Jim Patrick – North Hatley, Quebec, Canada Convention – Saturday Morning, July 4, 1936

Ruth, it takes a battle to prove what a soldier can do. This warfare we are engaged in brings out the best that is in us. Naomi and her husband could have lived in Israel, but they wanted to live in Moab. They had great prospects when they went to Moab to get away from the famine. They had everything painted nicely. Before we take a step, we should think what will be the consequences.

 

Lot didn’t think of what the consequences would be when he went down to live in Sodom. The first ten years Naomi and her husband got along fine, but then the two boys died and her husband died and she began to think the Lord’s hand is against me. The Lord often tries to make the best of a bad job we have made. Then she began to think of her people in Israel, so she went back. Don’t play at being a Christian.

 

We should mean our testimony. We should take advantage of all we can at convention. It’s only those whose faces are set will win in the race. Nice to have a heart to listen to all that is said. Do we value the things of God as much as we used to? As long as this world goes on there will be selfishness. Liberty is not that which lets us do as we please, but it puts us under control of someone. I never saw a child of God that didn’t listen to God’s servants have anything else but disaster. Naomi’s life wasn’t all it might have been. Did you ever hear of those little white washed lies we sometimes tell? It helps us get a better price for the things we sell. Sometimes we try and cover up something. What are those qualities it says we should have: True, Honest, Pure, Lovely, Honorable, Virtuous. If we don’t get a little time in the morning, we can’t face the day without failure. Ruth tarried a little while before she went out. Then she fell on her face. Humble yourself. It’s better to do this than to let God have to. God humbled Saul and he died a failure.