11- The Vision (Go Yourself)

Welcome to track #11 of give thyself holy, all right glory to godfather. Thanks for this opportunity in Jesus name, Amen. Now this morning, Sudan, I want to share with you a vision that somebody had very famous man of God. And I believe that it's one of these visions that made him do the things that he did. But I believe that it applies to us because the vision of Mary Magdalene applied to us and we didn't have the vision, but it it affects us as well in it. Great. Now listen very carefully because this is one of the greatest men of God who ever lived, I believe ever. When he died, 40,000 people came to his funeral and that is who even I think filed past. But there were more than 150,000 people. Yeah, he said, with that remarkable sense of reality. I found myself in what appeared to be a magnificent mansion. He found himself in a magnificent mansion of considerable proportions. Its numerous rooms were brilliantly lighted and crowded with elegant furniture. Carpets, soft to the tread, attractive to the eye, covered the floors, stairways, passages. Costly pictures adorned the walls. Expensive houses. You have Nina pictures all right on the walls. Bookshelves failed to overflowing occupy the recesses. Wilds, organs, pianos, statuary, and banks of beautiful hothouse flowers were seen to be on every hand. It was indeed a veritable palace of delight. In one of the most luxuriously furnished apartments, I found a young man. Other decorations were artistically arranged in every room, indicating the festivities with which the occupants of the mansion had recently been celebrating the advent of the Savior of mankind since Christmas. When I entered, the young man was standing with his arms resting on the mantelpiece, gazing into the fire which was now burning low. The room, unlike other parts of the house, was only dimly lit. The flickering light of the fire showed him to be tall and slim in build. The moment he found in the house, with a dark, intelligent countenance just like you, and taken all together, he was of a prepossessing appearance. I wonder what that means, but I'm sure it means something. Prepossessing, hey. At that moment he was apparently deep in thought. What was he thinking about? His mind was evidently contemplating some serious problem. What was it? I confessed to being no little interested in the scene, and even now it turns out vividly in my memory. Soon after I had entered, he started walking to and fro in the room. There had been plenty of room for this kind of exercise in that spacious apartment, and as he walked he talked. What a future is mine, he mused aloud. I have loving parents, congenial friends, and considerable wealth, and they tell me I have genius as well. Like, OK, I have the brains. The latter is questionable. He was talking to himself. He was walking up and down in the room, and he was just seeing all this. What future do I have? This is the vision of a very famous man of God. The latter is questionable, but I now know. I know that I can marry, I have a home and 1000 other pleasant things. How kindly the Providence of God has dealt with me in comparison with thousands of others. What shall I do with this future? Let me see. Before waiting to answer himself, he suddenly paused in his walk, rang the bell, and asked the servant about some appointments that he had. And then, resuming his position by the mantelpiece, he fell back into the track of his meditations with the question, What was I saying? Let me see. Ah, that is it. What shall I do with my life? Well, still thinking aloud, he said. The man was watching this man. He entered a mansion and this guy was in the room, just moving around, thinking. Well, still thinking aloud, he said I can maintain my family, my position, cherish a family, be kind to my friends, and deal liberally with the varied efforts put forth by different agencies for the benefit of the world. And then, in addition to all these temporal blessings, I have a good ground for hoping for a better world. When all these pleasures are ended, you get his vision, which is what I can maintain my position, cherish a family, be kind to my friends, and deal liberally with the varied efforts put forth by different agencies for the benefit of the world. Here I thought. Here I thought I heard a slight movement at the door. The man was watching. This man was walking up and down. Then suddenly he had movement at the door. Someone was evidently entering. At first I fancied it was the servant, but I was mistaken. In my dream I wondered who else it could possibly be. At that late hour of the night. The doors seemed to open of itself and all unannounced. A strange figure walked across the room and without any invitation he settled himself on a vacant chair by the fire. AKA he wasn't welcomed or told to sit down, he just came and sat down by the fire. Are you enjoying my vision? I had an only imperfect view of the visitor, but so far as I could judge from his appearance, he belonged to the artisan class, which I think is workers anyway. He anyway he wore the garb of a working man. He looked tired and weary, as might have been expected of anyone who had just come from some long journey and needed rest. Sitting in the shadow, I could see just a little of his countenance, but what I did see made me wish I could see more. Altogether he impressed me with the idea of sadness, the visitor of sadness suggestive of a heavy load of care. And yet there was about him a quietness of demeanor that seemed to testify to the possession of great inward strength and deep, unbroken peace. What astonished me much with the advent of this stranger was the fact that the owner of the mansion for such I charged a young man to be. The owner, who had been pacing up and down, expressed no surprise at his appearance. Perhaps it was concerning this visit that he had spoken to the servant a few minutes before. Anyway, I concluded the call must have been expected, and it was soon evident that such was the case. Although it's stranger to me, he was evidently no stranger to this young gentleman who a little time before had with such satisfaction been laying down his plans for the future. Perhaps the reason why the young man did not beat his visitor welcome was that he did not care to see him. But whatever the case, nothing of an introductory nature passed between them. The night was very chill. The stranger apparently called, drew his chair to the fire, and the young man took a seat opposite him, And there for several minutes they sat in silence, absolute silence, looking at each other, while I also started there wondering what it could all be. At last the stranger spoke. As he did so he turned his eyes fully on the young man, and through the gloom I could see they were wonderful eyes, not so much in their peculiar size or color as in their remarkable power of expression. I mean his eyes. There are eyes that speak Shabbaya. As I looked into them, this seemed to speak volumes of that sadness which I first mooted. They were evidently the windows through which a sorrowful spirit looked out upon a sinning and suffering world. But if his eyes were remarkable, his voice was even more remarkable. Soft and melodious, and yet so piercing, it penetrated and thrilled one's whole being. As his words fell upon the listener's ear, the stranger began. Although I gave you no notice of my coming, although I gave you notice of my coming, he told the stranger, and he told the guy in the house. Although I gave you notice of my coming, I told you know that although I told you I was coming, you seem surprised to see me. I have appealed to you before, but I appealed in vain. I've sent you letters, but they have brought no answer. Messengers. But there has been no response. Now I've come myself. Are these words? An anxious look passed over the young man's face, but he made no reply. Evidently he did not know exactly what to say. Then the stranger continued. You are too much occupied to think about my affairs, the stranger went on. You have so much to do with your studies, your pleasures, your recreations, your future, and the rest of it, that any serious thought about my wife is pushed on one side. But my business has now become urgent, and I want an answer to the request that I have sent you so often, and I want it tonight. The young man was still silent, but as the stranger spoke of wanting an answer to his request at once I fancied that I saw him shake his head slightly. As much as to say that cannot be. It's like I can't give an answer today. Then he, the man the the the stranger continued. The stranger said to the young man who owned the mansion. You know my business. It needs no explanation. The stranger quietly went on without any reference to the effect his words produced on his host. The sins and sorrows of the world fill me with anguish. They are an overwhelming burden on my heart. Night and day I wander to and fro a living witness of the horrid expressions, horrid oppressions and cruelties inflicted upon man by his fellow man, and all the terrible wrongs and indignity that are heaped upon my Heavenly Father. I must do something more effective than have hitherto been done to change this terrible condition of things. The man was sitting and watching the two of them talk. You can do much, but there's only very little time for you to do it. Hence my present call. That's why I've got myself at this thought. I heard a young man say under his breath. What can I do? The stranger proceeded. I have just come from India, where I have seen 300 millions of men, women, children, with only an exception here and there still in the darkness of heathendom, and I've seen the mysteries that flow out of their caste notions, idolatrous practices and social abominations, besides 1000 other evils. I was there during the dark days of that ghastly famine. But famine, he said, with its attendant place of hunger, disease, death, is the ordinary lot of 40 millions of these people. I know them well. I'm always visiting them. I'm covenant with it all. He's been going to India all the time. But then there is this other thing. They are terrible spiritual blindness. You believe turning his eyes on the young man, do you not, that these people are superior to cattle? He asked him a question. Do you believe that the people are superior to cattle, that they are better than cows, that they have souls that can never die? You believe that they ought to know their way to the favor of their heavenly Father and have a chance of getting to heaven? He was asking him a question. Then he continued. I want 50,000 men and women who will go and tell them the true way to the Kingdom of God. Their hearts are open. Shall they have this opportunity? What do you say? Who will go? By the twitching of his features, I observed that the young man's feelings were being stirred as the stranger proceeded, and I was not surprised him to I was not surprised to hear him breaking on being appealed to. He said the the owner of the minds, Oh, they must be helped, and they shall be helped. They shall live and not die in darkness. Who will go? He was now asking the visitor Who is going to go and solve that problem. Then the the owner of the mansion continued. There is our governess. She has a tender heart. She might go. My coachman, one of the servants in the heart, send him, he would be sure willing to face any difficulties, I'm sure. Then there is the housemaid. I fancy that she cares about the lost. Somebody must go. And as to the course, if that is a barrier, I will subscribe. Yes, I will give. I will give to support that mission. I could not help being pleased with the warm feeling displayed by the young man, But the stranger appeared disappointed. You see, the owner of the mansion said he should send the maid, they should send the servant and that he will finance it. But the the the man who had come, the stranger who had come to visit, was disappointed at the guy's response. Is it what people don't realize? Anyway, let me not bore you with my what do you call him? I could not help being pleased with a warm feeling. But the stranger was disappointed, and a cloud passed over his face. He was evidently expecting something more than was implied with this little speech, but there was no alteration in his manner, and in the same measured tones he continued. You will not be surprised to hear that I have beheld more harrowing scenes than those I have just described in this your boasted fatherland. All yesterday I was wondering in and out of the slums of your great cities, as you pronounce the word slums. I fancy that His eyes glanced upward at the ceilings, as the man said Slums. I fancied that his eyes looked up at the ceiling, the gilded cornices, the Crimson hangings, the luxurious furniture of the apartment in which we were sitting. But if it was so, if he made any comparison in his mind between the glitter of the surroundings and the squalor of the slums to which he referred, he did not offer any remark, but simply proceeded in the same quiet manner. Yes, I have been up and down the creaking rotten staircase is an in and out of the filthy chambers, and seen the naked nakedness and wretchedness and hunger that rain there. I have been wandering too, in and out of the places of drunkenness, and looked on the multitude that no man cares to number of women and men whose bodies and minds and souls and lives and families and neighbors are cares forever and ever by the blackest cares humanity knows. Yesterday I saw a young man. He was talking to the guy with a madding passion of drink, strangle his fair young wife. In the same city I saw a mother bash dash out the brains of a child of tender years, while in the same street I saw a son die, the white hairs of his aged father. With that father's Crimson bland he killed his father. Horrible, horrible, the young man ejaculated. Horrible, horrible. Yes, Continue the stranger. I have stood for hours and hours in the glittering drink palaces, and watch men and women with alluring smiles and flattering words for the gain of a little gold, deal out the fiery fluid, fluid which they knew full well would carry distraction to their customers, which is alcohol he was talking about here. The working of the young man's face indicated that his heart was powerfully excited, and when the stranger paused, he said, Something shall be done. The poor slaves of this drink plate shall have a chance. Where are the 10 France people? We will have legislation. I will vote for it. I will go to Parliament. I will drink no more. Never shall another drop of this alcohol cross my lips. And in his agitation, he rose up from the chair and started walking across the room. As he calmed down, the stranger resumed his appeal in the same calm and yet piercing tones. All last night I was in the streets, in and out of the houses of Ilfim. I saw thousands of women, young and old, of whom were once so innocent and beautiful, the joy and hope of their mothers, but who now are bereft of virtue and of shame. I saw them with their mouths full of ribaldry, death to all womanly feeling, reveling in the ruin that they spread as they rushed recklessly down the steep incline to rottenness, death, and endless war. Again the young man started and rose from his chair and was about to speak, but the stranger with his stand and went on. I am always busy with the miseries and the evil doings of men. I am a regular visitor of the prisons. Do you ever look inside those dwellings of despair? He asked. But without waiting for an answer to his question, he quietly continued. If you visited those places, as I do, you will find hundreds, no, thousands of men and women of all is shut up like wild animals. Shut up, I say, from love and hope and heaven, and you might always say, from the true knowledge of God himself, and you might also say, they are shut away from the true knowledge of God. If you saw those desolate creatures and could find time to muse a little on their wretched lot, your heart would ache, I think, as mine does, in the contemplation of the grim necessity that seems to be laid upon them. All day and night he continued. I gazed on the maddened crowds, absorbed in the frenzied search for gold and fame and pleasure. I mingle among them on the on the exchange, and in the market and the racecourse and the theatre and the public, and in private and on land and in the sea. I mingle all day and night. I see the melancholy procession of human souls as it matches on, on, on down the Broad Rd. which leads to destruction reckless of my father's honor on their own interests. Yes, I see them while I speak. Can you not see them also? And raising himself up, he took a step forward and gazed with a far away look out of the window. Can you not hear them? He asked the guy. Can you not hear them? He inquired. Trump, Trump as they go to the grave to destruction. Oh, the gates of hell are scarcely wide enough for their reception here. The young man interposed. This time it was a piercing cry that started me. Oh, awful, awful, he explained. Yet I know it all. I've known it for a long time. Oh, say no more. I cannot bear. Oh my God, where are the bishops and the clergy and the ministers and the priests? Where are they? What are they all doing? Can I do anything? How different life looks to me after what you have said to what I did an hour ago. What can I do? I will pray, I will give, I will write, I will talk to my friends. I will, I will, I will. Then he walked off, his excited feelings by again pacing the room. A long, painful pause followed. The fire was burning all right. Then suddenly something curious happened. Suddenly he, the one who was in the Vale watching these two people, became the owner of the mansion whom the stranger was talking to. Do you understand? So he said suddenly. It was I who sat by the fireplace gazing on the stranger, and it was my heart that had been pierced and torn by the words he had spoken. It was my mind that had been occupied with uncertain notions as to what might be done. For a time, as I have said, it was silent. It was growing late and the visitor made no sign of leaving, and I wondered why he did not. It would have been of unspeakable relief to me if he had left me alone. I wanted time to consider, because now, in the vision, he had become the guy who the visitor was talking to. So he wanted the guy to go. And I wanted time, time to consider. I thought I must do something, but what must it be? I looked at my watch and I thought I saw the stranger shiver. He was feeling cold. I stirred up the fire, and then the glow of the fire became bigger. And what a face, what a face was revealed to me. I was startled. Was it my imagination? I've seen that face before. He lifted up his hand again. It was. Was it my imagination? But there was certainly a wound on the hand, and the dim light revealed to me something that looked like blood. Had he met an accident? What did it mean? It was so strange, yet I did not ask him to explain. I simply wondered, who could this visitor be? I waited, and the stranger spoke again, this time talking to him. Can you not hear the wailing of the poor doomed children? They are doomed, not by God, but by selfish, thoughtless man. Can you not hear their sobs and cries as their little feet unwilling and wittingly turned into the thorny Rd. of evil? Can you not hear the clanking of the chains of the slaves, the groans of the wounded and dying on the battlefield? Can you not hear the cases and blasphemies that are going on? Can you not hear the despairing cries of men and women? Can you not hear? As he spoke, he raised himself up with the anguish. That field is hard. Can you not hear the sounds of the weeping and wailing and nothing of teeth of men and women who have gone down to hell because no man cared for their soul? Can you not hear? As he pronounced the word hell, a shudder went through me and I cried out in bitterness. Bitterness. Something must be done. Someone must go. Men and women cannot be left to perish without a hand being stressed out to deliver them. Who, who, who will go? All at once the stranger rose up, crossed over the Crimson carpet to the spot which I stood on, and fixed his full eyes on me. Beneath that gaze I trembled from head to foot. And then, in louder tones than before, he spoke again. This time he acted only two words. He looked at him, into his eye, and he spoke only two words. Up to the night. Again and again my heart had been beaten so wildly that at times it seemed as though it would force its way through my breast. But those two words made my chest and my heart stand still. You want to know what those two words? What were those words? The words were go yourself, go yourself, go yourself, go myself. What me go? I said in astonishment. How could I go? And whatever use will it be should I be if I was to go? If I went, me go impossible. I inwardly gasped. It was only the whisper of my heart. But the stranger seemed to hear my thoughts, for soft and low he answered back and said, All things are possible. However, I went on as though he had not spoken, saying. I went on saying to myself as though he had not spoken, what leave my father and mother? And I thought of their grey hairs, and all their love, and my obligations to them. And I said impossible. And the stranger, the stranger again whispered, All things are possible. What leave my hope, with all its luxuries and comforts and associations? And I inwardly kept on saying impossible. And rapidly my mind travelled from room to room, upstairs, downstairs to the garden. And I sat within myself. Impossible. And once more the stranger whispered, All things are possible. Then I thought of breaking up my plans for the future. I thought of the breaking up of the plans of my future, my plans for acquiring wealth, my plans for winning fame and finding pleasure. And again I inwardly exclaimed, impossible, it cannot be. While once more the stranger in his low, clear, piercing tones answered, All things are possible. Then my feelings got the better of me, and I said aloud, It cannot be. No one has ever been asked to make such a sacrifice before, and no one has ever been expected to live so much and go down so low, even for such a great object. And while I spoke, another change came over my vision. Suddenly the luxurious apartment, with its furnishings and comforts, suddenly assumed the appearance of a stable. Here were cattle, there were rough semons, there were weary peasants preparing to pass the night upon the straw, and there was a Manger, and in the Manger was a lovely baby. So fascinating was it that it fairly captivated me, and made me forget the stable and its tenants. And as I gazed upon the babe, I could not help fancying that I saw something in the features which was familiar. But while I wandered, the scene changed once more, and the stable was gone, and the mansion had come back once more. I was in the drawing room, and again the visitor was sitting in his chair with his face fully turned on me, as though still waiting for my answer, and I looked at him more closely. To my further amazement I beheld in him the features of the heavenly child. Now I saw it all. How blind I must have been not to have seen it before my Lord had calmed himself to invite me to follow him. Then my heart broke, and I fell at His feet, bathing them with my tears, and I crowned at my Lord and my God. I will love thee, I will worship thee, I will sing for thee, I will pray for thee, I will talk for thee, I will give thee my house, my money, my all. But, oh, ask me not for such a sacrifice. Ask me not to go on such an errand. What could I do for the heathen or the slums of the criminals, or the drunkards, or the ignorant of the mocking crowds? It might mean to me not only poverty and sorrow and suffering, but death itself. I cannot face that. I cannot have anything but that. Then suddenly the gloomy room was gloomy room was filled with flooded with lights, and the stranger again rose up and stepped forward. And as he did so the robe fell from his shoulders and the covering from his head, and for the first time I had a full view of his figure. Oh, what a vision was there. His countenance was beautiful beyond description. His forehead was torn through with thorns. His side showed the Madras gash that the Roman soldier spear had cut him with. For a moment we looked into each other's eyes. Then he opened wide his arms as though to welcome me, and he stood there with blessed hands, and it seemed as though I could see him actually suffering and praying for me on the A care's dream. Then once more I fell before him, this time stammering out with broken speech. Oh Lord Jesus, forgive the thoughtless withholding of myself in the past. Give thyself holy, and forgive me for the thoughtless withholding of myself in the past. Amen. Thou didst go to the lowest depths for me, and there shall be no more wretched excuses. Here I am. Send me where thou will let me go. Then those blessed arms, and folded me, and lifted me up to his bosom, and pressed me to his heart. And with the rapture of that embrace I woke up, and only to find that he was gone. And it was a dream. Hallelujah, it's a fantastic dream. The Saviour himself came to sit down by you to discuss it. I've sent before, but I've calmed myself because I'm not getting an answer. Sent letters, I've sent messages. I've not received any response, so I've calmed myself. I need a reply tonight because it's urgent. Yeah. What a vision. There's a vision of Jesus. Oh, he's talking. He's talking. And it affects us. I'm telling you, you see God. Really. God sees the people. You know, When When? When he was speaking about the prisons, the hopeless place of despair. I just remember the prison that we went to in I think it was Liberia. Very dark. Buchanan. Wow, dark. I mean like if there there's no window, no light and the people are like animals in there. Oh, they could just like hell you when you when you get away, like out of darkness, you get that feeling. So do you care about those people? They are in despair. And you see all the people that are in prison are in prison almost by bad fortune, because the reasons why people go to prison affect all of us. All of us should be in prison. They are in prison for lying. They are in prison for stealing, which you are. You are guilty of lying, stealing. They are in prison for having sex with somebody they shouldn't have had, with which you are guilty of rape. Do you understand? Because some of you have rape people in your mind, They are in prison for their jealousies. They're in prison for so many things which were also guilty. But you are walking free. Yeah, that's true. That is why we are supposed to show love to prisoners. There's no, it's not that they are guilty. It's like you are. You are. You are free. Oh, but I can picture this vision, you know, in a mansion, a big house. The man is going up and down. What will I do with my life? What are my plans? I'll do this. And the guy comes in, sit down, I want to talk to you. I've been sending message. I've not got any plan. I've come and said I've been going around. I went to India. I go there every week. I'm there just walking amongst the people that are in need, dying. Oh, you see, this is what the Lord said. He says, come unto me, all ye that labor. And I have, He said, take my yoke. It's like my problem, my burden is the salvation of people, you know, And so you come with your burdens of this life and put it on the Lord. You know, yesterday I was bargaining with somebody to buy something for the church. I explained to you myself, yeah, I don't do business. Oh, I don't do any business at all. The only work I do is for the church. My whole I I live for the church. I fight for the church, everything. I'm doing this, but I'm not trying to get to any type of business. I'm fighting for the but you see what God is saying what Jesus is saying that when you take on yourself the burden of the my yoke take come on to that labor and a heavy laden your your burdens of having a happy life, having peace, having a good marriage, having come on to you having children come on to me that labor and a heavy laden OK, so in another way, bring your burdens to him. Then you take one burden from him, which is his yoke. Take my yoke on you and people don't, you know, you can actually exchange problems. It's an exchange of problems. Yeah. You take my problems and I take your problems. Yeah, it's an exchange and it's not robbery. So give your financial problems, burdens, and the whole issue of how and what you will have and what you will get, what you need for this life and this world. Give it to the Lord. Now you take up His burden, which is the lost souls that are around you and the people that are suffering and dying and in pain and in difficulty. God will really bless you. And I believe that God has also done that for me. Yeah, because I am not trying to get things or trying to be happy. I'm trying to do. And I was just spelling to this man. I said no, I'm not doing a business. Everything is for the church. All we are buying for the church, reduce it and sell it to us. Give it to us for the church. It's not for a personal thing I'm explaining. People can't believe that somebody will set aside his burdens and fight for the burden of the Lord. But watch and see when the Lord carries your burden is Wilder. He's far better at solving issues than you are solving it for yourself. Look at your colleagues and your mates, those who are three years ahead, five years ahead, who have been solving their problems for themselves for years. How well is it solved? Complications and more issues. OK, so this is a powerful vision. How many are ready to just receive a personal visitation from the Lord? Lord is speaking to you personally, personally, personally. Wow, I'm so excited about that. Amen. Hey, yeah. I need to feel your presence. I need to know your power. Feel me now with more of you. I need to see your story. I want to know your way. So would you please come and feel this place? I need fresh more. From you. Cover my life with the dew, rain down with freshy anew from above. I need your presence today. Please come and show me the way. Shower down Your rain upon me. Let me be more and more like Jesus Christ. Have your way in. Me have your way, Lord. So that the world may see that you are the 4th time I am just. So I will be changed from glory into glory 'cause I need press oil for. You come. On my life with the two bring down refreshing anew. Brother, I need to present today. Please come and show me the way. Shower down your rain upon me. Make me more and more like Jesus Christ. I need fresh from you. Come, I'm alive with your Jew. Rain down, rain down, rain down. Refreshing. I need your presence. Please show me the way. Shovel down your rain upon me. Make me more and more like Jesus.