<TITLE>08. Par 28-32</TITLE>L-28 I was reading in the Nicene Fathers, the post-Nicene Council, that where St. Augustine of Hippo, setting with St. Martin one day as he was visiting him at the monastery. Out in the back yard in the garden God gave him the opportunity to receive the Holy Ghost, like Martin did. But he turned it away, so interested in the--the dogmas of Rome till he couldn't receive the Holy Spirit. Many times we get that way, so interested in other things. Sometimes we're so interested in time that we're brought right into the Presence of the Lord Jesus and walk away.

L-29 A man interested me the other night on the platform when he was speaking about going to one of the conventions and taking his whiskey and cigars. That's all he knowed about a convention. But I'm glad that he accepted the opportunity. So many times we don't do that: accept the opportunity.
This courier delivering the message, and in the Presence of the Lord Jesus, and yet was just stupid enough, if I must say it, to turn away, and think that he had did all that was necessary. Sometimes we go to school and get a Ph.D. or LL.D., go into a Pentecostal meeting and--to tell them that the days of miracles is past because the bishop sent us to tell them so, and turn away from the very fact that we're in the Presence of Jesus Christ.

L-30 What an opportunity God gave that man, that poor miserable man. I wish I could've stood there. I'd have fell down at His feet the first thing 'fore I said anything about what the cardinal wanted. I'd said, "Lord Jesus, be merciful to me a sinner." That'd have been the first thing in my life, knowing that He was Life, and the only Resource to God was through Him. I would've accepted Him, let Him be my personal Saviour first, and let the mission that the cardinal had give me, or the pope, or district man, or whatever he was that had give me a mission; I'd have sought Christ first.

L-31 I think that ought to be the sole duty of every man and woman that attends these meetings, regardless of what somebody else said. You've been brought into the Presence of Christ. No matter how successful, or unsuccessful, no matter how great, or how poor, no matter what you are, at the first opportunity, fall at His feet and say, "Lord, be merciful to me." Then come, tell the businessmen you'd like to join their ranks. Put God first.
This most miserable man, how we would look at him this morning if we could pull back the curtain, and see if that was continually his attitude, to turn from the Presence of Christ, when he'd had the opportunity to stand by Him. What a miserable person that is yet today, because he lives somewhere. And it might be you and I after this meeting today. It depends on our attitude when we're in His Presence. Always accept it.

L-32 But he turned his back upon the Lord and walked away feeling relief, satisfied, that he had done what he was told to do. Sometimes it's not good to do what you're told to do. In that case, it was right.
So then we find out that he must've hurried back and brought the commission and... "I found him; I--I know who he is. I met him, and I told him. And I've got His promise that he will be here. He will be here. He said he would be here."
Now, there's something wrong with this scene. There's something wrong somewhere. Those Pharisees didn't like Jesus. They hated Him. They couldn't find His Name on their denominational roll. They could find none of their schools of theology He'd come through. But He'd come through one, not theirs, God's. So we find out that these Pharisees hated Him. He had no cooperation with them. They despised Him.


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