Memories of Wigglesworth

I have never been able to give satisfactory words to describe this but these men not only walked in the presence of a Holy God, they radiated it, the modern religious foolishness would bow in silence had it been there.

I remember Granddad and Grandma coming from their room one evening after a day of prayer, they never said anything but the ministry was powerful; it got right into one's spirit with cleansing

power and the result was that Jesus filled the vision so that every other interest just died.

I remember my indignation when a journalist got hold of some of Smith Wigglesworth's original manuscripts and presented them in a book then proceeded to travel the world preaching but at the same time living with another woman.

His memory draws many to desire the same experience but few are willing to walk the walk, that's the part that is not often talked about. Smith Wigglesworth never hesitated to identify the thief and the robber, but also could weep with the penitent and lead him to victory. Compromise was not his style but now the house must be filled and the world has come into the sanctuary.

You may have noticed that the Laodiceans owned their church, and Jesus was outside (Revelation 3: 20). All the other Churches are described as being at some location but not Laodicea.

They had taken the right of self-government and could not see their true state. The faithful and true witness was outside, not in the sanctuary.

Many years ago I set aside just three days and nights to seek the will of God on a particular matter. I had learned that brokenness is the foundation to true thanksgiving and surrender the basis of real praise. Time and sense disappeared, the heavens opened and His glory was so bright and alive, His love was tangible and powerful.

I asked Him, "Lord how do you feel about your church?" 44 years later I still weep, the weight of His grief increased until I had to ask him to stop, I was dying, I could not humanly cope with the weight of grief that Jesus had over His Church. His glory and His love was still there, so real. I lay on the floor as the experience came to an end, I was back in a very unreal world. For the next three days I

couldn't talk, my flesh trembled all over me. His inheritance was being trashed and I knew it.

After that experience the real condition of the Church began to unfold, no church was exempt. Tragically multitudes have been turned aside from following Jesus and the narrow way that leads to life, turned aside right within the Church because the wolf has been allowed to roam at will in the house. Many argue the rights and wrongs over many issues but the inheritance has been trashed and Jesus is outside.

I know what I have written may seem negative and without a real answer. I guess I've expressed my heart cry that Jesus be loved and honoured above everything. The cry of Joel's heart describes the condition and supplies the answer. Someone must pay that price for the honour of Jesus.

"And so, with fasting and prayer, with agonizing travail and wrestlings such as Jacob had with God, with ridding their lives not only of their sins, but of their fleshly "ways" of man's strength and man's power, they battled on, right into the very throne room of God.

And by the time they got there they were truly broken and humbled men and women, true possessors of 'clean hands and a pure heart'. He met them there in the most profound way."