How Much Can You Lose Without Losing Your Faith — Leonard Ravenhill

Thanksgiving for Mercy and the Coming Judgment

We thank you tonight for the countless blessings that we've had. Even this day as we look back we bless you. Some of us may be more deeply in sin and in the mire. Remember the word of the psalmist he says he hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquity.

We thank you that as far as the east is from the west so far of you put your our record behind your back we think of all that lays before us. But one day we shall see thee face to face. The face that overwhelmed john on the isle of padmas.

The face face that isaiah saw in all his majesty and all his glory. And daniel the same. We thank you that we've not followed cunningly devised fables. We bless you again for this word this lamp to our feet and this light unto our path.

If we walk in darkness it's by choice. There's a deliberate stepping out of light which always reveals and exposes us to try and cover up in darkness where we can't be seen. But lord we know there's nothing hid from your eyes.

We see through a glass darkly. You never see through a glass darkly. We know in part and what a small part it is. But lord i bless you for the vastness of your person. As we've sung already tonight immortal invisible god only wise.

Before the earth was formed. Or as your word so beautifully says before the trees of the field clap their hands before the morning stars sang together. You were there and we know we have that awesome picture.

We should all gaze up more often. In the book of the revelation the heaven and the earth fled from that face. Earlier in the book i think of the place where it says the wicked the high and lofty the kings of the earth or the poor.

There was a moment when they realized their despair their desperate situation and they called on the rocks and hills to hide them from the face. The face now that's livid with anger. The face such as moses said when when he said will thou not turn from thy fierce wrath.

Lord i believe we've seen enough in america today that if you if you burned us like a sinner tonight we wouldn't have an argument with you. You've looked over a million transgressions of the 10 commandments.

You see people deliberately violating your laws planning sin tonight buying it selling it eating it drinking it. And it looks lord as though you just lean back and do nothing about it. But you've warned us in your holy word that god has appointed a day in which he will judge the world.

The Judgment of the Whole Human Race

I believe lord with all my heart that day is going to be a replay of history from the first man adam in the world to the last one that died before you dissolve the heavens and the earth. All the ancient empires are going to rise.

All the kings and all the noble men and all who in any way are shaped or haven't shaped the course of this world. Every one of us must give an account in that day as we sang earlier tonight about your righteousness.

I remember the wesley hymn that says jesus thy blood and righteousness. My beauty are my glorious dress midst flaming walls in these arrayed with joy. Shall i lift up my head. Bold shall i stand in that great day.

And who ought to my church shall lay fully absolved from this. I from fear from fear and death and sin and shame. What a blessed thing it is lord to have the gift by your mercy of a conscience has been purged with the blood of christ.

For the blood of god blood and goals of bulls and goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctified only to the purifying of the flesh. But how much more shall the blood of christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot.

I don't remember that the scripture called you lord jesus a great lamb. But surely you're the greatest lamb that ever was. Even the so-called perfect lamb in the old testament had its imperfections. But we thank you you were so perfect.

You satisfied the heart of god. If in that moment when you said it is finished and you ended the old testament economy. I wonder if it was at that time that all the all the beings in heaven whoever they are sang the hallelujah chorus sang blessing and honor and glory and power be unto him that sit upon the throne.

I think of the kings of this earth. The queen of england wears a crown worth of maybe seven or eight million dollars. Charlemagne i believe had a crown made out of a gun that he captured from his enemy.

Other men have had crown and yet the most memorable crown ever was made by men in scorn. It was a crown of thorns. I wonder what those men will feel like when they see you lord in all your majesty in all your glory maybe to fall at your feet as dead.

Lord jesus. You're our only hope in this hopeless world. You're our only light in this dark world. You're our only peace in a world that's bent on war spending billions to kill others. But we thank you that even now you are our light and our life and our salvation.

And the psalmist says the lord is my light. Whom then shall i be afraid. We sang tonight about being fearless because of your majesty your power your promises to be with us. We pray commissioners tonight.

The Cost of Obedience and the Need for Revival

We bless you for those who recklessly threw away their careers. They were destined maybe to be great research scientists in medicine but they threw it away because of something you commanded them to do.

I think again about afghanistan was mentioned today trying to bring conscience to this goberchak whoever he is he shrugged it off the misery the torture the agony and whatsoever men so they reap hell will be a worse hell for them because of they made people live through hell.

We think of those confined in russia that we don't know much about. Maybe tragically. Don't think or pray too much for them lord. I wish you'd provoke us to anger and give us give them a revival in russia to make us see how stupid we are trying to work it up in a tv show.

Lord i maybe speak for others here tonight. I'm so weary of seeing people try to do things in the energy of the flesh which can only be done in the spirit. Yes you remember that you came down lord jesus not in a flaming chariot as elijah went up but stealing through the back door as it were through a woman's room.

And then you didn't come down in the temple. You came down in an upper room with some very ordinary people who became most extraordinary. You're still in that business lord. Teach us how to pray through the buoyant faith.

Lay hold of your precious promises. Think of esau when he had been cheated. He begged at his father's feet. I guess he screamed it out asked about but one blessing bless me. Even me or my father. Well lord we might ask how do you.

Only ever one sinning. Only one wesley out of the billions of earth. Lord. Respectful in the light of the judgment seat. I believe you can do better than that. I believe you'll raise up greater men. Men are not itching for a place in the sun.

Men are not trying to build something with their name on it. Men were a hundred percent pure to see the glory of god. Men and women who are sick of playing church. Men and women who want to be good but don't want to be holy.

They want to sing. I am thine oh lord. But all the time they keep a tight grip on themselves on their hearts on their affections on their wills on their time. Lord i believe we're very near the end of time.

And yet joel says that you pour out your spirit and all flesh. Be merciful. Do that a little here tonight as much as we can bear. Wesley said he won him. I think. Show me lord as i can bear the depth of inbred sin.

Show us what pollution hinders your perfect way in our lives. Show us how to move and when to move and where to move. We pray again for this fellowship here you'll give wisdom to the leaders and for gates of life the same.

And for yywam as their special night comes up a couple of nights next week and ask your blessing community christian church and for brother joe foss. Thank you for that precious man and that work. Now lord we ask you in the language of your own word.

We come to your book tonight that you'll open our eyes as we open the books that we may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Thank you. Okay let's look at the book and look at the book the book of judges and chapter 18.

Micah’s Idolatry and the Disorder of Judges

I think i mentioned this before but let me say it again because some of you weren't here anyhow when the early methodists started moving and they moved in america. Remember they had circuit riders. Well the circuit comes from the word circle circus.

But they weren't comedians by any way. John wesley wrote rode 245 000 miles on horseback not on the same horse. There's only one record greater than that that was by the great american bishop assembly.

And he wrote about 40 000 miles more than wesley. So they had the circuit rider who went round here there and everywhere he would come the first sunday here and the second sunday there. And they knew when he was coming.

Then they had pastors who stayed to build up the people. And then they had some people who were called exhorters. One lady told me you're not an exhaustor. You're an exhaustor. Very good. Now this isn't a sermon tonight.

It's not a bible reading. It's an exhortation. I guess you'd say this book of judges is exciting or thrilling or inspiring. It has majestic stories like the life of samson. It has of course the great story of gideon.

And then a little over here you have barack and jeff. And i are quite a number of people mentioned in hebrews 11 now mentioned here in the wonderful book of judges 18 judges 18 verse 24. And he said you've taken away my gods which i made and the priest.

And you've gone away. And what have i more. And what is this that you say unto me. What aileth thee. If you go back to verse 18 it says these went in. There were five men that have been sent out to spy.

They went into micah's house and fetched the carved image the ephod the terrapin the molten image. Then said the priest what do you hear. The story actually begins in the previous chapter. In the 17th chapter in verse 1 it says there was a man of mount ethereum whose name was micah.

Now he's not micah the prophet by a long way his mother you know how mysterious women are with money. And she managed to collect 11 ,000 1100 shekels of silver that was a vast fortune. And she hid it and her son found it.

And while she's praying while she's calling on god to curse the man he bursts in at the door. Verse 2. And he said unto his mother the 1100 shekels of silver that were taken from thee and which thou hast cursed.

And you spake up also in mine ears. Behold the silver is with me. I took it and his mother said bless thee my son. Not for stealing it but for acknowledging he had stolen it. And go down the chapters when you go home i won't tell you at all.

Verse 4 he restored the money to his mother and his mother took 200 shekels of silver and gave them to the founder. And he made thereof a graven image and a molten image. So you see what she did. She took her wealth and put it into a molten image not a golden calf a silver calf.

So wealth became two things a wealth and a worship. Now in the chapter that we read these men had been sent out to spy. I'm not going to mention them all the time because of time. Of course it says that they sent five men.

If you read the 18th chapter you come down to verse 7 the five men departed and came to laish and saw the people there and how they dwelt. Then you go down to verse 14 men answered the five men that went out to spy the country of laish.

Do you know that there is in what there is in these houses an ephod and a seraphim. Now this was a day i'm trying to find the chapter here or chapter 18 at the first verse again in those days there was no king in israel.

Now flip over if you can i can on the page to verse 6 of the previous chapter in those days there was no king in israel. Every man did that which is right in his own eyes. In that way we're living now a hedonistic a hedonistic society.

If you like it do it doesn't matter who gets hurt. If it satisfies you go for it. I suddenly realized the other day you know we talk about man's free will. I'll tell you where it stops at the grave from there it's god's will.

Total Surrender to the Kingdom of God

And then paul was talking some of you were here about the kingdom of god. You know millions of people in thousands of churches have said hundreds of times thy kingdom come. And if you ask them going out what do you mean.

They wouldn't have a slightest idea. But there dr tosa said if you say thy kingdom come it's my kingdom go. The only way his kingdom can come and take possession of me. And i'm going to talk on this on friday night about the kingdom.

It's for me to make total surrender. Have nothing a place where self ceases. Self-interest self-seeking self-glory. And as dr tosa used to say so often if you saw a man going down main street in jerusalem with a cross you knew some things about him.

Number one he wasn't coming back. Number two as soon as he put that cross on his shoulder he had no plans for the future. And jesus says you take up your cross. Taking it up is a difficult. It's getting on it.

And yet we're living in a lawless day. We're living in a lawless society. We're living in a lawless church. If you tell people you keep the sabbath they laugh at you. You keep sunday sanctified. Yes. Why.

Because it's the only commandment out of ten we remember on it. Oh i don't think too much of uh about that. I think it's legalism. Well go down a bit further down in the same ten command thou should not commit adultery.

Forget it. It's legalism. Go do it. We break one day sabbath. And the word of god says he that breaks one point is guilty of all. It shows that i'm in a state of rebellion. You've taken away my gods and my priest.

And what have i more. I want to ask you a simple question. It's simple but it's involved. How much could you lose without losing your faith in god. When we live in england dr edwin sangster was the head of the methodist church.

He was a prince of a man. Kind of a man. I'd like to be built like he's about six foot one. I'd black beautiful wavy hair marvelous teeth. Physically strong. A brilliant scholar in hebrew and greek. And i don't know any.

I know little hebrew. He used to repair my slacks in new york and i know little greek. I used to park my car in his place. Literally. But sangster was a prince of many had a marvelous personality. He filled the pulpit in more ways than one.

He was big strong. But he had a colossal concept of god. I'll tell you what kind of a man he was. When war broke out. Second world war. I remember first world war. Two second world war. They started bombing london.

And when the sirens went you had to go into a deep shelter underground shelter. Well most preachers went and lived in the country and came in sunday morning on the train to preach. Dr sangster went down in the basement with the prostitutes and drunks and pimps and all the other junk.

And he stayed there for three years. Do you know what he did. He wrote a marvelous book. I have a copy of it one time i think i had all his books. He wrote his thesis for his phd amidst all the smoking and swearing and dancing and yelling for three years he stuck at it and got his phd degree in a hellhole like that.

He was typical of the grace of the man. He was the salt he was the light he was the authority. There was never any serious serious fighting in the area that he ruled over. Well he had a friend a counterpart in baltimore maryland.

Enduring Loss Without Losing Faith

And he used to love to tell the story about this man in baltimore. He had a very large church. He filled it morning and night. No no more preachers can preach twice on sundays. Now it's too much. He preached one sunday morning on 8 28 and they said the stillness of eternity came down on the meeting.

Going out he stood at the door and people were choking and shedding tears and trying to mumble through their gratitude to their gratitude to him. Oh that's the most amazing sermon you or anyone else ever preached.

God came so near to us. There was a hush of eternity. We want to thank you. Dr sanchez says. They all went except one little old lady. She looked about 90 and looked as though she drunk vinegar every day of her life.

And as the others turned she leapt at him literally leapt and got all of his lapels and hung herself on him. All right for you saying that you've a rich father. Life has been good to you. You have a home you have a boat you have a car.

You tour in summer. You go away for a month. Well i don't say it like you say romans 8 20. All things were together. Not for me. After i've been married two years we had a little boy and he's been chronically sick from then until now.

Six months after that my wife my husband died. I guess that was a relief. Life hasn't been good to me. Everything's been wrong. It's been hardship. I can't make ends meet. I've had bad health. I've had little help.

And she went through a list of calamities that she had you. It's all right for you. You were born in a very comfortable home. You've had a marvelous education. You're a wonderful man. You're a great sportsman.

You're this one the other. She rattled it all off to him. He said the lord has been good unto me. The lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places and have a goodly heritage. Yes. She barked and off she went.

Next sunday morning the church which was usually packed was overpacked. They didn't have enough seats. People stood all over the place. That brilliant pastor came and they had to lead him to the pulpit.

And he fell for the pulpit and he said we had a very blessed sabbath. I like to call it that name sabbath. Last sabbath one of the most more overwhelming meetings we've ever had. People are never so gracious and thankful except for one woman.

I don't know if you're here this morning as you know last tuesday i was cleaning my sporting gun and it went off and put out both my eyes. I've collected a wonderful library for years. I can't read a thing.

I love to get on the lake in my boat. I can't use it. I like to drive through the mountains. I can't do that. I used to stand on certain positions and watch the day dying in the west. I can't do that.

Life has suddenly gone from light to darkness. From the fingers that were beckoning me to more spiritual heights more revelations more understanding of this profound word and suddenly and pitched into a world of darkness.

I don't know if that little lady is here but lady please listen. I want to tell you something. I've preached many years in many places had so-called success. And what have you got. I've talked about god.

I've talked about loving kindness. I've talked about tender mercies. But i want to tell you something lady with all my years of travel and collecting precious books and all the accolades i've had. I want to tell you something.

Since last tuesday jesus christ has been more real to me than ever he was when i died to see. He's drawn me to his bosom. He's whispered to me. I can't yet read right. Read braille. It's all coming from my memory.

The lord said whatsoever the spirit has taught you will bring to your remembrance. And he's been doing that all the week. And the future is as bright as god. All things work together for god though everything's adversity and calamity it seems.

You know what. In every trial and affliction of life when you come out of it you come out in there that school or that we what. You come out of it bitter or you come out of it better. You're either drawn nearer to god or you feel somehow god's giving you a raw deal.

We compare ourselves with ourselves. You've taken away my god. These men came down and they plundered the house. They took his terra feminis. He fought. He fought as a kind of a rod of divination that some of the priests use.

In other words they they took everything that was sacred and hallowed to him. You've taken away my god. What have i left. I say how much could you lose without losing your faith in god. Very simple nothing profound about this message.

For sure you've got your sight. How many of us thank god for our eyesight today i wonder specifically i asked that i think of in charles stanley's church. A lady waited for me afterwards she said mr ravenhill i was in a car accident and my mind went blank and my eyes.

I couldn't see a thing for over two years. And every morning when i wake up i have a praise offering to god that i have eyes to see the day. Your sight is precious but it isn't yours. One of the most charming girls in our church in the largest church ever had in england.

A blonde girl gracious sweet. She looked out of the window and two boys were fighting. One picked up a rock to throw at the other and he held a second too long. It came through the window and put her eye out like that.

She came always with one of those buccaneers patches on her eye. She didn't go sour. Her sight is hers. It's you own it in one sense. You don't really possess it. Your sight is precious. Be sure you thank god for it.

Your senses. You may not be the smartest person in the world but you're not the dumbest anyhow. But supposing for some reason you lost your senses. I remember in dr charles stanley's church again when i mentioned this a lady came forward and she said mr ravenhill.

Every morning when i wake up i thank god for sanity. She had been in a car wreck and for five years she couldn't tell anybody's face or tell anybody's place or tell anything at all. And then she said prayer was made and miraculously my sanity came back.

It's just as though i'd never lost it. But she said mr raven you've no idea what it means when there's something in there that kind of can't make sense. But it's trying to. It's trying to speak. It's trying to coordinate things.

And you can't do it. Your sight's precious. You can't buy it if it came out. Our senses are precious. These are the precious things at which we can lose. I have no power over them. My sight my senses my savings.

You know some people's faith goes up and down with the dow jones averages. And other people are tossed this way that way. And the other they have not really taken root. As the word we sang tonight. You know there's not a thing that you need that god hasn't anticipated as a marvelous thing.

What more can he say than to you. He'll say god has no afterthoughts. If the world lasts another thousand years god isn't going to say oh. I was going to tell more. I was going to tell john this on the isle of thomas.

I forget all about it. We better put a new edition. No sir everything that's required for faith for holy living for overcoming the world of flesh and the devil is all found in this book. That's why the devil tries to keep us free for away from it.

Job’s Faith Under Satan’s Assault

Jump over to job. Would you. If you can leap so far. The book of job and chapter one. This is a thing i'm sure we don't grasp hold of very often. Job chapter one and verse eight. Is god the almighty invisible god only wise in life inaccessible.

Here is god. What did he do. And the lord said unto satan have thou considered my servant job. It's not job talking to god. It's god talking to satan. Have you seen job my servant job. There's none like him in all the earth.

Perfect upright feareth god and despises evil. Then satan answered and said does job fear god for naught. That's a marvelous text. Of course he doesn't. Nobody serves god for naught. It's not payday this week.

It's payday at the end of the line. But god keeps perfect accounts. They were saying on in the news the other day. There are some big uh what he called his modern things computer had gone wrong and paid two million dollars.

I think into some lady's account there was only one mistake it made. It wasn't mine. Does job serve god for naught. Isn't it wonderful when god can put a christian on exhibition and say to the devil you see that man there.

He's as corrupt as anyone else. Or he was. But redemption has reached him and he's sold out to god. He's completely mine. There's nobody like him in all the earth. Verse nine says. Then satan answered the lord you know i could get amused.

Sometimes people say i say how are you today. Oh i haven't had a very good day. Why. Oh i guess after i'd had my coffee this morning. Uh the devil talked with me about two hours. Well you're nuts. Why do you listen to him.

You're not only nuts. You're conceited. How many times did satan speak. He misrepresented god to man. Half of god said the second time he's here. When he misrepresents man before god does as we come to it now.

Satan answered the lord and said don't job fear god for naught. Has thou not made a hedge about it. That's the devil speaking. You put a hedge around. No wonder he's perfect. No wonder he's upright. He's the wealthiest man in the world.

He's got everything going for him. Why should he rebel. Why should he be negligent in his prayers and devotion. Has thou not made a hedge around. Oh i think that's super. You don't. By the way you look anyhow just now.

I use this before looking for a pen. I don't have a pen for anything money would do. Thank you you can get it. Here's job. I'm not sure they had all those colors. But there you are. Maybe that's his sweater.

Satan says you set a hedge around about him. Take it away and let me get at him and see what he does. He'll curse you to your face. But he admits that god has put a hedge around about his child. And he's put a hedge around about you.

And as long as you're obedient satan can't get through it. Would you please take the hedge away. Well i'm glad god never does what the devil asks anyhow. The lord says no i won't take it away. I'll tell you what i'll do.

I'll put it a bit nearer to him. But before i do you can have one shot of him. What does it say. Verse 12 says. The lord said unto him to satan behold all that he hath is in my power only upon himself.

Put not false fine hand. Take all he has. Strip him. Do it as you like to do it. I give you permission. I'm moving that hedge so that you can go out of a whale of a time with him. So satan went forth from the presence of the lord.

He can do nothing in the presence of the lord. As long as you stay in the presence of god the devil won't get out. You should live to be a thousand. It's when you move out of the presence of the lord.

When you knew when you move out of known revelation when you've made vows and you step out you don't keep them. But as long as god is round about he can't break through again. Didn't god say to abraham i am thy shield.

Not that i put a shield before between me and you. Not that i put gabriel between me. I am your shield. Are you suggesting that the omnipotent holy god has put a shield around me. And the devil can stick his finger in me if he wants.

Very obviously not only upon himself. Do no evil. Verse 13. There was a day when his sons and his daughters job sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house. There came a messenger to job and said.

The oxen were plowing and the asses feeding beside them. You usually see that. Don't you oxen plowing and asses standing still. And the sabians fell and took them away. And they've slain your servants with the edge of their sword.

Now even i only am left. Oh that's when the lord moves ahead. Wasn't it. He moved it away a bit. Let's say another birthday party. What would you call it around it. Yes. But you see i can't get to him because that shield is still there.

The lord take it away. The lord says i won't do that. I bring it a bit nearer to him. The devil comes. And what happens. He goes bankrupt overnight. He's the richest man in the world. And they take everything that he has.

The lord pulls the hedge in a bit closer. And while he does it says there in verse 16 while he was yet speaking there came another and said. The fire of god is fallen from heaven. And it's burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them.

And i only am it left escaped. The lord pulls the hedge in a bit closer and the judgment falls again. Verse 17. While he was yet speaking there came another and said. The chaldeans came out. Verse 18.

While he was yet speaking wouldn't this be some marvelous party. First stroke of the devil was bankruptcy. He took everything he had and left him as poor as when he came out of his mother's womb. While he was yet speaking there came another and said.

Thy sons and my daughters were eating and drinking in the house. And there came a great wind and the house fell. And i only am escaped. You see with total devastation. The first stroke of the devil against job is bankruptcy.

The second stroke against job is bereavement. He took all his family took all his children. Well where did he go from there. No wonder the scripture says you've heard of the patience of job. My mother used to tease my dad and say walter you know what it is.

Women are more patient than men. How's the little rhyme about that. You don't know it. I'll have to make it up. No no. How i've got it. Patience is a virtue. Possess it if you can. Seldom found in woman and never found in man.

Then dad used to turn it the other way. Well i go everywhere to scriptures to get my answer. Uh maybe it's in the niv where it says. You've heard of the patience of mrs job. Does it say that dale. He doesn't know from niv.

But the authorizer says you've heard of the patience of job. One stroke. And he's gone from being a billionaire to being a pauper. Everything's gone. He hasn't a sheep except what's been burned with fire.

He's no property. The houses have gone down. He's lost his camels. He's lost his goats. He's lost everything while he was yet speaking. There came another in verse 18. And thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking in their eldest brother's house.

There came a great wind from the wilderness and it fell on the house. Now what do you do. You have a bunch of friends. Come. You remember them. Eliphaz the demonite bildad. He's one of the smallest men in the world.

He's only a shoe height. All right. That's what it says. He's only a shoe height. That was a tribe or a breed if you like. And they come and sit in the corner begin to point the finger. Have you ever noticed how quickly people can get the will of god for you.

And they couldn't find it themselves in the last five years. They find it in five minutes for you. I believe the lord wants this. Forget them. Well job. What kind of a god do you serve. No doubt he prospered you.

You're the most wealthy man the most envied man in the whole world. And all you have is ashes and corpses. Your children are dead. Your cattle are dead. Everything's dead. What. Isn't it. Just like the devil to take all the man has and leave him with a nagging ride.