<TITLE>05. Par 34-42</TITLE>L-34   When Judas fell, by transgression, by the love of money and the pride of life, he fell from grace and went to his place. And the disciples said, "There must be twelve." And the church, with all of its dignity, to show you what the church is; with all of its dignity and all of its power, it's still millions of miles short, at its very best. They said, "We've got to look out, one among us, who will take the place." And they chose, by casting lots, Matthias. Mattheas, I believe, or Matthias. Matthias, I believe it is. And whenever they chose him and put him with the twelve, with the eleven, which made up the twelve, he did not do one thing. That's the only time his name is ever mentioned in the Scriptures. That was the church making its choice.

L-35 Now, they thought, "He is a gentleman." No doubt. "He's a wonderful man. He's a scholar. He's smart. He's educated. He's a wonderful person. He would take the place of Judas and be one of us."

L-36   But, you know, God sometimes makes some of the... to our opinion, some of the most foolish choices. Now, God seen a little hook-nosed Jew, just as full of temper as he could be, with his mouth setting sideways, "I'll go down, arrest every one of them. I'll--I'll throw them in jail. I'll do this." That was God's choice.
The rest of them taken a scholar and a diplomat. That's the church's choice.

L-37 See, you don't know who that is at the altar. You don't know who that is you're testifying, in jail or wherever it is. It might look like a pugilist, his ears broke down, eyes skinned up, and, but you don't know who that is. You just cast your lot, that's all, give him the Word. God takes the choice.

L-38 And God choose this little high-tempered Jew, or chose him, rather. On his road down, "I'll go down and get them. I'll--I'll show them what I can do like that," and God just knocked him down.
God said, "That's my choice, right there."

L-39 Wouldn't that be foolish, to the church? "Why, he persecutes the church. He's a carnal man." But God knowed what was on the inside of man. See what I mean?

L-40   So, Paul had an experience. How many believes experience comes by conversion? Sure. If it hasn't, I would doubt the conversion. A conversion brings experience. And you can't lot it to anything now. Sometimes it might be shouting. Sometimes it might be speaking with tongues. Sometimes it might be weeping. Sometimes it might be groaning. You don't know what it is, so don't try to lot it. Because, every one of you has proved to be wrong in it, you Methodists, and you Baptists, and you Nazarenes, and Pentecostals.

L-41 I seen people shout just as hard as they could shout, and steal the gold out of your teeth, they could. Yes, sir. I seen people speak with tongues like pouring peas on a dry cowhide, and--and honest to goodness, with a chew tobacco on other side of the mouth, and cut your throat if they could do it. That's right. So them things has not... There's no evidence that you can prove it, only by the life the person lives. "By their fruit, you shall know them."

L-42   So, that's all up to God. He makes a choice. He brings the things together, and that's the way it is. So if your life is comparing with the fruits of the Bible, you got a pretty good conception. If your spirit is bearing record with His Spirit, that your sons and daughters of God, you're... Although, evil has dropped away, and everything has become new, and you're living in love, and you got peace, and grace, and so forth, you're getting pretty close to the Kingdom then. Because, the Life that's in you is producing that kind of a life. See?


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