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Church
Morals
Because thou hast kept the
Words of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour
of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try
them that dwell upon the earth.” We’re presently in
some of that, and our only hope is to keep the Word of God
with patience. We must stick by the truth and hold on to
the Spirit of God and He said He would keep us from it.
What do you mean, from it? Not keep you in it, but from
it! There are a lot of things I’m not being tempted
with.
They “came at me” and
wanted me to join the church federation; the ministerial
assembly. A lot of brethren joined it, then, they get down
there and sweat and are tested and tried and get the heart
put on them. They “pull them every way” to try to get
them to give a little ground. I’m not even tempted along
that line, because I don’t go down. I’ve found a
place, thank God, where He’s keeping me “from the hour
of temptation”. I see people being tested and tried and
put in the “sweat box”---along many lines, but I’m
kept from it. I’m not saying, I’m not tempted. I’m
saying, I’m being kept from the hour of temptation---
that was to come on the church to try them. Job said,
“After He has tried me, I will come forth as pure
gold,” But, thank God, God has a place to keep you, if
you do it His way. There are a lot of things people are
being tempted with, that we don’t have to be tempted
with. You do what you want; I’m going to take it the
easiest was. I have all I can do. Somebody said,
“You’re taking it the easiest way; well, I do some
things. He keeps me from the hour of temptation. I will
not haul a woman in my car, unless my wife is with me. He
keeps me from temptation. I don’t go in a home to pray
for a sister, unless somebody else is there. Somebody
said, “Are you afraid to trust yourself?” No, but
I’m just as human as anybody else. I just don’t allow
myself to be tempted along those lines. I don’t have to
be.
I have had brethren say
to me, “You mean, if you saw a sister walking up the
street, and it was raining, you wouldn’t haul her home?
No, she can drive my car and I’ll walk, but I’m not
going to haul her. You can do what you want. Someone said,
“There’s nothing to worry about. There’s not? If you
had been with me, in the last few months and seen the
devilish cases of the ministry---that have been in
adultery and ungodliness, you would have a lot to worry
about. Terrible! Tearing down the good name of God! They
take the advantage of the thought: that they are ministry,
and everybody trusts them. I’m not “putting that
out” as a rule to go by, I’m just telling you how I
feel. It has been working quite well---been able to
“keep myself clean”, anyway.
“Behold, I come
quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take
thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the
temple of my God, and he shall go no more out.” Praise
God, God is ready to make overcomers pillars in His
temple. I pray God, that there has been pillars made in
this camp meeting. What are you talking about? I’m
talking about men and women, that get established in this
truth and go to work for God. A pillar is a support.
Instead of having a bunch of pillars to support the thing,
it’s taking all we can, to support the pillars. They
say, they’ve been in the church thirty years, and it
takes all the praying they can do for themselves. They
say: pray for me, I’m about to go. God is looking for a
people that will get grounded and settled in the truth and
stand on the truth. Thank God, and then, they support it.
God will get you in between. Brother, you get firm on the
truth and then, He will let the truth down on you. You are
in there. Thank God, and if you stay a firm support in the
truth, you will “go no more out”.
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