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General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1971. Third reading meeting.
#36 in the appendix.
We go to meet the Savior this glorious faces.
What manner does this is 1 degree 36 in the appendix?
We go to meet.
The.
Savior.
First Peter Chapter 2, verse 9.
But ye are a chosen generation.
A royal priesthood?
And holy nations, the peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of Him who have called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, which in time past were not a people that are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstained from fleshly lust with war against the soul.
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against your evil doors, they made by your good works, which they shall, behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Submit yourself to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the King of Supreme or under governors, is under them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.
As free and not using your liberty, we're a closer maliciousness.
But as a servant of God.
Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God, Honor the king.
Service be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the forward. For this is thank worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully, For what glory is. As if when ye be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently.
But if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
For even here unto where he called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that he should follow his death.
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he sovereignly threatened not, but committed himself to him that judges righteously.
To his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live under righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed. For you were a sheep going astray, but have now returned under the shepherd and Bishop of your soul.
The subject was touched on and the readings on Saturdays The difference between the Holy priesthood and the royal priesthood, but I'm sure there's much more that can be said about it.
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But I'll just call attention to this.
We have two priesthoods in the Old Testament. There was the priesthood of Melchizedek, and there was the priesthood of error. Well, Aaron's priesthood took him within the veil into the immediate presence of God.
So.
But in the Melchizedek priesthood, we find that when Abraham returns from the slaughter of the kings that Melchizedek came out to bless.
So you'll get the two thoughts of priesthood quite clearly set before us.
So you remember that Melchizedek was not only.
The priest of the Most High God.
But he was also King of Salem, so there we get the royal priesthood, whereas Eris priesthood was.
Had character of holiness going into the presence of God.
And serve us there with his censor.
With those fragrant orders.
Speaking of all the graces and perfections of Christ.
But in the coming day, you know the Melchizedek Priesthood will have its full fulfillment.
It's a really remarkable thing that the first battle mentioned in Scripture is the victory of Abraham or the kings, and that is just a picture of the final battle and victory of Christ over all his enemies in this world. So Abraham is a type of Christ in that way, and so is Melchizedek.
A type of Christ, for Christ will be a priest upon his throne. For now, as we well know, Beloved, that this is not the day when Christ is reigning.
The time when Christ will come out.
In all his glory and in connection with his royal priesthood.
Is yet future, but the character of his priesthood is seen now.
And it can be carried out by his people, as Peter brings it before us, and the verse where we're starting to read.
Now we find that when James addresses the.
Makes his address in his first epistle, he addresses the 12 tribes of Israel.
But when Peter speaks of the nation.
The only part of the nation that Peter recognizes is that godly Remnant who had received and accepted their Messiah. That's why he said he are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation. A peculiar people are a people of purchase, that is.
If Israel had been obedient to.
The commands of God.
This would have been true of the whole nation.
Much more could be said if someone feels led to take up.
What you get in the 19th of Exodus, where these very things mentioned here, chosen generation of royal priesthood and holy nations are spoken of as the promise on the ground of their obedience, but as we know that.
When they took the stand that all the Lord has said we will do.
They put themselves under law, and they forfeited all these blessings. But isn't that lovely when Peter is writing to this Jewish remnant, well acquainted with the where the promises to their nation?
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That now they can rejoice in the fact that they have these blessings that Israel under the law had forfeited and lost, and they can now see that they are that chosen generation, that holy nations and that royal priesthood, and that their privilege now to show forth the praises of him.
Who had called us out of darkness?
Into his marvelous life.
I was thinking, Brother Barry, as you mentioned Exodus 19, did you? Yes, yes. May we read a little there, brethren?
Exodus 19.
And.
Verse 5.
I just merely want to read from this, and then turn over to Hosea to link it up. Now therefore, if he will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant.
Then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people.
All the earth is mine.
And ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of priests.
And an holy nation, these are the words which thou shalt speak.
Unto the children of Israel. Now if you kindly turn to Hosea.
And Chapter 2.
This is a very beautiful portion and opens up a real.
Opportunity for brethren, our brethren, to take part.
Verse 14.
Therefore, behold, I will allure her.
And bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.
And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Acorn for a door of hope, and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth.
And as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt, and it shall be at that day, said the law, that thou shalt call me Ishi.
You'll notice the meaning in the merchant brethren, which really is my husband issue and shall call me no more validities.
My master, for I will take away the names of Balaam out of her mouth, and they shall be no more, shall no more be remembered.
By thine, by their name and so on, I just mentioned these two portions.
Because of what our brother has said.
Lies before my eyes as you read this, brother.
That in verse 13.
How naughty she had been.
In the middle of the verse, she decked herself.
Led the sin has that tendency, you know.
And forgot me verse 14.
The grace of God in spite of it, therefore, behold, I will allure her.
And bring her.
Into the wilderness.
And speak to her heart.
And I will give her This is Grace.
Vineyards from Thence.
Now, mind you, I will give her the valley of Acor, the Valley of Trouble, the valley of Affliction.
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Gift where they would judge themselves.
And thus prepared themselves for blessing. Now notice this is a secret for you and me right now, brethren, individually and collectively, the valley of Eker. The valley, Not the mountaintop in this particular place, the valley.
Of acres for a door of hope.
And he shall sing.
And all that. Lovely, lovely through the result of Grace. Grace alone. But in Zechariah 12, he's going to bring down his people.
A humbled, broken people.
Confessing people.
Searching their own hearts, people. In the end of the 12Th of Zechariah brethren, this is what God is going to do.
But it's written for our prophet too. Are we willing to recognize God's way in his dealings with us?
It's significant too, is it not? The value of a core for a door of hope. The value of Acor was the valley where Akan and those who pertain to him were stoned to death, the first stain of sin that plotted the history of Israel when they entered the Promised Land. Well, it seems very remarkable and very beautiful here in Hosea. The minor prophets, God would point a way back.
To the valley of Acor, to the very first point of departure when they entered the land, And say, I give you this as a door of hope to me that's very, very searching and yet very, very encouraging. And to apply it perhaps to our own need today. The Lord does want to bless us. He wants to speak to our heart too. He wants us to be in the enjoyment of the blessing that He delights to bestow.
Believe the Valley of Achor is also offered to us as a door of hope, if we will. But look back to the point of departure, this point of departure involved.
Wedges of gold and a Babylonian garment. Oh, I fear there's something significant about this. These things tend to affect us so much in days like these. We look around and what do we see?
Wedges of gold and Babylonian garments, and this was Israel's first sin. When they entered the land, God had to deal with it, but in long-suffering, mercy and matchless grace, he says. I give you the valley of Acor the adorable because I love you and I want so much to bless you.
Father was saying that.
Fear is writing to.
The Jews of the dispersion Israelites.
Yet the truths that are set before us in this ninth verse.
Are equally true and important for us.
That is, we can think of ourselves just as much as those to whom Peter was writing as a royal priesthood and holy nation of.
People are purchased and then as far as the subject is concerned.
It's our present testimony. At this time there will be the the grand.
Setting forth in the coming days of the virtues of Christ, when He comes back in all His marvelous glory and display of power and might. But now we're in a position. While He who will display His glory in that day is hidden in the heavens, It's our blessed and wonderful privilege that we should show forth the praises of Him through.
Call you out of darkness into his marvelous life. Notice in the margin the word phrases. There are virtues.
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Well, what a high and holy privilege that is, beloved. Do we take advantage of it to tell what a wonderful savior we have that he was a holy man, sinless man that tried this world of ours?
Always glorifying the Father, doing all his will, until man ningled him to that shameful cross where he took up the judgment of our sins, mainly submitted to the solemn and awful judgment.
That we deserved. Well, that's that's what the apostle is encouraging the Saints to whom he is writing to show forth those virtues. And that isn't just simply for the gospel creatures, but it's addressed to oral God's people. Every one of us are privileged to show forth the virtues that blessed One.
And as it was brought out in the meetings on Saturday, this.
Now is the going out, the service, the testimony that has given us here, and the primary thought is it's exalting Christ.
Sowing the virtues of that one who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.
In Revelation chapter one and.
Verse.
Five, the end of a verse. Five, we have something very precious, and I believe that includes all the believer there.
In the middle of verse five says to him who loves us and has washed us from our sin and his own blood, and made us a Kingdom of a priest.
Admitted the Kingdom of Kingdom.
Priests to his garden, to his father, to him be glory and the might, to the ages of ages and men. I believe that this includes the whole royal Christwood of the present times. And I believe also I might suggest this is that in Second Peter as the royal prize word. I believe that Peter, the spirit of a God, has seen the remnant in Israel of the present dispensation. Would you say so, brother?
Very, very beautiful brother, your father. See how Peter and Paul spring the same subject before us. The Royal Priesthood of Christ hath made us unto our God.
And it's really a Kingdom of priests, isn't it?
And we that was mentioned in the Saturday meeting that every believer is a priest. Brothers as well as sisters, that is, we all have access into the immediate presence of God as worshippers.
But of course, in the portion we have before us, it's the more they're going out.
With the the testimony concerning that one.
Whose presence we have enjoyed.
When we were.
Offering praises and Thanksgiving to him now the desire is that others might know all that precious Savior who has filled our hearts and enabled us to offer to God.
For praises and Thanksgiving, which delight his holy heart.
Would you say, Brother Albert that in connection with your thought I can we have a similar thought in Hozier in the third chapter, The 4th chapter?
The 4th chapter of Hosea.
Connection with our brother brought before us in connection with a county verse 17.
For verse 16.
For Israel, slide it back as a backsliding heifer.
Now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place D frame is turned to idols.
That's just what they did, did they not? They turned to idols, to wedge of gold and Babylonian scones and so on. Let him alone.
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Well, they can, so to speak. Was left alone. He was stoned to death. But then we turn over to the 14th chapter of Hosea and verse 4.
I will heal their backsliding.
I will love them freely.
For my anger is turned away from him.
I'll visit you unto Israel. He shall grow as the Lily, and cast for his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree. And his smell is levolent. Now verse 8, Ephraim shall say, What have I to do anymore with idols? I have heard him.
I have heard him.
And observe him. I'm like a green fir tree.
Would that not suggest blessing upon repentance, like they receive the blessing and ache or the door of hope?
He claimed to bring his people back all 12 tribes into their land.
And after they're back, they're going to remember their ways. Now that's what Isaiah takes up from the 40th chapter on, and he brings before them, as you have called our attention to, first of all, their idolatry.
And then he's going to show them how they proved unfaithful as servants, and that he has a true servant. That's the Lord Jesus. Thou art my servant, O Israel.
And in the end, he's going to make the Miss servants again. That's the 65th chapter of Isaiah. But there we have, we might say, the moral restoration of God's people. However, in the Psalms, I believe there are at least three steps in the restoration of that people. And as our brother Brown has called, our attention to these things are for our learning. The 1St is.
In the 25th Psalm they are remembering the sins of their youth. I believe that's the first mention of a confession of any sins in the psalms, the sins of youth. But then when they come to the 51St Psalm I believe it is, they begin to remember blood guiltiness.
And it's deepening now. This should be true of us, dear brother.
And I believe the story of the prodigal is a picture.
Of justice with Israel. But it's also a picture of us now. The lesson we should learn.
In life is Father I've sinned.
But we should go further than that, and we should.
Realize that in my place, well, it's no good thing and I believe that's where we started in our readings.
Now if you take the intervening chapters of Isaiah, that is from the 35th on to the 40th.
You'll see the history of Hezekiah.
Now he was the king, the son of David who was brought back, as it were, from the dead. He's a type of Christ who's going to reign over his people.
He's the one who's going to put down the Assyria.
But there's something else about Hezekiah that you and I should learn, I believe, And that is that after he realized that he was brought back, as it were, from the dead. And that's where we are this morning, dear brethren. We've been brought back, as it were, from the dead. That's what baptism is, a picture of going down, buried with Christ.
Now we're new creatures in Christ.
Oh, he says. I'm going to walk softly the rest of my days.
He's going to walk softly.
Now in our passage we have mercy mentioned.
There's only one course, one path of blessing for any soul, and that's on the ground of mercy. We have it in our chapter. It's in the hand of the 10 verse, which in time passed were not a people, but are now the people of God. Think of that, the people of God.
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Isn't this solemn, the people of God?
Which have not obtained mercy.
But now have obtained mercy.
In the 32nd chapter.
Of Genesis, we won't turn to it. Jacob discovers that he has become too bands.
We have the same expression in the Song of Solomon. Mayonnaise I believe means 2 bands, two companies.
Now both Peter and Paul have been mentioned in connection with this reference to Hosea. Paul was the one who took up the message to the Gentiles, Peter to the Jews in a special way. Now we have both of them mentioned in Hosea, but the point I want to bring out is this.
That Peter is applying now.
That which will eventually be for the whole nation, but he's applying it to the little company. That's a heavenly company.
Of the Jews.
Now the same thing applies to the Gentiles. We're a heavenly company.
And in keeping with our chapter and in keeping with the first verse of our chapter.
Wherefore, laying aside all malice.
And all dial.
And hypocrisy.
And envies and all evil speakings one would ask the question.
And when we read this 11Th verse of our chapter, dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts. Am I to understand by this, dear brother?
That has a Pilgrim and isn't a stranger.
I should have simpler appetites.
I should have.
A simpler manner of life than this world through which I'm passing.
That I should have a simpler tent. Is that what this means?
Does it mean that that I'm to walk in a different kind of a path than this world through which I'm passing?
Abraham possessed the land, but he lived as a stranger in it.
And he walked through it as a stranger. Now, it's true that Abraham made mistakes, but Abraham learned to live in Hebron. That means communion. That is it. I'm not saying that's all it means, but it does mean that communion he lived in the plains of mamrie fatness.
While Lot went down to Sodom.
We have there a picture to us before us of the character.
That should become the Christians. Abraham lived in a tent. He had an altar.
Lot did not live in a tent and he did not have an altar.
When Abraham left this scene, it said it was said of him that the Lord had blessed him in all things.
When Lot left this scene, God had to hang a curtain over his life. Oh, what an awful end to the life of Lot. Now, dear fellow Christians, which path are you and I going to choose? The spirit of God is brought before us, I believe, this morning.
These scriptures that have to do with our conduct here in this world as those who have such a high in the holy calling.
The people of God now, are we going to go on in hypocrisy? That's what the Spirit of God is calling our attention to here this morning. Are we going to go on? And of course that belongs to this world and then profess it where the people of God.
All right. I feel very humbled about this. In my own soul, I believe that God is speaking to us, dear brethren. I believe that we have allowed things among us that are not becoming those who call themselves the people of God.
Who carry the standard in a day like this.
And I feel very humbled about it myself. And I feel that as the people of God we profess it. We should be exercised. That our ways are simpler, that our manner of dress is simpler, that our tents are simpler, and that our conversation and our attitude is simpler. And that we might learn, like Hezekiah, to walk softly the rest of our days to the younger Christians, if you please.
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Concerning Abraham, we read that he went out to a country, into a section that God chose for him. There were the Jebusites there, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, Canaanites and all the rest of the parasites. They were there. They were there. But we read that he builded an altar out of Jehovah.
Is this a secret for every believer?
The altar, first beloved, we cannot neglect the.
Altar in our Christian testimony.
Sometimes, well, we want to make this little practical. Sometimes we get up in the morning, say good morning, Lord, and we get up and and we we go to bed at night and say goodnight, Lord, and that's all.
But there must be beloved the daily, feeding upon the word of God.
And what does the altar mean? It means the presence of the Lord there.
Well, it's a great secret, this question of communion. If we walk in the Light as he is in the light we have.
Fellowship or communion, one with another, and the blood of Christ his Son God Son, cleanses us from all sin.
Now Abraham put his altar for me.
This is essential in the Christian pathway.
But then we read that he put his tent, which is a type, a beautiful type of the Pilgrim.
He put his tent secondly.
May we as younger Christians do this, give more heed to the altar.
And less attention to the tent. I remember I lived in a tent for nearly a year and a half in Bolivia.
Under the trees.
Home for you?
She said, Honey, this is the best 10th best house I've ever had. I can clean it up in one minute, and I've got all the rest of the day for my savior for testimony. So that is true. He's a little practical thing for us this morning. Below it. Oh, may we give attention to the altar?
There, Abram had everything. He had the Lord's presence, the Lord's presence there, and God looked out to the tank in connection with his 12Th verse. I heard a brother who was a smoker trying to.
Convince another brother that there is no harm in smoking, he said there's no verse in scripture to condemn it. Well, he was reminded of this very verse.
And it's a very important one. Dearly beloved by beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. And that's one of the many things that does war against the soul.
The expression, dearly beloved, I beseech you.
Is I think, something also for us to remember. It was brought to my attention recently and I'll just pass it on because I do believe it's significant. In the Old Testament there were prophets of God such as Isaiah, who thundered out vigorously against God's people.
And their message also was a God-given message. But those who were known as God's people where that because of.
00:50:00
A position that God had given to them. He had called them out as a nation, and I suspect that there was only a very, very small percentage among them that were really men of faith. However, I believe that that which we find in the New Testament is that which is of a slightly different character.
And I believe that the exhortations addressed to the people of God are addressed to them because they are God's people, beloved of him, and possessing mark this possessing a light and nature that really wants to please God. And Paul says, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the compassions of God.
That should present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. He addresses them on the ground of the compassions of God, which had just been revealed to them in the 1St 11 Chapters of that book. And so Peter also says.
Dearly beloved, I beseech you, John also says, I beseech you.
And it seems to me that there's a character in these exhortations that is directed toward those who belong to the Lord Jesus and are possessed of a life and nature that really wants to please the Lord.
Am I right in saying that everyone in this place this morning who has been redeemed by the precious Blood of Christ has a life and nature that really wants to please the Lord? If you don't have that desire within you, you're not a Christian at all. What you need to hear is the gospel. If you are a believer, you have I have by the grace of God.
Life and nature that really loves the Lord really wants to please Him. And the exhortations that I believe these dear inspired servants of God direct toward us are in faithful but loving terms, dearly beloved.
I beseech you all. To me it is soul searching and so tender to think that he loved you. He loved me so much that he gave himself that he might redeem us to himself. He had implanted within us a life and nature that loves him and wants to please him. The exhortation is directed toward us on the basis of this and when it reaches to the depth of our heart.
In terms in which the Holy Spirit has inspired that it should be written.
Surely there is a response?
In Bolivia, we had a reading on Galatians 5.
It was a very solemn reading. There were several 100 brethren present, and the question was asked whether a Christian could practice.
This solemn list that we have here.
Concerning the.
Works of the flesh. Now this was asked, could a Christian practice these? A brother away over in the corner said no.
But our brother, Taylor said. Permit me, brethren, to say that he could.
Well, the other brother didn't care for that too much. He was a little fiery, he said. Brother Saliers, if I believe that, a Christian.
Could practice that list?
Then he said I would do it alike.
Then till you said, brother, if you belong to Christ and was a possessor of divine life, you wouldn't like and that's it. And that solved that for that occasion you wouldn't like.
The spirit of God within your heart would not permit you to practice that. And that's a thought if anyone, if anyone, professing to be a Christian beloved went on in the practice of such a list as that, we would not have any reason to believe that he or she was a believer at all, as our brothers make.
But you wouldn't like tell you said you wouldn't like.
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Ah yes, very solemn. There isn't that, for it says a thing which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Well, that's just what you were saying, that the practice of those things without any constants and exercise.
I would only show that one is not saved at all. Would not inherit the Kingdom of God.
1 106.
We're getting the count of the children of Israel.
What God did for them and how He delivered them from Egypt, brought them through the red sheets.
Verse 11, it says, And the waters covered their enemies. There was not one of them left.
Then believe they his words, they sang his praise.
Well, this was a wonderful day for them when they saw the enemies dead on the seashore.
This piece of resurrection, they were on resurrection side. Their enemies had been dealt with. They've been delivered from Egypt, sheltered from judgment, there in Egypt, sheltered by the blood.
And it's a wonderful day for the soul that comes to know the Lord Jesus Christ, his Savior, knowing the shelter of the precious blood of Christ, sins forgiven, sheltered from judgment, risen with Christ, knowing he has new life in Christ and the Spirit of God dwelling in his heart.
Oh, that's a wonderful day for the soul.
But look at this side note.
They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel.
Can we put ourselves in there? Well, of course we can, and we ought to. This characterizes us as well as they.
We're made of the same thing as those Israelites. We have the same nature in us, that is the old sinful nature, and it can lust after things like they lusted.
But they lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted God in the desert.
Now look at the result.
And he gave them their request, but sent leanness into their souls.
Isn't this what Peter Speaking of here? Perhaps he's even thinking about that when he's writing.
He says.
Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Why are we so lean in our souls? Because we're catering to the flesh, pampering the flesh, giving the fleshly nature everything at once.
It can't bring anything but leanness to our souls, dear brethren. And we need to judge ourselves, and not only the young people. Sometimes we point our fingers at young people, but the older ones too. We need to judge ourselves because to whom are the young people looking but to the older ones? And if the children find that the parents are not too satisfied with the tent, and they're not giving much attention to the altar, if they're not satisfied with a simple life.
Well, they get ideas, you know, and each succeeding generation takes on a little more, and you'll find that the generation after Abraham has he generated. Isaac is not the man that Abraham is, nor is Jacob up to that either. There's a declension, according to each generous succeeding generation and all how we need to judge ourselves. And May God give us grace to judge ourselves. May God give me grace to judge myself and be discerning, rather than we're losing discerning discernment.
And their difficulties. Problems arising amongst the dear Saints of God gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And Brandon, if we don't judge ourselves, if we allow ourselves to be carried away by the lust of the flesh, we're going to lose discernment. And when these things come up, we'll we'll not have discernment. We'll not be like those in Israel who have the understanding of the times and knew what Israel ought to do.
01:00:02
May God help us to judge ourselves and that we might go on in blessed communion with the Lord. Amen. The borderline things that often snare us is it not? And we have a special warning. In the 6th chapter of Ephesians about the Wiles of Satan, I'm reminded of a little story that I heard of a lady who was taking a ride on a boat and she became quite concerned.
About her safety, So she said to the captain. Sir, do you know about all of the?
Shoals and all the rocks.
No, lady, I don't. But she said, how can you operate this boat if you don't know? Oh, he said. I know where the deep water is.
To retain to Genesis chapter 26 for a moment, I believe that there is something very precious there in connection with our pilgrimage and verse 23 of chapter 26 that's in connection with Isaac. I just want to add a little toast to what our brother has already brought to our attention in connection with Abraham. Now this is Isaac in verse 23 over the 26th of Genesis says and he went up.
From thence to Beersheba.
I was speaking to a brother yesterday about Isaac.
Plant and the altar as we see it and verse 25.
And he spiritually stands there and there Isaac servant dig the world in the treaty that are very precious here. But in speaking to the brother, they reminded me that before that in this very same chapter Isaac was plant in his tent and digging his well.
Very close to the enemy. And he had trouble. And he had trouble. Is that what you say to me, Bill? Yes, if you'll notice in the the chapter our brothers calling our attention to that.
He was in the 12Th verse. He was in the land of the Philistines.
Now his father had made a covenant.
With the them at Beersheba.
That's the will of the old. You get that down in the 23rd verse, but in the 12Th verse.
Isaac sold in the land, and received in the same year and hundredfold, and the Lord blessed him, and the man waxed great, and went forward and grew until he became very great. He had possessions of flocks and herds, store of servants, and the Philistines envied him.
Now the point we were making together, brother and myself was this.
That the Christian should never be in a position in this world.
As to worldly goods, where the where the world will envy it.
Had no business being where he was.
Of course he had to learn, and we have to learn, but you'll notice that when I see got down to the 24th verse of the chapter.
Then the Lord appeared to him that same night because he got back to the place where he belonged. And if we want the Lords presence, we'll not get it by taking up with the things of this world and putting ourselves in a position where the world envies us because of our prosperity in this world.
We'll lose our testimony. What an encouragement. This verse 24 case have you noticed present. The Lord appeared unto him because he were not, That is, he separated himself from his enemy, from those that would trouble him from enjoying the well and the pilgrimage of a plant in the tent. And So what an encouragement he was to him. He said, I am the God of Abraham thy father. Fear not, for I am witty, and I will bless thee and multiply thy seed for my servant.
Sake. Now you notice that he followed the example of his father here. It's very beautiful to see that he built an altar, communion and then he pitched his stand nearby there. He want to stay to the place where he was able to meet with God continually. And then he dig this. Well, I believe that speaks of a being very much occupied. Drink from the precious way to God, Would you say so, brother?
And others say order of strangers and pilgrims.
01:05:04
Sometimes it's reversed. Pilgrims and strangers.
But the scriptural order is strangers and pilgrims, and there's a little difference in the word. A strange area is one who is away from home, and the Pilgrim is on as one who is on his way to his home. And we're looked at in both ways.
Where strangers here, we're awake from home.
This world is not our home. We are just in an enemy's land where everything is contrary to the new nature that we possess, which loves the Lord. But then there is the encouraging thought too, that we're also pilgrims. We're on our way to our father's house, getting near every day as time goes by.
And we should be conscious of this.
Only strangers here. We're in a world that cast out our Blessed Lord and gave him only the cross and the grave. Well, we need to maintain our strangers hip down here.
As Molokai Taylor put it in his beautiful poem A Stranger with Such strange ways, Brother, senior brother Hail used to say, if the world if our neighbors can understand our principles.
There's something wrong about our Christian life because the principles that the Christian should maintain are those of complete separation from the whole system and course of this world. We're only living here for a time, of course. We go to the same stores as the ungodly and do our business there.
Well, those who work in offices are teaching schools. They're they're mingling among those that know not the Blessed Lord. But I believe there's a lovely principle in connection with the disciples when they were held against their wills by the arrest that was made that they were taken before the Sanhedrin. But it says being let go, where did they go?
It says they went to their own company. My beloved, dear young people and older people too. When you're released from duties and responsibilities down here, where do you go? Well, there is where we'll find, wherever we go, our own company. Those that love the Lord, those that like to talk about the Lord. Well, how?
Oh, and blessed it is, if there is that found in us that we found in those disciples, and what blessing followed, because they met together and only rehearsed all that the Lord had all that had taken place, and then they're engaged in prayer.
In the second chapter of Ephesians, it says.
We are no more strangers.
That's not a contradiction of this verse we have before us, is it? I suppose it means we were strangers once, but now we have been brought to God and members of His body, the Church.
So that's our position. We know more strangers in that sense, but in verse here we still are strangers because we're still in the wilderness away from home.
Is not the thought between the two verses?
So when we get to the 12Th verse of our chapter, it's more what is outward. For scriptured takes up the subject of these lusts, these desires that we have because we still have the old nature, we have those evil desires.
All have it. It's humbling to think of it. Think of what these four hearts of ours are capable of.
Thoughts that sometimes come into our poor minds and we have to judge and condemn.
And have no mercy upon. But then there is the outward testimony before men in this world, and that is very important too. So in this 12Th verse you get having your conversation. And as I'm sure we've often been told, that conversation is far more than just our talk.
01:10:22
So our whole conduct, our manner of life, having your manner of life honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may buy your good works, which they shall, behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Honesty is very important for the Christian.
Remember hearing Brother Potter in the Reading meeting one time in Montreal saying they were that there were two kinds of Hawks that.
Were condemned as food for the Israelites, and one was the Nighthawk.
That is a shady kind of business.
Maybe a short changing someone.
Something that isn't just perfectly.
Upright in our affairs. Well, I know I have to watch myself, but that I'm not guilty of that very thing this night walk and will harm that will do because such a one would say, oh he he cheated me.
Yes, his his, his ways are not the ways of a Christian.
We're very gritty and very and very quick to observe what is inconsistent in the Christian life. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, I think we have noticed this that when addressing the Jewish believers, the Gentile.
When spoken of is rather the way we would speak of the world, because these Jewish believers in the foreign lands where they were in the dispersion, they were surrounded by unbelieving Gentiles who.
Generally speaking, where idolaters ungodly people, well, they had to be very careful among these unbelievers that their walk commended, that testimony that that they maintained.
I was thinking the preparation of the gospel of peace.
I was thinking of a further Beyond the Young Christians in Among the Latin Believers to Learn by Memory and its first Timothy 4:00 and 12:00.
Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers in Word. In conversation, I suppose you would say behavior there, wouldn't you? Little different for to that word, Brother Barry, for that conversation is in heaven, our citizenship, but.
Here is our behavior and it says in Word, in conversation, in charity or love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Well, we ask them to learn that by memory. And I would suggest that you young Christians here would learn that verse by memory. Now, concerning night business, may I just add a word there, brethren, if you'll pardon me.
Our dear old brother recounted.
His experience concerning the Saints who go out at night.
And he said.
I stayed with a dear brother.
And he he was out usually frequenting.
The the picture palaces these semis. I don't want to call them in English.
Picture places, you know, moving pictures, pictures. And the he was, he was very fond of that, you know. And so this dear old brother, he stayed with him on this occasion and he said to him, brother, let us go to the pictures.
01:15:01
Well, he began to blush. He said. Well, brother, I don't think I can. But he says, don't you go.
And he thought a while, he said, let's go.
Well, I don't think I could, but aren't you accustomed to going to there, to the, to the, to those kinds of things at night? He said. Here's a bundle of tracks for you, and here's another for myself.
So he wouldn't go with him, but he, the old brother and the aged brother, he went off to this picture place and he bought his ticket and he got inside and was distributing the tracks around all the people before this affair took place. And the director came to, he said, hey, what are you doing in here? Get out, He says. No Sir, I bought the ticket but he ejected the poor old brother.
And it was winter time, and I love that dear old man. He helped me so much when I was a young man. He stood outside the door of that picture palace in that bitter cold until the end of it.
And suddenly one came out and he said please take a trip. And this particular sister hid behind another sister and behind another brother so that he would know. And he said, Brother Eric, there were a number of God's dear people in that place.
And they all hid themselves behind others so they wouldn't be recognized. But, he says I knew them.
Now, he said.
Remember Eric?
Don't go anywhere where you can't take the Lord Jesus.
Brethren, pardon this. Let us be very careful concerning our testimony. Let us remember whose we are and whom we serve. Well, there was a stumbling block there. Was there any power in that meeting? No, Sir, That was a weak meeting. It was a weak testimony. We are not of this world belong. We're in it, but we're not of it.
It's a world sentence with the judgment of God.
And we're going to be snatched out of it.
Very soon, it could be the day.
Whether it's again a person or whether it's a believer on the Lord Jesus Christ, we certainly need to read the 13th chapter, First Kings. And finally, as we reminded the other day that this man of God was called the man of God 15 times in the chapter and he's exposed to two tests, one is a worldly 1. The king invited him to his home. He said come home with me and refresh thyself and I'll give thee a reward.
Well, the King's hand had been healed. The man of God had prayed for him. His hand was healed. Now he wants to take the man and God home and give him a present. Well, this is too early for presents anyway. He said, come and refresh thyself. How could a man of God refresh himself and the wicked King's house? Well, he got over that by saying No. I'm not allowed. I've heard the word of the Lord, and that's enough. If you give me half your house, I will not come. Well, that was fine.
But now I have another test. A lying prophet came to him and said an Angel spank unto me and told me to bring you home with me. Now he fails under a religious test. Or how careful we need to be of these invitations. Come home with me, especially the dear young ones. Come home with me and watch the TV and what you see everything that would be defiling be a soul.
Nothing to edify. So how careful we need to be. As to these invitations. Come home with me, one would think. Well, if a king invited me to go home with him, why, surely I'd go now. The man of God had been instructed first of all not to go by the Lord. But then the lying commented, Well, an Angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord and told me to invite you. What was he to do now?
Obey the angels voice of the Lord's voice, the Lord's voice, but there he fails. It's a sad picture and solemn warnings for us all. What is the day of visitation?
01:20:02
Something I I would like to hear from someone that understands it better than I do. I know what Brother Clifford Brown used to tell us.
I was always helpful to me that there comes a time in the lives of those who oppose the truth when God allows circumstances.
Maybe troubles and sorrows?
Bereavements to come into their lives and who do they turn to in times like that? Your brother Smith can tell us something about it when one is really in serious trouble. Do they want a worldly, ungodly person to come and and bring comfort to them?
It's generally someone that perhaps has been despised by them.
Single brother, this moment that was was a little thought of and and he went quietly around seeking to minister Christ and give out the gospel all sinners about the Lord. Well, he was just more or less the laughingstock of the neighborhood. But what happened when someone was in sore trouble? Who did they turn to, this old brother that they had?
Despised and the horse ways they only had criticized that was a man that they wanted. So I believe that there is definitely.
A way that God will.
Will use those who are faithful and consistent in their walk, because the only Bible the world has, after all, is the Christians like you are in the you are the epistle of Christ.
Known and read of all men, and while there may be little said.
But if there is a consistent, honest, upright, godly walk before strangers, there comes a day of visitation. It may come in the families of God's people, if they are consistent and faithful in connection with their household, when there will be an opportunity.
To present Christ and appoint them to the blessed Lord.
Now will that command itself.
Give another answer on this from from job 31 and verse 14.
John 31 and verse 14.
Job speaking.
What then shall I do when God rises up and when he visited?
What shall I answer him?
The Apostle John, I think it's in first John 228 says something like this.
We might not lose what we've wrought.
Nor be put to shame before him at his coming.
Now as a verse in First Corinthians 3 I believe fits the case in verse 13.
Every man's work shall be made manifest.
For the day shall declare it.
The day shall declare it.
Now as to what work or what sort it is, in the end of the verse, the day shall declare it.
My mind often fails to get the word I want. It shouldn't, but there's another word someone is going to be able to help me here.
Was that inspections get amounts to that and they also use another word brother, it's just a mouse that thanks there is such a one as comes around and examines the books.
Maybe once a year, or maybe unexpectedly.
Where there's responsibility in office and so on.
01:25:01
Exactly the word I wanted. Thanks. Well, there's a day when all is going to be audited, and what is it going to reveal? I believe that's what the spirit of God has before us here. And let us read our verse again, Having your conduct, having your behavior.
Conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, that is now.
They may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God.
In the day of visitation.
I think it's 8 or 9 *. I counted. In Peters epistle, this word occurs. The word conversation, I'm sure.
Import is about.
Could we take #131?