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General Meetings, Des Moines, May 1973. Last Reading Meeting.
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96.
Love divine all praise, excelling joy of heaven to earth. Come down, Bless us with thy rich indwelling, All thy faithful mercies, Ground 296.
Long divine.
So we go on with First Peter, Chapter 5.
I think you're nice.
Where should I?
First Peter Chapter 5, verse 5.
Likewise the younger submit yourselves unto the elder.
Ye all of you, be subject 1 to another, and be clothed with humility, for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.
Be sober. Be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, is a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus.
After that you have suffered a while. Make you perfect, Establish, strengthen, settle you to Him. Be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
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By Sylvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose I have written, briefly exhorting and testifying, that this is the true grace of God, wherein you stand the church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you.
And so do it, Marcus, my son, read you one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
There is divine order.
That God expects to be maintained in the assembly.
And this is a very important word which saved lots of sorrow if it was observed.
Likewise the younger mix yourselves unto the elder.
We've seen some sad cases of younger brothers who refuse to take the admonition of older brothers.
That have gotten very far away from the Lord.
Although it took years before the full outcome of their.
Disobedience was manifested, but they took the wrong road. And whenever you refuse to yield to any Scripture that God has given us.
You're taking the wrong road. And if you're unwilling to judge.
You are not yielding to His word. Only God knows how far you may go astray. You go up on a tangent, and the farther you go, the farther you're away from where you started.
It doesn't mean that the younger person has no responsibility in the assembly, doesn't. If he feels that there's a certain matter that.
I should come to the attention of his brethren. He has the responsibility of bringing the Scripture and presenting it, but he must leave it there. He mustn't press it. He must leave it. Unless it has of course, to do with something very, very vital as to moral evil or doctrinal evil. But I mean.
Many things have come up that are pressed that it'd be better to just leave it with your brother.
You have the responsibility of presenting what you feel to be the mind of God, but if one person.
Oppresses this. He might lead to division in the assembly, especially if he's a leader of some kind. But when it comes to ordinary things, I think we do well to present them to our brethren and then leave it for their consciences. Is that right?
I agree with that this is true because.
We speak of the assembly conscience and if the Assembly as such hasn't been reached in its conscience.
Well, it doesn't make for unity. The conscience has to be reached 1St and then there will be a working together to do what the Lord wants done.
I suppose the elder could lose his moral weight in an assembly.
By worldly or disorderly conduct.
But a brother that goes on steadily and consistently and seeks to please the Lord.
Well, his very presence and his very his very age and maturity.
Gives weight and should not be ignored.
Because maturity and comes through age, no matter how devoted one may be.
That devotion and love for the Lord doesn't give maturity. That takes time for one to go through some maybe trying experiences, Hard Knocks and so on that.
Immaturism and the things of the Lord and in the ways of the Lord.
Respect to AIDS, because the scripture says thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and if there is something given for a younger person to do, even a correcting one who is older, there's a certain spirit in which it's to be done, isn't there? Rebuke not an elder, but in treatment of the Father. And then I was thinking too, in the book of Job of the patience of this young man.
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Named Eli, you. Now there he was, and there were three older ones than him that were answering Job, and they tried and tried over 30 chapters to try and set before Jehovah was right and they entirely failed to do it. And yet they were all older than Elihu, and all through this whole discussion they lie. You never opened his mouth. He waited until they had done, and they were unable to help Joe or to set before him what was right.
And then we find that in the 32nd chapter of Job this is what Elihu says, 30 seconds of Job. So these three men cease to answer Job because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then with kindle the wrath of Elijah, the son of Barack, of the kindred of Ram. Against Job. Was his wrath kindled because he justified himself rather than God, also against his three friends?
Was his wrath kindled because they have found no answer, and yet had condemned Job, now a lie, who had waited till Job had spoken because they were elder than he?
When, Eli, you saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, and his wrath was kindled, and a lie, who the son of Barakal abuzz, I'd answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old, Wherefore I was afraid, and there's not show mine opinion.
I said they shall speak, and multitude of years shall teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not always wise, neither do the aged understand judgment. So we see that there was a certain spirit that was proper and right. And if we look back in the history of the Church, we find that when God raised up the disciples, they were all comparatively young men.
When he raised up those whom we honor today, Mr. Darby and Kelly and Macintosh, they were very young men in their late 20s and 30s. But there was a certain spirit and manner that was seen in them and a recognition of the authority of the Word. And never any disrespect for age, I think it's important that we see the order of things that God has set before us in His Word.
Thought that he might use whomsoever he will, but in the right spirit.
To be according to the word of God. An older brother might advise what is contrary to the Word of God. Well, then we'd have to.
Although we value his age and maturity if he's telling us something, that's not according to the word.
Well, we we shouldn't yield to it, but we must be very sure that it isn't just our own decision, our own thoughts about the word that it is clearly a word that.
Governs the case before us.
That's the meaning of the expression that Paul uses in addressing Timothy. What you were Speaking of Gordon, let no man despise by you. That is Timothy had no right to go around and say, Now I know I'm only a young man, but Paul said you weren't to despise me. I think we are intended to read what immediately followed. Isn't that right? Let no man despise by you, but be thou an example is the suggestion there that the.
Conduct of youth at all times ought to be such as would not bring that which would be the occasion of there being despised. That is, that if a younger brother has a message, even perhaps a message that we could well take to heart of admonition, that.
The behavior, the manner of that young man ought to be such as would cause a respect for what he has to say. Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example. That is the the measure of moral weight that anyone bears is not entirely a matter of years, but of the behavior in the fear of the Lord.
Very good. There's this about it though, that it was Titus who went to Corinth.
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About with that letter about the matter of discipline that was to be exercised there. And he was an older man, was he not?
Now this was of God, I'm sure that that a man like Titus, who was firm no doubt in his convictions and.
Steadfast and had experience. He was the one who went to Corinth about that matter. It was said, no doubt, but the letter was enough.
Translation.
In the race we're considering, likewise He Younger. This is the new translation. Be subject to the elder, and all of you bind on humility toward one another.
For God resisteth the crowd, but to the humble gives grace and.
Instead of being subject 1 to another and all of you bind on humility one toward another.
That covers a large field, doesn't it? No humility. No matter what mom's position or what mom's age or once one's maturity might be, whether young or old, he's to bind on humility.
The spirit of subjection with the older one is a wonderful spirit to have, isn't it?
As well as the yogurt.
61 And verse 10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall rejoice in my God, for he have clothed me with the garments of salvation. He hath covered me with a robe of righteousness.
Well, this is something Christ has done for us, isn't it? But now here we close. The humility is something to do with our responsibility as Christians, isn't it? We already clothed with the garments of salvation, the Rover righteousness, standing before God, and all the wonder value of the work of trace. But now here's something which is our responsibility to be closed humility, to manifest it before one another.
Oh, that is something that covered one so that his parents manifest. Nor are we in action. That doesn't just for one occasion, but it's the character. Day by day, in the meeting or out of the meeting and conversation, or having personal dealings with one another, there's always that spirit of humility taking the low place, being willing to submit to.
Yeah, wherever it wouldn't dishonor the Lord. Wherever. When anything is just matter of one having his own way. How much better to yield and to submit than to always be insisting on having ones own way.
I know a brother that's in years out of fellowship because he wouldn't agree to the brethren passing the box around.
On Sunday morning and rather than than submit.
He left the meeting.
Fellowship today? Well, that was just simply a matter not having his own way.
He really thought that that was best, but he had no scripture for it. In fact, I believe it's scriptural order to pass the bus. But he got that thought, and some of the older brethren had given that idea years before in the meeting, and he wants to hold on to the tradition and sisted on it. So there he goes out.
I suppose it would depend much on the exercise and the service rendered.
When the Saints of Antioch took up that collection for the poor Saints in Judea and Jerusalem, they sent the Mounties by Barnabas and Paul. Well, you might say, well, that's a that's a meager service, but there's responsibility in connection with it. It was the Lord's money.
It was the Lord's bounty and for the poor in Judea and Jerusalem. So it much would depend on the character of the exercise and service, wouldn't it? Some require a older brother and in other cases a younger brother could fulfill the exercise.
That's a solemn word. There God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.
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Doesn't need too much comment on it. It's something for our consciences. Is there pride in our hearts? How much sadness and sorrow has been brought in by one being just too proud to own that he was wrong, rather than if we make a mistake in our ministry? You must be willing to own it. And if we are not, to just set ourselves up to be always right.
That is home when we're wrong.
That spirit of unwillingness to own when we've made a mistake or when we're wrong can lead to disastrous consequences.
And that's really a part of humility, isn't it? Take the low place one wants to have his way on is nothing concerning the Lord's glory. Or let him have his way and submit and give in.
Still give in. Isn't that all right?
If you're not wrong and still give in, isn't that all right too?
If it's something that isn't vital, that doesn't concern the Lords glory.
The what who deserves the highest place is the one who took the lowest place, and we don't deserve any place at all.
So we need to relate it to him. That helps us, doesn't.
I thought of the advice of the old man in three of Ohm's time, so they suggested to reel bomb that he would deal gently and kindly with the people for as the younger men suggested, Harshness said.
My father chastised them with whips, but I'll chastise them with scorpions. That was the advice of the young men. Well, it's sad when we get older that we become more harsh. It ought to be the other way. The advice of these old men was kindness and gentleness. May the Lord grant that as we grow older, that this will be so. Because as we look back on our own lives, this should humble us. There ought to be enough in any of our lives to make us humble.
As we grow older, the older we are, the more failures we can look back on. And so I think it's very important as we get older that we watch that it doesn't turn to pride and and shall I say, being unkind and thoughtless, but rather the other way. So nice to see what those older men suggested to read a bomb, isn't it?
Way Christ can be detected is a haughty spirit.
It may be hidden away in the heart, but.
A pride cometh before destruction, and it may be hidden in the heart, but a haughty spirit before a fall? And that's what it comes out, isn't it? And so that could be detected. But you can't detect crime. We all have it. It's a question of the grace of God that keeps it under.
Building up the thought which we have in Philippians 4 where the Apostle has to.
Beseech you, audience and syndicate, to be of the same mind in the Lord. Then it goes on, Let your yielding us be known unto all men, yielding us humility.
How? How much the Saints can be spared from sorrow where there is humility displayed.
The humility is something that we try to attain to because that can be a very sad thing. It can be pride in disguise, wanting to impress people that we are humble. True humility is the result of being in the presence of one who is far superior to ourselves.
I might think I was a good Carpenter, but if I got with someone who could really do very much better than myself, I don't need to be told to be humble. I just don't want to show my work because His is so far superior. And brethren, true humility is not something that we strive after or pretend because that's a bad thing, Just pretended humility. It's the result of being in the presence of God. No one could truly be in His presence without being humble, because when we think of who He is and what he has done for us, that his patience with us.
It produces that without effort within us.
And Isaiah chapter 66 I like to read the just a part of a verse very precious. I often have read this works. I say at 66 and the middle of verse 2. But to this man will I look, say the Lord, even to him there is a core of a contrite spirit, and tremble at my voice. To this man will I look save God?
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Even to him that is a poor and our contract spirit.
And tremble at my word, I have, I have heard someone say, and I'll pass around to your dear bread. And here this afternoon, I suppose there's nothing new, that through humility consists of making everything of Christ and nothing of ourselves. Through humility consists of making everything of Christ and nothing of ourselves.
And that's why we have to be friends, isn't it?
Visiting a brother in France for a while so. And he said, Have you ever noticed Jehovah's 2 Thrones? And I said no. Whatever do you mean? So he read to me this first I'll just read it the 57th of Isaiah. For thus that the high and lofty one that inhabited eternity whose name is holy. I dwell in the high and holy flakes.
That's one throw.
With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.
To revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite one. I thought it was most interesting that he should notice that in that one verse there were the two Thrones of Jehovah. As he put it, a high and lofty one that inhabited eternity finds it his delight.
To enjoy the fellowship of those who are humble and contrite in heart, in spirit. Oh, it is, I'm sure.
Such a deceitful thing. We perhaps are guilty of wishing for a reputation for humility. Isn't that an awful thing when you put it in plain English? What a what an awful statement that is a reputation as a humble. Brothers. God forbid if we ever sought for such a reputation, we would be unfaithful. We would never. Never.
Shall I say, take part in any activity that might attract a little bit of attention? Because we would say this would damage my reputation for humility. But to be in the presence of the Lord Jesus, who was meek and lowly in heart, will, I believe, produce it without it being sought after at all.
When he was reviled, he reviled not again the Blessed Lord. When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself unto him the judges righteously.
Who his own self bear our sins and his own body on the tree, that we being dead unto sins not sin, but sins might live unto righteousness.
By whose stripes we've been healed. There's another thing that comes to me, brethren.
The the question of subjection.
I think we would do well to have a little word, perhaps, as the Lord enables, on this question of subjection.
Peters ministry doesn't deal with the assembly in the same way as Paul Paul's ministry was to the assembly.
But.
Concerning discipline.
May we ever learn to bow to the decision of the Assembly.
Here is where we sometimes go wrong, and where OFT times a great deal of strife is the result of it.
And assembly decision holds.
Now we have to subject ourselves to the decision there This was asked our love Brother Brown. When his mind was clear, it was asked must an assembly decision hold and he said it hoped. Now we may not see this, we may be, we may have a different conception of it.
But there again is the need of humility to leave it with the Lord and let him work this problem out.
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Now sometimes we are in the midst of a lot of in subjection in the Assembly.
We do not have this trouble in Bolivia, for which we thank God.
Now take for instance in the case of putting away dear Philemon.
His own.
Children in the faith did it in tears.
I asked a brother concerning trouble in a meeting. What was the trouble there? You know what he said.
Brother Smith is parental affection.
This is the trouble here, parental affection that we would even slur over divine truth just to please some younger or older brothers. We would slur it over now. God doesn't bless that. Doesn't bless that. Well, I just mentioned this, by the way, because Satan is making inroads among us.
And as an old man, I just feel that there perhaps is a danger in our midst of parental affection governing the actions of the assembly instead of the spirit of God. The Holy Spirit, Beloved, never leads country to this boat.
In all the actions that are taken in the meeting.
There needs the gentleness, there needs the moderation or the yielding Ness and the gentleness that needs that, but there needs to to be faithfulness.
Faithfulness now.
I know of certain meetings where the younger men, we love them, but they are imposing themselves upon the elder.
And the result has been confusion, confusion. Now this is not always the case. We cherish our young brethren, and we cherish their interest in the things of the Lord, and especially if they have a seal to serve the Lord and to please him.
But there is a subjection required in the assembly that's very urgent just now.
The Word of God is the authority for all action, though, and while we submit to the action of the assembly, we must also bear in mind that the assembly has no right to set aside the Word of God. Now, That is, if we place the authority of the assembly above the Word of God, it's from the Word of God that they receive their authority. And if the assembly in a certain place was to condone something that denied the deity of Christ, we couldn't respect the authority of the assembly above the word of God.
So that the time where we're told to hear the Church is in the case of deciding whether a person is guilty, but not in deciding matters of truth and doctrine. The word of God is the authority for that, brethren. Let us remember them absolutely true, dear brother. The assembly is not the truth. The word of God is the truth. So that all that I mentioned in love was that the Spirit of God is He who guides.
There. And if we are not careful, we sometimes Passover, a very important matter in the assembly. I think that's what I was trying to make dear brother. Yes, I'm predicting, I just qualifying, so we would all be clear.
The assembly brethren is not.
The truth it is taught. The assembly doesn't teach. It is taught. And as our dear brother has brought to our minds again, and of course, which I desire to emphasize too.
The word of God is the truth, not the assembly.
We read in Timothy that the Church is the pillar and support of the truth.
And.
When the apostles were here.
If the apostles could go about and could make decisions because they had the authority of the Lord, but now where is the authority they have given us their writings?
Well, that's how the authorities passed down, the authorities in the word now. And so we must bow to the word of God. And that's why it's so important that planning assembly makes a decision, It do. It makes the decision in the fear of the Lord according to the Word.
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And if it's done in the fear of the Lord, and it's backed up by the word of God, there's the authority.
We have a very common example of where Lords claims come before the claims of nature in Exodus 32.
It says in verse 3026. And Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lords side, Let him come under me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves unto him. And he said unto them thus, that the Lord God of Israel.
Could every man his sword by his side and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp and slay every man his brother?
What a solemn thing. And every man his companion, and every man his neighbor, And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses, and the fellow the people that there about 3000 men.
Here surely we have a very solemn example of where the Lord's claims must come before the claims of nature.
Don't you think that the spirit of God is referring back to that in the 33rd chapter of Deuteronomy?
In this 33rd of Deuteronomy you get the blessings of Moses, the man of God, and he takes up the different crimes. And we are. What you are reading about was about Levi, the time that they came forward and drew the sword and they were to sleep every man, his brother, and so on.
Now here's what it says this to that.
And of the eighth verse and of Levar, he said, Let thy summon and the Urim be with the holy One, whom thou didst prove it, Master, That's the place where you were reading about, and with whom thou describe at the border of Meribah, who sat unto his father, and to his mother. I have not seen him.
Neither did he acknowledge his brother, nor know his own children. For they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant. Now notice this. They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law. They shall put infants before thee, and hold burnt burnt sacrifice upon thine altar Well those who were faithful, and would not recognize human relationships when the.
Honor of God was in question. They're the ones that God can use.
To to minister to his people.
And to present whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. We allow human relationships to have an important place that sways our judgment. We're putting ourselves in a very serious position.
That's a timely word, brother.
We are feeling this matter.
We are just feeling this very keenly just now.
And.
We just have to watch out.
Lest Satan gets an advantage of us below.
He is attacking God's dear people as never before.
He is really attacking the Lord's dear people and how he loves each one.
But he's attacking the the the truth of the one body.
And what is the one body but the ground of the assembly?
He's attacking.
The assembly in that sense, and we sometimes are liable to Slayer over truth in order to pacify matters.
Now we need grace in all this, of course.
But.
I just mentioned this, by the way, as one who has labored many years among different Saints with different languages.
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From the very beginning of the work, we sought to teach the native Christians, and there's no one so rebellious as a Spanish American.
We've taught them to subject themselves to the assembly decision and to respect those who are, shall we call them Overseers or bishops or Elmers, to respect the decision that they make.
Now, there's never been one case during the 50 years of my little life where the Assembly decision has been refuted.
Not one case so far because of this they it has been imposed upon them in loving language. The the necessity of allowing nothing to interfere with the decision that is taken. Well, there's a great responsibility upon elders and it's a very, very difficult position as those.
Among you, beloved, who take the burden of the assemblies, it's an unthankful thing, But oh, it's a very great honor and a very great privilege. And those of God's dear people who have been used of the law.
Have been the most humble, and those who are just nothing have felt their own nothing. I know one brother is with the Lord now. He very seldom opened his mouth, but he's very presence. There was a power for God.
We knew that he would stand by the word. Well, nothing turned him away from that. Well, I just mentioned this. It's upon my heart, beloved. And these are reading meetings.
We just would humble ourselves in the presence of God just now because of our state.
We should humble ourselves as regards our state and as regards the ongoing even of the children of the Saints and so on. We humble ourselves before the Lord about.
Now dear Raul Valderrama has had one of the greatest tests of his Christian life. His eldest son at the table of the Lord has failed. He's gone into fornication.
That dear man has written me, You see the drops, the teardrops on the paper. What has he done? He has.
Stood by his brethren in putting that wicked man away.
Putting him away.
And isn't that something that's shaken our dear brother Valorama to his very soul? Nothing would prevent him from standing by the book.
Well, that that young man is going to be restored. You certainly will. He's feeling how cold this poor old world is out in Satan's world. Well, brethren, just forgive me for stressing it a bit, but I really feel it in my own soul. Or I wouldn't say so.
Since we're Speaking of assembly decision and owning the assembly decision to speak a word concerning what if we feel that the assembly may have made a mistake because we know the assembly is not infallible.
But in a case where we feel that the assembly has made a mistake.
He's the one to rectify it. Leave it to the Lord.
Our troubles would end if we would just cease, beloved, from dealing with things where the scriptures are silent and letting the Lord work out our problem. Who is more able, beloved, than that risen, glorified man to do?
We can count on him, absolutely.
We believe that he can do it, so we leave it with him.
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And he can guide his own house.
Say Amen to that.
Could you tell us about the man in Bolivia that was put away strongly and sat back? Yes.
There was a dear brother. He was accused of adultery.
I knew him, my own spiritual son.
He was put away. There are cases where the assembly could go wrong. He was put away.
Never missed one meeting, he sat back, he and his dear wife and his three little children.
For one year and a half, he never missed one meeting, the prayer meeting.
The breaking of bread. He was there with his little family.
At the reading meetings he never missed for one year and a half.
One day in reading First Corinthians 5A, brother broke down.
Stood up with the tears flowing down his face.
He said My brother is innocent.
The guilty man. I'm the guilty man.
Well, that was just like a bolt with the blue. I'm the guilty man. What was that brother going to do? He never let on that there was anything ever happened. He took his place at the table again. He never said one word against the decision of the assembly. Not one word against his dear brother or against anybody.
Wasn't that a victory?
No revenge, if anyone had.
A cause to cause a dissension and the trouble in that meeting. That man was he was the best taught brother in the meeting.
He'd been saved many years.
But he never said the word.
And I've said to him after, dear brother.
The Lord bless you.
He said Thanks, Brother Smith.
He said the Lord is able, the Lord is able. That's all he said to me. The Lord is able. Remember, it says the last. The verse we're considering that he may exalt you in due time.
When I mentioned my brother. Because it's just an example for us, isn't it? And it's been an example for us ever since. Now this took place years ago. Of course that dear man is in is with the Lord and so is the other. They're both with the Lord.
But what a happy ending. Those men went home to glory shouting. They did, both of them. The poor fellow was a he was a lame priest. Of course he couldn't minister anymore. They wouldn't allow him to minister in the in the meeting he was a lame priest. But he took part in the gospel outside and showed to the people around him what God could do with the poorest St. restore to commute.
Yes, God is able, Beloved. Let us trust Him.
He's able. I thought it was such a good example of an assembly making a wrong decision, but waiting on the Lord, and the Lord sets it right.
That I had. Will you be permitted to just give you a little experience that I had in my own life when I came among the Gather Saints about 20 years ago? I went to a year, brother, that I love very much. And I say to him, dear brother, I can't say this is very personal. I hope you don't mind. And I say, dear brother, I won't be able to stay with you another moment. The Lord has shown me the place and I'm going to go there and I went and sit back.
But you know what this brother told me? I want to speak aloud so that everybody can hear me.
And this is very vital in connection what we have before us this afternoon. He said to me, brother, I know why you leave us. And I say to him why, brother, because you believe that when an assembly passes a judgment, everybody must bomb to it. But we don't believe that. We believe that people present another assembly. They should get together and judge the case of his right. Then we're accepted. That will not be rejected. I say, brethren, that's exactly the reason why I'm leaving your dear brethren, and go to those who are gathered through the precious name of the Lord Jesus.
00:55:32
I thought I'd give you this a little personal experience in my life, and I have treasure and appreciated the place that the Lord and his goodness and love has brought to me. I come out from that confusion, but I was better. I come out from that confusion because of that.
I just wanted to mention that at the time of the Tunbridge Wells division.
My father was very well acquainted with Brother Lo, and loved him and esteemed him. He was a he was a laboring brother of weight had been much used of the Lord.
And here was a case where a laboring brother was put away and brother Lois letter. It looks like it was unrighteous and the meeting was divided there in connection with it and others were put away.
At that time, nearly half the meeting, so that it looked like it might not have been an assembly action.
And my father and I were almost ready to go the wrong direction. And I went to Saint Louis at that time. And I visited Brother Armand. And Brother Potter was there. And what they told me, you bow to the action of the assembly and wait on the Lord to clear it up? Well, I came back with that conviction. And so we did.
We we just waited on the Lord.
And in time it came out that the very ones that had refused the action of Chambers wealth had to put this labouring brother Mr. Strange away themselves as a liar. Well, showed that the decision of the assembly was right. But really the important thing is just what they told me. Wait on the Lord and brother, Brown says that, Brown said to me at that time too. And I was.
Undecided, He said, Suppose you are walking down the street and the policeman stops you and says you're under arrest. You say I haven't done anything. He says it makes no difference. You're under arrest. He says, what are you going to do about it? Well, he said you have to submit his authority there. And he says that's the way it is with this case. We have to submit and then wait on the Lord to come in. And it may, it may be like in this case, only about a year before it was cleared up for those who wanted to walk in the Truth. Or it might be many years.
But all the important thing is don't get in a hurry, don't take a false step, don't try to start anything. Leave it with the Lord, wait on the Lord and the Lord can come in in his time and wait. And his ways are always best.
And then?
Once your brother we were together, and there was one that was able to not God with us, and he was trying to process to what went on and the ground in which we took by the grace of God. You know what your dear father told him? He say, brother, the father has the authority and the family has to be. I'll never forget that. And the young man answered, Yes, he say, do you think that the father sometime can make a mistake in his judgment?
He say yes, he can make mistakes. What the Son is going to do is going to rebel against the Father, you say, Oh no, no, I can't do that. There is that The thing is seeking the help of another assembly, which has been done, as we know recently in a matter that has risen amongst us. And God has honored the help of another assembly and coming in and taking the case and seeking to act for the Lord in it, We mustn't forget that any action taken in the assembly is to be taken.
Representing the whole testimony. And therefore it tells us, you know, that that endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace, we submit and wait on the Lord. But there are certain principles in the word of God which have been acted on amongst us, and which God is honored.
And difficulties that have arisen. I just mentioned this because I think many of us are aware that there have been such a thing taken place, and that the Lord has come in and honored the ones who seek to act in the fear of God in such cases, not setting aside the assembly action as such, but seeking to consider it in the light of God's word.
01:00:25
I personally feel this Mr. Strain Brother Barry after he was put away.
He came to our meeting in Ipswich, England, and I was president at the time, and he caused an awful trouble. He tried to get into our meeting after being put away. And the dear brother there, oh, they wept over him, pleaded with him to go out and he wouldn't, So they would give hold of him, forcibly take him out. And the sisters were crying, the brothers were crying, we all crying. It's the saddest thing. He's such a man who went to the determined spirit. He was not going to be put away.
And brother Henderson, nine, met of man at the same time in the West Indians.
Alexander Peters. When he was put away, he shook his first. He said, I'm not going to leave this meeting. You're not going to put me away. I'm not going to leave. You're not going to put me away. Didn't he stand? He created an awful disturbance, Rebellious, not subject to the decision of the assembly. And if we judge the decision of the Assembly, we're constituting ourselves as judges, are we not?
And the most helpless and keep us very low down, beloved, very low down indeed, he loves his people. I remember a case when I was arrested as an officer. Drew saw it and he said March, I said.
Why March? He said. Well, I went into the dungeon, had not a word to say. Who was ever going to Take Me Out of that place?
Just to rot away, beloved in that dungeon where over 1,000,000 poor things have rotted during the conquest of the of the Spanish.
Rather the way in that those dungeons, oh, who would ever Take Me Out of them? There was one up there who knew all about it. And I said, Lord, geez, while I'm in here, I'm going to preach all day to these poor convicts who were 1400 of them in there.
Some into life and he gave me grace to preach. A Roman Catholic Colonel came to the police station and sent for me to be brought up out of the dungeon.
And he said I knew him. He'd warned me beforehand, but that by preaching in the open air there were people who would do violence unto me.
And he warned me. He said, Hello, Smith, He said, what are you doing in here? I said, I'm a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Make my Colonel, Me Colonel, they say. He said, you just go home and I look after you. A Roman Catholic Colonel. Oh, the Lord lives, Melanie. And he kept his word.
He looked out to me. Nobody ever touched me after that and he went over the head of the chief of police of the city to do it.
Well how it's wonderful to leave it with the Lord now we appreciate the comments of our love brother always it's these are the joys of of reading meetings president to have these things talked over lovingly and.
Subjectively to one another.
But is there not something that we have to listen to this afternoon, beloved, just as we are in this actual state that exists?
Leave it with the Blessed Lord.
I've received a pile of papers like this about trouble in these meetings. They write to me because I'm an old worker.
I've never answered one, not one, but I prayerfully put it away.
Where it belongs.
Ask me all your care about me, and that's the next verse. For he careth for you, and then it asks to be sober.
Be vigilant. Now that's necessary too, isn't it? As was brought out sobriety connected with our own personal state. And walk, but then also vigilant.
01:05:01
We always should be vigilant just the same because the enemy may trip us up too.
But I go back to this other question just to if I really may raise a question that is in my own mind, and I would like to have help on it. I have wondered if there is perhaps a danger in our abhorrence of what we see concerning independent testimonies that reject such a thing as the authority of the Lord. In the midst we have seen this, and we have seen the pitiful results of it. We have heard and it is found teaching.
That we accept decisions made by assemblies with the authority of the Lord in the midst. This I thoroughly agree with. I have wondered if in our.
Horror of independence, whether there could be the danger of we as local assemblies perhaps acting a little bit independently in making a decision which we know is going to be binding on all other assemblies and we expect them to bow to it.
And refuse the prayerful concern and appeal of our other brethren. I'm raising it as a question that has stirred a bit in my own mind. I hope by the grace of God we may always accept the binding character of decisions made in each assembly, with the Lord in the midst. But this very fact, brethren, makes me feel that.
That one gathered to the Lord's name.
As one who I trust love the truth of the one body, and as I see it displayed and as I experience it in going from place to place, yet I am a brother that is in a local assembly Smith Falls, and I feel that when any assembly decision is made at Smith Falls, it is going to be binding on all other assemblies. Therefore should we at Smith Falls not bear this in mind at all times when?
A situation develops in our midst and we realize that we must make a decision.
Which will be binding on all assemblies, should we not, because of this various fact, and in an attempt, an endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit proffered by benefit by the prayerful counsel of our brethren from elsewhere, shall I say?
Right in feeling that there should be this spirit with us in our home assembly when we realize that what we enact in the presence of the Lord is going to be binding, should it not be made.
As.
A local representation of the truth of the one body.
This is a question that I would like some comment on. I hope that you've answered the whole matter yourself, that you're right in what you say and I trust it will lead to exercise among the Saints and because there are many meetings represented here, that it will cause real care and concern. And considering the whole body, I fully agree with what you say that there's one thing that when the matter has caused trouble among God's people.
And when you find that there has been a definite attack on the person or the work of Christ, why it makes the matter?
Clear to understand that here's a serious matter, an attack on the person of Christ like Raven ISM.
Or an attack upon the work of Christ in any way. Well then that makes the matter clear that those who have taken action, that they had godly concern about it. And even though their brethren elsewhere may not be clear about it, they have acted before the Lord. And I think you'll find in most every case of division that has ever taken place, that if you trace the thing down to its.
Up to the bottom you'd find there was something there that was serious.
That had to be considered.
Aside the that deal with the Raven situation was actually involved hanging aside of an assembly where that evil wasn't judged, didn't it? I only mentioned this because we should be very clear as to the limits of the authority of the assembly never to go beyond the word of God. Any condoning of evil would cause it to cease to be an Assembly of God, wouldn't it?
01:10:07
And so we have to be faithful. In this I fully agree with the remark that Albert has made that every assembly should remember how it's its actions are going to be binding upon others, and so should act in the fear of God, and realize that to cause disturbance and sorrow among the Saints just to carry out some action is really a great loss to the whole testimony, and we should be exercised to act in the fear of God.
And to seek to continue in this which is so dear and precious to us, that we are gathered as members of the body of Christ on the ground of the one body.
To that brethren, we can say Amen to that.
However, it's just the danger of us flaring over things, and God would have us watch out in this matter.
Lest anything would deter us from following what God has to say in His word about it.
That's the point that comes home to my own soul that are we in any danger of slurring over truth?
Just to satisfy perhaps some affection that we may have.
That is always a danger of that, I'm sure there must be. We all feel that, especially you, dear ones who have children, have been privileged to have a family.
We'll tell here that the enemy is on the loose in this next verse, the enemies on the loop. We only have a few moments left, but we want to remember that that the enemy is at work and he's very busy today.
And so it says, be sober.
And be vigilant, because your adversary the devil.
As a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour, whom resists steadfast in the faith. That is, whenever you speak of the faith, it always includes the thought, doesn't it, that whatever we do must be subject to the word of God.
In the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren, they're in the world.
So we have here the enemy at work and our part then.
As our brothers just said, to be vigilant.
But sober to and then we're to resist the enemy.
And we're to be steadfast in the faith. We're to resist the enemy, and that whatever his attacks are, would you resist them. But that's quite different from sowing discord among our brethren, isn't it?
My face we may will. By his grace alone, beloved, we can maintain the honor.
And the glory and the authority of Christ in our midst by his grace.
By God's grace.
Yeah.
But the God of all grace, I would like to have an interview with Peter for that by you such a secular expression and ask him say Peter what do you mean the God of all grace, He say. Brother, you read about me what I did in the gospel there many mistaken. How would Whitley sometime I have spoken and how the God of old age has always blessed me and restored me.
Would you say?
I was thinking here to how it says, humble yourselves, therefore under the mighty hand of God.
That he may exhaust you in due time. So that is, we've been Speaking of many things in connection with the difficulties that arise amongst us.
But should we not be exercised about why and to humble ourselves under God's mighty hands? Affliction doesn't spring out of the ground that God has allowed it. Maybe He sees something amongst us that needs correction, and so He allows it. And before we are able to cast our care upon him, we have to recognize His hand upon us before we can actually have the wisdom how to meet these attacks of the enemy.
First of all, taken the low place about why this took place, and I believe that there's an order here, a moral order that is very important for US1 is sometimes commented that it's important to notice that verses 6 and seven are part of one sentence. We often hang up on our wall at verse, casting all your care upon him for a careth for you. And yet we've all had the experience that we just couldn't seem to cast our cares upon him.
01:15:30
The verse was very lovely. It was very inspiring. But we wondered why we were unable to leave those cares there. But have we submitted to his hand as to why he allowed that care? Why did it come? Have we really submitted to it and said, well, he's allowed it because of something that he has seen, that it was needed and one could speak for oneself whether it has to do with the assembly.
It has to do with our own personal lives. I don't believe that we can actually leave our cares with the Lord until we have submitted to His hand and what He has allowed. And when we do, we'll find that it's much easier than to commit the care to him.
I sometimes had to challenge myself like this. Well, now the Lord has allowed this circumstance.
If you had the planning of it, you think it would be different, but the Lord and His wisdom has allowed this. Would we really want the Lord to change the circumstance, or do we see His hand in it and the wisdom of His hand in it? I believe that when we just down say, well Lord, it was necessary, it's been allowed for a purpose which I would seek to learn. Then the Lord enables us to cast the care upon him.
Then he gives us to be able to meet this, for the enemy's work is always to use the flesh within us. He has no power over the one who is walking in obedience to the Word of God. It says by the word of Thy looks have I kept me from the path of the Destroyer. So Satan had no power over the Lord because he ever walked to please his Father. But he has power over us when we depart from the path of obedience.
When we step into something of self will, and then the Lord has to deal with us, and we wonder at our inability to meet its attacks, have we really been before the Lord as to why is allowed it, why we can't seem to cast this care upon Him? And when we have done this, I believe, then He enables us to know how to meet the situation in the fear of God. He enables us to, as it tells us here to resist steadfast in the faith.
James.
A similar thought. God resisted the proud that gives grace to the humble. And then he says, submit yourselves to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Well, he joins those two things together, submitting ourselves to God and then resisting the devil. But how can we resist the enemy if there's not submission to God? This means going on in communion with him.
And fellowship with him in self judgment, being in a proper state of soul, and perhaps.
This is why the the enemy is coming in and he's doing the work or he's able to do the work that he is doing. Because we're not in the proper state of soul. We don't have discernment. We've gotten out of touch with the Lord, out of tune with him, and we don't have discernment and when there's that state.
Their confusion comes in, and the enemy is able to increase the confusion, and it gets right back to a matter of our own personal state of soul. The Assembly is no stronger than we are individually. If we're not going on with the Lord individually, well, how can the Assembly be going on with the Lord if we're losing discernment individually, well, in that measure, the Assembly will be losing discernment too.
So these two things are important to link together and keep together, submitting to God that we might be able to resist the death.
Passing through a deep exercise whenever we visit him and I believe Brother Tanner will confirm this.
Whenever we visit him for the past year, once or twice a week, going over these things in connection with the assembly and the various things that are taking place, he refers to 1St Corinthians Chapter 11, verse 30 for this cause. Many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. He is going. Brother Brown is passing through a very deep exercise regardless.
01:20:28
Of this 4 miles, and this verse is very much before him as to the conditions that we see existing amongst us and the Lord speaking here and there, not only amongst the older brethren, but also the young.
#318.
Oh, Lamb of God, still keep us close to thy Pearson sign #318.
Be the First First Corinthians First Corinthians 13.
Verse 1213.
For now, we see through a glass darkly.
But then face to face.
Now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I'm known?
01:25:01
And now about its faith.
Hope Charity.
These three, but the greatest of these is charity or love.