<TITLE>11. Par 42-46</TITLE>L-42 Oh, he had a vision. Before a man can make a reputation he has to have a vision of what he's doing. Oh, blessed be the Lord. That's the reason you--there's a heaven to go to. That's the reason we can have a reputation as a Christian. We know what material is in this building. That's right. The Blood of Jesus Christ is in this building. That's right. His stained Blood has washed away all sin. He took me from the alleys of hell and made me His servant; then I believe in Him. So I passed from death to life, and every believer has did that, because that they got confidence and they believe in this great Builder, in this great Architect.

L-43 Now, when the man did it, the first thing he did to be sure that he was right, he went down there and he said, "Now, before we get this bridge started, we got to go to solid foundation. We've got to go." He knew that down beneath that sand the breast of the earth was there which was solid rock. What did he do, but get great big pumps, and got in there and set great tubes down, and he blowed the shifting sand with these pumps until he blowed it plumb down to solid rock. When he got her on the rock he anchored these great big bolts in there and got it ready. And he blowed out each one.

L-44 And then He went over and got around him the very best architects that he could find, the best scientists, the best equipment. He sent away and got steel for his bridge. When he did it, he would not put one piece of steel, not even one bolt, until it was scientifically tested to see if there was any blows in it, to see if there's any little air holes, where in the foundry where they had made it and molded it, to see if it was tested right. Oh, what a--what a memorial that would be if--to his reputation as a bridge builder.

L-45 If he went to that much trouble to be sure that the bridge would be safe, how much trouble do you think God went to, to be sure this church would be safe? Yes, sir. There's a memorial to the death of Christ; that's His church. Some people don't want to live it; some people will. But it's a testing time; God's testing people today for His memorials.
A lot of times people say, "Oh, I'm so tempted." Blessed be the Name of the Lord for the temptations. "When I am weak, then I'm strong," said Paul. "Every son that cometh to God must first be tried and tested." And these testings are more sweeter to you and dearer to you than precious gold. It's testing time.

L-46 Long years ago before they had the smelters, they used to take the gold, and how they would know how it was right or not, with all the sludge was out of it, all of the iron pyrite (that's fools gold), all the fools out of it, they--beaters beat it, and beat it, and turned it, and beat it, and turned it until the beater sees his reflection in the gold.
That's the way God does His church. He gives you trial after trial, test after test, trial after trial, test after test, until the life of Christ is reflected in your life, until you become peaceful, sober, meek, gentle, humble, ready, submissive, willing, turn your head from the things of the world and looking straight to Calvary to the One Who's doing the beating. Many times you think it's strange because fiery trials, and sickness, and persecutions; it's only done to test you, to get the dirt out of you, to get the sludge out of you, to get the slowness out of you, to wake you up to the place where you can look and see the reflection--or men can see the reflection of Christ in you: Christ in you, the hope of glory.


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