The Voice of God — Leonard Ravenhill

Have a legitimate right to sing as we sang earlier tonight my Jesus. I love thee. I Know thou art mine. We bless you for that security that we have. We thank you Lord Jesus that when you look down from the cross you said it is finished and There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.

Christ’s Perfect Sacrifice and the Cleansing Blood

Your word says once in the end of the age he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Your word tells us by one man's transgression sin entered into the world and because of sin death. But we thank you that by one man not the last not that not the second Adam.

But the last Adam was able to undo all the first Adam did. We thank you that he lived a righteous spotless. Holy life. We thank you for the cleansing of the blood tonight. If we hadn't have had that we would have entered this house defiled tonight.

Embarrassed but we thank you for that fountain filled with blood. Drawn from Emmanuel's veins and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains. The dying thief rejoiced to see the fountain in his day.

And there have I not may I but there have I Lord vile as he washed all my sins away. The Lord let this meeting contribute to your praise and adoration. We can't give you anything you own the world. We can't give you the advice or the essence of all wisdom.

We cannot counsel you in righteousness. You're the very essence of righteousness. But you desire our praise you desire our worship. We would worship you tonight in spirit and in truth and in the very beauty of holiness.

We thank you for your mercy to us as we sang tonight great is thy faithfulness. Pardon for sins we thank you. You've given us that. We thank you that this strength for today and grace for tomorrow. We thank you.

You haven't made any miscalculations. We think of our how often the automobile people withdraw their automobiles for defects that have been there for years. But we thank you that you made a perfect offering Lord Jesus.

We thank you that you can make us perfect in holiness in obedience in righteousness in love. God put a grudge in our hearts lest we become an embarrassment to God. Don't let us misrepresent you in this evil perverse generation in which we love.

You've told us in your word that whatsoever we do were to do all to the glory of God. We ask tonight in the words of the psalmist that the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts may be acceptable in thy sight.

Oh God our strength and our Redeemer anoint your word tonight. Take the veil from it. Take the veil from our eyes take the veil from our understanding. May we go from this house with a deeper assurance as a greater determination to do the will of God.

Because you've told us that he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. So we thank you for your presence in Jesus name. Okay, take your seats, please. All right. Exodus the book of Exodus chapter 20.

Israel’s Fear of Hearing God’s Voice

Exodus chapter 20 in verse 19. I'm reading obviously the King James Version the proper version. You know people laughed at the old lady in England she said I I read the King James Version because the Apostle Paul read it.

Well, he wrote most of it anyhow, she's pretty smart. Wasn't she not King James Version, but she wrote these read the scriptures that are here. Okay, Exodus chapter 20 verse 19 and they said unto Moses speak thou with us and We will hear but let not God speak with us.

You know, I think that's typical of many services to which we go. We want to have a preacher. We don't want to hear God. Particularly a preacher who presents something we've always believed. It's merely an echo in our hearts.

We don't want to know what God is saying. We want to know what the Popular theology is saying. Don't speak to us. Don't let God speak to us. You speak to us. It's rather a change of tune. They said unto Moses speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die.

You know if you go back to the 17th chapter Exodus 17 verse 1 and all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of sin. After their journeys according to the commandment of the Lord and pitched in Rephidim and there was no water for the people to drink.

Wherefore the people did chide with Moses and Said give us water that we may drink. Moses said why do you chide with me? Wherefore do ye tempt the Lord. The people thirsted for water and the people murmured against Moses and Said wherefore is this that thou hast brought us apart of it.

Notice. They don't recognize God has done it. They don't say here that you brought us up with us a strong hand and a stretched out arm. Moses brought it. Moses did nothing of the kind. Sure enough he was the leader.

He brought them out. But he couldn't get them in the trouble with the church today in my judgment is this most of us have come out of Egypt. But we're not living in the promised land. The church has halted somewhere between Easter and the resurrection.

No, don't speak to us God. But now look at the change again in that 20th chapter Verse 18 and all the people saw the thunders thunderings and the lightnings and the noise of the trumpet and the mountain smoking and when they saw it they removed and Stood afar off and said unto Moses speak with us, and we hear that let not God speak with us.

Moses said unto the people fear not for God is come to prove you that you may that his fear may be for you Before your faces and that you sin not. You see as we would say God put on a show there. They murmured they complained.

We have no water. We back in Egypt. We had onions and garlics. Why in the world they wanted that junk. I don't know, but they want to go back to onions and garlics. Ever get near somebody with garlic that they smell horrid.

But they want to go back to Egypt and so the Lord shows them now he Does a display of thunder and lightnings. The earth shakes. Read the Hebrew in the business of the Hebrews about that. They were terrified when they saw the majesty of God in the skies.

When they felt the shaking of the earth when they had a noise of the thunder. Well, if that's what God does what would he do if he spoke to us? And Moses says don't be afraid. He's not wanting to destroy you.

He wants to speak to you. And that led me off on to a thinking of the voice of God. You remember that God. Well, the story is so familiar. Adam sinned. What can you say about it? That's new. Well, let me stress this.

Anyhow Adam sinned. Did he go looking for God? No, he didn't. What they do he hid. He tried to cover himself. Cover himself in the bushes cover himself with leaves. Made an apron to cover his nakedness and God went after the man.

God’s Pursuit of Sinners

Who had disobeyed him? God is the offended one and yet the offended one goes after the offender. You get the same thing. God goes after Abraham. God went after Jacob. God went after Moses. He's always pursuing.

He's always seeking. What did? Adam do. Well, he went and hid himself and He heard a voice. I wonder how he felt. It's like the voice that says what do us foul here Elijah. He said what are you doing here Adam?

I'm hiding. I'm at why you're afraid he gave the game away. Because he was disobedient. Because his conscience was lashing him. Because he was afraid of the majesty and awesomeness of God and yet God comes to him.

What did you do when the angels transgress. He put them in hell forever. People say demons are those angels that fell. Well, that's not scriptural. The angels that fell are locked up. Jude says they're locked up there in eternal darkness till God wants to release them.

That's where the angels are. Where the demons come from. Find out for yourself. Do some homework. Don't be lazy the demons. Well, I'm gonna say I won't say it anyhow. I'll let you work sweat over it a bit.

Do you good? But God as soon as the angels transgress he cast them out into darkness. He doesn't do that with Adam. He isn't a policeman. He's a counselor. He comes to rescue them. He comes to deliver them.

He comes to tell them he's going to make a propitiation for sins when you get to the third chapter. Something that's going to happen centuries ahead. I found it very interesting to think again about the voice.

John’s Vision and Worshipful Hearing

I did a little homework myself and don't do too much, but I did some today. I went through the book of Revelation and find that the voice is spoken of 40 times. Maybe 42 times in Revelation the voice is spoken up.

You remember what this wonderful man John did on the isle called Patmos. You can see Patmos if you were at Ephesus the ruins are still there. You can look over the sea and see a piece of rock out of the ground and that's out of the ground.

Pardon me out of the water out of the sea. And that's the isle of Patmos. If you've gone to Ephesus and said well, I'm on a trip. I'm on a tour and I would like to see your pastor. Is he preaching at home?

No, he's not at home today. Well, he's in the isle of Patmos. And you take a boat and you go there and you see the little fellow there on a rock. And you come up behind him and say are you John? He says I sure am.

Yes. Oh, he wouldn't say sure because he wasn't American. But anyhow He says yes, I'm John. I never thought I'd find you in Patmos. He said I'm not in Patmos. What do you mean? You're not in Patmos. Where are you?

I'm in the spirit and remember will you a bit further up in the book. In the same chapter He says that when he saw the Christ of God. His hair as white as snow his feet like burnished brass his face like the sun in its strength.

His eyes like living coals of fire his tongue as sharp threaded so I fell at his feet as dead. That's the only case I know of in a scripture where anybody's ever been slain in the spirit. He was in the spirit on the Lord's Day and he goes down.

What did he do. Tell you what he did. Nothing. I don't read he ever said a word to the Lord Jesus. The woman brought her alabaster box of ointments and broke it at the feet of Jesus. Why did she go to see Jesus?

She went to worship him. How do you know because number one she took the most precious thing that she had. You cannot worship God without sacrifice and your sacrifice may be kicking the bedclothes off at two o 'clock in the morning.

I Went into my office at quarter of one this morning to work. I Usually go between now two and four o 'clock and have such wonderful times. You know all those crazy people don't phone you at that time the mailman doesn't come and Those pestering preachers don't come asking for counsel that they won't accept any house.

So nice to be quiet, you know as the old hymn says alone with God the world forbidden. Alone with God or blessed retreat alone with God and in him hidden to hold with him communion sweet. The woman washed his feet.

She never said a word as far as I know. There's no evidence anybody ever took a bite of food at that banquet it was so magnetized with a person of Jesus. John this is the man who had laid his head on the bosom of Jesus.

I Hear preachers say well, you know, he loves us all he loves everybody. God has no favorites. If the man tells you that find a new church, he doesn't what he's talking about. God has favorites. I'm one of them.

But apart from that he doesn't have favorites, doesn't he? He went and raised Lazarus from the dead he went and laid raised. Was the daughter of what Jairus and on the Mount of Transfiguration he took with him who Peter James and John every time.

I wonder if the others griped about it. Oh Off they go again. He favors those three. Then John who is perhaps the most humble of them all writes that that disciple whom Jesus loved. There was an intimacy between Jesus and John that the others didn't know a thing about.

You know one of your problem if you're going to walk with God you better watch out. You don't get more spiritual than your pastor. That's awful embarrassing to him. He may be the laziest guy in the country.

Doesn't have any discipline. Doesn't have to go to bed at a given time. Doesn't have to get up at a certain time you make His own life and before long he's moldy. I Read a smart thing, you know Americans do say some smart things.

Not as good as English, but anyhow, I read where an American said we're all made in the same mold. But some are moldy than others. Doesn't matter how moldy you are. The Lord can get you into shape anyhow.

But you see there's an intensity with some people in every church you find that. To use a common phrase easy quality people. You find some people are an inspiration to you in their walk with God in their talk with God in their actions for God.

And there was something about John that magnetized Jesus and something about Jesus that magnetized John. Here is a man who had laid his head on the bosom of Jesus and heard that divine heartbeat he'd look into the eyes of the Eternal One and now he sees him with eyes like a flame of fire and His feet like burnished brass his face like the Sun in its strength.

I think it was Fanny Crosby. She wrote more hymns than any other Americans or the three thousand. I think I've got them all at home. I think she wrote that the verse anyhow that says. And I shall see him face to face.

How will we bear it? Oh? Revelation says we will. Well, I remember I've got a speaker not that I want you to come the pastor. I always want to say the agape force, but anyhow. Who are they now the Christian tribe up the road?

The pastors here tonight. Brother Dave Wilkinson came to see me two days ago. He was so Overwhelmed with what God is being saying to him. He's trying to finish a book right now that I'll give you the title of it.

The title is put the trumpet to thy lips. It's from the prophecy of Hosea. My wife and I have read it through three times and maybe tonight. We read it through again, and you know. You've got background music almost everywhere.

You're going at the background music as we have read that over and over again has been the word of Joel. Sound of the trumpet sound and alarm. Where? On my holy hill. Not in the taverns not in the brothels again.

The Worldly Church and the Need for Sanctification

God's problem in America tonight is not Mormonism humanism Spiritism Seventh-day Adventism. Any other. Ism you like God Almighty's problem in America tonight. It's a carnal church a Church that's choked up.

You can put all the other things together. Humanism communism Mormonism Romanism Spiritism Seventh-day Adventism Mormonism. You can roll them all in one big ball. They are not the number one hindrance in America or any other country.

The hindrance in America tonight is as it was in the Old Testament. God's problem in the Old Testament was not a malachite sitach perizzites jebusites and the other eyes it was Israel. God's problem tonight in America is an unsanctified church a Church that's still carnal worldly fleshly.

It hasn't been severed that words been on my mind today. I preached last Sunday morning or tried to anyhow in Galatians 6 14. Where Paul says the world is crucified to me and I to the world. Now you've seen a lot of stuff you folk that have traveled, but you've never seen a crucifixion.

You mean than saying something bloody like a bow fight? Nobody here has seen a crucifixion. I Found something in making that study. I May be wrong, but I'm sure I'm right. Right in the middle of the most beautiful poem on love that was ever written 1 Corinthians 13 Paul.

Do you remember suddenly sidetracked and he says when I became a man? I put away a child. He said when did he become a man? When did he put away childish things? I? Believe you have to step back into Galatians 2 20.

He was crucified with Christ. I Ever a child was crucified the Romans were wicked. But they did not crucify children. There is a place in it. I do not believe anybody enters unconsciously into a transaction with God.

Forget it. God has given you a brain. Given you a mind give you emotions given you understanding. He doesn't ask you to sign a blank paper without knowing what's on that in the deal. It's open in his word.

You've got to study the word to find it sure enough, but he says when I became a man. You know, he's an amazing man. I Think the only thing that Paul didn't like about himself was he never got to do what John Baptist did.

I'm happy to say the greatest thing in history. Presented. I introduced you Jesus Christ the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. Count how many times in Revelation the Lamb of God is mentioned.

I'm going to speak Sunday morning. I think about the bride of the Lamb. I like talking about weddings. I'm going to live long enough to go to Ronnie's. I hope but anyhow. That's a good at least a year away.

Anyhow. If Jesus Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords and the judge of judges. Isn't he going to have the bride of brides? You think he's coming for a cripple limping church that we have today a Church that has to have a family center next door so the kids can be brought up like heathen.

So they can play pinball and see all the junk and the poor weary folk that couldn't bend their knees in prayer. They thought that they thought the scripture said play without ceasing. When of course it said pray without ceasing.

Just like these TV preachers were reading of the scripture one day. They thought they thought it said fleece the flock and it's. It says feed the flock. You see how you need to have good eyes when you read the scripture.

Did all the one thing that holds a revival back is immaturity. We're not mature enough to handle it. We don't have mothers and fathers in Zion that God can trust. There's a time when a girl is too young to bear children as a damage is too old.

I remember saying that in a church the first time I came to America and the preacher walked down the aisle on his hands and Knees, there was an old-fashioned Altar rail raised his hand and cried, please God don't let my church get too old to bear.

Don't let us to get too old to be spiritually pregnant and bring to birth. You see God wants to get through to us. In a special way. When this new book of David's comes out, I don't know when it will come, but I'll tell you what it's red-hot.

I hope you'll buy as many copies of you can't. He won't make a penny out of it. The money will be given to missions and whatnot, but he's waiting on God. Crawling into his bed at three or four o 'clock in the morning.

Burdened as I've never seen him burdened in the 20 years. I've known him. Something is going to come forth that's going to be most disturbing. It'll cost him a thousand pulpits in America. People say of him as they said that these men say they said to Moses speak thou with us and we will listen.

But don't let God talk to us. Now David is determined that God is going to speak through that book if it cost him his life. It will shut thousands of door in his face. Ministers seminaries Bible schools will not want him because it's a prophetic word.

It's a burning word. It's a blistering word. It's a burdened word. It's a breaking word. It's a blessed word. See children want to choose everything for themselves. Moses said speak with us that we were and we will hear let not God speak with us lest we die.

It is amazing that people will send millions of dollars to these TV boys that tell them lies and kick you out of pulpits if you tell the truth a Man came to see me this way. Do you remember coming to our church down in Alabama a few years ago?

I said tell me the church. Yes, I remember. Oh, yes. Oh, you really disturbed the church in the next business meeting that they had they said we're not having that old charismatic. That's disgraceful.

I'm not an old charismatic. I'm not even know I mean I'm getting older, but I'm not old Charismatic, I'm not rheumatic. Let's hear the voice of God. Don't let us hear the voice of God. The voice is a great it amazes me when I phone someone.

Even when I call my son in West Africa or the other son in down South America or the other boy in New Zealand. Immediately they come on I can tell their voices. I'm amazed that the perfection of a telephone.

Didn't used to be like that 20 years ago. You used to say something say would you repeat that would you repeat that? Would you repeat that and you your telephone built as long as you talk? It isn't like that now because it bounces off a satellite and it's pure it's beautiful the voice.

Biblical Voices: Jacob, Peter, and John the Baptist

Remember Jacob tried to pull a fast trick. Hmm on who no. Come on, who did he try to pull a trick on his father? Isaac. His mother helped him in the deal, you know she took some skin off a goat and Put it on his wrist and round his neck and the old man goes and he bends over to his father and He's his father says well, okay.

I know those hairy wrists and that but the voice is Jacob's voice. Remember when Peter was standing at the fire the woman said I know you you've got a northern accent. We know you by your speech. One man is identified always with a rolling rumbling marvelous voice.

I Think he couldn't do and that was introduced Jesus to the world. John Baptist did it. How is either a voice crying in the wilderness? How in God's name did he do it? He had nobody to sponsor him. He had no friends in court.

He didn't even have a newsletter. Would you believe that? No offense no offense Martin. If you're under convicts now talk with you after okay. Here is a man suddenly hurled. From where I Had a young man see me this week.

He wants to be another George Whitfield mercy on us. I'd like to be a John the Baptist. Well go live in the desert somewhere be Navajo desert somewhere between here and California. Where there's only rattlesnakes and a lot of stuff out there.

John Baptist lives with the wild beasts until a day of his showing forth and then he tamed wild beasts when he came out. What happened a voice crying in the wilderness. That voice rolled down that valley.

It rolled down every valley in hell. I Believe every demon shall it shivered as soon as John said behold the Lamb of God. The devil and his cohort said now we're finished. Don't think you're smart because you believe the Bible.

The devil may believes a lot more than some of the preachers do. He believes in the virgin birth. He believes in the resurrection. He witnessed them. Your poor dumb preacher maybe has nothing but a degree.

Well, maybe by degrees you'll get better a Voice crying in the wilderness if you do some homework. You'll find that John the Baptist was more than a hellfire preacher. More than a blazing evangelist you'll find 27 different points of doctrine.

He was a theologian in his own, right? We never think of him as a theologian, but his voice in Matthew chapter 7. Verse 21 it says. Or verse 16 pardon me chapter 7 of Matthew verse 7 upon the chapter 7 and verse 14, okay?

Because straight is a great and narrow is the way which lead us to life. Few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly a ravening wolves. You shouldn't know them by their fruits.

Do men gather grapes of thorns or pigs of thistles. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A Good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Every tree bringeth forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Verse 20. Wherefore by their fruit ye shall know them. Now here it is. Not everyone that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.

But he that doeth the will of my father many will say to me in that day Lord Lord. Have we not prophesied in thy name. Didn't we get big crowds. Didn't we have a super show on TV? Didn't I build monuments in my name?

It's got my name plastered over it. Lord have we not prophesied in thy name. In thy name we cast out devils. In thy name we've done many wonderful works. Then will I profess to you and say I never knew you depart from ye ye that work iniquity.

You say well, how does that work and God know everything? Didn't God know what they were doing. Yes, didn't he know their works? Yes. Why does he say doesn't know them? He doesn't say doesn't know their work.

He said I don't know you you never had a love relationship with me. You were never married to my will. I wasn't number one in your life. You didn't give me priority in your thinking and your acting. You were so occupied with your ministry.

What is devastating thing you get the same thing in Matthew 25 and verse 11. They told cursed. Let me read that to you. It's not verse 11. What verse is it? 21 41. Okay, thank you I I marked it in my testament not there.

Yeah. Then shall they say also unto them on the left hand depart from ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his. What are they done. The righteous verse 37 shall the righteous answer him saying Lord when so we the hungered or fed thee or thirst and gave thee drink.

When saw we thee as a stranger and took thee in or naked and clothed thee when saw we the sick. Are in prison and the king shall say verily I send you in as much as you have done it unto the least of these.

You have done it unto me. You know when you gave that man a raw deal, you didn't give him a raw deal. He gave Christ a raw deal. When you did something for that man that nobody knows you didn't do it for him you did it for Jesus Christ.

You see if we kept that in focus it would change our lifestyle. What a shocking thing when it comes to the final day and We stand there again as you will do as I will do before a billion people. You say I wouldn't like to stand up before this crowd.

You'll have to stand up one day before billions and Give an account of the deeds done in the body every one of us will Judgment for the believers a judgment for the sinners. And in that great day some of these ministries God is gonna say I never knew you.

The Judgment Seat of Christ and the Testing of Motives

They do is tell me one of the outstanding preachers in the country taught within not long ago and said what time do you spend in? Prayer. I've 3 ,000 members in my church. Do you think I can spend time in prayer?

Huh? It's like saying I'm running so fast. I've no time to breathe you see they're gonna submit awful revelations at the judgment seat. Again, not why what we did, but why did we do it not why didn't we not what we didn't do?

But why we didn't do it. God is gonna judge motives more than the action that we've done. What motivated us to do it. I? Told a story often when I first came to America in 1950 I would dash home after preaching at night sat at Sunday night switch on the little box.

It only had two little stations on it here and here and listen to a preacher up in the Northeast Northwest of the United States in Portland. Packing in about 2 ,000 people every Sunday night. He would say we had a marvelous Sunday night last Sunday.

We are 35 people saved 20 people received the baptism of the Spirit and 11 were healed. Come on so-and-so. They're coming down the aisle now, and I visualized. What was happening. It wasn't on TV. When that man finished his amazing ministry of 25 years he had been to Africa and Had pictures you know everybody with their hands up.

Reported we saw Pentecost two nights in success. Two nights. We had more decisions than they had on the day of Pentecost. It didn't last as long. We had them. He was very seriously ill the year before he died.

He said one night to his wife. His wife brought him his usual glass of warm milk and kissed him good night in the morning he called her to his bedside. He often made prophecies. About himself about the church about the nation.

Called his wife to his bedside and said call my assistant and call the deacons and call pastor so-and-so and they all got around his bed. Wife thought he's gonna say you know he'll die at four o 'clock tonight or tomorrow.

He said last night when my wife went out of the room Jesus stood there, but the bottom of my bed. His eyes like a flame of fire. Just as he's pictured in red. His hairs white as snow his feet like burnished brass.

His face like the Sun in its strength. His tongue had tongue as sharp to edged sword. And he pointed to me and said son. Your 25 years of ministry are wood hay and stubble and when I torch them All you'll have is ashes up to your knees.

25 years of ministry. There are six things that can happen in your life. You can have a Christian life Which is made up of wood hay and stubble. They're all above the ground aren't they? They're all inflammable.

Silver gold and precious stones are hidden in the ground. You can take silver or gold or precious stones and put fire to them. You won't change them. You'll purify the gold. You'll purify the silver. You won't consume the jewels.

And he said your ministry is wood hay and stubble. Oh. Yes, you've written books. Of course you've had some of the greatest evangelistic meetings in history. But your ministry was not to me. There was no love relationship.

I Tried to woo you into the secret place. I tried to make love to you in the spirit, but you were so busy you ran off your plans program. I preached to the ministers in the of the Southern Baptist Church.

About three or four years ago in Alabama. Hundreds of them. Usually if I give a word to preach I say Lord what I preach six months ahead. When I said I would go the Lord said preach on the judgment seat of Christ in the morning Lord.

The people are gathering in the morning at night it will be packed out at night. No, the Lord said in the morning, so I preached on it. When I finished I gave the illustration of this famous preacher.

The chairman of the board came up. The chairman of the group of the Southern Baptist Convention in that state came up president and he said. When I came in this morning, I had a pain from the crown of my head.

Right down to my shoulder here. He said now after that sermon from brother Rayleigh. I've got a pain from my head to the soles of my feet. What can I do about it? He said that's about the most awesome Illustration ever heard that a man who is invested 25 years of time and money and travel and God says it's ashes.

So much showmanship today. It won't stand the fire of God. The gold is hidden. There are so many wonderful hidden ministries a Lot of intercessors in it. David said to me the other day said Len. I'm getting more and more news from Groups that are heading away praying interceding.

We've a dear little lady has been to see us. I think once Martha I don't know twice and she with a group that away in the Rockies about 30 miles up inside the mountain there outside of Pass Denver. They worship every day.

I don't know. She has a paper round imagine a paper round in the Rockies at 4 o 'clock every morning and They pray for hours and hours and hours a day. In an old disused Methodist Church with a potbellied stove and they struggle throw them deep snow up to their waist.

But they go every morning and have done that for 16 years. What are these under the altar the prayers of the Saints you notice in Revelation? There are no sermons under the altar. Most of them shouldn't be preached anyhow.