(Rebuilding the House of the Lord) 3. the Lord's House Lying Waste — Roy Hession

I'm going to read quite a bit, but what a story it is. I hope that by the time we've finished our reading, you might almost feel the message is superfluous, because you can be given insights by the Holy Spirit into the meaning and its application for you as we go along.

I was going to have a show of Bibles as to who had revised standard version and who had the authorised, and if there was a preponderance revised standard version, I was going to read the revised version, but I've left it in my little cubbyhole, my monastic cell as I call it, a little tiny little place where I get alone.

So it'll have to be the authorised version, and after all, I still feel we should never do without our authorised, we should never become outmoded, because it is still, strange as it might seem, the most accurate translation there is.

There's no translation which is more word for word than the King James Version. Though of course, there are obscurities, and the revised standard version sometimes comes with great freshness. Well, you've got the revised standard version, you can follow, and you may get the benefit of bits there, but others of us will get this great old version.

The Ruined Temple and the Beginning of Restoration

Now, we're going to read from chapter four. You know how far we got yesterday? The exiles have returned to their ruined land, their ruined city, and their ruined temple, and the work of revival has begun.

The first thing was the setting up of the altar, and the institution of the burnt offering upon that altar, and then they began and they completed the laying of the foundations amidst shoutings of joy, and you remember, Haggai told them, encouraged them, that though this doesn't look very much, the glory of this latter house is going to be greater than that of the former which was destroyed, for one day the desire of all nations is going to come and walk upon its pavements and fill it with its glory.

They were building bigger than they knew. But all did not go easily, it never does, because there's a devil, and he does hate to see grace being shown to ruin people, to a wasted church, to people who are cold, and a fellowship that's gone wrong, and so we come into this phase of things.

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord, I'm going to use Jehovah, whenever you have Lord in capital letters in the authorised version, it always means Jehovah.

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, let us build with you, for we seek your God as ye do, and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, which brought us up hither.

But Zerubbabel and Joshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel said unto them, ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God, but we ourselves together will build unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, hath commanded us.

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and made them afraid to build, and hired counsellors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus, king of Persia, even unto the reign of Darius, king of Persia.

And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and in Jerusalem. And in the days of Artaxerxes, wrote Bishram, and we'll leave out their names, can't quite pronounce them, and there are some more difficult ones coming, unto Artaxerxes, king of Persia, and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian town, and interpreted in the Syrian town.

Rehom, the chancellor, and Shimshiah, the scribe, wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes, the king, after this thought. Then wrote Rehom, the chancellor, and another group of people who we can't pronounce, and at such a time.

Well, now here's the copy. I don't know, Ezra must have had access to the files at headquarters, because it's so absolutely, it's sort of, it is a factual copy, I don't know whether he had one of these dry copiers or something, but here it is.

This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes, the king. This is the accusation. Thy servants are men on the province beyond the river. That's how the RSV puts it. It was a province called beyond the river.

Be it known unto the king that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and are set up the walls thereof, and join the foundations. That was a lie.

They hadn't got as far as touching the wall. They had barely begun with the temple, but that didn't matter to them. But be it known now unto the king that if this city be built, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom?

And so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the king. Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to say the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and certified the king.

That search be made in the book of the records of thy fathers, so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time, for which cause this city was destroyed.

They were dead right there. We certify the king that if this city be built again, and the walls are all set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side of the river. Then sent the king an answer to reham the chancellor, and to Shimshiai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and to the province beyond the river.

Peace, and at such a time. The date, you see, at the top of the letter. The letter which he sent unto us hath been plainly read before me, and I command it, and search it be made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.

Therefore have been, there have been mighty kings over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river, and told tribute and custom was paid unto them. Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded until further notice.

That's what that means, until another commandment. Take heed now, that ye fail not to do this, why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings. Now when the copy of King Artaxerxes letter was read before reham, and Shimshiai the scribe and their companion, they were just told to bits, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and they made them cease by force and power.

Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia. And for thirteen long years that house lay waste with only the foundations laid.

The Prophets Call Israel to Build Again

Chapter five, then the prophets Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Edo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. And as a result of the message they gave, then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedek, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem, and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

That of course provoked what you would think it would. At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor of the province beyond the river, and Shesrabosnai and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who has commanded you to build this house and to make up this wall?

Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building? But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease till the matter came to Darius.

And then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter. Now here is a copy of the letter which was sent, the second letter, and the interesting thing is not merely what the letter said as from Tatnai the governor, but what he quoted the Jews are saying in the letter most illuminating.

The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side of the river, and Shesrabosnai and his companions, etc., they sent a letter unto him wherein was written thus, Unto Darius the king all peace, be it known unto the king that we went into the province of Judea to the house of the great God which is built with great stones and timber is laid on the walls and this work goes fast on and prospers in their hands, actually it was only the foundation but once again they exaggerated a bit to make their point.

Then asked we those elders and said unto them who commanded you to build this house? Oh yes they had gone on of course by this time, maybe that was right, they got the walls going up. Who have commanded you to build this house and to make up these walls?

We asked their names also to certify thee that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them. And thus they returned answer saying we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and we build the house that was built these many years ago which a great king of Israel built and set up but after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon the Chaldean who destroyed this house and carried the people away unto Babylon but in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

And the vessels also of gold and silver which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon and they were delivered unto one whose name was Shezbazar whom he had made governor and said unto him take these vessels go carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem and let the house of God be built in this place etc.

Verse 17. Now therefore if it seemed good to the king let there be search made in the king's treasure house two searches of the records. Two searches of the records most significant and what a different result was the second search from the first.

Let search be made in the king's treasure house which is there at Babylon whether it be so that a decree was made by Cyrus the king to build this house of God in Jerusalem and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

Then Darius the king made a decree and search was made in the house of the rolls where the treasures were laid up in Babylon and there was found at Acmetha in the palace that is in the province of the Medes a roll and therein was a record thus written in the first year of Cyrus the king the same king made a decree concerning the house of God of Jerusalem let the house be built the place where they offered sacrifices and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid the height thereof three square cubits and the breadth thereof three square cubits etc. etc. etc.

Verse 6. Now therefore Tatnai governor of the province beyond the river Shezbaznai and your companions which are beyond the river be ye far from. Hence let the work of this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place for over I make a decree what you should do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house that of the king's goods even of the taxes beyond the river forthwith expenses be given unto these men that they be not hindered and that which they have need of both young bullocks rams lands for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven wheat salt wine and oil according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem.

Let it be given them day by day without fail that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savors unto the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and of his son. Also for good measure I've made a decree that whosoever shall offer this word thank goodness let timber be pulled down from his house and being set up let him be hanged thereon.

What a complete reversal. What a glorious victory. And let his house be made a dunghill for this verse 13. Then Tatnai governor on this side river and Shezbaznai and their companions according to that which Darius the king had said.

So did they speedily. Did they hop. He had him hopping. They didn't appreciate having their houses pulled down and themselves hanged on gallows and their homes be made a dunghill. And he meant it. Have you ever heard such a story.

And the elders of the Jew build it. And they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Edo. And they built it and finished it according to the commandment of the God of Israel and according to the command of Osiris and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. Well now there's valuable time taken in reading the record. But I think it's absolutely essential because we forget so soon the Bible's a big book.

And if you're in one part of the Bible in your daily reading it may be six months or twelve months before you get to another part. When were you last in the book of Ezra. And so I know for myself it's so easy for a record which I know or did know and lived in twelve months ago.

Yeah I've got a bit hazy in my memory of the blessed details. So that's the reason why we simply had to read it. So they started got the altar erected the burnt offerings instituted again and the foundations.

This wonderful work of restoration then ceased 424. Then ceased work on the house of God at Jerusalem. This was the whole purpose for which they had begun. Revival was beginning in their hearts if you like.

And then it ceased and they gave up and it lay in that condition for 13 years. They got busy on making their own houses. But the Lord's house lay waste. Now we heard last night the story of someone who began anew with Jesus and became the object of the restoring reviving grace of God.

And God began to give her back that spiritual glow which she had once known but had lost. And you can say if you liked it in her case that habitation of God through the spirit which had lain waste was being rebuilt.

And she had a new testimony. She told us about it as she came anew to the cross and found grace for sinners once again. But you'll remember she said then ceased work on the house of God at Jerusalem. Somehow she slipped away.

And it was for years after I think was it 13 was it more years than here did God come back and so work in her life that that new thing in her heart was recommenced now. That is so typical of the experience of many of us.

How many times people said you know I came to Abagail a years ago or not only to Abigail to her to some other fellowship. And God began to new thing. He began to show me the new and living way the way of the blood the way of taking the sinner's place of receiving the sinners grace.

But you know I've gotten away from it. I've gotten away from it but all thank God he's got me on the old road again. How typical that experience is. It may not be for a long time it may be for six months.

This work of revival in your heart has ceased. And you say you know lately I've been so dry I've lost the vision. It's very easy to lose the vision to become insensitive to sin to cease to go on calling sins sin which he'd shown you years ago.

I picked up my first wife's Bible revel and I saw it in the in the flyleaf a list of sins rather subtle ones worrying tenseness bossiness and things like that. I said rebel. What is this. She says. Those are the things that God has shown me as sin from time to time.

And I keep that list to check as to whether I'm still seeing them as sin not to check whether I'm doing them or not. Much more important. Do I still call bossiness a sin. Do I still call set tenseness a sin.

And I can't remember what else was there. Maybe I was the one who provoked you to those things. For all I know that's it. You began and you began to be sharp on sin and you praise the Lord for the new and living way into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.

Are you still those things you began to course in. For instance some of us began to call reserve a sin. Do we call still call it sin. It comes. But the difference is that we don't call it sinner. We're not really trying to get us to get onto some impossible peak of holiness.

The thing is am I still. I'm talking to those who had some blessed experiences of these things in the past and and we began to call things in. Do I still call them sin. Or if I learn to live with them.

I remember dear Fred bath saying you know God hasn't been sending many people into our home lately. I fear it must be because we've got cold. We haven't been repenting. We haven't been at the cross. Well who of us hasn't had times like this.

But it can last a long time. You had a touch and you began on a new and living way. But we've lost the vision just as they did here. And all we've got are the foundations. But the superstructure for a habitation of God by the Spirit hasn't been going on.

And what is true of an individual it can be also true of a work because we mustn't limit the application of God's Word of this. Here many a blessed work has begun. A work of renewal a work of salvation in a fellowship or in a church.

But after point things stopped and people lost the vision then ceased the work of the house of God. So the house of God may not be only that work in us. It may be some other work that we're engaged among.

We began in a Christian Union. It can happen in a church. It can happen in a fellowship meeting in evangelistic outreach. It can happen. It began then ceased the work of God. Now why did it cease. Well quite obviously to read the story because of opposition.

Opposition and the Loss of Spiritual Vision

I want to tell you that devil hates the Saints being blessed and being made channels of blessing to us. And the moment you set out on the new and living way this way of being real with God about yourself and presenting yourself at Calvary again and again as a candidate for that marvelous grace that flows first to sinners there.

The devil hates it. And you do everything he can to oppose it in one way or another. Some read people. It may be nothing more than the fact that they haven't had fellowship. But that's not the real reason.

They could have gone on with Jesus. But the devil used it. No one else walks this way. Everybody else is living wearing a mask. Why should you to be forever taking yours off. No one else gives a current test to me.

You'll be marked if you do. And we go back perhaps to a cold spiritual atmosphere of unreality. Now. That's no reason. That's no excuse. But the devil tells us those things. And perhaps that's quite enough cause us to lose the vision.

And to stop this walk on the new and living way this building to use the other phrase of the house. But sometimes it's very direct opposition. Sometimes the whole church can be up against their minister.

They'd love a minister on his pedestal. They hate a minister to give a sinner's test his congregation. And a man says I can't go on like this. Any pipes down. He goes back to a sort of formal little messages not laced as it should be with testimony.

Then ceases work on the habitation of God. And it could be like that for a long time. I know what this opposition is. I was asked to leave two societies with which I was working simply on this ground.

We can't bear this testimony. We can't bear this message. Some people have never forgiven me a man who's asked to leave this well-known society and that evangelistic committee that brought him onto their staff.

We used to know him as the the big evangelist. That's what we thought we'd appointed. We found a man who was giving a sinner's testimony. Oh I know I wasn't all that balanced. I don't suppose I I put things with the balance.

I should perhaps I think I've learned a little more now. But a bottom. I'm amazed at the hatred of Satan. I think happened in my own experience. I opened my mouth once in one meeting and that was enough for the committee to meet and start rescinding my appointment.

There's a dear sister here in this meeting whose husband now in glory had to leave his church that which would take them to pieces and put them together again. And this church was one of the most fundamental Bible-believing churches in that city.

And you're going to be under great pressure. Those of us who've become some of us don't know what I'm talking about the new and living a what in the world's that when you have to keep on listening to the end of the meeting to the end of the week.

Maybe. But some of us know some of us have he had experience. We've begun. Are we going on. We had the foundational experiences of renewal and revival. But has it stopped. Well. Of course so often it does for shorter or longer periods here it was a longer period.

So there was the first reason why it stopped now. The second reason a deeper reason was this. They gave the wrong testimony. They were really these Jews standing on the wrong ground now their adversaries sort of said one hour let us build with you.

We serve the Lord like you do. But they didn't belong to Israel. They really had no part in building God's house because they weren't God's people. And the Jews told himself you have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel.

We're Jews with God's people. You are only God's people can do it now. That seemed right. And I believe it's true spiritual work can only be done by spiritual men. And very often the devil will send someone along who rather approves what we're doing and he get voted on to this or that.

And bless my soul. The the work is diluted by the coming in of people who are the people of God at all. But they want to help or so they say. But actually the devil is going to use them so often to disrupt and dilute.

Please turn the cassette over now do not fast wind it in either direction. But actually the devil is going to use them so often to disrupt and dilute. And as I say they told them so and we tell them so we're born again.

We are. You want we believe the Bible. We're evangelicals. You're a liberal. We don't agree with the ecumenical movement. You do so we could go on. I want to tell you those things are true for myself.

I don't agree with the ecumenical movement. But if you start working for God on that ground you're going to have the same experience here. They were not working as sinners. They were not working for God.

As a people have been under God's chastening and it was out of mercy that they were having a chance at all. They were putting themselves on a pedestal and at bottom they were standing on their own righteousness.

And I want to tell you our evangelical stand our opposition to the ecumenical movement. I don't care what you say. God may have to show you. It has become a part of your righteousness and you won't have God with you if you stand on that ground and you'll give the devil every opportunity he wants.

It says that God is near them the tower of broken and the contrite heart. But when I'm arguing the toss and say I'm right and you fellows are wrong and this is my work and you come you can't touch it.

I want to tell you we can be on the wrong ground. I believe it's right. I believe it's a principle right to take to believe that. But it's the bigger thing is I don't care whether a man's a liberal or not but no one could be a bigger flop than me.

And you know the failures of the Saints who believes the Bible are more grievous than that of the liberal. He sins are often without knowledge. I have so much knowledge and yet I'm so wrong here or there it ill befits me to take high ground when I wouldn't shouldn't have any part in the work of God at all.

But for grace that I didn't deserve. I said all right listen all right listen. We'll try it out. And they sent that letter up to headquarters. So you search and see that there'd been a rebellious people and they had they were dead right because they'd been overcome by by Nebuchadnezzar.

And Nebuchadnezzar spared the city and spared the temple. And if only Zedekiah had vowed to submit to the chastening the city would have still stood. But he didn't be rebelled. And what trouble Nebuchadnezzar had with that city.

And they looked and search was made in the book of the records. And there it was. It was all true. And of course orders came down. You stop it. And they did so with all the authority of Babylon and they had the power of an army and much else on their side and they made them cease notice.

Listen very important which you see in a moment by force and power. And they had no option. It seemed. And for that reason oh my dear friend I'm not on sinners ground as I build the devil is a great one to point to the record.

My before up wondering you'll be trying to work for God with a bad conscience. I've often found I've been working for God. Oh I'm so just a Bible believer and saw. But as I've been working for God there's been a little demon from hell on my shoulder saying you hypocrite you hypocrite.

Do I get on very well. I don't. I can't speak with boldness. I may take this high ground and that high ground. Don't misunderstand the things I mentioned. I believe but all of us you'll have the devil accusing you and you'll have other people to what sort of a man is he.

And you know we who've been hard and aggressive don't have a good name among others. We who feel we are the spiritual people none else must do with us. That's true. But our attitudes have sometimes made a stick in the nostrils.

What people want is love. Oh truth and testimony. But it must be a sinner's testimony. And this is what they were not giving. Later we shall see. They did and that was the turning of the corner for the proud he knows the power.

The Danger of Self-Righteousness and Standing on the Wrong Ground

And so it was the works and it was this. Oh there was a great mountain rose in the way of their progress and they felt they had no power or might with which to move it or defy it. And so they gave it up.

They got on making building their own houses and not merely prepared to have just ordinary roofs. They made them sealed houses with nice ceilings. And they improved this and improved that. But for 13 your years the Lord's house lay where you can get on busy in church work or in Christian work.

But we lost the old-time vision where grace had begun to meet us. It's better to do better to keep us busy. And that in the law in the Lord's service. Ah but that new house he was beginning to build in us with our church it has.

But after 13 years again went by. Grace began again with a people who so little deserved it. And how did it begin. With two men of God. Oh I love it in the Old Testament. I'm gonna make a study. Sometime there came a man of God out of Judah.

Sometimes these men have got a name they sometimes a given name. Oh what God does through a man or a woman of God who gets a clear vision who can see what's gone wrong and come either with the word of challenge or the word of encouragement to begin again.

And that's exactly what happened to these wonderful men Haggai and Zechariah. It is chapter 5 verse 1. Then the prophets Haggai and Zechariah prophesied unto the Jews. And as a direct result the work was begun again.

Haggai's Message of Conviction

Now at this point we must see what they had to say. Now two prophets and Haggai had one aspect of the message he gave them and Zechariah had the other. Haggai's message was a message of conviction. Zechariah's message was a message of encouragement just the encouragement that we need just turn to Haggai.

He's the he's fourth from the end in the Old Testament. Just come before Zechariah. Verse 2. Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts saying this people say the time has not come the time that the Lord's house should be built.

You can't expect revival isn't really quite the appropriate time for this to go on in me and to go on in my church. Not. They're not quite ready. You know they're not used to this. You can't give speak to my people as you speak in Clevedon.

Oh I can give a Clevedon message on a Clevedon platform. It's not appropriate in my church. That's the trouble. That's the trouble. There's only one message. It's not the Clevedon message. It's this message.

It's grace that's come by Jesus Christ. And if we're giving a Clevedon message God help us if it isn't here. If what we are doing is not a rediscovery of the whole hidden secret of of grace and the gospel.

Then you tell us. And maybe we aren't always clear. Maybe we are you tell us. But for me that's what it is. And we say the time is not yet come. They're not ready. Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the Prophet is it time for you oh ye to dwell in your sealed houses.

And this house lie waste now. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts consider your ways. You've so much and bring in little. Ye eat but you have not enough. Ye drink but you're not filled with drink. You close you but there's none warm.

And he that earneth wages earneth wages to put them into a bag with holes. Verse 9. You look for much. And though it came to little when you brought it home I did blow upon it. Verse 10. Therefore now that's it that's going to father.

What he said. He said you consider your ways. You say it's not time to build the Lord's house. You say you cannot defy this edict. You say there's a great mountain in the way. But listen it's not time to build the Lord's house.

But you're looking after yourselves pretty well. But he said are you looking after yourselves pretty well. Ye to consider your ways. How's it working out crops going. Well. Strange for those 13 years they never got decent crops.

Can you do eat. Strange. Since the day they gave up building the temple that had a bit of a famine in that land. You drink but you're not filled with drink. Nothing seem to satisfy you. And all your efforts to improve your life is like putting wages into a bag with holes.

And by the time you look at the bag you've lost your wages. He says in verse 10. Listen he says the heaven over you is stayed even from you let alone no rainfall. And the earth as a result is stayed from her fruit.

I call for a drought upon the land and upon the mountains and upon the beast and upon all the labor of your hand. Oh what a word of conviction. And he says this now why. Why there it is in verse 9. Why has this happened.

For one simple reason. Because of my house that is waste. And you run every man to his own house. And that's the message that comes to us. First of all we're doing many things engaging in many bits of service.

But my house in you is still lying waste. You cease to see things of sin that you used to. You're not visiting Calvary as you once did. And Jesus isn't being appropriated for a desperate man's need. My house is lying waste.

But how's the rest going friend. Not. Well not. Well. You've become irritable. Perhaps I have done sometimes in my home things aren't happy between you and other people. Blessing isn't coming to others as it ought to.

And you know he might have to touch your pocket. Maybe he's done that already. Why. Why. I know what this is. There have been two classic occasions in my life when I lost my vision. First of all I lost my vision for the unsaved.

I became so concerned with preaching to the saved that I lost my vision for the unsaved. And when I found myself preaching to them and taking advantage of campaign I lost my faith and expectancy in that was only on that line.

And you know my wife and I became so impoverished that we had to sell a carpet to make two ends meet. We said Lord why. And he showed me you've lost your vision. On another occasion later wasn't that.

I lost my vision for preaching the gospel to the unsaved. But I lost my vision of the revival of the Saints was after Billy Graham's first crusade. I've been pressed into action down here in Bristol on the for the relays and began to lead them.

We saw many people coming to the Lord and I was pushed into action. I said my I'm coming at a moment. And just after that we went to a little team conference. Joe Church was there up in the Midlands and all I saw was a small bunch of people repenting about Jesus.

I said how irrelevant this is the day. A big thing you'll be doing these big things. And I really I'm afraid I rather unsettled my brethren. And better we all ought to be doing big things. And you know there came a famine in my heart.

The heaven over me was stayed from dew. I found I lost that freedom of sweetness in preaching Jesus. I've got back to the old striving days from which God had delivered me so largely. And because I wouldn't take note of that sign of something wrong God touched my pocket and revel said to me said Roy I'm not worried about the money.