<TITLE>04. Par 41-51</TITLE>L-41 Which, I appreciate this invitation from these fine brethren who lets me come, in my illiteracy, and before smart and educated people, and try to get forth this Message that I--I feel that our hearts need. And I--I appreciate that, when many doors closing swiftly behind. So I'm--I'm thankful to these men, and I certainly pray that God bless them.

L-42   Last Saturday morning, I tried to bring a Message that would be what I thought was needful. I spoke on Uzziah, how he was a great man, example before Isaiah. But when he got lifted up, then he tried to take the place of--of a priest, a minister. And, in doing so, God smote him with leprosy. And it was a great lesson to Isaiah, to know not to trust in (what) anything but God. Then he was in the temple, and saw the--the place.

L-43 I asked my brethren. Don't try to take the place of nothing but a businessman, whatever God has called you to do. Don't try to be preachers, 'cause we have a hard enough time, keep It straight, anyhow. And you get It mixed up. So let's just stay what God calls us to be. And I think, to the laity, it's a good thing for us to try to remain.

L-44 Don't try to impersonate somebody else. See? Be just what you are. We'd all like to be a Billy Graham, an Oral Roberts. We'd all like to be that. But, remember, in the Kingdom of God and His great economy, if we'll be the doormat, if that's our place, we'll be just as much as they are. See? But you must maintain your position of where Christ has placed you.
I'd like to speak this morning now on: Investments.

L-45   Now, most any good businessman is interested in some good investments. I chose this because it was businessmen, which would be interested in investments. And most all people like that, investments, and especially it ought to be outstanding to a group of businessmen. And we're always trying to find somewhere to make a few investments, to make a few dollars, or, and that's all right. I have nothing to say against that. That's perfectly all right.

L-46 But I speak to you of the very best investment that I know, to make an investment; very best place, rather, to make an investment.

L-47   Good business, or a good businessman, knows better than to gamble. Don't gamble; you're going to lose. You can't win, gambling. You're a pauper one time, a rich man the next, then back a pauper again. Gambling is a disease. It's just an evil spirit. And it gets onto people, sometime, in mild form. You can gamble in religion. Might not know it, but you can.

L-48 It's just like if a nation would stop to see... You let a drunk man get out here on the street with--with--with his automobile. That man ought to have at least ten years in prison. You let a man go down the street, this morning, with a--with a pistol in his hand, shooting around like that, they would throw the keys away on that guy. They would send him to the inner jails. And then a drunk man can come down the street, he's absolutely just as much in danger of killing somebody as a man is with a pistol, and he gets five dollars for it, or something. See? See? He, he's... It's almost premeditated murder. But, you see, the nation don't look at it that way.

L-49 And neither does people, sometime, when they're gambling, little, mild forms, of saying, "Oh, well, I--I'm as good as the rest of them." That's a gamble. Don't you do that. That's poor business.

L-50   Any good businessman shouldn't take his money and gamble. And--and some... Believers should never gamble. "Oh, well, this is all right. I'll take the chance on it." Don't you do.

L-51 There's a pattern laid down, a definitely thing, and It doesn't belong in any certain group of people. It's God's Word. Don't gamble on That. Now, don't take chances.


<A HREF="P5">Next Page</A>