Paul's Passion, Preaching, and Praying - Leonard Ravenhill

Speaker 1 Find me chapter 1. I mentioned before that for years, I I drifted on in a self-made delusion by believing that in The Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians chapter 5 where he gives a summary of all his expectations. I thought the 14th verse was a secret of his motivation. He says the love of Christ, constraineth me. I can't say that without thinking about the marechal, the eldest daughter of the founder of the Salvation Army She came to a church. I passed that she was at all, ungainly large shouldered woman. But a tremendous Soul winner. And she wrote to him. And one verse of the hen says, there is a lot of constraining me to go and seek the last I yield oh Lord. My all to thee to say that any cast. That is a fire that falls on me as in the upper room destroying all carnality dispelling, fear and Gloom. That is a life to has given me a life Divine and strong. It carries me through every sea of Sorrow storm and wrong. You know that precious woman came from at that face. fantastic family, and when she was less than 20 years of age to enter Paris invaded Paris, And as a result, had to go to jail, she invaded Switzerland, as a result, she went to jail. They lived in hardships and soft but you know, she was like a daddy, she blazed with a holy fire, remember he wrote that him. Now Christ of burning cleansing flames and the fire. I blood bought gift tonight. We claim send the fire look down and see this waiting host. Give us the promise, you know, the Salvation Army never made anything about gives, but God help us. They went through the world, they went into 90 countries in 70 years, not 90 cities. Men didn't go for a holiday. We can give out a few tracks. They They blazed for God that emphasis about the Holy Ghost was not power. But Purity, they still have a banner with the red red banner with a sign on it and it says on there, Ablaze for God. If I remember, Speaker 2 right, an Speaker 1 army that he raised up, where we need another Pentecost, I don't know whether we wanted, but we need it. I don't know whether to pay the price for it. But something's going to happen before too long. I'm absolutely sure of that. Well, now they're not I change from 2, Corinthians 5:14, where Paul says the love of Christ constraineth, I'm sure that was one factor. But I feel that this has the answer in Philippians 1 and verse Speaker 2 20. According to my Earnest expectation. In my hope that in nothing, I shall be ashamed with all boldness. As always now, also that Christ may be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death, that Christ may be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by Death, This Speaker 1 city of Philip. Well, it is written into the Philippians Philip. I was founded by who It was founded by the father of Alexander Speaker 2 and ya still it, Speaker 1 but it's founded by Alexander. The other thing about it is this that it was written on Paul's second missionary journey. I guess the most unused part of your Bible is a maps in the Speaker 2 back. I Speaker 1 had a tutor that used to say, you can understand in New Testament and let you read your Speaker 2 Maps. You Speaker 1 see where Paul went and I used to draw a map but I can't draw these goodies. There you go to Asia, Minor. Here's say very sites of Jerusalem goes to Asia Minor. As Kipling would say, after he got saved after he got Vision, he put on his seven-league boots and he stood over Richmond. Well, you just Trace in the back of your Bible, get a Phillips, atlas of the Bible. See how many miles he went without automobiles without planes. He went on ships, they weren't allowed to go Pearl River. These days, the union won't let them go. No wonder, he says he was in death soft in weariness. In fasting, in painfulness. He does more than a dozen men, you know, so I pray this. I've no say, God, give me. Give me just one percent of the passion and vision, and unction of that man. Had he outplayed everybody out. Fasted, everybody out, preached everybody. And he says, I want Christ to be glorified in my body. You know, Christ gave all he had for us. And you've got to give all you have for him. He won't ask of you anything less than he gave. He won't ask anymore than he gave, but that's his right. You see the Paradox is that God always uses dead men. He doesn't use live, many uses dead, Speaker 2 man. Speaker 1 This man had an experience of dying. Let me go back here, a Speaker 2 minute. Speaker 1 There's a wonderful things in his epistle. One thing I don't know if you noticed it, but never once, does he mention sin in this Speaker 2 epistle? Speaker 1 I'll tell you what he does do. And remember he's writing from a stinking Speaker 2 prison, Speaker 1 during World War Two. We would in England, and we read in the newspaper that some prisoners in a prison in America, began on strike because you're only getting one egg in the morning, we only got one a month in Speaker 2 England. Speaker 1 Boy prison, America's like the Waldorf. Astoria they go on strike. They can't have color TV. Isn't that? Isn't that the grading Speaker 2 poor souls? Speaker 1 They ought to be rejoicing in it Speaker 2 and Speaker 1 they can't have enough ping-pong. They can't do this, can't do the other here. Prison Paul is in one of the worst prisons of the world ever had. And yet, 14 times in this epistle, he says, either Joy Rejoice Rejoice Rejoice Speaker 2 rejoice, Speaker 1 Remember, that is in the Thessalonian, officially says that we were shamefully entreated at Philip. I remember, they put him in jail, what for? No, no, no. It's a strange world. We live in, you know, if you do bad things, they put you in jail. If you do good things, you put you in jail. How many of you want to go to Speaker 2 jail? Speaker 1 A Baptist preacher was put in jail in England. Many years ago and in the course of being there for 15 years. And how many prayers do you think that us Lord, liberated liberated me, got Paul out of prison early, God didn't want him liberating, people call me sometime, would you ask Allah to take this burden on me know, some days have been pregnant, put it on you, the only way you'll get sense and realities carry that burden John Bunyan, 14 years in Bedford prison, I sat in his chair once it didn't make me write any better. But I have enjoyed sitting in the chair where he used to sit, I've had another chair that used to be occupied by Adam Clark, the great Expositor but it didn't make me feel Expositor. I sat in a chair that the king of England's having, but it didn't make me a thing either, but in the prison adversity he's saying to listen to come on your fault. Rejoice in the Lord Rejoice. Why do you hang your Speaker 2 head? Speaker 1 He says that Christ may be magnified by my body. whether by life, or by Speaker 2 Death, In the next Speaker 1 verse he says, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. In other words, he says the only reason for me to live is it with profitable for God. If I live, I don't believe my life, depends on circumstances whether I fly. I don't fly. I believe. When God can't do without me. He'll call me home when he says, I need Raymond Earl of here. He'll call me home and I don't want to get there ahead of time. Because I know some of your drag, your feet. You don't want to go anyhow. Like a friend of mine. So he said, would you like to go to heaven? I said, yes, but it's not Speaker 2 urgent. Speaker 1 That Christ may be magnified by my body. Paul makes a lot of the body, doesn't, he remember? Romans 12:1 and 2, he says, present your body a Living Sacrifice holy acceptable, unto God, which is your reasonable service and be not conformed conformed to this world, or as Phillips translates, it don't let this world fresh you into its Speaker 2 mold. Speaker 1 That lots of people getting pressed into the world's mauled by lifestyle and every other thing, you know, I cannot for a moment. Think Speaker 2 about Speaker 1 Paul saying that in the Philippians, That Christ may be magnified in my body and you related to Galatians chapter 6. And there he says in verse 14, but God forbid, that I should Glory save in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. The 17 henceforth. Let no man to me, get out of my way. The whole lot of you are philosophers. Stoics points. It meets them all in the 17th chapter of Acts and he's totally King of the situation. I think you're the greatest brain, the world ever knew except apart from Jesus. But he says, look I want to tell you something. I could Glory my pedigree, I'm of The Tribe of Benjamin Benjamin. I'm at the Seed of Abraham. I'm a Pharisee of the Pharisees and everything going for me, but he says my richest gain, I count, but loss re-sing than it does mean a hill of beans. But he's put all that stuff to death but he says no boasting. That's how transmitted that way Moffat translated when it says God forbid love. It says No boasting for me, not in pedigree position. Intellect, anything, no boasting for me, saving the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ by which the world is crucified unto me and I'm crucified to the world and then he writes it off from henceforth. Let no, man Tommy I bear, in my body, the marks naumoff it says, I bear. My I've are the brands of Jesus Christ in my body. Heracles is being called a father history. I don't think he was, but he recites how in the days of the Apostle, Paul a man who was a slave could get away from his boss or whoever had him in captivity and he would run to the Temple of Heracles and they would alter fires burning night and day 24 hours a day. And there were men sitting with branding irons like we Brandt cattle here, And you could choose which God you want to be branded for you say I'll take that one. Okay, so what do they do? They take a branding iron and put it there and how your flesh Sizzle? You're lifting up your InStep and they put it in your InStep. You pull down your Toga and they branded the back of your neck. So that your head belong, to your master and your guard, your feet me long ago. God your hands belong to. Oh, God. And Paul says, I'd bear in my body, the brands of the Lord Jesus Speaker 2 Christ, Speaker 1 there's a lovely. when we used to sing in Speaker 2 England, At. And he thousand to begin. Oh my God, I think all Speaker 1 for Jesus. All for Jesus, all my beings Ransom Powers, all my thoughts and words and doings all my days and all my hours. Let my hands perform his bidding, their branded for him. Let my hands perform his bidding. Let my feet run in his ways. Let my eyes. See Jesus. Only let my lips speak forth. His praise all for Jesus all for Jesus. All what? Wonder how amazing Jesus. Darius, King of Speaker 2 Kings. Speaker 1 Yes, I know it but I can't. Thank you. James. But it sells milk, he King of Kings dance to call me. Pull bankrupt me he deigns to call me his beloved and lets me rest beneath his Speaker 2 wings. Speaker 1 Do you want to? He said all Forge it Paul wouldn't enjoy that so much. She Paul I'd only one thing to live for one person to live for Christ whether by life or by death I don't care. He says if it pleases God to crucify me crucify me. If it please you to put me in the stinking prison. Let me stay there. Why they did? The most ridiculous thing they could do putting the power in Speaker 2 prison? What did Speaker 1 we get out of it? But he got his revenge. He paid an earthquake and rake the prison. Speaker 2 I thought that was good. Screaming again, let me find this. A pistol. I was looking at here. Speaker 1 it says in verse 10 of chapter 1 of Philippians here that you may approve things that are excellent that you may be sincere and without our friends you know the Greek there is without wax What does that mean? What does wax mean? It means this that when they were chiseling sculpting a marble statue, the man might be looking around and it chipped a piece of the ear off and so it was damaged, it wouldn't be bought. So what he did? He got some he got a piece of the same Stone and crushed it to powder and then he mixed it with wax. And he filled hearing and it was all right until the sun shining when the sun Shone the guys are dropped off. And so he said, V wit sincere without wax without any duplicity without any hypocrisy. Now, look what he says, and he's writing from prison. I would that you should understand Brethren that the things which happened unto me are falling out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel. No, that's senseless. What's she doing in prison? He can't write an epistle there. At least. Not merge. Even more useful outside. This man has a Ministry of healing. He races the deli and he's stuck in the stinking prison. How good is he doing for God's glory? Why did you go to some other country and exercises power is authority? Over death is a part of 30 over demons authority of a doubt. Darkness, but there is in prison and he writes in an epistle, which is blessed millions of people since then. But listen to what he says. In verse 13, He says my buns in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in other places and that great, the gain. Fresno is affecting those. In the palace, look at chapter 4 and verse Speaker 2 22. And this is how effective it is, Speaker 1 you know, we sing oh well it was a lovely Deliverance, they were in jail and they sang praise at midnight and the Jailer. Let them out. Isn't that nice? They whipped his back. They taught him like they taught his master. His back was like a plowed field and yet as he sings the praise of God, it echoes down, the corridors in the prison. And the result is one where what's it saying? Chapter 4. And those 22. Verse 21. It says salute, every saint in Christ Jesus. The Brethren which are with me. Greet you and all the saints, Salute. You chiefly, they that are of Caesars household. My professor used to say Caesars, household was next door to hell, and this man goes to prison in order to get a testimony into the palace and into Caesars household. It had a miniature Revival. There this week are in a, somebody sent me a notice. I will profoundly move with it. Somebody had been up in Russia and then over into one of the worst countries in the whole world Siberia which is, I mean, when it's 25 degrees there it's summer. It's the most Frozen dark difficult. Place Food is Almost an unobtainable places are inaccessible and there's an old man there has one page of the Bible one page and that's all he's had all his life and that is had dozens and dozens as another massive Revival. Dear God, you and I have every page in the Bible and 10 other versions running God's name. Do we do? I like the way out there Paul, he's leaving Monday time and again, he's held his vocal parent says, whatever books are going to be judged by when we get to hang with it. Surely, we're going to judge by this book. You know you'll, but we shan't boasted about so much Bible knowledge. When you get there. When God says, this is what your boasted often there is what you lived. You talked about that you live down there, you taught Freedom, you lived in bondage, you chalk Puritan, you lived in collusion, you talk, Liberty, and you're a captive, it's an awful thing ever. I love the word of God. I say, almost all the fellows at come in my room. I don't have a lot of books, have a good few hundred. And I say, no, all these men that wrote profound things that they wrote and yet, not one of them had a bigger Bible and I have Madame, Guillen brought some wonderful things we're from a lousy prison. It's not there any longer. The walls were 30 feet thick and they shut her up. They took a Bible away. They won't let us confess. Our go and have fellowship with her. And there, she sings triumphantly a little bird. Am I shut off from fields of their content within this cage to life and God has placed me here. Well pleased, a prisoner to be because my God, it pleased, a thief, it pleased God to shit, attended gracious. Brilliant woman up in prison for years or pleasure. Together gum. Get out of it one, she never moment. She never complained, she loved him more and more. She said there's nobody else to love, anyhow. I love you. Love so amazing, so Speaker 2 divine Speaker 1 I had a brilliant young man came to see me today. My son Paul. We had a wonderful time. We've had that any time with him at all this time on Speaker 2 home, Speaker 1 I'll be going money. Now, be merciful, if you want to talk to him, please don't go to the house. He won't be there tonight. Anyhow, but call on the phone if you want to wish him goodbye. But he was telling me today he'd been reading Again part of this woman Madame jeon, her works are being republished in America recently and those are French teacher called did Dion. How did they? Oh, I suppose it is. And he said, you know, it pains me to think how few people really enter into a living relationship with God will all living on the perimeter. We're all in water to the ankles. Not Water Swimming. I'm not gonna listen to your sermons and all the rest of it. I want to see God work. Paul, I think was the greatest preacher every wasn't an order to power through the Armature of the early church. It was a greatest Theologian. He had the greatest concept of God, but no matter what. He says, my, my speech, my would, my preaching was not in word only, but in powder and demonstration. And that's more than times. Dear God, we've got lost in gifts. We don't exalt Christ, we exalt gives prophecy interpretation. Poor would have loved this him. I haven't memorized it. I should do. Written by a man called Brooke. It's pretty strong. I think he says my goal is God himself. Not Joy, not peace. Not even Speaker 2 blessing. Speaker 1 My goal is God himself. Not join or peace. Not even blessing. But himself my God it is his to lead me. They're not mine but his at any cost. Dear Lord by any road. So Faith, bounce forward to its goals in God and love can trust. Oh Lord to lead her there upheld by him. My soul is following hard till God are full fulfilled. My Earnest prayer. No matter if the way me sometimes dark no matter though, the Cosby often great. He knoweth how I bet your reach The goal, the mark, the way that leads to him must needs be straight. One thing, I know I cannot say him nay. One thing I do. I press toward my Lord, my God, my glory here from day to day and in the glory there, my great reward. I usually ask a congregation somewhere particularly when I go to a new place as I did last week's or some hundreds of preachers and other people. Did you come here tonight to me to God, 99% of people in America? Do not go to church to meet God? Not in England. They got hear a sermon about him. They don't expect to be Vine Invasion. It don't expect a confrontation. They don't expect the word to become a mirror. And I see all the corruption in my nature and before an altar call, ice cream and Sam corrupt, boys, me! I'm and Dan Remember that man didn't say eyes? I didn't say Lord, I need a bit of help. I'm a bit weak. Give me a bit of help or do I need a bit of Courage for a job? Lord, I'm behind in my tithing Lord am been, he said to desperate things that bring personal Revival iron London. And I'm unclean. I went to get their brother. You're serious with God, then he starts doing some surgery and it's desperate, but it's desperately needed in this. Awesome our in which we live. I'm going to skip into this again Philippians. So what does he say? It's been asking for prayer but listen to what he says again, that Christ may be magnified in my body's and say Lord make me a more attractive Minister. Don't give me a deeper Ministry. Don't give me more miracles. Don't make me a star person. God in heaven. I used to cut it that at one time. There's a competition amongst preachers and I was foolish foolish enough to fall into it, but there came a day when boy all that went I couldn't care. Less what people think or say. He says that Christ may be magnified in my body is not panic passing an opinion. Here is declaring a principle that must take place in his life. Let's say here verses 20 to 21. He says that Christ may be magnified by my body, whether by life, or by Death, He says, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. But listen, it's only gained today, if you're dying Christ, its hellish, you don't. You've got to be leaving right up to every bit of light, you've God as I've told you before, I want to be in that position with God, that without a second's. Notice he can transfer me from here to heaven, without me being an embarrassment to him. And I gather I'm supposed to be made for his praise. I'm stupid supposed to be pure in heart. I'm supposed to have rejected any of the vile affections. Every other thing, which would contaminate my Life and that's how we have to live. Anyhow, we're not going to get a notice most of us that we're gonna die. You know. People say I believe Jesus may come today. I say you're Speaker 2 lying. Oh Speaker 1 that's a rough thing to say I say if you believe Jesus will come before travel clouds tonight you'd make a dozen telephone calls. You do this. You do that. You do the other unit, level your own life. Are you me asking God to do it? You gotta do it yourself. The scripture says, keep yourself in the love of God. There are so many commandment read, praying the Hebrews, let us, let us, let us, you know. We sing Jesus, Paid It all. That's not true. In blood Redemption. Yes. But there are things I have to have to put off the old man. After put on the new man, I have to renounce this world all of its Pleasures. It's pump and it's Pride, give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified. So, let's say this and here verse 20 and 21. I call this Paul's purpose. Speaker 2 In Speaker 1 Galatians, 2:20 you remember? He says, I'm crucified with Christ forever. Net. I live in not. I but Christ liveth and the life which I now live in the flesh, you sit down and contemplate that for 10 minutes tomorrow, the life, which I now live in the flesh, which could go like that. Who's the richest man in this meeting tonight. Speaker 2 There isn't one. Speaker 1 All any of us? Possesses one beats of the heart. You can't store them up and say, I'm going to breathe and Mercy, you can't do it but we live as though, you know, anybody's going to die, but not me. Also, some other day, maybe, when I get old, you know, the thing that can degrees me is this. So when this fellow wrote this epistle, he wrote 14, if you give him Hebrews now, give him Hebrews. I think he wrote it but that guy like guy, I'm getting so Americanized. Speaker 2 I Speaker 1 mean this Speaker 2 preacher, Speaker 1 he wasn't much more than half of my age. When he wrote These Speaker 2 Epistles, Speaker 1 I'm much older than he was. But my goodness, he was a million miles of the road spiritually compared with me. It's not how That we're not going to be rewarded for how long we've lived. If we are God isn't just David Brainerd. One of the greatest Saints in America died at 28 Wesley dad 88. Who gets the biggest reward. The man who died at 80 to 120. No, no. We're we're rewarding for faithfulness. Not for years. We are rewarded for obedience. We're not all rewarded for achievements necessarily. To whom much is given God will expect much. You say you're more old more knowledge of the Bible. So what you being more trouble when you get to the Judgment bar, You possessed and you like telling the other, you know, you say about the lady. This violated its playing for us tonight, she has a talent that's not a talent, that's a gift. And the Bible talents are always related to money. Silver talents, and golden talents, and will be responsible for those as well. Don't look at Romans 149. Oh, you know you well enough and let's check it for Speaker 2 a moment. Speaker 1 I am debtor both to the Greeks and to The Barbarians to the wise and to the unwise. So, do you wonder? He says, another place will always unto me. If I preach not the gospel. This man has a passion of 100 men This man wasn't filled with the spirit at some Junction, 20 years ago, the Hebrew, the Greek that anyhow says be being filled with the spirit, not just get filled up. There are thousands of Penny, costumes, and homeless. People are filled with the, Holy Ghost had been leaking ever since it got filled. But there has to be a constant inflow that there may be an overflow and announce law. If you keep a cup under water and the water is dripping down. The cup, will fill, it will go over and then it will go out. And if you're on live at Living, complete subjection to the Lord, the spirit will fill us. I saw a man right on a board. Recently, a lot of things get this out of your heart Pride, anger jealousy, suspicion River, Bubba, Bubba and I said, brother, I didn't say to him. He was preaching, I sent him. My heart. You don't remember, how do you remember all those things you don't? You just let the Holy Ghost Gun, and there's an old hymn that says I'll Blessed Redeemer air. He breathed his tender. Last Farewell, a guide a comforter bequeathed with us to dwell. He came sweet influence to impart a gracious willing guest. I know what that word? Ghost ghost, Holy Ghost. They were ghosts is a Corruption of the word guest. He comes as a guess. How long was it yesterday? Until I tell him to Speaker 2 go. He Speaker 1 comes as a guest. And if you greet him, he goes, but we lived, we do the actions. We know the vocabulary, we say the same things, you have the same terms, we gesticulate, we stress, dear God, help us. But he says he goes on to say in the him. Every virtue we possess and every Conquest one, and every thought of Holiness are his and Noah are has alone. What's a quotation with you Speaker 2 Martha? Pan, I know David. How does it Speaker 1 start? While the middle of, it says, he checks each thought and calms each fear and speaks of Heaven. The Holy Ghost is my inward monitor needs only that's wrong. Stop right here, I'll go ahead. That's right, I need that inward presence of the spirit of the Living. God to be my constant monitor constant Speaker 2 ruler. Speaker 1 But he says, I'm a debtor. You one of these shreds need toils, and he works. There's nothing can move him, boy, I love that statement. He makes let's say well its purpose was the first chapter 22 21. He talks about dying Romans. 114 is his passion. As I've said before, preaching is not a profession. God help us preaching is an obsession and the passion and I love this passionate preacher. How he preaches his heart out. He weeps Speaker 2 the a Speaker 1 preacher doesn't weep should be fired. I have a little trip. I put it in letters, you know, if your picture doesn't weep over the pure organize, something in the future, weep over the preacher Jesus, right forward. You see, we're so ready. Made I fear to hear? People have just entered into a blessing, so they think that means you, resign your job and go preaching and they don't have no experience. I don't believe any man should enter the pulpit until 10 years. After it's been saved, are filled with the spirit. Somebody wrote to me I've got to get out. I'm young. I said listen. Jesus is Young and God kept him brushing shavings off his legs at the end of every day. For 30 years the Son of God took 30 years training, John Baptist was 30 years with the wild beasts Nas is a colossal into a tree. Romans at read. Acts chapter 7, he was mighty in word, and in deed before ever, he was done got all of him. He was a Statesman, he made the laws of the country and that God takes him to the backside of the desert. James reminded me the other day in with a friendly sighs. He said, well, you're 80. No, he said, well, that's just the time Moses started preaching. Well, I'm hoping to get started Speaker 2 soon. Speaker 1 Most folk of hoping he'll Speaker 2 stomp. No. Speaker 1 40 years, you can't preach out of the Bible, Millie. You're to have experiences to get in your blood and no man has a right to stand up and dictate unless he's gone through the truck. I can listen to this run. He's been in, has been in prison, in fasting, in weakness and weariness. And yet, there's nothing is able to pull him down. Its purpose. Then was what? That Christ may be magnified, his passion was what that he is a debtor. Again, I say preaching is an obsession and a Speaker 2 passion. Speaker 1 If a thing doesn't burn in me, one burning you. I'm not going to stand up and most preachers. Don't Preach any out. Some of you guys. How many of you want to be preachers like to be preachers? Put up your hands, let me see you. I'll tell you what to do, Speaker 2 eat as little as you Speaker 1 can. Oh good, that's encouraging Jacob. Put his hand up. I've been praying. He'd want to become a preacher. Here's my plan for your eat as little as you can sleep. As little as you Speaker 2 can. Pray and Fast Speaker 1 Friends study as much as you can. I preached a sermon last Friday night, I preach for 50 years, preached all over the world. But it has to be reborn in me. Other it as it does no good. I got to go in that with a fire in my belly, my belly. But in my heart if I don't burn why we should you burn? If I don't we why should You Weep if I'm not willing to pay the price? Why should I ask you a last thing I want to be is a hypocrite, any? Huh. But look at the strange, man. Let's we've talked about his purpose. He told about his passion. Let's talk about especially in 2 Corinthians Speaker 2 12. There's not here somewhere. Did you get ahead of me? Is it true Corinthians? Speaker 1 12, 9 and 10. Speaker 2 I've got the wrong chapter must have Speaker 1 We talked about is what his purpose is to Speaker 2 preach. Don't about his passion, Speaker 1 being a desert to everybody. We talked about his pleasure. Of course, he had pleasure. Speaker 2 See if you'd like it. In verse 9 Speaker 1 2, Corinthians 12, verse 9. He said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in what You know, when somebody asked about marvelous man that broke up and China Hudson Taylor. Why did God take you of all the people that are thousands of people at Kasich convention, other conventions in England, thousands of great Bible Expositor. Why did it take you? And he smiled, he said, friending want God, had been looking ears in for a man weak enough. Track knowledge is weakness and is nothingness and cast himself on God. And then he took me and use me and he founded the Empire of Jesus in China. Well, does the scripture say it's the lame that take the pray. You see somebody limping. You wouldn't think they do, much good? God says the lame. Take the prey and to those who have no, might he increases strength? But the next part is my joy. Yeah, most gladly therefore it says I rather glory in my infirmities. Come on. We go in the healing line. Some people would never have done the things, they've done, if God had healed and they survived, I've been here many times. I thank God for it. I've been in the Valley of the shadow of death, two or three times. God Raised Me Up. They throw a white sheet over me in hospital and said, it'll be gone in four minutes. I know the sheets win said, Who and the doctor said oh you know you're listening. I said well you have to be talking about me. So I said I'm not going to die. I jumped out that burning Hotel before I hit the ground. The Lord said, I shall not die but live 4:00 in the morning who dr. Tozer them under my bed, scared and white. And I was all blood and smoke after the fire. And I said, I got another promise. What is it first was? I shall not die but live, and the second was as for God his ways are perfect. So, the greatest preachers in America came to see me precious, guys. I'm going through the town. I wanted to see you. Amazing. How many of them one of the most outstanding broadcasting preachers in America that day long time? In I preached in his Tabernacle some months before he said, brother, Raymond, do you want God, couldn't trust me with Speaker 2 this. Speaker 1 Did you ever think when you're going through the hottest toughest spot in your life is trusting you. He's not trying to find out what's in your. He knows. You don't know what's in. You you make your vows. I'll do this. I'll do that. I'll do the other. How many of us are going to come from? I'm from this layer. I'm going to pray two hours a day from this day. I'm going to do that from this day. I'm going to the good Lord. The highway of Christian Living is covered with the wreckage, and vows that have never been Speaker 2 kept, Speaker 1 but it gets better. He says, I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ May rest upon me again. He's not asking for miracles. He's asking for Indwelling spirit of God to become more intense that the power of Christ May rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure, come on. Now what do you take pleasure in Domino's or golf or Speaker 2 what? I take pleasure. Speaker 1 I drink of the cup E-Pass and I never asked her why I don't think Paul in his life at that is why they are smitten down on the Damascus or didn't say why, he said what what's it all about love. Tell me, lay the price down and tell me. He says, therefore I take pleasure in infirmities Necessities in persecutions and distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong is not a paradox other whole Christian truth is a paradox. He says, if you want to go up, go down. If you go up, will humble you. If you go down the legs, all you, if you are a one, something be nothing. Exchange your weakness for his strength. Your emptiness for his fullness, that Christ may be magnified. Speaker 2 I love that. Speaker 1 Look at those 27 in the first chapter. this is a pattern, the office to the Philippians, a pattern with staying with that letter P, which we talked about is All the other things, anyhow verse 27, only let your conversation, but that is not speaking. The word there is citizenship, remember elsewhere. He says our citizenship is in heaven, but it says, in the authorized version, our conversation is in Speaker 2 heaven. I Speaker 1 like what Paul's me in saying. I don't know what you've heard of what he's saying, but he said we ought to live on earth as though it already in heaven. The principles of our Holy Kingdom should be operating in us now in this Speaker 2 flesh. I rented Speaker 1 a of a missionary, with to the Buddhist and a lovely. Little boy. Came, I remember seeing some of them in some country road Bangkok little boys in yellow. Robes ahead. All shaved off this little fellow came up to the new missionaries. You a new mystery said, yes, you going to talk about that? Lovely, man. Jesus, that he loved people and he was kind and he said you're not to do evil things and he said yes to be pure in heart. And he said to you love your enemies and thought. Yes, yes. Speaker 2 He said was Speaker 1 that's very nice. But the been lots of mysteries here that talk about him, but I never seen anybody like him. It rocked the missionary back on his heels. Am I just here to telling go that way? Don't do this. Don't do that fear this video. He said, immediately, I realize I'm there to be a role model for that child. He's going to watch me and I don't want to betray my Lord by some stupid thing. My flesh, getting in my desires getting Speaker 2 in. Speaker 1 Transverse 27. I say this is a pattern only let your style of Life be as it becomes the gospel of Christ whether I come and see you or else be absent. I may hear of your Affairs that ye Stand Fast in the spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. And then he says, and this is our privilege. Unto you, it is given under half of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his namesake. Speaker 2 That's going to Chapter 4 verses 6 and 8. This is pretty tough stuff in Speaker 1 it. As I've said, so often one day, somebody's going to read the Bible and believe it, and when they do, I'll be Speaker 2 embarrassed. Speaker 1 And yet, Paul says, we are to be living Epistles, read and known of all men. As a modern song that says, they know, reading the Bible, they reading your life and mine. But in chapter 4, he says, in verse 5, let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Now look at those, it is something, isn't it? Be careful for nothing but in be thankful for everything Speaker 2 and the Speaker 1 peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep our Garrison. Your hearts and Minds through Jesus Christ Our Lord Notice he begins chapter 3, with finally my brethren notice in chapter 4 verse 8, it says, finally my brethren. So don't you come chasing me? Because I keep saying finally I got a bit longer. I borrow that from Paul, that's my excuse. Speaker 2 Okay, a minute. Speaker 1 Let me say here, this should keep it in the letter P. This is the pursuit of the Apostle. In chapter Speaker 2 3, Speaker 1 Had been a sellout in his life because it says in verse 8 I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things. Not some things, all things. He lost the rights and his family lost their rights. In the synagogue, he Blosser rights in the school, where he sat on the chameleon, the most brilliant scholar ever. And then he says, again, in verse 20, of our conversation, our lifestyle is in heaven. From whence also, we look for the Savior, the Lord, Jesus Christ. Now this is what, what is pursuing? This is the prize. This is what you get for your War. This is what you get for your sacrifice. This is what you get because you're persuaded the Christ of the is the only one who is able to save and deliver. And he says, he shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. According, as he is able to subdue all things, now let's go to verse 8 in the same chapter, finally my brethren Whatsoever. Things are true whatsoever. Things are honest whatsoever, things are just whatsoever, things are of good report if there be any virtue and if there be any praise think on these things, Now, when we go through his life story, you see is travel, and his trial travel is tortured is tried is tempted, is putting people in jail with a minimum of Creature Comforts and he comes out on Speaker 2 top and Speaker 1 people in the palace are hearing about this man. They whip him and he won't whine. They lash him and doesn't complain. They starve him almost and yet, he's no murmuring in him at all. He takes a very disposition of Jesus Christ in any adversity in Columbus in tragedy in his life. Life and he comes out more than conqueror. You know. We think he's a kind of a superstar. No. This is the normal Christian Life. The normal Christian Life For Those Professor walk in the spirit. I think the most dangerous thing in the world is to say I walk in the spirit. I make myself vulnerable to every attack. The devil Speaker 2 has Speaker 1 But we can be more than conquerors in the whole thing. There's no question about that at all. He says I glory in Tribulation and Necessities in reproaches. Isn't that something? Speaker 2 There is a last thing. Speaker 1 I like his word when he says, None of these things move me. Isn't that Speaker 2 great? Speaker 1 I forgot where he said that but I know I said it. None of these things move me is Speaker 2 poise. Speaker 1 The presence of the living Christ, gives him balanced in everything. None of these things. What are the been saying? They've been telling him that before he gets fired up. The road is going to be arrested and he's going to be crucified and he says None of these thing. Oh Messi we'd be on the phone for the pastor. Critical a prayer Council. I'm going to be persecuted. I could lose my life. You've been singing when we all get to heaven for 10 years but as soon as you get there you want to turn Speaker 2 back. Speaker 1 Not this way. Lord don't chop my head off. Don't let me suffer. Let me You know what? One of the cheating devilish things of our day, when I was a boy, and they'll remembers those two when he was a boy. But he doesn't because she never was a boy, but then he half. Maybe she remembers it in the days. The pastor would say the Sunday service, you know I've had a good time visiting hospitals this week. I've been in six different hospitals. I let eight people to Christ. Eight people had a death bed repentance and I went to see them two days after and they would enjoy their no death bed. Repentance is now. We sent people straight into eternity with injections, we drug them two or three days before they died. You can have a chance to speak to them. They feel how straight out of bed into a head like that. You know, we are not least, I am not as I should be. As I said I'd look I'd love to have 10% of the passion. This man had all these women are Compassion Speaker 2 or driving force. Speaker 1 But he isn't a showman, he isn't competing with anybody, I want this. It only says that Christ made mag be magnified in my body, whether I live, or what, I Speaker 2 die. Speaker 1 I think he would have enjoyed the him that was sung so often Unwritten of course by Isaac watch When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, when he says, my richest gain, I count, but loss, and pour contempt on All My Pride, all all things were an advantage to me. My scholarship. Again, I Was A Tribe of Benjamin, the Seed of Abraham, a Pharisee of the Pharisees, a scholar in the school of the Camellia. It everything going for me, bundle it all and becomes offensive. It's just like a bunch of dumb as far as I'm concerned. In order that I may see him in All His True Value in all his true power. You know, I've kept thinking this last few days, I'm trying to write this book on the Judgment seat of, you know, I feel so shrunk. And how do you feel at the side of a man like this? Not because he has a magnificent Speaker 2 intellect Speaker 1 because of his relationship, because he says, there was a time, and I was crucified with Christ, he went to the Cross, that's not the problem. It get people to the Cross getting along the cross, and he says, he revealed himself to me on the Damascus Road, later, he revealed himself in me. People don't have a hill of beans, whether you speak in tongues and heal the sick. If your life doesn't conform to the Bible, people say well you can't do this, you can't do that. I'll tell you the man, who knows what the stand of Christianity is better than anybody else. The man in the gutter, the man in the street, the man in the factory seen so much hypocrisy. So attempting is so much talk, but they know the genuine person when they see them, when the love of Christ is constraining them. This is a man who says you can do all things. Not so he loves a little world, all things without them rings, and without this few things, all things, however, offensive holding that against your taste. I don't believe Jesus like lepers. They did more than like them, I love them. And it's difficult to get away from some of our affections. We've kept seeing in math and I talked about a him this week of that affections been nailed to the cross. You know. I was in a meeting that longer of guy came up and gave me a bear hug. You said brother, I love Speaker 2 you. I said you want. I love you nonsense. It Speaker 1 doesn't know me. How can he love me? A lot of this sloppy much going into a church and give everybody a hug. There's nothing in it. Love has blood on it. Love us. Sacrifice. You cannot have love without sacrifice. You can have love without blood and this man loved. He says God loved the world Christ loved the just but he loved me and gave himself for me. And so he goes after all the Barbarian, the Greek, the society, and the bomb the free, it matters. Not I'm a debtor tonight, man. To tell him. While he's a leper, those run from healing and cleansing from his model leprosy. There's one who can save to the uttermost not merely cancel your past sins, but he can take the root of sin out of you. It doesn't mean you never sin, again, it means. But you live in Victory is he's also people get the devil out of them but they don't let us put it in and it becomes 7 times worse. I've seen people who backslidden of either worse vocabulary after they were backslidden than ever, they had before it. Why? Because another spirits come in the Holy Ghost is not. The indwelling, he's not in control but he is a man who's Mastered by his master. Here's a man who is a slave, he says, I'm the bond servant of Jesus Christ. He won't give the devil credit anywhere. He never once says, I'm in prison because of the devil, he says, I'm and Justice am in prison because of Caesar is a Time, the prisoner of Jesus Christ. He didn't write Romans 8:28, as of kind of nice. Bit of poetry, says, all things work together. I'm in the stinking prison. Guards won't get global. After this, there's no way of getting into the palace. When he got into the palace he not in person. They said we've never had a business like this and all the palace was talking about him. That's what he says in this first chapter and then the fourth chapter again. He says that there were Saints in Caesars household. Well, how did they get there? Paul was the one that went and rejoice that he lost everything to gain. Everything he says, you can't lose in this life if I live I gain because I've Christ in me. If I died again, I went to each other. I'm tossing up with a The kind with two heads on it. You can't lose in this game. God doesn't reward us here. He rewards us hereafter Well, I know. So you wonderful preacher, fellas. You got it, all fixed out. I haven't, I'm sure you'll be very happy to stand at the Judgment seat right after Paul O'Neill. I've talked about his preaching. I've told about his passion. What about this praying? I'm not concerned whether a man teaches 50 people on Sunday at 5,000. No man is greater than this prayer life. I don't care who he is. I told that to hundreds of preachers Tri-C, she had talked to a five or six under the time. No man is greater than this prayer life. And Paul is not only the prince of preachers in the prince of prayers. Doesn't he send the ninth chapter? I could wish myself occurs for I Brethren. I'm willing to be rejected. Cut off. One translator says he says, look, I'm willing to be damned if need be Madam Jean said, they survive. So Revel in the beauty of Christ, in the glory of Christ in the sweetness of Christ, in the Majesty of Christ on Earth that if there's no room in heaven, well, put me out and let me go to hell. She said I'll enjoy hell, all that I had in this life. The member is in hell? Will outdo? I don't think she was, right. I know what she means. My love is so great. I'm so I soaked in him. Come on now. I know we talked about that you walk in the spirit. You think in the spirit he says this body. If we're going to the second chapter I skipped some things he says, let this mind be in you. That's part of your body. We don't have the old fashion watches like we had when we were youngsters used to be like turnips big things in anyang them and good night. There are more Wheels in there than you ever seen in your life and you got the watch man and say my watch need some help, and it take the cover off. And you see all these wheels there. When I give them on my watch, I give him the works. To give him. The hands are giving everything and he says he wants your body which contains your will contain your emotions, contained your intellect. But he says, let this man been see why this blessed man overcame me and the mind of Christ. He says, let this mind be knew and he knew it himself. He says, writing to the Romans chapter 6, The Love Of Christ. Constraineth me to see all self had been removed. And he's christ-centered, And he has a heart of love, he has the heart of God has, the will of God as the mind of God. And that's normal, Christian Speaker 2 Living. I don't Speaker 1 like to make a tirade against EV but I'm quite sure. It's Rob's thousands of people hours. They should have Speaker 2 spent. In Speaker 1 fact, women used to get together for coffee and talk in the morning. They don't know. They watch a TV show and get secondhand kicks. But if you're going to walk in the spirit, you must read the word. You must have the wisdom from the word. You must have the spiritual inspired the word. you see, as I say, I'm embarrassed, when I think of my terrible limitations I know something I've done so little for God. I'm challenged Again by this man, this week, with one page of the Bible that's been going through Siberian terrible, poverty, and hunger. And everybody goes is radiating blessing, I talked you up and told you about souls and hits and the other day lying, on a bed of rotting straw in a concentration camp. And he found God because a man across there in the stink and the urine was taking little papers out of his ragged clothes and uncurling them and reading and relaxing and he said the put burdens on that man greater than anybody else they made. Made him suffer. They give him intense privation and it didn't crack under it. He never wind irradiate it something. I said well, hey, what is it? What those Bits of Paper? He said that the promises of God. I stuff them in my Speaker 2 clothes Speaker 1 and I put them back carefully every night and he said that, man, walked about that. Cam, 2 or 3,000 men there. And he was most prominent man in the whole group. There were doctors philosophers, lawyers politician, but this man was a Madman. He bore something of the he sale. Lord, we have borne the image of the Earthly so long. We need to butter them, bear. The image of the Heavenly, Speaker 2 you Speaker 1 know, Paul doesn't say wait till you die. He says, I want the glory of God in my life now. The life, which I now live in the flesh, I should live. As I would already wired up to a why the world doesn't seen and that pulsates into my life is love. His compassion is great his Joy his piece and its power God never intended we should be that it from cripples he never intended the church should be where it is now. But there's going to be an Awakening. I'm absolutely sure of Speaker 2 that. Speaker 1 well now, Speaker 2 I'd like to preach another hour, but I won't. Let's sing a verse. And if you have to leave, you can leave. Speaker 1 Let's sing. There is a fountain filled with blood as we go to our knees. There is a fountain. There is a fountain.