feb ’99
timeless teaching by Kenneth Copeland
“These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate...Jesus Christ.”
1 John 2:1
Building a Wall Between You and Sin
One of my heroes of faith is Smith Wigglesworth, an early 20th-century healing evangelist from England. Mr. Wigglesworth was perhaps one of the boldest men of faith ever to walk this earth. But he wasn’t always that way.
Being raised in a poor family, and forced to work hard-labor jobs from the time he was 6 years old, Mr. Wigglesworth had no formal education and didn’t learn to read until he was an adult.
He became a plumber by trade, and a successful one. But when he married a woman who was called to preach, Mr. Wigglesworth soon came face-to-face with the calling of God that was on his life as well—a calling which he did everything he could to avoid.
You see, Smith Wigglesworth was extremely introverted, and very embarrassed of his lack of education.
When he first entered public ministry with his wife, Mr. Wigglesworth was scared out of his wits just to stand on a platform and say his name. When he read scripture out loud, he would stutter and stumble through the reading. Afterward, he would say, “If anyone has anything to say, let them say it now—I’m done.” Then he would walk off the platform and sit down. His wife usually ended up doing the preaching.
Nonetheless, deep in the heart of this stuttering introvert was great conviction and passion for God. Mr. Wigglesworth absolutely refused to let the sun go down without his having witnessed to, and won, at least one soul to Jesus each day.
24 : BVOV
