<TITLE>15. Par 56-58</TITLE>L-56 A little later on there was a rich young man by the name of Paul. And he was going around making havoc of these people, and he was on his road to Damascus. He knowed that there was a God, but he thought that was a bunch of holy-rollers. Why? He'd never investigated the policy holders. He'd run in, and persecuted them, made laugh--laughter at them. Many of us has done the same thing when we seen it: run in, and make fun of it, and say, "A bunch of holy-rollers."
But one day on his road to Damascus he was stricken down. And he looked up, and he saw that Pillar of Fire that led his father, Moses, and his fathers through the wilderness.
And He said, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?"
He said, "Who are You, Lord?"
He said, "I'm Jesus."
He found out and was sure that God had been made flesh and dwelt among us. He knowed by the Bible because he understood the Word, that that truly was the Messiah. And he had seen the vindication of it. And as soon as he seen the vindication of it, he was ready then to cash in, and he was going to get him a policy. He went on down into Damascus, and Ananias come, and laid hands on him, and baptized him, and he received the Holy Ghost. What a great thing it is. Yes.

L-57 When he saw that Pillar of Fire, and knew it was the Lord that had been made flesh... They knowed that that truly was Messiah, because He said, "I come from God, and went to God." He came from the Pillar of Fire. He said in His teaching, "Before Moses--before Abraham was, I AM." And the I AM was the One was in the burning bush. And here He was made flesh and dwelt among us, which is correctly Messiah. And there He returned back.
And it kind of stumped Paul. And we understand that he went to another nation and studied the thing through for three years before he come back. And he saw He was the Word made flesh. When he did that he was ready, oh, to invest his whole life and everything he had, all of his popularity, all of his education.
He said, "I forgot everything I ever knowed in order to know Christ." He was ready to forsaken his great teaching from Gamaliel. He was ready to cash in his organization papers. He was ready, 'cause they'd kick him out anyhow. But he had found out something. Amen.
He'd found a firm that was reliable, because that Christ had died and rose again; and here He was again in that same Pillar of Fire. Hallelujah. (Don't get scared. That means, "Praise our God.") He wanted to make an investment. He was a great businessman; he had good sense. So he made the investment, and he become a bond slave of love to Christ. Oh, what an investment he made. That's what we all need to make. That's exactly right.

L-58 What a rashal decision (now in closing) for that young ruler. What a rashal thing he did. What a--an unethical thing for a businessman to do. When a man of business and had been prosperous, and was given the opportunity to receive an a vindicated policy, a man that he had seen in Him, hisself, the power of Almighty God working, and knowed that no man could do those things except God was with Him... And he was given the opportunity to receive Him, and rationality he turned it down.
He'd rather have the popularity of the riches of the world. He'd rather have the glamour that he lived in. May I say this with love and reverence? That's what's the matter with our churches.


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