we drop anchor and ride the storm out, we will be saved. Noah experienced a storm of all storms, yet he came out of it safe and secure, useful and fruitful. It was possible because of what he did to prepare before the storm.

I don’t think we ever have a common, ordinary day. It is not a common experience in this world to read the word of God and get bread for your soul. It is not a common experience in this world to kneel beside your bed and get help from God, but the children of God can have that every day. We learn more about His will for our lives and about turning to Him for comfort. We learn that in the calm days, so when the storm comes we continue doing what we did in the calm days.

“Teach me Thy way.” This isn’t talking about the narrow way that leads to heaven but about the way within the way. What is your way of responding when the storm comes? Use what we have learned in the calm days, recall His promises that we can come through with our faith deepened.

Exodus 9:19, “Gather thy cattle and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.” They were to be brought home to be safe. Stay in the household of faith and we won’t suffer loss in the storm. Faith is an anchor, and an anchor has to have an anchor ground. The will of God is the anchor ground for faith. An anchor is considered at its peak when the ship is directly in line above it. That is true for an anchor that is in rock. It catches in the rock and if the ship is directly above it, that is the safest place it can be. A ship from the 1700s was found and the anchor had broken loose. When the anchor was found, it measured 9 feet across and weighed 1000 lbs, but it couldn’t hold that ship in a storm. We never have to worry about faith letting us go. If we keep our faith in the will of God, we won’t have any problems. How many storms did Jesus, David, John the Baptist, and others face? Their anchor was solid and held.

Acts 27:18, “And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship.” Before they lightened the ship, they ate to get strength to lighten the ship. We want to hold on to some things and still have salvation but if God has put His finger on something, we won’t make it safely across the harbour unless we let go. If we don’t let go, He allows storms to come. See what we are holding on to and what it is in comparison to having our sins forgiven and knowing the benefits that are found in the sanctuary. I need the right sense of values of what I am holding on to and what God is holding out to me.

Mark 6:45, Jesus sent His disciples across the sea in a boat and He went into a mountain to pray. They were in the midst of the sea but He knew where they were and what they were doing in the situation. I want to remember that no matter how alone I may feel in my storms, there is One who sees and knows, and He also cares and will make provision in the storm when the time is right. I wonder what it meant to the heart of Jesus to see them toiling. Toiling means putting in a lot of effort. The storm didn’t change their goal; they had a harbour to head for. The storm didn’t alter their focus on doing what Jesus asked them to do, and Jesus will stand by people like that.

A mountain climber said the most important decision a climber makes is the choice of a climbing partner. On the sea of life, it is our sailing partner that is so important. Jesus will help us keep our focus and He will help us make it to the other shore.

Ready or not, someday it will come to an end.

There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.

All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.

Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned or what you owed.

Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear.

So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won’t matter where you came from, or what side of the tracks you lived on, at the end.

It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.

Even your gender or skin colour will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built.

Not what you got, but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success, but your significance.

What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage, or sacrifice that enriched, empowered, or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence, but your character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.

What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that lived in those who loved you.

What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom, and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.

It’s not a matter of circumstance, but of choice.

Choose to live a life that matters.

Jack is labouring in Jamaica presently but has also laboured in Central America for many years. He was at Didsbury II convention in about 2000.

A year ago we were studying Zechariah 3 and 4.

Zechariah 3:10, “‘In that day,’ saith the Lord of hosts, ‘shall ye call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree.’”

One way to express the Gospel call is under the vine and under the fig tree. In that day for our families, friends, enemies, this is the call. Maybe we remember in our American history learning about our founding fathers. When they reached the time of retirement, this term was often used: “under the vine and under the fig tree.” George Washington loved his wife Martha and Mt. Vernon and all his life, he wanted to get back to Martha and Mt. Vernon. As commander, he was out for eight years but twice a week, he would write a letter to Martha and the overseers. When he left the White House and went home, it was finally, “I get back to the vine and the fig tree.” We don’t have to wait until retirement to do this. We enter into it to enjoy the security, the salvation, and the forgiveness of this family. The other references is from the Old Testament and it is in 1 Kings 4:25, “And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.”

From the top to the bottom of the country, there was safety under the vine and under the fig tree. This becomes individualized, his vine, his tree. The kingdom of God is open to all and we all will have an individual place in this day. For every man, woman, and child, there is a place. Trisha told us last night that she was glad the other night it was dark. Last Saturday night, I was glad I was the only one in the dorm and I just laid on my bunk and thought of my great life in this Kingdom of God. I am sure I just lay there with a goofy grin. It can’t get any better. It was sweet, and a great convention and you would be coming this week; one more day and a new band of brethren would come and there is life under the vine and the fig tree. You can’t tell everyone what they mean to us.

You know about the man who lived and worked in north Nevada. After a Sunday night meeting, he said, “I’d like to turn in my year round pass at Kirkwood for the lifelong privilege of serving in this ministry, under the vine and the fig tree.” Uncle Dick accepted his offer. He got an email from his high school and college buddies; his friend now lives in Atlanta and he wrote and said, “If you ever want to leave your business, I’ll give you one of the best in Atlanta.” He answered, “You must think I am crazy to leave the best job in the world for the best job in Atlanta. I’m not crazy and I’m not coming to Atlanta.”

Five years ago, we walked into Clint’s cabin and there was a box of Starbucks coffee. Where did this come from? From the sister workers? Starbucks? Wow! We found out that five years ago, three of our young women who worked at Starbucks got a free pound of coffee every week and they started saving the coffee for convention. The sweet part of it all is that one girl was a prodigal, not professing and she also contributed a pound of coffee. Five years ago Saturday night, Julie made her choice and yesterday, I asked how many years has it been and she said five years and she gave her testimony. You have, with the Spirit of God and the Son of God, given us a wonderful life under the Kingdom of God.

John 1:47-48, “Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him, and saith of him, ‘Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!’ Nathaniel saith unto Him, ‘Whence knowest Thou me?’ Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.’” Nathaniel was already under the fig tree and Jesus drew near and said, “I saw you, I remember you, and here is a place in the Kingdom of God. You wonder why I saw you; you will see angels ascending and descending and you will see and feel the spirit of God and the Son of God administering and caring for you.” This is just the beginning of life under the fig tree.

Luke 19:3-4, “And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said unto him, ‘Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down, for today I must abide at thy house.’”

Zacchaeus was in the sycamore tree; that is a species of fig. Zacchaeus had to come out of the fig tree to live under the tree. We were up or down when the call came to us to come out and He will give you life under the fig tree. As we live under the vine, what have we been encouraged to do? Abide in the vine: we live under the vine by abiding in the vine; remain, continue to stand fast, and abide. Abide in the vine and continue and stand fast. We like and want to be like Jesus so we stay in the way as Jesus. We abide in the Father’s love. Do your homework. Count how many times “abide” is used in this chapter. You abide in my father’s love, your joy will be full; your life will be full, we can say that tonight. When we think of the vine we think of the sacrifice, don’t we? Jesus was the sacrifice and every week we have and we partake of the fruit of the vine that reminds us of His sacrifice.

A year ago, we were in Korea and we were picked up and went to the first home and the first dinner with some of the Korean staff. I told my stomach to get ready for kimchee. The worker in the car asked if there was any place I would like to go. Yes, there was one place I would like to go. I would like to see Uncle Sprolie Denio’s grave. They said, “We can do that,” so next day, we went to the grave. The great thing about sacrifice is that at different times in our life the different sides of sacrifice will be revealed to us and the sacrifice of today may not bear fruit for many, many years. Uncle Sprolie was at our house for his last birthday. I was a senior in high school and my folks said, “Harry, today is Uncle Sprolie’s birthday and we are going to invite a couple of the friends and my sisters.” We knew he wasn’t well. Here I was a high school senior, the center of the universe, arrogant and obnoxious. I’ll tell you this, this sacrifice stopped me. I knew this man was dying and I knew he wanted to go to Korea to die. I didn’t leave home that night. That night I thought, “Harry, you’ve taken so much out of the pot, it’s about time you put something back in.” Sacrifice can have lifelong consequences. The fruit of sacrifice can be eternal, an eternal salvation for many in every country.

At the Seoul convention, I met an elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Chung. Mrs. Chung was among the first to profess in Korea and they hadn’t been back for eleven years. They came and I was so thankful to meet Mrs. Chung. I remember when we would get a letter from Uncle Sprolie and he would talk about the first contacts and the first interest and Mrs. Chung as she took the first baby to the first convention in Korea. You talk about history! The greatest histories in the world are the living histories in the Kingdom. We love pulling their luggage and taking their eating tray to the washing area and we loved being around them. We loved it! As it turned out, they were at every convention that we were and it was sweet. Would you like to know what happened to that first baby at the first convention in Korea? Check the Colorado workers’ list and you will find Ken Chung. They moved to Chicago and Ken started out in the work in Illinois then went to New England and now Colorado. We have no idea the influence of sacrifice. We cannot imagine or predict the influence of one faithful life. Get settled under the vine and the fig tree. We cannot imagine the influence of just going on of only one, one faithful life. The fruit of the vine is the sacrifice of Christ. All sacrifice has a foundation in Jesus, the sacrifice of our fellow servants who first went to Korea, those that came here or go to other countries today. It wasn’t until Uncle Sprolie or Don Garland, it was back before the foundation of the world when the sacrifice started that our joy would be full. Abide in His love and abide in His vine.

We are sleeping all over this property. We could say, or I will say, our convention couldn’t be more peaceful or pleasant. How could it be? We are grateful to Warren and Sue and the caretakers who take care of us. Here is a place under the vine and under the fig tree.

There is one more story. Last night, I was invited to sit with some of you young people and if is appropriate and possible, I love to sit with our youth. They took such good care of me and even gave me a bench pad. I thought while sitting there that this is the third anniversary of Heather’s last convention. I sat with her and others three years ago. When Heather died, there was a little band of California brethren and some of her little friends from convention and the parents with their travel miles scraped together to take Heather’s friends back to Georgia for the funeral. If you are 15, Heather was 15 when she passed away. She was 13 when she professed. She has been gone for three years and she walked with God only two years. God is much greater and fairer for any of us and I will tell our youth again that this is the place, the family, this is the kingdom where we belong. Sacrifice only enriches, only increases the peace, the contentment, and security and contributes to our salvation.

I don’t want to forget there are a lot of sacrifices in this kingdom and we come out way ahead when we give God our all. We are sleeping all over here, some in the Dorms, some in Tents and RVs, the House on the Hill, the Rack, Clem’s cabin, the Bunk House, the Ranch House, wherever we are staying we can give thanks to God tonight there is salvation under the vine and the fig tree for Jesus’ sake.

(Kenya …. another trouble spot for saint and servant …. from Graham Barnes)

Just a few lines as I know you are reading, seeing and hearing some horrific things about what is happening here. First of all we are all OK and safe. There are problems, but it’s not that the whole country is consumed with violence. It is mainly the western part of the country that is affected, plus the slum areas of Nairobi, especially Kibera, near where we have our convention.

Eldoret in Western Kenya was particularly bad. Lettie and Valarie Colli were staying in the home of John and Joanna Kariuki just outside of Eldoret town. John and Joanna are away, visiting John’s Mother near Magadi in southern Kenya over the Xmas period. We had to get Lettie and Valarie out yesterday as it wasn’t safe for them to stay there. Abraham went up from Nairobi Tuesday and they flew down to Nairobi from Eldoret this morning. We have sent Lettie, Valarie, Abe and Daudi over to Tanzania as a precaution until things become more settled. Silas and myself are in Nanyuki on the north side of Mt. Kenya. No problems up here but we will monitor the situation and keep out of trouble.

I spoke to most of the friends on the phone today, Masiga’s in Kisumu, Kibatta’s, Njoroge’s, Isabel in Nairobi. Kakamega folks, all are OK. Gladys is at home with her mother near Kitale. It’s not too good in that area, but she was OK.

Nairobi was calm today. Reece and Louise Adamson a New Zealand couple who had been with us in Nanyuki travelled to Nairobi, did some shopping and then took the shuttle bus this afternoon together with Lettie, Val, Abe and Daudi to where they are living near Arusha, Tanzania.

Just this tonight, Graham

Matthew 25:1-8, the 10 virgins.

We need to be careful of the condition of our heart.

The foolish wanted to meet the bridegroom but they weren’t prepared. Be prepared.

Where our heart is we will be compelled to make sure we bring the oil. Gather the oil and the wood every day.

Make the extra effort to find the oil. Our lamps will go out and we will miss the bridgegroom.

The light within us will get even stronger if we carry the oil.

What can I do to keep the light burning within me?

Where is my treasure?

What comes first in my life?

Make sure our treasure is truly in Jesus.

We have commandments and we know what is right but do we have the extra efforts and have a desire to let the fire of Jesus burn within us?

It says, “One day, a mighty angel will stand, one foot on land and one foot on the sea.” It would also seem that in the long, long ago, the edge of a mighty half closed hand laid down on land…Africa…and pulled almost half the continent away into its place across the Atlantic Ocean….South America.

Landing in Douala, Cameroon July 21 was déjà vu. Across the globe and on the same latitude lies French Guiana, South America, where we are very much at home, The same jungle smells, the same soils, the same flowers and foliage, the same heat and humidity that will grow green moss on top of black moss on all the walls, the same coastline scenes. I was at home away from home. But when the continent seemingly made its inaugural voyage, the people of French Guiana were not aboard…no, on August 11 in a country down the coast to the West, in Ghana, we solemnly visited the stone walled dungeons and iron barred windows of Elmina Castle where men, women, boys, and girls were kept chained waiting boats to take them on their own odyssey to this new world. Again like French Guiana, a Department of France today, Cameroon was once a French Colony. The airport was 1970s French architecture. The hospital where Doreen Maynard (laboring in Cameroon) spent two nights during the convention week was a scene from pre-WWll Germany. It was left behind by the Germans when their claims to Cameroon and their rich rubber tree plantations were divided between France and England at the end of World War ll. These huge plantations of rubber, palm oil nut, and tea trees still are major producers in the world market. And it seems most of the population is still working for these companies and living in the same little villages and quarters of yesterday without much change. The military stood in little groups every few miles on the road and plagued the passing taxis.

We were stopped 7 times on the way to the airport. The skinny woman soldier, lost in a uniform far too big for her, demanded my passport and was thrilled to tell me I was illegally in the country without an entry stamp. She and two other soldiers savored their triumph in catching a criminal while the workers we were traveling with searched and researched for it in my passport but couldn’t find it either. I was beginning to wonder what jail I would wait this out in. But finally, I saw the entry stamp in faded red ink, stamped over the printed red ink of my Cameroon visa and we were on the way once more. At each of these stops, they have a 10 foot iron bar mounted on ball bearing wheels, with spikes and sharp triangles of flat metal welded onto it like the ripping bottom jaw of an alligator, and menacingly push it back and forth as cars approach ready to throw it under the tires if the driver refuses to stop.

Saturday morning, a young lawyer, who lives behind the volcano, Mount Cameroon (4,100 m) was to be baptized. It poured rain all night. In the morning, I woke to an infernal racket…..frogs, millions of them, were croaking, roaring like a factory….so this is what it was like in Egypt? And it was still pouring. I thought we would all be baptized. The Cameroon people have learned that to survive in the heat and humidity by not moving quickly. So that is the pace….just saunter along….until they get behind the wheel! And then the old taxis and minibuses just vibrate, differentials grinding, bent wheels wobbling, windshields all cracked…hang on! Wet slippery roads and a downpour don’t make any difference.

We came to a swollen river that Sam and Yves had chosen the day before. Sam found an eddy, the rain stopped, and we sang, shared Jesus’ words and Richard was baptized. We all went to a Lawrence and Elizabeth’s home, a young couple getting started in life, living in the laborers quarters of a palm nut oil plantation left behind by the Germans 60 years ago for a delicious dinner. In the meetings, we were translated into Pidgin English. I tried to listen to the message but at the same time was fascinated by what was happening there. I can better empathize with fluent French speakers when we turn on the blinder and mash it all into Creole. But it is the language the listener can understand.

Next, was war-torn Liberia. I hesitate to say anything. I left with a strong feeling that I was walking on ground saturated by innocent blood, and the fellowship that was so rich and deep amongst the brethren, behind it lies a suffering so keen in the recent past, that I would long to be careful in speaking of it in any way to open the wounds that are beginning to heal or to diminish the sacredness of its story with words that don’t really tell the story.

In brief, Liberia’s civil war lasted over 14 years. One in every 17 Liberians died. Many buildings in Monrovia are still pocked with bullet holes, including the children’s hospital. Amazingly, even the aluminum light poles are riddled. It was a nightmare. But one lived by everyone there. Alan Cooke and Wyngrove Carter stayed behind when the last plane left. They moved from their batch to a home vacated by friends who were able to leave on the last plane. Later, three young friends displaced from their own rooms sought refuge in the batch waiting out the war. But one morning, soldiers wanting the apartment for themselves came and took them away down to a lagoon, and on top of a pile of executed bodies, shot them there.

One morning with Wyngrove, I walked down to the spot. My heart ached all the way as I thought of these fine young men, loved by all, and what their final thoughts were as they were carried to this dreaded spot. Alex fell with the others but didn’t die. After the soldiers left, he gathered enough strength to rise up and stumble to Joseph and Webie’s nearby home. Because of the shooting, no one would answer his knock. But finally, he made them understand it was their friend at the door. They took him in and laid him on their bed. He told the story and closed his eyes and died. Some cruel person sent a message to the soldiers that one of the boys had gotten up and left their carnage. They came through the block of houses searching for him. A smart neighbor woman invited the soldiers in and treated them to food and drink and sent a child to warn Joseph and Webie. She kept them there until he could find a wheelbarrow and carry Alex’s body back down to the pile. And then in the dark, they washed the blood from the steps, the door and the floor and hid the soaked sheets. Two years later, Tom and Alan returned to the spot. The United Nations had taken the bodies away and erected a memorial. But as they stood there…..they saw something….and discovered the remains of all three boys left behind. A Bible in Joseph’s shirt pocket with his ID card, Nat’s wedding ring…and Alex’s shirt that they remembered positively identified them. Their families were notified in Liberia and America and the remains (bones) were buried.

Joseph and Webie, like everyone else at that time, had to scrounge for food, crossing lines between the rebels and the military. They were both blocked away from the home one day while foraging for food. The grandmother, two daughters, and baby were left behind. A rebel commander found and took the two girls to his home village and kept them there. Two months later when Joseph got back through to the home…he found the remains of the grandmother and baby. They starved to death. Two years later, the workers with the help of the Red Cross and UN were able to trace the two girls and they were eventually returned to the family unharmed. Today, the younger of the two, Lorpu, is in her third year in the work. This year, her field is Benin where she is happily learning French. She and her best friend, Kebie, had heard of convention in other countries during the war. They were in their last years of high school when they decided to save their money and go to Accra, Ghana for the convention. Lorpu gave her money to Kebie and said, “You keep it for me, you’re stronger…even if I cry and beg don’t give it back to me.” So for a year, they often skipped lunch at school to save for their journey. Convention time came and they counted up their savings…..not enough. “We’ll just keep on saving!” So for another year, they saved and dreamed. And this time, they had enough. They learned it would be a three day trip so they prepared food for three days, leaving Monrovia, crossing half of Liberia, the country of Ivory Coast, and finally across Ghana to Accra. The workers and friends were joyfully awaiting their arrival in Accra. But they didn’t come. Four days passed, five, six ….and no word of their whereabouts. Finally after 11 days, the pour girls arrived, hungry, no bath for eleven days, sitting on the bus afraid to get off, until their feet and legs were swollen. The military had harassed the driver for bribes all the way, stopping them and threatening them, but at last their dream came true. They were at Convention. The friends in Ghana persuaded them to stay and go to school and work. They did. After a year in baking school, they returned and opened a very successful bake shop in Monrovia. Lorpu had offered for the work but she could not bring herself to tell Kebie…because of the cost of separation. Whatever Kebie saw that was special she bought two, “You pick, Lorpu!” And Lorpu would do the same. They never ran out of things to share. But the week Lorpu had to tell Kebie that the door had opened and she would soon be leaving for the work, that very day after she had prayed so hard for help to tell her dearest friend….Kebie fell sick. Lorpu spent the week doing all she could to save her. Kebie passed away from a very aggressive form of hepatitis and was buried. I will always wonder if she didn’t have a secret of her own for her friend, they had shared so much. Eternity will tell. Lorpu’s father has worked for the American Embassy the past 15 years. This year they offered him United States residency in return for his faithful service. But he and Webie have chosen to stay in Liberia where they wish to do all they can while they can. His colleagues cannot understand. Each one in Liberia has a very tender story to tell. This is only one.

A good president is doing what she can. From the 3rd floor batch right downtown on the corner of Ashmum and Mehlin streets, we had a ring-side seat to the continual parade of smartly dressed Liberians shopping the clothes, perfumes, legumes, everything from their wheelbarrows on the street below. In the distance at night, the Hospital ship “Hope” lights reflected in the bay. Soccer fever is high. We passed an entire team of one-legged players (from the war) playing on their crutches. Hope is in the air.

We flew to Abidjan, Ivory Coast. We walked in a shanty town looking for two young men who are reading with the brothers. We walked the red sand beach that tips steeply into the ocean. Years ago, three sister workers, Glenna Mae Terry, Kay Stout and Alethea McCrea, were walking in the same spot and a huge wave towered up and washed Kay and Alethea out to sea. Glenn Mae called for help and two fishermen risked their lives and dove in, and after a long struggle were able to pull them out. Alethea awoke in an ambulance to hear someone say, “We’re bringing in two drowned white ladies.” They lived and after days in the hospital, were able to go again. Some years later, they looked up the fishermen in their village and spent the afternoon in their homes. One fisherman walked Alethea to a taxi and then paid her fare. She said to Beverly, “He saved me and is still showing me kindness.”

We were a contented little group the day of the convention meeting in that big city. We traveled by land to Accra, Ghana stopping on the way to enter the white walled fort, Elmina Castle surrounded by a moat and graceful draw bridge entrances. The sun dial formed in colored stone is still on the hill in front where Christopher Columbus and many other later sailors set their compasses for the unknown journey and discovery of the new world. But inside its walls is cold sadness. Slaves were gathered here and eventually walked single file, chains clanking, down a low narrow stone passage…the point of no return. The narrator, a native Ghanan, told his story not knowing, nor needing to know, where one of his auditors was coming from, whose soul is knit forever with the great grandchildren of those who passed the point of no return. The building was splendid white against the bluest skies. The dungeons were still cold, dark, and dank. They still cried.

I got to go convention shopping one day with Colm McCay in Accra. We made a quick tour of the city center and government buildings and down by the old city along the ocean. An old light house caught our attention. The caretaker was happy to send his little girl with us and we climbed the spooky spiral inner staircase all the way to the top and came out on a platform with a splendid view of the old city and the ocean. The turning searchlight was deeply rusted. Long ago, the light had gone out. But in 1953, the eye of the old lighthouse had witnessed two men, Willy Wilkin and Gordon Anderson, come ashore in a canoe that served the ship that had brought them from Ireland. There is no way to measure the candle power of the gospel light they brought in their hearts, and it is still shining brightly in Ghana. Later, on a blue day of homesickness, young Gordon pinned these words to the tune of Galloway Bay;

It may someday we’ll go back to Ireland

Perhaps a little sooner than we think.

If someone else for will plan our journey,

Why should we hesitate to pack our kit?

We do not utter words like these complaining,

There’s nothing here at all to make us fret.

The good God sends us sun and rain from heaven,

And we trust in Him to guide our every step

But we think of you these days back home in Ireland,

The land from which we left some months ago,

For you the feasting days again are nearing

So here, I’ll send a line for our dear Hugh (i.e. the older brother at that time).

If you are short of help for preparations,

Be sure and let us know in time to go.

We’ll take a flight across the Atlantic Ocean

A day or so will get us there, you know.

And when the days of convention will be over,

To the land of our adoption we’ll return

To bring the light to those who are in darkness

Of Jesus Christ our Father’s first born Son.

Accra is a clean city and modern. I enjoyed my time so much with the friends and workers. About 140 spent three days together in the small confines of a home right in the city. Neighbors offered their back yard for a tent for the women to sleep. A native, Stephen, was born in an interior village but was brought to the city to care for his grandmother. Today, down a long and fascinating story like the winding trails of the jungle he was born in, God has given him to us all as a very capable and dedicated servant of Christ. The meetings were translated into three languages, Ga, Ewe, and Twi. But that does not mean there are three languages in Ghana….there are over 200.

When people greet you, they often shake your hand and their fingers slide down your palm and then off your own fingertips and then they snap their fingers! The first time it happened….strange! But then you appreciate the warmth of their greeting. They often cross their left arm onto their right when shaking your hand in respect and sometimes bend a knee. The babies are carried on the mothers’ back everywhere…even in the meeting. The market ladies have happy babies sleeping on their backs or bright eyed little fellows looking around enjoying all the hubbub while awake, but always tied on their mothers’ backs. They are never left alone. Men and women eat with their fingers and when it is good, their fingers just seem to get longer on the last lick. We ate sweet potato leaves, manioc leaves – it was all good.

We traveled north in Benin to Parakou for the convention and then over 400 gathered at Gbetagbo in the south. Ten native brothers and a sister from Togo and Benin give their strength and talents to the harvest. Being with them and feeling their dedication, their purity, their love kindled new purposes within, and new hopes. What God has done in others He, too, can do in me and our own in these fields. I could never tell how much I enjoyed my time with them. When the meetings let out, it was a kaleidoscope of color that spilled out of the tent. The native dress for both men and women is amazing, but very natural when worn by them. Togo and Benin dallied with communism, lost time, suffered but are now moving ahead. Yet in those years, the Gospel quietly prospered. One problem is their dependence on contraband gasoline brought in on canoes from next door Nigeria, a major petroleum state. The fuel seems to have been hijacked before it is fully refined, the air has an acrid and nauseating smell. Everywhere, big glass wine jars are set on stands to sell this cheap gas and the stations hardly sell any. I had always heard of the Voodoo presence in those countries and it is often spoken of with fear in the Caribbean. It is just my own opinion… it is seen in Benin…..it is everywhere in Haiti.

It is just a short trip over to Lagos, Nigeria. But the military stopped us every half mile until we entered the city limits. Lagos is a sprawling conglomeration of one Port-au-Prince after another. Estimates are from 14 to 24 million people. Nigeria has over 140 million people. One in every seven Africans is Nigerian. Again right in the city, in a two story home, we had the convention meetings and perhaps about 80 ate, slept, and lived there those three days. Several university students came from Port Harcourt. Some faithful men came from Jos. Young and old, all were so united, so happy. My heart went out to them again and again. After the last dishes were washed and dried and everyone was leaving, the tears flowed and flowed. I felt for them. Fellowship, true, deep fellowship, what can compare? I felt it too, leaving them the next day for Paris and Haiti… friends, workers who have spent their lives there, the other visitors whom I learned to truly appreciate and admire through the weeks we were together: John Watt from Bangladesh, Lillian Lausselet from Switzerland, Elizabeth Gunn from Scotland. Lillian was returning after having laboured in those fields some years ago. The light of love (not like the darkened, empty old light house in Accra) was beaming from the faces of the friends as they saw her again. That scene in itself was precious. I don’t wish to ever be the same as before these days amongst our brothers in Africa. I loved the time with them. And I love them. The mighty hand that separated the continents for a “time” is faithfully guiding the mission, the gospel is being preached there as well as here and though we feel the vastness of the ocean separating us now, a day will come, and there will be no more sea and no more time. What is hard about separation….you feel the “time.” And also “In the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are in earth, in Him.” (Ephesians 1.10) Something is now lifting my eyes more than ever to this day.

I make no apologies for the length of this….simply because the half has not been told.

My return to Haiti was just an awakening to the reality of the devastation of the floods after three consecutive hurricanes. Last night after the meeting, Houmanie showed Glenn and I the six little children with her, the last not much more than a baby, and asked if I knew who they were. Their mother and father were washed away in the deluge just a mile from here. The children’s grandmother had come for them a few days before to take them to the mountains for a little vacation, or they, too, would have been gone in the night with their parents. She and her husband, who pastors a Baptist church in the same mountains, have taken them in. Slowly roads are being opened again. The opening of the school season was delayed a month because of the loss of life and means, but are to open nationwide today.

Best wishes,

Your brother,

Dan

Eternity is a tremendous place: fellowship with the Father forever, no pain, no more sorrow, and no more darkness. We want to be a part of that forever.

Genesis 2:15 “…to dress it and to keep it.” We have two fields to dress and to keep – our heart and our mind. The soil must warm to the seed if it is going to grow at all. We want to be so covered by the new life that there is none of the old life left to show. Our field is exposed to the elements. We live in a world that has so much influence over us. Unforgiveness is like the stones – they affect productivity. Deal with the stones; place them in the wall then the wall will become stronger.

Deuteronomy 1:8 “… go in and possess more” (the land). We don’t want to wander and make no progress. God wants us to be a thankful people.

Hebrews 5:14 “…have their senses exercised…” It is important to have a well-developed sense of values and sense of judgment.” Isaiah 5:20, 21 tells us of some who had their judgment mixed up. In Acts 19:19 we read of a people who had their values changed by the Gospel. 50,000 pieces of silver was equivalent to 167 years of labour. The burnt offering didn’t have any value to them any more. Shops today are full of DVDs and CDs and such things; they are an abomination to God and only feed wrong desires and thoughts in the human mind. It leads people into immorality. The world says what is evil in God’s eyes are okay. John 5:30 Jesus had the perfect sense of judgment. Isaiah 7:15 Butter is like the fat or the abundance of the milk. Honey is the best from the flowers. Both butter and honey are from living things. Jesus hated iniquity – He never mixed the good with evil. It’s easy to overcome a bad habit if we hate it.

What is the most precious thing to you? It should be our relationship with God.

Jesus was the Lord of the Sabbath. He offered the fulfillment of what the Sabbath represented.

When the woman broke the alabaster box, the disciples had indignation in their hearts. But she broke the box because she wanted to use it all and didn’t want to leave behind anything, any remorse or any incomplete sacrifice.

Psalm 122 mentions going to Jerusalem. Going always referred to going up. If we are willing for the judgments of God in lifetime, then we need not fear the Judgment Day.

Deuteronomy 2:3, God doesn’t just want to bring us out of Egypt, but He wants to bring us into His promises. The Promised Land is a type of what God wants to bring us into, in this life time, in going forward. The way was opened up to them to cross the Red Sea. There are mountains of doubt and fears and unwillingness, and we could just be going around and around these mountains and not going forward. Psalm 24: 3 and 4 “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD?” Have clean hands. Isaiah 1:15 speaks of a people whose hands were full of blood. If you see blood, you realize someone has been hurt. Who is God to us? Is He the King of Glory?

In Matthew 4 and 5, we read of two more mountains. In Matthew 4, Satan was conducting the tour. Satan tries to make us look down. In Matthew 5, Jesus was conducting the tour. He tries to get people to look up and see the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus sets before us the standard of Heaven, the eternal standards.

Proverbs 1:10-15, “My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path…” In other words, if sinners entice thee, consent not and don’t walk in the way with them.

Psalm 19:1-6 In the midst of God’s re-creation He has set a tabernacle for His Son. There are no shortcuts when it comes to preparing for the coming of the bridegroom of our souls. The marriage of the Lamb is coming up. A lamb is drawn to another lamb.

The world gives us a hopeless end but God gives us an endless hope.

The grave is not our goal – God has much more for us beyond that.

Leviticus 1:1-3, 9; Ephesians 5:1-2 “… a sweet smelling savour …” Leviticus means things that had to do with the Levites and the service of the Lord, the sacrifices, etc. The thought of a sacrifice beginning in Heaven. “Who will go and take a sacrifice?” This thought started in the heart of God and was impelled by love. Whether we offer a bullock, a lamb or a turtledove, the offering is different but the sweet smelling savour is the same. It must be offered without a blemish – it must be a perfect specimen. Bad habits, bad language and wrong relationships can all spoil and blemish the sacrifice. In Malachi, we learn they tried to give a blemished sacrifice. 1) It was not accepted of God, 2) it was evil, and 3) the offerer is not accepted either. The whole burnt offering was totally voluntary. Leviticus 1:4 is like saying ‘this is in place of my life’ i.e., ‘this is the same way I am giving my own life, every part consecrated.’ Jesus did that which is mentioned in these verses.

John 17:9-10 is the relationship that Jesus came and brought into this world. Sin is the only thing we possess that belongs to us. In the story of the prodigal son in Luke 1, the older brother had friends that were not his father’s friends. Lydia was willing for all, that all she had could be God’s.

It is impossible to go to heaven without Christ. He must become a part of our life. The Gospel is for people who have a thirst for righteousness. John 2:7 is the intention of the Gospel: to empty our self of our own thoughts, our ideas and our ways, and make room for the living water. John 3:5 is the condition of the Gospel: To be born again of water and of the Spirit. John 4:13-14 is the miracle of the gospel.

Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus wants us to be the light of the world, not just in our own home or in our own country. A candle has no choice – it just gives itself without complaining.
Hebrews 12:13 – make straight paths for your feet. Be a safe leader first by following Jesus. A straight path is made by looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. There was a man who had two boys. He asked them to see who could walk the straightest line. He asked them to walk though the snow to a tree across the yard. One boy walked looking at his feet while the other boy walked looking towards the tree. It was the one who looked towards the tree and not his feet that walked the straightest line. If we keep our eyes on the goal, we will make straight paths for our feet.

2 Chronicles 34:2 Josiah walked and didn’t decline to the right or the left. Our purpose is to stay in the centre of the pathway. We could very easily become side-tracked because we think there is a better way, or think it doesn’t matter, or just by being careless. Joshua 1:7 shows no turning but keeping a straight path leads to spiritual prosperity. Joshua 23:6: Joshua’s advice at the end of life was the same as God’s who gave it to him earlier.

We can tell a lot by the footprints that are left behind: which way they lead, how long ago, and size of the beast, etc. The footprints of Jesus are as fresh and clear to us today as they ever were.

Some footprints Jesus left behind for us:

1) Show us the footprint of a little child. Matthew 18:1 Become as a little child. The attitude of a little child is “I can do nothing of myself.” Keep on track! A train off track does a lot of damage. Keep the children on track! Children reach out for what they want, but wise parents give them only what they need. It is the parents’ responsibility to properly form a child’s conscience. Don’t give a child something you’ll have to take away from them because it isn’t good for them. Don’t dress your child in a way that later you’ll have to tell them it’s not good to dress like that. Luke 22:21-24 tell of strife that arose when they lost sight of the footprints of Jesus.

2) John 13 shows Jesus serving so beautifully because He loved so deeply. His was a love service. Luke 9:54, tells us of the time the Samaritans didn’t receive Jesus. This led certain of His disciples to thoughts of retribution, judgment and condemnation. Jesus came to condemn the wrong but save the wrong doer. Jesus also left behind the footprint of love in this place; and

3) The footprint of prayer. Luke 18:1 shows us that to be careless leads to being “prayerless,” and fainting. A plant not watered wilts. Not praying is like not watering your plant. The Pharisee went to pray and got sidetracked. The Publican was on track with the spirit of repentance.

4) The footprint of forgiveness, Mark 11:25. Leviticus 16 tells about the scapegoat that took the sins away into the wilderness. If we don’t forgive, the scapegoat will come back and all the sins would be remembered again.

5) The footprint of suffering for righteousness sake. 1 Peter 2:20. Job 23:11, and 1 John 2:6.

1 Samuel 6:19 Why was it such a serious thing to look into the ark? In order to look into the ark, the Mercy seat had to be taken off. It was just like looking at the Law, without mercy. That is what the Pharisees and religious leaders in Jesus’ day were doing. Exodus 25:21-22: God never asked for the mercy seat (the covering) to be removed even when it was transported. Removing it is like applying the law without mercy. There are also some people who want mercy without the law! Applying the law without mercy is condemning the guiltless. Jesus said “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” In John 8, the woman taken in adultery was brought before Jesus and they tried condemning the guilty. Jesus said “Let him who is without sin among you cast the first stone.” He applied the law with mercy. Psalm 85:10, “Mercy and truth have met together.”

Righteousness and peace are companions. If we are unwilling for righteousness, you’ll never have peace. Likewise, if we’re not willing for truth, we’ll never have mercy.
It brings greater richness into our lives if we let our hearts go out to others.

John 14, “I go to prepare a place for you…” “I will send the Comforter…” Jesus has done the work of reconciliation as part of preparing a place for us. He has dealt with our sin as part of preparing this place for us. Ecclesiastics 4:1, there is only one thing that will bring us comfort—it is having God with us! Most joy the world has is circumstantial joy. Our joy doesn’t depend on our circumstances.

Colossians 1:23 and 2:6, 7 speak of many things that try to take us away from the hope of the Gospel. To be grounded means nothing can move it.

Spoil is something taken from a people that were conquered.

Psalm 139 gives us a wonderful description of our God. Three wonderful attributes of God are described:

1) God is omniscient (verses 2-4), all knowing.

2) God is omnipresent (verses 7-12) God is everywhere at the same time.

3) God is omnipotent (verses 14-16) For Him there is nothing that is impossible. So much time is wasted in trying to flee from God who is our help.

Revelation 13:8 speaks of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the earth. God made provision for man and his sin even before He created him and put him in the earth.

Hymn 372. You may be counted in but can you be counted on? Be dependable. Can the Lord depend on us in circumstances of conflict? Are we those that the Lord can depend on…? In Genesis18, Abraham stood yet before the Lord and pleaded. He didn’t rush off to Sodom and Gomorrah and see what he could do himself. Job was a man the Lord could depend on.

Luke 16: 1-8. It’s easy for us to be wasters. It is easy to waste time and opportunities. Let us learn not to waste time and opportunities. Psalm 39:1-5. David wanted his ways to be right before God. Verse 4, When we realize we have very little of something, we will be less inclined to waste it. We don’t have much time. We don’t have days without number. David saw opportunity to do good to the house of Jonathan as he had promised. David brought the ark to Jerusalem; he also wanted to build the temple. When Nathan gave him the message, he never wasted time to repent. Maybe we can look back on our lives and see wasted days, but it’s good if we haven’t wasted years! Of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25, five wasted their opportunities. There are things we don’t do if we realize we don’t have much time; i.e. criticize, judge others, and hate.

Hebrews 11. Faith has to do with our past, our present and our future. This chapter lists lives that were controlled by faith and not by human reasoning. FAITH = For All I Trust Him. If I have faith then I trust God. If I am faithful then God will trust me. Faith means I trust His teaching, ruling, understanding, strength, and timing. If I am strong in faith, God will trust me.

Genesis 6:8, 9 “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” These are the generations of Noah: “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” In those days there was evil in the heart of man and it brought grief to the heart of God. Noah’s testimony was that he was just and upright, and walked with God. We have a lifetime to uphold our testimony and an eternity to live our testimony. We have a testimony, we live a testimony and we give a testimony. Noah was not influenced by his surroundings: he was sincere. Noah influenced the world but the world never influenced him. His relationship with the outside world was right; his relationship with his family was right. He prepared an ark to the saving of his household.

There are three arks mentioned in the Old Testament. Noah’s ark was for the saving of a household, Moses’ ark of bulrushes was for the saving of a life, and the Ark of the Covenant was for the saving of a nation. Noah was asked to build an ark, but he was moved to build an altar.

Acts 10, we may be familiar with the story of the Gospel helping Cornelius and his family, and the common thread through this story is that it involved praying people. It seems to fit all the encouragement we have had here so far, to pray. Cornelius had the responsibility of 100 soldiers. He wasn’t a Jew but he knew there was a God in Israel. He prayed to God and tried to live uprightly. Unbeknown to him, Peter was at Joppa, also praying. Cornelius felt moved to pray about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, and Peter was moved to pray about lunchtime the next day. We have a lot of help when we pray in the morning, but there are no rules about praying. This story reminds us that God is listening all the time.

One of our faithful old ladies was at Mudgee convention, sitting in a car reading her Bible before the next meeting. She is very frail now and she said to me, “It is some years since I have been able to get on my knees to pray. I can only just sit down and I try and pray through the day but after about five minutes, I lose all concentration. Do you think God will still listen to me?” I remembered staying in their home some years ago during Special Meeting rounds. It was mid-morning and she must have forgotten to close her bedroom door and she was on her knees praying. It touched me that she would be praying for us and the Special Meetings. Now, twenty years later, Satan was getting at this frail old lady because she couldn’t get on her knees any more. It is wonderful how God can give us a simple answer of comfort.

At Booyong convention, one of our friends spoke of having her little boy with her in the tent, and in the middle of the night, he would wake up and reach across and touch her. Everything was dark and strange to him and he just needed some security, so he would just reach out and touch his mother and she could comfort him so he could go back to sleep. I was glad to tell our dear old friend that story. God would love the fact that she wanted to give Him even five minutes through the day. That mother didn’t rouse at her little boy for waking her up, but it was her opportunity to reassure him, and that is how God is.

These two men, Cornelius and Peter, came from completely different backgrounds, nations and cultures, but they had one thing in common – they were praying. To Cornelius’s surprise, God sent an angel that afternoon who called him by name and said, “God has heard your prayers.” We never know who is praying and what is behind people’s experiences. This is the last convention for us and we have our new list and already some have told us about wanting to invite people to the Gospel meetings. God puts new hope into our experiences.

Peter had seen people helped at Joppa and the Lord knew where he was. The angel could have saved Cornelius on the spot, but God’s order was that it would come through a living messenger that was sent by Him. So, to this Roman soldier the message was, “Send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon Peter . . he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.” Cornelius chose three trusted men and sent them to Joppa. This man was very successful and responsible, but that didn’t save him. He needed to hear the Gospel. So, the order of what the Gospel has brought is still the same. They went overnight and when they came to Joppa they made enquiries for Peter. A couple of sister workers in Peru were looking for a contact in sugar cane country. A man said, “Who are you looking for?” The Swiss sister said, “We are looking for some lost sheep!” Before they went away to look for that contact, this man said, “Can you please come back? I think I am a lost sheep.” The servants were looking for lost sheep, and this man was looking for the shepherd.

Peter was not at all equipped for the next Gospel meeting and would never have felt more under-prepared. The message to Cornelius was that Simon Peter would tell him what he ought to do. I am amazed at the confidence in Peter, who had never gone into a Gentile home before, and would have felt it was completely against everything he had ever known to eat and mix with Gentile people. Peter was moved to go onto the roof of the house he was staying in, and he prayed there. God helped him to see that Jesus had died for people of all nations. Peter had heard Jesus say that the Gospel was to go to all nations, but he could have thought it was to the Jews who had been scattered through the nations.

At this particular time, Peter received something that changed his attitude for the rest of his life. We look to Peter to have confidence that we can take the Gospel ourselves, as Gentile people, to Gentiles. While Peter was praying, God chose to reveal that. Never under-estimate the great truths of the Kingdom and the great personal help we can receive in just coming to pray, just to feel God is there and to know reassurance. God’s way of equipping Peter for this mission was to show him all those animals in a great sheet which was held by the four corners, and God emptied it right where Peter was. Peter heard, “Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.” His initial response was to resist, looking at those unclean animals and birds. But God repeated this three times and said, “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” What Peter never forgot was that all those unclean creatures that he would have avoided were all taken up together into heaven. What we understand by that is that God can reach all people, whatever country, whatever culture, whatever tongue. Every one of them that was in God’s hands went back to Him.

So, Peter was then told that three men were looking for him and the Spirit said, “Go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.” Peter didn’t tell them to go and find somewhere to stay. Peter was a great man in that he was flexible to whatever God asked of him. He invited these three strangers into the home of Simon the tanner, and we are very grateful for all the homes that we are able to stay in. There aren’t many of us amongst all our friends. If we could extend these walls and ask all six conventions to come here, we would have to make this a huge shed. But I realized that there would be exactly the same number of workers in the same position. This is all there is. It helps me to see the great need of the harvest. This was a Godly home where Peter found a place of quietness to pray, and Simon the tanner and his family welcomed Peter there.

I think of a wonderful experience I had at Blackwater convention in Missouri, USA. In 1935, Clarence Anderson and his companion brought the Gospel to a family and invited them to convention at the end of that year. So they went to their first convention in 1935. At times, some of the preaching was very straight and Clarence feared that these new people could get offended, and when he saw them heading off to their car his heart sank. He said, “Where are you going?” Mr. W said, “We thought we would go and get some soda pop for the children.” So, Clarence left the grounds with these new people and on the way to town he asked, “How is it going?” “We can’t believe how wonderful this is! We were talking together and if you ever want another convention ground, our farm is available.” Clarence told them, “We are looking for somewhere for a convention.” So it was decided that these people who had only been professing a few months, would have a convention on their farm. They went home and dug a huge vegetable garden and they canned vegetables all summer. They were willing to feed everybody for the four days of convention! In 1936, to their amazement, food came in from everywhere. That couple has died, and the next generation had the convention, and now the third generation of the family live there. The fourth generation is coming along now, and it is something special to have little children there. Because the children live there, their little friends come across to the house. The house had a big verandah and they took turns doing laps of the verandah on a very noisy tractor. We were trying to prepare for a meeting and I thought Irving Ross would go out and tell them to go somewhere else, or take the tractor off them. But he told me that four years ago, that family lost a little daughter, a most loved little 4 year-old. They were building a pool and hadn’t yet finished it, and she wandered out there and drowned. Irving told me, “This family really needs to be handled carefully because they are still getting over that loss, and we have to respect that it is not our home. Those children live here. We can put earplugs in and still get ready for the meeting.” So often we would say something, but earplugs are a wonderful thing and you can get used to them! I appreciate this older man’s example in not causing any offense, and his flexibility and respect for that convention home.

Peter would never have considered taking the Gospel to Gentiles, let alone eating with them. But he was willing to go unquestioning. Simon the tanner, and his family, welcomed those three messengers in. Verse 23, “And on the morrow, Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied them.” We can never be grateful enough for the support of our friends at the mission. I see Jim sitting here and remember seeing Jack Nowlan at the Campsie mission, just putting his hand on Jim’s shoulder and saying, “Good to see you, Jim.” I think of that faithful man’s encouragement to someone who was new. In this story, there were friends willing to go with Peter to support the mission. When they got to Caesarea, Cornelius was waiting and he had called not just his kinsmen together, but even some relatives and friends. This was a Gospel meeting with a difference – they were ready and waiting for it! How did he get them to come? There was something in the way Cornelius was able to invite them and it was a very successful mission.

I heard about a medical student who noticed that another student, Craig, didn’t enter into everything that the others did. It intrigued this man, so he got to know Craig. One day, Craig said, “If you had the opportunity to hear something worthwhile, would you come with me?” This man had so much respect for Craig that he said he would, thinking it was a medical lecture. It was a Gospel meeting, and this man is now in the work. We sometimes try to prepare people, as though God couldn’t do that. It would be pretty hard to refuse an invitation like that if you had confidence in the person. Later, Craig said, “I just thought he would be ready.” Another friend, in his work, helps people in difficulty and he just has an invitation and says, “This has helped me a lot. Why don’t you come along and let me know what you think?”

There was something about Cornelius that people respected and maybe they thought they would like to listen also. Cornelius was so grateful that he was going to fall at Peter’s feet and worship him. But Peter took him up and said, “Stand up; I myself also am a man.” They were all there waiting to hear the word of God. Cornelius knew that God was going to be present with them and he just wanted to hear what God had to say through the messenger. Cornelius knew, as Peter had said, that it was against the Jewish law to do what Peter had done, but Peter had got it clear as he prayed and was sure God would back him up. Cornelius and the others were equally sure that God would back up what he gave to Peter.

Before the law there was no distinction between meats, in Abraham’s day. God had His reasons to bring those distinctions in, but now there is nothing belonging to our faith to say there is any kind of meat we cannot eat. That time of the law has passed and the Gospel has been able to reach us. Peter knew that many of his fellow workers would be right against him, but before he could explain what happened, there was a mission to work. Chapter 11 tells how it was explained and I love the way they all accepted what Peter said, and the confirmation that the Spirit increased their faith just as it did on the day of Pentecost. I am grateful that this chapter can come alive and hope we can apply these things in the new mission year. God can bless our days as we trust Him in the future, so keep on praying and stay close to God.

I feel like that one brother who said, when the speaking list came out, that he was glad that he didn’t have to speak first but when it came to the last meeting he said that he wished he had spoken first! I feel much the same way but so thankful for all the help that we have received in this convention.

My thoughts kept going to what Paul wrote to Timothy when he said, “I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight and I have finished my course and I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day and not to me only but to all them that love His appearing.”

Paul, when he was writing to this younger worker, he himself had come to the point that he felt that life was pretty well over. He was able to say, as he looked out into the future, that there is a crown waiting. Not for him only but for all those that love His appearing. We are glad that we can look to a great future. There may be things that we have to face between here and the crown but if we keep true to God, there is no question but that same crown that Paul was talking about, is going to be ours. He said, “I have fought a good fight .” As we know, he wasn’t talking about a physical fight but he was talking about the fight that he had within himself, and we all have it. Paul, when he was writing to the Corinthians, he talked a little bit about the fight that we have to fight. He said that we are not using carnal weapons, like a spear or a gun or those kinds of things, because that’s not the kind of fight that we’re fighting. We are fighting principalities and powers, things that try to get victory over us. Those things are prompted by the enemy of our souls and don’t forget that the enemy of our soul is intent on bringing us down, making us fall.

I thought of a man in the Old Testament and I really love reading about him. His name is Naboth and you probably know him well. He had to deal with some wickedness that we probably would never have to deal with. He was dealing with a king who had lots of power. He was dealing with a man that worshiped Baal. He worshiped a false god and this king Ahab; he was married to a wicked woman, too. He came to Naboth one day and he said, “Now look, your property is right against my house and I would like to have it for a garden of herbs. I would like to plant some herbs there, something that would be good for me and good for my family and good for the kingdom.” He made it sound like it was Naboth’s choice, what he was going to do. “I’ll give you another piece of property even better than this one, or, if you want,” he said. “If you want, I’ll give you the worth of it in money.” Now doesn’t that sound like the enemy of our soul? He puts us in the position where we feel that we have to choose, when all the while it was his choice. I love what Naboth said. He said, “No, I can’t do that.” He said, “God forbid me to give my inheritance to you.” When did God tell him that? Do you think God sent an angel that said, “Now Naboth, God said that you are not to give your inheritance to Ahab?” No, he didn’t tell Naboth that. Naboth took the word of God that he knew and he applied it to himself. It is so safe to do that, and we can do that. As we go from here we can take the word of God that’s written and we can apply it to our daily lives and do you know what it’s going to do? It’s going to bring victory. It’s true that we have to die to ourselves and this choice that Naboth made. He had it settled.

You know, sometimes we have watched young people. We were there ourselves. We were also young, once. We were also teenagers and we went through the same thing. Well, sometimes, it is just hard to get it settled. Just what are we going to do? Are we really going to let this truth that we know rule our lives and bring us the peace and the rest that we really want in our souls, or are we going to just let other things rob us? Let other things take away our time and distress us? We can do that, we can allow that to happen but God has promised the strength and the grace that that doesn’t have to happen. We can have the rest and the peace for our soul that He wants us to get. We can have the victory that He really wants us to have and it’s there for the taking, in that sense of the word.

Well, when Ahab presented this case to Naboth, you know, by and large, it would have seemed so reasonable, but Naboth understood that this was the inheritance of his fathers. That was his because someone else had died to make it his. That’s how an inheritance comes, doesn’t it? We don’t get an inheritance until someone dies and Naboth understood that someone else died so that this could be his. We don’t want to ever forget that what we have in our souls comes to us because the Lord Jesus died. We wouldn’t have it otherwise and what He has promised, like Paul said. He has promised that when this life is over it comes to us because of the death of the Son of God. Because He paid the price that no one else could ever pay and it’s ours, if we will allow the word of God to control us. Sometimes it’s difficult, our human nature rebels against the control of someone else. Isn’t that true? Certainly, but we don’t want to ever feel that the control of God is unreasonable because what He has in mind for us is the riches of His eternal kingdom. He has in mind that we would live forever. He has in mind that we can have a part in the bride of Christ. He has in mind that we can have a part in that Holy City. You can read that sometime. You remember when Jesus talked to John in the Revelation and He said, “Come and I want to show you the Bride.” In the spirit, he was shown the bride of Christ. What was he shown? A city! He was shown a city. All the streets were gold. The foundation of the city was precious stones and when you read it you get the feeling, which is true, that it was all the work of God. Every stone that was in the foundation, everything that was placed, those gates made of pearl, it was just all the work of God. No man could take any credit for any of that work; it was ALL the work of God. That’s how it’s going to be and it’s a beautiful thought that we can all have a part in that. Sometimes we hear people saying, “We know what it means but it’s not really the way it is.” We’ve heard people saying, “If this is all there was to it, it would be well worthwhile” but that’s not true. We love conventions, we love the meetings, we love our friends, the brothers and sisters. We love all that but if that’s all there was to it, the Bible teaches us that we would be of all men most miserable. What we have goes beyond this life. We read about that city, that there was no need for any light in the city because God, and His Son, were the light of it. It says that there was no need for the gates to be closed at night, because there was no night there. There was no night because God and His son were the light of it. We can hardly take it in and the Bible tells us that it hasn’t entered into the heart of man what God has planned and kept for those that love and serve Him. That is ours, folks. That is something that can be ours if we’re true to God in our daily life. Paul, when he came to the end of his days, he wasn’t saying, “Oh man, I wish I had five more years, ten more years. There are just so many things I didn’t get done and I meant to do.” No, he said, “I have fought a good fight, I’ve finished my course, I’ve kept the faith.” That’s the fight that he was fighting, he was fighting to keep faith in his heart and the devil knew that if only he could take it away from him then his life would be total darkness, and that’s the fight that we fight. But you know, it’s a fight that we will end in victory every time.

I’ve thought about David too and that young man, when he went to see his brothers, they just despised him. That giant came out and said some things against the people of God, the armies of God. The giant was of the Philistines and this giant came out and we’re going to have to face some giants. Some things in our experience will be like a giant, but if we do what David did, it’s going to lay that giant level with the ground, just like he did. That giant came out, that huge man, came out with all his armour. He was huge and the beam of his spear was huge. The shield that he had, had to be carried by somebody else, it was that big. David, he went and he carried his own shield. Where? In his heart! He went with faith and I read those verses again in Ephesians that tells us about the armour. One part of it was the shield of faith and that’s what David had. When he went and that giant looked down on him, “Am I a dog that you come out to me with nothing but a sling?” David made it clear, “That’s the way you see it but I’m coming to you in the name of the God of hosts. I am coming to you with all the power of heaven at my back” and soon that giant was level with the ground. David, because he had no sword, ran and stood on that man’s chest, drew out his own sword and cut off his head. That giant was put to sleep forever. He went in the power of God with faith in the word of God, faith in the plan of God, faith in the power of God and he knew there was going to be victory. He knew that.

I read that portion about Saul going to meet Amalek and God wanted him to go and meet that enemy and do him in forever, everything he had. Men, women, children, animals, everything. Do him in, he was an enemy of God and he was an enemy of God’s people and God sent the prophet to tell Saul, “This is what I want.” It could have been a wonderful victory that day if he had only obeyed. You know, that’s going to be our source, too. When we go out from here and we obey what God has spoken to us, placed in our hearts, there’s going to be victory. It could be that your brother or sister sitting next to you won’t be aware that there has been a great victory in your heart, but that IS going to bring victory, when we obey what God has revealed to us in our very own hearts. The prophet came and he told them, “This is the will of God. This is what God wants you to do.” He armed his men and he went after Amalek and there was a fight and you remember how the king saved the best sheep and cows and he brought them. Then when the prophet came, he said right off, “I have done what was asked of me to do.” The prophet then said, “Well what’s the bleating of the sheep that I hear? What’s that all about?” Well then he did just like we would do because he was tarred with the same human nature. He said, “The people saved the best. The people did that so that we’d have something to offer.” Then the prophet said, “No, that’s not the way. You have failed and the kingdom is going to be rent from you because you have ceased from following the Lord.” Now we use that expression often, don’t we? Follow the Lord, but what do we really mean? When the prophet told him, “You have ceased from following the Lord,” he said, “You’ve disobeyed.” We can rest assured that every time that we disobey what the Lord has laid on our hearts, then we cease following Him. We want to follow Him. We want to follow the Master and we don’t want to cease following.

Jesus gave us the perfect example of how we can get the victory every time. That was when He met the devil in Matthew 4 and the devil was intent on bringing Him down. It seemed like the devil knew that this was his chance and if only he could do it now he wouldn’t have to worry, and Jesus knew that too. Everything the devil said to Him, He said, “God said” or “The Word said.” We can use that same weapon. If you notice the weapons that Paul wrote to the Ephesians about, they were all defensive except one. The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. God sends us out equipped to meet the enemy and in our hands we have His word. It’s like a sword and it’s not to be used on our brother or our sister. Sometimes we may tend to do that but that sword was for the enemy of the soul. We want to have it and to keep it close and we want to have it sharp so that there could be victory. God has promised that HE will give us victory, if we’ll only follow Him. If we’ll allow this word to rest in our hearts and keep the faith. It is a battle that is well worth fighting because, as Paul said, there is a crown of righteousness. Not only for him but for all those that love His appearing, and we do. We love the appearing of Jesus don’t we? We love what we see of Jesus in others. We love the thought that someday He is coming again and we want to be ready for that day. God has given us so many things, even in this convention, that would prepare us for that day and we want our love for Him to increase so that there would be nothing to hinder when He comes again, from Him taking us back to Himself. Then we will experience forever what God has promised to those that love Him and serve Him.

Luke 15, we read of a lost sheep, coin, and the prodigal son. I would like to talk to you today about some lost sheep; people who were spiritually lost. Why were they lost? Because they were bad? No. Or had done something wrong? No. A sheep is lost if it is far from the shepherd and the other sheep. When the sheep is found, the shepherd is happy and the sheep are happy.

My grandma was Lutheran. She said to her husband one day, “I want something different.” He said, “No. We were born Lutherans and we are going to die Lutherans.” One year later, he died. He got a little splinter and got blood poisoning and three days later, he was in eternity. Grandma was left with 5 children. (She) went from one church to another looking for something that would satisfy. She was disappointed with them all. Then (she) went to one last church and concluded they are all the same. Then she got on her knees and wept and said, “Lord, I have done everything that I can. Now you have to do something.” Ten days later, two sister workers came, and after the first meeting she said, “I have found what I am looking for.”

In the Ukraine, there is a village a long way from civilization without hardly any telephones, etc. But lots of horses and ploughs. There was a Baptist church with about 200 people. My companion and I spoke. After the service, 20-25 people wanted to speak to us. One young man said, “I have a good wife, 5 good children, a nice house and car. I have been a member of this church for 8 years. But I am not satisfied. I read and pray but something is missing.” I thought to myself, “We have just found a lost sheep.” This man and his wife and all their children professed and now there is a convention on their property.

On another occasion, two brothers went to a new part. They didn’t know the language very well. I came on a visit there. We went to a Baptist church where those brothers had visited. I was asked if I would speak. After the service a man said to me, “Would you please come and visit me?” I said, “No, we have other plans. There’s a bus we need to catch in a little while.” He went away sad. But after a little while he came back and said, “Will you please come and visit me?” Again I said, “No.” We had a long way to travel and had other appointments. He went away sad, but came back the third time and said, “Please will you visit me?” So, I said, “Our plans are changed.” He said, “I am a member of the Baptist Church, and they talk about being born again, but I am not. They are going to build a new church and I am a builder, but I don’t want to help them build it. I said, ‘It won’t give me anything to satisfy.’” When we went out the door, I thought, “We have just found a lost sheep.” He now has a convention on his place. In the Ukraine, there are 3 conventions. One has about 50 people, another 60, and one over 100 including visitors. The workers went there in 1992.

There was another young man, Laciel. He had never read his Bible. He began to read his Bible. (He) came to the conclusion, “I have to be willing to do God’s will. I have to settle this.” He got on his knees and promised God that he would be willing to do God’s will. He got no peace. He thought, “I need fellowship.” So, he went to a church and then to another and another. He got no peace. A year later, he was invited to a meeting and came for 6 weeks and was ready to commit his life. Two years later, he wanted to talk to the workers. (He) couldn’t bring himself to say anything, so Dan said to him, “What do you want to talk about?” “If I don’t say it now I will probably never say it: I want to go in the work.” I said, “I have two companions. Tell them what you have told me.” He said, “I can’t.” But he did. I said to him, “But you aren’t well. You have problems with your stomach and your liver. (It seems that he was a victim of Chernobyl). In the work, you travel around, sleep in different beds, and eat different kinds of food.” He replied, “I don’t know if I am able either, but I am ready to die for the truth.” He said, “Before I met you, I read about Elijah taking a companion, Elisha, and I thought, ‘If I ever meet a man of God I will go with him.’” Ukraine is a country of 52 million people and he was the first one that made his choice. God knows where the lost sheep are.

One of the young friends in Romania said to Dan, “I have a friend I want you to meet. He is honest and if he hears the truth, he will accept it.” I had a visit with him. He talked a lot. He had a lot of knowledge of the Bible and he wanted to show how much he knew. Dan said to this friend, “There is no point in going again.” Three times at the request of this friend he went, and each time, the reaction of the man was the same, and Dan felt there wasn’t much he could do. At the end of the last visit, Dan said, “Lots of people talk about Jesus, but Jesus is not the spoken word, but the word lived out. If it is not lived out, then Jesus is not there.” “Secondly,” I said, “the worst thing in the world is the pride of religion.” He invited me back the next week. He had lots of questions rather than all the answers. His wife was present and she cried the whole time. Later, we found out that, for years, the wife knew that something was missing, but she didn’t know what. (She) knew that the church was wrong and that what her husband preached was wrong. She prayed one day, “Send help.” She knew this day that God had sent help. The next week, they asked if the children could be present, too. A month later, the father preached for the last time. There were 1000 people in the church and he said, “What I told you all these years was the truth, but I was talking about things that I didn’t know much about myself. Now I am going to stay home and read and pray and try to prove more of the things that I have been telling you about.” They had never heard about a Sunday morning meeting, but they had a little meeting together as a family. The two older children and the parents spoke. When they finished, the younger boy said, “When you spoke in the church, we received nothing.” Two months later, they had a convention in the mountains because it was then communist. This family walked 14 kms to be there. The man gave his testimony and said, “I found my verse in the Bible, ‘He must increase but I must decrease.’” He said, “I know this will be my verse for a long time.” We knew he had a good foundation and understanding of the truth. The next week, we had another convention. Only the two oldest children could come. 50 people and two workers. It wasn’t hard to make up the speakers list each day, so people were free to give their testimony. The 15 year-old boy read his Bible in between the meetings and gave his testimony every day. The daughter was too shy. We had a visit from the secret police, so there was a new job on the job list, namely to stand watch in case someone should come from the secret police. The family has a Sunday morning meeting in their home. One of those children is in the work today. Which one? The boy who loved giving his testimony every day at convention? No. The shy girl who had nothing to say.

I have laboured for thirty years in Europe – in Romania and Yugoslavia, and since 1992, in Ukraine. The Bible says, “There is one faith.” What does that mean? It doesn’t mean to ‘believe in God’ but to ‘believe God.’ Like Abraham. Abraham believed God and obeyed and saw how God led him. It wasn’t easy for Abraham to leave everything behind, but God had something better for him. Sometimes people say, “I hope I will one day be willing for all of God’s will.” But that is where God’s work begins! Where new life starts. A new birth, eternal life, starts when we are born again.

Someone said once that God doesn’t have grandchildren. That is true. Just because our parents are professing, that doesn’t mean that we are saved. We must all personally and individually be born again.

A cousin of mine began to serve God at 12. At 18 years of age, she had a big struggle to say, “Yes,” to God. Later she said, “It was only then that I got to know God.” In the United States, a lady got up and gave her testimony and said, “It took me 21 years to be born.” She then sat down. I talked to her later. She said, “At the age of 14, I made my choice. Now I am 35 and I have never had the peace that I have now.”

In the United States, people often ask the question, “Are you born again?” Imagine if I met someone and said to them, “Are you born?” It would seem like a ridiculous question. If people are spiritually alive, they will have a hunger, an appetite for spiritual things. You can explain salvation in three steps: 1. Jesus gave His life for us. 2. We have to give our life for Jesus. And then: 3. God gives us new life. When a baby is born, it is as close to its mother as it will possibly ever be. It has a very special fellowship and bond with the mother.

Another sign of a baby is that a baby is always small. The process whereby a caterpillar turns into a butterfly: It has to spend time in a cocoon. In the cocoon, the caterpillar doesn’t have the liberty of the caterpillar and doesn’t have the much greater liberty of the butterfly either. I was 5 years in the cocoon. I didn’t have the liberty of one who has professed and fully given their lives over to the Lord and I couldn’t enjoy the world like others either.

A factory can’t produce a seed and no chemist, however brilliant, either. The seed is in the fruit. If we have more fruit then we will have more seed.

In Deuteronomy 20:19, God told man not to cut down the trees. He said, “The tree of the field is man’s life.” From Genesis to Revelations, we read of trees. I have enjoyed a study of them.

From the substance of trees, we derive food, fuel, and shelter; from their grace and enduring beauty, we draw inspiration and spiritual quickening. Wood is one of man’s best friends, it held him in his cradle, was in the framework of the bed he slept on, from the log on the hearth it gave him warmth, it was the roof over his head for shelter, and it will make his last home. It is even in the page he is now reading. The mightiest of all trees is the giant sequoia that grows on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains. I have seen them and marvel at their size and beauty.

Genesis 2:9 tells of trees God planted in the Garden of Eden: two were vital for man: the tree of Life, for man’s good; and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, whereby the Devil defeated man. In following verses, He told them they could eat of every tree, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and if they ate of it, they would die. Some very good marks were in the Tree of Life: it was planted by God; it was pleasant to the eye; it was good for food; it was in the midst of the Garden. Also it bore twelve manner of fruits, it had fruit every month, its leaves were for the healing of the nations (Revelations 22:2). This tree is guarded by two forces: the cherubim which are a type of God’s servants, and by the Flaming Sword, which is the Word of God (Gen 3:24). The twelve fruits it has for man to feed on are the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Galatians 5:22). Also Ephesians 5:8-9: light, righteousness, and truth. Two verses in Revelations tell us who can partake of this Tree of Life: Rev 2:7: “to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life,” and Rev 22:­14: “blessed are they who do His commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates to the City.” Rev 22:2 may seem confusing, this tree being on either side of the River, but to me it’s so clear. We partake of it on this side in life, and on the other side after death. What bountiful provision our God has made!

With all these references, there can be no doubt that the Tree of Life is a type of Jesus. He embodies it to perfection. One might get a wrong conception from Genesis 3:24 that poor man could no longer partake of this blessed tree, and of course there are some stipulations: first, man must listen to the cherubims (the plural of cherub, a type of God’s 2 person ministry on earth). Many souls find this hard to accept. But it is God’s simple, yet effective, and forceful message. Also, man must come under the flaming Sword (note Hebrews 4:12), they must accept His word. As John said, “His commandments are not grievous.”

There are 7 marks to this flaming Sword: it is quick, or living, it’s powerful, woe be to the man who dares oppose it, it’s sharper than any man can hone a two-edged sword, it’s piercing, it divides asunder the soul and spirit, it is a discerner of the thoughts of man. I can’t read others’ thoughts, but it can, and it knows the intents of the heart. With these 7 marks in mind, one can easily see we must come under that Flaming Sword.

Psalms 104:16 says, “The trees of the Lord are full of sap.” I love that verse. The writer was referring to the Lord’s people – they are like the trees that have the life-giving sap in them, which is like a plumbing system, through which the sap runs from the root hairs to the very topmost branches, collecting moisture and food nutrients. A force called ‘transpiration’ pulls the water up to the leaves. Oh, to have the mighty yet simple power the tree has, obtaining moisture and food for our souls, giving us life.

No wonder God was specific to our common grandparents as to what tree to partake of. I love the Tree of Life, Jesus, and want to partake of Him, realizing the many blessings that come from this blessed Tree.

Hebrews 11:32 “And what shall I say more? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to fight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy)” A phrase in the 34th verse says “out of weakness were made strong.” It gives a list of faithful people who through faith and the power of God working in their lives were victorious in serving God, glorifying God, and honoring God with their lives.

It speaks here about Samson. I would like to speak a little bit today about Samson. We have the story of Samson over in Judges 13 through the 16th chapter. This was a dark time and history of God’s people but there was a boy, a son was promised. It tells us that this boy was to be a Nazarite, an exceptional child. He had exceptional strength. You remember that his mother was told not to drink wine or strong drink and when this lad was born she was not to cut his hair. This was part of the vow of a Nazarite. He was a Nazarite from the womb. Now, not all Nazarites were lifetime Nazarites but this boy was. He had incredible strength and power. One time he came across a lion and it says that he rent him or tore him like he was a little goat. Another place tells us that they bound him with two new cords and he took his arms and tore them apart like it was just flax or like they were just threads. He took the jawbone of a donkey and killed 1000 men.

The enemy could not understand or figure out where his strength lay. They tried everything to find out. Come to find out, it was in his hair. When they finally found out they tricked him and trapped him and cut his hair. Then he lost his strength. He lost his vision, you remember they put out his eyes. They put him in the prison, the mill, to grind. Blind and weak going around, and around, and around, a captive. He lost all of his joy, he lost all of his peace. When I think of that story I think of my Grandfather on my mother’s side. He heard this gospel many, many years ago, in the 1920s. When he heard it he recognized it and made his choice to be part of it. He was a part of it for a time then he got offended and fell away. He lived most of the rest of his life without God. He lost his strength, he lost his vision, he lost his faith and his life was just around, and around, and around. I am glad that was not Samson’s choice but it was the situation that he found himself in. We read in the 16th chapter that his hair began to grow again. Samson’s strength was connected with his hair. With God’s people today it is not so, our strength is connected with our prayer. The enemy knows that if he can cut off our prayer life then we lose our strength, we lose our vision, we lose our faith. Samson said that if he lost his hair then he would be just like any other man. If we are cut off from prayer then we would be just like any other person. We would find ourselves in the same category that others find themselves in. So, we pray to get the strength because it is a power that other people don’t have. It gives us understanding, it gives us help, so we guard our prayer life. I have often heard it said, people who have lost out, people who have gone away, and others. What happened? They said, I stopped praying, stopped praying and they lost faith. Now here is Samson in the prison house grinding, going around, and around and around and it says, his hair began to grow. I thought of those who find themselves, and my grandfather did, find themselves captive like Samson and helpless, their course should be to begin praying again, and then their strength, which comes from God, would return. That strength which comes by faith from God would begin to grow. It says there that Samson’s hair began to grow and his power returned. He was still blind and on this particular day, out there in that arena there were 3000 men and women gathered to honor their gods and to make a mockery of Samson and his God. That arena must have been quite a feat of architecture because it was held upon two pillars and all of these folks up there and they bring Samson out to mock him. A little child brings him in. They bring him out there to make sport of him and he feels the pillars of the building. He put his hands against them and then prayed. Judges 16:26 “And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them. Now the house was full of men and women, and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport. And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, ‘O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.’ And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. And Samson said, ‘Let me die with the Philistines.’ And he bowed himself with all his might, and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.” He had greater victory in his death than he had in his life. God answered that prayer and gave him his strength. I think of my grandfather, he lived so many years without the Lord then he found that he was dying of cancer. It is one thing to live without the Lord but it is another thing to die without the Lord. My grandfather humbled himself. Pride had gotten in the way but when he found that he was dying he humbled himself and asked for the workers to come and they did come. My grandfather wanted to know if the Lord would accept him after turning his back on him. They assured him that He would, that would be God’s will, that would be what God wanted, and if he would serve the Lord with all his heart and soul then God would accept him. My grandfather made his choice again and his joy came back and his faith and hope returned. That was the first contact that my family had with the gospel. He was anxious that his children would hear and believe. And that was the beginning of my story when my parents began to attend the meetings. My grandfather had greater victory in his death than he did in his life. When he was dying and with what little strength that he had, he gave it to the Lord and the Lord blessed it. I like that verse over there in Second Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” There was now a power in my grandfather’s life that he didn’t have when he wasn’t serving God and God’s strength was made perfect in weakness. In his illness, he asked my parents if they would come to meetings. Well, what could dad and mom say? There he is on his deathbed and he is asking them if they would come. Well, of course, we would come. In his weakness he was able to accomplish something that is very difficult to do, ask people to come to meeting. God’s strength was made perfect in weakness. My dad began to attend the meetings. Isn’t that wonderful? That applies to us today too, God’s strength is still made perfect in weakness and we don’t have to fear our weakness. You know how it is in this world, we don’t want to admit to weakness or to show weakness but our weakness appeals to God. There is something in our weakness and our need that touches the heart of God then His strength is made perfect in weakness. In our most feeble efforts, His strength is made perfect in that. Here, in the case of Samson, with what little strength that he had, with the help of God and an answered prayer, he accomplishes more in dying than in his living. OK now, that is a little key we want to focus on. We want to accomplish more in our dying than we do in our living.

We think of Jesus, he was a promised child and he came at a very dark time in the history of God’s people. He had a power in his life, the power to heal, the power to raise the dead. He had a power in his life that others did not understand. They found fault with him. They tried to trick him. They tried to trap him. They would do whatever they could to reduce him. He had this power in his life and they were never able to take that from him. He gave his life, they didn’t take it from him. So, we see him with his tremendous strength doing the will of God, the armor of God with him. Those seeking to belittle him, to destroy him, to ridicule him, but he has something that he understands, the truth that he knows and understands and it causes him to give his life. In John 12:24 we see this great truth that He knows. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” He knows that except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit and he knows that he, like a corn of wheat, has to fall into the ground and die. Now, he could live out his life, he could avoid suffering, but then he would be alone. There would be no salvation for us, there would be no redemption. He could live out his life and maybe become an old man but he would be alone and we wouldn’t be with him. There is going to be an eternal harvest of those He loves, those that God loves, whose souls are so precious. He knows that he has to die so he lets himself be led. In the case of Samson, a little child led him, with Jesus that was the spirit of a little child that led him. He let himself be taken. When they come for him, he doesn’t fight. He knows that this is how fruitfulness comes. They tied him and they mistreated him. It says that one of the disciples, Peter, drew out his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant and Jesus stopped him and said, “Don’t you know that I could call 12 legions of Angels?” That is over in Matthew 26:53, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” He still had the power, he had all of Heaven behind him, but what hope would there be for us? The scriptures were going to be fulfilled and it would not be with a sword. It was going to be by dying. So, he just lets himself be led. We have already heard about how they treated him. How they spit upon him, they mocked him before he was to die. I like this picture of Samson standing between those two pillars. Jesus was put on that cross and he was put in a position where the greatest victory that was ever known to man was about to happen. Jesus was nailed to the cross, suffering, and with his last little strength, He prayed to God, bowed his head, and died. Then all of the power of Satan came tumbling down just like all of those people in that arena when Samson pushed those pillars apart came tumbling down. The Veil of the temple was rent in twain and Satan’s kingdom was conquered. Those, who were like in the Old Testament, Abraham, Moses, who were like hostages because of their sin, on that day when Jesus died on the cross, they were freed. The power of Satan was broken and that is our hope of salvation, that Jesus when he died on the cross, the power that sin has over us was taken away so that we can be forgiven and our past can be put away because the offering of Jesus was acceptable to God. Well, I guess we could say this, it almost seems awesome to say this, because we know that power in his life but he accomplished something in his death that he couldn’t accomplish in his life and that is our salvation. When he was willing to die that accomplished something for us.

I was just thinking about something that happened several years ago when I was in the Lebanon field and Albany is just across the freeway where they had a Veteran’s Day celebration. I thought about it and I wanted to go because I was a veteran. I went over on the day and saw the parade and it was impressive. There were quite a number there. We saw the high school bands playing patriotic music. The marching bands with all of the young people in step. It was just wonderful. Then the military bands came marching along and then right behind them came the big guns, so to speak, the tanks, and then came the Generals and high-up officials. I hardly ever saw Generals but there they were, come marching by. It was inspirational. It just made you proud to be an American, and finally, the last one went by and I thought it was over but I noticed that no one left. Everyone just stood there so I just stood there and we waited and waited and waited. No one was leaving so I didn’t leave. Finally, way down about three blocks around the corner comes a man. He was carrying the flag of the United States of America. He was walking alone and his wife was walking a ways behind him. He was walking on two artificial legs. He had lost his legs in the war, he was a veteran. He had been marching for a long time. You could see that every step now was a step of pain. He was marching and you could see that he was determined to finish this race. There was something in us that wanted to go out and help him to carry the flag. There wasn’t any of us that was worthy to do that. So he just kept marching step by step to the end. I remember that I stood there and I realized that this man had given his legs for his country. I stood there and I cried. There was something that was just so moving about that. I remember that as I left the parade there was something that had changed inside of me. The big guns, the marching bands, and all of that had inspired me but this that I saw of one that had made such a sacrifice for the freedom that I enjoy, for the country that we love, that it was at such a cost, it was something that made me want to go away and be a better citizen. It moved me. Behind the scenes of this kingdom is this picture that we have of Jesus that is so important, we hold and respect and honor because all that we have in the Kingdom, the special meetings, the conventions, the wonderful privilege of fellowship on Sunday morning, all that our friends mean to us, we hear the singing and the songs. It all inspires us and makes us thankful for what we have but if we were to take the dying life of Jesus out of the picture, there wouldn’t be anything. It is that same dying life that must be in our lives or we don’t have anything, just a form. Behind every faithful life, every Godly example, there is the dying life. That is the way that we can be a help in this world, to be a light. The dying life has the power to draw people. We can accomplish more in our dying to ourselves, in denying ourselves than we can ever do in just going to meetings. It is the dying life that speaks loudly. We know a man who was a millionaire several times over. He was a success. He does well. He is one of us. There is something about that that is inspiring if we would want that, but when the time came for his testimony decision he lost it all to save his testimony. He sacrificed it all. Now there is something about that that is powerful but what is even more powerful is to be willing to die to self, to die to one’s self. I have more respect for that man today with the little that he has than I had when he was a millionaire because there is power in dying and it speaks loudly. We are going to face experiences, tests, and trials and it is going to be like dying. You remember the time when Jesus there in Matthew 27:54 when he was on the cross; “Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, ‘Truly this was the Son of God.’” They didn’t say that when he was living, they didn’t have that conviction, but when he died God shook the earth around them and there was an impression left that they feared greatly and they said, surely this was the son of God, truly this was the son of God. Jesus was just faithful in dying he didn’t shake the ground, and he didn’t cause the earthquake. He was just faithful in dying on the cross. When he was faithful in dying God caused the earth to shake then maybe that impression on those hardened people caused them to fear and believe that this was the son of God. Now if we are faithful in dying in our weakness and in our feeble effort to deny ourselves and to die then God will do the shaking around us. God will use that to make impressions around us. In that little picture in Judges that we have of that little lad guiding Sampson to those two pillars, I like that picture because in a sense we could compare those two pillars to Luke 9:23, some very, very familiar verses; “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” One pillar we could call self-denial and we will call the other pillar taking up our cross daily and following him, following Jesus. As Sampson placed himself between those two pillars and with a prayer to God to help him, he put all of his strength into that effort of moving those two pillars and all of the enemy came tumbling down. Jesus put all of his strength into denying himself and doing the will of God and the power of sin and of Satan and all of that came tumbling down. There was a great victory. Now in our lives if we give all of our strength into denying ourselves and taking up our cross and with a prayer to God to help us, then all of the sin that does so easily beset us in our lives comes tumbling down. Sin in our life is a mere fact that we have not been denying ourselves and we have not been following Jesus. But when we put all of our strength and all of our force into denying ourselves and with a prayer to God to help us then sin has no power over us. There is a power given to us that we didn’t have before and we have victory in our lives. This little thought now, Sampson prayed, let me die with the Philistines. Sometimes there is a prayer in our hearts or thought in our minds, let me live like the Philistines. That is our flesh. But he was praying to die and we should have that prayer, not that we would be living like the Philistines but that we would die like a child of God, to die doing the will of God. I just want to mention this thought of taking up our cross, we need to understand what that is. One lady said one time, she had a disabled child and said that is my cross. But no, she would have that child if she was serving God or not. What our cross is is what we do for Jesus’ sake. This is what God has asked of us, this is God’s will for us, and that is our cross. As we put our strength into doing His will, that is what brings victory. He does have a will and a way for us. We should focus all of our strength on doing His will daily and putting our force into that and that will give us the victory as we go forth. I was just thinking that if Sampson was only pushing on one, say self-denial, there are a lot of people that put a lot into self-denial and not doing the will of God. In just denying yourself you become self-righteous. If you put all of your strength into going to meeting, you want to be there and like the fellowship and you do not die to self, there is no victory. It is when we apply ourselves to both, then there is victory in our lives. I like this verse, I Peter 4:1 “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.” He just said that we should do as Jesus did, he laid down his life and gave a sacrifice that was acceptable to God and God blessed that. It was a wonderful victory that we are still enjoying and entering into today. If we arm ourselves with the same mind we will have the same kind of victory because he that has suffered in the flesh, willing to die to ourselves, has ceased from sin. If we are faithful in denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, and following Jesus, God will be faithful in doing His part.

Luke 22:28, “Ye are they which have continued with Me in My temptations.”

John 4:6, “Jesus therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus on the well.”

John 15:9, “Continue ye in My love.”

I want to speak a little about weariness and continuing. Jesus understands weariness. He sat down by the well. It’s not a sin to get tired. Sometimes He went up the mountain alone, to the garden, weary of the crowd, weary of their doubting and strife, weary of opposition and the unreasonableness of it all.

Do you ever get tired? Sometimes you do. Jesus’ ardour ne’er diminished. He kept His one desire, to finish what He was sent to do. He kept His eyes on the goal. We heard about survivors. He said, “You are those that have continued with Me.” He didn’t say, “You are perfect or mighty or capable,” but “You have continued.” It meant much to Him; it means everything to the Lord if we just continue. Continue in My love, power, and authority. You continue in My love. We must do this. Love makes it possible to continue. If love fails, it’s difficult to continue (Acts 2). All continued steadfast. It’s wonderful if it could be said about us. We are grateful Jesus continued. He finished the work He was sent to do. Not an easy thing to do.

We can be disappointed, but not discouraged, in the face of frustrations. Being weary, He sat down by the well. The middle miles are weary stretches of road. We can’t describe them so well. Maybe we’re not sure when we’ll get there. Probably some are there now. This is my eleventh convention. Four months ago, I left my field. It will be good to be back again and just keep going. This applies to the Lord’s people. Sooner or later, we get there. Sometimes, when we think of what’s ahead, it can keep us tired. Sometimes, life is not very interesting. In those times, we get weary of the straight stretches.

When we were kids on a long journey, we made up ways to make the trip interesting. We sang songs, played games, told stories, just to get through the weary miles. On those stretches, we are never very far from the ditch. For every mile of road, there’s two miles of ditch. This is something that’s the experience of every child of God. The middle miles can be the best miles, the best lessons learned.

Last week, we heard that life is not a struggle. Some say that life is a struggle. Better if we thought that life is a privilege. Every mile is a privilege. The middle miles are a privilege. The only thing to do is to keep on going.

These middle stretches can make us rich. It’s what we put into them. Put our best into it, for there are great riches. Try to overcome the attitude that life’s a struggle. There are great riches in the middle stretches, and some are there now.

Some are just beginning in God’s way. This stretch is ahead of you. You’ll get there. It’s nothing to be afraid of, and it can be the best. You’ve been there and continued and have come to the end of the road.

In my last field, one of our friends lived a distance from our city. Now and then, we got on an old bus and bounced out there. In winter, it’s cold, and it takes several hours. Way out in the mountains, I saw someone standing there. We got closer. A policeman was there. When we got beside him, we saw that he was not really a policeman but just a figure that stands there day and night, in the cold and heat. It’s a lonely post always there and never moving. Can I be that dependable, that God could depend on me like that, out in the lonely stretches? We want to be true. This middle stretch doesn’t apply to a certain age, but could come upon us at any time. If we are not there now, we will be. There’s the middle of the day, the middle of the week, mid-life, midnight, and the middle of the storm. We pass through all this. We never really know when we are there, yet we know it will come, and weariness can overtake us.

In the beginning, we’re leaning on others who help us stand. When we get to the middle stretch, they are not there and others are leaning on us; they’re depending on us to be true. In the beginning, we look for an example, but the time comes when we can’t see them. When that time comes, we are in the middle stretches. God depends on us to be a pillar, a standard bearer.

When we begin, we are in familiar surroundings. We journey onward with a little knowledge of where we are going. We know a little about the end of the journey. In the middle of the journey, we are in unfamiliar territory; we are strangers passing through. In the middle stretches, a lot can happen. Sweet memories can be made; we can know the sweetest fellowship. God is working and the sweetest lessons can be learnt.

We need to pay attention in the middle stretches. We haven’t gone that way before. Keep an eye on the goal, and keep moving. Learn the depth of need His love can satisfy. We have needs, and we have to seek a way for our needs to be met. We need rest and we get hungry; we need cleansing and direction. We can be reassured and encouraged while we are here. Some of the needs are being supplied because we are in the middle of the journey. We learn to know that God is in the middle stretches. It doesn’t have to be hard and difficult. We can learn to love this stretch of road, because every mile of our journey is a privilege. We can be made rich in love, joy, peace, patience and learn the Heavenly wisdom. Great things can be gained, and we need to keep true.

One lady told us of her journey. When she was 15 years of age, she made her choice. She was 43 years old when she learned to love God and enjoy God’s way. She found treasure in the middle stretches. We learn to trust God. He’s been faithful till now. We can trust Him. He’s not going to leave us. He’s helped us in the past and He’ll help us in the future. We learn to accept things, the solution that comes. It wasn’t our plan, but we just accept it and learn what’s important and what isn’t.

It’s important in the middle stretches to watch your heart. Don’t let your heart become cold, or careless. Keep a warm heart. I’m very thankful that my Mother and Father in their middle stretches kept true and faithful. How important it is for children looking at parents in the weary miles, in the difficult times during the midst of the journey, and see them true.

Sometimes, we talk about weary miles, long miles, and short miles. There’s 5280 feet in a long mile; in a short mile, it is the same length. Sometimes we say Heaven is far away, or very close. Everyday of our life, its the same distance from earth to Heaven.

We talk about a long day, or a short day. How long is a long day? 24 hours. A short day is 24 hours; they are the same. It just seems different.

How much does a heavy heart and a light heart weigh? It’s the same, but we are just affected by it. Maybe we’re tired and need a rest. If we had a load and carried it all day, it would seem heavy. In God, nothing changes. God is always the same.

Fellowship is a wonderful help during the middle miles. Jesus washed His disciples’ feet. When He was tired and hurting, Jesus got down and washed their feet. Weariness whose fault is it? It’s something that happens. Sometimes we get weary in the battle but not of the battle. Just travel onward.

Soldiers get wounded and travellers get weary, but God has provision for both. God is the same. Sometimes we change. We need meetings. If we don’t get there, we are weak. No one starves to death if they miss a meal, but keep missing meals and they get weak. When they get weak, a crisis occurs. We need to feed on the Bread of Life.

Acts 12:13, Peter knocked on the door. When Rhoda told them it was Peter, they said, “You are mad!” Peter continued knocking. Just keep knocking; the door will open.

I went to a hotel to spend the night. There were two water faucets and I didn’t know which was hot and which was cold, so I opened both and let it run. When I turned them on, they were the same temperature. Little by little one got hotter. Which one am I? Am I getting warmer, or colder and colder? What’s happening during the middle stretches? Are we getting deeper and deeper into God’s way? Continue continuing, keep on keeping on, and when you are done with that, go on.

It is a natural thing with age, and the passing of time, for our bodies to become stiff and less flexible than they were when we were younger. Many of you children don’t believe that when you do many of the things that I used to be able to do and I can’t do them any more. It gets more difficult and harder to do things and there are some things I just can’t do any more. I used to be able to touch my nose with my toe but now I can’t. It is just a natural thing, a natural tendency, age. Those who work really hard at it can stay more flexible longer than those who don’t work at it and don’t make it the centre of their life. It is amazing what some older people can do but that isn’t the natural thing.

The thing that concerns me the most is my heart, not the one that is beating in here but the heart that we read about in the scripture, the heart that God wants to be His dwelling place, that heart, the place that God wants to send His Spirit to dwell in, the home and the haven for His Spirit. That is the one I am concerned about and how easy it is for it to become hard and that is not good at all. What is good for me is anything that will make my heart soft. At times when I find my heart is getting hard and callous and cold, it is good for me, really good for me, to consider Jesus coming from His radiant throne on high, from His home in heaven, from His glorious home that He has there and that He has returned to, to try to consider what it must have cost heaven for Jesus to come here. It is not hard to talk about Him leaving heaven and coming here for about 33 and a half years and then returning to heaven. We can speak about it and not really think much about it but it sure does my heart good to consider it.

One thing we understand and that is that heaven is glorious but what it is really like, we don’t know. We are looking forward to the day when we can go there and be there forever. We have been given some glimpses, just some little glimpses, just enough to grip our hearts and to cause us to feel that I don’t want to be like any who say, “Oh yes, I want to go to heaven.” No, I want, with all my heart, to be in heaven. I don’t want to miss what God has planned in heaven. I don’t really understand what it is. I don’t understand how glorious, how wonderful it is but I don’t want to miss it and I want to be in eternity with God and I want to get acquainted with Him now so that I won’t be a stranger when I go there. I don’t want to stand on the judgement day and hear those words, “I never knew you,” and then to be shut out and shut out forever.

Jesus, when He left heaven, left home. Almost all people, sooner or later, leave home. Children leave home and they strike out on their own and they live their own lives, make their own homes and so on. There are those who have left all those possibilities, to have a home and a family and all that that means, to share this Gospel with others. But in return we have received a hundredfold – a hundred homes and in fact, so many that we can’t count them. You call that a sacrifice but we don’t consider that sacrifice. A wonderful, wonderful privilege of having your homes open to us. We have left one and we have gained a hundredfold, havens to us and we don’t even have our own home. The wonderful liberty to come into your home and for you to say to us, “You make this your home – while you are here this is your home. Feel free to do whatever you wish while you are here. Just feel at home.” We don’t want to do whatever we wish, we want to be careful, we want to be considerate because this is your home and we are guests. We are grateful for the welcome but we don’t ever want to abuse that wonderful, wonderful privilege.

Jesus left His home and what kind of a welcome are we giving Him here? He has never been away from home because He has never been separated from His Father and they shared that wonderful fellowship that they want us to share in. They wanted it so much that they made this world and they put us here. They also made a way so that we could be prepared so that we could be there forever. They wanted to share it. They are not selfish, they want to share it with others. When is this all going to end? When is God going to wrap this all up and finish it? When things get so bad in this world, when things get so terrible that He has no choice but to finish it up, wrap it up and put it away? I don’t think so. My personal feeling and it is just my personal feeling, is that He made this world for a reason and that was that it would be populated with men and women that would respond to His Gospel and be prepared for heaven and home. When, and only when He feels that He has enough, will He no longer need this earth. It is not because men are so wicked that He just can’t stand it any more but because He has enough, then He will fold it all up and put it away. Before that day comes we want to be ready for His heavenly home that He has prepared for us.

Jesus left that home, He left that glory, leaving His father behind when He’s always been with Him. Leaving the angels behind when they had always been together. Wasn’t that hard? I never want to think of that as a simple thing. It was not easy for Jesus to leave His father, they had never been separated before. Some may say, “Well, it is only for 33 and a half years. After all, what is that, when time means nothing to God.” I do believe that this was an exception. It is true that God doesn’t count time as we do. He doesn’t count days and hours and minutes or even centuries. That is not what matters to God but it matters to God what He has planned and He wants it fulfilled. It will be fulfilled and it will come to its conclusion and when it is finished then it is finished and it has nothing to do with time. We are time conscious because we know that we have a limited time, only a very short time on this earth. For some it is much, much shorter than others. So we must be time conscious.

We say time means nothing to God but in this I believe it did when, for those 33 and a half years, heaven was not complete. The only time that heaven was not complete was when Jesus was not there. We all know how time can drag when you’re waiting. It just goes on and on and on when you are waiting for somebody and they don’t show up. Whatever it is you are waiting for, then time just goes on and on and on. Jesus was doing the will of His father while He was here but all the time that He was absent from heaven, heaven was not complete. I do believe that was costly, very costly.

They made this time even before They created the world, that He would be gone, that He would come here and that He would give us an example. They could have done it some other way, couldn’t they? He could have just come very briefly and give His life, but then we’d have no example. It is true that the majority don’t consider His life and His example but there was a reason why He was here for those 33 and a half years and that was to be an example, to answer all questions and to leave no doubts. What is the will of God? We see it in Jesus. What is the nature of God? What is the character of God? We see it in Jesus and that is why He was here for that period of time, so that we could see those things. It was costly, very costly.

Time wore on when Jesus wasn’t there and heaven wasn’t complete. He was here and it is only right that when He came, like it tells us in Galatians 4. It says in verse 4, “When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son made of a woman, made under the law.” When the fullness of time had come. Could it have come sooner? No, when the fullness of time had come, when God knew that the time was just right, He sent His Son. He didn’t send Him too late and nor did He send Him too early. Whenever I read this verse and think about it, I think about a woman, and this has happened over and over again, who was in the field I was in when I had one of my home visits, and she was dying of cancer. A few years before, she heard the Gospel through her neighbours. They had been neighbours for years and they hadn’t got acquainted with her before but they went over, in their compassion, to visit her, to show kindness to her. It ended up that she accepted their invitation to come to Gospel meetings and it wasn’t long before she made her choice and she embraced it with all her heart. Then 3 years later when I came to that field, she was very near to the end. Oxygen 24 hours a day and able to come to the Gospel meetings only. She had a small type of oxygen cylinder that she could take with her and she could come in. They would time it to leave home so that she would get to the meeting and sit down just as we were beginning the meeting and then everyone waited till she was safely out of the door before anyone stood. That is how she could get to Gospel meetings. We visited her one day and she said, “Why didn’t God let me see His way sooner? I love it, it means everything to me, it is my life and why did He wait so long to send it to me?” All we could say was, “Well, if you look over your life, had He sent it sooner would you have received it?” She thought a bit and then she said, “No, I would have been so busy with so many other things and wrapped up in my own life and what I was doing that I wouldn’t have been ready for it.” He sent it at the right time.

God never makes mistakes and He didn’t make a mistake when the fullness of the time came and He sent Jesus. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that is how much He loved us. That is how much He loved our soul and that is how much He wants to see us in heaven and see us in a safe eternity with Him forever. So He gave His Son, the very best that He had in heaven and He left heaven incomplete for those 33 and a half years, until here was Jesus, giving His life here on this earth. King of kings and Lord of lords and when He found Himself in fashion as a man, what did He do? Did He do like we do and get all puffed up? “I am the Son of God, do you not know who I am?” No. He humbled Himself. When He found that He had a human nature, the human character that we have, He humbled Himself. Just like we must do if we are going to follow Him and be a child of God. Not puffed up and not saying, “Do you know who I am?”

I will tell you a little story because this is something we must take care of before life finishes or we will not be in heaven. That is pride. This thing called pride that comes in so many forms and called by so many names that sound better than pride but it is still pride – pride that makes us hard, pride that makes us get our back up when we are talked to by others or treated by others, not as we think we should be treated. Isn’t that pride? “You can’t talk to me like that. You can’t treat me like that.” Jesus humbled Himself. He was never offended by what anyone said and He was the Son of God. Who am I to say that anyone shouldn’t deal with me nor talk to me in any way they want to?

Before 9/11, it was possible to take all your visitors all the way to the gate in the airport, to security. Well folks went and they got to the gate and, oh my, there was a mob of people up there. The plane had been cancelled and all the people from that flight had to get other flights and there was one girl at the counter trying to take care of all of this and it was a mess. While she was trying to handle this, there comes a man dressed in a suit and with his briefcase and he says, “Get me on that flight.” She said, “Sir, we can’t get everyone on that flight. We will do the best we can and we will get you to your destination.” “I have an appointment and I can’t miss that. You get me on this flight.” “Sir, would you please step to the end of the line and we will take everyone in their turn. We will get you a flight and we will get you to your destination, we promise you.” He kept pushing until finally he said, “Do you know who I am?” She didn’t answer but she picked up the microphone and she said, “Folks, we have a little problem here. There is a gentleman here who doesn’t know who he is. If you could help us identify him.” He went to the rear of the line. Do you see yourself?

They say that we are wonderfully and fearfully made, this body of ours. It must be true because all it takes is a little pat on the back and the head swells. Who am I, anyway? Jesus humbled Himself and became, not a servant, but a servant of servants, He washed His disciples’ feet and they were servants. He was teaching them to be servants and He stooped down and washed their feet. Who am I that I would get upset, that I would not even want to go to the meeting because you are going there because you hurt me? Who am I? Who do we think that we are? Do we understand who we are? Can we face Jesus on that judgement day and could we live with Him forever? If we would do that now and not get victory over that now, we can’t take that kind of thing into heaven. It can’t be there. It will not be there.

There is no pride in heaven. That was taken care of a long time ago when God cast out Satan. He cast him out. Why? Proud. He thought he was going to take God’s place. He wanted to be equal with God. He was an angel and he had a wonderful, wonderful place of privilege, like the other angels – a special, special place but it wasn’t good enough for him. Pride lifted him up and he was able to influence others of the angels to rise up against God – tried to usurp the place of God. How proud can you get? So God cast him out and there is no pride in heaven. Can I go in with mine? Jesus Himself, if there was anyone who could be proud, if you want to use that word – He could say, “I am the Son of God, now you listen to Me, you bow down to Me, and you do everything I tell you to do.” No, He doesn’t do that, He humbled Himself and He served. So at the right time, God sent Him to this earth to show us how to live.

When He was on trial Pilate said to Him, “You know, I have the power to crucify you. I have got power over you.” Jesus said to him, “You have no power at all because if God doesn’t want it, you have no power to do it, and if He allows it, then you will.” He had no power of himself but do you know what kind of power Jesus had? In John 10, He said this, “Therefore doth My Father love Me because I lay down My life and I take it again. No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again. This I have received of My Father.” He wants to give you and me this same power. The same power to lay down our life. We can keep it, we do have that power. Keep it for ourselves and not give it to God but then we will lose it. Jesus said, “I have power,” and He used that power to lay down His life. They didn’t take it from Him, He laid it down.

A little illustration to help us understand that is what a sister worker told us about. She had been around sheep when she was young and she said that one time, a lamb was to be slaughtered. So they brought this lamb into the corral, separated it from its mother – there was blood in there, soaked into the ground. At the smell of blood, animals go wild and they are hard to control. Well this little lamb did run around aimlessly bleating but then it stopped. A man was waiting in the centre of the corral and there was just a little mound there in the ground. The lamb came over to the man who was going to butcher him. He came over and put his front feet on that mound. The man held the knife and the lamb leaned to the knife for his throat to be cut. There I see Jesus. He said, “I lay it down, I give it.”

It tells us that Jesus was not the only one crucified and we know that there were two crucified with Him. It was a common thing, a cruel thing, and it was invented to make it very, very painful. An extremely painful and slow way to die but He wasn’t the only one. There were others, many thousands of others were crucified but this one was different. Jesus was different from all the rest. None of those others who were crucified were not guilty of anything. I can picture them fighting, complaining, insisting on their innocence, being crucified and struggling all the way, but not Jesus. He gave Himself. When they came for Him, He said, “Here I am.”

Peter and another of the Apostles had swords and Peter pulled out his sword and he cut off the ear of the servant of the High Priest. Was that right? The general feeling is, “I was hurt and therefore I have the right to slaughter all those who hurt me.” Vengeance, that is the way of the world. I’ll get back at you. So Peter took out his sword and cut off the ear of the High Priest. I don’t think he just carefully cut it off, he was a fisherman, not a soldier. That is all he got and was he fortunate that was all he got! Isn’t he fortunate that it was only the ear and wasn’t he fortunate that Jesus was there. What would he have done had Jesus not been there? He could not run with him to the doctor. He did what he shouldn’t have done and how would he ever have made it right? Jesus made it right. He put it back on and He healed him. Then He said, “Now you put your sword away. If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword. That isn’t what I want. If My servants were of this world they would fight but they are not of this world. They are not going to fight and they are not going to defend Me.” We don’t need to defend Jesus or the word of God. God will do that, God will take care of that. We don’t need to resist and get all upset but just follow the example of Jesus who gave Himself.

As they nailed Him to the cross, He was the only one, the ONLY one who lay there and let them put those nails in Him. Painful, beyond what we can imagine, but He did not resist. He was considered a sinner. They had lied about Him. They brought false witnesses against Him but the only way they could follow through with this was to say that He was a miserable sinner and that He deserved to die. He didn’t deserve to die and if anybody was innocent, it was Jesus. He was carrying your sins and my sins. Not today’s sins. Yesterday and the day before that, every day that we have lived and every day that we will live yet. All of your sin and all of my sin. All of men’s sins from the beginning of time till the end of time and for all time. He died that way so that you and I wouldn’t have to die the second death and be separated from God forever. He went to the cross and it was costly for heaven. They were watching, the focus of attention was all there. He died there with no-one showing any kindness, no-one showing any compassion. They were wagging their heads, mocking Him as He hanged there and the other two were suffering the same agony. They asked Him to come down and He sure could have come down. He could have called for 12 legions of angels and it would have only taken one but He remained there until He had died. All His disciples ran away. Peter denied Him. Judas had sold Him. He was alone and that was the hard part.

There was darkness for three hours and in that time He said, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” He tasted death for every man so that we would not taste of the darkness which is forever. It doesn’t just go on for a few years it goes on forever and never ever ends. Separation from God – alone and then with your own regrets and never will it change. It is that awful and He tasted it for you and me. I can’t tell you what happened. Some say that God turned His face away but it doesn’t tell us that but Jesus felt alone. All alone, all help was gone and He tasted that for you and me and which awaits anyone who will not obey and who will not accept Him, who will not become a child of God, that blackness of darkness awaits such. Is a lost eternity bad? Some will make light of it.

Where we labour, there are these men, they like to joke and they mock and say, “I don’t mind if I go to hell because all my friends will be there and we will all have a great time.” Never, never, never. In the story that Jesus told about the rich man and Lazarus, He gives an accurate picture of what is coming. Even when Jesus was here and separated from Heaven, He kept in touch, He was in close contact. That is why He often went up very early in the morning before it was light and He went off to be alone with His Father. He didn’t want that contact cut. He couldn’t stand it but for that period of time on the cross, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” What was it like for God to not reach out and save Him? What did it cost heaven to leave Him there when they could have got Him down but they left Him there.

After three days and nights, God raised Him from the dead and no longer was it in the power of man. They couldn’t change anything, it was in God’s hand. He didn’t take Him down from the cross but He did something far more wonderful when He raised Him from the dead. Three days and three nights and from that impossible situation, God raised Him. From that day, everything has been in God’s hand and gone His way. These awful things that are happening in the world and what men are doing one to another – is that in the will of God? He is allowing it, He IS allowing it but that doesn’t mean that things are out of control. God is still in control.

What did Jesus say before He drew His last breath? He said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” He forgave. Why did He have to forgive? Was that necessary? There is another thing that we will never take into heaven and what will keep us from being there and that is unforgiveness and bitterness. They go together and you can’t separate them. Bitterness and unforgiveness. There is never, ever, any justifiable reason for bitterness. Yes, you can get hurt, I can understand that, that is true. It is going to take a long time to get over this. Yes, we can understand that too, but not bitterness or unforgiveness. If Jesus hadn’t forgiven them, then everything would have been for naught because He could not take that into heaven. Who did Jesus set free when He forgave? Just those men that were doing that to Him? No, He set Himself free. That is what forgiveness does. Sometimes we think “They don’t deserve to be set free if I forgive them. They should suffer for what they have done.” Oh no, we’ve got it all wrong. It isn’t they who are set free. We are set free and we are a prisoner as long as we hold unforgiveness in our hearts. We have chained ourselves because we won’t forgive and Jesus had no intention of going up into eternity being chained, a prisoner. He went up free because He forgave. They didn’t show any repentance but He forgave them and He set Himself free.

Does this mean that if I am doing wickedness and I know it is wrong or I get told it is wrong, so then you just have to forgive me? Then it is all taken care of. No we are not talking about that at all. Jesus forgave those men and set himself free but they would never be set free until they repented and changed their ways. Not merely saying sorry but changing from the inside and then they would be free. The important thing is that Jesus was free and you and I would be free if we forgave. We are not saying that what they did was right but if I want to be free, if I don’t want anything over my head and keeping me back from a saved eternity then I MUST forgive. He raised Jesus on this first day of the week, on this day, to show that the plan is fulfilled and the door is open and the way is open. It is finished, it is final, it’s done, He has done His part. Now it is our part, to be true to the end, so that we can be joint heirs with Him.

In the Gospel of John 17, Jesus was praying and He said in verse 22, “The glory that Thou gavest Me I have given them that they mayest be one even as We are One. I in them and Thou in Me that they may be perfect in one and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me. I have loved them even as Thou dost love Me. Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am that they may behold My glory which Thou hast given Me because Thou lovest Me before the foundation of the world.” What does He want? What is He asking of His Father? I am going back now. I am returning to the glory that I had there. This long time, so it seemed, is now over and I am going back now. He also said, “If you understood that I am going back to My Father, you would rejoice. You would be happy.” He Himself was torn that He had to leave His disciples that He loved so well and had given His life for them but He couldn’t wait. It was so hard to leave but He wanted to go. Like Paul said, “I am torn between two. I have a desire to go and be with Christ but I would also like to stay with you. So we will leave the decision up to God. When the time is right and it is time to go. I want to go but I also want to stay.” You would be happy because it is a place that is waiting for you too. He said to His Father, “I want them to be there with Me and I want them to see the glory that you gave to me even before the world began.” When all this is done and everything is complete and we can all sit down together and enjoy eternity in the presence of God, that wonderful, indescribable presence of God, forever.

December 1999, does that mean anything to you? What were people thinking about? What were people talking about and what was the centre of their conversation? 2000. People were scared stiff. What is going to happen? It is all going to be ended in 2000! Some people believed it and some would do anything that was told them to prepare so that they would be ready when it did end. There were some people who had just professed, just made their choice at that time in a mission. They were at peace, they weren’t getting ready. They weren’t stirred up. They were brand new to this but they had peace in their hearts. Some people came to them and said, “Aren’t you getting ready, we are only weeks away from 2000 and terrible things are going to happen and if you are not ready you are going to be lost forever.” They were trying to work them up but they were so calm and said, “It can’t be, do you see this? The workers just gave us a convention list for 2000. So the world won’t end because we are going to have convention in March and April.” They just had confidence. It is all in God’s hand it is all going to go His way. It isn’t according to when men think its going to end. God will take care of that and He hasn’t even told Jesus when that is going to be. Now how presumptuous could we be to think we know, or believe somebody who says that he knows when even the Son of God doesn’t know. He is content to wait until God sends Him again. He is happy there in heaven and heaven is complete now.

On the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came in such a visible form, it just proves that Jesus keeps His promises, because He said He would send him. He said that when He gets home He will send the Holy Spirit. So it proved those two things. He sent the Holy Spirit to be with us and that He is there. He is happy and He is content. He has the glory that the Father gave to Him before the world began and I don’t suppose that He is real anxious to leave again but He is going to. The day is coming when He is coming back to claim His own. So heaven is complete now, well almost complete because it will be fully complete when God feels that He has enough from this earth to share His home in heaven with Him. It is a very costly thing for Jesus to leave heaven.

I close my eyes and try to picture in some small way what it was like when He returned and He sat down at the right hand of His Father. Did He just sit back and rest? No, He is interceding for you and for me. He is still at it and He is still labouring for you and me, anxious for the time when His Father says, “Alright now, you can go again and bring them here.” Won’t that be a wonderful day? It isn’t just a vague thing with us and we don’t just lightly say, “Well, I hope I go to heaven. I hope it all works out.” Well, it is not going to be that way. Nobody is going to be in heaven who has that attitude. We will be there because we fit into the plan of God. Because heaven was willing for that cost, to send Jesus here.

We’re grateful for everyone who will believe Him and be willing to follow Him with all their heart. Those that were willing for the experiences that will separate them from the things that will never be found in heaven, separated here, take care of it now so that they will be at home and at rest in heaven. What it cost heaven – this is just a little scratching on the surface but I will tell you what it does to my heart, it helps me to be more willing and makes me thankful. It also makes me feel very, very small that God would reach out so far to take up so little and even to want to work with it and make me one of His children. I am just grateful for what He does for my heart. I need it because it gets hard so easily. May God help us that we may be more thankful and more faithful than we have ever been before when we think of what heaven had given up for you and me, more obedient and more submissive and everything that it means to be a true child of God.

Hymn 283, “Strong in the Strength”

When I was very early in the work the man that wrote that hymn came to spend a few days with my companion and myself. My companion knew him well as he had been his companion in Canada. The companion who wrote this hymn would often go to the piano and play this hymn and one thing that has remained with me since, “You keep the Master at the Helm.” The helm is a very small part of the boat, if the Master is directing it is all that really matters. Is the Master at the helm/hear Him whisper, “Peace be still.” We had a brother come our way a few years ago and he made a statement I have never forgotten, and perhaps you have heard it as well. He said this, “Life is like a coin. We can spend it however we want but we only spend it once.” He said this a number of times on the convention rounds he was on and it has never left us and really we pass this way just once. We want to make the best of the time we have got. We get the feeling that you folk are spending your days carefully in the will of God otherwise you would not be able to share with us some of the things you share. We appreciate the fellowship and what we have in the Kingdom of God.

Recently, I have enjoyed reading about the Apostles and particularly about Peter. Peter was one of the first Apostles that Jesus saw and He was beside the Sea of Galilee. He called Peter and John and they were fishing. He called them, “Come and follow Me.” They rowed the boat to shore and left it and followed the Master. It was not because they did not know how to fish. Your Servants of God are Servants not because they do not know how to do anything else. Servants of God are taken for every walk of life. Jesus said to them, “I will make you to become fishers of men.” They were not that. They knew how to fish for fish, but they did not know how to fish for men. That was a total new experience for them and the same for any who offer their life to God in this Work. Now He called Peter and John then James and Andrew and the others some were fishermen, some business and do not know what the rest were. But He made them become fishers of men. We love the privilege that we have to just go. Just go with this gospel to feed those that are hungry and seeking. If you know anything about fishing, you can drop bait in front of a fish and if he is not hungry, he will pay no attention to it at all and go right by. But if he is hungry, that is a different story. And that is how it is with the Gospel and those going with the Gospel. It is a story we can tell and will mean life to your soul, but if there is no hunger, no need it will not appeal at all. I know people and so would you who were raised under the influence of the Truth and something that appeals so much to some members of the family does not appeal to them at all. No hunger, no need just does not appeal. This man Peter knew he was going to live to be an old man. You and I do not know that but Peter knew he was going to live to be an old man. I wonder if we were told and convinced that we were going to live to be old, what would we do? Would we just drift along and then when we were old straighten up and do the right thing? Would we be just close to the limit kind of in us by nature? This man Peter never did that. He wanted to keep close to the Master and he knew the Master had exactly what he needed and he knew the Master could guide his life. Even though I am going to live to an old man I need the guidance of the Lord Jesus. Jesus said one time to some that were hampering Him He said, ”Who [does] man say that I am? What are people saying about Me?” “Some say, ‘You’re a Prophet.’ Some say, ‘You’re John the Baptist,’ and people say all kinds of things.” Then He said, “What about you folk? Who do you say that I am?” Then Peter spoke up and said, “Thou are the Son of Christ of the Living God.” A clear revelation of who Jesus really was. At the convention we were at we heard about the man Zacchaeus and we have heard about Zacchaeus all our lives. That was the man he was a little man who ran ahead and he wanted to see Jesus and he climbed a sycamore tree. He did not want to just see Jesus; Jesus was no different to any other man. Jesus was not handsome and the Bible tells us that there was nothing that would draw your attention to Jesus and He did not have long flowing blonde hair like you see in some of those pictures we see. He was no different than the other men. What was it that Zacchaeus wanted to see? He wanted to see Jesus in real life, see some of the qualities that Jesus had, see the love that He had, the mercy He had, the care He had, the self denial He had and the willingness to die to self that was some of the things Jesus possessed. That is how Jesus lived and that is what Zacchaeus wanted to see.

Well, this man Peter that was called to be an Apostle loved what he saw in the Master and he had a clear understanding that this Man that is amongst us is the Son of God, the Christ the One who will give His life so we can live. He prompted Jesus all the way He trusted Him with his life. There was a day when they were on the sea, it was windy high waves, and Peter was used to that. Then they saw someone coming walking on the water. They decided that it must be the Lord Jesus. Peter sung [shouted] out to Him, “If it be Thou bid me to come to you on the water.” Jesus simply said come and Peter trusted his life into the hands of Jesus. First of all they thought it was a phantom, then they understood, “No, this is Jesus.” Peter actually got out of the boat in the midst of the wind and the waves. He got out of the boat and walked on the water. He put his whole life into the hands of the Master, and the word the Master spoke He said, “Come,” and Peter got out of the boat a seasoned fisherman. He gets out of the boat in the midst of the wind and the storm. He had faith to believe without a shadow of a doubt this is the Son of God. It is true that eventually he got looking around and he got the feeling, “This is no place for me in the midst of a storm and walking on the water,” and he began to sink. But he cried out for help and Jesus stretched for his hand and took him back to the boat. This is a picture of a man putting his whole life into the hand of the Master. There are so many things about Peter’s relationship with Jesus and it is a relationship we would like to have ourselves. After he had called out in Matthew 17, you remember that was the chapter that Jesus invited Peter, John, and James to go up the mountain apart and He was transfigured before them. His face shone as the sun and His raiment was a white as a light and there appeared unto them Moses and Elias. Peter said, “It is good for us to be here.” In one of the Gospels it says Peter said to Jesus, “If Thou wilt let us build three tabernacles.” I really like that and do really believe that was the way it was. That Peter did not want to be out of the will of the Master, not at all. We will do it. We will build three tabernacles but it must be in your will. You must feel that it is all right and if it is not we will not do it. And it was not alright. That did not offend Peter at all. He left there with profound respect because they heard the voice from Heaven that this is My beloved Son, hear Him. They saw Moses and Elias talking with Jesus talking about the deceased. It would have been interesting to hear all that was said. But there is not much written about what they spoke about the deceased. You can imagine that Moses and Elias would be encouraging Jesus to go all the way. Go all the way to the cross, you must shed your blood for the remission of sins, or everything we have told the people and have lived ourselves will be in vain. Can imagine them encouraging Jesus to go all the way and die and fulfill what had been prophesied, do not give up, go all the way. It says that a cloud came down and separated them from their sight and then the voice came down and said, “Hear Him.” When Moses and Elias had gone back to heaven and Jesus stood there alone with those four men. That made such an impression on Peter in his second letter to the friends he mentioned that we saw Him transfigured before us and we heard His voice from Heaven and it just removed all doubt. The voice from Heaven just said, “This is My beloved Son.” I do not think they had any intention of not listening to Jesus as they knew what He said was true and right, He was not selfish He was living for others. There was every reason to trust what He said and this experience was one the Lord’s men never forgot. Probably you have had experiences in the way of God and have left you know without a shadow of a doubt that this is the Way and Will of God.

There was a man who came to our convention and he had never been to Convention before. He was raised Catholic but I do not think he attended church much and he married a girl that was married in the Truth. After her family spoke with her after some years she felt she must get back to the meetings and do something for herself. She came back to the meetings and professed. He is not against her very much the other way. He is anxious she gets to meetings and she takes her little family with her. He brought her to convention and that was one place he could maybe help her a little bit. He was in some of the meetings and missed some but he wanted to have a visit and in this visit he made this statement, “These people all seem so content and happy.” They were not laughing all the time and carrying on, but he could just see that they were content. That is something people observe when people look at your life. You’re content, happy, and satisfied.

There were a lot of experiences that Peter had with the Master and you remember the time they gathered for the last supper. They were going to eat the lamb together and Jesus made a statement that one was going to betray Him and did they all say Judas? No, not at all and they all looked inside their own hearts. And they asked the Master, “Is it I?” They understood if my human nature gets out of control I could do this. It is possible I could do this. Then it says eventually they all asked, “Is it I?” Poor Judas was kind of in a corner. Was he going to say it or not going to say? It will look bad and if he does say it. It will be revealed what was really in his heart. Anyway eventually he said to Jesus, “Is it I?” and Jesus simply said “Thou sayest.” It did not seem to dawn on the rest of the Apostles that it was really Judas that was going to really do it. Then Jesus encouraged Judas to do what he had planned to do. They went out to the garden and that was when Jesus revealed to Peter that he was going to deny Him. That was something Peter could hardly take in. He could not believe that he was going to deny the Master, the One he loved, the One he said, “Even though all may forsake Thee, I never will forsake You,” and he meant that with his whole heart. He really did mean that and he said, “Even if I do death with Thee, I will not deny You.” And Jesus had to tell him, “Peter, tonight before the cock crows, you will deny Me three times.” It was a terrible day, a terrible day for Peter. The Lord Jesus had told him, “I have prayed for you that your faith would not fail.” Satan has desired to have you and sift you as wheat but I have prayed for you, but your faith would not fail. Let us not forget that today Satan is desiring to do the same thing to God’s people, take them and sift them as wheat. To destroy the wheat, the very best thing we have in our hearts. He wants to sift that out and destroy it and we do not want our faith to fail. Peter that day could hardly believe that day the word of the Master was true. Today before the sun sets, I am going to deny my Master and we see that is exactly what happened. You remember what had happened when they had taken Jesus and they had bound Him, and mocked Him, slapped Him, spat on Him and then took Him to the high Priest and Peter followed. In the court, they had made a fire. It was cold and Peter was there with the rest warming himself and the little maid who had invited him in said, “You are one of His disciplines aren’t you?” He said, “No.” Then a cousin of Malchus, the servant of the High Priest, whose right ear was taken off in the garden by Peter’s sword and he really intended to fight to the death they are not going to take the Master. He drew his sword and took the right ear off Malchus. And you remember what Jesus did, don’t you? “Peter, put up your sword this is not the way it is done.” He healed the man’s ear and no one would have ever known that Peter had cut the ear from the side of his head. No, it was completely healed. Now a cousin of his said as they were warming themselves, “You are one of His disciples aren’t you? Didn’t I see you in the garden?” Peter again said, “No.” This fellow would have got a real close look at Peter and knew, “Yes, I did see you in the garden and you had a sword and you fought well.” And eventually the cock crew after the third time. Jesus turned and looked at Peter. Could you imagine how he felt? I cannot really imagine how he felt, but he knew he had denied knowing the Master three times and the cock crew and he wept bitterly. He was so sorry for that but eventually that was all forgiven.

I like the commission Jesus gave to this strong discipline and He asked Peter, “Do you love me?” This was after He was raised from the dead. He was the one who ran to the tomb. John looked in but Peter went in. He saw the grave clothes and they were folded in such a way and what was around His head sat by itself and yes, he was satisfied with what Mary had told him. Yes, Jesus has risen from the dead. Why did it tell us, he saw the napkin and lay by itself and I really think Jesus did that? They knew Jesus and He lived amongst them and they knew Him how He lived and they knew what he would do. We have a brother on our staff and we do not even need to know he is in the area, if we went into the bedroom where he is, everything is just so neat you know that is him. Yes he is here somewhere. I get the feeling that was the way it was with Jesus and Peter saw it yes that is just how Jesus would do it. Then they went fishing and I do not know why they went fishing and I do not want to guess. But they went fishing and Jesus appeared to them. He asked them if they had anything and no they did not but He had meat for them. Then He said to Peter, “Do you love me more than these?” He was not talking about the fish. Of course he loved the Master more than the fish but He was talking about the fish. Peter had said, “If everyone forsake You, I will never forsake you. I love you more than anyone else I know.” “Peter, do you love Me more than these are you going to stand by your word? Do you really mean what you said?” “Yes I love you.” And He said it again, “Do you love me?” “Yes. You know I love You.” “Feed My Lambs and feed My Sheep. Peter do you love Me?” “Yes, Master, You know I love You.” “Feed My Sheep.” He was just telling Peter, “You just keep true right where you are right where you’re placed. You feed the Lambs and feed the Sheep and be true where you are.” Have you ever seen a sheep and they come to the fence and they reach as far as they can to get some green grass while they are standing in green grass? Feed My Lambs and feed My Sheep, just be true where you are asked. And God has placed us where we are and we want to be true in our place. And if you read those two letters Peter wrote, you will understand this is what he taught and this is what he fed the people and nourished them and he told them about Jesus. I have enjoyed all we have heard about Jesus. It is good fodder and good to feed on and we want to be true in our place as well.

Like to read some verses from Numbers 10, “And the Lord spoke unto Moses saying, ‘[2] Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. [3] And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. [4] And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. [5]When ye blow an alarm the first time, then lie on the east parts shall go forward. [6]When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey; they shall blow an alarm for their journey. [7] But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.’” Moses was asked to make these two trumpets so he could send a message to the camps in Israel so everyone would be able to understand what was going to happen. These two trumpets could be used as an example of two true messages that gives a message that is in harmony. I am sure when they would make two trumpets, they would also see if they were in harmony. It would not be a live song if they were out of harmony.

In so many things, God has ordained that there should be two witnesses to things and that those witnesses should be in harmony. If there is a disharmony, that message is not true. We are thankful for that clear sound that we can hear from the trumpet of God that we can so clearly understand. When the trumpet is clean on the inside, it will be a clear sound. That is one thing we can be concerned about our own lives so we can have a clear message from God and that we should be clean inside.

There was a time that Paul could not find his companion, we read about that in II Corinthians 2 that he did not find his companion and he had a good opening for a mission. He could not have the mission because he could not find his companion. We read in the twelfth chapter, “Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit because I could not find Titus my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.” He had an opening for a mission but he wanted two witnesses. We are glad that God has ordained it so and Jesus had established it so that He sent His message out with two messages and that their message can be in harmony. In this situation when Paul did not find his brother and he just gave up bringing that message right then. Maybe he could come back later and have his companion with him and they could bring a convincing message.

We read different ways they could sound these trumpets so the camp of Israel could have a clear message. We read in Numbers 10, “And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” Then it also says, “But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.” We are glad that is what has called us together here, it is the mild voice of God, that has called us to come together to hear the message God has for us that will be a help for us in coming days. There was a time when it was needed to go alone in verses 5, “When ye blow an alarm the first time, then lie on the east parts shall go forward.” 9, “And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets, and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God and ye shall be saved from your enemies.” That was the need to blow the alarm. When Israel was traveling through the desert, they had a cruel enemy who had the habit of coming in from behind and attacking those who were dragging behind and not following closely to the others and they were often taken by the enemy. A really good reason to blow an alarm is it tells everyone it is time to follow on and closely, time to go on and follow the presence of God. Once the clouds were over the camp of Israel proved to them that God’s presence was with them. When that cloud lifted up, they would sound this alarm so that they could get on their journey and if there was enemies they could take care of them. They had to go on when the alarm was sounded so the presence of God with them.

We read in read in Ezekiel 33 about the watchman. He was the one who should blow the trumpet when there was a danger came into the city. We read a very serious message here for the watchman, the responsibility he has, if the watchman blows the trumpet and warns the people. Maybe there would be some who would not hear the message and that would be their own responsibility. If the watchman saw the enemy and did not blow the trumpet, it was then the watchman’s responsibility. And if there was any that lost their lives because of that is was the watchman’s responsibility. So the watchman really had great responsibility. And that is why you have some warning messages from this platform and it is our responsibility and we should be aware to listen to those messages and do what the Lord tells us to do.

When we think of getting two trumpets in tune in true harmony we know that is very important. We are so glad when we can hear the many messages and testimonies that we hear in this tent and that all these things are in harmony. Like us playing together and each one has a song to play, their experiences to tell about and there is a wonderful harmony in it. We are so thankful for that harmony in God’s family that stretches all over the world. When we have traveled long distance to all over the world and meet God’s people we find the same harmony and the same joy.

It says in Hebrews 5 that we should have senses exercised to discern both good and evil. It is very important for God’s people to be able to discern both good and evil. Part of that is to be able discern when there is harmony and disharmony. I do not know if there is a theory when there is a harmony or a disharmony. It is something people have a feel for. May be we have a feel for harmony when we hear the messages and the blend together in harmony and we have a sense for it. We are thankful we can hear that harmony from heaven that is so convincing of all of us.

There were two of our brothers that were preaching the gospel in Russia some years ago. Their teacher started coming and listened to their message and one of the brothers felt quiet embarrassed speaking to their teacher with the minimum of Russian that they had. One day, he said to his teacher, “It must be difficult for you to listen to all these strange sounds.” She said, “I do not hear strange sounds. I hear the voice of God.” That was very nice and that is what she heard. If we just hear the voice of God and His message, it does not matter if it is a little bit different.

There is a lot of harmony in the gospel that Jesus taught. I often think of two tones are in the gospel and there are some very serious things we could point out. There are some very inspiring and encouraging things we could point out. These two go together and blend in to a wonderful harmony. There are many inspiring things we can read in Matthew 5 – 7. When Jesus spoke about the kingdom of Heaven and about all the blessed – Blessed are the meek, blessed are the peacemakers and so on – it is very inspiring. We could be one of them if we could receive that message of peace. We have an invitation that Jesus gave in Matthew 7, “Come unto Me all that are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” A wonderful message. There are so many things that encourage us to just follow God’s will and listen to the message of Jesus and do what He tells us. Then there are other things that are a warning for us, what we read for example in Matthew 7, “Not all that sayeth unto Me, ‘Lord, Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but ye that do the will of My Father which is in Heaven.’” There are many verses that tell us and warn us that if we do certain things we will be outside the kingdom of God. It is sad to see that there are many people that are in this world that will not react to the positive things in the Gospel or to the more serious warnings in the Gospel. Jesus said at one time in Matthew 11:16-17, “But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows and saying, ‘We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you and ye have not lamented.’” No sign of reaction from those people, no matter what side of the Gospel Jesus pointed out to them. We are glad we are here because we have had a reaction to the Gospel. We want to follow the teachings of the Gospel and we want to be part of that message.

Jesus spoke to the Pharisees about their thoughts about law and mercy. He said to them in Matthew 23:23, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin and omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” Judgement, mercy, and faith are all part of the gospel. They all should blend together in a correct harmony. We would like to learn to have the right measure of mercy and the law. God has a law for us to follow, the law of love, the law of following the teaching of Jesus. We would like to balance these things in the right way so that we can have the blessings of God.

Sometimes, we read they just blow with one trumpet in the fourth verse, “And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.” When one trumpet was sounded, some would know that message is for us and they would come and get that message. That is something we hear very much at a convention, a message we could hear for our guidance so that we would know what we should do to be in the will of God. We read in Acts 13, “As gathered together and it says they ministered to the Lord and fasted. The Holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” In that meeting, there were some that heard the special message for them and they accepted it and they followed the guidance of that message. We can be gathered here with many questions in our heart about our future and what we should choose, where we should go, what direction we should take and many things we can have questions about and we are glad the spirit of God can tell us what to do that would bring us in to the limits of the will of God. We should always like to have His guidance in our life.

I thought about different things we read about in I Corinthians 12 speaks about harmony, “In the body and in the Church and the right balance in things is so important.” In the first chapter, Paul speaks about the body and the balance in the body and we must say, it is a wonderful balance in our body. There are many things going on in our body that we do not know much about. Doctors try and understand more and more, it just works because the balance is right. I Corinthians 12:22, “Nay much more those members of the body which seem to be more feeble, are necessary.” I am often glad for that verse about the feeble members, they are so necessary. We feel that very much when something is wrong in our body, and we go to the doctor and we want to find out what causes this problem, and may be he will tell us something about our body we have not even heard about before. May be a little member is not working any more like it should and we need to do something about it. We are glad it is also the same in the church, there are members that are feeble but they are just as necessary as the others. Some feeble people may think my testimony will not mean much to the others, but they are just as important as the others. There is a wonderful unity in the church when everyone has a part. We always feel there is something lacking if all do not take part in the Sunday morning meeting. We are just so happy when everyone has a message and it blends in together and is in harmony with everything.

In chapter 11:21, Paul said about the way they came together to the Lord’s supper, “For in eating, everyone taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry and another is drunken.” And he criticized them for that. I see that as some would take what they enjoyed the most and leave the other thing a side. That can be so when we listen to the message of God that there would be things we enjoy hearing and there would be other things are not so appealing to us and may not be appealing to our human nature. We could have a tendency to leave that a side and it is something that is important for the harmony.

We also read that in the church we should get rid of the old leaven. That is mentioned in chapter 5:7-8, “Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” That would make for a wonderful harmony we would enjoy together. We are so thankful we are freed from the old leaven and it is seldom we hear anything from the old leaven in the meetings, and things that do not blend together. It can be felt by everyone if things are said that do not blend together. There was a convention held in Europe one time, there was a stranger that came in and he wanted to give his testimony. He stood up and spoke with a loud voice and he had a long message and there was a little boy laying on the chair that was not listening, playing with his toys and he heard the sound of that man and he sat up and said to his parents that he was not one of our friends. He could feel the disharmony in his message. We are thankful that we can feel by the spirit, when there is not harmony in the meeting and with others. Some times it is very hard to tell a stranger that they are not in harmony with the others and you can kind of feel it. We are very grateful that God has given us the ability that we can tell when there is a harmony and when there is no harmony.

In I Corinthians 14:40, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” That is sort of the key words for our meetings in the home, and meetings like this that all things be done decently and in order. We are thankful we can experience that things are done decently and in order. We know that demands something of each one that comes to the meeting and it demands a lot of the people who own the home we meet in. That all is done decently and in order and there would be nothing that would disturb the peace and harmony in the meeting.

In chapter 13, we have heard about it all ready about all the wonderful gifts we could have but if there is no charity, it is worth nothing. It is really the love of God that is so important that will make everything work the right way. I may like to tell you about a lady in Denmark who was found several years ago and her name was Christiana. She was seeking all her life to find the faith she read about in the Bible. She went to the Lutheran church all her life, it is not very common for them to read the Bible, and they give out magazines and read them. Those that want more from the church go to a mission home and find help and more reading there. Christiana was one who always went to these places and she was reading a lot in her Bible and she was taken up with Matthew 10. She read how Jesus sent out His apostles and she wondered if she would ever meet any one that was going out like that she read about. Sometimes when she would listen to a really good preacher, she would think that man has more understanding than the others. So after the meeting, she went up to this man and asked him if there was any that would bring the Gospel the same simple way as she read about in Matthew 10. He said to her that it was only for that century and that will never happen again and never now. That is what Christiana heard but she did not believe that. She continued to read and ask and another good preacher spoke and she asked him and got the same answers. After some time, two brothers came to that town and rented a room. Christiana had a lady who came in and cleaned her house as she had a huge operation and she could not do it herself. But after some time, she was able to be a little stronger and she still kept the house cleaner. This lady had two spare rooms she rented out and these two brother workers came and asked if they could rent the room and she accepted them in. She asked them what they were doing. They said they were bringing the gospel the same way you read about in the New Testament. She went straight over to Christiana and told her about these two men who were preaching the gospel just like Jesus did. So they sat down together and read Matthew 10 and she said, “Does this sound like the way these two are going out and preaching?” She said, “I can not say but it sounds like it.” There was a lot of interest in the mission and those two ladies made their choice and continued on for many years and both have gone in to eternity now. We enjoyed the fellowship of Christiana and the message she received that she had been looking for so long.

What we say and what we do must always be in harmony. It is important to remember this in all our ways in life, what we say is corresponding with what we do. Reading in I Corinthians 12:3, “Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” And that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, we wonder how that can be understood, but there is a little story in Judges 12 that helps me understand that. I feel God can hear something when we really mean it. In Judges 12, we read of some that were put to the language test and see if what they said they meant. If I told you that I grew up in Queensland that none of you would believe me, because of the way I speak English. In this case, there was a war. The Gileadities called for help and it was refused. So the Gileadities fought the Ephraimites and won the battle. There were some that escaped and they were fugitives, and they tried to escape over the brook. But to prove they were not a Ephraimite they had to say, “Sibboleth.” If they could not pronounce it correctly, they were slain, and there was 42,000 slain. They were slain just because they could not say the word in the right way, and that told them that they were Ephraimites. I think we can say the same with saying that Jesus is the Lord. I think that there would be disharmony or an accent in the message if Jesus is not our Lord. There would be a lot of people that would try and tell God that Jesus is the Lord but not really believe and it is not true and God will soon find that out.

I Corinthians 14:4, “He that speakest in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.” We are glad when we can come together and edify the church. Verse 19, “Yet in the church, I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice, I might teach others also, that ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.” We are thankful for those that can come to the church and have a message from God. That is what it means to prophesy to be able to speak of God’s way, God’s will, and what God has spoken to us. We are so thankful that we can all help each other to bring such a message.

What the Bible says and what we do should also be in harmony. We would like to be searching ourselves in everything we do so that we would be in harmony with the Bible and the will of God. We read in II Kings 22 of a very young king that did what was right in the sight of God. Josiah was only eight years old when he started to reign and he reigned many years. One would understand that in the early days, there would be some older ones that would have guided him in the early days. We can read in the book of Chronicles that when he was sixteen, he started to seek the presence of God. When he was twenty-six years old, he decided to start and clean the temple, the inside of the temple had been neglected for many years, the temple was falling a part and there was a lot of uncleanness that had come into the temple. They decided to clean it out and establish the sacrifices before God again. He got good people to help him and they started to clean out the house of God. And Hilkiah found the book of the law and took it to Shaphan and he read it to the king. That was God’s book that gave them instructions on how they could serve God. There were not many copies of that book and so they took care of that book and did not neglect it. We are glad the Bible has been so well kept over the centuries and there are a lot of copies of the Bible and we can say, “It will never disappear.” There are a lot of people that can read that book and not be very concerned about doing what is mentioned in this book. Sometimes we are drawn to the attention that there are many things in this book that we have not done. It is time that we do more that is written in this book so we can have the blessings of God. This king, he received the message of God, because he was willing to reestablish the service in the temple according the book of God.

In I Corinthians 14:26, “How is it then, brethren? When ye come together, every one of you hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” It is good when we realise we all have a responsibility to make these things happen. This message would make us understand there should be harmony in the church. It is sad when you come into a church and you fear to come and talk with the people that are there. It is good when we can go in to a church without fear and feel the harmony and enjoy the fellowship there. It is good when young workers can come to the church, and visit homes among the children of God and do it without fear and knowing they would not bring them in to something they should not have been bought into. We are glad when we can see that harmony in a church and in a home.

I had a companion once that was trying to learn to play the flute. He played it a lot and went and got some lessons with a teacher. He played a lot and was not learning very much and he was very annoying to me. I would go and play the piano and he would come and play the flute and really only make some bad noises. It was testing my spirit. But he was very constant and he played for many hours. I was going to tell him that he would never be able to play it well. But he would not give up and after many, many hours, he mastered it. We could sit at the piano and play nice tunes together. It shows us that constancy is a very good point. Just do not give up. Some times we could feel we could do better and more to help the harmony in the church, but just do not give up, as every one is needed in the church to help the fellowship. Just never give up and remember we all have a wonderful place to fill in God’s Family.
 

THE KEEPERS OF THE LIGHT

The keepers of the light, who day by day

Wipe clean the lamp, that it will clear display

Trim back the wick, so that it will burn bright

Then add the oil, enough to burn all night.

‘Tis not their lot to turn the helms of ships

Nor change the tide, or stop the wind that whips

Their portion is that precious light to tend

And o’er and o’er a constant message send.

The Keepers of the Light, at eventide,

Kindle the flame, which shall in darkness guide

The Mariners who ply the treach’rous sea

Oft peering in the dark, so anxiously.

That steady beam which says the ‘Someone cares,’

Makes even hardened seamen offer prayers,

That still upon the earth are such as these,

Concerned to help them safely cross the seas.

The Keepers of the Light in midnight dress,

They know not who is watching, far or near;

Nor can they see some weary seaman weep

When lost at sea, A glimpse! A bearing reap!

These faithful souls, whose vigil in the night

Steadfast to send a beacon of strong light;

It matters not how fierce the storm and gale,

They purpose true… ‘THE LIGHT MUST NEVER FAIL’!

James 1:2, John 8:12, Matthew 5:16

Light is something that is hard to describe and difficult to define. This afternoon, for the sake of illustration, we would like to share about light-houses and also about the keepers of the light and try to draw some parallels. Also the keepers of the light and their responsibilities and privileges. There are some wonderful privileges, but also some responsibilities.

Before I was in this ministry, there was a period of time I worked on ships on the West Coast of USA and Canada and Alaska as we serviced their towns and villages along the coast with supplies. With voyages up and down the coast, there were a number of light-houses. Those light-houses came to be to us as dear friends, as faithful friends. We knew their names, where they were, and as we would travel along and especially at night, we would, in anticipation, be looking for where the light-houses would appear and it was reassuring and a joy and comfort in and we would pass on by and see it no more. Our anticipation would be traveling to the next light-house and in anticipation be up watching to see it. It wasn’t so often that we saw the keepers of the lights. It wasn’t so necessary that we saw keepers, it was necessary that we saw the light. Those light-house keepers, they were friendly folk and sometimes in the daytime they would be out and they would wave and maybe they were lonely in their setting and there was some comradeship and we would wave back, and there was something nice about it.

Sometimes light-houses were painted with scenes of the day but the greatest work was done in the dark and stormy nights. I appreciated what Paul wrote valuing the light of the life of Christ. Paul had the same feeling that the light was seen. Philemon 1:20-21, “Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” 1 Timothy 1:19, “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.”

Having worked in the sea, I have some close friends that we had some good times with that experienced shipwreck. Some of them were rescued and some were not and they went down and drowned in the depths of the ocean and their bodies were not to be recovered. And also spiritually we have some very good friends that were close and we enjoyed experiences and fellowship with and it seems that they have experienced shipwreck. Some of them have been rescued. Some of them have not. So it is a very serious subject to me and we know as time and life goes on that there still will be some shipwrecks. Some will be drowned and some will be rescued.

So very serious. We know even with the light-houses there are shipwrecks, but we also know that without them there would have been countless more. Even with the lights of the Lord’s servants and people there are some shipwrecks spiritually, but we do know that without them there would be countless more. Light-houses give out the silent message, “someone cares.” Someone cares that you have a prosperous voyage. Someone cares that you have a safe arrival at your destination. Someone cares. There have been hardened coarse seamen that have been looking in the darkness for the light and direction around a reef, and they have seen a little glimpse of the flickering light and those seasoned coarse seamen have been known to have a tear that someone cares enough to keep a light burning.

There is an inscription on one light-house which says “to give light is to save life.” In the kingdom, we could say to give light is to save souls. The life of a soul far exceeds that which is human. A motto of USA light-house keepers is “the light must never fail.” No matter how dark the night, or the severity and length of the storm, the light must never fail.

The characteristics of the light-houses are the same in all parts of the world. South Africa as in the USA, Arctic as in NZ, and Europe as in Asia. Those light-houses are the same. They would give the same message to a vessel as a rowboat, to a fishing boat with one man in it as to an ocean liner with many people in it. They are impartial in their message, and they do not change at all when others are going by. They must be built with a strong foundation.

They are often placed where there are the strongest winds and they have to be placed where there are roaring winds and tides. There is a picture on the wall in the house there of tremendous waves coming into the side of the light-house and the power, but with a good foundation it is okay to withstand that wave and to withstand three, or four, or five. It is important that the light-house has a strong foundation so that it can withstand not one storm, but many storms. But what about thousands of these waves for years and perhaps centuries?

There must be that good foundation, and God’s people need a good foundation and there must be that solid foundation and down to the rock (Christ) because of the waves that may come and sometimes where God’s servants are, they are subjected to the changing tides. A lighthouse does not shine because someone is watching it, but because someone may be watching it. We do not know who is watching our lives and so we want to keep faithful and constant.

Some of our friends had lived in an area for quite a while and they had some near neighbours for some years and eventually those neighbours came and asked them what they believed and went to some Gospel meetings and professed. Those people said, “We saw your life for many years, but we did not value it until we were in a dark and stormy experience of our own.” Sometimes life is a dark, stormy experience, and that is when people value those who are constant and those who are true and those who are faithful in their place.

There are identifying characteristics for each light. When you are out at sea and I see the light-house, I see the flash, and using your watch, you can time it. If you do not know which one it is, our Government has a publication or a map giving all the identifying cadences of every light. Some light-houses flash three times a minute. Some may be six times a minute, and some might have an alternate flash with a colour and there are some special characteristics. We like to think of the scriptures and the authority of the scriptures, and it is like the final publication of Heaven.

There are some identifying characteristics to the New Testament Ministry. A few years ago we were visiting with a man and he knew the scriptures quite well and he brought up Matthew 10. And then he said, “Now I can begin to understand that Chapter. I have never seen anything I could relate to that Chapter to regarding the Ministry, but now I can begin to understand that chapter and the identifying characteristics concerning this ministry of selling all and going forth in faith, two together.” We have the authority of Heaven regarding that.

That is how it should be, and then going on as far as the elders and their wives, we can have some identifying characteristics – Matthew 10, Mark 10, Romans 10, 1 Timothy 3 and Titus, 1 Philemon and also 20 Acts. In an elders meeting, Paul had there for the elders from Ephesus. Vigilant, sober, good behaviour, given to hospitality, some of the identifying characteristics of different elders and their wives. And each and every disciple we can read of different characteristics. Have to do with serving and love, and forgiveness.

Identifying characteristics of the Child of God. It is possible to have a chart and be completely lost. It is possible to have a Bible and be completely lost. Wonderful feeling and experience when you are at sea and what you see begins to line up with the chart – a wonderful feeling and experience when what we see and we know in the Lord’s servants and people lines up with the scriptures and the joy in that.

If you have had a tour of a light-house, there will be a date that is mentioned on a plaque or something and it is the date when that light-house was lit for the first time and the light-house was commissioned. There is a lot of planning in the building and what happened afterwards. But there was a significant day when the lamp was lit and the light was commissioned. There was a lot planned as far as our testimony went and a lot happened and there is a day that you ask is a special day, a daylight day. September 9, 1966 and to me that day with trembling knees I stood to my feet and I am grateful for what God entrusted to me at that time.

I was thinking of a light-house we went to visit. The main keeper there, there was just something about him that was appealing because that light was his life. He would take us up to the light and describe things about the prism and reflectors and that light was his life and then he would show us different other things regarding the buildings and grounds but everything about the grounds and buildings and light so influenced everything, and it was his life. Wonderful when we, as the keeper of the light, there is just something associated with the light and everything is done with decency and order. This means more to us than our life.

Thinking a little bit about marks of the keepers of the light. First of all, we mentioned a wonderful keeper of the light. John the Baptist was not the theme, but the message to bring Jesus Christ the Lord of Life was the theme of his message. He must increase and I must decrease. John was not so anxious that he was seen, but Jesus the Light of man. John said, “I am the voice crying in the wilderness.” There was a testimony of other people about Jesus in John 10. The people said of John that all things that John spoke of this man was true. That was a tremendous testimony. Things that John spoke of Jesus were true. That is a testimony we might have as the Lord’s children and maybe the Lord’s people do too. Wonderful if we could come into the community and if we lived everything like Jesus and everything we say about Jesus is true. It gets better what Jesus said about John 5:35. Jesus said about John: he was a burning and shining light. John was not a dim and flickering flame. He had angered Herod and Herodias, but the fact that they had him put to death didn’t alter their own adulterous union.

A light must never fail. There was a keeper in one place before electricity, and the lights needed daily attention and they blew out in a tremendous storm. The waves beat and the rain tumbled down in torrents and the keeper looked out from his quarters where he could see the light and it was out and the rain was coming down in torrents and he said to himself, “Whoever would be so foolish to be out at sea in a storm like this?” And he waited a little bit for the storm to subside and attend to the light and he rolled over and he was warm and comfortable.

A few hours passed, day was breaking and he hastened up to attend to the light so it would be lit again and he looked down and there was a fishing boat capsized on the reef and he knew the reason why and he went on down to see what had transpired and to see if he could help. As he got closer, there was a body that had drifted up to the shore and he rolled the body over and looked down on the face of his son. On the night the son needed his father’s light more than ever before and he was trusting on it and, when he needed it in all desperation, his father failed him. The father could get the light going again. Parents do not fail your children in the changing seas. Do not let the lights go out as you get older and things could be more difficult. Your children are trusting and relying on the stormy experiences in life. By the grace of God let Him get it going again, but what about the future for you and experiences and for others? The keeping of the light was a daily thing.

I was enjoying thinking in the tabernacle it was a daily service. One of the tactics of pirates when they worked the high seas was that they would go and overpower the lighthouse keeper, put out the light, and just wait. A boat would come along and just wait for the shipwreck and they would plunder them. Satan knows that he could put out the light. He could wreak havoc on others, also.

I was appreciating the candlestick in Leviticus 24:2, “Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually.” Exodus 27:20, “And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.” That was a part of the daily service. We know that regarding the tabernacle and temple there were things regarding the weekly and daily and annual sacrifice. In our service to God, there are things weekly, daily, and annually. We like to be faithful in each and every one of them.

This matter of the light had to do with the daily service. This matter of keeping the light lit is part of our daily service. It says olive oil. I appreciated that. Some have mentioned that olive oil is something that doesn’t smoke. I cannot be certain about that. When we were in areas that didn’t have electric light in different parts of the far North, we would use lanterns that is what I am more familiar with, gas and kerosene. It was a daily thing.

It wasn’t too long before I realized it is not just enough to add the oil – it began to smoke and smoked more and more. You have to trim the wick. Sometimes it would smoke and smoke more and cause your eyes to water and it was hindering our vision. It would need to have the wick trimming back – the wick of self. If we do not trim back the wick of self, it will smoke more and more. We can be hindering others and obscuring their vision. We must do it, trim back the wick of self.

Another story:

In Hawaii, there were some drums of oil and they were still using oil and somehow the drum caught fire and it was close to the other drums of oil and not too far from the building. The keeper of the light, he knew if it contacted the other barrels they would all go on fire and he knocked the barrel down and he pushed it over the bluff and it went on down and ended in the ocean and the flames went out. And in the process the other barrels of oil and the light house had been saved and the light did not fail. He was quite badly burned. There are some fires that are like that, they can put out the light. There is vital fire and fatal fire.

2 Timothy 4:10, “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica.” He seemed at one time to have been a faithful brother. Some fatal fire overtook the vital fire and he loved this present world. The love of the world is a fatal fire.

2 Timothy 3:2-5, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” The love of self is a fatal fire. Love of pleasure is a fatal fire. If the love of pleasure increases and is uncontrolled, it will destroy the fire of the light and life of Christ.

2 Timothy 3:6, “For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.” The love of money is a fatal fire.

What kind of a light keeper are we? Let us come back to Hawaii. On the large Island, there is a volcano island and the volcano goes off from time to time and the red lava coming down the side of the mountain and getting closer and closer to the ocean and it was on track to bury the Capello lighthouse. But for that light-house keeper, that light was his life. They realized the lava was coming and he refused to be lifted off by helicopter or to go by boat.

They said, “If you do not get off the Island, your escape route will be gone.” The lava kept coming closer and closer to the light-house and they said they would understand if he changed his mind and he listened to them, and considered the consequences, but the light was his life and he was going to attend to it until the end and that was his decision. Philemon 1:20, “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.”

That molten volcano poured lava on both sides of the light-house, but the lighthouse keeper knew that some would be wondering, and depending on that light. Amazingly it went around both sides and it was not destroyed. He valued the light more than his life. What means more to you? Is it human life or divine light and love of Christ? All that is of Christ will mean more to us than the human life. “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” The light must never fail.

I have made a study recently of becoming better acquainted with the Lamb of God. This is where my thoughts are today, and I would like to speak a little more about the Lamb of God to you.

In Genesis 22, we read that Abraham was asked to go to a certain place. Verse 2, “And He said, ‘Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.’” God chose that place for Abraham — it was a God-chosen place, and Abraham made every effort to go, for it provided him with what he needed. But more wonderful than that is the fact that Abraham chose to be there. When God chooses a place for us, it is very important that we are there. It was the Lamb that opened up to us a sinless, substitute way. It was a lamb that took Isaac’s place, a picture of the Lamb of God who took our place. It also says that God stayed the hand of Abraham and he saw a ram caught in the thicket which he offered to God in sacrifice. It was the Lamb of God that opened up to us a sinless way and made it possible for us to enter into His sanctuary. Isaac is a picture of Jesus; the Lamb is a picture of the sinless offering that took our place. We read of the cost, the terrible cost that Jesus paid.

In Matthew 26:35, “Peter said unto Him, ‘Though I should die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee.’ Likewise also said all the disciples.” God chose that place for Jesus and Jesus chose to be there. It was costly for Him. When Jesus went into the Garden of Gethsemane, He went with two wills but left one behind. Gethsemane means “an oil press.” He was willing to be crushed and trampled in the winepress. Matthew 27:33, “And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, they gave Him vinegar to drink…and He would not drink.” It is said that Jesus’ will was crushed in the winepress. God chose that place for Him to be, the place of the skull that had no flesh on it. Jesus totally denied Himself, and it cost Him dearly. He showed His Father that He denied Himself fully. Our hymn says, “Alone, He trod the winepress” but really, that is not correct. It is correct to say that He was trodden in the winepress, that His will was crushed. When Jesus returns, He will tread the winepress. Revelation 19 speaks of the millennium era when the white horse comes, another picture of Jesus. This is when Jesus will tread the winepress of God’s wrath. When on earth Jesus rode a donkey (humility), but when He comes again, He will ride a white horse (a conquering king.)

Matthew 27:33 speaks that when Jesus was on the cross, He was offered vinegar to drink but He refused it, because it was a sedative. He wanted to give His full sacrifice. He chose His whole flesh to be there.

I have recently made a little study of the four characteristics of the Lamb in John 1 and maybe you would like to make a study of them, too:

1) The sacrificial lamb (John 1:29) – “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’”

2) The example lamb (John 1:35-36) – “Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, ‘Behold the Lamb of God!’”

3) The scriptural lamb (John 1:45) – “Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, ‘We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’”

4) The ruling lamb (John 1:49) – Nathanael answered and saith unto Him, “Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel.” If we are not willing for simple faith now, God will remove the Spirit of Truth from us.

There is a picture in Zechariah 4 that I love, which speaks of the restoration of Jerusalem, the unchanging plumb line of truth, the pure, unchanging Truth of Jesus. We can’t have the sacrificial Lamb, the example Lamb or the scriptural Lamb without first having the ruling or indwelling “Lamb” in our lives.

Galatians 2:20 gives us the true definition of Christianity: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me”. This is the indwelling Lamb. If we are not willing for simple faith now, God will remove the Spirit of Truth from us.

Revelation 1:10 is the whole language of the Spirit of God, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last,’” the A to the Z in the alphabet. This was the whole theme that runs through the Lamb. It also speaks of the golden oil of the spirit. When these two are put together, they become a wonderful combination. We will never possess one without the other. John was in prison on the Isle of Patmos on the Lord’s day and couldn’t be in fellowship with His people that day but it was comforting for him to know that the Lamb was in the midst of those little churches. We as God’s servants cannot be everywhere on the Lord’s day but it brings us great comfort to know that the Lord is amongst you in your little meetings. We also know that the Lamb of God is here today because we can feel Him.

It is the Lord’s day, a day to be close to the Lamb. It is not the Sabbath day. I think we understand the difference between the Sabbath day of the Old Testament and the Lord’s day of the New. The Sabbath day was fulfilled under the Old Covenant and simply means a perpetual, eternal Sabbath that we have entered into. Neither is the Lord’s day an odd job day or a shopping day or a play day. There are so many useful ways we can keep His day, by visiting and encouraging His people. It’s called practical Christianity. One little boy prayed in a Sunday morning meeting, “Lord help me to stop fooling around!” (Jack also told the story of a little girl at convention who wanted to be useful. She was told she was too little for a job in the kitchen so she went to see the old ladies in their sleeping quarters – I think you call it Sunset Lodge in Alberta – and she encouraged them.)

Revelation 4 speaks of the hand of God in creation. We read the words “come up,” and this can be reassuring to us that our God still sits on the throne. Revelation 5 speaks of the heart of God in redemption. Verse 1 speaks of the book held in the hand of God; verse 2 an angel proclaiming, “Who is worthy to open the book…?” Why couldn’t God open the book? He couldn’t open it because His plan was that the Lamb would open the book. He was the One who was to die and suffer for us, and God did not go back on His plan. The “lion” speaks of the strength of the kingdom; the “root” the stability of the kingdom (the foundation of Truth.) Verse 9, “And they sung a new song, saying, ‘Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.’” This was the song of redemption when they fell down at the feet of the Lamb. If we are not humble enough to fall down at the feet of the Lamb, we will never sing the song of the Lamb (the song of redemption). How do we get this song? By submitting, bowing and being humbled at the feet of the Lamb.

I had the opportunity to travel to Africa once. We went on one of those safaris trips and were camped out that night in lion territory. I wasn’t feeling at all comfortable. Our guide had an elephant rifle with him but I had nothing! When darkness fell, a large male lion let out a terrible roar and I asked the guide, “Why is he roaring?” He told me he was marking out his territory and I sure hoped it wasn’t the compound I was in! I went into a hut with its very flimsy door and knelt down to pray that night, and prayed like I never prayed before. If tonight was to be my last night, I wanted to be ready. What would you find the easiest to bow down to — a lion or a lamb? It says that they fell down before the Lamb and sang the wonderful song of redemption. In Revelation 7, we read of the Lamb in their midst, sitting on the throne, and leading and feeding. It’s vital for us to get to know the Lamb. Do we really know the Lamb?

I’ll just add another little story before I close. A farmer had a pet lamb and we don’t advise people to have pet lambs, but he did. A couple of fellows from the city drove out to his ranch and that lamb was standing away off. Seeing them get out of the truck, it came bounding across the field to greet them, but they were afraid and jumped into their truck for safety. Why would a grown man be afraid of a lamb? It was because they hadn’t become acquainted with the lamb. We read in Revelation 6:16, “And said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.’” Rather than face the Lamb, they wanted the rocks to fall on them because they knew not the lamb. Revelation 7:17, “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” — this is a picture of a saved eternity, a wonderful future for those who know the Lamb and love Him.

Revelation 19:6-9, “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thundering, saying, ‘Alleluia for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.’ And He saith unto me, ‘Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And He saith unto me, ‘These are the true sayings of God.’” These verses speak of the marriage supper of the Lamb, the one bride and the one Bridegroom. It was so from the beginning in Genesis with Adam and Eve and ends the same in the book of Revelation — one bride and one bridegroom. We are living in the day of engagement now, the espousal time, a time of promise or the betrothal time, a pledge to be true.

Jack also told of some of the workers who went to take care of several children while their parents had a little break. Each child was given certain responsibilities: one to sweep, one to wash the dishes, etc. and the sister workers also helped them out. The parents returned earlier than expected from their trip and the children could hardly wait to see them. The sisters said to them, “We better get ready for them to come,” but the children replied, “We are ready.” We want to be ready when the Lord returns.

It is nice to be back here in Calgary where my spiritual roots are. Before special meetings, I had a couple of hours to spare, so I dropped the sister workers off at a mall to go shopping, and they were happy! And I went to Mount Royal College where I had once attended school and studied for radio and television broadcasting, and took a little visit down memory lane that afternoon. First, I went and got a map of the campus but it still didn’t help me find the building where I took my classes. So, I asked a security guard with greying hair because I thought he could direct me. But he said, “See those bricks in the hallway and the tile over there on the floor? Perhaps they are the only thing left, since you went to school here.” Nothing was familiar; everything had changed. I left the campus that day but I didn’t feel disappointed. I just felt glad that my yesterdays are becoming fainter and fainter and less familiar to me. I want Egypt to be like that in my life — just becoming fainter and less familiar to me. However, that’s not what I meant to speak to you about today.

Recently, a little 6-year-old boy asked me to play soccer with him, and we went outside to play together. Then he asked me the question, “How big is God?” “He’s big,” I replied. “Is He bigger than a mountain?” “Yes, He’s bigger than a mountain.” “Is He bigger than an ocean?” “Yes, He’s bigger than an ocean.” “Is He bigger than the earth?” Yes, God is bigger than the earth,” I said. I hardly knew how to answer this little 6-year-old boy, and he never did get an answer. We just went outside and played and kicked the ball around. But this question got me thinking. How big is God? And I think I have the answer. I looked back into my Bible and saw how big God was to others, and I believe the answer is God is as big as you want and allow Him to be.

In Deuteronomy 3:24, Moses says, “O Lord God, Thou hast begun to shew Thy servant Thy greatness, and Thy mighty hand…” Moses was just beginning to serve God for 40 years, and God was just beginning to show him His greatness. Moses was just beginning to know God as a shepherd in the wilderness, and 40 years later, he was just beginning to know God as the children of Israel’s leader in Egypt. He was just beginning to know the greatness of God. In Psalm 145:3, the Psalmist said, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.” In Isaiah 40:12, the prophet said, “Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his Hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?” The prophet felt in awe of the greatness and largeness of God, and he knew God’s greatness was unsearchable. What demonstrates to us God’s size? How can we enlarge Him in our lives? By believing and having more faith and trust in Him. Death has a way of making all things seem small. So how big is God to you? Make Him bigger!

Matthew 6:24, “No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” We are not to judge hearts, but we can be fruit inspectors. We cannot serve God and mammon at the same time. This verse speaks of material goods. Success takes time and effort. How big is God in those that have much prosperity? Arunah in II Samuel 24:16-18 saw a need in the kingdom and was eager to sacrifice his property. When David went to Arunah, he had committed a sin but he was willing to sacrifice for that sin. He went with the intention that he would sacrifice and he wasn’t going to hold back anything from God. Arunah’s God was so big in his life that he was prepared to give David all the property he owned, even to his livelihood. In Job, we read of a very rich man who lost his health, his property and his herds yet said, “I trust God.” When our health is touched it becomes a very delicate issue, but that wasn’t the case with Job. God was the biggest thing in Job’s life.

In Mark 10:17-20, “And when He was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to Him, and asked Him, ‘Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?’ And Jesus said unto him, ‘Why callest thou Me good? There is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments: Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.’ And he answered and said unto Him, ‘Master, all these have I observed from my youth.’” This young man had a wonderful resume but he had cracks in his armour which didn’t make God the biggest thing in his life. He had to choose between God and mammon, and mammon won, as it was his master. Is life bigger than our ambitions? Jonathan had ambitions for the kingdom. He would have been the next reigning king after his father’s reign but he promoted David, God’s choice. God was bigger in that young man’s life than his own ambitions. Don’t ever put anything on the altar that has cost you nothing. Sometimes we have feelings and fears. Is God bigger than our feelings and fears? John the Baptist could have felt very overwhelmed when Jesus asked him to baptize Him, but there was no argument.

Are our personal relationships bigger than God? Two-thirds of everything Jesus taught in the Scripture concerned our relationships. I sometimes wonder how big God is in the lives of those that choose mates outside Truth. It’s not a spiritual choice, but a carnal choice. King Herod had a relationship with his own brother’s wife, whom he married. She was a beautiful woman, but she did not have a beautiful spirit. We also know what happened to Samson when he married the daughter of the Philistines in Judges 14. Before he knew it, one was pulling one way and the other the other way. There was a tug-of-war going on between Samson and his wife. In a tug-of-war, one person eventually slips and the other side takes advantage because that someone has slipped. Samson became weaker and was betrayed by his wife, but in the end, he overcame the relationship. Do we take care of what God has entrusted us with? Don’t let your personal relationships become bigger than God! I feel that the biggest temptation for God’s people is in their relationships, their education, their jobs and their wealth. These things are only to be lived with, not lived for.

Don’t let unforgiveness become bigger than God either. In II Kings 5, we read of an offended woman who didn’t think of her offense but forgave her master. As a result, her master was helped. That woman could have thought “My feelings have been hurt so why should I help him?” But God was bigger in her life than unforgiveness and she wouldn’t allow her feelings to get in the way. She was not a slave to her master, but was a sister to him. It is necessary for us to reach out to others and show them just how big God is in our life. Herod was afraid to look weak in the eyes of others so he gave in to Herodias. He could have told her that John the Baptist’s head is worth more to me than half of my kingdom. One little girl, in a testimony said, “God will always provide a way out if you’re willing.”

Luke 10, “And Jesus answering said, ‘A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead,’” etc. We know this story well. These two religious people passed by, afraid to stop. I wouldn’t suggest that any of you would stop and pick up a hitchhiker but to use your own discretion. That Christian who stopped did so out of compassion because God’s spirit was huge in his life. There is no option with compassion. We have to start somewhere, and Christ is our example. God was the biggest thing in that man’s life. God towered in Jesus’ life for 3½ years, teaching faith, trust, and belief. God can never be too big in our lives. Compassion was not an option with the Good Samaritan. In Jesus’ temptation, God towered above the temptation. He came in the size of faith but first, trust came. Trust God with your yesterdays, your failures, and your happiness.

I remember one time before I professed that I wrote to my grandmother and asked her to send me a Bible. She sent one. One evening, I had some friends over, and they saw the Bible lying on the table. One said to me, “What is that doing here?” and I said “It’s a Bible!” Even the word of God laying there in my room was so small that it raised my friends’ eyebrows. Death is coming, and if God isn’t the biggest thing in our life, all will be an eternal vacuum after life. God can never become too big, so, let’s make Him BIGGER!

My nephew came to stay with me once. He had no religious background, and after seeing me go to meetings every Wednesday and Sunday and reading and praying every day, he said, “You’re an uber-Christian!” (I thought it rhymed with gubber, and I didn’t know what he meant). Then he said, “You’re not just a Christian on Sundays but every day.” Let’s all go out and become uber-Christians this next year.

I would like to go to the first few verses in Revelation 4:1, “After this, I looked and behold a door was opened in heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, ‘Come up hither and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.’ And immediately I was in the spirit and behold, a throne was set in heaven and One sat on the throne.” This was an invitation, and an invitation to John to come up a little higher. I believe this is the purpose of convention; this is in the heart of God, to invite us: an invitation to you and me, personally, an invitation to come up a little higher. Perhaps we feel we have been on a low level before this convention. But I am thankful for this wonderful invitation from heaven that came to my heart and the interest in the heart of God today; and these days is to help us to come up a little higher again so we could see things in the right perspective as we have been hearing, seeing Jesus again – that we could see all that has been prepared since the foundation of this world. There was an older brother Willie Smiley in Scotland, lying on his deathbed, and some of his fellow workers were standing there and some of his last words were, “a little higher.” It’s not just a little higher in these meetings but a little higher in our standards. Perhaps we have been on a lower level but now it’s “come up a little higher”; prove to the world that we don’t belong to this world. We belong to the kingdom of heaven and people would be able to see the standard a little higher: not the level of this world.

It tells us John was in the spirit and I like that. In the previous chapters, it says he was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day and we know the Lord’s Day is an important day of the week, even these days. John was in the spirit and there was fellowship between heaven and earth. John, through his spirit, had fellowship with the spirit of God. It would be a wonderful convention if we could feel “my spirit is in harmony with God’s spirit” and there’s fellowship between heaven and earth; between my spirit and God’s.

I sometimes say in Revelation 2 and 3, we read about the imperfection in the life of man; the letters to the different churches. We read about the failures and faults of man and John saw all that but God invited him to come up a little higher, “I want to show you the perfection in the life of My Son.” We have been on the lower levels and looking and feeding upon the weakness; but now, “Come up a little higher and I will show you the perfection you can find in the life of Jesus.” He got up and saw an open heaven. It’s a dreadful thing to suppose to serve God and the heaven is closed! There’s no fellowship, no connection between man and God. One friend said, “Before I professed, I only saw an open grave but when I listened to the gospel, God revealed these things to me and I saw an open heaven.” God’s people see farther than an open grave, to an open heaven, “Come up a little higher.”

This was a heavenly vision in Revelation 4 whereas Matthew 4 speaks about an earthly vision; about the devil taking Jesus up into the mountain and showing him the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. That’s our enemy! Revelation 4 is a heavenly vision, Matthew 4 is an earthly vision. In John 4, Jesus says, “Lift up thine eyes and behold the fields that they are ready to harvest.” That’s another heavenly vision. It’s a vision of the fields of usefulness. Lift up your eyes, come up a little higher.

Years ago, I was sitting in my first convention, a young man of 21 sitting in my very first convention. And God was speaking to my young heart, “Lift up your eyes and see the fields of usefulness.” I never gave it a thought before about this matter of looking to the fields, trying to be useful in the ministry. This struggle began in my heart. I didn’t tell others about this struggle that I had between God and myself. But I am so thankful after all those years that I have been willing for this lifting up my eyes and see beyond the sacrifice, and beyond whatever you might call it. I could see the fields all white. They say when the fields are white they are ready to perish but when they are golden they are ready to harvest! That was in John 4. You know the morning when I left home in South Africa to preach the gospel, I was up early. I was on my knees having precious fellowship with God, and then I had to go out. Eventually it was time for breakfast: it was only Mother and I. We were together at the breakfast table; my Father didn’t want to come so it was just the two of us. It was quiet because it’s a serious thing and a solemn thing. This matter of lifting up your eyes, seeing the fields and going into the fields. There was quietness: I wanted to say something to my Mother at the table and I felt that Mother too wanted to say something to me. We were alone and then she said to me, “My son, this is a very special day to me. It’s the day of our 25th wedding anniversary.” And I didn’t even know it. “God could never have given me a greater gift than to see you go into the fields. When you were born, you were a premature child and we never thought you would make it. But now, this wonderful thing to see you going into the fields.” I went from the breakfast table to my room and I had to pass my Father’s bedroom and the door was ajar; and for the first time in my life I saw my Father on his knees, and I’m sure he was praying for me. And then I had to go. Lift up your eyes and see the fields. The fields were waiting and I had to say goodbye to my Father. Just then, he came out and it was the first time I have seen tears in my Father’s eyes, and he said, “You have been my son for 24 years but now you have to take a suitcase and go into the homes of other people and accept others as your Mother and Father. But do remember, I will always be your Father and you are always welcome to come back.”

Revelation 4 is a heavenly vision, Matthew 4 is a downward vision and John 4 is the fields of usefulness. God spoke to John there, “Come up a little higher and I will show you.” The eye is a quicker pupil than the ear. I forget things that I hear in convention; but what we see we don’t easily forget. God wants you to come up a little higher so we can see things. The very first thing God showed John was the throne, “Immediately, I was in the spirit and behold, a throne was set in heaven and one sat on the throne.” That was the first thing he showed him. The greatest thing in God’s creation is the throne. This fourth chapter tells us where this throne is situated: it’s in heaven. It’s in heaven, not on earth! We’re here today, not to enjoy earthly things. You understand what I mean, but we’re here to enjoy heavenly things. This throne is in heaven and Hebrews 4 tells us what we can receive from this throne. It speaks of coming up boldly unto this throne where we can receive mercy and grace.

So Revelation 4 tells us this throne is in heaven and Hebrews 4 tells us that we can receive mercy and grace from this throne. The first thing God is anxious to show you is His seat in heaven – immoveable! It will never be taken out of the presence of God; and what comes from there is His mercy and grace. We have the mercy of God: it covers our past. And we need the grace of God in order to do a little better in the future. “I want to show you a better view.” The devil works on our past and God works on our future.

An older brother used to quote, “The devil wants us to fear and regret our past. He wants us to waste the present and he wants us to have fear for the future.” God wants us to forget the past, to redeem the present and to give us hope for the future. “Come up a little higher, forget the past.” There was a little boy who had a butterfly in his hand and he went to a fortune teller. And he had that thing in his hand and he thought of asking this man if he knows whether this thing is alive or dead in his hand. So he thought to himself, “If this man is saying this beast is alive, I am just going to press it and it’s dead. But if he says it’s dead, I am going to open my hand and he will fly away.” But the man said, “I don’t know whether it’s alive or dead, but the one thing I do know, it’s in your hand.” We all have a past and we cannot change it anymore. But I have a future awaiting me and it’s in my hand. “Come up a little higher and I want to show you this wonderful thing: the throne.” Revelation 4 tells where it is situated and Hebrews 4 tells what comes from it.

James 4 gives me a picture of those who really qualify for His mercy and His grace. There are people who qualify for grace and mercy and that’s in James 4:6. It’s the humble! The spirit of God doesn’t accept those who feel they are so important. The proud. You know proud people will never feel at home in this fellowship because pride isolates people; they are sort of lonely people. It’s a wonderful thing to be in the presence of people who are humble, not people who are proud; but just humble in their ways, in their actions, their spirit. You can feel it; it’s real in their lives. They are the people who qualify for grace and mercy. I tell you it’s not what other workers say but what the Bible tells us that God resisteth the proud. The spirit of God cannot accept it and that’s in James 4.

Another thing he saw – there was a rainbow. There was a rainbow around about the throne: you could see it from every angle. That’s God’s promises! From every angle of this world they can see; experience and know this wonderful thing – the rainbow. After a dark experience, one day back in Holland, it was a few weeks after the death of my Father in South Africa. One day, I was walking and it was a dull, dark day in Holland. My thoughts and heart were there, and I wondered how they’re getting on. And that feeling of loneliness for my Mother, my brothers; it was a dark day. Then eventually, I saw a rainbow coming through that cloud and the cloud disappeared and I saw the colours in the rainbow. I had such a wonderful feeling; that moment in my heart, that God was so close and so near to me and wanted to give me the assurance that, “I am with you. Go up a little higher and I will show you. My promises are still the same as it has been in the beginning.”

He showed John another thing when he stood there. He saw that river; that water, that river of life pure as crystal, proceeding from the throne of life. “Come up a little higher and I will show you that river.” It tells of two things: it’s a river of life and it’s as clear as crystal. This truth, when I listened to the gospel, they weren’t eloquent speakers, but wonderful revelations: crisp and as clear as crystal. My Dad said to me when he got to know I had been in gospel meetings and he said, “I will be very disappointed in you if you ever leave the church.” I said, “I don’t understand much of what is spoken in these meetings but I have seen it with my eye and it’s as clear as crystal. It’s the truth!” Wonderful when we sit in a meeting and you feel in your heart and in your spirit, this is as clear as crystal and there’s no doubt about it, it flows from the throne of God.

Some years ago, we were in the parliament building and we had a guide. Then we got into that huge hall and there was the throne of our queen. The guide said, “The place where this throne stands is the heart of Holland.” But this throne is the throne of God, proceeding from the throne of heaven. Wonderful we can drink of that water that comes from the heart of heaven. Isn’t that a wonderful thing? Only that which comes from the heart of God and the heart of heaven is living water: pure as crystal. In Europe, we have that river known as the River Rhine. Its origin starts from Switzerland and it flows through Germany and comes to our country. But there in our country, they say it isn’t clean and if you drink it, you will get sick and die. The only place it is pure is to get back to the source, its origin. In this world, with all its doctrines and religions; and I am not here to criticize others. But the only place to get that water that’s pure, that hasn’t been polluted by the mind of man – and where is that source? From the heart of heaven and it comes into the hearts of men and women with a life-giving effect to the lives of people. In Psalms 137, it speaks of the rivers of Babylon. Israel: God’s people sitting at that river and they were asked to sing a song. Do you know what Babylon means? Confusion! But why is it contagious? Because the source was from the earth; it was bad water. Any other lecture or any other scripture, if the source or the origin isn’t from the heart of God, it will not be able to have the life-giving effect on your heart or mine. It’s like the rivers of Babylon! I dread the thought when I preach to people about this wonderful thing. Perhaps I am going to confuse them. The only way I will bring confusion is if I drink from the waters of Babylon. But when we drink from that source that comes from the heart of heaven, you will see it and you feel it in your spirit.

There was another thing: it speaks about another thing close to the throne – angels. What they are, I don’t know because I have never seen an angel, but the Bible tells us they are ministering spirits. At times when we feel we have gone to the uttermost and can’t go any further, then God in His mercy comes in the presence of an angel. And we receive strength and we feel that we could go on. When we think of Jesus, the greatest man that ever lived in this world, when He had that struggle in Gethsemane’s garden; He prayed to His Father three times, “If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me.” But it wasn’t possible. He had to take it and drink it. Sometimes in experiences of life, we have to go through the experience in order to get rich in the experience. One brother once said, “If it’s possible, let this cup pass from me.” But then, “Not my will be done, let thy will be done.” Not the human nature, but the divine nature. Then the third thing. The number 3 in the Bible is a number for strength: you can make a study of it. When the angel came from heaven – there was no help from earth, it was only the help from heaven and it was to give him strength. God says, “Come up a little higher and I will show you this wonderful provision in order to give you strength.”

Another thing he saw was the Lamb; a lamb that was slain. “This wonderful thing in the midst of the throne I will show you today or these days, the lamb that has been slain for the sins of the world.” Can we really still see the Lamb? Isaac, on his way to the place of sacrifice in Genesis 22, he said, “We have the fire and here is the knife, but where is the lamb?” Isaac was concerned about the sacrifice; he just realized this sacrifice would have been incomplete without the lamb. This convention would be incomplete without the Lamb in the midst of the throne. Sometimes John says, “Where is the lamb?” and Luke 22 says, “Here is the lamb.” Jesus, for the last time partaking of the bread and the wine said, “This is My body and this is My blood.” The One who is going to give his life for the sins of the world saying, “Come up a little higher and I will show you this wonderful thing.” The Lamb that’s different to any other lamb, is the one that was slain and He died for the sins of the world.

I sometimes speak in Exodus 12 where we read about the blood of the lamb on the doorposts. And I call that chapter – protection. That’s the protection that we have in the blood of the lamb. Hebrews 12 speaks of the mediator: speaks of better things. Why? The blood of Jesus speaks of forgiveness, reconciliation. Hebrews is the reconciliation that we have in the blood. And Revelation 12 speaks where they overcame him by the word of their testimony and by the blood of the Lamb. That’s the victory that we have in the blood of the lamb. When John saw Jesus, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world.” The devil works on my past but the blood of the Lamb takes it away. He doesn’t cover it and that’s what you read about in John and his disciples. But in Zechariah, you read of the high priest standing there in filthy garments, and the message was, “Take away the filthy garments.” This is God! This is the provision! He didn’t say, “Fold it up nicely and leave it in a corner,” so he could see it again. This is God! He takes it away for all eternity.

Psalm 51 we read where David was struggling with his past and asked God, “Purge me with hyssop.” This hyssop has a bitter taste. When I read that I got the impression that David was saying to God, “I am willing for the most bitter experience in life as long as we can be in harmony again.” That’s how we feel in thinking of the past: as long as I can be in harmony again in this convention. David found it difficult to forgive himself, but I’m sure God had already taken it away never to be remembered again.

I read about a man who was in prison and was to be executed. He was sentenced to death and was in prison. But while he was in prison, he committed suicide; and he had left a little note behind in his room. On that note, it says, “The world knows that many times I failed, but only God knows the many times I have tried.” We feel like that. People know it; they see it. Many times I have failed but wonderful to know that God knows the many times I have tried. And this encourages the heart of God today, to come up and look higher; to take away the past so we could have a clean and pure future. May God help us that we would feel we have come up a little higher from this low level, and in my spirit, I am in harmony with God. If I am in fellowship with God, then I have fellowship with my brethren.

The Book of Ruth is about changes. There are four chapters, like the four seasons. Winter is a bleak time; spring is budding time; summer is growing time; and autumn is harvest time. Elimelech fled from a famine…we don’t need the wings of a dove to flee, but we need the spirit of a dove. Boaz prospered in the land where Elimelech thought he would die…Elimelech died in the land where he thought he would prosper.

Authority is not the result of position, but it is the result of submission…a centurion had authority because he was submitted to his rulers…Jesus had authority because he was submitted to his Father. Naomi understood there was nothing for Orpah to gain in Bethlehem if her heart was still in Moab.

There are more people in the book of Ruth than reapers…there are gleaners, water carriers, those who brought vinegar…many roles for people in God’s kingdom. Ruth gleaned in the field, and then took time to beat out the grain…she was a real feeder. Feeders are not out to impress…they are out to feed.

Three difficult things…to be misunderstood, to be misjudged, to accept blame. Three things that reveal what is in us…how we accept praise, how we accept criticism, how we accept counsel.

If we owe all to Jesus, shouldn’t we be willing to give all to Jesus? We are like the woman in the temple…we have only two mites to give…our present and our future…our past was a third mite, but it is already spent. Give all our present to God, and leave the planning of our future to Him.

November 1 – Williams, West Australia West Australia, is the name of the state, and not just the geographical location.

This is the first day of convention in this part of Australia. Williams is about a two-hour drive south of Perth, and Perth is the largest city in this largest state of Australia. I’m told that West Australia has about one and a half million people, and that Perth has about a million of those, and about 85% of the rest live within a couple hours of Perth. The size seems to be about one third of the country of Australia.

The Earnshaws, who are the owners of the convention place, are sheep and hay producers. They raise Merino sheep, which produce very fine wool. These sheep only produce one yearly and the farmers are content with that as it is better for the mother and the wool. Convention has been at the Earnshaw home since the mid-80s and they have about 500 at each of the two conventions held here.

The country seems to be rolling hills with not much growing on them other than what has been planted by the farmers. There are no trees that have colored leaves that are native to Australia. Lots of gum trees, which shed their bark every year. Some of the gum trees are eucalyptus, which the koalas enjoy. We hear lots of birds but they do well at hiding themselves, as I haven’t seen so many. Apparently, I haven’t asked the right person yet regarding what bird does what song because I haven’t found anyone who knows. I did manage to see a Willy Wag Tailed, who has a nice song. A small, grey and white bird.

To back up a bit: we had Sunday evening with Laurie and Janet Harris, in Sydney. They are Mark Hendrager’s in-laws, and very hospitable. They invited several others in for “tea” Sunday evening (tea is what we would consider supper, and supper is a tea! Go figure). Five of the couples there have fellowship meetings in their home. It was a nice evening.

Monday morning, Jean Kitto joined us and we went to a Koala farm, and was that ever a treat. We were able to pet a mother Koala, who was carrying a baby on her back. The baby will travel that way until about a year old. This one was the size of a couple-month-old kitten and was already eight to nine months old. The “farm” also had kangaroos, which we also were able to pet, and a wombat! (ditto regarding petting) And every time I think of the wombat (Matilda, by name), I want to smile. She is about the size of an almost grown pig, and has eyes that appear to be slits, and brown fur – and the guy holding her sat with her back to his front and his arms around her waist, (she likes to bite) so she looks like a sack of potatoes bulging over his arms and on to his lap. There were also peacocks, wallabies, echidnas (similar to our hedgehogs), and a dingo.

Then to the airport and I can tell you the planes they use across the country are far more comfortable than the ones they use for International flights! The food was also good: lamb with eggplant. I haven’t enjoyed eggplant before but this was good. It was a four-and-a-half-hour flight. This is a big country. (I’ve had more lamb in a week here than in a year over there!)

Peter Doecke and Ray Corbett met us in Perth. Trevor and Betty Rowe also met the plane and they are the ones who drove us out to the convention grounds. Trevor is Ian’s brother. And for those who don’t know, Ian is in the work in Kazakhstan. We had a nice visit as we traveled along. No time to get a view of Perth, as we were to be at the convention place in time for “tea.” Hopefully, I will see more on Sunday, when I return to Perth for my Monday flight out.

The West Australia staff consists of fourteen workers. Some are from this state but a few have come from Victoria, one from New Zealand, one from New South Wales, and two from Queensland. They have a vast territory to cover so would be nice if there were more.

Bill Macourt, who has been the overseer had a stroke earlier this year and now is in a nursing home and Peter is taking on the responsibility. Another brother, Bruce Smith, also ran out of steam this year so the state has lost two, and gained one: Jeff Ditton.

There are 9 visitors here: Karel vanHeerden (Holland), Neil Mitchell (Victoria), Craig Winquist (Minnesota), Hermann Rothmund (Germany), Gaylen van Loon (United States of America), Eunice Aicken (New Zealand), Ray Corbett (Queensland), Marion Crawford (Alberta – and this is the only convention we share), and myself. (OREGON!) We all speak twice except for Eunice.

Many things here are just like “home,” but I’ll mention a few that are different: no napkins on the table – the evening “tea” is a sit-down affair though no plates, most of the heating is done with wood (Jurrah, which if I had room I would bring some back for those who like to work with wood. It is used for furniture and they tell me it turns out a beautiful piece.). One of the jobs for young boys, maybe 8-10, is filling small wheelbarrows with wood and then delivering it to the different areas. It’s cute seeing these little boys, with their mateys walking along beside them, pushing the wheelbarrows around the grounds.

I have disgraced myself by not knowing the difference between a bread and butter knife and a dinner knife (about a half inch in length). Where is Amy Patterson when I need her? All the food is on the table before we enter and then just two people serve the tables, usually a man and woman.

They don’t use a cafeteria here, so there is a second setting. There are 71 tents for women, most containing three cots and not much room for anything else; and 55 for men. The poles for the tents stay up all year so the brothers say they can put up the canvas for all of them on one day. The setup would probably remind some servicemen of their days in “tent city.” There is no “nursery” and no private tents or trailers (caravans, as they are called here).

Some new vocabulary words: dustbin, mob (in this case referring to a flock of sheep); uti (pick up, from the word utility), and whinge (complaining, probably from whine). One lady told me her husband’s name was “Marco,” or at least that’s what I heard. Turned out it was “Michael.”

The Aussies have a “tradition” that is known as the “Aussie Wave.” They wave while they speak to you; wave while you are speaking in the meeting, wave when they give their testimony: but it’s not out of friendliness: it’s to get the flies off of them! Some refer to it as the Aussie national pastime. The flies are smaller than ours but have a decided preference for the corner of the eyes, nose, and ears! Yuck.

Should we ever build up a new convention place, they have an idea here I like: one wall of the dish-washing area is open to the dining room, about 8 feet in width. When the dishes are washed, they are placed on wooden trays, which have handles. Cups on another, bowls on yet another. Then the trays are slid on into the metal rails in that opening, and those from the dining room can slide the trays out from their side and reset the table. Same with large boxes for silverware.

Very pronounced “Amen” at the end of each prayer and testimony – and thus far I have seen no jeans being worn. All the men are dressed in dress slacks and good shirts, and the brother workers are wearing suits. It seems respectful somehow. After all, each meeting is like a Sunday morning meeting, and we usually dress in our best for that, don’t we? They have “pawpaw” here (does anyone besides me remember the old song that contains the words “the pawpaw patch”?) which is a papaya with somewhere between orange and red meat. I can’t believe that the old song was referring to papaya as I don’t think we grow it in the continental U.S. ? There are only three meetings in this convention that have three speakers: all the rest are only two. The evening meeting is a Gospel Meeting but doesn’t sound like they test the Saturday evening meeting. They also use the Friday morning meeting for one of the staff to speak on baptism and then have their baptism on Saturday morning.

The Kangaroo and the Emu are on the fifty-cent piece and they represent Australia because they can’t go backward, only forward: good spiritual thought isn’t it?

And speaking of Kangaroos: Tuesday evening, some of us piled into the back of a ute and Mr. Earnshaw drove us out into his wheat fields. Soon someone pointed out two ears peeking up over the grain and as we drove closer up jumped a kangaroo and off they bounced and jumped. Quite powerful. They are in the fields like our deer are in our fields. They don’t hurt the crop much until it’s close to harvest, and then if they break it down, there is damage. They can run at 30 miles an hour for a brief spell. Their skull is quite fragile and if a man could hit it in the head, even with their hand, they would go down. We saw several that evening and one of the brothers got it on his camera, and gave me a copy.

I want to tell you a little about a sister worker who labors in this State: Georgina Georgiou. She looks to be close to eighty if not eighty-plus. She was born in Egypt, to Greek parents, heard the Gospel there, and started in the work there. (I hadn’t realized workers had ever been there.) When the government became unstable, it was suggested they leave and since her family had emigrated here, Georgina came to West Australia. She labored here for 28 years and then was asked to go to Greece, and was there for eighteen years and now is back. She could be called the “Singing Prophetess” as you can hear her start a hymn, singing just for herself, as she works in her room. She told me her mother was always singing when she was home. Georgina is my image of a Greek: tiny, dark, and vivacious. The sisters say she is hardly able for the work now but she is usually part of a threesome.

Some of the friend’s testimonies: When I was younger, I would wake in the morning and ask the Lord to go with me, and I often seemed to be in trouble. Now I wake and ask that the Lord would lead me and things go much better. I have had a beautiful feeling come over me several times this year and it is the feeling of belonging. I belong in the meeting, I belong in the Way, I belong with the brethren, and I belong at convention. I’m not worthy but I belong. And I don’t want to ever lose this feeling. A stranger said of an elder, “You can find no contradictions in his living.”

Because I am brought up a little higher here, I should go out and live a little higher. Someone said we should choose “assisted living” over “independent living.” My father gave me help when I didn’t ask for help and trusted me with personal things that I never expected him to trust me with. My heavenly Father has done the same and I find being trusted strengthens me and [makes] me want to be worthy of that trust.

Also, everyone ends their testimonies with the words, “For Jesus’ sake.”

Harold, I know you can write short letters when on your out-of-state trips but I just can’t!

Sunday night, I will be going home with Chet and Kayleen Nelson. (Kayleen is Dave and Gladys Christie’s daughter.) They have been here for two years but return to Texas, on November 11th. They have loved it here.

We have arranged to meet Lojeka Mathaba’s dad, Leslie, that evening at the Nelson home. I hope nothing changes those plans. It would be nice to make that connection.

Heidi, I met the Chivers and Heather Garlick. And Shari, I met Mrs. Ward, whose first name I haven’t retained. Nice to have those connections made.

I fly out for Sydney and then Brisbane, on Monday. Another five and a half hours altogether, of flying. I wonder if Quanta shares frequent flyer miles with NorthWest??? My destination that day is Biddeston, Queensland.

I hope all is well at home and with each of you. You are remembered at the throne.

Acts 17:30-31, and the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent. Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised him from the dead.

I suppose we all have a lot of favorite verses and I love these verses. It was about my eighth year in the work when I discovered them. God hath appointed a day – even now. We are living in the NOW of that verse.

Acts 14:16, who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. God was allowing it, but nobody gets by. Let us be faithful in learning about the now of these verses.

Hebrews 1:2, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things by whom also He made the worlds.

Matthew 3:1-2, in these days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judaea and saying, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:17, from that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The very same message that John the Baptist spoke.

Repent – it is not something that we do once, but daily, just turning from our own ways and turning to the will and purpose God has for our lives. Often He asks us to step out of our own comfort zone. Repentance doesn’t change our past but it changes our record in heaven. We can think of those of old who sinned then repented, the record in heaven was wiped clean. Think of Peter and of David, and many others who sinned yet were forgiven when they repented. To repent just means – I see my sin – I will turn from my sin – I don’t want to do it any more. There is wonderful help on our side when we are just willing to repent.

I stayed with a lady during special meetings one year and she was telling me of something that she used each morning that she knew just wasn’t right and wasn’t comfortable with but kept using. She would throw it out into the garbage only to go to the store for more. It was when she prayed to God for help that that appetite was changed and she was able to forsake that which so troubled her. It brought a change of mind, a change of masters into her life. Sometimes people will say, “Oh, I could never serve God in that way, I could never stand up and give my testimony.” But you know it’s not far down the road that we find those same people with a change of mind and a change of masters and oh, how they love having fellowship with God’s true people. If our master is only the god of this world, we will never know this wonderful help that is held out to those who have true repentance.

We have been studying in the Book of Acts and have read about Saul of Tarsus and the wonderful change in his life when he allowed the God of heaven to reach down in his life and do a work there. You might say a real about face. He had a change of life, a change of mind, and a change of masters.

Acts 17:31, because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised him from the dead. There will be a day, if we ignore this day, it would be like Noah not paying any attention to God about building the ark. Noah didn’t need that ark for about one hundred years and could have felt nothing was really going to happen. But then it would start to rain and the fountains of the deep were opened, now he needed that ark in the worst way. Would he not be so thankful that he had day after day built on that ark that was to the saving of not only himself but his household. Noah, as he built didn’t really need the ark, but the day came and it meant his salvation.

There are lots of days in our lives, the day of our birth, the day of our death, happy days, sad days, common days. We as workers will never know the day of marriage, but we can enjoy your marriages. But the day that God has appointed every one will be there, no excuses. It is an appointment we will have to keep. I was in a home recently when the lady of the home glanced at the calendar and said, “Oh, no, I missed my dentist appointment.” She had meant to keep it and had to reschedule but the day of the Lord none of us are going to miss it. We don’t have a choice of whether we will keep it or not. It will be a day in which he will judge the world by that man, Christ. Will it not be wonderful to be there and to be found a part of those on His right hand, be found among the sheep of his pasture.

Judgment – revelations, confirmation of what is right. We want judgment in our lives now, day by day, so when we stand before Him it will be a day of rewards and not of judgment. We will be judged in righteousness, in fairness. We don’t live very long on this earth before we know that life is not fair. But on that last great day God will have all the facts. Have you ever listened to two people telling a story and it doesn’t even sound like the same story. I’ve read something in the newspaper, then heard someone tell me about that article, the facts seem to get all mixed up! But our God is faithful, He has the facts, the true facts. (I remember back in the first grade one of the little first graders couldn’t get the hang of writing the number eight. The teacher asked me to help her. Years later she kept telling me, “Remember when you couldn’t write the number eight and I had to show you how?”) I have a dear sister who can tell you almost word for word something she had read, then a sister-in-law who embellished the same article so one couldn’t recognize it for the one you just read. On the judgment day, the facts will be all there, we won’t be able to say to God, “Oh, no I never said that or I never did that.” The judgment day will be a very serious day. Let us be ready for the test.

I knew a lady who got picked up three times in three weeks. The first time was for speeding. Then a week later, speeding once again. The third week, she was stopped once again. She was so upset she just lay her head down on the steering wheel and wept. The policeman walked up, and looked in the open window,”Ma’am – I just wanted to tell you you have a light out.” Oh, what a relief. If we are going to be judged by that man, Jesus, we need to get to know that man. In school, we often had tests for which if we were wise we spent some time studying for. In high school, we mainly had classes that were required. Maybe one elective, later we had more electives. But let us never put our salvation on the elective list.

I Corinthians 13, this beautiful chapter describes to us about charity. Uncle Howard told us years ago that we could replace the word charity with the word Christ – and then with “I.” This chapter tells us what charity does – Christ suffereth long, and is kind; Christ envieth not; Christ vaunteth not itself is not puffed up. Now if we put in the word, “I,” what do we get? Do we really fit into these verses? Do we suffer long and are kind, or do we envy not, etc.? I’m afraid we’d not pass that test as we would like to pass.

Hi,

David Olson and I are back in the Indio area from the Saginaw regional workers meeting. The Saginaw meeting barn served well for our 8 meetings of the 204 workers from Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, California, Hawaii and Arizona. We had visitors from East USA, Africa, Europe, Asia, and South America.

As about 175 sister and brother workers faced east in the barn, 24 older brothers sat behind the microphone in a semi-circle facing west. 16 of those brothers were overseers. The 90 minute meetings were very helpful and our time together was very special. Esther Layman felt it was the best privilege of her life span.

At our last meal together in the dining room, we first sang grace and then two other hymns. A variation to hymn 405 sung by the Saginaw friends who helped with meal preparation and cleaning while we had our meetings. The friends sang to the workers. This is the variation of the hymn:

“Lord, let them hear once more the call to labour,

The call that rang beside blue Galilee,

To turn from home and land and friends and kindred:

Speak, Lord, to them, and say, ‘Come, follow me.’

Should doubts or fears rise up or Satan tempt them

To loose the cords that bind them close to Thee,

Open their ears to hear again the message

Their Master whispered in Gethsemane.

When burdens of Thy Kingdom weigh upon them

From sheep whose love and vision has grown dim,

Remind them of the ones who still are praying,

Believing all is possible with Him.

Though years may come without the joy of reaping,

Help them to know their labours aren’t in vain.

The deepening of Thy work within Thy people

Is cause enough to gladly go again.

As age and youth go labour on together,

Unite them Lord, as Thou has always done.

Then, as they move and live amongst Thy people,

We feel the Spirit of Thy precious Son.

Help us, Oh Lord, to firmly stand behind them,

Uphold their hands, encourage them alway.

Then, as one body, bound in love together,

The Bride of Christ, we’ll be on that great day.”

The workers sang back to the friends:

“Lord, grant Thy people grace.”

It was a touching way to conclude our days together.

Kind greetings and good days.

Your brother in Him,

Kenneth Beckman

To all in the Philippines,

Now…I have only a few minutes to start on this before we leave this home and go to another. But I do want to start it now so that I will be pushed to finish it later today! Only yesterday we finished the regional workers meeting at Saginaw. One meeting on Tuesday…five on Wednesday and two more on Thursday morning before lunch. Each of the meetings was SO rich and we all came away feeling we had had another taste of heaven. There were over 200 of us gathered there. (Often during the meetings, I would look out over all who were there and just marvel that THAT many men and women have been willing to leave all the other

possibilities in life and respond to the call of God to be sown as a corn of wheat so that others might have an eternal hope.) All of the workers from California/Arizona/Pacific Islands…Oregon/South Idaho…Washington/Alaska…plus several overseers from Canada and from some from the eastern part of the United States.. So very evident was a wonderful blending and unity of Spirit.

In each meeting there were two brothers who spoke (either an overseer or a visitor)…then open testimony time…and then one more of the older brothers would speak. Each meeting was 1½ hours long. I don’t think anyone there would be able to remember all that was shared so richly…but NONE of us will ever forget the effect on our hearts. Besides the two families on the Saginaw grounds, those who did all the cooking, serving, cleaning, etc. were parents of workers. And they served SO cheerfully. When we went in for lunch after the last meeting on Thursday, after we had sung grace, those friends were gathered at one end and they sang to us, hymn number 405…The Call to Labor…changing the words to Lord, let THEM hear, once more the call to labor…., etc.. It was almost more than we could take! And then Harold B. had asked us to be ready to sing to them number 370…Lord Grant Thy People Grace…. It was a very emotional ending to SO rich an experience. We know the friends greatly appreciate the sacrifice of the workers. But we know the sacrifice is far from all ours…a price is paid by ALL in this wonderful kingdom! Now….since those meetings have ended and we have begun to move among the friends, we are just beginning to grasp just how with us they were those days. SO many have not only told us how they prayed for us during that time we were together, but even from since they first heard that these meetings were being planned!

Our Bible studies here are in the book of Acts and the next one…chapter 16…somehow has a new meaning for me…and I am sure for all who were at the regional meeting. We read of the apostles and elders gathering at Jerusalem. Their purpose was to promote unity among the brethren at a time when there had been a disturbance. That is what was accomplished and all were able to go out and continue sharing the help of Heaven with others and bring peace to God’s people in every part. We have the same desire after our days together.

So, now Cody Rathbun and I are together. The first thing I did was get him to tell his testimony and of how he heard the call to labor. He started in the work in January of 06…so only about 1½ years so far. I can assure you he is a very mature young man who just turned 22. So he was only 20 when he started in the work. He says he made his choice when he was only eight. At 19, he saw the need and heard to call to labor…and could hardly think of ANYthing else until the day he offered!! I hope you some day get to meet him. When I just now asked his age…telling him I was introducing him to you…he asked me to give you his very hearty greetings!! (^_^) I am going to depend heavily upon him these next few weeks we are together. Since he was in the Vancouver field last year, he knows all and can make wise plans about where we stay. As happened last time I was home and had the same short amount of time in a field, the hardest part by FAR is having to decide where we WON’T have time to stay!! Cody has already gotten us set up for gospel meetings on Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings. We start on Wednesday the 26th. That will make days seem to pass even MORE quickly!! We will have only five weeks in the field…time for just eleven gospel meetings. The friends got the halls all lined up for us even before we arrived here! So we eagerly look forward to this time with them. We have received SUCH warm welcomes…even way back last month when the new list came out and the folks learned who would be in their field. Cody was in the field last year, so knows all the homes, etc.. So, he will be my guide as well as my companion. A couple of things we heard during our workers’ gathering were that God did what seems impossible…certainly not reasonable by man’s thinking. When He sent to this earth His truth and way, He sent it in the care of a Lamb! Jesus was opposed and fought against at every turn…but it was the Lamb that overcame. He didn’t resist or fight…nor did He allow His disciples to defend or fight for Him. Even so…He overcame the enemy who set out to destroy Him and God raised Him from the dead in victory…victory over Satan and all sin. When Jesus sent out His apostles to carry the gospel to others, He told them they would be as lambs among wolves. SO unreasonable naturally…but it was the plan of God…and we see how perfectly it works. We don’t defend ourselves but rather depend on the One who sent us. HE gives the victory! Then God entrusted to children…those who have humbled themselves and taken on the spirit of a child…the very treasures of Heaven! Again, this is just not reasonable…but it is the wisdom of God…and it WORKS perfectly. Over and over we are made aware that we have a part in an ongoing miracle. This is totally impossible with men…but altogether possible with God! Now…it has taken me a WEEK to get this written…and this must be sent on its way. Sorry to be so inefficient with my time. I expect it will be the same the next while with us being busy moving among the friends. So it will likely be a while before you hear from me again?

Thanks for understanding! In Him…John

I wonder, did you notice the line in that hymn (351, God in Heaven), “Glorious calling, saint, is thine…” There are a few verses that I have been thinking about that speaks of saints and of our calling.

I Corinthians 1:1, “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints…” “…called to be saints…”

Romans 1:7, “To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints…” Those of us in the Work sometimes speak about our calling. We all feel we have been called to preach the Gospel. Some of the tests we go through: we wouldn’t be able to continue except for a deep conviction we have that God has called us. It is so important to have that deep conviction.

The other half of the story is being called to be saints. You could get the feeling that you are in God’s Family by default because you are not called into the Work, or that you have just drifted in. None are saints by default or by drifting in to our place. We are saints because God has called us. When we were called, we didn’t understand what it meant. In the Gospel Meeting, we felt the calling and the deep experience and we made our choice because we loved Jesus and wanted to follow all the way. We didn’t think of it as being called to be saints; a sanctified, separate people.

There is a little verse in Psalms 50 that has been mentioned already. “Gather My saints together unto Me; those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” (Verse 5) It gives us an insight as to what a saint is. A saint is one of God’s Children; a citizen in Heaven; those who have made a covenant by sacrifice. Part of being a saint is we enter into a covenant. A covenant is a two sided agreement. A promise and agreement is made by one party and a promise and agreement is made by the other party. This covenant is a two-sided agreement. It is not just a one-sided relationship where God does all the giving. We have responsibilities and promises and vows to make.

“…those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” God’s half of this covenant has been sealed by a great and costly sacrifice. There were many sacrifices down through the ages up to the sacrifice of God’s Son. Our half of the covenant is made with God by sacrifice, commitment, surrender, and self-denial and by giving over the lordship of our lives to God. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.” (I Peter 2:9)

“But ye are a chosen generation…” Being one of God’s saints means we are a generation of people who have been chosen and hand picked, not that we feel special or righteous about it. We responded to His Word and because of that He could choose us. We “…are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood…” We are royal because we are the sons and daughters of the King. We are of the priesthood because we have access to the holiest of all. We are a holy nation of people scattered throughout the earth. A people that are holy, special, and Christ-like. We are a purchased, unique people like no others in the earth. These are the ones God includes in His Family. There are the saints that God calls.

I guess you are aware of how one of the churches in the world creates saints. There are conditions: a person has to be dead, and they had to have performed two miracles. The person has to be approved and then declared a saint. There is a push to declare the first Australian saint. We understand there have been saints in Australia for many years. They are not made by man, but by God and they are not dead but alive. They die to self, but they are alive. They don’t do miracles to others, but they know the miracle in their hearts of being born again, the miracle of new life. That is the miracle necessary to be a saint.

Think of what Paul wrote to Timothy about being sanctified. “…he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” (II Timothy 2:21) Think about being a sanctified vessel. That is what we all are. We are just made of clay, but we are sanctified and set aside for a special use. Not just an every-day use but set aside for a special use. I was thinking of God’s Creation. There are 6 billion people on earth today. What a privilege: in that 6 billion there are just a few that God has set apart and sanctified for His special use. Sanctified means it needs to be kept clean for God’s use.

Another thing that happens to God’s Vessels: they are filled with something special. They are set aside, kept clean and filled with the Spirit of God. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters…” (II Corinthians 6:17-18) “…come out from among them, and be ye separate…” The people in Corinth had heard the Gospel but they were still struggling to be separate from what they were. Paul was saying, “Come out and be separate,” set aside for the Lord’s use. In Hebrews it says that Jesus was “…separate from sinners.” (Chapter 7:26)

In the Gospel, we read He was friends with sinners and publicans and ate with them. He was, on one hand, a friend of sinners and on the other hand, he was separate. It is like in John 17 when He prayed for His disciples to be in the world but not a part of the world. You go back to the world and your neighbours on Monday. You will rub shoulders with them but you are not a part of it. Keep separate. There is a dairy down the road. If you picked up a bucket of milk from there (we don’t see it these days in bought milk because it is homogenised), after a little while, the milk sinks to the bottom and the cream rises above. You don’t have to do anything, it just happens. It is the same for God’s People. When you live among the world you go to work and to school together but you are different. God puts something in your heart to cause you to rise above the world and the distractions of the world. Rise above the world and be separate.

In Exodus 11, God said to Moses, “…that ye may know how the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.” (Verse 7) It is not something we choose; we don’t do this and this to be different. The Lord sets a difference between us and the world and we are just like the cream rising above the milk. When we are in the world and go to work and school, we are different because we have the Spirit of Jesus. We model ourselves on the Lamb nature, not the wolf nature. There is a difference in our talk and the words we use.

Quite a few years ago, we had a Mission in a country area. We met many very religious people who came to a lot of Meetings. We visited them and had a lot to do with them over two years. We were asked one day, “Do you have Fellowship near Scone?” Scone was 200 kilometres away. We said we did. They said, “Would they be the Wilton family?” We said it was. They said, “We lived beside them 35 years ago. Their manner of life was the same as the people here. We always knew they were Christian people. We worked together on the road or in the dairy. We knew they were Christian because when things went wrong with the cows, there were never any wrong words.” After 35 years, they remembered. It is wonderful when God can set a difference.

I was thinking about some special saints among us today: the little children and their parents. Before Samson was born, an angel visited Manoah and his wife. They asked, “How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?” (Judges 13:12) That is the prayer of Godly parents. A family of children is a tremendous Mission. Everyone thinks of the Workers in the new year and their Mission. Parents have a 20-year Mission. “How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?” Deuteronomy 6:7 says, “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Maybe that would have been a good answer for Manoah and his wife. When you are sitting with your children, or in the car together (in everyday happenings), tell them Bible stories. Tell them about Jesus; His life and sacrifice and the miracles He did. Tell them about Noah and the flood. Tell them about David and Goliath. Tell them about Daniel in the lions’ den. Tell the stories as if they are real people because they are. They are our brothers and sisters. We just didn’t meet them because they lived a long time ago. The flood did happen. Tell of Goliath. It really did happen. Daniel in the lions’ den really did happen. Tell them stories that are real stories. It is a wonderful foundation.

When Moses was born, there was a law that all boys were to be thrown into the river. As long as possible, Moses’ parents kept him out of the river. The time came when they couldn’t keep him any longer. It is like the river of the world; it is so treacherous with strong currents to drag them downstream. Moses’ parents couldn’t hold him any longer. His mother spent time weaving a basket and she “…daubed it with slime and with pitch…” (Exodus 2:3) It wouldn’t have smelt or looked so nice but it was safe. When she couldn’t hide him any longer she put the ark into the river. Where did she put it? She didn’t put it into the middle of the river where the eddies swirled, but on the edge in the bulrushes. The time came when that child had to face the river, but she made a covered ark and placed it in the bulrushes in a back-water where he was kept safe.

We encourage people to put God first; to read and pray in the morning. A mother told us she had a problem. She had to get her little girl ready to catch the bus and before that, she had to get her husband to work. So she tried to get up earlier to read and pray, but she was so tired, she would fall asleep. She said, “It doesn’t work. What am I going to do?” It is more important to give God your best hour, not your first hour. For most of us, the first hour is our best hour. She came to us later and she said she was getting her husband off to work and her child to school, and then she had her quiet hour. That was her best hour.

Little children pick up on things so quickly. If God’s Kingdom is the joy and delight of your life, they will pick up on it. If your home revolves around it, they will love it. But they also pick up on criticism, or negativity, or laxness, or apathy in your service to God. Children pick up on these things so quickly.

It is wonderful for children to see their parents praying. Some parents teach their children to say little prayers and that is lovely. My parents never did because I was often in Mum and Dad’s room and I would see them kneeling in prayer. I understood that was what saints did. When I made my choice, I realized things were different and I needed to pray. No one told me that; I just knew. I shared my room with my little brother, so I went to bed early to pray before he came in. In the morning, I got up late to pray after he left. This went on for a while until one day, he came in and found me praying. He didn’t say anything and after that, it wasn’t a problem. Later when he made his choice, he prayed too. It is a wonderful opportunity for parents. Let children see you praying. It is an important part of the day. It is something very special and sacred.

We didn’t always have Gospel Meetings in the country area where we lived. When I was not quite into my teens (I didn’t understand why), Mum and Dad began making a special effort to get to Gospel Meetings. They traveled big distances because they understood the importance of it. When in high school, I had lots of homework. On Wednesday night, I understood I just had to fit it in. I was off to the Meeting, homework or not. I understood the importance of getting to Meetings. It is important to instill faith in little children.

It is good to help children to have that unquestioning faith because when they go off to school, they are taught things that are not true. When I was at school, there was a big thing about evolution. Help them to understand, “In the beginning God created…” (Genesis 1:1) There are things to do with living and moral standards that parents have the opportunity to teach what is right before the world has the chance to teach what is wrong. Even teenagers and older ones will find a lot that the world says are okay to do, but if we read the Bible we will know it is wrong. It is for us to read the Bible. Young people need to read the Bible and talk to parents or Workers about what the Bible says about things because the world is so often wrong. Parents have the opportunity to teach what is right.

I got to thinking about Acts. At Convention, a visiting Worker gave a Meeting on Acts. He said its full title is “The Acts of The Apostles.” It is more than that. There are a lot of things that the saints did too. Consider what the saints did; it is a helpful study. We read of the homes in Acts. We heard last night of Simon the Tanner. In Acts 16, we read of Lydia. After she listened to the Gospel, she said, “If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there.” (Verse 15) Then we read of the jailer. He “…took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them…” (Verses 33-34)

When I went to South Australia a few years back, there was a family with a small boy I met once or twice. Before I got there, they made contact with me. They wanted to adopt me. They opened their home to me and took me around. “This is your room. This is the kitchen…” Then we went to our Field. In the first home we went to, the same thing happened. Then the following week, there was another home. It is wonderful to have open homes. I thought of the homes where the Meeting is. Do we appreciate it? The home is ready week after week. The front door is open, the floor is vacuumed, the chairs are placed around and the table is in the middle. They are there with a welcome regardless of the weather. Do we appreciate those homes that are open for Fellowship?

Then there are the deacons. We read about them filling a need at the time so the Workers were not taken up with serving on tables. We don’t formally appoint deacons but we see faithful saints filling in the gaps; quietly working so the Workers are free to focus on the Spiritual need in the Gospel. We read of the saints continuing in prayer. In Acts 1, we read of two who offered for the Work. The saints were praying that the need would be met. Priscilla and Aquila “…laid down their own necks…” (Romans 16:4) Saints doing what they could.

In the last chapter of Acts, there is a little picture of when Paul was a prisoner and was being taken to Rome. He was taken from one town to another and when the saints there heard Paul was coming, they visited with him and then he continued on to Rome. More saints heard Paul was a prisoner and they came and met him. There were more saints than prisoners. It says Paul “…thanked God, and took courage.” (Acts 28:15) They would want to do so much but they were so limited. Maybe they couldn’t even say much. The best they could do was to walk beside Paul for part of the journey. Sometimes we would love to say or do something to be a support. Often there is nothing we can say or do but walk beside our brethren. We thank God every time a saint comes and walks beside us and it gives us the courage to keep going.

I appreciated thinking about God’s Servants and of God’s special Chosen People; those sanctified, separate vessels for the Lord’s use. We are all in this together. The saints need the Servants and the Servants need the saints. Think about the interest we have in the Meetings. We try to meet people and visit before the Meetings and put out cards, but no-one comes. Who brings them? It is the saints who live the Gospel. Because of the way they have lived they have had an influence. We need saints. May God help us to be faithful in the place He has called us to.

Paul and the Ephesian believers wept as they said their goodbyes at the end of Acts 20, likely to never meet again in this life. Their affection and care for him was great, just as we have experienced with those who have touched our life in very positive ways. As I read the whole chapter, it seemed like a key to their beautiful relationship is found in verse 24: “I consider my life worth nothing to me.” This Christlike attitude had guided every interaction between Paul and others. It doesn’t mean he had low self-esteem. On the contrary, he understood more than most the great value of every human soul and just how useful a life can be when it is committed to the will of God. Yet he also understood that life’s value has nothing to do with pleasing ourselves, providing for our human comfort and satisfaction, nor indulging human appetites. Those who pursue a life of self-gratification may well find themselves alone and terrifically unhappy when all is said and done. But like Paul, those who follow the example of the Lord Jesus in laying aside self-interest to love and serve others unselfishly discover the real value in life, experiencing the richness of truly loving relationships and forging strong bonds of friendship and devotion.

However, regardless of the wonderful human ties that we may form, the day comes when connections are broken. Dear friends must one day part; every relationship of the flesh—spouses, parents, children, siblings—comes to its end. Even profoundly spiritual relationships, like that between Paul and his Ephesian friends, are not permanent ones. At the moment of parting, he was directing their attention—as he always had—to that which was permanent: “I commit you to God and to the word of his grace.” As much as we appreciate those around us who encourage our soul, we must keep our primary focus on the only lasting relationship, the one between us and our God, established through the Lord Jesus. He reminded them that they were the church of God—not of any man—“which He bought with His own blood.” Remembering who paid the price of our redemption keeps us settled and secure as human relationships come and go. Voices we have loved to hear may one day grow silent; the word of His grace continues to speak, building us up and giving us an eternal inheritance.

Paul warned them that some relationships would let them down. Even from their own number men would arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after themselves. The potential for treachery and unfaithfulness lies in every human heart. Yet no individual was singled out. All were given the same counsel: “Keep watch over yourselves! Take care of each other! Be on guard!” If we do this, we’ll never be the one who disappoints or betrays. So how do we keep on guard? What do we watch for? Watch your heart’s affection! Christ must receive our love first and foremost. Anything or anyone who would usurp that place becomes an idol, something God hates and which will bring sure destruction. Don’t start valuing your own life! Laid down in God’s service, its value is immeasurable; reclaimed to please ourselves, it becomes worthless, empty, and even dangerous in its potential to lead others astray. Partings will come. How wonderful when they only leave us encouraged to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness above all, leading to the day when we are reunited forever on the eternal shore.

Gaylen van Loon – 2nd Williams Convention – 2007

Hymn 393

Hebrews 1.1, “God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high,” and so on.

For some time, I have been trying to get into my mind the ways that God has and how He continues to speak to us in these last days by His Son. We understand by the gospel that He spoke to us in the beginning but the continuing of that is what continues the work of salvation in our experience. It is by the work of God that He continues to speak to us by His Son. We come together here this Sunday morning, be it like this or be it in a home, and we understand this: that Christ is in the centre of our gathering. He, as the risen Lord, the living Lord, the son of God, the Christ eternal, the king eternal, is in the centre of our gathering; He’s in the centre of our life and being, and He is in the centre of our relationship with God; He is the centre of it all.

I’ve been reading through this book of Hebrews recently and have noticed that the beginning verses of the third chapter were a great help to me where it says, “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” I have appreciated first thinking of Christ as our Apostle, the sent One, and then when I read it over again, thinking of Christ as our High Priest. This is what I would like to share with you today. We understand that Jesus the apostle, the sent one of God has come to us and brought the gospel, and with it He has brought the foundation. He is the foundation stone, the chief corner stone of this kingdom of heaven; He is the building of God upon this chief corner stone, Christ Jesus. We were taught from the beginning that God built in line and square with the chief corner stone, Christ Jesus and in so doing, the building will stand by God and is in line with Jesus our apostle, the sent one. The continuing of that building and the finishing of it is no different in these lives of ours, for we continue to build on Jesus, the chief corner stone, the solid rock foundation, the sure stone, the tried stone. Isaiah wrote about it, Peter spoke about it, Jesus spoke about it, and it all agrees together. We build upon this sure foundation, this solid rock, and the solid rock proves that we are established in our hearts, by the gospel. Those truths continue to speak to us, feed our souls and guide us through our experiences in life. Jesus taught the precepts, the truths, and the doctrine. He taught them as the true foundation that is unquestionable and being unquestionable, we accept them and build upon them and God continues to speak to us through Christ Jesus His son, from one experience to another and refer us back to Jesus again. I love the teachings of Jesus. They never grow old to us, they’re always fresh; they’re always new green pastureland, because they are living. We can have confidence and trust and hope in them, and in so doing, He continues to speak to us by His Son in this way. You know, sometimes people have questionings as we go along, and Satan is always trying to bring up these questions and reasonings and doubts and fears into the minds of God’s people. He loves questionings and disbelief, and Satan loves to work in a way that questions what Jesus has established, what God has established through Jesus. He loves to work in a way that brings doubts and fears but, you know, in our day there are people who seem to feed on others’ doubts and questions and such like. In questioning the foundation and the founders and the dates and the beginnings and the likes of all this, I admire God helping us to understand through Christ Jesus, that Jesus is the foundation. He is the foundation stone, the tried stone, the sure foundation, and He always will be. My question to people who question me is, who preached the gospel to Abraham? Well, the answer is the Lord did. God brought the gospel to Abraham and preached it right. Abraham received this right and the true gospel settled it in his heart. There was never any question about it, neither was there any doubt in his mind. So time went on and God brought the same gospel to others along the way, through the prophets to individuals, and He is the One that gave the revelation and understanding through Christ Jesus His Son. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and others believed in it and had confidence in it, and trusted in this Jesus and His coming just as we do—the fact that He has come. So we go down through the years and the ages. There may have been a time after the death of Jesus when there was no one we would call professing people—but I doubt that, yet we don’t know for sure. But if there were, it does not matter to me; it doesn’t make one bit of difference. The God that brought the gospel to Abraham is able to secure it again in men’s hearts today, as it was in the days of Abraham: just as secure, just as solid, just as right, just as perfect, and we need not question. The question is this: Do we have the substance in our hearts that Jesus brought into the world, or don’t we? Do we have the substance that God brought to Abraham; do we have the substance of the faith? Do we have the substance of the love of God and the greatness of the divine power of God? Do we have the substance of this kingdom living and abounding in us as in the days of Abraham and in the days that Jesus moved about in the world? Now, if I don’t have that substance living and abounding in me and have the reality of it, I don’t have one, and no one will ever tell me that I do. If I don’t have the substance or a relationship with God, if I don’t have what is God-given, then I don’t have the founder; it’s as simple as that, and everyone has to decide this for themselves. But I can tell you this: that as far as this matter goes, no one will ever be able to tell me that I have a founder because the solid sure foundation has been instilled in my heart by God himself through Christ Jesus on the 28th day of April 1958, when it was given to me. On that day there was no doubt in my mind or heart, as far as this whole thing was concerned that God gave me, and He has strengthened that ever since: this is an individual relationship with God. Our fellowship is collective and God brings us into a fellowship after we have been able to develop that relationship with Him from the beginning, and that is the sure solid foundation of this kingdom. All of us as God’s children need to understand that our relationship is God-given. God continues to speak to us through His Son and gives to us the understanding and reality and the rock solid foundation of this, which He has established through Jesus when He establishes it in our hearts individually, because it is of the self same spirit. It accomplishes the same self-same thing brought about by the same self-same God, and we have fellowship together with the same self-same spirit because we have the same self-same Father. So let that be a good comfort to us, a great comfort in the face of those who question or bring up questions, that God keeps this kingdom in the hearts of His people individually and collectively.

Now in Chapter 2 we read, “For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” The captain of our salvation is Jesus. A ship’s captain is the one that the crew looks to for He knows the way. He’s been there before, He is the guide, He has the wisdom of the storms, He knows the ship, He knows the path that He is taking, and He knows the safe course. One time, someone asked a ship’s captain who was guiding the ship through the straits with a lot of rocks on both sides, “Do you know where all the rocks are in these straits?” “No, I sure don’t, but it does not concern me because I know the safe course.” And that is like our Master, the captain of our salvation. He knows the safe course and that is all we are interested in. “For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things,”… to make our captain perfect through suffering.

God understood that there was and is an enemy of our soul, and some of the things I am going to mention are mentioned in this chapter. The wisdom of God brought them about and established them to silence once and for all the voice of Satan, the enemy of our soul, the wicked one, Satan, the accuser of the brethren, accusing mankind night and day before God. God sent us His Son to be the captain of our salvation: He came into this world, He lived amongst men, and He lived in a flesh and blood body like yours and mine while He was here. Now then, He led out before us, and He still leads out before us as captain of our salvation full of wisdom, the guide, the One who has overcome, the One who knows the way, the captain of our salvation. He then goes on to say, verses 11-15, “For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare Thy name unto My brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee. And again, I will put My trust in Him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given Me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy Him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

These verses are very impressive for what happened to Jesus was exactly what God said would happen. There were no surprises because God knew exactly what Satan was going to do, what he was going to make of himself. You read about that in Isaiah 14, turning himself into what he was. The provision was made for Jesus from the beginning for this cause, the captain of our salvation being made perfect through suffering. Verse 16 “For verily He took not upon Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham,”…verse 17 “that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people” and destroy Him, destroy the devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject unto bondage. As a rule, there are a lot of questions in this world. As a child, death is one thing that comes into these questions, the natural death. But there comes a point in our lives when we come to the age of accountability, and begin to understand that we are responsible for our own lives. What is going to happen after death? And there comes fear and bondage of the fear of spiritual death. Verse 15, “And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

I’ll tell you a little story about my first year in the work. We were having meetings in an area where the gospel had been preached in the early 20s; many people had come and professed at that time. At that time, there was one family of brothers and sisters and a brother called John that went to the meetings first and John was very impressed, so he went to all of his brothers and sisters and said, “You’ve got to go to those meetings; those meetings are right, it’s the way of God, it’s what we need to hear and be following,” and he encouraged them all to go. Some said, “We don’t have gas to go,” and John said, “I’ll give you gas to go; you’ve got to go” and most went and professed. John and his wife went but never professed and no one knew why. Time went on and they remained where they were. They were kind to the workers and the workers would visit them, and they loved to have them come. They would always come to the gospel meetings, but they never professed. So it came to the time when I was there, my first year in the work, and we got the little school house for meetings and started having meetings. We visited John and his wife, and by now they are up in years. They were very, very friendly and glad to have us come. The wife made meals for us, and they came to the meetings, but the meetings came to a close, and we tested them and John and his wife didn’t profess; they didn’t make it, and we had to leave them where we had found them. That next year John got very sick, and his brothers and sisters told us they didn’t think John would get well. So we asked about coming around to see him, but they said he is not able. John was on his deathbed. So, time went along, and we kept inquiring about John, and he was getting worse. Then one day his sister came to us and said, ‘It is a fearful thing that John is facing; all he can say, all that we hear is his sobbing and saying, ‘Oh the terrible second death, oh the terrible second death. ‘” He died that way, but why would he not hear? Who “deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject unto bondage.” This is Jesus our Master, this is the Christ of God, and He can speak and deliver us from the fear of the second death and a lost eternity.

I now want to speak to you some about Christ as our High Priest. Some of the following verses have meant a lot to me concerning this. This book of Hebrews gives us a tremendous correlation, a comparison between the Old Testament priesthood of Aaron and the New Testament priesthood under Christ. I don’t want to get into it too deep because it is too deep for my simple mind, but I just want to say this: there is a great depth in it for you and me, a great depth of understanding and meaning concerning the blood of Jesus, the sacrifice of Christ, Christ as our High Priest, the risen Lord, the One who took our sins upon Him and became sin for every man, the One who has entered heaven and now intercedes for us at the right hand of God.

Chapter 8: 1-2, “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” Chapter 9:11-13, “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves; but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” It tells us in Romans 5 that we being justified by faith are also justified by His blood, so for some time I have been trying to get into my mind more of this meaning of the blood of Jesus and why it was that all sin had to be cleansed by His blood; I’ve been trying to understand the depth and meaning of it all, and I have not gotten very far. I want to give to you a little illustration concerning these verses and the Old Testament sacrifices, the blood of the animals, which could never take away sin and compare it to the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God that came into this world.

The illustration I would like to tell you is this. And I am going to speak about it from the viewpoint of a farmer, a small farmer, who does not have very much. He is a poor man who has a few sheep, a little flock of sheep, but to him, it is all that he has. He feeds them, he takes care of them and in the springtime the lambs are born and the first lamb born is always the biggest and the best, and his pride and joy. It is also the one that grows the fastest; it’s the one he looks to. The rest of the lambs are born after the firstborn lamb, and they all run and play, but the firstborn leads them all. The neighbours come by, and he shows them his little flock of sheep, all the lambs and the firstborn, the one he looks to. So time goes on and the lamb grows and becomes his pride and joy, but in the back of his mind he knows there is a day coming when he is going to need to take this lamb down before the priest as a sacrifice. This thought is in the back of his mind as the days go by. Finally, the day comes, and he knows this is the day I take the firstborn, the best, and the firstling of the flock to the priest for atonement for sin, and he does not feel very good about it. He knows he has the fear of God in his heart and a love for Him there, and the joy of salvation in his heart for God. But he knows that this must be done. So early in the morning he takes his lamb to the priest to be sacrificed and as he goes along, he is pretty quiet and sober because he knows what it’s going to involve. He goes before the priest and presents this firstborn lamb to him. He has to identify with his sacrifice as he presents it there, so he lays his hand upon the head of the lamb as he presents it. Really anyone who knows anything about livestock knows that when you lay your hand on the head of an animal, it will always look you square in the eye, and this happens. As the animal begins to look him in the eye, if he has any conscience, and he should have because the fear of God is in his heart, He has a love for him and the faith of Jesus all there then all his sins and his wrongs of the past year pass through his mind, and he begins to understand that this innocent animal has to die because of my foolishness and my sins. This then reminds him of Christ, the son of God that is to come into the world and pay the supreme price for there is nothing else that could be paid. So he purposes in his mind and heart to never again be guilty of committing those wrongs again because this animal must die for his sin and his foolishness.

Now that is a little picture of the cleansing of the animal sacrifices, but now we see Jesus the Lamb of God. We see this Jesus, the sinless one coming down from heaven as the righteous Lamb of God into the world, not only to be our Apostle, the sent one, our high priest but also our redeemer. He set us free from the sins of this life, the sins that have been repented of, the part of those who believe in repentance, salvation and redemption, and now we see this Jesus. Some time ago I was thinking, supposing I would have had the thought by some stretch of the imagination that I would be the redeemer and would have to step forward and be given for the sins of others. The first thing that happens is, Satan comes forward and says, “Wait a minute; this is not going to work. What about your own sin, what about the wrongs that you have committed?” but Jesus came as our redeemer, our saviour, the One that has given His life for us and took upon Himself the sins of all the world. The mouth of Satan was stopped once and for all because Jesus was without sin. He was the only One that could come forward, the One who lived perfectly without sin, and Satan had nothing to say. Because Jesus came forward, the sinless one’s sin was bound and the curse of sin was bound, and death was bound to have no more control over those who are redeemed and set free by the blood of Christ through repentance and their belief in Jesus.

There is another part to this too, not only is Jesus our redeemer and the One who gave His life for us, but He also became sin Himself, so we might be the righteousness of God in Him. In other words, He took my sins and He took yours upon himself, saying, “I will take your sin, and you can go free.” That is the fullness, the greatness of the power of the love of God and the provision of God for you and me through Christ Jesus. That is the greatness of the heart of our Master, the greatness of the heart of our God, and Jesus fulfilled that on Calvary. Every Sunday morning when we take the emblems, I’m glad for these thoughts in my own heart: a picture of Jesus walking up Calvary’s mountain, and for some time I have tried to get into my mind more of the depth of meaning because I don’t want to miss it—all the depth of what this should mean to us, this Jesus who every day gave of himself, condemned to die, and yet He did not defend Himself because He understood this is the plan and will of God. He was condemned without a cause, and before Herod He did not answer a word. There are reasons for that: maybe it was Herod who silenced John the Baptist, the servant of God when he took his head from his body, and that was a very serious thing to do. Jesus was crucified, the most brutal way to die, and He made His way up Calvary’s mountain too weak to carry His own cross, too far spent, too completely given. There on Calvary’s mountain He gave the last of His own will, the last of His own blood, the last of His own love, because He could give no more and no less. I see that in my mind’s eye, and it gives me a deep heartfelt gratitude for the redeemer, the One that took my place on the middle cross of Calvary. He set me free, giving me an option, an opportunity through repentance, to go forward with a clean sheet into a new week. When I partake of the emblem of His broken body, the emblem of His shed blood, I take it with a deep thankfulness in my heart that I am now free, and I don’t presume upon it or take it for granted. So we see Jesus, the humble lowly Son of God moved by God’s divine love to come into this world to be our Saviour, our redeemer, and it brings gladness into our hearts, and we bow our heads in thankfulness for His blood. The blood of Christ covers sins that are repented of, and for those who through fear of death live all their lifetime subject to bondage, He has set them free and given them a freedom in Christ Jesus, because Jesus, the Lamb of God has risen. I am glad today for the risen living Lord. Death had no power over Him, the grave had no power over Him and in the experience of the resurrection, death was put down, and now we trust in the power of the eternal resurrection because He is the first begotten of the dead. He had a spiritual resurrection body. We are following in our own time according to the time and plan of God, and in this we trust and have confidence. I am glad that when we come together on Sunday morning, yes, we trust in the cross of Christ, yes, we trust in the blood of Jesus, but our confidence is in the risen Lord.

I could tell you of another experience we had with a minister once, who would preach every Sunday morning demanding and commanding Christ to come down from heaven and get back on the cross again. It was nearly overwhelming to me to think that any human individual could ever have such a thought in their mind, to think they would have such ability and such a power over God, and leave out completely the risen Lord. Satan does not want us to have any confidence or trust in the living risen Lord. He does not want us to have confidence in the fact that Jesus got complete power over death and promises us the same. May we have confidence in the greatness of the provision of God in Jesus Christ.

John 1:12, “But as many as received Him gave He power to become the sons of God who believe in His name.” We’ve been given power. One time, a blind man in John 9 came to Jesus. He knew Jesus was the only One who could heal his eyes. Jesus turned it around and put the responsibility in his hands, “Be it unto you according to your faith.” Jesus will do the miracle part if we believe and do the possible. When we commit to Him, He will commit to us. Jesus asked this blind man, “Do you believe I can do this?” He said, “Yes, Lord.” Then Jesus put it back in his hands, “Be it unto according to your faith.” How much vision you will have in the new year is according to your faith.

In James 4:8, draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you. Do you want to be closer to God? He is waiting for your commitment. As soon as you draw nigh to God, He will draw near to you. Perhaps we are not quite there yet. There was a Sunday morning meeting on this place. I was trying to listen to the meeting. I had the flu and couldn’t be there. I heard voices and I knew that person and this person, but there I was outside. I couldn’t take the bread and wine because I was outside. I was close, but not close enough. Mary was at the feet of Jesus. Could we get closer than that? John worked his way over to Jesus and leaned on Jesus. He wanted to be close to Jesus. II Corinthians 6:16, “I will walk in them.” I shall be their God and they shall be My people. The Spirit comes inside. I will enter into you. Something of God comes inside, which is even a little closer yet.

One son came to his father and said he can’t get the truth. The father told him the reason was because he didn’t have the nature. God wants to give us a new nature that will feed the life within. Jesus said, “He that eateth this bread will live forever.” Our “forever” is effected when we are feeding on Christ. When you are around someone you know, you know right away if they have been feeding on the things of God. One day, I was at a farm house and I went out to see what time sheep started feeding. They came out and began feeding on grass and clover. They weren’t thinking, “I had this yesterday.” They were so excited to have pasture to feed on. They ate and then laid down and they were contented.

Revelation 1:8, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.” As soon as John committed, the door to heaven was opened. If you want an open heaven, you need to commit to God. In Malachi 3, it tells us He will open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing and you won’t have enough room to receive it. Then the Lord promised him he would take care of the devourer. What a privilege we have to pay the price for an open heaven. It would be interesting to watch Daniel open heaven three times a day. The power was in Daniel. He had an open heaven because he committed his life to Him. It is up to us to decide how close we want to be to God.

I saw a picture of a paratrooper in an airplane and the door was open and suddenly he jumped and they photographed him. Under the picture there was one word, “Committed.” There was no turning back. He was committed. In one class, the teacher said, “I’ll teach you how to pack your pack but how you pack your pack will determine if you are committed.” Dan Hilton said one time, “I am in this over my head.” Dan was a committed servant. When we are willing to risk everything, we risk nothing. When we give our all, then our song and joy begins.

The length of the famine is in your hands. In II Samuel 21:1, we read about David in a famine for a year. It didn’t need to be a year. Where are you? We sometimes panic and wonder where the mercy of God is. The length of the famine was in David’s hand. This famine went on for three years. David went to God and asked why the famine was going on. God told him the reason and David took care of the problem and the famine ceased. The Lord has committed a lot into our hands.

When we do something on the earth, something happens in heaven. When someone commits their life to God, suddenly there is joy in heaven. The angels rejoice. Great rejoicing over one sinner who repents. We can do something during the week that affects heaven. Matthew 10:32, “If you confess Me before men, I’ll confess you before God.” He said two things, “I’ll talk to the holy angels about you and I’ll talk to God about you.” Committed lives bring rejoicing.

Sometimes we give our testimonies and we want to do better and then we find out it doesn’t happen in our lives. We can have four wonderful days of conventions and we can lose it all before we leave the convention. We need to try and commit more time to God. If we pray a certain amount of time, try adding ten more minutes in the morning. Try it! The Lord has asked us to pray that God would send labourers into the ministry. New workers are a product of your prayer life. You had a part in the harvest. Our prayers can be effective. Our effectual fervent prayers can have an influence. If we don’t say what we are going to do, our prayers could be an abomination, Proverbs 28:9. We can pray that God will keep those who are in the ministry. Workers are vulnerable. Satan wants to destroy the ministry. Thank you for your prayers. Someone prayed and God said, “I saw your tears.” They were committed.

In our field, we have a 99 year old lady. She is full of life. Her son, who is a school principal, asked his mother to come to this meeting in a restaurant. Many people were there. Suddenly, his mother decided she wanted to sing. She sang that hymn, “Give me a heart that is tender true.” When she got through, the room was quiet. Have you asked God to take out the hardness so you can have a tender and kind heart? I visited her later in the care facility and she said she was so happy. She sang hymns and put them on a recorder and she listens to the hymns all day. She is so happy and she is rejoicing all the time. She could be talking about negative things or she could talk about her health problems. She never mentions it. She comes to the gospel meetings and she sits on the front row and then she goes home and she tells everyone what she has heard at the meetings. Everyone loves her and hugs her. She has the goods. She is a committed soul.

Luke 6:36, “Give and to you it shall be given” – The same measure it shall be measure to you again. We decide our own measure. If you want a larger heart, it is up to you. If you want to be more forgiving, it is up to you. He wants to give you power to do it. I John 4:4, “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” Satan doesn’t have a chance, the world doesn’t have a chance because greater is He than he that is in the world. That is how it happens.

One of my companions told me the reason why he is in the work. One day, his mother came to him and asked him about some damage in the bedroom upstairs. He said he didn’t do it. She said to her son, “You have lied and you will be punished.” She told her husband about the damage when he came home from work. He spoke up and said, “I did that damage!” The mother took her son and went into the bedroom and closed the door and began weeping and she asked her young son for forgiveness. That spirit came from God into her heart and she shared it with him. This is a mighty kingdom. When you leave this convention, you won’t face one thing but what you can’t get victory.

He said, “You have overcome the wicked one.” He gave Him power over Satan and over temptation. That power is on your side. Genesis 32, Jacob wrestled with an angel all night. There are people in this meeting that have wrestled with angels. No matter what kind of pit you are in, you can find God and get power to overcome. When you seek Me, you will find Me. When you search for God and are committed, you will find the help. One religious lady said she couldn’t find God. She prayed and asked, “Would you find me?” And God did. She found her way to the convention. The angel told Jacob, “You are going to have power with God. When you pray, you are going to have power. When you meditate, you are going to have power.” It is there for us. It will enable us.

I went to a doctor because I wasn’t feeling just right. When I got up to leave, the doctor asked me, “Is this is all you want me to do?” She had committed time for me and I didn’t use the time wisely. We have the great physician who knows about us. Perhaps God has more to commit to us but we don’t want to take time. We walk off. If only we knew the power He has to commit to us.

God once said to the children of Israel, “I could have destroyed all your enemies. I could have made your peace like a river. I could have made your righteousness like the sea. I could have brought honey out of the rock.” We have forty chapters of wanderings because they weren’t committed. Those chapters didn’t need to happen.

We read of Jesus’ commitments. When Jesus came to earth, He didn’t come having it all made. He said, “God gave Me the doctrine, the spirit, the works. I go to the Father. I can’t do anything on My own.” He wouldn’t speak unless God spoke to Him. In Luke 2:49, He said, “I must be about My Father’s business.” He was committed. “I must walk today, tomorrow, and the day following. I must work the works of Him that sent me while it is day. The scriptures must be fulfilled. I must needs go through Samaria.” These were commitments.

Jesus went a little farther in the garden. When Jesus came into the garden, there was a possibility of sinning because Jesus had a fleshly nature and another will. Jesus struggled with His flesh and His will and He prayed and He prayed and He wasn’t conquered. He came back the second time and then the third time. In Hebrews 12:4, “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” This is exactly what Jesus did. He went to the garden and it cost His blood. If it wasn’t for His blood, there wouldn’t be any blood. The disciples observed Jesus and He was bleeding. They knew He was in a great struggle. He got the victory because He was committed.

Isaiah 53, He poured out His soul. When you pour, it is controlled. If you spill, you don’t have any control. Jesus poured out His love, His mercies. I was in Ukraine and I met this lady. She was attending meetings. She had never attended convention. She didn’t stay long and she left and I felt for her. She went out and she was weeping. She felt unworthy of these people and these meetings. She was committed. She felt unworthy. She missed several meetings and came back. She gave her testimony and she said she didn’t feel worthy to be there, but she was staying. She was committed.

1 Chronicles 4:10, Jabez asked God for five things. God said He would do it. Jabez prayed, but there was something behind his prayer. “Would you bless me?” God said He would. But He waited for the commitment. Revelations 3:18, go and buy a blessing. Buy gold tried in the fire. Buy a clean garment. Buy eye salve. We can be as rich as we want. Jabez asked God to love him. He wanted his coast to be enlarged. A lady was baptized. Her coast increased. After she was baptized, she said she had more willingness than in all her life. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. When workers get into the work, they wonder how they got there. It is by willingness.

There is a lady in Canada. She is 94. She takes a bus everyday, a 4 hour trip, and goes to the care home to help a lady. She feeds this lady lunch. This lady is incapable of saying thank you. She felt this was a privilege. One day, that lady died and our friend found someone else to help. She was a committed soul. Another lady said, “I didn’t know I could love this much.” Her borders were enlarged.

Then Jabez asked God, “Would your hand be with me?” Jesus said He could cast out devils with one finger. Then Jabez asked, “Keep me from evil.” God said, “Yes.” God enables us and He prevents. We are prevented from doing this and watching that.

Last one, “I don’t want to be grieved. I don’t want to see sorrow.” The cost of obedience doesn’t compare to the pain of regret.

Matthew 6, Jesus talked about forgiveness. If you forgive, I’ll forgive you. It is up to you. It takes commitment to forgive.

Hymn 395

Matthew 13:24, the Lord is willing to sow the good seed yet today. The Gospel is a little seed with wonderful possibilities. It’s sown in the hearts and the results are eternal. He is looking for fruit. While men slept, there was another sowing.

A battle can be won or lost by neglect. Neglect is not the same as rebellion, but it ends in the same thing.

The enemy is watching for carelessness. The enemy wants to sow a little seed of wrong in our hearts. A big work the enemy is doing, from a little seed.

Discouragement can be fatal. Wrong doctrine seems plausible. A wrong spirit can bring death. The work of the enemy starts with a tiny seed. Others didn’t see the tares, but the servants saw something else was growing. Pull it up? No, it’ll disturb what is right. Even though there’s things surrounding God’s People, we can be right. Struggling for right strengthens it.

Don’t let wrong be sown in our heart. Don’t hinder what will strengthen what is right, by taking out the wrong. “Gather my wheat into the barn!” God didn’t say, “Gather the soil, it produced good wheat.” No. “Gather the wheat.”

Nothing of the wrong seed was gathered in. The harvest would be to His Honour.

Proverbs 24, “field of the slothful.” Verse 30, the greatest of enemies to face is the lack of diligence, the lack of being exercised, other care and concern letting the good be crowded out.

There were carrots in the garden, sown thickly, and the carrots that were pulled out were 100% good, nothing was wrong with them. But if they weren’t pulled out, the others wouldn’t develop. There are not enough hours or days to attend to all we’d like, but they’ll crowd the best. The Lord wants the best to be attended to.

Watch and pray! Be awake! Habakkuk 2, “I will stand upon my watch and see what He will say unto me.” Nothing is as important as the things of God.

Matthew 24:42, the first watch, second watch, etc. The enemy could come when they were sleeping – need to watch. We don’t know when the Lord will come, when NEED will come. Matthew 24, “Know not what hour your Lord may come.”

Revelation 21, “The bride has made herself ready.” Take advantage of our todays. One of the enemy’s most effective weapons is tomorrow. “Someday I’ll serve God or do this or that which is right.”

Chapter 25:1, be careful about the little seed the enemy would sow in our heart. “Our lamps are going out.” They let the seed of carelessness take place in their heart. The seed was allowed in their hearts.

The wise were not selfish – we don’t share the precious things of Heaven with someone else. We have to pay for the oil of God’s Spirit OURSELVES!

Verse 2, nobleman. “Occupy till I come back.”

Verse 3, goats divided from sheep. There’s a then coming for all of us. God is giving us a vision now and we have to prepare for it! Seeds of selfishness and self-interest were allowed to grow in them.

A seed of wrong doctrine was NOT going to come into the house of a young couple, when their relatives got into some wrong doctrine. They made it clear that the wrong doctrine was not going to come into their house.

Hymn 190, “Teach Us How to Pray”

Psalm 121:5, “The Lord is thy keeper…” (Verse 7) “The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil; He shall preserve thy soul.” (Verse 8) “The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” Deuteronomy 28:1, “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all His commandments, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth.” (Verse 6) “Blessed shall thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.”

In the new year, Karen McCrae and I studied the Psalms together and then at preps, we also studied them. I have especially enjoyed the thought of the Lord’s preserving power. In the Psalms, the prayer was that the Lord would preserve his soul. The Psalmist wasn’t concerned about his life being preserved but he was concerned that his soul would be preserved. Some in the world are concerned about preserving human rights, preserving roads, preserving Heritage buildings, and preserving the earth, etc., and they forget about influences that wreck their lives. They emphasize the wrong problem! We need to put the emphasis on preserving souls, not just preservation from harm. Preserving fruit preserves from outside influences.

Humanly, we’re prone to bitterness, self-preservation, hardness, unforgiveness, etc. All these attitudes have a harmful effect on our soul and we need to focus on preserving our soul. The Lord wants to preserve us from all evil. That 7th verse in Psalm 121 tells us the Lord shall preserve our soul. But God doesn’t do it all; there’s our part, too. Our focus should be on what preserves our soul. I’m thankful for God’s part and for the part of Jesus.

Psalm 40:11, “Withhold not Thou Thy tender mercies from me, O Lord; let Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth continually preserve me.” Where would we be without God’s loving kindness and the advantage of the blood of Jesus? These are such a preserving power in our lives.

Psalm 26:1, “Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in mine integrity. I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.” David walked in integrity, or as Dan Hilton would say, “rock bottom honesty.” Acts 5 speaks of Ananias with his wife, selling a possession. There wasn’t that rock bottom honesty, that integrity; they were holding back part of the price.

Psalm 145:20, “The Lord preserveth all them that love Him; but all the wicked will He destroy.” The love for God preserves.

Psalm 119:165, “Great peace have they which love Thy Law.” Psalm 32:6-7, “For this shall every one that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found. Surely in the floods of great waters, they shall not come nigh unto Him. Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble…” Psalm 144:11, “Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.” The hiding place, the resting place is the pla6ce of prayer. Seek His help and rest daily and make Him our hiding place.

Psalm 121:8 “The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” There is a coming into the presence of God, to the warmth of His love. It was nice to hear last evening of coming to the Sun of righteousness. There is a going out from the presence of God.

I Samuel 22:1-2, “David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him and every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and everyone that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them, and there were with him about 400 men.” David fled from Saul to the cave Adullam. A group of 400 men came to him. David could have shaken his head and said, “What a bunch!” He was in despair, defeat, and distress himself, but he didn’t send anyone away. He won their hearts and was an encouragement to them. God understands our needs, our purpose; He sees that and is so able to help us.

Our response to the voice of God when He speaks to us will help us greatly. “Just as I am Thou wilt receive.” We’re glad for hearts that are eager to hear. I took a little girl to see swans. She ran to them and didn’t respond to my call to come back to my side. That little girl could have been in deep distress had those swans turned on her! God wants us to respond to His voice and to be eager to hear and profit from our days here.

In Joshua 7, Achan was going out to battle. He was hindered in his desire. He coveted the Babylonish garment, took it and hid it. It was a wrong in his heart. He lacked honesty. Lack of integrity brought defeat and destroyed his life. Joseph so easily could have had a hard heart against his brothers, but he proved God as his hiding place and was fruitful in the land of his affliction.

Genesis 41:51-52, “Joseph called the name of the first born Manasseh. “For God,” said he, “hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.” Verse 52, And the name of the second called he Ephraim, for God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.” God preserved him in all his experiences. There was no hardness or unforgiveness in him, even when he was forgotten in the prison. God made him forget all his toil. He had open communication with God. He had liberty of spirit; he had prayer as a hiding place. God made him fruitful. His soul was preserved in those experiences. Verse 38, “A man in whom the spirit of God is.” He knew the preservation of the God of heaven.

I’m thankful we’ve had the desire to come and I hope we haven’t brought any influence of the world here so God can preserve us. We’re thankful for praying parents who pray for their children and read the Bible to them and sing hymns with them to help preserve their children from the influences of the world. Even in the school life, children see the influence of the world. Attest to God’s preservation, a hiding place; His spirit helps to direct us against certain activities. It’s good to go to the secret place in the morning before going to work, allowing God to warn us and helping to preserve us from strong, deadly influences in the world. May God help us.

Hymn 92, “God Is Longing”

I’ve been thinking of that familiar verse that most of the religious world and we can recite like parrots. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I like to think of how much God loves us.

When up north, and driving on ice roads, one day we fellows decided to go ice fishing. The day was nice, we were enjoying ourselves and drove much further than we thought. We drilled holes and went fishing, and you know how it is when you are enjoying yourselves — time got away. It got late. We had a young boy with us, an only son. He was pleased to be with us and we were pleased to have him. We enjoyed the day, but now it was late. There was no cell phone service and we knew we were going to catch it. We finally pulled into the driveway and it was very late. The Mom and Dad met us in the doorway, standing in their housecoats. Oh no! We just knew we were going to catch it! But instead, we were greeted with a warm welcome. “Come in! We’re glad you’re home and safe. How was your day?” There was a warm meal and a warm bed awaiting us; that’s when we realized how much love there is for the natural son and how much love there is for the only begotten Son of God. God gave Jesus, His only begotten Son, for us. It’s His gift to us. What did Jesus do on this earth? He was giving; He gave His life for us.

Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” “Who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” God gave His Son to us and Jesus’ gift to us was His life. He loved me and He loved you so much that He gave His life. He gave a sinless life. He gave Himself to His Father every day. We have the Father who gave His Son and we have Jesus who gave His life and He gave a ministry.

Acts 2, the ministry was filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 6:2, there were some being neglected and the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, “It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables, (Verse 4) But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” This is what the ministry does. They leave all natural goods behind so they can fully give to us. This is not a selfish life but a giving life that His ministers live. We have a ministry who give themselves for His people.

Acts 15:3 is our part in giving. “And being brought on their way by the church…” (Verse 4) “And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church…”

We help the ministry to give their life and do God’s will. Our part is in just helping the ministry continue. The ministry is on the receiving end of your giving. Giving of ourselves is not mandatory but it is because of love. If we change the verse and put our own name in there, it would read, “If Brady so loved the world that Brady gave his life…” If we’re willing to do that…May we increase our love and give ourselves for God and may we give more deeply and may we give ourselves for eternity.

1964 – there’s a little tent here where I professed at Didsbury, and I’m thankful for that. It’s good to be here again. In Hong Kong where we labour, I used to ask the people, “Do you ever think of the purpose of life?” They look at me blankly and say, “No, I’ve never thought about that.” I’ve learned not to ask that question. They just don’t think about the purpose of life there, but God is going to remind us again what the purpose of life is here at this convention.

I’m going to speak about some of the things God would like to help us to know the purpose of life.

One thing He wants us to know is to simplify our life. At Bowsman convention, we heard about a servant of God, Maurice Fife. His memory was gone. When he was asked about the year, about the country he was in, about the day, and other things, his reply was he didn’t know, but does it matter? He was asked, “What does matter?” and his reply was, “Salvation matters.” Life becomes very simple when you have a single purpose.

Another thing we will be reminded of to help us in our purpose is “Get God in His right place.” Where I labour, there is a gradual shift in the way people think about work. Australia is shifting more and more towards China. At one time, their loyalty was with United States but now the economy has shifted to China and the United States is gradually becoming less and less important and the shift is towards the importance of China. This is true spiritually – things little by little become important, but here at convention God would like to get back in first place.

Third, our vows are stirred at convention. Just as concrete and rebar go together, vows are two-sided. One part is the vow, and the second part is the payment of the vow. When there is no rebar in the concrete, it is not very safe. It may be okay for a time, but if a storm comes up, it will collapse. This is like people that vow and never do; if we don’t pay our vows, there’s no stability. Vows are a debt we owe to God. Payment of our vows is when we are out of debt, but we can be connected to old vows and maybe to new ones. God wants and requires that we pay our vows.

The fourth thing to help our purpose is God wants us to go deeper. Purpose is strengthened by depth. At another convention we were thrilled by the participation of the young people and especially the children. The first little lad to pray wasn’t as tall as the bench and we couldn’t even see him standing, but his prayer was so deep. There was real depth to his prayer. Some people pray the same prayer every time. When I was growing up, there was a young lady in the meeting who prayed the same prayer – and it was a long prayer – and we could memorize that prayer. The only thing that differed was the ending. She had two different endings. Some years later I was in meeting with her and now her prayer had such depth. I asked her how she had broken the habit and she replied that each week she would pray for two different things each time. God wants to break the habit and share what is real and true from our own hearts. He doesn’t want us just to repeat what someone else has already prayed or shared in the meeting. That already was bread. Go deeper, break the habit.

The last thing that I thought about for me is that God would like to connect us with our ending. It’s fine to have a good purpose, but the path we are on depends on whether our purpose for life is fulfilled. We cannot make new beginnings but we can make new endings. Go deep.

Luke 1:46, “My soul doth magnify the Lord.”

Philippians 1:20, “…Christ shall be magnified in my body…” Magnify…I’ve been thinking of a magnifying glass and how it is made. You take a broken piece of glass and make it a magnifying glass by grinding the edges. God has taken our broken pieces of humanity, grinds away the flesh, and makes us into a magnifying glass. We hold the glass close to the object to see clearly. The further away from the glass, the more blurred the object becomes. We need to be found closer to Christ than we are to the eyes of the world, getting an image of Christ. If we are further removed from Him, what people see would be blurred and distorted. It’s not pleasant for the Lord to work with us, but the Lord sees a need to grind away the outer parts of our life, the things that hinder us from magnifying Christ. We hold a magnifying glass ourselves but in our life, God is the One who puts us where we need to be so others can get a clear image of Christ.

Sometimes magnifying glasses are scratched and nicked and have abrasions. Polishing agents can be used to remove those scratches, nicks and abrasions. Our life could be like this, marred, and thus hinder someone from seeing the Christ. Surface marks can be taken away so the glass is useful again. God can polish and cleanse us from things we’ve acquired in our daily living.

The word “focus” is not in the Bible, but we use it often today. We need to be focused on the right things. This will be an asset and a help in my life in magnifying Christ. We could focus on our behaviour, our willingness, etc. but our focus really needs to be on Christ.

In John’s Gospel, “I am” is used often. John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” Jesus said this on the last day of His life: I am the way, the truth, the life. When we use a telescope, binoculars or microscope, there is a little turn wheel on them to bring the object into focus. If we want to focus, there needs to be changes in our lives. God knows the adjustments that need to take place and He is well able to make the needful changes, and then we can have the privilege of focusing on Jesus.

A few years ago in a home, there was a union meeting. On Saturday evening in visiting, the man said he believed there was more than one way that is right, but Jesus said, “I am the way.” He didn’t say, “I am a way,” or “I am another way”. We need to set our focus on Jesus being “the Way.” When Jesus said, “I am the way,” He was simply saying “Follow Me.” “I am the truth, believe Me;” I am the life, live Me.” If we do this, then our footsteps will be right.

“I am the truth.” Truth never changes; it remains the truth regardless of the conditions around it. Witnesses in court testify of what he or she saw. They declare in the court exactly what they saw, and their understanding and that is the truth of the matter. The lawyer tries to change the witness. If the witness stays true, that will stand. If a person wavers, the truth of the matter never changes. Jesus said, “I am the truth.” He was declaring unto them that He is unchanging. He was going to be as true in the future as He was now and as He had been in the past. Maybe something else is dominant, but truth will not change and will come out on top. Truth will prevail!

Jesus said, “I am the life.” What is life? How do you explain life? Life is a God-given gift. The fact that we are here is proof we have a life. We have sight and we can hear and this is proof we have natural life. But Jesus imparted spiritual life to His disciples and He wants to give the same to us.

In Elijah’s experience in 1 Kings 19, verses 11 and 12, there was a great and strong wind, an earthquake and a fire, then after all these, there was a calm and Elijah heard the still small voice of God. If we focus on the life of Christ, that life will enable us to hear the still small voice. The still small voice can’t be heard in the confusion, turmoil, hustle and bustle of the world. We need quietness and stillness. Oh, that we could be still that we could hear the still small voice! We need the life in order to get revelation so we can see and understand the things God wants us to see and understand. Jesus was that life. He is well able to give that life to you and me. Focus so that life can become more and more a part of our life, that those looking into and through our life might get a true vision of Jesus.

Hymn 343 (1, 3), “Never Let Your Courage Falter”

Hymn 8, “Was It for Me?” Hymn 235, “From Lips of Babes”

Luke 2:12, “And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” This is the first picture we see of Jesus. In the foreground is the babe, Jesus. Most pictures of babies are taken with pleasant backgrounds, but in this picture the background is a manger. A manger is not a nice place for a babe; it’s not sterile, it’s dusty; in winter it would be warm and smelling like cows and hay. In Israel, it would be dark, a place lit by a lamp, and not a nice place for a babe. A baby is precious and loved by its parents, and put in a safe, protected place. Jesus had been with God in Heaven, a glorious place where no darkness is, and no unsavory smells.

There is no darkness with the Father. There is no place on earth as safe and protected as with the Father. God gave His Son to a woman. There was no question of the love of God for you and me. It was for me alone the Saviour left His glorious throne. It was for me He came to die. It was for me, God planned it so. It was for me, yes all for me. The love of God is so great. We come to convention, perhaps empty, hard, overgrown with the cares of life and many other conditions of heart, but God so loved us He sent His Son. May there be a softening here at convention and may our cares be wiped away.

John 3:27, “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Verse 30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Man can receive/see nothing except it be given from the Father. The mark of a true servant and true handmaiden of Christ is to decrease so Christ can increase and be lifted up higher. Christ is all in all.

Hebrews 3:1, “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” Paul wanted these people to know theirs was a heavenly calling to enter into the things of heaven. Jesus asked Peter, “Who am I?” Matthew 16:16, “And Simon Peter answered and said, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” 17, “And Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven.’” We need to have a heavenly revelation. If we receive a revelation from God, it means we have the true salvation.

18: “And I say also unto thee, ‘That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’” Ephesians 2:6, God has quickened us and made us to sit in heavenly places. If we came here as to an earthly place, we won’t be encouraged, but if we sit in heavenly places, we’ll receive the love of Jesus for the rest of the journey. It is revealed to babes. We need to have the spirit of a baby, the spirit of a little child, the spirit of need to receive help from heaven. If a corn of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it brings forth fruit, John 12:24. When we are willing to die as Jesus died, we’ll have the privilege of experiencing God’s grace and goodness to us. May we sit in Heavenly places so we can truly receive things from Heaven.

Hymn 206, (2, 4, 5), Gracious Redeemer

Jesus must have been a wonderful, wonderful person to know personally, to wake up every morning wondering what would happen. Today we are going to take a walk with Jesus.

Jesus always arose early to pray. Jesus’s days began with prayer; sometimes He went through the day praying and ended with prayer. If we are going to walk with Jesus, we need to pray. “If you are not a praying person you are not walking with Jesus.”

There was a couple who were divorced after two years; they no longer come to meeting. We talked to the wife and she said, “I never saw my husband pray and when I prayed, he mocked me.” Often this man was the first to give his testimony. I will say again, “If you are not praying, you are not walking with Jesus.”

Jesus went alone in the mountain to pray and it was evening. Jesus was a praying Man.

We need to use the time He has given us and find the time to pray. Ecclesiastes 3:1-9: there is a time to laugh, a time to cry…but in all these verses there is no time for God.

Jesus went to pray and got direction for His day. When the disciples came with another thought, He stayed with the thought that God gave Him that morning.

A man gave his testimony at convention. “I have had the best year of my life; I have been faithful for the very first time in my life in reading and praying and my purpose is to keep doing it.” The worker in his field said, “When we went to their home it was like a war zone, but 6 months ago we went and there was peace and we did not know why, today we found out why.”

We can pray to take away guilt, but we know in our hearts that we did not pray. There were times I would get on my knees to pray and as the second knee hit the ground, the first was already getting up…We need the commitment of time and sincerity.

A man brought his children up going to meeting, but he did not bring them up in the Truth. That would be a man who does not pray…there might come a time when we cannot pray for our self, but we want to do it while we can.

Jesus’s walk was in the will of God…Jesus said He who sent me has not left me alone…If we are going to walk with Jesus, we need to walk in the will of God, then it will be safe for others to walk with us.

One of the things we do that takes away unity is when we criticize. Who do we talk to when we criticize? Our friends…it is not safe and it’s not walking in the will of God…The places we go…Where your feet go your heart goes too….Lot…some of Lot’s heart stayed there in Egypt…Abraham wouldn’t have thought of it when he introduced Lot to Egypt….Wherever Jesus took his friends, they were safe places…We want to only take our friends to safe places.

One of the ways Jesus resisted temptation: He just kept on walking, walking right past it…It will be the answer on how we deal with temptation….The Flesh, the human part of us, will not die. We think as we get older the flesh will die…This year we have lost 3 in their 70s. The first one took a lover; the other two married divorced men.

Keep walking. My human nature will kill me if I don’t keep walking. “Wolf Trap” – one of the friend’s traps. We have never eaten one of the animals he has trapped because they’re dead; all he wants is a trophy…The wolf trap is a bone; the Eskimo cuts into the bone so it is sharp, then he puts fat on it; the wolf comes and he licks until he gets past the fat and he cuts his tongue, then he dies from licking his own blood….If the wolf had kept walking, he would have been alive. There are things we can get involved in that will kill us.

Deuteronomy 6 and 8 quotes when Jesus was being tempted. Maybe this is where Jesus was reading that day…Satan knows the Bible….We need to know the Bible; we need to spend time with it; we need to learn the word of God and learn it well. Jesus said, “Men shall not live by bread alone but by ‘every word.’” Underline every word. False prophets do not know every word or teach every word.

A lady who professed had short hair and after a time it looked like she was growing it out, so I said, “Kohi, why are you growing your hair out?” She said, “Oh I’m not; I’m going to get it cut.” So I had to then tell her about those verses in 1 Corinthians 11. When she saw that verse she said, “Well that settles it; I have to grow my hair out.” It’s easy if we take every word. Her daughter professed at the same time and had very long hair, but her Mom said, “John, you have to talk to my daughter because she is planning on cutting her hair.” So we told her we would but we never got the chance. When she got home, her daughter met her at the door and said, “Mom, I can’t cut my hair and neither can you anymore; I just read I Corinthians 11.” That’s how it is settled, when we take every word of God.

I believe the word of God is so easy that a child can understand it; you don’t have to be a lawyer. If you respect His word, you will follow it; if you don’t, you won’t follow it. Take the verses on Divorce, and when a child reads, “if a man or women shall put away, etc.,” they will know it is not right.

We live in the world, and we are surrounded by the world. A girl who professed in Hong Kong said, “I feel like I have been given a view of another country, but I have to walk through this world to get there.”

How we treat our neighbors…we’re so busy we shun others and turn away from those who have a need around us. Matthew 9:18-26: this lady had a secret need…no one knew. She touched Jesus with a secret need, as He was going to help one who was dying. Controlled balanced walk.

How many have I walked by because my balance was not right? All around us there are so many people who are so needy, but if we are not balanced in our walk, we will miss the opportunity to help.

How Jesus dealt with the ungodly: We are surrounded by them; we have to learn how to deal with the ungodly. Jesus was not afraid when people were mad at Him when He stood for truth. He made some very definite truths. Jesus never had an enemy. A lamb has no enemy. You take every animal and write down their enemy. A lamb has no enemy.

There were those who called Him their enemy because they did not like what He stood for. Mark speaks of Jesus cleansing the temple. The day before, you read nothing about Jesus. I think Jesus prayed that He would do it in the right spirit. He was angry, but it was God controlled. If our anger is God controlled, we will know how to handle the ungodly. We cannot change the world but we can take a stand against it. The stand in our home, in our testimony: A mother told her boys, “Don’t have a wishbone where your backbone should be.” We won’t affect the world, but we will affect our home. There’s no question on what is right in our home. Jesus did not hate the world

but hated the sin…

How Jesus dealt with those who followed Him: He loved them and cared for them; He dealt with great respect and honor towards them. We will see Jesus defending His own. Mark 7, 1-9: Jesus could defend them because they were doing nothing wrong. Jesus never defended wrong; He will defend us if we are doing what is right. Am I living a life that Jesus could defend, a life my friends could defend? Do we have the kind of testimony that our brother and sister can defend?

In Luke 2:7, we read, “And she brought forth her first born Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” This verse records the greatest event that has ever occurred since time began, for it was this day that made the day of crucifixion and redemption and the day of resurrection and eternal hope possible.

It is what is clearly implied but not written in this verse that is not only deeply touching, but provides a valuable lesson of the fullness of God’s provision for those that are in submission to His will. This event was precipitated by the issuance of an Imperial decree by the Roman Emperor Augustus that “all the world should be taxed” (Luke 2:1). This “taxation” was in reality an enrollment that determined the property holdings and financial status of all the subjects of the empire. This enrollment would then be used to identify those from whom the Empire could collect taxes, and the amount of tax that should be paid.

The vastness of the Roman Empire and the slowness of the available communication methods suggest that there would have been many months, perhaps up to a year, that elapsed from the issuance of the Imperial Decree at Rome and its implementation at the local level of the provinces of the Empire. There would have had to be considerable planning by the local officials to implement the “taxation,” and it is likely that Augustus was moved to issue this decree before the angel Gabriel was sent to Mary.

The Imperial decree was the motivating event that caused Mary and Joseph to be far from their home at a time when they ordinarily would not have been. It was this decree that brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem just prior to the birth of Jesus, thus fulfilling scripture (Micah 5:2). This illustrates the power of God to implement precision plans far, far into the future so that His will could be accomplished and that scripture would be fulfilled.

Impelled by the Imperial decree of Augustus, Joseph and Mary left their home to travel a distance of approximately one hundred miles. Whether they traveled by foot or by donkey, this distance translates to about five to seven days journey to reach Bethlehem, where the decree required them to be. This would have been within the last two weeks of Mary’s pregnancy, and after the tiring journey of five to seven days, they reached the city, and sought for accommodations for the event they knew was imminent. Contrary to what many have said, it was not the callousness of the innkeeper they encountered, for “there was no room” available. The innkeeper could not evict an already accepted guest, in spite of the compassion he may have felt for their plight.

It is not difficult to understand why “there was no room in the inn,” for the little town of Bethlehem was bursting at the seams with all the returning members of the house of David required by the Imperial decree to be there for the enrollment. More than forty generations had lived and passed from the scene since David was a young shepherd in Bethlehem. In the aftermath of his generation when the descendants of the eight sons and one daughter of Jesse gathered on that occasion after more than forty generations had passed, it would be clear that thousands of members of the house of David would be present in that little town.

For thousands of years, most of the inns that accommodated travelers in that part of the world possessed two characteristics. They provided food and shelter for not only the travelers but also for the animals accompanying them. The most usual form of the structure of such inns consisted of a two story building, usually built around a central enclosed courtyard. The innkeeper’s office and living quarters would have been on the first level and at the entrance to the courtyard. The inside periphery of the courtyard on the lower level would be divided into stalls, open to the courtyard but divided from each other by separating walls on each side. The guests would be given one or more of these stalls on the first level in which they could leave the animal, or animals, that were accompanying them. The stall in which the animal would be tethered would be enclosed on three sides and open to the courtyard on the fourth side. For the duration of their stay, the guests would then be given access to a room on the upper level that also faced toward the court yard.

Examples of such inns can be seen in Israel today that are nearly one thousand years old. These were built according to local custom during the time of the European Crusades that reclaimed the “Holy Land” from its Saracen conquerors. The inn to which the Samaritan man brought the man who was wounded by thieves would probably have been of this type. It is likely that the innkeeper of Bethlehem was so moved by the plight of Mary and Joseph that he led them to an unused stall off the courtyard, which was the best he could supply to them under the circumstances. The “manger” was an animal feeding trough on the stall wall farthest from the courtyard. It was under these circumstances that the Christ Child entered this world a few days after they found these emergency accommodations.

One could not help but be deeply moved by the despair that would have filled the hearts of Joseph and Mary as they entered the empty stall so generously provided for them. Knowing the imminence of the birth, no doubt they carried with them from their home in Nazareth the “swaddling clothes,” and whatever else they foresaw could be needed. Perhaps they could have obtained a measure of privacy for their stall by hanging clothing or other objects at its opening to the courtyard.

We understand from the Biblical record of the experience of Israel in Egypt that births usually occurred with the help of a midwife. But here, this couple was alone, strangers in a strange city, and facing an experience totally unknown to them, for which nothing in their previous experience could have prepared them. We know from our own experience in facing circumstances for which nothing in our past experience could have prepared us, that the presence of God was with them, and they were given the understanding of how to face and cope with what was ahead of them.

After having successfully accomplished what they had never faced before, they were left with a deeper faith and greater gratitude to the One that had provided the necessary help in the time of greatest need. It is in facing unknown traumatic experiences that the present help of God is proven, and it is by such experiences that faith grows exceedingly. The testing of faith which has eternal promise (I Peter 1:7) is far more valuable than gold which will perish when this earth shall melt with fervent heat (II Peter 3:10).

This is very encouraging to see two Sisters appreciating their privilege and because of their attitude to their privilege the Lord is able to bless them. We heard last week that it is our attitude towards our privileges that determines whether we receive a blessing or not. Paul could appreciate tribulations and suffering and it was his attitude towards those things that enabled him to receive Gods blessing in them. So easy to give in to self pity when these things come upon us, but then we receive no blessing.

Heidi is from S.Africa. Laboured in Holland for many years.

Dear all,

It is high time I sent another general letter – time flies so quickly and Jinjoo and I were saying to each other we can hardly believe we have been together in our special field 5 months already. Next weekend is our special meeting here in Pitse Fabrika (very north of Kazakhstan), the week after in Karaganda/Balkash (middle of the country), and the weekend of the 4th in Almaty (biggest city, right in the south-east, near the Chinese border). After that just a few months and our year will finish….. depending on where we are to be for convention. On the other hand it feels like we have been here together for a very long time, like ‘home.’ What a miracle that in God’s Way, cultural and human differences can be diminished, and it is possible to live in harmony and work in harmony, guided and controlled by the Holy Spirit. This time here has been very precious to me, and I am so glad for the companionship and fellowship of Jinjoo, my Korean companion. She has worked in far eastern Russia and also Sakhalin Island already 6 years, and so more used to conditions in these countries. She has many good memories of her visit to SA and so has been a little exposed to my culture, even so I am learning to eat Korean food and even with chopsticks…. and getting to know some of the Korean staff through her. These things enrich one’s life.

We have come to love the little flock here, all with their own struggles, hopes, cares… they listen so attentively – even when I battle to put my thoughts into Russian words (and GRAMMAR!!!) – often not so easy for me and not so clear to them, but they have been very kind and caring towards me. And so I appreciate their love for us and have come to love them too. Also, there have been some showing new life and also others showing new spiritual growth, so we are grateful for that. We also have good interest and our Ryma and Peter are taking steps in the right direction. Everyone in this little village knows us and who we are and why we are here and it is interesting seeing and experiencing some showing the deepest respect and others trying to avoid us. This country is so big (the ninth biggest country in the world) and we are just 3 pairs of workers here, with so many folks who have not had the opportunity of hearing the Gospel for maybe 60 years or more. Our area, too, is so big and although we have some contacts (through train journeys) in other parts of our field who have asked us to come a visit, there has not yet been an opportunity to do so. “Pray ye the Lord of the Harvest….” The need is so great. And time is speeding past…

Some have asked how those in Lebanon are, where it was my privilege to be for almost 4 months last year from February to May. Although no workers have returned there after the Greek convention in August, those there have continued to have their little meetings, continued to seek the Father. 5 of them managed to get out for the Special Meeting in Cypress (in December) and spoke to the workers there that they wanted to be baptized! After that 2 brothers went to Lebanon for a very short visit and it seems there is more interest than before, but of course, not so safe, and also, no workers free to go there at present. “Pray ye the Lord of the Harvest…” (The workers had only been there for less than a year, so this is really something very special). The Lebanese are gentle, very kind and hospitable people, their culture a lot like the South African culture and I really grew to love them.

Sometimes I ask myself: what is the best way to be a help to others. This morning I woke with the thought – If one can encourage others and promote in others a total dependence on God, the Father, and a total submission to the Spirit, that is a great thing. The only way we can encourage others in the right direction, is to go in the right direction oneself, to have a total dependence on the Father oneself, to totally submit to the Spirit every day oneself…. What a great responsibility, and o! what a GREAT PRIVILEGE.

All the very best in your corner of this great Kingdom. Strength and courage for the daily battle against self, keep true because the end will be unspeakably precious, sweet and great.

Your sisters by Grace,
Jinjoo and Heidi

Isidro Laso

Was thinking of the time of this meeting and of all the ones that were going to come, and of its principle on the road of God. Today we are here because a day we had this principle. But the goal is the end and yet we have not arrived. One reason that we are here is because we desire to finish. It is possible that the day may arrive in which we will not be capable of saying anything in a meeting, by our physical condition. It is a reality that we have seen changes. Words lose their meaning. It is our life that speaks more than all. Our presence in a meeting, and no tour speech. Does the enemy say to us, now you do not and are not able and do not do what you did before, but it is God who has the last word. Paul said I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. To the end. …2 Peter 1:14 Knowing that in brief I should abandon the body…. I do not believe that Peter was sad, the time was near and the Master was going to declare. The victory is to finish and to be freed of this human body. Psalms 126:3 Great things has done Jehovah… they were in captivity but they considered all that God had done. It is not so much what we do but what He does. Jesus -.. said you are the ones that have remained with me… to the end, He did not speak of their lack and falls. That God may help us and to maintain us faithful to the end!.

Enriqueta Arias

I am touched to be with you. When I arrived in Catalonia, I was a youth, and I knew you, and now….. thought of the words of David when he said… Young I was and I have aged and I have not seen the just deserted. ……. Was thinking about different places where we read of the olives in Psalms 52:8 I am as a green olive tree in the house of God. How good it is to be in the house today. In our field there are many olives, the other day I spoke with someone who told us, these olives are 400 years old, and still they bear fruit. The fruits are the ones that really are worth in the eyes of our God, like we read in Galatians 6. Psalm 1 speaks of the tree that is planted next to the water, borne fruit. Psalm 71 has the title, Prayer of an elder person. We sing the hymn of the day that we never want to forget, in seeing 5, speech of the security since my youth, to see 18 Even in the old age and the gray oh God do not desert me. Thus we desire to continue to the end that his presence will not remove from us.

Juan Gunn

The life is like the year and has seasons. Each season in its time is beautiful and has its beauty. The orchard in the autumn has somewhat special but they do not carry the flower neither do they have the vigor of the orchard of the spring. In the spring is beautiful to see the trees in flower, full of promise and hope, but a lot can pass between the spring and the autumn. Already we see the trees in autumn, loaded with fruit, some so loaded that no longer have sufficient power neither to be maintained, and need sticks to support to their branches, trees with canes, but how beautiful to see the fruit. What really is of worth is “The fruit”, it is for the glory of the farmer. Is not so much by our capacity but by responding to the husbandman. Only thus, He can be glorified, through the fruits. 1 Sam 12, Samuel said, I am old and grayheaded…. Samuel recognized the reality in its life, and not alone recognized it but accepted the reality. It is the spirit to accept the reality is what time does for us. At times we see in the world the ones that do not want to accept the grayheaded stage… try to camouflage it, and it is ugly… and is ugly when we do not want to accept that already we are elderly… trying to avoid what is a reality, only spends forces in which does not have benefit instead of using everything that we are to be what we should be in each station of life. God has something for us to do in every season of life, would be ugly to see an autumn tree with flower…. instead of having fruit.

At times we speak of the youth when of the birth of Jesus… As God used.. Joséph and Mary or John the Baptist, but used also elderly people as Simeón and Anna. God used them to announce the boy that was born. God can use our lives in each season of life to do this. Simeón was in the spirit, the spirit revealed to him, and he was moved by the spirit, and embraced the babe. The babe that by the others was just the same as any babe, but for him, he was the the Saviour of the world. When we begin to listen to The Gospel God gave us of His Spirit and we want to continue being controlled by his spirit to the end. The Spirit NEVER is going to move us to extol ourselves but to extol the boy that was born, the spirit does not cause this to be diminished. Anna was a great age, and sure that by her age could not do a lot but was in the place of service. Being faithful, something that should be in each season of life.. No one must say, I want to be more faithful, you imagine you in a marriage and the husband says, I am quite faithful, it does not mean anything. We are faithful or we are not faithful. Fidelity in all the stations is what God requires. Samuel experienced one of the greatest sadnesses of it being so great, in his old age that God had to console him. They have not rejected you but they have rejected me. When they desired a king. Some they have this sadness when they see inclinations among the kingdom of God, things that are against the Spirit. What to do? Already he was old, did not have the force of before to face the situation or to do something…. But he said… far be it from me that I should sin against God in ceasing of praying for you!!! The only solution was in prayer. There is a servant that already has been eight years in a care home, after a sickness, she can recall all the names of the brothers and sisters and of their children although she has been years without having seen many of them. They asked how she manages to do it… she said, I do not know but each day I begin a day I begin from the north of the country and I go travelling, house by house to the south, and the following day I begin from the south and I go to the north, praying for them.. This is something that all of us can do always, she is not able for much physically but she prays and so remembers all their names.

Abraham risked his life and his goods to save Lot, when assembled to the servants of his house and left in defense of him. On another occasion he interceded for him, did not leave home, but remained in front of God, but with the same spirit of before, continued praying in favor of Lot to such extent of almost annoying God, to endanger himself again but seeking the good for his brother. Thus many times the work is a visible work and other times it is done a work in secret. Craig in the special meetings said, I have a successful uncle that has a very large business, of transportation, many trucks etc., but when was made ill of Alzaimer, neither knew what was a truck and did not know that he had owned his own business he only recalled the day that he knew the truth. What he loved. Accepting the reality that we are already old and full of grayhair, we can continue being useful but it would be the cause of a lot of sadness to the husbandman, to see us with flowers in the autumn when what he wants is fruit not flowers. We do so much that is useless when we do not accept the plan of God. Thus with the same zeal, the same love, and faith we continue ahead and as Simeón leaving the Spirit to continue guiding and carrying us always ahead in the will of God.

Matthew 10:11, “Into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide . . And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.” At the last convention we heard that willingness and worthiness are directly related. I wonder if you can read into these verses, “enquire who is willing . . and if the house be willing?” It makes good sense. Not only are willingness and worthiness directly related, but peace is part of it, too. Peace comes when you are willing to invite God’s servants into your home. It makes the dwelling worthy and I think you all experience that continually. It is a great privilege for us to preach the gospel and see this result.

In this meeting, I am going to speak directly to the young ones and children. You have done very well in the convention, just listening, and I know that sometimes what is being said is a little difficult for a child to understand. Maybe after the meetings you ask your parents, “What was that worker talking about?” and they explain it to you. Well, this meeting is going to be the other way around and your parents might ask you, “What was that worker talking about?”

Where I labour in South America, there are a lot of little children in the meetings. Some of the places we visit are in the jungle. You know what a jungle is like. We get to walk through mud, and you children will understand how much we enjoy that! It is quite a way to walk and we carry a little backpack with our things so we can spend the night with a family that is waiting for us. We don’t have to wear a tie and meeting clothes, really. We get to wear our “play” clothes and we can get them dirty. When we get to the home, we need a bath, so we go to the river, and you will understand how much we enjoy that, too. Another thing we like is that sometimes we get to sleep on the floor, like when you go to your grandparents’ house and there aren’t enough beds, so you sleep on the floor, and you like that.

At one place, there is a little monkey and this monkey and I have a really good friendship. I pat him and give him a biscuit, and sometimes when I am asleep on the floor, the monkey is right there next to me. So, we get to preach the gospel in places like that and we love it. Sometimes when we get to a home, it is probably like when the workers come to your home.

Those children don’t go anywhere because they don’t have a car. They can’t just go to town. The highlight of the month is when the workers come, and they are waiting for us. All month long they have been thinking about what they will show us and tell us about. Maybe they have some new puppies or chicks or guinea pigs, and we get to hold them. Or maybe we have to see how big the rooster has grown in the last month.

But that isn’t all. After dinner is finished at night, we have a little meeting and we don’t use lights like these because there aren’t any. All they have is some little oil lamps, so we read our Bibles by oil lamp with the children. Some of their parents have never gone to school and can’t read very well, so the children – just like you – help us out. They can pronounce better than I can because I am a foreigner there. We get them to very simply read some verses that apply and then we speak about them, and even the children understand.

Sometimes we want to tell them a little bit about how we are responsible for our actions. I think you are learning from your parents that you are responsible for your actions. It is the same with God. When we do something good, there is a reward and when we are bad, God isn’t so pleased. These people don’t even understand that concept, so the children help us out.

Do you still use a regular pencil at school? In Malachi 3:16, we read that God has a book of remembrance and in Revelation 21:27, it tells us that God has another book – the book of life. We like to tell people about these, and to explain it we use something very simple. I don’t know what is in the book of remembrance, but the point is that we are responsible to God for the things we do. Maybe God is writing down the things that are good, but then when we do something wrong, He takes that pencil and writes down that we didn’t do so well. Then we explain what forgiveness is. What are the two parts of a pencil? One part is what you write with and the other part is the eraser. God has made provision in the eraser and if we are sorry for the sins we do, like when you children say you are sorry and that you didn’t mean it, then God uses the other side of the pencil to erase what we have done wrong. I think you can understand that, but maybe it is too simple for your parents? That is the way we have to begin speaking to the people there.

We also tell them that God, with that same pencil, wants to write something on our hearts. Maybe we also tell them that we really don’t want to continue in sin because, when you are using the eraser part, are you able to write at the same time? No, because it is on the opposite end of the pencil. You can’t erase and write at the same time. So, when God is erasing all our mistakes it is pretty hard for Him to be writing on our hearts until it is all clean. Right after that is when He can write the best on our hearts. We also ask the children, “What part of a pencil wears out the quickest? Is it the part you write with or the eraser?” Every one of them says, “It is the eraser.” I don’t know why they don’t make pencils with erasers that long!

So we speak to these families like that and the children help us. The best part of those visits is not because we get to hold the new little chicks or take a bath in the river, or even the meetings. There is one part that is even better. When God’s servants leave homes like that, it is three weeks or so before we get back there. Do you know what Mum and Dad start to do in that time? Little by little they start reading their Bible together. The one that is the best reader probably reads to the other, and they mark where we have spoken from so they can read it over again. And here is the best part – before the workers visited those homes, Mum and Dad used to argue and that is not very comfortable. Nobody likes it, but their lives are in turmoil. They are used to arguing and the children suffer. But when the workers start visiting and they read their Bibles together, instead of focusing on each other’s faults they start focusing on what they are reading in the Bible and they don’t have any interest in fighting. That is the process and, little by little, people receive life. It doesn’t need to be complicated and this gospel of Christ works in every part.

I’ll tell you a little story. To get to one home, we hiked through the jungle and the mud. It was a poor little home where the family had two girls, one about three and the other still a baby. The whole house was only a bit more than twice the size of this platform I am standing on, but we love going to that home. The little girl had a doll and it was the only thing she owned. She didn’t have any other toys, only this doll. The doll was in such bad shape that it was almost unrecognizable as a doll, but she loved it. When she went outside, she had her doll. When she came back in, she had her doll. When she sat to eat, she had her doll and when she went to bed, she had her doll. You children can understand that, can’t you? If you had nothing else to play with, you would treasure it. Well, the time came when the little girl got a brand new doll, and you would think, “That’s great!” But that is when a time of conflict started. Why? She had become so accustomed to her old doll that she didn’t want to put it down, but she also wanted her new doll. She wasn’t really big enough to handle both dolls, but she wanted them all the time. Going downstairs was awkward when she was carrying two dolls and coming back up was even more awkward! She just couldn’t let go of the old one yet. But finally, she put away her old doll and just played with her new doll.

That little story taught me a bit about what her parents were going through at the same time. When the workers first started coming there, all they had was their own will and their own life, and they treasured them. But during the process of the visits, they were presented with a new life and it was presented to them like a new doll. They accepted it and received it, just like their little girl did with her new doll. At the same time, they were trying to manage both “dolls” and it was very awkward. Finally, just like the little girl, their old “doll” was put away. I think that has happened to every one of us. Maybe those of you who stood for baptism today felt that way up to this time. You had made your choice but were still hanging on to the old “doll.” Maybe that is what has brought you to the decision to be baptized because now all you want is the will of God.

Now I would like to teach you a little bit about the brothers and sisters of Jesus. I have met some of you children already and asked your name, and how many brothers and sisters you have, and their names. If I ask you how many brothers and sisters Jesus had, what would you tell me? If I ask you what their names were, could anybody tell me? If you ask your parents, could they tell me? You ask them after the meeting! For your parents, I will tell you where they are written, because sometimes us older ones don’t have such good memories. Jesus had four brothers and we don’t know how many sisters, likely three or more. We have the names of His brothers but we don’t know the names of His sisters. The brothers’ names are James, Joses, Simon, and Judas.

Matthew 13:54 tells us that when Jesus went to His own home area, the people started to say, “Isn’t this man from here? Don’t we know His father and mother, and His brothers and sisters?” Verse 55, “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brethren James and Joses and Simon and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us?” It mentions all His sisters, so I think there would be at least three. Maybe you would like to know a little bit about the brothers and sisters of Jesus? First of all, when Jesus began to be a worker, they weren’t professing. If your Mum and Dad want to read it later in John 7, it tells us that they weren’t believers. Jesus went up to the feast and His brothers heard about the miracles He did. They said, “Why don’t you go up and show people all these things You can do?” John 7:4, “If Thou do these things, show Thyself to the world. For neither did His brethren believe in Him.” They weren’t professing then. Maybe some of your brothers and sisters are not professing? He just said, “You go ahead, the world cannot hate you but it hates Me. You are of the world and it won’t hate you.” Later, He went up to the feast.

Matthew 12:47, one day, Jesus was preaching in a meeting like this and His mother and brothers came there. If His brothers were professing, I don’t think anything would be recorded here, but when people don’t understand about the things of God, they don’t mind interrupting. It seems like the brothers said, “Tell Jesus we are here to see Him,” and He was speaking! When they sent somebody in, Jesus just looked over the crowd and said, “You are my brothers and sisters.” In other words, “My brothers and sisters don’t believe in the things of God yet and you mean more to me than they do.” He wasn’t despising His mother in any way, and I think Mary would agree and think, “Maybe this is the best thing for my other sons to hear.” That wasn’t the end of the story of Jesus’ brothers and that is the nice part about it. At some time, we don’t know when, at least two of His brothers professed. They were met together in a meeting. For your parents, it is written in Acts 1:13, “They went into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.”

1 Corinthians 9:5 is where you read about two of His brothers not just professing, but two became workers. Galatians 1:19, “But other of the apostles saw I none, save James, the Lord’s brother.” One of them became an elder worker, and his name was James.

If there is something your parents don’t understand in this meeting, you can help them tonight. When we preach the gospel, we love to have the children attentive like you have been in this meeting. You are the hope of the kingdom and we appreciate you, and if you have learned the names of the four brothers of Jesus, I will be very, very happy!

Geographically, the Philippines are in Asia. It is the only Christian nation in Asia. It doesn’t mean that they are moral, upstanding people. Lots never go to church. It’s a wonderful advantage that they do know about the Bible, that there is a God, and Jesus is the Son of God.  

The Philippines are clear on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. You come to the Hawaiian Islands first, then continue west, you come to a large group of islands called Micronesia. They are small and far apart. After you pass these islands, you come to the Philippines. There are 7 islands and 85 million people. There are 60 workers, 45 of which are local.

One native has just recently joined the staff. She professed 3 or 4 years ago. Seventeen years ago, she left to go overseas to work as a maid. She found a job in Singapore in the home of our friends. He was a doctor, and he and his wife both worked. She cared for the children. Three or four years ago, her heart was touched and she was moved to serve God. She has a wonderful testimony. Our friends for whom she worked love her dearly. The children think of her like their mother.

About a year ago, Irwin Heist, our overseer, received a letter about Rowena from Singapore. The overseer there said he would love to keep her there, but laws prevent it. It was arranged that she would come back to her unprofessing family who know nothing about her faith and really depend on the money she sent home to them for years. She needed to tell them she is going to spend her life as Jesus did. I am sure this won’t be easy…they have depended so much on the money she has sent them.

Since last April, our overseer who is 80 years old and 2 other brothers have had to take care of the city of Manila. So much traffic. In North Manila, there are eleven churches. They are trying to cover 3 fields.

The lady employer of Rowena writes, “It is so hard to let her go, but we are all so glad for her choice.” You would think this meant we would have an extra sister, but no. Our oldest sister who is 80 is no longer able. At special meeting time, she asked if she could rest. She said, “I am no longer able.” The need is still very, very great.

I will tell you another story about a young girl, Kristina, who lost her leg. She felt like her life was over and she had nothing to live for. Her mother worked and she was home alone a lot. One day, she saw the workers walking past her house and when they came back, she asked if they would come in and visit with her. She came to the meetings and professed. She is able to get to convention, but has about NO fellowship. The workers try to come once a month. Whenever they are able to come, she is always ready. She always has a hymn that goes with the study and is always bubbly and happy to see them.

She wanted to be baptized but lived so far from where the baptism was held. A man told us of a clean river closer to her house and he offered to go get her and keep her for the meeting the next day. Two other young ladies were baptized there, also. Her part in the meeting Sunday was to say that when she lost her leg, she thought she could never be happy. She was a cripple…uncomplete. Now she realized she had every reason to be thankful for what happened to her because if not for her weakness and infirmity, she would not have been at the window when the workers passed by. She said, “I understand now why Paul said, ‘I glory in my infirmity.’” She said, “I am thankful for what I am because it is what led me to receive the Gospel and walk in this way.”

In Manila, it is very difficult to get a hall for gospel meetings. Often eight or ten have to stand during the meetings. One man came who is the husband of one of our faithful friends. He was a nasty man. She was faithful to him through it all. He had no regard for her or her feelings. Sometimes he would even bring other women home. She stayed faithful. We would go to the home and he would just ignore us, which was unusual for someone from the Philippines because they are so friendly. Time passed. First, he would not let her go to the meetings. Finally, he let her go, then later she took the children. She now has a daughter-in-law and grandchildren professing. He finally took her to convention. A few years ago, he said he was going to stay for one day. Of course, they were all delighted. They were all walking on eggs for fear that something would offend him. The next day he got ready and stayed, too. Also the third and fourth day.

His wife said to this day, he has never told her what touched his heart. She said she would look over at him and see tears running down his cheeks during the convention. Then he started coming to the gospel meetings. He is a very shy man. It was all he could do to walk in and sit there. He came meeting after meeting all year long. We didn’t test the meeting very often. We were at the second to last meeting.

We had a bible study at their house and after the meeting, there was a silence. Then she said, “Are you going to ask them?” He said, “If a person was going to make his choice, would he have to stand up in front of all those people in the hall?” Then we had a nice visit. We explained why and he just didn’t think he could. When he came into the meeting, he sat way back in the corner. After the meeting he was disappointed that we didn’t test the meeting. He professed in the next meeting. That BEAR of a man has become a little child..very gentle and childlike. His wife said he is a new man. She was so happy that she never gave up on him. She is one happy lady today and he is one happy man. We don’t know where people are or their heart condition, but God does.

Give time and pray earnestly for those who labor in countries where there are almost no friends and the workers press on year after year. It would be easy for those who labor in countries where there is lots of interest, but please don’t forget those who labor in very different conditions. If you don’t have time when you are praying to remember us in the Philippines, please pray for those in lonely foreign fields.

Where is the lamb? Isaac asked his father this because he knew that sacrifice wasn’t acceptable without the lamb. The lamb is the only thing that has ever been acceptable to God. Men identify with strong things. You will never see the lamb as a sports symbol; the bear or the lion, or an eagle but never a lamb. A lamb is meek, but it is the symbol and spirit of this kingdom.

Are we prepared to defend the lamb? God chose David to be king because David loved lambs. When we really understand the lamb, and love it, we’ll be prepared to give our life for the lamb. Revelations 5:2, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. … And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne. And when He had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb.” The lamb prevails in heaven, but it also prevails on earth. The spirit of the lamb prevails in every situation.

Jacob faced Esau with the lamb nature: humble, and with presents. He knew he had to face Esau to make peace but he never gave in to Esau. He overcame him by the lamb. Esau would have liked to have taken over Jacob and his family, but Jacob never let Esau touch the things that God had blessed him with.

Abigail faced a delicate situation when David came to destroy Nabal and her family. She brought presents to David, but that wasn’t what turned David’s head. It was Abigail falling down and taking the blame that wasn’t hers, and pleading for the kingdom that turned David – she brought the lamb to the situation and saved the situation. To show the spirit of the lamb is not suddenly deciding to have it. Those presents she brought to David were prepared in previous days. Likely the bread was prepared that very day, the parched corn and dressed sheep were prepared in previous days, and the wine, raisins, and figs were prepared in previous years. It was a lifetime of prepared work.

When Nathan came to David after David had sinned with Bathsheba, Nathan used the story of a lamb because he knew David would understand, because David loved the lambs. There was a shepherd in Australia who went after one lone sheep. Another shepherd scoffing him asked him, “How much is that sheep worth?” Our shepherd replied, “$30-40.” The other man said, “I’d never put my life in danger for some sheep for so little money.” Our shepherd replied, “I didn’t go for money. I would go for any sheep.” David was a shepherd at heart and Nathan knew how to reach David’s heart. How better can God reach us in our sin than through the lamb?

The spirit of the lamb will always prevail, but it won’t always be understood. When Saul was pursuing David with the intent to kill him, David’s men didn’t understand when David let Saul go free. When the spies were sent to Jericho to spy out the land, Rahab’s house was likely the last house they would have chosen to go to, but they were led of the Spirit to her home. The spirit of the lamb will follow the leading of the Spirit. Mary and Joseph would have faced a lot of misunderstanding but their situation was from God and God-led. We need to treat with respect what God has done in others. David’s attitude towards Saul was, “My Lord, the King.” He treated Saul with respect and he always respected the work of the Lord. David never forgot that Saul was made king by the Lord.

When the army came seeking Jesus in the garden, Jesus said, “I am He.” The soldiers fell back. The spirit of the lamb will always disarm the enemy. But how can we get more of it? Isaiah 7:15, “Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.” If we want more of the Spirit, we need to feed on what it loves. God gives us milk, but we are responsible to make butter ourselves. Butter speaks of the richness of God’s blessings. Honey speaks of the sweetness of fellowship with God Himself. Psalms 19:9-10, “The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” What is more precious than gold? The Creator of gold. What is more precious than honey? The Creator of honey. David didn’t speak of the wonders of creation but of the wonders of the Creator. He spoke of standing in awe at the Creator and knowing Him.

Malachi 3:12, “‘And all nations shall call you blessed:for ye shall be a delightsome land,’ saith the Lord of hosts.” God said, “Ye shall be a delightsome land.” What made them a delightsome land? Is it not because God had blessed them? It’s easy to walk in a flat land. It takes a lot more effort to walk in a land of hills and valleys. In Egypt, they could irrigate because it was a flat land. They used their own strength. But in Israel, they had to rely on the rain, on heaven. They needed God’s care. That’s what makes us delightful: God’s care. God gives, He cares but how do we respond to that care? Our thankfulness for His care makes the difference.

God likes to see us progress and go northward (forward). Deuteronomy 2:3, “Ye have compassed this mountain long enough. Turn you northward.” Some mountains can be removed by faith, Jesus told us that. Some mountains we need to go around. Some can’t be moved, and we have to leave them behind. You may have a problem and you go around and around it without solving anything. It’s time to leave it behind and go on. When the Children of Israel left Egypt and came to the Red Sea, it only took one step of faith to open the way. God did the rest. A mountain was removed. When the women came to the graveside of Jesus after the crucifixion, they wondered, “Who will remove the stone?” – but they went anyway. A way was made. A mountain was removed. Hannah went around and around with her feelings and worries about not having a son. It wasn’t until she left behind her mountain of worries that she could go forward. Then her peace wasn’t disturbed at being misunderstood. Her countenance was changed when she gave without restrictions. Peace is NOT calm and tranquility. Peace is something no storm can disturb. It only causes ripples on the surface of true peace. Paul prayed three times for God to remove something that bothered him. God’s answer was, “My grace is sufficient.” Paul quit praying. There are many things in life that don’t have answers. We simply need to go forward.

When Abraham’s servant went to find a wife for Isaac, he had delight in Rebeccah because she ran to give water to his camels. She didn’t know then that these were the very same camels that would carry her back to her bridegroom. It’s the attitude that we give ourselves to God and to others that God delights in.

Ruth showed the spirit of the lamb when she told Naomi, “Wherever thou goest, I will go.” Ruth gave herself. Her attitude of “wherever” made her a blessing. She became a blessing to the kingdom because of her attitude of service and her spirit of the lamb. We can never repay all that the Lord has done for us, but when we appreciate what He has done, He delights in us. What God delights in is the gathering of His people. It’s not the size of the gathering, or the place they gather. A gathering is special because of the choices we make.

There are two meetings we read about that were special to God: Genesis 45:1-2, Joseph made himself known to his brethren here. He met with them two chapters previously in Genesis 43, but that meeting wasn’t special like this meeting was special. Joseph refrained himself then. Here we read, “Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, ‘Cause every man to go out from me.’ And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.” It is always a special meeting when God can make himself known to us. Joseph desired this meeting for many years, but it was only when God led him, that this meeting took place. Joseph had never said anything bad about his brothers to Pharaoh. If he had said anything negative about how his brothers had treated him to Pharaoh, Pharaoh would never have let them come into the land. Instead, Pharaoh expected them to be men just like Joseph. This meeting was made possible only by Joseph’s forgiveness and by the brother’s repentance. Joseph wasn’t being mean to his brothers when he questioned their honesty; he was trying to bring them to a conviction of their sin. He gave them time to repent in their hearts.

The other meeting is in Mark 16:9, this was the day of the resurrection. There was only one message that could take away the sorrow in the hearts of the disciples. In the previous meeting, only Joseph could have brought that meeting about. Here only Jesus could bring this meeting about. Only Jesus had the message that they needed that could take away their sorrow. It came about by women who had prepared before. Mary asked, “Where have they laid Him? I need to find Him.” When Jesus spoke to Mary, she heard and respected the message. One quality of preparation is respect. We don’t want to miss the message to our hearts by unbelief. Mary brought the message to the best men on earth and they missed the message because they didn’t believe. God will speak by young and old alike.

It would be good for us to read I Corinthians 11 before every Sunday morning meeting. Verse 26-29 tells us about our responsibility of taking the bread and the wine. “Let a man examine himself.” Discern the body of Christ. See our brethren as the body of Christ. Discern and remember the body of the brethren of Christ.

Jesus came to do the Father’s will and only His will. Isaiah 53:8, “He was taken from prison and from judgment and who shall declare His generation?” How do we declare His generation? By wanting to do the Father’s will and only His will is how we can declare His generation.

Every baby cries, every baby needs love. The body/the church needs love. The only hope of this world is the dying of self to manifest His love. God’s Spirit working in us will declare His generation. When we die, the spirit of the lamb can be seen. There are beautiful cornfields that feed the natural appetite of this world, but the dying lamb is still what feeds the soul of this world. A lamb doesn’t stay a lamb forever, but Jesus was a lamb from the beginning to the end; a lamb from Genesis to Revelations. There is only one time when Jesus was referred to as a sheep (Isaiah 53:7), “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.” Opened not His mouth shows the very nature of sheep. May we seek to have the spirit of the lamb.

Hymns: 272 – There hath not failed; 108 – It pays to serve Jesus

Dale Shultz

Two thoughts come to me that encourage me. First in John 10:28-29….”And I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out my hand. My Father which gave them to me is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” Through this life we are in the care of a double grip. It is the strongest of hands that hold us but we must keep ourselves in those hands.

Another thought comes to me. When walking through the redwoods of California, we see some that are young, only 3 ft. high, and beside them are older trees, some 300 ft. high. But on closer examination, on the end of every branch on every tree there is new growth. We, too, are always growing. Psalm 92:12, “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree; He shall grow like the cedars of Lebanon.” There is no end of growth and fruitfulness, but there is a difference between growth and activity. It pleases God when we bear much fruit. God is always more pleased with what we are than what we do.

In later years, when we are not so able to be so active, we can serve with our love and spirit. “Thou shalt love thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Deut. 6:5. God is always more pleased with what we ARE than what we do. Our love is shown in what we do, but not in the proportion of our love for Him. Near the end of my time in a field, I asked myself who had most encouraged me this year and my mind went to two who were ending life with cancer, no longer able to DO, no longer active, but so fruitful in their Spirit, and in accepting their lot, so full of gratitude to God.

Keith Olsen

First, I want to say thank you to all of you who are a strength to one another here and to those in many other places. “THANKS” is a word we hear so often in meetings everywhere. At a Convention someone decided to record how many times someone said that word. Half way through the second meeting he had already marked down 200 checks, so he stopped. That Spirit pervaded the Convention. Someone at a convention in our country of Pakistan questioned why we were talking so much about “sugar” in the meetings. Well in Pakistan the word for “thanks” is “shuker!”

I want to tell you this afternoon some of the memories of my many privileges at Conventions starting last spring.

I. A memory at Emo when Sunday morning in the meeting Ernest Nelson led that meeting….at 89* years of age. Before he spoke, Margaret Greenaway spoke and started by telling us, “This is my Bethel.” It was at Emo 70 years ago she first heard the Gospel. I could scarcely take it in, 70 years ago! Later, over coffee, I questioned her: 70 years ago? She thought for a moment then replied, thank you. It was 71 years ago, and I was 15. She was now 86 and very active. Later Jim Ratcliffe had a part at 91 and Kathleen Burns at 96. I could only bow my head and say “SHUKAR.”

2. At Olympia an elderly couple, I would guess in their early eighties, sat on the front bench near the brother workers. I appreciated seeing them come in together and sit closely together, enjoying these things together. It was so evident they loved and cared for each other. On Saturday afternoon, he came in first and later she came in and snuggled up to him. He, in a whisper I could hear said, “It is so nice to see you.” I quickly calculated…Married perhaps 55 years, or 20,075 days and then on day 20,076 he would say, “So nice to see you!” A wonderful relationship! “SHUKER!”

3. At Santee in California, a younger brother worker, 29, Tom Fredgren, who had started in the work 6 years earlier and not long afterwards, began to feel unwell and was found to have a malignant growth. Since that time, he has had two major surgeries. His last test he was found to be free, but, “come back in 6 months for your next test.” He went for that test during preps at Santee and they discovered a tumor the size of a tennis ball on his liver. It was a shock when they told him there was nothing more they could do for him. Later, at the workers’ meeting, Tom thanked all for their help and support and encouragement. He continued, “As I face an uncertain future, I want to commit the rest of my life into this work I love so much, and is worthy of our best.”

4. At Olympia in a meeting the young people had the opportunity to give their Testimony…a lovely response. In a later meeting, Lloyd Wilson, 91, whom you saw at Aylesbury this summer, first chose these two Hymns we have just sung. Then he said he was going to do something that day he had never done before. “Yesterday the young people gave their Testimony. This morning it is for those who are 70 and over to share what this Gospel has done for you; that will be a help to us young people!” There were 22 who shared. One told of being baptized 69 years ago, ending, “It pays to serve Jesus”..SHUKAR !

5. At my second convention, a young brother spoke of that hymn: There hath not failed…., and of God’s promises to Abraham when he was 75 years old. But Isaac wasn’t born until he was 100 years old. God did fulfill His promise. It was 400 years later before God fulfilled the promise to make from his seed a nation, but He kept that promise. He promised a Messiah, and it took 1500 years till Jesus came. And He will come again. Two thousand years later we shouldn’t feel that God is slack concerning His promise. We live in a world of money. People buy what they need. They can buy a bed, but they can’t buy rest; they can buy a Bible but they can’t buy Salvation; they can buy a clock but they cannot buy time; they can buy pleasure, but they cannot buy joy. We have those things…. joy, salvation, rest, and time, with no price on them….They are a gift from God.

6. At Greenshields, a young sister whose mother is dying with cancer spoke from Job 12:10…”In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” She reminded us that we have no choice over the length of time we have our breath, but God requests that we give Him our heart, and she ended, “Both my breath and my heart are in His hands.”

7. Two young sister workers were laboring in Greece when there was little liberty. In those days, the friends and the workers often suffered at the hands of the religious and political authorities. But they quietly worked their mission, and a young man made his choice, and left the church. The religious leaders were angered and reported the two sisters to the political authorities, and they were imprisoned. But there they found more liberty to preach to the other women in prison. They read a chapter each day from Acts, and then they came to chapter 16, about God’s Servants in prison at the time of the earthquake and the prisoners asked, “Do you believe that?” The next day orders came for their release. Their fellow prisoners said, “Your God is partial!” They replied, “Who believed in God yesterday?” We do gain so much from simple childlike trust in God.

8. A sister at the west coast shared: For 40 years they wandered in the wilderness and every provision made for those people was a miracle provision provided by God. It was a miracle cloud that hid them, a miracle fire that led them, miracle manna that fed them, miracle sweet water that quenched their thirst, a miracle that led them through the Red sea, a miracle that renewed their clothes for those forty years, all from God. For the soul, the world is still a wilderness, but every provision is made for our soul: a miracle provision.

9. King David was chosen by God to fill a place in the Kingdom. The Spirit guided Samuel to the boy, David, to anoint him, giving him a God-given place, where some helped him fill that place. We are glad for those who help us in that struggle. First, there was Jonathan, Saul’s son, who had a God-given understanding and he was able to encourage David. There was Nathan, the Prophet, who helped him fill his place. David had made a mistake, later hiding his real condition, and he could never prosper like that. Nathan helped him face up to himself. And there was Abigail who came, and with her spirit turned back David’s rage and the revenge of the whole army. We are so grateful for those who help us to keep true.

10. A brother from Scotland, who labored in the outer islands, the Shetlands, Orkneys and the Hebrides, was on his way back to Scotland at the end of the mission year. On the boat were several film stars and VIP’s. These VIP’s were treated with favor. One night they were to sup with the captain, a God fearing man, who first gave thanks. Several of them, by their expressions, mocked him. After the meal and the entertainment, they all went to their rooms for the night. During the night a fierce storm arose, so severe they even tied themselves with ropes to their bunks. Later in the night the VIP’s sent a note to the captain: “Will we reach our harbor or not?” The captain replied with a note: “Maybe, maybe not.” Again they sent the Captain a note, “Will you come down to pray in the storm?” The captain replied: “I pray in the calm, and I look after my boat in the storm.”

11. Separation…our study this week. Jesus died without the camp. As they crossed over the Kidron Valley that night, it was symbolic of His separation from organized religion in Jerusalem. There were four events in Jesus’ life indicating His separation from the religious world: He was born in Bethlehem; in Bethany, He was anointed king and priest; on Calvary, He was crucified; at Golgotha, He was buried and arose. All were outside the camp of the religious world. Let us follow Him without the camp. We cannot pay the cost, but we can have fellowship with Him outside the camp.

* That would be 1996

Did you ever think what was the first thing Adam and Eve lost after they had disobeyed and ate of the fruit?  The first thing they lost was the Spirit of a child.  They lost it.  They at once saw that they were naked.  Little children, one or two years old, are not aware they are naked.  They are not aware of their outward appearance at all.  That was the first thing they lost the spirit of a child and they lost their sense of security and stability.  Instead, they had fear and hid from God.

I was in the home of Brian and Michelle and their little children.  As soon as they saw me, the little girl ran from me and hid behind her mother.  She looked at me and hid her face behind the dress of her mother.  If she did not see me, she thought I wouldn’t see her.  Adam and Eve hid their faces from God.  They lost the spirit of a child.  What is the first thing He wants to restore to us?  It is the spirit of a child.  The first thing He wants to restore to us is the spirit of a child and that is why we read in Isaiah 9:6, “A child has been given to us, a son is born to us.”  A child has been given to us.  Another part of Isaiah we read of changes that have happened because of God working. Isaiah 11:6, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.”  It is so precious.  We get it in Christ when His nature is born in us and that is the Will of God.  It is so possible and we are glad that we have had the beautiful, wonderful experiences of having the nature of Christ in us, but we have to be careful and not lose out spiritually.  They lost their peace and their rest and gained some things: they received some things from that experience in the garden.

When God came into them and asked Adam, “Where are you?”  He said, “How do you know that you are naked?”  “Have you eaten of that fruit that I told you not to eat?”  He said, “It is the fault of the woman.  I would not have eaten if you had not given me the woman!”  God turned to Eve and asked, “Why have you done this?”  “The serpent has beguiled me.”  Not I. Blame it on the serpent.  This is what we have in our nature and because of that first disobedience, we by nature just put the blame on the other at once.  It is not my fault.  I have done that so many times in my life, and I still do it now.  I just ask God to give me the power and grace to be aware of the opportunity of taking the blame before I throw it on the other.  We are so quick.  We know it is not right for us to do so.  If God would help us to be in the spirit of a child and to be in the spirit of Jesus and to take the blame for whatever, because Jesus has taken our blame.  All the wrong that came because of that disobedience, that has been put right by Jesus.  It has been thrown away from souls as they seek God.

Later on also, when Cain had killed Abel and God came to him and talked to him and said, “Where is your brother?” And he said, “Am I the guardian of my brother?”  We know that spirit.  We know it.  It is ugly isn’t it?  But it is a spirit that is in human nature and because of them eating the fruit.  That is the fruit of the knowledge of evil and good.  But Jesus, He took the blame for all of us on the cross.  He took our sins and He suffered on the cross for us all.

17 John, “I have kept them.” Those that Thou gavest Me, I have kept them and all are safe, but only Judas.  I have kept them.  He has been the guardian of all of us.  He has kept us and He will keep us eternally.  Jesus: to think of Him, we fall in gratitude.  On that day then when all that happened, there was a condemnation and there was a separation.  One thing that I like is that God cursed the serpent.  He said, “You will eat dust all the days of your life.”

Isaiah: when there is that great change of the lamb eating with the wolf, then it says, and the meat of serpents will be dust.  That will never change.  The words of God will never fail in blessing and in cursing.  May we always live in the blessings of God.  It is very possible, this is the will of God.  It is up to us to choose.  God cursed the ground and He said to Adam, “The ground is cursed for your sin.”  We are made of the dust and we are taken from the ground and that is why our body has such a miserable and beautiful end, and it goes down to the dust, and sometimes it is a pity to look at.  It is cursed, the body.  He did not curse Adam and Eve.  He only cursed the soil.

God will keep our body, because He wants [to live] in it, while we are alive. In our body, there is the soul and the heart and in the soul are the temple and heart of God.  There was condemnation.  God said, “You will surely die.”  He had said that before.  He said this to Adam before he created Eve.  Adam got the commandment from God and He created the woman and Adam told Eve but Adam heard the commandment directly from God.  He was very responsible.  God condemned them and then He separated them.  Sent them out of the Garden of Eden.  He didn’t want them to touch the tree of life and He guarded the Tree of Life.  There were Cherubim with flaming swords that went everywhere.  No one could go to the tree of life, there was the sword.  Even now, we will not enter the Tree of Life unless we pass through that sword.  It is amazing what God says.  It is amazing.  No word that God has said will ever fall.

Have you heard many times and know the translation by memory – it is in Hebrews 4:12, “For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13, Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. 14, Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15, For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16, Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”  The Word of God has to be fully applied to our soul.  Only when this happens (when the Word of God is fully applied to our soul and we accept it and we live through it and in it) only in this way will we eat of the tree of life.  This is encouraging and positive.  The baptism in the water is only a symbol, but there is the reality of it and we have to face the fire.

When I was young (I was 14) and we used to talk in the evenings, the parents and we children.  Sometimes we talked about Revelation (the part that was understandable to us).  One night we read before the end, there will be very perilous times for the faithful and the faithful will be tested and difficult times.  I said to my father, “I am afraid I will reject Jesus in those times, I will not be able to go through that.”  He said, “Do not worry, because God will give each one of His, just what we need.”  He knows our strength and if our desire is earnest and sincere, He will give us the power and desire to come through.  We do the possible, He will do the impossible, and I got comfort from that.  If God gives us power, that is ok.

Romans 8:1 and last verse,  “1, There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 36, As it is written, ‘For Thy sake, we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37, Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. 38, For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  No more separation, no more condemnation, because of Jesus Christ, but we have to walk by the spirit and not by the flesh.  We have to do that.  It is a marvelous thing if we start today with this thought.  If we can keep the thought during the day and if we can finish the day with this thought.  We can so easily be distracted.  I speak for myself.

So many times I pray, “God, please help me to see what I could do.”  A few minutes before I do what I would not.  I am always aware afterwards I should have said or done that.  I pray God will help us to see things at the time.  To do that, we must watch and pray.

He told us that he has become acquainted with four homeless children. These four homeless children need a home, and if we take them home with us, we will have the best year ever. These four homeless children have the same last name of “never.” Never criticize, never defend yourself, never stop rejoicing, and never give up.

These four homeless children have a father and mother, but these children are starving. The father never has time to meditate, and the mother never has time to read and pray. They are homeless because they don’t get fed. If you take them home with you and feed them, they will change your life.

The child named “never criticize” has a favorite verse and that is Matthew 7:1 about not judging. Feed this child and it will change your life.

The next child “never defend yourself” is found in Acts 7 where Stephen was stoned to death. He didn’t cast stone back. He asked that this sin not be laid to their charge. If you are right, you don’t need to defend yourself. If you are wrong you can’t defend yourself.

Jesus saved the world by taking the wrong. He never defended himself. When we feed this child it makes life so much more simple. It eliminates arguments and fighting. When it says that they would do greater works than raising the dead, that was in the fact that it takes a greater power to not defend ourselves when someone cuts us to pieces.

The third child is “never stop rejoicing”. This child has the favorite verse in Philippians 4:4. The key is rejoice “IN THE LORD.” When we do that we will ALWAYS find something to rejoice in no matter the situation we are in, no matter how bad it may be. You will never come to the place where you won’t find joy if you rejoice “IN THE LORD.”

The fourth child is “never give up.” When we can’t do something the first thing in our nature to do is to move the goalposts. If a man strives, he can’t be crowned unless he strives lawfully. DON’T MOVE THE GOALPOSTS. This child has a verse in Philippians 3:4: Press toward the mark. Don’t move the mark. You can ask the Lord to move you a little closer to the goal, but you can’t move the goalposts. Proverbs 24:16 This man gets up and tries again. Even the righteous fall, but he gets up again.

If we feed all four of these children, then it will bring the older brother into our home, and that brother’s name is “never sinned” ….and his name is Jesus. If we take these four children into our home and feed them we will have the best year ever. As we go forth we join hands in spirit……be lambs…..the world needs lambs. Go forth lambs…..”go lambs, go!”

I Thessalonians 5:4, “But ye brethren are not in darkness that that day, which we have been singing about (we had sung, ‘When the King comes in’) should overtake you as a thief. Ye are the children of light and the children of the day.” Verse 6, “Therefore let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober.” Verse 8, “Let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us unto wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”

When the King comes in, how will it fare with thee and me?

We’ve had a wonderful day today, and in a few minutes we are going to walk out of these doors to go back home. I just wondered how many of us are really going to take a different way going from here. For how many of us would this day really be a watershed; that the pattern of the future will not be set according to the pattern of the past? We feel at home here. Most of us come here year after year – we feel comfortable here; we feel comfortable in each other’s presence. But just for a moment, just think of the reality of this that we have been singing about. If our King should really walk in at this moment, will we be glad to see Him? Would He be glad to look at us and see us wearing the wedding garment that He paid for, that cost SO much to provide? We see each other in our natural garments but He who sees the spiritual attire of every child of His, will He with joy rest His eyes on each of us or would there be some very awkward moments for some?

I thought of that meeting that God had with Cain. We know the story how those two brothers each brought an offering and the one was accepted but the other one not and that caused feelings between these two brothers. Then God came onto the scene and He said to Cain (what He said in effect) was, “This matter is between you and Me, it is not between you and Abel. This is between Me and you and if you do well, will you not also be accepted?” God was so kind, that while there was still time, He tried to reason with Cain, like He is trying to help me and you today.

I am very glad for the things that have touched my heart even in this meeting, and in this morning’s meeting. But it is what I am going to do about it today that will change tomorrow for me that may change eternity for me. So often, we listen to good things like we’ve done today.

We heard about walking, a very practical thing. Our walk with God is SO important that the way we walked yesterday needn’t set the pace for the way we walk tomorrow, if we are willing to change and come into step with Him today. Sometimes we try and follow somebody and we are just a little bit out of step and either you bump into each other or you bump into something else, because you are not keeping in step. I am conscious that there are times when I have been out of step with the One I profess to follow.

We sometimes speak about being in the Truth and in this Way, and we’ve heard the expression this afternoon that this is the only Way. I think it is good when we use expressions like that, that at least in our own mind we understand what we really mean by saying those things. What is the ONLY way? When we say this is the only Way, what do we think of a group of people or a gathering of saints? Do we think of it as a doctrine? This Way that is the only Way is Jesus. Because it is Jesus, His life, His example, His teaching, His spirit and because it is Jesus, it is perfect. Because the only way that leads to heaven above is Jesus, it can never change to suit our own fancies, our own thoughts or our own tastes. Because the only way that leads to heaven is Jesus. He who said, “I am the way the truth and the life,” can NEVER be proved wrong and it need NEVER be defended. We have heard of the strength of this that we believe in, yet we must be sure that we keep our eyes on the One who IS the way, the truth and the life.

Otherwise, we could be just as guilty of having a false security as the people of Jerusalem in Jeremiah’s day were and what we have been reading about on Wednesday evenings. They felt, “We are God’s people; we’re inside the walls of this city. God will never allow this to be destroyed. Here’s the Temple and God will never allow the Gentiles to come and destroy His Holy Temple.” It gave them a false sense of security that they could live any way they pleased, do whatever they liked, say whatever they want to say, live a selfish lifestyle, just like all the Gentiles around them. It was a false security of being inside Jerusalem and feeling safe.

When the King comes in, this that we trust in, will it still give us security? Those words were mentioned this afternoon, where Jesus said, “The prince of this world is coming but he has nothing in Me.” Satan had no starting point with the Lord Jesus. The Afrikaans word is ‘n vatkans. He just couldn’t get a grip of Him. He had nothing that he could get a grip on in the life of the Son of God. What about you and me? We’re going to go out of those doors and as the Lord said to Cain, “If not then sin lies at the door and his desire is towards you.” He is waiting for you, he is crouching there by the door and you have to change now before you go out or else he is going to have you. We don’t need to end up like Cain, a fugitive and a vagabond, just fleeing and just nowhere at home and always feeling that his life was in danger, and it was. We don’t need to live like that. We may be strangers and pilgrims in this world but strangers and pilgrims have a destination in mind, they have a citizenship in the country they are journeying to. They are not at a loose end, they are not without direction.

I read this chapter in another translation, which says, “We are awake, we are not sleepwalking like some in the world.” People who walk in their sleep are not in touch with reality. What they do fits another picture, their dream picture. My dad was telling us, and we always loved these stories about their childhood and the things they got up to. Of course, they didn’t tell us half I’m sure, but my dad told us about his brother who was a sleepwalker. They all knew that if he got out of the bed suddenly in the middle of the night and made for the door, then they had to follow him and make sure where he was going. Well, this one night, he was making straight for the well in the backyard. It was an open well, where they got their water supply, and here he was walking straight towards it. They followed to see what he was going to do, but he went straight for that well and they felt sure that if they did not try and prevent him, he would surely fall into the well that night. So one of them grabbed him and a terrible fight ensued because he was not in touch with reality and saw the person that was trying to save him as his biggest enemy because of the dream he had been having. The danger that he was being saved from, he saw as something very attractive to go towards. It is possible that the devil could get us into a condition of sleepwalking – seemingly so elated and so satisfied with the dream image that we are living in that we are not in touch with reality.

We are going out into a future that is unknown in a sense, but to God’s people, it is not altogether unknown because, as this chapter says, we don’t know the times and seasons because that is not given to us and it is not necessary to know, but something about the future that we do know is there is coming a day when our King is coming back and the wedding feast will take place, whether we are ready or not. That should be a great incentive to make this day a watershed in our lives so that the pattern of yesterday wouldn’t necessarily be the pattern for the future that we would really go back to, as we heard, another way, the safe way.

One thing we are told in this chapter about the future is that we ought to do all we can to help one another to reach that safe destination. I once read about these yacht races. One of their rules is that if any vessel is in danger or in some form of distress that they radio the vessel that is closest to them to go to their aid and if they go off course in another direction, to go and help that vessel in distress, that time is calculated. Because lives are at stake, it is not just like a foot race, lives are at stake and those people who go out of their way to help those other people in distress, they get rewarded double time for the time they spent going off course to help another vessel. They don’t lose anything by helping the other one they gain. We don’t lose by trying to be a help to another, to help another achieve this objective that we all have, to become more like our master.

Another testimony in this meeting that touched my heart was our dear little sister at the back when she spoke about trying to be acceptable to her friends. Is she the only one in this tent today who has that struggle? This thing of worldliness has been a plague to God’s people through the ages and we, in our day are no exception. It is not strange, at times, to see worldly people trying to behave like Christians, but it shows through because it is not genuine. But that doesn’t give Christians license to sometimes behave like the world if it makes them acceptable, because then we lose our light. God has called us to be a light and a light is the opposite to darkness, and if we are not willing to be the opposite to the environment we are in and not be acceptable to the world but be acceptable to God, then we have lost the privilege of being a light for Him.

May God help us that our tomorrows may be better than our yesterdays and that that perfect day, that day of days when the King comes in, He will find each one of us clothed in that wedding garment that cost Him such a price to provide.

Last night when I looked at everyone coming in, I just thought, “These are God’s people, and I am one amongst them.” It was a wonderful thought. It is not in us, but it is in God that we are here. We sang those words, “Oft have our hearts strayed from the lowly place.” Those words have been in my mind since then. That hymn also says that “pride before destruction goes,” and that is why we want to be humble. We can’t make ourselves humble, and we can’t help ourselves being proud. That “I” goes too far in so many times. There was a group of people and I walked in, and nobody greeted me, and I found myself feeling hurt. It was just kind of general excitement, but that “I” rose up again. This “I” is in us, but it leads to destruction. That hymn says, “Deliver us from that which makes us strong in our own way.” We don’t want to be strong in our own way. Paul had a struggle with that. He had been strong, but there came a time when he was bowed right down to the ground, and he was saying, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” That is true humility.

Paul wrote in Colossians 2 about a voluntary humility, “Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh. I have given you the best seed, but you pat yourself on the back and you say that you are humble, but that is not humility.” Jesus was the most lowly, humble person to walk on this earth, but he wasn’t trying to make a show of humility. If we make an outward show of humility, we are not being humble. Philippians 2 we read, “Let this mind be in which was also in Christ Jesus; who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” That was perfect humility. He humbled himself and became obedient unto the death on the cross.

Practice obedience to God. What I need is to see God as He really is. This is the vision God is trying to show us – God as the almighty one, giving forgiveness. The One who is planning the perfect way for each one of us. 1 Peter 5, “Likewise ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due season.” The mighty hand of God — I long to see the mighty hand of God. Our estimation of God is going to determine the place that we take, and if we see that God is great, then self is not in the picture at all.

Philippians 2, Paul said, “if there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” I asked myself the question, “How is it possible to esteem all others better than myself?” Jesus gave us the perfect example. He served. He was willing even to wash Judas’ feet. He esteemed Himself worthy even to serve. There is nobody that we shouldn’t be serving – that will put us in the lowly place. We should serve our brothers and sisters even if they are not what they should be, because they are ones that Jesus bought.

Deuteronomy 8 says, “And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these 40 years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou shouldest keep His commandments or no. And He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.’” He put them into the wilderness to humble them and make them know that they were completely dependent on God. That is why we have our experiences, that we know what we depend on. “Blessed are the poor in spirit because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Blessed are those who are willing to say, “I need Thee. Please help me.” Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. We inherit the kingdom of Heaven – peace and joy and satisfaction, and the nearness of the great God in Heaven.

God is trying to teach us and give us the mind of Christ, and the new nature that says, “I need Thee.” We want to learn at His feet and we do not want to leave the lowly place. When the servant of Abraham found the bride for Isaac, he saw that God had led him to the right place, and it says that he bowed his head and worshipped the Lord. He was saying, “God is doing this.” May we be those in every circumstance be able to see God, and be those who bow and worship Him.

Hymn 318, verses 1 and 2, “As You Journey Home”

John 15:1-8, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman. Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abides in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit for without Me, ye can do nothing. If a man abides not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples.”

These verses have appealed to me again because they speak of the vine and the branches. The vine is the main trunk of the plant and the branches are the little shoots off the vine. Jesus is the trunk of the vine and we, His people, are the branches. The very same sap that flows through the trunk of the vine flows through the branches, and the very same love that flows through Jesus, also flows through us. Our only hope is to abide in the vine for it’s our only hope of producing fruit. We must remain attached to the vine and be one with the true vine.

John 17:20-26 says, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word that they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. The glory which Thou gavest Me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me. Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee but I have known Thee, and these have known that Thou hast sent Me. And I have declared unto them Thy Name and will declare it that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

These verses show us the qualities found in Jesus’ life of love, joy, peace, unity, etc. There was quietness about Him, an abiding, a connection with His Father which were the identifying marks that showed outwardly from His life to those in the world. We would desire to have those same identifying qualities that Jesus had that would proclaim outward evidence to others that we are a part of the main vine. To have fruit, we must stay connected to the vine.

Nobody sees your prayer life and nobody sees mine, but God knows whether or not we abide in the vine. Abiding means to dwell, to feed, to be pruned. That pruning is so necessary for a vine to be fruitful but it does cause pain. Pruning is just a part of staying connected to the vine, for it cuts away that old dead growth that is hanging on and clings to us. Don’t ever feel sorry for those missed opportunities of our flesh flourishing, but be glad for the pruning experiences that cut away these old dead things. May we all learn better how to abide in the vine.

Phillippians 3:1, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed in not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” The Lord wants a settled people – to settle us in His presence. It is not grievous for you to hear the word of God. It is safe for every child of God to hear the word of God to us.

Paul was wanting these people to press towards the mark of the high calling. Three times he said to beware.

Throughout the Bible the word “control” is not mentioned, but in between the lines, we read of the control of the Holy Spirit. Wrath and anger causes strife, and talebearers cause the fire of strife, and if we don’t put any wood on the fire, the fire will go out.

Hymn 3, “Tell Me Again”

It is a great privilege to be here. My thoughts have been on that little word “again.” In our study last week in Mark 14:36, “Jesus went and prayed that, if it were possible, the cup be taken from Him: nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt.” …not My will but Thy will. He asked the disciples, Peter, James, and John to watch and pray, lest they enter into temptation but returned to find them sleeping. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. This wasn’t just for the apostles, but He prayed for Himself also, and went again (verse 39) and again to pray. To give up is so easy. We forget how patient God is, that He doesn’t mind that we come again and again to Him.

In 1 Samuel 23, the Philistines were fighting against Keilah and robbing the threshing floors and David enquired of the Lord what he should do. The Lord said, “Go and smite them and save Keilah.” David’s men were afraid and he was confused and wondered what he should do. Circumstances confuse our convictions and make us feel hopeless, but David went and prayed again. Verse 4, “David inquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, ‘Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.’” God gave him a more sure answer. “Go and I will deliver.” God wasn’t angry that he inquired again. God doesn’t mind if we come again and again.

In Judges 6, Israel feared other gods. They were oppressed and greatly impoverished because of the Midianites. The Lord appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord is with thee. Go in thy might and save Israel.” But Gideon, that mighty man of valor needed more assurance before the battle and he prayed and the Lord assured him, “Surely I will be with thee.” Gideon needed to know again if God would be with him. He said, “Shew me a sign that Thou talkest with me.” The angel showed him it was God speaking. Then he wanted another sign and so he asked again. God didn’t mind that. God said, “If you’re not sure, just go down and I’ll give you another sign.” There are things in this world that we fear. God doesn’t mind if we ask again and again, and He will remind us again and again. God is long-suffering to His children. He is like a father with little children.

The children of Israel forgot His power in three days after the Red Sea experience, so they needed help again. We forget so quickly and need to be reminded again and again. We can’t give up hope; we must beg again and again. Tell me again, show me again, help me again.

There were two deaths in Oklahoma this week. One was a woman who once had a meeting in her home and she quit praying. She was hit by a drunk driver on Wednesday. It’s sad, because hope is gone. If we’re not sure, just go again, just pray again, beg again, ask again. God is patient with us.

My thoughts have centered on the word, “One.” I Corinthians 8:5-6, “For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many), but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.” One God. We live in an age when there are so many options, more than ever before and it is hard to choose. God in His wisdom has made things so simple. What He has planned and chosen, one option, is best, and is above all. We can trust Him. It’s in our best interests. He knows all.

“Of God”… all comes from what God has created. It’s of Him, “of Whom are all things,” and one Lord Jesus Christ, “by Whom are all things.” Our privileges are by Jesus. By Jesus these things are made available to us. Jesus is the only bridge for us from earth to heaven. Man’s discoveries are so small in comparison to God’s provisions which last forever.

I Timothy 2:5, “for there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the Man, Christ Jesus.” Jesus was with God before the world was created, Genesis 1. God sent Jesus to earth in a human body, to die, because He wants a family and has love to share. Naturally, people want a family to love. Jesus showed us how to love. Jesus is now at God’s right hand. God doesn’t need us but He wants us. No sin will enter heaven. There will only be sinners in heaven, but they will be repented sinners.

1 John 5:6-7, “This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are One.” God is in heaven; the Word (Jesus) is in heaven and the Holy Ghost (Spirit) is in heaven. They are three distinct beings, all working together as one, all in agreement, all in line. One body…Everything God made in natural creation is so we would understand the spiritual creation. God spoke from heaven, the Spirit descended on Jesus who came up out of the waters of baptism. The three were all in agreement. The trinity says all three are One but we can’t have a body with three heads. God and common sense go together. The three on earth, the Holy Spirit, and the water (God’s Word) and the blood (the life) all need to line up. The spirit has to agree with the water of His word. The blood is the life. Our life needs to line up with Jesus. There is one Holy Spirit. It will not contradict God’s Word. There is one comforter and guide. God has one word. Hymn 272, “There’s not one word that has failed.” We can rely on it and it will lead us home. There is one Son. John 14:6, “Jesus said unto him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.’” Jesus didn’t say a way, a truth and a life, but He said the way, the truth and the life…singular. God has given us a choice to serve Him and follow in the footsteps of Jesus. God has not given us options. It’s not a free-for-all and we get to heaven. That’s the broad way of many ways. The narrow way doesn’t allow for our own will, our own reasonings but for submission and labour.

II Corinthians 11:3-4, “I fear, lest by any means…your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth any other Jesus, whom we have not preached…” There are many Jesus’ and many ways but One Jesus. There’s the world’s Christ and the Lord’s Christ. Many think Jesus is the hub and many ways or religions branching out, all of which lead to heaven. It’s what I used to think, but this is not right thinking. On the judgment day I won’t be doing the talking; God will. It matters what God thinks about me. Jesus is the hub. We all come from different backgrounds, different religions, different ideals, different beliefs, different nationalities, etc., but we all leave our own thinking behind and come to Jesus and He will lead us. When we follow the true Shepherd and submit, there will be joy, and peace and unity.

Ephesians 4:4-6, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” This was written to the church at Ephesus and so he could say, “In you all.” Take it or leave it, but don’t change it. Jesus is the Head and every member is connected to one head. One hand helps another because of being joined by one head. Submission to the love and will of God makes for a beautiful body. It’s alive, it’s true and it’s working because it is of God, and we love it. It’s not new and improved; it’s a recipe we can follow. The Truth of God will never be obsolete, like so many things that become outdated. It’s perfect.

Unity is from God. Adults make the simple complicated; God and children make complicated things simple. We’re thankful the complicated can be made simple. Mark 10:6-8, “From the beginning of the creation God made them male and female…and they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.” One God, one Son Jesus…Jesus is the Bridegroom looking for one bride of God’s people, and He instituted marriage. A marriage feast is planned. Collectively there will be one bride. God planned there would be one husband and one wife till death us do part. It’s the basis of God’s way. It’s very simple. The home life is the foundation of the family of God – one family.

Matthew 6:24…one master. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Mammon means riches, the things of the world. It’s not possible to serve ourself and serve God only on Sunday. We can’t run around with the goats all week and smell like a sheep on Sunday. It’s an everyday matter. We either serve God or we serve the devil. It’s very plain. There will be storms and failures, but God will give us strength as we obey.

Luke 10:42, one thing is needful. Mary is doing it; she’s at the feet of Jesus. I’m thankful we can hold on and not make decisions in the storm but hold on in prayer. Matthew 25:32, “And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.” All nations gathered before Jesus on the judgment day and the sheep and goats will be divided. We have one body and one life and we are responsible. We are the product of our choices. We can choose right or we can choose wrong. It’s an individual thing, not a family or group thing. There won’t be families appearing before God at the judgment, we’ll stand as individuals. There is simplicity in the way God planned.

John 17 is the real “Lord’s prayer.” He prayed to God that His people would be one. Verse 11, “…keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are.” He prayed for unity. Verse 21, “That they all may be one; as Thou Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us.” We find the harmony the closer we get, the nearer we draw to Jesus. We need each other. May we do our part to bring unity.