TEXT FOR PRAYER

I shall read from Christs Object Lessons page 67, the first and second paragraphs– -2TG35 2.1

The wheat develops first the blade then the ear after that the full corn in the ear. The object of the husbandman in the sowing of the seed and the culture of the growing plant is the production of grain. He desires bread for the hungry and seed for future harvests. So the divine Husbandman looks for a harvest as the reward of His labor and sacrifice. Christ is seeking to reproduce Himself in the hearts of men and He does this through those who believe in Him. The object of the Christian life is fruit-bearing — the reproduction of Christs character in the believer that it may be reproduced in others. The plant does not germinate grow or bring forth fruit for itself but to give seed to the sower and bread to the eater. So no man is to live unto himself. The Christian is in the world as a representative of Christ for the salvation of other souls. -2TG35 2.2

We shall now pray that we let Christ reproduce Himself in us and that through us He may work to reproduce Himself in others that we live not unto ourselves that we remember that the Christian is to be a representative of Christ in all things. -2TG35 2.3

-2-

TEXT OF ADDRESS BY V.T. HOUTEFF, MINISTER OF D. SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS SABBATH, APRIL 24, 1948 MT. CARMEL CHAPEL WACO, TEXAS ,

Our text is found in Jeremiah 23, beginning with the fifth verse down to the eighth inclusive. -2TG35 3.1

Jer. 23:5 — Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. -2TG35 3.2

Here is a prophecy of the first advent of Jesus the Righteous Branch Who is to execute judgment and justice in the earth. -2TG35 3.3

Jer. 23:6 — In His days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. -2TG35 3.4

In his days that is in the days the Righteous Branch is raised in the days of Jesus in the Christian era. Plainly then some day in the Christian period Inspiration makes known Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely on the earth. This promise therefore is made not to unbelieving Jews but to believing Christians to those who have made the Lords righteousness their own. -2TG35 3.5

Nevertheless these Christians we are here told are the descendants of both Judah and Israel who as a result of the dispersion and also in joining the Christian church have through the centuries lost their racial identity. The Christian church therefore according to the Scriptures is in the main made up of the descendants of Jacob whose seed was to be as the sand of the sea for multitude. -2TG35 3.6

-3-

They are to call Jesus THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS: They will clearly see that their own righteousness is but filthy rags and will fully make Christs righteousness their own. Otherwise they could not rightfully call Him the Lord our Righteousness. -2TG35 4.1

Jer. 23:7, 8 — Therefore behold the days come saith the Lord that they shall no more say The Lord liveth which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt but The Lord liveth which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country and from all countries whither I had driven them and they shall dwell in their own land. -2TG35 4.2

Having come to the great gathering day in the Christian period — to their deliverance from all countries to the second and antitypical Exodus (Isa. 11:11) — naturally they will not say The Lord liveth that brought us up out of Egypt or out of Babylon but the Lord liveth that brought us up out of all the countries whither He had driven us. They give Him the credit for their dispersion and for their gathering and also for dwelling safely in their own land. These you see are not unbelieving Jews but thoroughly converted Christians. They shall inhabit the land. -2TG35 4.3

Moreover when this takes place there will be no fear and no killing among Gods people — no guns fired and no bombs dropped on them. The people shall dwell safely. And the inhabitant shall not say I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. Isa. 33:24. -2TG35 4.4

-4-

For I saith the Lord will be unto her a wall of fire round about and will be the glory in the midst of her…. Sing and rejoice O daughter of Zion: for lo I come and I will dwell in the midst of thee saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day and shall be My people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent Me unto thee. Zech. 2:5, 10, 11. -2TG35 5.1

The important thing right now is to find out what the Lords righteousness is and how to make it our own righteousness so that we may have the right to His Kingdom. -2TG35 5.2

The Lord however first desires to know what we have against Him: -2TG35 5.3

Mic. 6:3-5 — O My people what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against Me. For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of servants and I sent before thee Moses Aaron and Miriam. O My people remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. -2TG35 5.4

Since we cannot think of anything that we might have against the Lord we had better find out what Balaams answer unto Balak was so that we learn what the Righteousness of the Lord is and how to make it our own. Let us therefore turn to the book of Numbers– -2TG35 5.5

-5-

Num. 23:16, 17 — And the Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said Go again unto Balak and say thus. And when he came to him [when he came to Balak] behold he stood by his burnt offering and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him What hath the Lord spoken? -2TG35 6.1

Now let us hear Balaams answer: -2TG35 6.2

Num. 23:18, 19 — And he took up his parable and said Rise up Balak and hear hearken unto me thou son of Zippor: God is not a man that He should lie neither the son of man that He should repent: hath He said and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken and shall He not make it good? -2TG35 6.3

Gods Righteousness you see is His integrity His sure promises His might to perform. He guarantees His promises they never fail. To have the Righteousness of the Lord therefore is to have His integrity and faithfulness and these we can never have so long as we mistrust Him. Never so long as we doubt His Word for to doubt is nothing short of calling Him a liar No one can doubt God and still receive His blessings and promises. To have the Righteousness of the Lord therefore is to implicitly trust Him without reservation. And where does He expect us to begin? — He wants us to begin with the thing that troubles us most — the temporal things of tomorrow. He wants us to learn that we cannot serve self and God too: -2TG35 6.4

-6-

Matt. 6:24-26 — No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? -2TG35 7.1

These three verses plainly say that to live to make a living and to worry how you are to fare tomorrow is nothing less than serving mammon (self) that you cannot serve self and God at the save time that if you serve God you should be as free from worry of the future as are the birds. Yes you should be even more confident of His care for you are worth more than are the birds. You are whole-heartedly to know that so long as you serve Him He will never leave you nor forsake you. -2TG35 7.2

Isa. 41:17 — When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them. -2TG35 7.3

Isa. 49:15 — Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee. -2TG35 7.4

Matt. 6:27-34 — Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field how they grow they toil not neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore if God so clothe the grass of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the oven shall He not much more clothe you O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought saying What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. -2TG35 7.5

-7-

Take no thought for the morrow for it will take care of itself — why cross bridges before you come to them? Why worry how you are to fill up your stomachs and with what you are to cover your bodies tomorrow if they are cared for this day? Why worry about your own needs why not worry how to advance the Kingdom of God? Putting in overtime to make tents or cobble shoes for a living is all right if you do not say I will do this and the other and get money to buy and build this or that. You should instead say If God permits I will do this or that so that I may get here or get there do this and the other for the advancement of His cause. Whatever the aim behind your act it must be for the advancement of His Kingdom. -2TG35 8.1

Why not make your chief interest His business? Why not the Kingdom of God and His righteousness so that all these things be added unto you ? Why work to feed yourself? Why not work for God and let Him feed and clothe you? He is far more capable of providing for you than you will ever be. Why not let Him take charge of your work of your home of your body? -2TG35 8.2

-8-

While you do His bidding He will never fail you. Why not do this and be an altogether Christian? Why be a Christian in name but a Gentile in heart and faith? Work no longer for self work for God and be free of worry free of having to make your own living in your own way. The fishermen of Galilee while fishing in their own way failed but when they cast the net where Jesus said they should cast it it was instantly filled with fish. -2TG35 9.1

Know first that God is not interested in your selfish business but in you and His saving business. There is therefore no need of you serving mammon (self) and at the same time expecting His blessing on mammons interests. No man even in the world can work for his own interest and still expect his firm to promote him or keep him at any post of duty. No employer hires persons because he wants his employee to make a living but only because he wants his own business cared for. Know that Gods business is of greater importance and of further-reaching consequences than any mans business and that God is more particular than any man ever was or ever will be. -2TG35 9.2

Matt. 11:28-30 — Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. -2TG35 9.3

-9-

Always remember that God has not called you to your post of duty in order to feed you or to make you rich but to save you and to save others through you. Therefore whatever you do do it for the glory of God. Then and then only will He provide all these things the things God sees fit to give. He will see that you earn your needs one way or another. Nothing less than the faith of Noah of Job and of Daniel will pay the bill Brother Sister because anything short of this is an insult to God. It is the same as to call Him a deceiver. Doubt in the promises of God completely robs the doubter of all Gods blessings and promises. Only when you learn to trust Him will He be to you as an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Isa. 32:2. -2TG35 10.1

Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. This promise held good in Davids time and it will hold good now: -2TG35 10.2

Ps. 4:5 — Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord. -2TG35 10.3

By personal experience David knew Gods faithfulness: Having done all that was to be done in serving God he was confident that when the bear and the lion came to devour his lambs God would deliver him if he did all he could to spare them. -2TG35 10.4

Moreover believing that God had promised the kingdom to him and having been anointed to be king over Gods people David doubted nothing. Recognizing his duty he fearlessly went after the giant Goliath who was defying God and His Kingdom and he was confident that the giant could not harm him. By faith he freed his people from the power of the giant. By faith he overcame the lion and the bear and saved the lambs. By faith he knew that Saul could not take his life nor deprive him of the throne. -2TG35 10.5

-10-

No there is neither beast nor man that can take your life or cheat you of promotion if you do Gods bidding if you know that He Who keepeth Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers (Ps. 121:3, 4) that He knows all about you my friends every moment of the day and of the night that He takes notice even of the hairs that fall from your heads that whatever befalls you is but Gods own will for your own good. I say if you know and believe that He is God and the Keeper of your bodies and souls then regardless what befalls you you will be happy in it and give God the credit for it not murmuring but glorying even in your trials and afflictions. -2TG35 11.1

Isa. 26:4 — Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength. -2TG35 11.2

If you wholeheartedly trust in God and if the world should fall into space and collide with the stars you shall happily fly along with God. -2TG35 11.3

Let us now turn to 2 Corinthians the first chapter and see what Paul knew by experience about Gods care over him: -2TG35 11.4

2 Cor. 1:8, 9 — For we would not brethren have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia that we were pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that we despaired even of life: but we had the sentence of death in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves but in God which raiseth the dead. -2TG35 11.5

-11-

Paul learned by personal experience that it is futile to trust in man and self but that it pays high to trust in God that He alone is able to protect and keep both body and soul. -2TG35 12.1

Psa. 127:1 — Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city the watchman waketh but in vain. -2TG35 12.2

Many of Gods faithful people had the same experience as Paul. Time however will not permit me to speak of more than a few. When we enter into the belief which the Bible recommends then we are ready to enter into the experience which God wants us personally to be in which after all counts most to us. Let me first give you my own as a concrete example of what God does when we let Him. -2TG35 12.3

While running a small hotel in the middle west back in 1919, I became intensely interested in religion and providentially joined the Seventh-day Adventists. They were at the time meeting in a rented hall not too attractive for a church. The people appeared to be very poor. Aside from the preacher I was the only one that was driving a car and he had a worn out Ford that I would not have given a dollar for it if I had to drive it. -2TG35 12.4

Imagine now what went through my mind and you may know that I joined the church only for Truths sake. Indeed I had no other encouragement. My hopes of getting rich someday became a nightmare of getting poorer. Yes the Devil gave me as good a picture of poverty as he gave the Lord a picture of the glory of the kingdoms. I nevertheless resolved to stay by the Truth I had learned regardless what happened. -2TG35 12.5

-12-

Then the time came that I sold the hotel and accidentally got into a grocery business. But after a time I found that I did not want to be in it and I sold it at a loss. Then that dark and gloomy picture of coming poverty enlarged itself a hundred-fold but I did my best to keep happy in the Lord. -2TG35 13.1

Some time after I had disposed of the grocery store I left the city and six months later I landed in California. There I took sick and after doing all I knew what to do one of the retired Seventh-day Adventist ministers that lived in the same place where I was living said Let me take you to the Glendale Sanitarium and I will recommend you as of good and regular standing with the church and they will give you good service and a lower rate too. -2TG35 13.2

When we got to the desk and after the minister told him all he had to say the sanitarium clerk asked me what kind of a deposit I could leave for admission. I said A check. (It somewhat surprised me for I had been in a hospital before but was never asked to pay anything in advance — no not even when I was dismissed. They sent me the bill by mail.) When he saw that the check was drawn on an Illinois bank I had to explain that I was somewhat new in the west and had not yet transferred my bank account. The clerk reluctantly took the check and I was assigned to a room and politely told that I had to wait for the doctor until he should come around. -2TG35 13.3

-13-

Well I waited all that day but not a soul came in I could have died and no one would have known it until perhaps days after. I suppose they had to get the money from the bank and find out if my credit was good before they would give me service -2TG35 14.1

Finally on the fourth day the Sanitarium chaplain came with apologies for his delay to see me. If I had known that you were a Seventh-day Adventist he explained I would have seen you sooner. I was not expecting him though and it did not make much difference with me. But I said to myself If you did not know what I was you should have come sooner. -2TG35 14.2

At last the doctor came and after a thorough examination I was told that I was a very sick man and had to have a special day and night nurse to look after me and to give me the hydrotherapy treatments. With my consent a student nurse came in. But when the shadows of evening stretched over the sky the nurse told me that they were short of special nurses and so he himself was to wait on me all through the night if I let him move his cot into my room. All the time I was there though he never once got up at night to wait on me. -2TG35 14.3

And thus I had a private day and night nurse and in the end I was charged 50 cents an hour — six dollars daily for him to wait on me during the day time and six dollars nightly for sleeping with me in the room This along with the additional charges was a heavy drain on my already dwindling savings. And the picture of growing broke and of staying poor grew larger and larger in my own mind but I recovered from my illness and was thankful. -2TG35 14.4

-14-

This Sanitarium incident though produced another disappointing picture in my mind. Is that Sanitarium Gods place for His sick people? I asked myself. Is this people really Gods people? The answer that came to these question was this: the Sanitarium is Gods and the church is Gods but the people that are running them are reactionaries they are the modern priests scribes and Pharisees that there is a need for more Samaritans among them. This is where Gods Truth is though and God helping me I said I shall stay with it. Yes God did help me I kept the faith complained about nothing and stayed in the church with as good record as any. -2TG35 15.1

After I left the hospital however I was weak and my bank account was almost depleted. It appeared to me too that there was nothing that I could get into with the Sabbath off that I would fall to the mercy of some charity or else starve. Moreover for several months I had sent neither tithes nor my pledges of offerings to the church in the middle west consequently I owed something like $75. I thought then that if I should fail to pay this debt now while I had enough to pay it I could never again get that much money together and it would have to stay unpaid forever. Better get broke now I said and be free of debt than to get broke later and to be a debtor forever. -2TG35 15.2

My bank account I figured was just a little over my debt. When I wrote a check for the whole balance and sent it to the church in the middle west I was left with $3.50 in my pocket and with no prospect of a job. Then I wrote to the bank in the middle west that I was closing my account and that they should send the cancelled checks and other papers to my address in California. -2TG35 15.3

-15-

At this point of my life though the table turned around as much as it turned with Abraham after he had done all but slay his son Isaac on the altar of God. Just a few days after I had written to the bank I heard from them and to my great surprise they had inclosed a check for about $350 as my final balance I never discovered how it happened. -2TG35 16.1

In the meantime I got a job in a washing machine agency and just then the Seventh-day Adventists were having their 1923 camp meeting in Los Angeles. And so I decided to attend and between meetings to try to sell Maytag washers in the neighborhood. And what do you suppose? I sold a washer a day and a few vacuum cleaners on the side. This went on all the while the camp lasted and my first check from the company was about $425. But this was not all just then another surprise overtook me. Some years before I had bought stock which I had made up my mind was worthless but to my surprise I received a letter in which the corporation inquired if I would like to sell it back to them and the price they offered was more than double the price which I had paid10. -2TG35 16.2

Moreover this Maytag agency was new and when I went to work for them they had but a small place. All the while I worked for them though they prospered and grew as did Laban while Jacob worked for him. In three years time they opened branch offices all over the vicinity of Los Angeles and then erected a building of their own which looked like a bank inside and out one block deep and something like sixty feet wide. As to how their prosperity ended I will tell you a little later. -2TG35 16.3

-16-

My unexpected success in selling washing machines of course was used as a boost pump to the other salesmen and the sales manager became very inquisitive about my religion. The last I talked with him he said to me: Houteff it must be wonderful to believe as you do but you know I could never be a Seventh-day Adventist. I then asked why could he not be and he replied: Because if I begin to keep the Sabbath as you do I will lose my job. -2TG35 17.1

I said It is better to lose your job than to lose your life. And the conversation ended. But the next time I went into the office I saw a wreath hanging on the door and everything seemed to be upset. Then I was told that Mr. Harney the sales manager had suddenly taken sick the night before and died early that morning. -2TG35 17.2

About that time the head bookkeeper too became interested in discussing religion with me. As time went on I discussed the same I had discussed with Mr. Harney and at last he too said Houteff it must be wonderful to feel as you do but I could never be a Seventh-day Adventist. -2TG35 17.3

I said Why? -2TG35 17.4

Oh I could not keep the Sabbath and my job too he replied. -2TG35 17.5

-17-

Well I said it is better to lose your job than to lose your life Mr. Barber. -2TG35 18.1

And surely enough the next time I went into the office I found everybody talking instead of working Believe it or not but this is what happened with both men after they sold their convictions for the price of a job -2TG35 18.2

A little later I thought that I should have something of my own instead of continuing to work for Mr. Sleuter. So I was spending most of my time with experiments on health sweets and as I then sold a washer only now and then I was not too popular with the company. And as the company owed me some commissions I decided to find out why were they held back. After discussing the matter several times with the sales manager he put me off each time with a promise to see to it. But one day I pressed the matter harder and as a result he said Houteff I am tired with this and I don t care you can quit. Next time I went in I learned that Mr. Lisco the sales manager was discharged and that Mr. Foster had taken his post -2TG35 18.3

I then went to see the new manager about my commissions. He promised to investigate the matter and to let me know the next time I came in. He though did the same thing Mr. Lisco did. And when I pressed the matter as hard as I did with Mr. Lisco he too said Houteff I am tired with the thing and do not care if you quit. Peculiarly enough though the next time I went in I was told that Mr. Foster the sales manager was discharged and was no longer with the company I still was. -2TG35 18.4

-18-

By this time I had created enough business with my health sweets to keep busy and was about to quit altogether. I then went to see Mr. Sleuter himself about the aforementioned commissions but he received me very coldly and plainly told me that I had nothing coming This is the way his prosperity ended. -2TG35 19.1

Not long after I had gone to work for this company and while canvassing I met a woman whose husband was of Jewish descent but she was Scandinavian and a Seventh-day Adventist. She told me that her husband was terribly opposed to her religion and at one time he threw her Bible into the stove. She wished I could in some way help her husband change his attitude. I asked her to tell him that I would like to see him in his home the following night. She promised to try it and then to let me know. -2TG35 19.2

He sat down to several studies with me in his home with the family present. I was surprised though to find him very agreeable to what was presented altogether contrary to what his wife had told me After I had given him three studies he called me aside pulled his pants-pockets inside out and said to me You see I have a big family to feed and only three cents in my pocket. Before you came to me he explained I did everything to get a job but failed. In my distress he continued I prayed for the first time in my life. I asked the Lord to send someone to show me what to do. When I heard you were coming he added I thought it was in answer to my prayer and I was anxious to meet you. And that is why you found me so open-minded to your religion. But now he said I know that God sent you. -2TG35 19.3

-19-

I asked him if he would like to sell washing machines and he replied I am ready to do anything you suggest. I took him to the company I was working for and he went to work immediately trucking with his own pickup. His wages and a few sales occasionally brought him over $200 monthly. -2TG35 20.1

He owned the house he was living in and as living was not so high in those days he was able to save a good share of his wages. After a time he sold his house bought a five-acre plot and built a new house and a good poultry shed on the plot. Then he told me that he intended to work for the company about 18 months longer and by that time he would have his house and land all clear or somewhat clear and then he could make a good living on his five-acre plot. -2TG35 20.2

Well it all looked fine. But one Sabbath morning he met me in church and told me that the company was to be taken over that day. He wanted to know if I would go with him and listen to the speeches while the transfer was being made. I reasoned with him that it was not the place to spend the Sabbath in but he argued that if he were not present they might hire another man in his place and he could not afford to lose his job. He therefore attended the business meeting. Shortly after though the new company discharged him. Consequently he could not keep the payments on the property and the trust company foreclosed on it -2TG35 20.3

-20-

Anyone can see that all these sequential events of the day closely tied one to another with nothing else in between could not possibly have been accidental but strictly Providential. -2TG35 21.1

Now let me relate to you another miracle that took place about that time. One Wednesday I drove to the business section of Los Angeles. Having finished my business quite late in the afternoon and while walking across a street I saw a woman driving toward me. But as I was almost to the middle of the street I saw no danger for there was plenty of room for her to drive by. She nevertheless turned her car right square into me. Yes she struck me from my left and being overly excited she could not stop her car before she reached the middle of the block. And so she kept on going from the corner of the street to the middle of the alley. What happened to me when the car struck me? Did it lay me flat on the street and did it run over me? No this did not happen because something greater took place: -2TG35 21.2

An unseen hand carried me on ahead of the car lightly sliding my feet on the pavement with my right side ahead and my left side against the cars radiator Then I said to myself Now lady you can keep on going if that is the best you can do. When she stopped I put my feet on the ground and stepped away from the car. -2TG35 21.3

Just then I discovered that the pencil I had in my coat pocket had broken into half a dozen pieces from the impact but my ribs were untouched They wanted to take me to the hospital and when I told them that I was not hurt I heard one say He must be hurt but is too excited and does not know his condition. -2TG35 21.4

-21-

Then they made me raise my legs and arms up and down several times after which one shouted He is made out of rubber The woman was accused of driving at 30 miles per hour. Then I walked three blocks to my car and drove to prayer meeting in Exposition Park church where in our season of testimonies I told them of the accident and the results. We are still living in the days of miracles you see. -2TG35 22.1

After all these and other experiences then came the message which we are now endeavoring to take to the Laodiceans. The enemies of the message then left nothing unturned in their search for something against me rather than to make sure that they were not turning down Truth. They tried every hook and crook to pin something on me and to stop my activities but found nothing and as a rule about 30 members of the church stayed in my special meetings each Sabbath afternoon. Then came the time that the elders of the church refused to let us use the church for our meetings and they made us all get out. But one of the sisters who was living in a big house right across from the church offered her place for the meetings and there was a great uproar among the people around the church premises. Some were for us and some were against us. So it was that the house across from the church was filled that afternoon and many listened from the outside through the windows. The enemies failed to break up our meetings and the victory was ours. -2TG35 22.2

-22-

Next they forbade us to attend their church services and they began to disfellowship those who still wanted to attend our meetings. They tried to deport me too but failed. Then they endeavored to get a court order against any of us going to the church on Sabbath but lost out. Once they called the police to have me arrested on false charges that I was disturbing the meetings but after the officers in the police station heard my story and the deacons charges against me he commanded the two policemen who brought us to the station to put us in their car again and to take us right back to the church where they picked me up -2TG35 23.1

After this the elders endeavored to put me in an insane asylum. The city manager of Glendale himself (a Seventh-day Adventist) had come to this church that Sabbath morning to lay down the charges and to see me carried away and locked in the asylum. After talking with me for a few minutes though the officer did nothing but to tell me that he would not bother me again Then the 200 lb. city manager felt smaller than my 135 lb. weight. -2TG35 23.2

They did all these unbecoming things and many others besides they talked and preached against me. And though I had no one but the Lord to defend me at any time yet in all these the victory was mine -2TG35 23.3

When we moved our office from California to Texas where we had neither friend nor believer in the message the church elders were glad and thought our work would then die out for sure. It nevertheless grew more than before although this took place in the midst of the depression in 1935, while hundreds and thousands of businesses were going bankrupt and while well-to-do men were becoming poor. Yet we who started out with nothing grew and prospered. We moreover never took collections in any of our meetings anywhere and never made any calls for money. This holds good still. Then too our free literature that goes out week by week amounts to hundreds and thousands of dollars week after week and year after year besides the cost of building the Institution. -2TG35 23.4

-23-

And today after going through the nightmare of supposing I might live a life of poverty as I explained before my credit is unlimited and the checks I write amount to thousands of dollars week after week and year after year although I am not bonded own no property and have no personal bank account Furthermore I pay my secretaries as much as I pay myself and some of my workmen I pay twice as much. Yes there are as great miracles today as there ever were. -2TG35 24.1

Jacob too had no righteousness of his own but he had a great zeal and respect for the righteousness of the Lord. Esau though who had no regard for the righteousness of the Lord sold his birthright only for a mess of pottage. What a bargain was Jacobs As a result though Jacob became a fugitive. The first night away from home however God met him and having given him a vision Jacob put his whole trust in God and pledged to be faithful in all his duties. -2TG35 24.2

-24-

To start with in Padan-Aram Jacob had nothing but faith and zeal. He was only a good workman that is all. These qualities Laban immediately recognized in Jacob and as a result Laban not only offered to give Jacob his daughter Rachel for a wife but even devised a scheme by which to force him to take both daughters — Rachel and Leah — the only girls in the family Then on returning home he whole heartedly honestly and with free conscience said to Laban: -2TG35 25.1

This twenty years have I been with thee thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. Gen. 31:38. -2TG35 25.2

Still further when he was asked what he wanted for his work after the fourteen years were over he chose the wages God would pay not Laban. For he said to Laban: -2TG35 25.3

Thou shalt not give me anything but let me pass through all thy flock today and remove from thence all the speckled spotted and brown cattle sheep and goats and take them three days journey apart from the rest so that there be no chance for them getting mixed. To date all the sheep and cattle speckled or unspeckled are to be yours but hereafter all the speckled that shall be born from among the unspeckled (the apparently impossible) shall be mine for serving thee -2TG35 25.4

Laban was well pleased with the contract and Jacob went to work. God blessed Jacobs labors in spite of natural impossibility and within six years he became rich Why? — Because Jacob served God wholeheartedly and implicitly trusted in Him for his living. He wanted nothing but what God would let him have. He knew that so long as he worked for the Lord the Lord would leave him neither hungry nor naked. He knew that if God so clothed the grass of the field He would clothe and feed him in His vineyard. -2TG35 25.5

-25-

Since Jacob was getting rich so fast and since his father-in-law wanted him to stay longer and also since Jacob still feared Esau why did he leave Laban and why did he start for home? — The answer is simple Because God asked him to saying: -2TG35 26.1

Gen. 31:13 — I am the God of Bethel where thou anointedst the pillar and where thou vowedst a vow unto Me: now arise get thee out from this land and return unto the land of thy kindred. -2TG35 26.2

From this record you see Jacob was faithful at his post of duty and always mindful of Gods command. Are we like Jacob? or are we like Judas Iscariot? Jacob now you know took perfect care of Labans business and followed Gods direction all the way. But Judas Iscariot took perfect care of his own selfish interest at the expense of Gods Gift and rather than following the Lords directions he followed his own. Now though compare Jacobs end with that of Judas. Ones work ended in glory and the others work ended in shame and disaster. -2TG35 26.3

For whom are you working Brother Sister? for yourselves or for God? — You say For God and I hope you are right but remember as I said before that no business firm will promote a workman that is not interested at least as much in the prosperity of his firm as he is in the size of his wages. Moreover no firm is interested in the workmans private business. It is interested in its own business. Gods business though is far more important and of far greater consequence than the business of any man. He too is not at all interested in your selfish business He is interested in His business of saving souls. You cannot therefore make your own interests of first importance and His of second and at the same time expect to reap His promises and expect Him to answer your prayers. If such be the case then you are even falsely calling yourself a Christian. According to Matthew 6:32, you are still a deluded Gentile. -2TG35 26.4

-26-

To be a Christian in Gods sight you must never praise yourself but praise God and His goodness. Never boast of your own interests and achievements but boast of Gods. Never try to promote your business but always try to promote Gods. Never pray for light to know what to do and where to go in order that your business your interests prosper but rather pray for light that God help you do the thing or go to the place where you would best serve His cause that He lead you and teach you how to advance His kingdom. Then and then only will you find that you never go wrong Any motive other than this will take you where God does not want you and where you will have to carry your own burden independent of Him. -2TG35 27.1

I have seen a number of individuals swear by heaven and earth that God has led them here or there into this or into the other. But when things did no please them then they packed away swearing just as hard that God had not led them into the thing They again felt just as positive that God was leading in their move though it was the opposite of what they thought He had led them in before -2TG35 27.2

-27-

Others have felt that God had opened the way for them to do this or the other by the fact that they had been able to get the money for the trip or to get a buyer for one thing or another to have this and to have that. Still others told me that they opened the Bible at random and that their eyes dropped on a verse which indicated Gods approval of their move. One brother told me that he had flipped a coin and another had found an Indian arrow pointing in the direction he should go All these I have seen come to naught although these indications were held as positive evidences of Gods will in the matters under question. -2TG35 28.1

Let me now tell you that these indications in themselves are but presumption of the highest form hallucination and gambling not Gods signs at all. Moreover anyones plans which are based on purely selfish interests based purely on where and how one may better his private profit-making projects while he professes to be a Christian — I tell you that all these are schemes not Gods plans at all regardless how the way opens or what happens. The fact is that God is never given the opportunity to direct in these things for to give Him the opportunity He says Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. -2TG35 28.2

When you therefore make the Kingdom of God your chief interest then you will most surely find yourself in the right place at the right time doing the right thing and reaping Gods richest blessing. You can then rest assured that He will open the way and take you where you need to be even if He has to lift you out of the well and to tell the Ishmaelites to carry you into Egypt and to put you working in Potiphars house. He may even have to take you into prison before He seats you with Pharaoh on the throne. Or He may cause you to run away from Egypt and have you keep sheep around Mt. Horeb. He may bring you against the Red Sea while the Egyptians are pursuing you. He may bring you into the desert where there is neither water nor food. The lion and the bear may come to take your lambs Goliath to kill your people and the king may cast you in the fiery furnace or in the lions den. -2TG35 28.3

-28-

Yes hundreds and thousands of things may happen but he that trusts in God and does His work well shall find all these so-called hindrances or mishaps wonderful deliverances and avenues to success all carrying out Gods marvelous plans and Gods way toward your promotion from one great thing to another. When you are in Gods care and in His control never say the Devil did this or that regardless what it be for he can do nothing except he is allowed to do it. Always give God the credit. -2TG35 29.1

I came to America not because I wanted to but because God wanted me to. And since I knew not my future work and as God could then no more make me understand than He could at first make Joseph understand his trip to Egypt I was therefore driven out of the country at the point of a gun as was Moses driven out of Egypt although I had done nothing to bring trouble upon myself. And who do you suppose led the rebels to storm me out of the country? None other but the Greek Orthodox bishop of the province -2TG35 29.2

-29-

At that time I knew not what my going away from home to such a distant land was about but now I know as well as Joseph knew that his brethrens hope to defeat Gods plan for him was but Gods plan to get him down into Egypt. And so rather than to thwart the plan they really caused the plan to be carried out -2TG35 30.1

When things go contrary to ones will and way today most Christians give credit to the Devil. Only when things go according to their liking do they give credit to God Balaam too was happy when the way opened for him to go to Balak but when the angel of the Lord blocked the road he was traveling on then Balaam became as mad as a dog and smote the ass. -2TG35 30.2

No nothing but you yourself can defeat Gods plans for you. Be it your friends or your enemies be it beasts or kings you will find them all unwittingly or wittingly working for your good rather than for your harm if you are doing Gods bidding. What a rich resource Heaven is -2TG35 30.3

Remember now that whatever may stand in your way be it the Red Sea or the River Jordan be it a mountain or be it a desert it shall become your very stepping stone. -2TG35 30.4

Such as this is the righteousness of the Lord and you can have it at the cost of your own righteousness. Then you will find the Lords ways as much higher than yours as the Heaven is higher than the earth. When this happens then only you will understandingly say The Lord our Righteousness. -2TG35 30.5

-30-

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: for He bringeth down them that dwell on high the lofty city He layeth it low He layeth it low even to the ground He bringeth it even to the dust. The foot shall tread it down even the feet of the poor and the steps of the needy. Isa. 26:3-6. -2TG35 31.1

-31-