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Around the World in 88 Years -E Book - Arthur Burt

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forth fruit, and by our fruit we would be known. The ultimatepurpose of <strong>the</strong> m<strong>in</strong>istry of God’s people is loss of identity. Theripe fruit disappears and is assimilated <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> body, but if itdoesn’t get eaten, it turns rotten.In <strong>the</strong> revival we had been experienc<strong>in</strong>g, we were completelyself-centered. We were <strong>the</strong> people God was gett<strong>in</strong>g ready. Moremonastic than monks because we were “special”, we didn’t mixor m<strong>in</strong>gle with o<strong>the</strong>rs. Nobody else existed; no one else concernedus. This notion of be<strong>in</strong>g special grew through <strong>the</strong> years. Itwas a subtle process as slowly our attitude about <strong>the</strong> extraord<strong>in</strong>aryvisitation began to produce someth<strong>in</strong>g of a rottenness <strong>in</strong> us.We were THE people and wisdom should die with us. We were<strong>the</strong> latter ra<strong>in</strong>. God had visited “us”. “They” didn’t understand usso <strong>the</strong>y were out, and thus, we separated ourselves from o<strong>the</strong>rChristian groups.After all <strong>the</strong> marvelous bless<strong>in</strong>gs we had received, our attentionwas diverted from <strong>the</strong> Lord to ourselves. Gradually <strong>the</strong> peoplehad become dependent, not upon <strong>the</strong> voice of God speak<strong>in</strong>g aproceed<strong>in</strong>g, liv<strong>in</strong>g Word, but upon <strong>the</strong> voice of one man — <strong>the</strong>leader of our church. Almost imperceptibly, we fell away fromGod’s purpose that we would hear and follow His voice. Jesussaid, “My sheep hear my voice….” (John 10:27) He didn’t say,“My shepherds hear My voice.”I began to see that if I cont<strong>in</strong>ued with this group, I would partakeof <strong>the</strong> decay that was sett<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> and I would have to surrendermy birthright to hear <strong>the</strong> voice of God for myself. As always, <strong>the</strong>obvious happened. There came a time when I had to separate orI would lose what God had given me. Although I had been <strong>the</strong>refor many years, God spoke to me and told me to go.1958. “Walk <strong>the</strong> Land.”As soon as I took a stand aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> bondage that was sett<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>,I came <strong>in</strong>to conflict with <strong>the</strong> bro<strong>the</strong>r who was <strong>in</strong> charge of <strong>the</strong>meet<strong>in</strong>gs. He persuaded me not to leave but to submit, which Idid for ano<strong>the</strong>r year. Dur<strong>in</strong>g those months I felt <strong>the</strong> pressure of<strong>the</strong> Spirit, hear<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> voice of God speak to me out of Joshua,“How long are you slack to go…?” (Josh 18:3)105

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