In this sermon transcript, the speaker, Joe, shares a story about open-air meetings where people often run in fear. However, one day, a small boy stood underneath Joe, intrigued by his passionate preaching. The speaker emphasizes the importance of being born again and compares it to a baby's instinct to survive without any formal education. He also shares a personal story about his wife giving birth and the panic and desperation he felt. The sermon concludes with the speaker reflecting on the power of God's word and how it transformed his life.

I suppose the chapters of this holy book that have been singled out through the centuries of dealing with a soul concerning salvation have been limited to especially the chapter contained in John, chapter 3, where the Lord Jesus is speaking to a deeply religious man and a good man, an honest man, and a man who knew much of God's word and of God's ordained religion. But Jesus turns to this man who comes fearful of others judging him for being seen with Christ, who is now causing chaos and bitterness and hatred and jealousy amongst the religious leaders who couldn't bear his presence. But this man, deeply religious, comes and he asks Christ concerning the things of eternity. And the Lord turns to this man and staggers him and us through the generations with these words, and says, verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. There's no hope of eternal life. There's no hope of him ever seeing God in eternity. Unless a man, except a man, be born again, he cannot, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Well, this man was as confused as you and I would be, have we never heard such a statement? Nicodemus looks staggered and says, but how can that be? Can a man, when he's old, be born to his mother's womb a second time? And Christ looks at this man steadfast, steadfastly and continues to expound, and ultimately what Christ says is all given in one amazing statement in verse six. That which is born, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. No one is born a child of God, is what Christ is saying. When you are born, you are a child of your father and mother, but you're not a child of God. You must be born again. You must become God's child. No one is born a child of God. All you are is a child of your father and mother. To become a child of God, to have a spiritual birth, you have to have a physical birth, because a baby can't do this. Of intellect and their own free will, by grace, through faith, you're saved. You embrace, of your own free will, you embrace the shed blood of Christ, the salvation of God through Christ, and at that moment, because of your faith, God saves your soul. God gives birth to you spiritually. You become His child. In one moment you're born of God. You're born of the Spirit. You become God's child through intellect, embracing, by faith, the promises of God concerning the shed blood of Christ. Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling, being justified freely by grace. Through faith in His blood, Romans says, you're justified. You're made righteous, the righteousness of God, by faith. Not having my own righteousness as the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ. The righteousness is of God by faith. In one moment, God, by the blood of Christ, declares you righteous. You will never be judged. Your sin is blotted out. You're redeemed by the righteousness. Is by grace, through faith in the blood of Christ. God, the Holy Ghost, comes upon your life and gives you a spiritual birth whereby you become God's child. I'd like to ask every one of you, every one of you, I'd like to ask you from my heart tonight, to do something maybe no preacher will ever ask you again, so be careful now to do this. I want you to answer this question. Not with your lips, but with your heart. To God, to you and God, when were you born again? Not when you became religious, not when you started being consistent in church, not even when you started getting tired, not even when you started making sacrifices of your life for religion. When were you born of God? When the Holy Spirit bears witness with your spirit, that you, my child, he that believes in the Son of God, hath a witness in himself. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirits that we're God's child. When you're born again, God's Spirit bears witness. You know we have no condemnation, there's no condemnation. We know we've passed from death unto life. Peace that passes all understanding. When did you know by God's Spirit bearing witness with your spirit that as a result of your doing what God says, if you do, he will make you his child? You will be born spiritually, you become a child of God, which no one is until that by grace through faith in the promises of God concerning the shed blood of Christ. When were you born again? When did God's Spirit bear witness that you knew, you've passed from death unto life, and you face no condemnation from God? When? When did that happen in your life? I want every single one of you, no matter how young you are, no matter how old you are, and even if you're a preacher. I had an elder in one church, very indignant at some messages I preached, and he came undone, and he said, but you don't understand. You can't preach these things here. You speak like we're all going to hell. I'm an elder, don't you understand? I'm an elder. I said to him, well sir, I think Christ even meant that an elder must be born again. God didn't choose you to be an elder if you're not born again, men did. Men weren't even saved, that's why they chose you. Blind leaders of the blind, in the perfect. How many ministers? Brethren, you would not believe. I want to write a book on this one subject alone, blind leaders of the blind. I've preached sermons, and how many preachers have come up to me of all denominations across the world? Men who've been in the ministry for 30, 40 years, one, 40 years. Brother, he said to me, while you were preaching tonight, for the first time in my life, I realized I'm going to hell. I've preached for 40 years. I've been a blind leader, but everyone that followed me is going to hell. Everyone that looked to me for truth, to know what God's message is to mankind, will be in hell, everyone. But while you were preaching, I had a fear of hell, and you know, while you were preaching, God bore witness with my spirit for the first time in my life. Now I have to go back to my pulpit and tell my people they're going to hell, because I was going to hell. Freshly. Oh, everyone, even if you're a preacher, for 40 years, sir. When were you born again? When? Did God's Holy Spirit bear witness with your spirit that you knew, you knew one minute before you didn't know? You didn't know, you couldn't say it. You'd be hypocritical if you said you knew, but you knew. If you die right now, you're going to heaven. There's no judgment. There's peace that's part of you, that God tells us must be ours. Why did that happen to you, dear friend? When were you born again? One of the great tragedies people face in this world is when a child is born, and fearful complications are experienced at the time of birth. When a child is born, but fearful complications are experienced at the time of birth. During the delivering of a baby, many sadly die at birth. The hope of an expectation of a life about to be given to a family results in a death. Its beginning was a death. It was born dead. It was born dead. But even more tragic, in the light of this holy book, is the complications often surrounding the spiritual birth of so many multitudes of Christians. Even more tragic, in the light of God's word, that is, is the complications often surrounding the spiritual birth of so many multitudes of professing Christians. I had three sons, and my wife was told she could have no more children. We wanted ten. But God knew, in his perfect wisdom, we needed three, and I wouldn't change them for a thousand. But our second son, Roy, he's six foot something, I think six foot seven by now. Oh my, how life just goes. When he was born, my wife had terrible complications, and our final child also, where we nearly lost Jenny. And I had to hang on to God. But our second child nearly had so many complications. There were so many problems that a gynecologist, a specialist, had to be consulted, and he, in love, though he wasn't saved, he didn't charge us anything for all the times we had to be with him, until the birth of Roy. But he, though he was a Jew, didn't charge us because we're missionaries, didn't charge us a cent. You've got to be pretty hard in Africa to charge a missionary, no matter who you are. But he loved Jenny. He had the most incredible respect for her. Everybody does. He had put Jenny in a home, at the time when it was close to her giving birth to Roy, which had a very high reputation, a good hospital. And I don't know how the devil did this. I don't know how the devil managed this. But when Roy was about to be born in that hospital, a terrible argument broke out amongst the staff. It must have been something brewing for a long time. It was like all hell broke out in that hospital. And I couldn't believe it, what was going on, the way they were, eventually the whole lot behind doors were closed, and the screaming was still out there. It was terrifying how they just turned their back on all those patients, not just for five minutes, for hours. They couldn't function, because they just lost it as unsaved people, and lost their sense of responsibility, and decency. How the devil managed that, I don't know. But all I do know, is my wife never complained, I thank God for that, never. She's a rebuke to my life, to them. She never complained, never. In the darkest moments you'll see something to praise God for. But it's like an incapability of saying something negative, no matter what she's facing. And I love her for that. But my wife began to scream out, help me, or I'm going to die. I heard her praying, let me die God, don't let this baby die. And I went into this room, and I stood there, and they all looked at me scowling, and I said, please help my wife, please help my wife, she needs help. This matron shouted and said, it's too time, now go, get out of here. So I walked out, and after a while beside Jenny, I realised this baby was coming into the world. I tried to help her, but I looked at her and realised my wife's in trouble, and I was probably going to lose her. And I so panicked that I went into this room and I said with a loud voice, my wife is giving birth to the baby, and I fear she's going to die. If there's anyone left in this room that has a conscience, please won't you help me? And I began to cry. Well they panicked, and they ran out of that room, screaming when they did see how far the baby was virtually born. And they saw Jenny convulsing in pain, seeing this lost conscience. When this gynaecologist finally got there through some amazing event, Roy was virtually born, and he looked at Jenny and just burst out into tears. He sobbed. The matron just sobbed, standing there, not knowing what the end of this would be. And he helped, between helping Roy and helping my wife, putting her to sleep and giving her medication, which he should have had from the beginning. Eventually, I just looked there and he turned to the hospital staff standing around him, and he shouted loudly that he would never ever, ever perform any operation or anything to do with his hospital again. On principle, he called them incompetent failures, and they just hung their head down and sang. Then I began to look at Roy, and I must say I was thinking, what will the repercussions be for the rest of his life of such neglect when he needed assistance? At the moment, it was expected he would be given assistance, and those who it was expected would help him to come into this world neglected him totally. What are the repercussions going to be on his life? That was what was in my heart. And I saw these big feet, of course, and I said, why is his feet so big? Is he abnormal? So the doctor smiled, tears coming down his face, but he said, no, when a child has big feet, it doesn't mean he's going to be very tall. Well, here he is. So the doctor was right. My children have a reputation as having big feet. But anyway, there were repercussions, tragic repercussions for many years in his life where he couldn't control himself. He didn't understand why he couldn't control. He knowed that people, children, can be cruel. And he suffered, always suffered, not understanding himself. And when we went for help, which we had to go often for, it was always pointed back that it was that neglect at the time of birth that caused these repercussions, the aftermath of neglect upon someone who needed help. Well, I'm grateful to say to you, through prayer and much fasting for years, Roy is totally healed. He is a perfectly human, normal human. And he's not only normal, he is an extraordinary human. He is an extraordinary human. I say that with love in my heart to God. When I look at other children, when they came into the world of complications and problems, I thank God for Roy. He's turning the world upside down in his love for Christ and his incredible mind that just baffles you and just how a human can have such an incredible mind as this boy has got. But he's bringing multitude to Christ, even now as a young Christian. He turned 21, by the way, a few days ago. I've never been there for their birthdays, hardly ever. I thought I might make his 21st birthday, but we didn't. But he's never, ever held it against us. He would be ashamed if I came back just for a birthday from preaching. Yes. How tragic it is to see so many who profess to be born again of God. How tragic it is to see so many who profess to be born again of God, who struggle to survive spiritually because of neglect at the time of their spiritual birth, neglect of correct teaching, diversions that were made that took them away from the true thrust of this book onto things that kept them from anything that could have meant something to the true kingdom of Christ. How tragic it is, of incorrect teachings, compromises from pulpits for fear of man, for fear of losing the man who gives his tithing. So we'd better bypass his sin and we'd better take away the sharp edge of the sword, you know. Can't lose them. So let's just blunten this word and give one big apology for why Christ couldn't. But they give an amount of truth of the Gospel that brings about a birth, but the incredible repercussions for the rest of the lives through complications of neglect of those who should have been there helping, assisting to truth as a person was coming through for Christ, making sure this was a healthy, solid birth, neglect or compromising in living of the people they're born into that confuses them when they come out of the world and suddenly think, but this is just like the world. They go to the same places. They dress the same. Why, they even sing the same as the last night club I went to. Only this time they're using Jesus' name somewhere here and there if you can hear the words. How tragic that there's an element of truth enough to bring a new birth that makes people struggle to survive on any level according to this book. It just doesn't tell you. There's confusions and the doubts and the staggerings and the suffering and struggling for survival and truth because of the moment of birth, the neglect of correct doctrine or follow-up. Some babies need to be put in the incubator because of real need of care and neglected care. Oh, how they struggle. If those that should have done what they should have just been there and followed them up and made sure they come through till they're strong before they let them stand alone or try and survive alone. Well, many of them just born dead and now have a profession without ever having experienced possession of Christ. How many have a testimony of a rebirth through some going through the norms and the forms and functioning but they never ever really experienced Christ? But see, they've been impressed on them that this is a new birth, this now. Now you say, they maintained in faithfulness holding on to some form of a profession but they've never ever been born of God in truth. They believe a lie. They believe a lie. They were born dead. Physically, if there's a premature birth, many survive but many don't. But in the spiritual rebirth, none survive premature birth. No one. There's no such a thing if it's forced on a person before they've counted the cost. Of what God says, of repentance from all sin, of deliverance, of becoming a new creature in Christ. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Who are you, sir, to say that doesn't matter, that didn't happen in your life? I did the norms. I never repented. Nothing changed. I have a profession but never possession of truth. This is tragic. None survive in the spiritual rebirth if they're premature birth. I know a man, I'm going to preach in his church in Rochester, New York, the Old Path Baptist Church. Now that's something to go to. You take some time to recover if you go in that church. They're different. The two pastors there, Joe Camillari, he's Italian. That's a complication in itself. Well, I hope no one's Italian here. One of my closest friends in South Africa, he's Italian. He's fearful. You know, German, Jew, and Italian, they really are complicated people. But when they get saved, nothing can touch them. Nothing stops them. They just do disaster to the devil's kingdom, from the day, the moment they're saved, to the day they die. It's almost unheard of for a German, or a Jew, or an Italian, when they truly get saved, to ever backslide. It's almost an unheard of thing. It costs them too much, you see, to get saved normally. You've got to deny Rome, you've got to deny Jew and be ostracized. Of course, Germans, I don't know what they have to deny, but they're strong characters and difficult people. But oh, I love them when they get saved in our country. Oh, my, the Germans. But now, this Joe Camillari, he's Italian. My word, he can really set you ablaze in minutes. He'll make you run and you never stop running until the day you die. One of the two, they really set the world afire, these two Joe Camillari and J. Volker. Right. They have a wonderful, large auditorium where they have godly, you just, you want to know if God's in the building. Look at the young people. Look at the youth. Where are they godly, separated from the world, in every aspect of life, outwardly and their faces. They're sad, you worry, because then you know Mother made them dress like this. Not God. You see, you can't put the cart before the horse. You've got to get them saved. Then they won't do it for God. There's nothing as agonizing in this world as some Christianity for someone else other than God. It's horrific. It's sad. But these two now have really got an amazing movement going on. But Joe Camillari was telling me a strange instance. They go for open airs. Not everybody likes open air meetings, where you stand on the street and you have a loudspeaker and you cry out to people to come to Christ. Most of us do that with great dignity and sensitivity, but Joe and J. are different. You are going to hell. And they quote a few verses, confirming that hell and what Christ tells you. He will return in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will return in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whosoever be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power. The smoke of their torment shall fill them up forever and ever. They have no peace day or night. Oh, they cry out. And then they cry out so straight as to die, because they're scared that those few minutes that person accelerates his speed and starts running. Once he starts hearing God's word about judgment, which he'd never heard in his life, normally from any pulpit he'd sat under. Now suddenly people are quoting from the same Bible, but things they've never heard. Don't worry. So Joe was, ah, you can't run from God. Oh, oh my. Nonetheless he was telling me in one of these wonderful open air meetings that were taking place, that normally people start running in fear. So they make sure the minute or two they've got them, they hear the whole gospel about the blood of Christ especially. Well Joe said he was standing there one day, and pouring his heart out of his loudspeaker to those passing. And there was a little boy, a small little boy who came and stood underneath him. Intrigued, swept up, and amazed at this man shouting like this. You know, and Joe noticed him looking up. Couldn't move, couldn't breathe. But eventually this little fellow was a character obviously, and very bold. So he started repeating what Joe said. So Joe says to a new group coming now, um, we're all born in sin, and there's none righteous. No, the little, the little fellow holds it. We're all born in sin. There's none righteous. No, not one. So he looks up now. Carry on, you know. So Joe was very taken up with this little fellow now, as much as the little fellow was taken up with him. And so he says, uh, I was a filthy sinner going to hell 23 years ago. So he suddenly hears this little fellow, he didn't expect, going to hell 23 years ago. Now Joe really is shocked. And he noticed a whole lot of people now standing. He was getting a congregation. I mean, now people weren't running as much as smiling and looking at the little fellow. So he thought, well, and he said, but God saved my soul in one moment, 23 years ago. The little fellow, before he could speak, Joe put the mouth, God saved my soul 23 years ago. I became a new creature in Christ. I became a new, all things passed away. Oh, and he went on, you know, and my life, and now I know there's no condemnation. Well, he hadn't even been born 23 years ago, but here he's now. Oh my. When I heard of this little fellow, I sat there, but by the time I got on my knees, once revelation comes and a sermon is inborn, you don't wait till the next day, you lose it. But I went from that conversation on my knees there. And I suddenly was thinking of this illustration. I thought, you know, tragically, how many people, they know, they hear the terminology. They hear how a person gets saved. They hear what to say. They're born into circumstances where they hear all the terms. They sit from childhood listening, and they know all the words that need to be said, but they've never experienced it. They even become conscious of Daddy and Mommy, and the church's cry and longing for them to have this experience. And they react, not so much for God, it's just the smile of Daddy, it's the smile of the church, it's just to be accepted, to have a testimony. But there's nothing from the heart, and so they take, and suddenly they know just what to say. They've heard it so many times, and they say it. They have a profession, but they've never had a position. Isn't that tragic? I mean, that really is tragic. I have a good son. He's 22 years old now. He's my eldest boy. He's about to turn 23. But he was so good, that he was unbelievable. I never had to discipline this child. He lived for one thing in life. He lived for my smile. He lived for the smile of Mommy and Daddy. There was nothing that gave this boy more joy than to know he's doing the right thing for his father and mother. Just giving them joy. He adored us. He was staggering to the degree that this boy would do anything. And you know, he even had a testimony that I believed, because of the goodness of his life. But then he reached teenage years. Tragically, in my country, we didn't have homeschooling until now. It's only bloody. Africa's 20 years at the minimum behind America in everything, even in your son. But homeschooling was something nobody did. One year, a few hundred miles away, you hear somebody else did. But it was something anatomical. We didn't even know if the government was allowed eventually. Now that it's been proved in America, to work and we see the fruit, it's like a tidal wave across southern Africa. People are just coming in their scores, in their hundreds. You just see this amazing growth. And I think within a short while, give it a short while, most people who have any decency will be homeschooling. Because there's nothing but moral decadence in the school. Now, we no didn't have that, my eldest boy. He had to go to a very good school. He had to, and it was a very good school that we couldn't even afford. Others were paying for it, who demanded we send him to something good, even though we're missionaries. We can't let them be deprived just because they're born into a missionary home. It was God, but he went to a very good school. But this boy of mine, once he reached teenage years, oh, then we, peer pressure. I didn't realize to what degree, because he was so popular. He's such a lovely person. The godly loved him, but the ungodly wanted him too. And he told me years later, Daddy, you couldn't believe the degree that they came. They were always the godly, but the ungodly were fighting for my friendship. They were there dragging me aside. I didn't know how to handle it. Oh, peer pressure. Oh, then go to homeschooling, to get them away from this devilish system that destroyed so many Christian homes, the children of Christian homes. Well, this boy under peer pressure was beginning to do things that when we heard, my heart sank into such a deep grief that I don't know if I've ever known such grief in my life. I so grieved that I went on my face for the whole, and he didn't even know I knew. Oh, it just went down. And for about a year and a half, nearly two years, this boy aged me and his mother, I came to your country. And I remember being in war, the other side of the world, as I walked down your street, trying to prepare for the sermons and just crying out and bursting, sobbing in the street, God, help my... I didn't thank God. Thank God. The Lord did save him. There was a moment when he tore himself away from every friend he had in life at that stage, because the godly had forsaken him. He ripped himself away from them with such desperation, screaming, I believe, get out of my life forever. I'm begging that I can find God without you forcing me. And they left him, every single one of them. They ran from him in fear of someone wanting God, even if he had to be alone. And he sought God, he took days seeking God. So desperately, he was so smashed, he was so crushed, under remorse and guilt and hatred and bitterness of soul toward what has been done to me and his mother. You see, he still loved us, because their sin doesn't mean anything. Sin is a terrible thing. Your wife, your health, your job, your honor. The little son shall set you free. You shall be free indeed. You can't set yourself free. But he only became conscious of how much he was just a sinner without God's protection, when he reached teenage years in school under peer pressure. Ah, he came to God. He came to God. And I spent days thanking God. Not just days praying for his salvation, but days thanking God when he did come. Just thanking my God, this poor soul and spirit, worshipping God in love, weeping as much as I wept when he was unsaved. But one day, my boy got hold of me. He has an amazing way of getting hold of his daddy. He says, I want to take you for a meal. From a little boy, even, he used to say, Daddy, I saved all my savings just for one thing, to take you for a meal when you come home. So I knew he wanted to speak to me. That was his way. And he looked at me for a long while before he spoke that night. And he said, Daddy, I need to tell you why I spent like that, and why I made Daddy become old. He said, Daddy, you know, I so love you, that I'd do anything to please Daddy and Mommy. And I knew you wanted me to have a testimony when I was a little boy. I knew you were waking. I even heard you praying. And for your sake, Daddy, I think it was for you, not just stupidity. I came out in the meeting. I prayed. He could point you the place where he gave his life to God. It wasn't in the meeting, sorry. And I believed that testimony, but it wasn't true. He said, Daddy, I knew exactly what to say. As I was learning from a baby's language, I heard about being born again. Everything, this was the first caliber of conversation, this was the, how I grew up, just spiritual terminology of salvation and doctrine. I knew it. I knew just what to say to convince people that I was saved, to impress people. Daddy, I even knew what to say to make people believe I was on fire for God. I knew just what to say and the way to say it. I had watched, I had listened, and I would say it. But Daddy, my heart condemned me. It just kept on condemning me, because there was something so missing of reality, of sincerity between me and God alone. It was just for people. It was to pacify those who wanted to hear. It was just to be accepted in circles, and I knew just what to say. But my heart condemned me, Daddy, and I knew as I got a little bit older, I knew there's something radical. But Daddy, I believe you can profess Christianity and even convince your own father to a point, but there's a point it comes out that you're not saved. The moment you're under pressure, there's something that will draw you eventually to want it. It came out, Daddy, when I went to high school. But I have ridden myself of every friend that influenced me to go into sins and wrong, and I'll never let them back in my life. Trust me about that, Daddy. And I'm really saved now. I know beyond any doubt it was between me and God I am saved now. It wasn't for you, Daddy. It was for me and for God. Daddy, maybe I don't impress people like I used to. I used to watch everybody because I was Keith Daniel's son. Oh, everybody, this is what a true Christian should be like, the way he dresses, the way he speaks, purity of the boy, you know, the love for his father, that beard. Oh, Daddy, maybe I don't impress people like I used to. But that doesn't matter, Daddy. At least I'm real. At least my heart doesn't condemn me when I testify. My testifying doesn't grieve God, because it's a lie. At least now God knows I only want to sin. I've asked God with all my soul. Only let me say what I mean, what I live, what I've experienced. Don't let me utter anything. Don't let me sing a hymn. If it isn't to thee, then grieve thee with such words. He walks with God now in a very staggering way. My other son, he speaks all holes. He's fearful. But I appreciate your own nose. And he doesn't see it yet. I see what he's doing. For a little few words, he says, condemns mouth to tears of young people. And they thronged in their masses to go in here and preach. And I remember going hearing this fellow in one big auditorium where great hordes of people from across the city had come to hear him. And then one day we were shocked when in the front page of the newspaper there was his name in his photograph, and the depravity he was living in. Why, why? Oh, the devil shouldn't get hold of that. It's the front page, never the second page. Even if there's a world war going on at the front, to God's name, you see. And the devil shouldn't gloat in that. They didn't leave out any details. They loved to hop on this one thing that kept on coming out. It wasn't just for a few months. It was proven through the years. While he preached for others to come to God, he would leave the pulpit and go to depravity. Depravity. Such depravity, it's unmentionable, the way he was living. He sent ripples of shock across that country of mine, and they became so careful, a lot of those pulpits closed their pulpits to outside preachers because of him alone. And the terrible stomach blockings came to many, many multitudes who had responded under his ministry while he was in there. I think there's something about even just the fact that he mentions certain verses of God to those that he may sincerely want in something. I don't know how to explain it doctrinally. How so many multitudes, who still profess to know God even now after that, could have come to God through him. I don't understand that. Much God would have to explain to us one day, but this boy brought such shame on our land and in the name of Christ. And then he disappeared. No one ever saw him. His father and mother didn't know what happened to him. They died prematurely. They just died broken-hearted. They just crumbled. Proverbs says an evil child is the undoing of his father, the literal destruction of his father. The same of his mother. A child that desires to be evil does that, God says in Proverbs. But I met his fiancée one day, a lovely godly girl, and she was so broken, so broken. And she said, no one's ever seen him. No one knows whether he's dead or alive. He couldn't face anyone, so he just disappeared. So a few years went by, and I was one day walking down a great city street, a center, and suddenly it was throngs of hundreds of people coming along the paving in the city. One face just seemed to come out of the crowd. It was him. I just seemed to see this one face as it was coming from far. And oh, how he'd age. It was unbelievable what was left of him. Sin is a terrible thing. When he walked past me, I put my hand out, and I held it on. And he stopped, and he looked at me, and without me saying a word, just the way I was looking at him, tears welled up in his eyes. He knew someone had recognized him, something that obviously wouldn't happen for long. And I said, I don't want to be obnoxious, but would you give me the grace to be able to ask you a question, please? I sat under your ministry. I listened to you when I had to save myself in your crusade. And then all this came out of your depravity, of your sin and evil. And you disappeared. And I've met people who loved you, who never saw you. No one knows what happened to you. And I've wept over you. I've wept on my face because of you crying out, praying for you. I want to ask you something. Were you ever real, or did you always live a lie? Did you, right from the start, when you started talking about Christ and preaching, live in depravity? Did you ever repent from sinning? God now commanded all men everywhere to repent. The Bible says, Repent ye therefore, and be ye converted, that your sins may be blotted out. They can't be blotted out unless you've repented from them. Whoso confesseth and forsaketh the sins of sin, shall have mercy. You have to be a new creature in Christ, or you're not in Christ. All things are possible, all things are coming to you. And so he looked at me, and he took my hand, and he just walked with me under the steps of this big building, and he said, When I was a young fellow, I was taken with my friends to a church where the gospel was being preached, and they made an appeal, and I came out. And I sat with somebody who prayed a prayer with me, told me basically the sinner's prayer, probably the same prayer you prayed when you came to Christ. And then I was given a little form to fill in the date that I gave my life to Christ, that I received Christ as my Savior, and a few verses of now, what it means, what I've done, and a few verses of follow-up, what God says you must follow up now by reading the Bible and reading of it. And I left that building, and the friends who had taken me said to me as we worked out, we're going to an open air, come with us. So I went, I stood behind them as these young people were testifying on the street there, through this loudspeaker. I was born again, and quoting scriptures, and how I have God's peace now, that passes all understanding. I know there's no condemnation to say, do you know? You can know, because God will in no way turn away anyone who comes to Him through Christ Jesus, because Christ pays the debt for every man. God will not turn away anyone. Come and find eternal life, because the fearful thing is to fall into the hands of the living God, if you have not prepared to meet your God. Well, at times, what was he doing at all? Well, he said, I listened to these people testifying, and quoting scriptures, and saying things to those passing by. And suddenly this one said, you've given your life to Jesus, come and tell the world, you're saved. So I came, and I stood there, and I had heard what to say. And I said it. And I even said, I said, a scripture or two. And it was so profound the way I spoke, that I even shocked myself. I even shocked myself. I'd never spoken publicly. And they turned to me and said, come with us now. And they took us to one of the biggest churches in the city. And they made it that before the preacher preached, I spoke because of the liberty with which I spoke. And I had plenty times more liberty the next time. And everybody just was so good. And as I was listening to Bible studies, and reading books, and sermons, and conversations, and eventually I got to know. And I knew how to preach. It was sermons and illustrations that were gripping people without sitting in a room. Next thing, I was given the pulpits. I was given the pulpits. And I was told, you are to preach. You're ordained by God to preach. And so they sent me to America, to one of the most esteemed conservative theological seminars in the world. And I was for years here. It came to America. And when I graduated, I was the top student. No one had the degrees, had the effort that I had. I was the top of marks academically. The star pupa. I came back to South Africa. And I was given the great pulpit to the land. One pulpit opened, 40 other pulpits. The next thing was auditoriums and stadiums. In a matter of a few years. But now you ask me, was I ever real? Did I ever repent? Did I ever turn from my sin? Was there ever a time I had turned from my sin? Was I always living in sin right through? Yes, he says. There was never ever a day that I can say I had changed or turned from the life of sin. All the way through. But he said, but how could I say no? This limelight, I wanted it. This gripping people, the throngs, the honour, I wanted it. How could I say no? How could I push this out and say, look, this is a lie? My heart condemned me many times. But you know, I believe by God's grace I was saved. And I always hoped that I am to this day, God will still deliver me somewhere. I believe I'm going to heaven because I was sincere when I knelt and prayed. But no. But I never repented like you say. This word repent. I said, can I quote you one verse? Be not deceived. No unrighteous person shall enter the kingdom of heaven. And then I nailed the sins. And I said, there's your sin. You've never turned to it. You've never changed. Not once. While you profess, you've never ever possessed. Having a form of godliness and denying the power thereof. You know the terminology, but you've never had the experience of God, the Holy Spirit, working in your heart and setting you free. Not that defiance shall enter therein. God says, what does that verse mean? If it doesn't apply to you. You've never, one day, known to have turned in truth from a life of sin. I'm not talking about sin as it takes it. I'm talking about a life of sin. That God set you free from. And that if you haven't, this book condemns you. Unless you clear pages out. Before you can carry it in honesty and say, I believe we're conscious of this book. Oh beloved. A possession. A profession without a possession is a terrifying thing. But now beloved, we must be equally careful that God has saved us. And we have complications that confuse us, continually concerning our spiritual birth. We must be careful of doubting salvation if God did save us. Because we'd rather love to haunt and taunt people with doubts. Especially people who haven't had a radical conversion, because they weren't radically in sin. And it wasn't a radical transformation. So they're standing in naked faith more than a transformed life. Which is the evidence to most people that God has saved them if they were drunk. I mean, what drunk will honestly believe you if he walks down the aisle with a drink and bottle in his hand and kneels and said, God save me. And he gets up and said, now I'm saved, and walks out of the bottle. So what fool would walk out of the church? What do you want to walk out with and say I'm saved? It's as obnoxious as a drunk walking out with a bottle and saying I'm saved. But if you have come from circumstances where you've been saved, and you haven't had a radical, beware the devil accusing you, staggering you. You need to believe emphatically in God's salvation if he has saved you. There's something amazing of how many people who are truly saved stagger and get doubts, terrible doubts. I want to deal with this for a few moments. 1 John 4 verse 16. We have known and believed the love that God had to us. God is love. And he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect. For this reason is our love made perfect, our trust, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. Because as he is, so are we in this world. There's no fear in love and the love and the trust and the faith God wants us to have in him. There's no fear in love, but perfect love casts without all fear. Because fear has torment. And he that fears, he that fears is not made perfect in love. Oh, God can't perfect that which concerns you if you're full of fears and doubts in him and his promises, and that he which has begun a good work in you shall finish it. If you have terrifying fears that don't live in the deep, deep entrusted perfect love that casts out all fear. God can't perfect that which is in you. He wants a total trust. You've not received the spirit of bondage against fear. You've not received, you see, God has not given unto us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Hallelujah! We have peace that passes all understanding. It should be. But why is it that so many people, through complications at the time of their birth and sins, have doubts in spite of the true birth? I'd like to look at that. A lady phoned my wife from America a little while ago, and I was sitting next to my wife. My wife told me about what she was saying on the phone that I was taking note of. She said this lady had said to her about her daughter who is a godly girl, a really godly girl. And this daughter has a problem, a terrible problem, continually doubting her salvation. She has these terrible doubts. And I always said that you are saved, my girl, don't doubt it. The way you live, the way you love the Bible. Well, she asked Jenny's advice. And Jenny said this to her. It is so, tragically, that if the devil can't get children from godly homes to go into sin, then he rides their backs with doubts, for years and sometimes throughout their lives. I had an auntie. My mother had ten brothers and sisters. She was one of ten children, sorry. And my Auntie Emily was so different from the rest of the family. My mother was perfectly, the integrity was unbelievable in my mother's life. But my Auntie Emily, the eldest of all the children, she was staggeringly different. She was the one who would always say, I'm praying for you. She was the one who put the first bottle in my hand. She was the one who would drag me to church. And the other young people, she couldn't get her brothers and sisters to go, they were very irreligious. And they blasphemed. She was the one who cringed when the blaspheme came and got up and walked out with dirty jokes. She couldn't listen to the end. She walked out grieving. Everybody felt uncomfortable when Auntie Emily was around. But we came to Christ. My father was an alcoholic. He smashed every bottle in one day, weeping, pouring it and saying to my mother, drink, we'll never come back in this house, it destroyed my life. He never touched another drink till the day he died. One day, though an alcoholic, he didn't go through withdrawal stages, bafflingly alcoholic synonymous. God just set him free. He smoked 60 cigarettes a day for over 20 years. He threw it down, never touched another one till the day he died. He turned to God. He turned the world upside down. God set him free. Amazing transformation. Our country's never recovered from my daddy's life alone. You cannot believe, most priests in my land never ever brought as many souls to God as my daddy did, and he never preached. He staggered over. My daddy came to God. I came to God. My brother came to God. And my Auntie Emily was staggered as she looked at our lives. Suddenly, I was a young preacher now, two years into salvation, and I got the news she was dying and calling for me. So I just made it. I don't know how God did this. Moments before her death, I got to the hospital with a lot of trouble to get there, and I couldn't believe the dignity of this woman, the way she was dying, like a lady. And when she realized who it was, she said, Keith, I'm going to face God right now. I haven't got time. Help me. Listen carefully to me. She said very slowly, when I was a little girl in the church I went to, because of friends taking us to their Sunday school, there was a man who preached about becoming God's child by faith. And those who want to come and put their faith in the blood of Jesus and receive Jesus, they say they come. A lot of grown-ups came and a few children, but I came out. I was a little girl, and I remember kneeling, and I remember praying for Jesus Christ to come into my heart to save my soul, to make me God's child. And I remember leaving that building with a Bible given to me, and a few words, and I remember the joy that flooded my heart. I can still remember the joy when I just burst out laughing, talking to God, walking down the road, and the joy that stayed through the years, and the love I had for this book. It became my greatest love through my life, Keith. I love this book. But my boy, when you came to God, when your brother came to God, when your daddy came to God, I staggered. You see, you suddenly testified something I hadn't done. I had no follow-up ever. I didn't have any evangelical congregation to go and belong to. That was some unique meeting that I somehow stumbled across. I didn't know the terminology. When you people started, you had people telling you how to lead souls to Christ, how to witness. I said, but I've never done that. I've tried everything, but I've never done that. I didn't have all this terminology. But I had such a joy loving that I never went to the dance. I never swore. I never touched drink. I never ever did anything immoral. I kept myself pure. When you transform, when your lives are so radically transformed to the degree they were, I got condemned. This never happened to me. And all this, this outward professing of Christ and bringing people to Christ. And I started doubting, since your salvation, what am I going to do? I have so many doubts because of you, the way you changed. I said, Auntie Emily, take my hand, shut your eyes and pray with me. After me, word after word. Oh God, I thank thee that somehow as a little girl thou didst come to my heart, in my life, in a way that I could respond and seek thee. I thank thee with all my heart I did that. I thank thee, O God, that the joy that came in my heart, that went on through the years, loving thee, keeping pure, keeping from filth. I thank thee for keeping me from the evil, that I didn't become evil, that I didn't have to break bottles like my brother-in-law did. I didn't have to stop drugs and all the food. I thank thee, God, you kept me from filthiness and shame. I thank thee, God, for the love I had of thy word. But now, God, I have been staggered by the change in these lives, but I have nothing to turn from. I haven't got bottles to break, I haven't got cigarettes to throw down, I haven't got to stop blasphemy becoming, stop being filthy, like they did. But I haven't got this radical transformation ever, and I didn't have the background they've got, where they had from the day they came to Christ, people teaching them how to witness, teaching them the doctrines of how to be evangelical. And God, I have doubts and I'm about to face them. Forgive me for doubting, but God, just in case, just in case, I'm not saved by some amazing misunderstanding. God, I come to thee with the blood of Jesus now. I embrace the blood of Christ, and I promise I will in no way turn away anyone who comes to me through Christ. I promise that he takes and gives to every man, that thou will justify me freely by grace through faith in his blood. I come and face God, and I come with nothing but the blood of Jesus. Save my soul from hell, just in case, just in case. She opened her eyes, and tears were streaming down her face, and she smiled, and she died. Moody, thank God for Moody, Moody said this, I used to say from the pulpits, if you cannot show me a date, a time, a place, where you became God's child, where you knelt and received Christ as your Saviour, and you knew that God gave you a spiritual birth, I can show you the place where I was born physically, the time I can give you, the day. I can show you the place, the time, the date where I was born again, where I became God's child, and I will not believe anyone in this world who comes to me and says I cannot show you the place, the time, the date. But he said then God rebuked him, and God Moody was just an honest man, didn't hide defending doctrine, he was caring for the soul more than the doctrine. You can win the argument and lose the soul, you're a fool, I believe. No, you're not a fool, God says we mustn't call people fools, he does, so I apologize. But Moody said God began to rebuke him when he went into situation upon situation where the godliest of the godliest of the most fruitful children of God and they couldn't give a date and a time. He said he got so staggered and so condemned in his heart that he had said that eventually he had to pray about how to rectify the wrong of his preaching. You know the illustration Moody gave was so beautiful. He said it's like sitting in the dark of the night out in the field, on the hills, and you're lying on your back and it's totally dark. There's stars, you see the beauty of God's universe, and you lie there. He said I did this as a boy many times right through the night. And he said suddenly it's daytime, there's the sun, it's light, there's no darkness. And someone says to you now be honest now when did light first come? What moment? You can't say. No one can. But this I'm sure of that I was in darkness but there's no light now. He said listen many can't give the place, many from background, from spiritual where they hear terminology it's a moment when their mind's functioning and embracing the truth they believe there's a moment it all somehow comes together and they're saved. But they can't point exactly to the moment. There was no radical turning from sin into poverty, turning to a life of evil. It was just a moment where it was all responding, all somehow taken, embraced and functioning and the spiritual new birth took place. But this they know they can't give you a time or place a date like me who drank, who had to stop drinking, be able to really have the right to say that. But this they know once the spirit bears witness to their spirit they say hallelujah. I think Moody's wonderful. To be great enough to admit that happens. To people my word doubts come but now be careful that you don't let the devil cause doubts like Auntie Emily and others who didn't have the radical return from, who just embraced and a good life and kept pure. In our country we had a lady called Eileen Tauty. She was probably the greatest soul winner in Africa, southern Africa. She was an amazing soul winner, a missionary. The men had the pulpit but the women got the souls as they went into the Congo and burned out and died in their 40s. She was 42 when she died. Burned out for God, full of diseases. But she was in the hollows bringing into Christ. As she died she led the ministry to Christ, the ministry of the doctor and the nurse. She was a soul winner. But what an amazing woman she was. And she was a household name and I loved her. She had a deep care for my family. But then she lay dying, this soul winner that seldom has anyone won so many multitudes to Christ in one lifetime as this woman Eileen Tauty. She's dying and a godly woman came out to hospital who was being with her and I was walking in the hospital with my wife. And this godly woman had tears coming down her face and she said to me, how is it possible that a woman like Eileen Tauty can doubt now that she's dying where she's going? She said, I'm staggered. How can someone have led so many to Christ now herself doubt that she's going to heaven where she's going to hell? She's doubting her salvation. She's doubting where she's going to heaven. I said, but that's perfectly in order. I said, oh listen, death is the last enemy. It's an enemy. Don't doubt it. It's not easy. Most of us are not going to just see the face of God like Stephen, you know, and arisen and just, oh take me and I'm gone. No fears, you know. Don't doubt it. Most of us it's an enemy. When your mind sinks, your body's riddled with disease, hurt, frailty, your mind begins to collect onto all the the pain and the suffering and the weaknesses coming in the medication. Your mind begins to crumble at times and doubts can come. But God won't send you to hell, don't doubt that. God won't send you there. You know who gave us a great revelation? John Bunyan. Bunyan wrote a book Pilgrim's Progress, hallelujah. When we were saved, we were told that unless you had the Pilgrim's Progress next to your Bible through life, you're a bachelor then. So we all have Pilgrim's Progress. And oh hallelujah for that book. Oh Bunyan was, it was a revelation. It wasn't just a book. God gave him, because two-thirds of Pilgrim's Progress is just the word of God, word perfect, but taken as a human being, applied as if it's a human called Christian. Actually it's of you that God's putting this applicable to step by step through everything that comes upon us from birth to death, from the new birth to death. So this wonderful book of Bunyan's, what did Bunyan do? Oh I wish I could preach the whole book piece in and out of Pilgrim's Progress. It's so thrilling. I went through that book when he was escorted the other side of the river, you know, going through the George. And there were the two pallbearers, the heavenly pallbearers, the angels waiting. And as he came, they just escorted, swept him into the light. And all the angels, that all rejoiced when he was saved, welcomed, rejoicing his saved home. And then Jesus said, I just sobbed. I think for three days I sobbed. They couldn't do much with me. I was so blessed by that book. But listen to the wisdom of this man, Bunyan, listen. When he was facing death, and his frailty came, and sicknesses became, and his mind was sinking. Oh he wanted to sit with thousands. Most of their minds sink. It's not easy. But he was dying, going into the Jordan, but not fully. On the other side, still going into death. And thank God he had a friend called Hopeful. Do you remember Hopeful? Hallelujah for the Hopeful. Heaven help you if you haven't got one next to you. But this man had Hopeful all the way, and he changed his doubts. Oh I fear he is coming back. That God may reject me. What does Hopeful do? Oh praise God, he's so very great. And he just whispers the promise of God's salvation, reaffirming, reassuring. And peace just suddenly floods Pilgrim, floods his heart, a sinking disease. And joy comes. Twice Hopeful had to come just whispering, reassuring, just confirming, just making sure this was... Hallelujah for Hopeful. If you don't have a Hopeful, just because you don't have a Hopeful when you die, you better memorize the scriptures yourself. To the degree that there's nothing but the scriptures in your mind. And it's possible. If you want to, you'll be stunned what every reaction, even death, I believe. I hope I'm not going to make a mistake there. But hallelujah for John Bunyan telling us it's possible there's doubt. I want to ask you a staggering question. What is the witness of the Spirit? John Wesley said his heart was strangely warmed when he sat full of fear that he'd come to America to win the Indian. And as he was preparing sermons and using scriptures, his heart was condemned that it never happened to him. So he went back to England fearful of hell. I came to win the Indian, but who would win me? He just went up the fear of disillusion because somehow he knew he wasn't going to heaven as he looked deeper into the book, especially the terms when you want to win a person to Christ. Well, he saw the Moravians, of course, and the ship singing as the ship was about to go down. And he said, I wonder what they've got. He went to a meeting where justification by faith, Luther's sermon was being read by the Moravian people. He said, I listened to the scriptures related to these steps of justification by faith, Martin Luther's great sermon, justification by faith. He says, I listened to Luther's sermon. I embraced my faith, was strangely warmed. I love that. Isn't that lovely? My heart was strangely warmed. Hallelujah. But many people don't have that. Many people seek God and utter earnestly to be saved. And then they say, but my heart isn't strangely warmed like that. How can I know I'm saved? How can I be sure I'm saved? I've sought God with all my heart. I've embraced the blood of Christ. I've come by faith, but I don't know. I haven't got this strangely warmed heart, you know. What is the witness of the spirit? How do I know that I know that I'm saved from hell? I've got to know. Well, I asked them this question, everyone, literally hundreds that's come with that question to me. I say, listen, when you came to Christ, did you find suddenly a thirst for this that you never had before? Did you find a love of this book above everything else in life? Did you find an inability to put this book down that you had to rip yourself away and feel being robbed, having to go away? Did you find that unquenchable thirst? Did you find yourself unable to do anything but take this book up and devour it as your survival, as your source of life? Oh brethren, how do you know you're born again? Listen, when a child is born, he doesn't have to go through university, that little baby, to know how to survive. He doesn't even need a vocabulary, knowing mother's milk, please, no. He knows he's got to survive, and he knows what he wants. You can give him a big balloon. You can give him a million dollars and a checkbook in advance. He assumes it. Nothing will pacify me. I'll be desperate until I get to mother's milk. He doesn't need university for that. And until he gets milk, he won't survive. He knows he's in trouble. Deprive him. Oh, but give it to him. Oh, he grows, and he knows how to grow. He knows how to survive. He doesn't even know how to speak, but he knows. And you know also what he's asking for, what he needs. If you're a sage, there's newborn babes, the Bible says. The Bible doesn't see a milk of the word that he may grow thereby. Outside of that, I don't read anything in the Bible that you're going to grow by. Are you able to just go into the next day without loving this book, desiring it? Listen carefully. When I was saved 38 years ago, I got up on my knees, and I stood up, and I looked at the minister, and a room full of people that had been praying for me for years, some of them, looking at me, standing up, and waiting for me to say something. And I said something to myself in my mind. I don't feel any different. Why is it I don't feel any different? And you know, this old Scottish minister, oh, he was a fireball for God. He died a few weeks later, but God kept him alive just for me, to give me a foundation that I couldn't stack up on. This old Scottish minister, he looked at me, and I still want to find out from God how this man knew what I was thinking. He says, it doesn't matter that you don't feel any different. I was shocked. He said, feelings are going to come and go till the day you die. Hey, you do get faith, boy. He put the old King James Bible in my hand. Hallelujah. The V's and L's, you know. Take this. This is your source of survival. Man shall not live. You don't stay by bread alone, by food. Physically, you stay alive. Now, you have a spiritual life. You stay alive, but you shall not live by bread alone, by food, physically. From now on, you stay alive also by the Word of God. Spiritually, you stay alive. This is where you grow. And he said, let this be your first priority in life, David, till the day you die, and nothing will go wrong, my boy. You'll never stack up. Well, he said to me, now go home. Doesn't matter how late it is, you do this tonight. You open up the Bible, and you start in John, John chapter 1. And you read John, and then you start in Matthew. Right through to Revelation, at least three times, three, four, five chapters daily, never less than three. Oh, most of the time, five, many times more, depending on the time. You'll find time. Get through the New Testament three times at least, then start in the Old Testament. Three, four, five of the Old, three, four, five of the New. When you finish, put the marker, and carry on the night. When you carry on the next day, Matthew chapter 1 to 3, 4, 5. Tomorrow, 6, 7, 8, 19. The next day, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Go on. You get through the New, faster than you get through the Old, but don't matter that. God did that purposely, because you'll be back in darkness of the legalism of the law if you didn't have the New more than the Old. So, don't neglect the New for the Old, or you'll be back in the legalism of the law. But don't neglect the Old, because you won't understand the fullness of revelation of the New, unless you look at the Old. Everything's there, not for history. It's there to give you revelation of God's heart concerning salvation. Now, go on. Get on your knees and start tonight. So, I went on. I remember it was quite late. And I opened the Bible to John. And I read, in the beginning was the Word. And I said, oh my, this old these and those, you know. I never could really understand. But anyway, he said, I'd better try, so I'd better do it. So, I began to read, in the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God. And the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things are made by Him. And without Him was not anything made that was in that. In Him was life. And the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness. And the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light that was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which was the light of every man that comes into the world. He was in the world. And the world was made by Him. And the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God. Even to them that believe on His name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh. Oh, this is wonderful. In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God. The Word was God. That's right. The Word was made flesh. God. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was merited in the flesh. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. And I read. And I read. And I read. And Peter started. He told me to put a pen next to and mark every verse that was meaningful and burst out. I didn't have to. The tears just flooded. And they were marked forever. And it was like God confirming. It was no longer a condemnation. It was no longer dead. The ledger kills, but the Spirit gives life. I read. I read. And I looked up. And the light was shining. The sun had come up. I thought, I haven't slept. I've got to go to work. I wasn't tired, by the by. I went to work. The tea bell rang, 20 minutes. I just looked at them. The look was enough to know everybody knew to stay away. I got the Bible. And I just read on, 20 minutes. Lunchtime, at an hour. I get food. I have another food I found. Someone has suffocated his whole life. I don't breathe. Suddenly found a source of oxygen I can breathe. For the first time in my life, I'm living. Everything just cried out. I went through that hour, that night. Thirty-eight years later, brother, there's never been one single day that this was not the greatest love of my life. That anything, I would die for my wife and my children without hesitation. They know it. God knows it. And I know it. But this is my greatest love. That even they won't keep me. You see, I couldn't understand it. It wasn't the disease in the dowser was the problem. It was me. The natural man, the unshaved man, cannot receive the things of God, apart from certain places that are just condemning you and showing you God's salvation, how to be saved. But the bulk of the Bible will just condemn you, leave you stone-cold and dead. But once you say the Spirit to a man, once the Holy Spirit's in you, this letter that kills gives life. You want to know how you're saved? Does this book live? Do you survive on it? Are you able to go into a day without it and survive and not feel it? And when you crave your life's disease, you ask for this heart made warm, strange warmth. Sir, lady, the witness of the Spirit comes in different ways, but the greatest effect of God's Holy Spirit's witness that keeps you from doubt is how much you love this book. You love God, sir, as much as you love this book. Full stop. Don't add another thing. Once you're saved, you love God as much time as you gave this book today. If anything kept you, if everything kept you, you love everything else but God's Word. God is tenth on the list, maybe, depending on how much time you could have done things that don't matter. You could have done this. So no wonder doubts come, but you want to know how doubts don't come, beloved? Doubts never came. I never doubted one day, not once per second of my life since I'd been saved for 38 years that I'm going to know that I'm ready because this book just bursts out confirming no matter what circumstance I'm in that Sovereign God has me reading where He speaks to me and says just what to do. And it's not taking it. Sir, I'm saying these very words 3,000 years ago written concerning a nation and two nations was me God wrote it for. He had me in mind. He has in His sovereignty as great as me reading right there when everything comes against me and men would destroy me. What do you read? I will destroy them. And what happens? You wake up in the morning when you read that that night and they're dead. And you learn to fear this book. You learn to realize day after day, year after year that every promise in the book is wrong. There's something about God in everything in this book confirming in every circumstance I'm, He's with me. I will never leave you nor forsake you. I'm with you till the end. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? So tribulation, or distress, or famine, or nakedness, or terrible thought. As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors to Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I am persuaded. I know whom I believe in and I'm persuaded that He is able to keep that which God committed unto him against that day. Hallelujah! We've made a great lecturer and moderator of classics. One of the things that was to start Wesley on his quest for God were the dying words of his father Samuel, also a preacher in the Anglican Church. On his deathbed he said to John, The inward witness, son, the inward witness. This is the strongest proof of Christianity. While the inner witness received due consideration by Wesley, it was balanced by his attitude to and comprehension of the scripture. The balance between the objectivity of the word of God and the subjective inner witness of a burning heart. In other words, exactly what I'm saying, Wesley found that the inner witness was deeply confirmed day by day through life, through this book being opened, more than it's closed. Hallelujah! He said, I have learned that through this book God will confirm daily to my heart I am saved, I am his and he is mine. And that confirmation of the Holy Spirit bears witness daily that I am his, he is mine, become stronger and stronger till I have peace that passes all understanding. For through this book God has told me how to be saved and how to survive. And therefore I have prayed from my soul to the earth, let me be a man of one book only, for this is the only book man has that will give him peace that passes all understanding. And continually bear witness with his spirit from the day he is saved to the day he dies. If you open it only expecting God to speak to you or you never open it, for then he will speak and reassure you that you are the property of Jesus, the responsibility of God. You have doubts? I'm going to ask you all a staggering question here tonight. If you have never ever had the witness of the Spirit in your heart and you know you're going to hell and you know God brought you here tonight, you may have had profession but never possession. Like my son you may have known the terminology but you've never known reality. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof and sin has come and you know it. I want those of you whether you're a preacher like that young fellow who've never ever known a change, has gone on in your sin and say God tonight I come repenting to become a new creature in Christ because of the sin. I want those of you who through background haven't gone into depravity but doubt and just like Auntie Emily you need to say God just in case. I don't want to go face the end in case I die tonight. I don't care who you are. If God brought you here, this is my one warning now. This may be God's last call to you. Don't doubt that because so many have walked away from where I preached and died before they got home that I'm fearful to even tell you of it. You have heard sermons I've preached that have gone across the world. It lasts an hour each just one illustration the other people I sincerely with people stood in front of me as I prayed the close of me who were dead before they got home. Families wiped out. Don't take it's answer to your soul. Don't take it's answer to your soul. For that reason only I beg you. I beg you for your soul's sake and that Jesus did not take death for every man including you for nothing because you said no and took a chance and thought no not me I won't die. This could be God's last call and perhaps God's last plea. You've hardened your heart long enough young man is the point God hardens it and seals the sword according to Romans 1. Those of you that need to seek God tonight in truth for salvation and will take up this book if you come in utter earnestness tonight and devour it till the day you die but want to come to God and know peace God's peace from this night forth and purity keep yourselves pure. I want those of you who would seek God tonight child professing but never possessing and you know you've never had the witness of the spirit and sin begging to affect you you believe the lie anyone who God's speaking to on all the avenues tonight that would say God I come to the end of truth tonight understanding the things of God and I've never before and I embrace the blood of Jesus and I know that God's promised and I put my faith in fact at the end that he will in no way turn away anyone who comes to him through Christ he's not up to what Christ did can God turn anyone away you come you come in faith with nothing but the blood of Jesus and God promises you whosoever call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved ask and it shall be given you seek and you shall find it's not going to shall be open unto you for everyone that asks has written to me to speak his mind unto him that nothing shall be open why won't you come when God says that by faith come in what he promises in his integrity because he cannot deny himself what he's promised those of you that would come in faith and say God save my soul tonight I come and I want you to save my soul and I'm coming in a way with all my I don't care what I lose I don't care what happens or what the cost I cannot face the cost of finding myself in damnation for eternity because I deny thee now tonight I dare not face that I want those of you who need to see God in truth to save your souls from hell no matter who you are and to give you his peace as part of your understanding in the ways you've heard tonight to reassure you and embrace that you know what God expects of you once you're saved I want those of you counting that cost willing for that turning from sin if you're in it and turning to God even if you've been kept from these things of outward sin and looking at nothing but the blood of Jesus that he can accept you I want those of you who need to come tonight with nothing but the blood of Jesus to God you know won't turn you away to say to me God and I want you to stand right now and say to me God I'm unsafe but I come to thee tonight I know that's hard I'm not telling us to bow our heads and do it in secret I'm telling you to do what all of us have to do come to Christ in truth if you can't come to Christ openly you won't stand for him openly is there anyone this is the last time I'm asking you yes stay standing the valley of decision is a terrible place to be in but hallelujah the whole of heaven rejoices over one sinner that repents you've got the whole of heaven standing according to the word of God rejoicing those of you that are standing I want you to be bold now I want a soul winner men with men ladies with ladies please let the godly soul winners of this building get up right now and you know who you are you're not being presumptuous you know if you're capable of doing it if you're right with God who you will run for soul so those of you that are soul winners I want a man to go with this man I want a lady to go with these ladies right now please take them to some way I want people who know to get up first before the wrong people get up and take them please to somewhere in this building brother I don't know where in the building take them to a car if you have to but a lady with a lady please no men with ladies alone not even when you bring them to Christ please you go take them pray don't preach another sermon just pray them through now let them pray first and then pray the perfect prayer after them for them that they'll say amen to which is their prayer if they need that and then take their names make sure you give them books and make sure that some other church gets hold of the name and address if they're from far that you have a responsibility to them now to make sure that they're going back to circumstances that yes and the rest of you sitting here those of you that have doubts because of one thing you've somehow neglected this book and you know that's the reason you've staggered and staggered and not being meaningful I want those of you that vow before God by his grace not some vow that will be condemning you but by thy grace God in thy grace alone I will endeavor from this day to the day I die never to read this book again but to put it first so that God can give me peace daily and I don't have doubts and fears but a perfect love that casts I don't see which comes through this as the Holy Spirit bursts into my heart giving peace daily to what God promises to me in every circumstance till I die as I die these books these words is what will get me peace the spirit bearing witness through these written words I don't condemn your mind I want those of you that I need to say God forgive me for neglecting these books and the waste of time and the doubts that have prevailed but from tonight by thy grace I will never neglect it again by thy grace I will put it first no matter what it costs me to throw out things that don't matter ruthlessly so I find the time I need till the Holy Spirit says to me in my heart now you can get up child for now you will walk with me I want those of you that need to say that to God that will say that to God from your heart who need to because of your neglect to stand up and say to me God who all of you standing say these words with me aloud oh my God forgive me for neglecting the source of life the holy word of God the source of food and growth and strength and peace hearing God's guidance in every circumstance of life but I would never fail to speak but I have neglected it and deprived myself from God's voice reaching my heart daily forgive me for the grief I've given thee in putting other things first in my life before God because God is first when this book is first daily wash me in the blood of Christ from the failures that have resulted from my neglect of truth make me a man of one book make me so devoured this book that my life will stagger the powers of hell daily eventually and that I will have peace that passes all understanding even if the whole world is falling apart around me keep me faithful by thy grace and thy grace alone give me the strength and the discipline and the will to never neglect this book again till the day I die take my life and let it be consecrated to thee take my moments and my days let them flow with ceaseless praise take my will oh God let me redeem the time in its abundance to devour this book to meditate day and night and to bring forth the fruit someone tells me will be there if that is my priority in life this book unhurried meditating feeding in Jesus Christ's name army can we all stand please if you've managed to walk out of that door still unsaved for my sake for your sake for God's sake who takes the death for you even if it's when you're driving in the car stop the person and say pull up across the road yes I need you to help me to find Jesus did you lie in bed tonight it's not too late why do you got breath it's not too late to be careful see thee the Lord while he may be found now is the acceptable time today is the day of salvation and I can say if you will harden not your heart God says as in the day of provocation as they did then don't do it see to the Lord while he may be found call you upon him while he's near let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man is thought and let him return to the Lord he will have mercy upon him to our God for he abundantly pardoned don't doubt that he will know I turn away anyone who comes to him to Christ Jesus just read as I have to see in your needs to know why he can't turn you away when you bring his soul his blood his death as an offering to sin he should be satisfied nothing in my hands I bring him to the Lord I beg you seek God even if you're still fighting right now