Communication of Our Faith - Part 1 — Alan Redpath

Counting the Cost of Discipleship

Good morning, everybody. We return with me this morning to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 5, verse. Luke 14 is written,. And he turned and said unto them, If any man come to me and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you intending to build a tower, should it not thou encrust, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold, begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sittheth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he be able, with ten thousand, to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassador, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you, that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Fault is good, but if the fault hath lost his favour, wherewith shall it be freed him? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the downhill, but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

For thy servant heareth. Speak just now, some message to meet my need, which thou only dost know. Speak now through thy holy word, and make me see. Sendeth an ambassador, and desireth conditions of peace.

So likewise, whosoever he be of you, that forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple. Fault is good, but if the fault hath lost his favour, wherewith shall it be freed him? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the downhill, nor yet one of us is either a missionary or a mission field.

The Missionary Calling in Every Place

And my prayer, and the prayer of many of us I'm sure, is that these days mission fields may become missionaries. That's true of everybody. Either a missionary or a mission field. Right where we are, here, now, in Woody Barber Institute, in Chicago, anywhere.

A missionary or a mission field. And we have based all this upon four simple propositions. That the world is smaller than we think. The task greater than we think. The time shorter than we think. The terms costlier than we think.

If we're going to communicate our faith to the generation in which we live, the terms are costlier than we think. And it's with the last of these four simple statements that we are going to consider this morning.

The Cost of Gospel Communication

The terms are costlier than we think. Do we all realize that about two thirds of the world's population have never heard of Christ? And do we all realize that 90 of Christian work is done among 10 of the world's population?

In the light of these facts, I have been forced back to ask myself, and satisfy my mind before God, two questions. Which, in his name, I would put to you this morning. For you to ask, and satisfy yourself before him.

The first is this. Did the death of Christ upon Calvary provide adequate salvation for everybody? Let me repeat this. Did the death of Christ upon the cross provide an adequate salvation for everyone?

In all the world, for all time, until he comes again? My answer to that question, based upon the scripture, is yes. He is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him. He is not willing that one should perish.

A salvation adequate for everyone. There is no sin that has gone too far, that the cross of Christ can go further. There is no habit that is too deeply formed in any of our lives, that the blood of Jesus can cleanse.

He breaks the power of cancelled sin. He sets the prisoner free. His blood can make a pile of clean, his blood avails for me. My second question. Does that mean that all men everywhere will be saved? That's what we're being taught in some areas today.

That if there's anybody lost eternally in hell, that means that there's a breakdown in the love of God. That with all the authority of the word of God behind me, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, my answer to the second question, will all men ultimately be saved?

My answer is no. For he has provided salvation adequate for all, but effective only in those who believe and repent. Salvation sufficient for everyone, everywhere. But a salvation which is operative only in the lives of those who repent and believe.

If that's not true, you have to cut out whole portions of the gospel of Matthew, and practically the entire book of Revelation. All men will not be saved. My third question. Can anybody be saved without hearing the gospel?

The Necessity of Hearing the Gospel

And that forces me back in my mind immediately to Romans chapter 10. Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. But how shall they call on him on whom they have not heard? And how shall they believe on him whom they have not heard?

And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach without their dissent? Nobody can be saved unless they hear. I remember a dear man of God once standing up for a young people's meeting and saying, when I was younger I used to pray, Lord, show me what it means for a soul to be lost.

And he said, God never answered that prayer. Because I believe that if he had answered it, I'd have gone stark scaring mad. I'd have gone raving mad if he'd really shown me what it meant for a soul to be lost eternally.

It was John Wesley who said, that if hell is real, and if we believe it, every one of us would go across Britain on a road, if need be, on a road studded with nails on our knees, in order to save men from hell.

But we don't believe that these days. Or if we believe it, we don't act like it. For if this is right and true, if the answers to these three questions are what I suggest they are, we are called for immediate reassessment.

Reassessing the Church Programme

First of all, how much of our church programme is relevant to the 20th century? We've organised out the Holy Spirit. How much room is there in your church programme for God the Holy Ghost to work? We are satisfied every week, apparently, with a song service, hymn, prayer, reading notices, offering, special number, anthem, hymn, sermon, prayer, hymn of invitation in which nothing ever happens, benediction, and then we all go home.

Quite a week, quite a day, 52 weeks in the air. There's not the slightest evidence of God moving in to do the supernatural. Some of us would be as amazed if we saw Christianity really at work, as we profess to be amazed if it's doubted.

What room is there for God really to move in to do a miracle? How much of our church programme is geared to the need of people who wouldn't dream of coming inside our church doors? Is it relevant to a generation which couldn't care less what we believe, and wouldn't dream of coming inside our evangelical, fundamental churches?

I say that this situation in which we live today calls for an immediate reassessment of the way that we're going about the task. We're all playing church, just a good programme, just good music, average preaching, right doctrine, and we turn it on week after week, and millions of people on our doorstep are going to hell.

And if we believe it, we don't act like it. It calls not only for a reassessment immediately, before it's too late, of our Christian education, of our whole programme of evangelical thinking and approach, but it calls also for a reassessment of our personal lives.

In the light of the fact which I have given you this morning, that 90 of Christian work is done among 10 of the world's population, and over 2 billion people alive today are on the road to a lost eternity.

While I acknowledge that not every one of us can have the privilege of going overseas, I suggest to you that the burden of proof lies heavily upon every one of us here to satisfy the Lord that the circumstances in which he has placed us justify us remaining at home.

It's not enough to say, I am willing for whatever the Lord may need. I must take steps to see whether or not he really wants me to remain in a country which has been surfeited with the gospel. I admit the need in the United States and in Britain is desperate.

But it cannot compare with the need of continents which are absolutely in the dark and have never heard the name of Jesus. The burden of proof, I repeat, lies heavily upon every one of us to satisfy God that the circumstances in which he has placed us justify us remaining at home.

It calls for a reassessment of our church program. It calls for a reassessment of our personal life. And it calls for a recognition that the terms of discipleship are costlier than we think. And therefore this morning our subject as we think of the communication of our faith is the requirement that we must recognize.

Did you notice that three times over in this chapter that I read to you, we had the phrase, he cannot be my disciple. Verse 26, last phrase of the verse, he cannot be my disciple. Verse 27, last few words, he cannot be my disciple.

Verse 33, he cannot be my disciple. Let me just dispel an illusion which may be in your mind. There is no difference between a disciple and a Christian. The words are phenomenal in the New Testament, they mean the same thing.

A disciple is simply a Christian who is growing up. You remember we are told in Acts chapter 11 and verse 26, the Christians, the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. The two words are the same.

The Master's Terms for Following Christ

So here is the Lord Jesus laying down in no uncertain terms what it costs to be a Christian. Someone has said that being a Christian is like joining a club. The entrance fee, nothing. The subscription, all you've got.

In a sense, that's true. And here, I am today giving you not my condition, but the Master's condition. Which have never been watered down and never been changed. His terms for being a follower of his.

You notice that in verse 25 there went great multitudes with him. What an opportunity to take names and addresses. What an opportunity to take up an offering. What an opportunity to call in the television.

What an opportunity to have the press around and report it. Great multitudes flooding after him. And he turned to them and said, if any man. It's as if he held them back. And spoke to them one by one.

And said, if any man. Today at the Institute is perhaps a strategic day. A momentous day. It's a day of prayer. A day of waiting upon God. A day in which the whole faculty have felt the burden and the concern.

To call you aside from study of books for a day. That you might seek the faith of God. That's a wonderful thing. My heart goes out to the Institute that is prepared to do that. And I want simply this morning to remind you very, very lovingly.

Of the master's terms which you must face and I must face in my life. If I'm going to be a Christian. The first of them. Verse 26. If any man come to me and hate not. His father, mother, wife, children, brethren, sisters.

Yea in his own life also he cannot be my disciple. Have you had any difficulty with that verse? Has it troubled you? Does that mean to say that in order to be a Christian I've got to have a personal animosity.

In regard to my family. Of course it doesn't. Let me put it in a more positive way in which Matthew translates the same statement. If any man loves father or mother, brother or sister more than me. He is not worthy of me.

And it seems to me that here the Lord Jesus is saying to me. To my heart this morning some things. He's saying to me first of all. That he's the only one. Who has the right to make a home. As well as to break it.

As a matter of fact he's the only one who can make a home. I mustn't get diverted. But I want to say to you that the only marriage that is happy. Is not the one where the wife dominates the husband. Or the husband dominates the wife.

But where both husband and wife are dominated by the Lord. Two months ago I was in Bristol in England. And I only stayed a night in the home. And they had scads of children. I'm not sure but I think it was 11.

An absolute football team. And they varied in age from about 21 to 3. Do you know that at 7 .30 in the morning a bell rang. And I responded to it. I felt it had a sound of authority about it. I suppose you know a bit about bells around here.

And this bell rang and I leapt to it and I went downstairs. And there was a tremendous story. And from every part of the house somebody was running. And they all arrived at the same time around a huge breakfast table.

Actually it was a table tennis table with a cloth on it. And yes it was. The only way they could all sit down together. And there they were. Various stages of dress and undress. Half shaved, hair half brushed and not brushed at all.

Some still in their pyjamas and some just ready to go. And father opened the words. And read a chapter. And then scripture union notes for the day. And then the whole family knelt. And every one of them prayed.

Individually. A missionary, a friend, a need, a person. And that home was like a bed of heaven. Oh it would have been so easy in that home for all that to be crowded out. The easiest thing in the world.

But and this bell and I went down and leapt to it. There was a tremendous and I know every part of this story. And from every part of the house somebody was running like that. Nobody else can. He is not only the only one who can make a home.

But he is the only one who can break it. What do I mean by that? Just this. At any time he has the right to step into a home and help himself to a boy, a girl. Out of that home. And thrust them out into his service.

To the uttermost parts of the earth. And speaking as a father. Not as a preacher. Who has been through the experience. When the valedictory service comes. And one of those precious children whom you have brought into the world.

And God has taken into his service. I tell you there is a tear in one eye. But there is a twinkle in the other. For God has done such a wonderful thing. He has helped himself to that son or that daughter.

You won't see them again for five years if you see them at all. But they have responded to the greatest thing of all. God has called them into his service. Let me say a word to you in utmost love and tenderness.

If you come from a home where your parents are unsaved. And you have had all the agony of the battle of that. Even to get to a Bible school. Let me say to you that the key to their conversion. Is your obedience to the Lord Jesus.

If you say well I can't possibly go. I must obey my parents. I must go along with them. They don't want it. I can't hurt them. I can't afford to do it. You will discover that in the Christian life inevitably you are bound to hurt somebody.

And often it's the very people you don't want to hurt. You either grieve and hurt the Lord or you hurt someone down here. You can't have harmony at both ends of the line. You either have conflict with heaven or you can't have mercy on earth.

But if you want to see those parents of yours one to the Lord. Obedience to the Lord Jesus at all costs is what matters. He's the only one who has right to break a home and make it. This verse also tells me that I must have no rivals in my love life to Christ.

If any man loves more than me. He's not worthy of me. We pass that test today. No rivals in my love life. In my affection life to Christ. He must be first. Some years ago, following the morning service at my church.

A girl came up to me, a young girl. And held out her left hand and showed me on one finger a diamond. So I rejoiced with her. I'm always thankful when that happens. And I knew the fellow she was engaged to.

A nice Christian boy. I was so happy about it. Provisionally they arranged the date. Six months later after morning service she came into my study. Held out her hand. She couldn't speak. But there was no doubt.

I said to her, what's the matter? What's happened? Oh, she said, nothing really. But, you know. Only this. I've become increasingly conscious in these six months. That God wants me in Thailand. As a missionary with OMF.

My fiancé. Feels he ought to stay in Britain. He hasn't any calls in Missionfield. We've battled with this for months. That's all. And God has had his way. Two months ago, less than a year ago, I was in Thailand.

At an OMF conference and met her. And she looked at me with a shining face and she said to me. I'd a thousand times rather be here in the will of God unmarried. Than in Britain out of the will of God unmarried.

No rival. In our affection life. To Christ. Oh, it doesn't always happen like that. Not always, Klaus. Like that. I think that in a moment. A thrilling thing that happened to me just recently. I was in Ethiopia at BSIN conference.

About 18 months ago. And there's a fellow there, he's about 35 years of age. A bachelor. And I was there a week in that station. At his conference. Got to know him pretty well. When I left. Just before I left, I shook hands with him.

And I said, Bill, there's only one thing that matters with you. And he said, what's that? You need a wife. And I'm going to pray for you. Where do you live, Bill? Oh, he said, Melbourne, Australia. I said, I'm coming to Melbourne at Christmas.

I'll tell you what we'll do, Bill. I'll pray for you that you may have yet a wife. And when I come to Melbourne for this Christmas. I'll take you and your fiancée out to lunch. Oh, he said, that's ridiculous.

Absolutely ridiculous. There were a lot of eligible missionaries on the field. And all were sort of looking at that his way. But he wasn't having anything to do with any of them. But you know. When I went away, he wrote to me.

He said to me, that word of yours came to me. Somehow right from the Lord. And you know what happened? He went home on furlough in November. Convinced that that was of God. And on his way home to Australia in Singapore.

He bought an engagement ring. Never even seen the girl. And at the same time, he bought a watch. Beautiful watch. Showed it to me. It was called a Rebecca watch. A splendid timepiece. And he said, now Lord, make this an Isaac and Rebecca relationship.

And let the first girl I meet in Melbourne be the one. So he went to Melbourne. And the first night of his furlough. He was due to speak at NBI. Which in Melbourne is Melbourne Bible Institute. And as he was going up into the platform to speak.

He bumped into a girl coming down. He said hello. And she said hello. And after meeting in Edinburgh. That was in November. And when I was there two days before Christmas. I took them out for lunch. They were engaged to be married.

And you know what? She'd already been accepted by the S .I .M. She had her heart set on going to Ethiopia. And today, they're on the same mission station. Man and wife. In the country. To which he'd been called.

And to which she was called. Led together by divine appointment. Both of them determined that nothing would ever. And nobody came into their lives. That was contrary to the will of God. And there they are today on the mission field.

Oh God does wonderful things. When we really give Him. Every bit of our life. No rival. In our love life. To the Lord Jesus. My dear friends. As a man who just loves being with young people. Working with them.

I just say take your hands off. And watch God work miracles. No rival. In your love life to Christ. Is that true right now of you? That may mean the breaking of a friendship. That may mean putting your Isaac on the altar.

That may mean breaking an engagement. That will mean being thoroughly realistic. In God's presence. But it will mean ultimately. The will of God being done in your life. No rival. In your love life to Christ.

No Right Except to Do God's Will

The second thing. No right. Except to do the will of God. Whosoever does not bear his cross and come after me. Cannot be my disciple. What does it mean to bear his cross? Some people have an extraordinary idea of what that means.

A fellow come up to me and speak to me after a service in church. And he said to me pastor he said. I have a shocking temper. I blow my top for nothing. I suppose that's my cross. And I said to him bless your heart.

It's not your cross it's your wife's cross. She's got to live with it. How amazing that we can rationalize a thing like that. That's not your cross man. That's your sin. God has given Jesus for you to make you sweet instead of sour and grumpy.

It's not your cross. What does it mean who does not bear his cross? Matthew 16 .24 again puts it more clearly in a positive sense. If any man would come after me. Let him deny himself. And take up his cross daily and follow me.

Let him. As the New English Bible has it. Let him leave himself behind. No right. Except the right to do the will of God. The Christian life isn't broad at the beginning. And gradually narrowing down.

We don't all sort of crowd in together. We go in one by one. Straight as the gate. Narrow as the way that leads to life. And few there be that find it. And when you go in that gate. You've got to leave yourself behind.

You can't take two masters. No man can serve two masters. Either he love the one and hate the other. Or hate the one and hold to the other. You cannot serve God. Amen. If you would come after me. Then leave yourself behind.

There can only be one master. No right. Except to do the will of God. Now of course. This is something which has. The cause of failure to understand it. Has led to missionary casualty. After missionary casualty.

It's led to collapse in Christian service. And Christian life. Have you heard somebody say. Perhaps you've said it yourself. I had a perfect right to be consulted in that situation. Nobody asked me to.

In my opinion. I'm going to resign. I had a right to be heard. A right to hear my opinion stated. A right to have my music spread. A right. Let this mind be in you. Which was in Christ. Who counted it not a thing to be grasped.

After being equal with God. But humbled himself. Made himself of no reputation. Took upon himself the form of a servant. Was made in the likeness of man. Was obedient unto death. Even the death of the cross.

Wherefore. God hath highly exalted him. And given him a name. That is above every name. That is the name of Jesus. Every knee shall bow. And why. The cause he forsook all his rights. He counted it not a thing to be grasped.

And he stepped from a throne. Came right down to the cross. What was he doing. Forsaking his rights. I have a right to be consulted. I have a right to my own life. I have a right to do my own way. I haven't any rights.

Except to do his will. And it's plainly to recognise that. That has absolutely caused the Christian church. To be paralysed. Resignation from church ball. Resignation from the mission field. Because I wasn't consulted.

My rights weren't considered. You haven't any rights. You've died to them all. Your only right is to do his will. If any man doth not bear his cross. And come out to me. Come be my disciple. Just look with me how that worked out.

Paul's Example of Surrendered Rights

In the life of the apostle Paul. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 9. With me a moment would you. Here's the example of a man. Who had every right. But he forsook them for Jesus. A man whose authority in the ministry.

Was being challenged by this carnal church. Who questioned his right to speak to him as he did. The three. My answer to them that do examine me is this. Have I not power to eat and to drink. Have I right to normal ration.

Have I not power to lead about a sister and a wife. Have I right to normal romance. For I only in Barnabas. Have not the power to forbear working. Have I right to normal recreation. Verse 14. So hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel.

Should live of the gospel. Have a right to normal remuneration. Verse 15. But I have used none of these things. For though I preach the gospel. I have nothing to glory. For necessities laid upon me. Will always unto me.

If I preach not the gospel. Oh yes. I have a perfect right. I have an absolute right to normal rations. An absolute right to normal romance. To normal recreation. To normal remuneration. But therefore.

I have refused them. And thrown them all aside. For Jesus sake. Now let me bring that up to age. Right here in October 1968. In Woody Bible Institute. Student body. All of it. Myself included. Haven't I got a right to normal food.

Oh sure. Say. Have you ever denied yourself a meal. For the sake of Jesus. Have you ever fasted. For Christ sake. And for the sake of prayer. To lay hold of him. You have a right. You have a right to normal food.

Nobody can deny it to you. Perfect right. But say. One time or other. There will come a point. Where Jesus will test you. Are you prepared to miss one meal. Or one day. That you might really lay hold of God.

And show me that you mean business. Of course. Fasting is much more than missing a meal. Fasting is absolute denying myself and the flesh. All it's way. It's in all it's right. But. Have you even gone so far as to miss a meal.

For Jesus. You have a right to normal romance. Power to lead a book. About a sister and a wife. But it may well be. That the Lord will test you about that. You have a right to normal romance. I underline the word normal.

Perhaps it's a bit difficult to know what that means these days. I remember last summer. I went to the island of Jersey. That's in the Channel Islands. Some distance south of England. And I. Was there to find some sunshine.

Because we hadn't any that summer. And I didn't find any in Jersey either. But I saw a very extraordinary thing. I saw in the streets of Jersey. Stopped just in front of me. A hippie van. Mobile van. And out of it jumped four or five.

Of the most extraordinary looking creatures ever seen. I wouldn't know whether they were fellows or girls. And on the back of that van. There was a heart. Drawn. And an arrow through it. And the statement.

Let's. Not make war. Let's make love. Now. That's very plausible. It sounds wonderful. Sounds as if you've got the answer. But you know what it means don't you? It means every barrier down. Every indulgence of every kind of sexual appetite.

Regardless of the marriage tie. If you become a follower of the Lord Jesus. You're listening aren't you? That kind of romance is out. You're entitled. Every one of us is entitled to normal romance. Say.

Fellows and girls. Is your romantic life getting out of hand? And has the Holy Spirit been speaking to you about it? Oh you have a right to normal romance. And the loveliest. And the normal. And the wonderful.

And the thrilling. Is that which is within. The marriage tie. You have a right to that. You have no right to the other. And if it gets out of hand. It'll ruin. Your studies at the Institute. And all your future lives.

But you have a right. To normal romance. But even there. God may well test you. Verse six. You have a right to normal recreation. You have a right to normal remuneration. May I just take you very quickly this morning.

Missionary Sacrifice in Central Africa

For a glimpse. In a mission to you. In the Central African Republic. And there. On the Sudan border. South of the Sudan. I went. And stayed. And saw. 35 ,000 Sudanese refugees. Who had been thrown out of Egypt.

By Nasser. For no other sin. Than that they weren't Muslim. Some of them bankers. Some of them lawyers. Some of them doctors. Some of them well educated. Some of them speaking English well. Anyway. Destiny.

Nothing to live on. No clothes. Hardly. Separate on their backs. Red Cross trying its best to do something for them. Into that situation. The Africa Inland Mission. Had sent two girls. Can you underline that in your mind?

Two boys. Two girls. There hadn't been any men. They lived in a house that was built in treaty. No sanitation. No shops. No day off a week. No nice things to see. They didn't bother about that. But when my wife and I left that place.

We came away feeling so absolutely humbled. Because we had met two people who had touched. A death of exhilaration and joy. Enduring the will of God. That they didn't matter about anything else. All they were concerned about was.

That some. Of those 35 ,000. Death to these helpless people. Might be one for the Lord. That every right. To a normal life. Every right to normal recreation. But they denied it all. And denying it. Had found life.

Earlier. That same tour. I flew from Nairobi. In a missionary aviation fellowship plane. Piloted by Gordon Marshall. The M .A .S. Does a tremendous service job for missionaries. I lived with Gordon Marshall for two or three days.

Missionary aviation fellowship pilot. He's not only a pilot. But he's an engineer. A navigator. Missionary shopper. And above all an evangelist. After seven hours. Really flying a one engine Cessna jet.

At about 140 miles an hour. At 8 ,000 feet. Being tossed about like a cork. And having two stops on the way. Being interrogated by customs officials. And answering tricky questions. At the end of the day.

Taking orders from missionaries. Absolutely exhausted. I saw him on his knees with his bible. Midnight he was in bed. Five o 'clock the next morning he was up. Again on his knees with his bible. Out. To prepare his plane.

For the next leg of the flight. Witnessing in the language of the people. With an open bible. About Christ. I saw a man. Who was a pilot. A navigator. Everything. But above all. A man of God. And listen.

Gordon Marshall is a South African. Could be flying for South African Airways today. And earning $30 ,000 a year. Instead of which he's earning a pittance. Through missionary aviation fellowship. Why?

Because he has no right. Except to do the will of God. I have no right. Except to do God's will. And I acknowledge this. One more thing. He that forsaketh not all that he hath. He cannot be my disciple.

Forsaking Self-Confidence for Christ-Confidence

Does that mean to say. That a Christian is someone. Who goes to his bank manager. If he has one. And gives away all his money. Well. Some people God will ask to do that. But that isn't what this text means.

It means much more than that. F-A-I-T-H. Forsaking all I take him. That's faith. And except a man forsake. All confidence in himself. And puts all confidence in me. Says Jesus. He cannot be my disciple.

In other words. Except he moves off. The ground of self confidence. Onto the ground of Christ confidence. Except. He gives himself completely. And takes me completely. He cannot be my disciple. For the whole essence of the Christian life.

Is an exchange of sovereignty. In which it's no longer I. But Jesus. And I don't go on giving and giving and giving myself. But I go on taking and taking. And taking Christ. Have you ever. When you attempted to blow your top.

Very quickly. Said to him. Thank you Lord Jesus. I take. You are patient. When you attempted to impurity of thought. Have you ever said. Thank you Lord Jesus. I take your holiness. Have you ever discovered.

That the opposite. To all that you are. Is in Jesus. And it is in you. To produce it. Through you. Day by day. Except a man forsake. All that he has. Except he comes to a point. Of absolute disillusionment.

Absolute despair in himself. And begins to lay hold. Of an in running Lord. And sovereign. He cannot be my disciple. One of the most. Gracious men. I ever met. Wonderful Christian men. Whose books. Many of you will have read.

Was the late. Dr. S .B. Meyer. Whose studies in Bible characters. Were tremendous. Joseph. Abraham Allred. One day. At a. Catholic convention in England. With eight thousand people. Present. He was preaching.

And he was that kind of preacher. Who never preached at a congregation. He was right alongside them. And he gave a testimony. And that testimony said. Three years ago. As a minister. Something came into my life.

Which I knew was wrong. But I loved it. And I didn't think it would affect anybody. But me. But from then on. Every time I preached. That thing came between me. And the congregation. It came between me.

And power. And God. And congregations grew. Smaller and smaller. Nothing ever happened. And my heart. Was so filled. With a sense of. Guilt. And sin. And I fought with it. And struggled with it. And I went on preaching.