Somebody said, what happened? The first night I was there, I preached two hours. About the middle of the week, they began to wake up. People began to come to the altar; got straightened out with God. Sisters came around and shook my hand and said, Bro. Wilson, we never knew we were in such a pitiful condition. It came on us so slow and easy, that we didn’t realize we were in the shape we were in. We need to get this old time truth out there and preach on the true riches of God and awaken men and women. Let them get on down and get them a lamp, and get them some oil before Jesus comes here. My friend, there’s one way, that our condition can be shown up---when we preach the true riches of Christ. We need some more old Holy Ghost preaching, about having victory over sin, the flesh and the devil. In this day, when the devil has bound people, tied them up, tied their hands a little more and a little more; they’re losing their liberty; losing their freedom; becoming slaves to the devil; going right on with their profession. We need to cry out that, Jesus was manifested to destroy the works of the devil, set a man free, put a devil-proof armour on him, a sword in his hand, and send him out to fight the devil. It’s a blessed thing, when we can realize out spiritual condition-poor. Blessed are the poor in spirit.

Turn to the 15th chapter of Luke; There’s a Scripture there, but because a man wrote a song, people teach it wrong. Jesus taught there, that he left the 90 and 9 in the wilderness and went after the one. Because a man wrote a song, they say, He left them in the fold. But, it doesn’t say that. He left them in the wilderness, and He goes on and tells you, who the 99 are. There is more joy in heaven over one sinner, that repenteth, than over ninety and nine just persons, who need no repentance. Who were they? The 90 and 9 were the old Jewish nation. Who was the one He went after? He said, I am come to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The ones, that would admit they were lost and needed Christ. He left those 90 and 9, that felt they were justified and did not need Christ---He didn’t leave them in the fold---He left them in the “wilderness of sin and confusion,” and we raise up against Christ as the Laodiceans are, and say, “We have need of nothing.” He will leave us in the wilderness of sin and confusion. We’d better be honest when Christ shows us our state, and do something about it. The Laodiceans say, I’m rich, but Christ said, I say you are poor. We’re blessed---it’s a blessed state to get in, to realize ourselves, as we really are; all the deception dispelled. When we realize our poor miserable wretched condition, as it really is---up beside that which Christ can do for us, we will admit our spiritual condition is poor and that we need help.

The Queen of Sheba, in first Kings, the 10th chapter, an example of somebody poor in spirit. The Scripture said she came up there with a great train. She traveled three thousand miles both ways, rode a camel 75 days one way. It’s no wonder Jesus said the Queen of Sheba would rise up and condemn this generation in the judgment. She rode up there to hear the “wisdom of Solomon;” and a greater than Solomon is here! Thank God, we don’t have to ride a camel 75 days or go 3000 miles. He’s right here, outside our heart’s door! The effort she put forth will condemn men and women today for rejecting Christ when He comes down to their house. She made that trip up there, and after she saw that the house he built and the way he set his servants; all these things---it’s all a great message; and saw the wisdom that God had given him, what did she say? The Scripture said there was no more spirit in her. Brother, she was poor in spirit. She came up there with a great train and all her camels, brother, no doubt going to show him up, for she thought she was about the greatest thing as ever walked on this earth. They told her of somebody up there greater and she was going up to see, but brother, when she saw God’s wisdom put up beside man’s wisdom, the Scripture said, there was no more spirit in her, so she was poor in spirit.

When we see that which God can do for us, it will cause us to realize, that our own righteousness is as filthy rags---ragged individuals, and poor individuals. We will recognize our nakedness. Self-emptying convictions, will take hold of us, that must work before God can move upon us. We will realize that we are void of everything pertaining to life and Godliness, and into the emptiness, He will come with His Fullness. The reason more people can’t get Christ in their hearts, because they haven’t got room for Him. We want to hang on to “all the category” that our heart is filled with now, and give Him a little room in the attic someplace. Say, Amen! =) I’m still preaching to that which calls itself the church of God---the only kind you really wanted when you want to get healed---when you need to raise fifty dollars---when you get in a pinch. But God’s looking for a bride that loves Him, through think and thin. If He never did anything for her, she’d love Him just because He’s Him…so it is a blessed thing to realize our spiritual condition---that it is poor.

What is the next step? We’re going to take steps to salvation here, and if you get hung up on any of them, just realize it might be you haven’t got it. These are the steps that it takes to get a real experience with God. They have got it boiled down until it is as simple as falling off a log; sign a card or “blink your light”, but that is not the way Jesus lets people do it. It takes some effort on our part. The next step, He said, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Remember now, we are separating the good from the bad. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are who that mourn? Somebody said, just any one that mourns. No, there are people that get themselves in a shape where they will mourn and God will laugh at them when they mourn: First chapter of Proverbs. How did they get in that shape? They rejected His counsel. What did He say to the Laodiceans? You say this, but I counsel you this. Buy gold tried in the fire, get your white raiment on, anoint your eyes with eye-salve. The Proverb writer said, God’s speaking that you refused His counsel; you rejected His counsel. What did He say? When your catastrophe comes out here, and you begin to weep and mourn before God, He said He’d laugh at you, so this Scripture cannot be put on everybody that mourns.

Blessed are who that mourns? Blessed are they that realize their spiritual condition is not good and then begins to mourn over it. That’s the next step to salvation. We have to realize first, our spiritual condition is not good, and then, we cannot take it so lightly. Whenever you see people take this thing so lightly, you just watch them a few days. There will be no fruit come. I have seen people move sometimes with all the pride and they can hardly get down to an altar of prayer. They think that God is really getting something. Let me tell you, there is going to have to be some Godly sorrow here that worketh repentance unto salvation. We are going to have to realize our spiritual condition is not good and if Christ doesn’t help us, we are doomed; lost, and begin to mourn over the thing. Blessed are those who realize their spiritual condition is not good and then, they mourn over it; they will be comforted.

My friend, we can surely see that this “drag-net business” is not of God. He talks about a straight gate; strive to enter in. I can’t see how they’re miss-using the Gospel today---using it as a “sweeping thing,” that’s just taking in all kinds. It takes some unloading---some straightening out—some humbling down, some Godly sorrow, to get a salvation not to be repented of, one you won’t be sorry about. This salvation today, there’s too many sorry they got it, right after they get it. They call it making decisions for Christ, just have them raise their hands en masse, then, the minute they get outside they’re sorry they ever raised their hands, because they still want to sin. Well, Godly sorrow worketh repentance. It’s not repentance---it works repentance. When you get Godly sorrow working in you heart, the wheels of repentance will begin to turn, and when the wheels of repentance begin to turn, it will cut your tongue loose and you will go confessing unto God, and you won’t hold back a thing, and if you confess unto God, He will remove your sins from you as far as the east is from the west, never to be remembered against you again. So, it is a blessed thing to realize your spiritual condition is not good. The next step is to mourn over it. Let’s read the next one.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. What’s the next step? Realize your spiritual condition is not good, getting Godly sorrow where you can mourn over it. What’s the next position? Take a meek position before God. This is getting rid of all the “king-fishes” here. We have to have a meek position before God and be willing. What are you talking about, taking a meek position before God? Being willing to take it God’s way---just the way God wants us to take it. Too many are laying down requirements to God---we’re going to do this and we are going to do that. Huh-uh! We’ve got to take a meek position before God---be willing to pay the price, whatever it is---and take it God’s way, if we ever get it. Blessed are the meek. They will inherit the earth. My friend, the meek are those who quietly submit themselves to God and follow His directions--- comply with His instructions. When Christ spoke these words to the people back there in Judaism, it was like putting cold water on them. Why? They were looking for a literal kingdom; for Christ to take a literal sword, and go in there and cut off a few heads. Somebody said, “How do you know?” Why, Peter showed what was in him. He didn’t even have a sword. He grabbed somebody else’s and cut off the man’s ear. That bunch was all heated up; they thought they were going to have an earthly reign, and Christ was going to come in literal glory with a sword and kill people. He turned around and said, “If you ever get in ‘this kingdom’ you have to be a ‘meek fellow’.” Well, that’s the way He told me the meek was.

People are yet, looking for a millennium, when Christ will come with earthly glory. Zechariah and the other prophets said, “Behold your king cometh to you meek, riding on an ass, the foal of an ass.” That’s the way He comes. If you’ll permit me to digress a minute, there are some people who have a little trouble with the habits of life, let me see if I can give you a little treatment, by the Lord’s help. Christ came down there and ready to enter into Jerusalem, to be crowned king. He told them where there was a mule, tied with a colt beside it, that no man had ever sat on. We read in first kings and learn that the king rode a mule; usually a white mule, and they rode that mule until it died, and if they change kings, they still rode the same mule. Nobody got on that mule, but the king. When David was ready to turn his kingdom over to Solomon, how did he do it? He got the men together and told them to go over there and get his mule and let Solomon ride into town on his mule, because when that boy got on that mule, what happened? When he got to town they said, Solomon’s been crowned king. How do you know? He’s riding David’s mule. Nobody rides that mule, but the king.

Well, look here! When our King got ready to be crowned, He asked for a mule that no man had ever sat on. Why? This was a kingdom not handed down from somebody else, but the kingdom of God that had never been set up before. They brought that mule colt down there that no man had ever sat on---had not been bridled, and I told you the other day when I was speaking about this: any one that ever worked around any mules and broke them, know that there was power there. You just don’t get on a mule that has never been ridden---and stay on. You just don’t do it. Brother, you throw coats and branches down in front of them---they are going to run clear out of the country. This little old mule walked up and the Son of God got on his back. There was no rodeo---they threw a coat over his back---that was the worst thing they could have done. They threw branches down, and screamed Hosannas! The Scripture said, that mule walked straight into Jerusalem. Why? It recognized its creator. Brother, Sister, if you can recognize your creator and be as smart as that mule, you can walk straight into (spiritual) Jerusalem. Trouble is, you throw Him off. Come in a meek way. My friend, the same old spirit that was in Judaism, that wanted Peter to fight; he was going to have a literal kingdom whether or; it has got in preachers today---they are going to have it; there’s not going to be any earth for them to have it.

See, you can’t measure happiness by the acre; happiness comes on “spiritual wings”---I’m jumping here---want to hit the high places---I’ll get out of here---those who would be meek are truly inheriting the earth. Come on now! Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. What earth? This, earth, right here; the meek are the only rightful occupants of this earth. God created this earth for meek men--- holy men. God is just leaving the sinner live here by His mercy, but when we become meek individuals, we actually inherit it---it is ours. And not only do we inherit this earth, we inherit the next one, glory be to God! The Revelation said, “To him that overcometh, he will inherit all things,” so the next step, after realizing our spiritual condition is poor, and we mourn over it a little, take a meek position. [ The End ]