<TITLE>08. Par 68-80</TITLE>L-68 Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt has lost its savor, it is henceforth good for nothing; cast out, trod under the feet of men." We must never forget that. We are salt. But if its salt loses its strength, that's, its--its power to contact. And salt can only save as it contacts. And if it loses its power of contact, then it is no more salt, but it's sand. It's to be made walks.

L-69   And when we lose our influence as a father, as a mother, as a Christian, as a businessman, as a minister, when we lose our influence with people! Now, we can be very popular in the line of the world, and go along with the world; but I mean, as what we represent, we represent Christ. When we lose our influence as that, as standing out... How can we blend in with the day when God is so against the day?

L-70 How could Micaiah say, "Go on up and prosper. My vision is right with yours," when he knowed that God had cursed that evil people? His vision had to be contrary.

L-71 And a man's vision today, that could go with the trend of the world and still remain a minister, there is something wrong with the man's vision. You know what God said about this rich Laodicean church; put Him on the outside. We cannot stand with the popular belief and vote of the day. We've got to be against that thing. Now, so it...

L-72   This king got along fine until he found out that all the nations was fearing him. He become largely populated. His kingdom got built up. And he got lifted up in his heart, with pride. "You see, we're just... I'm just a big man now." And that's the way out.

L-73 The way up is down. How do you know which is up or down? Cause, if the world stand in space, how do you know which is up or down? So, always, "He that humbles himself, God will exalt. He that exalts himself, God will bring to abase." He'll bring him down. Always keep humble, and be little in your own sight. No matter what God does for you, just see how much more humbler you can be, all the time. More God blesses you, just keep getting more humble, all the time. He can continue to bless.

L-74 But when you get to a place, you think, "I've got it," you haven't got it. You're on your road out. That's right. See? You lose your influence. You lose the--the your strength of your testimony.

L-75 When you women begin to want to be like the rest the women, there is something wrong. When you men, you ministers, they try to become like a pattern after somebody else, when you businessmen try to do business on the scale that somebody else would do it on, because they're prosperous. Prosperity don't always represent success in Christ, sometimes very much to the contrary. See?

L-76   Now, pride. He got lifted up, and he thought, "What a great fellow I am!" So much, he got lifted up, till he tried to take the place of a minister. He goes into the temple, which took, picked up the censer of fire, and went up to the altar of incense. Now, that was only consecrated men could do that.

L-77 Now, as I have said before, so say I again. Businessmen are not preachers. We preachers have enough time to try to keep this Thing straight, let alone businessmen. You all are businessmen, not ministers. And don't take the place of one, or try to, because you're not called for such. If you want somebody to speak at your conventions, get a preacher, somebody that's called to do so. Because, you see what a struggle us ministers has got. And so you see what you do.

L-78 And Uzziah here, he tried to--to take the place of a priest. He thought, "Well, God has blessed me. Why can't I do it?"

L-79 Don't you never get that in your head. God calls, and predestinates, and foreordains, to His glory. Nothing...

L-80   You remember in the Bible, when Moses was bringing Israel out of Egypt, across, through, to the promised land? Do you remember one in there, Dathan and those who got lifted up, and said, "Now, wait a minute! Moses, you try to be the only one on the beat. There's other holy men among here"?


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