<TITLE>05. Par 33-45</TITLE>L-33   And when a man or a woman, no matter whether he's a bishop or a cardinal, or whatever he might be, when you begin to feel that you are self-reliant, then you better begin to watch and take heed. Because, God won't let you go like that, because He will not share His glory with anyone. No, sir. God takes glory, alone.

L-34 Sometimes God can bless a man and give him a little ministry that's maybe a little better than his brethren, or not better, but just something a little different from his brethren. And the first thing you know, the man becomes exalted, with his chest out, and, oh, my, he would, he would brush you off the street. And, that, that's the time that I believe that man is started out the door, 'cause God can't use a person like that.

L-35   This king, though being a godly man as he was, he felt self-sufficient. He felt like that he could hoist himself up in pride, that he could just take over and do whatever he wanted to, nobody else he had to ask.
But, remember, we're always under God. God is our God.

L-36 And we find out, he got lifted up, and he--he got so lifted up till he thought that, because he had been 'blessed of God,' he could 'take a minister's place,' so he took the censer and went in to take a minister's place. He got out of his place of duty.

L-37   That's what I've always said to these Full Gospel Business Men, "Don't you never try to be preachers." The preachers has a hard enough time to keep the thing straight. And then we're doing a very poor job out of it and then especially take a businessman that's not even called to the work at all. See, when you do that, you're stepping beyond your boundaries.

L-38 And you might take a lesson for this. There is many people out, even in the pulpit tonight, preaching, that oughtn't to be there, because it's more of a meal ticket, or to be popular amongst the people, or--or to have a--a--a little more than someone else has got, or have a few praise by somebody patting you on the back, or something. See, sometimes they become a priest.

L-39 Jesus said, "You devour widows' houses, and desire the high seats, and, for a showing, make long prayers." He said, "You will just receive that much more damnation for it." See?

L-40 We--we mustn't, never, get to that place. We must always remember that God wants us to be humble. The way up is down. Humble yourself, and you're exalted. And if you exalt yourself, you will be brought to abased.

L-41   Now we find out that this fellow tried to take the place of a minister, which he was not qualified.

L-42 Yet, God blessed him, he was a great man. He had strengthened his kingdom against all the nations of the world. They were bringing in glory and giving it to him, and sheep and cattle. And he had herdsmen, and vine--vineyard dressers and, oh, everything. He was living in luxury, then he begin to come puffed up.

L-43 We find out that even a church, a local church can be humble and have a--a little place serving the Lord with trueness of heart; and let them get just a little better, somebody help them and they get a--a fine church, or they'll try to make it a little better than the one down on the corner, and then the congregation walks around with their chest out. That, see, we--we must remember, that's the wrong thing.

L-44   God told Israel, "When you were, I found you in the field, you were bloody," and the condition it was in, "and then when you become fed up, and--and got prettied up, then it..." she turned her back on God, and be-... played the part of a--of a prostitute, and invited everybody to see her. And we see that God isn't pleased with that at all.

L-45 And even this great, mighty king of Israel here, when he tried to make hisself take a position that he did not... wasn't ordained to. And we find out the--the priests here, run in and told him, "That isn't your place. You're not supposed to do that, for God has consecrated men for this."


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