OUR CHURCH

The Veil

The  veil     (2 cor 3:14)

Prologue: in a university, there lived a group of people who are cultist, holigans who wanted to enjoy life.

Act 1  scene 1

(two groups of friends came in discussing on how their day went in school, suddenly they see a guy on blue top, black trouser, blue shoe and a blue face cap around in school premises)

Segun: (Segun and Dapo coming from school) Dapo how was lectures today? I hope todays class was not boring for you again because I know say all the class you dey always attend dey always boring to you, so how far todays class na same old story abi?

(segun smiles and changes the expression on his face)

Dapo:(looks at segun with one side of his eye, gestures follows) you know say I no dey ever enjoy school life how much more lecture things abeg leave that side I am proudly isakaba and that is the reason why I am still here in school so lets change the………………….(he suddenly sees a brother on blue blue and paused his speech to call segun’s attention to it and they both paused to see and Dapo stopped the brother)

Dapo: hello! helo! Brother, heeloooo(the brother looks back with a earpiece in his ear) I have been calling you for sometime now but I guess u didn’t hear me.

Nelson: oh I am so sorry I didn’t hear you call

Dapo: anyway there is no problem please can I see you for just two mins I want to have a word with you

Nelson: ofcourse there is no problem since its just two minutes

Dapo: ok thanks, please lets have our sit

(they all have their seats while Dapo introduce segun to Nelson)

Dapo: This is my friend segun (then turned to segun and said) and this is………..oh sorry I didn’t get your name please may we know your name?

Nelson: ofcourse my name is Nelson Davies

Dapo: wao that’s a good name from a good person like you (Dapo faces segun and asked) I hope u caught the name?

Segun: (smiles) yes I did

Nelson: (to Dapo) I didn’t get your name also

Dapo: I am so sorry I remain my humble self Dapo

Nelson: alright then Dapo lets be fast time waits for no man

Dapo: am sorry Nelson maybe I should just have your number I would call you and come meet you in your hostel tomorrow or probably tonight

(Nelson without hesitating gave Dapo his phone number, they all shook hands and Nelson left while Dapo and Segun went their own way)

Light   fades

Act 1   scene 2

(Nelson in his room preparing to go to church when he hears a knock on his door)

Nelson: who is there?

Dapo:it is I Dapo

Nelson: please do come in

(Dapo and Segun comes in)

Nelson: welcome to my small abode, I hope it was not to stressfull to locate?

Dapo: not at all (turns to segun to ask him) abi segun was it?

Segun: not at all

Nelson: thank God, so what would you like me to offer you guys?

Segun: just give us water we are ok with that

Nelson: ok then

(Nelson went to get the water while Dapo and Segun had a silent discussion)

Nelson: (came in with a jug of water and two glass cups and served it to Dapo) have it

(turned to segun and also gives him his) have urs too( Nelson put the jug of water on a small table and then have his seat)

Dapo: yes Nelson let me just go straight to the point why we are here, for us not to waste your time I can see you are in a hurry to get to a place

Nelson: Yes I am preparing to go to church

Dapo & Segun: (together) church?

Nelson: Yes church or are you guys muslims?

Dapo & Segun: (both smiled) muslims ke

Segun: my name is segun and his name is Dapo and you call us muslims no we be confirm Christians

Nelson: Then  why did you guys chorus my word like that

Dapo: we were only surprise that today is Tuesday and you are talking about going to church and you went to church on Sunday or didn’t you?

Nelson: {smiled} ofcourse I did today is prayer meeting (now putting on his shoes)

Dapo: alright to my previous discussion, yesterday when I saw you, you were putting on combination of blue why? Or are you in any secret cult?

Nelson: no God forbid I was……………………………

Segun: what do you mean by God forbid, (his expression changes)is it a bad thing to be in a secret cult?

Nelson: (now scared,stammering) no…………………no………………….i was only saying th……………at

Dapo: (smiles, put his mind round nelson’s neck ) relax we are not here to harm you, but to tell us why you put it on?

Nelson: I only just put it on because I love the club Chelsea and you know it is a blue colour club

Dapo: wao I also love that club

Nelson: ehn ehn up blues?

Segun: (shouted at him) will you common keep quiet and shut up

(Nelson now shivering)

Dapo: (to segun) please take it easy on this boy, so nelson since you are not in any cult I would advice you to please stop putting on combination of clothes because you can be initiated by any one to join a secret cult do you understand?

Nelson: yes I do

Segun: good

Dapo: nelson we would release you now so you can go to church but please we will want you to join us for a birthday party on Friday night at prosperous club house opposite royal hotel I am inviting you just because we are friends or aren’t we friends?

Nelson: (nodded) yes we are

Dapo: good we would be expecting you by 8pm

Segun: God bless you as you come

(Dapo and Segun both shaked nelson’s hand and left,Nelson still surprised and confused)

Light fades

Act 2  scene 3

(Angela due to the divorce of her parents, she joined bad gangs, she because a smoker, a prostitute and also a lesbian) (Angela in her room reading a novel and then her phone rang)

Angela: Hello my love how are u doing (to her female lover)

Faith: Am doing good honey pie

Angela: You called me are you missing me already, thought we agreed on meeting is tonight to continue our love play

Faith: that’s true I am missing you already I cant wait to see u tonight am just too bored where iam presently I am working on my outline to take this afternoon in our bible study meeting and the topic is so boring that is why I have to call u so u would tell me sweet words so that my spirit will come alive again.

Angela: (smiled) faith faith, ure about to take bible study and u decided to call me so that I can ginger u, trusted of u calling on God ( Angela laughed again).

Faith: See Angela leave that side, atlest no one knows that I am a lesbian and I draw my strength from u not from God (to tell u d bitter truth, I was never born again I only said I was born again so that the executives in my fellowship wont futher ask me questions even) my bible study co-ordinator does not know the bad thing I do, why is because I act as a saint anytime I see any of my fellowship members so they think I am innocent but I see myself as a deceiver but I don’t care(blinded their eyes the god of this world has) I enjoy what I do even before I take d bible study for today meeting I would still take at least 2 sticks of cigarette and a bottle of guiness so that I can be fit enough to deliver the message to the people of God.

Angela: (laughing) You be bad girl o, u bad pass me self

Faith: lovely ok na I would talk to u later let me concentrate on my assignment (laughing)

Angela: Later dear love u

Faith: Love u ytoo

(Phone Drops)

(Angela thinking aloud)

Angela: Oh God what is life, this is a sister and a bible study teacher for that matter who is feeding church with junks she smokes, drinks, she is a lesbian and at the same time she find nothing wrong in them and still derives joy from them I as a person I was never born again, only needed one who would take me out of this mess and I saw her as a vibrant sister who is burning God and I decided to meet with her…..(hmmmm) (pause for a while) thinking she would help me (tears flows down her eyes) but no she added and worsen the whole issue and now I see myself more into it who would deliver me now? And that is how we have many preachers today (lovers of themselves) who are deceivers and the people/children of God don’t know, God u just have to help us o and sinners like us just be watching us but don’t harm us oh (and then she took a deep breath and then bounce on her bed and immediately she remembered that she is having a party today) (She jumped up and start preparing to go for the party)

Angela: Oh my God am late shit!

Light fades

Act 2 scene 4

(Angela on her way to the club met a lady also coming the opposite way and then their conversation took place)

(Susan who was a true child of God, as she was coming she saw Angela and the lord told her to minister to her)

Susan: (to Angela) Hello my pretty lady, how are you doing? My name is susan and you?

Angela: Iam (as she was about to go further her phone rang) please kindly excuse me let me pick this call (then she dropped her hand in her bag and brought out her phone to pick)

Angela: (the friend clara calling) Clara how u dey nah, wetin happen?

Clara: Angela baby where you dey since nah we don dey wait for u maga don plenty for ground and them dey loaded nah only 3mins dem get to spend here oh so I no know as u want take do am maybe u go fly reach here now I no know

Angela: I dey come now now abeg help me delay them abeg

Clara: Ok I don hear u, we dey expect u takia bye

Angela: Ok nah, take care (Faces’ susan) please ma I don’t think I would be able to wait to listen to u anymore I need tobe in a place within 2mins please am so sorry would see u later (Starts moving) Bye (She left)

(susan now speaking to herself )

Susan: but God you told me to minister to this lady what happened why is there a distraction? I know you would have answers for me (she left)

(At the club house)

(Songs everywhere, people everywhere, drinks, cigarette e.t.c)

(Angela arrived at the scene and statrt looking for clara suddenly she someone tickled her from behind and it was clara)

Clara: I knew if I tricked you like that u would run down here but the thing is that they are yet to come, and the girls are stil expecting them.

(Angela’s Expression change, because furious)

Angela: And why didn’t u just say the truth now u made me became rude to a sister who wanted to discuss with me

Clara: Ehn Ehn wetin she talk

Angela: (Looked at her with a kind of bad eye) did you allow me listen to hear rubbish (she hisses and went to have her sit, clara came to her tries to put her hand around her neck but she pushes it ways, them a guy came to meet angela and asked her if he can dance with her)

Tunji: hi baby lets dance (he stretched forth his hand to her) and she stood up and decided to dance with him)

(After dancing for a while, he took her out of the scene to a quiet place)

Tunji: My name is tunji and urs?

Angela: Am Angela

Tunji: what a lovely name, I saw the moment u stepped ur foot into this club house and immediately I became interested in u, but I wont rush u can we be friends at first?

Angela: Talking about friends, there is no problem about that but lovers it can never be possible.

Tunji: I didn’t say we should be lovers but all the same there is no problem, pls can I get ur digits?

(Angela called out her number for him and then be releases she to go)

Tunji: (to himself) I would definitely get u Angela (he also left to join them)

Curtain falls/light fades.

ACT 2 Scene 5

(Faith now in church teaching about the coming of Christ) while the congregation listened attentively)

She teaches about the coming of Jesus Christ

Faith: Praise God Church

Church: Haleluyah

Faith: I would be teaching us today on the coming of our lord Jesus Christ, can someone please open his or her bible to John3:16 (Someone stood up to read) now God loves us there is no doubt about it but he needs usto do just a single thing for him to be able to wine and dine with him and that is believing in his son Jesus Christ, and anyone who believes have eternal life, the coming of our lord Jesus Christ is to come and take away those who has been reckoned with him, those that have that eternal life and leave those that still decide to stick with the world and not turning away from their sinful ways those are the people who world receive the mark of the beast 666 for you not to be a culprit I would plead with you today to please turn form ur evil ways and be a friend of Jesus, “leave the things of this world that can perish and focus on the imperishable thing that are of the kingdom” let ur life be hidden in Christ Jesus.

(susan preach a little more and then led some people to Christ by telling them to place their right hand on their chest and she prayed for them, after the service the bible study coordinator commended on her teaching of the day and how powerful it was, he decided to ask her if all was going well and hope there is nothing she would like to discuss with him)

Tunde: sis faith please can I see you for a moment, (faith comes back)waobravo your teaching was superb and wonderful, I pray for more utterance in Jesus name

Faith: Amen

Tunde: sis faith there is something I would want to see you for but before I speak is there anything you want to tell me?

Faith: no sir

Tuned: the lord sent me to you he said your ways has not been pleasant before him that he needs you to retrace your step back to him just exactly as your message went today that he is coming back very soon. I hope all is well sis faith?

Faith: yes sir all is well I have listened to all you said sir and I will think on how my steps has not been right with God and I would retrace it back thank you so much sir

Tuned: you are welcome my sister its nothing

Faith: I beg to take my leave

Tuned: you are free sis faith you can go but keep the fire burning my sister

(faith left and Tunde went back inside)

Light fades

Act 2  scene6

(faith now in your room)

Faith: thank God I took this drink  and two sticks of cigarette and I also called my love before going to take this teaching today (she thinks) the lord is actually warning me through my coordinator and I even taught on the message today aahin there is nothing joor before he (Jesus) comes I would have repented I am currently enjoying what I am doing let me call Angela and see if she is home so I can go to join her

( she picks up her phone to call Angela)

Light fades

Act 1 scene 7

(Nelson now at the party together with Dapo and segun)

Dapo: helo nelson thank God you made it, I hope this place was not so difficult to locate?

Nelson: not at all

Dapo: ok then lets go

Nelson: to where? Isn’t this where we would be having the party?

Segun: no the party scene is just at the back of this building lets go you would see what am talking about

Dapo: nelson enough of all this your questions they are getting too much. If you want to go back you can it is even my fault of inviting you to this birthday party, are you thinking something bad would happen to you, aren’t we friends anymore? Even the bible says love your neighbors as yourself  how do you expect us to harm you when you are our neighbor . please if you want to leave you can leave

(dapo decided to call segun)

Dapo: segun please lets go(as they were leaving, nelson called back and pleaded with them that they shouldn’t be annoyed that he was ready to go)

Nelson: Dapo and segun please the both of you should come back am sorry if I have disappointed you can we now go together please?

Dapo: now you are talking, please lets go

(they all left to a dark place and on getting there, nelson met the shock of his life)                                                                 light fades                                                                                                   Act 1 scene 8

(they were all dressed in black they were cultist, nelson wanted to run back but dapo and segun drew him back)

Segun: where did you think you are going to?

Nelson: (now shivering) please let me go

Dapo: nelson don’t repeat that statement again I gave you an open cheque to go if you wanted to but you refused now you have gotten to the place of no return

Nelson; ahhhhhhh I never knew it would turn out like this(segun slapped him, and he started crying,the leader of the isakaba boys stood up and turned his face to nelson, he signaled to dapo and segun to go and change their clothes

Koko: we are the………………………( with one of his hand up)

All: isakaba boys

(koko said it for three times and they responded three times)

Koko: (to nelson) you come to the middle now

(nelson still shaking went to their middle and they started their song isakaba ohwi sakaba and continued on and on like that, koko signaled to them to stop, by this time dapo and segun are already back

Koko: (to nelson) listen you, we are the isakaba boys and since you came here willingly, you have to willingly join us because no one forced you to be here now are you ready?(no response from nelson koko asked again and he still didn’t reply sekere gave him a slap and koko asked for the last time and he answered)

Nelson; ye………ss……………..ye……..s…………..s I am iam

Koko: good, segun give him the calabash to drink from

(segun handed a small calabash to nelson to drink from, nelson drank it still shaking)

Koko: you are now part of us what you drink is a convenant that binds us together, anyday you loose our secret or decide not to join us again, that day you die

Nelson:( exclaimed) ah………….ah…..ah…………….

Koko: would you stop that, (to everyone) we are

All: isakaba boys

Koko: now everyone we have a new member lets welcome him

(they all shake his hand)

Then the chorus isakaba ohwi sakaba continues, now nelson has joined them).

Light fades

Act 3  scene 9

(Tunji seen after fellowship service looking down casted, then his Pastor came to him to ask what the problem was)

Pastor steve: hello tunji how are you doing I hope all is well ?

Tunji: ehm pastor all is well and not well (his expression changes)

Pastor steve: why ? what happen.

Tunji: when I felt the Lord has deaerted me and didn’t want to have anything to do with me again I decided to go to a club house

Pastor steve: (surprised) what!

Tunji: I was downcasted sir no where to go or run to that was why I went there because unbelievers anytime they are stressed up and needed some air they go there and I think they feel relaxed.

Pastor steve: thank God u said you think, don’t you know that no matter what they do there they never feel relaxed because what they are running from would definitely still be waiting for them, the only place to run to and your problem will be solved is to Christ which they don’t have and which you have but neglected. Are you suppose to be seeking help from the world or from the word of God? Tunji I am highly disappointed in you but I thank God you came back to your source and drew your strength fromn Him. Congratulations my brother ( pastor steve shook his hand) is that what made you downcaste?

Tunji: part of it but not it, the major reason why I am like this is that at the party my gaze was fixed on a particular lady and I don’t know why, is not that I feel in lust with her o, of course it cant be love but lust but my eyes didn’t just leave her side, her name is Angela, I strongly believe that she has a glorious destiny sir.

Pastor steve: Tunji thank God u said tou were not lusting after her but affection drew you close because you felt there is something the Lord wants to use her for.  You see Tunji/ My brother, that is how a lot of destines has been wasted all through th  e ages because there is a veil covering their faces to behold their destines and if the veil is not taken away before their death, the destiny dies with them.

Tunji:  but pastor I don’t know if I should disciple her or not

Pastor steve: of course my brother you know you cant disciple her because both of you are of different gender and you know the repercussion if you disciple her, there is 90% probability that your affection towards her would become lust and then you would fornicate with her, so I would rather advice you only do that of monitoring and look for a sister who can disciple her in our fellowship and hand her over to the person and u will have top also pray for her.

Tunji: of course I would dp that sir

Pastor steve: alright my brother, would see you later

Tunji: ok Sir

          ( Pastor Steve leaves and tunji went back to the fellowship. He was about to take his bible and leave when he saw Adeola quickly he excused her and spoke with her concerning Angela)

Tunji: sis Adeola good day ma, how are you doing ma?

Adeola:  am so so fine fine bro Tunji and you?

Tunji: As you can see am shining to the Glory of God

GROWING SPIRITUALLY PART 3

Chapter 3 CHILDHOOD

"That we henceforth be no more children..."

-Ephesians 4:14

Paul is talking about spiritual children here. He wrote this letter to the church at Ephesus and we know they had at least twelve men in that church. Acts 19:7 tells us about twelve men and I'm sure they had more. When Paul said "that we hence­forth be no more children" he was talking about that they would be no longer spiritual children but would grow up spiritually.

Characteristics of the childhood stage of spiritu­al development are similar to the physical.

Unsteadiness

When my son was a boy of thirteen or fourteen, I told him to mow the yard. The way he grabbed that lawn mower and lit out you'd have thought he would have had it mowed in thirty minutes. Back then we had a push mower, the yard wasn't too big, and he could have had it mowed in forty-five if he'd kept at it. I had to go to town to attend to some business. When I came back after about an hour and a half, there sat the mower in the middle of the yard. He'd made about two strips after I'd left. I began to look for him. I asked my wife where he was.

"I don't know," she said. "Didn't he go with you?"

"No," I said. And I looked to see if I could find some boys playing ball on the corner. I knew if they were, that's where he would be. They were. And he was.

He was unsteady. You couldn't depend on him. As has been said many times, you can't put a grown head on a child. You can't. The same thing is true spiritually.

A mother tells her young daughter, "I want you to do the dishes and sweep the kitchen. I'm going next door for a little bit." The daughter starts out

all right, but when the mother returns the dishes are unwashed or half done and she can't find Mary anywhere. She goes outside and begins to call her. After a while she goes to the neighbors on the other side and Mary is there playing dolls with Susie.

Children   in   the   natural   are   unsteady ... unreliable... impressionable...spasmodic. Spiritual children are the same way.

When a new pastor comes to a church everyone comes. I've gone to pastor a church and people would gather around, pat me on the back, shake my hand, and say, "Brother Hagin, I want you to know I'm with you. I'm with you one hundred percent. I'm behind you." Six months went by and I didn't see them. Nine months went by and I didn't see them. I thought, "Well now they're be­hind me; they said they were." The trouble was they were so far behind me I never could reach them. They were too far behind to do any good.

Then as an evangelist I went from church to church holding meetings for several years. The first service or two some people would get right in and shake my hand and hug my neck and tell me, "Bless God, I'm with you. I believe this is it. We're going to have a meeting." Then we'd run two or three weeks without seeing them again. The last Sunday night when the pastor would announce we were closing I've had them run up to me, look at the pastor like he didn't know what was going

on and say, "He's not going to close this meeting, is he?" As far as they were concerned it had been closed all the time.

Curiosity

Children are full of curiosity. Just as sure as you'd come in with a sack and set it down on the kitchen table, our second granddaughter, about eight at the time, would be in that sack. She was full of curiosity. She wanted to know what was in there.

Some of these spiritual children that have never really grown up spiritually — though they've had time and opportunity —as sure as they can catch a little bit of gossip going want to know, "Who? Who?" They're full of curiosity.

Curiosity is the characteristic of a child. If you tell a child not to look in a closet, he is going to get in it as sure as the world. Curious. Spiritual chil­dren are the same way. They're always poking their noses in the other fellow's business. The Word of God teaches us to tend to our own busi­ness. God doesn't want you poking your nose into the other fellow's business. Learn to be quiet and tend to your own business.

I was pastoring a church when one fellow wanted to know what all I was doing with my money. I said, "What are you doing with yours?"

He said, "That isn't any of your business."

I said, "I don't consider it any of your business what I'm doing with mine."

He got the point. You know, it is no more the church member's business what the pastor is doing with his money than it is the pastor's busi­ness what the church member is doing with his.

Curiosity is a characteristic of a child.

Talkativeness

Children have never learned the value of silence. They are talkative. And you will find folks in the childhood stage of spiritual growth are nearly always talking.

Did you know the Word of God has something to say along this line? It tells us, "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin...." (Proverbs 10:19). And, "...a fool's voice is known by mul­titude of words" (Ecclesiastes 5:3). We need to learn to be quiet. A child doesn't know any better so he's always blabbing.

I remember one time when my boy was three years old. We had gotten into bed late one Sunday night after church. I had preached twice and was tired. We all slept in one large room. He was in a bed across the room from us. The baby was in the crib. The lights out and it was dark.

"Daddy," he said.

I hadn't gone to sleep but I thought if I pre­tended to be asleep he would hush and go to sleep.

"Daddy."

I didn't say anything.

"Daddy."

I didn't say anything.

"Daddy."

I didn't say anything, and he just kept getting a little louder.

"Daddy."

Finally my wife nudged me and said quietly, "Why don't you answer that child?"

I whispered back, "Knowing him he'll get started talking." He was three years old and didn't know anything about the value of silence. He'd get started talking and you couldn't get him to shut up. I thought if I didn't answer him he would think I was asleep and shut up. But he just kept getting louder.

"Daddy. Daddy. Daddy."

Finally I said, "What is it, son?"

"What's tomorrow?"

I said, "Oh, be quiet and go to sleep. It's time to go to sleep."

"Well, what's tomorrow?"

"It's Monday. Now go to sleep."

"What's the next day?"

"It's Tuesday."

"Is tomorrow always Monday?"

"No, tomorrow is not always Monday. When tomorrow gets here then tomorrow will be Tues­day."

"I thought you said it was Monday."

"Well, it was Monday, but when Monday gets here then tomorrow will be Tuesday."

"If tomorrow is Monday, how can it be Tues­day?^a

"Well, that's just the way it is."

"What's the next day?"

"It's Wednesday."

"Will it ever be tomorrow?"

"Yes. Now shut up and get to sleep."

"What's the next day?"

"Thursday."

"What's the next day?"

"Friday."

"What's the next day?"

"Saturday."

"What's the next day?"

"Sunday. That's today."

"Is Sunday always today?"

"No, it's just today today. When Monday gets here, it will be today."

"I thought you said it was tomorrow."

"Oh, now you have me confused. I want you to be quiet, and if you don't be quiet I'm going to get up and give you a whipping."

Like natural children, spiritual children have never learned the value of silence. We need to be careful about what we say.

There was a fellow called Father Nash who used to go along ahead of Charles Finney and get a few folks together to pray for the revival. Someone once asked Finney, "Do you know a little preacher by the name of Father Nash?"

Finney said, "Yes sir. He goes along ahead of time and prays for the revival. I don't have him hired. He just took it upon himself to do it."

"What kind of a fellow is he?" this person asked.

"Well," Finney said, "he's just like any other fellow who prays — he is a fellow of few words."

Folks who are talking all the time are usually guilty of at least three sins. They are often guilty of evil speaking — talking about and discussing the faults and failures of people not present. They are often guilty of vain speaking — always talking about themselves: what I've done; what I'm going to do; where I've been. And they are often guilty of foolish speaking — jesting, joking, and things that are unprofitable.

1. Evil speaking — talking about and discussing the faults and failures of people not present.

(We'll soon get through with this negative side of growing up and get on to the positive side. But this side needs to be dealt with, too.)

I was holding a meeting in Oklahoma when my son was about twelve. He had a four-day weekend holiday so I drove down to Texas and brought him back to spend a few days with me. I was gone all the time and didn't get to be with him much. We stayed in the parsonage with the pastor and his wife.

One day at the table, the pastor got to talking about some of the church members, airing some of their faults and failures. I noticed my boy just kept looking at him.

Finally I said to him, right at his own table, "Brother, I wish you wouldn't talk that way in front of my boy."

He looked at me rather startled.

I said, "I would rather you'd curse in front of him. That wouldn't register on him. He wouldn't pay any attention to that. But for the twelve years I pastored, he always thought every member we ever had was an angel."

They weren't —any more than all his members were. But Ken thought all of them were sprouting wings — he didn't know that was just their shoulder blades sticking out. He never heard his parents say one word about any deacon, Sunday School teacher, superintendent, or church mem­ber.

You need to be careful what you say around children, and other people as well.

I remember one dear soul. Bless her heart. Every time we took prayer requests she would say, "Pray for So-and-so," and she'd call her husband's name. He came with her every once in a while and even if he was there she'd never stop to think about it; but would get up and call his name."

He rather liked me and I'd go visit him. We'd talk about the Bible. To tell you the real truth about it, he knew more about the Bible than she did. And in talking to him, I learned some things. I learned where she was missing it. I tried to talk to her about it, but it didn't help.

So one Wednesday night when there wasn't anyone there but us; when she said, "Pray for So-and-so," I said, "Sister, we're not going to do it."

I answered her right back from the pulpit and said, "We're not going to do it. Don't turn in another prayer request for him. We've prayed and prayed, but you undo all our prayers. You run home from church every single time some woman in the church looks a little hatefully at you — you think — and you tell your husband what an awful person she is. And if the preacher doesn't just preach to suit you, you run home and tell him what an awful person the preacher is. I know. I've talked to him. He couldn't have known it unless you told him. He knows more about what's going on down at this church than anyone in the church. You run home and tell him everything that is — and a lot of things that ain't. You rehash every­body's faults, failures, and shortcomings. And as long as you're going to do that, you're going to un­dermine the effects of our prayers."

I learned to appreciate that dear soul. She had enough sense to listen and she straightened up. She became a splendid Christian. And he got saved. I dealt what seemed like severely with her, but she took it. She wasn't an ignoramus. People who do have a little something upstairs are able to know when you are telling them the truth. Some folks would never know and you just have to help them the best you can.

2.  Vain speaking — always talking about themselves.

Sometimes I almost get sickened when I go to church. All the singing is about what I did, what I felt, and what happened. We scarcely worship the Lord. It's no wonder to me that God doesn't move any more than He does in our midst. The Bible said in the 13th chapter of Acts concerning this group down at Antioch, "As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said,...." (verse 2). They weren't ministering to one another.

If we can be humble enough and yielded enough God can use us. I just don't like the idea of leaving the impression we are something big and something great. It's all right to talk about how God uses people and rejoice about what God is doing. But I've been in some meetings where those in charge bragged on each other from the natural standpoint until it was simply nauseating.

Thank God for His blessings. And let's be careful that we are not taken up with vain talking.

3. Foolish speaking.

It's all right to be friendly. And it's all right to tell something funny sometimes —but it is possi­ble to spend too much of your time doing that. The Bible even says something about jesting and joking that are not convenient. It doesn't say they are a sin necessarily, but it says they are not conve­nient.

EPHESIANS 5:4

4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talk­ing, nor jesting, which are not conve­nient: but rather giving of thanks.

I was holding a meeting one time for a fellow, a fine fellow. I think a lot of him. He's changed con­siderably. But I never saw a fellow as full of jokes as he was then. We had two services a day, and ev­ery time I saw him he'd tell me a new joke. I don't see how in the world he could remember them. He'd tell me at least three a day which were brand new. Morning service, evening service, and when we'd go out for a bite to eat after church he'd have another one for me; sometimes several.

I usually quote my scripture as I preach and once when we were out eating he said, "I wish I could remember scriptures like you do."

I said, "You could if you'd spend as much time on them as you do on jokes. How do you remem­ber jokes? I can't remember them. I go to tell some of them and get them all messed up."

The thing about it was I wasn't interested in them.

Now don't go off and say I said it was wrong to tell something funny. I didn't say that at all. I said it is wrong to put that first and just blab, blab, blab, blab, and leave God out. I'm talking about things that will hinder our spiritual growth. We are never going to grow spiritually and just feed and talk on those kinds of things.

I'm a preacher and I fellowship with preachers more than anyone else. It's a strange thing, but sometimes in trying to fellowship with preachers you can't find too many you can really talk to about spiritual things. I've held meetings in church after church — Full Gospel churches — and preacher after preacher wants only to talk about fishing and hunting, or about how many cattle they have down on their ranch, or how many houses they have, or how much property they have. I think it's all right to go fishing. It's all right to go hunting. It's all right to have property. I'm glad they do. But if you'd try to mention the things of God and get in the least bit deep, they'd look at you like you were a nut.

I'm glad it's not that way with some folks. But it is that way with too many. And we cannot grow spiritually and spend all our time talking about natural things.