Benton Church, The Old Country Church

- A Belated Tribute -
TO THE MOTHER OF MY CHILDREN
by Jim Broker

Our Bible tells us, in Proverbs 31 (NIV) about a wife of Noble Character, and as I read it your picture forms in my mind
In verse 10 we are told that such a woman is rare and “worth far more than rubies” which you surely are; and I would happily give all my material possessions to have you back in my arms. But you got promoted to heavenly realms ahead of me.

Verse 11 states that her husband has full confidence in her, which I proved by turning our bank account over to you many years ago; (while you were still in your teens) and you did something I could not: built a savings account while keeping all our bills paid, up to date.

Verses 14 & 15 speaks of a good wife preparing food for her family and I think of the thousands of good meals you prepared for me and others in our sixty years together, besides keeping our home, clothes & dishes clean and raising two little girls.
It also speaks of “getting up at night” to do this, which you did, many times, especially during the years I was a railroad agent on the night shift.

Verse 16 speaks of a good wife handling her husband’s real estate and I remember you buying a property I wanted- for less than I thought possible.

Verse 20 speaks of her giving to the poor and I was so proud of you for wanting us to do that; even when we could have used the money ourselves. Also when the Hospice nurse told me she caught you crying- not because you were dying but “because you had to leave me!” I was deeply touched.

After I was called to the ministry I remember you saying that you couldn’t be a ministers wife- you didn’t feel good enough- but I challenge you to show me a better one- if you can. You got a job and kept our family & household running while I went to preach the Gospel in faraway places
Verse 29 says “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” and because of this my dear, I fully intend to stay true to all our marriage vows until we are reunited in that land where there is no sin, sickness or death, ever!

As I told you before you left. “Keep watching because I will be coming soon and I’ll take you up on that “hand in hand stroll along the River of Life” that we talked about. Remember - “True Love Never Dies.”
-end-

Tomorrow at 2pm we plan to have my monthly Apologetics Bible Class at Mound City's Tiffany Heights rest home AND our Activity Director says the public is welcome to attend. This study is about new evidence found concerning the Resurrection of our Lord & Saviour, Jesus Christ and if you are interested in proving this, beyond a shadow of a doubt I hope you will honor us with your presence in the south day room tomorrow at 2pm to have your faith strengthened.

I was down working on wife's grave the other day and went in and looked over Benton Church. The cold winter was rough on it, plaster is cracking loose both front & back. I wish we could sheet rock it or something and have it open again this summer. Sure do miss having services there. Anybody have any ideas? If that flood hadn't hit we might have got a community project going.

A Message to Men.
by Evangelist Jim Broker
Do you love your wife? God has commanded us to in Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it;”

Now that’s a lot of love! Do you really believe you love your wife that much? Would you willingly submit yourself to torture and/or death to save her? Oh, I know most of us want to answer “Yes” because we know that is the right answer, but take stock here, do you really love her that much?
If you do your daily conversation and actions with her should show it, so she has no doubt. Now what do you think she would answer if one of her friends asked her if she really believed you love her that much?

On down in Ephesians 5, verse 28 says “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.” What do you think that means? I believe it means that we gain a lot if we prove to our wives that we do have that much love for them.

Wouldn’t it be hard to mistreat or leave someone you knew loved you that much? Wouldn’t it be hard to even disobey someone you knew loved you that much?

As many of you know my dear wife of over 60 years recently passed on to her heavenly home after a 2 ½ year battle with cancer. During which time I gave up most of my hobbies and devoted most of my time to my wife and I am so glad I did. I told the Dr. "But I was praying for a miracle!
He responded, "Well you got your miracle- none of us here expected her to last near this long!"

About 2 or 3 days before Mary passed on I was in the living room and her Hospice nurse came out of her bedroom to speak to me.

She said, “Mr. Broker your wife is crying. She knows she is dying but that is not why she is crying. She is crying because she has to leave you!” Don’t you think that affected me at the deepest level?

I spent the next couple of nights beside her bed. First in an office chair to be as close as I could get and her next night on my knees with an arm around her shoulders until I just had to go to a recliner and take a nap after a male nurse & a preacher both advised me to, after a glance at me I guess they thought I looked sleep deprived.

But then Mary passed on while I was asleep, although daughter Cathy was there holding her hand.

But I am so thankful that during her last two years there were few, if any, days that I did not tell her, “Thank you for being my wife and staying with me all this time, Thank you for all the dishes & clothes you have washed, all the meals you have fixed, for keeping our home clean, raising our children, and so many other things!”

Then she would smile & respond; “Thanks for keeping me!” I told her, “Well I love you & there’s nothing you can do to change that. Even if you slapped me in the face, told me you hated me and were divorcing me for another man- I would still love you!” God put this love inside me and it’s not killable.

I am also thankful that I took time every night, for the last year or two, to have evening devotions with her. She said she just loved to lay on our sofa and have me sit and read to her. First out of a secular or Bible based book she liked, then out of the Bible itself, then she liked me to sing a song or two, maybe 3 on a good night, out of our hymnal, then I would kneel beside her and pray. Then we could go to bed as happy, as possible.

Sometimes we also had a nice conversation and made plans to be reunited, up there, where there is no sin, no sickness, no hatred, just love & peace everywhere, about taking a hand in hand stroll along the River of Life. I still wear the wedding band she worked for and bought me and I still consider us married, just separated for a short time. Time really goes fast in your 70’s!

Yes I know our Bible says there will be no marriages in Heaven but consider this we were married on earth where our Bible says “two shall become one” (Matt. 19:5 & Mark 10:8) so just maybe God will honor that in Heaven also and we can still be together, with each other and with our Lord for all eternity.
She said, “I used to be pretty but now I’m ugly! I said, “Not to me- to me you are the most beautiful woman in the whole world, right now!”

So boys, please consider what I say: put your arms around your wife and tell her you love & appreciate her- every day.

Then maybe you can build this strong a foundation in your relationship. You made mistakes? Well so did we in 60 years, lots of them, but we confess, repent & forgive and they can’t kill true love. You can go on, even stronger for the experience!
Try it you might even get to like it. (I know you will in your senior years) The media tells us that in the USA today around 50% of marriages end in divorce (even higher on the 2nd try) AND THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.

It is damaging to both you & her & especially to any children involved, it’s damaging to your financial status and that of this nation. I think Mary and I sort of stand as a test that worked and it can work for you too. Try it.
>

Men be good to your wives. You never know when you might lose them and, if you love them, I guarantee that is one of the worst traumas you will ever face on this earth. Maybe like being mauled by a lion.

Knowing that, in this life, you will never again hold her in your arms; you will never again relish that good-night kiss; never again get to talk over old times, that relate to you & her; or discuss plans for the future or the pleasure of just going out to eat together. All of these wonderful things are now banished to the past; and you know that when your go to bed at night & when you wake up in the morning. You can’t forget; not even if you want to.

But I am so happy that I formed the habit, a few years ago, of telling my wife, sometime every day, “Thank you for being my wife.” It seemed to make her happy. Recently I have been adding, “and I thank you for all the meals you have cooked, all the dishes & clothes you have washed and all the many other things you have done to make our house a home.”

She asked me; “Do you think I’ll make it- to Heaven?” I said, “Well I am nobody’s judge but I teach we need to Believe, Repent & be Baptized. You believe don’t you?

She said, “Yes- with all my heart!” Then I said “and you have repented of all sin” to which she replied, “Every one of them!” Then I said, “And I know you’ve been baptized- both of us and both daughters were baptized in a creek at a south Missouri camp meeting; so I don’t know why you wouldn’t make it to Heaven. That seemed to satisfy her.

Maybe that is why a nurse that was working with her recently came out and told me, “Your wife is crying & you know why she’s crying? Not because she is dying but because she will have to leave you! “ Then she added; “She really needs to pass on and get out of her pain & misery but she needs your OK for that. Why don’t you go in there and tell her it’s OK to go on so she can get out of her suffering?“

Well I did that; but do you have any idea how hard it was for me? I put my arm around her and said; “It’s OK hon, I don’t want you to suffer so it’s ok with me if you want to go on ahead, but keep watching because I’ll be coming before long & there will be no more pain in Heaven for us.”

I believe she passed through the gate around 220am the next morning. I was about brain dead from being beside her bed for the past 2 nights so, at the prompting of the nurse & a preacher friend here to help, I went in the living room, sat down in my recliner about 1030pm & passed out like a light.

Next thing I knew daughter Cathy was waking me saying “Daddy- Mama’s gone to Heaven!” Cathy was holding her mother’s hand & said all at once she opened her eyes, raised up & looked up then gave a big smile, like she’d seem some thing wonderful, laid back down and it was all over.
Like I said when we came home & found our new home flooded; The Lord Giveth & The Lord taketh away. Blessed be The Name of The Lord. But I will always thank Him for the 60+ years that Mary and I had together and I really do look forward to our being reunited again in just a few years. Also for the extra 2 and 1/2 years we got, after diagnosed, that the medics said was a miracle in itself.
>

I haven't been on here for quite a while but have a very good- make that BAD- reason, and I want all you husbands out there to listen up! If you are lucky enough to have a wife living TELL HER YOU LOVE HER EVERY DAY (even if sometimes you don't agree about something)
I tell my wife there is NOTHING she could say or do that would change my Love for her; and I try to remember to thank her every day for being my wife (even though we do often disagree on things)
BECAUSE IT WILL BE OVER FAR TOO SOON to let such things cause either of you to have any bad feelings toward each other. LIFE HERE IS VERY SHORT.
Mary is rapidly digressing to where she can hardly get up by herself & stomach swelling badly, with lots of pain. 2x today I have had to help her up and can hardly do it anymore as my back has been almost completely ruined by wrestling, weight lifting and hard work.
It feels like Hell is having a tea party torturing both Mary & myself. If you don't believe that both Heaven & Hell are real just let Hell get ahold of you and you will soon change your mind.
I have preached for Christ & Heaven- and against the Devil & Hell- in several diff. states and several diff. countries and now it feels like Hell is getting even with me AND although Christ has answered many prayers for me and I have seen several healings in answer to prayer - for some reason He hasn't seen fit yet to come to our rescue on this.
MAYBE this is our last great test- Will we stay true even if He stays out of this fight? PLEASE PRAY THAT MY (AND MARY'S) FAITH WILL BE SUFFICENT TO THIS TEST-
Because we both feel that Hell has a hold of us and the fire is HOT. But our faith is still in THE LORD OUR GOD even if He never steps in to help us. Your prayers are appreciated.
-Jim & Mary Broker - (in pains of Hell) to all our friends.

We might consider having another service or two, and make the rafters ring with some old fashioned singing & preaching, if enough people would come. So I need to know how many of you would be interested in attending such a service at this old country church. Also would you prefer it on a Saturday or a Sunday? Maybe a Friday & Saturday evening then a Sunday morning service to conclude. Leave a note and tell me what you would like and if you could attend.

Most of you probably know I have been blessed to minister in various parts of the world.

A few years ago I was preaching at Tiffany Heights, our local nursing home, and there were a number of visitors in the crowd. Back in the middle of the room, towards the back, a visitor caught my eye and motioned me to come to her.

So after I had finished and dismissed the service I went back to see what this lady wanted. She said she recently had an experience she just had to tell me about.

She and her husband had been vacationing deep in old Mexico, not too long ago; and one day they were running low on gasoline. Then they saw a service station and pulled up to the pumps. A young Mexican man came running out to service their car and as he was doing so he noticed that their license plate said Missouri.

Then he came around and asked her if they were really from Missouri. She told him yes they were and then he asked her if she knew Jim Broker.

She said that just blew her away to find some one that far from home that knew me. I replied, "Well, I get around." She said, "You must!"

It was nice to be remembered but I hope the young man remembered my sermons and put them into practice as well.

I am thankful that our Lord has been able to use me to carry His Gospel to various places on this earth. It has been a great privilege to serve Him and carry His message of salvation from sin & its consequences to other lands & peoples and see all the beauty & diversity He has created.

OK, I was invited so here's my Sermon for next Sunday- early this time.
IN WHOSE IMAGE?
by Evangelist Jim Broker

In Matthew 22:15-21 The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus into making a statement that they could use to bring charges against him, and asked him in verse 17 “Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute (tax?) unto Caesar, or not?

But Jesus had a ready answer and in verse 19 asked them to show him a coin; then in verse 20 “And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? (Inscription) (21) They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”

And that makes perfect sense doesn’t it? If I lose a tool with my name inscribed on it and it is found in another man’s toolbox and I call the law they will tell the man to give me my tool; and maybe take him to jail for theft also.

Now back in Genesis 1:27 we are told, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Now this has to have spiritual implications as we are also told, in John 4:24 “God is a Spirit:.. and in Luke 24:39 that “…a spirit hath not flesh and bones,…”

so consequently what is recorded is that God made Adam & Eve in His spiritual image and that would have naturally flowed on into their children as it was written in their DNA.

Now we find that spiritual image pictured in Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance:” These are all characteristics of the “image of God” that Adam & Eve had in the beginning.

However Satan deceived Eve with a lie and got her to commit sin, and she in turn got Adam to do so, which immediately destroyed the image of God in them as there can be no sin in God. So then they bore the image of Satan (a sinner).

This was shortly proven, that evening, when God came down from Heaven to Earth, as usual, to visit with Adam & Eve. Although they had enjoyed his company before they were now afraid of Him and He had the unpleasant task of evicting them from their garden home.

Many years have flowed by since then and great numbers of people have been born into this world and lived awhile then passed away into eternity.

But God has promised that someday He will set everything right again and this makes it necessary that there be a great judgment day when all people who ever lived will have to stand before God’s court and be judged if they are worthy of the eternal bliss of Heaven or the horrors of everlasting damnation; and here’s where Jesus coin story will come into play.

All those who bear the image of God will be given to Him to populate that beautiful, eternal place named Heaven, and it must follow that all who bear the image of Satan will be given to him to spend all eternity with; and there will be crying and gnashing of teeth when the sentence is read because this will be your estate forever & forever; either eternal bliss or eternal torment
So let me ask you, my friend, at this very moment- who’s image are you bearing? If you were to die tonight what image would you present to a Holy God? His- or that of Satan, a sinner? This is serious business- your forever is at stake! Which verdict would you rather hear?

Look in the mirror of your conscience and tell me what you see? Is your life reflecting the holy image of Jesus Christ or that of the sinner- Satan?

Many say they are not sure where they would go if they were suddenly taken out of this world, as many have been! Here is a quick way you can know for sure! Go on- look in the mirror of your conscience right now and then tell me what verdict would an honest judge have to give you???

BUT- as long as your heart is still beating, you have your right mind AND the trumpet hasn’t blown- if your verdict is bad you still have a chance to change it. People in Hell would give everything they had for your opportunity to change the verdict- and are you going to let it pass?

My Bible tells me in Hebrews 13:12 “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.” To sanctify means to purify, to change people into “a new creature” one that is holy, just & good.

2Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Jesus suffered & died for you so that you can be made fit material for Heaven. Did He die in vain for you? He did if you refuse to be changed and restored to God’s image. Then God, though He loves you, will have no other choice on the judgment day- He will have to give you to the one whose image you bear! Just like what He said about the coin.

The devil, and his preachers, try to tell us that sinners can get to Heaven, just like he told Eve she “wouldn’t surely die” if she disobeyed God. Well she proved the devil a liar. She did die.

So who are you going to believe tonight? You are going to die too, sooner or later, and it very well could be sooner than you think AND then your fate will be sealed. BUT praise God forever- NOW you still are among the living so you HAVE A CHANCE TO CHANGE YOUR ETERNAL DESTINY.

Please don’t let this opportunity slip away, like so many in the past. Like the old camp meeting song pleads “COME & BE SAVED”, Oh-why not tonight? You’ll never have a better chance, maybe never again a chance of any kind! Oh be wise, come while you may! While the Spirit is pleading with you and you feel that drawing toward the altar. Leave the image of sin and be made anew in the beautiful image of Christ, our only Saviour. Please come before the door shuts for you forever. Find a quiet place, fall on your knees before God, repent of all sin and ask Him to change you into His image, by the blood Jesus shed for you on Calvary.

Sermon for Today. Sunday 6-24-18
DO REAL CHRISTIANS SIN?
by Evangelist Jim Broker

Most of the “church world”, across various denominations, today, claim that they are “sinners (in the present tense) saved by grace. Many almost seem proud of telling what terrible sinners they are and yet God has accepted them. But is this true or is it another deception of the anti-Christ who is busy at work in today’s culture to deceive all he can to get them away from God?

2Corinthians 11:14 “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (15) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” HOW MANY CHURCHES OF TODAY HAVE PREACHERS WHO ARE REALLY WORKING FOR SATAN? Christ’s true preachers are teaching people to get born again & live holy lives. Satan’s are saying impossible!

First of all are you aware that the dictionary definition of a “Christian” is “Christ like; a follower of Christ.” Now we know sinners don’t fit either category. So that means A TRUE CHRISTIAN IS NOT A SINNER & A SINNER IS NOT A CHRISTIAN. No matter what they say.

If you discover that your church is teaching that you can’t live holy in this world you need to obey 2Corinthians 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you,” Find a Church that teaches truth.

I hear the anti-Christ has even convinced many (even some preachers) that our Bible is full of errors. I had a young man tell me that once, in company with several other railroad employees and I challenged him. I said, “Oh, it is?” To which he smilingly replied, “Oh yes, I don’t pay it much attention because it’s just full of errors.” I replied, “Well I have been studying it since I was about 8 years old and I haven’t found one yet; I wonder if you could show me one- just one?” His smile faded and he began back peddling. “Well I don’t know it that well, so I couldn’t find one- but I know there’re in there!” Now I smiled and said, “Well, if you ever do find one please come and show me.” I think the other men began walking away from him at this point. That was years ago & he’s never shown me one yet. I have found that where there seem to be errors or contradictions a little deeper study (reinforced with prayer for understanding) will resolve the problem.

So I will assume that my readers still have faith that our Holy Bible is indeed the true word of God, as has been believed by Christians for centuries, especially in America, and will use that time honored book to prove my point that true Christians are released from the bo***ge of sin.

Let’s begin with the book of John chapter 5 verse 14 where Jesus was talking with the man He had just healed at the pool of Bethesda. “…sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” and then let’s jump to John chapter 8 verse 11 and we find Jesus talking to “the woman taken in adultery” whom the religious rulers were going to kill but Jesus rescued her, then told her, “neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more.” Now either it was possible for both those people to “go and sin no more” or else Christ was very cruel to them; commanding them to do the impossible. You must decide which it was.

As for me I believe what He told them was possible- and reasonable; because I have read in Hebrews 13:12 “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.” And the world “sanctify” according to Webster means “to purify and/or set apart as sacred or holy.”

Also Romans 5:19 tells us, (speaking of God’s free gift of righteousness to us) “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” And on down in chapter 6 verses 1-2 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (3) Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (4) Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (I hope you will read the rest of this chapter also- and verse 18 says “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”)

How could it be any plainer that Christ earned for us NOT ONLY forgiveness of past sins- but the ABILITY TO LIVE A SIN FREE LIFE HERE & NOW, to His Glory! Not by our power but by His mighty power- The devil is defeated and Romans 6:22 gives us something to sing & rejoice about: “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”

That is why the writer of Galatians 2:17 can ask the question “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.” AND THE SECRET to this power to live without sin is found in Gal. 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:…” HALLELUJAH I AM FREE – JESUS GIVES ME VICTORY! Like the old song we sing!

Just like Peter wrote in 2Peter 1:4 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

That is why John wrote in 1John 3:5-10 “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins: and in him is no sin. (6) Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. (8) He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (9) Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (10) In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil…”

There is much more. Our Bible is filled with references such as I have given and also the words of many of our old songs “Victory in Jesus”, “There is Power in The Blood”, etc. and the writings of well known preachers of generations past are all filled with their belief that there are only two classes of people in this world; Saints and Sinners. Which are you? Which do you want to be? JESUS made it possible for you to be a SAINT if you really want to be.

Yes there is a class of people “who cannot cease from sin” Peter tells about them in his book. 2Peter 2:14 “Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: (15) Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray,..” and I believe they are filling most churches today but they are NOT the children of God. His children are called to be saints. (1Corinthians 1:2 )

Brother Timothy told us in his book (2Tim. 3:5) that there would be a class of religious folks “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (The power of godliness, The Word & Spirit of God, is and always has been to turn sinners into saints.)

So as a God called evangelist (not a man made one) my best advice to you is- if your church is not preaching, teaching and practicing holy living GET OUT OF IT & FIND ONE THAT DOES. Because our Lord has commanded: “Be ye holy for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44, 19:2, 20:7 and 1Peter 1:16) and if your church is not leading you into a Spirit filled life of holiness they are taking you down a wrong path. God wants & will have Holy Children in Heaven and they are to be made that way right here on this earth by the Power & Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

To all my Pentecostal friends YES I do believe in being filled with and led by The Holy Spirit but my Heavenly Father has shown me that the only proof of being Holy Spirit filled is by a Holy Life- NOTHING ELSE – because a Holy life is the goal. Please pray about this and see if He doesn’t confirm to you that this is true.

Oh- just one more thing. I suppose you know that Jesus Christ built the true Church (Matthew 16:18) which was represented as “his body” and “his bride” to illustrate its different traits. After He ascended to Heaven his Church was continued by His disciples, then others that followed and from the beginning there was no argument that sinners were not Christians & Christians were not sinners. (In their earlier life they had sinned but now they were transformed into real saints)

The idea that people could not be fully saved on earth (ie transformed from sinners into saints in this life) came in later down the line, infused into some churches by the gnostics. There is some thought that “The Apostles’ Creed” was formulated to combat this heresy; which has today found its way into so many modern churches in the past century. But God is still ready, able and willing to lead His true children and if you will pray about this I believe He will reveal the truth.

Remember the old camp-meeting song “Heaven is a Holy Place, filled with glory & with grace, sin shall never enter there, so if at the judgment bar, sinful spots your soul shall mar, YOU shall never enter there.”

Our Lord said “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:14) Also in Matt. 7:22 there were church people who had done a lot of things for the Lord, they thought, but were barred out for not being holy.

Lesson: works won’t get you there, you must be cleansed by the blood of The Lamb. (Sanctified wholly) Are you? He can do it, if you’ll let Him. You can live above sin, free from sin of any kind by the power of Christ our Lord but your all must be on the altar to receive this grace. Pray until you are filled with the real Holy Spirit and have power over all sin. Power to live like a true son or daughter of the Lord God Almighty, and to cause Him to be "well pleased" with you.

> end