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Father, we thank thee again for the words of this hymn we have sung together.
We do trust that.
These words express the thoughts of our hearts.
Surely indeed.
Thou must lead us, blessed Savior, through the desert, for without thee we cannot go.
But we have also sung together not shall move us while we see thee Savior dying.
We know how easily we sing these words, and surely we know the truth of them in our heads.
But all we pray that it may be true in our hearts.
We do own how easily things do move us.
How easily there are things which discourage us in the pathway of faith. How easily there are things which occupy us with everything except Thyself. Lord Jesus, we own this before Thee, but we thank Thee for the desire in our hearts to go after Thee. We thank Thee for Thy word in our hands. We thank Thee for thy Holy Spirit here to make it good to it.
And we thank the Lord Jesus, the Thou art that object for our souls.
And so we pray that as we are here before thee, that once again thou will just minister as thou dost see the need. Whatever the character of this meeting should be, we pray that it might be of myself, and first of all for thy glory, and then for our blessing. For we ask it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen.
So now for a season if needs be here and having this.
Trial of your faith to be much more precious.
Who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them to signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves but unto us they'd administer the things which are now reported unto you.
By them that have preached the gospel unto you, with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, which things the angels desire to look into.
Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you as the revelation of Jesus Christ as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lust and your ignorance, But as he which has called you, is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation, because it is written, be equally for I am holy. And if you call on the Father, who, without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear, for as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold.
From your vain conversation received by tradition from your Father's, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a land without blemish and without spot, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times. For you who by him to believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave me glory, that your faith and hope might be in God, seeing ye have purified your souls, and obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unseamed love of the brethren, see that you love one another with pure heart, fervently.
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.
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For all flesh is grass, and all the glory of man is the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. But the word of the Lord endures forever, and this is the Word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Mother David, if you had turned to look to and read the Last Verses of Luke chapter 2, there seems to be a relationship between what Zacharias.
Wrote and what Peter is writing here. At least I discerned that from what was said this morning. If you would read in Luke 2.
Verse 67 to the end.
Chapter One, Chapter One is usually yes.
Luke Chapter one then and verse 67.
And his father was Zacharias. And his father Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel. For he has visited and redeemed his people, and has raised up an horn of salvation for us in the House of his servant David, as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began, That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he swear to our father Abraham.
That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. And thou, child, shall be called the prophet of the highest. For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways to give knowledge of salvation unto his people, by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dayspring from on high has visited us to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace.
And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit and within the desert, until the day of his showing unto Israel.
And this gives us the right expectation of a godly Jew when Jesus came the 1St.
That thing of it is that Israel wouldn't have this.
And so it wasn't fulfilled then.
This within the plan of God. There's no second thoughts with God.
And he hasn't given up on Israel. He's going to get them.
The Lord told the 12 disciples he shall sit on prayer Thrones. Judging the 12 tribes of Israel that's still going to take place. What has happened for us Gentiles to enjoy is that because the Jews did not take the Messiah but rejected him?
God has over on all bounds of nationalities.
And it's not birthed by natural birth, as we heard this morning, but it's quickened, born of God that brings us Gentiles in but the very language of Zachariah, who was a contemporary or judge with Peter.
And.
He begins here, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he had visited and redeemed his people, and had raised up what and horn of salvation, the power of salvation, for us, in the House of his servant David.
Now the true David is going to get that the son of David.
It's going to get that place and it's the power of salvation, but now we've got.
Salvation in our chapter. The questions were asked this morning about.
The.
Ready. Salvation. Ready to be revealed.
In the last time in our fifth verse.
Well, I answered that I'm not satisfied with what I said.
That salvation certainly is the rapture for us who are sitting here.
And the salvation of the body.
But the good of the Lord he is the horn of salvation.
He's the true son of David and he's going to get that power and redeem his people, that is nationally, there'll be a resurrection for them. We heard some nice words about the Israel of God this morning and now we come in on the same.
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Principles of the blessings and the salvation of the body and the salvation of the soul. There's two other things.
In verse 7.
To praise and to honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus, he speaks of the appearance. Now on the 13th verse he speaks of the revelation of Jesus Christ.
I suppose he is appearing as when Jesus manifests himself to whoever he manifests himself to.
But this Grace and Peter writes about grace. He learned grace, the 13th verse. It's tremendous to me to think of this. Gird up the loins of your mind and be sober and hope to the end. That's practical exhortation for you and I are sitting here.
For the grace that is to be brought unto us at the revelation of Jesus Christ. I've often thought of that. And we've gotten grace, grace upon grace.
But it seems to me that the first time that you see Jesus, the first time that I see Jesus, will be the revelation of Jesus Christ and the graceful just magnify and be fuller than anyone can anticipate now. So grace is the subject that Peter brings before us quite a bit.
But some remarks were made about suffering. So we begin here.
The trial of your faith. What's that? What's the trial of your faith?
To Thomas.
The Lord said, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast relieved. Blessed are they that have not seen me, and yet have believed.
It's faith all the way through. To believe God, it's.
Test of faith.
We say we believe God.
Paul said it as he was about to be shipwrecked, he heard the words of the Lord speaking, I believe God.
That test of faith seems to me to come every day. Do you believe God? Do I believe God?
Well, it's a precious faith.
Could we suggest that we get two things here in this in these six and 7th verses which ultimately the human mind cannot really put together? I don't mean that we can't in inexperience, but there are two things here that are difficult to understand when the Lord allows trials and sufferings in our lives down here.
Unquestionably, in the life of every believer, these two things are present.
On the one hand, there is the trial of your faith as we get in verse 7. The proving of your faith, we could say.
And the reality of what is within is proved by the way that we go through the trial, isn't it?
If an automobile manufacturer gets a new car, a new model ready.
They put it through some very severe trials, don't they, before they put it on the road? Sometimes we might wonder about that, but they apparently do, and they test it under very severe conditions and if the believer always had an easy pathway.
Oh, the world could look on and say, well, no wonder they're happy. No wonder they're at peace. Everything goes well for them. But here it says that the trial of your faith.
Being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
That's what it's all going to be. The time of suffering down here is going to result in praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
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But then with each one of us.
There's the need to be, isn't there, with our blessed Savior, There was not. He was tempted, He was tested, and nothing but the fullness of all that he was shone out. But in verse six it says, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptation. And could we suggest that every trial that you and I go through has a mixture in some way of those two things? No doubt there is the trial of our faith which the Lord is going to.
Show is real and which will result in praise and honor and glory at his appearing. But then there's the needs be that I have to go to the Lord about because there no doubt is something in the trial for me, Something that the Lord is teaching me, something that I need to learn, something that He is attempting to purify by putting me through that trial. Well, sometimes it's difficult, isn't it, to say where one leads on and the other takes over.
Sometimes we can know a person very, very well and yet make a wrong judgment about those things. But in the presence of God, I believe the individual involved, by being before the Lord can discover on the one hand what is the trial of our faith that is going to result in praise and honor and glory, And what is for blessing and for correction and for the needs be that's mentioned in verse 6. So I've enjoyed this in my own soul that here are two things.
Which the human mind cannot totally reconcile. And yet the individual going through the trial realizing that there's always an admixture of those two, can discover it in the Lorde presence and on the one hand get the blessing from it, but on the other hand be encouraged by knowing that it is the trial of his faith that is going to result in praise and honor and glory.
I'd like to ask a question and it's an honest question.
In verse five it says.
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. And that was brought before us this morning, No doubt as that which is the full realization of everything that Christ has won for us, when we shall be freed from the presence of sin, when we'll have our glorified bodies. And in Peter no doubt it is looked at in a general way.
As that which will be ours at the end of the pathway.
But then the reference to it in verse 9 seems to imply, and this is the question, does the reference to that in verse nine, in the way that it's worded, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls? Does it imply that if I go through a trial in the right way, that if I am before the Lord about it in the midst of suffering down here?
But if that Blessed One is before me as we get in verse 8.
If I am really rejoicing with joy, unspeakable and full of glory, is there the sense in verse nine that I can enjoy in my soul now, something of what I am going to enjoy in its fullness in the coming day? Is that a correct thought?
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Well, that's always in the mind of God, that his people should enjoy everything. They can enjoy everything that's made known, these things rightly under you that your joy might be.
Polls where John puts it.
Because they because they helped them out in the new translation on verse 9.
Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls, the note reads literally. Salvation of souls, in contrast with temporal deliverances to which, as Jews, they were accustomed to look.
Receiving the salvation of your soul.
It was brought out this morning. That was not something that the Old Testament dealt with. It was the temporal deliverance that the Old Testament dealt with.
But here he's talking about soul salvation.
Brother Bill, what you say is?
Born out in that verse. Eight, though now you see him, not it, it it it isn't revealed yet, but even though it's not revealed to us, we don't see it, nor does anyone else see it Yet. Believing that is by faith. We rejoice with joy, unspeakable and full of glory, That everyone who comes to know the Lord as their Savior has this privilege by faith.
Of entering into this joy, unspeakable and full of glory. And if we don't, it's because of the faith is lacking in our life, because faith takes the promises of God and makes them realities to our souls, so that we see more by faith than we do by our natural eye. And our whole life then is molded by that faith which is active. And that's why.
God is interested in exercising this faith and developing it in our lives so that it in reality becomes a truth that when we wake up in the morning and begin our day, it's a day that's going to be lived by faith. And so if it is, then presently we have this joy which is described here as unspeakable.
Perhaps we don't know too much about that joy, but it's open and available to each one of us. And the wonderful thing about it is that it doesn't depend on the circumstances. And so these trials come into the light. They can't touch the joy that is produced by faith.
Little brother, you can say to us one of the most helpful things on this that I ever heard of Everything that you have that you will always have, you have by faith, not by sight.
It forever looks my favorite.
Read that again when it's when the Mike didn't pick it up at the beginning. Everything that you have and I have as a believer, we have by faith that we will always have. What we have. By sight we will not always have, but what we have by faith we will always have.
And he goes on here to bring us into the glory and the Old Testament. Travis wrote about it. And they didn't understand their own writings. Verse ten of which salvation. The prophets have inquired and searched diligently. I judge that they read their own writings. They didn't understand them, perhaps who prophesied of the grace that should be?
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Should come under you. They seem to know, At least it states here that there was a grace that was going to come to the following people.
And then the 11Th verse goes with it searching what?
Or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them. And you have the Spirit of Christ in you. And I he was in the prophets writing these things.
Writing for us and bringing thoughts concerning us, A development of the plan of God.
Now does it come in? Who testified?
Beforehand of the sufferings of Christ.
And the next noun should be for and the glories that should follow. And the glories are infinite because they are the glories of Christ, and that's the order brethren sufferings. We shouldn't think it's strange concerning the fire trial that comes upon us, but look on to the glories that shall follow.
And really, I think we're getting very close to getting into it. Both Peter and Paul use that word, unspeakable.
Verse 8. Joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Paul was caught up to that glory, and he saw and heard things that were unspeakable. He couldn't even write them down. Well, that's what's coming.
Did you ever think about David and Isaiah?
Writing.
And this 12Th verse, unto whom it was revealed that.
Not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you, with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.
Which things the angels desire to look into? Not only did the prophets consider and wonder about what they wrote, the Spirit of Christ in them, giving the words.
And they couldn't understand it and see it. And the angels can't either. But you and I can. What a revelation has been brought out in this age in which you and I live, and we're down at the end of it if you consider the Writings, the prophets.
Writing back in Old Testament times, then picking it up in the time of the Lord and that century that followed. Bringing to completeness the Bible so that it's all given to us.
Paul writing the last subject matter and completing that. And there it was. And how many people knew about it back in the first, second And in the Dark Ages, how many people knew about these wonderful things?
Not very many, but God in his plan.
He let man, maybe 'cause man to produce the printing press, and the Bible was printed in many different languages three and four and 500 years ago, and has been spread over almost the whole world now.
Well, that's that's words that are written down.
Wonderful to have them and we've got the whole thing.
But besides that, there was the recovery of the truth.
So that beginning 170 years ago more or less the light of the truth.
Now the Poles doctrine and of the New Testament doctrine was brought out completely, I believe, and has been spread over.
Much of the Western world we're sitting here with, perhaps.
More current knowledge here in this nation, maybe in this place, than anybody in the world has ever had before in the history of man. How much do we appreciate, How much do we value these wonderful things? And that unspeakable glory is just around the corner? But we have triumphs. We have fiery trials, hard trials. Things have come up in my lifetime I've never dreamed would ever come up.
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Well, there must be a need to be there, must need to be shaken up.
And learn to appreciate the truth and what we have got and the expectation of that living hope being fully brought out at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
And the revelation of Jesus Christ. Peter uses both words.
Chuck, what's the difference between appearing in Revelation here in this chapter?
Yeah, I I don't know what distinction to make.
See what he's going to say about appearing and revelation.
I don't know a difference between them.
We look forward with anticipation to the day when our Lord Jesus Christ will.
Have his place in the world that rejected him.
And so it goes beyond what we speak of as the rapture to that time when our Lord is going to have God is going to give him the kingdoms of this earth as his own, and his own people will be identified with him in that time and in that day.
And so our lives today are to be characterized as people who are waiting for the one who loves them to come to take them to be with himself. That we might see him face to face, but more than that, that he might have his place.
And we will be identified with him in it.
I'd like to comment on that one version Titus that we used so often. Perhaps ask a question too.
Titus 2.
13.
I'll read from verse 11 such choice ministry here Titus 211. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Now that's what we're getting about salvation that Peter writes about.
It's appeared to all men, not just the Jews.
Teaching us it teaches us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live righteous, soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. That's a clear and exhortation you can get as to your behavior down here and what is desired of the believer. But we have an outlook looking for the blessed hope.
And the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Sometimes I think we pull this verse apart too much.
There are not 3 comings of the Lord Jesus. There are two. He came and he is coming.
They're both aspects of the Second Coming are in this verse.
And I say for myself, maybe we pull them apart too much. It's all one coming.
He's going to come and call us up and the world won't see him.
But then he's going to come and manifest himself. He's going to appear and take control, which brings in judgment before the glory. But it's all one appearing. Jesus came and he is coming. We live in between those two comings. Well, we ought to look on to when Christ has his.
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What belongs to him? The first part of it is him getting us.
He's just going to call us up. He won't show himself to the world then, but it's all one appearing.
Once thought of God to glorify Christ and set him up over everything.
I just I just looked it up.
And at the end of verse 7 King James it says at the appearing of Jesus Christ Mr. Darby renders that the revelation of Jesus Christ and the end of verse 13 at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And the Greek word is the same in both places. So revelation is the same, but there is another word which is appearing or manifestation. And the two the two thoughts you reveal something or you manifest something.
Very, very similar thoughts, aren't they?
Maybe we ought to get some of the practical truth out of this going on to verse 13.
Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind. That's the seed of strength.
God has created man with a mind.
That is the greatest part of the first creation, I think. That can't even commune and communicate with his Creator and it must be on God's basis.
Gird up the loins of your mind. Be sober.
And hope to the end don't give up. Faint not.
The.
End is the grace that's brought unto us at the revelation of Jesus Christ when He appears to us, when He is revealed to us, when we see Him. All this time we must learn how to behave and soberly and seek to gain the light of the truth that God has for us. I think for our joy to press on while we're crying.
Because we are tried, we are tested, we do suffer. We know what pain is our Lord Jesus does to.
And he knows what death is.
He's the only one who knows what death is and has conquered it, so he feels with us.
Behold him that him whom thou lovest is sick, the sister said to Jesus. Well, he had compassion, He wept with them. He said, This sickness is not unto death, but to the glory of God. So he looks unto resurrection, and that's what's coming for those who have died in Christ. Resurrection and a change, and the glory for us, meanwhile, were to behave.
So to the end.
Or to hope perfectly or with perfect steadfastness.
New Translation reads it. It's really the word. Perfectly, consistently, constantly. Don't give up, don't turn aside out of discouragement, but persevere hope to the end, all the way through all the trials and difficulties. Having loved his own, he loved them unto the end. And he'll never cease loving us, no matter what we go through, no matter how we might fail. His love to us is always the same, perfectly He loves us. And so we are to hope in that way, isn't it not? Is it not?
So we are to hope and cling to him and keep going. Don't give up.
Persevere press on until he comes and reveals himself.
And what grace will then be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ?
I was thinking, Brother Chuck, as you were speaking, that perhaps there's a little picture of that in the life of Caleb. You might look at that real quickly in Joshua chapter 14. Here was a man whose faith was severely tested. He knew what trials were.
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Joshua, Chapter 14.
And.
Verse six In the middle of the verse, Caleb, the son of Jeffy and of the king of Kanazite, said unto him, That's Joshua. Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses, a man of God concerning me and thee. And Kadish Barney of 40 years old was I. When Moses is served, the Lord sent me from Kadish Barnea to spy the land, and I brought him word again as was in my heart. Now here's a test. Nevertheless, my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt.
But I wholly followed the Lord my God. How did he do that? That was faith.
He had seen something and he was going to lay hold of that. He didn't give up because the people couldn't lay hold of it. But look at what goes on here.
He says in the end of verse 9.
That Moses had sworn to him that he was going to receive it, because thou hast totally followed the Lord my God. And now verse 10 Behold, the Lord hath kept me alive as he said these forty and five years. It was a long time, He wondered for a long time in the wilderness. What did he have to prove? He had seen something, and the children of Israel didn't go into it. But for 40 and five years he kept in that wilderness. He kept going on. And I love verse 11 as yet I am as strong this day.
As I was in the day that Moses sent me, As my strength was then, Even so is my strength now. For war both to go out and to come in. Wherefore now? Give me this mountain? Well, went through a lot of trials and testings, didn't he? But at the end of the path, his strength was just as as great as it was when he started 45 years before. That's what faith will do for us, brethren. Back in verse four, it talked about this inheritance that fadeth not away. If we try to walk and claim that in our own strength, it's going to fade away.
But that wasn't how Caleb was walking. He was walking in the strength of faith, and that inheritance was this good. 45 years later and he entered into the joy of it. He didn't give up. He was just as strong. So we can do that, but it's only by faith we can go on. Lots of trials, lots of difficulties, lots of sadness, lots of people that you might say that fell in the wilderness and didn't make it. Caleb went on, and his strength was just as strong at the end as when he started.
We're now in first class for the next few verses. We didn't notice that as we read the chapter earlier, but it says who are kept by the power of God and it doesn't stop there through faith. In other words, God's power is for us.
In every possible way. But it's only as strong as our faith is. So if we believe the promises of God, then God's power is for us. So we're not called to have that power. We're called upon to believe, and not only to believe, but to walk in it.
Let's make just a little a side comment on this. Do you really believe?
Do I really believe?
The Lord is in the midst of two or three gathered to his name.
Do you really believe that?
He is present.
When the Saints are so gathered.
Do we really believe that he is there if we do?
Now that's that's your faith. That's my faith. If we really believe it, if it's active, if we're hoping with perfect steadfastness to see him there in the midst of his gathered people.
Could we even entertain the thought of not being there?
The saddest thing that one encounters.
In traveling from assembly to assembly today is the very poor attendance.
Saints will come out Lord's Day Morning to the breaking of bread. The assembly also has a meeting in the evening, but using something some places you can count those that will be present on one hand.
Why is there so little energy among us to be to all the meetings? Why is that? What has happened to us?
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When we allow that to take place.
All that we can come up with, 1000 reasons.
I failed in this and others have one is not pointing fingers, but we have to.
Ask ourselves. We're talking about faith. Faith is laying hold upon something we do not see.
It's laying hold upon God's word and acting upon it, not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is. Even back then it was happening when Paul wrote those words. It was happening back then.
But pressing on.
Continuing being there.
Sisters.
I know come to some meetings and I look around for sisters that I expect always to be there.
And they're usually there. And if they're not, it's because of some sickness or some physical affliction where they can't get out.
But I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about our state of soul that can take being amongst the Saints when gathered together. So what has happened to us? You go back not too many years ago and you come to a meeting and you know everyone will be out. It's not a question you don't say to your children. Well, should we go to meeting tonight? It's understood. We go to meeting. There's a meeting tonight we go.
But that has changed.
There is something that is settled among us, a casualness, an indifference to to the Word of God. Faith lays hold on Scripture, on the Word of God. God wants us there, even if we don't contribute where we fill a seat. And of course he wants us to be there and exercise to be there so we can we can help.
Give out us. Get out of him. Sisters don't take an audible part, but their presence is so valued and so needed and so important.
Maybe someone could?
Give us something you mentioned, Brother Clam, Something practical. Well, that's very practical, and it's certainly a need that is amongst us. It's not just amongst us, it's amongst Christian everywhere. There's a lethargy. There's the Laodicean indifferent latitude and Aryan spirit that has crept over us and we think we can take it or leave it. It doesn't matter, but it does matter. And the one that loses is our souls. We lose in our souls.
And the Saints lose because there are so few out.
Anything that will warm our hearts.
It's the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The sufferings of Christ.
And the glories that should follow. Peter speaks of it here.
We need the gospel. We need to realize what it cost Jesus to save my soul.
We need to think about his sufferings.
But he carries us on to the glories that shall be revealed.
I think of the way God called Abraham. It's in the 7th of Acts.
Told us by Stephen, the God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he dwelt in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in China.
Now he was an idolater the 24th of Joshua tells us that.
But God appeared to him, and more than once.
I think for ourselves.
To be able to go on and persist in going on, we need to get a hold of that glory that belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ.
But lacrosse enters in but.
God would make known the glory.
And the Lord.
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Took the same way to pick up Paul and cause him to be such a faithful servant.
Struck him down on the way to Damascus. Made him blind for three days.
And the glory of God was there the Lord Jesus.
Saul's words are Who art thou, Lord?
He knew the glory together. He knew there was a person there.
But he didn't know who that person that was Lord was.
And the answer was simple. I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. We need to get a hold of the fact that Jesus, who went to the cross, is the Lord, and all that glory belongs to him. And then, if we believe what he said, he says, where two or three are gathered together into my name, there am I in the midst of them. We will be, we will want to be there. We will desire to be there. It'll be a joy to be there.
And to listen to some of that revelation which is written down here by the prophets.
Might mention that Peter goes on and gives us warning in a prophetic way in second.
Peter.
In second Peter.
The prophecy is taken up of what's going to happen in the coming day.
And it's told to us and based upon that there is a very.
Serious exhortation given to us.
We won't go into much of it, but in second Peter 3.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise. Verse nine. That is what God has promised will come to pass.
But his long-suffering to us toward not willing that any should perish Now that's the character of the Lord today. He doesn't want anybody perishing.
But that all men should come to repentance. Then he tells us what the day of the Lord is.
Now listen to this. What the day of the Lord is, the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, into which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with Ferrari. The earth also in the works that are therein, shall be burned up. Do you believe that? I do. That's in prophecy, seeing that in all these things shall be dissolved.
What manner of person? Here it is the exhortation. What manner of persons ought ye to be in all? What holy conversation we're getting in our chapter? Be holy, for I am holy. Holy conversation is what to characterize us. And godliness, then looking, looking on into that prophecy, looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God past the day of the Lord.
In the day when all things are settled out, we're in or in that time, the heavens.
Being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.
Nevertheless, we now that's us rather according to the promise we're talking about it. It's getting, it's given in the prophetic scripture the promise look for new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that he looked for such things, be diligent, Let ye be found of him in peace in your local assemblies, without spot and blemish. Going on enjoying the Lord at the breaking of bread and the ministry meeting and growing in grace, is the last verse says Peter's last words are so precious.
Grow in grace, not law. Grow in grace.
And in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And Peter has to break out and praise to him be glory both now and forever. Amen. So maybe we get stirred up and be more faithful being at meetings, brethren.
The great encouragement to me, a brother, Chuck said. Do you believe the Lord Jesus is in the midst? And I do.
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And one of the prophets said, show them the pattern of the former house, or show them the pattern of the house. They might be ashamed, but look at the assembly in the Book of Revelation in chapter 21.
And we've spoken about the glory of the Lord, but there's glory that we're going to share in in that.
And it says in verse 9, Come, hit her, I will show thee the bride, the lamb's wife, and so on. And in verse 11 and having the glory of God, well this is not Paul's aspect of the assembly, but it's the assembly connected with the 12 apostles.
And it's the thought of the assembly in administration. And that's the thought of Matthew 18 and 20, only in Matthew 18.
It's administrating right now here on earth in the assembly.
A privilege, I believe.
I enjoyed by those.
Company. That company of people of two or three gathered to the Lord's name.
Rather than we either exist because of the Spirit of God gathering us together to the name of Christ, or we we are we're just another self-made group of brethren. But I believe we are an assembly that the Spirit of God has formed. And I've just enjoyed in recent months that when I leave this earth and step out of the little gathering their home in Des Moines.
It's just to step into it on the other side. I'm not going to have to change churches and it's going to step out of the two or three, the company of two or three forming that little Assembly of God here on earth into this glorious Jerusalem, which will take part not only during the millennial reign, in the administration of the millennial reign, but it's going to go on as the assembly.
For all eternity.
Well, now when you like to in that day when John gives the assembly, when it comes forth to share the reign of Christ during that millennial reign.
When you like to have been able to say, oh, I'm so glad.
That back there on earth I was at the prayer meeting. I came to the reading, and I was tired that night. Add to your fake virtue, that is to say, well, I believe the Lord is there, but.
And you let something overcome, you know, add virtue to it. Add power to that faith and go ahead and go. You won't be disappointed.
And you certainly won't be ashamed when the revelation of Jesus Christ and all that he has accomplished and everything is displayed as his work in that day. That's going to be a glorious church. It's going to, well, you can read about it, but that should Do you really believe you're going to be in that assembly? Then why wouldn't you want to be in this assembly here on earth? It's the same assembly.
Not going to be a different assembly.
Oh, let us forsake not the assembling of ourselves together, as the matter of some is. And I know what you mean, Brother Chucky. None of us here have ever been encouraged by an empty chair, have we?
No, David's place was empty. Or rather, it's.
What's his name? He wasn't there with the disciples. Thomas, his chair being empty, didn't encourage anyone.
But that state, But if if faith isn't active, that New Jerusalem doesn't mean anything to me. It's just something in the, perhaps even the distant future. If there's no faith there, it is the distant future. But if faith is there, and that's a living reality to my soul, that that's where I'm going to spend 1000 years in that assembly, why I'd want to be in that assembly here on earth.
As often as I can be.
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The latter glory of that house will exceed its former glory.
It will surpass Pentecost. I speak in a figure.
OK.
153.
Spring. The water is free. All other streams are dry.
Whom had way more?
Than the heart and all of the rain flow.
All the rest of the day.