September 17, 2021

87 th Anniversary
SEPTEMBER 17 , 2021
Editor | Dr . Shelton Smith Vol . LXXXVII , No . 18

Do It Now ! 18

I Did Exactly As I Promised

14

English , Spanish and More

6

How to Know for Sure

You Are Saved

“ If we receive the witness of men , the witness of God is greater : for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son .
“ He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself : he that believeth not God hath made him a liar ; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son .
“ And this is the record , that God hath given to us eternal life , and this life is in his Son .
“ He that hath the Son hath life ; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life .
“ These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God ; that ye may know that ye have eternal life , and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God .”— I John 5:9 – 13 .
This is one of the classic passages in the Word of God on the subject of knowing for sure that you are saved and that you are forever secure in Christ .
“ These things ” ( vs . 13 ) are the things that have preceded this verse and have been written in order that we can know that we have eternal life .
Certain Salvation in Uncertain Times
We live in a time of great uncertainty . Not many things are for sure . If you ask people what they know for sure , most of the time they will tell you , “ I don ’ t know much that is for sure .” They may jokingly say , “ Only death and taxes .” Even those of us who know the Lord cannot speak of many things that we know that are absolutely for sure .
I read in the newspapers that the terminology of some things has changed through the years . People expected too much when they were given a guarantee , so today few manufacturers give a guarantee
DR . SHELTON SMITH
on their products . Instead , they give a warranty .
They do not talk in terms of a ninety-day guarantee , a year ’ s Continued on p 15 ▶
In just a few days we will mark the 87 th birthday of the ministry of the Sword of the Lord . September 28 th is the anniversary of the founding of this newspaper .
Many of you know the history because you have been with us a long time , but because we have many new folks we feel that we should always take note when another year is completed .
Dr . John R . Rice founded a church in Dallas in 1932 . Two years later he founded the Sword of the Lord , printed five thousand copies and distributed them door to door in the Oak Cliff section of the city
R . A . Torrey was a great evangelist who followed in the footsteps of D . L . Moody . If you have never read his biography , I hope you will . You will discover that R . A . Torrey had great revivals .
He went into buildings that would seat seven to eight thousand people . They vowed he would never fill the buildings , but in a few weeks ’ time they were packed and

The Sword of the Lord

87 th Anniversary

Prescription for Revival

where the church was located .
In 1940 he resigned the church and moved his family and the Sword of the Lord to Wheaton , Illinois . He remained in Wheaton for twenty-three years until , at age sixty-eight , he relocated to Murfreesboro .
For forty-six years Dr . Rice edited the paper and preached revivals all across America . His influence and that of the Sword of the Lord grew with the favor of the Lord into a worldwide instrument for God and for good .
Continued on p 6 ▶
DR . CURTIS HUTSON
jammed and people were arriving early to try to find a place to sit .
He had great revivals , not only in this country but in Australia , England and many other places throughout the world .
He was also pastor of the Church of the Open Door in Los Angeles . There he had what he called a perennial revival . That is , every service was a revival , with people
“ Then he said , I pray thee therefore , father , that thou wouldest send him to my father ’ s house :
“ For I have five brethren ; that he may testify unto them , lest they also come into this place of torment .”— Luke 16:27 , 28 .
One of the most moving Bible passages is Luke 16:19 – 31 . Here Jesus tells of the rich man who died and was buried “ and in hell he lift up his eyes , being in torments .”
Since we believe the Bible , then being saved and baptized .
One of my philosophies has always been “ Learn from those who are doing it .” If I were broke and wanted to make a million dollars , I would talk to a fellow who made a million last year . I would certainly not waste my time talking with a fellow who went broke last year .
If I wanted to learn how to repair an automobile , I wouldn ’ t talk with a fellow who had six jalopies in the yard and none of them running . I would find a man who had an automobile that would run and was dependable , one that would start when you turned on the switch .
It is wise to learn from those who are doing it .
I enjoy playing golf . If I had an opportunity , I would like to play with Jack Nicklaus , not that I think I could beat him , but I think my game would improve by being around him . That is a Bible principle .
The Bible says , “ He that walketh with wise men shall be wise : but a companion of fools shall be destroyed ” ( Prov . 13:20 ). Learn
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UNSAVED BROTHERS

DR . JOHN R . RICE
we must take this account at face value . Jesus did not call it a parable . He gives the name of Lazarus , who lay at the rich man ’ s gate full of sores .
Lazarus was a real person and the account is not fiction . The rich man was a real person . Doubtless , Jesus would have given his name too but for his loved ones or friends who would have been grieved or embarrassed .
Continued on p 19 ▶